Minalungao National Park Solo Day Trip

Nueva Ecija's emerging finest tourist attraction

March 11, 2015

My 42nd solo backpacking trip and 1st time to visit in Nueva Ecija which makes it my 61st out of 80 province of the Philippines. This trip also serves a flashpacking due to unexpected planning day before just to compensate my remaining open time on my 2015 vacation in my homeland.

Minalungao National Park is a protected area located in General Tinio, Nueva Ecija in Central Luzon, Philippines. The park covers an area of 2,018 hectares centered along the scenic Peñaranda River bordered on both sides by up to 16-meter high limestone walls in the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountain range. It is promoted by the local government as an ecotourism destination offering breath-taking scenery of green pristine river and unique rock formations. Facilities for picnics, swimming, fishing, raft riding and cliff diving.

​http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minalungao_National_Park

MINALUNGAO NATIONAL PARK SOLO DAY-TRIP ITINERARY 

March 11, 2015 Tuesday
0800H ETA 5-Star Bus Edsa-Cubao Terminal 37php
0830H ETD Cubao Terminal 150php (aircon)
1145H ETA Bucana, Gapan City, Nueva Ecija; tricycle to the park
1250H ETA Minalungao National Park (short visit to cave and strolling)
entrance 30php; parking fee 30php; guide fee (Felix & Pasig) 150php
1410H ETD Minalungao park 460php (negotiated tricycle roundtrip fare)
1515H ETD Bucana, Gapan City 150php
1815H ETA Cubao Terminal
Total: PHP1,007

Minalungao National Park Solo Day Trip

Solo Road Trip to Boracay Island

A Christmas weekend solo backpacking special

December 23-26, 2011 Friday to Monday

Due to enormous booking this peak season, I have to plan an alternative and still cheapest way going to Boracay Island. This will be my 1st time on visiting this place so though its gamble for everything (accommodations and transportation going back), I still have to use my adventurous and resourceful ability to make it happen successfully.

Why I chose land and ferry trip compared to simple booking a plane ticket ?
1. very expensive plane fare
2. road trip and ferry ride adventure
3. I have open time to spare
4. experience strolling from Luzon to Visayas on difffent types of transpo
5. off-budget for a flashpack
6. observe the Filipino travel cramming habits on Christmas day

boracay island white beach

Quirino - Isabela Morning Tour 1st part; Aglipay Caves

another flashpack trip for my province visited collection

december 19, 2011 monday

this trip was supposedly a 4 province tour; from quirino, to isabela, to nueva vizcaya and end up to nueva ecija. due to continuous rains occurred as early as 0300H and up to the lunch time, i have to postponed the other 2 remaining provinces.

I just researched the province's main tourist spot, itinery will just based on asking the locals. the knowledge i only have is the bus terminal heading to maddela, town in quirino province, is found in sampaloc, manila.

approx. 150m walking from highway to aglipay caves guide station

guide station before the cave

King Abdul Aziz Historical Center

another museum just infront of the national museum
november 03, 2011 thursday

free entrance fee for all saudi/non-saudi tourist visitors. camera is allowed also, provided not to used its video mode function.

The King Abdul Aziz Historical Centre is a region in the city of Riyadh city. It is not the "historic center" of the city as this lies to the south around Masmak fort and the main Friday Mosque" in the Dira district. The origin of the King Abdul Aziz Historical Centre is the former compound of the Murabba' Palace, that was built in 1936/37 by King Abdul Aziz about one and a half Kilometers to the north of the old city and well outside of the then still existing city walls.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Abdul_Aziz_Historical_Centre

king abdul aziz historical center

Inside National Museum of Saudi Arabia

just few steps away from water tower park
november 03, 2011 thursday

entrance fee of 10 sar, saudi/non-saudi tourist visitors can bring their any type of camera for photoshoot only, video taking is prohibited.

