For commuters like us who didn't have our car and had to take a bus from Cubao to Pangasinan, there is still a way to tour around Bolinao once you've reached the resort of your choice. Resorts such as our host, Puerto Del Sol, offer day tours to guests using a van. However, we preferred another popular way of touring around Bolinao.
Bolinao Tricycle Day Tours
Another way which is the one we actually went for is the tour facilitated by the local tricycle driver.Once you've reached the Bolinao Bus Station, there are tricycles lined up and ready to bring you to your destination (accommodation).
The tricycle fare from the bus station to Puerto Del Sol cost us 120 Php. Here's the catch. Local tricycle drivers, upon bringing you to your destination, will make an offer for a tour around Bolinao.
Not the most convenient choice especially that some of the roads in Patar are unpaved, but other than that, just think of helping a local to earn extra income. Also, many of us (like me) grew up riding tricycles. Well, if you did not, consider yourself lucky and make this a joyride.
Bolinao Tricycle Tour Price
The price of local driver-tour-guides is around 1500 Php and while I can't remember how much I agreed, I didn't haggle too much, agreed, and scheduled a trip at 8am.
Caution: you know how tricycles are loud and open-air. It may not be suitable for people who dislike loud noises and dusts. I liked it nonetheless.
Bolinao 1-Day Itinerary
In summary, listed below is the itinerary of the Tricycle Adventure.
✔️ Enchanted Cave
✔️ Big Rock View
✔️ Cape Bolinao Lighthouse
✔️ White Beach
✔️ Bolinao Falls 1
✔️ Bolinao Falls 2
Enchanted Cave, Patar
✔️ Pool dipping in the cave's water✔️ Sight-seeing around the sedimentary rocks
There are a number of caves that you can visit in Bolinao and the one we visited was the Enchanted Cave. I found out after this trip that a friend knows of another cave, Cindy's Cave, which is maintained/owned by her relatives.
Enchanted Cave is accessible to the public with a certain entrance fee. If you are to take a dip or swim in the cave's water (yes, you may), you are going to pay a bit more than if you're just going to take a look around. Basically we paid for the 'swimming rate' and reimbursed the excess amount before exiting since we did not swim.
The whole area is actually a hill of sedimentary rocks (or coral rocks) which was once part of the sea --it could be the place was once submerged, the water level descended, or the ground moved higher due to some geologic activities.
Coral rocks which have accumulated soil that allows plants and trees to thrive.
Hammocks on the rocks.
Entrance to the Enchanted Cave
The crystal clear water inside the cave.
Stalactites!
Big Rock View, Patar
✔️ View the sea from the Big Rock (Cliff)✔️ Cliff Jumping (ask your tour guide or do it at your own risk)
✔️ Swim at the shallow parts
The beaches I've been to in the Philippines are typically long and open stretches of sandy or pebbly shores. This was my first time to be on a rocky one which had cliffs being bombarded by strong waves. I thought it was magnificent and a little scary.
Big Rock View, as what its name suggests, offers a tiny portion of sandy beach and is mostly rocky. Thrill-seekers will find the surrounding seaside cliffs adrenaline-pumping.
We were in time for the local kids' playtime. It wasn't the depth of the waters that made me felt concerned but the possibility of them hitting on rocks. But apparently, these Patar kids knew their thing.
Cape Bolinao Lighthouse
✔️ View the beach and the sea from the bottom of the lighthouse (that's it)Next stop was the Cape Bolinao Lighthouse which sits on top of a hill in Patar.
"Cape Bolinao Lighthouse was constructed in 1905 by American, British, and Filipino engineers to guide ships and boats plying Cape Bolinao in order to prevent sea disasters."[x]
The door to the 101-foot tower was closed (at that time, and probably has been that way for awhile), disallowing anyone inside, and the only thing to do there was to gaze at the panoramic view and feel the cool breeze.
Patar White Beach
✔️ Lunch at the cottage area of the beach✔️ Swim (or watch others swim)
As it was the start of the summer and kids were on vacation from school, the more accessible beaches (without entrance fees like private resorts) were filled with excursionists.
St James the Great Parish Church
✔️ PrayBefore heading for lunch, we passed by the St. James the Great Parish Church. It was was canonically erected in the year 1609.
The Church tower of Bolinao measuring seventy-five (75) feet was then the tallest in the whole Pangasinan if not in the entire Northern Luzon. However, an earthquake in 1788 toppled about half of it. Then in 1819, the Church Convent was also accidentally burned.
St. James the Great Parish
Lunch
For a reason that I forgot, we were supposed to have a lunch in a locally well-known restaurant and were to have grilled seafoods but didn't go. Instead, we headed to the town proper and ate at an eatery (karendirya). It wasn't the best but enough to refuel for the remaining destinations.Bolinao Falls 1
✔️ Be silentSeeing any of these waterfalls was exciting as I didn't expect to see any body of fresh water.
From the town proper, we traveled for probably around 20 kilometers to reach the first of the two Bolinao falls. I have seen only a few waterfalls in the Philippines and most of them are often crowded with people --or if not, the water murky from a recent rain.
Apparently, nobody was there at that time. To reach the actual pool and the waterfall, there's a stone stairs that leads to a decrepit structure that seems to be a base or a platform. It looks like the place was attempted to be developed but didn't pursue and neglected.
The blue green water was inviting but unfortunately we had no plan to get in the water. I tried on taking decent slow shutter takes but I didn't have the GND filter and exposing properly was impossible and so I gave up after a few shots.
The place was so silent and the timid waterfall made the area somewhat eerie.
After a few more mobile shots, we left for the second waterfalls.
Bolinao Falls 2
✔️ SwimBy 1:00 pm, we reached the second falls which was less than 10 minutes away from the Bolinao Falls 1.
Just how frantic the Patar White Beach was with locals relieving the summer heat, Bolinao Falls 2 was equally busy.
There's probably a less crowded part of this waterfall system where photography enthusiasts can enjoy. I really dig those ferns protruding from the rocks and I thought it would be great to photograph without those people.
We just stayed a minute or two (like that quick) and decided to head back to Puerto Del Sol to refresh.
That's it! Before going back to Manila, be sure to get some pasalubong fisrt!
