A relief from hectic schedules and a fully-booked week in the Metro. San Juan, Batangas offers a paradise-like relief to most of its visitors coming from the incredibly busy Metro Manila, and other places in and out of the country. San Juan is popular for its white sand beaches, especially the Laiya Beach. But more than its alluring clear waters and relaxing staycation cottages, San Juan has more beauty to offer in terms of its historical value and other natural attractions.
Photo source: Wikipedia
Located south of the National Capital Region (NCR), tourists coming from Northern Luzon can easily reach the beautiful municipality of San Juan through the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and the STAR Tollway. Given its proximity to the country’s capital, the municipality is also reachable from farther points through the nearby airports littered in NCR and CALABARZON.
With tourism as its main economic booster, it can’t be denied that the residents of San Juan thrive in the pool of livelihood opportunities available within the boundaries of their hometown. Added by the captivating sights and structures within the place, staying in San Juan seems to be a life in paradise.
San Juan Becoming a Tourism Place
Previously called “Bolbok”, San Juan attained its name from its patron saint, San Juan de Nepomuceno, making the town’s main church “San Juan Nepomuceno Church”. The now-famous ancestral homes surround this church, with the common “plaza” or Spanish town setup showing the remnants of Spain’s influences in the country.
Before all the income brought by the incredibly successful tourism in the place, San Juan’s economy used to thrive mainly from its wide source of coconuts. During the American period, the main livelihood of the residents came from coconut wine or the famous Lambanog. This boom in coconut production boosted the residents’ income, resulting in the upgrade of homes to mansions, and the creation of bigger houses that are now considered architectural masterpieces and heritage sites.
Tourism added to San Juan’s main economic booster during 2010, after the town was declared a “priority area for tourism”.1 The town of San Juan has since experienced an uphill trend in tourism, as there are different tourist attractions in the area. At present, security for livelihood within San Juan is ensured for residents, given its many pools of opportunities coming from different industries like agriculture and tourism.
San Juan as Road Trip Destination
As a popular getaway, there are more Batangas tourist spots in San Juan that make it a paradise-like place in the south of Metro Manila, an ideal road trip destination. While there are many relaxation spots like the La Luz Beach Resort, Acuatico Beach Resort, Palm Beach Resort, mountain and structural sceneries are also available in San Juan. Way past the clear waters and white sands, other must-visit places within the municipality will leave each visitor just as awed as the deepwater attractions in Laiya Beach.
Heritage Structures
Spending a maximum of two hours from San Juan to Manila, tourists can enjoy San Juan even more by exploring the heritage sites and other natural formations. Before or after diving into the clear waters of the beaches, it’s great to take a road trip and witness the beauty of the preserved ruins and structures down the streets of San Juan.
Benito Marasigan Mansion
Photo source: Benito Marasigan Ruins and Museum Facebook Page
The Benito Marasigan Mansion is one of the famous ancestral houses in San Juan that was built during the boom of the coconut industry in the place. The neoclassical-styled mansion caught fire in 2009, reducing the 3-story ancestral home into ruins, with the first story remaining intact. Inside the mansion’s ground floor, there are preserved photos and decors from the mansion’s owners.
Pinagbayanan Church Ruins
During the 1800s, the town of San Juan, or Bolbok, relocated a few kilometers away from its original position, due to the flood that submerged lots of structures. When the flood ceased, it left lots of ruined establishments, including the Pinagbayanan Church. The site hugely affected by the flood, peppered by old stones from the ruined structures during the 1800s, is now an archeological site in the country.
Casa Leon
Photo source: Tourism of San Juan, Batangas Facebook Page
Casa Leon is one of the ancestral homes still fully intact in the town of San Juan. What captivates visitors of the municipality is the eye-catching pink grandiosity of the house, with the unique lion statues by the entrance of the house. According to the Bolboc Heritage group, the house will soon be turned into a museum, just like the Benito Marasigan Mansion.
Natural Paradise
Typical for a town in the Philippines, San Juan also has other natural formations to boast, aside from its famous enchanting coastlines. More than the waters, the municipality has tons of forests and mountains that offer picturesque scenes to its visitors
Mount Daguldol
Mount Daguldol is a one of the highest peaks in the Batangas province. What makes this Batangas tourist spot a must-visit is the beach trail at the start of hiking to the top of the mountain. More than hiking and trekking, some horses can be hired to explore the area.
Naambon Falls
Photo source: Batangas Republic Facebook Page
Naambon Falls is one of the famous Batangas tourist spots in San Juan because of its enchanting sight. The falls is also surrounded by forest, adding to the serenity of the place. Below the falls is a pool of shallow, clear waters, allowing tourists to experience swimming below the rain-like falling waters. The best place to visit Naambon Falls is during the rainy season, to fully witness the beauty of the cascading waters.
The San Juan Life
Almost everything is in San Juan, Batangas. Staying in the place is like staying in a paradise, whether it’s just for a short while, or for a long time. In addition to everything San Juan has to offer, becoming a resident of the place is also relatively easy, with the available affordable house and lots in the place.
Located in Brgy. Calit-Calit, Lessandra San Juan is one of the best safe and secured communities in the province of Batangas offering affordable house and lots to prospective homebuyers. Imagine living in a peaceful and maaliwalas community, with all the breathers and relaxation spots just within reach. Also, within the community of Lessandra San Juan are exclusive recreational spaces like a clubhouse, beach volleyball court, interactive swimming pool, play area and jogging paths.
With all the upsides the municipality has to offer, owning a house and lot in the place proves to be beneficial not just as a permanent residence, but also as an addition to investment portfolios. Looking at all the progress in San Juan, and its success in tourism, transforming homes into staycations and rentals is a wise move as an investor.
It’s time to invest and land great returns in Lessandra! Visit Lessandra House
Listings to know more about the available affordable house and lots in the
Philippines. More strategically located Lessandra communities are
available for viewing at the Lessandra Project
Listings. For more travel reads, visit Lessandra Blogs and
News.
Sources:
1
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2010/06/29/executive-order-no-904-s-2010/
http://tinamariejoy.blogspot.com/2016/11/bolboc-heritage-tour-discover-rich.html
There’s Something About San Juan by Ivan Man Dy on The Philippine Star