STI Colleges Lipa

Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management

Travel Writing and Photography

Reinald Zach Ramos

BSTM 3.2A

Laboratory Exercise: Travel Writing

Article: Roundups and “Best of” lists

Target Audience: Adventure seekers, Group travelers, Single Individuals, Solo Travelers,
Lovers/Partners, Newlyweds

Topic: Discovering Baler, Aurora

Aurora Province, located between the Pacific Ocean and the Sierra Madre Mountain
Range, is known for its windswept beauty, which has long attracted those seeking a close
relationship with nature. While surfing is the main attraction, the town has seen a surge in
tourism in recent years, resulting in a new wave of lodgings, restaurants, and tourism services.
There’s more to see and do in this laid-back beach town these days! Baler’s main attraction is
without a doubt surfing.After all, the coastal town isn’t called the “Birthplace of Philippine
Surfing” for nothing. The Pacific Ocean’s rideable waves reach a height of 2.7 meters. After the
production crew of Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now (which filmed Vietnam scenes in
the Philippines) left their surfboards behind, locals took up the sport in the late 1970s.

Sabang Beach’s sandy breakers, which run along to the town center, make it an ideal
location for learning the sport. Nalu Surf Camp, which is just along this stretch, offers surf
lessons for PHP 350 per hour, which includes a licensed teacher and surfboard rental, as well
as a free photo and a free bottle of beer. The reef breakers around Cemento Beach, such as the
one in front of Cobra Reef Resort, are ideal for more experienced surfers.

Hike to Ditumabo Falls, a 50-meter-tall waterfall tumbling into a catch basin, to take a
break from surfing. The tourist attraction is called “Mother Falls” because of its majesty and is
located in the neighboring municipality of San Luis, 30 minutes drive from Baler town. Walking
along a boulder-strewn river, tracking the gigantic pipe and concrete dike of a hydroelectric
plant, you may reach the main falls in 30 minutes.

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 Baler is a little town, yet its few heritage monuments are steeped in history. The best
attractions are all within walking distance of one another, making for a simple DIY walking tour.
Begin at the San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Church (Baler Church), a little Roman Catholic church
built of stone in 1611 and renovated in 1939. The original church was the scene of the Siege of
Baler, when the Spanish empire’s final forces encamped there for 11 months, long after the
Philippine revolutionary government declared independence from Spanish authority.

The Doña Aurora Aragon-Quezon Ancestral House, which is a copy of the original nipa
house where President Manuel Quezon’s wife was born, is located in front of the church. She
was well-known for her humanitarian efforts and as the first Chairperson of the Philippine
National Red Cross. She was killed by communist guerrillas in an ambush while on her way to
open a hospital in Baler. Aurora is the name of the province that bears her name. Finish your
journey to Museo de Baler, a brick-walled museum filled with artifacts from the town’s past.

The Pacific Ocean batters Aurora’s coastline, sculpting a rough landscape. The coastline
is sometimes compared to the scenic places found in Batanes. Seasta Beach Resort & Lodging,
located next to Baler Fish Port, offers scenic boat rides along the dramatic coastline east of
town, passing by the Dimadimalangat Rock Formations, Anyao Islets, and finally the remote
white-sand beach of Dicasalarin Cove, which is guarded by small white-painted lighthouses and
a weather station. For groups of 7 to 15 people, boat cruises cost PHP 850 per person, which
includes onboard wifi, snacks and bottled water, as well as snorkeling equipment.

Buoyancy Water Sports, also headquartered at the Baler Fish harbor, can organize
thrilling rides on speedboat-towed inflatables such as the UFO, Banana Boat, and Flying Fish if
a boat trip isn’t your thing. The cost of a ride varies between PHP 250 and PHP 350 per person,
with different minimum and maximum capacity requirements depending on the ride.

Now it’s time for dessert! Chocolate lovers might visit Mumunsi Chocolate Café to satiate
their sweet cravings with chocolate delights prepared with Aurora province cacao beans. They
serve savory items such pastas and salads with tablea (chocolate tablets) or cacao nibs, as well
as traditional tsokolate or hot chocolate drink frothed with a batirol (wooden whisk). Mumunsi
also sells its own line of bean-to-bar chocolates, which come in dark and milk flavors. At their
small on-site factory, visitors may watch how these chocolates are manufactured.

Explore the dramatic, often strange artworks of a prominent Baler-born visual artist at his
eponymous art museum, the Vincent Gonzales Art Museum, which is located 5 kilometers
before entering Baler district. His sculptures are inspired by his own experiences, indigenous

Travel Writing and Photography

cultures, and the harsh landscape of his hometown, and he has displayed his work
internationally around Asia and Europe.

Pacita's Pasalubong, the go-to shop for souvenirs, sweets, and their famed Great
Harvest brand of handcrafted creamy peanut butter (PHP 200 for a 500 gram jar), is a must-see
in Baler. Their atsara (papaya relish) and coco jam are very popular.

Travel Writing and Photography