MT. PINATUBO

In 1991, a dormant volcano north of Manila discharged millions of tons of sulfur dioxide in the air when it was awaken after more than 600 years of nap, on what is considered as the largest and most catastrophic volcanic eruption in the recent years.
Ashes covered the entire Luzon landmass and even reached Vietnam, Thailand and other neighboring Asian countries.

Close to a thousand perished, more than a hundred thousand lost their homes, and billion worth of crops were damaged. The eruption also brought down the world temperature by a few centigrade.
Today, it holds a beauty that covers it tragic past. The irony is that, it is now attracting more and more people after its sudden eruption that fend off people from the area more than a decade ago.
Experience Mt. Pinatubo. A day trek to the crater will reveal the beauty that it drew. You will even forget its disastrous history.

How to Get There

The most common and recommended jump off point is via Sta. Juliana, Capas, Tarlac trail. Going there via public transport, ride a bus going to Pangasinan, Baguio or Ilocos Provinces (Victory Liner, Partas, Fariñas Transit, Five Star Bus) or catch a direct to Tarlac bus and drop off at Capas Public Market. Fare is more or less P200.00 and travel time is around 3 hours. Philippine Rabbit (Contact No: 734-9836) has direct trips to Tarlac every hour daily.
From the market, catch a jeepney or trike to fetch you to Pinatubo Spa Town in Sta. Juliana where the Tourism Office and the base camp of Capas Pinatubo Four Wheelers Club Association are situated. You need to pay the Environmental Fee in Tourism Office and rent a 4×4 here, they can assign one for you or you may contact any 4×4 driver you know in advance.
From here the crater is just an hour 4×4 ride via Skyway and a 30 – 40 minutes trek.

Where to Stay

Trekking to Mt. Pinatubo’s crater can be done in a day, so if you are on a budget, you can save expenses for accommodation if you choose to head back home after the trek. Alternatively, you can set up a camp in the assigned camping site in the area. There are restrooms, nipa hut and source of fresh water near the crater.
But if you plan on staying in the area, before or after the trek, you can stay at the following hotels/inns nearby:

Microtel Inn & Suites Tarlac Hacienda Luisita, San Miguel, TarlacContact No: (63-45) 985-1770Rates: Starts at ~P1000
Central Park Hotel TarlacLuisita Business ParkHacienda Luisita, San Miguel, TarlacContact No: (63-45) 985-1912 or 24Rates: Starts at ~P2000
La Maja Rica HotelCorner Mc. Arthur and Ligtasan Streets, TarlacContact No: (63-45) 611-2053 to 57Rates: Starts at ~P1500
Asiaten Hotel18 Don Gregorio Avenue, San Sebastian Village, TarlacContact No: (63-45) 982-0355Rates: Starts at ~P1500

Activities

Drop by at Capas Shrine and have a glimpse of Philippine History. It is a memorial shrine for those Filipino and American soldiers who died during the Bataan Death March during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines of World War II. See the 70-meter obelisk towers above the grounds of the former interment camp and imagine yourself seeing The Needle of Washington DC
Witness the man-shaped rock formation in Sta Juliana, popularly called as Telatau - a massive totem-shaped rock
Go to Museo de Tarlac in Capas
Take a walk at Camposanto Municipio of O’Donnell Capas with its still Spanish colonial period identity still preserved
Attend a mass at O’Donnell Catholic Church and see its Spanish façade decorated with lining of centuries old acacia trees
Feel the heat of Dolores and Bueno Hot Springs
See the still existing Japanese Tunnels and Caves
Visit the different ancestral houses scattered in the province
Go to Bamban Hills, Sacobia River, Crow Valley, Kalaw Forest/Falls, Lake Canarem, Anao Quina Buntok Creek and Kamikaze Memorial Shrine

