Most people who thinks of travelling find commuting to their destination to be quite a hassle, and I don't disagree! With the traffic congestion here and there (actually, everywhere) and the added discomfort of heat and having to sit for hours, even just the thought of having to commute can be really scary.

One more thing that makes it such a hassle, is that navigating is almost always never easy, more often than not, google can't even answer our 'how to get to where' questions. So, I've decided to post, as much information as i can, the ways in which we can commute to the different travel-worthy places I know you'd very much like to visit... First stop, Baler!

While Baler is admittedly further than the usual go-to when it comes to surfing, its waves, I promise you, is still worth that travel!

Like what I said in my previous blog post about Baler (click here to read), I have only been there twice, and the first one was for a field activity in one of my classes back in college wherein everything, including transportation and lodging had already been pre-arranged by our professors.

So when my Sister and I decided we'd go there a few months ago, I was beyond nervous about making the itinerary. Luckily, there are a lot of helpful blogs out there which has given me a sight of what we should be doing for the trip.

And with that I would like to share to you the different ways of commuting your way to Baler:

1.) Book that trip ahead of time

Originally, we planned on booking our Bus Tickets ahead of time, I have even pre-booked the bus ride twice for that matter but had to cancel due to my Trial and Error (mostly error) strategy of making the itinerary. If you do plan on booking the trip days before, you can skip the phone call or the advanced party to the bus station by visiting in PinoyTravel's website.

Here's a screenshot of what you'll see once you have placed your preferred date of travel:

The website offers options on the time of travel which apparently has varying prices. After you have booked your trip, you will receive an email confirmation with instructions on how to pay for your reservation. Based on experience, they will give you a week to deposit your payment on their bank account.

 Note though that the buses here are 'deluxe' which means you can always opt for a cheaper alternative by choosing to go for our second Travel Option.

2.) Getting tickets right on the day of travel

Genesis Cubao, has both the option of the deluxe buses (which is just like the ones you can book online) and regular buses-- which I don't think you can book through their website. The price difference maybe 100-200 (my basis for this are from blogs written on 2017), just make sure to come to the bus station ahead of your preferred travel time because based on experience, the lines for the regular buses can be very very long.

That being said, we opted to go for the deluxe buses wherein we were given snacks and drinks, AND a blanket to accompany us for the trip, on top of the Comfort Room right inside the bus which can come in very handy given the 6 hours travel time from Cubao to Baler.

Travel Options (While already in Baler):

Upon arriving in Baler, you will find that the most efficient way to go from one point to another in Baler is their Tricycles, and they do not only prove to be efficient when travelling from the bus station to your hotel, but they also offer half-day tours for only PhP 500, you can choose which locations you'd like to visit!

For our birth-month, me and my sissy (but mostly me), decided to go to Baler for some unwinding and sisterly bonding. We originally planned to go to San Juan, La Union but all the hotels were already fully booked and I can just imagine how crowded Elyu must have been considering it was also a national holiday.

The last time I was in Baler was during one of my field activities back in college, so aside from the planned itinerary, we didn't really get to explore other places... especially the food establishments. So for this trip, I made sure we get to taste the best that Baler has to offer. With a few google searches on where to eat (and where not to) and a lot of arguments with my sister on where we should go next, here's a list of things worth trying:

1.) Hungry Surfer by Bay's Inn

Okay, so we weren't originally heading for this place, we actually passed by it while searching for our original food destination-- which apparently was not only too far but also too crowded, and our tummies couldn't bear to wait any longer! 

Decorated with very summer-themed posters and lamps, Hungry Surfer is perfect for families and group of friends who have just finished hours of touring, their food selection will surely take that pagod away!

You guys should maybe be cautious in trusting my taste buds because I eat almost everything, but... my sister on the other hand is a very picky eater and she gives both their Lechon Kawali and Buttered Garlic Shrimp two thumbs up! As for the price, our meal here costs around 600-700 pesos. Not bad for the serving, the taste, and the ambiance!

connect with Hungry Surfer here

2.) Saranglayap

If you're looking for a healthy breakfast or dessert, Saranglayap has got your back! I never actually saw this when I searched the internet for places to eat at, but they have posters placed around Sabang Beach, so I went and googled where to find it, which was a good thing because it didn't really disappoint. For just 150 pesos, we had their Vitality Bowl which has all sorts of healthy thingies I did not take note of.

Saranglayap is located beside Kubli Bistro, and is just a few minutes walk from the shores of Sabang.

connect with Saranglayap here

3.)  Yolly's Ihaw-Ihaw and Seafood Resto

I saw Yolly's in one of the blogs I read whilst planning for this trip. It is known for satisfying all sorts of seafood cravings, and since me and my sister are in dire need of seafood fix, I thought why not try this place?

We ordered Grilled Squid and their Tahong which was definitely satisfying. We were very shocked, because despite the internet reviews we did not really believe it would taste good because of the ambiance. Well, we should really never judge based on appearance! Our whole meal only cost us 450 pesos.

connect with Yolly's Ihaw Ihaw here

4.) Playa Azul Hotel

We actually stayed at Playa Azul for our first night in Baler. I'll make a separate post regarding our stay, but for now I must tell you, they do serve good breakfast! These came with our reservation for the room, so I am not so sure about the price. However, I also must tell you that we also did order pasta meals for our dinner and we weren't so satisfied about that.

connect with Playa Azul here

5.) Nort Shore Surf Camp

Here's another one of the things I forgot to note while on the trip, although I am pretty sure our meals only cost us not more than 150 each. We ate here twice for our dinner and breakfast on our second and last day of exploring Baler. and not only are the food delicious (it is a real must-try) but the ambiance and the people there are very warm and welcoming. Plus they use banana leaves as plates!

The Longanisa in the photo, is actually my favorite Baler food! You should really try it!

connect with North Shore Surf Camp here

6.) Street food

I think this whole post goes without saying , we should really just try whatever we feel like trying! During our 3-day stay, we were also able to get a taste of their street food and just like most of the food we ate during the trip, it did not disappoint!

What is not to love, when not only are you eating good food, but you are also eating it looking out at a very good view of Sabang!