Hundred Islands

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!

For today’s guide, let’s virtually explore the Hundred Islands in the province of Pangasinan.

If Christ the Redeemer of Brazil is on your bucket list, visiting the Pilgrimage Island of Hundred Islands is a great alternative locally.

The Hundred Islands is DIY-travel-friendly as the Lucap Tourism Office regulates everything from entrance fees to boats to guides to avoid overpricing.

It will take you around 7 hours of bus ride from Metro Manila and 7 hours back. I highly recommend staying overnight so you are well rested to truly enjoy the jampacked activities.

Travel Series

Before we go to the itinerary, please watch these 10 to 30-second episodes on Instagram.

Pilgrimage Island ✝️🙏
Virgin Island and Governor’s Island 🏝️☀️
Zip Line 🦅😍
Ramos Island 🏛️
Snorkeling 🤿🪸🐠
Jump at Imelda Cave! 💦🦇

Day 1: Travel to Lucap and Food Trip

⏰ Wake up and get ready at 4 to 5 AM

🚙 Book a Grab to Victory Liner Cubao

🚌 Ride a bus going to Alaminos

2 options (just choose whichever goes first): 1. Direct to Alaminos. 2. Bus to Bolinao. Just stop at Alaminos.
Fare: P542
Duration: 6 hours and 30 minutes
- The bus left at 07:45 AM
- 🚌 1st stop at Victory Liner Dau in Pampanga (09:00 AM)
- 🚌 2nd stop at Victory Liner Siesta in Tarlac (10:30 AM)
- 🚌 Final stop at Victory Liner Alaminos (01:15 PM)
Tip: Buy snacks during your trip.
The ticketing office looks really good and the conductors' uniforms look like a pilot. 😆

🥄 Lunch at Cindy’s Bakery

Located at Nepo Mall on the right side of the Victory Liner Alaminos bus station
They serve all-day breakfast, chicken and pork BBQ, burgers and pasta, and many others
Sample order: Pork BBQ with iced tea (P180) and halo-halo as an add-on (P50)
There are nearby fast food branches such as Jollibee, Mcdo, Chowking, and Mang Inasal but better try their local restaurants

🛵 Ride a Tricycle to Island Tropic Hotel and Restaurant

There are tricycles just outside Cindy's Bakery
Duration: 10 minutes
Fare: P50 per person

🛖 Check-in at Island Tropic Hotel and Restaurant

Why here?
- This is literally in front of the Lucap Tourism Office and Park. 😆
- Has its own restaurant
- Has a swimming pool
- The room has a table, a closet, a bathroom with a heater, a strong aircon, and a TV with cable.
- The bedsheets and towels smell really good. 😍
- They have a water dispenser at the restaurant. Just bring a reusable water bottle.
P1,750 per night with FREE breakfast
Book via Agoda

🥄 Hang Out at Lucap Park

This park has the following: - The Lucap Tourism Office - Eateries for meals - Street food for snacks - Souvenir shopping - Sunset viewing
The initial plan was to visit Bued Mangrove Park but it closes at 04:30 PM

🥄 Dinner at Sean’s Eatery in Lucap Park Food Eateries

I wanted to try Island Tropic's restaurant but the waiting time was about an hour coz they had a lot of orders for an event.
Sample Orders: beef steak, sisig, and shrimp.
Only P100 each and P15 for the rice. The eateries here are super budget-friendly and the meals taste really good! 😍

🎒 Ready your things to check out early

😴 Sleep Early at 9 PM

At this point, you're most likely tired coz of the long bus ride.
You might want to wake up early also to avoid the crowd. 😆

Travel Smarter with these Essentials ✈️❤️

Day 2

🕓 Wake up at 4 AM

The free breakfast at Island Tropic starts at 7 AM so you need to go to Lucap Park food eateries again as an alternative. They are already open at 4 AM.

🥄 Breakfast at MJ Eatery in Lucap Park Food Eateries

This is the stall beside Sean's Eatery
Sample order: Chorizo and egg with 3-in-1 coffee (P120). They don't have brewed coffee, unfortunately.

🎒 Get ready and checkout

To check out early, just find the guard at the front desk, inform them that you are checking out, and leave the keys. That's it.
If you want to pack light, you can leave some of your things with the guard and you can get them after the tour.

✍️ Registration at Lucap Tourism Office

The office opens at 6 AM.
Appreciate the paintings on their walls upon entering.
Tourism fee: P100
- Environment fee: P60
- Entrance fee: P30
- Converge Fee: P10
Boat fee for the whole day:
- P1,400 - Small (1 to 5 persons)
- P1,800 - Medium (6 to 10 persons)
- P2,000 - Large (11 to 15 persons)
Snorkel: P150
Life jacket: P50 (Required if you want to go cave jumping)
Trash Bag Fee: P200
- Redeemable after returning the trash bag.
- They promote clean-as-you-go.
- P200 will be the penalty if you don’t

🥄 Buy Packed Lunch at the Food Eateries

Please buy food for your boatman.
It’s only P120 per meal.

⛵ Start of Tour

🏛️ Ramos Island

⛵ This is the first stop of the island hopping.

🏛️ Ramos Island has a dome that can be used as an event center, greek style view deck, and a coffee shop called Kopi Isla.

✝️ This is right beside Pilgrimage Island. A two-meter sandbar divides the 2 islands

✝️ Pilgrimage Island

⭐️ The highlight of the Hundred Islands trip.

✝️ If Christ the Redeemer in Brazil is on your bucket list, visiting the Pilgrimage Island in Hundred Islands is a great alternative locally.

⛪️ There’s a hidden chapel (refer to the video). Just ask your guide how to get there.

📍 Quezon Island

🎟️ Zipline for only P250.

🦅 You'll be flying for around 20 seconds over a beach.

🤿 You can also snorkel here.

📍 Old Scout Island

The halo-halo was from Quezon Island for only P30.
The lunch location might differ depending on your activities.
Just ask the boatman to recommend the best place to eat.
You can choose to eat on the boat or on the island.
Rest a little and go snorkeling.

🤿 Snorkeling is FREE

🪸 There’s an option for helmet diving for only P400 per head to see beautiful corals, Nemos, and giant clams.

However, I decided to skip this activity coz I've tried and seen all of them: - Helmet diving in Boracay - Giant clams in Puerto Galera - Nemos several times in Coron, Bantayan, and Siquijor.

🐠 But if you haven't done this, I highly recommend it.

📍 Marcos Island and Imelda Cave

💦 20-foot jump into the cave’s crystal clear blue water

🌊 The water comes from the beach splashed into the cave.

🦇 The cave’s roof is full of bats so don’t talk when you’re floating. 💩

📍 Virgin Island and Governor’s Island

🚁 The spot with the most beautiful drone view of the Hundred Islands.

🌊 A chill beach to end the tour.

🦅 There’s also a zipline here overlooking the beach similar to Quezon Island. You'll fly from Governor’s Island to Virgin Island.

🥄 Street Food and Souvenirs Shopping at Lucap Park

HISFVA means Hundred Island Street Food Vendors Association
Sample orders: Buy 1 Take 1 burger (P100), Potato Roll (P20), and Buko shake (P60)
Buy souvenirs after eating snacks