Lakbay Norte 3: Dawel River Cruise in Pangasinan, Kart City in Tarlac & Pamulaklakin Forest Trail in Subic Bay

Bangus harvest in Dagupan, Pangasinan

On Day 6 of Lakbay Norte 3, we drove down from Baguio City to Dagupan, Pangasinan to try out the Dawel River Cruise. It's one of the newest attractions of Dagupan City after the local government cleared the rivers in the city of illegal fish pens.

The Dawel experience is similar to the Loboc River Cruise without the buffet lunch. But you can bring your own food of course. And since it's on a trial run, the local government is still offering it for free. But you have to book with them to make sure that there will be a boat that will leave during the day of your visit.

One of the side trips we made was to see how bangus is harvested. We also saw how the local community does mangrove planting to rejuvenate the mangrove cover of the area.

Pinoy Travel Bloggers in Dagupan, Pangasinan

At the port, we were feted with an inihaw na bangus (grilled milkfish) feast fresh from the catch we witnessed earlier. But that wasn't lunch since we motored to Matutina's Restaurant in Urdaneta for even more food!

From there, we proceeded to Kart City in Tarlac to enjoy an afternoon of karting. I didn't realize there was a go-kart establishment in Tarlac City. The group even had an endurance race which was a lot of fun! We stayed there until evening, enjoying the karaoke room until everyone was done showcasing their singing prowess.

The group was divided between Microtel Luisita and La Maja Rica Hotel. I stayed at Microtel Luisita. And like all my Microtel experiences, I really appreciated their chiropractic beds!

After breakfast at Microtel, we proceeded to Subic Bay. Our first stop was the Pamulaklakin Forest Trail to learn some jungle survival from the local Ayta community.

Cooking rice in bamboo or binulo

Ritz Tropical Spa in Subic Bay

Lunch was by the river also in Pamulaklakin. Before proceeding to Clark, we were treated to massages at the Ritz Tropical Spa.

Check out the video of Day 6 and 7 edited by Carlo Cruise. Also check out the photos of Lakbay Norte 3 in the Ivan About Town Facebook page.

Microtel Inn & Suites Tarlac
Luisita, Tarlac
Tel. No. +63 (45) 9851770 / Fax +63 (45) 9851975 / Mobile +63 (927) 7238454
tarlac@microtel.ph

Ritz Tropical Spa
Blk 76, Bicentennial Park
Rizal Highway, Subic Bay Freeport
Tel No. +63 (47) 2526088

Pangasinan: Hundred Islands boat tour in Alaminos, Pangasinan

Hundred Islands in Alaminos, Pangasinan is for me, Pangasinan's best beach attraction. While other beaches such as Patar Beach in Bolinao and Tondol Beach in Anda are equally great, there's more to do at the Hundred Islands than simply frolicking under the summer sun.

For one, there are a lot of islands to explore, over a hundred of them in fact. The two most visited islands would be Governor's Island (which has a view deck with a great view of the Hundred Islands and the Big Brother House) and Quezon Island (with its many water activities and rental facilities).



During our boat tour around the Hundred Islands, we got to see some unique islands including Bat Island, host to a population of nocturnal fruit bats, and Cathedral Island, with its large cave. We also saw several islands with secluded beaches which you could have all to yourselves, such as Lopez Island, where one could stay for the day without much fuss from other visitors who usually troop to Quezon Island. On weekends, you might have to choose some of the lesser known islands for your own private beach.



Quezon Island is where most of the facilities are including picnic pavilions, huts and kayak and snorkel rentals. There's good snorkeling around the island. Notice the giant clams around the area which are a result of the giant clam seeding project at the Hundred Islands.

We had a wonderful lunch at Quezon Island hosted by Dir. Martin Valera of the Department of Tourism. If you want to have a picnic lunch as well, our caterer was Gemma (0919) 6520570. She prepared a sumptuous spread of seafood, grilled pork, vegetables and seaweed, and fresh fruits for dessert.

