Baler Quick Tour: Sabang Beach Sunrise

Catching the sunrise in Sabang Beach the following morning was the best reward my colleagues and I could get after the extended hours of planning that we had the night before. We were like a bunch of excited kids knocking on each door to wake up the others who might be interested in going with us.    

We didn’t bother waking our driver up as he might still be in a deep slumber, so we just rode the tricycles parked in front of Carlito’s Inn. Fare going to Sabang beach was 15 pesos per person per way.

Baler Quick Tour: Aniao Islets

It was my second time to visit Baler, Aurora last January for an overnight planning with faculty members from the College of Engineering. My first visit was also for an overnight planning but with a different group of employees from the university. Obviously, when you have planning activities as short as 2 days, there’s little chance that you would enjoy the attractions the venue has to offer. Nevertheless, my colleagues and I took advantage of our short stay in Aurora by visiting Ermita Hill, Sabang Beach, the famous Millennium Tree and the Aniao Islets.

Dapitan City's Dakak Park and Beach Resort

View of Dakak cove from the Repeater

This question goes to the people of my age: did you ever dream of going to Dakak when you were younger? As far as I can remember, there was an ad before about Dakak Resort running over and over during commercial breaks of a popular noontime show. Mom would tell me it’s Mindanao’s version of Boracay. I told myself that I would visit the place when I get older.

Spending Two Hours in Talima Beach Villas and Dive Resort

With a little more than 2 hours to spare, my friend and I decided to spend our remaining time on a day trip. Our choices were Shalala Beach, Abalone Resort, and Talima Beach Resort. Shalala Beach is a public beach with no restaurant. And since my friend had already visited the place, we scrapped it out of our options. Abalone Resort, on the other hand, is a resort which looked good outside (we passed by it on the way to Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary). But since it is an inland resort, meaning there is no beach, we also eliminated it. So we were down to Talima Beach Resort. I’ve already seen the resort in the internet and it appealed to me. So Talima it was. From OIWS, a tricycle picked us up and drove us all the way to the resort for 120 pesos. There were some exaggeratedly bumpy parts going to the resort.

A Stunning View of the Pacific in Margarett Peak

Pacific Ocean

Almost anywhere in the Philippines you’ll be able to get a view of the Pacific Ocean. The rivers and seas surrounding the archipelago discharge into the world’s largest body of water. But among the places that I’ve visited that offered great views of the Pacific, I think the view in Margarett Island Peak Resort is yet the most spectacular.

Margarett Island Peak Resort is an attraction located in Pangasinan Island, off the coast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, reachable in 15 minutes by a small pump boat. It is one of the few tourist spots that can be visited in the arranged tours offered in Enchanted River. For a glimpse of other attractions in the area, please click here.

Beyond Enchanted: Paradise at the End of the River

This boat can be found at the end of the river

If you are visiting Enchanted River in Hinatuan, the enchantment doesn’t stop at enjoying the cold, blue waters. There are actually a lot of other amazing places to visit in the small town.

If you are keen enough to explore Enchanted River, you will find a number of boats further downstream. For a fee, these boats will take you to several places that Hinatuan is also proud of. Among the places you can visit are Sibadan Fish Cages and Resort, Margarett Island Peak Resort, Tinago River and Islands, Pangasinan Pacific Shore Resort, and Vanishing Island.


Experiencing Tranquility in Mahoc Beach

Mahoc Beach

After an exhausting adventure in Aliwagwag Falls, we still had an hour to spare before we check out from our accommodation. We asked our habal-habal driver, Kuya Along, to take us somewhere for a quick visit. He asked if we wanted to visit a white sand beach, and we said yes. He told us he’s going to take us to Mahoc Beach, a white sand paradise located in San Antonio, a barangay in Cateel that’s just next to the town of Baganga.