Tutubi first read about this new cave when he read a news article about the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) which classified a certain Kwebang Puti in Cavinti, Laguna as Cave Class 1 but no information can be found online about it until news spread from Tutubi's friends in Paete, Laguna.

UPDATED: April 2014

Travel Guide: Cavinti Underground River and Caves Complex

Tutubi knows how to get to Cavinti, either via public transportation or by private car, finding the site is not hard for him come his turn to actually visit the site. Other information will be posted once available and reviewed by his sources of information.

The poster of Cavinti Underground River and Caves Complex, good there are people on the image to add scale

Travel Guide: Cavinti Underground River and Caves Complex Tour in a nutshell:

1. Make a reservation for an entrance pass to the Cavinti Underground River and Caves Complex by contacting Cavinti Tourism office. Email advance booking/reservations to this email address: lgucavinti@gmail.com
Reservations are limited to 10 persons per group. Contact number and official website will be posted once available.

2. Confirm your permit to tour Cavinti Underground River and Caves Complex by getting your permit personally, though your authorized representative or package tour operator. You need to pay the entrance fee of PhP10.00/person (called environmental fee) Walk-in visitors are NOT guaranteed visitors entry permit. The visitors permit confirmation and payment can be paid at Cavinti Municipal Hall in weekdays and at Bumbungan Ecopark on weekends.

3. Go to Cavinti Underground River and Caves Complex on your reserved date. Bring proper identification cards (school ID accepted)

4. Enjoy the tour but do observe the rules posted at the site particularly do not touch stalactites, stalagmites and columns inside the Cavinti caves

a giant stalactite of Kwebang Puti (stalactites hang from the ceiling, stalagmites are on the ground, and a column occurs when the cave roof and floor are joined together

The Laguna underground river has mini-waterfalls inside gushing with cold natural mineral water

How to Get to Cavinti Underground River and Caves Complex

(Tutubi will create the map via OpenStreetMap once he gets to the place and will post waypoint/GPS coordinates later). An interactive map of Cavinti (helped updated by Tutubi with the cool guys of OpenStreetMap Philippines) can be found here where you can trace back to your origin and jump-off point.

How to Get to Cavinti, Laguna from Manila:

1.0 How to Commute by bus and jeepney

1.1 Commute to Sta. Cruz, Laguna by Bus
From Cubao Quezon City, take HM Transport or DLTB bus to Sta. Cruz, Laguna (Bus Fare via HM Transport is PhP148.50)

1.2 From Pasay, near LRT Gil Puyat station, take Green Star Express or DLTB bus to Sta. Cruz, Laguna
Bus fare:, travel time is around 3 hours. Bus fare via DLTB is PhP132.00 while via Green Star express is PhP140.50 (yes, DLTB is cheaper plus free Wi-fi Internet)

1.3 In Sta. Cruz, ride a jeepney to Cavinti and request the driver to drop you off at Bumbungan Eco-Park (fare is about PhP20.00, travel time about 40 minutes) which is near a bridge over Bumbungan River (the river that feeds Pagsanjan Falls)

2.0 Driving Directions to Cavinti, Laguna

from Quezon City, it's recommended to take the scenic Rizal route via Marcos Highway, Sumulong passing through the city of Antipolo, the Rizal towns of Teresa, Baras, Morong, Tanay, Pililla, and the Laguna towns of Mabitac, Famy, Siniloan, Pangil, Pakil, Paete, Kalayaan.

After passing by the elevated portion of Manila East Road in Kalayaan town, you will need to turn left and pass by Caliraya-Cavinti Road until you reach Bumbungan Eco-park. This route, from Trinoma, takes about 3 hours travel time.

From Makati or southern cities of Manila, take SLEx and exit at Calamba (toll fee: PhP218.00 class 1 vehicle), head towards SM City Calamba then turn right. Follow the highway passing through the towns of Los Banos, Bay, Calauan, Victoria, Pila, Sta. Cruz, Pagsanjan and Lumban. After passing Lumban Public Market (and a police checkpoint barrier), choose the right fork of the road going to Lake Caliraya. Continue until you reach Bumbungan EcoPark which is the jump-off point to Cavinti Underground River and Caves Complex

as of posting time, Pagsanjan Bridge near Pagsanjan Municipal Hall is under construction, you need to take the alternate route to Cavinti via Lumban and Caliraya Lake thus the direction provided above.

3.0 To get to Cavinti Underground River and Caves Complex from Cavinti, you need to pay PhP1,000.00 fee (inclusive of transportation and lunch) you still need to ride a jeepney (rent one (rental rates vary but about PhP200.00/person) or drive to the caves if you're adventurous and have a 4x4 vehicle) for 14 kilometers on bumpy, dirt road then trek for 2 kilometers (about 30 minutes walk over a dirt road) to get to the actual newly-discovered cave. (this is already easy compared to the previous 4-5 hour trek when the dirt road was not there)

4.0 The final travel part of Cavinti spelunking adventure is a short bamboo raft ride (balsa) to cross the Lalangawan River to reach the cave entrance which is near the boundary of Cavinti, Laguna and Mauban, Quezon

Notes:

1. The road from Cavinti town proper going to the site is not paved, only 4x4 vehicles (for off-road) or jeepneys can traverse it.
2. Bring your own high powered flashlight or gas lamp as it's dark inside the caves
3. At present, this is still undeveloped, tourism facilities are inadequate, guides are ill-equipped, area is restricted to 50 tourists (non-Cavinti residents) but cave entrance fee is now at PhP1000.00/person with transportation and lunch
4. There's an underground river and waterfalls inside but most parts of the cave complex and chambers remain unexplored, wildlife (if there are animals, lizards, snakes, pythons, spiders) taking refuge inside not yet documented
4. There are hotels and resorts near Cavinti particularly Pagsanfalls resorts or resorts in Lake Caliraya for you to spend the night, wash yourself or overnight accommodations.
5. You can take a swim in the Lalangawan River with cold mountain water and huge rocks and boulders

This will be updated from time to time to remain fresh and current. Tutubi's planned tour of this new "place to see in Laguna" last April 20 didn't push through due to the new rule on reservation and with fully-booked place for tour bookings.

Labels: Calabarzon, Caves, Ecotourism, Laguna, Spelunking, Travel Guides

A never-ending question how to get to NAIA Terminal 1 and NAIA Terminal 2 by public transportation, particularly commuting from EDSA by bus (yes, some people still prefer to take the slow bus) or the alternative way out of NAIA Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 if there are no airport taxi in sight.

The recommended option to get to Manila Airport Terminal 1 and 2, for those with very limited budget and the cheapest way to get there, is via the bus on EDSA with signboard MIA 611 Tambo which can be found even from Monumento end of EDSA in Caloocan City.

For reference, please click this map centered on EDSA Ayala Avenue and Magallanes. The map shown below, taken from OpenStreetMap, shows NAIA Terminal 1 (left) and NAIA Terminal 2 (right corner) and roads linking them to Roxas Blvd and EDSA. This same map can be browsed interactively here

Map of Manila Airport's NAIA Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 showing the main roads going there. Note that there's no MMDA number coding on these major roads too.

MIA 611 Tambo Bus route from EDSA Ayala Avenue:

These buses cross Pasay Road
Cross Magallanes (Pasong Tamo extension)
Cross Taft Avenue (Pasay Rotonda)
Cross Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard (Macapagal Avenue)
Go around SM Mall of Asia Globe (Rotonda)
Right Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard (Macapagal Avenue)
Right Seaside Drive
Cross Roxas Boulevard to NAIA Road (formerly MIA Road)
Cross Quirino Avenue
Cross Domestic Road [Old Nayong Pilipino]
Detour NAIA Terminal 1
Return to NAIA Road (MIA Road)
Left to Ninoy Aquino Avenue
Detour NAIA Terminal 2
Return to to Ninoy Aquino Avenue
Left NAIA Road (formerly MIA Road)
Cross Domestic road, Tambo Bridge and Quirino Avenue
Right Roxas Boulevard
Pass Redemptorist Road and Baclaran Church (National Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help)
Right to EDSA towards return destination

From Quezon City, it's best to just take the LRT (via LRT EDSA Station) or the MRT (via MRT Taft Avenue Station) then ride a bus
with signboard MIA 611 Tambo

Getting Out of NAIA Terminal 1 and NAIA Terminal 2:

From the arrival gates, you need to walk to the road where the buses are waiting for passengers. There are direction signs posted at the gates and you can always ask the security guards or information counters at Manila Airport lounges.

