Kwebang Lampas, Puting Buhangin Overnight

It was already 12 midnight when our office’s Christmas party finished. Straight from BGC, Taguig, I rushed to Araneta Center, Bus Terminal, Cubao and there I met my travel buddy. Unfortunately, there were no buses in the terminal, so we decided to walk finding buses that has a “Lucena” signage. I was digging my memory lane so hard because I know there was a certain bus company that goes to Lucena from Cubao. If I was not wrong, they were situated along Kamuning or Kamias, and then we just walked until we reached the Q-Mart foot bridge. Thank goodness, there we found the Lucena Bus Lines. The ordinary bus has transformed into an airconditioned one as the cold wind strongly blew inside the bus. But this experience is cool as I was able to witness the transition of the dawn to sunrise while having a cold encounter with the wind inside the bus. It was only 5:30 in the morning when we reached the Grand Terminal. I was surprised that there were also van terminals that were bound to the southern part of the province. The jeepney drivers said that it was early for us to catch jeepneys bound for Pagbilao. It took us long waiting for the right jeep, not until 6:30, finally! We saw a jeep with a “Pagbilao” signage. After that, we rode another jeep that goes to Polo and this jeep will only leave when it is already full. In Polo, we’ve spotted tricycles. Along our way, we saw a mining facility and sad to say, the mountain beside it was already quarried; only half of it has remained. The tricycle ride was about 20 minutes going to the lake. We saved the tricycle driver’s number just in case we need transportation the next day. In the lake, there was a mini-motor banca docked. We crossed the lake that leads to the sea.

Our stay at the beach

Since we went there weekend, the crowd was jam-packed. During the daylight, we were challenged to secure ourselves in the shade as the afternoon sun was facing before our campsite. The water was clear that you can also see swimming fish below, while the sand is a combination of fine and course in its beige color. You may spot the sun down on the cave area. In the night time, we could hear the noise of the partying campers, and honestly, I didn’t manage to sleep. Instead, I placed my sleeping mat outside and I hoisted my monopod in the sands so that I can leave it stable during the long exposures photography. We just went there for the Orionids meteor shower and thankfully, I caught a few. The weather was sort of cloudy that some of the images were vague. While our eyes and thoughts were soaring high, we saw an “airplane” in an extreme altitude and it appeared too tiny that we struggled to follow its trail. Our curiosity has led us to realize that it was not an ordinary “airplane” because the “thing” hovered the sky west to east alternately in its fast pace. The morning came and my head is still aching because I lacked sleep. Yes, comfort room was available but I didn’t know. There is always in my mind (during my outing) that makes me skip using shampoo and soap—final shower. So we went home “fresh from the sea”. My phone has already died, so we didn’t have our contact tricycle driver, but luckily (or just normally) there were tricycles parked from the place (nearby lake). Someone offered his ride for Php 150.

December 12, 2015
2:15AM – 5:30AM Cubao to Lucena Grand Terminal Php 180 – 220
6:30AM – 6:45AM from Lucena Grand Terminal to Pagbilao Php 12 (jeep)
7:20AM – 8:30AM from Pagbilao to Brgy. Polo (jeep) Php 35
8:40AM – 9:05AM Brgy. Polo to Kwebang Lampas (tricycle) Php 150
9:10AM – 9:20AM mini motor-boat Php 20
9:25AM – 9:40AM walk going to Puting buhangin
December 13, 2015
8:00AM – 8:10AM mini motor-boat to cross the lake
8:10AM – 8:40AM tricycle going to hi-way Php 150
8:40AM – 9:30AM jeep to Pagbilao Php 35
9:30AM – 9:40AM jeep to Lucena Grand Terminal Php 8
9:40AM – 11:00AM Lunch/buy goods
11:00AM – 1:30PM going home (QC) Php 220
Entrance fee:
Php 80/day
Php 160/overnight
Php 50 per water gallon.