Baler is a municipality and capital of the province of Aurora, Philippines. Baler is located 231 kilometers north-east of Manila via a mountain pass accessible by bus and private vehicle. It is host to spectacular geographic formations and is situated on a vast plain at the south end of Baler Bay, a contiguous segment of the Philippine Sea. Baler has a lot to offer from historic places up to places of relaxation and the beauty of nature. (THANK YOU wiki! Lol!)
I visited this place way back August 2014, it’s definitely a throwback travel again. Lol! Planning to revisit here again soon. I only visited selected places in Baler which will be featured on this blog.
So, how to get to Baler:
• From Cubao, ride a bus going to Baler. In my case that would be the Joy Bus of Genesis Transport. That costs me Php 700.00 for a deluxe bus service. You can also choose to ride the normal bus for Php 450.00 and enjoy the 6-hour land travel. Touring around Baler:
• There are tricycle drivers who offer tours around Baler. Which includes: Ditumabo Falls, Baler Museum, Doña Aurora Aragon Quezon House, Baler Church and Plaza, Ermita Hill, Fish Port, Lukso-lukso Islet, Añao Islet, Diquisit Falls and Old Balete Tree. Only few tricycle operators offer a tour to Dicasalarin Cove because it is a far destination than usual and trikes are not allowed to enter the place.
As a backpacker (Nagtipid nanaman po kami, rason ng walang pera. Lol!) I’m more of what the place can offer than staying in a luxurious Hotel room. It’s always a choice but being practical is a much better choice as long as the room is air-conditioned and the washroom is good that is all fine for me. Since it was 4 years back I can’t remember the name of the hotel but all I know it was accessible to Sabang Beach. We traveled from Manila to Baler night time and we reached Baler 6 in the morning roughly 4-5 hours travel. The hotel service picked us at the Bus terminal. (Wag mag isip na sosyal, tricycle lang yun. Lol!) Our transportation covers all the places in Baler was offered by the hotel amounting 700 for the 4 people, not bad? Hehe! After Breakfast; I just realized that upon reaching the plaza Museo De Baler, Dona Aurora’s house and the church are just a few blocks away. You can explore these one another just by walking. (Hindi mahirap di ba?)
Baler Museum / Dona Aurora’s House
Museo De Baler isn’t that big. It is basically a two-story building that displays various artifacts and paintings about the history of the province. The building’s unique façade catches my attention which is adorned with intricately detailed cold cast mural depicting various historical events associated with Baler. Everything about the province history can be found here.
Across the Road, you can take a selfie with these BALER iconic letters with this tower keme. CHOS! (Haha!)
Dona Aurora’s House reminded me of my life when I was in Dumaguete, similar to my grandparent’s house. It was really amazing remembering how life was really simple before.
Ermita Hill / Diguisit Beach Going to Ermita Hill you will see some waterfalls along the road. Please ready your camera and never miss Tromba Marina to have a picture on this historical site. The Tromba Marina sculpture serves as a reminder of that incident. It depicts several residents climbing the hill and behind them is a giant wave. It is said that Baler was washed away by a tidal wave in the 17th century. Thousands of lives were lost and only a few families survived when they went up to the nearby hill safely which is now known as the Ermita Hill. Situated at the northeastern end of Liwayway St. Poblacion 3, Casiguran, Aurora, it houses the statue of the alleged miraculous Virgin Mary who according to legendary beliefs stood as the resident's protection during the height of the Muslim invasion of the coastal town.On 27 December 1735, a great storm came and a huge wave called tromba marina devastated the old town settlement, then located in Barrio Sabang. Among the survivors were the Angaras, Bijasas, Bitongs, Lumasacs, Carrascos, and Pobletes who swam toward the nearby Ermita Hill. A new community sprang into what is now the Poblacion of Baler, leaving "Kinagunasan," the place of devastation.
You can also enjoy your self-taking photos and to have felt the breeze of nature at the viewing deck where you can see Baler Coast. The church is a few steps away from the viewing deck and taking the stairs will lead you to the white cross at the top. You can also see the tunnel which has a significance during ancient times.
Diguisit Beach is one of the famous surf spots in Baler; it is situated on Baler Bay along the Cemento Beach. The place features beautiful rock formations with a perfect scenery of the clear blue sky and the vast wide ocean. It is a must-see place where tourist can relax and enjoy their vacation. The main attraction of the Diguisit Beach is the rock formation. It is the evidence of the millions of years of wave pounding that mold its form. The Diguisit rock formations just lie beside the famous Cobra Reef- it is the ultimate surfing paradise for surfers in Baler who want to take a pounding.
