Year End Beach Trip at Subic

Yey! We finally get to spend a few days at the beach, thanks to the eased restrictions.

Anyway, we ended up here in Samba Blueocean because of the location (it’s just a 2hr drive) and the availability (I was able to book Dec 30 - Jan 1 eventhough it’s just less than a week before the trip).

Last Dec 30, we left home at around 4:45AM because we’re anticipating heavy traffic so we’re surprised that only a few cars were on the highway. We paid 60+425 for the toll fee going to Subic, then going back, it’s another 500.

We arrived at 7:20AM and there weren’t that many guests. There were a lot of empty parking spaces so we get to choose a good spot.

We headed over to the front office to settle our balance but since we arrived early, we still need to wait until 2PM to check in. The good thing is we can stay in the waiting area if we already want to swim.

After we had our breakfast, we decided to check out the nearby duty free shops since we still have a few hours.

We first visited Puregold Duty Free, and there were a lot on sale. I scored some sparkling juices for $3 per bottle, some chocolates and snacks for just a little over a dollar. After that, we went to Royal Duty Free. There’s not much to see so I was a bit disappointed. We just went back to the resort to have lunch.

At around 1:30PM, they already allowed us to check in. Our room, Seashell Village, is far from the entrance and a few walks away from the beach.

Our room is basic but super clean. It has its own CR and there a small patio with a table and some chairs where you can chill. They provided us with an extra mattress, a pillow, and a bath towel which is included on the extra head that we paid for. At the back of our room, there’s a common griller and a bonfire.

I was planning to grill our food for dinner but since we’re all tired from the trip, I just ordered from FoodPanda. Luckily, there were a lot of restaurants to choose from.

The next morning, while swimming, we saw a boat selling fresh catch so we bought Tambakol for 250 and grilled it for our lunch. The boatman offered to cook it for 200 but I thought it’s pricey. There’s a small sari-sari store inside the resort selling all kinds of stuff so I bought a small pouch of soy sauce for 20 and a 1L distilled water for 40.

After having our lunch, we then went to the front office to rent a Kayak. It costed us 380 for 1 hour. I’m not sure if it’s just the right price but I think it’s still within range.

At around 3PM, we went back to our room to rest and order food for our dinner.

After having our dinner, we went to the beach to check out the New Year Countdown event. At first, we’re hesitant to join but we’re glad we did. We didn’t even notice the time because we had so much fun.

On our last day, we just took one quick dip before leaving. I also bought a bag of indian mangoes for 100 to ease my craving.

Overall, we had fun. I wasn’t expecting much from the resort but they exceeded my expectations. We’ll definitely come back here for quick trips.

Puerto Galera during the Low Season 2016 Part 3: The Superb Experience

At 8:30 in the morning, all ten of us were already inside the bus. I thought the bus will depart at 9 but it's only 8:45 when we left. We took the ALPS bus going to Batangas Pier and as expected, we paid P175 per person but the kids were given student discount. The trip was smooth although we experienced moderate traffic in Batangas. It was 11:20 when arrived the port.

Waiting at ALPS

At Batangas Port

At the port, a lot of fixers are following us especially when they saw that we're in group but when I told them we live in Puerto Galera, they turned away from us. I know it's funny but I can't think of any other way we could get rid of them. Anyway, someone from MSL approched us and wanted us to sign up and upon seeing he is wearing the MSL T-Shirt, we started inquiring. We asked for a discount and I told them it's our Mom's birthday (thinking that might help), and after a few minutes of negotiation, they gave our Mom a free round trip ticket. The two kids are also free. We paid our terminal fee through them so I was really glad that our trip this time was hassle-free. We just paid them and after handing us our tickets, we went to the Departure area. We didn't make it to the 11:30 trip but at 12:12, we were already asked to board the ferry and in no time, we're on our way to Puerto Galera.

At the Departure Area

Inside the Ferry

We arrived at Muelle Pier at 1:26PM where Minolo's free shuttle service picked us up and took us to White Beach. It was a 30-minute zigzag trip. After we were dropped off, Ate Merlyn from VM approached us and offered us a family room for P2500, but since it was in 3rd floor, I just requested for two Quad rooms in 2nd floor which they readily gave us. I tried to haggle to get the room for P1000 each but they told us it's a weekend so the price is really higher. Well, I'd say their price of P2500 is fair enough.

