Batangas: Intro dive at Dive and Trek in Bauan, Batangas

Who said you can't try scuba diving without a license? Well, if you're interested but are not yet sure if you want to make the investment, why not go for an intro dive? And that's what we did! We trooped to Bauan, Batangas to check out the life underneath the water at Dive and Trek Resort.

An intro dive is an opportunity for non-divers to experience diving and see for themselves what's actually down there. And you do it with a dive master who takes you around for about 30 minutes. All you do is relax and enjoy the view and the dive master will push you around the coral reefs. And if you like what you see, then you take the next step and get yourself a license!

The fastest way to Dive and Trek is via Tagaytay, and the towns of Lemery, Taal and San Luis, Batangas. Just a little over two hours from Manila, it's a really convenient drive down south. There is a designated parking area at the end of the road, just look for the sign. And from there, a pump boat picked us up to take us to the resort.

I've been extra lucky since this was my fourth straight sunny weekend in between typhoons. We booked our intro dive through Green Goose Adventure Tours and it was really worth it for a dive! Packages start at PHP2300 per head, inclusive of gear, use of the resort, buffet lunch and merienda.

Anyway, we went down two by two since there were two dive masters available. But since we had licensed divers in our group, they joined us as well. Marveling at the different species of fish, corals and other marine life forms was a really great experience!

After the thirty minute dive, I rested a bit on one of the lounge chairs before heading to lunch. And lunch did not disappoint! Since our dive master was a classmate at the Ateneo, I asked if we could go down one more time after lunch and we did! It looks like I'll be getting a diving license in the near future since I definitely enjoyed it. But maybe after all my international trips this year.

On the way back, we experienced turbulent waters but it was not too much a hassle. Before returning to Manila, we had dinner at Mano's Greek Taverna in Tagaytay. Wonderful food! I'll talk about it in my next blog entry.

Green Goose Adventure Tours
greengooseadventures@yahoo.com
Ryan Guzman (0928) 9067151

Benguet: Mt. Pulag, the rooftop of Luzon

I could not believe it! I was standing on the rooftop of Luzon, 2,922 meters above sea level! Just months ago, I was wondering if I could reach the summit of Mt. Pulag given my physical limitations. But a spur of the moment decision to go to Pulag changed all that. We planned our Pulag trip barely a week before our actual climb. In fact, we bought all our gear at R.O.X. the night we left.

It was a long and tiring drive to Baguio. We got there at 7 a.m. where we had breakfast. We tried to leave Baguio as early as possible so that we could start our trek early. But since we were all first-timers, we didn't know which direction to take, went the wrong way and found ourselves in Halsema Highway. Our GPS had taken us to the shortest route off Halsema Highway which was a really rough road, so we had to turn back, return to Baguio City and find the road via Ambuklao.

There are five major roads leading to Baguio namely Kennon, Marcos, Naguilan, Halsema (via La Trinidad), and Ambuklao. It was my first time to use the Ambuklao Road. And thus with this trip, I've finally passed by all five. Not only that, I also used all five within the week - Kennon Road on Tuesday, Naguilan on Wednesday, Marcos, Halsema and Ambuklao on Saturday and Kennon again yesterday!

The Ambuklao Road is as picturesque as Kennon, especially when you drove past the Ambuklao Dam and Lake. The trip from Baguio to Ambangeg in Bokod, Benguet is roughly three hours. Most of the roads are well-paved except for bumpy parts at Ambuklao Dam and from the Bokod Poblacion to Ambangeg.

First thing you have to do before climbing Mount Pulag is to register at the Visitors Center (DENR Office) in Ambangeg. We paid PHP175 each. Then from there, you need to go up 10 kilometers to the Ranger Station where people start the trek up to the summit.

