Mt. Samat & Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar (Bataan)

Dambana ng Kagitingan, Mt. Samat, Pilar, Bataan

Dambana ng Kagitingan, Mt. Samat, Pilar, Bataan

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, Bagac, Bataan



Dusk at Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, Bagac, Bataan

Actual Itinerary and Costing
May 25, 2014
5:30 AM	Depart from Riverbanks, Marikina to Mt. Samat (Pilar, Bataan)
	2-way gas and toll (1500/3 pax)	500.00
	Stopover meal	55.00
8:30 AM	Arrival @ Mt. Samat (Dambana ng Kagitingan)
	Museum entrance fee	20.00
	Parking fee	20.00
	Elevator fee	10.00
10:30 AM	Depart from Mt. Samat to Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar (Bagac, Bataan)
11:30 AM	Arrival @ Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar
	Day tour entrance fee	685.00
	Lunch	320.00
6:00 PM	Depart from Las Casas Filipinas Acuzar to Manila
10:00 PM	Home Sweet Home
Total cost per person		1,610.00

Notes:

• We took the NLEX-San Fernando exit route. For lighter traffic, you can take the Lubao bypass road when you get to Lubao.
• To those who are not up to hiking, you can drive up to the foot of the cross @ Mt. Samat. Otherwise, you can choose to park outside the gate as parking area inside is not shaded.
• Day tour entrance fee includes access to the beach (not sure of the pool), a welcome drink (nothing special), and a cold face towel after the 1-hr heritage tour inside the resort.
• You can enjoy your Las Casas daytour even if you are on a budget. You can bring in as many food as you can, just be discreet (of course). :)

Batad (Banaue, Ifugao)

First sight of Batad Rice Terraces

Batad Rice Terraces up close and personal

Trek to the highest viewpoint

Tappia Falls

 

Actual Itinerary and Costing
May 9, 2014 (Day 0)
8:30 PM	Depart from home to Ohayami bus terminal
	Marikina Blue Wave Mall to LRT Santolan station	10.00
	LRT Santolan station to LRT Legarda station	14.00
	Tricycle from LRT Legarda station to Ohayami bus terminal	20.00
10:00 PM	Depart from Sampaloc, Manila to Banaue via Ohayami bus	450.00
	Stopover meal	70.00
May 10, 2014 (Day 1)
7:15 AM	Arrival in Banaue Poblacion / breakfast @ People's Lodge / register at Banaue Tourist Center / look for a guide / buy trail food/water
	Registration	20.00
	Guide	100.00
	Breakfast	140.00
	Trail water (2 liters)	40.00
9:00 AM	Depart from Banaue Poblacion to Batad Saddle	143.00
9:45 AM	Arrival in Batad Saddle / rent walking stick (trekking pole)	10.00
10:00 AM	Start trek to Batad Rice Terraces
11:00 AM	Arrival / register @ Batad Tourist Center / check in at Hillside Inn
	Registration	50.00
	Hillside Inn overnight accommodation	250.00
11:30 AM	Start trek to Highest viewpoint
2:15 PM	Back at Inn / Lunch @ Hillside Inn	235.00
6:00 PM	Early dinner @ Batad Pension House	180.00
May 11, 2014 (Day 2)
6:00 AM	Breakfast @ Hillside Inn	140.00
7:00 AM	Start trek to Tappia Falls
8:30 AM	Arrival in Tappia Falls
10:00 AM	Trek back to Inn
	Bottled soda	40.00
	Fudgee bar	15.00
11:30 AM	Back @ Inn
12:00 PM	Start trek from Inn to Batad Saddle
1:30 PM	Back @ Batad Saddle
2:30PM	Depart from Batad Saddle to Banaue Poblacion	143.00
3:00 PM	Back @ Banaue Poblacion / late lunch @ Greenview Lodge	180.00
7:00 PM	Depart from Banaue Poblacion to Sampaloc, Manila	450.00
	Pasalubong (G&B buko pie)	150.00
May 12, 2014
4:30 AM	Back @ Sampaloc, Manila
	Tricycle from Ohayami bus terminal to LRT Legarda station	15.00
	LRT Legarda station to LRT Katipunan station	14.00
	Jeepney ride from LRT Katipunan station to Marikina Bayan	8.00
	Breakfast @ Marikina Riverside	55.00
6:30 AM	Home Sweet Home
Total cost per person		2,942.00

Contact Numbers:
Ohayami - 0927-649-3055
Hillside Inn (Maya Addug) - 0999-994-0899
Chartered jeepney (Ezeriel) - 0936-447-4816
Guide (Cesar Doble) - 0916-528-4614; 0935-907-2489

NOTES:

• Buy Manila-Banaue-Manila tickets ahead of time as trips to Banaue are limited. Ticketing office at Ohayami bus terminal in Sampaloc sells ticket as early as 1 month before departure.
• Jeepney rentals and guides are available at the Banaue Tourist Center but costs are way higher. Ezeriel charged us PhP4,000.00 for an overnight jeepney rental (PhP2,800.00 per day rental if arranged with Banaue Tourist Center) and Mang Cesar charged us PhP1,400.00 for a 2-day tour (PhP1,200.00 per day if arranged with Banaue Tourist Center).
• There are regular trips going to Batad Saddle from Banaue Poblacion and back. We chose to charter a jeepney for convenience.
• Buy trail water in Banaue Poblacion. 1 liter costs PhP70.00 in Batad. Also, food in Batad is expensive (very understandable) but taste is nothing special (at least for the food I tried at Hillside Inn and Batad Pension House). I recommend you bring instant food. However, if you are happier in directly supporting Batad local tourism than saving on expenses, please disregard this note. :)
• Rent a walking stick at the Saddle!
• Porter fee is 150 per bag (1-way). I am not sure if they are strict on weight, I didn't get one. :)
• Accommodation in Batad is very basic. Do not look for an electric fan or an airconditioned room. You won't need it anyway. As per Manong Cesar, peak season is from October to April. Try to book your accommodation ahead of time. Hillside Inn, Rita's, Simon's, Batad Pension House, Ramon's Homestay offer rooms with view of the terraces.
• It is better to see Tappia falls in the morning. There is a chance of seeing a rainbow like we did. :)
• As per my research, the terraces are green during the months of April and May. Indeed, they were green when we got there. :)
• May being the start of rainy season, it rained in the afternoon during our first day. No electric power in the village when it rains (as per Manong Cesar). Bring your power banks or extra battery packs for your cameras. And bring flashlights, too! Power was only restored in the morning of our second day.
• To those who need to get connected to the outside world, no mobile network is available at Hillside Inn. I am not sure about the other Inns/parts of the village.
• Trek from Tappia falls back to the village is a killer (stairs of over 1,000 steps) but worth taking. :)
• Between People's Lodge and Greenview Lodge, food tastes better at Greenview Lodge.
• Between Hillside Inn and Batad Pension House, food tastes better at Batad Pension House.

About Project 81

Inspired by some blog sites I came across while researching on places to go, I am taking on a new personal challenge - see all 81 provinces (as of May 7, 2014) of the Philippines before I turn 35.

I have seen 36 provinces which leaves me 45 more to visit in a little over 3 years. Like many adventure blogs are, I hope Project 81 will be helpful to fellow wanderers and wonderers out there.

Cheers to more exploring!