Lucban within the province of Quezon is finest identified for celebrating the Pahiyas Pageant, one of many Philippines most colourful harvest festivals, each Might. The city is often known as a spiritual vacation spot for pilgrims because it’s residence to the 50-feet excessive Kamay ni Hesus Shrine, reportedly the third greatest Christ the Redeemer statue on this planet.
However for those who’re not into native festivals or visiting non secular websites throughout Holy Week rides, Lucban and different close by cities like Tayabas and Mauban in Quezon are typically quiet and unassuming the remainder of the 12 months, making them perfect locations for many who need to go bike touring away from the busy metropolis.
To kick off January 2023, we went on a motorbike loop from Lucban happening to Mauban and again up by means of Tayabas. The climate wasn’t actually all that nice for biking. Actually, it was fairly horrible. The experience was largely lengthy stretches of rural roads, with rain dripping down my backbone the entire method. The second half of the experience concerned a sustained 40-km ascent, which made me query why I even prompt doing this experience.
I get pleasure from taking a look at surroundings and the meals pit stops probably the most once I go on bike rides, which I didn’t actually get to do a lot right here. I remorse not with the ability to take pictures, as I wished to maintain my cellphone dry and it bought too darkish to take pics on our method again. Nonetheless, biking provided a brand new expertise. Having motorcycled across the space a number of instances earlier than and attended the Pahiyas Pageant years in the past, biking gave us a contemporary perspective and motivation to revisit the place. It additionally allow us to get pleasure from (or in my case undergo the uphills) at a slower tempo. A minimum of hindi mainit.
Staying in a single day additionally gave us extra time to benefit from the swimming swimming pools and resort the following morning earlier than trying out.
In case you need to discover the cities in and close to Lucban extra, right here’s an account of our bike journey with some suggestions.
From Metro Manila, Lucban is a 2-3 automotive drive passing by means of the Rizal province through Manila East Highway or South Luzon Expressway. Coming from Quezon Metropolis, it’s extra handy and nice to cross the scenic backroads reasonably than the Expressway.
Alongside the route, you will get a view of the Pilillia Windmills, Laguna Lake from varied vantage factors, Pagsanjan, Luisiana (residence of Hulugan Falls) earlier than you attain Lucban.
- Go to the Kamay ni Hesus Shrine
- Attend the Pahiyas Pageant (Might 15)
- Cease by the San Luis Obispo Parish Church / Lucban Church
- Take pictures of Hobbit Homes at Teresita’s Backyard
- Strive the journey park actions at Batis Aramin
- Eat Pancit Habhab and Lucban Longganiza at native eating places
- NOTE: In case you’re staying in Mauban, you too can mix a highway journey with island-hopping at Cagbalete Island (however you’ll need to allot further time for the boat transfers)
The entire space provides a number of potential routes appropriate for highway bikers, mountain bikers, and bikepackers. You might mix biking with visiting church buildings in Laguna or Rizal, bike to San Pablo and go to the seven lakes, go bike tenting, and even do a full Banahaw Loop. You might additionally choose to bike all the best way to Lucban from Metro Manila (which is over 100 km simply getting there by means of mountain roads) when you’ve got extra time to spare.
For our bike itinerary, we determined to make use of Lucban as our base and bike to the coastal city of Mauban and return up through Tayabas on a clockwise route.
You too can deal with this counterclockwise, however the downhill is extra sustained going clockwise primarily based on Strava knowledge, whereas there’s nonetheless some restoration factors within the Tayabas route. The whole distance was about 75 kms from the parking space in Batis Aramin Resort in Lucban to Mauban Port and again.
It’s higher to take off early so that you’re not biking at evening and so you possibly can benefit from the surroundings extra. We initially deliberate to begin within the morning, have lunch someplace in Mauban after which bike again.
From Quezon Metropolis, we drove there within the morning, bought to resort at round 9am (test in is often 2pm). Sadly, it was raining exhausting the entire morning, so we needed to wait it out and have an early brunch as a substitute. Our precise take off was round 1:00 pm.
There have been just a few fascinating spots alongside the Sampaloc-Mauban Highway together with new eating places within the intersection going to Mauban, however I wasn’t in a position to take pictures as a result of it was nonetheless drizzling exhausting.
By 2:00 pm, we handed by Kainan sa Tubigan, a easy riverside restaurant, however since we had lunch already, we didn’t go in anymore. The entire first stretch was a really lengthy and gratifying downhill, which meant that the return was going to be a killer ascent.
Essentially the most scenic half was a riverside space the place we stopped for espresso at round 2:30 pm. There was additionally a dangling bridge close by, which we checked out.
