We started with a hefty breakfast at The Beach House, Costa Pacifica.
TIP: Try Baler's famous Suman de Baler perfect with coco jam and peanut butter dips with freshly brewed coffee. Suman de Baler is made from organic brown rice.
Today's itinerary is a tour of Baler's famous attractions:
To make the most of our time, we hired a local guide Kuya Nanding. He was our driver cum guide and photographer for this leg of our Baler tour.
Hanging Bridge located in San Luis, it has a wonderful view of Baler Bay.
Ermita Hill is a sculpture depicting the seven families who survived a devastating tidal wave that wiped out the whole municipality in 1735. The surviving families: Angara, Bijasa, Bitong, Carrasco, Ferrera, Lumasac and Poblete made their way to the hill and survived.
Baler Fish Port along the coastline of Cemento Beach
Diguisit Beach is a nice clean beach with picturesque rock formations. This beach is breathtaking like masterpiece paintings in a museum.
Amper Beach unlike the regular sandy beaches, this beach is made of solid rocks. My husband wanted to bring home "buhay na bato" (I am not sure if there is an English translation) and this beach is literally made up of them. The waves at this beach are a lot stronger than in Sabang Beach so be extra careful.
Before heading to our next destination, we stopped by the town proper for a quick lunch at Gerry Shan's Place. The food is nothing special, but considering the price (P250/pax) for a buffet it was okay. Drinks are extra priced. They also have fresh catch "paluto", reasonably priced but not really fresh if you asked me.
Balete Eco-Park is the location of "The 600-year old Balete Tree" towering more than 5-storey high. This tree has been designated at the official "Millennium Tree of the Philippines".
Ditumabo Falls a.k.a. "Mother Falls" it takes about 45 minutes of trekking across minor river streams and rocky terrains, which may be slippery at times. It is highly recommended that you come in proper trekking shoes/footwear. Entrance is only P30, but you are required to have a guide which would cost you additional P300. The trek is all worth it.
Souvenir Shopping ~ quick stop at Pacita's. Must buy is their coco jam partnered with their creamy peanut butter. Our driver cum guide helped us get newly made Suman de Baler.
We were back at Costa Pacifica at about 5pm, which is perfect timing to view the sunset at Sabang Beach.
Our last night in Baler...
Until we meet again Baler 💗💗💗
If you missed our Day 1 ~ follow this link: Baler ~ Day 1
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We stayed as Costa Pacifica ~ lovely, lovely resort. Location is perfect for an all just basking under the sun. Good food with A+ service. Highly recommended. For booking inquiries, please follow their website ~ Costa Pacifica Baler.
Our guide Kuya Nanding is an exceptional driver. He is also very knowledgeable of Baler and its history. If you need a tour guide or driver around Baler, you may contact him at 0951-1530540. Do mention where you got his number, tell him from the Spouses from Taytay Rizal.
My husband loves to drive, and I love to travel, and this combined interest led us to our most recent adventure, which is Baler. Baler is 270 kms from Manila, about a 5-hour continuous drive.
Baler is the capital town of the province of Aurora (which used to be part of Quezon until it was separated in 1978).
It is the birthplace of Manuel Quezon, the 2nd president of the Philippines and the 1st President of the Philippine Commonwealth. Founded in 1609 by Franciscan missionaries Baler is also the last bastion of the Spaniards in the country.
Sharing here our 3D/2N stay in the beautiful town of Aurora Baler.
DAY 1
We left Manila at 5am made a breakfast stop at NLEX and reached Baler at about 11am.
The ride was uneventful and surprisingly easy.
As it was still early and check-in is not until 2pm, we decided have lunch at the "poblacion" and drop by Museo de Baler and Baler Church before heading to the resort.
This restaurant is conveniently located across Museo de Baler and the adjacent Quezon Park.
COSTA PACIFICA ~ Our home in Baler.
Hands down one of the best places to stay when in Baler is Costa Pacifica. This resort is owned by the family of the previous Senator Edgardo Angara. Located next to Sabang Beach, this resort is perfect for beach bums and surfing enthusiasts.
We got an Ocean View Room facing Sabang Beach. Sunrise and sunset view are to die for. The waves were pretty scarry though, which is expected of this quaint surfer town.
