Here’s the best things to do in Tagaytay to make the most of your trip in Luzon, Philippines.
I suggest staying in Tagaytay for at around two days. With more time, you can also discover Batangas, Mabini or Laguna nearby. You can check out my articles on the Philippines here.
Luzon is the main island located in the north of The Philippines, and Tagaytay is a town around 2 hours south of Manila, in the Batangas province. It has a more refreshing climate than Manila and sits on a ridge above Taal Volcano Island, an active volcano surrounded by Taal Lake.
Below you’ll find all the top things to do in Tagaytay – from the famous Taal Lake to the Kawa hot baths, including the best coffee and dinner spots.
The easiest way to reach Tagaytay is by taking a bus from Manila (either PITX or Buendia station) to Tagaytay City. The drive is around 2 hours.
One of the main reasons to visit Tagaytay is for the famous Taal Lake and Taal Volcano. Its particularity makes this place completely unique : within the Taal Lake sits the Taal Volcano, which contains its own main crater lake and inside the crater lake lies Vulcan Point, making it one of the most famous third-order islands in the world.
The Taal Volcan is a massive 25-30km wide caldera, second most active volcano in the Philippines, with 39 historical eruptions.
If you want to see the caldera from up close you can book a boat tour on Taal Lake. Price is 5000php for the boat (so the more you are, the cheaper it is per person) and it lasts around 2-3 hours. You will go all around the volcano, the view are pretty impressive :
Another great activity to do in Tagaytay is La VeryOl’ Kawa Spa.
A kawa is a huge cauldron that was traditionally used for cooking dishes in large proportions, usually for a feast or a fiesta.
Today it is used for hot baths, as it has healing properties such as lowering your stress and strain levels. Plus, you get to enjoy the incredible view while relaxing in the kawa bath outside:
The kawa bath costs 399 php (5,6 eur) for 45 minutes.
If you want to enjoy a 1-hour massage as well, you can book a package with the kawa bath and massage for 900 php (12,8 eur). I’d recommend the latter option, massage was great and very much worth it.
There are a lot of good places to enjoy good breakfast, lunch or even drinks. I’ll list here my favorite ones among the ones we tried during our stay.
For breakfast, I would recommend Charito by Bag of Beans, they have amazing breakfast options, you can either go with the buffet or the A La Carte menu. The view over the lake and volcano is truly unmatched and the atmosphere on the outdoor terrace is really nice.
For lunch or dinner, I would recommend Balay Dako. They have a beautiful setting, excellent food and very good service. Definitely order the
For a great cafe option, I’d suggest Lawa Cafe, also a terrific view (see picture 3 and 4 below).
Lastly, if you’re looking to try the famous Bulalo from Tagaytay, which is a broth soup with bone marrow cuisine, you’ll find your happiness at Leslie’s restaurant. Another restaurant with a stunning view, you won’t be disappointed (picture 1 and 2 below).
That’s it for my Tagaytay recommendations!
I hope this article gave you a better idea of what to expect from a trip in Tagaytay, it’s definitely a place worth discovering and staying for a while.
If you plan on coming to Luzon or The Philippines anytime soon you can check out my article regarding what to know before going to The Philippines here.
If you need a custom itinerary, you can fill this form and I’ll make your own personalised itinerary.
