Dingalan
Hi there! 👋 I’m @benjtupas and welcome to another Travel PH82 Guide 🇵🇭 where I write DIY and budget-friendly guides for group and solo travelers on how to visit all 82 provinces of the Philippines!
Let’s virtually explore Dingalan within the province of Aurora!
This was my third time in Aurora (first visit was in Baler and second time in Dingalan). I went back to capture drone shots of the beautiful "Batanes of the East", explore the jaw dropping Lamao Cave, and experience the Tora Tora Ride to visit Abungan Falls, Laktas Falls, and Lipit River.
Ready? Let's start the guide!
Summary:
Before we go to the itinerary, please watch these 10 to 30-second episodes on Instagram.
Day 1:
⛰️ Mountain View (🎥 Episode) 🗼 Lighthouse (🎥 Episode) 🏝️ White Beach ⛰️ Lamao Cave (🎥 Episode) 🛖 Puffer Isle Inn (❤️ Book Here) 😋 Tagpuan ni Irog (🎥 Episode)
Day 2:
⛰️ Butas na Bato (🎥 Episode) ⛰️ Matawe Rock Formations (🎥 Episode) 🛖 Puffer Isle Resort (❤️ Book Here) 💦 Laktas Falls (🎥 Episode) 💦 Abungan Falls (🎥 Episode) 💦 Lipit River (🎥 Episode) (😆 Comedy)
Day 3:
🏝️ Siargao Vibe (🎥 Episode)
Day 1:
🚌 04:00AM - Five Star Bus Terminal in Pasay
Ride the bus going to Cabanatuan.
First trip at 2:30AM and there are trips every 30 minutes according to the ticketing officer.
Duration: 4 hours and 30 minutes
Bus stop: San Miguel Bulacan (2 hours 30 minutes)
Arrival: Cabanatuan City Central Transport Terminal (2 hours)
Fare: P270
🚌 08:30AM - Bus to Dingalan
Duration: 3 Hours
Fare: P100 (non-aircon buses only)
🎢 The first half of the journey is a mix of bumpy, uphill, and downhill. You might need medicine for motion sickness.
🧘The second half is so relaxing with rice fields, rivers, and beautiful views of the mountain. Don't sleep to enjoy the view.
🛵 11:30AM - Ride a Tricycle to Puffer Isle Inn
Fare: P30 per person
🛖 Check-in at Puffer Isle Inn and Resort
Day 1 - Inn Very near Feeder Port, the jump-off to the Mountain View, White Beach, and Lamao Cave
Day 2 - Resort (❤️ Book Here) Near the Abungan and Laktas Falls
P4,000 per night. Good for 2 to 4 persons.
Unfortunately, their inn is already closed a few days after the stay as the owners want to focus on their resort. You'll see this on Day 2 of the guide.
Here are the photos of the Inn before they closed.
🥄 12:00PM - Mak Mak Eatery (Beside Feeders Port)
This is the closest to Puffer Isle Inn
Sample order: nilaga with rice (P80)
⛵️ Registration at Feeder’s Port
🎟️ This is where you'll rent a boat, hire a guide, and pay for entrance fees.
📍 White Beach + Mountain View
P1,000 - Boat
P500 - Guide
P50 - Environmental Fee Please keep the receipt as you’ll be needing this in other locations. Otherwise, you’ll pay again.
📍 Lamao Cave (optional tour but highly recommended)
P500 - Cave Fee
P200 - Guide
📱 Recommended Tour Guide: Euri (09676690785)
⛰️ Mountain View and Light House
⭐ This is usually the highlight of the Dingalan trip.
😍 You can do 3 things here:
15-minute hike to the Mountain View to witness the "Batanes of the East"
Another 10-minute hike to the lighthouse
Swim at the White Beach (The sand is no longer white. According to the locals, there was a landslide during one of the major typhoons in Aurora.)
🎟️ P20 - entrance to a resort where you can rest after your hike
🦇 Lamao Cave
⛵️ You might wonder why the additional cost during the registration. It's a little far from the White Beach and Mountain View by boat.
⛰️ You'll see a lot of caves under mountains along the way.
⛰️ Lamao Cave was one of the biggest, longest to reach the end, and most beautiful I've seen so far.
🌊 The water is really blue and really clear. Perfect for underwater shots.
🌧️ Sadly, it was raining that time.
🥄 Snack (Kikiam, Fish Ball, and Cheese Sticks) and Rest
There's a store at the corner before entering the street to Puffer Isle Inn
They sell siomai, kikiam, fish ball, cheese sticks, milk tea, and coffee. Around P20 for the food and P50 for the drinks
🥄 Tagpuan ni Irog
Beautiful restaurant that serves great food. Very sulit and province rates!