Tips
There are a lot of travel groups based in Manila that organize a Mt. Pinatubo Trek, Travel Factor and TriPinas are among those. The good thing about these organized trek is that you don’t need to worry about most of the stuff, since they take care of almost everything, designed actually for busy people. The package rate ranges from P1700 – P2000, in exchange you get to trek Mt. Pinatubo less the hassle of organizing it and you gain travel friends from fellow joiners.
Mt. Pinatubo Town Spa on the other hand offers a local rate of P1500.00 for the package, it includes 4×4 rental via Skyway, a local guide and a meal. Contact No: +63928 3410402/(63-45) 493-0031.
But if you are keen on organizing your own Mt. Pinatubo tour, a Do-It-Yourself is of course cheaper. Aside from the expenses for foods and transportation cost to and from the jump off point, other expenses are:

Conservation/Environmental fee – P50 per person
Guide fee – P500 (for one to five trekkers)
4×4 rental – P2500.00 via Skyway (good for five)
Optional Expenses:
Shower fee – P20.00 at Baranggay Hall/P100.00 at Mt. Pinatubo Town Spa
Tent rental – P100.00
If you bring your own 4×4, a P500.00 fee is required

Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte (a work in progres)

Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte on the northern shore of the main island of Luzon, Philippines is the place to be if you love the beach minus the crowd. Its white sand, pristine beaches and crystal blue waters are the reasons for tagging this place as “Boracay” of the north. It is said to have the longest contiguous white sand with mighty waves and strong winds in the Philippines, making it another haven for surfers.

But Pagudpud is not only about the beach, this coastal town, which was formerly a part of its neighboring town of Bangui, greets its visitors with its beautiful sceneries and serene atmosphere, thus slowly making its own niche in the tourism map of the Philippines. Stop in Patapat Viaduct, trek to Kabigan Falls, swim in Blue Lagoon, surf the waves, watch the picturesque sunset and experience the hospitality of its people.
Truly, Pagudpud promises everyone an unforgettable experience in this secluded paradise.

How to Get There:

By Land

Going to Pagudpud from Manila is an 10-12 hour bus ride. Florida Bus Line has a direct trip to Pagudpud daily for P560.00, its terminal is in Sampaloc, Manila.

By Air

Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific fly to Laoag from Manila, travel time is an hour more or less. From Laoag, jeepney and buses bound to Cagayan pass through Pagudpud.

Where to Stay:

Inexpensive resorts are located along the shores of Pagudpud, they offer cottage rental for as low as P500.00 (~$12.50) or even cheaper. But I recommends Saud Beach. If you are staying in Saud, try Polaris Beach Resort, it is in the same shoreline as the famous Saud Beach Resort but the rates are cheaper and the staffs are warm and hospitable. Hotel Accomodation at Polaris can go for as low as P1500.00/room during off peak and P2500 during season peak, good for three to four persons. Contact number is 09193078803 (Mean Santos)/09202396138 (Steven Santos). Though we stayed in Villa del Mar I recommends Polaris.
Northridge Resort also in Saud has good reviews, contact number is 0920-2205089 (Tessie).
Transient houses are also available in Saud. Try Henry Udon (09202859087), his family owns a house near Polaris.

To go to Saud Beach, go to Baduang Market then take a Traysi to Saud.

Activities:

Here is the list of the activities you can do to appreciate Pagudpud.
Swim and surf in the breathtaking Saud Beach
Traysi tour of Pagudpud for P600.00
Thirty minutes trek to majestic Kabigan Falls
Stopover at Patapat Viaduct with blue skies and blue sea waters as backdraft
See Bantay Abot cave, where waves hit the cliffs
Drop by Agua Paraiso, where waves hit the rocks
Enjoy huge wave and white sand in pristine Blue Lagoon (Maira-ira beach)
Witness Pagudpud sunset
Visit Bangui Wind Mills in Bangui, Cape Bojeador in Burgos, Laoag and Vigan

adjoining points

I ponder on the relationships of the people around me and i heave a sigh of contentment because everything is as it should be. i’m a big believer of destiny. i know life has a better plan for everyone, bigger than our own. and destiny happens, at least for those who are aware enough to recognize fate when it hands itself upon them.



I believe that all is fair in love. when you open your heart, you welcome all that is

beautiful and painful. the heavy and difficult burden of losing a lover should not be blamed on another but should be accepted as part

of the whole exacting experience of loving. there’s great wisdom in the saying that it’s better to have loved than not love at all. after all, what good is a heart that has not been used?

what good is a heart that has not been torn to pieces? what good is a heart that has not been broken?