Work and Travel Time: My Bicol Tour

November 2018 | Naga, Legazpi, Iriga, Polangui

It was my first time to step on the land of the famous home of Mount Mayon!

Thanks to my work that we were able to visit and tour Bicol.

Our flight destination was at Naga City so we took a bus going to Legazpi and it was a three-hour travel time. I was with my workmates and we were five in the group.

Our first two nights stay was at Galoso Travellers Inn. We also booked their travel package that costed us Php 700.00 per head.

Our accommodation was only Php 600.00 per head and the room is nice!

Accommodation was Php 1500/5pax

Tour was Php 3500 /5 pax

Start of the Tour.

We started the tour at 6 am and our first stop was the infamous Daraga Church.

Followed by the ATV ride via Cagsawa Trail that costed us Php 700 per head.

Scenic view welcomed us. Along the trail there were unlimited rivers, streams, forest trail, lava trail and our perfect backdrop was the majestic Mount Mayon itself.

Our last destination before going back to the start of trail was the Budjao Ruins. 

Just like the famous Cagsawa Ruins, this is also a façade of an old church that was destroyed of Mount Mayon volcanic eruption decades back.

It was my first time to drive a motorcycle and I was quite nervous but nevertheless I enjoyed it!

After the ATV ride, we then went to Cagsawa Ruins wherein everyone can see the perfect view of 

Mount Mayon. There’s an entrance fee of Php. 20.00 per head.

Aside from the unlimited photo op, we can also buy some pasalubong here like T-shirts, keychains, bags, and a lot more!

Here also I tasted the chili ice cream.

Good thing that there was a clear view of Mount Mayon when we got there.

There’s a saying that the perfect cone of Mount Mayon only showed up to people with pure heart. Ahem! Ha-ha!

After going here, we then went to Sumlang Lake wherein there’s also a perfect view of Mayon.

Entrance fee is Php 20.00

We had our yummy lunch at Camalig, Legaspi wherein we tried the famous “Pinangat”. This is only Php. 40.00

This is their native dish version of Laing. We also bought Bicol Express.

We then headed to Mayon Skyline. This looks like Tagaytay as this tourist spot is the closest summit or view deck to Mount Mayon.

Since we were already on the mountain, temperature here is really cold! So bring jacket when you go here.

After that, we then went to  Cagraray Island, Bacacay, Albay, Bicol

We stopped over on a bridge going to Misibis Bay.

We also stopped at the view deck of islands.

There’s an entrance fee of Php 20.00 upon entering the Cagraray Eco-Energy Park. 

Here lies the Ampi-theater and Stela Maris Church.

We then went to Legaspi Boulevard for a short walk and to search for a restaurant for our dinner.

But we ended up on a mall instead.

It was an awesome day! We got tired but we’re all happy as all of us were first timers here in Bicol.

For our Day 2, we checked out at Galoso Travel Inn and went to Naga for work.

After work, we checked in at The Carmen hotel and I may say that this is really a good hotel!

Then we had our dinner beside the church – just a walking distance from the hotel.

We also had some time for a night swim on the hotel’s swimming pool!

The following day, we had some spare time for a church visit at Basilica of Our Lady of Naga before work at Iriga and Polangui.

After work, we went to Ligao for a quick visit at Kawa Kawa Natural Park. 

And then we’re back at Legazpi to check in at Ninong’s Hotel.

For our last day, we first had work then finished by before lunch.

We had some pasalubong buying at Legazpi Pasalubong Center.

Then before we catch our night flight, we went to Lignon Hill. Entrance fee here is Php. 25.00

Some activities that can be done here is photo op and also pasalubong buying. Here at top, we can see the runway of Legazpi Airport and the Mayon Volcano as well.

Thank you so much, Bicol! We really had a great time and I will surely be back to explore more of your wonderful place!

Mount Ayngat and Aspican Falls

Nov. 2018 | Tanay, Rizal

I miss mountains so I accepted the invite of my friend for a Saturday day hike.

We were five in the group and our destination for this fine day was the Mount Ayngat located in Tanay, Rizal.

Its nearby mountains were the Mount Maynoba and Cayabu which I already hiked last 2016.

Registration fee as of this writing is Php. 100 per head.

Guide fee is Php 500 good for group of 5.

After paying and securing guide, we started the hike at past 6 am.

It was a mixed of shady and non-shady trail. Since it was a real sunny Saturday, we have to rushed climbing every time we were in the non-shady trail.

Before reaching the summit, we had a short stop at the view deck or white rock formations. Views over there were already magnificent and we can’t wait reaching the top.

Total hours going to the summit is I think more than two hours. This will of course depend on the group’s phase. We took a lot of resting time to I guess it was almost three hours reaching the top.

The summit is awesome! Well, I guess again every summit has their own beauty. Just like this one.

Words will (always) never be enough to define God’s creation’s beauty via view on top.

The scorching heat, tiredness, thirst, minor skin scratches are all worth it.

We took our early lunch at the summit as well.

