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Hello WordPress! It’s been a long time. I actually managed to have my own website but I couldn’t keep up due to my schedule so I guess I would just take blogging easily and just enjoy writing without any pressure 🙂 Well I want to share about my recent addiction. Yes, I’m into Freediving now. Who would have thought that a girl who loves mountains is now a “mermaid”. I’m just a beginner but I really want to be a good freediver soon.

This photo was taken in Anilao, Batangas where I had my freediving lesson with my scuba diving instructor. You don’t need to go far if you’re from Manila, it’s just 2-3 hrs travel.

Hope to post my backlogs soon! They’re just way too many. See you 🙂

Burot Beach, Calatagan

Some of my friends went to this beautiful beach recently, so I was reminded of how much fun we had last year. Burot beach is a well-maintained resort for beach camping. The rates are pretty affordable and it’s located near Manila. A very serene place for nature lovers, just be very careful with sea urchins.

How to Get There:

Via private transportation:

We went there via private car; here’s how we made it.

From Pasay
Go to SLEX and exit Sta Rosa Laguna and take the Nasugbu Road.
Go straight once you reached Lian, Batangas. Once we reached Calatagan, we asked directions on how to go to their public market to buy some stuff. Then we asked one of the tricycle drivers to guide us to Calatagan beach, we paid him 100 pesos.

Via public transporation:

Go to Coastal Mall grand terminal, there are buses bound to Calatagan. Updated fare is P160.00, approx 3-4hrs travel time. According to some blogs, the earliest time of departure is 4 am. Alight at Calatagan market then ride a tricycle going to the beach, updated price is P200 for special trip, P50.00  per person.

Expenses and Itinerary:

Entrance fee:

daytrip = P65.00

overnight = P130.00

small table rental = P150.00

Day 1:

travel to Calatagan from Pasay

swimming, relaxing, bonfire at night

Day 2: island hopping for P100.00 each

picture-taking

bound to Manila

We’ve been here on February of 2014 so the prices might have increased as the place already gained popularity. Our total expenses including food is below 1kphp.

Masasa Beach Tingloy, Batangas

It’s a gloomy and a humdrum day. It’s a peculiar feeling in the month of March, my soul yearns for a sweet adventure out there. I was reminded of a beach in the coastline of Batangas. I want to go back and feel its summer breeze once again. Masasa beach in Tingloy, Batangas is unexploited and yet to be known by local and foreign tourists but it’s the best place for beach camping and nature intertwining.

awesome rock formations in Masasa beach

Well, as you see getting there is not easy and convenient.

Getting there: From Manila, take a bus to Batangas City Grand Terminal (2-3 hours travel, P120-P180). Take a jeepney to Anilao Port (P35) and board the passenger boat to Tingloy (P70). From the port, take a tricycle to Masasa Beach (P30). Then you need to walk for 10-15 minutes to get to the beach. I recommend this place for beach bums and nature enthusiasts. It is worth the long travel. More photos below 🙂

Expenses:

P120-P180 bus to Batangas City Grand Terminal
P35.00 jeepney to Anilao Port
P70.00 passenger boat to Tingloy
P30.00 tricycle to Tingloy beach
P150.00/person overnight food
There’s no entrance fee or resorts near the area, some houses offer shower for P20.00.

Things to bring:
tent
bed
headlamp
cookset
insect repellant
cooking utensils
camera

Tips:
Make sure to leave the island early in the morning, passenger boats are only available til 12pm. Unless you want to rent a boat for 1500-2k from Tingloy to Anilao Port.

Mt. Pulag; A Journey on top of the Clouds

It is the 3rd highest mountain in the Philippines. I wasn’t able to see its beauty at its finest because of the weather but I’ll surely be back sooner or later. I wanted to see the famous “sea of clouds” but unfortunately I just saw a glimpse of it.  This is an amazing place and one of the reasons why I climb mountains. Inspiringly and spectacularly beautiful plus the amazing bunch of people I got to climb with.

Mt. Pulag I’ll see you again later 🙂

These are the magnificent rice terraces you can see at the beginning of the climb. It can surely ease your shortness of breath before starting the upward trail.

The summit with these two amazing people 🙂

And yes! It’s a rainbow up there, it’s like a dreamlike scenario. Quite pleasing to the eye and uplifting to a weary soul.

