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Liwliwa, Zambales Travel Guide: Places to Stay and Eat in Liwliwa

Meghy — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 15:01:14 +0000

Zambales is probably one of the most popular weekend destination for those who just wanted to have a quick beach trip over their weekend off. For about three to four hour drive away from Manila, you can enjoy their beautiful beaches, coves, and even campsites.

I’ve been to Zambales couple of times before and by this time, I finally got the chance to visit the famous Liwliwa! Located in the silent town of San Felipe, a lot of beautiful resorts perfect for chilling and relaxations can now be found in Liwliwa. Aside from resorts, a lot of restaurants, cafes and bars by the beach can be spotted in this paradise that I would like to compare the place and vibe somehow to the San Juan beach area of La Union (only with less people). Other activities you can enjoy here are surfing and ATV riding. On this blog, I would share places to stay and eat in Liwliwa that you can use as reference on your next visit.

How to go to Liwliwa, Zambales?

Ride a bus (from Cubao, Pasay or Caloocan) bound to Iba or Sta. Cruz, Zambales. These buses will pass through the town of San Felipe. Just tell the driver to drop you off in San Felipe, upon reaching San Felipe take a tricycle that will take you directly to Sitio Liwliwa. Just tell the driver your resort name so they can directly take you there.

If you will not be able to catch a bus bound to either Iba or Sta. Cruz, you can take a bus bound to Olongapo. From Olongapo take another bus going to Sta. Cruz or Iba and just tell the driver to drop you off in San Felipe. From there, take a tricycle that will take you directly on your resort in Liwliwa.

In our case, we took a bus from Victory Liner Cubao to San Felipe for P530 and tricycle ride from San Felipe town proper to Liwliwa costs us P40 each.

Where to Stay in Liwliwa?

I had a hard time looking for accommodation during our stay because first, there’s a lot of instagrammable resorts to choose from and second, resorts are almost fully booked given that our visit was on a weekend. Luckily, we were able to book at The Fishers

The Fishers (Fishers by the Sea)

The Fishers claims to have the first A-frame huts in Liwliwa. The resort is just a few minute walk to the beach. Each A-frame huts costs Php 3000 for fan rooms while Php 3500 for AC rooms good for 3 pax. You’ll have the whole hut by your group, you need to take a few steps of stairs to get into the main room and you’ll have tables, chairs and hammock just down below it if you want to chill and rest outside. Each room also includes own comfort room located just across the huts. The place is clean, well-maintained, peaceful while owners and caretakers are friendly.

Facebook page here.

Kwentong Dagat

Definitely one of the most famous and trending resort in Liwliwa. With its popularity, it’s always fully-booked especially on the weekends. The resort highlights IG-worthy cabins and serves vegan meals.

Facebook page here.

Gasera de Liwliwa

Another place I wanted to book but already fully-booked during our target date. I love their room concepts as their name suggests, “gasera” means a traditional lamp used when there is still no electricity. The resort has villas that resembles a lamp and also offers tepee huts and tent accommodations.

Facebook page here.

Zambali Woods

A Bali-themed resort in Liwliwa that offers villa accommodations for 4 up to 8 pax. Overnight stay in each villa will costs Php 4000 up to Php 8000.

Facebook page here.

Kapitan’s Liwa Beach Resort

This resort offers various choices of accommodation based on your budget. What I love about this resort is they have their own restaurant and cafes that serves variety of foods. They also have common areas in the resort where visitors can chill, have a drink and mingle with friends and strangers.

Facebook page here.

Where to Eat in Liwliwa?

Board Culture Liw-Liwa

Aside from being a resort, they also offer sumptuous meals. Though their menu does not offer much variety and a bit pricey compare to other restaus but rest assured, each food on their menu is delicately-cooked and prepared using imported seasonings/ingredients that makes each bite worthy of its price. From steaks, wagyu, pastas, burgers and inasal, each bite will melt in your mouth. They also offer imported drinks and you can enjoy playing board games and billiards while waiting for your food. We also got a chance to chat with the owner and he is very accommodating, a plus points for our overall experience.

Taco Joint

Located inside the Board Culture Liw-Liwa compound is this authentic Mexican Taqueria. Definitely a go-to place to eat and unwind as it settles few walks away from the beach. Satisfy your cravings for Mexican food with their tacos and quesadillas. Also, right across this taqueria is a bar where you can grab a bottle of drinks or beer. A perfect combo to chill the day out.

Mommy Phoebe’s Place

I would say it is the most affordable food hub in Liwliwa. The place has this “karinderya” concept but offers a lot of freshly cooked food choices. They also serve fresh fruit smoothies in an affordable price, definitely a must have when you dine with Mommy Phoebe’s.

Kapitan’s Liwa

This place aside from being a resort, also houses their very own Kapitan’s Liwa restaurant and Sestra’s Café. The restaurant offers various Filipino meals and even a bowl of ramen! If you want to take a sip of coffee (hot or cold) you can also order from Sestra Café located on the same compound. A cozy place to eat and relax at the same time.

