 Baler, Aurora, Philippines |
AfricaAntarcticaAsiaCentral America CaribbeanEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaOceaniaSouth AmericaOceans and Seas
Found these pics of my first and only trip to Baler, Aurora in 2004. It was a packaged trip so I don't remember much of the details except that I was puking almost all the way down Manila haha :) Mind you, it's about a 5-6 hour land trip to Baler, with the last 3 hours zigzagging all the way up to Aurora! The roads were so bad, travel is limited or oftentimes cancelled during rainy season because of landslides. There is only one bus company that services the route -- Genesis travel -- their buses have special tires for the unpaved road and the drivers specially-trained to handle the zigzag. So anyway, the travel organizers said they never had a trip when someone didn't puke because of the zigzags, especially going home (so I'm not so bad really... in fact, there was a mother and daughter team puking with me all the way down!)
Anyway, when we got there, the most popular resort along the beach, Bay's Inn, was fully-booked so we landed in this so-so resort across the road from the beach. Food sucked. The beach itself was rough even during the supposedly calm season of April, one of the guys on our tour almost drowned. It IS a surfer's beach after all. The sand was very fine, almost like Boracay's, but it's black. It was so fine, in fact, that my swimsuit got ruined after that trip because the fine particles wouldn't wash off.
We had some of our meals at Bay's Inn which is highly-recommended (food was superb!) and mostly, we would hang out in their resto to watch the surfers. Baler then just formed its own surfing team and was starting to compete locally so at any given day, you would see kids half my size surfing the waves with their hand-me-down surfboards (from American tourists who introduced surfing to the locals).
We went to a couple of beaches, Baler's highest point, a falls and then just went around the quiet town where, up until then, market day would be during Sundays at the town plaza across the church.
Baler's beaches are dramatic, albeit untouched, so modern conveniences are a trade-off. So I'm glad to have gone even if it was the first and only time I went to the beach and never even managed a dip!
Baler 2004
the town's highest point -- there is a commemorative cross here as thanksgiving to when a tsunami struck and this was the only place left unburied
Baler 2004
can't quite capture it here but this is the world's largest balete tree - there are CAVES inside (creepy)
37 Comments - Add Public Comment or Send Private Message
November 8th 2007 - manilyn: himpoh ate cheche..
when i saw your pic tto the baler its so beautiful.. gusto ko din magpunta.. pro base on your experienced poh mukang mhirap tlaga.. hahaha.. actually poh.. my ktxt me n taga dingalan.. napunta din cya sa baler.. haha.. ingats poh..
January 29th 2008 - bianca: are u a filipina??
are u a filipina??? i am half filipina and half british! i am proud of it! i haven't been to the philippines for 9 years! t.c always! god bless ur family! ~xoxo~ bianca
Hi Bianca! Yes, I'm Filipina! :)
February 13th 2008 - ellen: very nice pictures
I am here in Sydney and looking at those photos oh my gosh...I miss my hometown...I wanna go home (sigh).Missing my hotsy totsy moments there when I was in grade school and building my castle in the sand....Good job....thanks for posting those photos.I remember eating in a small kubo beside bays inn restaurant.
March 24th 2008 - anton: contact numbers?
hello! Would you happen to know the contact number of bay's inn? Thanks
A quick surf reveals this: Bay's Inn - 042-209-4312 :)
March 24th 2008 - anton: Bay's Inn
Yeah I tried that number before posting but it never connected successfully.
I was able to dig this up from someone's multiply site:
09189266697 - bay's inn
HTH to everyone!
August 6th 2008 - Crystal: question
What are the neighboring towns or cities of Baler? Is it close to Nueva Ecija?
Hi Crystal, got this from Google :)
North: Isabela & Quirino Province
Northwest: Nueva Vizcaya Province
West: Nueve Ecija Province
Southwest: Bulacan Province
South: Quezon Province
East: Pacific Ocean
August 8th 2008 - Myra Valdez Emery: Those pictures was so amazzzzing!
