Cruising on the Waves: The Beauty that is Baler

Baler’s Sabang Beach and its rolling waves – let the sight take you away.

Nothing is more marvelous than embracing the cool, refreshing sea water and feeling the grains of sand against the soles while spending time at the beach. What more if the ocean hurls endless rolls of waves into the shore – the roaring sound accompanied by the strong breeze simply invigorates the senses with an adventure-filled experience along the coast. That’s what makes Aurora Province‘s proud capital of Baler famous among surfers and beach enthusiasts: waves reaching eight feet high, rising mightily from afar, ready to take anyone for a ride. Join the Outing Series family once again on the latest installment and discover what Baler has to offer to vacation bums and thrill-seekers alike. Come on and take a ride!

It hasn’t been a year since the last outing and the eager people of the Outing Series group wanted to have another one before year-end, so we went back to HQ (er.. FaceBook) for research. As October is generally the start of surf season, the consensus of the group was a surf-oriented beach outing for a twist. Baler won among few other choices, including La Union and Bagasbas Beach in Daet. Finding a tour package wasn’t too difficult, thanks to Ehnuh discovering Biyahe Lokal for our previous summer outing in Calaguas in Camarines Norte (see previous blog). After having a great summer experience under their care, we definitely considered booking with them again. Catching up with the growing and improving interests of the members, our loyal organizer managed to develop in her “field” as well; she handled two groups this time: the Outing Series and her circle of high school classmates, totaling to an enormous party of 23. With new “invites” (on this trip everyone was encouraged to bring along a friend outside of the original group) and more activities to do, the October weekend getaway was expected to be a big hit. A lot of brainstorming, packing and last-minute shopping moments later on the night of departure and we were greeted by two vans bringing us to our beach destination and the Biyahe Lokal Team themselves, Mr. Ryan Panlilio and BiyaherongBarat, Mr. Jed Rosell.

A common ritual before our outings commence – shopping for snacks!

Morning at surf beach – the mere chorus of roaring waves is energizing.

First thing in the morning – buffet breakfast at this cool spot by the beach.

Leaving the meeting place by half past eleven, we went on to a seven-hour ride from central Quezon City along the northern expressway and the winding mountain roads on the borders of Nueva Ecija and Aurora. This already became a thrill-filled adventure for us, having been greeted by paths on the edge of cliffs and a surprise detour. By quarter to seven the next morning, the first thing to do was to fill ourselves up with breakfast at Bay’s Inn Resort’s nifty little beach restaurant, The Hungry Surfer. The place is open to everyone and is not necessarily for Bay’s Inn guests, and offers lavish buffet breakfast to beach-goers every morning. A lot of people were already there, but the good thing was we were already reserved a long table for all of us. We were all enthusiastic with the rumbling waves, but enjoying a bountiful breakfast was another thing. Hungry surfers, attack!

A plate overflowing with a lot of choices. Definitely coming back to the buffet area!

The sound coming from the billowing waves is a fitting background music during breakfast.

Getting to Know Baler: Around the Town Proper

Shortly after feeling cozy at the sight of the beach, we geared up for the next few activities prepared by Biyahe Lokal. First, we headed to the town proper of Baler for a quick tour. Notable places include the Doña Aurora Quezón Memorial Shrine, a replica of the residence of the wife of late President Manuel L. Quezón; San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Church or Baler Church as it is known by many, and the Municipal Plaza along the intersection of Rizal and San Luis streets. The shrine is furnished exactly how old ancestral houses looked like. A study room at the right portion of the house contains a library and portraits of the first president of the Commonwealth Republic of the Philippines. The larger room on the left side is a living room and dining room combined, with a staircase leading back to the ground floor. The room below is converted to a souvenir shop selling typical gift items and native handicrafts. An exhibit of traditional Filipiniana attire and the restored presidential vintage car are also featured.

The residence of Doña Aurora Quezón, housing memorabilia and ancestral collections.

