Peace and tranquility at Balay Indang
Published in the Life & Travel section of Manila Standard Today
The place was first recommended by a fellow lawyer who spent a few days there with her family. Then, it was again recommended by a fellow blogger who took his family there to celebrate their wedding anniversary and his wife’s birthday. I needed no more prodding after the second recommendation. I made reservations and off I went to Balay Indang with my family.
Balay Indang is located in Indang, Cavite, a short drive from Tagaytay City. From Aguinaldo Highway, turn right to Mendez Road and go straight until you hit the end of the road. Turn right and 3 km. farther, you will see a wooden gate with the number 88 painted on the wall. You have arrived at one of the most relaxing spots imaginable.
My husband and I uttered our first exclamations of awed pleasure upon entering the gate. We were greeted with stretches of greenery and flowers in every color. More exclamations of “Ang ganda! (How beautiful!)” were uttered during the short walk as we moved leisurely over canopies of flowers and vines.
Upon reaching the main house, the first thing we were asked was whether we wanted to have lunch before bringing in our bags. We could only say yes while taking in the aroma of flowers wafting all over the living room.
The place was like Aladdin’s cave minus the dreary darkness. We were in a large, bright, high-ceilinged room where throw pillows are casually arranged on numerous couches and a day-bed with a canopy made from a sheer white fabric. On the floor and tables were ornaments that only a true traveller could have accumulated.
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We feast everyday!
Now I can breathe a sigh of relief. After I have recommmended to you the place, I was thinking “what if they didn’t like it?” I believe it was one of your posts complaining about the heat that you were planning to go to Baguio when I mentioned that the it was cool in Balay! E kung biglang uminit nung pumunta kayo, e di minura mo ko. hahaha. O kaya maraming tao! Baka hindi kayo mag-enjoy although the place can accomodate many guests naman.
I was sure about the food, though. Masarap sila talagang magluto at bastante.
Tito Rolly, babalik pa nga kami eh.
Super enjoy talaga dun. After paying the bill, I asked permission to publish an article in the newspaper because I felt that the world should know about Balay Indang.
Ang ganda nga dun, Connie. I just hope we would be able to go there before school starts, kahit day trip lang. Thanks for sharing.
hay super ganda, julie. super!!! and the food… oh, the food deserves 12 exclamation points.
Ha finally the blow-by-blow account with pictures! I’ve been regularly checking your photography site hoping for glimpses of the place hehehe
It looks really superb & it’s pretty good timing the place is not crowded. Okay so I have another place I can put on my wish list of “to visit” & to be honest almost 80% of that list came from you! Restaurants, zoo, hols.
haaaayyy, auee, “paradise” is a term i usually reserve for beautiful beaches but in the case of Balay Indang, I draw an exception.
Wow that is an excellent recommendation. I fell in love with the place as you described it in more and more detail. It seems like a great escape for family outings. Do you think it’s sulit for a couple lang? Was thinking of me and my husband!
How come I have not heard of this beautiful place when I was living 20 minutes from it for 3 years???!!!
Toni, yes, perfect for a honeymoon.
You can get a massage together and just relax.
KK, I think the place has been operating for a couple of years only…
I am bringing my wife with me to the Philippines for her first visit on Feb 2008. You just convinced me to include Balay Indang in our itinerary of places to visit. Was the PhP 1850.00 you paid /head include the meals? My wife is american and will eat most filipino food – would you have any suggestions where I could take her for some good supping? I remember you write about Pallili Bulawan and I am considering the place as well as Villa Escudero. Any recommendations? Thanks.
wow! parang nagbakasyon din ako doon! i’ll definitely keep this place in mind for a weekend getaway for my mom and brother. ang gaganda ng pictures!
franco, check out Pinoy Food Talk.
Jop, and it’s not that far from Laguna ha.
Oh no Connie! Let’s keep Balay Indang (also known as Red Ginger Farm) a secret a while longer. I went there 3 years ago right before it opened and stayed again with friends around November of 2005. I enjoyed the fact that it was quiet, didn’t have a lot of kids running amok, and that the food was simple and serviceable. Was there on the saturday before elections for lunch.
