Postcards from Dasol

April 28, 2011 Beach Camping

April 21, 2011 2:00 PM
Barangay Osmena, Dasol, Pangasinan

We departed from a bustling bus station last night, and after hours of land travel, waiting, and a boat ride, we arrived in this tranquil barangay in Dasol, Pangasinan. The beach amazed me with its calmness, featuring fine sand like Calaguas and clear waters, free from noise and structures. Our guide, Joey, hosted us in his home, where we enjoyed a hearty lunch. After a short nap, Pao swam, and I relaxed on a bamboo bed, watching locals play basketball while Mamu Rex chatted and enjoyed drinks. I could have stayed there, but other places beckoned with their promise.


April 21, 2011, 2:30 PM
Barangay Osmena, Dasol, Pangasinan

Christ's passion is all about love. I noticed this heart-shaped rock before we boarded our banca to Culebra Island. It was a moment of reflection. No matter what tides may bring, Christ's love will remain steady and strong. It was a bit disappointing that some of my friends decided to bail out at the last minute, but I realized that God designed it this way so that I would have lots of quiet moments, and He chose for me the perfect companions, my best friends Pao and Rex.




 April 21, 2011, 4:00 PM
Culebra Island, Dasol, Pangasinan

It was a short boat ride. The sea was a bit rough, but that was nothing compared to what we experienced in Surigao. We thought there would be other tourists on the island. We were lucky. We had the island all to ourselves. All those fine sands, rock formations, grasslands, and clear waters were all for us, even the four coconut trees on the island.



April 21, 2011, 4:15 PM
Culebra Islands, Dasol, Pangasinan


I don't think I helped Pao, Rex, and our companions unload our stuff from the banca. My bad. I was too excited to explore the islands. I followed the trail, and it led me to the other side of the island. Oh wow! The sea was glistening, and there were sea birds resting on the rock formations in the sea. I was staring at this marvelous sight when Pao arrived. We skirted the island until we landed back at our starting point.



April 21, 2011, 4:15 PM. 4:30 PM
Culebra Island, Dasol, Pangasinan


We started setting up camp here. While we were pitching our tent, our boatman Arnel left and came back with a lobster. Meanwhile, Joey, our other companion, had just finished setting up the fire to grill the talakitok fish we bought at Barangay Osmena for Php 150.00. We were being fed like royalty on this little island. I couldn't think of any other place I would rather be.



April 21, 2011, 4:45 PM
Culebra Island, Dasol, Pangasinan

I took more pictures of the islands while Pao swam. Walking on sands as fine as this was genuinely relaxing. I strolled along the beach, listening to the soothing waves, and not worrying about anything else. While we didn't have the regular city comforts like bathrooms, comfort rooms, or a bed, I didn't mind. Those were small sacrifices for the luxury of having a stunning island all to ourselves, with good old and new friends offering great conversations.


April 21, 2011, 6:30 PM
Culebra Island, Dasol, Pangasinan


The lobster, as expected, was superb. Arnel went back to the sea, and he returned with Matangbaka, one of my favorite fishes. I feasted on all these grilled seafood. It was a bit indulgent for Holy Week, but it was so difficult to resist. I excused myself for a while to go back to the other side of the island to capture the sunset. When I returned, they had started drinking. Cheers to perfect moments.

P.S. Arnel excused himself again from our socials and came back with more lobsters.
April 22, 2011, 9:00 AM
Crocodile Island, Dasol, Pangasinan


On the second day, there was still a lot to explore here in Dasol. We broke camp early because Culebra Island can get really hot due to the lack of tree cover. Before we left, a group of tourists arrived on the islands. They hurriedly pitched their tents to shield themselves from the heat. I believe evenings are the best time to stay in Culebra for peace, quiet, and stargazing. Our first stop was Crocodile Island (named such because one end resembles a crocodile). Our banca stopped on this side of the island, where we disembarked to visit Cabacungan Cave.



April 22, 2011, 9:00 AM
Cabacungan Cave, Dasol, Pangasinan


Welcome to Mamu Rex's private jacuzzi. Fortunately, we arrived here early, allowing us to relish the pool while listening to Mamu's music on her iPod. The water was refreshingly cool, and we delighted in observing the whirlpool effect created by the robust waves.



April 22, 2011, 9:00 AM
Balinmanok Beach, Dasol, Pangasinan
We stopped by Joey's house for lunch before heading to Balinmanok Beach, our designated camping spot for the night. But before that, Joey anchored our banca to this old sunken Chinese vessel so we could go snorkeling. It was enjoyable to dive here and explore the ship. I wonder what stories it holds.



April 22, 2011, 9:00 AM
Balinmanok Beach, Dasol, Pangasinan


The first thing that caught my attention while on the banca approaching this private cove was the swing. I jumped immediately and swam straight to this spot. I didn't stop until Pao was able to get a good shot of me here. It brings back childhood memories. Simple joys are sometimes what really make moments memorable.


April 22, 2011, 9:00 AM
Balinmanok Beach, Dasol, Pangasinan

After resting, a shower, and buko juice, I was able to appreciate the view of this private cove from a small cottage at the side of the cove. I loved how the colors of the sea, the sky, and the reflections of the cove meld. There were only a few guests on the beach, so we had more time for quiet moments, reflections, and good conversations. We had a few drinks during sunset. Our dinner was freshly caught fish, and ampalaya sautéed with egg. Pao was also able to harvest uni for our snacks. I will certainly miss all this. But I am not worried. I am coming back.

