Pangasinan: Do-It-Yourself Itinerary Travel Guide Pangasinan! Well known for their Bangus and the Hundred Island National Park. With awesome golden sand beaches that will take your breath away, this province is the perfect destination for those looking for a cheaper alternative near Metro Manila. Little do people know that hundred islands mean countless of white and golden beaches can be found. Me and my travel buddies explored Dagupan, Lingayen, Calasiao, Alaminos, and Bolinao to find out what else can be seen and below are some of the highlights of my experience there. Based on the map, there are still so many places to explore and more secrets to be unraveled. Meanwhile, let’s stick to the popular ones first. HOW TO GET TO PANGASINAN
Transcript
Pangasinan: Do-It-Yourself Itinerary Travel GuidePangasinan! Well known for their Bangus and the Hundred Island National Park. With awesome golden sand beaches that will take your breath away, this province is the perfect destination for those looking for a cheaper alternative near Metro Manila. Little do people know that hundred islands mean countless of white and golden beaches can be found.
Me and my travel buddies explored Dagupan, Lingayen, Calasiao, Alaminos, and Bolinao to find out what else can be seen and below are some of the highlights of my experience there. Based on the map, there are still so many places to explore and more secrets to be unraveled. Meanwhile, let’s stick to the popular ones first.
HOW TO GET TO PANGASINAN
The best way to reach Pangasinan is by bus, the popular one being Victory Liner which offers direct routes to Bolinao from its Cubao station for P432. If you’re going to Dagupan or Alaminos, they have more regular trips that leaves every hour. As an alternative, you can also take Dagupan Bus or Five Star Bus lines.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that there were a lot of tourist spots, other than the Hundred Islands, to see in Pangasinan. Both natural and man-made attractions were a delight to see and going there for a weekend is definitely not enough to experience all of it. Click on the photos to read more about them!
Picking a place to stay for a vacation is as important as the vacation itself. Whether you pick a budget-friendly inn or a resort that prioritizes comfort and relaxation, picking the right one that would fit your itinerary is . Here are some of the resorts/hotels that we stayed in while in Pangasinan.
Puerto del Sol, BolinaoIslandia Hotel, Alaminos
WHERE TO EAT IN PANGASINAN
A trip is never complete without trying the local delicacy of a particular place. From puto to seafood to bamboo-cooked rice, Pangasinan does not disappoint!
Travelling offers the best possible way to find yourself. When you’re away from your comfort zone, you may discover new things that can define who you are.
Bolinao Sunset My Happy Feet
SUGGESTED 3D/2N ITINERARY FOR PANGASINAN
If you’re planning to visit Pangasinan, I would suggested going straight to Bolinao then making your way to Dagupan or Alaminos for the Hundred Islands tour.
1. Travel time from Manila to Dagupan is usually 5 to 6 hours2. Bangus Festival, their month-long annual festivity that celebrates Dagupan’s bangus, happens during April3. Aside from bangus, it is also recommended that you try local flavor like the Calasiao Puto and Longganisa Alaminos4. It gets pretty hot during the day. Bring an umbrella or a quick-dry towel to prevent excessive sweating
As early as January, my sisters in law and I have already been planning for our family summer outing for this year. There are a lot of beach choices from North to South of Luzon, but since they will be driving all the way from Baguio, we decided to travel around Pangasinan instead.
We first tried Sierra Vista in San Fabian, Pangasinan. We arrived noon time and stayed for one night. Nothing is special about the beach of San Fabian. We were disappointed to see the place, it is not as beautiful as the pictures they presented on the internet. Sorry, have to be honest.
The next day, we are off to Alaminos City where the Hundred Islands National Park is situated. If you are coming from Manila, travel time is around 5-6 hours to reach the place. For a trivia, Hundred Islands, according to sources, is actually comprised of 124 islands and islets at low tide and 123 at high tide and are scattered along Lingayen Gulf. Among these islands, only three are developed and commercialized for tourist attractions – Governor Island, Quezon Island, and Children Island.
We were actually surprised that there are many lodges surrounding the sea. Some of these lodges’ contact information is not available on the internet. That’s also the reason why we stayed first in San Fabian and decided to day tour Hundred Islands. If we only have this information at hand, we should have stayed in Alaminos and saved a lot of money that time.