These buses will take you to several bus stations on EDSA, Taft, Rotonda including Victory Liner (on other side of EDSA, you need to cross a pedestrian bridge near EDSA Tramo (Aurora Boulevard), these buses go to Olongapo City, Zambales, Baguio City), best to take a taxi going there from Manila Airport terminal), DLTB (Batangas City), Five Star, Philtranco (Bicol routes), Dimple Star, Alfonso Liner, Gold Line Transit, Genesis Transport, Celyrosa, Ceres Transport,

If you're going to to get to Manila South Harbor (South Pier 15, SuperFerrry or 2Go ferry) or Manila North Harbor (North Pier 2, 4, 6, 8, etc, Romblon Shipping Lines, Negros Navigation etc) , you can ride the bus back to EDSA and alight at LRT Taft Avenue. Ride the LRT up to Carried Station then transfer to a jeep with signboard Pier. It will drop you near the gate of Manila South Harbor.

Note:

for those with private cars looking for driving directions, there's no MMDA number coding on the roads around the NAIA terminals including: NAIA Road, Domestic road, Andrews Avenue, Sales Street, Coastal Road.

Overnight Parking rates at NAIA Terminal 1 and NAIA Terminal 2 is still PhP50.00. Day parking rates cost PhP35.00

Related Posts on Manila Airport:
How to Get to Manila Airport
How to Get to NAIA Terminal 3
Hotels Near Manila Airport
Manila Airport Transfer

Labels: Airports, Metro Manila, National Capital Region, Travel Guides

Just to post an event organized by the 98B Community (twitter: @98B_Community ) to bring back the memories and former glory of Manila's Escolta Street, once the center of business of the country, starting at bringing back commerce to the once vibrant street.


SaturdayMarket@ESCOLTA Information and poster
"Let's us all visit the SaturdayMarket@ESCOLTA this April 27, 2013. It will open at 9AM. Together we can all help in creating awareness for the street! Tag, share and spread the word! This fun-filled activity will not only show you interesting finds but will also be a trip down memory lane :-) Experience the street and bring home historic memories.

When: April 27, 2013 9AM-5PM
Where: 413 First United Building, Escolta Street
Binondo, Manila

Pre-loved; vintage items will be sold!"


How to Get to Escolta, Manila:

the street in Binondo district of Manila can be reached from Sta. Cruz via LRT Carriedo Station where you can just walk towards Sta. Cruz Church to find the eastern end of Escolta.

Jeepneys from Taft Avenue and Mabini with signboard Avenida, Rizal Avenue or Monumento pass by Sta. Cruz, alight near the foot of MacArthur Bridge then walk to Escolta. Likewise, jeepneys going Divisoria from taft Avenue and Mabini will pass by the other end of Escolta. Just alight after crossing Jones Bridge then walk to Escolta.

First United Building used to be called Perez-Samanillo Building, it was built by Andres Luna de San Pedro, the son of Juan Luna.

Labels: Shopping

Here's a bit of good news (though the cynical Tutubi doubts if it can be implemented soon just like the much delayed SLEX-NLEX connector roads or the already scrapped NorthRail) where a high-speed rail to/from Clark Airport to link it with Metro Manila.

It's a proposed Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) project by Manny V. Pangilinan (MVP) Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) finance the $3-billion Clark-Metro Manila project.

Proposed Project Information per the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA):

Proponent: Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC)
Name: Express Airport Trains
Description of Plan: Construct a bullet train line with the the new railways between the lanes of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx)
Proposed Stops/Terminals: at least three stops in Metro Manila: Balintawak or near TriNoMa or SM North in Quezon City; Manila like Dimasalang or University of Sto. Tomas; and Makati at Buendia Avenue.

Project Benefits: cut travel time from 2 hours to only 45 minutes to transport passengers from Clark to Manila, and vice versa.

Project cost: US3,000,000,000.00
Target Completion Date: N/A

Comments:

Bullet Trains are expensive, much like Japan's Shinkansen, where train fares are almost equal to airfares. Japan's bullet train technology is also mature, safe and efficient and designed to handle even strong earthquakes.

How about connecting Clark Airport to NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) and probably beyond Clark to say Baguio but it depends on economic sense and feasibility. A bullet train to Bicol crossing to Visayas and Mindanao may be there too, but someday, when the economy grows

for Tutubi, this is just a pipe dream...it's still an early proposal and may take years like other government projects.

Labels: Floobydust

Is there any thing to see and do in Lobo, Batangas besides a short visit to Faro de Punta Malabrigo (Malabrigo Lighthouse)? An officemate of Tutubi is from Lobo and swears there's white sand beach there, in a place unknown to Metro Manila denizens for a fun beach place.

Lobo's shoreline is actually rocky and/or pebble beaches except that part occupied by Gerthel Beach Resort. You can actually see Isla verde from a distance from here so it's actually a good jump-off point for SCUBA diving as it's very near the Verde Island passage, said to be the center of the center of marine triangle where you can find the best dive spots in the world.


After a short visit to Malabrigo Lighthouse, Tutubi's tummy started grumbling and asked around at nearby beach resorts for a place to eat (if they have restaurants) but it's tough luck. An inquiry at Andrea Beach and Diving Resort turned out nil and he just took a few pictures and sped back to Lobo town proper and ate at the first eatery (turo-turo) he found.


Should you find yourself drifting in Lobo like Tutubi, you may find this list of Beach Resorts in Lobo, Batangas useful:

Almalin Beach Resort:
Contact number: +63.922.861.6108; +63.2.421.6238

Andrea Beach and Diving Resort:
in Soloc with rocky beach picture above.
Contact Numbers: +63.43.487.0422; +63.928.505.7671

Butterfly Beach House

Gerthel Beach Resort: boasts of white sand beach about a kilometer long

Honey Beach Resort

Lily’s Beach Resort

Punta Malabrigo Beach Resort

Submarine Garden Resort

If you know of any Lobo Beach Resorts in Batangas not included here, please leave a comment. You may call the resorts published telephone number or visit their official website to inquire about resort entrance fee, swimming pool rates, dive rates, boat rentals, snorkeling, SCUBA diving lessons, room rates, discounts, promos, events (debut, wedding) and team building venue.

How to get to Lobo, Batangas:

if you have a GPS or a GPS app in your iOS/Android devices, set it to these coordinates 13° 35.922N 121° 15.604E and you will it on the hilly portion of Malabrigo road connecting Lobo town to Laiya, San Juan Batangas. A map of Lobo is available here

commute to Lobo, Batangas: take a bus to Batangas pier (choose from RRCG transport, Ceres Transport, Batangas Express, Alps the Bus), Fare to Batangas is PhP175.00 from Cubao.

In Batangas, just right after the end of Startoll, transfer to a jeepney going to Lobo town.
In Lobo town, you may take a tricycle or a jeepney going to Laiya (infrequent trips, best is the trike)

Driving directions to Lobo, Batangas

Best to have a car to get there, it's just SLEx, Startoll then left at the end of Startoll, follow the zigzag road going to Lobo.

Labels: Batangas Resorts, Beaches, Calabarzon

Tutubi was just gassing up Scarlett at Petron gas station on southbound EDSA, Cubao when he caught sight of the small bus terminal carved out at the opposite corner just next to Cypress Bomanite. He took a through the windshield picture of the cramped bus garage where a parked bus going to Antique can be seen.