Jam and Ehnuh looking out the window, quite a familiar scene in Filipino tradition. Harana, perhaps?

Lots of books for leisure reading inside the study room.

San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Church, colloquially Baler Church. Originally erected from nipa and bamboo materials way back 1611.

Interior of Baler Church. This is also where the late President Quezón was baptized.

The Museo de Baler behind the church is also worth a visit, featuring various artifacts and artworks. The first floor holds a relief map model of Baler, porcelain ware and pottery obtained from shipwrecks, manuscripts and old documents, and portraits and busts mostly of the late president. The upper floor features different galleries of paintings, photographs and murals, as well as a topographic map of the province of Aurora and various replicas and models. In front of the museum is the spacious Quezón Memorial Park where a statue of a seated Manuel L. Quezón could be found.

Quezón Memorial Park behind the Baler Church.

Monument of the late President Quezón at the Memorial Park.

Demz looking at the façade of Museo de Baler.

Artifacts on display inside the museum..

..as well as galleries astounding paintings and artworks.

The province of Aurora was once part of neighboring Quezon (then called Tayabas) down south, before its inauguration into province-hood in 1979. The two provinces have a unique connection, being named after the second President of the Philippines and his wife. Baler, meanwhile, was once a small barrio in Sabang damaged by strong waves in 1735. Residents transferred to nearby Ermita Hill for safety and established the present-day town proper or población. In 1856 it became the capital of the district of El Príncipe (now Aurora) before the American colonial era. After the war in 1897 it became under the jurisdiction of Tayabas, then the sub-province of Aurora (in Quezon), and finally its current provincial capital state in Aurora.

Off the Beaten Path: Mother Falls of Ditumabo

After the not-so-strenuous stroll in the town proper, it was time to increase the momentum of the Outing Series. Heading to the next municipality of San Luis, we prepared for a hike along the mountain streams of Ditumabo to visit the Mother Falls, as the locals call the scenic natural wonder. Tricycles could be rented at the foot of the roughly 40 minutes hiking path of stones and soil to a small community by the stream. From there, another 20 minutes of crossing man-made bridges and walking along a path inaccessible by any mode of transportation, before we reached another clearing where hikers could help themselves with fresh potable water from the mountain springs (personal water bottles could be refilled here, though plastic disposable ones are prohibited in the area).

The beginning of a hike to the mountains of San Luis.

First clearing: the jump-off point to the path to Mother Falls.

Streams to be crossed along the way (wooden bridges are available for the less adventurous).

The second clearing, where one could take a rest and drink fresh water from the mountains.

The last part, which consists of a path along lush foliage, rocky streams, and a stone wall reminiscent of a popular running game, took us 25 minutes before we finally saw the majestic falls, cascading onto a pool of cold water into the streams below. The hour-and-a-half hike to see this masterpiece of Mother Nature was totally worth it. We spent the time dipping into the pond and taking pictures at an elevated area in the center, just a few meters from the foot of the falls. Breathtaking, fascinating, awe-inspiring – no words could properly describe the sight of Mother Falls.

Almost there, the final clearing and the base of the Mother Falls.

Finally, a natural beauty in the form of the Mother Falls of Ditumabo.

Good thing there’s this wall to avoid the perilous path below. Temple Run, anyone?

Savoring the refreshing waters and the enchanting sight of the falls, we spent a good twenty minutes before going back the same trail on foot, though some managed to cut their sufferings short by hailing trikes at the first clearing for less than P100. Going down was an easier task, and only took us a little over an hour before driving off, back to the town proper of Baler for lunch at the famous Rolling Store, a series of small carinderias aptly named due to the fact that the eateries were once built on wheels moving to their current spot at San Luis St. just in time for lunch, before finally settling and occupying the area. Unfortunately we were too exhausted and hungry from the hike so we just ate a lot and forgot to take photos of the place.