The three special things that you would get from this destination are the rock formation which is thirty meters high and perfect for rock climbing, beyond it is a surfing paradise that surfers will certainly enjoy and lastly, the white sand beach which is a delicate location for beach-goers.
The Diguisit beach is privately owned by the Dela Torre Beach Resort, visitors can access the beach after paying a fee of twenty pesos. It is smaller compared to the famous surfing beach of Sabang, in contrast to Sabang beach; it faces northwest which is perfect to watch the setting sun. (https://www.vigattintourism.com/tourism/articles/Diguisit-Beach-The-Rocky-Paradise-of-Baler-Aurora)
Balete Tree
Before heading to Ditumabo Falls our driver brought us here. I was mesmerized and amazed how tough this Balete tree. Honestly speaking I’ve only seen this amazing tree in horror movies. Lol! Creepy! HAHA!
Filipino folklore is rich with ghost stories and many people believe that in Aurora Balete tree there are living gruesome supernatural beings like "kapres", "impakto" and "diwatas". Kapre is similar to a human, but two - three meters high, almost black, stinky and hairy, with enormous glowing green eyes. He likes to sit in balete tree and smoke. Impakto is a demon who takes a form of a small baby but actually is killing people. Diwatas are noble creatures - these spirits guard the forests and trees.
In earlier times here was established Balete Park, with entrance fee and with people looking after the tree. It was not allowed to climb the balete. Unfortunately, nowadays it looks much worse: the soil around the tree has been trampled and numerous tourists are climbing this wonder of nature, countless names have been engraved in the bark of a tree. The overall health of the tree is worsening. Hopefully, soon there will be a strong implementation of rules and regulations how to protect this majestic tree.
Ditumabo Falls
I’ve visited some falls in the Philippines especially from where I grew up so this is not new to me but my passion and love of nature will always be in my heart. (WOW! Bb. 20 Catriona Gray, Charot! HAHA!)
Geographically speaking, Mother Falls is located in the town of San Luis, Barangay Ditumabo a neighboring town of Baler, that is why it is named as Ditumabo Mother Falls. Towering at around 140 feet and with the cold water from the highland of Sierra Madre Mountain Range, Ditumabo Falls is an imposing icon of the province. The freely cascading water drops into a wide rocky basin forming a natural pool ideal for swimming.
It will take an hour before reaching this wonderful creation and I must admit it’s not an easy walk because it will take a lot of patience crossing rivers and the trail is generally rough and rocky but it was more rewarding than being tiring once you get there.
Surfing
It was a mixed emotion for me; excited and nervous. It was my first time trying surfing and I never thought that it was fun. We choose Sabang beach since it was near to our hotel and it was suited for us beginners according to them. Sabang Beach at early mornings it will give you glassy waves left and right. From March to June, relatively calm waves provide a nice beachfront scene for swimmers and windsurfers. October to February is when the large waves show up.This was the first time that I wanted to do it over and over. Surf Board rentals are scattered everywhere in Sabang at your most convenient price ranging from 300-500 pesos with a trainer. Just to let you know there surfing points in Aurora, the municipality of Baler offers the most accessible surfing points with good accommodations. Some of the great surfing areas in Baler include:
Cemento Beach. The stretch of Cemento Beach is lined with white sand, seashells, and carpet-like crushed corals. Waves that tower up to 14 feet high are normal from October to February. These huge waves are for a more challenging surfing experience which European, Japanese and Australian experts can attest. This area is recommended for expert or professional surfers due to the waves breaking at the sharp reefs.
Charlie’s Point. This place was featured in the Francis Ford Coppola’s classic film, Apocalypse Now where Charlie, a character in the movie was told, “Charlie, don’t surf there.” The place has since been named Charlie’s Point, known for its medium-quality right and left break waves on sand or gravel bottom. Best waves come from December to January.
Lindy’s Point. This is found further north of Sabang Beach, a relatively newly discovered surfing spot. Tall waves resulted from the opening up of the mouth of Baler Bay to the town river to prevent floods during the rainy season. Strong, sharp break waves formed as the waters coming from the river and the Pacific Ocean clash to produce such tall waves.
(http://www.islandsofthephilippines.com/2013/01/surfing-in-baler/)
