Beach: Liw-liwa Surfing Beach
Ft. Board Culture Liw-liwa Surf Camp
Location: Sitio Liw-Liwa, San Felipe, Zambales
December 14-15, 2018
Unplanned trips will always have the best result most of the times, and a couple of days before our trip, we decided to go to Liw-Liwa Surfing Beach in Zambales which has been on my list for quite some time. It was an experience I will never forget.
Day One
Jay and I, together with his friends Maine and Kent, met around 10:30a.m at Victory Liner Bus Terminal at Cubao. The bus left at exactly 11:00a.m bound to Iba, Zambales. The town of San Felipe is farther than San Antonio where we always went to because of the coves. We arrived at San Felipe around 4:00p.m where we rode a tricycle going to Sitio Liw-Liwa. We asked the driver to drop us off at Board Culture Liw-Liwa for our accommodation. We did not have a reservation at that time because we went during off-season but I do suggest making a reservation before going to Liw-Liwa because the resorts can be fully booked most of the time. But no worries because there were a lot of spaces for camping where you can just rent a tent or bring your own.
Board Culture Liw-Liwa (BCL), in my opinion, has a modern Filipino kind of vibes where the urban and rural living met. It has artistic surroundings and they identified the nipa huts by alphabet that is written in baybayin. It was the place where we exactly wanted to be in the moment.
The kubo where we stayed was good for four to five persons and has a modern look for a kubo. They have common comfort and shower rooms which were very clean and nice. They also cook food with different varieties of rice meals, pasta, bread and even pancakes. While we waited for our food, we settled our things in our room first and played for a while. There were fun games available also.
After eating, we changed our clothes and set off at the beach where few tourists and locals were swimming and laying on the sand. The sun was already setting down in this moment of time and although it was covered with clouds, it was beautiful at the same time.
We went in the water which was not so deep as it looks from afar. The waves were crashing one after another but the water was warm enough. It was the wind that made us shiver every single time our bodies were above the water. We went back to BCL when it was dark enough for us to be in the sea. Haha.
We ordered our dinner then went for shower because the diner will be closed at 7:00p.m. We played rounds of games while still waiting for the food and had a lot of fun.
While the boys went to shower, Maine and I had a really deep conversation and it was what we both needed at that time. The much-needed girl talk. Haha.
Around 9:00p.m. we went near the beach again and were surprised that the sky was covered with stars because the weather has been cloudy with slight rain the entire day. Also, there has been a meteor shower during that night which I think was called Geminid. With the sound of the waves, the wind, the minimal noise of other tourists, our storytelling and background music while laying on the sand stargazing and the meteor shower, being with friends and my loved one, it was the best night of my 2018.
When it was too cold to stay outside, we went back to our room and called it a night around 12:00a.m.
Day Two
We woke up around 6:00a.m. and although the sunrise was at the other side of the beach, the rays of the sun had done wonders to the sky and sea. There have been tourists at the beach who were taking pictures, sitting at the sand and walking along the shoreline. After we took some photos, we started walking along the expanse of the beach and it was still not enough because we did not reach one end to the other. It was that long.
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Mornings at Liw-Liwa can actually become my norm. The peace and contentment in my heart that day was something I always look forward to whenever I travel.
As the sun wore on, so as our hunger. we walked and looked and we discovered an eatery called Tadhana where we ate our delicious breakfast and took some photos because the place was simply beautiful.
We went back to BCL and asked the staff where we can rent a surf board and hire an instructor. Luckily, they have surfing instructors and surf boards for the activity. Thus, we made our way to the beach once again for our surfing lessons.
It was a one-hour activity and with the frequent waves and heat of the sun, we were tired by the end of it. Liw-Liwa Surfing Beach is indeed a perfect place for surfing lessons and a practice ground for professional surfers aside from the beach of Baler, La Union and Siargao.
After our surfing lesson, we decided to play a round of billiards which eventually turned into five rounds. As a child, my father taught me how to play billiards and I really missed playing it. The four of us played while laughing, bickering and mocking each other the entire time. It was a great one.
The other tourists arrived while we were playing and although we ought to check out at 12:00nn., the staffs let us extend because there has no reservation made to our room at that time. The management of BCL has done a great job with the place and the staffs were accommodating and friendly. I really do recommend the place.
After we checked out, we went to Mommy Phoebe’s eatery for our late lunch. Then, back to reality.
How to get there:
- From Cubao, ride a bus at Victory Liner bound to Iba, Zambales. Make sure to tell the cashier that you will alight at San Felipe because he/she might charge you for the price going to Iba.
- At San Felipe, ride a tricycle near the public market and tell the driver to drop you off at BCL.
Expenses:
- Bus going to San Felipe — P372.00/head
- Tricycle going to Liw-Liwa — P30.00/head
- Environmental Fee — P50.00/head
- Accommodation — P2,500.00/4 pax
- Surfing Instructor & Board — P500.00/head
- Food — P100-150.00/meal/head
Note:
- Make a reservation for your stay especially during the peak season just to be sure.
- For reservations contact Board Culture Liw-Liwa at their website or Facebook page.
- Be friendly with the locals and maintain the place clean.
- Beware of the frogs, Liw-Liwa has been abundant with frogs. Haha
Until next trip!
Meandering Cloud 