The boat trip
Green islands and clear blue water.
MANUEL C. ZACARIAS — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Elmer nev valenzuela — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jerome Bilwag — CC BY-SA 4.0 · BiancaBrazal — CC BY-SA 4.0 · BiancaBrazal — CC BY-SA 4.0 · BiancaBrazal — CC BY-SA 4.0
Hundred Islands National Park is a protected area in Lingayen Gulf off Alaminos, Pangasinan, and the first national park of the Philippines. It has 124 islands at low tide and 123 at high tide across 16.76 square kilometres, and only four are developed for tourism: Quezon, Governor, Children's and Pilgrimage. The islands are karst limestone, believed to be about two million years old. They began as coral on the bed of a prehistoric sea and were exposed as the sea level fell, with waves cutting some of them into mushroom shapes. The park was declared on 18 January 1940, named a National Geological Monument in 2001 and has been run by the city of Alaminos since 2005. You leave Lucap Wharf by wooden boat among green islands and clear blue water. Quezon Island is the most developed, with a small beach and walkways. Governor Island gives a wide view over the scattered islands from its top. Snorkelling, helmet diving and kayaking are on offer. Small forests of coastal trees and sea birds fill the rest, and undeveloped islands stay as they are. The park is 7.9 km in a straight line north-east of central Alaminos. Boats are hired whole, so share with others and agree on the islands you want. Trips stop in bad weather, especially from June to November. Bring food and water, take your rubbish back, and expect a possible rubbish deposit. Dress modestly out of the water.
Green islands and clear blue water.
A small beach and walkways.
The scattered islands from above.
Lucap Wharf, Alaminos, Pangasinan province
Only four are developed for tourism, and the usual tour covers three.
The price is for the whole boat, so form a small group at the wharf to cut your share.