Only a 4x4 can do that trip so if there are just a few of you, you could hire a habal-habal to get you there (if you hired a jeep from Baguio, that could bring you up as well). You can also opt to hike up, but that is even harder than the trek from the Ranger Station to the summit of Mt. Pulag itself! Since there were not enough motorcycles, my companions Lemuel, Mike and Caloy decided to trek, and they had a lot of "fun" going up! So it's best to find a ride up. Our plan was to pitch a tent at Camp 2 and stay there for the night. But since it was getting dark when the three arrived at the Ranger Station, we decided to sleep there. And boy was it a good decision!

For some weird reason, the temperature dropped suddenly while I was waiting at the Ranger Station. It was quite warm when I took a nap late in the afternoon. And I suddenly woke up shivering from the cold. The locals told us that winds brought in the cold temperature. Imagine if we did stay in a tent at Camp 2, we might have suffered from hypothermia even before the climb! Even inside the Ranger Station we were freezing!

We had some canned goods and bread for dinner before an early lights out at 8 p.m. Since we were behind schedule, we had to leave the Ranger Station at 12:30 a.m. (instead of leaving Camp 2 at 4 a.m.) to reach the summit by sunrise.

It was still cold and we also had to trek all the way in the dark which made it even more difficult. We reached Camp 1 at 1:45 a.m. and Camp 2 at 3:30 a.m. It was an ordeal for me but thanks to the cold temperature, it wasn't as hard as trekking under the sun. I finally made it up to the summit at 5:45 a.m. just in time for the sunrise!

The view at the top was surreal. You could see the entire Cordilleras all around you. From there I could also see Magat Dam, Ambuklao Dam, and the mountains of the Sierra Madre as well. But the winds brought in a shivering cold that hit us right down to the bone. And we had to sit behind small bamboo bushes to shield us from the cold winds.

After about 30 minutes enjoying nature's couch, our guide signaled to us that it was time to go down. He told me if we stayed any longer, we might suffer from hypothermia. Now that the sun was out, we could see the trail. And boy did it shock us since we also saw the deep ravine right beside the trail. You really had to be careful, especially if trekking in the dark.

Going down was easier but it was only then that we realized how far we had trekked. Backtracking, it made me wonder how I managed to climb up all the way to the top! As soon as we entered Camp 2, we were greeted by the forests of Mt. Pulag. The name Pulag in the Kalanguya languange means bald mountain since trees could not grow near the summit due to frost. Anyway, the forests at Camp 2 were also a wonderful sight!

Walking down, it was enriching looking at the different species of trees, plants and flowers. God really knows how to color the world. I finally reached the Ranger Station at 10:30 a.m. after 10 hours of trekking!

After lunch, we left the Ranger Station for Ambangeg. Going down from the Ranger Station to Ambangeg is another ordeal if you take the habal-habal since you'll be holding on for your dear life! They had to bring us down in two trips since there were just two of them. The ride itself is about an hour. So we took a nap at DENR while waiting for the rest. We had dinner at 50s Diner in Baguio City before proceeding back to Manila.

For the detailed Ambangeg itinerary, check out Pinoy Mountaineer.

R.O.X. is the biggest outdoor store in Southeast Asia

Talk about last minute! We're leaving for Mt. Pulag tonight and we only bought our gear a few minutes ago at R.O.X. The good thing about R.O.X. is that they have everything we needed.

I even got myself an oxygen canister when I get really exhausted during the climb. And since they closed at 11 p.m. today, even those who had some unfinished work at the office were able to catch up. That's why they're highly recommended! Check out the biggest outdoor store in Southeast Asia at Building 1 of Bonifacio High Street.

Baguio: North Philippines road trip

For day 2 of our North Philippines road trip, we had a meeting with Mayor Bautista of Baguio City and a working lunch meeting with the Baguio Convention and Visitors Bureau (BCVB) at the Panagbenga office. Of course, we feasted on a packed lunch from the Baguio Country Club (BCC). They may have been in plastic containers, but the food from BCC was delicious!

