Alaminos City Hotels

Known famously as the home of the Hundred Islands, The City of Alaminos offers a great opportunity for you to check something off your bucket list. Located in the southwestern section of the Lingayen Gulf, this seaside city is a great way to get your own dose of island hopping.

Home to the famed Hundred Islands National Park, Alaminos, Pangasinan, is one of the country’s most renowned vacation destinations. But don’t let its modest status as a fourth income class city fool you. Alaminos hotels and other rental options offer great service at the best value—helping you better enjoy your island hopping experience. This is one summer getaway you wouldn’t want to pass up on.

How to Go  

By land transportation

The easiest way to get to Tarlac City is by bus. Some of the bus lines that offer routes to Tarlac include Victory Liner and Five Star. These bus lines have stations near EDSA cor. Aurora Boulevard in Cubao, Quezon City. Bus routes headed to Bolinao will all pass by Alaminos. Fares from Metro Manila will cost around Php 400.  Expect an ETA of around 6 hours, depending on the traffic.

Getting Around

As a fourth-class city, jeep routes can tend to be limited. However, you can choose to avail of the local tricycles for short trips around the city.

Tourist Attractions

Hundred Islands National Park is the city’s crown jewels, with 123 separate islands covering 1,844 hectares of sea. With the Don Gonzalo Montemayor wharf as your jumping off point, you can easily enjoy a boat trip to take you to your islands of choice.

To get a grasp of the adventure ahead, it’s best to start out with Governor’s Island, which has a high viewing deck to let you spot the many islands scattered across the blue sea. The caves and surrounding waters exhibit excellent biodiversity, with fruit bats, various turtles, dolphins, different fishes, and even giant clams scattered across the area.

Top Things to Do

If you’re in Alaminos, you’re probably here for only one thing: a tour of the renowned Hundred Islands. Aside from choosing one of the many beaches to sunbathe in, you can also snorkel through the shallow waters with the help of diving platforms built into the park. If you want to go cliff diving, Marcos Island features a 70-foot drop which can test anyone’s resolve.

You can also explore the various caves that exist in selected caves. The caves on Quirino Island possess dripstones and indigenous bats that are sometimes visible in broad daylight. Meanwhile, the Nalsoc Caves is filled with stalactites and other undisturbed rock formations.

If you choose to come in mid-March, you can even enjoy the Galila Hundred Islands festival. This event features singing contests, ballroom dancing, acoustic performances, and various other competitions.

Where to Eat

As a seaside city, you’ll encounter delicious seafood at reasonable prices and generous servings in Alaminos. If you’re coming from the Hundred Islands National Park, then the most accessible restaurant would be Maxine by the Sea.

If you’re craving for some barbecue and steak, then the Boat House Restaurant might be a better fit. They serve excellent barbecue chicken, and also offer great service. But if you prefer a more local flavor, then Eliana’s Resto Grill is also a good choice. They offer tasty grilled squid, pinakbet, and kilawing bangus—all at great value for money.

Nightlife

If you’re up for more adventures after sunset, Alaminos doesn’t disappoint. Among the city’s many bars and restaurants, Palamis Resto Grill is a great place to chill out for a fun night with friends. The place is big, well ventilated, and features live bands that play while you eat and drink. If you’re up for some Karaoke, you can check out Franz Bar. It has a very cozy atmosphere and affordable prices for a great time belting out your favorite power ballads.

Other amazing hangout spots in Alaminos include Tatok’s Bar and Resto, City Hotel & Corner Pub, as well as Kagawad’s Bar—which offers a very friendly provincial vibe.

Where to Stay

Whether you’re looking for small rental homes or furnished hotels in Alaminos, you won’t run out of solid choices. Treasure Isle Guest House is a great choice for your all-around accommodation needs. With a daily rate of around Php 1,000, it’s a relatively affordable starting point for your island hopping adventure. But if you want a more pampered stay, then the Casa del Camba Hotel could be a better choice, if slightly less price-conscious.

If you want to stay close to the sea, various transient homes are also available along Lucap Wharf at affordable rates. But if you’re feeling adventurous, you can even forego the usual accommodation services and camp out on the beach. But pitching a tent requires a fee of Php 200, and comes with certain rules and regulations.

Travel Tips

• When it comes to coral reefs and rock formations, look but don’t touch. These natural wonders are easily destroyed by human contact and are near-irreplaceable when damaged.

• Though the wharf offers rental services for snorkeling gear, you will want to bring your own gear for hygienic reasons. You may also prefer to bring your aqua shoes to protect your feet during your swim.

• If you’re looking to camp at the beaches, beware that pitching tents during the day is prohibited. Tents can only be pitched from 5:00PM onwards, and must be folded by 6:00AM.