Tag Archives: roadtrip

4 Reasons Why Day Trips are Awesome

Most of our adventures consist of day trips near Metro Manila, where we are based.

When we started this blog, one of the challenges we dared ourselves with was to get back within 24 hours to show other people that day trips to seemingly far places like Baguio City are possible. Later on, we realized that more than just being possible, day trips are in fact practical. Here are some reasons why:

  1. You get to save money.

Decent budget rooms in transient inns/B&B’s start at P500 ($12) per head. Instead of spending at least a thousand pesos (approximately $25) on accommodation, we prefer getting back home late in the evening, and sleeping on our own beds. This may be tiring for some, but one can always sleep in the bus, or in the car, except of course if he or she is the driver (and that is why sometimes, we prefer commuting but we’ll save it for another article).

  1. You save time.

Other than the financial practicality of getting back home and sleeping in the bus, day trips are also sensible because the traffic is better in the evening. We don’t know if people realize this but usually, in overnight trips, the last day is just reserved for just breakfast and traveling back home. In short, you spend most of the day on the road, and when you get home, you’re still exhausted and just want to lay in bed. For people like us, who have regular day jobs, it would then be so hard to get to work on the next day. Day trips allow us to explore the world around us almost every week, and still become productive for work on the following working day.

  1. You get to pack light.

Since you are just going on a day trip, you don’t have to bring overnight stuff such as nightwear, and towels.

  1. Asking permission from your parents or guardians would be easier.

We don’t know if this applies to everyone but we think parents are more inclined to let their children go on day trips than overnighters. Since some of our readers are students, we believe this would apply. And yes, at 28, Janna still seeks permission from her parents.

Here’s a list of awesome day trips we’ve taken that you should try too. Click the link to redirect you to our blog post on every destination. (We’ll keep this page updated and add more day trip destinations but make sure to check our posts on other non-day trips too.)

  1. Dambana ng Kagitingan & Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, Bataan
  2. Balatoc Mines Tour & Bridal Veil Falls & Colorado Falls, Itogon & Tuba, Benguet
  3. Hiking Mt. Ulap, Itogon, Benguet
  4. Boac & Gaspar Island, Marinduque
  5. Majayjay Falls / Taytay Falls / Imelda Falls, Majayjay, Laguna
  6. Magdalena: River Rafting, Cliff Diving, and Water Tubing, Magdalena, Laguna
  7. Pagsanjan / Cavinti Falls, Laguna
  8. Seven Lakes of San Pablo City, Laguna
  9. MJD Urban Escape Farm, Lucena City, Quezon
  10. Mt. Mirador / Mt. Pinagbanderahan, Quezon National Forest Park, Atimonan, Quezon
  11. Bangkong Kahoy Valley, Dolores, Quezon
  12. Kamay ni Hesus & Kamayan sa Palaisdaan
  13. Hangga Falls / Maapon Falls, Sampaloc, Quezon
  14. Villa Sariaya, Sariaya, Quezon
  15. Hinulugang Taktak & Cloud 9, Antipolo City, Rizal
  16. Angono Art Galleries: Carlos “Botong” Francisco House, Nemiranda Arthouse and Balaw Balaw Restaurant, Angono, Rizal
  17. National Museum: Angono Petroglyphs, Angono, Rizal
  18. Inday Nelly’s Mystical Cave, Padilla, Rizal
  19. Wawa Dam & River, Rodriguez, Rizal
  20. Hiking Mt. Pamitinan, Rodriguez, Rizal
  21. Ten Cents to Heaven, Tanay, Rizal
  22. Masinloc Ecotour: Giant Clam / Taklobo Farm, Bacala Guesthouse, Mangrove Islet, and San Salvador Island, Masinloc, Zambales
  23. Barasoain Church, Malolos, Bulacan
  24. Buntot Palos, Pangil, Laguna
  25. Bantakay Falls, Atimonan, Quezon

Palaui Island and Santa Ana, Cagayan

This is still part of our 6-Day North Luzon Backpacking Adventure.