We bought to the intersection of Mauban previous 3:00 pm and to the Mauban Port at round 3:20 pm the place we stopped for a fast snack of espresso and bread, earlier than taking off once more.
It took one other 4 or so hours going again up through the Tayabas-Mauban Highway. It began raining once more and I used to be very chilly, moist, uncomfortable and hangry by this level. We noticed just a few respectable trying eating places alongside the best way, however I prompt we simply have dinner on the resort as a substitute after the experience.
It was actually darkish by the point we bought to Tayabas. At round 8:30 pm, we determined to eat in Nawawalang Paraiso in Tayabas, about 7.4 km away from Batis Aramin. Due to the variety of company, it took some time for meals to be served, however I appreciated the new sinigang on that chilly evening.
It was sort of eerie biking in among the stretches at evening. If not for our bike lights, we’d have been biking in complete darkness. All you would hear was the sound of cicadas. Lastly, after what appeared like without end, we lastly bought again to the resort in Batis Aramin near 10:00 pm.
In keeping with my Strava stats, the realm we biked coated 75.86 km with a 745 meter elevation acquire, and nearly 7 hours of transferring time. Relying in your tempo, bikers may in all probability do that sooner with minimal stops and higher climate circumstances.
Whereas this was not fairly a century experience, simply finishing the loop felt like an achievement, as a result of I severely wished to bail a number of instances. I used to be simply completely satisfied to have a snug room to crash in and alter of dry garments ready.
In case you plan to bike right here, I like to recommend bringing absolutely waterproof biking jackets as a result of climate is unpredictable within the mountains, bike lights, blinkers, snacks (powerbars, and so forth). and sufficient water. The espresso we introduced was a lifesaver. There weren’t numerous locations to purchase meals and drinks alongside many of the the route we handed. The retailers/eating places additionally shut fairly early on the town in case you find yourself biking at evening. It additionally helps to put on shiny or reflective clothes, to extend your visibility on the highway.
In case you’re planning a bike highway journey from Manila and again with an identical route, that is doable as a day journey, until you’d wish to calm down and keep longer in a single day.
For this journey, we stayed in a single day in Batis Aramin Resort and Lodge in Lucban. This well-known institution is true throughout the Kamay ni Hesus Shrine and is simple to search out close to the freeway. It has a safe parking space for all sorts of autos.
As of January 2023, their primary room for two prices P2,750 per evening with a consumable meals voucher of P500 for a complete of P3,250. The in a single day room keep comes with complimentary breakfast buffet for two. You’ll be able to simply e-book rooms by contacting them on Fb.
The resort is sweet for household staycations, as there are a number of big swimming swimming pools, nature trails, an journey park, and IG-worthy picture areas together with flower fields and hobbit homes.
NOTE: The flowers weren’t but in bloom in January 2023, however in accordance with gardeners, they need to begin blooming by March-April in time for summer time months.
Batis Aramin Resort has an in-house bar and restaurant that serves buffet breakfast and ala carte dishes.
Specialties right here embody Lucban Longganiza and Pancit Habhab, a noodle dish that originated from Quezon. The pancit makes use of dried flour noodles that are referred to as miki Lucban and comes with loaded toppings.
There are numerous new eating places alongside the primary Lucban freeway proper exterior the Kamay ni Hesus Shrine, together with Samgyup locations, Japanese restos, carinderias, and extra. For espresso pit stops close by, the PTT Fuel station on the Lucban intersection has a Cafe Jungle and a brand new restaurant alongside the Lucban Diversion Highway.
In Tayabas, one other eating choice is Nawawalang Paraiso Resort and Lodge, which has a big restaurant that accepts walk-in company. They serve family-style Filipino dishes and Quezon specialties like Pinais, Budin, Chami, Longganisang Lucban and so forth.
One other standard eating vacation spot close to Lucban is Kamayan sa Palaisdaan, the unique floating restaurant in Tayabas, Quezon. This restaurant includes a man-made pond with about 60 floating balsa and cottages. Visitors can order typical Filipino dishes and contemporary seafood.
There’s additionally an airplane-themed restaurant referred to as Air Summit Connoisseur, the place you dine inside a small parked aircraft inside the Kamayan sa Palaisdaan resort.
Throughout earlier journeys within the space, we’ve additionally stayed at Graceland Estates in Tayabas. This resort, which has a lagoon and deer farm, has an in-house restaurant referred to as Memphis Backyard Cafe and Grille.
I’ll be sharing some video highlights of this experience (and different adventures) quickly. Please take a look at my different social media channels and depart a remark for those who’ve discovered any of my guides useful. Cheers!