Hundred Islands Visitors Center
Rey Livara (0917) 6104144

Pangasinan: Puto Calasiao, talaba and more from Pangasinan

This year, I've seen Pangasinan quite often. During the latest trip to distribute Northbound Magazine, we drove again fron Tarlac all the way to Bolinao. Along the way, you could stop by the churches of Mangatarem, Aguilar, Salasa, Lingayen, Alaminos and finally Bolinao.

We stayed at Puerto del Sol for the night. It's definitely the best hotel in Bolinao. We weren't able to pass by Patar Beach or Tondol Beach anymore the next day since we wanted to find some nice beaches in Dasol. On the way to Dasol, we visited the Agno Church.

The bad news was the roads to Dasol's white sand beaches were quite rough and no way was I going to drive my car through the rough road. So we turned back and made our way to Dagupan. Between Lingayen and Dagupan is the town of Binmaley. The Binmaley Church has a really massive belfry.

As we entered Dagupan, one thing I noticed was the abundance of talaba, kampis, kalansipay and lukan sold in stalls along the National Highway. I was told they come all the way from Alaminos.

Before driving back to Manila, we made one last stop in the town of Calasiao. The Calasiao Church is of course a National Cultural Treasure. But the town is better known for producing sweet white puto which we all know as Puto Calasiao. Aside from the kutsinta also being sold there, the puto now comes in various flavors which include mango, banana, strawberry, pandan and ube.

Pangasinan: Patar Beach in Bolinao, Pangasinan

Patar Beach in Bolinao, Pangasinan is another Pangasinan beach worth visiting. It's actually one of the more popular beaches in Pangasinan, with a good number of resorts in the area. And their numbers are growing. It's very picturesque with strong blue waves lashing at the cream sand along the shore. We left Anda early in the afternoon to proceed to Bolinao, look for a resort to stay for the night, and enjoy our second beach for the day!

In the center of Bolinao town is the centuries-old Bolinao Church (the parish is celebrating its 400th year this year). In front of the church is a marker pushing forward the claim that the first Mass on Philippine soil was celebrated in Bolinao Bay in 1324 by Blessed Odorico, a Franciscan missionary on his way to China, who took refuge in Bolinao Bay during a storm.

The last time I was in Bolinao, I visited the U.P. Marine Science Institute and stayed in a hotel in town. This time, I made sure we stayed at Patar Beach. The beach is actually several more kilometers from the town proper. And along the way is a long row of resorts that offer accommodation ranging from nipa huts to pricey hotel rooms and beach villas.

On the way to Patar Beach is another iconic attraction of Bolinao, the Cape Bolinao Lighthouse. The lighthouse, constructed in 1905, is one of five major lighthouses of the country and the second tallest after Cape Bojeador Lighthouse in Burgos, Ilocos Norte.

Patar Beach is actually at the end of the road. Resorts usually charge you PHP30 for parking and you can enjoy this really great beach. There are also huts for rent for the day. Just a warning though, while the cream sand on the beach feels really great, once you get into the water, it becomes rocky and it's difficult to walk on.

If you want to stay right beside Patar Beach, there's only one decent resort there, Treasures of Bolinao, where we chose to stay for the night. And they capitalize on the fact that they don't have competition with really high rates. They have a nice elevated walkway where you can see Patar Beach from end to end or view the picture-perfect Bolinao sunset.

The rest of the resorts in Patar Beach only have basic accommodation such as nipa huts. But if you're willing to drive back to Brgy. Ilog Malino, there are more choices such as Puerto del Sol, another high-end resort.

Part 1: Tondol Beach in Anda, Pangasinan

How to get to Bolinao, Pangasinan
Victory Liner and Five Star have several bus trips from Manila to Bolinao daily. Trips begin at about 7 a.m. and leave at intervals of 2 to 3 hours.