RM Liner
Bus Fare (Cubao to Pandan, Antique): PhP890.00
Travel Time: 14 hours

RM Liner bus terminal on
(southbound EDSA corner Justice Lourdes Paredes San Diego, Cubao, Quezon City
Remarks: just across Petron gas station (across SM Hypermarket (formerly Makro Cubao))

Does display any contact number nor trip schedules (such very bright people managing it probably). The official website too doesn't have the information, merely full of "praise releases." Will just update this post once contact numbers, fares and trip schedules are posted.

Related posts on Bus Terminals:
Bus Terminals on EDSA, Cubao, Quezon City
Bus Stations in Pasay/Taft/Rotonda
Bus Stations in Pasay Taft, LRT

Labels: Buses, Public Transportation

There are claims that the Hollywood movies Lord of the Rings ("The Felloswhip of the Ring," "The Two Towers," "The Return of the King") used swords forged not in the fires of Mordor but in the fires of the northern town of Pozzorubio, Pangasinan. This claim is also made for the Braveheart (Mel Gibson) and Batman Begins (Christian Bale) using old jeepney leaf springs (called molye in Tagalog) and ordered by Hollywood movie producers.

What's definite though is that the Hollywood movies of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy were shot in New Zealand but the swords of Gandalf, the little Hobbit Frodo, the Dark Lord Sauron and "The Return of the King" Aragorn can be bought at swordsmiths shops (Panday or pandayan) scattered in this northern town of Pozorrubio, Pangasinan.

Known to Tutubi for years yet the chance to actually find time to look for the place known as the Bayan ng Panday (town of blacksmiths) and Pandayan (blacksmith shop) in barangay Palacpalac of Pozzorubio. He, on one occasion, asked around but didn't find time to look for it due to lack of time

On the way home from Baguio, without an inkling to look for the blacksmith shops, he spotted a shop selling knives, swords, battle axes, katana, kris and kampilan along the national highway of Pangasinan that ended his quest, and still unplanned at that: he met one of the legendary panday of Pozorrubio, Pangasinan


How much do sword replicas cost in Pozzorubio? It's around PhP3,000.00 up, the longer the sword, more expensive it gets of course. Tutubi asked for the price of the Braveheart sword, 1.8 meters long and a few kilograms in weight that must give an idea how big and tall the real William Wallace was, the shopkeeper told him it's PhP8,000.000 while a Rambo jungle survival knife, a replica of Sylvester Stallone's knife in the popular Vietnam War movie is around PhP1,500.00.

He asked for his business card and took note of the shops address, contact number and location coordinates in his GPS navigator so he can go back anytime without getting lost.

Tutubi loves epic drama movies, or those set in the middle ages even prehistoric times (even if they mostly have historically fictitious scripts) and would love to buy replicas of swords used in those movies he loves: The Last Samurai (Tom Cruise), Kingdom of Heaven (Orlando Bloom), 300 (Gerard Butler), but money and space to actually display them swords are not yet in his arsenal.

Someday, he'll probably will but he ensures that he'll buy three swords first, the kampilan, kris and the katana. Two Filipino swords and a Japanese sword used by a samurai (yes, the samurai is the warrior brandishing a katana, the sword. Most Filipinos call the sword samurai)

Looking for an authentic cosplay with medieval armor and real swords as costumes? :P

---

Hollywood Movie Notes:

The claimed original sword of William Wallace, a Scotsman who rebelled against the king of England in the 13th century and whose life was made into the movie Braveheart, is 1.8 meters long and is stored at a museum in Scotland.

The Kingdom of Heaven is about the Crusades and the war of Jerusalem against Saladin during the Middle Ages

The Last Samurai is a fictional epic drama set during the late nineteenth century Japan

300 tells a fictionalized story about the Battle of Thermopylae where King Leonidas led 300 Spartan warriors to a battle against the Persian king Xerxes. The Battle of Thermopylae has a similar tale and ending as the Battle of Tirad Pass in Philippine history.

Labels: Central Luzon, OTOP, Pangasinan

Tutubi intends to again visit Manila Ocean Park, not the 3D art and Mirror Maze at Seri Fantasy World, but their other main attractions like the oceanarium/Aquarium and sea lion show.

Manila Ocean Park Entrance Fee/ Admission Prices/ Promos/ Discounts


Manila Ocean Park operates like a mall, you can enter the facilities and visit other park amenities (no movie theaters but there are 3D theaters here), restaurants besides the well publicized aquarium. There's no entrance fee to Manila Ocean Park except the main attractions where tickets are required prior to entry.

Manila Ocean Park Package Rates:

DEEP SEA RUSH 5 PhP550.00
Oceanarium, Sea Lion Show, Marine Life Habitat, Musical Fountain Show, Jellies Exhibit

SEA BREEZE EXPRESS 8 PhP700.00
Oceanarium, Sea Lion Show, Marine Life Habitat, Musical Fountain Show, Jellies Exhibit, All Star Bird Show, Birds of Prey Kingdom, Penguin Talk Show

PACIFIC SKY WONDER 9 PhP900.00
Oceanarium, Sea Lion Show, Marine Life Habitat, Musical Fountain Show, Jellies Exhibit, All Star Bird Show, Birds of Prey Kingdom, Penguin Talk Show, Trails to Antarctica

How to get to Manila Ocean Park

It's just a taxi ride away from LRT UN Avenue Station or a short jeepney ride away from LRT Carriedo Station (take jeepney going to Pier, alight near Manila Hotel then walk to Manila Ocean Park)

Manila Ocean Park Schedule

Labels: Manila, Metro Manila, Theme Parks

Tutubi provides at least a one week paid vacation per year with airfare or ferry fare to his loyal helper from Malabuyoc, Cebu. Usually she takes the flight via ZestAir or Cebu Pacific but due to her excess baggage woes, she prefers the slow ferry to Cebu.

UPDATED: January 2016

This one's for people looking for ways to get to Manila North Harbor to board several passenger ferries including those of Negros Navigation (now operated by 2Go Travel)

Manila South Harbor is home to odd-numbered piers e.g. Pier 15 (the former home of the presidential Yatch that Tutubi was able to board many years ago) now the terminal of SuperFerry, Pier 13, Pier 11, Pier 9 with most piers used for commercial shipping companies. Pier 1 is not there though, that popular watering hole :P

Manila North Harbor, on the other hand, is host to even-number piers: Pier 2, Pier 4, Pier 6, Pier 8, Pier 10, Pier 12, Pier 14 and Pier 16 et al

Map of Manila South Harbor with Pier 13, Pier 15 and Manila Hotel (as landmark). Pier 15 is sometimes called Eva Macapagal Terminal

List of Shipping Lines and Passenger Ferries Operating in Manila North Harbor

Pier 2 2Go Travel (Negros Navigation)

Pier 4 2Go Travel (Super Ferry Shipping Lines), WG&A Shipping Lines, Go Thong Southern Shipping Lines

Pier 6 Lorenzo Shipping, Moretta Shipping Lines

Pier 8: Romblon Shipping Lines

Pier 10:

Pier 12:

How to Get to Manila North Harbor:

for a map of Manila North Harbor's Piers, please click here. Here's a location map of the North Pier with Pier 2 and Pier 4 at the bottom (south) and Pier 16 at the top (north).


Commute to Manila North Harbor:

From Caloocan, Quezon City, and Pasay: best to take the LRT and get off at Carriedo Station, transfer to a Pier-bound jeep on Rizal Avenue (Avenida). Alight at Anda Circle (the rotonda just outside Intramuros). Walk towards the Shell gas station then board a North Harbor-bound jeepney.

Via MRT:

best to get off at MRT Taft Avenue Station, transfer to LRT via the footbridge get off at Carriedo Station. transfer to a Pier-bound jeep on Rizal Avenue (Avenida).
Alight at Anda Circle (the rotonda just outside Intramuros). Walk towards the Shell gas station then board a North Harbor-bound jeepney.

