Epic Bolinao Trip

Summer is here! And for me, summer means getaway!

By the way, this post isn’t going to be a usual travel post so if you are looking for travel tips, this isn’t the right place for you.

Moving forward, why Bolinao?

Non-IG-husband asked me to look for a beach resort NEARBY Pampanga. So the choices were Subic, Bataan or Pangasinan. I have seen one VLOG about Bolinao, Pangasinan  and I really liked the resort where the vlogger stayed. However, at the time of booking, it was fully booked so I had to find another resort. I saw something similar and booked a room, just like that. So excited I was when I told non-IG-husband about the hotel that I booked and he checked the location with Mr. Waze. And he was like, I told you to choose a resort nearby. This place is 4.30 hours drive, and it is infront of West Philippine Sea already. Is this your definition of NEARBY?

ok folks, in google it is called South China Sea, but really, it is West Philippine Sea!!!

The booking was non-refundable so we had to go, I didn’t want to waste my money! I was a bit scared to be honest because this will be non-IG-husband’s first long drive and I won’t be able to drive once he gets tired because I can only drive at the speed of 20kmph without reverse LOL.

We left Pampanga at 7:30am and reached Bolinao at around 1:00pm. The drive was more than 5 hours and to think, we only stopped once for nature’s call, not even for a meal or coffee.

The drive was long but it was really nice. No hellish traffic except a bit in Tarlac but after the ‘city’ there’s nothing but amazing scenery specially upon entering Pangasinan and I was like, this country is really blessed. I was smiling while looking at the painting-like view, remember those elementary school art days when we usually draw a house in the middle of the fields and the mountains and clouds will be the backdrop? The scene was exactly like that, and of course better.

Somewhere in Pangasinan

The drive to Bolinao was uphill and I was like, hey, Waze says we will reach the destination in just 30mins, so where’s the sea? I can only see mountains! So I felt like, we climbed up the mountains and went down to the other side to reach the sea. I don’t really know, I was confused. But all I know was as soon as I saw the boats and the blue sea after 5 hours of seeing only land, my heart jumped.

However, upon reaching the resort, I was quite disappointed. Firstly with the water. I read some reviews before booking it and they mentioned about the shallow beach, so I expected the same. But it wasn’t a beach as there was no sand. It was a very shallow rocky sea with so many snails on the side of the cemented part that separates the land from the water. It wasn’t very clean and it has seaweeds everywhere and some sea urchins too. Sorry but, I really didn’t even wan’t to dip my feet into the water.

During low tide, the locals collect some kind of shells that they cook for dinner. The yellow boat on the photo is one of the many fishermen’s boat that goes out for Tuna Fishing. We were really so dying to join the Tuna Fishing trip but no chance.

And then I thought, no worries, there’s an infinity pool with an amazing view so that will do. I looked at the pool and the water was not clean but I saw a lot of guests swimming so I said, maybe try and take a dip but then I saw the green moss on the corners of the pool stairs and I just wanted to faint right then and there specially, thinking about the price that we paid for a night.

And it didn’t end there. I booked for a Standard Seaview Room so I expected a room with the view of the sea. When they took us to the room, I was like, where is the view of the sea? There’s not even a window. And even if they place a window, the view will be of the parking lot. So I asked the staff and she explained to me that I only booked a Standard Seaview. Only the Queen Seaview will have the view of the sea and I started explaining to her that Standard and Queen are room or bed sizes but if you tell me that the room has a ‘sea view’ regardless of the size, there should be a view of the sea no matter how small the window of the room is but you have to give me a view of the sea. The staff either didn’t understand my point or she knew that they were wrong all along but tries to pretend or maybe they don’t expect hoteliers to come and complain about the title of the room. Anyway, they told us that we could upgrade to the Queen Seaview if we add another 1000 Pesos. To be honest, I didn’t want to pay another thousand because we already paid 3800 but because the Standard Room was just so depressing,  non-IG-husband just agreed to the extra payment so we could have a balcony and a VIEW OF THE SEA.

I felt like I was ripped off with the price that I paid for the night. Php 4800 for a room inclusive of breakfast. A room that isn’t spotless clean, you can see the dust under the bed, there was a cobweb on the bedside lamp, there were hairs stuck on the wall, the balcony was not clean, and I can spot countless things and this post will never end if I do that but I’m not sure if my expectations were just so high or I am just extra critical because I work in the hotel industry. But still I feel that the price was too high for what I got. Let me know if you feel the same about this because maybe I am wrong.

Sunset in Bolinao. This photo was not edited at all.

Come afternoon, the sunset was just amazing and I stopped being extra critical and just enjoyed the view. In the evening, we enjoyed having coffee by the balcony while listening to the waves and what’s best is waking up to an amazing view of calm blue water around 6 in the morning.

Breakfast with a view

After having breakfast, we borrowed their kayaks and paddled out.

