Tagaytay [1] is part of the island of Luzon, Philippines.
Caldera lake
Understand
A popular destination, especially for residents of Manila and Metro Manila, Tagaytay has a mild climate and dramatic scenery.
The weather in Tagaytay is mild & average temperature is from 22 deg Celsius (71 F) to 25 deg Celsius (77 F). There are only two ‘seasons’, wet and dry.
Get in
By plane
The closest major airport is Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Manila).
By Car
Driving directions to Tagaytay for those with private cars, vans or taxi cabs:
[The following tips are taken from Backpacking Philippines website c/o “Tutubi”)
Option 1: via SLEX Sta. Rosa Exit, the most popular and easiest, is a straight drive all the way to Tagaytay Public Market (and right smack into Tagaytay Econo Inn) where you turn right going to Tagaytay city proper and Nasugbu/Balayan/Lemery Batangas or left going to People’s Park in the Sky. Usual travel time from Makati CBD is 1.5 hours.
Option 2: SLEX Greenfields Exit, an alternate route to Tagaytay that pass by Pramana, Nuvali, Eton City and Paseo de Sta. Rosa, ideal to avoid traffic buildup on Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay National Road on Saturday mornings thus making it the fastest route to Tagaytay on weekends.
Option 3: SLEX Southwoods exit then Governor’s Drive in Carmona going to Dasmarinas. Turn left on Maguyam Road just before the Shell Station to your left.
Option 4: Roxas Boulevard, Baclaran, Coastal Road, Bacoor, Imus, Dasmarinas via Aguinaldo Highway. Not recommended due to presence of heavy traffic made worse by SM Dasmarinas and Robinsons Palapala. At the end of Aguinaldo Highway is the Tagaytay Rotonda (roundabout) where a statue of Ninoy Aquino, a BPI with ATM, Days Inn, Max’s Restaurant and 7-11 store as landmarks.
Option 5: Another route for the adventurous to Tagaytay is via Daang Hari that passes by Molino, Bacoor, Imus, Dasmarinas and Silang. It bypasses the traffic chokepoint of Bacoor rotonda but not SM Dasma and Robinsons.
Option 6: From SLEX Toll Road 3/Sto. Tomas, Batangas via STAR Tollway in going to Lipa City, take Sambat exit and follow the national road to Talisay then go up Ligaya Drive, the zigzag road to Tagaytay (sometimes called Bitukang Manok, not for the faint of heart and newbie drivers)
If you’re a foreigner, you can hire vans to get there or an airport taxi. Some taxi drivers charge a fixed rate or double the meter fare plus toll fees.
By bus
Coming from Manila by bus
Information taken from “Tagaytay blog” – More details can be found here .
Take one of the following buses from the Cubao bus terminus (in order of priority and frequency) – 1) San Agustin 2) Erjohn & Almark 3) Golden dragon
The buses go to Nusugbu (final destination), but have “via Tagaytay” written on the signboard next to the driver. Frequency = one bus every about 30 minutes.
Travel time = 2 hours
Disembark at a crossroad called Olivarez square (now shown on google maps). Easily spottable due to the large KFC restaurant / Andok’s / Jollybee (if you are on the right side of the bus) and “Pure Gold” and Mc Donalds” signs if you are on the left side of the bus. After this stop lies the Rotunda (with a statue in the center and colourful lights at night) – this forms the center of the town of Tagaytay.
Tagaytay does not have a dedicated bus terminus – buses just stop at this part of the road. Ask the bus conductor to tell you when the stop for “Tagaytay” or “Olivarez plaza” comes.
Avoid taking buses going to Batangas or Balibago. Avoid JAM transit.
From Manila Airport to Tagaytay City: the cheapest way is to ride the shuttle service from all terminals that pass by MRT Taft Avenue Station and ride BLTB or Crow Transit Buses to Tagaytay. Alternatively, hire a taxi to take you directly to Tagaytay.
From Mandaluyong to Tagaytay: Ride vans (V-Hires) bound for Batangas and Tagaytay in front of Starmall at the corner of EDSA and Shaw Boulevard (walking distance from MRT Shaw Boulevard station). Fare as of posting time is PhP150.00 (this is the best option for those living in Rizal province)
From Laguna to Tagaytay: In Pagsanjan Public Market, there are vans/fx/V-Hires going to Palapala in Dasmarinas Cavite. On reaching Pala-pala transport terminal (near Robinsons Dasmarinas and SM Dasma), transfer to a bus going to Tagaytay where it’s less than an hour away.
Calamba to Tagaytay: ride shuttle service at the public market beside Waltermart Calamba or at the Calamba Central Terminal. Cheaper alternative, ride a jeepney going to Balibago complex in Sta. Rosa then transfer to Tagaytay-bound jeepneys.
Balibago to Tagaytay Public Market: Regular jeepneys plying the route to/from Balibago Transport terminal in Sta. Rosa Laguna to Tagaytay Public Market route.
From Alabang: ride the van/fx at the terminal at the corner of SLEX and Alabang-Zapote Road, Filinvest Festival Mall, or still another at Starmall (formerly Metropolis Mall Alabang)
From Cubao, Quezon City: ride buses going to Nasugbu, Lemery or Calatagan at Cubao Bus Terminal in front of Ali Mall.
Shuttle service (vans, FX, V-Hires) in front of EGI Mall (Jollibee) at the corner of Taft Avenue and Sen. Gil Puyat Ave (Buendia) going to Nasugbu, Balayan and Lemery, Batangas that all pass by Tagaytay.
Shuttle service (vans, FX, V-Hires) going to Nasugbu, Balayan and Lemery at Metropoint mall basement at the corner of EDSA and Taft Avenue (accessible from LRT EDSA Station or MRT Taft Avenue station, this is also the so-called EDSA Rotonda though there’s really no rotunda there). Current fare is PhP160.00 (regardless of where you’re going since it’s a derecho trip…information provided by Tutubi’s officemate who lives in Balayan, Batangas)
Buses to Tagaytay:
JAM Transit has trips to Tagaytay, Balayan, Batangas, Lemery. Jam Transit terminal is at Taft Avenue corner Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue accessible from LRT Buendia station.
Crow Transit (Crow bus terminal at the corner Taft Ave & EDSA right below MRT Taft Avenue station and walking distance from LRT EDSA station, same terminal as Erjohn & Almark and Genesis behind Sogo Hotel and MacDonalds) has buses to Nasugbu/Calatagan/Balayan in regular schedules.
Kirby Bus to Tagaytay from Lawton
San Agustin bus with signboard “Mendez-Tagaytay” from Harrison Plaza on Vito Cruz (Pablo Ocampo) or Baclaran via Coastal Road, Aguinaldo Highway to the towns of Bacoor, Imus, Dasmarinas and Silang before reaching Tagaytay. (note this is a slow route due to lots of chokepoints in Cavite)
Celyrosa Bus Lines, in Pasay City (note this is a slow route due to lots of checkpoints in Cavite)
Just put in mind that traveling via Coastal Road and Aguinaldo/Tirona highways requires a lot of patience since grave traffic problems takes place along this roads which can waste your time for 1 to 4 hours.
Theimahe 