From Navotas, Malabon, there may be jeepney routes passing by North Pier but is unconfirmed so Tutubi defers posting information so as not to mislead commuters.

There are also jeepneys plying the route Quiapo - Divisoria - North Harbor that Tutubi sees regularly along P Paterno near corner Quezon Boulevard but the exact route is not known to him if they traverse the whole stretch of C.M. Recto Avenue even inside traffic-prone Divisoria (which they obviously don't) but that jeepney route do indicate going to to Pier of North Harbor Manila.

Driving Directions to Manila North Harbor:

From Makati, the easiest route to North Pier is via Buendia (Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue), right to Roxas Blvd all the way to Intramuros, go around Anda Circle, cross Delpan Bridge then turn left to Moriones where the North Port of Manila gate is located.

From Manila Airport (NAIA Terminal 1, 2, 3 and 4 (Manila Domestic Airport), you can take a taxi going there if you have lots of baggage. Commuting may not be an option (estimated metered taxi fare is PhP250.00)

Related Posts:
How to Get to Manila South Harbor

Labels: Seaports

An update to the old post on Cubao that has become sort of provincial bus station hub in northern Metro Manila (that will soon be replaced with an integrated North Bus Station somewhere in Balintawak, Quezon City Area). This is different from Araneta Center Bus Station

Provinsial bus ban is not yet in effect. I don't agree with transferring them to Valenzuela. it's not the provincial buses that's causing traffic but private vehicles and city buses (too many of them even if not half full)


The information herein is painstakingly gathered by Tutubi whenever he shuttles between Makati and Quezon City (to assure you that the directions and map are highly accurate and latest). This post will also be updated regularly to reflect the latest information.

UPDATED: August 2016

How to Get to Cubao, Quezon City:

the fastest way to Cubao Quezon City are via the train lines where the bus stations are within walking distance from MRT Araneta Center - Cubao station (from Pasay, Paranaque) and LRT 2 Araneta Center Cubao station (from Marikina, Pasig, San Juan and Manila)

All northbound buses from the south of Metro Manila (including Bulacan province) pass by EDSA Cubao e.g. Fairview, Lagro, Novaliches, Meycauayan, Marilao, Navotas, Malabon, Letre, Monumento,

All southbound buses from north of Metro Manila (including Laguna and Cavite) pass by EDSA Cubao e.g. Balibago (Sta. Rosa, Laguna), Pacita (San Pedro, Laguna), FTI, MIA (the buses that can take you to NAIA Terminal 2 or NAIA Terminal 1), Ayala/LRT/Leveriza, Baclaran, Mendez (Cavite, usually Erjohn and Almark),

List of Bus Terminals in Cubao, Quezon City:

Alps the Bus
Routes: Batangas (Lipa City, Lemery, Nasugbu, San Juan, Batangas City), Cubao - Estancia, Cubao - Mambusao (Iloilo), San Jose, Antique (ro-ro), Bicol, Alabang
Contact Number: +63.923.650.4654

Amihan

Baliwag Transit
Destination: Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Isabela, Cagayan, Tarlac, Pampanga
Terminal: New York EDSA Cubao, Quezon City
Telephone Number: +63.2.912.3343

Barney Auto Lines
route: Quezon Province
Location: shares bus terminal with HM Transport on Monte de Piedad St.

Bicol Isarog (former site of RSL, Amihan)
Adet, Naga, Legazpi Albay

Cul Transport
(occupies the former terminal of Florida Bus on the EDSA Cubao northbound)
route: Samar

Daet Express

Dagupan Bus Line
Destination : Pangasinan and Baguio
Terminal : Cubao, Quezon City
Tel No: +63.2.727.2330

Dimple Star

DLTB
routes: Sta. Cruz (Laguna)

Dominion Transit
Destination : Abra, La Union and Ilocos Sur
Terminal : southbound EDSA corner New York Street, Cubao, Q.C.
Tel No: +63.2.741.4146

ES Transport

Five Star

Genesis Transport

German Espiritu Liner
Bus Terminal address: EDSA corner Justice Lourdes Paredes San Diego
in front of SM Hypermarket and Petron gas station

HM Transport
Destination : Sta. Cruz (Laguna) (passing through Calamba (Pansol)/Los Banos/Bay/Pila/Victoria
(Pagsanjan, famous for the falls, can be reached by a short jeepney commute from Sta Cruz. A little further, you'll pass by Lumban, Kalayaan, Paete, Pakil, Pangil, Siniloan towns)
Terminal : Southbound EDSA, Cubao Q.C. (near Victory Liner and pedestrian overpass)

Isarog Line

JAC Liner
Destination : Laguna, Quezon
Terminal : EDSA cor. Kamias St., Quezon City
Tel No: +63.2.682.5750

Lucena Lines
Routes: Lucena City, Quezon (including dalahican Pier to Marinduque)

Partas Transit
Destination : La Union, Abra, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte
Terminal : 816 Aurora Boulevard cor. Arayat St., Cubao, Q.C.
Tel No: +63.2.725.7303

Penafrancia Tours


Philtranco
Destination : Daet (Camarines Norte), Naga (Camarines Sur), Legazpi (Albay), Pilar/Donsol (Sorsogon), Rawis/Borongan/Guian/San Policarpio(Samar), Maasin/Ormoc (Leyte), Antique/Iloilo/Estancia (Panay), CDO, Davao
Terminal : southbound EDSA just below MRT Araneta Center - Cubao Station
Tel No: +63.2.911.2523; +63.2.725.7303
Tip: Try their Gold Service i.e. bus with restroom. They utilize the RO-RO (Roll-on, Roll-off) facility for trips to Visayas and Mindanao. Also provides bus transportation to/from Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark, Pampanga from SM Megamall

RSL Transport
route: bicol

Superlines
route: bicol (Daet, Camarines Norte;)

Tritran Transit
Destination : Batangas, Quezon
Terminal : EDSA, Quezon City
Tel. No: +63.2.925.1758

Raymond Transportation
Destination: Quezon (Infanta, Real), Bicol
Terminal: southbound EDSA, Quezon City (near Victory Liner)
Tel. No.: +63.2.492.6994

RM Liner
RORO Bus to Pandan, Antique
fare: PhP890.00 (ordinary non-aircon bus)
Bus terminal is across Petron EDSA

RORO Bus Transport, Inc.
Routes: Manila - Iloilo (also serves Palawan Puerto Princesa to El Nido via Roxas/Taytay)

Santrans
Routes: Bulacan (Calumpit, Norzagaray and San Jose del Monte (SJDM))

Silver Star
Tagbilaran, Bohol
Tacloban, Leyte
Cebu, Sorsogon

Solid North Transport
Bus terminal on EDSA southbound near Monte de Piedad
Destinations: Tarlac, Pangasinan and Pampanga (Dau)

Superlines
Destination : Daet, Camarines Norte
Terminal : EDSA, Quezon City

Victory Liner
Destination : Alaminos, Baguio City, Bolinao, Dagupan City, Lingayen
Terminal : southbound EDSA, Cubao
Tel No: +63.2.727.4534
Tip: Try their luxury coach 29 seater with restroom (deluxe bus)

Note:
This blog is not in any way affiliated with any of these bus companies.

Please call the bus company's contact numbers or visit their official website, if any, for current bus fares, trip schedules, chartered bus rates, reservations, freight (waybill) and other inquiries. Most of the bus companies operate additional trips in Holy Week, from Palm Sunday, Holy Wednesday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Black Saturday and Easter Sunday (when many people return to Manila)


Related posts:
Bus Stations in Pasay Taft corner Buendia
Bus Stations in Pasay Taft EDSA Rotonda

Green Star Express Star Toll, SCTEx

Labels: Public Transportation, Quezon City

Are you a travel blogger? What is your primary reason for blogging? It is merely your personal space? To make money online? To be famous? To travel the world for free?