Outside the Baguio Convention Center, students from UP Baguio were protesting the cutting of trees by a proposed SM project. If you remember, SM City Baguio is a graveyard of trees, since many pine trees were cut to built it. As I always say, wherever SM is built, people will go anyway. So they could have picked a less-congested location (away from Session Road) where heritage structures would have been preserved (Pines Hotel was demolished to build SM) and the least number of trees would have been sacrificed. Well, at least young people in Baguio are speaking up!

Our next meeting was in Bauang, La Union with the La Union Convention and Visitors Bureau (LUCVB) at Villa Estrella. The fog was heavy in Naguilan Road where we passed to get to La Union. The views from this road are also picturesque. It was a pity I did not have my camera the last time we visited BCVB since the views were clearer.

As soon as we arrived in La Union, I dressed down, prepared for a swim in the beach after our meeting. The highlight of the day was watching the wonderful La Union sunset from the resort's restaurant.

For day 3, we drove down to Tarlac City to meet with the Tarlac Convention and Visitors Bureau (TCVB) at the La Maja Rica Hotel. They used to have an Italian chef so their pizzas are worth trying. If you don't know what to have, their Four Seasons pizza will let you have four flavors of your choice.

To end the day, we had several meetings in Angeles City including one with GCVB again.

Of course, we passed by the SCTEx to get back to Pampanga which was a real time-saver! I'm finally back home. With at least three meetings a day in three different cities everyday for three days, not to mention travel from one city to another, that was indeed a tiring road trip!

Pampanga: C' Italian Dining, another sumptuous dinner!

After so many months of waiting and all those mouth-watering text messages from Chef Chris about their new dishes, I finally got the chance to have dinner again at C' Italian Dining! And indeed, it was filling as always.

We were first given one serving of panizza, the restaurant specialty, and a glass of Carménère red wine to go with it. Then we were served C' sausages, a selection of fennel, garlic and herb, and calabrese. Chef Chris also brough out oriecchette with pomodoro, and onion roasted potatoes with rapini, a kind of brocolli. We could hardly finish everything when Chef Chris came out and asked us, "Are you ready for the main course?"

It was just too much to handle and we had to politely decline whatever that dish was. So we were given some sweet endings, a serving of crème brulée and tiramisu! Yummy!

It's a mystery how we were able to drive up to Baguio with a full stomach. Yup, were staying overnight in Baguio since we have a meeting here early tomorrow. Today was day 1 of our road trip around North Philippines. We're visiting the different convention and visitors bureaus to check how they're doing.

After our regular morning meeting in MNTC, we joined the Pampanga Convention and Visitors Bureau (PCVB) for their courtesy call to Governor Ed Panlilio in the afternoon. In the evening, we met with the Greater Clark Visitors Bureau (GCVB). And in between, we had a staff meeting in Clark. Now, we're here in Baguio to meet with the Baguio Convention and Visitors Bureau (BCVB) tomorrow morning.

Related article
C' Italian Dining is simply superb!

Batangas: Weekend at La Luz in San Juan, Batangas

For some reason, I get around even though I have no plans to do so. This weekend was no exception since I was still asleep when I got a call from my cousins asking me to join them in San Juan, Batangas that same day. Still groggy, I said I'll try. But after another call and some persuading, I found myself driving down south to the beach.

We were going to stay at La Luz Resort for the night. I've heard about this place from friends and I guess this was an opportunity to check it out.

To get to San Juan, Batangas, people usually take the STAR Tollway via Lipa City, and thus have to deal with the traffic build-up there. But since the tollway now goes all the way to Batangas City, to avoid the traffic, you can take Exit 93 (Malainin) which is 9 kilometers after the Tambo (Lipa) exit and pass the towns of Ibaan and Rosario to get to San Juan. I tried it on the way there and true enough, it was faster. Rosario and San Juan are really large towns so it's still a long drive.

