By default, when you asked for travel destination in Aurora (province), you will think of Baler right away. However, an underrated destination in Aurora that showcases the stunning view of Philippine Sea and Sierra Madre Mountain range, is one of may reasons why it is definitely worth a visit.
Dingalan (known as Batanes of the East), is located in the southernmost town of Aurora. It is separated from the rest of the province by the Sierra Madre mountains.
How to get there?
- Via private car/van
- Via Public Transport
From Metro Manila, the common way is through Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija. It is also one of the common gateway to Baguio, Baler and Dingalan. There are several bus lines traveling daily from Pasay, Cubao, Avenida, and Caloocan to Cabanatuan City via Five Star Bus, Genesis Transport, Baliwag Transit and ES Transport.
The schedule of buses going to Cabanatuan is available 24/7 via Five Star Bus Lines. Travel time is approximately 3-4 hours and a fare of 180 PHP. The bus stops at Cabanatuan Central Terminal and it is also the gateway to different destinations like Baler, Aurora and Baguio. Vans are also available on the said terminal. From Cabanatuan to Dingalan, the travel time is around 2 hours and fare is around 90 PHP. The earliest local bus trip is around 7AM and you can choose to ride either an ordinary or air-conditioned bus.
We alight at Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija (30 minutes away from Dingalan) since our friend lives there. Then the next day, we did a day tour in Dingalan. But it is a nice experience if you tried to camp and stay overnight at the White Beach.
Where to stay?
You can choose from inns, home stays, and beach front cottages in town. They are still a developing municipality, so there are no high-end resorts and hotels available nearby. You can also go camping at the White Beach or Matawe Inter-Tidal Beach.
What to do?
- Trek to the lighthouse, mountain view deck or both.
- Swimming at the White Beach or Matawe Inter-Tidal Beach
- Boat ride going to Lamao Cave
- Visit their waterfalls such as Abungan Falls, Tanawan Falls, Tabi Falls, Laktas Falls, and Iyapit Falls
White Beach, Lighthouse and Mountain Viewdeck
Reaching the mountain view deck is probably one of the highlight of your visit to Dingalan. It showcases the scenic grassland slope and Dingalan bay.
Once you arrived at the Dingalan proper, you can hire a tricycle to get you to the Dingalan Feeder Port. You need register first and pay for 50 PHP each for Tourism Ecological Fee. A tour guide is required before you leave the port. Their guides are very friendly and accommodating. To reach the White Beach, you have an option to either do a 45-minute trek or ride a 15-minute boat. I recommend to spend some penny for a boat ride since you need more energy later on.
Upon arriving at the white beach, your guide will guide you to your designated resort. You have an option to camp or rent a cottage. Some of their cottages have room with bed bunk (papag). The cottage consists of long tables, perfect for boodle fight. The guides are more than happy to assist you in preparing your food, don’t hesitate to ask them if you need something like cookware, condiments, etc.
In the White Beach as well, you can start the trek going to the Lighthouse and Mountain view deck. The start of the trek is relatively flat and shady, until you reached the location where it will split the ways: one way going to the lighthouse and the other way is to the mountain deck. That is where you will start the hike. Our guide recommends to try the lighthouse first before the mountain view deck. The reason behind this is because the scenery in the mountain deck is absolutely stunning compare to the lighthouse. So if you started with the mountain deck first, you already reached the highlight of the trek. I recommend to try both destination. But if you are not into hiking, and have limited energy, I recommend to go directly to the mountain view deck. Hiking in both destinations is a bit exhausting, but the scenery will absolutely worth it.
If you are planning to go overnight, I recommend to hike during morning. Aside from the cool morning breeze, the place is not yet crowded.
I love the simplicity, placidity and unspoiled beauty of Dingalan. Hopefully, they will be able to maintain the beauty of the place for the next generation.