When we get to the National Park, there are already available free cottages for relaxation and picnic purposes. We reached our destination early lunchtime so we decided to eat first while we also secure our entrance tickets of P20 each from the Hundred Island National Park Center. After which, we negotiate with one of the boats docked near Lucap Pier. Options are P2,000-2,500/boat (depends on
number of passenger) if you want to see all 100+ islands; and P1,500/boat if you only wish to visit the three developed islands. We chose the latter since it’s already afternoon (boat must be back by 5pm) and we have kids on board.
While we are sailing, our boatman, who also happened to be our tour guide, still managed to show off the rest of the islands. According to him, not all islands were given names. To name a few, they have Quinco Island, Clave Island, Scout Island, Sulpot Island, Monkey Island, Abad Santos Island, Hernandez Island, Romulo Island, Devil’s Island, Cathedral Island, etc.
Governor’s Island is where we first stop. One attraction of this island is the View Deck where you have to trek all the way to the top. The experience was very tiring, but once you reach the peak, it’s all worth the exhaustion. Picturesque sight is waiting for you up there.
Additional attraction of Governor’s Island is the Pinoy Big Brother House. This is where the PBB Teen Edition housemates, Kim Chui and Gerald Anderson stayed during their last few days as Big Four.
Our next island destination is Quezon Island. Named after Manuel L. Quezon, the island is the largest and has a long bridge and nice view decks.
We stayed longer in Governor’s and Quezon Islands as our companion kids really enjoyed swimming in the clear water and fine sand. It’s getting late and to avoid encountering big waves, we decided to skip the Children’s Island. Our boatman showed it to us from afar. According to him, the island is very crowded and the water is quite unclear.
By 5:45 pm, we already reached the port. If you have been swimming in the islands or get wet and want to change and freshen up, there are available shower rooms where you have to pay P10. I don’t know, maybe it’s just too crowded on the day we were there. The shower experience is very uncomfortable for us. The bathrooms are not well-maintained and there is not enough water in the shower. On a lighter
Years ago, travelers within Luzon would rather go on a roadtrip to nearby provinces where they can get access to the beach and beautiful sceneries. First of all, it is cheaper and more practical. I also think that the tourism industry in Northern Luzon was more in demand compared to now. With the constant promo fares and discounted deals, people would rather fly than drive.
^play the video for inspiration ^
I am from Pangasinan and I can say that my beloved province has a number of tourist attractions. Although some are not yet highly-promoted, I do believe that the towns of ALAMINOS and BOLINAO tops the list.
In late 2010, I together with nine other travel blogger friends embarked on a weekend trip to West Pangasinan. Our Saturday is devoted for Alaminos, while we were blessed to spend a happy Sunday in Bolinao. More than half of the group had regular jobs then so we really need to squeeze everything for the weekend.
Let me share our simple itinerary for the Alaminos – Bolinao trip:
ALAMINOS (SATURDAY)
Islandia Hotel in Alaminos City
7AM – Arrival to Alaminos
Half of the group took a van from Dagupan to Alaminos (1hr) while those who need to attend work on Friday left Manila at around 1AM or later. Not sure LOL.
7:30AM – Hotel Check-in
For our Alaminos leg, we stayed in Islandia Hotel. We were given two rooms (for the boys and girls) and rested for a while.
Since we’re in Alaminos, it is a must that we try the Alaminos Longganisa. Some ordered the Boneless Bangus. It is fun to eat breakfast with a big group who are torn between eating and watching TV. Hehe.
We were also given a short tour around the hotel. Photos of Ms. Earth candidates are all over the place. Even the room names are influenced by the participating countries!
10AM – En Route to Hundred Islands Nature Park
The group was divided to three groups for a 20-minute tricycle ride to Brgy. Lucap, where the Hundred Islands Nature Park is located. We met up with Mr. Rey Livara, the tourism officer of Alaminos City whom we contacted prior to the trip. That time, he saw him helping out his staff for the Christmas decoration. He is one friendly guy with good sense of humor.
