Tagaytay Things to Do

Something different! Hellenic Bar and Restaurant has U.S. style karaoke and dancing on Saturday nights. Asides from Videoke, Hellenic uses CDGs which are U.S. made karaoke discs and are better than videoke formatted discs since the music sound like the original. Graphics/lyrics also come out on screen minus the lame videos. Selection of 50, 000 Karaoke songs composed of R&B, 80s, Old School, Rap, Alternative, and Etc. New style of doing shows since you are the "Star" and will have to sing on stage. 15 minute dance sets every hour to get non-singers entertained. Unique show and a great place to sing and dance with your friends!!!!!

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the famous good shepherd in Baguio City in the north has a convent here and they also make the sweets and confectionaires that good shepherd nuns here in the philippines are known for but minus the strawberry jams since there are no strawberries in tagaytay city since the elevation of 1700 feet is not ideal for strawberry growing. (strawberries grow at 4,000 feet and above). What you get here are some the good shepherd staples like all time popular ube jam, peanut brittle, guava and mango jams, cashew brittle, cashew nuts, peanuts, guyabano and sampaloc candies, pickles and pickle relishes, ube-macapuno jam, some ricke cakes and a lot more!! a small plastic pack of goodies costs about 50 pesos and a small ube jam at about 60 pesos for a small jar, buko-pandan jam a small bottle costs 90 pesos and a lot more.

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Tagaytay is considered the second summer capital of the Philippines next to Baguio, because of the cool climate all year long. One of the best place in Tagaytay for me is Alfonso Hotel because of it's warm hospitality, clean rooms and an authentic food in their Italian Restaurant "il gallo nero". You can also enjoy swimming, horse back riding in their farm and resort.Alfonso Hotel Farm and Resort is also worth recommended for seminars of big groups, their session hall can accommodate up to 250 pax. You can also enjoy badminton, bowling, billiards, basketball etc. in a nearby Royale Tagaytay Country Club.

Tagaytay Getaway can be so special at MC Mountain Home apartelle Tagaytay . Great Filipino food at the restaurant with Taal volcano view. Although geographically located at Alfonso , Cavite, MC Mountain is along the Tagaytay ridge and has a very strategic location where you can enjoy the cool Tagaytay air, sunset mountain views, proximity to golf and country clubs, sonyas garden and Calerueaga. Taal volcano trip and tagaytay tour may also be arranged for guest.

This is a homey place good for family bonding balikbayans and tourist wanting to saty for mabout 10 days or more. Great for family bonding.

As guests , country club access to golf and countryc club are given for very minimal fee. Great discounts try visisting the official website just search for it

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In May 2009 several of us decided to take a day trip to Tagay-Tay and visit the Taal Volcano and see Crater Lake. The trip itself is less than 2 hours by car from Manila. We hired a car and driver and left around 4am in the morning so that we wouldn't get stuck in traffic, and had breakfast along the way.

Arriving in Tagay-Tay, we could see that pineapple groves were all around us and the air was fresh and clean. Our first stop was at the park overlooking the Taal Volcano. There were plenty of places for picnicking and a very good view of the island and volcano in the distant. We took many pictures and the park is a nice area to hang out at.

The park also had a zip line for people to go across a ravine. The nice thing is that two people can strap in side-by-side, so it's a great little thing to do for couples. The cost for the zip line ride is 300 pesos per person with a framed picture souvenir.

We had lunch at the simple restaurant at the park. For our afternoon activities, we decided to go to the island where Crater Lake is and see the inside. The problem we had was negotiating with the vendors who sell the experience. We got conflicting prices and decided to drive our car down to the water.

As soon as you arrive near the water area, there will be vendors selling the experience of going to the crater. BUYER BEWARE! We negotiated a total price of 2,000 pesos, and got in the boat and took the 30 minute ride to the island. However when we got to the island, we discovered that the price did not include the horseback riding trek to the top of the crater. We were cheated, and I'm certain that this happens all the time. Since we already spent a chunk of time and money to get to the island, and knowing that this was our last trip here, we decided to pay the additional 1,000 pesos per person extra to ride a horse to the top of the crater.

