Nothing But Positive Vibes - Circle Hostel : San Felipe, Zambales


I'm in love with mountains and  treading uneven terrains but once in a while, I venture into the deep blue sea to wallow in its waters, bask in the sand and build packed sand balls to throw at unsuspecting pals. :P  

Last weekend, Gay (Pinay Travel Junkie) and I had an intimate college reunionwith another friend from college, Joey who demanded a beach getaway for his birthday. Joining our adventure was Dong Ho of Eskapo, an old friend from  two years back. 

Since everyone was busy with something, we were only able to allot one day for our trip. We took the 2AM bus to Olongapo from the Victory Liner Pasay and got to Zambales after eating and laughing over breakfast   at around 9AM.

Our destination was Sitio Liw-Liwa in San Felipe, Zambales.   This place is known as a surfer's haven. It's not ideal for frolickers like me who prefer to swim or go under in search of seaweeds and adorable water creatures but what particularly drew us to this place was Circle Hostel

Circle Hostel opened late November 2010 and is fast becoming a favorite among surfers who are looking for a unique and cheap accommodation. For a day trip, we only paid 150 Pesos each, which  included access to the  common area. It's a  hut where air flows freely and where guests can lie down on hammocks strapped to the posts. Here, you can also meet other visitors or choose to ignore them - whichever you prefer. People who choose to stay here seem to exude a carefree and accepting spirit so you can be just you. 


We spent a considerable portion of our time, talking, sleeping and munching on junk food. 

Another reason to visit the place is to check-out the art on its walls. I love the positive messages and the happy colors painted all over the hostel. They also have brushes and paint which you can borrow. 


Naturally, I couldn't resist borrowing the paint even if my art skills - if it can be called as such is still the same as it was back when I was still in grade school :P. Here's what Dom and I did on the walls. It's pre-school inspired. Haha! (We didn't do the green paint, just the yellow and blue). 


Of course, we  had to check out the beach where we played over and under the feisty waves which were strong enough to bring us back to shore. Surfing lessons were outside our budget and it's not really our thing so we skipped that part.  I wanted to venture farther to the area past the relentless waves but as I had several water accidents in the past and did not see any lifeguards, I opted to stay close to shore. :p

                                                      Video taken by Gay

The relaxing vibe at Sitio Liw-Liwa tempted us to stay behind and abandon the hectic lives we left in the city but our responsible side prevailed and we  headed back home close to sunset.   


Travel Information : 
The Circle Hostel FB Page- for rates, bookings and other inquiries, check out their Facebook Page.


You can also check out this travel guide from Pinoy Adventurista. 
*Thanks  Mervin for sharing some very helpful info. on your blog! :) 


Belated Happy birthday Joey! 


Past adventures

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