Batangas, Province in Luzon, Philippines
Batangas is a province in southwestern Luzon that stretches across mountains, beaches, and coastlines along the South China Sea and Verde Island Passage. The landscape shifts between forested hills inland and wide bays that open toward the sea.
Spanish explorers met Malay settlers along the Pansipit in 1570 and founded the province eight years later. Coastal villages grew into trading ports that linked goods from the interior with routes to Manila.
Residents speak a dialect that linguists consider the oldest form of Tagalog, free from influences of other languages. Many place names along the coast recall the time when fishermen sailed the sea in open boats and named their routes after landmarks.
Buses from Manila run regularly and follow roads through flat farmland before entering hilly sections. Travel time ranges from two to four hours depending on the destination, with stops in larger towns.
Waters around Verde Island hold more marine species per square kilometer than any other area in the Philippines. Divers regularly observe schools of fish, coral gardens, and rare invertebrates at depths accessible to beginners.
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