Our room at VM Resort

After we unpacked our stuff, we went to Food Trip to have our late lunch. The place is full even though it's already past 2. Their kind staff seated us in a separate dining area that has a huge industrial fan. The food is just okay as expected.

We all went back to our resort and they changed to their swimming attires except me because I opted to take a short rest before dinner. It's already past 11PM when I woke up and I was surprised to see everyone's already sleeping. Too bad they missed Mindoro Sling and the fire dancers but I'm pretty sure they're all excited for tomorrow's island hopping organized by Queen Reyna.

At 5 in the morning, everyone's already awake and ready to have breakfast. We were scheduled to be picked up at 6. We had a little walk until we reached Terminal. They offer the usual breakfast combos plus unlimited rice. Their service was very slow. It took almost 30 minutes before we were served our orders plus the staff who waited our table forgot to list down one order and so we had to wait another 30 minutes. It's already past 6 when we finished our breakfast and the tour organizer was already waiting for us. She was really nice and even though we're late she just smiled at us and asked if we're ready to go.

Two trikes picked us up and drop us off to the port where our boat was waiting. By the way, we paid P2100 for unlimited island hopping and round trip transfer from our resort to the dock.

At the dock

The boatman asked us if we want to avail of the optional trip to the Underwater Cave, Coral Garden, and Giant Clams. To visit those sites, we need 3 small boats. Each trip would cost P200 per head but if we want to visit all three it will only cost us P300 per head, so we agreed to visit them all.
(I will provide the details of our island hopping on a separate post.)

It took us three hours to visit the three sites and after that, our boatman brought us to Maliklik Beach so we can have our early lunch before we go snorkeling again.

After our lunch, we then headed off to Bayanan Beach where the boys enjoyed snorkeling. They spotted different kinds of fish.

By 1PM we're already on our way back to our resort as we still have to catch the 3PM trip to Batangas Pier.

By 3PM, we walked to the far end of the White Beach where the MSL ferry is docked and after paying the exit fee of P10 per head, we boarded the ferry and in a few minutes, we're off to Batangas Pier. We were the last ones who boarded and unfortunately, there were no seats anymore so we just have to sit down at the entrance. So for an hour and a half, we have to endure it. I wasn't able to take a nap but the person seated behind me was playing some good music and at least that helped made the trip enjoyable. The ferry ride was smooth and I was happy it wasn't like the last time we're in Puerto Galera where there was a storm and everyone was nauseous because of the waves.

At the pier, the buses going to Cubao are all full but we were able to catch one in a few minutes. I was not able to check what time we left the pier. I think it was around 5 and we arrived in Megamall at around 8.

The trip was really fun. I was expecting the worst but only the best happened. We never encountered any issues before and during our stay and it was one of the most unforgettable trip to Puerto Galera I had ever experience.

  

Puerto Galera during the Low Season 2016 Part 2: Finding a Good Accommodation

There will be 10 of us travelling, 8 adults and 2 kids and I was thinking of staying either in White Beach or Aninuan Beach. Kids will enjoy it in Aninuan Beach because they will have the beach to themselves but the adults will like it in White Beach because of so many things to see. So, what I did after reading reviews and forums is I texted the resorts that matched my criteria:
-Affordable
-Clean bathroom
-Large room
-Near the beach (at least beachfront or just a few minutes walk to the beach)

*TIP: Contacting the resort directly gives you the opportunity to haggle and most of the time they offer cheaper rates than online booking sites

Here are the resorts I took into consideration:

WHITE BEACH
Palangga's Beach Resort (Contact No.: 09989798660)
-I saw them in Agoda. They have a good rating and they offer the lowest rate for an A/C Family Room for just P2,375 (tax included) but when I texted them to inquire, they just told me to check out Agoda so I just immediately cross them out on my list. They're the least accommodating and I thought that time what if their customer doesn't have access to the internet? so there's no other way to make reservations I guess.