The room is clean with all the basics needed to enjoy a relaxing vacation. I love that is well lit and that it is literally steps away from the beach.
They gave me a mini-birthday cake which was a beautiful surprise.
My Birthday Dinner was at the Costa Pacifica Beach House. Prices is a bit steep, but overall, I think the price is worth it. There are other restaurants along the "Baywalk" so your options are open.
Yup, I think we over ordered...
We took a short stroll by the Baywalk to watch the subset and decided to call it early.
Do you see pictures and reels of people eating next to a waterfalls while waddling in ankle deep (sometimes knee deep) water?
That place my friend is located inside the Villa Escudero Plantations and Resort. We have been here twice already once last November 2023 and another one pretty recently with my Balikbayan relatives.
Although a day tour would cover most of the activities at the resort, an overnight is highly recommended for a laid back and more-relaxed experience.
Sharing here tips and proposed itinerary for guests who intend to stay at least a night.
LOCATION
Villa Escudero is located about 2-3 hours from Manila (depending on the traffic). Leave at 830am if you intend to reach the resort before 11am in time for lunch at the famous "Labasin Waterfalls Restaurant".
Day tourer may plan to come early for a short trip to the Villa Escudero Museum before heading to the falls for lunch.
I pre-book directly through the Villa Escudero Wed Page. It is fast and easy. They are also quick to reply if you have any questions about the resort.
I suggest you eat breakfast early or simple skip breakfast altogether. On our trip no. 2, we made the mistake of having brunch at SLEX and we were still half full when we reached the resort.
COST
As of this writing a Day Tour costs ~ P1,800/pax (P2,100/pax during special holidays). Included in the rate is the museum tour, carabao cart ride, use of bamboo raft, culture show and lunch by the falls.
Meanwhile, overnight stay is full-board and include dinner and breakfast (both in Filipino buffet style). Cost varies depending on room accommodation + P3,000 per additional guest.
WHAT TO WEAR
Weather in the Philippines is hot and humid, so wear and bring light clothes only. Bring sun protection such as shades, a cap or hat (brimmed hats would be nice for picture taking) and sunscreen (especially if you are going swimming).
If your first activity is lunch by the falls, then you will certainly get wet. Consider arriving in shorts or your swimming attire (if you plan to get really wet). Wear rubber slippers or beach sandals (beach shoes would work too, but I figured it would be such a drag to dry).
ENTERING THE RESORT
Entrance to Villa Escudero is a bit unassuming. From the Maharlika Highway you would be entering a kilometer long dirt road, before reaching the villa's guarded gates. You will then be directed to a nearby parking lot by the resort's reception area.
Check-in is not until 1:00pm, so we left our luggage in the car.
We registered at the reception, and we were given our meal and carabao ride stubs.
If you are staying overnight, you will also be given a room slip (to be surrendered at the Cottage Reception Area) for a later check-in.
Be careful NOT to lose the stubs. The resort staff are very keen on collecting them before meals.
Now off to lunch ~ You have two (2) options in going to the Labasin Waterfalls, you can take the carabao ride or the electric carts. We obviously took the carabao cart ride. My Balikbayans were charmed as they were serenaded on the way to the falls.
LUNCH AT LABASIN WATERFALLS
Get a table nearest to the falls if possible.
Ask help from the waiters who are all so eager to assist guests. Our waiter ("Jojo"),helped in securing a lovely spot for us right next to the waterfalls and buffet table. He also offered to take pictures of our group and imposed on getting 2nd rounds for us, so that we don't need to fall in line again.
Food is pretty basic but is worth the experience. Buko is with additional cost, priced at P50. I tried the mango shake in our last visit, but I didn't like it much.
After lunch, we roamed a bit and headed to the souvenir shop to kill time.
While there, try their homemade ice cream.
CULTURAL SHOW
The cultural show venue, the "Coconut Pavillion" located at the back of the souvenir shop. The show starts at 2pm and is about 1 hour 30 minutes long.
Come early to get good front seats. It could get pretty crowded especially during weekends and holidays.
This is the perfect time to order coffee and turon.
My husband and I were ready to see the show we saw during our last visit. We were, however, pleasantly surprised that they put on a different set. We have seen some of the performances before, but we were not bored at all.