The National Museum of Saudi Arabia is a major national museum in Saudi Arabia. Established in 1999, it is part of the King Abdul Aziz Historical Centre in Riyadh. The exhibits are organized in eight "Exhibition Halls" that includes Man and the Universe, Arabian Kingdoms, The Pre-Islamic Era (Jahiliyyah), The Prophet's Mission, Islam and the Arabian Peninsula, First and Second Saudi States, The Unification and The Hajj and the Two Holy Mosques.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_Saudi_Arabia

national museum of saudi arabia

Sunset in Riyadh CIty Water Tower Park

visiting alone the nearby park
november 03, 2011 thursday

this park is just 300 meters away from batha center. with its unique architecture as a water tower, everyone who see's it will not thought its not like that. at 1st glance, my impression it was a huge torch tower. riyadh water tower was built during the reign of the government of hid majesty king faisal bin abdul aziz al saud, the great. the tower holds 12,000 cubic meter of water and was completed in service in october 1971 AD. this also an actually copy of the Svampen Tower in the Swedish town of Orebro.

entrance fee of 5 sar, and if you want got to the viewing deck atop, additional of 10 sar located at the 16th floor of its elevator. and from the ground, this 16th floor is the only accessible for tourists visit. opens everyday, 0900H to 2100H. this tower is best shot at sunset or at night.

this park, which is ideal for family and kida only, is included in the 5 sar entrance fee and especially designed for kids due to its amusement park included. kiddie rides have excluded fees that included roller coaster, bump car, airplane ride, etc. there is also miniature of famous landmarks and tourists spots in saudi arabia found at the center of the park. you can navigate this mini-map by walk or by boat.

riyadh water tower

riyadh water tower

Riyadh to Dammam Solo Train Trip in the Morning

solo flashpack sightseeing the sands
october 25, 2011 tuesday

The idea of constructing a railway line in Saudi Arabia was first introduced in the mid 1940s, when a need became apparent for a port on the Gulf coast to handle materials dispatched to The Arabian American Oil Company (Aramco). In the beginning, the railway line was run by Aramco, but it was subsequently entrusted to the Ministry of Finance, at which time it was known as the Railway Department. On the 13th of May, 1966, a Royal Decree was issued establishing the Saudi Railways Organization as a public corporation having full legal status.
source: http://www.saudirailways.org

saudi railway e-ticket

saudi railway Al Qafilah section

Rizal Park Cheers to 2012 Countdown

cheers to a new year in the park

december 31, 2011 saturday

National Parks Development Committee (NPDC) once again put the celebration in rizal park central lagoon. with theme, "cheers to 2012" and hosted by different local radio DJ's headed by Leila Chikadora. A free admission event showcasing some of the famous rock bands in the country like imago, paramita and sandwich. there is also continuous dancing water fountain and light show while the stage performances are ongoing. program started at 1800H up to 0400H the following day.

rizal park central lagoon

Iloilo - Dumaguete - Cebu on Week-End only

2nd flashpacking around the visayas region in 2 days
september 24-25, 2011 saturday-sunday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly
additional task: finalizing my lakbay-rizal quest, completing the 26 stamps in 2 months

i made this route (manila to iloilo by plane, iloilo to dumaguete by ferry and bus, then dumaguete to cebu by ferry and bus) just to finalize my quest in finishing off the 3 remaining stamps on lakbay rizal quest. i just know during previous researches in visayas region that these mode of transportation are available from and to the key cities i needed to visit.

lakbay rizal visayas region route (black line)

A Visit to Sitio Wawa with Teban 1; Pamitinan Cave

1st flashpacking and day-tour escapade with my 5-year old nephew

september 17, 2011 saturday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly
additional task: to train my nephew in the aspect of new adventure in his life

important note (rodriguez, rizal);
Rodriguez, Rizal is a first-class, urban municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. The town's old name, Montalban, refers to its mountainous topography. It was also the town's official name from 1909. The town's official name is taken from the family name of Eulogio Rodriguez, Sr., one of the most prominent Montalbeños. The legend of Bernardo Carpio is said to have happened in the mountains of the town.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodriguez,_Rizal

along batasan hills overpass