They are popular for their fresh and large tuna
They serve meals from breakfast to dinner (around P250), coffee (P85 to P130), and halo-halo (P200).
My order: Blue Marlin Steak (P228)
✈️ Earn by Doing What You Love
Day 2: Laktas and Abungan Falls
🛵 Ride the tricycle to Puffer Isle Resort
Fare: P500 1 to 3 persons. 4 is max but not comfortable. The fare is fair coz the drive back is really far.
Duration: 30 minutes
🗿 Butas na Bato View Deck
📍 1st attraction on the way to the resort
🌅 It's a great spot to witness the sunrise
🗿 Matawe Rock Formations
📍 2nd attraction on the way to the resort
🏝️ There are rock formations in the middle of the beach
🚙 Puffer Isle Inn
If you stay at Puffer Isle Inn for 2 days and if the owner happens to be there, he will invite you for an upgrade to their resort and drive you for free!
This area will give you the Siargao vibes!
There are 3 benefits of moving to Puffer Isle Resort:
🌊 Beach front
🛖 You don't need to travel back to Dingalan proper after you visit Laktas and Abungan Falls.
🚌 Buses pass right in front of the resort.
I highly recommend transferring here.
Here are the amenities:
Swimming pool, billiard table, kid's playground, beach volleyball, and beautiful sunset
Clean and aesthetic rooms
Aside from being a beach front, there are 4 areas to hangout with family and friends (the restaurant and 3 areas on the second floor).
Own restaurant with delicious food
Room rates: - Room A (5pax) - P4,400/night - Room E, F, G, & H (4pax) - P2,200/night - Room B, C, & D (3 pax) - P3,200/night
Tent Rates as follows: - (2x) Tent for 10pax - P1,800/night/tent - (3x) Tent for 6pax - P1,500/night/tent - (2x) Tent for 4pax - P1,100/night/tent - 1 Mattress plus 2 pillows P300 ❤️ Book Here
🥄 Breakfast: lechon kawali (P150) and brewed coffee (P50)
🎒 Prepare your stuff for the Tora Tora Tour
🌊 Enjoy the beach front and amenities
🥄 Lunch: fried chicken (P150) + coconut (P35)
🚌 Tora Tora Tour
You'll be visiting 3 places (Laktas Falls, Abungan Falls, and Lipit River) while riding a Tora Tora truck. The vehicle can accommodate up to 12 people. All for P2,500.
You can contact Jerry Castro at 09262393089.
Please keep the receipt of the P50 environmental fee at the Feeder Port as you will be needing it here again. Otherwise, you'll be asked to pay again.
💦 Laktas Falls
💵 Entrance fee: P10
🪨 I love the rock formations surrounding the falls
🥶 The water is ice cold
🐶 You can bring your dog. I’m just not sure if it’s advisable since the water is cold.
💦 Abungan Falls
🤯 98 feet in height
😍 A strong contender to Casaroro Falls in Dumaguete
🏊🏼♂️ You can swim on its natural pool
🌿 The path going to the falls is well-landscaped
💦 Lipit River
🧘🏼 This is the perfect place to end the tour and just relax on the cold water.
🥄 You can also eat lunch here if you start early in the morning
🛖 Go back to the resort
🌅 Catch the sunrise at the beach and enjoy the resort amenities
🥄 Dinner: pusit sisig (P150) + cucumber lemonde (P50)
✈️ Earn by Doing What You Love
Day 3: Siargao Vibe Beach
🌊 Catch the sunrise and enjoy the beach just in front of Puffer Isle Resort
🥄 Breakfast: vegetable omelette (P120) and brewed coffee (P50)
🌊 Swim on their pool
🛖 Pack your stuff and check-out
🐈 Adopt a Cat
🐈 There are cute cats you can bring home as long as you guarantee to take care of them.
😆 I found the meme cat (3rd photo)
🚌 Go Home
Buses pass by the resort
11:00AM - Ride the bus to Cabanatuan
Fare: P150
No aircon 🥹
12:00PM - First stop (Dingalan Bus Terminal)
03:30PM - Bus terminal
🥄 If you're hungry, you can ask the conductor to drop you off in Jollibee or Mcdo. You can ride the tricycle to the bus terminal for P25 per head.
04:30PM - Ride the bus to Pasay
Fare: P288
With aircon 🥶
Bus stop: San Miguel Bulacan (2 hours 30 minutes)
09:20PM - Back in Metro Manila
Thanks for reaching this far!
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Travel Dates: July 01 to 02
Last updated