Have you been to Liwliwa before? Share your experiences below!

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Discovering Cebu’s Hidden Gem: Bojo River and Hermit’s Cove Day Tour

Meghy — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 14:27:07 +0000

Cebu is one of the most visited province of our country today because of its beautiful spots no one can resist. If someone will be asked “Where you want to go in Cebu?” he/she will most likely to answer to go whale shark watching in Oslob, do Canyoneering in Badian, experience Sardine Run in Moalboal or simply taste the famous Cebu Lechon in Carcar. These are the must things to do in Cebu and due to its popularity, tourists flock making the places too crowded.

Aside from this popular attractions, there’s still a lot of things Cebu has to offer. Two of these hidden gems can be found in Aloguinsan, located southwest of Cebu, the Bojo River and Hermit’s Cove. These hidden sanctuary is as beautiful as the other Cebu’s top destinations BUT with lesser people. So for those people who always wanted to take the road less travelled by then you will surely love this place.

How to get there?

You can ride a bus bound to Pinamungahan at Cebu South Terminal. First trip is 5am and just asked the driver to drop you on Aloguinsan. Travel time is 2 hours. Once arrived in Aloguinsan, there are habal-habal that you can ride going to Bojo River and Hermit’s Cove
Another option is to ride a bus or Vhire bound to Toledo, travel time is 1 to 1.5 hours. Upon reaching the Toledo Terminal, ride a jeepney en route to Aloguinsan that may take another 30 minutes

Bojo River

Bojo River cruise is an eco-tourism activity and the premier attraction of Aloguinsan. It is more than just a tourist attraction. From the collaborative effort of the local government and its people, they came up with this eco-tourism campaign that provides additional and alternative source of income to its townpeople. Fishermen served as tour guides and most women are designated on reception service and food or souvenir making.

With the P400 per head fee, you will be experiencing the one-hour boat ride (they will allow you to borrow a Filipino native hat to wear) while a local fisherman explains the plants and animals that can be seen on the river. They are very knowledgeable of the river’s ecosystem, explaining different kinds of mangroves, tells local folklore and promotes care for the environment.

Contrast to other exhilirating Cebu destinations, Bojo River will embrace you with serenity and calmness while being mesmerized by the view it has to offer. Rock formations found on the river are being compared to those found in Palawan.

Upon reaching the mouth of the river where the river meets the sea, the guide will tour you briefly on the open sea and shows different kinds of corals that can be clearly seen due to the clarity of the sea water. The guide will let you swim for some time on the river’s mouth and they will gladly help you take pictures.

Hermit’s Cove

The same habal-habal driver picked us up on Bojo River after 1.5 hours and serviced us going to Hermit’s Cove. You will be passing through rough roads so better be careful. Upon reaching Hermit’s Cove located in Brgy. Kantobogon in Aloguinsan, we were greeted by the resort personnels who are from the local government unit on their baro’t saya uniforms. Entrance fee is P100 which includes the use of their tables or open cottages. They are too friendly and got surprised that we came too far just to visit their humble town. Before going down the staircase that leads to the shores of the hidden beach, the resort personnel will tell a brief history of the beach and discuss the Do’s and Dont’s. The beach was named after an old hermit that once lived on this place. Overnight stay is not allowed on this place.

Hermit’s Cove is a sheltered beach waiting to be appreciated. It has clear waters, white sands and though it is no longer a secret beach, the people is still lesser compared to those most-hyped Cebu beaches. On our case, there are only around 25 people on the area so you can really enjoy its waters and reconnect with nature.

How to get back to Cebu City?

You have to ride a habal-habal back to the town center of Aloguinsan and ride a bus bound to Cebu City. Last trip is 4pm
(Since it’s almost 4pm when we left Hermit’s Cove the drivers suggest us to take the Mantalongon route) Ride a habal-habal bound to Mantalongon and wait for a bus bound to Cebu City

The post Discovering Cebu’s Hidden Gem: Bojo River and Hermit’s Cove Day Tour appeared first on Meghy Was Here.

Dingalan Travel Guide: What to do and What to expect in Dingalan, Aurora

Meghy — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 00:26:43 +0000

After I graduated college, It’s been my yearly tradition to treat myself with a travel trip during my birthday. I always think that a gift of a travel experience is more worth it than buying myself a material gift or treating myself on a fancy restaurant.

So for this year’s celebration of my another year of existence, I decided to explore the hidden beauty of Dingalan, Aurora!

Dingalan, Aurora:

Dingalan is one of the most scenic place I’ve ever been in the Philippines. It is often tagged as the “Batanes of the East” because of its views and hill-like scenery that resembles those found in more famous location, Batanes. But this silent town of Aurora has its own beauty waiting to be discovered.

It is a perfect place to fill in your adventurous heart. From trekking the high mountains, to discovering the hidden caves, to chasing waterfalls or to simply swimming on its blue waters and playing with its waves, I can say that this is worth the visit.

