Naranasan mo na bang umupo at makipagkwentuhan sa iyong mga kaibigan sa gitna ng kalsada? Yung kahit alas dos na ng madaling araw ay parang hindi ka mauubusan ng boses at gustong sabihin. Naranasan mo na bang mag-videoke with birit hanggang hating gabi? Eh, ang mag-trekking sa isang unknown hill na walang trail? Yung tipong hindi mo alam kung nakailang “Tabi-tabi po” ka na.
*cue in "Minsan" by Eraserheads*
*cue in "Minsan" by Eraserheads*
I just want to share one of the trips that I took recently. We were invited by a friend to come and visit Bataan as they will be celebrating a festival. I must say, I spent there one of the best weekends of my life. Aside from relishing the delicious homemade cuisine, the company of dear and kind locals and the “old town” feels, we were also driven by the humid weather to visit a nearby resort called Punta Belle.
By bus and for 15 pesos (non-air conditioned), it took us around 20 minutes to reach Hermosa, a neighboring town of Dinalupihan. The travel was filled with the picturesque view of buhay probinsya (province life) – vast rice fields, carabaoes, mountains on the backdrop, old local establishments.
We got down somewhere I do not know (hahaha!), on your left you will see the ad below, so you can use this as a landmark. No worries, as you can always ask for assistance from the bus conductor on where to get off. Beside this ad board is a tricycle terminal. For 65 pesos, you will already be transported straight to Punta Belle Resort, around 10 minutes. We hired 2 tricycles as one can only accommodate three persons. Each one chipped in 22 pesos.
The pricing was pretty tricky as it was already 3 p.m. when we arrived and we wanted to stay until 7 p.m., but the day tour (rate is 120 pesos) is from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. only and the night tour (rate is 180) is from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The staff charged us for the night tour and allowed us to come in early at 3 p.m.
It is also mandatory to rent a cottage, which is charged for 500 pesos. We divided the expense for this within the group, so it cost 100 pesos each one.
We did not spend a single cent for food, as we brought packed lunch (courtesy of our very generous host). You may also opt to order food (individual orders for 65 pesos up and group orders for 400 pesos up) and drinks from the resort. They also sell souvenirs and floating device.
There were plenty of pools to hop in. The place was not too crowded even though we came in during the weekend. A river flows on the side of the resort, where big smooth rocks can be found. We did not see one visitor bathe there, but it was certainly alright to take photos. Some of the other activities that you can do in the resort are playing basketball or billiards, fishing, hiking and horseback riding. They also have accommodations (ranging from 1,500 – 5,000 pesos).
The highlight of the tour was, without doubt, the side trip that we took. Beside the resort were hills. We can easily spot a peak from the cottage we rented. Out of spontaneity, we decided to make the hike to whatever was up there. We crossed the river . It can get really slippery, as some of the rocks are covered by moss. Some of us slipped flat on their butts, so be careful. I must say that for me crossing was the hardest part of our trek. The climb was fairly challenging. There was no trail, and we honestly have no idea where we were going or if it was even possible to reach the top.
After some slides, a couple of calories lost and few scrape, we finally got to the top. Check out this killer view. Initially in our trip, we were hoping for a seaside sunset, but this is, in so many ways, better. We watched and took mandated selfies as the sun went down.
We headed down immediately as it would be dark soon, took a couple more dips on the mostly deserted pools and rented a tricycle back to Dinalupihan. We haggled the price down to 150 pesos. Already a fair choice since we need not ride the bus and just took a ride straight home.
Our awesome adventure did not end there. We got to meet the basketball superstar Alvin Patrimonio, along with other PBA legends, who visited and played for the festival. It was a truly funny and care-free night. We just got back from our swimming, and without changing our clothes nor taking a shower, we headed for the court.
For those who wanted to take a day trip to Bataan, I hope this will help you plan your itinerary and budget.
A breakdown of our expenses during our Bataan trip:
Bus ride going to Bataan: 162.00
*Simply ride a bus from Cubao headed for Olongapo and get off at Dinalupihan.
Bus ride going to Hermosa: 15.00
Tricycle ride going to Punta Belle: 22.00
*This was actually 65 pesos, but was divided among the group.
Entrance for the night tour at Punta Belle Resort: 180.00 (the day tour rate is 120.00)
Cottage: 100.00
*This was actually 500 pesos, but was divided among the group.
Tricycle ride back to Dinalupihan: 50.00
*This was actually 150 pesos and was divided among the group.
Bus ride coming home to Cubao: 162.00
Total: 691 pesos
Sobrang mahalaga sa akin ng paglalakbay na ito. Muli ay naalala ko kung paano maging isang bata, kung paano mamuhay ng simple at kung paano mamuhay nang walang iniisip na hinaharap kung hindi ang kasalukuyan lamang.
NOTE: I own all of the photos above.
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