Batangas | Marian Orchard & Hermitage of Our Mother

The Sacred Heart Tower
Our road trip to Marian Orchard/Hermitage of Our Mother was supposed to be my pre-Holy Week post but because of some weekend getaways (and laziness afterwards), I wasn't able to do so. Anyway, I wasn't aware of these sites before, not until I saw/read Manong Unyol's post. I got curious so when I went home (I am a BatangueƱa, by the way) one weekend, I decided to go on a side trip and check out these places.

Though adjacently situated, Marian Orchard and Hermitage of our Mother are two different religious sites located in Barangay Malabanan in Balete, Batangas. The first one a sort of legacy the owner built and shared to the public while the latter, a retreat site/prayer house (also open to the public) owned by a priest who is based in Laguna. Both sites are conducive to prayer and meditation as well as some soul and self-searching; a place to go to during holy week, though most probably, it would be crowded during that season.

Marian Orchard is a Catholic-themed park built on a 5-hectare land surrounded with trees and plants of various kinds. It features a prayer garden, a chapel, an observation tower, fountains and shrines of various saints. Near the prayer garden, it also has this small native hut where one could just sit and relax and breathe clean fresh air. The towering pine trees and flowering (flower photos here) plants all around it add to the serenity of this place. If you're a nature lover and loves to have a quiet and peaceful time away from the city, this may be a place for you to go.

Here are some of the photos I took as I go around this park.

a welcoming view at Marian Orchard
My friend and I climbed this tower (The Sacred Heart Tower), it's a steep climb (almost a vertical ascent) and up on the third level, the wind blows hard, it felt like I would be blown away (even if I'm a heavyweight :P). But the view at the top is magnificent, you can see Taal Lake/Volcano and its neighboring towns/barangays, worth the steep climb actually.

observation tower/The Sacred Heart Tower
a resembling image of Brazil's Christ the Redeemer
Let the children come to me...
Marian Orchard - The Chapel
"The Ruins" at Marian Orchard :P
water-less fountain :P
Garden of Saints
Saint Joseph Shrine
Mama Mary Shrine
path leading to the garden of saints
entrance to the Prayer Garden
native hut for resting  (inset) and the surrounding pine trees
fruit-bearing trees/plants at Marian Orchard - papaya, cacao, rambutan, chico, etc.

~ oo00oo ~

Hermitage of Our Mother, as I said, is a retreat site adjacent to the more popularly known Marian Orchard. This religious site is open to the public for free. It has several small chapels where prayer vigils are held from time to time (this according to the site's caretaker). The site has also this small steel tower where you can climb up for a chance to see the magnificent view of Taal Lake and Volcano. (Actually, it has a better view of Taal than the one in Marian Orchard.) Also in this tower is the wishing "banga" (earthen jar/pot), a popular wishing jar to the young and the young once who visited here. Below are some of my photos of Hermitage of Our Mother:

entrance to the Hermitage of Our Mother
one of the small chapels in Hermitage of Our Mother
Taal Lake and Volcano, view from Hermitage of Our Mother
Taal Lake and Taal Volcano, view from up the steel tower
Christ the Redeemer, as seen from the Hermitage of Our Mother
Hermitage of Our Mother Wishing Banga
Pray in Silence! Then wish, pray, throw coins...the Wishing Banga!

~ oo00oo ~

How to get to Marian Orchard/Hermitage of Our Mother?

By Bus: Take a bus bound to Lemery/Batangas via Tanauan/Lipa (NOT CALABARZON) from any of the bus terminals located in the following: along EDSA near Cubao/Kamuning area (Alps or Jam bus lines); in Taft-Buendia (Jam bus line, forgot other bus lines with terminal here). Tell the driver or the conductor to drop you off at Levitown, Marawoy (landmark: Caltex Gas Station) then take a tricycle going to Marian Orchard/Hermitage of Our Mother.

