[OK na Road Trip] Casita Ysabel

We scoured the interwebs for a place to have a quick and relaxing weekend getaway and happened upon this remote bed and breakfast place in Mabini, Batangas. Kat did all the coordinating with their very accommodating staff, Abby, and we are booked in no time.

We arrived there Saturday afternoon of June 14 and left the next day around lunch.

O & K on Casita's terraced pool

Quick Facts:
* Location: San Teodoro, Mabini, Batangas
* Theme: Balinese
* Type: Bed and Breakfast
* Rates: P4000 to P8000 per head, inclusive of breakfast and unlimited coffee
* Website: http://www.casitaysabel.com/

Found at the southern part of the Calumpang Peninsula in Mabini, Batangas, Casita Ysabel enjoys a breathtaking view of the Maricaban Island in the horizon and sits on a property that is fronting the clear waters where Batangas Bay meets Balayan Bay. Popular for its diving and snorkeling spots, the sea area around San Teodoro and Anilao are replete with marine life. On our second day, the waters are so clear that schools of fish frolicking around the area are visible from the beachfront.

the beachfront on a lowtide

Place

We opted to settle on the Katrina Seaside room which is literally a couple of steps away from Casita Ysabel's "beachfront" (that is a mixed concrete and bamboo promontory overlooking the waters). The beach is nothing to be excited dipping in though because like in any other resorts around the area, the sea floor is jagged with rocks (mixed with corals) and during high-tide the water can go immediately deep right in the shoreline. It's actually better to do kayaking and snorkeling instead.

Katrina Seaside Room (upper floor)

The compound have eight rooms available for rent and since the place is far down the main road (the steep descent can be dangerous for vehicles), all of them enjoys the quiescence of rural living. From the inside of the room, panay hampas ng dagat, kuliglig, at kaluskos lang ng halaman at dahon ang naririnig namin. Totally relaxing! These rooms, together with the lobby, the dining hall, and the spa, are interconnected with labyrinthine passages that winds up and down the place.

winding passages

The garden landscape, architecture, and interiors are Balinese inspired. The room where we stayed have AC (and an additional air cooler if that's not enough) and more-than-basic amenities include a water heater, mosquito repeller (?), a shower area that is separate from the toilet, and an intricately designed kulambo draped on top of a bed right smack in the middle of the room. Bonus na lang na may mga classic and interesting books na nakapatas sa isang wooden table. I read some excerpts on one of them when I hit the porcelain throne (the book was "One Thousand and One Nights").

love that nipa hangout place

Food

Breakfast comes with the booking fee but aside from that they don't sell ala carte. Food is on a "set meal" basis (they vary what they serve daily) and we paid P600 per head for our dinner. It's pricey, yes, but the dishes at least tasted good.

nobody touches my soup

Here's what we got for dinner:

• Clam Chowder: Really creamy and the seafood flavor is there, but there's only one piece of clam in it kaya nakaka-bitin.
•  Sisig Tuna: Ito ang hindi namin makalimutan! Sobrang perfect ng asim at ng pagkakaluto sa tuna (the legit one, hindi yung galing sa lata). Hinahanap hanap namin yung lasa nito until now.
• Grilled Liempo: Grilled just right at hindi tinipid ang serving (buti naman since we paid premium anyway).
• Steamed Vegetables: Steamed just right. Perfect complement sa liempo.
• Coke: Ordered on top of P600.
• Fruit Salad: One of the best I tasted. Ako ang umubos ng kay Kat dahil hindi niya ito hilig.
• Coffee: This is free anytime.

our dinner... look at that tuna sisig!

 And here's for breakfast the next day:

• Sausage: Tastes like Jollibee's breakfast sausage.
• Fried Egg: Nothing special.
• Mustasa (?) + Vinegar: Awesome  homemade condiment. It made their rather dull breakfast set looks (and tastes) special.
• Coffee: Again. It's free.
• Bread:  Tinapay-all-you-can.
• Butter and Jam: All-you-can din!

our breakfast... nope, we did not eat those petal

Their cook is a local so that could explain the good cooking. Just don't expect hotel-type dishes or gourmet plating. You're just in the wrong place if you do.

coffee break

Amenities:

There are three mini tubs leading from the lobby that work as their pool. It's too small that all you can do is dip and lounge in them. Frankly, si Kat lang ang pumatol. I don't see the point of jumping in if I can't swim around.

The place has a dedicated spa room and service called Tre Earth Spa. The price is a bit on the expensive side so we really don't want to try it.

the spa hutt

There are a lot of relaxing spots to lounge in around the place. There are wooden chairs with pillows on the lobby overlooking the sea. We also have a more private one at the porch of our room. A hammock is also serviceable just below the seaside room and across it, there is a nipa hut that opens to the sea. Guests can opt to have their food served here to have a more relaxing and romantic meal.

tambay

The dining hall is on an elevated area. We had our dinner on its veranda where the breeze is soothing and, we have to add, really really sleep-inducing after a good meal.

lobby hall at night

 
Others:
The place is personally managed by the owner. She looks kind and accommodating, contrary to most reviews we read online. We were also able to chat with some of their staff (Abby and Gil, in particular) and they are equally welcoming as well.

They have a Golden Retriever named Simba roaming around the place. We got into trouble with him at first but it's really gentle and friendly.

it's all green

We basically just spent the day enjoying moments of being secluded from our busy lives. This is the sweet escape we've always imagined. Wala kaming ginagawa kung hindi magpahinga, kumain, at magkwentuhan. Well, tinuruan ko din mag Pusoy Dos si Kat. LOL.

Getting There:
We commuted via public transpo from Alabang to Mabini. Abby is kind enough to send out an instruction.

1. From the Alabang South Station, we took the "Batangas City" bus to the Grand Terminal in Balagtas, Batangas. It passed through the Star Tollway from SLEX. The Grand Terminal should be near when the bus exits the Star Tollway in Batangas.
2. Jeep going to Mabini Poblacion (or Mabini Proper, or Mabini "Bayan") are also stationed on the Grand Terminal. We looked for the sign board "Mabini"... doh!
3. We told the driver to drop us in "Mabini Bayan". This is where we can ride a trike to San Teodoro. It's a thirty minute trip leaving the Batangas City proper, passing through the municipality of Bauan, and arriving in Mabini.
4. From Mabini, we chartered a special trike trip to San Teodoro for P250. It looked expensive to us at first but eventually realized that there's a good reason for it. From the Mabini Proper, San Teodoro is another looong 20-minute trike ride, passing through the town of Anilao. We asked the driver to drop us in Casita Ysabel, but it should not be hard to spot as there are a lot of signage to mark it once in the Anilao area.

On the next day, after checking out, a staff of Casita Ysabel arranged for our trike ride back to Mabini Poblacion where we had lunch on a local tapsilog place with calamares na nilalako sa kalsada on the side before we head back home. Mainit ang byahe but it's all worth it as long as the two of us are together.

super relaxing bed

 *****
Acknowledgement:

• Staff of Casita Ysabel (especially Gil and Abby) - for making our stay truly convenient and relaxing
• My natural Batangueno accent - for keeping our "local" vibe and sense of belongingness
• Bus Vendors - para sa quail eggs na bumusog sa aming byahe
• Simba - for making me feel more alive during our stay in Casita Ysabel
• The Maker, God Almighty - para sa pagbigay sa amin ng pagkakataon na maging saksi sa ganda ng Kanyang mga likha

we'll be back!