Hundred Islands: just by hearing the name you will instantly get a hint of what this tourist attraction can offer. The Philippine archipelago is comprised of 7,107 islands. But, did you know that 123 of them are all concentrated in one place- in Lingayen Gulf, Alaminos, Pangasinan?
It would be a great idea to conquer more than 100 islands all at once. So, my friends and I made our way to Alaminos to visit the said tourist attraction for the summer.
Getting there...
From Dagupan City, it took us approximately two hours by Five Star Bus going to the town proper of Alaminos. As soon as we alighted from the bus, tricycle drivers immediately approached and offered us a ride to Lucap Wharf. It took us 10 minutes to get to the jump-off point. Trike fare was PhP 20 per person. By the way, the tricycle drivers also have contacts with motorboat owners, who offer island hopping tour. We bargained and closed a deal at PhP 1,400 for a whole day tour service boat plus snorkel sets. We were five in the group so, it was PhP 280 per pax. Alternatively, you may go directly to the Hundred Island Information Center, which is also located at Lucap Wharf, for more tour package options and additional assistance. Each one of us also had to pay the PhP 40 Environmental Fee in conformity with the Tourism Code.
Island Hopping...
We were never got disappointed upon seeing this marvelous creation by nature. Islands of different sizes and shapes mesmerized right before our very eyes. White sand beaches, unbelievable limestone rock formations and the clear blue sea water were well worth a visit. Breathing in these refreshing views made us escape from the stressful and busy city life even just for a while.
Prototypical it was--- we we're hopping from one island to another! There were three mostly visited islands that we went to see including Quezon Island, Governor’s Island and Children’s Island. My favorite island was the Governor's Island where we trekked to the peak of the cliff to have a picturesque view of the national park.
As expected, a lot of tourists flocked their way to the beach because it's summer. We could hardly find a spot where there were less people until we discovered Scout Island. There's another group of yuppies on one side of the beach but after a few minutes, they departed to see the other islands. So lucky we were- the entire island was all ours! We opted to stay to do what's on our bucket list for that day: swimming, snorkeling, diving, eating, photoshoot and beach bumming under the summer sun. Our service boat men brought the small vessel into a dock until we finished our activities. Anyway, there was no time limit so we enjoyed ourselves until the sun set
Going Home...
Pack up time! We made sure that all our trash were collected to dispose them properly. As responsible travelers, we believe in the saying that goes: "Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints. Kill nothing but time." It was just annoying that there were evident act of vandalism- engraving people's name on the surface of the rocks. If only they knew that the geological process involving the formation of Hundred Islands took roughly about 2 million years! The Hundred Islands Conservation and Development Authority (HICDA) must do something about this to educate their visitors and to keep the national park protected.
The sun was setting as we're heading our way back to the port. While on the boat, we had a final glance of the fiery sun slowly sinking beneath the horizon while creating a dramatic silhouette effect to the beautiful islands. Our Hundred Islands adventure was a memorable experience and my final shots would always remind me that there's more than a hundred reason to smile and enjoy life! =)
No comments:
Post a Comment