Bolinao Things to Do

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There are actually three caves in Patar but we decided to visit the enchanted cave because of it's name hahaha! According to the locals, it is the largest cave among the three so it was a great choice.

We enjoyed the cold water from the underground pool especially after being under the sun for quite sometime. What you may not enjoy is how the cave could get crowded with tourist during peak season.

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When in Bolinao it is a must to visit Cape Bolinao light house! It is located at Brgy. Patar on your way to Patar beach. You could see the view of the beach and it's sorrounding coconut plantations below. The only down side here is, you cannot actually climb the light house you're only get to experience it from below.

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I've always wanted to see for myself the beautiful architectural treasure of Bolinao, the St. James The Great Parish a.k.a. Bolinao Church. I've seen pictures of period-inspired weddings held there, so I was excited to see its massive facade, intricate retablos and belfry.

Backgrounder: St. James The Great Parish recently celebrated its 400th year.
Although it was canonically erected by the Augustinian Friars in 1609, the church was actually entrusted earlier by the Spanish Government to the Dominican Friars in 1594. However, due to lack of missionaries to man their mission territories, the Dominicans left Bolinao in 1607.

When we got to the church, we were shocked by its present condition. The recent super typhoon Emong damaged the structure. Although the facade and belfry were still standing, the roof and ceiling were totally destroyed, rendering the church roofless! The floors were wet with accumulated water on some portions. (I will be posting photos and video on this.)

The architectural beauty of Bolinao Church can still be gleaned from its massive facade and the retablos which survived despite the ravaging typhoon. Repair jobs on the roof and ceiling are ongoing and restoration of church interior will follow.

The second most highest light house in the Philippines built by the Americans in 1905.The lighthouse provides a panoramic view of a portion of the Cape Bolinao Dendro Thermal Ipil-Ipil Plantation on a land area where archaeological excavations have revealed relics from the 14th to the 15th centuries. You can enjoy the blue water of South china sea and the Lingayen Gulf. This Place is a must see place for those who are craving for a nice photo background.

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Another unspoiled beach of Pangasinan. One will actually have a long dusty journey to reach this place for it is located on the farthest part of Bolinao (cape). But for me it's a real adventure . A real traveler must not always whine if something goes wrong along his way. For me, to experience something different from my real world is fun.
It is a public beach so don't expect amenities or lots of water activities. You can just roll on the beach, swim or sing with the videoke located on a store there.The sand is not really that white. It's cream in my vision. There are cottages with bamboo bench you can rent. Bring all the things you needed so you won't have any problem going back to the dusty road to find some store (the store in Patar doesn't have all you need).
Just be careful on some areas for there are rocks and sea urchins that might hurt you and spoil your trip.
Sea weeds is a normal thing specially to untouched beaches without private maintenance so don't freak out about it.
Better to visit during summer days.

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(Note: I wasn't sure where to put this tip whether at shopping/local custom/to-do category, but decided to post it here becausewhat I'd like to emphasize is the time element and availability.)

At first, Bolinao's famous "binungay" didn't attract me as it looked kinda weird to me, but when I saw a man alight from a nice car buy bagfuls of "binungay", I decided to buy one and have a taste of it. The vendor cracked it open with a big clean river stone. It was indeed delicious! My daughters tasted it, and they loved it too! It tasted like delicious "suman" (rice mixed with coconut cream and a little salt and sugar), only it wasn't steamed wrapped in banana/coconut leaves, but cooked inside cuttings of bamboo shoots. The bamboo must have added a special flavor to it.

We wanted to have more, but we weren't sure if we would be allowed to bring it in the resort, so we decided to just buy later, before we went home. While having breakfast at the resort, my daughters imagined having the "binungay" with hot chocolate... Alas, our plan to buy lots for pasalubong was unfulfilled. When we got to Bolinao Church, the vendors were gone. We went to the market, but there was no "binungay"! We asked around the Municipal Bldg. and were told that the only place where "binungay" is sold is infront of the main gates of the church, so if the vendors are gone, that means they've sold out every piece. So if you want to have a taste of it, or buy lots for "pasalubong", buy only in the mornings.

Oh, here's my pricing tip: P25-35/piece depending on the diameter. The P35/piece can be bought for P100 for 3 pieces.

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We checked out the famous Treasures of Bolinao for possible future stay. We were offered a room at the ground floor of its Maharlika Building which had a showcase window overlooking Patar Beach and the sea. It had a very big bed facing the showcase window, and a cozy sitting area at the corner. The room smelled musty though, perhaps because the aircon was turned off since it was unoccupied.

I don't know why, but the compound didn't impress me so much. Perhaps, it was because the aura of the place was gloomy as the weather that afternoon? Or perhaps because I expected the compound to be more spacious with a good view of the sea from the garden and pool area. Or perhaps we didn't have a chance to move around the compound so much because of the presence of sand and gravel blocking the paths. (Repairs were ongoing because of damage left by typhoon Emong.) The staff brought us to the elevated walkway overlooking the sea and Patar Beach. That is definitely the redeeming site of the place!

Treasures of Bolinao has many rooms in the Maharlika Bldg. aside from the nipa hut-inspired concrete cottages near the swimming pool and airconditioned rooms near the garden. But if you don 't intend to stay overnight, you can just stay for a daytrip at P375/person.

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If you love sunrise and sunset, ask your resort before confirming your booking if any or both of the two occurences can be seen from their place. It would be nice if you can see both events from your resort so if you miss one, you can still await and watch the other.

Catching the sunrise is quite tricky. Sunburst of colors, shapes of clouds and position of the sun could change faster than you expect...so wake up early to catch the beautiful sunrise in Bolinao.

We were not lucky to watch the sunset because of heavy rains in the afternoon, but we were fortunate to see an awesome sunrise the following day.