A lesser known fact about San Juan, Batangas is that it is a heritage town with a lot of grand ancestral homes. Most of them are not along the highway so if you want to check them out, you'll have to drive around town.

From the town proper of San Juan, you make a right at the municipal hall to get to the beaches. But the resorts are still about 20 kilometers down the road. And La Luz is the last resort! I liked the relaxed feel of the place, simple decor but really cozy. As soon as I got there, we rented out some kayaks which got us really worked out. We spent PHP200 per hour per kayak.

Buffet meals are also included in the cost (each overnight guest is required to pay PHP950 for the food) which includes lunch when you arrive, merienda, dinner and breakfast the next day. Meals are nothing fancy but are great for those with big appetites. We got two rooms, one of them a two-floor premier loft which could fit in up to ten people for PHP4,300. Before sleeping, I also got myself a massage, perfect after a stressful week.

The next day, we rented kayaks again and went snorkeling. I got to see a good number of fish in the coral reefs near the shore. We didn't stay too long since we had to be out by 11 a.m. Lunch was along the SLEX and were back in Manila late in the afternoon.

La Luz Beach Resort
San Juan, Batangas
Manila: (02) 7264977, (02) 7266687 or (02) 7267445 fax
San Juan, Batangas: (043) 5753581
Mobile: (0927) 9938417, (0927) 2399180

Bulacan: Ipo Watershed, Angat Dam and the La Mesa Ecopark... Save the Ipo Watershed!

The Ipo Watershed is part of a larger water system which includes Angat and La Mesa. It serves as the major water source of Metro Manila. There's been some buzz about the Ipo Watershed lately, particularly from the UP Mountaineers, who have been advocating its protection, especially from kaingin, and other factors that are leading to the rapid loss of its forest cover. So when we found out about their tree-planting activity, we didn't have to think twice and found ourselves on the road to Norzagaray, Bulacan.

Unless you make prior arrangements, you may not be allowed inside the Ipo Dam area. We parked right by the dam. First thing I noticed was an NHI marker commemorating the Battle of Ipo Dam during the Second World War. We walked to the other side of the dam where boats were waiting to take us to the activity site. It was about 3 kilometers upstream and the ride was roughly 30 minutes.

Don't miss remnants of the older dam 200 meters from the current Ipo Dam since that's industrial heritage! It was wonderful seeing the clean water and lush cover of trees. But just several weeks back, there had been signs of illegal logging and kaingin in the area. It's really stupid what some people are doing! Imagine losing this watershed and ultimately, the water supply of Metro Manila.

From where our boat docked, it was a really short hike up a hill to the reforestation area. The activity was almost done when we arrived. But we managed to plant a few seedlings before hiking further up to check out the wonderful view of the Angat River from the top. The group was able to plant 475 seedlings that day. But it's a far cry from what illegal loggers are cutting-down deep in the Sierra Madre where no one can see them.

We didn't stay long since the event was almost done so we decided to ask our boat to bring us further upstream so that we could check out the Angat Dam.

That was another thirty minutes upstream. The dam is actually a rockfill dam and you won't be able to recognize it easily since it's covered by grass. The concrete structure you see is actually the spillway with three gates. Again, the river offered us refreshing views.

It was a long ride back to Ipo Dam, about 45 minutes to one hour if I remember it right. As soon as we got back, we made our way to San Jose del Monte for a late lunch.

We had one last stop before calling it a day, and that's the La Mesa Dam. And to see it, you had to go to the La Mesa Ecopark. We had a hard time finding the entrance which is in a village along Commonwealth Avenue. One way to get in is through Winston Street.

The bad news was we could not take photos of the dam itself for security reasons! That was a big disappointment. But we got to enjoy some of the activities in the park though such as boating in the lagoon and the riding the zipline which was really fun! We spent PHP50 each for entrance (QC residents and students get a discount so don't forget to bring your IDs), PHP200 for a 30-minute boat ride, and PHP100 each for the zipline. Not bad!

