The Island Explorer

We began our search for the best beach in Pangasinan at 2:30AM, without any sleep. Our office was still working at that time, so after work, we decided to skip the rest and head straight to Pangasinan. We were used to this anyway, and it was better for me to drive at night. We were supposed to leave at 4AM, but two hours didn't matter. To reach Bolinao the fastest, one must take the NLEX and SCTEX and exit at Luisita in Tarlac. Once you arrive in Tarlac City, follow the signs leading to Hundred Islands. Do not head straight to Dagupan. Take the road to Pangasinan via Camiling. That saves you 2 hours. This route however requires following the signs, and involves some one-way roads. Punta Riviera Resort has a good map on their website . The sun was peeking already at 5:00AM when we arrived in Pangasinan. That was 2.5 hours of travel so far. Not bad, though I was driving at an average speed of 100 kph. We finally reached Alaminos, home base for the Hundred Islands. Bolinao was suppose

The Hundred Islands National Park is probably one of the oldest tourist attractions in the country. It has been promoted as a tourist spot even before I was born. It is actually the First National Park in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. Noting this, I was expecting nothing much, since tourist attractions in the country have the reputation of degrading over time. It seems that the DOT or local government still doesn't know how to keep these attractions as natural as they were. No excuses here. It's done outside by all our neighboring countries. And true enough, the Hundred Islands is a rundown. It took me 5 hours to drive all the way to Alaminos in Pangasinan, the town of the Hundred Islands. Arriving at the port in Anda in Alaminos, I immediately felt that abusive development. We stayed in some resort near the pier (forgot the name, sorry, but I have pictures). Going to the Hundred Islands requires a boat trip and you also have to pay a conservation fee (entrance fee) to th