Our Favorite Road Trip Destinations
Most of us are reminiscing our travel experiences because of this current pandemic we’re in right now. Traveling makes us excited, it energizes us and takes away our stress which in return gives us renewed energy to face our usual life once we go back home.
While there are different forms of traveling, our favorite next to flying is a road trip because road trips form bonds and memories. Many things happen from preparations before the trip and even until it ends. All that is worth remembering, which we can talk and laugh about when we get together with our travel buddies. So, we would like to share with you some of our favorite road trip destinations.
Baguio
Baguio is the Philippines’ summer capital because people flock here during summer to experience the cool breeze and cold climate. With the construction of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX), it reduced the travel time from Manila to Baguio to approximately 3 hours only which made it even easier to travel to. We never got tired of going to Baguio throughout all these years because of its cold climate and the abundance of pine trees which adds to its character. What made Baguio even more unique is the lifestyle of the locals and the rich history it has. It is the perfect staycation destination for everyone.
Driving to Baguio is also a fun experience. From Metro Manila, you’ll be taking on kilometers and kilometers of expressway showing different views of the provinces, then there’s the zigzag roads of Marcos Highway and Kennon Road which are quite exciting to drive on.
Bataan
The province of Bataan is part of Region III Central Luzon. It is just two and a half hours away from Manila via the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX). This coastal province is probably the Philippine’s most historic place for what happened here during World War II. Bataan has beautiful hills and mountains, great coast, and some beautiful dark fine sand beaches which helps in their tourism. Plus, this historic province also has local products like Tinapa and mangoes that are export quality.
Bataan also has one of the best driving roads, offering wide provincial highways and slight uphill and downhill roads. Driving here is a must for anyone who’d like to feel what their car is capable of, while following road laws of course.
Batangas
A go to place for spontaneous and last minute beach outings because of its proximity to the nation’s capital, Batangas is one of the beautiful gems in South Luzon. For those looking for adventure and nature experiences, Batangas is the perfect place to be in. It has many mountains for hiking and lots of rocky to fine white sand beaches perfect for beach bums. There are also a number of spots where there are many colorful corals and underwater species making it perfect for snorkeling and diving. In addition, this place also has many churches, and has many famous food and food products like Batangas Lomi and Kapeng Barako to name a few.
Driving to Batangas is as simple as taking the South Luzon Expressway. If you’re going west to towns like Nasugbu and Calatagan, you’ll be passing by Tagaytay City and its awesome view of the Taal Lake and volcano.
Cebu
Cebu or the Queen City of the South is one of very beautiful places not just in Visayas but also to the whole Philippines. It has a perfect mix of urban and rural that you don’t need to leave the province anymore considering that everything one needs is already there. Their city is one of the busiest in the Philippines and has the most beautiful airport locally. Moreover, Whaleshark watching, canyoneering, beaches, and food are just some of the endless things that Cebu can offer. It will need a full travel blog article that is dedicated to Cebu alone just to feature everything.
Driving inside Cebu City may be a bit tiring thanks to Metro Manila-like traffic. Once you get out of the city, roads will clear up and now you have one of the most open roads and highways you’ll drive on. Just be wary of those pedicabs which are pretty slow and basically are invisible at night.
Mati City
For those who don’t know, Mati or Mati City is the capital of Davao Oriental in the Davao Region. It is a four to five hour ride from Davao City. This place is popular to Davaoenos because of the beautiful Dahican beach which they frequent for an outing. Even though the town seems quiet, it has resorts along the beach and even has a trekking or hiking site called the Sleeping Dinosaur. Overall, this is a place where you can go to unwind and just breathe with nature.
Driving to Mati from Davao City offers lots of straight highway stretch, slowing down only at the few towns along the way. Then there’s the zigzag portions as you near the beach city.
Negros Oriental
Negros Oriental is located in Central Visayas and its capital is Dumaguete City. Dumaguete is a very charming coastal town that has a beautiful bay with numerous restaurants along the boulevard. Their food and delicacies are very tasty and delicious. The town is generally peaceful and it projects a feeling of safety, simplicity and happiness when you’re there. And if you’re looking for fine white sand beaches, just travel North or South for a few hours and you’ll find their amazing sites and clear blue waters just like the Manjuyod Sandbar and Apo Island to name a few. No wonder why foreigners choose to retire in this city.
As with most places, roads here are also great for road trips. The farther you get from Dumaguete City, the clearer the streets are and the faster you can go. As you near the southern town of Siaton, you’ll even get a beautiful panoramic view of the strait between Negros Island and Mindanao.
Palawan
Also known as Philippines’ Last Frontier, Palawan is definitely the paradise that we’re dreaming of. The island’s rich biodiversity and the virgin forests are what’s keeping it raw and beautiful. Two most famous towns in Palawan are El Nido and Coron, but aside from these, other local towns are slowly emerging as a destination like San Vicente. Tourists, local or foreign, visit this island all year round to enjoy the island hopping activities, views and turquoise waters. Once you’ve been here, you’ll keep coming back for more.
Palawan is a haven for foreigners. Most people who want to drive here usually go with renting motorbikes or scooters which should be a fun experience. If you want to drive a car, the twists and turns will definitely be a fun experience. The roads are also very much clear from traffic. Just be aware that dogs may occasionally may suddenly appear out of nowhere.
Sagada
This probably is the best road trip destination because the way itself going to Sagada is already such a sight to behold. Sagada is a municipality of the Mountain Province in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and it is eight to nine hours away from Manila with a private vehicle. This small quiet mountain town is so simple yet has a character and has lots of things to offer to its people. The cool climate, delicious healthy food, beautiful caves and breathtaking views are all worth the long travel. This place is a true definition of tranquility and simplicity along with the friendliness and welcoming traits of its people.
The drive going to Sagada (via Baguio) from Manila is also our favorite. Best to start early in the morning to get amazing views that you won’t get anywhere else while
taking the twists and turns of Halsema Highway. As a responsible driver, keep your eyes on the road. You’ll still surely get snippets of the amazing views if you keep your eyes on the road anyway.
Subic Bay
Subic Bay, the namesake of a town in the southern part of Zambales Province, is very popular as it was once the US Navy’s naval base. People go to Subic because of the different beaches and resorts it offers, just a short drive from where most of its patrons come from.
Just 30 minutes from Clark, Pampanga, the drive to Subic via the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway is nothing but great. Smooth roads, great views of the mountain ranges of Zambales and Bataan, and the big temptation of going over the speed limit. Do take note that they strictly enforce the speed limit here so just enjoy the view ahead of you.
Tagaytay
Almost everyone has been to Tagaytay, I’d like to think so. This is the nearest place to unwind with its cold weather just one and a half hours away south of Manila. A lot of restaurants have sprawled on both sides of the highway of Tagaytay as tourism grows every year. Many restaurants here have a nice view of the Taal Lake, which is what people are after other than the cool weather.
Everyone is most likely familiar with the drive to Tagaytay. Without the heavy weekend traffic, it will definitely be fun driving up to the city with your friends and family. There was even a time when your car’s ability to drive uphill to the city was proof of its capabilities.