And with that, we completed our tour of Metro Manila's sources of water! Read more in Pinoy Mountaineer.

Batangas: Mt. Maculot trek in Cuenca, Batangas

I found myself trekking up another mountain trail today. This time, it was Mt. Maculot in Cuenca, Batangas. Maculot is a very popular day trip destination, especially for beginners. Like always, I didn't have much sleep the night before so I dozed off on the way. We passed by the STAR Tollway to Lipa and from there drove to Cuenca which is the next town.

It was a really straightforward hike. Most of the trail is covered by trees but as you neared the campsite, cogon grass greets you. It was an unusually sunny day today after several days of non-stop rain so we were quite lucky. Although, it's more tiring hiking under the sun. That's why I always pray for cloud cover especially when the trail is not shaded by trees

At the campsite, one is afforded great views of Batangas and Cavite, Batangas Bay, and even Mindoro. You'd be surprised also that halo-halo is available in one of the sari-sari stores at the campsite. And along the way, there are enterprising locals who sell buko juice and other drinks.

The best vantage point of course is that of the Rockies, a rocky formation which offers a panoramic view of Taal Lake and Taal Volcano. But you'll have to climb down and up a cliff to get there.

Going down was a breeze. And we were back on the road in no time. For detailed information about Mt. Maculot, check out Pinoy Mountaineer.

Cavite: Nurture Spa in Tagaytay

After such a stressful week, the prospect of visiting Nurture Spa in Tagaytay today was a welcome alternative to an otherwise busy routine. And Tagaytay seems to feel much closer to Manila than before. I remember one time we decided to go to Tagaytay after some drinks just for coffee, bulalo and the cool weather of course!

We were greeted by an ensemble of native instruments as we entered Nurture Spa. We were served warm salabat (ginger tea) as well as some snacks which included suman, mangoes and hot chocolate before we got our spa treatments.

We got to tour the facilites before our treatments. You can actually stay overnight or even longer at Nurture Spa and it's perfect for dates. Some come from as far as abroad for the healing treatments, a combination of massages and the proper diet. And there have been a lot of testaments from those who got better from this alternative healing.

Just like in Nurture Spa Abe's Farm, I chose the hilot treatment which I rarely get in spas here in Metro Manila. And it was a really relaxing treatment since I fell asleep in the middle of it!

Lunch was healthy as well. I had a salad with Nurture Spa's signature salad dressing, lumpiang ubod and laing pasta. The others ordered tandoori chicken and bulalo. The carrot cake dessert was great.

I'm looking forward to my next treatment, maybe this time in Abe's Farm again.

Nurture Spa Tagaytay
Barangay Maitim II West, Tagaytay City
(046) 4830804; (046) 4830805
(0918) 8888SPA; (0920) 9505724; (0920) 9106522
Operating hours: 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM

Laguna: Kusina Salud in San Pablo, Laguna

After our tour of the seven lakes of San Pablo, Laguna last week, we decided to have lunch at Kusina Salud. I've always wanted to visit the place having been invited by Patis Tesoro for the longest time to drop by. I called her in the morning but she was at a planting rice festival in Sta. Rita, Pampanga. But we had lunch there anyway.

It's a bit further down the National Highway, past the city proper of San Pablo, in Barangay Sta. Cruz Putol. Make sure to watch out for the sign on the left which points to the road leading to Kusina Salud. We had a really filling lunch which included lumpiang ubod, calamares, kinulob na itik and binagoongang baboy. The pandan tea was refreshing as well.

We couldn't stay long though since I had to catch a meeting in Manila early that evening. If I wasn't rushing, I would have tried out their spa.

Today, I had merienda in Kusina Salud again with my family. We were planning to have lunch but we arrived after 2:00 p.m. and by that time, the menu changes. But the merienda they serve is filling as well. I had an adobo sandwich. This time, Patis was around and since we were the only other guests (aside from the French ambassador), she was able to join us for a while before her siesta.

