Day Tour at Vista Tala Bataan

Our first visit to Bataan was just a day trip, we were supposed to go to Stilts Resort in Batangas but since they were fully booked for April, we opted to go to Bataan instead. Top choices for Bataan resort are Playa La Caleta, Camaya Coast, Westwind Beach Resort and Vista Tala Resort. Playa La Caleta  & Westwind Beach Resort were all fully booked for April so we booked at Vista Tala instead. Maybe you’re wondering why Las Casas wasn’t an option. I have seen a lot of bloggers/travelers that have already been to Las Casas so I decided to go somewhere where there were few people so we can fully utilize the amenities.

We left Taguig around 7am, had a quick breakfast at Kenny Rogers in NLEX. It’s a 3 1/2 hour drive but you won’t get bored because the view of the mountains and the rice fields are just very pleasing to the eye. Check the map here . I contacted Vista Tala via their Facebook page, I sent an inquiry a day before we arrive at the resort and got an answer early morning of our trip (lol).

When we plan a day trip, our goal is to utilize our whole day and go to as many spots as we can. The reality is we can only do a few things and choose the most important task from our list if we really want to enjoy our visit, right?

Day Trip Itinerary & Expenses:

We arrived at Vista Tala at 12 noon, Vista Tala is in Orani, Bataan, a 3.5-hour ride from Manila. Vista Tala is a 9-hectare land built on top of the mountains, with an overlooking view of the Manila Bay. The resort looks small at first because it’s an elongated place but you will be amazed because there’s a lot of activities to try.

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First thing, of course, is to check in, you will be given a receipt, wifi password, and food stubs. The day tour is from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm only. Entrance fee of P 600 includes P 200 food consumable. The restaurant is just a few steps away from the check-in counter. It is in the uphill part of the resort with a marble structure of an eagle just before the entrance. The restaurant is big enough for 30 to 50 pax. We are not happy with the service though, we waited for almost 45 minutes for tasteless sandwiches.

What caught my attention are the trash bins aligned along the pathway. They are very particular about waste segregation. As you go towards the pool, you’ll notice the rooms and the cottages are named after the famous mountains. There are 2 main swimming pools, 4 ft with jacuzzi and 6 ft. Both pools have the mountainside view, very relaxing indeed. There are other mini pools near the row houses, one on the lower part near the restaurant then the other pool is near the zip line tower. The resort also has a convenience store located near the resort entrance.

Activities to try:

Zipline (P 250 / head)

Wall Climbing (P 150 / head)

Rappelling (P 150 / head)

River Trekking (FREE)

Tip: River Trekking is free for all Vista Tala visitors, you just need to inform the Front Desk ahead of time and get a stub to be accompanied by a Tour Guide. There are only two schedules: 9:00 am and 2:00 pm. You’ll walk down 700 steps downstairs before you reach the Vista Tala River.

For day trippers, you don’t need to worry about where to take showers. Vista Tala has clean restrooms, the showerhead is working well, drains are not clogged and the staff is always cleaning the floors.

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We left Vista Tala around 4:00 pm since we have other plans in Balanga. Even though I am starving, I never tried to eat again in their restaurant because we were disappointed with their service. We had dinner at Cafe Kyoto inside The Plaza Hotel and had a quick coffee fix at The Plaza Brew. Balanga is the city of Bataan, just 35 to 40 mins away from Orani (check map here).