The ITATOA Fam Tour Committee (where I am a member), selected Bolinao, Pangasinan as the venue for our first Fam Tour planning this year. At first, I was skeptical as to whether to attend the meeting or not. A part of me urged me to pass, but a weak voice also persuaded me to come. After some in-depth discussion with myself, I finally decided to join. Well, the objective of this event is to plan the FAM tour anyway! In addition to that, it is also an opportunity for me to discover if it is worth visiting or not.
My First Impression
I wasn’t expecting anything special from Bolinao, so I wasn’t excited to go. As we reached our destination, I was still unsure if I would be surprised or disappointed. One thing is certain… I really must make the most of our one-night stay, so I conditioned myself.
On our way to Kubo ni Kulas, our venue for the fam tour planning, we passed by the Cape Bolinao Lighthouse, so we got out of the car for a quick photoshoot. We also checked the souvenir shop and purchased a dress and shirt.
Overnight at Kubo ni Kulas 🛖
The Location 📍
Kubo ni Kulas is a private beach resort in Patar, Bolinao. It looks like a typical residence with a green gate. Upon entering, you will see some cottages adorned with seashell curtains and colorful lanterns. Suddenly I felt relaxed, especially when I saw the beach and heard the noise from the waves.
The Warm Welcome
As soon as we settled in the area, Ma’am Honey (the owner and also a member of the ITATOA Fam Tour committee) along with the staff, welcomed us. The relaxing atmosphere made us feel at home, especially when they served as the lavish lunch.
The Private Beach
This gave us not only a relaxing ambience, but also a time to relax and enjoy. We had the opportunity to enjoy and soak in the water at the beach and watch the lovely sunset.
Our Stay
We stayed in the largest air-conditioned cottage in the private resort. The bedroom is equipped with everything you need: comfortable bamboo beds with soft mattresses, a clean television and toilet 🚽.
To be honest, I began to enjoy our quick escape to Bolinao. Ideally, Kubo ni Kulas is for a small group of barkadas and family who wish to take a short holiday or celebrate an event. So far, the maximum number of people allowed in the resort is only 25. This measure is aimed at keeping the property clean.
Guests are also allowed to cook or avail of the resort’s “paluto” service. They also have a partner restaurant which provides food delivery.
It was in fact a perfect place to recharge and plan a productive year. Yes, we did it, and we are so excited for the series of fam tours scheduled for 2023.
The following day, after having a cup of coffee ☕️, I went to the beachfront and admired God’s masterpiece.
Having breakfast 🧇☕️ with this incredible view is something that I really look forward to.
Swimming @ the White Beach
After breakfast, we headed to the public beach called the White Beach (also called the Boracay of the North). Surprisingly, I thought I was going to be disappointed, but it was not crowded when we were there, so I definitely enjoyed swimming.
It was also my first time to go live on my Facebook page. Thanks to Ma’am Lira, the wonderful president of ITATOA, I got to do it, and it was really fun!
Magical Moment at the Enchanted Cave
After the quick morning swim, we skipped the other locations and just proceeded to the enchanted cave because of the limited time. We had to leave Bolinao after lunch 🥗, so we really had to make a choice. I was glad we made the right choice because it was an entirely different experience for me.
Before you can purchase an entrance ticket, you need to present your vaccination card or vax certificate; otherwise, you won’t be allowed to enter. It”s still good to know that the safety of the guests is still the top priority than making money. As soon as we have presented our vaccination cards, the staff let us sign on the record book for tracking purposes and gave us our bands.
A staff member suggested that we go to the cave first while it is early and there were no other guests yet. On our way towards the cave, we saw the wishing well and the arch of the Way of the Cross.
I was curious to find out the adventure that awaits us 😂. I was half cheerful and half fearful at the time. For a second, the time stopped and I just managed to follow my other companions while going LIVE on my FB page. Too bad it stopped automatically due to poor signal. Reality: This was the first time I tried this type of activity and I even wondered why I wasn’t shaking in fear.
I have found the answer—you will be able to overcome your fear, according to what you have and with whom you are. I just thought that I was wearing a life vest. Even if there was a malfunction, I was sure the lifeguard would be there for me. Even before he can take its first move to do this, I also have my companions who will definitely help me if I drown. I trusted the people around me, so I don’t have any reason to be scared after all. Instead, I just enjoyed the moment and I was so pleased with this realization.
There’s nothing wrong in believing in magic 🪄 , especially if it will give you enough motivation. Of course, I wouldn’t let this opportunity pass if I wouldn’t make a wish in the wishing well. As for what I have wished for, I believe that it will come true.
We proceeded to our next destination, which is the Way of the Cross. It will certainly test your endurance and patience, but we were happy that we succeeded in doing so. On the Way of the Cross, you can read the different verses of the Bible, on which guests can reflect as they walk and pause.
Once you have already reached the cross, you can opt to go to the viewing deck (for an extra fee of ₱50.00). We did not do that because we were already gasping for air. 😆We wanted to save our strength and energy for the long journey back to Manila that afternoon.
We ended the tour in the Enchanted Cave with a refreshing dip in the swimming pool.
After taking a shower and drying myself, we stopped by the souvenir shop inside where Ma’am Lira bought some stuff. We also enjoyed our Mango graham and strawberry shake. It definitely quenched our thirst and boosted our energy level 😁
Outside, we stopped by the souvenir shop where we reserved some souvenir items. We have purchased wallets and bags made of shells 🐚 , mini lantern decorations, ceiling decoration, necklace, pair of earrings, and more. I was planning on giving some for my FB page followers.
When we got back to Kubo ni Kulas, we had a shower 🚿 and prepared our things.
Update: It’s funny that it was too late for Ma’am Lira and I to realize that we didn’t get some of the items we bought in the souvenir shop outside. We didn’t care much about it… It also taught us a lesson anyway. Next time, we shouldn’t be too excited and we should double check the items we purchased before leaving the store. 🤔
Before leaving the resort, Ma’am Honey and the Kubo ni Kulas staff prepared a hearty meal for us.
It was a long trip, but it’s definitely worthwhile. I’m glad I was able to go and experience this; otherwise, I won’t be able to discover that Bolinao is one of the must-see places here in the Philippines. Guess what? We will be creating Bolinao packages soon‼️ This is something to look forward to 😀.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this blog. I will share more of my upcoming adventures SOON.
Love,
