Zambales Coves - Weekend Roadtrip

It's another weekend. 😎

While everybody else enjoys the snow and the cold weather in various places of the world, our thirst for salt water resurfaced. So, off to the beach, we went. This time, we hit the coves of Zambales.

We left Antipolo at around 5 o' clock in the morning and had some sweet stop overs in Quezon City, Clark and Subic. A road trip cannot be complete without a coffee break. 

Who wouldn't agree? ☕️☕️☕️

Below is my frappe with Olaf's key rings - Tigger from HK Disney and my 1988 Los Angeles chain from Gift Creations.

 

We arrived Pundaquit at 11 o' clock in the morning - just in time for lunch.

Our rice meals were consumed swiftly, but this rare dessert (below) found a room in my camera phone. 

 

This is a view of the West Philippine Sea (above) from our cottage with this famous dessert - iced buco salad.

We capped the night early after an afternoon stroll to the beach and a little bonding over beer. 🍻 

 

 

Here is a view of the West Philippine Sea at sunset (below).

 

The next day, we went island hopping to the coves of San Antonio, Zambales. We left at 6 o' clock in the morning. 

 

Our first stop: Nagsasa Cove. It is an hour away from Pundaquit. 

 

There are several campers and this campsite caught our attention. The sand is gray but is clean and powdery. You can walk with your bare foot.

We had our breakfast at this island. 

 

Our next stop: Anawangin Cove - thirty minutes away from Nagsasa Cove.

The sun was scorching hot so we didn't bother to walk around. 

 

We stayed at the shades of the trees near the camp sites and had pinipig crunch by the fence.

 

The sand here is also gray but is cleaner and more powdery than Nagsasa.

Next stop: Capones Island - thirty minutes from Anawangin.

This, for me, is the best of the four islands in this trip.

The sand is white but is not powdery. You would hurt your feet if you walk without slip ons. So, it's better not to take your aqua shoes off.

The sea is deep blue and the rock formations are breath taking.

 

 

Our next stop: Camara Island - twenty minutes from Capones.

 

The floor of the island is coated with these pebbles and tiny shells that are pleasing to the eyes and are foot friendly. 

This is the smallest of the four islands.

After a few minutes, we went back to Pundaquit and had our afternoon mango shake.

We went back to MNL the next morning. We left at 5 o' clock.

Here's Olaf (below) parked at SCTEX.

 

Until our next trip! 😎😎😎

My Bbeyb's Birthday Trip. 😎

This trip was drafted early this year to celebrate my beyboss' birthday. These, for me, are seven great reasons to visit and revisit El Nido in no particular order:

1. Seven Commandos Beach

 

The polvoron-like sand in the Seven Commandos beach is so pure that it seemingly melts when you rub thru your skin, same as salt scrubs. Bbeyb enjoyed the foot scrubbing part. If we didn't have time limit, she may have stayed longer. ✌️️

 

This island can be reached via motorized boat and is 15 minutes away from El Nido Town Proper. If you are availing the tours offered by the hotels, this is part of Tour A. 

2. Talisay Beach

If you wish to swim and still enjoy the powdery white sand, this is the best place to go.

 

 

Book the Tour C package being offered by El Nido hotels. Most tour providers also cater their free picnic lunch here as part of the package. 

This is bbeyb's favorite part: buffet lunch by the beach! 🍴

 

3. Lagen Island Resort

If you are booking this resort, choose the water cottage. It's pricey, but is definitely worth the pennies. This is her personal choice of room. 

 

Here's why:

 

The water cottage also has the best view at night.

 

They offer packages that include buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner with access to all motorized activities and access to all resort amenities.

This again is her favorite part: buffet meal. 

 

They also provided a slice of cake for the birthday celebrant.

 

Happy birthday, bbeyb. 😘

4. Dibuluan Island Beach Club

This island is 15 minutes away from Lagen Resort via speed boat. We were lucky that nobody else was there when we visited.

It's like a birthday gift to the gorgeous celebrant. 😘

 

We feel like we owned the island for that day. They have sailboats, kayaks, paddleboards and other motorized activities in the island. 

 

When you're at Lagen, make sure that you book this tour as part of your itinerary.

5. Big and Small Lagoons

These are part of Tour A and can be reached via motorized boats from the town proper. 

The birthday celebrant enjoyed this part of the tour, and added, "no filter needed" on almost every posts she had.

 

There are also kayaks for rent.

 

6. Secret Beach

From the name itself, you wouldn't know it exists from the outside as the opening is really unnoticeable. To reach the beach, you need to swim through the rocks until you reach the other side.

So that's the celebrant, tired from catching her breath from the long swim.

 

7. Matinloc Resort

This newly opened resort is the latest apple of our eyes in El Nido. 

 

They have beachfront rooms, forest rooms, mountain villas and a lot more. 

 

The rooms are spacious and follow a modern interior design. The infinity pool and the beach areas are also commendable.

Their restaurant also serves the best food choices.

They also offer snorkelling activities where corals are abundant.

 

This, so far, for me, is the best part of this trip. What made this trip better, is that, I am spending it with the birthday celebrant, my beybabe, my partner, my beyboss and my lifetime food and travel buddy.

Happy Birthday, bbeyb. 😘 I wish you all the best of everything. I hope you're enjoying this trip as much as I do.

 

Until our next trip. 

 😎😎😎

Love,

Beybabe ❤️

City of Pines Weekend Getaway

Baguio, also known as the City of Pines, is an alternative getaway for a weekend holiday (minus the beach). Though the city itself is crowded with tourists and locals, the weather is still colder than the metro, and is still a good place to enjoy a weekend.

There are several good places for foodies in Baguio. We used to have breakfast at Volante's, but this time we tried Hill Station. Food was great and the view, too.

It is best to roam around Baguio early in the morning, so you can enjoy the early morning fresh air as the sun starts to rise.

Since this is a short weekend trip, we only visited few spots within the city proper. Our first stop was Mines View Park. 

The crowded park did not let us stay long.

After shopping for native products, and a photoshoot with the famous pet in town, we went to the other spots outside the city.

We had an hour drive (mind the heavy traffic) to the famous Ben Cab museum. It is the home of Benedicto Cabrera and other various popular artists showcasing their paintings, sculptures and other masterpieces with an overlooking view of a beautiful landscape.

We stayed there until early lunch time. Cafe Sabel inside the museum is a good place to dine.

Afterluch, we went to Tam-awan Village.

It is a vilage resembling the houses of natives of Benguet and Mountain provinces. 

It took us an hour to explore the whole place.

Everything there in Tam-Awan Village is uniquely amusing.

I bet you'll stop at almost all of the village houses to take photos as souvenirs.

Our next stop was at Strawberry Farm, in La Trinidad. 

Aside from the strawberries and fresh vegetables that we bought for not even a quarter of our metro grocery prices, these sunflowers astonished me.

Define bold and beautiful. 🌻🌻🌻

We also had a short stopover at Rose Farm.

As expected, roses and all sorts of flowers are bountiful and equally beautiful. 💐🌺🌸🌷🌹

The vast land is filled with flowers and other ornamental plants, and according to the local farmer, is the main source of flowers that are being showcased in colorful floats during Panagbenga (Flower) Festival.

We stayed there until late afternoon and drove back to the city.

After a sumptuous dinner at Cafe by the Ruins, we roved back to Manila for another seven hours on the road.

Until our next trip. I hope you enjoyed. 😎