The Hundred Islands National Park

By Author: Kat March
Total Articles: 10
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One of the most famous outdoor travel destination in the Philippines, the Hundred Islands National Park offers a unique experience to visitors, local and foreign alike. The place is celebrated not only for its panoramic beauty and pleasant ambience but also for its scientific significance, as determined by the National Committee on Geographical Sciences. Nestled in Alaminos City, right in the province of Pangasinan, this awesome collection of small islands is also the first national park in the country.

Island-hopping in the area allows you to explore lots of hidden caves, coves and coral reefs, which serve as home to a limitless number of sea creatures. Indeed, Hundred Islands is a place of beauty and discovery. In your snorkeling trips, don't miss the Giant Clams, known to the locals as Taklobos. These incredible clams measure at one meter in length and weigh about 225 kilograms. The creatures are only a part of the charm of the islands as the place's natural beauty is a cradle to a wide variety of rich marine life.

The Hundred Islands is composed of 124 islands peacefully spread over the Lingayen Gulf and covering ...
... a total land area of 1,884 hectares. Of these islands, only three are fully developed as travel destinations for tourists. These are Quezon, Governor and Children's Islands. Among the three, only the Governor's Island provides a guesthouse that is relatively well-provided for. Visitors can stay overnight in the guesthouse, which is composed of 2 bedrooms, a living room and a dining room. The place is also equipped with generator lighting and other implements ideal for visiting families or large groups.

Quezon Island, the biggest among the island attractions, is named after the late Philippine President Manuel Quezon who proclaimed the entire group of islands as a National Park on Jan. 18, 1940. Here, picnic tables are provided for visitors in the pavilion. Cooking your own food is allowed in the island, although there's a store located here where anyone can choose to buy some food and drinks. As it is considered to have the most swimming-friendly waters in the area, Quezon Island is usually crowded with visitors so consider yourself warned - you may have to wait for your turn to use any of the picnic tables. Aside from picnicking in the area, visitors can go snorkeling as well as kayaking (at 250 pesos per ride).

Children's Island is said to be named as such because of its shallow waters. Ideal for travelers on a budget, the place offers nipa huts for overnight accommodations. Since there is no electricity or generator available, visitors will have to make do with kerosene lighting, which only increases the excitement of staying in such far-flung place. For cooking and dining, common areas are provided for these purposes, as well as for toilet and bath.

Now, how to get there? There are no airports in the province and the nearest is in Manila, the country's capital. So from there, visitors can take a bus ride going to the city of Alaminos, which would take about five hours - plenty of time to prepare one's self for the wonders of Hundred Islands National Park. From Alaminos, a tricycle ride can take you to Barangay Lucap, which is about 3 kilometers away from the city. It serves as the main accommodation and information center for the area. From there, visitors can hire boats to reach the islands.

TripSiders is your travel guide to a fun-filled, adventurous outdoor travel in Philippines. We feature Philippine destinations that make your visit to local places more than the ordinary tourist experience. We want you to experience the beauty of Philippines by being with nature.