After hopping on a bus in Claveria, Cagayan, we arrived in Santa Ana, Cagayan three hours later. We were greeted by a random tricycle driver, who offered to bring us to the Nangaramoan Beach, which has extraordinary rock formations.

In the morning, we explored the exquisite Palaui Island (Punta Verde, Cape Engano Lighthouse, Falls). Words won’t do justice to the beauty of the island so we’ll just leave you with pictures. In the evening, we were able to take a photo in front of the 642-kilometer marker (away from the Rizal monument), which is the last one up north.

If you need a place to stay in Santa Ana, click on the following link for our suggestions: Hotels/Bed and Breakfast/Inns

Nangaramoan Beach

Nangaramoan Beach

Sea

Cape Engano Lighthouse

Palaui Island

Palaui Island

Palaui Island

Palaui Island

Majestic

Palaui Island

Cape Engano Lighthouse

Lighthouse

Islet

View

Palaui Island

Falls

Lobster

Sky

 

 

 

Vigan City

Known for its cobblestone-covered streets and hispanic vibe, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, has also been declared as one of the New 7 Wonder Cities of the world.

We got to Vigan City after an hour of travel by mini-bus from Bangued, Abra, during the first day of our 6D/7N North Luzon trip.

We had only  half a day to travel back in time and enjoy the World Heritage Site. After looking for a transient house, we chartered a tricycle for P500 to tour the following: Bantay Church and Bell Tower, Baluarte, Hidden Garden, Cristy’s Loom Weaving, Pottery, Crisologo Museum, Calle Crisologo, and the Town Plaza. We got to try out the city’s famous empanada and longganisa, too.

Here are some photos:

Vigan

Lovebirds

Bantay Bell Tower

Bantay Bell Tower

Baluarte

Parrots

Baluarte

Baluarte

Baluarte

Baluarte

Petting the Tiger

Bonsai Garden

Pottery

Floro Crisologo Museum

Museum

Crisologo Museum

Loom Weaving

Calle Crisologo

Calle Crisologo

Calle Crisologo

Dancing Fountain

7 Wonder Cities

 

Bangued

We had the chance to tour North Luzon via public transportation from November 14 to 21, 2015. Since both of us are government employees, we had work suspension from Tuesday to Friday due to the APEC summit. We also took a leave on Monday, giving us nine consecutive vacation days.

Since we are fond of doing spontaneous trips, our itinerary was planned only two days before, not really being entirely sure if it was feasible. We also didn’t book anything in advance because we’re kind of risk averse. All we knew was that we wanted to visit the Ilocos Region and the Cagayan Valley by commuting, and that we had to be back two days before the next working day.

On the day of the trip, we decided to squeeze in Bangued, Abra as part of our trip, and that it be our starting point. Abra is a landlocked province in the Cordillera Administrative Region. Its capital, Bangued, is only an hour away from Vigan City, Ilocos Sur. We chartered a tricycle for P600 to tour around Bangued for half a day. We were able to visit the Victoria Park or the peak of the Cassamata Hill, which gave us a good view of the province. The tricycle also took us to the Tayum Church, the Bangued Cathedral (St. James the Elder), the Calaba Bridge, the Don Mariano Marcos Bride, and the ancestral House of former senator Quintin Paredes.

Bangued is also known for miki, its indigenous noodles and so we tried it out at a local panciteria, which our tricycle driver/tour guide recommended. We look forward to visiting the town again during its miki festival, which is held every February.

