BUROT BEACH, BATANGAS

Planning for a holiday trip and don't have enough fund to splurge in Boracay nor Palawan? Don't push yourself too much as these places will costs you thousands pesos for your 2 or 3 days trip instead try searching for a place nearby the Metro.  You don't either need to stay in a luxurious hotels or dine in an expensive restaurant just to inform your Instagram and Facebook followers that you can afford all those things. A Summer vacations doesn't require of how classy and lavish your trip would be but the important thing is that you are having fun with it. If you are looking for a striking white sand beach and on a friendly budget trip like less than a thousand then Burot Beach is right for you. Burot Beach is privately owned by the SM Group of Companies located in Calatagan Batangas but this is open publicly for now. This beach becomes a popular destination for weekend travellers since it is accessible from its neighbouring towns and cities. 

How to get there:

If you're setting up for a day tour, I suggest take the 4AM van at the Back of Kabayan Hotel, fare is hundred eighty (P180.00) for one way  but they need to fill all the vacant seats before leaving the terminal  to Calatagan. From there, take tricycle to Burot beach for a fare of 200.00(group of 4). You may also take a bus at the back of Sogo Hotel in Pasay Rotonda bound to Lian before taking a jeepney to Calatagan.

It was 8:00 in the morning when we arrived but it was already jam-packed with campers all over the place. And since it was a first come first serve basis in finding a spot, we stayed at the end point of the beach.

There were only few huts and picnic tables available for lease ranging from 450.00 and up. Also, an entrance fee of 65.00 for the day tour is being asked while 130.00 for those who are staying overnight.

Rio, Wilma and Emie's jump shot 

Burot Beach offers magnificent blue waters, fine to golden sand and peaceful spot for those who wants to clear their minds from a very exhausting work week.

Just in case you want something extra fun activity, there are lots of rental boats available with in the vicinity for P100.00 for the Island hopping, that, if you are in a group of 6-8 person but you can also hire for a fee of P650.00 and considered as "special charter". The fee includes the Naked White Sandbar, Starfish and coral Island as they calls it. You'd surely love soaking in these areas for it has crystal blue and cool waters. But I didn't really enjoyed our so called Island hopping hence the boatman took us just a few meters away from the main beach of Burot and I was expecting more from it.

Naked Island

Nevertheless, the trip was filled with fun and excitement.

Starfish Island

Coral Island facing the Main beach of Burot

Also, there are two separate wash rooms available for free but expect a massive queue especially on the weekends. 

Expenses:

Manila to Lian (bus)        152.00

Lian to Calatagan (jeep)   38.00

Bus Terminal to Burot      50.00 (200.00 group of 4)

Environment Fee              20.00

Entrance Fee                   65.00

Boat Rental                    162.50(650.00 group of 4)

Food Contribution        225.00

Calatagan to Manila    180.00 (Van)

Total Expenses            892.50

Suggested Itinerary

04:00     ETD Pasay –Calatagan

08:45     ETA Calatagan Market (buy food)

09:30     ETD Burot Beach

09:50     ETA Burot Beach

10:00     Smimming / Picture taking

12:00     Lunch

01:00     Island hopping (optional)

03:00     Back to Burot Beach

03:15     Wash up

03:40     ETD Burot Beach to Calatagan

04:00     ETD Calatagan-Manila

07:00     ETA Manila

Thanks for reading!

BUNTOT PALOS FALLS, LAGUNA

Living in this exquisite world today is the finest feeling, merely because we got a chance to experience the genuine beauty of our natural surroundings. I've been travelling and visiting different places for years now, with confidence I can say "it's a great to live through travel". Now, let me share it to you my latest discovery. A new destination to savour our love for waters, rocks, trees, hills, mountains and even food. Yes indeed! There are lots of undiscovered places and allow me to take you in a hidden area that only few knows how to get there unless you have the power of being  a researcher. Whenever I feel dead beat in my day to day of working, I decided to take a trip from Metro Manila just to explore the places I've never been to especially to a place with what we call natural world. Natural because it really soothes me and bring the other side of me. Nature as define as the physical world and everything in it is actually fascinating and refreshing. The hidden area that I am referring with is none other than Buntos Palos Falls in Pangil, Laguna which is just few miles away from the city of Manila. I read articles about the place and it makes me thrilled when I saw the photos. It looks calm and very thirst-quenching especially for those people who matters most with nature.

How to get there:
Riding a Bus from Buendia-LRT Taft to Sta. Cruz is the most comfortable transportation before taking a Jeepney bound for Siniloan than crossing to Tanay Rizal, tell the driver to drop you at Brgy. Balian Outpost. From there you need to a register and pay a fee of 25.00 for day a hike while 75.00 for an overnight. One of the requirements before climbing to Buntot Palos is to hire a local guide for a fee of 300.00 for a day hike and 600.00 for an overnight.

We started the trek around 07:45 in the morning and the roads isn't easy going up to the mountain for it is too steep, full of huge rocks and shits of horses scattered along the way.

I can't even count how many times I took a rest on my journey to Buntot Palos falls. It was very humid you can't feel the winds at all. For those who wants to climb during summer days, bring lot of water with you to avoid sunstroke or heatstroke.

I feel relieved when I saw this greenly scenic view almost from the top of the mountain. The blue skies, the mountains, the rice fields and the overlooking Laguna de bay. It was very relaxing and peaceful to indulge.

After almost 2 hours of tiring trek, finally we've reached the hidden paradise of Pangil, Laguna.  Buntos Palos is extremely beautiful because of its majestic and exhilarating 80 meters high water falls.  I feel the fresh air, the sounds of birds singing from the trees and the whack of cascade from the top is extremely uplifting.