LOL Mila. Don’t wanna share? hehehehe
i’m thinking of bringing my hubby here for his bday. he’s having his vacation here this june. is this near tagaytay city? near the commercial area where starbucks is? are the meals included in the PhP1850? do they accept credit card? thanks!
ynatots, the exact location is detailed in the second paragraph of the article. PhP1850 includes all the food. You will have to ask them about credit cards.
ooppss…sorry i thought there’s more to the location. i just read from another blod that this is really secluded and there are no signs or anything that will lead to this place. i’m scared to get lost, my hubby and i might end up fighting if we couldn’t find the place. but thanks anyway. i already texted them and hope they will reply.
No, it’s not secluded LOL. It’s right on the main road.
hi connie,
ang ganda naman nito. i love the pictures. i just showed this to hubby and he’s quite impressed as well. the price seems to be very reasonable, too. sabi nya we should keep track of this place para daw puntahan namin pag nagbakasyon kami… kung kelan man yun. haaay. we’re hoping to visit next year, in time for the up centennial. but that could still change. for the meantime, we’ll just have to drool over the pictures. hahaha! cheers!
hi ma’am!i’ve never seen such a place so nice even just on pictures!the pictures speaks well of the place much more with how you really described everything.naaatat na tuloy ako umuwi at gusto ko na hilahin ang araw!thanks for sharing to your patrons such wonderful places.eye opener kumbaga.instead of going out Luzon,meron pala panalong lugar around the corner.
cel, am sure Balay Indang will still be there when you come home for a vacation.
pete, nag-enjoy talaga kami dun nang sobra hehehe gusto nga bumalik soon ng mga anak ko. we’re trying to find a good weekend. at ang masaya nga eh malapit lang naman sya.
ms. connie, i am from cavite also, but far from indang (like an hour drive from my place). there really are nice places in cavite(some still not developed well). been living in cavite all my life but never been to Balay Indang….yet.
i am now living (& working:
i am now living(&working:
hi connie!
i just want to confirm if they really ask for a downpayment for us to make reservations because in all of the blogs that i have read, no one wrote about paying DP first through allied bank before they can reserve. anyway, i just want to confirm this because i don’t want to be depositing in a hoax bank account–i’m kinda paranoid you know. So when i called up the cellphone number and asked for reservations, they told me to pay at Allied Bank with account number 0081026936 under the Red Ginger Farm and Garden name. So did you do the same for reservations? thanks!
I was born and raised in Indang, but pardon me… I cannot really locate the Balay Indang. You said from Mendez straight ahead until you reach the end of the road. Is this end of the road the Church of Indang? Iif i turn right that will be towards CSU and Brgy. Kaytapos… Is Balay Indang in Brgy. Kaytapos or Brgy. ALulod?
Thanks for the reply. Though i’m from Indang I also want to bring my family there.
ynatots, I wasn’t asked for a deposit and it was our first time there.
Verna, am not familiar with the names of the barangays but you can text them (cell phone number is at the end of the article, page 5) for more specific directions.
thanks
hi connie,
I just got a reply. Their exact location is San Juan St., Bo. Mahabang Kahoy Cerca, Indang, Cavite….. Please share this to those others who cannot find it…
Thanks
good day,
please send me your contact number, if you have manila or cavite number?
thank you,
norma
Hi, having heard great reviews about Balay-Indang I sure want to bring our group for our annual outing. May I know your contact number so we could do the inquiry?
Thanks. My tel numbers are 893-1597. 8931594.
norma and amy, balay indang’s contact number is right there at the end of the entry. why do you have to ask?
Just like Verna, I’m from Indang myself, though, I get to visit Indang only once a year (I’m working in Kuwait). It’s wonderful to know, there’s such a place like this in my hometown, and a mere 5minute drive from my Tatay’s home. Next time I go home (probably in August 2008), I’ll take the entire family to Balay Indang. Sa Mahabang Kahoy lang pala may paraiso na. Who would need to go all the way to Tagaytay…
Thanks for the article, Connie.
Hi Ka Enchong, naku, you will love it there… the atmosphere, the food, everything!!
