The Backpack Adventures

Every Holy Week, my family and I go out of town on a pilgrimage tour to visit churches as part of our Catholic culture. This is also known as Visita Iglesia . For our 2017 Visita Iglesia , we headed south to the provinces of Batangas and Quezon . Unlike the previous years where we only visit Spanish-era or historical churches, we decided to have a mix of shrines and churches in this year's Visita Iglesia itinerary. 2017 Batangas - Quezon Visita Iglesia Here's where we went on our 2017 Batangas & Quezon Visita Iglesia : National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio  in Sto. Tomas, Batangas Because of the distance of our house from our target provinces, our three-car convoy left home early to avoid traffic and headed to our first destination which is the St. Pio National Shrine in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. It is a quaint shrine tucked in the inner part of town. We spent almost two hours here doing the Stations of the Cross and exploring its different structures. The bell tow

Located in Laiya, San Juan in the province of Batangas, Kabayan Beach Resort is one of the top beachside resorts in Laiya. Kabayan Beach Resort Kabayan Beach Resort History Kabayan Beach Resort  is one of the oldest among the numerous resorts lined up along the shores of Laiya. In their 20 years in the business, Kabayan Beach Resort managed to successfully compete with the newer resorts by providing competitive rates and by upgrading its facilities and amenities to cater to the different wants of the guests. Kabayan Beach Resort - San Juan, Batangas Welcome to Kabayan Beach Resort The front office of Kabayan Beach Resort Kabayan Beach Resort Facilities: Try out the banana boat ride Banana boat ride (min 5 pax) - P300 / head for 15 minutes Flying Fish (min 6 pax) - P400 / head for 15 minutes Speed boat (max 4 pax) - P8,500 /hour Kayak - P300/ hour Billiards - P100/hour Aside from these, Kabayan Beach Resort is partnered with Laiya Adventure Park which is loca

Located in Laiya, San Juan in the province of Batangas, Blue Coral Beach Resort is one of the top resorts in Laiya. Blue Coral Beach Resort Blue Coral Beach Resort History Blue Coral Beach Resort  was established a few years ago and has been a go-to resort for company outings and family or barkada bonding. The resort has plenty of Instagram ready areas like its pool area and beach.  Speaking of the beach the sand on it is somewhat creamy (some say white) regardless, the management makes sure that their beachfront is regularly cleaned of any man-made or natural trash. The water is sometimes clear but there are times that it gets murky.  Blue Coral Beach Resort - San Juan, Batangas Welcome to Blue Coral Beach Resort You may want to inquire and book your room here... Since we are talking about the beach, there are several water sports facilities available for the guests such as: Banana boat ( 6 pax per 20 min.) - P1,500 Jet ski (per 1 hour/ 2 seater) - P4,500 Flyi