Bantog Backpackers

Sunday, June 12, 2016

I first came here in 2011 and was luckily back in May 2016. So many changes after 5 years and so excited to explore the new heritage houses transferred to the heritage resort.

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is exactly located at Brgy. Ibaba, Bagac, Bataan. It is 146 kilometers north of Manila with 2 to 3 hours drive on a private vehicle.

Jose "Gerry" Acuzar, owner of New San Jose Builders started to rebuild Spanish mansions in Bagac in 2003. Each houses was dismantled brick by brick, numbered, transported to his property in Bagac, reassembled in the same order, and then restored. Houses were chosen based on their historical, cultural, and architectural value. Acuzar bought houses in the case of neglect, from the owners, and in some cases also purchased the lot where the mansions stood. The bahay na bato which have stone foundations on the first floor and are made of wood on the second floor were transplanted from Manila (Tondo, Binondo and Quiapo), Quezon City, Bulacan, Pampanga, La Union, Ilocos and Cagayan.

Seven years later, in 2010, the heritage resort was opened to the public.

Spread over 400 hectares, the park features a collection of 27 Spanish Colonial buildings and stone houses, planned to resemble a settlement reminiscent of the period. Thses houses were carefully dismantled, brick by brick, transplanted fro different parts of the Philippines and rehabilitated in these premises, to resemble the original structure. For parts that were missing, woodworks and bricks were replicated to resemble the original structure. For this the Ciudad employs a workforce of 130 people including 10 wood sculptors, 3 metal sculptors, 30 craftsmen who designs ceilings, and construction workers. There are also 5 architects, 2 of whom are historical architects and 2 artists.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Casas_Filipinas_de_Acuzar

Santuario de San Jose on-going construction

Casa Ladrillo

Casa Ladrillo is 51 square meters big. It has 2 bedrooms and its published rate is Php75thousand per night.

Casa Byzantina

Casa Byzantina is 381 square meters big and is the most expensive casa in Las Casas.

What's inside Casa Byzantina?

rotary telephone

Casa Lemery

Casa Lemery has 51 square meters in area and has 2 bedrooms. Its published rate is Php 28,500 per night.

Paseo de Escolta

You can find a number of shops at Paseo de Escolta. Photographia de Escolta, Panaderia, La Tiendesitas, Tess the Farmer, and Antiquedades.

The tres marias roam around Las Casas early in the morning...

ang turista!

ang blogger

At Plaza Marcelino...

ang mowdel

Casa de Oriente

the train

There are free rides to jeepneys and van for getting around the resort. They take rounds continuously. The resort must provide more jeepneys since there are more guests arriving. The guests are waiting for a longer period of time because of the scarcity of the vehicles. But it is okay na rin since it is free.

Golf carts are also available for a fee. Just make reservations at the Concierge of Casa Mexico. Fee is Php500 per hour.

Kalesa is also available for Php50 per stub. Maximum of 4 passengers per ride.

train commuters

Las Casas own version of their "Batis"

Where we stayed for a night...

Room Rates http://www.lascasasfilipinas.com/rooms/

Private Casa Rates http://www.lascasasfilipinas.com/private-casas/

Our Heritage Tour

Heritage Tour Schedules starts at 8:30am in the morning and runs every hour until 11:30 am and in the afternoon starts at 3:30pm hourly until 6:30pm.

For day tour only rates, go to http://www.lascasasfilipinas.com/heritage-tour/

Jump Shots at Casa Baliuag...

It is our annual planning session on my team that is why I was able to come back here. Thank You NGCP!

Water Sports is also available in the resort like the banana boat, jetski, sumo tube, aqua glode, boat ride, fun dive, intro dive and kayak. Proceed and pay only at the Reception Area.

CTO Jojo Nicdao

Contact Details :

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

Brgy Ibaba, Bagac, Bataan.
Contact numbers : 02-332 5338, 02-332 5286, 02-877 4501, 02-877 4502
email: reserve@lascasasfilipinas.com
marketing@lascasasfilipinas.com
www.lascasasfilipinas.com

Saturday, June 4, 2016

Baler became famous for its surfing activities but beyond that, Baler has so much to offer.

Baler is a second class municipality in the province of Aurora. It located 230 kilometers (143 miles) northeast of Manila via a mountain pass accessible by vehicles. It is also a host to spectacular geographic formations and is situated on a vast plain at the sound end of Baler Bay, a contiguous segment of the Philippine Sea.

It is dubbed as one of the "top surf spot" in the Philippines in 2013 by Yahoo! and identified by Google as topping the list of beach destinations in 2009. Nine feet waves can be witnessed from September to February.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baler,_Aurora

Top nine (9) places of interest in Baler:

Balete Tree
The first town in Aurora is Maria Aurora and it is where the biggest Balete tree in Asia can be found. It was designated as the Millenium Tree of the Philippines.

