Baler

Baler, Aurora: Powerful Waterfalls, Beautiful Coves and More Than Just Surfing

Baler is well known for its surfing, but there’s plenty to enjoy here even if you’ve never been on a surfboard. You’ve got beaches, waterfalls, a massive balete tree and a town worth spending some time exploring.

Baler is in Aurora province on the Pacific coast of Luzon, roughly 230 kilometres from Metro Manila, so it is a long drive rather than a quick day trip.

I visited in November 2019, spending one night at Costa Pacifica and another at its more budget-friendly sister property, Cube. We travelled up from Manila in a private van and came back by bus, so I got to experience both options.

I’m not a surfer, and I already knew I wanted to see more than the beach. As it turned out, Dicasalarin Cove and Ditumabo Mother Falls were the highlights for me. They were completely different experiences, but both were well worth the journey.

Transport, accommodation and meals were provided for my visit. The experiences below are from that November 2019 trip.

Best Time to Visit Baler

February or March are good months to consider if you’re planning to explore the beaches, waterfalls and town, as they’re generally less rainy.

We went in November and had great weather throughout our stay. A typhoon had passed through a week or two earlier, so Mother Falls was absolutely gushing. Just keep an eye on the forecast, particularly if you’re planning to visit the waterfall.

Things to Do in Baler

Sabang Beach: Enjoying Baler Without Getting on a Surfboard

The beach in front of Costa Pacifica was my introduction to Baler’s coastline. It’s a great stretch of sand, with consistent waves coming in from the Pacific. Watching them roll through, I could certainly understand why people come here to surf.

The sand is a browny-grey colour, rather than the pure white sand you find in some other parts of the Philippines. It was fine sand, though, and it was still great being down by the beach.

You don’t have to be doing anything particularly adventurous to enjoy a place like this. Have a walk, watch the surfers or spend some time looking out over the water.

There was also a boardwalk running along the beachfront, which was good for a morning walk or a bit of exercise. If you do want to try surfing, Costa Pacifica currently offers lessons and board rentals through its front office.

Ditumabo Mother Falls: The Loudest Waterfall I Can Remember

I love my waterfalls, so Mother Falls was always going to be on the itinerary. The falls are in San Luis, outside Baler. When we visited, the walk followed a well-established track with paved sections for much of the way. It was relatively flat, so we weren’t climbing steep hills to get there.

There were a few river crossings along the route, including sections with ropes to hold onto as you crossed. You definitely need to be prepared to get wet, and some of the footing was slippery.

I was wearing flip-flops. I managed, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend doing the same. Shoes or sandals with decent grip would have been a better choice.

As we got closer, you could really start to hear the waterfall. And what a noise!

I reckon you could hear it from about 50 metres away. By the time we reached the main falls, the sound was deafening, with spray going everywhere and an enormous amount of water crashing down in front of us.

The rain before our visit had clearly added to the flow. I don’t think I’d ever heard a waterfall that loud.

For me, it was the power of the whole thing that made it so memorable. The walk had been fairly straightforward, and then you arrived at this incredible wall of noise and water.

We registered and took a local guide for the walk. River conditions can change, so follow the guide’s advice and don’t assume the crossings will always be the same as they were during my visit.

Dicasalarin Cove: My Favourite Beach of the Trip

If I had to pick my favourite place from the trip, Dicasalarin Cove would probably be it.

You’ve got this beautiful little cove with cliffs on either side, golden sand, palm trees and sensational water. There were a few nipa huts near the beach where you could sit and enjoy the surroundings.

The best part was how quiet it was. I think we saw one other family while we were there.

I enjoyed the beach at Costa Pacifica, but Dicasalarin was more my sort of beach. The setting, the colour of the water and the lack of people made it somewhere I wanted to spend more time.

We stopped for lunch at a little restaurant called Dicasalarin Restaurant, and the food was really nice. I remember the wood fired pizza being pretty good, and there was a wide selection of dishes to try.

Afterwards, we spent some time down by the beach. The waves were coming in fairly strongly from the Pacific, so it wasn’t a completely calm little bay, but the scenery was fantastic.

We were sightseeing and had other places to see, so we couldn’t stay as long as I would have liked. Given the choice, I would have happily settled into one of those huts and enjoyed more of the day there.

My visit was in 2019, so confirm that the cove is accepting visitors before building your itinerary around it.

The Balete Tree: Walking Inside a Massive Root System

The balete tree was another stop I really enjoyed. From outside, you can see this enormous mass of roots spreading around the base. It’s impressive enough looking at it, but during our visit we could also walk through openings and stand inside.

That’s when you really appreciate the size of it.

You’re surrounded by roots, looking up through gaps in the tree, with enough room to move around inside. It’s a pretty surreal experience.

It’s certainly not the biggest thrill you’ll ever have, but standing inside a tree like that was pretty amazing. It made a good addition to the trip and gave us something completely different from the beaches and waterfall.

On the way back, we also stopped along the coast, where there were rocky stretches and offshore formations. Not every stop was a sandy beach, but the colour of the water was incredible in places.

Exploring Baler Town

We also spent time having a look around Baler itself, including the church, the historic houses and the souvenir area.

I enjoyed this part of the visit. Once you get away from the beachfront, there’s another side of Baler to explore, and it’s worth allowing some time for that rather than only travelling between the resorts and the bigger attractions.