Evening Bumming by the Sea: Digisit Beach

It was half past two in the afternoon when we arrived at our lodging place in AMCO Beach Resort, which is strategically located within five minutes from the beach front of Sabang. The front lawn of the three-storey establishment was set up for an evening banquet when we came, and a band was rehearsing at the stage as well. We checked in, settled down in our respective rooms and spent the next few hours either snoozing or just chilling out. Though the pools of the resort were not functional that time and were emptied out, the view from the second floor balcony was still great, with a sight of the mountains from afar and the distant howls of the waves from the sea providing an afternoon of calm and relaxation. It was late in the afternoon when everyone was up and the group decided to go for an evening stroll and dinner by the sea, so the team brought us to the coral beach of Digisit in Barangay Zabali just about twenty minutes away from the town proper.

AMCO Beach Resort, a comfy lodge for travelers.

Man-made pool by Digisit Beach in Zabali.

Capturing the landscape just before it vanishes into the night.

Digisit Beach, sometimes spelled as Diguisit, is another picturesque coast along Baler Bay, just next to Cemento Beach from the well-known Sabang. The shores contain a number of natural rock formations in varying sizes, from towering boulders to low lying platforms where one could sit down on and enjoy the view off the shore. Corals and shells are also scattered along the coast, making Digisit a great place to take a stroll. Since we left the resort late and it was the season of shorter days and longer nights, by the time we arrived at the beachfront the sun has already set, dimming the area and making brilliant photos elusive. It was also hard to fully appreciate the beauty offered by this exquisite beach during night, as the coral shores and rocky platforms and landscapes plentiful in the area could not be seen. Nevertheless, we enjoyed a peaceful beach chill out, singing melodies, having a light dinner and a few shots of liquor, and joining other beach bums and campers underneath the starlit night sky.

Gathering on a rocky platform off the shore. The tides were low so we were able to mount.

Assorted stones and coral bits from the shore.

The only source of light for our group during our merry-making.

We returned to the resort after staying in Digisit for an hour or so and ended the night with a drinking session, although we capped it off sooner than expected since there were only a few of us joining in. From the porch of the resort where we were, the sounds of Sabang’s waves echoed throughout the night, mixing with our jolly chatter and making us feel more contented with our vacation. Moments later we cleared up and went back to our respective rooms, falling asleep one by one.

“Good morning, surfers!” shouted the waves of Sabang Beach.

Pakô or fern salad, a specialty in the region.

After waking up early and taking showers, everyone headed to Bay’s Inn’s The Hungry Surfer again for breakfast, walking along the shores of Sabang and absorbing the lively mood coming from the vigorous waves to rouse us up. We ate our hearts out and gathered all the energy we could muster for the much anticipated activity during the trip: surfing. Finishing up our food, we headed back to a shack by the beach just near our resort to experience an hour of basic surfing under the hands of Aliya Surf Camp. Initially before we left for Baler, a portion of our payment was returned since there were some of us who didn’t want to try the activity and just watch the surfing scene. At the camp, those who wanted to try out shelled out P350 for an hour of quick start lesson and basic wave-riding guided by an instructor. Half of the whole group braved the waves, tumbled and rolled underneath the surface and definitely got stoked, as the brisk waters of Baler crashed upon us, wave after wave. I myself experienced the whirlpool action, spinning in the waves similar to clothes inside a washing machine, quite a number of times. But the single smooth ride, cruising on the waves onto the shore, being able to stand up straight and raise my fists up the air, was absolutely one of the best moments I had during that memorable trip to Baler. (No photo, too bad! T^T )

Being taught by instructor Cray, who has surfed for over nine years to date.

After a glorious hour, only one word painted across my face: STOKED!

