Motorcycle trip in the Philippines

Upon arrival in Manila at the airport, you will be greeted by our taxi driver and taken to your hotel in Manila. The hotel is located in the vibrant Makati district, which has many restaurants and bars. Manila is a metroToday, after breakfast, we drive to Angelespole, which must be experienced.

The drive takes about two and a half hours. In Angeles City, we will stay overnight in a clean 3-star hotel just a few minutes' walk from the center. We check in early so that we have time to explore Angeles for the rest of the day. In the evening, a detour to 'Walking Street' with its many bars and restaurants is worth it.

After a good night's sleep and breakfast, we will first go through a few things that are important for our joint trip. In particular, participation in traffic with our motorcycles will be discussed in detail. To leave Angeles, we actually have to drive for a while through heavy traffic to turn onto the main road and finally continue on side roads. Then it will be flat for a while, and we will sometimes drive on small paths through rice fields and small villages. Before heading into the mountains, we will have lunch and then drive a winding mountain road to Baguio. Our hotel is located on the outskirts of the city; in the evening, we will have the opportunity to visit the always lively city center.

We leave Baguio and soon head into the high mountains. Here we have breathtaking views of the Pulog Mountains. The mountain road is quiet, the river flows directly next to the road in places, and the landscape becomes more rugged. Tonight we will stay in the village of Sagada. The guesthouse where we sleep is a simple but clean accommodation.

Today we drive into the Ilocos mountains to enjoy the views and the many winding roads. Then we drive back down to the coastal road and follow it to the city of Vigan. Vigan is the best-preserved Spanish colonial city in the Philippines and even in all of Asia. It feels like traveling back in time. The locals are proud of their special history and culture. In fact, the colonial city center of Vigan should no longer exist. However, it miraculously escaped destruction during World War II. Japanese troops fled the city just before the Americans wanted to carpet bomb Vigan. The Allies therefore canceled the operation at the last minute. The Spanish colonial center of Vigan from the 16th century is part of the UNESCO World Heritage. The buildings are a mix of Philippine, Chinese, and European architecture. In the evening, we will dine in the central square of the city. We will stay overnight in a 4**** hotel in a Spanish colonial building right in the center with shops and restaurants just around the corner.

Today's route leads inland over the Cordilleras. We travel through this special mountain landscape, which has only had a well-paved road for a few years, but parts of which are still unfinished and sometimes have a lot of mud/sand on the road after the rainy season. Over 100 kilometers through this rugged mountain landscape with its many fantastic views will often force us to stop and take photos. Tonight we will stay in a new and clean hotel that was completed only in 2023, with a swimming pool and good restaurant.

We continue north through an extensive mountainous area along the Chico River and later the Abulog River. The road is mostly well-paved and has many beautiful curves that lead through a remote forest area. When we stop the motorcycles, the various birds that live here sing for us. We leave the mountains behind, and before reaching the northern coastal road, we drive for a while off the road through some villages and the many rice fields that are here. The coastal road with its 1,300-meter-long viaduct brings us to the winding town of Pagudpud. We will stay in a hotel with a swimming pool within walking distance to the beach.

We drive back east over the Patapat Bridge, the coastal road of Pasaleng Bay. From time to time we turn off the main road and drive through several small villages and the wide rice fields on and off the road. We leave the Ilocos region and travel over Portugal and Plampona to Santa Ana, located in the Cagayan Valley. This region is becoming increasingly popular among kite and windsurfers at the tip of the mainland. Our hotel is right on the beach and also has a pool for relaxation.

We initially drive a bit back on the main road. Then we navigate through the very extensive rice fields over several side roads, some of which also run off the road. Parts of the region we are traveling in are still underdeveloped, as evident in the houses they live in. About an hour before Tuguegarao, we make a stop in Quibal, where we can visit a 7-chamber limestone cave with a chapel. Our hotel is located right in the center, allowing us to stroll through the night market in the evening and enjoy local dishes.

Continuing south, we drive through the mountain province. The mountain road varies from good quality to parts that are in poor condition. The cause is again landslides that occurred during the rainy season. Beautiful views with particularly many rice fields and terraces. Especially the town of Banaue is known for its beautiful rice terraces. Afterwards, we continue inland via a mountain road to Batad. Here we will spend the night. This remote village is only accessible on foot. We park our motorcycles and take the last 20 minutes on foot to our guesthouse. Our belongings can be brought to the guesthouse by carriers. It is a simple guesthouse but with a 5***** view of the rice terraces of Batad. Our friendly hostess will prepare a good dinner and a breakfast of your choice.

After breakfast, we hike back uphill. Our carriers will bring the luggage, then we ride south again before turning to the east. The middle part of this stage is flat, but that will change again later. The mountains lie ahead of us again, and we go through the Quirino Mountains on well-paved roads, again with many curves before reaching the coast. This coastal road with its breathtaking views takes us to Baler. At first glance, an average town, but when you go to the beach, you find many surfers and nice restaurants. Our luxury hotel with a swimming pool is right on the promenade.

The last leg of the tour back to Angeles takes us through the Aurora Mountains. Once again we will drive many curves until we leave the mountains behind and are swallowed by the dense traffic that brings us to Angeles. We will stay in the same hotel as at the beginning of the trip.

Unfortunately, this special adventurous motorcycle trip has come to an end. You will be taken by our taxi driver to the airport, which is about two hours from our hotel.