I was amazed when I saw pictures of Puting Buhangin in Pagbilao Grande Island in Quezon. When my family rejected the idea of going back to Baguio for a Holy Week vacation, I showed them pictures of this island. Beaming with excitement, they all voted for a Quezon family beach getaway.
Puting Buhangin is radiantly beautiful from afar
Mayon Skyline (former Mayon Rest House) was our last stop today coming from an overnight stay in Gubat, Sorsogon down to Cagsawa Ruins in Daraga, Albay. I was so delighted to see my family especially first-timers Noel and Pol enjoying every minute of our vacation in our hometown in Albay and in our neighboring region.
The majestic Mayon Volcano
After a two-day adventure in our hometown in Albay, we’re off to Sorsogon, which is located at the southernmost part of Luzon. We’ve been to different places but we never chance to visit our neighboring province. Lately, I had this ardent desire to explore Sorsogon and finally, it was set this Lenten Holiday. We will visit Bulusan Lake in Bulusan and we will stay overnight at Rizal Beach in Gubat for water fun.
Welcome to Sorsogon, “The Land of the Whale Sharks!”
Bulusan Lake also known as “Switzerland of the Orient” lies at the heart of Bulusan Volcano National Park. It is a protected rainforest and wildlife sanctuary located in Barangay San Roque. Its center attraction is Mt. Bulusan which is one of the active volcanoes in the Philippines. The lake has two mountain peaks, the Sharp Peak and Mt. Hormahan and in between is Lake Aguingay.
Panagbenga Festival or swimming in a beach resort? “Swimming!” Pao chose the latter eagerly. Our son is not a finicky lad, he doesn’t care if it’s a black or white sand beach as long as we are all together in a family getaway, that would be it. And so for his 14th birthday, we will go back to Villa Sulit in Baryo Hugom in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas. Cheap resort but with clear water and breathtaking view.
Stepping atop this awesome big rock will bring you closer to nature and this is the reason why we went back to Villa Sulit
For our last day in Boracay, we woke up so early to visit the most photographed spot, Willy’s Rock. I coerced my hubby and our kids to visit this early morning as it is at its best for a memorable photo shoot. We will never leave Boracay without a picture with the famous iconic symbol of the island.
We woke up early to catch a sunrise photo of Boracay. But to our dismay, it was a gloomy morning. It did not dampen our mood and wishing that the weather would cooperate for our island hopping today. This is our second day on this beautiful island and we are looking forward to a happy adventure in what has been called, the beach capital of the Philippines.
Boracay nearing sunset
Boracay is considered the beach capital of the Philippines and is famous for its powdery white sand and crystal-clear blue waters. Our long-time plan for a family vacation to Boracay was set for the month of December. We waited for Noel, my brother-in-law now based in Israel to come home for the festive season. We had early booking so we chanced to buy cheap airfare. And with this, off we took this once in a lifetime “get-together”, and Boracay is definitely a place to go.
The beautiful beach capital of the Philippines
My husband enjoined me to go to Malaysia after his third IT seminar in Kuala Lumpur. I can’t sustain my excitement for two reasons: it was my first time visiting the country and the first time that I will get out of the Philippines alone. I booked my flight at Cebu Pacific through an online facility (8:55 pm flight) going there. My return flight was booked on Malaysian Airlines with my husband.
In front of the Pullman Putrajaya Lakeside Hotel
We enjoined my brother-in-law Noel to go to Tagaytay for a Saturday escape from the stiff atmosphere in Manila. He’s been working abroad for so many years and before he leaves for another wonderful opportunity in California, we wanted him to see and explore some of our country’s exciting places to visit.
We chose Picnic Grove, the most visited park in Tagaytay City. We’ve been to this park so many times, but it’s nice to go back again and again because, in every visit, there is an exciting activity to indulge in. We had an exciting ride in zipline the last time we went here. The other new activity is the Cable Car which is ideal for a family ride.
Entrance fee was P50/head. Rion was free of charge since she is one year old.
Noel is from Baguio. The cool climate in Tagaytay was an ordinary thing to him. What awed him much was the breathtaking view of Taal Volcano and the lake. He got so busy capturing photos of every scenic spot that amazed him much.
Horseback riding is the oldest common activity in Tagaytay with the rate of P150 to P200 depending on the size of the horse. Since we already tried this activity in Baguio, no one wanted to do it again. So we headed down and occupied a picnic shed (P150) near the zipline station. We toured the eco-trail and just like our last visit, we enjoyed walking again to the concrete walkway with metal handrails. We savored the moment looking at the panoramic view of Taal Volcano. It took us twenty minutes before we went back to our area.
We let Noel roamed around at the lower part of the park where lots of people flocked to capture a better view of Taal Volcano. While sitting, we enjoyed watching those kites hovering in the blue sky. Later, what was left were those two big bat kites soaring freely and so mighty.
Since it was summer and weekend, the rate of zipline with photo and a mug with a photo too was Php500. Whew! What a price. It was only Pao and Miko who dared the ride again. We waited for their thrilling fly and cheered them up as soon as they were released into the air. Noel was scared to try it and so with my sister Gie. I guess it has something to do with age. Haha!
Everyone was starving when the two teens went back from their activity. We all sat together and eat our yummy snack. Bringing back the traditional picnic activity was really delightful. I was thankful that there’s a park like this that keeps family bonding so alive. An afternoon stay in Picnic Grove is indeed a relaxing family getaway.
There are lots of souvenir stores that sell t-shirts (Ph100 to Ph250), key-chains (Php35), table display (Php75), bags and coin purses (prices depend on sizes and designs). Of course for every visit, it’s a must to buy cute collections. There are also fruit stands where we bought pineapple and banana at affordable prices.
It was almost 7:00 pm when we finally bade goodbye to the park. Noel was very grateful to visit Tagaytay as he shared his valuable experiences on our way home. He appreciated the scenic view as well as the warmth of our family bonding.
I will never get tired of being the organizer in our provincial getaway because my heart is always filled with joy when we are all together in a beautiful place like this. Indeed, It is a rewarding threat to see their happy faces having fun. For the remaining days of my sister and her family here in the Philippines, we will bring them next to Boracay, Albay, and Sorsogon for a more meaningful adventure.
