CS ISLAND AND BEACH HOPPING PADRE BURGOS QUEZON PROVINCE

CS QUEZON PROVINCE ISLAND HOPPING

BORAWAN, DAMPALITAN and GRANDE ISLANDS

APRIL 24 - 25, 2010

INTRODUCTION/SUMMARY

Upon invitation of CS Gaye, herself, hubby CS Shervin, CS Pax and sweetipie Iva, Me and wifey Ethel, went to explore by boat Borawan and Dampalitan Island with its beautiful beaches.

We stayed in Vista Playa, KM 164 Padre Burgos just beside the clear water of Marao (pronounced Ma - ra - u) beach.

We went also to Puting Buhangin beach by car, paddling boat, motorized boat and back by trekking on the side of a hill to the parking lot.

We had 3 excellent square meals at Vista Playa and pitched our tent between the restaurant and the shore of Manco beach. The food are friied tilapia and milk fish, pork minudo, chop suey, fried egg, watermelon, soft drinks, mineral water. The staffs fo Vista Playa are excellent in service specially Irma and the cook Doning. Thanks to the lady owner and staff for our very enjoyable stay. Oh, our bill includes boat ride to two islands, beach entrance fees and beach cottages with free parking, free pitching tent and free mineral water.

Will try to complete soonest the blog. Maybe Gaye will finish early the blog in her website www.pinaytraveljunkie.com.

COUCHSURFERS - ISLAND AND BEACH HOPPING

Padre Burgos and Pagbilao, Quezon Province

April 24 – 25, 2010

Going to Padre Burgos

Gaye, Shervin, Oliver, Pax and Iva, left Bundia by Lucena Lines bus around 5:30 AM and reached Grand Terminal, Lucena City about 9:30 AM. Me and my Ethel left Las Pinas City about 5:45AM by car and arrived at Palasan, Sariaya, Quezon at about 9:00 AM to visit my brother who came from Vienna, Austria for one month vacation.

At about 9:30 AM, we left Palasan and arrived at Vista Playa Restaurant about 10:30 AM. The bus riders arrived about 10:00 AM.

VISTA PLAYA Restaurant, KM 164, Barangay Marao, Padre Burgos, Quezon Prov.

Cell No. 0918 604 86 01 – Irma Saniel

VPR is a restaurant and not a hotel. However, it has spacious surroundings for pitching maybe ten tents. There is also the long stretch of beach/shore owned by others to pitch tent. Overnight parking in front is free for customers.

We had excellent 3 meals, lunch, dinner and breakfast and had excellent service from the polite staff although a little aggressive but somehow funny. On the side, we ordered snack of chami (noodles cooked old pinoy style) and lomi (cooked noodles also) which were so delicious and filling. Do not miss to order and eat this while in or passing by Padre Burgos.

It has good and strong water for bath and cleaning. I believe it has pressure pump. The toilet below and bathroom with toiler at second floor are new and clean although quite small and cannot be rated good but fair.

VPR is open air and completely made of wood and local materials except the BR and toilet are concrete. Flooring is cemented and can turned into sleeping area for sleeping “baggers”.

ISLAND HOPPING

The schedule of island hopping was 2 PM but the boat man arrived early at 12NN and we were able to start at about 1 PM.

The Marao beach, location of Vista Playa Restaurant, is so shallow up to knee to waist for about 300 meters that the boat man has to pull the outrigger before starting the engine. The boat is good for 10 guys and not provided with life vests. Maybe VPR can provide life vests someday.

We went first to Borawan Beach just across in about 15 minutes. From VPR, you can clearly see Borawan beach.

Borawan beach has yellowish fine sand and coarse bits of shells and corals. It has quite interesting and intriguing rock formations. There are fossils??? and shells attached to rocks quite higher than the sea water level. I am wondering that long time ago, this island is somehow submerged and water turned to ice in North/South Pole. Just wondering!

The beach is short and I opined it cannot be compared to Boracay. However it has good cliff for rock climbing, bouldering and rappelling. My fellow mountaineer/officemate did this adventure with other 60 mountain climbers last month for cost of PhP 1,2000 excluding meals.