We were thinking of dropping by Ugu Bigyan's place before going home but it was getting late and we had to drive back to Manila. I'll check out more of the establishments on the Viaje del Sol scattered around Laguna, Cavite, Batangas and Quezon when I have the time.

How to get to San Pablo, Laguna
There are several buses that can take you from Manila to San Pablo, Laguna. San Pablo City can be reached via JAC, JAM, N. Dela Rosa and Lucena Lines from Cubao or Buendia. The signboard on the bus should say Lucena via San Pablo. Last daily trip is at 9 p.m. It's a two-hour ride depending on traffic.

Laguna: San Pablo, Laguna's seven lakes

San Pablo, Laguna is known as the City of Seven Lakes. So if you're planning to visit, make sure to check out its seven lakes! Here's another fun day trip if you're looking for a change of scenery. We tried our best to make it to San Pablo by 7 a.m. and it's a good thing traffic cooperated since the trip usually takes two hours.

After a quick breakfast, we were off to our first lake, Lake Bunot in Barangay Concepcion. The fishermen were up early maintaining their many fishpens. Looks like they were feeding the tilapia or whatever fish they had there. After a few photos, we made our way to the next lake.

Lake Calibato in Barangay Sto. Angel is down the road near the town of Rizal. Part of the lake actually touches the boundaries of the town. There's a short hike down to the lake. It's one of the lakes I saw during a previous trip and it's one of my favorites. Just be careful since it becomes a bit slippery when it rains. And sad to say, I was a casualty.

Since there are still no directional signs (I hear they're working on it), you could easily miss the jump-off point for this lake. Coming from the city proper, it's after KM 90. Just watch out for a kubo and make sure you ask around for directions.

After this lake, you drive back towards the direction of the city proper to the jump-off point for the next two lakes in Barangay San Lorenzo. Lake Pandin and Lake Yambo also touch the boundaries of Rizal and Nagcarlan. It's a one kilometer trek from the jump-off point to get to Lake Pandin which is one of the lakes popular for swimming.

When we got there, the locals offered to take us to Lake Yambo by balsa for PHP180 each. But since we found it pricey (I'm sure you could negotiate but we wanted to exercise), we decided to walk instead. It's an upward trek, a little over one kilometer if my estimates are right, to get to Yambo. Sad though that the sun was hiding behind clouds by the time we got to the vantage point for the lake because the lake was so picturesque!

We made sure to take a dip back in Lake Pandin before trekking back to our vehicle. The water was cool and relaxing, perfect after stretching those muscles.

From there, we drove to Lake Palakpakin in Barangay San Buenaventura. The best place to view this lake filled with water lilies is from the bridge between Barangay San Lorenzo and San Buenaventura.

Lake number six was Lake Mojicap (or Mohikap) in Barangay Sta. Catalina, another picturesque lake. Again, since there are no directional signs, getting there is tricky and you'll really need to ask directions every now and then. The lake touches the boundary of the town of Calauan. It was very clean and there were some kids swimming so I guess this is another lake where you can opt to take a dip.

For our final lake, we proceeded back to the city proper to visit Lake Sampaloc. At 104 hectares, it's the largest of the lakes. there's a view deck as well as a lakeside walk way making it a favorite hang-out of the city. With that complete, it was time for a really late lunch. And where best to celebrate but in Kusina Salud! I'll tell you about it in another post!

How to get to San Pablo, Laguna
There are several buses that can take you from Manila to San Pablo, Laguna. San Pablo City can be reached via JAC, JAM, N. Dela Rosa and Lucena Lines from Cubao or Buendia. The signboard on the bus should say Lucena via San Pablo. Last daily trip is at 9 p.m. It's a two-hour ride depending on traffic.

SCTEx Clark-Tarlac stretch opens on Friday, July 25

The Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway will be fully operational beginning Friday when the Clark-Tarlac portion of the 94-kilometer opens to the public. I got a sneak preview of the closed portion of the SCTEx today since we were given special permission to drive from Subic to the Luisita Exit in Tarlac.