We bought packed lunch before we proceeded with the tour. There are hundred of islands seen, but you cannot really stay in all of these islands. We managed to visit the following: Governor’s Island (where the view deck and the PBB House is located), Virgin Island (you need to do a walkathon to reach this one), Shell Island (my favorite) and Quezon Island, the most populated Island hehe. We ate our late lunch there and at the same time had an on-the-spot Kayaking lessons.
So after the sudden Kayaking lessons, we were then divided into four and we kayak-ed (is there such term? but you get my point, right? hehe) our way to the Imelda Cave, where we did some snorkeling and some even jumped to take a splunge. Too bad we didn’t bring our cameras with us. We also went to the spot where the giant clams are located.
We went back to Quezon Island at 5:15PM, just in time for sunset! After a series of photo-ops, we went back to our boat for a trip back to Brgy. Lucap.
7PM – Back to the Hotel
- Change clothes and freshen up!
8PM – Dinner at Island Tropic Hotel and Restaurant
- We’re all happy to be invited by Island Tropic Hotel & Restaurant! They prepared some meals for us and my favorite is the Squid Mr. Rey Livara also shared more details about Alaminos City and how they’re planning to attract more tourists to go visit. It’s nice to know that in Alaminos, almost all hotels, restaurants, travel agencies etc help each other in terms of promoting the tourism sector.
9PM – Back to Islandia Hotel
Tired from the physical activities, majority went straight to their beds and slept in a snap. Too Tired!
BOLINAO (SUNDAY)
6:30 AM – Wake up! Wake up!
7:15 AM- Bus to Bolinao
- We took a mini-bus to Bolinao. For almost 45 minutes, we enjoyed the scenery!
- Puerto del Sol is the most popular resort in Bolinao and to be honest, I consider it as one of the best resorts I’ve been to here in the Philippines.
There are more places to go to in Bolinao and I will update this part later
6PM- Back to Puerto del Sol
- Since most of us wanted to swim some more, we decided to jump to the pool and have more fun! From jokes to intimate talks that was cut short when they mentioned that dinner is ready!
7:30PM – Dinner
- Thanks to La Playa for allowing us to have an outdoor dinner! Aside from the romantic feel (ka-date mo siyam na tao LOL), it is also a perfect way to celebrate Josh’s 23rd birthday!
9PM – Cocktails and Jacuzzi
Cocktails by the pool and jacuzzi bonding moment after. Love it!
No. of Pax: 4 paxBudget: P2,700 - including transportation, lodging, entrance fees & toursDuration: 2 days – 1 nightEstimated Start: Day 0 – 11:00 PM Assembly at Five Star PasayEstimated End: Day 2 – 12:00 MN at Victory Liner CubaoLodging: Kubo at Abrac Beach, Patar, BolinaoActivities: Tricycle Tour and Beach Walk at Patar, Bolinao; Island Hopping in Hundred Islands National Park
Suggested Itinerary
Day 01100 PM Assembly at Five Star Pasay; Buy tickets1200 MN ETD to Bolinao, Pangasinan; P442/pax
Day 1
0600 AMArrival at Bolinao, Pangasinan; Walk to Adora’s Restaurant; Ask directions from locals
0610 AM Breakfast at Adora’s Restaurant0700 AM Walk to Market to buy packed lunch and ingredients for breakfast the next day
0730 AMHire a tricycle to tour you around Bolinao and for you to be picked up at Patar Beach tomorrow in the morning. P800/tryc; 4pax/tricycle
0745 AM Start of tricycle tour; ETD to UP Marine Institute0800 AM ETA UP Marine Institute; Entrance Fee P10/pax0945 AM ETD to Enchanted Cave1025 AM ETA Enchanted Cave; Entrance Fee w/ swimming P70/pax; Parking Fee P15/tricycle1100 AM ETD to Wondeful Cave1110 AM ETA Wonderful Cave; Entrance Fee P40/pax1150 AM Early Lunch at Wonderful Cave; Packed Lunch1230 PM ETD to Cindy’s Cave1240 PM ETA Cindy’s Cave; Entrance Fee P50/pax0110 PM ETD to Bolinao Lighthouse0125 PM ETA Bolinao Lighthouse0200 PM ETD to Abrac Beach or your desired Kubo Lodging in Patar
0210 PMETA to Abrac Beach or lodging; Check-in – P1,000/kubo during off-peak; can fit up to 4 pax; Settle down and rest! Don’t forget to remind your tricycle driver to pick you up the next day around 8AM
0330 PMWalk by the beach up to the end of Abrac Beach; Don’t forget to bring snacks, water and something to cover you from the heat of the sun; You can rest in between
0420 PM Arrival at the end of Abrac Beach0430 PM Walk back to your lodging0530 PM Arrival back at lodging; Don’t go in yet; Time for sunset watching!0600 PM Freshen up; P10/pax shower