We got to check out Baler Church, Doña Aurora’s house and the replica of Manuel Quezon’s birthplace during that visit.

Tours and Experiences Around Baler

Our sightseeing transport was arranged as part of the trip, which made it easy to get between the different attractions.

If you’re organising your own visit, I’d decide which places matter most to you before booking a tour or driver. That way, you can allow enough time at the stops you’re particularly interested in.

For example, Dicasalarin was somewhere I would have liked longer, while the balete tree worked well as a shorter stop.

Costa Pacifica’s current website says its front office can help arrange local outings, including Mother Falls and the Millennium Balete Tree. That gives you somewhere to start if you’d prefer help putting the day together.

How Many Days Do You Need?

I’d recommend at least three nights, particularly if you’re coming from Manila. We stayed for two nights and managed to see plenty, but it felt rushed. We had a purpose to the visit and were covering both resorts as well as the attractions, so there was quite a bit to fit in.

It’s also a long way to travel for a short stay.

An extra night would give you more room to enjoy the beach, spend time around town and avoid having to move on just when you’re enjoying somewhere.

If you want surfing lessons as well as sightseeing, allow time for both rather than trying to squeeze everything into a couple of days.

Where to Stay in Baler

For me, the main decision is whether you want to stay right by the beach or save some money by staying further back.

Being able to open the doors and look towards the Pacific Ocean was a big part of what I enjoyed at Costa Pacifica. If you’re going to spend plenty of time at the resort and beachfront, that location adds a lot to the experience.

Of course, you get what you pay for. Prime views and a beachfront position are going to cost more.

If you’re spending most of the day sightseeing, a comfortable place away from the beach may suit you just as well. That was the appeal of Cube during my visit.

Where I Stayed

Costa Pacifica: Beach Views and a Really Comfortable Stay

Costa Pacifica was really good. We had a ground-floor room with nice beds and glass doors opening towards the beach. I’d say we were about 30 to 40 metres from the beach itself, with a view of the water straight ahead.

It was a lovely setup. You could enjoy the view from the room and then head down to the beachfront without having to organise anything.

There was a spacious swimming pool, the facilities were great, and the food was awesome. The room and service were good too, so overall it was a very comfortable stay.

If I were going back and paying myself, I could justify the extra cost of staying there. The beachfront location makes a difference, and I enjoyed having everything together in one place.

Cube: A More Budget-Friendly Alternative

We spent our second night at Cube so I could experience the more affordable option as well.

The accommodation was quite different. Our room consisted of two prefabricated, container-style modules side by side. One contained the living area, while the other had the bedroom and bathroom.

It was comfortable and gave us separate spaces to sit and sleep, which worked well.

There was a swimming pool and a restaurant. The dining wasn’t as elaborate as Costa Pacifica’s, but it was more than adequate.

It was very quiet when we visited, with hardly anybody else around. I believe the property was fairly new at the time, which was part of the reason for including it in the trip.

The main difference was the location. Cube wasn’t right on the beach, so you didn’t have the same views or immediate beachfront access.

During our stay, we could go between the sister properties and head over to Costa Pacifica for the beach or a meal. That was a useful option, although you’d need to confirm any current arrangements before relying on it.

I would happily stayed at Cube again. It gave us a comfortable alternative without the beachfront price tag.

How to Get to Baler

By Private Car or Van

We travelled up from Manila in a private van arranged for the visit.

Having a vehicle made things straightforward for our group, and our sightseeing transport was arranged too. If you’re organising something similar, make sure you know whether your booking covers only the journey to Baler or also includes local trips.

It’s a long journey, so I’d keep your arrival day fairly flexible rather than packing it with activities.

By Bus

For the journey home, I took JoyBus to experience the bus option as well.

The bus was good. We had reclining seats, armrests and footrests, and it felt a bit like travelling first class compared with an ordinary bus seat.

I’d certainly consider taking it again.

Genesis currently lists Baler among its JoyBus destinations and directs passengers to its ticket offices or its official online booking partners, iWantSeats and PinoyTravel. Use the operator’s own information to confirm your departure terminal, seat class and schedule.

Good to Know Before You Go

• Wear shoes or sandals with decent grip for Mother Falls and expect to get wet at the river crossings.
• Bring drinking water and something to protect your belongings from water and spray.
• Follow local advice about river conditions, particularly after heavy rain.
• Confirm visitor access to Dicasalarin Cove before arranging the journey there.
• Allow time for the town and smaller stops as well as the main attractions.
• The prices and services here relate to November 2019.

Dezza’s Tip

Don’t make every stop a quick look and a photo before jumping back in the vehicle.

Dicasalarin was the place where I really wanted more time. We had lunch and enjoyed the beach, but I could have happily spent much longer sitting in one of the nipa huts and taking in the surroundings.

If you can visit, give yourself enough time to enjoy it. That would be the biggest change I’d make to my own trip.

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Where Is Baler?

Baler is in Aurora province, on the eastern coast of Luzon, facing the Pacific Ocean.

This guide also includes places we visited in the surrounding area, so allow for local travel when planning your days.

The pin below marks Sabang Beach, the heart of Baler’s surf scene and a handy base for exploring the area.