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We took the first bus to Alaminos last Good Friday. 4:30 AM is the earliest trip from Victory Liner Cubao at Php 350. We got to the town of Alaminos at around 9:30 AM and rode a tricycle (P100) to Lucap Point in Barangay Lucap to check in at The Last Resort. Lucap Point/Lucap Wharf is where you hire outrigger canoe to go to the The Hundred Islands National Park. Boats are in small (6 pax, Php 1000), medium (12 pax, Php 1500), large (16 pax, Php 2000) and extra large (can occupy up to 20 pax, price can be arranged).

There are only three developed islands in the Hundred Islands (123 islands, to be exact). These are Children’s Island, Quezon Island, and Governor’s Island. A support staff from The Hundred Island’s official website said that Quezon Island is the best island to go to for first timers.

Our boat took us around the islands so we can choose an island to stay in. The first Island to see is the Governor’s Island where there’s a house for rent. The Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) house, in particular.

We passed by Children’s Island that looks really fun. With hanging bridges, kayaks and other water activities.

We would have stayed there if there weren’t too many people. Same with Quezon Island.

So we went to the smaller islands and docked at the Old Scout’s Island. We would have stayed in this little island but then we saw a lot of jelly fish floating in the shore.

We saw another island that has a longer shoreline and we told the boatmen to take us there. It was Marcos Island. It’s got a view deck on the top right of the island, and a bat cave on the top left. I heard that visitors can actually jump to the water below the batcave. But be warned, it must be full of guano (bat dung).

The beach is good. The sand is creamy and the tide’s a bit strong. And in between 11AM and 4PM, the sun is really high. You can stay under the overhang of the island and enjoy the waves.

Extra:
Guess who’s sunbathing when we came to the Marcos Island.

We went to Pangasinan for The Hundred Islands National Park for the long weekend and our first stop was well, the Last Resort. The Last Resort is in Lucap Point, Alaminos Pangsinan. The resort is just in front of the pier where outrigger boats bound for The Hundred Islands dock.

We got a big closed cottage with an air conditioned room, good for 10 single beds, a spacious room with kitchen lavatory for cooking, two bathrooms (showers of both not working, but faucet water was ok, water’s not too strong) and a long dining table with matching benches on the porch. It’s originally priced at Php 3000 for 10 beds. But we got it for Php 2500 since we were only six.

The Last Resort do not sell food so we ate brunch at the Maxine by the Sea Lodge & Restaurant which is just in front of it, right beside the wharf.

Lodging at The Last Resort is generaly comfortable since visitors need not share a bed, and a big space for cooking is advisable for families. Market is in town, 10-15 minutes by tricycle. Tricycle from the town (where Alaminos-bound buses from Manila arrive) to Lucap Point is P100.  Manila to Alaminos is P350 via Victory Liner. First trip from Cubao is 430 AM.

The Last Resort said they don’t sell food, and referred us to Maxine by the Sea Lodge & Restaurant. Walking across the road to go to Maxine by the Sea, a kindly old boatman approached us and asked what we were looking for. He pointed us to the opposite direction for an eatery, saying it’s a bit expensive to eat at Maxine by the Sea. He then noted that he’s a boat man, if we ever need to rent a boat. Too bad he was not there when we were about to leave (by boat) for the Hundred Islands National Park.

Maxine by the Sea is not only a restaurant, it is also a resort. There are stores in front of the resort that sell colorful beach clothes, hats and souvenir items but the entrance to the main building is pale and gray, because of the concrete walls. The restaurant is really big, and looks ok. There’s even a more intimate al fresco set up at one wing of the resort.

Other areas of the resort:

Mr. Boatman was right, price of the food in the resort is a bit steep if you’re on a budget. This was what we had for lunch:

Seafood Kare Kare was good. I did not try the bagoong (shrimp paste) because it looked salty. The Dinaing na Bangus (milkfish) was ok, but not really as yummy as I was expecting, since Pangasinan is famous for Bangus. Mango shake tasted like over-riped mango. It could be good, or bad, depending on your preference.

I paid P 105.00 for my share of food, and P 65.00 for my mango shake.

Before going to Pangasinan, I got the resorts rates from the online support staff of the Hundred Islands’ official website. But the waiter in the restaurant said that their room rate is Php 2500.00 per room for 2 people, plus 5% at peak seasons. Here’s the rate that I got from the The Hundred Island’s official website’s staff:

- Php 1,288.00/day for 3 pax
- Php 600.00/3 hrs.
rooms with aircon & CR

MAXINE BY THE SEA
Lucap, Alaminos City
Tel: (075)551-2537