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| You can go surfing or simply enjoy the view at Liwliwa. |
Liwliwa is only a three-hour drive from Manila if you travel during the wee hours of the night, which I usually do if I have a hearing at Iba, Zambales, and four hours if you travel by day.
If you travel by day and you get hungry mid-trip, try the following restaurants in Subic Freeport: Xtremely Xpresso, Texas Joe's, and Meat Plus Cafe. If you travel by night, you have very few choices except the fastfood chains in Subic Freeport, Olongapo and Subic Town.
You may also ride a Victory Liner bus headed to Iba, Zambales if you don't have a car or prefer not bringing one. Tell the bus conductor to drop you off at the municipal hall of San Felipe and tell the tricycle driver to take you to Sitio Liwliwa. You'll know you're near Liwliwa if the paved road is replaced by sand and you see pine trees all around you.
There are many resorts to choose from in Liwliwa including Circle Hostel, Kapitan's Liwa, and Board Culture, to name a few. Do contact them beforehand through their respective websites and facebook pages to ensure that you will have a room to stay in once you arrive. If you're the adventurous type, you may opt to rent a tent and pay a minimal pitching fee in any of the aforementioned resorts. As for me, I prefer staying in Kapitan's Liwa because of the spacious feel of the rooms and the resort, in general.
Once you've settled in and rested for a while, it's time to eat at Mommy Phoebe's canteen! Try their bagnet, adobo flakes, and longsilog. For drinks, try their choco banana, mango banana, and french press coffee. The food and drinks here are very reasonably priced, including local beers which can be had for as low as P35! Mommy Phoebe's canteen is also a one-stop shop of sorts where you can buy rash guards, board shorts, leashes, sunglasses, sun screen, towels, chips, bottled water, toothpaste, tissue, shampoo, hard liquor, wine, etc. She also rents out surf and skim boards and offers surf lessons for beginners. Last time I was there, surf board rentals was at P200/hour and P800 for the whole day. Surf lessons range from P250 to P350/hour which already includes leash and surf board rental.
Don't forget to put sun block before heading to the beach. It would be best to use Zinka sunblock and nosecoat. Most surfers use it and for good reason: it effectively prevents sun burn even after prolonged sun exposure! It's usually available at Mommy Phoebe's canteen.
Unlike other surf spots in the Philippines like Baler, La Union, and Siargao, Liwliwa is still relatively unknown to most surfers and tourists alike and, thus, the lineup is usually not crowded and the whole stretch of beach is yours for the taking! Aside from surfing, you can also go skimboarding, riding an ATV, playing football or simply hanging out at the beach. If you want to learn how to skim board, look for instructors from Jaromanoy Skimboards. One of the members of this group, Roderick "Manoy" Bazar, is a world-class skimboarder who has won many international competitions.
If you get tired and hungry, simply go back to Mommy Phoebe's canteen for a post-surf/skim snack and beer! But don't lounge around too long as you may miss one of the highlights of your trip: the picturesque sunset at the West Philippine Sea. Bring your favorite beer or drink to enhance this magical experience!
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| The sunset at Liwliwa is simply magical and captivating. |
After dinner, rest a little bit and socialize with the local community. Do ask around if there are scheduled bonfires that night (Circle Hostel usually hosts bonfires during weekends). If there are none, you can ask Mommy Phoebe to setup a bonfire for you and your friends. Don't forget to bring lots of drinks, chips and pulutan to complete your bonfire experience. Once the bonfire is lit, lie down in the sand, go stargazing (in case the night sky is clear) and simply revel in the moment!