Pangasinan: Tondol Beach in Anda, Pangasinan

Tondol Beach is definitely the best beach in Pangasinan and perfect when the tide is low. The last time I visited the beach, the tide was a bit high. So it wasn't a really great view. So I made sure to come back again when the tide was lower.

It's a five to six hour drive from Manila to Anda, Pangasinan. You'll go through Camiling and pass by Lingayen and through Alaminos (stopover at the Hundred Islands anyone?). It's on the way to Bolinao, right after the town of Bani.

The bad part about today was that low tide was at 1 a.m. And we were scheduled to arrive in Tondol at 10:30 a.m. Make sure you check what time low tide is. We decided to take the risk and we were not disappointed. The sun was perfect (the best time to visit is in the morning to early afternoon). By the time we arrived, the sand was already underwater. But thanks to the clear blue sky, Tondol did not fail to impress.

What I like about Tondol is the powder ivory white sand. In fact, there is an island one kilometer from the shore which you could walk or wade to. And it's powder white sand all the way. When the tide is low, you can pick a spot in the middle of the water and just sit down there the whole day. So if there is any beach that can claim to be the Boracay of the North, it's Tondol! But why even claim such a thing? Why are we always content with being a copy of the original when each beach is unique.

Tondol is actually a public beach and entrance fee is only PHP5. You can rent large huts for PHP200. For now, there aren't any good resorts to stay in so the best option when visiting Tondol is to stay overnight in neighboring Bolinao which is about 45 minutes away.

Travel advisory
As of this writing, the bridge in Bani is under construction and they let cars pass through a detour which is really long and rough. So if you're bringing a car, one option is to pass by Mabini. That's a longer detour but roads are paved all the way. The other option is a short-cut detour near the bridge for light vehicles that was built by some enterprising locals. They charge a PHP20 toll fee for you to pass through a dirt road built through private properties. It saves you a lot of time.

Pangasinan: Visita iglesia to Western Pangasinan churches

Pangasinan has a lot of heritage churches. And it being a really big province, the churches are scattered all over. One route is the Western Pangasinan route from Camiling, Tarlac to Bolinao, Pangasinan. I noticed old churches in the towns of Mangatarem, Aguilar, Bugallon, Lingayen, Labrador, Alaminos, and Bolinao.

The first stop is the church in Mangatarem. You can't miss the Mangatarem Church because of its large green dome. The convento beside it is also intact but renovations have been done to the interior.

Aguilar is a next town. The Aguilar Church is very much intacts since the simple ceiling paintings, its wooden retablo and the convento are still there. I hope it stays that way.

Bugallon does not seem to have an old church. That's because the old town church is not along the National Highway. You'll have to enter Brgy. Salasa to see this old red brick church. The Salasa Church even has remnants of its old perimeter wall still standing.

Since I started late in the afternoon, I stayed in Lingayen for the night. It's a coastal town and if you're very observant, you'll notice some colorful birds every now and then. The Lingayen Co-Cathedral (its co-cathedral is in Dagupan). This one is a depressing story. And it is a blatant example of Roman Catholic Church, Inc. which I mentioned in the visita iglesia in Batangas post.

The centuries-old convento was demolished and a commercial structure was built to replace it, all under the watch of Archbishop Oscar Cruz. I expected much more from Archbishop Cruz. This incident is very sad.

When in Lingayen, make sure to drop by the Pangasinan Capitol and Lingayen Beach which is famous because of the MacArthur Landings during the Second World War. Several years back, even the Spanish colonial Casa Real was still intact. But a typhoon blew off its roof and it's now in a very sad situation.

On the way to Alaminos, you'll pass by the town of Labrador. I noticed the church was a bit old but I wasn't able to stop to investigate it further. Alaminos Cathedral, just like many cathedrals, has been renovated inside. It's sad because many of the old houses are still intact. I wonder when they demolished the orginal municipio because the plaza would have made an interesting cultural tourism attraction.