Villa del Car (Contact No.: 09993068046)
-I learned about Villa del Car when I read a blog post about it. It's not beach front but just a 5-min walk. They have cooking utensils and gas stove available for guests who want to cook and they offered the family room (good for 8 pax) for just P3000. 

VM Resort (Contact No.: 09175234945)
-This is our go-to resort whenever we stay in Puerto Galera. They're just a few steps away from the beach. Their rate through Agoda is P1900 (tax included) for a Quad Room, but you can have the room for as low as P1250 when you book with them directly. I texted them twice but got no reply.

Sea Jewel Resort (Contact No.: 09328392280)
-This is located right after VM Resort and they have one of the cleanest rooms in Puerto Galera. I inquired about their rate and their quotations are:
Deluxe Twin Room P1900
Deluxe Quad Room P2500
Deluxe Family Room (for 6-8 pax) P4000
As much as I want to stay here, their rates are higher compared to other resorts plus the fact that their Family Room only has 3 double beds so I was thinking it will be uncomfortable for the 10 of us to squeeze ourselves in.

Bangera Inn (Contact No.: 09267064051)
-What I liked about this place is their Mediterranean decors, the clean rooms and bathrooms (as posted on their Facebook), and their high review score. Unfortunately, their Family Room rate is also at P4000. 

Livio's Lodging House (Contact No.: 09293709727)
-Livio's Lodging House has a high rating on Facebook probably because of their clean rooms and cheap price. I texted them and they are accommodating. They offered their Fan Quad Room for P1000 (P600 for 2 pax then P200 for extra person). But since we'll be needing 2 rooms, they offered us 2 fan rooms for just P1500. A/C Rooms cost P1500 for 2 pax plus P300 for extra person. Their rooms have a kitchenette and aref. They're located along the main road but just a few minutes walk to the beach.

Agbing Beach Resort (Contact No.: 09202394571)
-They have a good rating in Agoda. They offered the Apartment type accommodation for P3500. It has 1 small bedroom that fits 2 double bed, a living room, a dining area, a balcony, and a toilet and bath, and they would provide 2 extra matresses free of charge. If we want an apartment with a kitchen, that would be P4000 but they suggested we get 2 Deluxe Rooms instead so that we can have a spacious room a separate toilet and bath each room. Their regular rate for the Deluxe Room is P2000 for Low Season but they offered us 2 rooms for just P3500. The offer was tempting but I still asked them if they can give us the 2 Deluxe Rooms for P3000. They immediately agreed but told us that each room is strictly for 4 adults only. They also offered us extra matress for our kids for P350 with pillows and sheets.

ANINUAN BEACH
Sunny Beach Resort (through Agoda.com)
-They have an 8.1 rating in Agoda, they offer free breakfast for their guests, they have a pool and they offer their Quad Room for just P2000 per night (in Agoda). P4000 with free breakfast is a pretty good deal. But there's just one thing that makes me hesitant. It's in Aninuan Beach and we have to take a tricycle if we want to go to White Beach.

So, after days of reading reviews and blog posts, and negotiating with resorts, I finally decided on reserving with Agbing Beach Resort. I liked that they're easy to deal with and they have taken into consideration the convenience of their guests.

Puerto Galera during the Low Season 2016 Part 1: Going to Puerto Galera - Bus Fares, Boat Rates and other Fees

My Hubby and my Brother-in-law wants to surprise my Mother-in-law on her birthday and they decided on taking her and the whole family to Puerto Galera. I, being a cheapskate, was the one assigned to do the planning and budgeting.

I remember we almost got scammed last year when a fixer approached us and told us he will negotiate with the ticket seller and have our 3 yr. old son waived of the boat fare. After handing us our tickets, we gave him a tip but he asked for half of the supposed boat fare he was able to negotiate. When he started shouting at the entrance of the terminal, we immediately went inside. He was trying to deceive us when in fact 3yrs. old and below are free to ride the ferry. It's a lesson learned and from then on, I will just buy the tickets myself. Anyway, there are staffs from the different shipping lines who will assist you.

