Flight chronicles of the backpacker Tutubi, with travelogues, pictures/photos/videos, travel guides, independent and honest reviews, affordable, recommended resorts and hotels (including inns, guesthouses, pension houses, lodges, hostels, condotels, bed and breakfast and other cheap accommodations), commuting guides, routes (sometimes street maps and GPS coordinates/waypoints) and driving directions to answer "how to get there" questions, information and tips on tourism, budget travel and living in Philippines, Exotic Asia and beyond!
Backpacking, independent travel, and flashpacking are cheaper than the "cheapest package tours" and promotional offers around but you can also use travel information for family vacations, even romantic honeymoon destinations.
More than the usual tourist spots and "places to see," this blog advocates heritage conservation, environmental protection, and history awareness for Filipinos, foreigners, and ex-pats wishing to explore Paradise Philippines and Exotic Asia!
A very rare occasion when Tutubi's growing family went on a field trip to Tagaytay, a week before Christmas, ended up at Tagaytay Picnic Grove for a day of fun and family bonding with his parents, siblings, nephews and nieces during a cold, rainy day.
Tutubi's first and only prior visit to Tagaytay Picnic Grove was about 12 years ago and he remembers the place as if nothing much changwited except for the addition of zipline and cable car rides.
The main attraction still of Picnic Grove is simply the picnic cottages with breathtaking view of Taal Volcano, enveloped by cool, crisp air of Tagaytay City, a city perched on the ridge of an ancient caldera home to Taal Lake.
picnic cottages rental offered to visitors. The ones shown can be rented at PhP150.00 per use. Tip: occupy them first then wait for the person collecting the payment. Cottages are a rarity during lunch on weekdays and holidays so better come early
a school holding a family day at Picnic Grove with Taal Volcano and Taal Lake as backdrop.
Kite rentals are present but what the heck, Tutubi can make a kite DIY style using walis tingting, paste/tape and newspapers for a simple setup and better using other materials of course
horses can be rented for an hour for about P200 and can seat two medium-built persons
Overnight accommodations at Picnic Grove are also available for those looking for a place to stay in Tagaytay beyond the usual day tour. Restaurants are waiting for park visitors who didn't bring the usual picnic meals. Souvenir shops line the pathways for mementos and pasalubongs like t-shirts, mugs and other things stamped with Tagaytay brand.
Tagaytay Picnic Grove Travel Information:
Tagaytay Picnic Grove Entrance Fee: PhP50.00/person (free entrance fee for children under 4 years old) Parking Fee: PhP per car/vehicle Horseback ride price: P200/hour big horse Picnic Cottage rental: PhP150.00/use for small cottages
Picnic Grove Address: Barrio Sungay, Tagaytay City Telephone number +63.46.413.4206
For details, you may call Tagaytay Picnic Grove contact number or visit their official website/email address.
For Tagaytay Picnic Grove review, the place is operated by Tagaytay City government but is not really well-maintained usual of government-run establishments. There are inadequate toilets for use (better use the ones inside the restaurants). But being a cheap place to spend time with family and friends, and bring food to share. Tourist traps and nuisance in typical "tourist spots" abound where you'll be offered horses every now and then (much like Boracay's boatmen)
How to get to Picnic Grove, Tagaytay:
Please click this How to Get to Tagaytay post for detailed post on getting there with commuting and driving directions for those with cars/vehicles. Note that the usual van rental rates to Tagaytay from Manila is P3.5k, whole day, all in except toll fees. Vans can seat 12 people or more so it's cheap to organize a Tagaytay tour if you're a big group.
Coming up: Tagaytay Zipline and Cable Car Adventure
Our family visited recently on Dec.26,'09 and we felt like we were totally ripped-off! This place is in dire need of a major make over. Considering they charge P50 per head for entance and additional parking fees for each car, you would think they would have generated enough funds to at least fix up the toilets!(1 stinky toilet each for boys & girls) Even their admin. office looked like it was ready to fall apart(the ceiling was lined with plastic bags to keep the rain from pouring in). The zip line & cable car was also such a sham. They charge P300 per head for a very short trip off the edge of the hill... you couldn't even take in the view. I would honestly prefer to ride the ferris wheel in a "perya" or star city. It's like, the management doesn't care about improving the quality of the place because they know that people don't have much choice. All they care about is getting you in to pay the entrance & parking fee... No staff was present inside to maintain any security or cleanliness! Garbage all around. A TOTAL RIP-OFF. I will never go back to this place until they change the management!
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