aEMY'S WANDERLUST
"the gladdest moment in human life is the departure to unknown lands"
3/10/2017 0 Comments When in BolinaoI have been in Bolinao for quite some time but this is the first time I will share my experiences on the said tourist destination. Bolinao is known to many as “Boracay of the North”. Aside from the white sand beaches why it was compared to the latter, you may also visit their very stunning operational lighthouse, amazing caves and witness at the same time the beautiful sunset the said town in the North showcases. Do not leave Bolinao without trying any of the things I cited below. I highly suggest to stay overnight or two if you have enough budget, so you can visit all the places on the said town. Believe me, despite of seeing all, you would prefer returning from time to time for the said place is worth a visit. 1. St James Church A 400 year old church located across the town’s municipal hall. Built in year 1609, it is better to say a prayer of thanks first for arriving safely once you reach the town of Bolinao. 2. Enchanted Cave and Wonderful Cave One of the main highlights of Bolinao is the unfathomable caves it offers. I was lucky enough to have a tour guide who happens to be the son of the owner of the Wonderful Cave. I was able to see the other one, namely, the Enchanted Cave; but between the two, I decided to take a dip instead in the Wonderful Cave. I opted to swim on the first one since Enchanted Cave is 8 to 13 ft high while Wonderful Cave is just about 3 to 5 ft high. Both caves also have an entrance fee of Php100/head 3. Cruise at Balingasay River Balingasay River is considered to be the cleanest river in Luzon. According to my tour guide, the said river is divided by two classes of water. Half portion is made up of salt water from the sea and the other half is coming from the falls.The way to enjoy the said river is by availing a cruise while eating in the balsa; and listening to the folks playing instruments and singing songs for you. Price of the cruise is Php1000/6 pax and that is exclusive for an hour balsa ride - food not included. 4. Cape Bolinao Lighthouse An operational lighthouse which is just a few minutes away from the Patar Beach. The said structure became too popular when it was seen in the movie casted by Angel Locsin and Richard Guttierez, the Promise. It can also be considered a nice place for a prenuptial photoshoot. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to capture beautiful pictures from the lighthouse because aside from it rained out, both my mobile phone and digital camera ran out of batts. 5. Patar Beach Situated in Barangay Patar, the beach is the best place where you can see sunset and considered to be as “Boracay of the North”. The only difference is that, Patar is not as commercialized as Boracay and I hope their LGU can maintain the unspoiled beauty Patar Beach can offer to their guests. Just expect that there are no fancy restaurants and rooms that you can see along its shoreline; but if there is any, it is not as extravagant as what you can see in Palawan or in Boracay. But if you’re a bit choosy, there are variety of hotels in Barangay Ilog-Malino - of course, expect that an overnight stay will cost you more than a thousand. I will post more pictures of Patar Beach since I'll be having a separate article for that. :) 6. Rock Formation I highly suggest the place to those individuals who are into photography. Aside from the rock formation that can be seen, you can also capture a nice shot of the waves and sunset from there. Entrance fee is Php70, that would include the use of amenities. There are no swimming pool but beware taking a dip on the beach itself - if you are not too confident with your swimming skills. Rock Formation also offers cottages both for daytrip and overnight stay. 7. Bolinao Falls 1, 2 and 3 Bolinao Falls is a 45 minute ride away from the town proper. I suggest to hire a tricycle, instead of bringing your car for you will really experience a LITERAL bumpy ride when you want to see the falls. Never miss the chance of swimming in the falls for it is very relaxing; and if you are brave enough, there is a portion in Bolinao Falls 2 where you can do the jumping in the falls. Bolinao Falls 3 was just recently discovered according to Jhoms, my tour guide, you will have to trek roughly an hour to see and experience Bolinao Falls 3 (which I opted not to do anymore) HOW TO GET THERE: There are 3 major bus line companies which travels to Bolinao, Pangasinan. These are (1) Victory Liner from the Cubao Q.C. terminal, (2) FiveStar Bus Inc. form the Pasay City terminal, and (3) Dagupan Bus Line from the Cubao Q.C. terminal. They offer day and night trips and you can book on ordinary (no air-con) or air-conditioned bus and buses ran in an hourly basis. Travel time is 5 to 6 hours and has three stops prior to reaching Bolinao, namely Dau, Tarlac, and Alaminos. Make sure to bring some snacks, gadgets or anything that will not bore you especially if you are not into long distance trips. For bus schedule, ticket reservations, and other inquiries, you may contact the bus company at the following numbers: Victory Liner, Cubao Q.C Phone #: (02) 727-4534, 727-4688, 410-8986 Twitter: @VictoryLinerInc FiveStar Bus Line Pasay City Phone #: (02) 851-6613, 851-6614, 851-6659, 833-4772 Dagupan Bus Line, Cubao Q.C Phone#: (02) 727-2330 Upon arriving at Bolinao station, take a tricycle to your accommodation. Due to unpaved roads, travel time from the bus terminal to the resort or hotel is another 20 to 35 minutes via tricycle or car. In case you are interested, with permission from the tricycle driver, Jhomes, who eventually became my tour guide, here is his mobile number +639482031660. You may contact him a day earlier before your arrival so he could pick you up in the bus station once you arrive.
0 Comments
|
AuthorRoamer. Wanderer. Explorer. Risk Taker. Nature Lover. Adventurer. Solo Tripper. CategoriesAll Baguio Batangas Benguet Bicol Bolinao Bulacan Cagayan Cavite Cebu Ilocos Norte Ilocos Sur Laguna Las Piñas City La Union Makati Mindoro Pangasinan Paoay Rizal Sagada Archives
October 2017
|