And I had fun plunging down the basin of this falls since no one was there yet and the water was so cold.

The catching basin of Buntot Palos

Another thing that is good in this travel is if you're hungry and probably thinking of where to devour before heading back to Manila after the tiring trek and the water falls soaking. There's a famous eatery located at the Main highway of Pakil Laguna, it's just a trike or a jeepney ride from Brgy Balian outpost called Manay's Eatery. They're serving plenty of Filipino cuisines that's surely suffice your cravings and it tastes really good at a very reasonable price. You may also try their halo halo for only 50.00. 

huge bowl of Steamed chicken in Tamarind for 220.00 (4-5 person)

ITINERARY & ESTIMATED EXPENSES

SLEX
Time		Description			Expenses
04:00		LRT Buendia Taft to Sta. Cruz Laguna			140.00	Bus Fare
		Sta Cruz Terminal to Siniloan			35.00	jeep
		get off Bgry. Balian Outpost
07:30		ETD l Registration
		Entrance Fee			25.00
		Guide Fee			300.00	group of 5
08:00		Start of Trek
09:45		Buntot Palos Arrival
10:00		Picture taking/ Swimming
12:30		Wash up/ Jump off Arrival
13:00		LUNCH	Manay's Restaurant
15:00		ETD to Manila			175.00
18:30		Manila
					675.00

It was a wonderful and life changing fund activity for a traveller like me for I experienced the real beauty of nature with head up high. With this travel, I can say "It is great to be on top of nature" and I am longing to see more.

Thanks for reading!

Special Thanks to:
Ms. Erma Acdal- My personal Editor in Chief :)

SAGADA, MT. PROVINCE

Hanging Coffins

Sagada is a small town in Mountain Province,a 275 kilometers north of Metro Manila. Sagada is famous for its hanging coffins. This is a traditional way of burying people that is still utilized. Popular activities include trekking, exploring both caves and waterfalls, spelunking, and participating tribal celebrations. (Source: wikipedia).

Last 15th-19th of January 2015 was declared as long weekend holiday when Blessed Pope John Paul II visited the Country as his way of commiseration for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda in Tacloban City. And since I won't do nothing during that particular days I joined an event who will be travelling to Sagada called Trail Madness. Trail Madness is an adventurous team which offers their participants to explore and discover the places away from the hassle bustle City of Manila.They are delivering high-end experiences like mountaineering,spelunking, camping, beach bumming and other extreme activities. I paid an all-In expense package tour from them worth Php4,500.00 since it was a rapid decision. Inclusions are as follows.

--3D2N Accommodation (Room Sharing)

--Round trip transportation

--2 day tour: Kiltipan, Echo Valley, St. Mary’s Church, hanging Coffins, Bomod-ok Falls,Pottery House, Sagada Weaving, Orange Farm, Cave Exploration (Sumaguing & Lumiang Cave)

--All tour guide Fees

--All permits and entrance Fees

--8 meals

We departed at exactly 07:00PM in Manila and almost 01:00AM when we arrived in Baguio City. We've waited for almost an hour at the Bus Terminal for our rental service to come since the temperature was down to 10*C. It was freaking cold when we get there and I am expecting more freezing weather going to Sagada. And I wasn't wrong!

Joining an event like this is quiet challenging especially if you're signing up alone. Firstly, you have no one to talk to(nakakapanis ng laway) and secondly it's a bit difficult to make friends in an instant with  different groups of people. But it's a matter of how will you start & flavor  the conversation. Be gentle and be nice, Mate!  Anyway, It was nearly 9:00AM of Day 2 when we reach the little town and the frosty weather of Sagada welcomes us candidly. We rested for a couple of minutes and ate our breakfast before we headed to our first errand.

BOMOD-OK FALLS

Bomod-ok Falls or Big Falls is located in Brgy. Aguid, Travel time is approximately 20-30 minutes ride from the the proper town of Sagada and an hour and a half trek from the Main road. Information Center going to the Falls is situated in Bangaan where you need to register your names and a required local tourist guide because you can't start the trek without them. 

Registration Fee -  85.00/person

Tourist Guide     -500.00

Bangaan Information Center

(top of the Jeepney experience with Arun, Lorraine, Gochi and Ralph)

(Empe lights session with my new found friends Nikki, Rein, Kim, Jay, Mel, Dan, Ralph & Gochi)

SUMAGUING & LUMIANG CAVE

A trip to Sagada would not be complete without risking the most visited place of the town, the Caving. Caving is one of the main attraction here where you can see the best formations of stalactites and stalagmites carved by nature which thousands of years to form. Sumaguing is connected to Lumiang Cave this is like a test for every individuals of how physically fit you are because you need to mount yourself in tiny holes along the way. And be ready to get wet and chill with your adventure as temperature inside the cave aren't pleasant. 

Getting there:

There are two information centers where you can find local guides, one in SAGGAS beside Salt & Pepper and in Municipal Tourist Hall.

Registration Fee: 35.00/person

Guide                 :400/per guide

Photo Credit: Mr. Francis Ansing

We started our spelunking at 9 in the morning and due to ample of tourists during that days we reached the tail of Lumiang Cave at 4 PM but the normal caving will just take you from 3-4 hours only.

ST MARY'S CHURCH & HANGING COFFINS

We  decided to skip the other places included in our itinerary since we do not have much time to visit all of them. But one thing is for sure I had so much fun with this split second decision trip. 

For inquiries & questions with the event organizer. Please visit

Website: www. trailmadness.net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/trailmadness/

Thanks guys!Thanks for the awesome experience Sir Francis!