You can make it your first or last in your Aurora itinerary since it is quite far from Baler.

selfie with my youngest ones

with my beautiful family and our ampon, Mark

hubby and the big tree... looks eerie, haha!

ang saya mag-groupie!!!

Ermita Hill:

Ermita Hill is located in Haller, Baler. It plays an important part in the history of Baler. It is where the only survivors of the tsunami catastrophe fled for the safety on the night of December 27, 1735 when the entire town was engulfed with sea water. People climbed up the hill to survive. It is said that there are only six families who survived the catastrophe. One of the survivors is the prominent Angara family.

statue of the survivors who survived

Diguisit Falls

Location is near the road and past Ermita Hill and is also on the same route as Aniao islets and Diguisit beach. Waterfalls is much smaller than the Dimutabo or Mother falls. The water is so clean, clear and cold.

Mother Falls

Ditumabo or Mother Falls is located in the town of San Luis, Aurora. It is a 45-minute trek going to the mother of all falls. It is just more than a kilometer trek. Sounds like a short walk but the rocky and slippery trail will truly tire and sweat you. Whether you will plunge or not in the water, there is no place for clothes changing. Just bring an extra shirt and change after the trek. The place is too crowded also.

There's an entrance fee of Php30 per person and required guide fee of Php300 for 10 persons and a parking fee of Php30.

Baler Fishport

The Fishport is situated along the coast of Cemento Beach. I don't know what "touristy" is in here. But our guide/driver said that it is where blue marlin, tuna, lobsters and all those costly seafoods can be bought at a provincial rate. It is just that the sun is in the middle of the earth when we get here so we were not able to witness the buying and selling of these yummy seafoods.

groupie at the port

We just sat there, doing selfie, nothing to do yet... haha!

Dicasalarin Cove

The cove is owned by the Angara Family. When you are a visitor of Costa Pacifica you just need to pay half of the regular entrance fee of Php300. A little pricey for the place... We were just there on top viewing the cove from above. Getting here will be so worth it. There is also a hikable lighthouse.

Hanging Bridge

So lucky that our van driver knows everything in Baler. Though nothing much to do here just to cross the bridge to and from, we just enjoyed eating the 10 pesos barbeque here, haha! They are also selling souvenirs cheaper than in any other place in Baler.

Baler Town

picture taking here is a must or obligatory, haha! just be patient for the long queue...

Museo de Baler

Baler is known as the top surfing spot in the Philippines. Learning how to surf is a must!

Surfing 101

Being taught by one of the greatest surfers in Baler, General Nel Barrios is such an amazing experience already!

The surf board and the surfing tutorial is Php350 for an hour. Even if you are not a swimmer, you will be able to stand on the waves. You haven't been to Baler if you will not try surfing...

After an hour...

Just chillin'

my baby love <3

with Tita Leng and Boss Andy

Gwendal Lebris, French, who chose to stay for a month in Gen. Barrios home

We met Gwendal. He is heart broken when he went to the Philippines and among the 7,100 islands in the Philippines, he chose to stay in Baler. The general said that his name means "white angel". His favorite dish is the pork afritada that manang Norma always cook. His favorite is the five peso dessert, choco mucho coffee. He stays here for a minimal rental fee with free meals. He sleeps in his own hammock and helps in doing the chores in the general's lodging and camp site. He was also a surfing instructor during his stay....great volleyball player too!

beach volleyball

with my BOSH classmates... started meeting them at a seminar that blossomed into friendship

group picture before going home

How to get to Baler?
Genesis Bus Terminal in Cubao has 6 daily trips to Baler. Fare is around Php420. First trip is at 3AM and the last trip is at 7:30PM.

Joy Bus Trips schedule: 12:30AM, 1:30AM, 2:30AM at Php700 one way. They have steward on-board, snacks and water, blanket and pillow, lazy boy seats and lavatory.

You can also get to Cabanatuan first then transfer to a bus or van going to Baler.

By private transportation:

From SCTEX to Pantabangan - NLEX to Clark Logistics Interchange, turn right to Tarlac, and then choose the SCTEX exit in Amucao, Tarlac City. From there, turn right to La Paz Tarlac then go straight to Sta. Rosa. Upon reaching Sta. Rosa, make a left turn and choose the road leading to Cabanatuan City. Take the Talavera route and turn right to Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija. Travelers will need to traverse through a narrow mountain gravel road that twists through the Sierra Mountain Range to reach Canili, Maria Aurora.

*info from Costa Pacifica "how to get to"

For the second time, a special thank you to my bossing Gen. Nel Barrios. Book at ULTIMATE ADVENTURES LODGING AND CAMP SITE. Their contact numbers are 0919-4749769 and 0927-565-9701. Mas masaya dito. Their rates are: