Temperature in Manila? A scourging 40 degrees Celsius.
The Philippines is known for so many beautiful beaches, but some take a lot of time and money to get too. And being the busy person I am, weekends are all I usually have to make the most out of getting around.
So.... where to go?
About 2 hours away from Antipolo located in Infanta Quezon province, there are lines of beach resorts for quick summer getaways.
THE PARK, The Pacific Recreation Park
A well known campsite thats perfect for surfer enthusiasts
Entrance was really cheap.
Though we didn't try surfing or skim boarding, the price for an instructor is php300 per hour per person. The surf boards are 200/hr or 500/half day.
Upon arrival we were accommodated right away by the owner. He showed us our options for camping or nipa huts and gave us a short background about the resort. The Park is a good place for overnight camping as it is clean, spacious, complete with everything you need and affordable. The beach is located some distance from the campsite so you don't have to worry about high tides coming in while sleeping at night.
There location on the beach is exactly where the river meets the ocean, so you have a choice of swimming in salt water or fresh water.
Anyway lets start with the campsite.
For day trips I suggest you get a nipa hut. Tents are fun yes but they are not on the beach and its just more spacious in a hut.
These cost 400/day 600/night
These however, are the bigger ones that cost 700/day 900/night
We were a pack of 10 so we opted for the smaller ones.
The tents
Most tents are rented from the Park. Prices mentioned above.
The family in front of us really went all out. They brought their own tent and even had solar panels for fans and whatever else was inside their tent. They've obviously been camping several times.
They have several grilling places so I would suggest you bring your own food to grill. There's a market about 5 minutes away from the place where you can get fresh seafood for a really low price.
Like seriously this monster squid was only php 70/kilo.
I forgot to take pictures at the market but price ranges were very low. Monster shrimp were about 450/kilo, where in Manila it would be like 800/kilo.
Anyway, we brought our own food. I was prepared.
Hello 6 kilos of liempo
There is a sari sari store inside the resort that actually sells meals. So if you're commuting and don't want to bring anything you can just buy from them. They are a little over priced, but for the convenience it is expected.
Open sinks for washing everything
Despite already having many trees, they did a pretty good job at shading the area. It was a hot day but didn't really feel that hot.
Surf Boards!
Outdoor showers
They had a skating ramp
The Beach
It's about a 3 minute walk from the camp to get to the beach. Now Infanta Queon isn't known for white sand, but more for their waves. Surfers who don't want to travel far for their leisure usually come here.
The water was clear and just relaxing to watch
Where the river meets the Ocean
The water isn't deep. like you'd be a kilometer out into the water and still be at your waist. But it was wavy so I didn't want my kids out of my site.
Most parts of the beach were sand, but others were really rocky. Like unbearable rocky for barefoot swimmers. I highly recommend bringing aqua shoes if you want to enjoy the beach. My friend tried using her flip flops but the current carried one away lol.
My son on the river shore
To get to the more sandy beach, you have to cross the river. There still is a current so we had to hold on to the kids.
Trying to run on rocks.
When we finally got to the other beach, are feet felt like haven. So soft and no rocks on the beach.
Usually you wait for the sunset when at a beach, but unfortunately their location is for the sunrise. Mostly why campers stay over night and wait for the sun to come up the next morning.
The river
Overall, our trip to Real Quezon was very explicit. The Park is a very safe, neat and cozy place for families and groups. Prices are low making it even better.
So if you're looking for a beach close to Manila, try out Real Quezon.
Surfs up!