I hope Mayor Hernani Braganza realizes the strong potential of Alaminos, not just as an eco-tourism destination, but as a cultural and culinary destination. I'd really enjoy it if some of those old houses were converted into restaurants that serve Alaminos longaniza among other things! It would be a great stopover when visiting the Hundred Islands or Bolinao.

At the end of the road is Bolinao Church. I'll talk more about Bolinao in a different post. But worth mentioning is that it is challenging the claim of Limasawa as the site of the first Mass in the Philippines. Records say that it was Italian missionary Blessed Odorico who, on his way to china, said the first Mass when he took refuge in Bolinao Bay during a storm in 1324. The claim further mentions that he even baptized several locals making him the first evangelizer in the Philippines.

You can also do the Central Pangasinan route which takes you to Manaoag, Calasiao, San Carlos and Binmaley among others.

Part 2: Hundred Islands in Alaminos, Pangasinan
Part 3: Tondol White Sand Beach in Anda, Pangasinan during high tide

Visita iglesia and more Holy Week practices in the Philippines

Visita iglesia to our Philippine churches has been a part of our lives as Catholic Filipinos. Every Holy Thursday, we visit seven churches, some fourteen, as we reflect on Christ's passion and death. I've done a whole lot of articles on Holy Week including Holy Week practices in the Philippines, which discusses Holy Week practices you could witness if you're at the right place at the right time.

Anyway, below are even more articles I had previously written on Holy Week. I'll be in San Fernando again this Good Friday.

Holy Thursday
Visita iglesia routes for Holy Thursday - In this article, I gave suggestions on churches to visit in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Quezon. I also suggested some popular routes including Pampanga Day Trip, Laguna de Bay Loop and the Mount Banahaw Loop.
Visita iglesia to our heritage churches - In this article, I focused on heritage churches, including those up north.
Visita iglesia to Metro Manila churches - This is a fairly comprehensive list of heritage churches in Metro Manila which you can visit.
Visita iglesia to Makati City churches
Visita iglesia to Batangas churches
Visita iglesia to Pampanga churches
Visita iglesia around Laguna de Bay churches
Visita iglesia to Southern Cebu churches
Visita iglesia to Northern Cebu churches
Visita iglesia in Leyte and Southern Leyte
Visita iglesia to Western Pangasinan churches

Good Friday
Good Friday in San Fernando, Pampanga
Crucifixion rites held in San Pedro Cutud every Good Friday

Ultimate Beach Bus to Zambales & Pangasinan! Book now!

It's summer time! Let's frolic under the sizzling sun as we hop around three of the best beaches along the western coast of North Luzon! We'll boat around the iconic Hundred Islands and enjoy the white sands of Quezon Island. In Alaminos, we'll eat our way through their yummy longganisas then we troop towards the town of Bolinao, visiting its famous lighthouse while enjoying the sunset at Patar Beach. To cap it off, we'll drive down to Zambales to discover her best kept beach secrets: Anawangin Cove and Capones Island. Take a ride on the ultimate North Luzon beach bus experience!

And we're pulling all the stops! We're bringing a cook to Quezon Island for example to prepare a sumptuous lunch for you. You'll never go hungry during the whole tour. Ask those who've joined our Pampanga tours. And we'll also drop by some historic sites such as the Masinloc Church and the house of President Ramon Magsaysay in Zambales. What's more, we'll get to watch a classical concert at Casa San Miguel in Pundaquit. But the clincher here is that we'll be staying at the best hotels in town. And did we say we always have a lot of pleasant surprises?

The tour fee is PHP15,000 per person (we took out one night but it's still the same power-packed tour) inclusive of transportation, overnight accommodation at, Puerto del Sol (Bolinao) and Punta de Uian (San Antonio), boat rides to the Hundred Islands, Anawangin Cove and Capones Island, and meals. Limited slots available. For bookings and inquiries, e-mail us at concierge@ultimatephilippines.com.

