A Weekend With a Breathtaking View

What is a staycation? A word that has been seen in social media for the past few years. It is a term used when you take a vacation near home usually on a tight budget. How would you like to spend a weekend getaway to relax and reset from work or stress?

Come with us today as I take you with us on a weekend staycation with a breathtaking view of a lake and a volcano.

Let's go to SMDC Wind Residences in Tagaytay City Philippines.

SMDC Wind Residences has five towers of residential condominium units. These five towers have the best view of the Taal Volcano. The majority of condominium owners rent out their property to guests for long-term or overnight stays.

Cost

You could find a condo unit to rent via FB and there are many options to choose from. You just need to send them a message and pay for the reservation fee. The rates per day vary and the units facing the volcano are more expensive.

Units at the back part of the building cost around 2,680 pesos or $51.35 USD.

Larger units that have a balcony costs 3,500 pesos or $67.06 USD.

The condo unit that we rented has a balcony facing the lake and the volcano.

The Unit

Each unit has air-conditioning, refrigerator, induction cooker, television and wifi. Also includes hot and cold shower.

Unit owners compete by decorating their units to be instagrammable to attract more customers. Some units even decorate their units with different themes. If you have a surprise party or a celebration just let the caretaker know and they will decorate the unit for you for an additional cost.

The unit that we rented included a 50-inch television and includes Netflix. But who would want to just watch television while on a vacation?

There is a small dining table with a small bed that also serves as a sofa for an additional sleeping area.

The main bed is large enough for three people and they even a swan from the bath towels just like in hotels.

The View

How would you like to wake up every morning with this majestic view of the Taal Volcano? The temperature here in Tagaytay can reach down to 18.8°C during January and February. Cool-weather that you would enjoy here in the Philippines as some areas in the country is very hot and even reaches temperature up to 45°C.

Downside

Not all places are perfect and there is one downside in Tagaytay city, "The Traffic".

Every weekend the road becomes a one-way street and looks like this. Traffic starts around 10 am up until around 4 pm. This is caused by the restaurants lined up along the lake view. Customers queuing to enjoy lunch with a fantastic view. If you are planning to visit try to visit during weekdays and I assure you it does not look like this.

Up on the 10th floor, I appreciate being in an airconditioned room rather than being stuck in traffic.

The Taal Volcano

The most active volcano in the Philippines that exploded last January 2020 has been quiet for two years now.

Many have mistaken this mountain to be the Taal volcano but in fact, the volcano is behind this mountain.

This is the volcano that used to be covered the trees and plant life. We even had a chance to climb it some years ago.

Now it looks like a barren desert and would take a lot of years to restore its lush vegetation.

Although signs of life are slowly growing back on the volcano. It is a sign that life always finds a way, birds will again slowly come back to this place. A couple more years and they probably will allow tourism again.

On the left side of the building, you will see Mt. Makiling that reaches the clouds. A nature reserve and frequented by mountain climbers.

There are towns near the lake and it is the jump point when going to the volcano.

The Taal Lake is also home to the fresh fish sardine called the "Tawilis". This is the only place where you could find this freshwater sardine species. They say that this lake used to be part of the ocean and became a lake when the volcano erupted centuries ago. The sardines were trapped and adapted to the freshwater.

That ends my introduction for our trip to Tagaytay City. If you are planning to visit the Philippines and see the volcano. This is the best affordable accommodation that you would find with the perfect view.

Please join us again as I take you around Tagaytay. See tourist spots and enjoy delicious food in some of the well-known restaurants in this area.

Hope to see you again soon.

All photos are original and taken with

Lumix GX85 12-32mm and Olympus 40-150 mm