A five-kilometer long brown sand beach situated in the town of Lian, Batangas facing the China Sea. Popular among local and foreign tourist alike. It’s clear waters ideal for water sports such as swimming, boating, yachting, fishing and skin diving. Along the shoreline are several summer cottages. Excursions are offered by local boatmen to Fortune Island, an uninhabited isle off the coast. It is possible to hire floating bamboo picnic huts anchored out over the reef, which is a good base for snorkeling and partying.

Matabungkay is touted as the finest beach around Manila. The water is clean and it is possible to hire floating bamboo picnic huts anchored out over the reef, which are good bases for snorkeling and generally kicking back.

The package of having a beautiful sunset, white beach, and the provincial atmosphere made Matabungkay a drive-away beach destination for tourists coming from Manila. The area has little to offer other than swimming and watching the sunset but good enough for an inexpensive trip. Unlike other beaches, Matabungkay offers reasonable options for low-budget vacationers. Families who are unable to afford costly restaurants bring their barbeque sets and cook their food the way they want at the beach or at their rented open cottages. Others spend their day barbecuing on the shaded raft floating several meters off the shore. These floating sheds are rented out by villagers which they remark a purely Matabungkay way of picnicking. For upscale tourists, they can choose from luxurious resorts located along the right strip of the beach.

This once fishing village drew young campers and beach lovers in its early years. Resorts popped out like mushrooms and created a huge traffic on local tourism. Due to this heavy flocking of local revenu, villagers drew their attention on complementary options such as selling merchandise, renting out floating sheds and boats for touring other islands. Previous to what they were used to, fishing then became an alternative source of their livelihood. During peak season, other than tourists, Matabungkay is crowded with locals persistently chasing tourists to buy their merchandise. They are somehow nuisance if you principally come for a peaceful holiday.

One of the leading resort properties is Matabungkay Beach Resort and Hotel along Barangay Matabungkay, Lian, Batangas. The resort lies on large grounds and has all the amenities one expects from a fine hotel, plus a good pool, a restaurant café, Japanese restaurant, and a tidy strip of beach out front. A wide selection of menu is available for the weary traveler. Seafood dishes definitely are the specialty of the restaurants. The resort also provides diving trips and water sports activities through their dive center at the Coral Beach Club.

Getting to Matabungkay

To get there, take south superhighway and exit at Santa Rosa or Silang. Turn right and follow the sign to Tagaytay. From Tagaytay, head to the direction of Nasugbu. After km 92, turn right to Nasugbu and Lian. At the shell station turn left to Lian and Calatagan. Follow the road to Calatagan until you see a big signboard at the right side that indicates Matabungkay beach resorts. Turn right and drive up to the end of the cement road pointing the beach. There you will easily find your way.

More pictures here and here