as featured on Metro Channel’s EIC on the Move
Calatagan, Batangas beckons as the upscale and laidback beach destination that has earned a reputation as the haven of the elite for decades. It serves as the prime location of master-planned Landco BeachTowns — 78-hectare Playa Calatagan and the 15-hectare Resort Estates CaSoBe (Calatagan South Beach), the latest sparkling jewels of this nature and beach paradise.
A three-hour drive away from Metro Manila, Calatagan offers a welcome respite for city dwellers and busybodies. The beautiful beach community is quiet and feels very much away from the madding crowd.
In the special Calatagan episode of Metro Channel’s EIC on the Move, Atty. Rene Puno and his wife Ann, along with neighbor Basti Lacson, welcomed back Metro Society EIC and EIC on the Move host Raul Manzano —a former Calatagan resident himself—to their lovely abode over a hearty potluck of sumptuous meals and colorful conversations on why Calatagan is such a beautiful place to stay in.
Art Hyndman, a resident of Playa Calatagan for more than two years, shared with Raul how he experiences quiet luxury at the Landco BeachTowns.
“After more than 20 years in the liquor industry, handling events in bars and restaurants, I realized that I can’t do this for the rest of my life. I chose Playa Calatagan as the best place to slow down. I retired from corporate life but I am actively doing things on the side,’ Art said.
“I opted to relocate to Playa Calatagan for its proximity to Metro Manila. It’s an easy drive and you can stop by Tagaytay before heading to the beach. I return to Manila about once or twice a month,” he added.
To explore the beauty and charm of Calatagan, Art appreciates that there is no traffic jam and it’s safe to go on a motorbike around town and visit places nearby.
He shared that for those who love marine life, there is plenty to discover. Calatagan Peninsula faces the Verde Passage, declared by a team of marine conservationists as a “Center of Marine Biodiversity” in the world, and Verde Island Passage as the “Center of Marine Shorefish Biodiversity.”
“Living at Playa Caltagan is very relaxing. There is no certain time to wake up. It’s also like living inside a resort. It’s not just a hotel room, your whole house is inside a resort,” he observed.
“At Playa Calatagan, there are two clubhouses, one is the Hilltop View with a nice perspective of the sea and the Oasis, our nighttime pool. There are hundreds of LED lights underneath the pool. You’re like swimming above the stars and underneath it. Then you have the huge expanse of beachfront. You can do watersports – from kayaking, swimming to snorkeling. There are a lot of recreational outdoor activities,” he expounded.
Art also cited that there are no big structures on site, instead, Landco Beachtowns focused on sustainability with a treatment facility for water recycling and a bamboo park for residents to commune with nature. He also said that during the pandemic, this was the perfect place to be. There are outdoor spaces and a strong internet connection for doing everything from home.
Art differentiated Playa Calatagan as the gated beachfront residential community that offers privacy and exclusivity for its residents and Resort Estate CaSoBe, with the unique feature of being mixed-use residential and commercial development primed for the tourism market. The latter is for those who would prefer to be immersed in the middle of the vibrant tourist hotspot, mingle with leisure seekers; and have the option to build their dream beach house, second home, or dream business venture like a coffeeshop, restaurant, or whatever they like by the beach.
Playa Calatagan residents also have access to the leisure and hospitality amenities of CaSoBe which is managed by Millennial Resorts, the hospitality arm of Landco. There are unconventional accommodations: the pod-like rooms of Cocoons and Crusoe Cabins, the EDGE-certified rustic and upcycled container vans with modern interiors and facilities. Other resort facilities include the family attraction of Aquaria Water Park with a three-story pool slide, Captain Barbozza restaurant and bar, and Canopy, a top choice for corporate events and weddings.
“You don’t even have to cook at home, simply head to the restaurants to partake of your meals or entertain visitors and guests,” Art noted.
Since it’s a connected community, Raul was also able to bump into one of his good friends, journalist Stephanie Zubiri who spent most of her childhood here on beach holidays. Calatagan gave them the chance to catch up on their lives over barbecue and cocktails amid the majestic Calatagan sunset by the beach.
“From its gorgeous scenery to the affluent community, and down to the priceless beachside lifestyle, Calatagan is truly an understated paradise that you can come home to, a quiet luxury worth rewarding yourself with. In the age of start-up businesses and the era of Work From Home, I reckon that living in a beach paradise like Calatagan is not just a pipe dream, but a reality within reach.” Raul concludes.View this link: Calatagan episode of Metro Channel’s EIC on the Move.
For more information on Landco Pacific Corporation and its BeachTowns in Calatagan, visit https://www.landco.ph/ or https://www.facebook.com/LandcoPacificCorporation.
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