Even though the horses were malnourished, they somehow brought our group to the top of the crater edge in a 30 minutes ride. Each person and horse was led by a local guide who hops on the back of your horse half-way up the trail. Although you can do the trek yourself by foot, we only saw one couple walking -- everybody else rode a malnourished horse.

The top of the crater's edge was nice and we were able to take some nice pictures. Vendors at the top of the crater sell drinks, buko, and t-shirts. After about an hour or so, we went back down the crater and rode the boat back to where our car was parked.

It was a nice day trip for us and good for a one-time visit. We got lucky with nice weather, however we felt cheated by the vendors.

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since we got 3 hrs early from the check in time of our hotel, we decided to go to highlands and check out if the revs about it are true. of course you can't do this by spurr of the moment because you have to be with a member or know someone from inside that can fetch you from the gate. we got inside because the wife of mike's friend (thank u ulit!) is one of their agents. if you're on alfonso, cavite side and you plan to go to higlands, i recommend you do this when there's no traffic and definitely not on holidays! since we were there good friday, grabe! sobrang traffic! we had to bear with this heavy traffic of bumper to bumper for the next 18 kms taking around 1 1/2 hr. ride coming from alfonso side which is really opposite of highlands. it's like traversing from one end to another! when we got in, i was surprised by the steepness of the road. though the road is smooth, just passing by it feels like you're falling from a cliff and i'm afraid of heights! luckily, our vehicle is matic so i was saved on the hassles of shifting of gears! i was not really amazed by the whole higlands itself and i think the 14m-40m is not worth buying those properties. as if i have money! ha ha ha ha.... kidding aside, highlands has covered several parts of tagaytay, cavite & batangas. that place of "tagaytay highlands" is placed is not only more distant from the city proper but also seemed to be hotter than the alfonso side. even the view of the lake & volcano is better on the alfonso side compare to what you can see from highlands. if you get to check their greenlands estates, which is the lowest part of highlands, you'll be surprised that an exit gate is already to batangas! the amenities & houses are definitely posh & grand but if i'm a millionaire i'd really think million times also if i'll buy this. he he he he... what i think members or house owners put chunks of their money to is the exclusivity & prestige tagaytay highlands represent which they hope to gain along with the purchase. but then again, how can you fit if you don't belong? we were lined up by the way for a cable car ride but we backed out since almost 30 mins have passed of unwindy & hot weather and the car hasn't arrived yet. go to genting highlands in malaysia, there it's really cold & cable ride takes 30 mins of aeriel view of the forests and not 30 mins of waiting for a cable cars' arrival. It's worth checking out tagaytay highlands for experience but going to it again for vacation would be a dragging ride on a bandwagon!

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Affordable and basic, the Zipline and Cable Car is actually inside the Picnic Grove compound [see previous tips on how to go there]. The zipline was a fun experience [kids will love it too!]. The cage-like cable car looks boring though [ we didn't try it].

Zipline: P200 one-way, P300 two-way
Cable car: P? [didn't bother to ask; taray haha!]

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This small city is called Tagaytay City with a small population of 16,322 which is about 60 km / 37 miles south of Manila in the mountains of Cavite Province. You are liable to find some wildflowers, few winding roads, panoramic views of the Taal Volcano nestled in Taal Lake & orchards of fresh home grown fruits, many convenient facilities and amenities including the Casino Filipino Tagaytay.

Tagaytay is home to Taal Volcano, which is reputed to be the world's smallest and yet most active. The breathtaking views of Taal volcano and Lake is a MUST SEE for everyone visiting Asia.
It used to be considered as the Philippines second summer capital (the first summer capiutal for many centuries has always been Baguio City) Tagaytay has its crisp and cool climate all year around, is a treasure box of pleasure points in by itself. Sometimes at nights, you will see the lake sparkle with the pinpoint lights of fishing boats. It is an ideal picnic spot. Here, the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Philippine Tourism Authority built Picnic Groove, a public park in the city which generates public patronage through user fees and the sale of low priced goods, thus contributing to the industrial growth of Tagaytay.

Tagaytay City, located 2,500 feet above sea level enjoys a cool and invigorating climate characterized by a relatively low temperature, low humidity, and abundant rainfall. Average temperature is 22.7 degrees Celsius. For this reason, Tagaytay with its cool weather, balmy winds and foggy mists is called the "second summer capital" of the country after Baguio City.