Tagaytay + Hidden Valley Springs: A Scenic Escape w/ Transfers

Everything was going very well, but I did not like that to do the tour on the lake we were charged 2500 pesos ($44) each, when the tour rented the raft was worth only 2000 pesos for the group. I felt totally ripped off. I consult the price of boat tours, a tour that is not worthwhile. Approximate prices of typical banking tour from Leynes Public banks (basic boat rides) departing from Brgy. Leynes to the volcano island cost approximately ₱1,000 to ₱2,000 per boat, not per person. This price usually covers round trip, and is negotiable according to the number of travelers. Based on TripAdvisor experiences, a group of 7 people paid ₱1,200 for full banking. Tours organized in places like Taal Lake Yacht Club can cost from ₱3 500 per hour (maximum 5 people), including entrance, cabin, crew and equipment. What they paid: ₱2 500 per person x 3 persons = ₱7 500 That works out to about $130 in total. 🚤 What it normally costs: ₱1,000 to ₱2,000 for full private banking (for 3 to 5 people). Even if you add a local guide, permits and a commission, the total rarely exceeds ₱3 500 to ₱4 000 for the whole group. That is, what you paid is almost double the standard price of the full tour. If you do this tour be very careful those ₱2,000 pesos charge per group and we per person have been charged ₱2,500, do not be fooled, otherwise the tour at first is not worth it. But the Tagaytay viewpoint for the lake and volcano if it is beautiful a nice landscape.

This day trip was the perfect excursion to see a slice of Luzon outside of Manila. I’ll focus on the Tagaytay tour and not on Hidden Valley the attraction since lots can be found online about the hot springs. The driver had me feeling I was in good hands, and Eddy was the consummate tour guide. His laughter is infectious, his knowledge unparalleled, and he will make sure you get photos. There were scheduled comfort breaks, foods to try, beautiful sights to take in (visibility was great the day of my tour so Taal Volcano was easy to see), you can see surprisingly far from The People’s Park in the Sky, and we got a Jeepney ride just for our tour group. Plus, Tagaytay is a good 10 degrees cooler than Manila.

Rating = 1. Tour guide Ji had no knowledge of the basic information pertaining to the Philippines, I.e population size, population of Manila, etc. He thumbsucked all his answers not knowing we had googled the information prior and were testing his knowledge and expertise as a tour guide. We were collected and driven around for 8 hrs in a rundown battered car which has seen better days. No given any information during our trip but rather we heard about Ji’s previous employment, his ex girlfriend, his ex employer. No water provided - private tour and we had to buy our own and for Ji and his driver! We have travelled extensively throughout the world and this was the first time ever we were not provided with complimentary water and much less towels for the second half of the trip (email sent by tour operator at 06:55 on the morning of tour - who checks email at that time when you are getting ready to depart on your tour - start time will be discussed shortly)! I requested a late start at 09:30 as we were doing a private tour and had only arrived in Manila the night before at 22:55. Tour operator refused to accommodate us even though I pointed out that we were doing a private tour and wouldn’t inconvenience anyone else. It was a hard no - hence no time to check emails as we had very little sleep and had to get done for early departure. Ji offered us a boat trip to see the volcano up close as the weather was extremely bad at Tagatay. Given the price he offered, we accepted as it was quite costly and we thought it would be a decent boat - rudely mistaken as it was a common fishing boat with no cover in the rain and partial sun. Never again! At Hidden springs, good absolutely disgusting and inedible! No towels (see above) and were informed that if we wanted some we would have to purchase them!!!! We ended up drying ourselves with our jackets and Tshirts and going back to hotel with wet everything. For the price we paid, we expected better. Don’t use this company!

Hi, great Expérience with Jence and L'uni vert kind and good local discoveries. That was cool expérience

Hidden Valley Tagaytay is a beautiful place to get away from the busyness of everyday life. It's a place that's worth going back to again and again because of how well nature, great accommodations, warm kindness, and unique experiences all work together , great place to go for a romantic getaway, a family trip, or a single retreat. It will give you unforgettable memories and a renewed sense of well-being. Superb to our guide and awesome driver!!!