Then after eating and some time for photo op and resting, we then decided to go down.

Going down to the falls is more than one hour. The trail was steep. Good thing it wasn’t raining because for sure, it will be so slippery going down.

Then here came the falls! We had some bath time and snack time after the photo op.

The water was so cold! Perfectly for the hot and non-shady trail we have passed by.

When we dipped into the water, it was so brrrrrrrr….

The falls was just 15 minutes away from the main/concrete road and after almost 30 minutes, we were back at the jump off point or registration area.

By 5 in the afternoon, we were back in Cubao.

It was an easy hike with the rate of 3/9. So try it! The view will never fail you!

I hope more people will try to hike again. We noticed that numbers of mountaineers were going down for the past months.

Aside from helping the locals, we should all witness and experience nature’s way of physical, mentally, social, and even spiritually benefits for us.

Just please always keep in mind the LNT policy when hiking. (Leave No Trace)

Take nothing but pictures and memories.

Kill nothing but time.

Left nothing but footsteps.

Here’s the itinerary and budget that we had:

2 am- meet up at Cubao

2:30 am- leave Cubao, ride jeeo going to Cogeo/Padilla. Fare is 25 pesos.

3:30 am – reached Cogeo, ride jeep again going to Sampaloc. Fare is 50 pesos.

(Note: Tricycle drivers will try to market their services and will say that there’s no jeep yet. Don’t be fooled. There’s a jeep terminal. Just walk straight to the right and you will find the jeep terminal. In front of the terminal is 7/11.)

5 am – tell the driver to drop you off at Maynoba/Cayabu.

6 am- Upon reaching Brgy Cayabu, ride a tricycle going to the registration. Tricycle fare is 200 pesos good for four pax.

Registration Fee – 100 per head

Guide Fee – 500 pesos (100 per head)

Summary of our trip: 

Past 6 am - Start hike

-        White rock Formations/View Deck

-        Summit / Early lunch time

-        Descend going to Falls

-        Bath time!

-        Going back to the jump off to washed off.

-        Ride a tricycle going back to highway

-        Ride jeep going to Cogeo

-        Ride FX/Van/Jeep going back to Cubao.

-        Early dinner at Mang Inasal (with unli rice hehe)

Isabela and Tuguegarao Trip

October 2018

Thanks to my work that I was able to go to places I have never been yet.

We had a business trip to the province of Isabela and Cagayan.

And so we also had some time for side trip!

We had an entry flight at Cauayan, Isabela.

Then we headed to Roxas, Isabela for our work.

After our work there, we then went to Santiago Isabela for hotel check in.

We also experienced night food trip for our dinner at Four Lanes Santiago, Isabela.

It’s like a Banchettto or Food Park here in Manila but with a live band on its wide plaza.

The food are budget friendly!

For our Day 2, we then went to Tuguegarao, Cagayan. It’s a three-hour drive from Isabela.

Before reaching Tuguegarao, we had a stop-over at Queen Isabela’s statue.

We also passed through Ilagan, Isabela and had a photo op with the giant chair or so called,  Butaka.

We also had the chance to taste the Patil Batung. Their famous pancit.

Then work mode again.

For our Day 3 just before our afternoon flight, we had a time to visit Callao cave.

It was half an hour away from our Hotel. 

Callao Cave is located at Penablanca, Cagayan. Penablanca means white rock.

Before you reached the cave, you need to climb a 180 steps concrete stairs. And for me as hiker it was just easy. He-he.

It was huge cave and it also has a church inside that can accommodate a hundred persons.

the river view from the top

entrance of Callao Cave, securing a guide 

Path going to Callao Cave

the start of climb going to Callao Cave

River View

entrance of Callao Cave

Inside the Callao Cave is a church. Surely to say thanks for everything.

Due to lack of time, we haven’t tried the boat riding on its nearby river.

But when I come back next time, I will make sure that I’m gonna try it!

Thank you for this opportunity to visit far up north once again.

Who knows, Batanes will be next. *winks*

Stormy Hike at Mount Marami

August 2018  | Mount Marami Maragondon, Cavite

Together with my two friends, one rainy Saturday, we decided to hike Mount Marami.

It may be a not so good decision but we still went for it.

At 5 am, we rode a bus at the Pasay Coastal going to Ternate, Cavite.

Upon reaching the town of Maragondon, we rode a tricycle going to Mount Marami jump off.

We started the hike at 7 am.

It was a long walk with some river crossings going to the summit.

It was raining occasionally and we had a lot of resting time so it took us almost four hours to reach the summit.

Upon reaching the summit, strong winds and rain welcomed us. There was also no clearing so we didn’t see any view from top.

We tried to wait but we really need to go down before dark reach us along the way.

Maybe we’ll try to get back here sometime.

As expected because of our low phasing and muddy trail, we got back to the jump off area at past 8 pm.

Our knees were trembling and we also had a lot of muscle pain the day after the hike.

There’s really a storm according to the news for the following day.

This hike was really not advisable that day but still we surely had fun!