RED GINGER FARM is a nice place, ts so peaceful and so homy.. I made an ocular inspection just last friday for our annual sales conference… Guess what Ms. Marge TAN prepared a food for me… sobrang sarap and its libre!!!… all the rooms are so unique .. Thats why I decided that we will have our company’s annual sales conference.. its a perfect place for our planning session
and im sure all of us will enjoy the food that MS. MARGE TAN will prepare for us.. Their live in package is sooooo affordable.
Hi Ms. Connie
I live nearby (about 2 minutes away!) and I didnot know that beyond that simple concrete fence is a paradise. Only that number 88 near the wooden gate and the yellow bell vine would catch your attention when you pass by…nothing more. Thanks for the informative write up, I could not wait to be there and enjoy the ambiance and the food as you have described them.
Hi Ms. Connie
I live in the next Barangay about 2 minutes away (Mahabang Kahoy Lejos) and I didnot know that beyond that simple concrete fence is a paradise. Only that number 88 near the wooden gate and the yellow bell vine would catch your attention when you pass by…nothing more. Thanks for the informative write up, I could not wait to be there and enjoy the ambiance and the food as you have described them.
Nagsusulputan ang mga taga Indang…
Marami kaming kamag-anak diyan sa Balagbag, Ding! Sa kapihan ako natutong magyosi. It was also there where I learned downing bottles of beer (with either nangka straight from the tree or priter as pulutan) while waiting for the sun to set.
Familiar territory. I even think I personally know Ms Marge Tan.
Taga saan ka Ka Enchong? Baka magkamag-anak din tayo….
masarap palang pulutan ang nangka at priter? Di kaya magka idea sa yo si Ms. Margie Tan nyan….he he he
We’re hoping we’ll have time to go back between Christmas and New Year.
hi connie! i enjoyed reading your story about balay indang. my family plans to have a weekend overnight in tagaytay, malayo ba itong balay indang sa tagaytay… ?
Less than 30 minutes by car.
Please let me know the website of balai indang and the map.thanks
Hi Ms. Connie,
I have been reading your blog off and on for several years now. Search for Filipino recipes first brought me to your site when you were still in Houseonahill. Your blog reminds me a lot of home. I am now in the US and has not seen home nor tasted “genuine” Filipino food for five years now.
Anyway, I was enjoying this blog about Balay Inday. I followed your link to Pinoy Food Talk, hoping to find more entries on home foods and places. But to my utter disappointment and constertation, the site is now a pornographic site. I suppose, things have changed since the link was first posted. My husband guesses that the original owners of the site may have let their license lapse and it was hijacked by some other group.
I do not know if I am being helpful telling you about this or not. I am sorry if I am causing you any inconvenience.
But thank you for keeping people like me informed about our country.
Best regards,
Imelda
Imelda, I know about the porn site. I let the domain registration expire, and since the domain had a PR6, I guess people scrambled to get it.
Thing is, I have gone over each and every one of my blog entries to make sure that all thinks to that domain were updated. So, where exactly did you find that link? But, at any rate, I did a search-and-replace again so I hope it’s all fixed now, including what I may have missed in the past. Thanks for the alert.
hi Ms. Connie,
Well, I found the link in your response to Franco, post #10. You gave the link in post #12. Well, after I saw the link the first time, I decided to do a google search and I saw the correct page. I guess I will be visiting that a lot too.
Thanks.
Thanks for a great blog.
Ms. Connie, now this is what I call a rave review. I read about Balay Indang before, and now that you enjoyed it there, hubby and I will make sure to spend a day there. Such a romantic place.
You know me. I rarely rave. But in the case of Balay Indang, it was called for. It’s really beautiful there. And the food? ahhh, the food… LOL
Hi Ms Connie,
Tanong ko lang po kung malamig sa area like Tagaytay? Thanks.
Mas malamig kesa Manila pero hindi Baguio weather.
Hi Connie!
Thanks for writing a blog and posting pictures about Balay Indang.
We’ve made reservation on the 26th. What a perfect day to
rest after Christmas and to cap the year w/ family bonding memories.
Just like you, we have two young grown up daughters.
Thanks again!
Dindo & Ana
Hi Ms. Connie,
Dapat ba talaga may reservation?
Yes, because they have to know how much food to prepare.