REAL, QUEZON: 2D1N DIY Beach + Whitewater Rafting Budget Travel Guide & Itinerary

Whenever I think of going on a quick beach getaway, I would always think of islands like Jomalig, Potipot, and Calaguas. I’m the type who prefers avoiding the crowd so planning a trip can be a pain at times. Since summer is right around the corner, I scoured the internet for some place where I could spend a weekend camping at the beach with some friends. That’s when I found out about Real in Quezon Province. I thought it was perfect as it’s a bit farther and most likely not a magnet for tourists unlike Batangas. I may be wrong with my assumption but on top of that, it also offers one of the best adventures ideal to get some adrenaline pumping. Thought it doesn’t get any better than that considering that the pandemic has yet to go away. So in this blog, let me share how we spent a weekend filled with fun and exhilaration.

Our Real Beach + Adventure Story

After two epic weekend climbs in Mt. Tagapo and Mt. Arayat during the last two months, I thought of changing the tone by going to the beach for March. I love mountains and I would want nothing but to be able to spend my days off basking at its grandeur. But I miss the beach too. I probably haven’t seen its beauty and smelled its salty air for over a year now that the thought of it pains and excites me at the same time. So after thinking it through, I went organizing a beach camping and whitewater tubing adventure for me and my friends in Real, Quezon.

The initial plan was to pool 10 people to share the cost with. Considering the current pandemic situation, I thought it would be best to rent a van instead of using public transport. I was able to pool eight (8) people including myself but unprecedented events reduced the number to only five (5) come the day of our trip itself. The situation could’ve easily canceled our plans but we’re much of a “seasick” (as in homesick) to let the opportunity pass by. So despite our dwindling funds and the threat of unfavorable weather, five crazy souls decided to push through and the result was nothing of what we ever expected.

We left Manila at 7AM on a gloomy Saturday morning. There were scattered rain showers while we were on the road. I kept positive and thought of the weather improving soon after we arrived in Real. But, it didn’t. It only worsened as the hours passed by. We arrived in Real at 11AM. The three of us immediately went on whitewater tubing/rafting despite the drizzling skies while the boys went to the market to buy supplies and prep lunch. We agreed to meet at the Long Beach Resort where we had reserved our accommodation after.

The whitewater tubing/rafting in Real was nowhere near the one I experienced in Cagayan De Oro. It’s a bit on the milder side for me unlike the rough ride through and through in CDO. It may have not been equally exhilarating but it offered us a one-of-a-kind adventure and it had its moments too. We were taken to mild rapids that didn’t even make my heart skip a beat nor my stomach flutter but it has saved an awesome surprise towards the end. I thought the ride would be boring from start to finish but the last kilometer stretch got us thinking otherwise. It was indeed fun, not too extreme, but just the right kind of exciting.

After we finished whitewater tubing/rafting, we headed to Long Beach Resort. The skies haven’t improved and the scattered showers turned into a downpour. The wind blowing from the ocean made it even hard to bear. It was freezing and as much as I wanna stay soaked and wet in my clothes and head to the beach, my freaking human body couldn’t stand it. I went to wash and change clothes. Just as I finished freshening up, food was served. The boys really did themselves a great job. Feasting over sinigang na hipon, grilled fish, adobong pusit and steamed rice was the best thing to do on that cold and rainy afternoon.

Not long after we had lunch, we figured we could already start drinking to our hearts’ content. We couldn’t think of anything else to do. The rain hasn’t stopped pouring. The ground was dripping so we couldn’t set up our tents. The waves were menacing so nobody dared swim. All there was left to do was to enjoy the rest of the day drinking flavored gin and snacking on leftovers in the comforts of our rented cottage. One of the things I would have loved to do is bask at a beautiful sunset but despite the rain halting a bit, the clouds concealed everything. Instead of sulking, we took the moment to take some photos and enjoy a quick dip. The beach remained unfriendly and looking like it would devour anything it comes in contact with. To be safe, we stayed at the shore content with what little saltwater could reach us while we sat on its rough volcanic ash-colored sands.

We headed to bed at 10PM. The following morning, I woke up at 4AM. It was quite early to do anything so I opted to just sit idly while I watched guests of the resorts come one after another until the place was almost full. At 5:30AM, we started prepping breakfast. Well, my friends prepared breakfast. Haha. I’m not really into cooking and my friends know how unreliable I am in the kitchen so I’m always left with cleaning and washing the dishes instead. We had a sumptuous meal at 7AM that I was so full my tummy was bulging out of my swimsuit. We spent some time dipping at the beach after since the waves have calmed down a bit. At 10AM when it was already getting crowded, we decided it was time to go home. This weekend may have been nothing of what we pictured it would be but we definitely had fun and made cherished memories.

How To Go To Real

Public Transport – Ride a Raymond Bus in their Sampaloc Manila Terminal to Real (3-4 Hrs | P250/head/way). Alternatively, you can ride a van going to Real. They are parked near the Raymond Bus Terminal. Fare is P300/head/way.

Private Vehicle – From Edsa, turn right to Ortigas Avenue. Continue driving to Ortigas Avenue Extension then E. Rodriguez Avenue. Continue driving to Antipolo and Tanay. Once in Tanay, trace the Tanay-Pililla Road. After Pililla, continue tracing the Famy-Real Road until you reach your destination.

Good To Know Info In Traveling to Real

• If you plan to go on whitewater tubing/rafting, you don’t have to drive all the way to the Real town proper. The whitewater tubing/rafting site is just a few minutes away after leaving the boundary in Laguna and entering the town. You can pin Tanauan White River Rafting on Google or Waze. The landmark is the Tanauan ES situated on the left side of the road.
• Reservation is not required for whitewater tubing/rafting. Reservation is only necessary for your chosen resort should you wish to stay for the night.
• During our trip, visitors were required to register at the Real Tourism Facebook Page and secure a pass 3-5 days prior to their visit. They also require a confirmed booking from any of their accredited resorts.
• Real is very touristy. The beach was filled with lots of people during our visit. Should you wish to have the place to yourselves which is preferred considering the pandemic, a weekday trip is most ideal.
• The beach is good for swimming and great for surfing in some areas. The shores are of rough volcanic ash sands. No fine white sand beaches near the area so you would do best to manage your expectations.
• Please stock up on food before your trip. Wet markets in Real tend to run out of meat supplies especially pork and chicken on weekends. The seafood selection is also very limited and is a bit pricey.
• Mobile phone coverage is inconsistent and almost non-existent for Globe. Smart has strong coverage for calling, texting, and surfing the internet.
• For safety, please practice social distancing. Always wear your face mask and face shield properly. Have alcohol handy.
• Accredited Resorts in Real require that you get a cottage even when you intend to pitch tents. On top of that, they also collect entrance fees per person. For a list of accredited resorts, please check Real Tourism Facebook Page.

Bugdet & Other Essentials

There you go, Lovelies! I know many of you can relate when I say that we have trips that we often times thought would turn out to be bad but it went to be better than we initially expected. This trip to Real was just that kind of trip. Sometimes, we don’t really need to get ahead of ourselves and just need to let some things take their course. Ayt! I hope you guys enjoyed this blog. Don’t forget to share this with your friends. Until next time. Ciao!