With the SCTEx complete, travel time from Balintawak to Subic is now just about an hour and forty minutes. While travel from Balintawak to Luisita will be just one hour and twenty minutes. When it opens on Friday, motorists can drive from Subic to La Paz, Tarlac in just a little over an hour. Now that's progress!

Notes: I'll post more photos of my SCTEx Tarlac preview as soon as I get back to Manila. I was quite happy to see that they corrected the "MacArthur Highway" signs which I complained about in a previous post. I found out in San Francisco how the observation made its way to BCDA top brass and got the signs corrected.

Anyway, so much has been happening the past few months, I could barely update everyone about my travels. I'll try to get back in the groove within the next few days so expect a lot of updates from my recent trip to the US and the Mayoyao, Ifugao harvest experience last weekend.

Ifugao: Journey across the Ifugao heartland

The day after the harvest, we began our trip back to Manila. The group passed by a different route in order for us to see more of Ifugao. From Mayoyao, we boarded our rickety bus again for another bumpy ride deeper into the Ifugao heartland. But before we left, we stopped by a view point of the Mayoyao Rice Terraces.

We left Mayoyao shortly before lunch and traveled through remote barangays of the town. We had a late lunch in Barangay Tula-ed before continuing our journey. The views started getting really picturesque when we reached the bridge which connects Mayoyao and Banaue. If only we could stop at every barangay to enjoy the view. But we had a bus to catch. I especially liked Ducligan which they say was the setting for the 1996 film "Mumbaki." Another village with noteworthy terraces was Kinakin.

But I was pleased to know that this Ifugao mountain road passed through the Bangaan Rice Terraces, one of the five clusters declared by UNESCO as World Heritage. It would have been great if we got to hike down the village of Bangaan. But we didn't have time to do that as well save for a few minutes to take photos.

Bangaan is unique for its main village, a cluster of houses at the foot of the terraces. I saw old colored photos of the village when it was still all Ifugao houses. But like in most of Ifugao, new concrete houses have started to sprout all over.

The road also passes through the jump-off point for the Batad Rice Terraces, another UNESCO-inscribed cluster. But you still have to do a lot of walking to see them.

We knew we were nearing Banaue since we saw a large concentration of concrete structures from a distance. We finally arrived in town at 3:45 p.m. and went straight to the bus station to purchase our tickets back to Manila. Since the bus was going to leave at 8 p.m., we had enough time to visit the View Point area to check out the Banaue Rice Terraces. There are actually a lot of vantage points to choose from along the way.

The group had a hearty dinner at the Banaue Hotel before boarding the bus for our trip back to Manila. I've already put the planting rice tour in my January calendar!

Part 1: Trip to Mayoyao, Ifugao
Part 2: Mayoyao Rice Terraces in Ifugao
Part 3: Rice harvest experience in Mayoyao, Ifugao
Part 4: Trekking along the rice terraces of Mayoyao

How to get to Banaue, Ifugao
Florida Bus has a regular trip from Manila direct to Banaue. It leaves Sampaloc, Manila (Lacson St. cor. S. H. Loyola St.) at 10:45 p.m. Or you can take any bus that goes to Cagayan Valley and get off at Solano, Nueva Vizcaya where you can catch regular trips to Banaue and other towns in Ifugao. From Baguio, KMS Bus Lines and Ohayami Trans leave for Banaue at least twice daily.

How to get to Mayoyao, Ifugao
Take a bus from Manila to Santiago, Isabela (any bus to Cagayan or Isabela passes by Santiago). There are mini-buses from Santiago to Mayoyao which leave thrice daily at 6 a.m., 11a.m. and 3 p.m. From Banaue, there is one daily trip to Mayoyao from Solano which passes Banaue between 12 to 1 p.m.