A memorable summer getaway doesn’t have to be far or luxurious as long as your with the people you love. (Photo by VINCE G. LOPEZ)

Two hours. That’s all the travel time a group of friends or family needs to enjoy a memorable summer getaway.

Choose from among the many destinations north and south of Metro Manila while keeping in mind the typical Filipino mindset of a vacation – relaxed, carefree and fun, fun, fun! The important thing is to be with the people you enjoy hanging out with than the destination itself. So, why not re-visit familiar destinations that are both affordable and easily accessible?

Batangas – Still the favorite destination for the “barkada” outing due to its proximity to the metro, the advent of new resorts and new sites is enough reason to go back to this Southern Tagalog province this summer. Old resorts have also been renovating to keep up with the times and to entice back their clientele.

Reason to go: This summer may be the best time to learn scuba diving as one of the dive sites in Batangas is called “the center of Marine Biodiversity.”

Fun Factor: You can go and enter any resort and pay entrance fees ranging from P10 to P10,000.

Place to go: The Farm at San Benito, Lipa, Batangas.

Laguna - Hot springs may not be the cool answer to summer heat but private pools are. The province is teeming with hot spring resorts that offer both hot and cool swimming areas.

Reason to go: Nothing beats a private pool for family bonding time or a barkada get-together.

Fun Factor: The privacy clause in these private resorts means you can go skinny-dipping or jump into the pool in your jeans or pajamas.

Must try: Go scale the mystical Mt. Makiling.

Bulacan – Not to be outdone, the province of Bulacan also offers fun under the sun in its share of resorts and swimming areas.

Reason to go: Cheap, fun and filled with historical sites. If taking a dip in the pool is not enough for you, try going on an educational tour to see the historical sites of the province.

Fun Factor: Commuting from Manila to Bulacan is not a problem as public transportations pass through the resorts.

Must Try: Local delicacies such as chicharon, pastillas, and rice cakes.  Bulacan has recently entered the Guinness book of world records for making the world’s longest pastilles.

Quezon – Just two hours and you’ll find yourself in the recently renamed Hacienda Escudero, the most famous resort in the province of Quezon.

Reason to go: The spread of seafood and mouth watering dishes that you get to eat in front of a waterfall.

Fun Factor: Bingeing or swimming, or doing both at the same time.
Must See: Ancestral houses along the way. 

Within the Metro – This one won’t even take an hour if you go at the right time. When time really matters and staying overnight is impossible, why not try various destinations within the city? Some can re-create an outdoor experience such as surfing in Club Manila East while others can provide a relaxing afternoon by going on a picnic in La Mesa Ecopark.

Reason to go: You don’t have to go out of town as everything’s right under your nose.

Fun Factor: It saves time and you get to unravel the secrets of the city.