Do It Yourself Family Pinatubo Trek

View of the crater

As part of our year-end trip, I decided to have my family and some relatives trek Mt. Pinatubo. We were a group of 15 composed of children, teenagers and adults with ages ranging from 6 up to 55 years of age. :-)

 

Capas is the starting point for the Pinatubo trek. However, the jump off point is in Barangay Sta. Juliana which is still around 30 minutes from the highway. It is suggested that trekkers be at the jump off by 6AM. However, in our case, we were still buying breakfast (take-out) in McDonalds by that time. Haha.

 

In Capas, we turned left (if coming from Manila) at the KKK sign before the Municipal Hall and just followed the signs to Mt. Pinatubo jump off.

 

It was obvious that we have arrived at our destination since there were so many 4x4 jeepneys. I went to the registration area just in front of the tourism office, and

was asked what agency I booked with. I just told them that it's a do-it-yourself trip and was given registration forms and waivers to sign. While I was filling-out the

forms, the others parked in one of the local parking areas and ate breakfast. After filling-out the forms, I returned the forms and was asked to have the adults aged 40+ to have their blood pressures taken. For those who had a high blood pressure at the time of registration, they were still allowed to join the trek but they had to sign the waiver.

 

After the paper works were completed, we were then asked for payments. For our group, the cost totaled to Php 20, 250.00. With this large amount of payment, I requested for a receipt. However, the guy collecting said that the receipt will be provided upon return.

 

Here is a copy of our detailed expenses based on a group of 5 people (Php 1,350.00 per person):

Detailed expenses

And off we go. Since we were exactly 15, we had 3 4x4 jeepneys. Grouping would depend on the registration form submitted since each registration form is good for 1 4x4 jeepney.

The ride from the registration area to the jump-off area was around 30 minutes. We had a quick stop over on the way where we met some aeta kids that gladly had pictures with us. 

 

Dusty Road

 

Passing through some water

Upon arrival at the jump off point, everyone got super excited! Our 7 km trek starts here!

Trek Jump Off Point

While trekking up the crater, we got to see a lot of beautiful sand formations created from previous eruptions of Mt. Pinatubo. We also got to meet more Aetas and see their houses.

Some of the great views along the way

The first hour of trekking was easy since we didn't have to climb up a mountain. The only thing we had some slow down was whenever we were crossing creeks.

Our little one passing through the creek

Trekking up to the crater

On the way up, there are 2 resting areas. The first one is a big nipa shed and the second one is shed with a comfort room and drinking water. A few meters from the second resting area is the famous sign that tells trekkers how long it would take until they reach the crater. From here, the trek was a climb up the mountain.

 

Where do you belong?

Well, after 27 minutes from the sign, we finally arrived at the viewing deck! So we belong to the senior citizen group? Haha.

And we made it

Upon going down the crater, our guide told us that swimming is already not allowed in the crater (There are also signs indicating that swimming is not allowed). We also saw some boats that used to be rented out. One thing that displeased us upon reaching the lake was that we saw some foreigners swimming in the lake and the guides did not do anything about it.

 

Lake

Around 1 PM, after resting and eating, we decided to go back. It took a shorter time to get down compared to the going up. And we enjoyed the view once again.

Another view on the way up the crater

Upon arriving in Sta. Juliana, I went to the tourism office to get my receipt. Unfortunately, I only got a cash voucher. But what was important for me was the

breakdown of the expenses. We didn't wash up in the area since we had a hotel in Capas.

 

Overall, the trek was a good family bonding. It was not as tiring as the other mountains we've climbed so it was a good activity for our parents and their generation. However, it would be good if the guides were trained on not just helping during the trek but also on discussing history and facts about Mt. Pinatubo and the people.

 

Notes:

• Parking fee costs Php 50.00 per car
• Walking sticks are sold at the registration area for Php 20.00. It did help the others in the trek specially when crossing the creeks.
• Last chance to depart from the registration area is at 8:30 AM.
• The cost paid at the registration area already includes guide fee, however, a tip is not too much specially if the guide was helpful and really knowledgeable about Pinatubo.
• Immediately go to the crater upon arrival. It is better to rest there and eat lunch than to rest at the viewing area.
• The Sky Trail which only takes 30 minutes of trekking has not been available for 2 years now. The guide said that the way is still being cleared but he does not recommend it as it is a bit dangerous due to the very steep roads.
• Pinatubo Spa Town has been closed for over a year upon our arrival. The Korean that used to run the place is no longer there after the place was acquired by the government. Tsk tsk. We had our hopes of spending time here after our trek. *sigh*
• There are a number of guesthouses in Sta. Juliana for those who would want to spend the night there.
• It is good to have a contact from Sta. Juliana who can inform you if trips are cancelled due to the weather. Our contact person was Wendell: 0919 608 4313

Do It Yourself Mt. Pulag

The view that welcomed my birthday

To celebrate my 26th year, I wanted to have a birthday climb at Mt. Pulag with my family and relatives.

This is my second time to climb Mt. Pulag and I decided to have a do-it-yourself trip. First step was to contact DENR to reserve slots for the summit on our travel date. Their most recent contact person is Sir Ray (0929 166 8864). Next was to contact a jeepney for this trip. For our trip, we asked a Holyghost bound jeepney to bring us to Pulag. But any jeepney would do as long as the driver would be willing to wait out in the ranger's station overnight.

