I had
been busy recently preparing for summer vacation and after a few months of
hiatus, we’re finally posting some new entries in this blog. It had already been two years since our last
summer adventure with our “extended family”.
It was supposed to be an annual event for us but because I had to work
abroad, we weren’t able to have a getaway last year.
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| Finally, after a long wait... summer! |
For our
autistic son, a trip to the beach would be a blast since he really loved to be
in the water and he loved how the waves would splash onto his body. At the special needs clinic where he attends
his therapy, there is an aqua therapy where kids in the autism spectrum and
other special kids get their therapy in a swimming pool. I could imagine how these special children would
really enjoy doing different activities in the water.
We had
several options when we planned this trip before we finally settled with a road
trip to Pangasinan. We had already been
to the Hundred Islands before so our aim for this year was to try the other
beaches of the province. While we were
doing our research, it seemed that Cabongaoan Beach in Burgos was not so well
known at that time and from the description of other bloggers who had been
there, it also seemed like a promising destination. And so we agreed to include it in our itinerary,
along with the Umbrella Rocks of Agno which was suggested to us by a good friend
of one of our colleagues.
It
seemed there were only two resorts in Cabongaoan that had online presence in
the internet at the time we were researching: Roven’s Place and Viva La VidaCabo. Viva La Vida Cabo responded to my
inquiry via Facebook Messenger, and although their rates weren’t really that
expensive, it was a little over our budget.
Roven’s Place did not respond to any of my messages (I was using
Messenger because I was abroad at that time) so one of us contacted them
through mobile and finally made a reservation.
Our
convoy met up at Petron gas station at NLEX (North Luzon Expressway) around 4
in the morning. Our route would be
through SCTEX (Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway) then through TPLEX
(Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway) because we would have a side trip at
the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Manaoag first. We chose to meet up at 4am because we
received several advise from other people that TPLEX could be dangerous from
late night to very early dawn. It was
already daylight when we reached Manaoag Church. After lighting some candles and saying our
prayers, off we headed to Burgos, Pangasinan.
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| NLEX-SCTEX junction |
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| Are we there yet?... (along SCTEX) |
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| From here they looked like miniature trees! (along TPLEX) |
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| Exiting... |
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| The fountain in the candle gallery at Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Manaoag |
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| Lighting some petition candles |
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| The next generation... |
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| Ladies... |
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| The statue of our lady carved from a tree trunk |
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| Rosary Garden at Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Manaoag |
We went
through Dagupan, Labrador, Sual, then Alaminos.
But just before reaching Alaminos central district, we took the
diversion road to the left going to Burgos.
We bought some of our supplies when we reached the small, quiet town
proper of Burgos. There were several
signs there already pointing to where Cabongaoan Beach was. One of the signs indicated that the beach was
still a long way to go: 24 km from the town proper which was about 45 minutes
of driving (also according to the sign).
If
you’re wondering why the sign would say 45 minutes of driving for just 24
kilometers, read on. That final 24 km
stretch of road was quite a challenge to navigate, especially for a sedan. The first few parts were manageable, a narrow
concrete road, winding up and down through some hills. But it got tough when we reached the rough
road part, especially the areas with just some partially concreted road. Some parts would not fit two vehicles side by
side. When there was an oncoming
vehicle going the opposite direction, one of the vehicles would have to get to the ditch and off
the road which was at times too high for a sedan or even for a medium sized
SUV. Some rough roads even had big rocks
so extra care must be taken. Our convoy
took more than 45 minutes to navigate that last leg, mainly due to the
approaching vehicles going the other direction.
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| Welcome to... |
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| Now entering... |
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| They're preparing for the parade (Bangus Festival at Dagupan) |
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| A long way to go... |
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| Entering... |
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| Alaminos finally! |
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| Onward to Burgos, Pangasinan |
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| The first part of the road from Burgos town proper going to Cabongaoan Beach |
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| This isn't so bad, right? |
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| Errr... (that newly concreted road isn't accessible yet) |
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| ok... still manageable... |
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| Woah... good thing it was only a trike... |
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| Then it got worse... |
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| Sedans won't be able to get off to the side... |
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| And the final stretch (only one vehicle fits that road)... |
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| We're here! |
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| You can't miss that sign |
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| Entrance to the parking area |
When we got to the beach, we found out that
there were already quite a number of resorts in the area. But we already made our reservations at
Roven’s Place so that was where we headed.
Roven’s place only had five nipa huts.
Other guests could opt for the tables or set up their own tents for a
fee. The nipa huts had electric fans,
foam beds and pillows. They were bare
but they were cozy for us. We got the
big hut which had two rooms and a veranda.
We paid PHP 3,500 for an overnight stay (11 AM to 10 AM the following
day). There were also several tables
under the trees around the area and there were some wide spaces where guests
could pitch tents. There were two hand
pumps where guests could get fresh water for washing and cleaning. Near the pumps was the outhouse that had four
toilets. These served also as shower and
dressing rooms. Though basic, the
toilets were clean as the whole resort was always being kept clean by its
caretaker, Mang Inggo and his family.
There were several stores at Cabongaoan Beach
where you could buy some supplies like charcoal, water, sodas, chips, liquors,
ice, etc. but the prices were on the high side most probably because of the
road that needed to be travelled to get the goods there. If you were on a tight budget, you may opt to
buy all your supplies at the Burgos town proper before proceeding to the beach.
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| Our quaint little hut |
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| looks and feels comfy! |
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| An electric fan is enough |
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| nice, cozy bed |
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| Fresh water source |
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| The outhouse that serves as toilets/dressing rooms/shower rooms |
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| Pretty basic but clean |
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| Roven's Place has an ample camping grounds for tent pitching |
Our first day at Cabongaoan was more relaxed
because people were still few. The kids
really enjoyed the water. It was shallow
near the shore and there weren’t areas that would suddenly get deeper unlike
some other beaches. It was all gradual
so relatively it was safe for the kids as long as there were adults who watched
over them. That afternoon also, the
waves were gentler as the tide was receding.
The sand under the water was difficult to walk on though because of some
sharp rocks and coarse sand. The
children wore aqua shoes to protect their feet.
Our autistic son needed an adult companion close to him always because
he always wanted to float lying down on the water. The kids who couldn’t swim yet had either
life vests or some floaters on. There
weren’t any lifeguards since Cabongaoan is a public beach.
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| First day! Only a few people... |
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| The sea is inviting... |
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| It's a good day for a swim! |
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| So let's go! |
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| There's one huge boulder near the beach at Roven's Place |
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| Beyond the boulder is a fishing community and several other resorts |
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| An artsy shot taken by our niece |
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| There are a number of sea creatures in the area like this sea cucumber... |
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| ...and this sea spiral |
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| Most of the starfish, however, are brittle stars |
Later in the afternoon, when the tide had
receded, the kids got to clean up on their own at the hand pumps. Being city dwellers, it was not common for
them to see and use hand pumps, though they had already experienced these in
some of our previous adventures, they still enjoyed using them.
We ended the day early because we were a
little tired from the long travel getting there. The hut that we rented was intended for the
ladies and the kids (and our valuables).
For the men, we just slept wherever it was comfortable. It was summer anyway so the night wasn’t that
cold nor was it hot. Later still in the
night, around 2AM, I transferred my banana bed to the shore. There were also several campers asleep
there. For me, I just wanted to marvel
at the stars and fall asleep gazing at them while listening to the gentle waves
of the sea. The lights from the resorts
weren’t that bright to drown away the stars, they could easily be blocked using
my arm to get a better view of the stars.
Then alas, after several years (around nine years maybe), I finally got
to see the Milky Way again! The last
time I saw it was when I was working at Masbate province.
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| Afternoon siesta can't get any better than this! |
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| Halo-halo at the beach |
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| Sun's almost set... |
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| Another artsy snap by our niece |
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| Aren't you tired yet? |
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| Ending the day like this.... yep... |
The following morning, we were hoping we
could buy some fish from the local fishermen.
Unfortunately for us, they wouldn’t sell some of their catch, unlike in
some other camping beaches we’ve been where you could wake up early and buy
fresh catch from the fishermen. The sea
was a little too rough for an early morning swim but we got to roam around the
stretch of the beach. We were scouting
for a place to transfer because our reservation at Roven’s place was only for
one night and there was another guest who already reserved ahead of us for that
date. The camping grounds was also
getting full of tents and we were running out of place to pitch our tents. All the other resorts were booked but we
finally found one, next to Ragasa Cabo Beach Resort, which had a wide
area. There weren’t any rooms in that
resort, only tables. We got two tables
that was next to an open space where we could pitch our tents. We paid PHP 500 for each table and PHP 100
per adult (kids were free). The area was
wide enough so we could also park our vehicles next to our tents. That resort also had two hand pumps and an
outhouse with four toilets similar to the one at Roven’s Place. As the morning turned to noon, people started
to fill the resort and the whole Cabongaoan Beach for that matter. Some came in buses while others came in hired
trucks. Apparently, Cabongaoan Beach
wasn’t that “lesser known” beach that we had hoped it would be and it was
getting crowded (but manageable still).
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| The sea is quite rough in the morning |
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| There is a tourist assistance center at the beach |
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| Wolf pack... nah! just a couple of local "beach dogs" |
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| Morning view |
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| This is the next resort we went to (sorry, we forgot to get the name and contact number) |
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| It only had tables but there's lots of space to pitch tents |
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| Our 5-star accommodation! |
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| See? The kids are enjoying their room! |
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| This place is getting full... |
It was another day for the kids to spend lots
of time in the water. While they
enjoyed, we prepared our grub for the day.
We were able to ask some locals who had a motorcycle to take one of us
to the nearest market (probably 24 km away? Lol!) and we were able to buy some
fish, pork and vegies. We paid the local
PHP 350 for his services after some haggling.
That night, I promised the kids I would wake
them up at 2AM to show them the Milky Way.
It would be their first time to see it and they were excited. They were so amazed when they saw it. We spent a few moments in the late night sky
gazing at it before I got them back into their tents. Sadly, I did not come prepared to capture the
galaxy in a photo (our cameras were not capable to register the faint light of
the distant stars and dust) so I had no photo to share. But for us who were always surrounded by the
blinding lights of the city, it was truly a sight to behold.
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| The best family photos are the ones taken at the beach (lol!) |
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| Enjoying the splash of the water! |
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| Let's build a castle |
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| Enjoying the water so much |
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| Time to snorkel |
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| But first... some henna tattoo session |
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| Artsy... |
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| Another artsy one... |
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| Ice scramble! Yum! |
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| Ahhh... this is life... |
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| That place with the tents is Roven's Place |
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| Wish the view will remain like this |
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| Selfie time! |
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| Smile! |
The next morning, we went to see the Death
Pool, the main attraction of Cabongaoan Beach.
We went there in batches. It was
about a kilometer from where we were. My
family’s kids were still asleep when we went there so only me and my wife
joined the group. It was the right thing
for us because when we got nearer to the Death Pool, the trail became rocky,
some parts were narrow and had sharp rocks.
Our other two kids would be able to manage the trail but for our son
with autism, it would be a difficult hike.
There were only a few people when we got to the Death Pool so we were
able to take some photos. On our way
back to the resort, people started to pour in and we were glad we were able to
visit the place earlier.
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| They sure had a blast! |
(Disclaimer: The following opinion is my own
and my wife’s only. It does not
represent the opinion of the whole group who went to Cabongaoan Beach.)
We were
expecting Cabongaoan Beach to strike awe in us much as the same way that Burot
Beach (several years ago), our secret island at Hundred Islands, and Cagbalete
Island did when we went there. We had been to several "hard to reach" destinations in the past because we prefer to visit lesser known places and most often, the "feel" of those places made it all worth the trouble of getting there. There was an expectation from us that the harder to reach a certain place, the more beautiful it would be. For me
and my wife, though, the beach didn’t have the luster that would otherwise compensate for the
difficulty we had gone through getting there from Burgos town proper. But don’t get us wrong, the place is
beautiful, no doubt. It’s just that the
effort we did on that last stretch of 24-km rough road left us asking for
more. Perhaps if it wasn’t that hard to
get there, it would be an awesome beach to us.