Longganisa Alaminos

Longganisas from Alaminos, Pangasinan are unique because of the toothpicks they use to divide the segments. Each length has six pieces and is hung using a buli grass string. This longganisa would fall under the derecado garlicky (or mabawang) category. This was taken at the private market under Nepo Mall in Alaminos, Pangasinan.

Main article: Longanizas of the Philippines

Pangasinan: Tondol White Sand Beach in Anda, Pangasinan during high tide

Tondol White Sand Beach is arguably the best beach in Pangasinan. But when it's high tide, it doesn't impress much. Tondol is in Anda, Pangasinan. The junction to this island town is along the National Highway on the way to Bolinao. The island is quite large and the beach is located at the end of the island. So it's still a bit of a drive from the town proper.

On the way to the beach, you'll pass by some salt beds also in Brgy. Tondol. Here is a post about Tondol Beach during low tide. The pictures will speak for themselves. That's why make sure to check the time of low tide before you visit Tondol.

Part 1: Visita iglesia to Western Pangasinan churches
Part 2: Hundred Islands in Alaminos, Pangasinan

Pangasinan: Hundred Islands in Alaminos, Pangasinan

Hundred Islands in Alaminos, Pangasinan is one of the iconic attractions of the Philippines. We've learned about it through our elementary text books and seen it extensively in our tourism campaigns. Ironically, I only got to visit it recently. But the visit, albeit short, was most definitely worth it.

Visiting the Hundred Islands is very simple. Just make your way to Barangay Lucap in Alaminos where boats are available. There are standard rates as well so no need to haggle. Just check with the dispatchers office as soon as you get there. You can do this as a day trip if you leave Manila early. But it's best to experience Hundred Islands by staying at least overnight.

Anyway, the boat will take you to Governor's Island where you can climb several steps to a view deck for the Hundred Islands. You can opt to swim there or proceed to Quezon Island where the white sand beach is much better or rent kayaks and snorkeling equipment. But if you want a beach all to yourself, you can ask the boat driver to take you to other islands with small beaches.

I actually enjoyed Quezon Island since there's a lot to do there. And if you get hungry, there are sari-sari stores as well. I had other beaches to visit that day so I was back in the mainland just in time for lunch. While you're in Alaminos, make sure to try their longganisa. The city also has a lot of ancestral homes and I really hope they preserve them.

Part 1: Visita iglesia to Western Pangasinan churches
Part 3: Tondol White Sand Beach in Anda, Pangasinan during high tide

Holy Week practices in the Philippines

Aside from being one of the most solemn religious events in the Philippines, Holy Week or Mahal na Araw is a colorful display of Philippine culture and religious fervor. Here are some cultural practices you should not miss:

Palm Sunday
Today is Palm Sunday so we won't be able to witness these events again until next year. There were unique palm processions in Sta. Isabel in Malolos, Obando and Baliwag in Bulacan; as well as in Gasan, Marinduque. In Sta. Isabel, an image of the Humenta or Christ on a donkey joins the palm procession as women spread their tapis or traditional aprons as the priest walks by. In Gasan, the priest himself rides a real pony on the way to church.

Holy Wednesday
Many procession are held on this day. Check out the folk Baroque images in the Laguna towns of Pakil, Majayjay and Paete. In Paete, it is said that the images for the Catholic Wednesday and Aglipayan Thursday processions move and speak in archaic Tagalog. In Pampanga, some of the best heirloom carrozas are brought out in Betis, Sasmuan and San Fernando. Also check out the processions in Baliwag, Malolos, Barasoain (Malolos), San Pablo and Molo (Iloilo City).

Maundy Thursday
In churches around the country, the Mass of the Last Supper will be celebrated in the evening. After this Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is enshrined in an Altar of Repose or monumento, and churches remain open for the visita iglesia. But some people do the visita iglesia while the sun is out though in order to see the lavish colonial churches in daylight. I have an old post on visita iglesia suggestions at Visita iglesia routes for Holy Thursday. But I'll have another entry on churches to visit soon.