For those who have seen the "Sabong" performance, would easily recognize the star of the show: "Si Puti".The boys would obviously not pass the chance to get a photo with the show's main star.
After the show we made our way back to the parking area to pick up our luggage.
Remember to hail the electric carts (as the carabao carts are not allowed to leave the main resort).
Don't worry the driver will be helping you carry your bags. At the Cottage Receecion
THE ROOMS
We've stayed at Villa Escudero twice.
On our first stay, we booked a "Longhouse Unit (Non-aircon)".
The room is spacious and can easily fit 6-8 pax. There is a bed at the ground floor and futon mattresses on the loft. There is also an outdoor seating area overlooking the garden and the nearby pool. Though not airconditioned, the rooms are well ventilated. Hot and cold shower is also available. The basics are well covered, but I am not sure if there is Wi-Fi (or maybe there is, but we were just not aware of).
If you plan to go on night swimming, the long house units are the closest to the pool.
Our only concern staying at the long house is the lack of privacy. As these are basically row type accommodations, separated by a wall ~ you can almost hear other guests' conversation next door.
LR/TB: Outdoor seating, bed at the ground floor, bathroom, loft and our view
On our 2nd stay, we booked the Executive Riverside Unit (Aircon).
As we were traveling with Balikbayan guests, we got 2 Executive Riverside rooms. The rooms were adjoined by an outdoor patio overlooking the river. The rooms are spic and span. The bed here I think are more comfortable than the ones in the Longhouse. The room comes with complimentary fruits and Wi-Fi. The selling point of the Riverside Unit though is the view.
The executive riverside units were more private, which is perfect for couples.
The only downside is that after dusk bugs could be a bit annoying outside at the patio. But all is forgiven the next day when I woke up to birds' chirps and twitters.
If asked, would hands down choose the Riverside Rooms.
BAMBOO RAFTING
Bamboo rafting is free and perfect to burn off some calories before dinner.
DINNER & BREAKFAST
Have you noticed that all we've done so far is eat and munch? Meals here are like full blown Fiestas. Every meal is like eating as if there is no tomorrow...
If you ever plan on coming and visiting Villa Escudero, be sure you are not dieting. I must have gained a pound or so overnight.
Both meals are served at the "Coconut Pavillion".
We were serenaded before being personally invited for dinner. It was a very nice touch indeed.
Dinner is well thought off, and 100x better than the lunch at Labasin Waterfalls.
Make sure to leave space for their "buko pie". It is far the best buko pie I have had in my life (and I it is not an exaggeration). And have your fill of their delicious buko pie as they don't offer this during breakfast.
Breakfastwas equally filing.
Remember to end your meal with "bibingka" and freshly brewed coffee.
LEAVING THE RESORT
After a hearty breakfast, we took an electric cart to the museum and took photos of the beautiful greenery to last us until our next visit.
Today's itinerary is a quick trip to Fushi Inari and playing Samurais at Toei Kyoto Studio Park.
We were hoping for an early day's start. The plan was to reach Fushi Inari early to beat the crowd. Well, that did not happen though. It was already so crowded when we got there, it wasn't really fun anymore.
At Fushi Inari Shrine ~ there were so many people an ascend is unlikely. We managed to steal a few shots but decided to proceed to our next agenda soon after.
Toei Kyoto Studio Park is trip to Japan's Edo Era. We have visited an Edo Period theme park during 2016 Nikko visit and my boys all had a blast! So, I am pretty hyped for our today's agenda.
Here is the link to my blog on Edo Wonderland, if you are also interest in ~ Edo Wonderland Nikko.
Edo is the former name of Tokyo and the seat of power from 1603 to 1868. To us Edo is the old mystical Japan ~ the world of Ninjas, Geishas and Samurai.
Hubby and I went crazy over the variety of costumes choices and with an Edo town as a backdrop. We were like children let loosed in Disneyland, but in character!
Honestly, this is the most fun we have had so far in Japan. If you are planning to dress up in tradition Japanese attire, we highly recommend Toei Studio.
There were plenty of other things to do at Toie Studio. While there try to catch the Ninja/Samurai Show and see the impressive collection of life-sized anime superheroes at Super Sentai x Kamen Rider Gallery. There is something for everyone.