Various reasons why people travel and blog about it with passion (one of the weirdest answers was to sleep with random women/men they meet on the road, more like Rock Star/groupie fling)

Regardless of the rationale for travel blogging, if Tutubi's going to prepare an income statement from his travel blog considered as an online business, here's how it will probably look like (of course, most details are not printed due to confidential nature.)

TRAVEL BLOGGING INCOME(LOSS) STATEMENT:

REVENUE SOURCES
Google Adsense:
Nuffnang
Advenue
Ambient Digital
Text Link Ads
Affiliate Marketing
Ad Space Leasing
Sales from e-books publishing

LESS: EXPENSES

Capital Expenditures (CAPEX)

Digital Camera DSLR (pretty basic): PhP60,000.00
Mobile Phone (iPhone 4S): PhP40,000.00
Mobile Phone (Cherry Mobile Flare): PhP3,999.00
Laptop (Lenovo): PhP45,000.00
GPS Navigator (Garmin Nuvi 1300): PhP7,000.00
Internet Wifi router (bundled with Sun Broadband): 0.0
Backpack/luggage(1 50L, 1 overnight, 1 trolley luggage): PhP5,000.00
Camera Bag: PhP3,500.00
Tripod: PhP4,000.00
Snorkeling gear: PhP1,500.00
iOS/Android App purchases: so far all only free apps
External Hard Drive for backups: PhP4,000.00

Operational Expenditures (OPEX):
DTI Business Registration: PhP300.00
Barangay Permit
Mayor's Permit
Annual Domain Registration: PhP410.00/year ($10.00/year)
Monthly Hosting (free for Blogger)
Monthly phone subscription: PhP599.00 (Globe)
Monthly phone subscription: PhP350.00 (Sun Cellular)
Monthly Internet broadband subscription: PhP649.00 (Sun Broadband)

Travel expenses (see notes below)
Transportation
Accommodations
Food
Travel Insurance

Miscellaneous:
Pasalubong
Souvenirs
Sunscreen: PhP500
Memory Cards

PROFIT (LOSS): ????

ANALYSIS:

Google Adsense, if properly optimized, earnings can be estimated as Pageviews x CTR x CPC (CTR of 3% and CPC or $0.10/click is typical)

What would be your guess if we're going to consider Travel Blogging solely as a business for Tutubi, who declines freebies and sponsored trips/accommodations/meals?

With the high cost of travel and the frequency he has to do it makes travel blogging as a losing business venture but the returns are not in monetary value.

Travel Bloggers should pay taxes even for income earned from blogging their income exceeds the minimum wage earners income or their total personal and additional exemptions (per the Bureau of Internal Revenue); if blogging is part of business in the red without any taxes payable, you still need to file a BIR income tax return as required by law.

Travel Blogging, in Backpacking Philippines (the blog) context, is a non-profit, public service venture. No real profit even with steady revenue but serves the public with independent and unbiased reviews.


CONCLUSION:

After presenting all possible revenues and expenses incurred in travel blogging, what is it that drives most travel bloggers to keep on blogging?

One simple answer: it may not be profitable but the end of it all is HAPPINESS!

Travel bloggers do what they love to do i.e. to see the world and share their experiences to guide others!

HAPPINESS: don't we all want to be happy even when broke? At least we did what we love doing! :P

---

NOTES:

Tutubi is only using Google Adsense, Nuffnang, Ambient Digital, and Advenue as revenue sources, Adsense is the biggest channel while the three provides nickels and dimes (sayang din)

Capital expenditures, particularly the camera and the smartphone, are usually replaced every three years typical at most but not unusual to be replaced annually to keep up with the latest versions and trends

Transportation costs include air/ferry/boat/bus/jeepney/train/trike/habal-habal/padyak fares and the following for
roadtrips: gas, toll fees, including vehicle preventive maintenance schedules, parking fees

Travel blogging requires frequent travels requiring travel funds in order to provide constant updates and publish fresh travel posts otherwise readership will drop and also result to lower rankings in search engine results page (SERP) (this is the reason why news sites rank high on Google/Bing/Yahoo, besides being popular and authoritative, churn out lots of fresh pages daily so much to the detriment of typical travel bloggers publishing a post once a week)

How much does a trip costs? The typical minimum is PhP2,000.00 for 2D/1N (backpacking or travel on a shoestring style)
to any amount imaginable depending on the destination.

There are travel bloggers who get free tours from marketers, but Tutubi, typical of him, chose the road less taken not accept freebies, free accommodations in hotels or free meals in restaurants, in order for him to provide independent and unbiased reviews.

Some of those bloggers practice full disclosure which is at least ethical (so you know not to expect too much when it's your turn to visit a reviewed place) and there are also a despicable bunch who do not divulge any freebie received, sponsored trips, free meals/accommodations.

If you're a blogger not into travel, particularly tech bloggers where CPC rates are generally higher than travel, there's a high possibility that you're really earning, travel bloggers though need to cough up money in order to travel (except travel bloggers who are junketeers: the type of travel bloggers whose trips are sponsored (but not disclosed) but not to be trusted for their reviews and recommendations)

Labels: Blogging

Price check 2013: here's a list of top things to do in Boracay with latest rates, current prices and tour package rates for your Boracay budget planning, in addition to swimming, beach bumming, bar-hopping, and bikini-babe watching.

Please keep these in mind so as not be duped by people and scammers preying on unsuspecting tourists
Top Things to do on Boracay Island:

White Beach on a horseback?

Can't believe Boracay Tourism people allow horses on White Beach (or the information Tutubi got is incorrect)
(Rate: PhP700.00/hour)

Boracay Segway Rental

Segway tours on the beach is only for the lazy, sickly, or people with finicky feet.

Boracay White Beach's sand does not feel hot on your feet due to its unique chemical composition.
(Rate: PhP1,500.00/hour)

Boracay Paraw Rental (sail boats)/Island-hopping Tour

sailboats, locally known as paraw, with their colorful sails, waiting for customers for a sailing trip

Ah the romantic sunset paraw cruise used in that romantic wedding proposal by the Department of Tourism (DOT) or just paraw rental or Boracay paraw island-hopping tour (Rate: PhP800.00/hour)

Helmet Diving

it's just submerging yourself for a few minutes using a helmet linked to your air-supply. Not something for Tutubi though as he can hold his breath for a few minutes under water. besides the hefty helmet diving rate of PhP1,700.00 is too much for his peso-pinching, budget travel ways

Parasailing


You get to fly above the sea suspended on some sort of parachute (chute or kite whatever) while being pulled by a speedboat. Quite a little adventurous already and with a price of PhP800.00/person is quite alright. (This used to cost around PhP2000++ back then but competitive pricing drove down prices; good for tourists, bad for business)

Boracay ATV Rental

Want to go around Boracay Island on your own, even to Mt. Luho, Boracay's highest peak? You can rent an ATV in Boracay for a pricey rate of PhP3,500.00/hour on White Beach but there are ATV rental shops in Barangay Manoc-manoc near Fairways and Bluewater offering much cheaper rates a tricycle ride away. It's always best to ask around.

All Terrain vehicles (ATV) parked near Mount Luho Viewpoint. Most of the off-roaders were Koreans and other foreigners

ATV stands for all terrain vehicles, motor powered vehicles, variants of which are called dune-buggies or bug cars

If you're on a very tight budget (or just can't stomach how expensive ATV rentals are in Boracay), just walk to the nearest tricycle terminal and rent them to take you to Mt. Luho, will not cost you an arm and a leg, and will probably cost you about PhP300.00/hour depending on your haggling skills.

Boracay Go Kart Racing

What? You came to the best beach in the world to Go Kart? hmmm you must be really bored there with lots of moolah to shell out P2,500.00/15 minutes of adrenaline rush along Boracay's Go Kart racetrack.

