We headed down three hours south of Manila to Balayaan, a small beachside town for the Parada ng Lechon (parade of the pigs). An annual festival celebrating all things pork and St. John the Baptist, hence everyone in town is armed with water. Water pistols, hoses and buckets are everywhere and the locals, of all ages, delight in soaking you with water, particularly that which has had ice added! It is meant to represent baptism but it’s really just a great excuse to get wet and party!    
   
 We spent a full day here annoying the festivities including the weird spectacle of the pig floats on parade, where the pigs are dressed up according to the job description of the sponsor.      
  
 
    
 The beaches here are volcanic in nature so the kids experienced their first black sand beach. They also got to practice their snorkelling for the first time. We spent time exploring the small remote towns of the Batangas countryside – Lian, Calatagan and Nuagebo before heading to Tagatay.