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I booked a room for six on the night of Maundy Thursday. I said that we would be checking in at 12 noon on Black Saturday.

We rented a van from Alaminos town to take us to Bolinao. We passed by CSI Warehouse Club Alaminos to buy canned food, chips and drinks. Then at a flea market in Brgy. Balingasay get some food to cook.

We got to Bing’s Beach Resort (which is actually the last resort in the stretch, together with Hans-Min Beach Garden) at around 11 am and my contact person informed me that there were still guests in the room that I booked and they would leave after eating lunch, and we could get the room after they clean it.

We did not want to waste time so we hired a tricycle to take us to other resorts so we could canvass for more rooms. Unfortunately, Bing’s Beach Resort had the best deal compared to Hans-Min and Dutch Beach Resort.

The room was not yet ready when we came back so we started cooking our food. The staff at the resort were nice enough to lend us one of their grills at the back kitchen, and let us stayed in the air-con function room in the reception hall. They let us keep our food in their ref too, wash our food in their sink and gave us glasses with ice on the house.

We passed the time cooking, eating, playing PSP and cards. So much time wasted. And when we finally got our room at 3PM, yeah, we waited that long, the staff still made me wait when I asked for an extra mattress. Generally, they were nice and apologetic, but they still need to learn more about client servicing. Especially that most guests on peak seasons, like this lent, were from Manila, and went there to enjoy the beach. And waiting wasted us precious time and left us with only two to three hours of sun in the beach.

Here is the room that we rented for Php 2000 and P100 for an extra mattress:

The water in the bathroom is definitely stronger than the water in Lucap Point.

Bing’s Beach Resort has units on both sides of the road. What we got was not on the side of the beach. Here are some photos of the units that are on the beach front:

This is in the middle of everything. I don’t know if it’s an elevated cottage, or just a view deck.

Bing’s Beach Resort
09282477501
09212807142
Look for Grace

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Hundred Islands, Alaminos Pangasinan

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