Bolinao, Pangasinan DIY Budget, Accommodation, Itinerary and Spots to Visit!

Right after our summer trip last 2013, we already decided Bolinao, Pangasinan to be our next destination. One of our friends is from the town of Bani near Bolinao and he suggested this place for our 2014 getaway. I've already heard a lot of good reviews about Patar Beach as well, so I knew this is a good choice. There were a total of 17 of us in the group, 13 adults and 4 kids :D the more the merrier!

I love everything about this trip. We stayed for 3 days and 2 nights and were able to explore not just the beach but also the nearby tourist spots in the area such as the Enchanted Cave and Bolinao Falls. Sulit na sulit!

HOW TO GET THERE
WHERE TO STAY
ITINERARY
RATES/EXPENSES


PATAR BEACH:

Aside from the hundred islands in Pangasinan, Patar beach is also one of the more popular beaches in Pangasinan. It is surrounded by several resorts and accommodations. The clear blue sea gently rolls over it's creamy white sand that glitter spectacularly when the sun hits. It is stunningly creamy gold, not white but still fine and smooth.

Though the place was crowded when we went there since it was a Black Friday ( we already expected this), we still enjoyed and had a superb experience.

The downside is there are lots of seaferns even in the shoreline. Especially during low tides, you'll find this "nature's trash" everywhere, even sea urchins! My friend and a few other people got stung by these spiny little creatures. Good thing they werent poisonous?(or atleast the ones in patar) The locals seem to be very used to seeing people with their hands attacked by these urchins. They were okay with it and told us, "calamansi o suka lang yan, wala yan"and even "ihian mo lang yan, mawawala lang agad yan". WTH. haha. It was funny but looks like it was a normal scene in the area. We first squeezed some calamansi to his hands, added soysauce, garlic and onions. char! haha. We gently removed them with a tweezer and it was all good. He felt numb at first but he said it wasn't too painful, and he was still able to enjoy the day. But still, you should be very careful, you don't want this to happen to you.  

We stayed at Nelly's Beach Resort. Read my post about the accommodation here. 

THINGS TO CONSIDER:

• There is no signal at the beach for all networks.
• Seaferns and sea urchins at the sea
• A bottle of beer costs Php40 here
• A quarter block of ice is Php100
• There is a mini store at the area but they only sell a few things
• Videoke rental for 1 day is Php800 and is only allowed until 10pm
• The resort is about 1hour ride from the town proper, about 30mins away from Bolinao Falls, about 15mins away from Enchanted Cave, about 7 mins away from the lighthouse.

THE LIGHTHOUSE:

The Cape Bolinao Lighthouse rises 351 feet (107 m) above sea level atop Punta Piedra Point, a towering hill of solid rock which is the sharp point of Cape Bolinao itself and the lighthouse still sends signals to vessels passing by the area. We were amazed by the panoramic view of the Patar Beach and the South China Sea at the viewdeck of the lighthouse. You shouldnt miss this picturesque view when you visit Bolinao!

BOLINAO FALLS:


Another place you shouldn't miss during your Bolinao tour. We visited the falls on our 2nd day, it's about 20-25 mins ride of rough roads from Bolinao Market at the town proper (we had to go back to the market to buy food, etc.) The moment we arrived the falls, we were all looking groggy.haha! Our hairs and feet were all white because of the dust from the path leading to the falls. But it was worth all the dirt. lol. There was a man made stairs leading down to the waterfalls. Be careful,it can be steep in some parts.

There is no entrance fee to the falls, but we had to pay Php150 each for a cottage, we rented 2. It was already crowded when we arrived at around 9am, (again it was because it was a holiday). We could have enjoyed it even more if there were not a lot of people. But still it was okay, the water was so refreshing and colder than the waters in Patar. The water's so clear one is able to see the bottom rocks. There was also a store selling halohalo in the area for Php30 which taste okay but not great. i wasn't able to take pictures of the falls itself since were at the top. 

THE ENCHANTED CAVE:

 Everyone would agree that this is the best part of the trip. It is the most popular of a couple caves in Bolinao and really is a must-see spot in the area. for it's mystifying view. Entrance fee is Php150, but if you're not going for a dip you only pay Php100. Vests are available for rent at Php50, the Php20 is refundable upon return. There were a lot of remains of giant clams and huge coral rocks. These were evidences that the beach in Patar has been extended up to this part. The guides are also very friendly and courteous and they were able to maintain cleanliness the place.

The place really gives justice to it's name. It gives a magical ambiance and felt surreal. The rock formation and coral reefs is really astonishing. It's quite eerie at first, but the crystal clear waters were enticing.

The water is about 5feet-deep to the right of the rope in the photo and could go about 10-20feet deep in the middle part as per the guides.There were also a lot of shallow areas in many sections of the pool. The cavern was well lit as well it lessened my fear of cavernous places. lol.

I would really recommend visiting the place and exploring the wonders of nature there. If you are searching for a place of endless fun in the North, visit BOLINAO!

More posts about our Bolinao Trip here:

HOW TO GET THERE
WHERE TO STAY
ITINERARY
RATES/EXPENSES