Destinations Near Manila You Probably Didn't Know

There are plenty of tourist destinations near Manila like Tagaytay, Batangas and Rizal. But most of the times, these places do require you to spend a little bit more or is crowded during weekends and holidays. Sometime, we just want to escape the city life to look for an adventure or just a quick change of environment. With uncrowded surroundings and most importantly, without breaking the bank.

Good thing there are still places near Manila that you probably didn’t know and is budget-friendly. Note: I’ve used a max 5 hours travel from Manila to narrow down the list.

1. Five Fingers

Mariveles, Bataan - The place is located in the southern part of Bataan Peninsula. At the south most part of Mariveles facing West Philippine Sea lies a series of coves. From a bird's eye view, it resembles a hand.

By car, travel time from Manila is around 3 hours. Since it is adjacent to Manila Bay, a ferry ride takes around 2 hours.

Each cove of Five Fingers offers a unique attraction. A cave, rock formations and cliff jumping spot.

Part of the tour is Laki Beach. A cove that has a tree lined beach with creamy sand. This is also a campsite so you have the option to spend a night in this beach or just do a day tour.

Recommendation: If you plan for an overnight stay at Laki Beach, best to avail of tour packages for Five Fingers.

Tip: We went there during summer and there’s plenty of jelly fish in the area of the Five Fingers.

Here’s a detailed guide to Five Fingers.

CHECK OUT THE FULL VLOG HERE

2. Botolan, Zambales

Zambales is on the west part of Central Luzon facing South China Sea. It is already a popular tourist destination near Manila because this is home of Subic Bay, Anawangin and Nagsasa cove. But we’ll focus on a lesser known destination.

Botolan, is famous for Mt. Pinatubo but this town also has a long stretch of gray, semi-fine sand.

What’s great is that this is a surf spot and has fewer crowd compared to Baler or La Union. A great place to practice or learn how to surf.

Here’s a detailed guide to Botolan, Zambales (Note: The resort in this guide is expensive but there are a handful of budget-friendly resort in the area)

Recommendation: Liwliwa in San Felipe, Zambales is also a surf spot. You should also check it out.

Tip: Did you know that the coastline of Zambales is a nesting grounds for sea turtles? The nesting season is from September to January. 

CHECK OUT THE FULL VLOG HERE

3. Real, Quezon

Real, Quezon - a coastal town located on the eastern side of Luzon facing the Pacific and the 2nd largest town in Quezon Province. Distance from Manila is around 3 hours via car.

Real offers several stretches of beaches with camp sites and a handful of affordable accommodations and resorts.

Also, you can visit Balagbag Falls and Nonok Falls. Both falls requires a short and easy trek from the highway. If you want some action, then you can also do cliff jumps on both falls.

Did I mention Real, Quezon is also a surf spot?

Recommendation: Real Coast and Surf is an IG-worthy camp site. They have small cabanas for rent and an area for tent pitching. The beach has a great view of the sunrise.

Tip: if the cliff jumping is not enough, you can try the river tubing in Tignoan River.

Here’s a detailed guide to Real, Quezon

CHECK OUT THE FULL VLOG HERE

4. Cagbalete Island

Mauban, Quezon is a sleepy town southeast of Manila, south of Real, Quezon and east of Laguna. Around 3.5 to 4 hours travel. On the main land the town has several heritage structures but its top tourist destination is Cagbalete Island. It is accessible via a 40 minutes boat ride from Mauban Port. 

Cagbalete Island is also known as the Boracay of the Pacific because of its long stretch of coarse white sand beach.

Recommendation: There are a handful of affordable resorts and camp site in this island but if you want the long stretch of sand ripples to be accessible, pick a resort on the south to southeast part of the island. We’ve tried MVT. Sto Nino.

Tip: Best time to enjoy the white sand is when the sun is up and the tide is low.

Here’s a detailed guide to Cagbalete Island

CHECK OUT THE FULL VIDEO HERE

5. Padre Burgos, Quezon

A little further to the south of Mauban is Padre Burgos. A laid-back coastal town facing Tayabas Bay. Approximately 4.5 hours travel from Manila.

Padre Burgos is another go-to destinations of backpackers. Known for some unspoiled beaches like Borawan Island, Dampalitan Island, Puting Buhangin and Kwebang Lampas.

Recommendations: Due to irresponsible tourists and locals in the past, it had an effect on the natural tourist attractions in the area. Dead reefs, vandalized attractions and trashes are some of the problems of Padre Burgos. I still recommend to visit the place but don’t expect too much. The reason is that as long as the LGU enforce and practice responsible tourism, then it will help build their community.

Tips: Island Hopping is the best way to enjoy Padre Burgos. Padre Burgos is not yet commercialized. Just to be sure, bring everything you need.

Do you have a favorite under the radar destination near Manila? Let me know in the comments below.

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