Baler for Non-Surfers

We and our friends loooove traveling. As much as we'd like to buy plane tickets and fly to somewhere, our hectic work schedules do not always permit us to do so. Soooo... we make it a point to free up some of our weekends for out of town trips - driving distance from Manila. 

In our barkada, about half are surfers and half aren't (They're still cool though! hehe) By the way, I'm part of the non-surfer group. Anyway, for one weekend, we decided to go to Baler, Aurora. You guessed it right! It was a suggestion made by our surfer friends. But really, we were still excited to go! Plus it was our good friend, Bia's birthday celebration. 

We stayed overnight at a budget hotel in Sabang - AMCO Beach Resort. It wasn't a beach front accommodation, but it was walking distance from the beach. It was pretty decent for a budget hotel. The rooms were nice and the bathrooms were clean. We got 2 rooms for the group. You may reach them via mobile phone: 091761288759 or email: amco.beachresort@gmail.com. You may also check out their Facebook Page

In Baler, there are more things to do aside from surfing.

Food Trip
You'll find a lot of bars, restaurants & carinderias. There are also a number of good restos along the shoreline.  

Trek to Ditumabao Falls or Mother Falls
The trek is around 30-40 mins depending on your pace. We didn't really feel exhausted because it rained. It was scary since the path we walked through was slippery, but we were careful. While walking you'll pass through rocky trails, cross rivers and see old trees. As we reached the waterfalls, we felt the walk was worth it. It was wonderful! 

See the Old Balete Tree
It was majestic! So big, you'd need around 50 people to wrap their arms around the tree! We decided to go in and see what's inside. YES YES! GO IN.. you read that right! We went in as a group, if you're afraid of tight spaces, you might want to give it a try. It's a small space, but you can still see light coming in. Its not that bad. 

Inside the Balete Tree

 Or you can also try going up the tree. Be careful though, the branches are slippery.

Climbed up the Balete Tree

Go to Ermita Hill
This is the place where the people stayed during the Tsunami that hit Baler, many years ago. The view is so nice, it's perfect for photos! You can also climb up the stairs where a cross stands on top of the hill. 

Learn to Surf
You can rent a surfboard and hire an instructor for surfing lessons. Only 350 per hour. :) 

Diguisit and Lukso-Lukso Islets
We really wanted to go to the islets, if only we had more time. :( 

Fun trip! We didn't spend much. We spent about 2,500 per person inclusive of
share for gas, accommodation, meals and drinks.