Exhilarated by our surf session, all of us headed back to the resort to take a bath and pack our things up. As usual, there was that burdening feeling of leaving the place and coming back to senses in the real world, but as sure as we were to miss the beauty of Baler, the next vacation would be within arm’s reach soon. After stopping over at the public market for lunch and souvenir shopping (yay!), we drove all the way back to the asphalt roads and hazy cityscape that is Manila, promising the next time we visit the destination, we will conquer the waves and cruise along the shores of Sabang Beach. For now, we sailed off to deep slumber and prepared ourselves for the wave of workload approaching on the next few days. See you soon, Baler!

We’re totally missing this scene already.

 

More Information:

 

1. Baler is the capital of the province of Aurora in the Central Luzon Region, roughly eight hours away and 240 kilometers northeast of Metro Manila through winding roads along highlands and mountainsides in Nueva Ecija and Aurora. Private and public vehicles, especially buses, currently traverse the Pantabangan Dam route to Aurora, as the shorter but more meandering Nueva Ecija-Aurora mountain road is closed off for general use due to rehabilitation (but could still be taken for the more adventurous). From the two main thoroughfares the towns of Maria Aurora and San Luis could be reached before ending in the town proper of Baler.

2. The wide strip of Sabang Beach is the most famous and visited coast of Baler, attracting hundreds of surfers from all over the country and foreign lands as well during the annual surfing season. Stretching over two kilometers, the gray sands provide good cushion for beginner surfers riding waves six to seven feet in height. The most populous area is near the center of the beach in front of Bay’s Inn. Tricycle rides are five minutes away from Baler town proper. Down south, Cemento Beach and Digisit Beach also offer beautiful beach scenery, the former being a spot for advanced surfers and the latter gaining visits for its wonderful landscape. Both are accessible via tricycles and private cars from Sabang.

3. AMCO Beach Resort is a three-storey apartment some five minutes away from the shore of Sabang Beach. Although quite far from the beachfront and not a top resort like the ones you’d expect along the shores, this homey lodging place offers affordable room rates and basic needs for budget travelers. See reviews from TripAdvisor.com. For people with more cash to spend on good beach views from the room and added convenience, beachfront resorts such as Aliya Surf Camp and Resort, Bay’s Inn, and Bahia de Baler are a few choices.

4. Aliya Surf Camp offers one-hour surfing lessons testing out the waves for beginners at a rate of P350. They have experienced local surfers who would show the basics of surfing, give tips when off the shore, and allow you to experience catching the big ones by yourself. Visit their website, or their FaceBook page for more info. Other surf camps are available at the beachfront, mostly provided by resorts and lodging establishments nearby.

5. This outing was organized by the Biyahe Lokal team. They offer all-inclusive tours and vacation packages for growing beach attractions, including Baler, Cagbalete Island in Quezon, and Crystal Beach and the different coves in Zambales, among others. Our package price for an overnight stay in Baler last October 2013 was at P2,667.00 per person, inclusive of round-trip van transfers, buffet breakfast for both mornings, a tour around Baler town proper and trek to Ditumabo Mother Falls, lodging at AMCO Beach Resort, and surf lessons at Aliya Surf Camp.Visit Biyahe Lokal’s FaceBook page or contact Mr. Ryan Panlilio at biyahelokal@yahoo.com.

6. Mr. Jed Rosell, also known as BiyaherongBarat in the travel scene, is a core member of the Biyahe Lokal Team, providing write-ups and informative blog posts of his travel adventures. Visit his website at BiyaherongBarat.com for amazing reads, and read his blog on 9 things to do in Baler here.

7. For further reading, visit Aurora.ph and BalerPhilippines.com. To read more about Baler’s surfing history and other well-known surf spots (referencing the 1979 hit movie Apocalypse Now), visit these sites: LokalSoul.com and TravelBook.ph.

[Baler 20131026]. An Outing Series group shot, with Sir Ryan and Sir Jed of Biyahe Lokal.

My favorite Baler shot: Kuno chilling out at surf beach.

 

Thanks for reaching the end of this long blog post! Now, question time dear reader! [Have you ever been stoked about surfing? How was your experience?] Surf away with your answers below!

 

『lakbaykuno』