Travel Guide: Matabungkay Beach in Lian, Batangas

Matabungkay, a town in Batangas located near the idyllic coastal town of Lian, is a popular destination for water sports such as swimming, diving, boating, and snorkeling. It boasts a two-kilometer stretch of good sand and beach. During its heyday in the 1990s, it was THE place to be for family and company outings, weekend getaways with friends, and group excursions, according to my parents. Is it still worthwhile to go? Matabunkay Beach in Lian, Batangas, gets an unbiased evaluation!

To celebrate my mother’s birthday, the entire family (including my aunts and uncles, and cousins, for a total of around 25 people) spent the entire day in Matabungkay. We didn’t stay overnight; instead, we parked our SUVs at Matabungkay Beach Resort for 50 PHP (whole day). The personnel also assisted us get a large balsa wood (floating bamboo raft).

How To Get To Matabungkay Beach, Batangas

VIA PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION (BUS, ETC.)

• Take a bus bound for Pasay or SM MOa.
• Get off at MRT-EDSA Taft Station.
• In Pasay, Manila near MRT-EDSA Taft Station, ride a bus bound for Calatagan. Buses leaves daily from 4:00 AM to 4:30 PM. You may also take a van to Calatagan, Batangas. The terminal is located at the basement parking of Metropoint Mall on the other side of EDSA (landmark is Chowking/Jollibee or the Kabayan Hotel. You will also pass by Shogun Hotel along that street). Bus/van is approximately P180. Travel time is around 3 hours.
• Alight at the junction to Matabungkay Beach in Lian.
• You can take a tricycle to the resort from where the bus/van drops you off.

VIA PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION (OWN/RENTED CAR)

• Take the South Luzon Expressway, exit in Sta Rosa, and head to Tagaytay.
• From Tagaytay, drive along to Nasugbu. Follow the road signs and take note of the intersection where the road forks: Right is Nasugbu proper, and to the left is Lian, going to Matabungkay.
• When you get to the Lian town proper, just go straight ahead until you find yourself in the junction going to the Matabungkay Beach area. The prominent sign to follow is “Matabungkay Beach Club.”

ACTIVITIES IN MATABUNGKAY BEACH, BATANGAS

• Jet Ski – (P3500/hour for 2 person)
• Kayak – (P350/hour)
• Banana Boat (P1,250/15 minutes for 5 person)
• Pedal Boat  – (P350/hour)
• Snorkeling – (P100/hour). Or bring your own gear. You may rent a motorized boat (P500/hour) to take you to an area where the water is clear.
• Swimming – You have to go a reasonable distance into the surf in order to reach chest deep water. The shore is quite crowded so you might want to rent a bamboo raft. The water near the shore is also rocky and full of corals. Also during one of our trips, the beach was full of algae so it is not advisable to splash around.
• Camping – In some resorts camping is allowed but be sure to ask first pitching your tent.

What To Bring To Matabungkay Beach, Batangas

• Appropriate footwear or a pair of aqua shoes.
• Sunblock.
• You may bring your own food. Though Matabungkay is highly commercialized and you can pretty much buy whatever you need at any nearby stores or eateries.
• Yes, you may bring your own jet ski. In most resorts that offer jet skiing, the price starts at P3,500 per hour. Kind of expensive.

Reminders

• Best time to visit Matabungkay beach on weekdays because it’s less crowded and cheaper compared to weekends and holidays.

Final Thoughts

I’ve been here more than 10x times and each experience is unique. Matabungkay may lose its star in few years time if the people here are not aware of its condition. I’m not an environmentalist but I am not blind to see that the beach is screaming for help. You could really see that it was is over used and tired. Garbage are everywhere, though the sea is still fighting and still glowing. 

The place is also crowded. I hope they control the number of businesses being built. Too much balsa. Too much bangka.

Still, I enjoyed the overall experience. I just hope that they will rehabilitate it.

Since you’ve already gone to the beach, why not explore the mountains in Batangas? 

Location

MATABUNGKAY BEACH
ADDRESS: Brgy. Matabungkay, Lian, Batangas City

Entrance Fee & Other Charges

Matabungkay Beach is a public beach so it’s basically free, unless you are staying in one of the resorts or accessing the beach via one of them. Rate varies depending on the resort. It ranges from 50 PHP to 250 PHP per person.
Cottage Rental Fee:  500 PHP to 2,500 PHP
Bamboo Raft Cottage Rental Fee: The usual rate is 1500 PHP, but it still depends on the size and/or number of people.
Matabungkay Environmental Fee: 30 PHP
Parking Fee: Around 50 PHP (day trip); Around 100 PHP (overnight)
Bus/van fare to Matabungkay: 180 PHP
Tricycle fare: 20 PHP

More Beaches to Explore in the Philippines

• POTIPOT ISLAND, ZAMBALES: A Comprehensive DYI Travel Guide
• CAPONES ISLAND, ZAMBALES: A Comprehensive DYI Travel Guide
• PATAR BEACH, PANGASINAN: A Comprehensive DYI Travel Guide
• KALANGGAMAN ISLAND, LEYTE: A Comprehensive DYI Travel Guide
• LANGTARAN GROVE, NORTHERN SAMAR: A Comprehensive DYI Travel Guide