Anyway, this is a free country. Do as you wish (walang basagan ng trip)

Sky Cycle Ride:

You ride some sort of a bicycle perched on cables high up. If you're not afraid of heights, this may be for you. Skycycle rate of PhP79.00/ride is cheap enough not to burn a hole in your pocket.

Swim Like a Mermaid in Boracay:

New ideas to lure tourists may be hard to come by in Boracay that some smart people thought of a way to teach tourists how to swim like a mermaid. You will be given mermaid fins and tail and teach you the moves after which you may have your picture taken as mermaid/merman at a price of PhP1500.00. At least you know how it feels like to be Little Mermaid, Dyesebel or Aryana for a short amount of time but not at a cheap price.

Have a massage on the beach

Perfect at the end of your tiring day and the beginning of your nightlife in Boracay. Masseurs there mostly use coconut oil. Massage rates come at PhP300.00. Not bad but if you prefer the facilities of a real spa and you can pay for it, you can get it in some exclusive Boracay resorts e.g. Shangri-la Boracay massage costs PhP5,800.00/hour and be treated like a king/queen, amazing isn't it?

You know what's the best and cheapest thing to do in Boracay? Just walk along the beach and admire the beautiful scenery, beautiful people but never mind the vendors and hecklers who offer you something every 2 steps you take along the way-- the things Tutubi hate about Boracay and other touristy places :(

----

This list of top things to do in Boracay is not yet complete. Tutubi's friend who supplied these information has yet to provide some of them including latest rates for banana boat rides, SCUBA diving lessons, snorkeling, jet ski rentals, kiteboarding, kitesurfing, windsurfing, zorb ball, fish spa, et al.

As always, Tutubi does not endorse any company nor is affiliated with any of them offering any of these services and tour packages. You need not have to look for official websites, telephone contact numbers to see them or book/reserve them in advance. Some of those you see on discount voucher sites are still marked up well above these rates and only made you think you've save money (of course the highest discount you can ever get is not to try them at all)

Where to book/try them? Just walk on the beach, you'll see them or people will come to offer them to you, sometimes in droves!

Related Posts on Boracay:
How to Get to Boracay
Halal Food in Boracay

Labels: Adventure Tourism, Aklan, Boracay, Western Visayas

Getting lost really has its rewards wherein you purposely get out of the usual tour itineraries and routes but wander aimlessly looking for something new.

This trip to an old Spanish lighthouse was made possible when Tutubi got "lost on purpose" in Batangas City, looked for a place to eat that's new to him but in the process found himself adrift on the zigzag road to Lobo, Batangas.

When he got to Lobo, he can't find any restaurant, just small town eateries serving usual stuff, he thought of going straight to the old Spanish lighthouse on Punta Malabrigo: the Faro de Punta Malabrigo

From the town proper of Lobo, he asked around for directions and made to turned left near the town plaza then left again to the road going to Laiya, San Juan, Batangas.

It was a route with a view of Cape Verde Passage, gray sand beaches (if not pebbles) and hilly terrain. It was on this lonely road's high portion when the sight of the heritage lighthouse, often portrayed as romatic sentinels of the sea appeared to him.

This is the fifth of the twenty-four lighthouses built by the Spaniards, all of which he intends to visit in his lifetime. Will he be able to visit all? Just keep your fingers crossed! :P

Faro de Punta Malabrigo: Batangas Lighthouse in Lobo town:





Framed: Faro de Punta Malabrigo on approach from the dirt road

Malabrigo lighthouse in Lobo Batangas

This old lighthouse seems to be well-maintained, unlike the other lighthouses earlier seen by Tutubi. It was newly-painted as if it's still wet.

Tutubi wasn't able to get inside to shoot interiors including the spiral staircase of the tower. It was closed, nobody seems to be around. There's a sign that says no picture taking/video without permit from the Philippine Coastguard, the government agency assigned to maintain the heritage structure and navigational aid in this time of the global positioning system (GPS) ubiquity.

There's also a battery of solar cells enclosed in a cage charging the batteries powering the beacon lights at night.

Lighthouses though are popular shoot locations of movies and teleseryes, can you recall which of them were shot here?

History of Malabrigo Lighthouse on the NHI (NHCP) marker

Faro de Punta Malabrigo (Malabrigo Lighthouse) tidbits:

Designed by Guillermo Brockman as a cylindrical brick tower with metal staircase, adjacent pavilion and machine room in 1891

Built by the Chinese contractor Jose Garcia in 1896

How to get to Lobo, Batangas:

if you have a GPS or a GPS app in your iOS/Android devices, set it to these coordinates 13° 35.922N 121° 15.604E and you will it on the hilly portion of Malabrigo road connecting Lobo town to Laiya, San Juan Batangas. A map of Lobo is available here

commute to Lobo, Batangas: take a bus to Batangas pier (choose from RRCG transport, Ceres Transport, Batangas Express, Alps the Bus), Fare to Batangas is PhP175.00 from Cubao.

In Batangas, just right after the end of Startoll, transfer to a jeepney going to Lobo town.
In Lobo town, you may take a tricycle or a jeepney going to Laiya (infrequent trips, best is the trike)

driving directions

best to have a car to get there, it's just SLEx, Startoll then left at the end of Startoll, follow the zigzag road going to Lobo.

In Lobo town, turn left then left again on the road going to Malabrigo

Other romantic lighthouses visited by Tutubi so far:
Pasig River Lighthouse
Corregidor Lighthouse
Capones Island Lighthouse
Cape Bolinao Lighthouse

Labels: Batangas, Calabarzon, Lighthouses, National Historical Landmarks

Tutubi's little sister recently visited Boracay, stayed at the posh Shangri-La Boracay resort yet spent only PhP800.00 there.

How did she do that? She got to Boracay with so little budget? It was actually an all expense paid for by her BFF :P


Parasailing involves you hovering above the water harnessed to some sort of a parachute being pulled by a speedboat. This "thing to do in Boracay" has been there for ages yet usual parasailing tour rates is around PhP2000.00/head but Tutubi's little sister got it a a cheap price. (There must be something his li'l sister knows that he doesn't, eh?)

well, Tutubi just posted here to answer the question how much is parasailing in Boracay?
answer: Boracay parasailing cost is PhP800.00/head for 15 minutes

is parasailing safe? of course, accidents do happen. there was a reported death due to parasailing accident in Boracay in 2009 but it's an isolated incident.

Related Boracay posts:
Getting to Boracay
Cheap Boracay Package Tour?
Boracay ATV rates
Iloilo to Caticlan Bus
Boracay RORO Fare

Labels: Aklan, Boracay, Water Sports, Western Visayas

Note: What we have in bangui are not really windmills but wind turbines (used to generate electric power) and collectively as a wind farm. It should be promoted more as Bangui Wind Farm

When Tutubi went to Pagudpud in 2002, there was no Bangui Windmills yet, only the gray beach of Bangui was there.

The information provided on this post was supplied to Tutubi by a friend who went there recently, including the image of Bangui Windmills, err, Bangui Windfarm

Bangui Windmills..err...Bangui Windfarm in lomoish color

How to Get to Bangui Windmills from Pagudpud:

First, you can browse this very detailed map of Bangui Windmills here made by the cool guys of OpenStreetMap Philippines

Map of Bangui Wind Farm

How to commute to Bangui Windmills (backpacking way):

1. If you're in Saud Beach, take tricycle ride to Pagudpud poblacion (travel time 15 minutes)
2. At Pagudpud Public Market, take a bus bound for Laoag (travel time: around 30 minutes, bus fare: PhP20 (forgot the exact fare))
3. Request conductor to drop you off to the drop-off point to Bangui Windmills in Brgy. Baruyen, Bangui, Ilocos Norte
4. Take a tricycle to the coast of Bangui where the wind farm is located (fare: PhP100.00 to the elevated viewdeck)

Note: you can actually hire a tricycle in Pagudpud to tour you around Pagundpud town proper, Bangui Windmills to Cape Bojeador Lighthouse and
Kapurpurawan Rock Formation in Burgos Ilocos Norte for about PhP200.00/person (tour rate depends on your haggling skills as always)

Driving Directions to Bangui, Ilocos Norte:

It's best just to follow this route indicated on the detailed map of Bangui.