We checked out at 12noon and overall, we enjoyed our stay in the resort even after the initial disappointments. To be fair, the staff were very nice.

We left the resort and headed to the Cape Bolinao Lighthouse  as it is said to be one of the must-sees while in Bolinao.

Cape Bolinao Lighthouse and EHEM myself and some photobombers


What broke my heart though was the vandals on a historic site.

Vandals everywhere
View of the West Philippine Sea PLUS myself LOL

PS:

*Non of the photos here were edited

*I didn’t mention the name of the resort as I feel I am being extra critical.

*Did you notice my photos? What can you say about non-IG-husband’s improved photography skills? LOL

Non-IG-husband’s Photography

Author: aysabaw

Aysa is a self-proclaimed hotelier without any culinary talent. She used to fly around Dubai for ten years via her magic carpet but destiny led her to a new path. She is now a little mermaid swimming in and around the Maldivian waters. If she is not reading her books, writing something comical, leaving rubbish comments on your posts or strumming her guitar, then she's up to some mischief.

32 thoughts on “Epic Bolinao Trip”

  1. Hahaha.. Natawa ako sa 20kph. 😄 Si hubby mo kase ang magmamaneho, so mas prefer nya yung “nearby”. While you on the other hand, since hotelier ka, mas nagfocus ka sa resort/hotel na tutuluyan nyo. Kaya dun medyo sumalungat ng konte. 😊 Pero mabuti na lang at smooth naman kamo ang byahe.

    About naman dun sa room nyo, alam kong lahat ng sulok mapapansin mo kase yun nga, sa resort ka din nagwo-work. So dapat ayusin talaga nila trabaho nila esp. sa paglilinis at maging sa serbisyo nila sa inyo, kase mataas ang standards ni Aysa. 😊

    Medyo nakakadissapoint nga yung ibang nangyari, ramdam ko din yung frustrations mo. But at the end of the day, what matters most is na-enjoy mo pa din yung bakasyon nyo ni hubby. Tsaka ang importante magkasama kayo together. ☺

    BTW, ganda ng mga shots ni hubby mo. Or maybe magaling ka lang talagang umawra at magposing? 😊

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    1. 20kmph pa lang Jheff ang kaya ko haha at bawal muna umatras 🤣🤣

      Wala kasi akong nahanap na hotel nearby na ok sa budget namin tapos magaganda reviews…madalas akong magbase sa trip advisor reviews. Ang di ko malaman panong magagandang reviews ang nakuha nung resort lalo na sa cleanliness kung ganun pala sila…

      Yung totoo may nakita kaming hotel sa Subic na sobrang orayt kaso naman 28k per night? Kaya naman pala sobrang ganda nung resort haha

      Kaya ayun tama ka, inenjoy na lang namin ni hubby kahit nakakainis na nung umpisa

      Wahahaha. Inis na inis na si nonIGhusband sa kakapaulit ulit ng pagkuha ng pics. Inaantay naming makaalis na ang lahat or nakatalikod na ang lahat bago ako maka awra LOL 🤣

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        2. hahahaha reliable ang tripadvisor, malalaman naman pag legit ang comment, kaso syempre iba iba ang taste ng tao, kung natuwa yung mga reviewers sa certain hotel, pwedeng hindi ako matuwa sa same hotel….

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  6. Wow, the price you paid for 1 night was too high especially because it wasn’t spotless clean to begin with and their beach isn’t too great either. But it’s good you both enjoyed your quality time anyway. Improving na talaga your Non-IG husband sa pag-take ng photos hehe =)

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  7. Haha yes West Philippine Sea talaga hindi South China Sea! Atin yan! Hahaha. Love the summery outfit against the blue and white background! Namamahalan din ako sa 4k. Kahit pa mura ang price but if you run a resort (or even just a small b&b) priority talaga na clean! Naiimiagine ko yung moss sa pool. Wuuuh. Haha atleast the view was beautiful + beautiful pics! 💕😄

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    1. Habang nandun ako, iniisip ko na gusto kong bilhin yung resort at ako na lang ang magrurun non baka mas masaya pa. LoL. Kala mo naman may pera haha. At true…kahit maliit lamg ang rooms basta malinis….maganda lang talaga yung view haha

      Bibili nga ako ng tshirt na may tatak na West Philippine Sea haha

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  8. Ilang beses na din ako pumunta ng Bolinao and in their defense, lahat ng hotel na napag-stay-an namin chaka! Hahahahahaa!!!! Improving si Non IG husband gumaganda na ang pictures. Dapat pumunta kayo sa Patar Beach. Maganda dun!!!

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  9. Sana sa patar beach na lang ate tapos tent! hahaha pero dahil hotelier ka, mas prefer mo ang totoong hotel. Anyway, sana nag-enjoy ka padin or dapat sinabihan mo kame para naghanap kame para sayo. haahaha

    P.S gusto ko kapag naiinis ka. ahahahahha.

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