Hi Che,
I been living here in Hawaii, 4 6 years now, N i went to visit my family in Ditumabo last March 2007. umm.. Gusto ko lang malaman ng mga tao s Aurora Baler kung paano ipagmalaki ng asawa ko d2 s Hawaii ang province n pinagmulan ko. So, sana po lalo p nating pagandahin at laging palinisin ang Bayan natin. Alagaan ang kalikasan. Salamat po.
August 28th 2008 - Angela: i miz that place..
OMG...i miz my hometown...especially the sabang beach...
September 9th 2008 - art pobletewe punzal: baler the beautiful
I would like to communicate with my first cousins in baler aurora like any of the surviving amazona, poblete, mendoza and guerrero and other relatives. Regards to all and mabuhay to all. also to mayor arthur angara. Hope to be in baler sometimes this year. Presently I am here in oakland, california u.s.a.
September 14th 2008 - edayot:
ang.ganda.talaga.ng.baler,aurora...i.want.to.experience baler first hand and make it my adopted place...do you recommend reliable safe way to arrive there and where to stay there for three to four days on a weekday prefererably drop by the BI also...i tried to mapquest it but no go...it is almost two decades since i visited phils so this is very special...i.plan to stay in baler/ aurora third week of september 2008 after visiting my dads place in davao city...i appreciate your help...E.D...my email is house_be_mine @yahoo.com....salamat po.
January 25th 2009 - joy: akkaw
akkaw ang gnda ng baler talaga !!!!!!!!!!!sana lalo pang gumanda ang ating bayan
March 24th 2009 - mer jhayson banez:
marami na kong napuntahang lugar..BALER pa ri ang the best...ariyo!! ay tutuu la-ang
March 25th 2009 - Angelo: I'm proud Auroranian
I grew up in Marai Aurora, the largest town in Aurora. I am encouraging everyone to experience being there. Lot of my friends here in Manila experienced being there including the different Falss in San Luiz, Maria Aurora and Dipaculao.
The road has improved a lot this year so travel is no longer tiring.
Come and join us this Summer!!!
March 27th 2009 - leila: ganda talaga
ganda ganda ganda
March 31st 2009 - brenn: March 31th 2009
we are scheduled to go to baler this coming april 4-6. where is the best way to go there? i have to prepare myself to drive 6-7 hours
April 2nd 2009 - arturo lombres lumasac: aakkaww..
ello..sa mga taga...aurora..the best parin ang aurora kahit san ako nakarating..naka mis lalo pag malapit nmn ang holyweak..kahit dito nako sa LONDON.. iba pa rin ang aurora...mis ko dyan...arthurlombreslumasac....
April 6th 2009 - Janet: The BEST
Ditumabo Falls..great grabe..sana maalagaan at mapreserve sayang naman ang natural beauty...ty..proud po ako sa aking bayang sinilangan..hahaha.AKKAW
May 8th 2009 - ricky: baler is great
i'm from the usa, but my family is from baler, so i visit once every 2 years. definitely recommend if you don't mind the long windy drive. (the new roads were 1/2 paved as of dec 2008, making the drive much easier) make sure to visit bays inn, sabang, beach, BG Plaza, bistro baler for local music (unless they closed down) and okoy's surf shop for surf lessons across from bays inn!
May 11th 2009 - enan dela torre: ang aking bayan baw!
im here in batangas pero iba tlga ang byan k! i love it kkba ta ay ang beach jan lalot mkkta m ang mllki alon s dgat akaaw boy tlga nman! tas pgngpnta k s dkasalarin aree laang tas mgdu2yat k ng kibit hehehe! tas pnta k s ermita tas pgbba m dun ligo kau s dikaloyungan n may dla kng balaw n pinigaan m ng kidya ay pgkasara ng lapang hahahah! k mis nga din jan ung mader falls s sn luis, akaaaaw srap ng pkirmdam pg nkrting kau dun, ala tlga k2lad ang bayan k! ang sarap mging batang akaaaaaw!
