Have you ever felt tired of living in the city – tired of the noise, pollution, and its fast way of life? Do you feel like you want to unwind and relax – to breathe in fresh air or to just enjoy a day outside the city? If you feel like doing this, then Victoria might just be the place for you.

For a town named after former President Quirino’s daughter, Victoria is a fitting name for the place. Just as a lady should be simple, modest and mild in her ways, the town of Victoria is quiet, serene and beautiful in its simplicity.

Going there

About 90 kilometers and 2-3 hours away from Manila, you can reach Victoria through the South Superhighway. If you are going by car or a private vehicle, the Calamba exit will be your entryway to the town.

From Calamba, you will also be passing the towns of Los Baños and Bay. Upon coming out of Bay, you will reach a road crossing. From there you will have to turn left to a provincial road that will take you to the town of Victoria.

Before reaching the town, you will pass by a long stretch of fields and gardens selling flowers and other flowering plants. You would easily know it when you have arrived at the place for you will be passing a landmark that welcomes you to the town. Going a little bit further, you will see a famous site of the town, the Slide N’ Dive resort. A little more to the left of the resort is a gasoline station (Petron) which marks the entryway to the town’s seat of government. The municipal building is about 3 kilometers away from the national highway.

However, if you will be riding in public transportation, a bus going to Sta. Cruz, Laguna will take you to the town of Victoria. An air-conditioned bus ride from Buendia to Balite will cost about fifty-six to fifty-eight pesos.

Once you get off the bus, you will come across the same gasoline station, at the corner of which you will find tricycles that would take you to any part of the town for only five pesos.

Inside the town proper, the roads pose a small problem. They become narrower and vehicles compete with farm tractors and other farm animals for space. This is because Victoria is an agricultural town. The most common sources of living among the people are farming and fishing.

Where to eat

A relatively small place, you will not find big restaurants or fast food chains in Victoria. Instead, what you will see are small eateries or turo-turo that cater to the simple taste of the people of Victoria. One eating place that is famous in this town is the Kusina Victoria. Here, they serve kinulob na itik or fried duck, itlog na maalat or salted egg and the famous balot, which are some of the town’s specialties.

Events

The town’s simplicity is even reflected in their celebrations. Town fiestas are celebrated just like how fiestas are typically celebrated in the country. The towns’ fiesta is held every last Sunday of April in honor of La Resurrecion. The feasts of San Roque (Aug. 16) and San Isidro (May 15) are also celebrated in the town.

So if you feel like slowing down for a while, then go ahead – pack your bags because Victoria might just be the haven you’re looking for.

Business

The inhabitants of Victoria are busy in rice farming. Their farms can be seen as you enter the town. They are also into fishing; some of their catches are for market and some are for consumption. They are also engaged in duck raising and usually they sell it live or roasted, and they call it

" Kinulob na itik".

Leisure
Tourists and vacationers can now have a pleasant day at Victoria by visiting the newest resort designed especially for them---Slide n Dive. This resort usually serves as a landmark for those who do not actually know the place but for many, Slide n Dive is the best place for leisure and fun.
The first thing that would greet you when you enter Slide n Dive is the fine landscape of the resort. The yellow bells that are planted around seemed to illuminate the place with its bright color. The resort has 3 big pools, each has a slide that will surely make the vacationers enjoy their splash. If you would wish to stay overnight, they have hotel rooms that will accommodate you. Picnic huts are available for those who will just stay for the day. Slide n Dive also caters for parties, conferences and special occasions such as birthdays and weddings. They have this wide pavilion that can provide for these services. So if you want a place where you can mix business with pleasure, visit Slide n Dive, "The Pleasure Resort."