Located on the southernmost part of the Aurora Province, facing the Philippine Sea on the east, has a montainous landscapes because of the Sierra Madre Mountains and has big waves flashing on the scenic cliffside where the green grass meets the blue waters. What a must view to catch!

Going to Dingalan:

From Manila:

There are bus terminals that offers a ride to Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija from Cubao, Pasay or Caloocan. Fare is P185 and ride may took 2 hours.

Upon arriving in Cabanatuan City Transport Terminal, catch a van going to Dingalan, Aurora. Vans are parked near 7/11 and fare is P120. It may take another 2 hour ride.

Getting Around Dingalan:

To go places in Dingalan, you can ride a tricycle and fare may be around P20 depending where you are heading to. There’s a lot of tourist attractions to visit but for this trip we only decided to go on its iconic spots, the Dingalan View Deck and Dingalan Lighthouse. As much as we wanted to go on other tourist spots, we are already tired from our Baler trip prior going to Dingalan.

Start of our journey:

Upon arriving on Dingalan Transport Terminal, we ride a tricycle going to the Feeder Port located in Brgy. Paltic (fare is P20). Feeder port is the starting point of your Dingalan Tour. From here, you need to register and pay for the Environmental Fee of P50. A tour guide is required to go on any desired Dingalan destination. No worries, it won’t be hard for you to look for a registered tour guide since they flock on the port area with their uniform and IDs. Tour guide rate is P200 per location. If you wish to eat first before starting your Dingalan activities, there are few food stalls or “karinderya” on the Feeder Port area that offers food for cheap prices.

Going to the White Beach:

White Beach is the drop off point to Dingalan View Deck and Lighthouse. You have two choices going to the White Beach from the Feeder Port. First, you can rent a boat for P800 good for 10 persons or second, you can trek from the Feeder Port to White Beach for 30-40 minutes. On our case, we decided to take the second option.

We started our trek at 6:30am. Trekking might be easy but tricky at times. You have to walk on the sea shores with big rocks while big waves are coming your way. At times, we have to wait for the waves to calm down before crossing the big rocks and do it as fast as possible before catching the next big wave.

The tour guide will require you an additional P200 if you choose to trek instead of renting boat. Upon arriving on White Beach, there are open cottages available where you can rest for some time before trekking the mountain.

Going to Dingalan View Deck:

Trekking from the White Beach going to Dingalan View Deck may take arond 30 minutes. Most part of the way to the top is covered with trees so trekking is a bit easy but still tiring at times. The path is well guided, there are posts and ropes that you can rely on.

Upon reaching the top you will be fascinated with the beauty that you will be seeing. It’s much like looking on a masterpiece of an artist on a painted canvass. The view is really jaw-dropping that won’t stop you from staring and taking pictures.

Going to the Lighthouse:

After you’re done with the View Deck, you have to trek down for 30 minutes. Once reached the jump off point on the White Beach area you have to climb again on the other side for another 30 minutes to reach the lighthouse. Unlike the path on the View Deck, there’s no shade or trees on your way but instead, you will be seeing tall grasses along the way.

Upon reaching the top, another beauty awaits you. It’s windy on the lighthouse area compared on the View Deck which will be a good place to relax and scream your heart out. I actually enjoyed lying on the grass and feel the fresh air coming.

Note: Climbing the lighthouse itself is prohibited

Going back to the Feeder Port:

Once you are done with the trekking, it’s up to you if you want to stay on the White Beach for swimming or head to other Dingalan spots. On our case, since we only decided to visit the lighthouse and view deck we decided to head back to the Feeder Port.

You can trek back to the port for another 30-40 minutes but since we are a bit tired of all the trekking we’ve done we chose to rent a boat for a cheaper price of P400. (You will only pay half the boat rental fee if you will be coming from the White Beach)

Going Back to Manila:

You have to ride a tricycle from Feeder Port back to the transport terminal and ride a van going to Cabanatuan. By this time, the travel time to Cabanatuan only took 1 and a half hour. It’s much faster than our travel time from Cabanatual to Dingalan.

On Cabanatuan Terminal, we looked and ride a bus back to Cubao for P185.

Other Tourist Spots you can visit in Dingalan:

Tanawan Falls
Lamao Caves
Matawe Beach
Laktas Falls

Breakdown of Expenses (for 2 pax):

Expenses	Fares/Fees
Fare from Cubao to Cabanatuan	P185
Fare from Cabanatuan to Dingalan	P120
Tricycle fare to Feeder Port	P20
Environmental Fee	P50
Tour Guide Fee (2 locations and additional fee for trekking)	P300(P600/2)
Food	P45
Tricycle fare to Dingalan Terminal	P20
Fare from Dingalan to Cabanatuan	P120
Fare from Cabanatuan to Cubao	P185
Boat Rental	P200(P400/2)
Total	P1245

Expenses will be cheaper if you will be coming on big groups

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