In another beach after some rocks, it is the jump off point to trek Mt. Lipata, less than 1000 MASL. They said it is about 1 hour trek and from summit you can see Grande Island in the west.

There is entrance fee to the beach, some open sided cottages for rent but no toilet nor water nor electricity. I did not test the cell phone signal however in barangay Marao, there is signal.

The swimming area is not clear water at that that time. I would say not recommended for snorkeling. Good for swimming, dipping and cooling yourself.

There are no shady trees along the beach but the cliff covers the beach against the afternoon sun. Morning sun will be broiling the beachcombers. You can still hide against rocks while dipping.

, Iva, a diver, turn out be a dragon boat paddler. She paddled a small banca about two meters long. I was amazed how easy she paddled back and forth, left and right the banca. Hmmmm. Maybe I will start kayaking! By the way, Pax is also a diver and I think both of them are PADI certified.

We left Borawan at about 3:00 PM and went to Dampalitan Beach.

DAMPALITAN BEACH, DAMPALITAN ISLAND

The beach has white sand and water is clear and sandy. The beach is about 1 KM and facing it, left ends in rocky cliff and right ends in Mangrove. Beyond the mangrove, it looks like another beach.

The beach has plenty of shady trees, cottages, tables and a selling store of drinks, snack, etc. There is water and toilet for a fee. So bring your own drinking water and small shovel to dig (hehehe). You will be forced to buy water for washing/cleansing/shower still.

There is entrance fee of PhP 30 per person and pitching tent overnight is also for a fee.

Snorkeling is not great although you will still see some fish in underwater plants. The beach is for swimming and dipping.

While snorkeling, I stumble into a big turtle. It was on leash about 8 meters long to a boat and swimming around. I swam with it and touched it. Pax took so many underwater shots of it.

There are few people although it is Saturday. This is quite a good place for mountaineers to enjoy the serenity of the place. Pitch tent, cook food and have socials at night without fear of disturbing the community of locals.

We left Dampalitan about 5:00 PM and went back to VPR for shower, dinner and social at night.

We had some good late night conversations. Pax, Iva, Oliver, Shervin, Ethel and Me. CS Gaye is 4 months preggy and slept early.

I pitched our tent on top of a wooden stage together with Pax’s. Me and wifey slept well.

The night is cool and breezy. It is so serene and but I am disturbed from time to time by earthquake. It was passing trucks along the highway that are thundering away and shaking the earth. Hahahaha. There was also nocturnal noise, zzzzzzzzsnortzzzzzzsnortzzzzzz. Hehehehe. But for short time only.

DAY 2 – Sunday

As usual, I woke up early about 5:30 AM and I asked for hot water for 3-in-1 Nescafe.

At about 7 AM, wifey and I went to the Poblacion to see the Municipal Hall, the Pier and Tamarind Tree Resort. Since the Municipal Hall was closed, one police officer gave me map of Padre Burgos by Bluetooth (pinoy are techie even in remote areas). Had some nice conversation with the 2 police officers and one local guy, Mr. Rubio.

The pier is quite long for big outrigger boats. It has empty wet market.

The Tamarind resort guard did not allow us to enter since we are not guests. So I can say nothing about this resort.

We bought some bread (ensaymada and monay) in a local bakery before going back to VPR.

After breakfast, picture taking and goodbyes, about 9 AM, we left behind Oliver, Shervin and Gaye who were going back to Manila.

We, foursome, proceeded to Puting Buhangin Beach, Grande Island. Putting Buhangin means White Sand.

PUTING BUHANGIN BEACH, Grande Island, Pagbilao, Quezon Province.

From Padre Burgos going back to Manila, we made a left turn to Grande Island just about 4 kilometers before reaching the town proper of Pagbilao, Quezon.  There is a noticeable signboard that points to Pagbilao power plants, 15 kms or (19 kms).

