"A wise traveler never despises his own country."
- William Hazlitt
This quotation was proven true, Before you explore other places, you must learn to travel on your own hometown. I was born in Cavite and I grew up visiting one of the most popular tourist destinations in the province - Tagaytay. I always visiting that place every year with my family, friends and even I travel on my own in this summer destination.
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| The breathtaking scenery of the Taal Lake and Volcano Island overlooking from Tagaytay City. |
The city is known as "The Second Summer Capital of the Philippines" because it is the city in the highlands with cool altitude and outstanding scenery which provides the view of Taal Lake in Batangas. It is an iconic trademark in our country where the Taal Volcano is located in the middle of the lake where you can see from different portions in Tagaytay.
Tagaytay is relatively close to Metro Manila where the people took their vacation here in order to escape the urban hassles of city life and to experience relaxation.
1. How Tagaytay got its name?
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| The view of Taal Lake from the ridges of Tagaytay City. |
The word "Tagaytay" came from two Tagalog words "taga" meaning to cut and "itay" which means father. Legends said that there were a father and son who were hunting for a wild boar, but they were attacked by that animal. The son cried"taga itay!" where the phrase was echoed over the alleys of the ridge and it was heard by the residents, hunters and wood gatherers. Another version of the story where a daughter shouted in their house in the ridge because her father would not allow any suitor to see her. The father was driving away the suitors and the daughter participated with her father in discouraging suitors by shouting "Taga Itay!" Because of that, the place where the shouts came from is known as Tagaytay. In addition, it is a Tagalog word for ridge.
2. Reflect on the different churches and prayer houses
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| A panoramic view of Pink Sisters Chapel taken from my mobile phone. |
Because of the cool climate and the beauty of nature in the highlands, Tagaytay is also a home of various churches, chapels, convents, seminaries and retreat houses. As you entered the city, you may visit the Pink Sisters Convent where you can experience the solemn ambiance and the faith and devotion of the nuns who are wearing pink uniforms. You can also experience the beauty of nature in this place where you can see tall pine trees, verdant shrubs and lovely flowers as you go around the place.
3. Tour the Iconic Tourist Spots
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| The people are flying kites in the rolling hills of Picnic Grove which also known for its cozy cottages. |
If you are going to Tagaytay City, the first thing that is coming to the mind of the tourists is to visit the two popular tourist spots - Picnic Grove and People's Park in the Sky. I remember that I visited the People's Park in the Sky when I was a kid (maybe I was in third or fourth grade during that time) and the notable things that I remembered in the place were the bean-shaped fish pond and a bridge, the breathtaking scenerey of the verdant fields, tall mountains and the panoramic view of Tagaytay City and the huge pineapple in a playground. I will visit that place again one of these days.
Most of the time, I visited the Picnic Grove where you can enjoy horseback riding, walking in the canopy trail, buying souvenirs and spending time with your family and friends in cottages while you are enjoying the ambiance in the highland city. There are also other activities to be enjoyed in Picnic Grove which will be discussed in the next items.
4. Visit Sky Ranch and Try the Sky Eye
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| The Sky Eye is one of the newest attractions in Tagaytay City. |
A new attraction in Metro Tagaytay, Sky Ranch is a leisure park which is a five hectare project of the SM Prime Holdings Inc., SM Group's real estate company. There are many thrilling rides to take in this park including the Sky Eye. one of the biggest Ferris wheels in our country. It lifts you up 63 meters above the ground and there are 32 air conditioned gondolas that can accomodate 3 - 4 passengers per gondola. It gives you a panoramic view of Tagaytay City and its neighboring provinces and towns, Taal Volcano and Taal Lake.
5. A Tickling yet Relaxing Experience in Picnic Grove
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| Doctor fish or Garra rufa |
One of the new and interesting activities added in Picnic Grove is the Tagaytay Fish Spa. You may experience 20 minutes of foot spa with the help of Doctor Fish (
Garra ruffa) and a foot massage for 10 minutes by the resident therapists. It's been a fun experience to stay in Tagaytay Fish Spa and actually, I prefer to have a fish spa as a form of foot massage.
6. Enjoy the Horseback Riding
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| Horses in Sky Ranch - Tagaytay. |
One of the most popular activities in Tagaytay that you shouldn't miss is the Horseback Riding. It is offered in Picnic Grove, Tagaytay Highlands, Residence Inn and Skyranch. You may feel the life in a countryside by horseback riding while enjoying the view of Taal Lake and Taal Volcano in the cool highlands.
7. Thrilling Adventures on a Cable Car and Zipline
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| When a family relaxing inside the cable car meets a person who is enjoying the thrill in a zipline in Picnic Grove. |
You may also experience the thrill in riding a cable car and zipline. You may take these adventures at Picnic Grove, Sky Ranch and Tagaytay Highlands for an affordable price. These packages give you an exciting thrill while viewing the breathtaking scenery of Taal Lake and its neighboring towns.
8. Visit the Mansion with the Largest Collection of Jigsaw Puzzles
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| Gallery of solved jigsaw puzzles with the different landmarks and artworks. |
You may also visit the Puzzle Mansion located within Barangay Asisan where you can see thousands of jigsaw puzzle collections in any form like wooden, crystal and even artworks and landmarks. You may also buy your jigsaw puzzle and have a mind challenge in solving puzzles in the fastest time. This house owned by Gina Lacuna is the current record-holder for the largest collection of jigsaw puzzles which was recognized by the Guiness Book of World Records.
9. Have a Culinary Trip in the Finest Restaurants
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| One of the interesting restaurants in Tagaytay if you want to experience meals with mushrooms. |
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| Mushroom meals - Mushroom burger with cheese, Mushroom fries and Mushroom sisig ang patties - are good for our health. |
Don't miss to have a gastronomic trip in Tagaytay. You may try their hot, appetizing bulalo from the affordable eateries of Mahogany Market to the stylish restaurants along the highway. There are also various coffee shops from Starbucks franchises to local cafes which offered brewed coffee from Amadeo. You may also experience the rondalla singing while having your meals and experience international delicacies. In addition, you may experience healthy meals in Sonya's Garden and Mushroomburger. Therefore, Tagaytay is an ideal place for culinary excursion to experience different kinds of food.
10. Experience Nature and Wildlife
You may explore wildlife and nature trip in Tagaytay from walking in the canopy trail in Picnic Grove and visiting animal farms and zoos in Residence Inn and Paradizoo in Mendez, Cavite.
Nowadays, Tagaytay made recent innovations in the place especially in establishing condominiums and tall buildings in the highlands. Real estate companies picked the city because of its cool climate and panoramic sceneries. I missed the cool, green ambiance of the city when I was a kid while my family is having a picnic in viewing decks along the highway. Therefore, Tagaytay is still a beautiful place for me where I am proud of having the Second Summer Capital in my province, Cavite where I can travel and enjoy here anytime.
Date of Travel: A frequent visitor in Tagaytay, so I can explore more about the place :)
Que lugares bonitos! Belas imagens.
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