Here is another wonderful experience in one of the many beautiful spots in the Philippines - the Minalungao National Park located at General Tinio, Nueva Ecija.
4:00AM ETD Cubao, Gapan bound bus at 5Star Bus Terminal P150/pax
6:30AM ETA Gapan City, get-off at Bucana
Trike to Minalungao National Park, RT Fare P900/trike, capacity: 3pax
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| The Uragon Gang minus the photogs, Mark and Noynoy :p |
There is no regular transportation to and from the park so we chartered these "cute" tricycles. Anyone bigger that the man in "that's my boy" pose in the picture above cannot endure the bumpy ride.
We dropped by a gasoline station to fill-in the tanks and buy other provisions for our picnic.
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| Rockyroad overload! |
From Gapan to General Tinio, the road is concrete and the ride, smooth. From General Tino to the Park is a combination of concrete and rocky rolling roads. Yes, the fun starts in the 1 and 1/2 hours trike ride!
8:15AM ETA Minalungao National Park
Entrance fee: P20/ pax plus P25/trike
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| Breakfast :) |
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| Cottages. P200/table |
We settled for breakfast in one of the cottages. Two teenage boys, Antonio and AG, approached and told us that it is better to rent a floating cottage instead and offered to guide us through the park. Since the park is not regulated, there is no standard guide fee. We gave P100 each.
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| Mark and the raft Whole day use of raft costs P500 |
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| Our Floating Cottage. P800 whole day use, capacity 10-12 pax |
We changed our clothes before we sailed.
Honestly, I was not amazed by what I first saw: wide parking space, a row of cottages and a river.
And then...
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| Short trek to the cave |
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| The Caving Experience (c) Jose Yang |
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| Lunch Time! (c) Jose Yang |
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| with Noynoy and Kuya Boy :) (c) Jose Yang |
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| The diving site :) |
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| Docked. |
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| The promised beauty |
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| The Masterminds :) |
Beauty, in different forms, fades when abused. As we explored the rockies and the caves, we noticed traces of irresponsible tourists/ visitors: plastics, soda bottles, junkfood foils, cigarette butts and vandalism.
In a conversation with Manong Rolando a.k.a. "Kulot", a local and an owner of a raft, he said that they wish to be regulated in order to improve the administration and maintain the beauty and serenity of the place.
We left the park at around 3:30PM. Buses bound to Cubao/ Pasay pass by infront of Waltermart in Gapan City. At 8:45PM, reality set in.
This, indeed, is another beautiful escape from the usual chaotic days in the city!
