Hundred Islands – Brgy. Lucap, Alaminos City, Pangasinan (Day 2)
Our lakwatsa group had risen before the morning dawn on day 2 of our Luzon trip. We had bathed the night before and only changed clothes in the morning. Hehe mabango pa din naman, natulog lang eh! By 5:30am, we were on our way to Hundred Islands at Lucap.
There are lots of lodges surrounding the pier, as in lots! Off the top of my head, here are some names I remember contacting for reservation inquiries – Maxine by the Sea, Villa Milagrosa Resort, Barney’s Lodge and Restaurant, Vistas delas Islas Hotel, and The Hundred Island Resort Hotel. We were able to get a reservation at Villa Milagrosa but when we got to Lucap at Day 1, the room has not been vacated yet.
Aside from that letdown, the weather was hot as well at 11:30am! That’s why we decided to put off the Hundred Island trip until the next day. We managed to hire a boatman to come waiting for us when we return. His name is Bobot Rivera and he has a table by the entrance of Villa Milagrosa. The regular rate for boat rental is P2,000 and you have the boat for the whole day, wherever you want to go. We were not given any life vests though and my friends were somehow nervous as we have a kid on board.
We left our things in the car and started early for the boat ride at 6:30am. The water around the Hundred Islands group is generally calm. I have been to more distressing boat rides with wilder waves in tinier boats when I visit my father’s island in Mindoro and Banton Island. And every time I ride a boat, I study the boatman closely, if he looks wiry and darkened then I sit back and relax.
The Hundred Islands Group is comprised of 124 islands. It was my first time to visit islets and I squealed with delight upon stepping into those lands. You alight from a small boat, the seawater lapping around your legs, a tiny piece of land to walk on and just across you is again the seawater on the other face of the islet!
Our first stop was Governor’s Island. Pay another P20 as “entrance” fee to the islands. Bobot the boatman led us to climb more than a hundred steps leading to the highest point of Governor’s Island where we had a sweeping view of the Hundred Islands Group. Really humbling to see God’s handiwork with the beautiful morning weather!
Not all 124 islands have names. And only a few of them have been developed for tourism. We passed by some interesting islands like Romulo Island where Marina, which used to air in ABS-CBN starring Claudine Barreto, was shot. The Devil’s Island plays hide and seek when it disappears during high tide. It was named Devil as there were sightings of sharks around the islet. Martha Island’s shape like a woman’s bosom is very apparent from Governor’s Island’s peak.
Papaya Island was playfully named after the foreign tourists with rich breast who frequent the islet.
Cathedral Island has a cave and Bobot says there are rock formations shaped like benches inside resembling that of a cathedral.
Rated K was named after Korina Sanchez’s show after one of their episodes was shot there. It is connected to Quezon Island by a bridge.
Our next stop was Quezon Island where we stayed for a long time. Had a supah great time swimming there – white sand and shallow waters. Wanna go back there! We were given life vests. Jed, our 7-year old lakwatsa buddy, confidently clad in his life vest had fun treading water near the demarcation line completely oblivious to the depth maybe five times his height hahaha! Si Jed talaga o, ang tapang pag may life vest, pero takot yan sa beach!
Last stop was Children’s Island, supah crowded and water wasn’t as clear as that of Quezon’s. We took a dip for a while and went back to our boat.
Hot weather when we finished just before lunchtime and to make the situation worse, Bobot’s boat had engine trouble. The trip back to the pier which should normally take 20 minutes took an hour off our precious time! Nightmare am telling you. We watched other boats sped past us and we couldn’t do anything but secretly grumble. We didn’t want to burden Bobot furthermore. Aren’t we so kind-hearted? But darn…
Finally at the pier, we looked for the public Bath House near the Hundred Islands Resort Hotel and paid P10 for the shower. By quarter to 1pm, we were on our way to a bus terminal in Dagupan as our next destination is Baguio City! Todo Luzon na to!
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Here are great sources for your Hundred Islands trip, click here, here, and here.
Villa Milagrosa Resort’s contact number is 0927-5128140 and 075-5513040. You may also reach Bobot Rivera the boatman through that number. Their room’s rate is P1500 per day.
And again thanks to my favorite lakwatsa buddies Glenda, Anna and Gie, and the rest of the group – Jed Suarez, JC Galamgam, and driver Danny for all the tsismisan, chichiria, photos, at kung anik-anik pa.
