Travel: Weekend Escapade - Hundred Islands, Alaminos City, Pangasinan

Hundred Islands

The Hundred Islands National Park is located in the city of Alaminos, Pangasinan, Philippines. These coral islands is home to a variety of wild life and fishes. The islets  scattered in Lingayen Gulf is totaling 124 at low tide and 123 at high tide. However only three of them have been developed for tourism: 

Governor Island, 
Quezon Island, 
Children’s Island.

How to get there?

You can ride a bus bound to Alaminos, Pangasinan via Five Star  or Victory Liner. In our case we took the 5:30 a.m. schedule at  Five Star at Tramo, Pasay since we all came from  the south. Fare per head is at Php 403.  Please note that rate is subject to change.  Travel time usually is 3-4 hours if you are coming from  Cubao but if  coming from Pasay it will take 6 hours. Once you reach Alaminos, you can take tricycle ride to Lucap wharf. Fare is usually Php 60 however for peak season they charged Php 100 per ride.

The main entrance to the National Park is the Lucap Wharf in Alaminos. At the Lucap wharf you need to register and pay the Hundred Islands Park Fees. However in our case we decided to try the Bolo entry as recommended by our tricycle driver since Lucap Wharf was full that time and it was peak season. We paid  Php 4,000 for the boat service from Bolo to the islands and decided to stay overnight at the Quezon Island.  The package includes the following:

Big Boat rental from Bolo to the Islands and vice versa
Island hopping (maximum of 4 Islands)
5  Gallons of Fresh Water 
Tent (for group of 4)
2 pillows/2 blankets
Set of Googles (2 pcs.)
Set of life vest
Free shower at the boat man's home

At the Quezon Island, we paid the park fees: 

Entrance fee was Php 80 per head (overnight)
Tent Space  Php 200
Picnic Table (1) good for 4  Php 300

There are a lot of activities at the these 3 major Islands, you can go on kayaking, jet skiing, snorkeling and explore the colorful marine life. You can also do helmet diving and zip lining from one island to another.  Or you can just bum around and enjoy the sights and beauty of nature. Please note that rates differ on every island.

There are also some park accommodations available for you. However during peak season you need book/reserve in advance. Prices ranges from Php 1,500 to as much as Php 5,000.  However if you are in a budget, you can opt to go on camping like we do. To save on the tent rental, bring your own tent instead. 

Below are some of  our pictures taken from this wonderful islands:

Lifestye: Binibining Pilipinas 2016 Winners

The  53rd edition of Binibining Pilipinas was held on April 17, 2016 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum,Quezon City, Philippines. Our Queen Ms. Pia Wurtzbach (Miss Universe 2015) crowned Maxine Medina as Miss Universe Philippines 2016, Ms. Medina will compete at the Miss Universe 2016 were she hopes for a back to back win for the Philippines. 

Ms. Janicel Lubina (Miss International 2015 Top 10 Finalist) crowned Kylie Verzosa as Binibining Pilipinas International 2016. Ms.Christi McGarry (Miss Intercontinental 2015 1st Runner-up) crowned Jennifer Hammond as Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental 2016 and Ms. Rogelie Catacutan (Miss Supranational 2015 Top 20 Semi-Finalist) crowned Joanna Louise Eden as Binibining Pilipinas Supranational 2016. Ms. Parul Shah (Miss Grand International 2015 3rd Runner-up) crowned Nicole Cordoves as Binibining Pilipinas Grand International 2016, and Ms. Ann Lorraine Colis (Miss Globe 2015) crowned Nichole Marie Manalo as Binibining Pilipinas Globe 2016 as their successors at the end of the event.

Congratulations to all the winners and continue to make the Philippines proud!

Lifestyle: Movie - The Huntsman: Winter's War

Synopsis:

Betrayed by her evil sister Ravenna (Charlize Theron), heartbroken Freya (Emily Blunt) retreats to a northern kingdom to raise an army of huntsmen as her protectors. Gifted with the ability to freeze her enemies in ice, Freya teaches her young soldiers to never fall in love. When Eric (Chris Hemsworth) and fellow warrior Sara (Jessica Chastain) defy this rule, the angry queen does whatever she can to stop them. As war between the siblings escalates, Eric and Sara unite with Freya to end Ravenna's wicked reign.

My Review:

This time Snow White is absent in this film. The sequel is very weak and the plot is very predictable.

However it has a great cast, where Ravenna (Charlize Theron) and Eric (Chris Hemsworth)  stands out, but (Freya) Emily Blunt and Sara (Jessica Chastain) chraracters  are wasted in their roles. 

The film was too violent for children and too sentimental for adults. There are scenes which bores the audience and some laughs are product of involuntary humor which saddens me because I expect more from this film.

I give the film 5 *****out of 10 stars.

Lifestyle: Movie Review - Disney's The Jungle Book

Synopsis:

Raised by a family of wolves since birth, Mowgli (Neel Sethi) must leave the only home he's ever known when the fearsome tiger Shere Khan (Idris Elba) unleashes his mighty roar. Guided by a no-nonsense panther (Ben Kingsley) and a free-spirited bear (Bill Murray), the young boy meets an array of jungle animals, including a slithery python and a smooth-talking ape. Along the way, Mowgli learns valuable life lessons as his epic journey of self-discovery leads to fun and adventure.

My Review:

The live-action remake from the beloved animated classic back in 1967 delivers on a level that could very well be better than the original. The Jungle Book is the first to implement the musical element that made the hand-drawn versions shine. It still includes its own version of “The Bear Necessities,” and King Louie’s “I Wanna Be Like You” which is nice specially when you have read the book or watched the animated version. I personally like the film because I grew up knowing its characters and story which was shot beautifully with fantastic sense of wonder.

Overall The Jungle Book is a fun, brilliant and beautiful film. It is worth the extra price for IMAX 3D. My rating for this film is 8 out 10 stars ********