Talipanan Beach, Puerto Galera

Puerto Galera can be this gorgeous.
Seriously.

Last weekend while my friend Rem and I are having coffee, we suddenly longed for a quick beach getaway. Then we started to reminisce (and laughed hard about our college days memories) in Puerto Galera. And whola - this trip was born! We hurriedly went home, did a little research, packed our things, and off we go to the bus station! (natutuloy talaga ang mga biglaang lakad..)

It's been ages since my feet first touched the sands of Puerto Galera. After I saw better beaches, I never imagined I will go back here. But since the location is very convenient, it remains to be a good option. Luckily, there are some beaches that I haven't explored yet. White Beach is the most famous, but we settled for Talipanan. This is located in the end of White Beach - Tamaraw Beach - and Talipanan stretch..


From Buedia, we took a bus bound to Batangas Pier. Fare is P100 (may promo daw, amazing!). Travel time is 2 hours. From Batangas Port, boat ride is P300 for Talipanan Beach. Travel time is 1 hour.

hello again, Puerto Galera

First stop was the White Beach. This is the most famous beach in Puerto Galera.

"famous' is synonymous to "crowded"

this used to be the beach I enjoyed the most

2nd stop was Tamaraw Beach. This place was more quiet. Less crowd and less establishments are here. I would consider this beach in the future.

white beach and tamaraw beach are close enough
di mo lang pwede lakarin kasi may mga bato in between

Tamaraw Beach

this Sunset Resort looks luxurious
model - fresh from the US

And finally, Talipanan Beach. I think among the 3, this is the most private.

preview of Talipanan

We hurriedly looked for a restaurant. We're so hungry! And knowing Remay, pag gutom na yan, umiinit ulo nya! Haha! Peace friend.

Luca's is found in the right most end of the beach. A lot of people were dining that time. We supposed this resto is the best in the area so we settled here.

Luca's Restaurant
with free wifi

lucaphilippines.com

The servings are really big. 4 people can share in 1 dish.

seafood pizza - about P450
a little pricey, but it's really worth your money. yummy! serving is good for 4.

penne carbonara - around P350
another yummy dish. too bad we're already full for this pasta plate.

choco shake - P70
i dont know why I kept ordering this. di ko feel ang fruit shake that time


view from our table

he sells sea shells by the sea shore?

After a very satisfying meal, we started to look around for our accommodation. We didn't make reservations in advance. I wanted to check out the rooms first, and try haggling.

interesting bar ^_^

We inquired a room in Luca's, but the only available are the fan rooms. No no no.
Then we reached El Canonero. It was fully booked. And finally, we reached Bamboo House Beach Resort. Aircon room for 3 persons (yes, Rem and I were with another friend. ayaw nya lang mag-appear sa blog) was P1,800. I asked the attendant if we could have it for P1,500. Pwede daw! Instant P300 savings!

Bamboo House, Talipanan, Puerto Galera

aircon room for 3, with fan, with hot shower - P1,500

Now how would you like to have a view like this?

unobstructed beach front view

After resting, we decided to stroll the area. The beach may not be very fabulous, but it was okay. The sand is not very fine too. But since we knew what to expect, we didn't get disappointed at all. The fact that this place is not crowded already made this place enjoyable.

Puerto Galera, the quiet version

Pictorial galore. Just like in our younger years. Haha

unico hijo ni mader Clarita

against the light effect sometimes works! ♥

naka SPF 100 sunblock kami! ^_^
seriously

The sun was really unforgiving. We decided to just stay in Luca's again to have some refreshments. Catch up talk until the sunset.

shots by Remay
nakatulog na kasi ako nyan. walang akong kwenta I know! haha

We didn't bother to catch the sunrise the following day. I work at night, araw araw ko nawi-witness ang majestic sunrise. Anyway, after we had breakfast, we decided to explore more of Talipanan.

good morning beach!

very tempting gradients of water

my travel essential - payong!
agree with me, ms. lakwatersa de primera? ^_^

This was our target. To reach the other end of those rocks.

what's on the other side?

every spot is worth the risk in getting here

From top, this is the view of the shore.

Talipanan Beach, Puerto Galera

Now this is the view after climbing the rocks.

preview

i never imagined I can still be wowed by Puerto Galera

We cant hide our excitement anymore. It's time to take a dip.

very tempting

welcome back to Pinas, my friend
nakahabol ka pa sa summer! Ü

As for me, I decided to jump from the cliff. I thought it wouldnt be scary, but it really was. Takot pala ako mabagok..

ang effort at risky umakyat dito

kinabahan ako i swear! haha!

scary but it was awesome ^_^

We enjoyed this trip as much as we expected. This trip could be cheaper too only if we didn't eat at Luca's all the time. Haha! Thanks Remay for sponsoring our dinner!

Btw, there are no boats from Talipanan back to Batangas Pier. A shuttle picked us up in Talipanan, and drove us to White Beach. And from there, we sailed back to Batangas Pier. It's best to book your tickets a day before you leave Puerto Galera.

credits to Rem's Canon D60 with 18-200mm (na nabagsak ko, sori!) for all my solo shots

Vikings Luxury Buffet Restaurant @ MoA

After 15 months of working in Chicago, my very dear friend Rem finally got back! He ended our friendship when I didnt even see him on the day of his flight. Haha! I know it's my fault. I was in Mt.Pulag or Camiguin last year when he flew to the US. Inaaway na ko ng mga kaibigan ko dahil di na nila ako mahagilap. Sensha na!

Anyway, it's glad to have him back. Since Rem asked me what's new here in Manila, I answered him Vikings. It's very convenient for me because Vikings is only 10 cartwheels away from our office building. But since I have read so many bad feedbacks and negative reviews, I was very hesitant to try Vikings myself as it could be a waste of money.

Vikings Luxury Buffet @ MoA
welcome home my friend

I made a last-minute-reservation and luckily there's a slot. Weekend buffet rate is P888++ per person. The place is new, interior is nice, and the ambiance is relaxed. There's not much people inside too. For the restaurant's location, well, not very strategic. It's a very very long walk from Mall of Asia itself. Facing the bay, it's located in the right most side of San Miguel by the Bay.

Vikings buffet table

Food Porn | Vikings Luxury Buffet @ MoA

appetizers

pasta station
you just need to give your table number, and your pasta will be delivered to you

pizza and calzone
just ok

beef lasagna

it's good, i like it!

sashimi

maki variations
hhmm just ok, nothing fancy

tempura
i never had a hard time getting some, the staff refilled them from time to time

peking duck + dumplings + chinese dishes
never a fan that's why i always skip this selection

grilled items
not fresh to start with. meat are hard to chew. salmon doesn't look appetizing

softdrinks, rootbeer, pale pilsen, and fruit juices

if you want shakes, they can also do it for you

Why I always eat pasta first? Simply because I like it that way. I will lose my appetite if I'll start with the wrong dishes. So better yet, start with my comfort food. I dont care about that how-to-eat-everything-in-a-buffet strategy. They have their own rules, and Ive got mine. Ü

pesto fettuccine + tempura
pesto needs more flavors. bits of meat would be good too.
tempura - alam mo na sagot ko jan (walang tempura na hindi masarap)


spinach soup
surprisingly, i enjoyed it!


chicken salad
Rem liked it

beef lasagna, calzone, and pizza
lasagna is good. pizza is just ok

roast beef
beef is hard to chew. red wine sauce is not really flavorful.
but that creamy broccoli is good

cream dory is too oily. satay is so so. korean beef stew -Rem liked it.


sushi plate
just normal

buttered and grilled shrimp
not that fresh and Ive tasted better versions - pero pwede na

The food may not be outstanding, but we were satisfied enough. I cant really brag it's masarap, but it's not right to say the food was hindi masarap lahat either.

What I valued most was - the waiters are so attentive to refill our drinks. We dont have to stand up and go the juice station. And we even requested for some watermelon and mango shakes - all granted!

dessert galore

white chocolate cake, black forest, revel bar

pana cotta and mousse

chocolate fountain, fruits, and mallows

local favorites

halo-halo, mais con yelo, and saging con yelo

Surprisingly, some of the items are good enough!

crème brûlée and white chocolate cake are yummy


everything yellow


avocado ice cream
creamy

And of course, how can we miss the yogurt station?

sana may ganito sa ofis! hehe

the yogurt is not the best in town, pero pwede!

yogurt with almonds and walnuts - pwedeng pwede!

revel bar and white choco cake are yummy

Overall, it wasn't that bad at all. But again, it's not the best either. The food selection against the price is just right for this kind of buffet. Grilled stuff can be improved. Plus point is the staff. I really felt they are trying to please. IMO, if they could have just dropped that "luxury" branding they made, they would surely receive more compliments. I think people are expecting too much because of this luxury thingy.

And I dont think this could be comparable to some hotel buffets. Sofitel's Spiral, EDSA Shang's HEAT, Dusit Thani's Crossover, and Manila Hotel's Cafe Ilang-Ilang - are wayyy better (but pricier too). That's why you really need to buy discounted vouchers first! ^_^

c3 and I @ Vikings MoA

thanks sa series of treats! ^_^

Vikings Luxury-Buffet Restaurant
Bldg. B, San Miguel by The Bay, Seaside Blvd., SM Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City
Tel. Nos. 846-3888, 846-4888, 846-5888
Buffet rates are P688 for weekday lunch; P888 for weekend lunch; and P888 for dinner (Monday to Sunday).
Kids below 3 feet are free of charge.
Kids between 3 to 4 feet will be charged P388 (for weekend lunch and dinner) or P288 (for weekday lunch).

Btw, I finally updated my Spiral Buffet @Sofitel entry. I added the Club Room experience. And so we thought Sofitel's room is very good for a 5-star hotel experience, well not really.

Club Room @ Sofitel