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Saturday, August 20, 2011

Hundred Words may not be enough to Describe 100 Islands Experience

 

IMG_0303The whole object of travel is not to set foot on a foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.–Gilbert A. Chesterson

The Hundred Islands National Park Pangasinan: is a tourist destination located in Barangay Lucap,Alaminos City , Pangasinan..This is the first national park of the Philippines. Three Major Islands maintained and developed just for tourists: GOVERNOR, QUEZON and CHILDREN.

It was a close encounter to nature and a fun adventure. It took us 6 hours bus ride from Manila to reach Pangasinan and another hour to Alaminos where the breathtaking and spectacular Hundred Island Experience awaits us. We stayed overnight on one of the Transient Houses in Alaminos because it was already dark when we arrive and some of the boat man encouraged us to hop the islands first thing in the morning. We have the option to stay on one of the island but, ‘safety’ first. Anyhow, the magnificent islands can be more appreciated during daytime.

 

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We started our official Hundred Island Escapade 7 in the morning. We rented one medium size boat to take us to the different islands, of course with full gears for the much awaited splash on the clear water. First hop was the famous ‘Governor’ island where the Pinoy Big Brother House was located. There was a trail for a quick trek on the island that we need to follow to get to the top and witness the stunning beauty of the surrounding islands. They are like green mushrooms sitting on a crystal blue water. It was overwhelming from the top because you will get to see different shapIMG_0332es and forms of the Islands. (I tried counting them though, but I never get to reach 100 )

Second stop; the well-known Quezon Island, we just had a dip on the water and went back to continue our tour. We saw most of the Islands but I am not sure if we were able to rove everything like the entire 100+ islets. We had the chance to go on caving as well. Another extreme experience, I called it “the fearless jump off” --- we have to jump from an 8-10 feet height hole just to get to the water and create a big splash. It was memorable though because “Greggy” conquered his fears and jumped off. I don’t know how deep the water was but nevertheless it was a great splash of Fun. Another unforgettable experience was the real underground cave experience where we have to swim from a narrow hole to get to the other end of the cave. It was dark inside it but when you get to the IMG_0382other end and see a tiny hole with the light shining through it, a ray of hope, a sense of fulfilment and pride taking over. Success!!!
We ended this trip with a sumptuous lunch. Feasting ourselves to seafood’s served in front of us.

The Hundred Island Experience was truly splendid and will forever mark in my Travellers Spirit. It did not only made allow me to discover one true paradise in our country, but also, made me realize, that there is more to life only if we give ourselves a chance to live it! Discover your interest and wear your passion!