Here is a copy of the expenses for those who would like to try:



Detailed expenses

So for a pax of 20, the expense could be as low as Php730.00 per head. So cheap for an experience of a lifetime!

Note:

• Bus from Manila to Baguio costs around Php 455.00. Bus lines that have Baguio trips from Manila are Victory Liner, Genesis, and Dagupan Bus.
• Bring thick jackets and bonnets to help fight the cold weather.
• Flashlight is a must since you will be trekking to the summit at around 3AM in the morning.
• Don't forget the trail foods!

DIY Bohol Tour for Php5,000.00

This is probably one of the cheapest trips I've had. One factor that helped us save on this trip was renting a motorcycle instead of hiring a car for just 2 people.

Here is a summary of our itinerary for 3d/2n:

We arrived in Bohol around 1pm and were picked up by the hotel's shuttle service. Upon arrival, we immediately asked them to look for a dependable and trustworthy motorcycle rental. This is very important since there are a lot of scammers there. They were able to contact a renter who gave us the bike for Php600.00 for 24 hrs. We just had to fill it up with gasoline before heading to Panglao. 

DIY Panglao is easy since the tourist spots are along the main roads. We started with Dauis Church (this was destroyed by the earthquake) then Hinagdanan cave where we also bought some souvenirs. Then we headed to the Panglao church and went straight to the Nova Shell museum just near the gasoline station in town.

After the museum, we looked for Bohol Cocofarm for the skywalk. However, when we got there, it was closed for repair in preparation for summer. We had some snacks there to try out there organic meals before heading to the Bohol Bee farm where we has a free taste of almost all their ice cream before dexiding to buy some scoops. We could have peeked at Alona beach but we didn't have much time.

We ended the day with a delicious meal at Gerarda's.

One of their unique dishes.

Here's a summary of our expenses for the day (less the snacks):

On our second day, we had the DIY Bohol country side tour. Just like the usual agency-led tour, we started with the tarsier sanctuary then took some pictures at the man-made forest before heading staright to the Chocolate hills since this is the farthest amongst the spots. Though some of the hills were destroyed by the earthquake, it is still a great place to see.

We then went to see the butterfly sanctuary. Along the way is the ship house where the staff are dressed like ship crews. By this time, it was already lunch time. So we headed to Loboc River for the cruise and buffet lunch. This takes about an hour. 

Then off we went to see the python. However, when we got there, we learned that the original python already died. However, the staff kept his skin and had a real-life "statue" in his memory. A few meters from the python is the Baclayon church where tourists can see a figure of Father Pio at the side of the church. Not far from there is the blood compact.

Here are most of the expenses for this day:

On our third day, we wanted to go dolphin watching. So we got up early and took a tricycle to Baclayon port where we were picked up by our boatman. The trip from the port to the play area of the dolphins was less than an hour. At first, we were expecting to see one or two dolphins. But we were so surprised to see lots of them playing around. It was such a great memory. (Pictures are good but since the dolphins are playing, it is best to take videos of them).

Here is our expenses for the day:

To sum it up, the tours and some meals only costs around Php5,000.00 each. This would have been cheaper if there were more who divided the cost of the boat. Overall, the trip was cheap but was very memorable.

DIY Virgin Islands, Bantayan (Cebu)

Bantayan Island has always been part of my "To-Go" List. However, with a 3d/2n schedule, we had to make sure that we enjoy Bantayan and also get to visit the Marian Hills in Simala. So when we got to Cebu early in the morning, we immediately went to Bantayan. The ride took close to 3 hours because we chose to ride the Ceres Aircon Bus. If we didn't know any better, we would have been convinced to ride the ordinary bus because the people there insist that the bus bound to Bantayan is already leaving. Don't rush. Walk past them and go at the back part of the terminal. The Ceres bus is colored yellow. You won't miss this because they are everywhere. We chose this kind of bus because these aircon buses won't have the usual X number of stops which saves us time. 

 

We were lucky when we got to the port. We only waited a few minutes before the ferry left.

Here is a list of our expenses for this vacation: (based on 2 people sharing the expenses)

*Some resorts offer free pick up to and from the port

**There are resorts that offer as low as Php650.00 for aircon rooms. However, these are not beach front rooms. Expense on the gas would depend on how long the motor will be used.

Just a tip, for those who would like to have a bountiful seafood lunch, its best to wake up early and go to Bantayan town where the freshly caught fishes are sold. Don't forget the cooked rice and some sauce to go along with thr seafoods. Oh, and some paper plates as well as drinks and cups. Rentals of these in the island can be a bit expensive if you're in a budget.

I also recommend to be as early as possible. When we got to the Virgin island around 8am, we were the first visitors so we had the island all to ourselves. The beauty of this island made us feel that the 3-4 hours bus ride plus 1.5 hour ferry trip and the added 30-45 minutes boat ride from Bantayan to the island was all worth it. 

The entrance fee was on a per boat basis. Php500.00 is charged to the first two persons and Php100.00 each to succeeding persons.

There are cottages for rent in the island but they allow the visitors to eat at the grilling area for free. Here are some of their services:

We enjoyed snorkling here though the big sea urchins did give us a scare. Haha.

For island hopping and motor bike rentals, you may contact JP at (0929) 647 0185. He can give the motorcycle for as low as Php200.00 and even help look for a cheap accomodation.

After enjoying the island, it's time to go back to Cebu. Here is a schedule of the ferry  back to the port: