Budget Love Date in Puting Buhangin at Kwebang Lampas

White sand +
Clear waters! Hello to my salty hair and to my hubby over there :) Welcome to KWEBANG LAMPAS, PAGBILAO, QUEZON!

Have you ever realized that you were just repeating what you’re doing every day? 

I mean, you wake up in the morning, take a bath, eat your breakky, wear your uniform, go to work, then after work, you go home exhausted because of the sick traffic in the urban jungle and you just repeat those things the next day and wait like a tired robot for that happy payday. Well, I’ve been through that realization since I started working. And, I feel like I’m needing something, need to unwind and to enjoy that fresh air thingy to release the stress out of me. When I’m having a conversation with my hubby, I always tell him na “Takas tayo sa siyudad na ‘to. Nakaka-stressed!” with matching huhuhu TT.

So here it goes, the long weekend which is most loved by me, studes and professionals, young or oldies. 

Touch down Kwebang Lampas! There's the cave!

Remember, a wonderful date or travel doesn't need to be so expensive. Budget, budget para makauwi rin to your favorite bed :)

It was Friday, February 5, 2016 when my hubby fetch me in the office to have some groceries telling me that we will celebrate our 88^th monthsary in Kwebang Lampas, Pagbilao, Quezon. AGAD-AGAD? BIGLAANG OUT OF TOWN? Well, game lang naman ako lagi. It’s a long weekend for everyone since February 8, Chinese New Year is a Monday kaya game na game talaga kami sa biglaang trip. After buying our “baon” for that celebration trip, we googled the place and poop, there’s the budget, the itinerary and expenses that we might face there. So, I took screenshots of it and prepare everything, kalkal ng swimsuit, panligo, charge ng cameras, batteries, powerbank etc.

From Manila, we almost had a 7-hour trip to Kwebang Lampas since we love eating in every stopovers or terminals.

Here’s the way to reach that beautiful paradise hiding in Quezon Province. To get back to Manila, just do my travel table in vice versa.

ROUTE	TYPE OF TRANSPORTATION	TRAVEL FARE PER PERSON
1.      Kamias, Quezon City to Lucena Grand Terminal	Ride a BUS- Jac Liner along EDSA, located in Kamias, QC. (4 hours travel time)	PHP218.00
2.      Lucena Grand Terminal to Pagbilao Town/Market	Ride a JEEPNEY (10-15minutes travel time)	PHP11.00
3.      Pagbilao to Brgy. Ibabang Polo	Ride a JEEPNEY (30-45minutes travel time)	PHP36.00
4.      Brgy. Ibabang Polo to Capascapas Beach/Lake	Ride a TRICYCLE (10 minutes travel time)	PHP50.00
5.      Capascapas Beach to Trekking Entrance to Kwebang Lampas	Ride a BOAT (3 minutes travel time)	Fee for this ride is inclusive of your entrance fee in Kwebang Lampas You can just give a “tip” for the boatman.

The kid who rows our boat off to the jump
off point to Kwebang Lampas :) Free ride! A tip is fine.

After that 3-minute boat ride to the trekking entrance to Kwebang Lampas, there are also boatmen who will offer you a boat ride to Kwebang Lampas that cost PHP250.00. Since we are in a tight budget and we also want an adventure, we just chose to trek in the forest to enjoy our trip instead of riding a boat. Tipid pa di ba? Hehe. It’s like a 20-minute trek for us since I always stop our walk for selfies and picture-picture thingy.

I must say that Kwebang Lampas is indeed a beautiful paradise. For me, it’s a perfect place where you can just hangout right away from Manila. I think it will be one of the wonderful places where we can be away from the urban stressed. If you’re the kind of person who wants a “biglaang out-of-town,” I’m suggesting this place for your great escape away from the urban jungle, away from the traffic horns, city noise, etc.

Signs that will lead you to the right direction :)

In this paradise, you’ll forget what you’ve been through in the city. You’ll just delight in the place, it’s clear and mint green color of the sea, its white sand, marvelous rock formations, abundant coconut trees and convivial sea creatures. We also bump with two jellyfish and sea urchins. Marvelous!

We are so astonished when we get in the striking cave. We get into its other side and there, our feet was tasted by a school of tiny fish. I’m the happiest since we got a free spa, thanks to those fish. We also swim with them. The water is just so clear, even without wearing my goggles, I’m seeing a fish swimming with us.

Little trek to a forest!
Follow the white sand to reach
the amazing hidden paradise in Quezon! :)

The place doesn’t need other activities. Even if you just sit and lie in the beach, you’ll enjoy spending your time there because of its outstanding beauty. Swim, eat, relax, that’s what we just did there and we loved it. Collect shells! And at night, enjoy your feet with the waves, enjoy the beauty of darkness while stargazing. Aaaaah! The sky is full of happy stars. I just fell in love again. 

Say hello to this lost oh-so-fluffy-looking jelly fish!

First underwater selfie together <3

My underwater smile :)

First encounter with a sea urchin! Scared and excited of its thorns hihi

I just love to float! Say hi to my water bed hihi

Swimming with a school of tiny fish!

Other expenses in the island:

1.      Overnight fee per person – PHP140.00

2.      Rent of tent – PHP300.00 to PHP500.00

3.      A container of water for your shower – PHP50.00

4.      Use of bathroom – Just prepare your coins J

The tent we rented for PHP500. Naubusan ng tig-PHP300 ee hehehe
Bring your own para tipid ;)

What to bring:

1.      Beach mats and Tent. Mats for your tent (bring your own or just rent)

2.      Insect repellants/Pajama/Jackets or Cardigans for a good sleep. Insects there would love sucking you.

3.      Sun block for your skin protection

4.      Undergarments/Extra Clothes

5.      Aqua shoes. Stepping sea urchins and sharp rocks will hurt your feet.

6.      Cameras/Powerbanks

7.      LED or flashlight. You’ll need this when the darkness in the island comes.

8.      Extra plastics for your wet clothes and garbage. Remember, CLEAN AS YOU GO.

9.      Conditioner/Soap/Towels

10. FOOD. FOOD. FOOD AND DRINKING WATER.

A bottled drinking water in the island’s store is too expensive so I suggest that you just buy liters of water when you’re still in Manila. Bring a lot of it. Also, if you have your own tent, just bring it to have a happy budget adventure.

Happy 88th monthsary, poops! This is our first out-of-town together since nag-start na rin kami mag-work. It's a happy feeling pag nakapagrelax kayo sa perang pinaghirapan nyo :3

And it is, it is a happy monthsary to us! Our 88^th monthsary celebration in Kwebang Lampas is one of the happiest celebration we have since we love spending our time in the waters, kicking our legs to float and feel like mermaids. We promised that we’ll get back to Kwebang Lampas again and again. Promise talaga! Babalik kami! J

THE MINI STORY OF US
Justin, my hubby and I have been like loving cats and dogs for 88 months and yes, this is just our first time to have a date outside the Metro. Well, we've been to some provinces but with our families and friends. So, I will reckon this as our our first out-of-town together, just the two of us. Hehe. Plus, when we were just college students, we can't afford to travel and our parents will not allow it for sure. So when we got our savings from our work, nakakapag-biglaang out-of-town date na. Hihi.

We've been planning to travel to some places but this "biglaang out-of-town" is the one that is pushed. Hahaha. It's our first time to sleep in a tent together and also, first time to take underwater selfies. Yey.

PS: I suggest that you leave your house at 2 a.m so you'll reach the place right away in the morning. You'll surely have a sweet one, sun worshippers! :3

Playing the place's white sand! My hubby did this art to me. Feeling like a mermaid <3