Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar Family Budget Overnight Tour

September 9 to 10, 2017 Saturday - Sunday in Bagac, Bataan, Philippines

My 22nd family outing initiated and of course, usual budget do-it-yourself itinerary from arrival to departure. This trip served as my 5th tour-visit in Bataan province, following the Mt. Mariveles Traverse Day-Hike (May 2016).

FAMILY BUDGET DIY OVERNIGHT TRIP IN LAS CASAS FILIPINAS ITINERARY

(composed of 1 adult, 1 senior citizen and 2 children (11-yr old and 5yr old)

Preparation: Advance booking made (with 25% discount) 3 weeks before the arrival schedule, paid online PhP 605.

​September 09, 2017 Saturday
0700H ETD Home Grab Car 380
0745H ETA Genesis Bus Terminal Cubao;
0800H ETD Cubao; a/c bus - 3 senior/student, 1 adult 160(3)+200=680
1015H ETA Balanga Bus Terminal; crackers / drinks 95
1100H ETD Balanga Terminal (Bagac); direct jeep - 2 adult / 2 children 70(2)+80(2)=300
1200H ETA Las Casa Filipinas de Acuzar; lunch 1,000
Payment for one night 6,895 + 3000(deposit)
Overnight Stay Package Inclusion: Set Breakfast at Marivent Cafe, Walking Heritage Tour includes hearing the historical and cultural significance of the heritage houses, Complimentary Wifi, Free Hop-On Hop-Off Jeepney Ride Within Las Casas area, Welcome drinks and cold towel, Beach Area, Swimming pool
1300H Room check-in
1430H Walking Heritage Tour; Snacks 275
1630H Carabao Race
1800H Cultural Dance Show; Swimming; Dinner 880
Total: PhP 10,505

September 10, 2017 Sunday
0800H Breakfast (2 kids) 650
0930H Hotel Check-out (3,000) claim deposit
Tricycle to Bagac Terminal 150; Jeep to Balanga Terminal 35(2)+30(2)=130; Snacks 65
1100H ETD Balanga Bus Terminal 760
1330H ETA Cubao; Grab Taxi Home 380
Total: PhP 2,135

Grand Total Budget: PhP 605 + PhP 10,505 + PhP 2,135 = PhP 13,245

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar Family Budget Overnight Tour

Mt. Mariveles (1,408masl) Traverse Day-Hike (Pantingan Peak to Tarak Ridge)

29-May-2016 Sunday in Bagac to Mariveles,Bataan, Philippines

MT. MARIVELES RANGE GENERAL INFO:
Entry point: Sitio Gabon, Bagac, Bataan         Exit point: Brgy. Alas-asin, Mariveles, Bataan
Elevations: Pantingan Peak (1,408masl), El Saco Peak (1,130 masl) and Tarak Ridge (1,006masl)
Hours / Days required: 20-23 hours just in one day (local guide is required)
Classification: major trek with difficulty level of 9/9 (extended day-hike)

Mt. Mariveles Range Die-Hike (Extended Day Hike) on wet season in an almost self-guided trekking served as my 2016's first local major hike, my 2016's 5th hike and the longest trek in a day I ever did at 22 hours (following the Day4 of my Jiri to EBC Solo-Hike in Eastern Himalayas, Nepal at 9.75hrs last Dec. 2015). In addition and in my honest opinion, I consider Mt. Mariveles Range on day-hike as my most brutal, most knee-wrecking and most challenging hike because of the following (not to mention I am a last minute joiner with less than 2 hours to pack my things and leave my house);

(1) Savage mossy forest with very steep, very slippery and somewhat complex trails on soil, rocks, laid trunks and dead trees (despite having only 3hrs travel from Manila, there is strong sense of wilderness at its finest).
(2) Lots of "limatik" (blood leech) from Pantingan Peak assault to El Saco Peak descent. I had 3 "limatik" encounters on my lower leg and face that were finger-strike immediately.
(3) Wet and wild adventure; rained for 3 times since 11am, even my underwear and socks were soaking at around 14hrs hiking with lots of mud penetrating the shoes.
(4) Insufficient water source and packed food; due to very limited knowledge about the trail, my usual provision of 1 liter of water and few breads for a day-hike was undoubtedly a very short source of energy-replenishment.
(5) We had only one guide for 13 trekkers with different experience level in mountain trekking. After lunch in Pantingan Peak, 3 among 13 trekkers decided to break-away to follow the itinerary and quickly moved forward on self-guided basis until the endpoint in Mariveles (time is on utmost importance, we need to adjust on the lost time we had in the morning).
(6) I already exceeded the endurance limit of my knees (signs of aging); I cannot lift my left leg properly during descend and both legs during ascend while being too tired and sleepy on a short rest.
(7) We got lost in Papaya River; since we were on self-guided basis from Pantingan Peak descent, we wasted more than 30mins searching for trail going out to grassland. Due to exhaustion and fading head lamp lights, we did 3 return treks to Papaya River campsite until we saw the trail which is on the other side of rocky trail (proud to find it, instinct of proactive solo hiker).
(8) Longest hike in a day (killing me softly trail, die-hike adventure); 22 hours of energy fully-drained with very limited supply of drinkable water and not enough proper food intake.

Mt. Mariveles Range Day-Hike (Pantingan Peak to Tarak Ridge Traverse)

2016 Lubao Hot-Air Balloon Festival with La Salle (Look) Beach Sidetrip

16-April-2016 Saturday in Lubao, Pampanga and Morong, Bataan, Philippines
biggest Hot-air Balloon Festival in Philippines and Southeast Asia

This was the 3rd Lubao International Hot-Air Balloon Festival held in Pradera Verde, Lubao, Pampanga. An almost the same showcase with Clark Balloon Festival also in Pampanga and my 3rd Hot-air Balloon event following the Cappadocia's Morning glow in Turkey. The festival is the biggest annual hot air balloon festival in Southeast Asia Aside from balloon flights, the festival will provide entertainment, fun activities, and amusement all in one venue. After witnessing the over 41 colorful designed balloons in the morning, we decided to visit and chill to a not famous yet beach side trip on nearby province.

La Salle Beach (named after the school nearby this beach), also called as Look Beach, is a public beach located in Morong, Bataan and a 10-min drive from Vista Venice Resort. Since we don't know exactly where is the location of the La Salle Beach, we took the service of Vista Venice Resort.

LUBAO BALLOON FESTIVAL WITH LA SALLE BEACH DAY TOUR ITINERARY:

April 16, 2016 Saturday 
0200H ETD Victory Liner Cubao 150 (Olangapo-bound bus dropped to Pradera Verde, Lubao)
0430H ETA Pradera Verde, Lubao, Pampanga. Entrance fee day pass 280. Breakfast 100
0600H Morning Balloon Flight (good weather condition)
0730H ETD Lubao. bus bound to Balanga, Bataan 50
0800H ETA Balanga bus terminal. bus bound to Vista Venice Resort, Morong 75
1000H ETA Vista Venice Resort (with free pick-up and drop-off to La Salle Beach)
Entrance 100 / head. Cottage 700 / 5 = 140. Tapsilog paluto with drinks 180
1430H ETD La Salle Beach. drop-off to Bagac jeep terminal
1445H ETD Bagac jeep terminal bound to Balanga bus terminal 35
1530H ETA Balanga bus terminal. bound to Pradera Verde, Lubao 40
1700H ETA Pradera Verde, Lubao
Afternoon Balloon Flight and Hot-air Balloon Night Glow (on weather condition)
drizzle occurred and windy area, no balloon show at night :(
Concert (Bamboo, Mitoy of The Voice). Dinner 100
2000H ETD Lubao, Pampanga 150

TOTAL BUDGET COST: PhP1,400

2016 Lubao Balloon Festival with La Salle (Look) Beach Sidetrip

Banchetto to Mt. Samat to Dunsulan Falls Morning Escapade

the banchetto-bataan-pampanga day journey 1st part

february 12, 2011 saturday

objective: to visit the best tourist spot that fits to my budget at limited amount of time.
additional tasks: to conquer the itinerary on day-tour only

we planned this trip as our opening salvo for 2011 group getaway, composed of the cagbalete pips origins last year. since we aim for the night glow, we have to spend morning and afternoon sked to other must-see places nearby.

PART ONE: BANCHETTO

around 0200H, i've visited this friday night foody market street fiesta along emerald avenue after weeks of planning and failure repetition due weekend trip conflict. lots of people out there that most of them worked in a graveyard shift. i bought chicksilog php50 and calamansi juice php20. then we decided to buy monster burger as our take-out food for the next trip. hours before this meet-up our contacted hire van has just cancelled our reservation due to the traffic on this event. with the luck and cool appeal of my colleagues, we able to hire on the set time of 0500H.

banchetto food trip, ortigas center

My Local Trekking Moments 1st Part

MT. GULUGOD-BABOY (pig's spine)

july 14-15, 2007
elevation: 1,542 feet (525 meters)
type: minor climb
location: mabini, batangas

my 2nd fun-climb with malaya mountaineers... with new team mates and a side trip of beachineering

mt. gulugod-baboy

mt. gulugod-baboy