Free Ride to Marian Orchard and Shercon Resort and Ecology Park

We missed our chance to have Visita Iglesia last Holy Week, so my friend and I decided to visit a pilgrimage site before 2017 ends. Marian Orchard in Batangas and Regina Rica in Tanay caught her attention when we were browsing the net, but Marian Orchard became our top pick since we also thought about heading to Shercon Resort and Ecology Park which is only a few minutes to an hour drive away from Marian.

The initial plan was to take a bus and have an endless catching up, but my friend’s fiancé didn’t give up on telling us of his intention to join. No regrets that he did that. Commuting to Marian and Shercon the way we saw it doesn’t seem fun and convenient. Our trip via car was a breeze and hassle-free. The usual four-hour drive from Manila bus terminal to Batangas became an hour-drive!

At Marian, visitors are required to pay Php 50 and it says on the ticket: donation. I prefer calling it entrance fee, though.

Some of my favourite photos:

Took a not-so long, quiet walk alone. It’s a bit steep, perhaps the main reason why I only saw a very few people (no barkadas taking groufies) on my way down to the off limits/dead-end area.

At Shercon Resort:

Check-in time is at 2:00PM. We were there at 12:30. We chose to eat somewhere else and that somewhere else is 14-kilometer away according to the front-desk staff. Piece of advice: Make sure you had your lunch and you’re there around 2PM for check-in on a non-peak season.

Taking the public transportation to the resort is still workable, but you must have a lot of patience.

Manuel Cabin was crowded when we passed by the area. Having my friend’s bf with us was a blessing in disguise. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have called the resort to inform them about our reservation. The staff wouldn’t have the chance to double check their schedule and offered us a room in the Forestville Suites.





Forestville Suites:

Free Shuttle Ride For those who want to experience all the pool types in Shercon.

Forestville area’s not that cheap, but it’s already a good choice for a group of four who want to avoid a crowded pool. Pocket pools are located in the Forestville area, too.

It’s best to swim in the pocket pools in the morning. Guests would normally start exploring other pools after lunch, hence making the pool areas crowded.

Morning view from our room:

Pocket Pool. Take a closer look:

Me, my friend, and her fiancé 

(My) Budget for this trip:

Room (inclusive of dinner and breakfast) = Php 2,500

Time Allotted:

*Marian Orchard: An Hour
*Shercon: Overnight

Note: Food provided at Forestville's plated. Guests do not have any other choice but to eat whatever is going to be delivered to their room (or you may buy your own food). However, you can inform them in advance in case you have allergies.

Things to Expect:

* Not that strict with the attire
* Menu at Sam's Kitchen: Upon request
* Coffee for breakfast's in a shot glass-sized paper cup
* No HBO, Star Movies, Fox, channels (But I was happy with the Animal Planet channel)
* List of food and beverage on the menu's limited