The park is easy to reach. We took Bus No. 63 from Kawaramachi Sanjo bus stop (located just outside of our Kyoto hotel) and alighted at Uzumasa Eigamura Mae bus stop. It is about a 40 mins ride by bus at Y230 each.
Drop by their souvenir shops. There are so many "kawaii" trinkets and even Kyoto sweets sold at competitive prices compared to those in Nagoya. Buy Yatsuhashi(sweets made of a sweet bean paste sandwiched in soft dough shaped into a triangle; they come in all sorts of flavors, such as green tea, chocolate, strawberry, banana, etc.). Our personal favorite of course is the matcha favored ones.
All the walking around the park will leave you hungry. There are plenty of themed restaurants inside the park. For lunch we opted for Chanbara Restaurant located at the Padios.
A quick stop at Kawaramachi Shopping Center
This is a gem, found many of this in Japan (this one located at Kawaramachi Shopping Center) ~ change your local bills into Yen.
It is so easy to use and with English translation too. We tried it on loose USD bills, rates comparable to ATM withdrawals and over the counter exchange transactions.
Planning a trip to Kyoto-Nagoya? Check our Day 1 to 5 itinerary, links below:
This city is very near Nagoya (a little under 35kms) is easily accessible via the Nagoya Meitetsu Train and thus a perfect for a quick day trip away from the busyness of the city.
A DIY is not difficult to arrange ~ Meitetsu offers Special Ticket Discounts to Inuyama. Meitetsu Nagayo Railroad webpage, even includes recommended itineraries and model courses.
We bought our special discount ticket from Meitetsu Nagoya Station Central Gate Ticket Window, one day before our scheduled trip.
We opted for the Inuyama Castle Town and Meiji Mura combo, which included:
>Hop-on hop-off Meitetsu train One-day ticket
> Hop-on hop-off bus ticket between Inuyama station and Museum Meiji-mura
> Museum Meiji-mura admission
> Inuyama castle admission
> Meitetsu discount coupons (usable in Inuyama Castle Town/Meiji Mura museum for discounts on food and souvenirs)
We left Nagoya City at 730am and arrived at Inuyama Station around 830am. We stopped for breakfast at the Lotteria at the Inuyama Station. It is like Japan's McDonald's.
Inuyama Castle (one of the last original castles in Japan, unscathed by the war or any natural disasters) and an open-air architectural theme park/museum called Meiji Mura.
Inuyama Castle is about 1 km leisurely walk from the station. And it was a good thing that we packed energy before beginning our ascend to the castle.
We passed by the Sankoinari Shrine on our way to the castle. It is a mini version of Kyoto's Fushimi Inari Shrine (more on that in my Kyoto blog). It is less touristy here, which very good for thanking photos.
The Inuyama Castle is said to be the oldest existing castle tower in Japan.
It was a steep climb up to the top, but the view was all worth it. The tower overlooks the Kiso River.
And stopped by for sweets before heading to our next stop Meiji-mura.
Meiji-murais an open-air architectural museum. It is one of the largest theme parks in Japan at 100 hectares (Yes, we did a lot of walking!)
The museum showcases historic buildings from Japan's Meiji, Taishō, and early Shōwa periods. The museum allows guests to experience life during the Meiji period (1868-1912). They have shops where you can rent Meiji period kimonos.
It is amazing what they have done here at Meiji Mura. There are so many historic buildings. We were really in awe, they managed to save so many.
They currently have 67 buildings at Meiji Mura, 10 of which are designated "important cultural assets".
Our mode of transport inside the Meiji Mura - bus (that circles the park).
We had a worthwhile time at Inuyama. If you have the luxury of time, I recommend at a day each at the Inuyama Town Castle, then another day at Meiji Mura for better appreciation.
We left Inuyama at around 4pm and arrived at Nagoya Station at around 530pm.
Tonight's dinner is at Maruya Honten Meiekiten for some authentic charcoal grilled eel rice (another of Nagoya's pride cuisine).
Good night, Nagoya! We are temporarily leaving Nagoya City, for the 2nd leg of our Japan holiday. We are off to Kyoto tomorrow.
If you missed our Day 1, 2 and please clink the links below:
