“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.

Last weekend, Outside Slacker and I had a fun time at the Batangas Earth and Water Festival 2015. He got to ride his bike and run around scenic towns in Mataasnakahoy and Balete during the duathlon, while I got to row a kayak at the picturesque Taal Lake. The sporting events were organized by First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities (FAITH) and Lima Park Hotel, a luxury hotel in Batangas which hosted our weekend stay. With the 4 to 5 am call times for the duathlon and fun run the next day, it was definitely a treat to go back to the hotel and chill out instead of having to drive back to Manila at once. If you’re looking for a comfortable hotel with world-class facilities in the Batangas area, Lima Park Hotel is a great option.