Last September 8-9, 2016, the EATgetaway team went to a Baler, Aurora. We got there in style. We didn’t take the bus, we rode motor bikes to and fro Manila for 6 hours. Riding the bus to Baler is no thrill. It was my first time to ride big motor bikes but I accepted the challenge. Travel Concierge Philippines introduced Ride Along Motorcycle Tours. They are the first to offer motorcycle tours in the Philippines. And these bikes are not the typical bikes you see in the villages. It’s Harley Davidson. Some of the motor bikes is even older than most of the riders. It’s what made the motor bikes more special.
“It’s not about the destination, it’s about the ride,” says Mr. Pat Favoreal CEO of Travel Concierge. When you experience it first hand, you will agree. You can appreciate the beauty of nature better when you ride the motorcycle. The feeling of the wind hitting your face, the adrenaline rush of riding the motor bikes, the twisties of the road, those what makes the ride special and fun compared to just riding the bus. Although they say it’s not about the destination, in my case, our destination was also great. Other than Baler, Ride Along Motorcycle Tours currently offer trips to Tagaytay, Zambales, Batangas, and Baguio. I highly recommend Baler because the road to Baler is full of twisties which made it more exciting.
Day 1
The Ride Along Motorcycle Team’s van picked me up near my area, Boni EDSA at 4AM in the morning. At around 5:45 am, we met at Shell NLEX Station in Bulacan for the pre-ride briefing. We had a very short introduction of the riders then we geared up. The ride was fun and smooth. As we rode along NLEX and SCTEX, the speed were around 140-160 kph. Talk about adventure. As someone who loves adventure and thrill, that 160 kph ride was so fun! We had around 2-3 rest stops for some coffee and light breakfast. At around 12:30nn, we had our lunch. We ate at the karinderya across the Donya Aurora House, just near the Baler town landmark. Finally, we arrived at the Old Parola Beach Resort at 1:30 P.M. We stayed in Old Parola Beach Resort. It’s right next to the shore of Sabang Beach. It offers a provincial and relaxing feel. The rooms are air-conditoned nipa huts. It’s perfect for those who want to take a break from the modern cities. We were able to rest in our own rooms before we started hitting the beach. We explored the beach at 4:00 PM and started surfing at 4:30 PM since Baler is a popular surfing spot. It was my first time to surf! It was so fun, I was able to do it in my first try! I didn’t expect that I will enjoy surfing that much. Freedom Surf School taught be how to surf. The best part is, Freedom Surf School invited me to join their beginners cup when the surfing season starts!
After surfing the beach, we had our dinner in Old Parola, and finally got to rest to prepare for ride back to Manila.
Day 2
For our day 2, we had our breakfast at 7:00 AM. We were able to tour around Baler until 10:00 AM. We visited the famous Balete tree, which is the biggest Balete tree in Asia. It is around 600 years old, with a height of 65m and a crown diameter of 60m. After visiting the Balete tree, we went to buy our pasalubong then headed back to Old Parola to pack up. We big our farewell to Old Parola at around 10:30 AM and hitting the road again for another 6 hours motor ride going back to Manila. Now, I can proudly say, “I survived the trip to Baler through Ride Along Motorcycle Tours.”
The ride was exhausting but it was worth it. Having an awesome destination was just a bonus. I had so much fun, I cannot wait to ride again! If you would like to join as a rider or as a joiner, you may visit their website travelconcierge.com.ph of follow them on Facebook for more inquiries, https://www.facebook.com/travelconciergephilippines.
Published Rates and Itinerary:
