Dingalan Trans is the only bus I know that travels to and fro the town of Dingalan and Cabanatuan City (aside from vans). The trip was refreshing, to say the least. It was a 2-hour ride, but there was no boredom. High mountains on each side of the road, plus long ranges of rice fields. The smell of hays and trees combined are so ecstatic, it painted a smile on my face throughout the entire trip. It reminds me of my hometown in Antique. Plus, it was the first time I saw a road being built in the middle of the rice fields. They were literally making one, which amuses me. Now, that’s progress.
At around 1 in the afternoon, I was on another province. Aurora is not as urbanized as the provinces near it, which makes it more attracted to tourists and travelers. Baler is the most famous town in this province, but in Dingalan, the sceneries are also second to none. Lusty green mountains and clear bodies of water, what more can you ask for?
By the way, there are currently no ATMs in this town so you better stack some cash before you drive away from anywhere you are coming from.
The town is laid-back I should say, and peacefulness is where you’ll get.
I stayed in JSC Beach Resort owned and managed by Kuya Joel Carpio Mallari. I was the only guest in there when I arrived so I got the entire room (good for 5 people) for only 800 pesos to myself! It’s a house for rent, for 3000 pesos, with furniture and utensils accessible to everybody in there. You just have to buy the things you needed to survive (like food, obviously). The place has a room for karaoke and it has a rooftop. Fancy, right? It is fully air-conditioned as well, but since it’s cold in there even during the summer, you will not need it, trust me. They also got a big cottage near the beach, which is a few meters away from the house. For those who wants to spend their nights and days there, Kuya Joel can be reach through his Facebook account or his mobile number at: 0975-025-6129. After settling in, I took a nap…err…drop dead asleep.
I woke up at around 5 in the afternoon and Kuya Joel accompanied me to the town proper to buy some food for the night and the morning after, and some souvenirs for the trip as well. I took an early dinner and hurried myself to the beach. That time, I was officially and literally facing the Pacific Ocean.
I went back to the house and stayed at the rooftop. Two wonderful moments from my childhood came back that night. Stargazing while looking over at the beach, with matching crickets buzzing and wind whistling- it was a refreshing moment.
I dragged myself back to my room ‘cos my eyes were sleepy, although my mind was still enjoying the moment. And again, I was dead ’til 5 in the morning.
Shortly thereafter, it’s morning again. Since am staying near the Pacific, I would never miss catching the sunrise, so I immediately headed back to the beach, wait as the radiant sun comes out of the sky to say hi. It was an amazing moment! The reflections it made in the sky and in the ocean is just magnificent!
I then get myself a cup of hot chocolate after witnessing an amazing daily phenomenon in Dingalan. I asked Kuya Joel where to next, and he recommended a mountain resort just few minutes away from his house. Without further ado, I changed clothes and ride my way (via a tricycle) to Maligaya Resort.
Apparently, it was still early in the morning ‘cos I was their first guest in there. Maligaya has a lot of pools and slides, but the best thing for me is the river down the cottages. Man, it was so serene and peaceful that morning. All I can hear was the sound of the water brushing through the stones and the birds chirping on the trees. It was a lovely day, indeed!
I stayed there “til 9 in the morning (I got there at 8 so it was a 2-hour of natural therapy for my soul. I could’ve stay there all day if I can, to be honest. Definitely would go back there sometime.
Since the road uphill does not get a lot of vehicles, I hike my way down to the main road. It was just a 20-minute walk and the beauty you see around makes you forget the heat of the sun and the pain of your legs.
I bid goodbye to Kuya Joel after having a refreshing bath and ride my way back to the town. Caught a brunch at a local carenderia (2 cups of rice, 1 plate of sisig and 1 bowl of nilagang baka) before hopping on the bus going back to Nueva Ecija.
As the bus ride its way down the dirt roads to the concrete ones, I felt refreshed in all ways possible.
(Whew! It took me 5 months to finally post this article. What a lazy head!)
Out of Town presents… Just a Little Bit of Dingalan, Aurora Dingalan Trans is the only bus I know that travels to and fro the town of…