0630 PMWalk to La Parola Restaurant; Bring flashlight as the road in front of the restaurant is quite dark.
0640 PM Dinner at La Parola Restaurant0740 PM Walk back to lodging; Don’t forget to bring a stick for the dogs.0750 PM Back at lodging;
Day 20600 AM Wake-up; Cook breakfast0700 AM Breakfast!!!!
0800 AMRide hired tricycle; Say that you want to be dropped off at Bolinao Church (St. James the Great Parish)
0850 AM ETA Bolinao Church; Walk around the church0920 AM Walk to Mini Bus station going to Alaminos/Dagupan0930 AM ETD to Alaminos, Pangasinan; Mini bus fare is P45/pax
1040 AMETA Alaminos Town Proper; Ride tricycle to Lucap Wharf – P50/tricycle; 4 pax/tricycle
1055 AMArrival at Hundred Islands Tourist Welcome Center; Register and pay the day trip entrance fee of P20/pax; Fill-up the Passenger Manifest
1110 AMGo to the food stalls near the Tourist Welcome Center for LUNCH!!!! Buy also some water and food for your island hopping trip.
1200 NNWalk to the wharf and ask for a Service Boat to tour you around the Hundred Islands National Park; P1,400/service boat for 1-5 pax to be paid at the end of the tour
1230 PM Start of Island Hopping!!! Get ready to get wet!0430 PM End of Island Hopping; Take a shower at the paid CR; P10/pax for the shower0500 PM Halo-halo at Lucap Wharf0515 PM Take a tricycle to Alaminos Market; P50/tricycle0530 PM ETA Alaminos Market; Buy Pasalubongs; Alaminos Longganisa!0615 PM Ride tricycle to Alaminos Victory Liner Station; P10/pax0625 PM ETA Alaminos Victory Liner Station; Buy ticket for 7PM bus (last trip)0700 PM ETD to Cubao/Pasay; P370/pax1200 MN ETA Cubao
* ETA – Estimated Time of Arrival* ETD – Estimated Time of Departure
Budget for 4 pax
Transportation
P442.00Five Star Bus from Pasay to Bolinao, PangasinanP45.00Mini Bus from Bolinao to AlaminosP12.50Tricycle from Alaminos Town Proper to Lucap Wharf; P50/tricycle
P12.50Tricycle from Lucap Wharf to Alaminos Market; P50/tricycleP10.00Tricycle from Alaminos Market to Victory Liner Station; P10/pax
P370.00Victory Liner Bus from Alaminos, Pangasinan to Cubao, Quezon CityP892.00 Total Transportation
Lodging
P250.00Kubo Lodging at Abrac Beach, Patar in Bolinao; P1,000/kubo during off-peakP250.00Total Lodging
Food
P80.00Breakfast Day 1 at Adora’s Restaurant in Bolinao Town ProperP80.00Water and Snacks for the tricycle tour in Bolinao P80.00Packed Lunch Day 1 P80.00Water and Snacks for walking at Abrac Beach P80.00Dinner Day 1 at La Parola el Restaurante near Abrac Beach, Patar in Bolinao P80.00Breakfast Day 2; Ingredients bought from Bolinao Market P80.00Lunch Day 2 at Lucap Wharf P80.00Water & Snack for Island Hopping in Hundred Islands National Park
P640.00Total Food
Entrance Fees and Tours
P200.00Tricycle Tour and Pick up at Bolinao; P800/tricycle; 4 pax/tricycle P10.00Entrance Fee at UP Marine InstituteP70.00Entrance Fee at Enchanted Cave P3.75Parking Fee for tricycle at Enchanted Cave; P15/tricycle
P40.00Entrance Fee at Wonderful Cave P50.00Entrance Fee at Cindy’s CaveP20.00Day Trip Entrance Fee at Hundred Islands National Park
P350.00Service Boat for Island Hopping in Hundred Islands National Park; P1,400/boat for 1-5 pax
P743.75Total Entrance Fees and Tours
Miscellaneous
P10.00Day 1 Shower; Freshen Up at Abrac Beach, Patar; P10/pax P10.00Day 2 Shower; Before leaving Abrac Beach, Patar; P10/pax
P5.00Use of Comfort Room in Abrac Beach, Patar; P5/pax P5.00Day 2Use of Comfort Room in Lucap Wharf
P10.00Day 2 Shower; After the island hopping of Hundred Islands, Pangasinan P40.00Total Miscellaneous
Budget Summary
P892.00TransportationP250.00LodgingP640.00FoodP743.75Entrance Fees and ToursP40.00Miscellaneous
P134.25Extra MoneyP2,700.00TOTAL BUDGET
Things to Bring
Clothes good for 2 days and 1 night Swimming Clothes
Small bottle of water to be refilled once in a while
Bolinao Notes
There’s no early reservation for Five Star Bus at 12MN. If you have someone who can go earlier than the assembly time do so, so you could reserve tickets/seats.