Also from the number of people who were there, we could say that it
wasn’t the hidden beach anymore that the old blogs used to describe. Still, Cabongaoan Beach is an amazing beach
by itself. The period during a stypical
summer day when the waves were gentle and the waters were clear and shallow
would make it suitable for children. The
sunset was also a relaxing sight to see as the tide gently ebbed away. I just hope that the development in the area
would be controlled to keep it as it is: simple, clean and beautiful.
Tips:
Travel means:
Private Vehicle: The
road to Cabongaoan Beach can be navigated by a sedan although extra care must
be taken because of the rocks and deep ditches.
It can be difficult when there is oncoming vehicle most especially when
that vehicle is a truck or a bus. Don’t
force your car to go off to the side of the road if our car clearance isn’t
high enough.
Traveling from Manila to
Cabongaoan can consume a significant amount of gas. Our sedan consumed about 3/4 of a full tank. We suggest that you fill around PHP500 worth
of petrol at Burgos town proper before going to Cabongaoan Beach because there
won’t be any other petrol station in along that 24-km stretch of rough road
(during our visit, petrol prices at Alaminos were cheaper compared to Manila
price).
There are prominent
signs at Burgos town proper that point to Cabongaoan Beach.
Public Transport: There are buses going to Burgos at Alaminos. Then at Burgos town proper, you can take a
tricycle to get to the beach (about PHP300 for two people). Be sure to ask the tricycle driver to come
back for you, better if you get his contact number.
Kidsentials and advise for autism families:
- The waters near the shore are shallow enough for kids during
normal tide. However, life vests
and floaters are still recommended for small children and kids in the
autism spectrum. During high tide,
the waves can be rough for small children.
There aren't any lifeguards at the beach so make sure somebody from
your group can swim.
- We recommend aqua shoes for the kids because the sand
and small rocks under the water can be difficult and painful for some kids
to walk on.
- Depending on where in the autism spectrum your special
one is, always keep an eye on your child.
They can easily get lost especially during the peak season. The beach is also wide and long so there
is a vast area where they can get lost.
- The path going to the Death Pool can be manageable for
some children. In fact, there were
many kids who went there with their parents when we were there. For your autism child however, you can
assess for yourself if they will be able to manage the path. Just remember that some parts of the
trail are very rocky with sharp protrusions while some are narrow where
one could fall off at the side. In
my opinion, the Death Pool isn’t really an attraction for small children
and kids with special needs. Adults
and some thrill seekers, however, can find the place interesting.
- First aid kit (this is of course an essential in any
adventure) with some insect repellent.
Other general tips:
- Along the barangay road going to Cabongaoan, there is a junction manned by locals where travelers can register. You can to choose to give a small donation to the locals but this is entirely voluntary (for me, however, I would recommend giving some amount because in most cases, these locals are just volunteers to keep the place clean and orderly).
- Be careful at the Death Pool and avoid showing off if you're not really a good swimmer because there aren't any lifeguards there either. Better to be safe than sorry.
- There are already several stores at the beach when we got there but you may want to buy supplies at Burgos town proper before going to the beach. For the fish, you may opt to buy at Alaminos or at Sual (the fish market along the road).
- Running out of mobile phone credits (load)? The some stores at the beach offer reloading of mobile credits. However, the signal there isn't stable. You will have to roam around to get a good signal, especially mobile internet.
- The locals are friendly,
just be friendly to them as well. Some may offer to buy you some supplies at the market for a fee.
- You may want to bring rechargeable fans in case you would be staying in tents. Although the resorts there had lights, you may want to bring rechargeable lights and flashlights too.
- During peak season, getting out of Cabongaoan Beach can be challenging and can take quite some time. When we went out of Cabongaoan, it took us a little less than an hour just to get past Roven's Place signage because visitors in trucks and buses kept coming in (remember that final stretch of road can only fit one vehicle).
- Clean up before you go, throw your trash in the proper bins if available. Respect the beach and the sea so that more people can enjoy the beauty of this place.
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