So now, the first thing I have to do is check the latest fares. As posted on Jam Liner's Facebook page, their latest fare from Cubao-Batangas Pier is P175. Minolo Shipping Lines reply to my text message is that their fare is the same at P500/roundtrip Batangas Pier-White Beach. Round trip tickets are cheaper by P50 than 2 one-way ticket. Kids 3 yrs. old and below are free of charge. Apart from the bus fare and boat fare, there is still a P30 Terminal Fee and a P50 Environmental User Fee that needs to paid at the terminal. Kids 3ft and below are exempted from the Terminal Fee, and Senior Citizens and students have discounts. For the Environmental User Fee, kids 12 yrs. old and below are exempted and Senior Citizens have discounts as well. I read in a blog post that you can ask for a discount if you're coming in group of 5 or more, so I guess I will do that when we get there.

So, here's a rough estimate of the fare going to Puerto Galera:

Bus Fare (Cubao - Batangas Pier - Cubao) - 350
Ferry (Batangas Pier - White Beach - Batangas Pier) - 500
Environmental User Fee - 50
Terminal Fee - 30
White Beach Exit Fee - 10

TOTAL FARE EXPENSE PER PERSON: P940

Summer Beach Bumming in Nasugbu on a Budget

Yeah I know! It's been a year since I updated this blog. I failed to keep my promise to update this once we're back from our Palawan tour. Anyway, I'm sharing here our overnight Nasugbu experience on a budget.

Last May, I was able to convince my hubby to drive us to Nasugbu for an overnight swimming. It was a Sunday and I didn't make any reservations. I only texted the resorts while we're on the road hopeful they'll return my message. Some did reply but they are charging more than my allotted budget for the room.

Before we left our home, I had a list of things to bring on my mind. I brought our rice cooker, cooking pan, plastic plates, spoons and forks, tumblers, "bigas", and some groceries and snacks. We also stopped by a carinderia near our house and I bought Tube Ice and Adobo since I don't have time to cook anymore then off we go for our road trip.

We took the Ternate-Nasugbu Road and I had no idea it was full of dangerous zig zags. I was scared but it was worth the trip when we arrived at the Kaybiang Tunnel, the Philippines' longest subterranean tunnel. We stopped over for a few minutes to take some photos and then headed off to Nasugbu.

Kaybiang Tunnel Entrance

Light at the end of the tunnel

From Kaybiang Tunnel, it was an hour drive to reach Apacible Boulevard in Nasugbu.

After we arrived in Apacible Blvd., we approached a trike driver who was offering Fortune Island Tour and asked if he can recommend a resort that fits our budget (Actually I said I was looking for a fan room that only costs P1000 or less). He took us to Wawawee Resort. They have a fan room that costs P1500 but Tatay Tony, the owner, saw our son and he said he thought of his grandkids, so he told us he would just give us the A/C room for the same price. He also told us we can use their cooking utensils and gas stove free of charge. So far that's the best deal we got but I opted to check out the other resorts first. Upon inquiring with 4 more, we decided to take Tatay Tony's offer since it's the cheapest. All the others offered us P2000 for the A/C Room and P1500 for the Fan Room. The trike driver (I forgot his name) helped us bring our things to the room and hubby gave him P50 but the caretaker of the resort told us that the trike driver will get 20% for referring us so tipping is not necessary. We checked in at 2PM so they said our check out time will be 2PM the next day.

Here's our small A/C Room

The room given to us has a small cable TV, a double bed and a mat which allows an extra person to sneak in.It also has it's own comfort room separate from the room.

While they were strolling the beach, I prepared our late Lunch. I don't have to cook our ulam anymore since I already bought Adobo, I only need to cook our rice. After eating, they went to swim while I stayed inside our room. I fetch them before sunset because I was planning to go to the nearby market to buy Liempo and Fish for our Dinner but we're so lucky because on the main road, just outside the resort, there is a BBQ stand. We just bought BBQs and it saved me the hassle of grilling. The two were already tired after swimming so we all went to bed early.

The following morning, we had the leftover BBQs last night and some coffee for Breakfast then we went to the beach.

Someone is really enjoying his day at the beach

I noticed that the beach was so different from what I've seen last year. I was surprised there were floating garbage everywhere and we had to walk a few meters until we found a better spot. We spent a few hours swimming while the sun is not that hot and just before noon, I went back to prepare our Lunch. We ran out of rice so I had to walk to the sari sari store along the main road to buy rice, Tuyo, Pancit Canton and tube ice. I fried the Tuyo and Meat Loaf, cooked the Pancit Canton using our rice cooker at that's what makes up our humble Lunch. After taking our Lunch, we just rested for a bit then we checked out and headed back home but this time we decided to take the Tagaytay Road instead as it's easier and less prone to accident.

Now, for our expenses, here it is:
Gas - 500
Ice and Adobo - 110
Snacks at Stopover - 60
Accommodation - 1500
Tip to Kuya Trike Driver - 50
BBQ - 85
Tube Ice - 20
Pancit Canton/Tuyo - 42
Cooking Oil - 5
Rice - 42
Toll Fee - 175

TOTAL: P2,589.00

Well, I'm pretty sure it will be less than that if our trip was planned but anyway, we all enjoyed even though there's just three of us.

Click here to visit Wawawee's Beach Resort
*This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own

A Day in Paradise Island Park & Beach Resort

Last March 21, 2014, We had a day tour in Paradise Island Park & Beach Resort. We woke up early and had breakfast at Camp Holiday's Restaurant. We bought a loaf of Banana bread that costs P60 from a nearby bakery then, the kids ordered Corned Beef at P67/serving which is good for 2. Rice costs P20. After eating, we went off to the habal habal terminal just outside the hotel and hired two habal habals to take us to Paradise Island. One way fare is P25/person and one motorbike can ride 2 passengers so we paid P100 for two motorbikes. They also gave us their number so they could fetch us once we decided to go back to our hotel. While on  our way to Paradise, Kuya Roger, our habal habal driver, asked if we want to go around Samal. He said he can take us to Monfort Batcave for P100/motorbike one-way or we could hire the motorbike for a whole day tour around the island for just P700. I think it's a fair deal but unfortunately, we don't have time to go around Samal anymore.

Road to Paradise Island

By 7:30AM, We're already in front of the gates of Paradise Island. A guard escorted us to the cashier where we paid an entrance fee of P200/head that includes P50 consumable for food and water sports. On our way to the cashier, we passed by their mini zoo, their different cottages, and their playground.

Mini Zoo

I was so suprised to see how organized and well-maintained the beach is. I was expecting to see a chaotic beach resort based from the reviews I read online. You can get a decent shower without the eww feeling you get when you use a public shower room. They have a souvenir shop where you can buy keychains and other pasalubongs. No need to worry if you forgot to bring some of your stuffs because they also sell board shorts, swimsuits, beach dresses, goggles, beach inflatables, sunscreen lotions, and everything you need before heading off the beach. The souvenir shop also offers whole day locker rental for day tourists for P100 (plus P200 refundable deposit which is forfeited if you lost the key).

The Restaurant

We were supposed to get a locker for our valuables but since we didn't bring any food, the attendant advised us to just get a table in the restaurant and leave our stuffs there so that the waiters can look after them. And so, that's what we did. We ordered and asked for our food to be served by 9:30AM. Then we went back to the souvenir shop where we rented a kayak for 30 minutes for only P120. 

At exactly 9:30AM we're back to our table and the food was served immediately. The food was still hot and freshly prepared. I tried their Durian shake at P90 and it became my instant favorite. After our breakfast (yes, we had breakfast again.. LOL), we ordered food for lunch and requested to be served by 1PM.

Just before lunch, the kids noticed that fishes are swimming near the shoreline so we bought googles from the souvenir shop and swam underwater to take a closer look at them. Afterlunch, the water became shallow and the kids are able to swim farther. They saw some blue fishes and shrimps swimming.  But one thing noticeable are the big rocks in the deeper part of the beach.

There are so many things to do in Paradise Island. They are renting jetskis at P2500/30 minutes, banana boats at P1500/15 minutes for 5 persons, segways at P1200/hour, snorkeling gears at P250 from 8AM-4PM. Apart from watersports, they also offer billiards rental and they even have spas and massage area.

At 3PM, we're all tired of swimming and playing on the sand so we took a shower and rested for a bit while listening to their live acoustic bands playing. Then we all decided to go back to Camp Holiday and just continue swimming in their infinity pool. We texted Kuya Roger to fetch us.

In our hotel room, I noticed some bumps all over my body and unfortunately, I don't have any antihistamine with me. The convenience store outside the hotel don't sell meds but we're told that the island has a drugstore in Caliclic so we asked the habal habal driver to take us to nearest drugstore. The roundtrip fare only costed us P60. We saw Sunset Beach Park along the way but we weren't able to visit it since we don't have time anymore. Carinderias and takeout counters selling Roasted Chicken are also everywhere.

The whole day was very tiring but fun. We even forgot to have dinner and just rested early.


How to Get to Paradise Island:

Ride the ferry boat that goes directly to the resort. Fare is P15/person one way

-or-

Ride the Barge going to Babak Wharf for P10/person one way then hire a habal habal to take you to the resort at P25/person one way

P1000-Budget Beach Getaway Challenge

I scoured the net these past few days to see where we can have our summer outing. One of our options was Punta de Fabian since it's very near the metro and the place is beautiful but when I checked the resort's rates, it's not within our budget. We're ten in our group and our target is P1000/head for the transportation + overnight stay so it's really challenging to get a place out of Manila that will suit our budget. I listed down suggestions from my team mates. Munting Buhangin in Nasugbu was suggested but I read some bad reviews about the place. It's not as clean now as it used to be. I googled "Cheap Batangas Beach" and so Burot Beach showed up on the Search Result. It's a beach in Calatagan, Batangas recently bought by Mr. Henry Sy. The pictures are very promising. When I checked the entrance fee, it's only P100 for an overnight stay. Pro's are there are no corkage fees for food, Table rental is just around P300, plus you can park your car near the beach. The only problem is there is no decent restroom or shower room. So, I searched again for an affordable beach in Calatagan, and so, Calatagan Peninsula Resort and Casa Astillero showed up. Both resorts have affordable accomodation.

For Calatagan Peninsula Resort, their airconditioned family room for 8-10pax with private shower and restroom is at P4000 plus the use of griller and other amenities are free. They also don't charge entrance fees.

For Casa Astillero, entrance fee is P100/pax for an overnight stay. And they allow tent pitching but the price depends on the size of the tent. For a tent that can accomodate 2-4pax, the charge is P200; for a tent that can accomodate 5-9pax it's at P400 and a tent that can accomodate 10-15pax, it's at P600. They have 4 public concrete shower rooms and restrooms for those who will not avail of rooms. And the good thing about Casa Astillero is they don't accept walk-ins so you can be sure that the resort will not get crowded.

I texted the contact person of Calatagan peninsula Resort and Casa Astillero and I got an immediate reply from Pam of Casa Astillero. She immediately sent me a quotation for our group but she said it can be adjusted depending on our budget. The next day, I messaged Jessie on FB, the contact person for Calatagan Peninsula Resort but he said that the resort is non-operational anymore. And so, we ended up reserving in Casa Astillero. I just sent Pam the list of amenities we'll be needing and she acknowledged through email. I find her very accomodating even if you're just inquiring.

So now, I'm glad I was able to get a resort that would fit in our limited budget.

Here's the list of what we availed in Casa Astillero:
(This is for 10pax)
10 Entrance Fee - 1000
2 Tent Placing for 2-4pax - 400
1 Tent Placing for 5-9pax - 400
1 Bonfire - 200
1 Grill Station (with Mini Kitchen) - 400
1 Open Cottage under the tree - 800

TOTAL: 3200

So, for P10,000 budget, here's my plan:
Gas + Toll fee - 3000
Beach Accomodation - 3200
Food (Day 1 Meryenda/Dinner; Day 2 Brunch)- 3800

and here is our actual experience in Casa Astillero