Everyone should go on a solo trip at least once in their life. Traveling for one has so many benefits, and, as Forbes says in a persuasive piece, represents freedom, independence, and wanderlust.
You don’t have to go far or block off several days to have this enriching experience. For example, Cavite is just a few hours away from Metro Manila but it has many spots and spaces that you can happily explore by yourself in one day.
The province is a great destination for those who need a quick getaway from city life. Find your way to the best tourist attractions and restaurants in Cavite alone by visiting these places.
Museo Orlina
Hollywood Subdivision Road Brgy. Tolentino East, Subd, Tagaytay
Stop by Museo Orlina for your first destination. It is an “indoor-outdoor” museum with exhibit rooms and open areas to showcase the artistry of internationally acclaimed artist Ramon Orlina, a pioneer of glass sculpting in the Philippines.
One of Orlina’s most notable glass sculptures found in the museum, the ARCANUM XIX, Paradise Gained, is made from prismatic glass. The original art piece is currently displayed in the National Museum, but you can still see its replica in Museo Orlina. You will also find pieces from other painters and sculptors in the museum, apart from Orlina’s own sculptures. These include artworks by Jerry Navarro, Arturo Luz, Raul Piedra, as well as Napoleon Abueva and Jasper Morrison, to name a few.
The museum has a sculpture garden, amphitheater, and a roof deck that offers a breathtaking view of Taal Lake.
You can tour around the sculpture garden, which houses various art installations while enjoying the Tagaytay breeze. Explore the amphitheater outside to take photos of the different sculptural artworks.
The admission fee is only Php 130. Students and senior citizens are entitled to a discounted fee of Php 100 as long as they present a valid ID.
- Opening hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Closed on Mondays, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day)
- Website: https://www.museo-orlina.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/museoorlina
Contact number: +63995-735-4462
Balay Dako
Nasugbu Highway, Tagaytay
For lunch, look no further. Balay Dako in Tagaytay serves Filipino dishes that you can feast on.
Only a few minutes away from Museo Orlina, Balay Dako (big house) serves native Filipino and fusion dishes. The restaurant provides an airy, casual venue with a breathtaking view of Taal Lake. They also offer indoor and outdoor dining for guests.
One of their bestsellers is Pinakbet (Php 295), an Ilocano dish made from mixed vegetables like eggplant, tomatoes, okra, and string and winged beans, sautéed in shrimp sauce.
Don’t forget to order a dessert. We recommend the Halo-Halo Klasiko (Php 280), a classic Filipino dessert that combines red beans, sweet purple yam, sweetened plantains, créme caramel, dried rice crisps, and jackfruit, topped with shaved ice and evaporated milk.
For a solo diner, the minimum budget for a meal is around Php 300.
On your way out, visit their indoor store on the ground floor to buy treats like Biscocho (Php 120), Breadstick Garlic (Php 65), Pineapple Jam (Php 200), and Otap (Php 130), among others.
- Opening hours: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/balaydakotagaytay/
- Website: https://antoniosrestaurant.ph/balay-dako/
The Gingerbread House
Matagbak – Palumlum Rd, Alfonso
Another famous attraction in Cavite to visit is a place for sweet tooths called The Gingerbread House. If you are a kid at heart, you will love the place because of its Hansel and Gretel-themed park. It was built by couple Jing and Jun Canlas, who initially built the place for their children.
Inside the big Gingerbread House, you will learn how to make your own gingerbread cookies. Some other fun activities to try outside the main attraction include writing about your dreams at the Dreamcatcher.
You can also find peace in the Green Pastures area, which is found to the left of the Gingerbread House across the bridge. For only Php 499, you can enjoy the lush greenery while in small bohemian tents, sipping from the cold, tall glass of Sakura.
The entrance fee only costs Php 100, but an additional Php 1,000 will give you full access to their sites and activities.
- Opening hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegingerbreadhouseph
- Contact number: +63917-630-3124
Gourmet Farms
52 Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, Silang
Not far away from the Gingerbread House is Gourmet Farms, one of the first organic farms in the Philippines.
Apart from their two-hectare organic farm, they also have a cafe and coffee roastery to store green and imported beans from other coffee-producing countries.
Gourmet’s Café offers a wide selection of Filipino-Italian fusion breakfast meals, served with freshly brewed Gourmet’s coffee. Some of their bestsellers include Pumpkin Spiced Soup (Php 180) served with shrimps, zucchini, and prosciutto in white sauce, as well as their local pasta dish Funghi (Php 350), a fettuccine pasta dish with Tagaytay mushrooms in truffle cream sauce.
They also have a store where you can shop for pasalubong. Some of the products they offer include fresh and roasted coffee, herbal teas, lettuce, and other organically grown greens. Pesto, lettuce chips, and a wide array of sauces, dips, and dressings are also available.
- Opening hours:10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GourmetFarmsPh/
- Website: https://gourmetfarms.com.ph/
- Contact details: +63917-585-4674
Likhang Maragondon Native Products and Pasalubong Center
Garita A, Maragondon
Before leaving Cavite, make sure to drop by Likhang Maragondon.
The store sells Maragondon’s famous delicacies, crafts, and bamboo items like lanterns and speakers. They are also known for using Maragondon, a Cavite handwoven fabric, on items such as shirts and scarves.
You can score items for as low as Php 300, and every purchase goes into helping locals promote and sustain their weaving.
The shop, which started in 2019, made headlines early this year for creating the first handwoven face masks that conformed to the recommended minimum specifications for non-medical face masks.
- Opening hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/likhangmaragondon/?ref=page_internal
- Contact details: +63995-138-1813
Have a Safe Trip!
Tourism establishments in Cavite are ready for you! Customers are required to wear a face mask and shield, and practice social distancing at all times. The places set sanitary and contact tracing procedures such as registration at the reception and using alcohol to sanitize hands before entering the premises. To know more about Cavite, visit https://cavite.gov.ph/home/.
To check out up-to-date information regarding local destinations that are open and the safety protocols and requirements needed for each location, you may visit www.philippines.travel/safetrip or download the Travel Philippines app at app.philippines.travel or the Google Playstore.