By Car: Drive through South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and on to Batangas Star Tollway. At the Star Toll Way, take Lipa-Tambo Exit, turn right and follow the road (J.P. Laurel Highway) going to Lipa/Tanauan then turn left at Lipa-Balete Road (landmark: Caltex Gas Station). Marian Orchard/Hermitage of Our Mother is around 10-15 minutes drive from this junction.

Marian Orchard/Hermitage of Our Mother
Barangay Malabanan, Balete, Batangas
Operating Hours: 7:00AM - 5:00PM
Parking Fee: P25; Entrance: P25/person (Marian Orchard only)

53 comments:

  1. wow! Ganda dyan. REally worth visiting. You can just feel the peace from the surroundings:)

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    Replies
    1. hi ate Joy! opo, napaka-peaceful ng surroundings, sarap magkaron ng ganito rin. hehe... ;)

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  2. Parang Caleruega din ang datin. :)

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  3. Very nice place! Reminds me of Kamay ni Hesus.

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  4. i love the place... i wanna go there... kelan ka babalik? sama naman...

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    Replies
    1. hi Senyor! naku, di ko alam kelan makabalik eh pero lapit lang naman, pwedeng-pwede nyo mai-schedule ng mga friends mo. :)

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  5. Syempre masyado akong interasado sa mga places na to!

    O di ba kakabasa natin sa mga ibang blogs kung ano anng natatagpuan natin maraming learning talaga... ang ganda pareho ng place sis kitang kita sa mga pics mo :) THANKS for sharing...

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    Replies
    1. hi Balut! ganda talaga ng place sis, sariwa ang hangin, daming puno, sarap magpalipas lang ng oras. kung sana lang meron ako nito, tanggal ang stress..hehe!

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  6. hi Manong Unyol! nagandahan kase ko sa lugar at nasa probinsya pa namin kaya na-curious. :)

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  7. Oh, wow! A Catholic-themed park! Gusto ko yan mapuntahan! Ililista ko na yan sa iti ko hehe. Thanks for sharing.

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  8. Nice post. Ngayon ko lang narinig Marian Orchard. Mukhang perfect place pang Visita Iglesia. Dami talaga maganda puntahan sa Batangas.

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  9. Replies
    1. Hi Cherry, sorry I forgot their schedule but I'll check my photos again, I think I took a photo of the entrance and their schedule, but am not sure. Pero parang everyday... :)

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  10. Hi po..taga carmona cavite po ako at ndi ko po alm kng pno mkpnta jan..my terminal po sa alabang at nasearch ko po n my bus pbatangas dun kya lng po sn po ba lemery po b o lipa?d qu po sure kng sn s batangas destination ng bus dun s alabang..pkitulungan nmn po ako..gusto qu po tlga pmnta jan..thanks po ng mrmi..

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    1. Lipa City, Batangas
      Look: Levitown, Barangay Marawoy
      Ask: Balete Terminal ( Jeep )
      Fare: P20.00

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    2. Lipa City, Batangas

      Look: Levitown, Barangay Marawoy
      Ask for: Balete Terminal ( Jeep )
      Fare: P20.00

      Delete
  11. hi Gem! any bus na dumadaan sa Lipa, wag lang yun may nakalagay na calabarzon. nakasulat na sya sa taas kung paano pumunta by bus, pakibasa na lang ulit. :)

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  12. sobrang ganda ng place na yan, mababait pa yung mga tao lalo na si mang onie yung caretaker.. para ka nasa heaven pag andyan ka ma fefeel mo talaga ang present ni god

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  13. Open po ba siya during Sunday? May mass po ba doon if ever

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    Replies
    1. I think open sya everyday at may mass kapag Sunday, not sure kung ganon pa rin hanggang ngayon.

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    2. Every Sunday meron po Mass,
      Every First Friday may Mass din po.

      Mass is only in the afternoon, 4PM.