Around the country, the chanting of the pabasa continues. In San Fernando and Guagua, there are colorful puni or pabasa stations with a fiesta atmosphere. Also check out the cordero or Lamb of God rituals in Betis, Guagua, Pampanga and Morong, Rizal. A lamb sculpture made out of mashed potatoes or kamote (sweet potatoes) is the center of this practice.

Good Friday
There is so much to see on this day. There are public self-flagellations in many towns around the country. In San Fernando, Pampanga; Pulilan and Hagonoy, Bulacan; and Navotas, they use wooden slats attached to ropes to whip their backs. In Hermosa, Bataan; Sasmuan, Pampanga; and Pakil, Laguna, flagellants use chains. In Kalayaan, Laguna penitents wear fronds and flowers. While in Infanta, Quezon, penitents wear hoods embellished with flowers to invoke fertility.

In Magalang, Pampanga and other parts of Pampanga, penitents crawl on the ground or carry crosses made out of banana trunks. In San Pedro Cutud in San Fernando, about a dozen penitents are nailed to wooden crosses after a traditional play called the Via Crusis. Check out the entry Good Friday in San Fernando, Pampanga to get detailed information on Good Friday practices in San Fernando.

The moriones, with men dressed as Roman soldiers, are held in General Luna, Quezon; Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro; and Boac and Gasan, Marinduque. The one in General Luna is said to be the oldest moriones event in the country. There is also amulet hunting and testing as well with shaman assemblies held such as those in Calabanga, Camarines Sur where hooded shamans pray at the Holy Bier at 5 a.m. In Pakil, Laguna, check out the Turumba procession of the Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de Turumba.

In the towns of Sta. Rita and Sasmuan in Pampanga; as well as Tayabas, Quezon and Boljoon, Cebu, the sermons on the Seven Last Words of Christ are followed by the Tinieblas, a theatrical ritual marking the death of Christ with the banging shut of the church doors, the wailing of women and the hammering of church roofs to symbolize thunder. The body of Christ is brought down from the cross by two men dressed as Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. In Boljoon and Sta. Rita, they are assisted by people dressed as the Marys and St. John who all deposit the image on the lap of a woman designated to be Mother Mary. She wails loudly for several minutes. In Sasmuan, the town orchestra plays the Stabat Mater as a choir sings. This is followed by a public veneration of the image Christ's body or the Sto. Entierro.

Some of the most lavish processions of the Sto. Entierro are held in Lingayen, Pangasinan; San Fernando, and Guagua, Pampanga; Malolos and Baliwag, Bulacan; Binan and San Pablo, Laguna; and Argao and Carcar, Cebu. In Carcar and Sorsogon, Sorsogon, the Soledad procession is held late at night.

Pangasinan: GMA opens transport terminal in Rosales, Pangasinan

For the past few weeks, I've been traveling from Manila to Rosales, Pangasinan almost everyday to monitor the final preparations for the inauguration of the Carmen Rosales Central Transport Terminal. Finally, the project we've been working on was opened this morning.

Leading the ceremonies was none other than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Also in attendance were Speaker and Mrs. Jose de Venecia, Sec. Leandro Mendoza, Sec. Arthur Yap, Rep. Conrado Estrella III, Rep. Robert Estrella, Gov. Amado Espino and Mayor Ricardo Revita among many others.

Despite my exhaustion, I have to begin packing my stuff in a while. I'm off to Beijing tomorrow to attend the Seminar on Conservation and Management of Cultural Heritage for Asian and African Countries organized by the China National Institute of Cultural Property. Since most blogs are blocked in China, I won't be able to see my own blog for the next few days. But it's good I could still update it.

Technorati Tags: rosales pangasinan philippines transportation travel travel blog