Dasol Postscripts:

After posting my photos of Dasol, Pangasinan, on Facebook, I got a lot of likes and inquiries, even from people I do not know.

While we want Dasol to remain as pristine as when we first saw it, I guess tourism is also good for Dasol so the locals here can have additional income. The sad thing I noticed about Dasol is that there are signs of overfishing, even abuse. There is still abundant marine life, but it is not as much as before, as confirmed by our friends there. We also didn't see a lot of colorful corals. So, tourists can give our friends there an alternative source of income and more reasons to protect their environment.

It was Mamu Rex who first discovered the place for our group. We were the second batch he brought there to Dasol, Pangasinan.

Our trip was coordinated by Joey, who met us at the town proper of Dasol. His uncle, Arnel, a former member of the Philippine Marines and ace fisherman, owns the banca we used. Joey took very good care of us there -- cooking our meals, cleaning our utensils, coordinating our transportation, and hosting us in his humble home for our mid-day rest.

We slept one night on Culebra Island and one night in Balinmanok. We brought all our camping equipment and bought all provisions at the market of Dasol, including drinking water. There are sari-sari stores only in Tambobong Beach.

There are not a lot of tourism establishments in Dasol. Balinmanok Cove has a private resort with three cottages on the beach and a small house available for rent, with three rooms, kitchen, and a comfort room. I think there is also one in Tambobong Beach, but I am not sure. So, this adventure is really for those who are ready to rough it out. The best time to visit Dasol is now, while the waves are relatively calm and there are not so many jellyfish.

Kelly is a public relations professional and entrepreneur whose projects have assisted multinational organizations, small and medium enterprises, government officers, international organizations and non-governmental organizations. She is partner-consultant of RubyComm-K.Austria, a public relations management and consultancy company. Kelly is also a former government employee having served at the Department of Tourism for two years. Being mountaineers, Kelly and her friends travel by land, sometimes on rough roads and trek for hours to give a new lease of hope to students. She is co-founder of the group TREK or Trails to Empower Kids.

Other Good Travels

13 comments

  1. Jonilo Jr.May 4, 2011 at 8:41 PM

    h! crocodile island seems to be fantastic.. could you provide me the exact location of the island?

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  2. Kelly AustriaMay 4, 2011 at 10:45 PM

    It is in Dasol, Pangasinan. You can rent boats from Barangay Osmena or Tambobong. There's a small hut in front of an old shed in Brgy. Osmena. That is where Joey lives, the one who arranged everything for us.

    We took the Victory Liner bus to Alaminos then another Victory Liner bus to Sta. Cruz. It will pass by Dasol. There are jeepneys going to Tambobong Beach but it only has two trips or tricycles. You can also ask to be picked-up by the boat there.

    ReplyDelete
  3. fatsharkJuly 31, 2011 at 11:09 AM

    Hi! were planning to visit Dasol end of August? Do you Still Happen to have Joey's number? Thanks =D

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  4. Kelly AustriaJuly 31, 2011 at 11:17 AM

    Please try this number 09075183062

    I also got the number of one of the resort owners at Tambobong Beach, Lydia Bermudez 0949 17595157. I met her on our way to Osmena the last time we visited. You may also want to try her place.

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  5. dasolpangasinanMay 12, 2012 at 3:36 AM

    Great Day!!! try mo villa balinmanok...from google search and type villa balinmanok..its a private resort hindi ito typical na resort..not crowded, not residential or barangay area..totally private place na kayo kayo lang ang tao..but super safe..this time they giving free sinigwelas and mangoes..you may call or txt ogie at this no. 09152092010, 09494142631...

    Sagarin mo ang summer mo! more fun villa balinmanok!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OgieJuly 6, 2012 at 2:21 AM

      Hi Kelly thanks for dropping by...the balinmanok miss you and mamu's group see you again...

      Delete
    2. Kelly AustriaJuly 6, 2012 at 9:56 AM

      I really want to go back. Soon, I hope. Thanks Ogie! Balinmanok is really a nice place to relax. I miss the swing at the beach :-)

      Delete
  6. OgieJanuary 16, 2013 at 4:58 PM

    hi kelly...were here at singapore and stay for a while for diving...just incase you are planning to go back you may call Lily @ 0915-2092010 Globe & 0908-4551047 Smart...have a nice beach weekend getaway!! regsrds to Mamu Rex

    ReplyDelete
  7. UnknownJune 7, 2014 at 5:19 AM

    Wonderful place i would like to visit that place can anybody tell me the best traveling plan for this place because i am traveling lover and want to travel these kind of places if you need more traveling places in Spain to i have a cheap and affordable source : http://www.clubvillamar.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. lyn52June 14, 2014 at 4:12 AM

      hi mr.shamar! yes,dasol has nice beaches and so is the neighboring barrios.all of these beaches has their own attractions.i am proud of htese places.been to villa balinmanok with a big group.if you still want to see the place,i can help you,if ever.contact me,lyn-09275322861.thanks.

      Delete
  8. UnknownMarch 20, 2015 at 1:40 PM

    Majorly things needs to be goodly managed and also maid of the mist boat tour is the thing that keeps it all in a manner. ''

    ReplyDelete