If you are afraid of missing the bus due to high demand, you may want to reserve tickets at Victory Liner Cubao. Last trip is 9PM, fare is P432/pax. You’ll be arriving at Bolinao around 2-3AM, you can lodge for a short time at Dos Flores Resort for P350 for 3 hours + P50 per hour.
Adora’s Restaurant is located on the left side of the church, just before the Bolinao Public Market; Open 24 hours
Don’t forget to buy food for your tricycle drivers. They usually do not bring food. Do not let your tricycle driver become hungry, it’s for your own safety.
Prices of the tricycle tours are controlled by the Municipality of Bolinao, Pangasinan. It may range from P800 to P1,000. Depends on your haggling abilities and charm.
It is best to swim inside Enchanted Cave, Wonderful Cave and Cindy’s Cave. You can change your clothes at Enchanted Cave then just have your shower and change of clothes after your swim at Abrac Beach in Patar.
The tricycle may not have enough power to carry 4 pax with bags during the uphill road to Bolinao Lighthouse. Please walk going up. It is for your safety.
Abrac Beach is also popularly known as Patar Beach. I got the information from Bolinao’s Tourism Office
Only Smart has a signal in Patar and it is still weak!
Kubo at Abrac Beach for 4 pax is priced at P1,000/kubo during off-peak and P3,000/kubo during peak. Better to contact the kubo rental before you go so you could know how much you’ll be spending on lodging. Kubo lodging usually includes a kitchen area and a cottage in front
You can go cheaper if you camp-out at Abrac Beach; Ask Benjie’s Cottages to protect your bags while you do the walk to the end of Abrac Beach. Just give them a tip after the walk for taking care of your belongings. Do not leave your valuables unattended during camp-outs.
Abrac Beach’s sunset view is one of the best sunsets I’ve seen!
Walking back to your lodging from La Parola el Restaurante is quite challenging due to the dogs barking. Just keep on walking. Show them that you are strong but do not offend them. Or just bring a stick.
Rock formations at the end of Abrac Beach in Patar, Bolinao
Alaminos Notes
There are many people who will try to sell you tours on the Hundred Islands at Hundred Islands Tourist Welcome Center. Just go straight to the desk and tell them that you want to do a daytrip around the islands.
Bring food also for your boatman during the Island Hopping Tour in Hundred Islands National Park.
Choose the Service Boat when touring the Hundred Islands so you can go to any island you want to go inside the park.
You can buy different kinds of fish sauce in Alaminos Market. Also, you can buy Alaminos Longganisa, one of my favorite longganisa.
View from Governor's Island in Hundred Islands National Park in Alaminos, Pangasinan
* This budget and itinerary is only a general guide to help you plan your trip to Bolinao and Alaminos, Pangasinan. You can modify it whatever way you want. Be ready for on-the-spot modifications for more fun!
* The data gathered here are from my trip to Bolinao and Alaminos, Pangasinan on January 12-13, 2012.
This is a part of my 12 for 2012 Travel Project that aims to document 12 local destination in the Philippines in 2012 to help travellers plan their trips faster.
