"TRAVELLING. It leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller."
We went to Aurora last Thursday, May 10, 2018 for our research. We left Manila by five o'clock in the morning. When we reached Pantabangan Road by ten o'clock, we stopped for a while and took pictures of ourselves.
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| the beautiful Pantabangan Dam |
Six to seven hours travel time will not bore you because of the beautiful views that Nueva Ecija and Aurora have.
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| Maria Aurora, Aurora |
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| what a beautiful view!! |
After two hours of long drive from Pantabangan Dam, we
arrived at our lodging house, the Brown Epitome Lodge. We got excited because
the house was so beautiful. We arranged our things inside the room then
prepared our lunch.
Every room is for only two pax, so pag sumobra magdadagdag nalang sila ng extra bed for every person.
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| our room |
Every room is for only two pax, so pag sumobra magdadagdag nalang sila ng extra bed for every person.
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| hot and cold shower |
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| kitchen and dining room for everybody!! XD |
After naming kumain, inumpisahan na namin magsurvey. Gusto naming matapos agad ng one day ‘yung pag susurvey para puro gala nalang kami sa mga susunod na araw haha! So we went to Sabang beach, the travel time through car was seven minutes, but if you’re going to walk, it takes eighteen minutes to reach the beach from the lodging house. Nagpunta kami ‘dun para mag survey but we got too excited because we saw the waves splashing on the shore at gusto na talaga naming matapos para maka langoy na at makapag surf !!!!!
We fought the urge to do those things, so we went to residential houses near Sabang beach to start our “real” agenda why we were on Aurora in the first place. Nagpunta 'din kaming bayan para magsurvey. We did that for the whole day and completed the one hundred questionnaires. Desidido gumala kaya tinapos ng isang araw hahaha! Hey, we need a break because we didn’t have summer vacation! L
On our second day, we went to Hanging Bridge, it took only few minutes to reach it.
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| the view from the parking lot |
While we were crossing the bridge, some bangkero shouted on us asking if we wanted to try boating for only twenty pesos per pax. We just finished our picture taking and crossing the bridge then we went to kuya.
sulit na sulit ang twenty pesos dahil matagal tagal din 'yung ride.
After the Hanging Bridge, we went to Diguisit Rock Formations. We passed by this beautiful scenery. Ang nakaka-excite pa eh pwedeng pumasok 'yung sasakyan malapit sa dagat without paying fee.
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| how far i'll go? ang peg |
After forty minutes travel time and picture taking, we reached the Diguisit Rock Formations. We were the only people that time so it was like we rent the whole place.
We rented a kubo malapit sa isla then we prepared and ate our lunch.
After that we went to Sabang beach again to surf and swim.
When we got there, pumunta na kami sa nakausap naming may-ari ng surfing boards. Pinapirma kami sa paper na sinasabing hindi nila kami sagutin kapag may nangyaring masama sa amin. Katakot! So ayun na nga, tinuruan kami ng parts ng surfboard and 'yung mga gagawin namin kapag nasa dagat na kami. After ng lesson, nagpunta na kami sa dagat, habang papunta na kami sa medyo malayo, sinasalubong na kami ng malalaking waves, ang turo ng instructor, yuyuko lang kapag may masasalubong kaming mga waves. After three tries of surfing, I'm already tired. Nakakainis kasi kapag tinulak ka na nila tapos nagbigay na sila ng signal na tumayo ka na sa surfboard malalaglag ka tapos pupunta nanaman kayo sa malayo tapos ganun ulit, paulit ulit lang HAHAHAH! Siguro nakatayo ako ng maayos mga tatlong o apat na beses lang XD pero worth it yung pagod at sakit ng katawan.
Our first trip for the 3rd day was Balete Tree or known as Millennium Tree in Maria Aurora, Aurora.
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| amazing facts! |
Before you enter the park, you will pay P15 pesos, then before you enter inside the Balete tree, P10 naman ang ibabayad.
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| inside of Balete tree |
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| Balete tree on the inside, amazing!! |
There are many stores inside the park, the ice candy buko flavored was delicious! :P
The second stop was Ditumabo Falls or known as Mother Falls in San Luis, Aurora. We walked for ten minutes from the parking lot to the entrance where will you pay P30 for the environmental fee. They required tourists to have tour guide going to Mother Falls. You need to trek for forty-five minutes to reach the falls.
You will see this "palatandaan" on the right side, this will serves you kung malapit na ba sa falls. From 120, pababa ng pababa 'yung number habang palayo ka na ng palayo. Hindi biro 'yung mga daanan, there are times na dadaan ka sa river.
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| mother falls !!!! |
Our tour guide said that there is also Father Falls, but you need to trek for six hours to reach it. After thirty minutes of rest and picture taking, bumalik na kami sa sasakyan para puntahan ang last trip namin before we go back to Manila.
The third and last trip --- Dinidiawan Beach in Dipaculao, Aurora. This was the farthest in all our trips. It took us two hours to reach this beautiful paradise. We thought na baka Sagada na 'yung labas namin dahil sa daan, paakyat siya ng bundok. The view was amazing, if Banaue has Rice Terraces, Dipaculao has Coconut Terraces, lol. Seeing those mountains made us think that we're on the background of Highlands Corned Beef.
After hours of being excited, we reached our destination. But before that, we searched for cottage because most cottages we passed-by are fully-accommodated.
Nung may nakita kaming parang vacant, we asked the staff kung puwede ba at magkano. He said puno na daw pero puwede namang maglatag nalang kami tapos ang babayaran nalang namin ay 'yung rent sa CR which is P50. We agreed, but later on, he said umalis na daw 'yung asa kubo so pinayagan kami na magstay sa kubo for free.
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| white sand beach |
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| Dinidiawan Beach |
We fixed our things in the kubo then ate our late late lunch because of the long travel time, then nagswimming na kami. By six thirty in the evening, umahon na kami at nagbanlaw na. We finished by seven twenty then go back to Manila.
Aurora is rich in nature, but I think the government is not yet ready for the influx of tourists.
- There's no signage of tourist attractions, so you need to ask the residents on how to get there.
- There's no street lights in some places.
- It is hard to commute there. In our 3 days in Aurora, I didn't see any jeepyneys, only tricycles.
But the overall experience was great. I really enjoyed Aurora. Buti nalang talaga may sasakyan 'yung kagrupo ko, hahaha!
Expenses:
- Gas - P2700 - P385/5pax
- Toll fee - P740 - P105/5pax
- Foods - P300/pax
- Lodging House - P900/2pax, add P200 for extra person - P600/pax
- Surfing - P350/pax
- Cottage near Diguisit Rock Formations P200 - P40/pax
- Entrance Fee at Millennium Tree - P15/pax
- Entrance Fee inside the Millennium Tree P10/pax
- Environmental Fee at Mother Falls - P30/pax
- Tour Guide at Mother Falls - P200 - P40/pax
- CR at Dinidiawan Beach - P50/pax
TOTAL = P1925 FOR 3 DAYS AND 2 NIGHTS IN AURORA
"I don't care how long it takes me, but I'm going somewhere beautiful."
Thank you to my summer class, Tourism Development Plan and to my professor for this opportunity. Hindi lang ako nakapunta ng Aurora, but I also learn something while travelling and asking questions to the residents about tourism in Aurora.
(THANKS TO WAZE, WE REACHED OUR DESTINATIONS WITHOUT GETTING LOST, AND TO THE RESIDENTS *IF THE WAZE WAS NOT WORKING*, WHO HELPED US ON GETTING THERE. GOD BLESS PEOPLE OF AURORA.)
Thank you for reading!!! :)
