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This May 15, 2013, marvel as the sleepy town of Lucban in Quezon province comes alive with the celebration of the Pahiyas Festival 2013. Held annually, this colorful festival features real houses clad by colorful kiping (rice wafers) , vegetables, fruits, handicrafts, and even live stocks!
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*Updated April 16, 2013. Overnight is now allowed in the island, see details below.
HOW TO GET TO KWEBANG LAMPAS
Ride a bus bound to Lucena and get off at Lucena Grand Central Terminal. Fare is roughly Php 170-Php 200 depending on where you are coming from.
Travel time is 3-4 hours depending on traffic. If you’re only going to Kwebang Lampas for a day tour, I suggest you leave early in the morning around 4 AM since buses to Lucena are available 24 hours a day.
From the terminal there are jeeps bound to Pagbilao. Fare is Php 12.
Alternatively from Manila or Alabang you may ride a Bicol bound bus (Naga orLegaspi) and tell the driver you are only going to Pagbilao Town Proper, if they agree (since most buses to Bicol are full esp on weekends and holidays and naturally drivers prefer passengers bound to Bicol), then remind the conductor to drop you off in Pagbilao Town Proper.
By Jeep to Brgy.Polo:
*IMPORTANT: This is the cheapest route, you may use this if you are traveling alone but that is, if you have enough time because the jeep to Brgy. Polo will only leave once it is full. Read on.
Now once you’re at Pagbilao Town Proper, head to the Pagbilao Market Terminal. If you arrive here by jeep from Lucena Grand Terminal (Route 1), then the jeep will stop near the Pagbilao Market Terminal. If you arrive here by Bus to Bicol (route 2), you need to take a tricycle to the Pagbilao Market Terminal, fare is about Php 10.
At the Pagbilao Market Terminal, ride a jeep bound to Brgy. Polo. Fare is around Php 30-Php 35 per person. Jeep to Brgy. Polo will only leave once full. .Tell the driver you are going to Kwebang Lampas near the Power Station.
Get off at the jeep stop at Brgy.Polo, the Marker is the Power Station which you will see from afar. From there you can either walk ( about 20 minutes) Capascapas (beside the Power Station) or ride a tricycle for about Php 20-30 to take you to the jump off point to Kwebang Lampas. I suggest you ride a tricycle if you don’t want a long walk.
IMPORTANT: I had this mistake of going to Puting Buhangin Village that is why I hired the tricyle to take me all the way to the Power Station from that fishing vilage forPhp 150. That time, Puting Buhangin or Kwebang Lampas is barely heard of by locals, so they pointed to me to Puting Buhangin Village.
by tricycle:
If you don’t have much time to wait for the jeep you can charter a tricycle to take you all the way to Capascapas near the Power Station, the jump off point to Kwebang Lampas. Fare is about Php 350-Php 300.
By boat:
At the jump off point, there is a small lake clad by mangrove forest. You can hire a boat to take you to Kwebang Lampas for about Php 35, hassle free.
(I know those kids, their family helped me back in 2010 when I missed the last trip of the jeep and camping is not allowed in Kwebang Lampas back then. I hired their father’s tricycle to take me to Brgy. Polo crossing).
From the jump off point, trek to Kwebang Lampas, about 5 minutes.
By Land:
If walking in the mud and dirty stream is not a problem for you, you can just walk beside the Power Station, just tell the guard you are headed to Kwebang Lampas Beach just follow the trail and once you see the craggy beach, turn left and walk up to the craggy hill. It will take a few minutes of trekking to reach Kwebang Lampas about 15-20 minutes, stick to the trail please or risk falling into the cliff.
At Kwebang Lampas, pay the entrance fee of Php 100. Cottage rental is Php 300-Php 500. You may also camp here, just bring your own tent. If you are alone and without a tent and you don’t want to spend for the cottage fee, you can just stay in the shade of the coconut tree and perhaps ask the caretakers if you can leave your valuables to them.
RETURN TRIP Kwebang Lampas to Manila:
Last jeep from Brgy.Polo to Pagbilao Town Proper leaves at 4PM. If you don’t plan on staying overnight in Kwebang Lampas. Leave around 3PM. You can ride the tricycle parked in Capascapas (near the Power Station).
If you miss the jeep and you need to return, approach the kids that takes visitors to Kwebang Lampas by boat, you can hire their father’s tricyle to take you to Brgy.Polo Crossing where you can catch a jeep bound to Alabang or Manila. Special trip is Php 400.
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Kwebang Lampas Travel Expenses/Budget:
Ordinary Bus Fare (Alabang-Lucena Grand Terminal) - Php 160.00- Php 200
Jeep Fare (Lucena Grand terminal – Pagbilao) - Php 12.00
Jeep Fare (Pagbilao Market – Brgy.Polo) - Php 35.00
*Tricycle Fare (Brgy.Polo to Kwebang Lampas) - Php 150.00 (but you can also walk to Kwebang Lampas from Brgy.Polo’sjeep stop may take around 30 minutes. I only hired a tricycle because as I mentioned above, I got lost. I got off the jeep at Puting Buhangin Village.)
Boat Fare (Kwebang Lampas jump-off point -private beach)- Php 35.00 Entrance Fee to Kwebang Lampas - Php 100.00
Tricycle Fare (Kwebang Lampas jump-off point to Brgy.Polo crossing) – Php 400 (but you can also take a jeep back to Pagbilao from Brgy. Polo last trip is 5pm, just leave the beach around 4pm to catch the jeep to avoid renting a trike which is pretty hefty otherwise you can rent a tricycle. Check the rates above.
Tricycle from Capascapas to Brgy.Polo jeep terminal-
Jeep from Brgy. Polo to Pagbilao Town Proper – Php 35
Jeep to Lucena Grand Terminal – Php 12
Bus from Lucena Grand Terminal to Manila or Alabang – Php 160-Php 200.
Where to stay in Pagbilao, Quezon:
*Overnight stay is now allowed in Kwebang Lampas, there are open cottages there or you can pitch a tent. But if you are looking for clean rooms, try Villa Anita Butterfly Garden and Resort.
Villa Anita Butterfly Garden and Resort ( my family stayed in this charming resort sometime in 2006 because this is owned by the family of my uncle’s sister -in-law).
KM 174 Brgy. Cabuyao Padre Burgos, Quezon
Telephone #: (042) 716-0326 Cellphone #: (0921) 524-0110
Check out Time: 12:00 pm inclusion: Free use of swimming pool Breafast for 2 persons Villa Anita Room rates: Suite Room - Php 3,200 Dorm Type - Php 4,000 Nipa Hut -Php 900 Nipa Hut Jr. - Php 800 Tent - Php 500 Extra Person - Php 200
**This is part of my Quezon travel series**
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Harvest festivals are celebrated by different cultures all over the world primarily to give thanks to their gods for a fruitful harvest. The Philippines being an agricultural country has its own share of a colorful and grand harvest feast , perhaps the most famous dates back to the 16th century and held annually in Lucban, Quezon, known as Pahiyas Festival. It is a testament to the Hispanic colonial influence on Filipino culture.
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A spur of the moment..that’s how I ended up on a bus headed to Brgy.Polo in Pagbilao, Quezon a day after my much-awaited beach bumming this summer was canceled because of my backpack buddy’s medical condition. I’ve never had much trouble planning a trip than this summer’s supposedly beach backpacking, I never expected it’s just so hard to find a secluded white beach near the metro, like a 1-2hr ride especially when you’re on a tight budget.
Kwebang Lampas is actually one of my top options but after learning that the owners doesn’t allow an overnight stay, (more…)
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