About 3 kms to the end of the road is a barangay gatekeeper that charges Php 20 person and PhP 50 vehicle entrance fees. Going straight and turning right on a fork, we reached the parking area just near a lake. There were many parked jeepneys and vans and people are waiting to ride motorized banca.

Since the gatekeeper, with a tip of Php 10, told me that we can trek to the beach, I asked Mang Jess and pointed us to the trek.

It was almost 11:30 AM, hot and sunny, we decided to take the motorized banca. Mang Jess, boat man, offered to bring us across the lake by paddling at Php 15 per pax up to the transition beach.

That was a nice experience. The boat is good for 2 or 3 persons only. With the boatman, Ethel and me, I paddled also. I somewhat got the hang of paddling. It was about 10 minute-paddling. Of course, Iva and Pax paddled also. What an experience!!!

At the transition beach, we waited for the small motorized banca. While waiting a big boat came in and dropped about 15 passengers. Some of them trekked back to the parking area. Some with heavy luggage waited for the motorized boat.

The small motorized banca came and were lifted and carried by 4 men across the transition beach to small lake. Since Pax and  Iva got in, we took the bigger banca at same price of PhP 25 per person going to Puting Buhangin beach.

The ride was smooth since the banca is big and can accommodate maybe 20 persons.

Approaching Putting Buhangin in about 10 minutes, we saw the Lampas Kweba (Cave with hole thru it) and the white beach area.

The beach is about a kilometer with fine white sand and clear crystal blue water. There were many cottages, maybe 7. There were many people but still not crowded.

The beach is in a cove where left and ride sides are rocky beach of about 500 meters each side.

Pax and Iva snorkeled far on the left and right side (facing the) to cove. I also snorkeled and saw many schools of fishes under big rocks and some full violet star fishes attached to rocks.

This is the beach I am looking for. Crystal clear blue water, rock formations on cove ends, plenty of colorful fishes, cave partly submerged in water and not crowded. The problem is no water for rinsing. There is men’s and ladies’ toilet but no water.

After paying entrance fee of PhP 50 per pax, we left Puting Buhangin about 3 PM and we trek back for about 10 minutes to reach the transition beach. We trekked again for about 10 minutes to the parking area with trek circling the lake. Hey we saved Php 25 + Php 15 boat ride per person. Hehehe. It was not the saving but the experience to trekking.

We reached Sariaya Quezon for our early dinner and shower in Austrian design bathroom of my brother. My brother designed his new house and quite proud of it.

We left Sariaya Quezon about 6PM and we are at Alabang Exit about 8:30 PM.

ITINERARY

I would say we got the right itinerary for own vehicles. Stay at Vista Playa for lunch, dinner, and breakfast. Pitched tent and enjoy the night social with Lambanog Spirit (wine??). Jump off for island hopping to Borawan and Dampalitan. Ride to Grande island, swim, snorkel and explore the Lampas Kweba. This the right IT for Iva, Shervin and Oliver. Take the but and van to Vista Playa.

For mountaineers by bus, best is going first to Puting Buhangin by trekking 3 kilometers direct to Puting Buhangin. Boat ride to Dampalitan and overnight. Boat ride to Borawan.  Boat ride to Vista Playa for lunch and washing, rinsing and shower. Van and bus ride from Padre Burgos to Manila.

We shall return to Padre Burgos to trek Mt. Lipata, the water falls and see Magasawang Bato

CS Thirstday 15 April 2010

CS Thirstday 15 April 2010

My second Thirstday meet up with CS in Madison Square Garden.

Road Trip Baler Aurora April 9 -10, 2010

Road Trip Baler, Aurora Province

Upon invitation of SMBerks Jovy and Vincent, SMB held its Senior Members Parliamentary meeting combined with road trip to Beaches (Ampere, Sabang, Lukso Lukso, Cemento), Ditumabo Mother Falls, Cunayan Baby Falls, Oldest (600 years) and biggest tree in Asia, Museums, Okotan Cave, and Sabang Surf Spots, etc.

With the hospitality of Jovy’s and Vincent’ families, it was a great and satisfying event of road trippings of San Luis, Dipaculao and Baler Towns of Auroar Province.