“I wish I had a beach house,” I thought to myself as I lounged in the air-conditioned comfort of a private beachfront cabin in Calatagan, Batangas. Who wouldn’t want to watch the sunset every night and wake up to the view of the beach every morning. There’s a laid-back lifestyle that comes along with living at the beach even if you have to work remotely from there. There’s no rush to go anywhere. You can easily go for a swim in the morning or evening after work hours, and people seem more friendly without being burdened by the stress of traffic and city living.
I was only staying the night while covering an event for The Philippine Star’s Property Report last December. But that quick mid-week break in the middle of the busy Christmas season packed with events navigating through Manila’s gridlock felt like a luxury retreat. It helped that there were no other guests on the beach at the time, so it was very quiet. If you’re looking for a peaceful retreat or unique beach getaway this coming Holy Week or summer, Calatagan is a good option.
Crusoe Cabins
Crusoe Cabins are fully-serviced beach cabins created from upcycled container vans located within Calatagan South Beach (CaSoBé). These homey digs developed by Landco Pacific are covered in wooden details, so the cabins blend seamlessly with the environment.
In the cabin I was staying in, the porch was built around an existing tree, which added to the shade and made the whole place look more lush and inviting.
Crusoe Cabins are inspired by the spirit of Robinson Crusoe by offering guests a taste of tiny home living by the beach. You can expect all the creature comforts of a luxury hotel room here. Each cabin is fully air-conditioned and has a main bedroom, a separate living room area with a flat screen TV, kitchenette with minibar, en suite bathroom, and porch terrace.
Crusoe Cabins offers room configurations ideal for groups with two bunk beds good for six people. Meanwhile, family units have a bunk bed and a queen-sized bed that can accommodate five people. Visitors can choose from either Garden, Premiere Garden, Seaview, or Beachfront Cabins.
Check rates and book stays at Crusoe Cabins through this link.
Cocoons
The next morning, I borrowed a bike to explore the rest of the property. The colorful Cocoons spread about the garden area offer cozy and intimate sleeping spaces for couples and families with small kids.
Made from large refurbished concrete pipes painted with colorful murals of marine life, Cocoons offers a glamping meets capsule-hotel-like experience. Each tiny room comes with a queen bed, efficient space-saving storage, coffee and tea amenities, TV, mini bar, and safety deposit box.
Guests are encouraged to commune with nature surrounded by open spaces and colorful environment-themed murals and artwork. All rooms are pet-friendly as well.
These custom-designed “experiential sleeping spaces” by Millennial Resorts, a sister company of Landco Pacific, don’t just offer unique stays. Their compact design serves a functional purpose, making it easy for developers to relocate and transport them once the beach lots are sold.
Check rates and book rooms at Cocoons CaSoBe through this link.
About Landco BeachTowns
During a property tour around the area, I learned that the area where the cabins are located are prime residential, tourism and business hubs of Landco BeachTowns. The cabins are just a small part of the 15-hectare development of the master-planned leisure community of Landco that is currently open to beach homeowners and investors.
With more Filipino families prioritizing work-life balance after the pandemic, the beach town offers a prime area for those who want to start a new business or live inside a beach resort with the convenience of hotel amenities, facilities and services. The unconventional resorts were set up to drive interest among urban dwellers who want to invest in their own beach home property not far from Manila.
The cozy beachfront cabins also provide a comfortable base for homeowners and investors to stay in while overseeing property development in their lots. This way, they can fully enjoy the area’s facilities while creating a dream beach home worth passing down to the next generation of families.
While staying in the area, guests can also enjoy the bike-friendly Boardwalk, a beach promenade that features cabanas for day visits, with support service amenities that include outdoor showers and water sports equipment for rent. There’s also an enclosed venue on site called the Canopy ideal for hosting team-building sessions, workshops, and other events for large groups.
Dining options
The estate also has several dining spots restaurants within the premises including The Sands, a Filipino-themed seaside restaurant featuring freshly-prepared fare; The Swing Bar, which serves cocktails and light snacks on swing seats; Taza Coffee, where you can get a coffee fix right by the beach; and Captain Barbozza, a pirate-themed beer shack that serves local and international drinks and fare.
Aquaria Water Park
Kids can also enjoy access to Aquaria Water Park, a water park that features 5 cove pools, a kiddie pool and a giant 3-story high pool slide within the premises.
Crusoe Cabins, Cocoons at CaSoBe and Aquaria WaterPark are located at CaSoBe, Calatagan South Beach, Batangas. For more information, visit http://casobe.landco.ph/ and https://www.millennial-resorts.com/.
NOTE: A version of this article “Crusoe Cabins and Cocoons in Calatagan offer a taste of tiny home living by the beach” was first published in The Philippine Star’s Property Report (December 15, 2023).