Unless ang tibay ng resistensiya ng katawan mo and you can survive swimming in the waters of the seas of Metro Manila, we do not really have a choice but to head out of the city if we feel like getting wet. For some, that would be to head to the beaches of Cavite, which can be as dirty as Manila; the hot springs of Laguna, often overcrowded; or check the beaches of Batangas, which can be a hit-and-miss experience since some are also trashy, some can be deadly, some still not accessible due to bad infrastructure, and so on.
And yet… it is the latter that we did when we headed to Lobo, a municipality in the province of Batangas. And after a quick stop at the Malabrigo Point Lighthouse, we were led to discover the beach off the cliff.
So kumusta ang experience namin?
@outragemag Looking for new #beach #swimmingdestination? We #LGBT checked the unsafe and yet worth-checking #Malabrigo in #Lobo, #Batangas ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine
While looking over the cliff housing the lighthouse, we met locals who went swimming at the Malabrigo Beach. You can access this through a… really long staircase starting from where the lighthouse is.
Some things worth stressing:
- Locals pay the “caretaker” ₱20 per visit (they don’t pay anything if they don’t swim). Non-locals, though, are made to pay from ₱50. If you want to shower after your swim, you pay extra (from ₱20, depending on the need for soap or shampoo or conditioner). All these transactions are receipt-less.
- The beach here doesn’t have fine white sand. Instead, you get pebbles. And sharp rock formations. Getting wounded is possible (and, yep, since we experienced it, apparently to be expected).
- The pebbles are malumot, so the pebbles can be really slippery. Walk slowly when going swimming… or crawl (seriously) instead of walking out of the water as it could be safer.
- There’re no safety protocols here – e.g. no lifeguards, no shark nets, no buoys, no nothing. So coming here – even if it’s actually refreshing taking a plunge there – is AYOR (at your own risk).
We’ve checked the other beaches of Lobo – e.g. by the road on the way to the lighthouse, and in Nasugbu. Too many of them are literal dumpsites. You see the garbage on the shores, and you feel how dirty the water is as soon as you take a swim. Filipinos like going to beaches, just not to look after them.
And so it is refreshing – literally and figuratively – to discover Malabrigo Beach.
Now… if only it can be properly developed, then Barangay Malabrigo or the Municipality of Lobo or the Province of Batangas will sure have a major must-visit spot. Until then, though, this is good-to-visit, though not really.
Join us as we continue with our rampa.
Malabrigo Beach is accessible from Malabrigo Point Lighthouse, located along Lobo-Malabrigo-Laiya Rd., Barangay Malabrigo, Municipality of Lobo, Batangas Province.
