Dec 2, 2017
Dubbed as Batanes of the East, Dingalan Aurora starting to make its way to fame. If you are looking for Beaches, Mountains and Falls. This is the right place for you. Getting curious of why travellers used to continue calling it as Batanes of the East, We decided to go and see for ourselves the beauty of Aurora not by its famous destination which is Baler, but because of a rising adventure spot which they called Dingalan.
Many travel agencies are now offering a daytrip to Dingalan so there's no reason to get a hard time looking for where to join. 2:00am we left Manila and head our way to Aurora even in the presence of Rain and thunderstorm. I don't want to elaborate our journey how do we get there. because there has been problem along the way, but most importantly we arrived at Dingalan safe and sound around 7am. Upon Arrival at the market, we had our breakfast first then proceed to the Feeder port.
Our first destination would be the locals' so-called White Beach. Just 20-30 min of boat ride and we docked at the Beach. It is not really a white sand beach like Boracay, Calaguas etc. because according to local stories, what we were expecting white sand has been tremendously washed out by different storms that hits the Province. We all know that Aurora was one of the frequent victims of storm in the country that's why it was understandable why we haven't seen that white sand. But the beach itself was calm and has clear water. So, not bad at all. And if you're not fond of swimming then next activity might be your thing.
After fixing our things inside our cottage we headed to their most talk of the town attraction and where they will prove why it has Batanes feels. We started trekking with a thinking that it will only take 20-30min to get to the view deck but because of the rain the other night; we experienced the muddiest and most slippery 40min-1 hour trek we had in our lives. Sound exaggerating but I guess pictures of mud in our feet will tell it all. They said that when summertime, only 20-30min trek will do to get there, but what dawned on us seemed to be different from what we are expecting. It started with a flat and wet trail until it gets smooth and slippery; stream in the mid trek would be a great relief to get off some mud in our feet and after some clean up we take the harder part of the trail which is going up with a steep, slippery, smooth and looks like a quicksand mud trail. What helps us get through with it was the rope from sideways that saves every fall and slip we might get. It was so hard that some of us remove their slippers and walk with their barefoot for them to grip on the mud. And as we arrived in the view deck, what shown to us was a worth it sight to behold. Strong winds gave additional good feeling up there; it is true that when you got to see what's in there, you may compare it to Batanes; but for me, I guess they should stop calling this as Batanes of the East. Instead, they should give a name that will magnify its beauty and will recognize that it is the pride of Aurora. Batanes is a dream place and they are known because of that beauty, in the same way Aurora has its own beauty and it should be named after their place. So much of Photo ops we get back to the beach using the same trail. What's enjoyable this time was that, we were thought to use the rope like we were rappelling, for us to get down easily and it is more safe to do it than fighting against the mud.
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| Wild Berries along the way |
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| The lone picture from trekking. |
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| Thankful for a rewarding view |
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| Mountain dog |
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| BTS |
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| Who wouldn't be in Awe? |
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| Perfect after trek |
What we did was take some rest, wait for lunch and play in the beach.
After having lunch we docked the boat again and get back to feeder port. Our next destination would be Tanawan Falls. There are several falls in Dingalan but Tanawan used to be famous for it is larger and safer for travelers. Another trek is required to get there but not that hard. it is a 20-30min. trek, just a chill trek because trails were established, it is not that steep and not muddy also. Just by walking from a far we heard that raging sound of water which gives us a feeling of excitement. As we get closer, we were greeted by a cold ambiance refreshing sound of water. We didn't waste so much time and dip immediately in the cold falls. It was heart stopping cold at first but after some minutes we loved playing in that cold running water. There are spots where one can go cliff jumping since it is a 3 tier falls with different depths but everything about this is perfect for a tired body. It reduced all the weariness we had from earlier trek and it feels like it is also cleaning our soul with the refreshing sound it gives. So much of that, we get back to the jump off and washed up.
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| Tanawan Falls |
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| Submerged in a cold water |
We were about to end our trip, but before bidding goodbye we drop by to their famous landmark which is "I <3 DINGALAN" with a good sunset on the back ground.
Aurora has been famous for it is a typhoon destination but it is also a blessing in disguise. Because of that, there is Baler which is one of the surfing spot in the country; and there is Dingalan. Molded by the winds and splashes of raging waves. It is now a perfect destination for adventure seeker. There's more to Dingalan than what we saw. We just had a limited time that's why we haven't seen the most of it yet. But I pray to God that this will stay this way. Not being commercialized, not being overrated, not being crowded and not being polluted. For some People who would want to experience the simplicity of life then it is the place to be. A laid back ambiance that eliminates all the stress that we have, A local community that takes care of this precious gem and the Nature itself that cleanses the soul of its visitors. I almost forgot all the lapses and misadventures we had before getting there when I saw the grandeur beauty of Nature and I thank God for a balance experience.
