Bolinao Travel Guide – Best Places to Visit in a Day!
Pangasinan is more than just Bangus and Hundred Islands. This third largest province in the Philippines offers so much more. One of its municipality, Bolinao, boasts stunning beaches, amazing waterfalls, majestic caves, centuries-old church, impressive lighthouses, and delicious food!
Hailed as the “Hidden Jewel of the North,” Bolinao, with its amazing natural wonders will definitely impress you. It is now making a name in the tourism industry as photos and videos of new destinations make rounds in social media. People are now flocking to this area of the province to experience its unspoiled beauty.
Did you know that you can visit seven of the best places (including one of the cleanest rivers in the Philippines) of Bolinao in a day? Click on the photos below to see their raw beauty!
- Bolinao Falls 1
- Bolinao Falls 2
- St. James Church
- Enchanted Cave
- Balingasay River
- Cape Light House
- Patar White Beach
Table of Contents
How to Get to Bolinao
Via Public Transportation (Bus from Cubao or Pasay)
- There are 3 major bus line companies offering day and night trips to Bolinao, Pangasinan: (1) Victory Liner from the Cubao Q.C. terminal, (2) FiveStar Bus Inc. form the Pasay City terminal, and (3) Dagupan Bus Line from the Cubao Q.C. terminal. You can book an ordinary (no air-con) or an air-conditioned bus. Travel time is 5-6 hours.
- Upon arriving at bus station, you can hire a tricycle to take you to your preferred destinations. The driver can also serve as your tour guide.
Via Private Transportation (Own/rented Car)
- The most efficient way to reach Bolinao is by taking SCTEX (Subic, Clark, and Tarlac Expressway) route, passing by the municipalites of Alaminos and Bani.
Projected Expenses for a DIY Trip to Bolinao
| Items | Rate | Total (rough estimate) | Notes |
|
Bus fare |
Php450 – Php500 (air-con) | Php1000 | Despite several stops (3 stops) travelling by bus can be more convenient as you can move freely |
| Php350 – Php400 (non air-con) | Php800 | ||
| Tricycle Rental | Php1,000 – Php1,500 (for 4 persons) | Php1, 500 | Php1,000 is their minimum rate |
| Waterfalls Entrance Fee | Php40 / head / waterfalls | Php80 (for 2 waterfalls) | Rate is not fixed. Sometimes they collect Php50 per person for every waterfalls. |
| Cottage Rental | Php200 / cottage on every waterfalls (can be shared by the group) | Php400 | This is optional so you can skip renting a cottage if you’re in a tight budget. |
| Enchanted Cave Entrance Fee | Php150 / person | Php150 | |
| Life jacket rental | Php50 / person | Php50 | This is optional. We suggest you check the places first (falls & enchanted cave) and assess if you really have to rent a life jacket to enjoy the place. If you plan to do cliff jumping (falls) or swimming in the middle of the cave, then go ahead and rent one. |
| Parking Fee | Php20 in waterfalls Php50 in Enchanted Cave Php50 in Patar Beach |
Php120 | These fees apply to all kinds of vehicles. So yes, even if you have your own car or renting a tricycle, you will have to pay. |
Sample Itinerary: Bolinao in a Day
01:30AM – ETD Metro Manila (Cubao)
06:30AM – ETA to Bolinao / Breakfast
07:00AM – ETA to Bolinao Falls 1
07:30AM – ETA to Bolinao Falls 2
09:00AM – ETD to St. James Church
09:30AM – ETA to St. James Church
10:00AM – ETD to Enchanted Cave
10:30AM – ETA to Enchanted Cave
11:30AM – ETD to Balingasay River
11:45AM – ETA Balingasay River/Lunch
01:00PM – ETD to Cape Light House
02:00PM – ETD to Patar White Beach
05:00PM – Pack-up / Fix and Prepare for the travel back to Manila.
11:00PM – ETA to Cubao (Drop-off point)
Travel Tips for Bolinao
- Although in most cases, DIY trip can be more cost-efficient, you can save more if you will join arranged tours to Bolinao. We joined the ocular tour of the travel agency, Sole Adventours. They offer Bolinao Day Tour for only Php980 per pax (inclusive of everything except entrance fees and meals), their regular rate is Php1,200 per pax (still cheaper than doing the DIY trip). You can message them here – https://www.facebook.com/SoleAdventours/messages
- Bring enough hydration, food, insect repellent. And sun protection. You will need them!
- If you want to further explore the place, you can stay overnight in one of the cottages in Patar Beach.
- Like our Facebook page and be part of Love, Eat, Wander community to get travel tips and updates.
Watch our Bolinao trip video below for a more fun virtual tour!
Look for a hotel or a resort in Bolinao here.
Thank you for dropping by. Keep exploring!
*****’
Note: This blog is continuously being updated about whats, hows, and whys of Bolinao so keep visiting us for new stories. Also, if you have something to add, dispute, or clarify about this article, please feel free to comment below and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
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May I add a helpful resource in choosing accommodation and restaurants in Bolinao that was just published? https://bolinaohotels.wordpress.com it is a fairly comprehensive guide for 2017-2018 although three to five resorts are built per year so if the blog is 2014, figure there are about 10-15 new resorts since the blog was written.