May 30th 2009 - david: Best Surfing time
Hi, I am looking at going to Baler in July. Can anyone advise me what is the surf like at this time?
Thanks
June 18th 2009 - MARVIN:
D2 sa san luis, aurora.. Pwede namin keo itour guide,, if u want trecking and going to Mother Falls. Lots of fun and long treck. he he. Just go to Tourism Department in San Luis. Tnx
June 29th 2009 - stephanie ann gomez: GANDA MO BALER
Grabe ang ganda talaga ng baler hindi lng dahil doon ako nakatira kundi dahil nakita ko na ang mga tampok na lugar na ipinifeature nyo kung makakarating lang talaga kayo sa baler nako mamamangha kayo sa ganda ng paraisong ito
una aakalain mo na nananaginip ka lang di mo alam 22o pla ung nakikita mo kaya kung ako sa inyo pasyal na
................proud to be batang baler...............................
ganda mo baler.........................
\
paraiso ka ngang talaga
July 19th 2009 - bercie: amazing place
I will never forget baler, amazing place
July 20th 2009 - edralyn: sbh ng pilevians
ang ganda nga ng baler and be sides this is the one make in our country as one of the tourispots..mdmh tlagang ipagmamalaki ang phillipines and isa na kamh -g mga estudyanteng magagaling na binayayaan ng poong maykapal ng kaalaman... one day dadayuhin ng pilevians ang queson makarating lng sa baler..!!!
July 21st 2009 - marge: super...
yeah...baler is a very beautiful place but theres still a lot more beautiful place in the north side of baler...yes when you came from manila thers only one bus directly goes there but theres a lot of buses already entered there...i really miss my province...
August 3rd 2009 - PRIME RAGANDANG: why Baler? help pls
why baler what was the etymological meaning of the word?
August 3rd 2009 - Mae Vee: meaning of baler...
please give an issue of the meaning of true baler...
thanks...
a little request...
August 6th 2009 - yamato kayusho: beaches
your beach was so great it was very nice so much and it is very beautiful to stay there for a long time or to rest for a year
August 11th 2009 - Naire: Baler?
Nice! Wonderful pictures! it helped me gain ideas for our Buwan ng wika Celebration....
thanks!!!
August 15th 2009 - XHELA AND RAECY: TNX
XALAMAT POH SA PAG POST 'NYO NG MGA PIC.AND INFO BWT BALER.NKA2LONG POH I2 NG MALAKI SA AMING MGA RESEARCH.....THANK U VRY MUCH......
August 21st 2009 - samuel: baler is beautiful
i want to go to baler someday im always planning to there with my girlfriend but i cannot but i will if i comeback in the philippines i love mountinous place like baler i want adventure and i love rainforest.
October 6th 2009 - phate tangson: miss
musta na po ang baler masyado poh bang na pinsala yan yung bagyong pepeng???????????
November 5th 2009 - mary ann diego: baler
ang ganda talaga ng baler aurora lalo na yng dagat ng pacific ocean at yng balete mapakalaki talaga nia
November 18th 2009 - Arah MAe: i miss the town of Baler
..,hahahaha akaw taga baler poh akoh..,
areh!!!!batang baler yata eto..,,
miss ko na kayong lahat sa baler
sa mga kakilala ko
tska c patrick angara..,hahahha kababata ko..,may gf ka na/??
pakilala mo sa akin huh..,
All Comments
Philippines' Flag
Map of Philippines
Copyright notice.
The text and photos of this article remain the copyright of the Author (Cheche Uy-Visitacion). Under no circumstances should the photos or text be used without the express written permission of the Author (Cheche Uy-Visitacion). If you wish to use or publish photos or text from this article - please
Contact Cheche Uy-Visitacion.