Author: Ian Limpangog

From El Nido, I planned to take the 10PM bus bound for Puerto Princesa for me to catch my 11:55AM flight the following day. However, the plan changed. I thought that I must take a good rest before going home since I still have to report to the office few hours after my arrival in Manila. I looked for a cheap yet comfortable place to stay in Puerto Princesa through Agoda. Then I found Centris Inn which offers the best rate. My requirement was just a place to stay – I don’t need the other perks. I immediately booked the ... Read more

Here is the itinerary and the expenses we had during our Minalungao-Baler Tour. Excluded in the expenses are personal add-on expenses, pasalubong, and booze. The third column indicates individual contributions already. [custom_table style=”1″] Day Time and Activities Fees/pax Day 1: Side Trip to Minalungao 07:00AM – Take Five Star Bus to Gapan, Nueva, Ecija ₱160 11:00AM – Arrival in Gapan, Lunch ₱100 12:00PM – Jeep to Papaya (Gen Tinio), Nueva Ecija Option: Trike ₱200/3pax ₱27 12:45PM – Arrival in Papaya, Neva Ecija Trike to Minalungao Natural Park (Rountrip: ₱500/5pax) ₱100 01:45PM – Arrival in Minalungao = Entry Fee: ₱20 ₱20 01:30PM ... Read more

Breakfast at Baler’s rolling storeWe extended our contract with Kuya Erwin and Bernie and paid ₱100 less, as a discount. Since we had an awesome day 1 with them, we hired their services again, anticipating for another great tour. Technically, our day 2 in Baler is the Day 3 of our Minalungao-Baler tour series. The two joiners, Jo Anne and Francis, who accompanied us in the second half of our first day in Baler insisted on taking a breakfast at the rolling store after hearing that we had a delicious breakfast the day before. They also wanted to try the ... Read more

One Monday morning, I suddenly thought of travelling to Baler. I considered going alone but upon thinking of the expenses, I became reluctant. I did some research and presented the itinerary with the corresponding expenses to my office mates. I also included a day side trip to Minalungao National Park in the list of the things to do. Five of them confirmed to join me, while two others promised to follow on the second day. After spending most of our Day 1 in the road and in Minalungao, we headed to Baler by boarding a van in Cabanatuan City. We paid ... Read more

Smack in the middle of the town of Baler stands the birthplace of the Philippines’ First Lady during the commonwealth government (1935 to 1944), Doña Aurora Aragon-Quezon. The house had undergone some major restoration but the original details and design were not altered. It retained its “bahay kubo” look featuring fine hardwood walls and nipa (Palmer’s grass) roof. Below are the photos inside and around the famed ancestral house in Baler. The balcony [one_half] The ladies looking out of the window. Waiting for serenading suitors? [/one_half] [one_half_last] The ancestral house’s gallery [/one_half_last] The in-house library One EMO moment Another EMO ... Read more

The two Diguisit Falls are only two of the four falls to check in Baler and its neighboring towns. Yes – Diguisit falls has two versions and both are comprised of more than three contiguous cascades breaking through the large boulders. The only difference is the volume of the flow wherein the smaller one has significantly thinner down-flow. The distance between the two falls is just few hundred meters. When we were at the larger falls, say Diguisit uno, we were busy taking photos at first, but after sometime, we started frolicking in the waterfall like kids on the loose. ... Read more

Aside from surfing, people visit Baler to see other natural attractions. One of them is the Ditumabo Falls which sits on a hill in San Luis, a neighboring municipality. Ditumabo Falls is popularly known as Mother Falls because it is the biggest of the four falls around Baler. The other three are: Caunayan, Diguisit, and another Diguisit falls, which is smaller. Other geographical notes indicate that it is the province’s largest. However, seeing this spectacle is not as easy as shooting fish in a barrel. You have to endure 20 – 30 minutes of bumpy and shaky tricycle ride in a rutty, ... Read more

You may be asking if going to Minalungao is worth an effort and money especially when you are coming way down south. The answer is a big yes. Here are the things you can do in Minalungao National Park. Picnic and Camping Contrary to a popular belief, Minalungao isn’t just for a day tour but for overnight campers too. You can spend a night or two with your friends or even your family within its premises. Cottages were installed for rent (₱300-500 per day) and you can bring a tent to shelter you in the evening. Raise the vim with ... Read more

When I heard about it the first time, I always wanted to see Minalungao National Park. However, I wasn’t able to find time or a willing companion. Well, my other impediment was the expense since going solo is costlier, which is definitely not a good idea. Monday last week, I prepared an itinerary with the corresponding expenses and presented it to my officemates. Included destinations were Minalungao National Park and Baler. Five confirmed to join me in the entire trip, while two others promised to follow us in our next destination. Minalungao National Park How to get to Minalungao National ... Read more