DRT Bulacan Travel Guide

written by Ron Dela Cruz

Taga-Bulacan ka diba? Alam mo ba yung pagpunta sa DRT Bulacan? (You’re from Bulacan right? Do you know how to get to DRT)?

During the MGCQ Months of November, there is a sudden spike of inquiries on how to get to Dona Remedios Trinidad in Bulacan or DRT Bulacan. From being a backwater municipality, it has become the premier tourist destination in Bulacan.

People do not usually think of “Bulacan” as a tourist destination, although our province is rich in culture and history. The first things that will come to mind when someone speaks of our province are chicharon, pastillas de leche, ensaymada, lugaw is essential (due to a viral post a few months ago, Barasoain Church, and Biak na bato.  Never they imagined that in the Northeastern part of Bulacan lies a town that offers history, adventure, and relaxation.

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DRT Bulacan History

Dona Remedios Trinidad (DRT) is a recently established municipality in Bulacan. It was declared a separate town last September 13, 1977 under the Presidential Decree No. 1196. The town is composed of barangays that used to belong to the municipalities of San Miguel, Angat, and Norzagaray. DRT was named after the former First lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos’s mother, Remedios Trinidad, who is a native of Baliuag, Bulacan. If you happen to read the story of Remedios Trinidad, prepare mountains of tissues for it is tragic. Definitely not for faint-hearted. (We’ll save that for another blog post).

DRT Bulacan Attractions

Malangaan Cave

Malangaan Cave is a Karst cave that is found in the boundary of the municipality of San Rafael and DRT. The cave looked like it was cut in half leaving the bottom part unscathed. Locals tell that during WWII, it was used by guerillas hiding from the Japanese. There is a spring and a natural pool formation near the cave where tourist could take a quick dip during the summer months. You can also rent the huts near the pool. If you want to go there using your personal ride, search for Malangaan Cave in Google Maps or Waze. If using public transportation, coming from Manila, you can go to Doroteo Jose and look for a bus going to Angat, Bulacan. Drop by Sta. Monica de Angat Church (which is patterned after the Sistine Chapel due to the painted ceilings) and ride a tricycle to San Rafael Church (the church that is the inspiration for Crispin and Basilio from Noli Me Tangere). Ride another tricycle going to Barangay Tukod where Malangaan Cave is located. You need to register and a guide to explore the cave and its surroundings.

Digos Hills

Have you ever imagined drinking a freshly brewed cup of coffee inside a hut on top of a hill that has a sea of clouds? Well, you don’t need to imagine it anymore as you can visit Digos Hills to experience that. Located in Barangay Talbak, Digos Hills overs a 360-degree view of the surroundings. You can see all the roads leading to DRT, Mt. Nabio, another tourist destination recently opened, and the plains of the nearby towns. The owner of the place also serves their own coffee blend, Talbak Coffee. They have installed huts near the ridges that offer a great view of the other mountains near the area, other installations for picture taking, and offer Filipino food in their main store. You can either opt to rent a hut for the night or pitch your own tent. To get there via a private vehicle, you can search Digos Hills in Google Maps or Waze. To get there using public transportation, ride a bus going to Cabanatuan and drop by Camias, San Miguel Bulacan then ride a tricycle going to DRT. Please be advised that this is a bit costly so it would be best if you can form a group and hire a vehicle to get to Digos Hills.

Blue Lagoon Forest Waterfalls, Mandala Falls, and Secret Falls

DRT is blessed with an abundance of waterfalls. Blue Lagoon Forest Waterfalls, Mandala Falls, and Secret Falls are some of them. All these magnificent natural beauties are located in Barangay Camachile, and they share the same main route that branches out on a certain point. Expect some trekking to get there but you will be rewarded with a lush forest and a cool waterfall. There are places where you can pitch your tent or hang your hammocks. We strongly suggest that you go there using a private vehicle as the place is really off the beaten track. You can search in Google Maps or Waze for directions on how to go there. You need to register on the barangay outpost and avail a guide who will take you to the falls.

DRT Bulacan Map

Here’s a travel map from Metro Manila to DRT Digos Hills just so you have an idea.

List of Possible Expenses

Tour Guide	₱300 guide fee per location, good for 5 persons
Entrance Fees	₱20 to ₱25 pesos for each location
Food and Transportation	The rate depends on where you are coming from or how big your appetite is. Bring food, guys! There’s no corkage fee.

Additional Information

Geographically, DRT lies in the southern part of the Sierra Madre Mountain range, it also occupies the largest land area in the province of Bulacan, roughly one-third of the total land area. It is adjacent to the province of Nueva Ecija in the north, and the provinces of Aurora and Quezon in the east. It is also bordered by the municipalities of San Miguel, San Ildefonso, San Rafael, Angat, and Norzagaray in the west and south.

If you go to Wikipedia, they will tell you that most of the people in DRT relied on agriculture to survive. This has changed in the recent months as the municipal government decided to make the town a tourist destination. They realized that the untapped potential of their towns natural beauty can compete with other tourist destination in the Philippines.

With a vast land area, mountainous terrain, and hidden waterfalls, there is a lot of things to explore in DRT.  It is estimated that there are around 100 plus attractions that the locals offer to tourists but only around 70 sites are certified by the local government. What I am going to show are some of the more known tourist spots in DRT.

There are still other places in DRT to be opened to the public. A lot of hidden gems waiting to be explored. With an abundance of natural resources and a certain mystique, no wonder why this town in Bulacan is becoming a premier tourist destination.

☞ Book cheap hotels and affordable accommodation in Bulacan here.

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Love,

Ron Dela Cruz is a full-time employee who likes to cook and volunteer for charities in his free time. He’s a mountaineer, a backpacker, a traveler, and everything in between. He hopes to open his own restaurant someday soon.

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