Bato-bato Hotsprings

To Those of you who’ve been following me around Palawan with my FB post will already know how unexpected heavy rain ruined my trip several times. Sad. Yes , but i have to move on.

Yay... Oh how time flies! Sadly my Palawan trip comes to an end. 8 days of travel-till-you-drop is over. Indeed, it’s true – Palawan is Philippine's last frontier - and i'm missing it already. I'm determined that this won't be the last time i'll be visiting Palawan -it just have to wait till next time.

But just before I bring this travelogue to a close i visited Bato-Bato Hotspring for a relaxing swim.. And for an affordable amount, you and your travel companions can enjoy a day at the San Isidro Hot Spring located along the National Highway in Brgy. Bato-bato.

It’s a small place. Beautiful, warm, accessible. Its more of a simple pool with hot waters but still - with stunning views of the mountain ranges of Mt. Victoria and Mt. Mantalinjangan.

How to Get to Bato-bato Hotsprings

*From Manila–Puerto Princessa

Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Airasia have travel routes from Manila to Puerto Princessa (capital of Palawan).

*From Puerto Prinsesa-Bato-Bato

Travel time from Puerto Princesa City is about 2 hours.The Shuttle Fair is 150 php/person one way. Entrance fee Php 40.

64 waterfalls of Narra, Palawan

Palawan’s beautiful spots aren’t limited to its beaches. Head inland, and you’ll find yourself with mountains and waterfalls. Depending on how adventurous you are, there are more waterfalls in the area to visit.

Estrella Falls is located in the Municipality of Narra which is 91 kilometers south of Puerto Princesa City and 6 km. away from the highway of Malatgao in Narra.

The falls is a good place to spend leisure time. It has two waterfalls with fresh, cool waters coming from Mt. Victoria Peak. Rare species of flora and fauna such as orchids and ferns surround the falls enhancing the charm and beauty of the place. The cool climate makes the area conducive to wildlife habitat. The clear water cascades to three natural pools of varying depths. Swimming in its basin is a refreshing activity.

If you’re into chasing waterfalls, this 20-ft. high Estrella Falls is definitely the place to be. But don’t be fooled; not just because Estrella Falls is on top of my list, that doesn’t mean it is the only waterfalls that there is in Narra. According to the Tourism officer, Narra,Palawan offers 64 waterfalls! And Estrella Falls is the most accessible of all the waterfalls. If you plan to do a daytour of the EStrella Falls you'll get to see 14 falls, a 2 day tour includes 21 falls, and for the more adventurous peeps you can try the 3 day tour on all 64 waterfalls.

How to Get to Estrella Falls

*From Manila–Puerto Princessa

Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Airasia have travel routes from Manila to Puerto Princessa (capital of Palawan).

*From Puerto Prinsesa-Malatgao

Travel time to the falls from Puerto Princesa City is about 2.5 hours.The Shuttle Fair is 150 php/person one way.

*From Malatgao-Estrella Falls

Once in Malatgao asked around where to hire a tricycle to Estrella Falls. P250 Php

 

Ballay Immersion

Having a unique cultural immersion at a community in Ballay, Kabayan, benguet and taking part in their everyday life is a memorable lifetime experience. After my dayhike at Mt. Tabayok and visiting the mystical lakes - friday morning - my first stop - a look - then experience the work with the farmers doing their job. We should be very thankful to them, they earn bare minimum from what they plant and yes they bless us with healthy vegetables in our plate. Exhibiting this intuitive skills gain so much respect, it made me realize how lucky we are to live without going into this. Late noon - I was invited to a thanksgiving party were all locals gather together. A tradition within the tribe - this includes the women singing in praise and prayers, and the men preparing the food for them. I was amazed at the resilience that this culture has built and it has been a powerful and enlightening experience for me. My special thanks to the family of Sir Santiago for welcoming me to their house, providing food and shelter during my stay.

Revisiting Bato Springs

Friday Midnight I receive a facebook message from My loving Aunt asking if i wanted to join them to Quezon - Specifically at Bato Springs. The past few weeks Facebook feeds a lot of pictures from friends who recently visited the place.  And Yes - It’s kind of an exciting experience and a great chance for me to revisit the place that I once love. 

For the past twelve years i visited Bato springs for roughly five times - the last time was wayback 2007, And I’m just as excited this time around as I was the first time. Over the years I've discovered there are generally two types of travelers - First are those who think life is too short to visit the same place twice and second are those who return to their favorite spots again and again. After over 15 years of travel, I’m definitely of the second type.

My Special thanks to my Aunt Siony for inviting me to visit Bato Springs.

How to get there:

Private

• Coming from Manila, take South Expressway to Calamba Exit

• Just take the Road bound to Lucena Quezon

• The next intersection has a sign leading you to Bato Springs take left, this road is bound to Dolores, Quezon.

• Look for the “Bato Springs” sign on the left.