Climbing Mt. Pulag wouldn’t be complete without trying to ride on top of the jeepney, worth the risk. You can see amazing landscapes along the way.

on the way to Mt Pulag

I got to climb with these tough girls, how amazing 🙂

As Mt Pulag constantly gains its popularity, the number of tourists and climbers are also increasing. This is actually an alarming scenario, years from now I wonder how this place would look like if people wouldn’t start taking action to protect this lovely gem of Cordillera.

Mt Pulag

Expenses and Itinerary:

It’s advisable to go to Mt. Pulag in a group if you want to save money. I’ve been here Dec of 2013,  we were a group of 20. We paid 2k inclusive of ride from Manila to Baguio and vice versa, monster jeepney from Baguio to Mt Pulag jump-off, 3 set of meals and a souvenir shirt.

Day 0:
night trip from Manila to Baguio

Day 1:
06:00 monster jeepney from Baguio to jump-off
lunch and briefing
start trek
Ambangeg-Ambangeg trail =2-3 hrs trek
campsite = dinner/socials

Day 2:
05:00 am = trek to summit 1-2 hrs
summit = sea of clouds if the weather if good
picture taking
back to summit
pack your things and leave no trace
travel to Baguio, sightseeing for 2 hrs then back to Manila

Notes:
There’s a portable toilet at the campsite but don’t expect much.

Things to bring:

The usual camping stuff

tent
headlamp
insect repellant
super thick jackets = really cold
waste bags
cookset
survival kit
first-aid kit

The Gentle Giants of Oslob, Cebu

Well, who would have thought that these enormous sea creatures are  harmless to humans. Well they don’t eat human flesh, they eat planktons. And they are really achieving popularity nowadays. I was here on July of 2014.

You can also find these “butandings” in Legaspi, Albay but I think it’s only seasonal. In Oslob, you can see these whalesharks all year round.

How to Get There:

Just ride a plane bound to Cebu International Airport. You can find good deals or wait for seat sales of Airasia and Cebupacific.

From Mactan airport, ride a cab to South bus terminal (P250.-300.00). From there, ride a Ceres bus going to Oslob ( P150.00) 3 hrs. Ask the driver to drop you off at Tan-awan. Depending on your itinerary, you can opt to find a place to stay or go directly to the whaleshark watching site. Just ask directions from the locals on how to go to Brgy. hall where a seminar is conducted before the whaleshark watching.

Expenses:

airport to bus Terminal : P200 -250
Bus ride to Oslob: P150
Whaleshark watching: P500 for 30 minutes /1500 for foreigners

If you will stay in Tan-awan, I recommend Chateau de Tan-awan. We paid P850 for overnight stay, they also serve breakfast P150.00. It’s really worth it and you must try their banana cake.

Cebu whaleshark

Cebu whaleshark

Oslob Cebu whaleshark

Oslob Cebu whaleshark

You can watch my video in Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZAPaCSgDKk

Tips:

break your own snorkeling gears, be at the whaleshark watching area early in the morning. Oslob is really popular nowadays, expect a flock of tourists.

Kwebang Lampas; Pagbilao Quezon

I always want to spend time at the sea, the serenity it brings is like a medicine to the soul. I normally search for an unexploited wonder where I can unite with nature without the usual hard partying which is common among the popular tourist’s attractions.

Quezon Province has a lot of beautiful wonders to offer. I searched the internet and convinced my friends to go to Kwebang Lampas for an overnight camping. We used a private car going to Pagbilao, Quezon. It took us 5 or 6 hours to get there.

How To Go There:

By Public Transport

Ride a bus en route to Lucena (either from Buendia, Kamias or Cubao) and get off at Lucena Grand Central Terminal. From the terminal there are vans and jeepneys en route to Pagbilao. All buses en route to Bicol will also pass the town of Pagbilao.

From the Lucena Grand Central Terminal
Take a jeep ride bound for Brgy. Polo for Php 35.00.
Tell the driver that you are going to Lukang Beach (Lukang Beach is the old name of Kwebang Lampas).
Once in Brgy Polo, you can hire tricycle going to the Kwebang Lampas Registration area.
Tricycle drivers are charging around Php 200-250.00 one way, to bring you to the registration area. From the registration area, you can either walk all the way to the beach or ride a boat for P20.00 Round Trip, after the boat ride you need to hike to the beach for 15-20 mins.

