After several hours of touring under the suns, I was ecstatic when I finally felt some cold air brushed against my skin as our jeepney moved higher up the mountains. Though the rough road was relentlessly bumpy on some sections, the sides of the road were abundant with trees, its rich green hues complemented the sky which was as blue as a lap pool.
Our group comprised of fellow travel bloggers and writers, led by tourism officer ms. Aileen Bareng stopped 10 minutes away from our destination as the road was a little too steep for our vehicle. As we were around an altitude of 2,000 feet, we were rewarded with the views of Verde island passage and other nearby islands.
Owned by a member of the Mangyan-Iraya tribe, Leo Banaag, Da Pirmeda was built with a purpose to share Mangyan culture to others while providing a haven for travelers who want a quiet mountain get-away.
Overnight jungle tours which can cover up to a distance of 37 kilometers can also be arranged for 3,800 Pesos/head as well as survival skills training (500 Pesos/head).
I got pretty excited when Leo brought out a traditional bow and arrow. As a fan of Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games book series, I couldn't help but dream about being a bad ass archer - which I later found out, was a lot harder than I imagined. :P
With Leo teaching us how to use the bow, we took turns hitting our unfortunate target, the trunk of a coconut tree situated near a cliff. I managed to hit the grass close to the tree. While it was a futile attempt, I was pretty happy I got to hold a bow and shoot an arrow.
As I savored the view of the ocean and the thick foliage around me, I made a mental note to come back, swim at the pool and spend a night here for a quiet time and perhaps, try the jungle trail.
Rates :
Entrance fee is at 250 Pesos. The rates are backpacker friendly too - there's huts for 250-450 Pesos/night which can be shared by 2-3 persons.
One of my companions on this trip, sir Amadis Ma. Guerrero also wrote a very helpful article on Da Pirmeda. Read about it via Inquirer.
How to get to Da Pirmeda? You can bike, hike (it's a steep, hour hike) or hire a jeep from the city center. Resort's contact details below.
Da Pirmeda
Brgy. Baclayan, Puerto Galera
Contact Information :
Leo Banaag - +63 0920-669-2668 (Mobile)
Aileen Barang (Puerto Galera Tourism Officer) - aileenbarangtourismoffice@gmail.com
Tourism Information Center at +63 043-287-3051 (Landline) or +63 0927-901-2318 (Mobile)
How to Get to Puerto Galera? Visit PuertoGalera.Net
Related Post :
Check out our visit to a Mangyan Village in Talipanan
Curious about archery but no time to travel to far? Check out my post on Kodanda Archery Range in Makati! Click here.:)
Our group comprised of fellow travel bloggers and writers, led by tourism officer ms. Aileen Bareng stopped 10 minutes away from our destination as the road was a little too steep for our vehicle. As we were around an altitude of 2,000 feet, we were rewarded with the views of Verde island passage and other nearby islands.
Owned by a member of the Mangyan-Iraya tribe, Leo Banaag, Da Pirmeda was built with a purpose to share Mangyan culture to others while providing a haven for travelers who want a quiet mountain get-away.
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| Near the entrance, you can find a map of the place, its amenities and activities you can try |
There are two pools with cool water running continously from the mountains. Fellow bloggers were quick to reference Singapore's Merlion at the sight of the water shooting from the pipe perched on a tree branch. With its clear inviting waters, I regretted not having extra clothes so I could take a quick dip.
Overnight jungle tours which can cover up to a distance of 37 kilometers can also be arranged for 3,800 Pesos/head as well as survival skills training (500 Pesos/head).
I got pretty excited when Leo brought out a traditional bow and arrow. As a fan of Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games book series, I couldn't help but dream about being a bad ass archer - which I later found out, was a lot harder than I imagined. :P
With Leo teaching us how to use the bow, we took turns hitting our unfortunate target, the trunk of a coconut tree situated near a cliff. I managed to hit the grass close to the tree. While it was a futile attempt, I was pretty happy I got to hold a bow and shoot an arrow.
As I savored the view of the ocean and the thick foliage around me, I made a mental note to come back, swim at the pool and spend a night here for a quiet time and perhaps, try the jungle trail.
Rates :
Entrance fee is at 250 Pesos. The rates are backpacker friendly too - there's huts for 250-450 Pesos/night which can be shared by 2-3 persons.
One of my companions on this trip, sir Amadis Ma. Guerrero also wrote a very helpful article on Da Pirmeda. Read about it via Inquirer.
How to get to Da Pirmeda? You can bike, hike (it's a steep, hour hike) or hire a jeep from the city center. Resort's contact details below.
Da Pirmeda
Brgy. Baclayan, Puerto Galera
Contact Information :
Leo Banaag - +63 0920-669-2668 (Mobile)
Aileen Barang (Puerto Galera Tourism Officer) - aileenbarangtourismoffice@gmail.com
Tourism Information Center at +63 043-287-3051 (Landline) or +63 0927-901-2318 (Mobile)
How to Get to Puerto Galera? Visit PuertoGalera.Net
Check out our visit to a Mangyan Village in Talipanan
Curious about archery but no time to travel to far? Check out my post on Kodanda Archery Range in Makati! Click here.:)