Batog Beach - hidden wonder of Burgos Pangasinan

Hidden in Burgos Pangasinan, white sand beach with caves, rock formations and white sand private-like area covered and divided by tall rocks that can not be seen without going through.

May 3, 2013
23:25 leave Five Star terminal in Cubao to Alaminos - P300 (non-AC)

May 4, 2013
02:00 arrived at Alaminos terminal
02:40 leave Alaminos terminal (through Victory Liner-Sta. Cruz)
03:00 arrived at Burgos Pangasinan
06:15 to Ilio-Ilio
07:25 trek to Batog beach-explore beach and cave
09:45 breakfast at the brach-courtesy of Ms. Evelyn Magno Cabigting
10:00+ enjoyed halu-halo @P15
10:45 leave Ilio-Ilio through Kuliglig to Cabongaoan-courtesy of Ms. Evelyn

Batog Beach - May 4, 2013

With
Byaheng Jologs
Cecille CCF
Irog Jose
Rome Romer
Suzette Estares and son Ram
JC Sabio
Thrasher Mina

As usual late na naman ako sa usapan! :D

For weeks, I have been thinking whether to go or not to go to Mina’s event because of the tempting events/invitations lined up. Since I first nod with Bangag’s Mina’s event, I stick to it a week before the event and much when I talked to Ms. Evelyn’s proposed seafood dinner/breakfast! Hmmm, yummy! When talking about beach, seafood, swimming, anything about water, I just love the idea of being with the ‘water wonder’!

Geez, honestly, I am not excited. I am just curious about how the beach or the area looks like since I heard that this is a not so famous beach and some kind of a virgin one. Base on the event picture, I don’t really expect much. I just wonder and wonder and wonder until the date…

Since the original batch of Bangags won’t make it, I decided to invite some of my friends. First, I only invited sir Bong Damian, my co-mountaineer in Mayon when he told me that he’s interested and he wanted to go back to 100 Islands and go kayaking-caving in some islands of 100 Islands where boats can’t get into it and only kayaks can. Well then, this is what I am interested then, 100 Islands-one of my dream Philippine tourist spot to be with.

Two days before the event, sir Bong back-out because of some reason. Rome changed his mind and go  with us. Kix as well, but won't make because of work. Then I invited Suzette to the last minute. Without any hesitation, she even bring along Ram!

We should be riding with Victory Liner but transferred to Five Star. And travelling with AC to non-AC. This is my first time riding to a non-AC bus going to North? Its more fun hanging out with Bangags! Wehehehe! I tried to sleep while on our way but I really can't. I just pretend. Lol. Iniina and Rome chatted till we get to Alaminos terminal and transferred to another AC bus (Sta. Cruz) bound to Burgos. Everything turned out fun!

While waiting for the tricycle that would pick us up from the waiting shed of Burgos, we walked by the market just behind the shed :D.

As the tricycle arrived, we waited for some moment of to what to do with Mamang and decided later to go and send another trike for Mamang.

A 30-45 minutes trike to Ilio-Ilio, Burgos Pangasinan is so a combination of concrete and rough road. While on way, Lady C was thinking about the movie, 'The Road', because of its distance and I was thinking of our Pantingan-Tarak traverse also because of the distance we are travelling.

Geez, as we arrived at Ilio-Ilio, everyone's first glance of the place' name is Iloilo! lol!

 We are lucky enough that Ms. Evelyn's place is just in front of the court. Our coffee break is fun and full of laughter! Thanks really for the invitation Ms. Eve! :)

I am thankful that Bangag and my invited friends are in for our so-called 'beach exploration'. We laugh all the time and enjoyed the place and its beauty. What more with Batig beach! We trek for around 30minutes to the beach from Ms. Eve's house. Bangag and friends are all creative! I don't regret at all that I go with them! Lots of stories to tell and creative/impromptu stories while on our way to the beach. Teasing and booing everyone is fun and not an offensive type with the group because of open-mindedness! :) We all thought of Mt/ Marami because of trail we are trekking and the hotness of the place (summer though). But, when we first see an ocean not so very far from us, we got so excited because of its color, so, clear blue!

We all welcomed the beach with only "WOW"! Our trek is so worth it! Its white sand, my thought even declared the place as the Kapurpurawan of Pangasinan as shown on the pic the Kapurpurawan-like rock formation as you use to first see the rock nearby the pathway where we came from. Only, it is black in color! And the sea water is really clear. Rock formations, big rock formations in black. When you able to see the beach, all you can think of is, 'what is it that lies in this beach/place?!'. You will surely wonder of more, and exploration of the place!

We didn't focus much on the left side of the beach. We just go directly to the right side of it. That big black kapurpurawan-like rock formation of the right side is the first eye-catcher in the place! I and Byaheng Jologs managed to go on top of that needle-like-step-path of that rock.

After some while, we really explore the place through Ms. Eve's 2 nephews. A half day is not enough to explore there! You can see more rock formations, star fish mostly on each small holes of the flat-bed area of the beach. There are even places which they called the swimming pool. Purely because of the open areas of clear blue water placed on some areas of the walkway of the beach, and the only place where you can swim but not so deep.

Just few minutes away from the big rock where we stayed is a cave! We are only not that lucky because we all don't have headlamps. Rome and I tried to get in on the right side of the cave (not a deep area of the cave) with Ms. Eve's nephew using our mobile's torch but unfortunate enough because just two minutes from the open, the cave is already blocked by loose rocks and soil. He said, that the little hole on the left side of the cave is a deeper one but is not advisable because we all don't have the headlamps and the cave on the left side has a big hole! Makes me wonder how it looks like. Its my first time anyway. Stalactites and stalagmites, cool! Specially when you see the formations shines! I love it! I can't wait for the Sohoton Cave thing on August. <3<3<3

Since we can't do anything more on the cave, we decided to go back for Ms. Evelyn and family might be there already in our meet up place (to the big rock with big shed :D). Upon going out, Ms. Eve's nephews show us the a family of sea urchin! Maratangtang as they called it. Geez, I am much scared! When I saw him carrying that. He said, it is not the kind of the black one where you can't get to touch it because if you do, you'll surely be in danger! I got the courage to touch it. put it on my palm and when it moves, it almost fell to the water! I am really scared. But when he assures that it is really harmful, so be it, turns out tickling my palm! :D So cute and adorable!

spot the difference! :D

We don't explore much farther because of the meeting time for meal. But before Rome and I followed Bangags, I noticed some cove-like areas and point those to Rome! Those are cool! They look like private coves on a deserted area of Batog (left side still)! :D

I am really amazed by the place! Batog beach rocks! That certain cove-like area, really can't get off my mind! White sand, surely you'll gonna have the privacy you wanted there (emo-emo :D)!

Thanks much Ms. Evelyn Magno Cabigting for the invitation to see the wonder of beautiful Batog beach! :)

thanks for the pic Ms. Eve

at the biggest tire with directions on top-thanks for the pic Mamang

A week after, Ryan Yusi, one of "Bangag" who didn't make it with us, went here as well to see the hidden wonder of Batog beach just like us! :) One thing, envied by our pictures and stories, he didn't go to Cabongaoan beach! He was mesmerized by Batog and stayed overnight there instead! Waaaa! :D