Lucban within the province of Quezon is greatest recognized for celebrating the Pahiyas Competition, one of many Philippines most colourful harvest festivals, each Could. The city is often known as a non secular vacation spot for pilgrims because it’s dwelling to the 50-feet excessive Kamay ni Hesus Shrine, reportedly the third greatest Christ the Redeemer statue on the planet.
However in the event you’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 usually quiet and unassuming the remainder of the yr, making them splendid locations for individuals who need to go bike touring away from the busy metropolis.
To kick off January 2023, we went on a motorcycle loop from Lucban taking place to Mauban and again up by way of Tayabas. The climate wasn’t actually all that nice for biking. In actual fact, it was fairly horrible. The trip was principally lengthy stretches of rural roads, with rain dripping down my backbone the entire manner. The second half of the trip concerned a sustained 40-km ascent, which made me query why I even prompt doing this trip.
I get pleasure from taking a look at surroundings and the meals pit stops essentially 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 received too darkish to take pics on our manner again. Nevertheless, biking provided a brand new expertise. Having motorcycled across the space a number of occasions earlier than and attended the Pahiyas Competition 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. Not less than 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 ideas.
From Metro Manila, Lucban is a 2-3 automotive drive passing by way of the Rizal province by way of Manila East Street or South Luzon Expressway. Coming from Quezon Metropolis, it’s extra handy and nice to move the scenic backroads relatively than the Expressway.
Alongside the route, you will get a view of the Pilillia Windmills, Laguna Lake from varied vantage factors, Pagsanjan, Luisiana (dwelling of Hulugan Falls) earlier than you attain Lucban.
- Go to the Kamay ni Hesus Shrine
- Attend the Pahiyas Competition (Could 15)
- Cease by the San Luis Obispo Parish Church / Lucban Church
- Take pictures of Hobbit Homes at Teresita’s Backyard
- Attempt the journey park actions at Batis Aramin
- Eat Pancit Habhab and Lucban Longganiza at native eating places
- NOTE: When you’re staying in Mauban, you can even mix a street journey with island-hopping at Cagbalete Island (however you will want to allot further time for the boat transfers)
The entire space gives a number of doable routes appropriate for street bikers, mountain bikers, and bikepackers. You may 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 may additionally decide to bike all the way in which to Lucban from Metro Manila (which is over 100 km simply getting there by way of mountain roads) when you have 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 by way of Tayabas on a clockwise route.
It’s also possible to 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 entire 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 may 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, received to resort at round 9am (examine 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 an alternative. Our precise take off was round 1:00 pm.
There have been just a few attention-grabbing spots alongside the Sampaloc-Mauban Street 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 satisfying downhill, which meant that the return was going to be a killer ascent.
Probably 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 received 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 by way of the Tayabas-Mauban Street. It began raining once more and I used to be very chilly, moist, uncomfortable and hangry by this level. We noticed just a few first rate wanting eating places alongside the way in which, however I prompt we simply have dinner on the resort as an alternative after the trip.
It was actually darkish by the point we received 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 form of eerie biking in a few of the stretches at evening. If not for our bike lights, we’d have been biking in complete darkness. All you might hear was the sound of cicadas. Lastly, after what appeared like endlessly, we lastly received again to the resort in Batis Aramin near 10:00 pm.
In keeping with my Strava stats, the world we biked lined 75.86 km with a 745 meter elevation acquire, and nearly 7 hours of transferring time. Relying in your tempo, bikers may most likely do that quicker with minimal stops and higher climate circumstances.
Whereas this was not fairly a century trip, simply finishing the loop felt like an achievement, as a result of I significantly wished to bail a number of occasions. I used to be simply joyful to have a comfortable room to crash in and alter of dry garments ready.
When you plan to bike right here, I like to recommend bringing totally 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 lots of locations to purchase meals and drinks alongside a lot of the the route we handed. The outlets/eating places additionally shut fairly early on the town in case you find yourself biking at evening. It additionally helps to put on vibrant or reflective clothes, to extend your visibility on the street.
When you’re planning a bike street journey from Manila and again with the same route, that is doable as a day journey, except you’d prefer to chill out and keep longer in a single day.
For this journey, we stayed in a single day in Batis Aramin Resort and Resort in Lucban. This well-known institution is true throughout the Kamay ni Hesus Shrine and is straightforward to search out close to the freeway. It has a safe parking space for all sorts of autos.
As of January 2023, their fundamental 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 possibly can simply guide rooms by contacting them on Fb.
The resort is nice for household staycations, as there are a number of large swimming swimming pools, nature trails, an journey park, and IG-worthy photograph areas together with flower fields and hobbit homes.
NOTE: The flowers weren’t but in bloom in January 2023, however based on gardeners, they need to begin blooming by March-April in time for summer season 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 often called miki Lucban and comes with loaded toppings.
There are lots of 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 Street.
In Tayabas, one other eating choice is Nawawalang Paraiso Resort and Resort, 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 widespread eating vacation spot close to Lucban is Kamayan sa Palaisdaan, the unique floating restaurant in Tayabas, Quezon. This restaurant contains a man-made pond with about 60 floating balsa and cottages. Company can order typical Filipino dishes and contemporary seafood.
There’s additionally an airplane-themed restaurant known as Air Summit Connoisseur, the place you dine inside a small parked airplane throughout 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 known as Memphis Backyard Cafe and Grille.
I’ll be sharing some video highlights of this trip (and different adventures) quickly. Please take a look at my different social media channels and go away a remark in the event you’ve discovered any of my guides useful. Cheers!