How far is Bangui from Pagudpud? With the distance of Pagudpud from Manila, the kilometer count does not matter anymore as when you get to Pagudpud, you're pagud na, pudpud pa ;P

Related Posts on Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte:
How to Get to Pagudpud
Beach Resorts in Pagudpud
Travel Guide: Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte

Labels: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Region

Planning a road trip to a far-away place involves estimating the total distance to be traveled and multiplying this with the cost of fuel per kilometer (which you get by computing the fuel consumption of your vehicle as described below).

The high prices of fuel is a burden to commuters and travelers who want to explore places where backpacking (i.e. via public transport) is not easy.

Tutubi presents this infographic on why gas prices are high in the Philippines:

Gas prices at gas stations along EDSA Southbound in Quezon City, prices in Makati, San Juan and Mandaluyong are generally higher

As Tutubi gets irked from time to time and wondering why the Oil Deregulation Law is useless but he understands the OPSF was also too burdensome to the government, there must be a way to solve this problem like regulation (and enforcement) against cartels.

Do you agree that there's really some "magic" involved here in the Philippines why gas prices are high and the same across the three big oil retailers?

Alam na ni Panong yan!

---

How to compute the fuel consumption of your car (more accurate than the meter in some cars):

1. Gas up a full tank, request a "sagad" to the gas boy
2. Reset your vehicle's trip meter to zero
3. Drive around until you get to empty your tank a bit (best if more than half-empty)
4. Gas up again (sagad)
5. Divide the trip meter reading in kilometers by number of liters and you'll get the fuel consumption (in kilometers per liter). (For Scarlett, Tutubi's Toyota Innova E 2.5 automatic, it's something around 7.5 km/L city driving and 11 km/L highway)

Labels: Rants

Tutubi got wind of the latest attraction in Pasig, from the ABS-CBN early morning show Umagang Kay Ganda, that will soon open on April 25, 2013 inside the sprawling Fronterra Verde, just beside Tiendesitas and Fun Ranch.

It's a living museum featuring freshwater fishes and river monsters on display in water tanks


here's a video of Las Farolas The Fish World from Umagang Kay Ganda

Tutubi called up Las Farolas The Fish World published contact number and got these information:

Entrance Fee/Admission Prices: PhP400.00/person; P350.00 for children 12 years old and below
Operating Hours: Open daily from 9am to 7pm

Photography is not allowed inside the exhibit area, no taking pictures using DSLR/SLR cameras, point and shoot cams and even mobile phones. Taking Videos/videography not allowed too (unless you have permit as always)

Las Farolas The Fish World
Location: Frontera Verde, Bo. Ugong, Pasig, PH.
Telephone Number: +63.2.826.8162; +63.2.820.3013
Fax: +63.2.820.3863

Please call Las Farolas The Wish World contact number, official website, twitter and facebook pages for information
on group tours, entrance fee promos, discounts and corporate sponsorships

How to get there:
G Liner and RRCG buses from Manila via Ortigas Avenue passes by Frontera Verde at the corner of C5 and Ortigas Avenue, you need to walk there as it's quite a long walk or flag a taxi to take you there if it's raining or too hot for you.

The place place can be reached by taxi from LRT 2 Katipunan Station or MRT Ortigas Avenue station

as always, this blog is not affiliated in any way with Las Farolas The Wish World in Pasig City. Tutubi has not been there and will post review of Las Farolas The Wish World when he's visits the place. (hope they offer discount vouchers here so the peso-pinching Tutubi can visit)

Labels: Metro Manila, Museums, Pasig City, Wildlife

Manila's jeepney route is a chaotic mix of routes that overlap, with no central site with information on all the routes, not even the the Land Transportation Office doesn't have one, typical of Philippine government offices who're not doing their jobs right or efficiently yet demand bonuses and salary increase every time.

Tutubi, during his student years in the University Belt, and being an electronics engineering student, frequented Quiapo and explored it's nooks and crannies and has a still working knowledge of the place.

As a start, here's a screenshot of a detailed map of Quiapo Church, Manila made possible by OpenStreetMap. For an online map, click here



Places to See in Quiapo, Manila:

Quiapo Church: fortune tellers, pamparegla (abortifacients), agimat, anting-anting, talismans, herbal medicines (e.g. pito-pito),
Plaza Miranda
Golden Mosque
San Sebastian Church
Nakpil - Bautista House
Quinta Market: native crafts and souvenirs at low prices (be prepared to haggle)

Quiapo Major Streets, Landmarks, Shopping Tips and Attractions

Quezon Boulevard: balisong, swords (kris, kampilan), tools (agaw sunog), motorcycles, helmets, bikes, used CD, toys, surplus appliances
Raon Street (Gonzalo Puyat): Electronics shops, parts and repair service centers
Evangelista St: Power generators, pumps
Pedro Paterno St: cheap yet quality eyeglasses (value for money optometrists and eyewear shops)
Hidalgo St: cameras, photography equipment (includes Padre Garcia Street)
Arlegui/Villalobos
Carlos Palanca
Carriedo (near LRT Carriedo Station, SM Clearance Outlet and Isetann)
Soler, Bilibid Viejo, S.H. Loyola,

Foodie Destinations in Quiapo (Frugal Food Finds)

Globe Lumpia on Raon st (at the
Ma Mon Luk mami and siopao
Moud's Chicken Halal on Globo de Oro St.

Quiapo Jeepney Routes

This is an attempt to document all the jeepney routes that pass by Quiapo, strategically located at the heart of Manila crossed by Quezon Boulevard, bounded by the districts of Sta. Cruz to the west, San Miguel to the east, Ermita to the south (Pasig River crossed by Quezon Bridge) and Sampaloc to the north. Landmarks are enclosed in square brackets:

Quiapo - Pasig: Quezon Blvd coming from under Quiapo Bridge, right to C.M. Recto, left to Legarda [Mendiola, Nagtahan Bridge], Ramon Magsaysay Blvd, right to V. Mapa, left to Shaw Boulevard [Kalentong, EDSA Shaw Boulevard Station, Crossing, EDSA Central], Pasig Simbahan

Quiapo - Balic-balic: Hidalgo Street [ from San Sebastian Church] right to , left to Legarda, left to Earnshaw (Bustillos)[Bustillos Church], [Funeraria Oro], [Nagtahan Flyover] right G. Tuazon up to the Balic-balic terminal.

Quiapo - Dapitan: Quezon Boulevard, [Central Market, Manila City Jail], [UST], [Dangwa] right turn Mayon St [Dapitan Arcade] right Laong Laan for the return trip to Quiapo (both Dapitan and Laong Laan are one-way streets)

Quiapo - Blumentritt Dimasalang: Quezon Boulevard, [Central Market, Manila City Jail], [UST], Dimasalang Street [Dangwa], Blumentritt [Blumentritt Market, Chinese General Hospital, Manila North Cemetery]

Quiapo - Project 2-3: Quezon Blvd, right to Lerma, left to Espana [UST, Forbes/Lacson, Trabajo (M. Dela Fuente), Vicente Cruz, PNR Espana Station, Maceda, Blumentritt], Quezon Avenue [Mabuhay/Welcome Rotonda], right E. Rodriguez [Quezon Institute (QI)] left Tomas Morato [gasoline station], right Kamuning cross EDSA [MRT GMA-Kamuning station], Kamias Road

Quiapo - Project 4: Quezon Blvd, right Lerma, Espana [UST], Quezon Avenue [Mabuhay/Welcome Rotonda], right E. Rodriguez [Quezon Institute (QI)] all the way to EDSA Cubao [MRT Araneta Center-Cubao Station, LRT 2 Cubao Station, Farmer's Market, Project 4