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  14. Juan Carlos PichayApril 3, 2016 at 2:43 PM

    Magandang Araw po. Ako po osi Juan Carlos Pichay, isang mag aaral ng UST na kumukuha ng kursong Travel Management. Kami po ay kasalukuyang gumagawa ng isang thesis tungkol sa Marian Orchard at ang iyong ginawang blog po ay ginamit namin na isa sa aming mga sources. Nais ko po sanang mahingi ang iyong pangalan ng sa ganun po ay ma acknowledge namin ang iyong gawa at kung papalarin kami ay pwede ka po ba namin makapanayam para po magtanong ng mga katanungan tungkol sa Marian Orchard. Maraming Salamat po at Mabuhay po kayo :)

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    Replies
    1. Hi JC, ok lang na ginamit nyo as source ang blog ko, just mention my website and the blog url as an acknowledgment, that would be enough for me.

      Re questions, pwede mo i-send sa email and I'll try to respond as soon as I can. Check the contact page for my email address.

      Thank you and good luck sa thesis nyo. :)

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    2. btw, if you're gonna use my photos, pls don't remove the watermark. thank you. :)

      Delete
  15. Hi po. Pano naman po pag babalik na ng Maynila? Same route po ba? Tsaka safe po ba bumiyahe mag-isa? I mean sa mga townfolks po? Mababait po ba? Salamat po :)

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    Replies
    1. Hi Junilo, pwede ka sumakay ng jeep going to lipa city bus terminal at dun sumakay ng bus pabalik Manila. At mababait ang mga batangueƱo (malalakas lang talaga ang noses hehe), ok lang magbyahe ng solo, pero wag ka paabot ng late afternoon, baka mahirapan ka sumakay. :)

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    2. pnta ka SM LIPA,dun ung bus terminal.andun ung mga biyahe pabalik ng manila.

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  16. Not well maintained especially the restrooms which is a must for travellers :(

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for your comment Hleecita.

      We will do something for this concern.

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    2. Pwede po ba malaman kung anong oras ng open nila.

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    3. 7am po mam..close po ng 5pm..gate closed at 7pm

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    4. Open po ba 'to for weddings? parang mas solemn sya compared sa Caleruega hehe

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  17. Hi.may I know kung anong oras ang open nila..
    Thank you

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    Replies
    1. hi mean! am not sure about their operating hours but probably its between 8AM-5PM. I hope ms noriel above can clarify this. thanks for visiting :)

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    2. hi Mam Mean
      Were open at 7am to 7pm but gate closed for new visitor at 5pm.

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    3. By the way, Mr po hindi po Ms..hehe

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    4. opsss, sorry sir. anyway, thanks for always taking the time to answer visitor queries here. :)

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    5. Hi Sir.. ask ko lang po mass schedule sa Marian... Thanks po..

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    6. Hi Sir/Mam,
      Mass Schedule:

      Every first Friday, Every Saturdays & Sundays @ 4PM.

      Delete
  18. Hi. Bukas po b kyo ng sunday? Ano po ba ang sasakyan papnta jn? Kmi ay mng ggaling ng balagtas.

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    Replies
    1. sakay ka ng jeep pa-tanauan, sabihin mo ibaba ka sa papuntang balete, landmark mo ay caltex station, tas sakay ka ng tricycle papunta marian.

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  19. planning to visit that place too :)

    http://jovtravels.blogspot.com/

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  20. what time po mass nyo every Saturday and sunday?

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    Replies
    1. Every first Friday, Every Saturdays & Sundays @ 4PM.
      ayan ung mass sa marian

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  21. hello po. may sakayan po ba na trycle pabalik s caltex. thankyouu

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    Replies
    1. meron po..my nabiyahe po ng tricycle dto sa Marian Orchard...

      Delete
  22. madali lang po ba makasakay pabalik ng lipa?pag galing n po ng marians orchard?

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  23. Hi,

    Paano po mag commute if galing akong Calamba, Laguna. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  24. hello po, paano po ang byahe pag galing sa may bauan batangas

    ReplyDelete

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