Victoria Park Cassamata Hill

Mama Mary

Tayum Church

Tayum Church

Calaba Bridge

Calaba Bridge

St. James the Elder Church / Bangued Cathedral

Don Mariano Marcos Bridge

Quintin Paredes' Ancestral House

Quintin Paredes' Ancestral House

Quintin Paredes' Ancestral House

Abra Miki

More details about our trip in the coming days. In the meantime, please find below our itinerary for this 6D/7N Backpacking Trip:

November 14, Saturday (10:00 pm) – Departure from Cubao, Quezon City (Partas Bus)

November 15, Sunday (5:00 am) – Arrival in Bangued

November 15, Sunday (6:00 am to 9:00 am) – Bangued, Abra Tricycle Tour (Victoria Park or Cassamata Hill, Calaba Bridge, Mariano Marcos Bridge)

November 15, Sunday (10:00 am to 11:00 am) – Travel to Vigan City, Ilocos Sur by Mini-bus

November 15, Sunday (12:00 pm to 6:00 pm) – Vigan City Tricycle Tour (Saint Augustine Parish Church  or the Bantay Church, Bantay Bell Tower, Baluarte, Hidden Garden, Cristy’s Loomweaving, Pottery, Calle Crisologo, Metropolitan Cathedral of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle or the Cathedral of Vigan, Town Plaza)

November 16, Monday (8:00 am to 11:00 am) – Travel to Laoag, City, Ilocos Norte by Bus

November 16, Monday (12:00 pm to 6:00 pm) – Laoag City, Batac, and Paoay Tricycle Tour (Laoag Sinking Bell Tower, Malacanan of the North, Paoay Lake, Paoay Church, Marcos Museum and Mausoleum, Museo Ilocos Norte, Laoag Sand Dunes)

November 17, Tuesday (8:00 am to 10:00 am) – Travel to Burgos, Ilocos Norte

November 17, Tuesday (11:00 am to 12:00 pm) – Burgos and Bangui Tricycle Tour (Kapurpurawan Rock Formations, Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, Bangui Windmills)

November 17, Tuesday (12:00 to 2:30 pm) – Trek to Kabigan Falls

November 17, Tuesday (3:00 pm to 6:00 pm) – Pagudpud Tricycle Tour (Pagudpud Arch, Timangtang Rock, Bantay Abot Cave, Dos Hermanos Islands, Blue Lagoon, Saud Beach)

November 18, Wednesday (8:30 am to 9:30 am) – Travel to Pancian, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte via tricycle

November 18, Wednesday (9:00 am to 10:30 am) – Travel to Adams, Ilocos Norte via motorcycle

November 18, Wednesday (10:30 am to 11:30 am) – Adams Motorcycle Tour (Lover’s Peak, Hanging Bridge, Viewpoint, Winery)

November 18, Wednesday (12:30 pm to 3:30 pm) – Trek to Anuplig Fallss

November 18, Wednesday (4:00 pm to 5:00 pm) – Travel to Pancian, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte

November 18, Wednesday (6:00 pm to 7:00 pm) – Travel to Claveria, Cagayan

November 18, Wednesday (9:00 pm to 1:00 am) – Travel to Nangaramoan Beach, Santa Ana, Cagayan

November 19, Thursday (8:00 am to 4:00 pm) – Palaui Island Hopping (Cape Engano, Punta Verde, Punta Verde Falls, Crocodile Island, Anguib Beach)

November 19, Thursday (7:00 pm) – Reached San Vicente (642 km) marker

November 20, Friday (8:30 am to 10:00 am) – Travel to Aparri, Cagayan

November 20, Friday (10:00 am to 11:30 am) – Aparri Tricycle Tour

November 20, Friday (12:00 pm to 2:00 pm) – Travel to Iguig, Cagayan

November 20, Friday (2:00 pm to 2:30 pm) – Iguig Calvary Hills

November 20, Friday (3:00 pm to 4:00 pm) – Travel to Penablanca, Cagayan

November 20, Friday (4:00 pm to 5:00 pm) – Callao Cave

November 20, Friday (5:00 pm to 6:00 pm) – Pinacanauan River Boat Ride and Bats Watching

November 20, Friday (6:00 pm to 6:45 pm) – Travel to Tuguegarao City

November 20, Friday (9:00 pm) – Departure from Tuguegarao City (Florida Bus)

November 21, Saturday (8:00 am) – Arrival in Sampaloc, Manila