At the registration, you have to pay for entrance.
Php 160.00 for an overnight stay.
Php 20.00 If you are crossing the lake via boat, two-way.
Php 300.00 Tents for overnight rent. bring your own tent to save money.
Php 700.00 Tables for rent.

By Private Transport

From Manila take SLEX to its end at Calamba and follow the signs towards Batangas. You will see a fork road on the right a short distance after passing the entrance to the STAR expressway. The right fork goes to Lipa City and the left goes to San Pablo – take the left fork towards San Pablo.

– See more at lakwatseradeprimera.com

The photos will speak for itself 🙂

Kwebang Lampas

Just make sure to bring your own foods if you go to the island. There’s a sari-sari store here but the price is really over the top.

Scuba Diving at Anilao

So I finally tried diving.  I’m now a licensed open water scuba diver. I just got my license on July of 2014. I couldn’t be more proud. It was an awesome experience.  To be able to witness those underwater wonders is really an awesome experience. I want to encourage everyone to try scuba diving diving.

Anilao Scuba Diving

Anilao Scuba Diving

Anilao Scuba Diving

Anilao Scuba Diving

Diving is fun but it doesn’t mean it’s expensive. if you want to try diving at a discounted rate, please visit my new facebook page 🙂 https://www.facebook.com/pinaywanderlust?ref=hl. See you underwater!

My Love Affair

Caleruega with Mt Batulao as the background

Life is all about taking chances, every individual struggles everyday in pursuit of their own happiness. Few might be brave enough to risk everything to achieve their ultimate longings and most might be too weak to fight for their heart’s desires. I wonder whether I belong to the majority or the exceptional ones.

I want to share you something about the man I love. Well, he’s not the most handsome guy in town but he has the most atypical way on how to make his woman special.

He might not be the varsity type and maybe not as strong as one but he has a valiant heart of an adventurer. He can endure the scorching heat of the sun and hike for hours just to be with the woman he loves.

He sometimes is fanciful but he’s a very selfless man. He will give his girl the last drop of water and endure his own thirst. He will give her the last bite even if he’s still hungry. He will give his jacket just to keep her warm and will do everything just to keep her safe.

He might have a bad reputation and has done stupid things in his past but I’ve given him the chance and I love the man I know. Truth is, I don’t care who he was, I care about the person I will mold him to be. I’ve given him my trust and I believe that someday he will be a great man because of me. I don’t care what he does for a living nor how much money he makes, I care about his dreams and I’ll be there as he makes it come true.

People around us may not understand my choices and they’re not entitled for an explanation. They just don’t see what I see, can’t listen as I do. What they know is superficial, they can only understand what their mind can process. They say  I’m stupid and is being blinded by love. They’re totally wrong. I definitely know his flaws, how immature he is, how weak he could be, the dark things of his past and the wrong decisions he made. I know his flatteries and his lies but thing is, my love is greater than all his negative traits and I accepted them all with the aim of helping him change.

Today is our 4th month being together, maybe it’s too early to say that what we have will last forever but who cares about forever anyway? We are living in the present and we should enjoy being in love, marvel at different things and live life like tomorrow is the end.

Burot beach
looking good together

Beach Bumming at Borawan Island

My dear readers, my apologies for posting late. I’ve been in this island twice this year and it’s still a beauty. Below are the photos;

beautiful face of sunrise

spectacular sunrise

sunrise signifies new hope, new beginning

enjoying nature’s beauty with friends

bliss 🙂

How to Get There:

We traveled via private vehicle. It’s around 5-6 hrs drive from manila.

here’s how to get there via bus; by http://www.pinoyadventurista.com

1. Take a bus bound for Lucena and get off at the Grand Terminal. There are bus companies that has regular trips to Lucena. We took Jac Liner in Buendia, fare is around 220 pesos and travel time is about 3-4 hours.

2. From the grand terminal, take a mini-bus bound for Unisan and get off at Brgy. Marao in the town of Padre Burgos. Fare is about 40 pesos and travel time is around 45 minutes.

3. Look for Vista Playa Restaurant and ask where you can rent a boat going to these beaches. Prices depend on how many are you in the group and how many islands you wish to visit (600 – 1,500 pesos).

 

 

The Hidden Falls

freedom at the Hidden Falls