Quiapo - Project 6: Quezon Blvd, right Lerma, left Espana [UST], Quezon Avenue [Mabuhay/Welcome Rotonda], left West Avenue (a U-turn on Quezon Avenue), EDSA U-turn [SM City North EDSA, Trinoma, MRT North Avenue station, (note: bus conductors on EDSA call this corner Paramount], right North Avenue [SM The Block], left Mindanao Avenue [Veterans Golf Course] PAGASA

Quiapo - Project 7: Quezon Blvd, right Lerma, left Espana [UST], Quezon Avenue [Mabuhay/Welcome Rotonda], left Roosevelt (actually a U-turn on Quezon Avenue), right Del Pilar [Veteran's Village/Project 7, SM City Annex] (no more sightings of this jeepney route for quite some time)

Quiapo - Project 8: Quezon Blvd, right Lerma, left Espana [UST], Quezon Avenue [Mabuhay/Welcome Rotonda], left Roosevelt (actually a U-turn on Quezon Avenue), right EDSA [Munoz Market, Walter Mart North EDSA] U-turn, right Congressional Avenue, left Shorthorn, Road 20, General Avenue

Quiapo - Cubao: Quezon Blvd, right Lerma [FEU], Espana [UST], Quezon Avenue [Mabuhay/Welcome Rotonda], right E. Rodriguez [Quezon Institute (QI)] all the way to EDSA Cubao [MRT Araneta Center-Cubao Station, LRT 2 Cubao Station, Farmer's Market, Gateway Mall, SM, Plaza Fair, Isetann, Ali Mall, Cubao Bus Terminal]

Quiapo - Cubao via Sta. Mesa: Quezon Blvd, right C.M. Recto, left Legarda [Bustillos, Nagtahan Bridge], Ramon Magsaysay Blvd [SM City Sta. Mesa (SM Centerpoint)], Aurora Boulevard all the way to EDSA Cubao [MRT Araneta Center-Cubao Station, LRT 2 Cubao Station, Farmer's Market, Gateway Mall, SM, Plaza Fair, Isetann]

Quiapo - Fairview: Quezon Blvd, right Lerma, left Espana [UST], Quezon Avenue [Mabuhay/Welcome Rotonda, MRT Quezon Avenue Station] Elliptical Road (Circle)[ Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City Hall], right Commonwealth Avenue [SM City Fairview]

Quiapo - Lealtad: Hidalgo Street, left Bautista Street (Barbosa), right S.H. Loyola (Lealtad) . this route takes the (Lepanto) for the return trip due to S.H. Loyola is a one-way street.

Quiapo - San Miguel: the jeepney going to Malacanang and St. Jude starts at Quinta Market Globo de Oro [Golden Mosque]

Quiapo - Punta Sta Ana: Quezon Blvd, right C.M. Recto, left Legarda [Nagtahan Bridge], Ramon Magsaysay Blvd [Stop and Shop, PUP], right V. Mapa, right New Panaderos (Kalentong), right Felix Manalo [after The Market Place/Arellano University/Puregold Kalentong and before Lambingan Bridge]

Quiapo - Divisoria - North Harbor: Sales St, left to C.M. Recto [Aranque Market, Tutuban Center], Divisoria right up to Radial Road and North Harbor (Pier)

Quiapo Ilalim jeepneys make a U-turn under Quezon Bridge that's why it's Ilalim (Filipino word for "under").

Quiapo Pier jeepneys cross Quezon Bridge then turn right at the foot towards Intramuros, pass by Bureau of Immigration, Manila Cathedral, out into Anda Circle, the entrance of South Harbor (Pier), Manila Hotel (and the way to Manila Ocean Park) then turn left on Burgos St [Manila Planetarium, old Senate Building, now National Art Gallery, Manila City Hall, Mehan Garden, Lawton/Liwasang Bonifacio, Park N Ride,Metropolitan Theater (The Met)] back to Quezon Bridge and Quiapo.

Pasay Taft Libertad Baclaran just pass by Taft Avenue up to Baclaran passing by Remedios Taft PGH; Vito Cruz and Buendia (Sen. Gil Puyat)

Jeepneys with Mabini signboards cross Quezon Bridge then turn right on Burgos St, left going to Rizal Park (Luneta) right on T.M. Kalaw then left Mabini St (this is a one-way street, M.H. del Pilar serves the return trips) up to either Harrison Plaza/ Vito Cruz, Libertad or Baclaran (this is one way to commute to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for passport applications and renewals)

Those with Taft on their signboards cross Quezon Bridge and will traverse Taft Avenue up to the farthest one posted on the signboard which can be: Kalaw, Herran (Pedro Gil), Remedios, PGH (Philippine General Hospital), Vito Cruz (Pablo Ocampo), Buendia (Gil Puyat), Libertad, EDSA Rotonda, and Baclaran.

Quiapo -Kalaw jeeps cross Quezon Bridge [Lawton/Liwasang Bonifacio, Post Office Building, Manila City Hall], proceed under Lagusnilad Bridge to Taft Avenue [Philippine Normal University (PNU), Sta. Isabel College, the old site of Jai Alai Building (demolished on the order of heritage-blind former Manila mayor Lito Atienza), Masagana Department Store] then turn right on T.M. Kalaw then right on Burgos St in the middle of Rizal Park/Luneta, going back to Manila City Hall, Metropolitan Theater, Quezon Bridge and back in Quiapo.

Bus Lines passing by Quiapo, Manila:

PVP Liner Route (Manila to Ayala Avenue, Makati): Quiapo Church, Manila City Hall, Taft Avenue, right Osmena Highway, left Gil Puyat (Buendia), right Makati Avenue, right Ayala Avenue

G Liner (Manila to Cainta Rizal via Ortigas, San Juan): Quiapo, (Northbound Quezon Boulevard), right C.M. Recto Avenue, left to Legarda [Mendiola, CEU], pass Bustillos [Jollibee], pass Lacson (Gov. Forbes0 flyover, Ramon Magsaysay Blvd, right Araneta Avenue [SM City Sta. Mesa], left N. Domingo, right ORtigas Avenue, pass Greenhills Shopping Center, cross EDSA Ortigas flyover [POEA, Robinsons Galleria, Corinthians, MRT Ortigas Avenue Station], pass Frontera Verde, Tiendesitas, cross C5 (IPI), cross Ortigas Bridge and Rosario Bridge, right Imelda Avenue [cainta junction] to Cainta town proper

RRCG Transport (Manila to Taytay, Rizal via Ortigas, San Juan): Quiapo, (Northbound Quezon Boulevard), right C.M. Recto Avenue, left to Legarda [Mendiola, CEU], pass Bustillos [Jollibee], pass Lacson (Gov. Forbes0 flyover, Ramon Magsaysay Blvd, right Araneta Avenue [SM City Sta. Mesa], left N. Domingo, right ORtigas Avenue, pass Greenhills Shopping Center, cross EDSA Ortigas flyover [POEA, Robinsons Galleria, Corinthians, MRT Ortigas Avenue Station], pass Frontera Verde, Tiendesitas, cross C5 (IPI), cross Ortigas Bridge and Rosario Bridge, pass cainta Junction, left to Tikling then to SM Taytay then Taytay town proper

Notes:

Square Brackets [] are used to denote landmarks on this page to distinguish them from streets, avenues and boulevards. The ends of the route may be inaccurate particularly those going to the exact streets of Quezon City but the main roads traversed are all accurate as fas as Tutubi's knowledge and actual experience.

Related Posts:

How to Get to Manila City Hall
How to get to Fort Santiago
Jose Rizal and the Streets of Sampaloc, Manila
How to Get to US Embassy Manila
How to Get to Divisoria

Labels: Manila, Metro Manila, National Capital Region, Public Transportation, Quiapo