Public

• You can take a bus at Cubao or Taft ave. terminal (JAM or JAC Liner) bound to Lucena, Quezon, the fare is less than 130pesos for an air-conditioned bus.

• You can drop off by San Pablo City, Laguna or the intersection bound to Dolores, Quezon

• From there, take a Tricycle to Bato Springs.

The Old Stone Church of Kalayaan, Laguna

A big factor in my decision of why I chose to visit Laguna was the rich history and culture the province holds. The preservation of old structures from ancestral houses to old churches is simply amazing.

In the town of Kalayaan, Laguna is the old stone church of Longos dedicated to San Juan Bautista. The Longos Church is located in Brgy. Longos, Kalayaan, Laguna.  Longos is a barrio of the town of Kalayaan, the municipality in between Paete and Lumban Laguna.

A short walk from the national highway is the Church compound with a garden surrounded with old trees. From the outside, it seems that the Longos church has retained its Spanish-era features.  Walking around you’ll see old stones that fit tightly together like puzzle pieces and create walls and structures that have stood the test of time.

The St. John the Baptist Church, built in 1669, has one of the most beautiful facades and bell tower in Laguna. Though its facade looks very much preserved, the rooftop portion is a different story. Locals says, due to typhoon Ondoy in 2006 its original roof was heavily damaged, thus it was replaced with iron roofs because Government lack support and funds to restore it. 

How to get to Longos, Kalayaan, Laguna

Ride an HM Transport bus (fare: P140)on EDSA, Cubao or Green Star Express bus  on Taft Avenue, Pasay City near LRT Buendia, alight in Sta. Cruz then ride a Siniloan-bound jeepney. Request the driver to drop you off in Longos.

Chasing Waterfalls series: Refreshing Tanawan Falls

A hidden gem in the mountains of Sierra Madre in Dingalan, Aurora. It's truly a gift of nature. Seeing the beauty of Tanawan Waterfalls is really worth the walk, I was amazed when I see it myself.. The trail to the falls is pretty clear and I didn't hire a guide for this walk, just ask for directions from the locals.

How to get there : Take a bus ride from Manila to Cabanatuan City Public Terminal, fare is around Php 185 and travel time is about 2.5 - 3 hours. From Cabanatuan City Public Terminal, you can hop on a bus/van bound to Dingalan, Aurora P100. Make your way to Tanawan Falls jump off by renting a tricycle from town proper for P50 - a P20 entrace fee needs to be paid. Then a 30 minute walk from the jump-off to the waterfalls.

Surprising Dingalan

When we talk about the province of Aurora, the first town that comes to our mind is Baler. Simply because it become a tourist hotspot because of its natural wonders, historic spots and other attractions. I loved Baler - We all loved Baler but Aurora is not just about Baler. I'm presenting Dingalan, Aurora. There is plenty to see and do at Dingalan. 

Dingalan is far less popular than its neighbouring Baler on the other side of the mountain range. But with  how Dingalan spreads to tourist through Social Media - Tag as "Batanes of the East" - soon Dingalan will have its fair share of fame. 

It’s really not hard to be surprised with how Dingalan caught tourists interest - with informative websites, reviews on travel blogs and endless opinions on social media, sometimes it seems like the experiences are over before they’ve even happened.

Somewhat surprising, I found Dingalan town very, very enjoyable. Honestly I was not expecting such beauty from Dingalan when i arrived at the town proper.  It was wholly new and unexpected – a surprising experience I can’t wait to repeat.

Location:

Dingalan is in the southernmost town of Aurora. It is separated from the rest of the province by the Sierra Madre mountains. It is bounded on the west by the provinces of Nueva Ecija and Bulacan, on the south by Quezon Province and Pacific Ocean on the east. Dingalan is located about two hours from cabanatuan via via Nueva Ecija - Aurora Rd and Junction Tablang - Gabaldon Rd/Palayan - Gabaldon - Dingalan Rd.

must see attractions:

White beach and Dingalan Lighthouse

Abungan Falls and Laktas Falls in Brgy. Ibona

Tabi Falls and Iyapit Falls in Brgy. Umiray

Tanawan Falls in Brgy. Tanawan

How to get there:

Ride a bus from Cubao (Five Star Bus) bound for Cabanatuan, fare is Php 185.00 and approximately 2-3 hours travel time. Once you arrived in Cabanatuan, ride a van/bus bound for Dingalan, Aurora and pay Php 100.00(van) Php 80.00 (bus) fare and additional 1-2 hours travel time. Then ride a tricycle going to feeder port for only Php 20.00. You can rent a boat for Php 500.00 RT going to White Beach where Dingalan Lighthouse is located or you can walk from Feeder port to White Beach is the other option (1 hour leisurely walk). From White Beach, hire a guide that will lead you towards Dingalan Light house and pay Php 100.00. 

Where I stayed:

I stayed at Kuya Buboy's Resort in white beach. For accommodation in Dingalan you can visit http://www.dingalanlgu.gov.ph/?page=resort.