Are you the type of person who prefers to take it all in when you travel – the sights, culture, food?
As for me, I’m used to a jam-packed itinerary when the only time I can hit the snooze button is when I’m in transit. Aside from that, what seems to be the barometer of a wonderful trip is when all have been ticked off my must-see, must-eat list.
But all these would have to change when Riri came along as the places where we’ll have to stay and dine in need to be given consideration.
Is the hotel child-friendly? Would there be enough space for her to move around? What are their activities for children?
My preferences have indeed taken a 180 degree turn. No more of that backpacking adventure in Vietnam or anything similar.
And it is because of this change in preference that I’ve found myself booking a casita at Cala Laiya. What brought me to Cala Laiya’s Instagram feed in the first place were posts from mom friends who more or less have the same travelling considerations when there are kids in the equation. These days, I rely on reviews from people I know rather than leave it all up to Google because there are things which you cannot find online no matter how vast a resource it has become.
Allow me to take you to Cala Laiya with this post.
Nestled in a cove just 2.5 hours south of Manila is a tropical sanctuary surrounded by mango trees which is the Cala Laiya. Located in San Juan, this resort owned by the Lhulliers marries both the idyllic and the contemporary.
It has a private beach area and an outdoor 14-meter-long infinity pool. Upon arrival, we were greeted with this breathtaking view of the Tayabas Bay.
What are the activities?
Lounge
Lounge around with a book in those daybeds which is right by the beach. Cool down with some cocktail drinks while you’re at it. This is the perfect spot to chill. If there’s a need for you to charge your gadgets, these daybeds have plugs for you to do so.
Stand-up Paddle Board
Kayaking
Swimming in the Pool
Climbing Dome for kids
Boat Tours
They also do boat tours to take you to snorkeling areas as the beach isn’t swimmable (which can be the deal breaker for some) at that time. We went there last year in December.
Where to Eat?
Meal plan is required for in-house guests. Their restaurant can come up with meals even for those with dietary restrictions just give them a heads up. We were ok with the food selection from their buffet set up.
As the place is peppered with mango trees, you may request for freshly-picked mangoes eaten as is or with bagoong, made into a smoothie (which we did), etc. The staff even gave us some to bring home.
Accommodations
The casitas, I heard were inspired by the bahay kubo as seen from the light materials used. The casita we booked is spacious and has all the amenities we need for a comfortable stay. Everything is just a few steps away from our casita.
If you’re staying with a toddler, keep an eye on the flight of stairs as this is quite steep.
Our Experience
During our stay, we mostly swam in the infinity pool and lounged around the daybeds while feasting on green mangoes. The toddler had fun swimming in the pool, playing in the sand, climbing the dome and running around. We had a restful stay as you can tell from the photos.
We hired Sweet Escape to do our family photo shoot while we were there hence the nice photos. And oh sweet deals await you if you use my code: WONDERMOMMA when you book a photo shoot session with them. Get $25 off the rate. Sweet, isn’t it?
Will we go back? Yes, of course! We were all quite smitten with the resort’s natural charm. Getting Instagram-worthy photos was just the icing on the cake.
Cala Laiya
San Juan – Laiya Road, Laiya, Batangas Philippines
+639178839900
http://www.calalaiya.ph
wondermomma.net 