Tacking Point Lighthouse, Port Macquarie, Australia: Cutest Lighthouse We've Seen, Ever!

We helped ourselves to a light brekkie. Our tummies were still quite cramped with the previous night's fantastic bolognese dinner that Chris, our Couchsurfing host, prepared for us. Though mildly handicapped with a leg cast (he and a fellow backpacker got thrown off a motorbike in Vietnam or Cambodia or somewhere), Chris worked swiftly in and around the kitchen. He even played with one-year-old Luna in between.

I yawned as I took a bite from my toast.

She demands a "superman" anytime, anywhere.
It was day 140 of our 2011-2012 round-the-world trip, and our family of three were on an interstate journey from Gold Coast, Queensland to Sydney, New South Wales — transported by an old beat-up, borrowed Ford Festiva which we lovingly named Gumby after that clay humanoid it shares the same color with. Stuffed in Gumby's trunk are our measly belongings which we moved out of the artist's cabin by the beach where we lived for a month and a half. Belongings which will travel with us for 140 more days, across 5 other continents.
  Lighthouse Beach Rainforest Reserve. Just behind our host's house.

We requested a couch from Chris who lives in Port Macquarie to break the long drive of more than eight hundred kilometers. The coastal city's situated about a little past halfway to our destination, which makes it an ideal stopover for a night. We heard it's got gorgeous beaches too. And a koala hospital.

Lighthouse atop the headland Tacking Point. Doesn't look like a lighthouse from this angle.  

Chris must be in sixties. Married once with a son and daughter who now live independently in other Aussie states. He's got the huge house to himself for years. But like his family, the house rarely sees him because he's still very much hooked with backpacking. He is a trove of world trivia and hilarious travel blunders. He's got an eye for vintage treasures (I was totally diggin' the old weighing scale he purchased from Cambodia or Vietnam or somewhere) which he collects. And he's a sponsor for a Khmer child's education.

I gathered from the way he told his adventures that he's not slowing down anytime soon. His lust for life is burning. I wondered if hubby and I will be like that in three decades' time. Roughing it in our golden years? I cringed at the thought.

Halfway up the headland. Lighthouse Beach seems endless.

After eating (and pulling Luna away from Chris' nine ancient broken phones she was playing with), Chris led us down the outdoor deck to their murky private pool. Not for a swim, but to exit the rear gate that has an access to the Lighthouse Beach Rainforest Reserve. Yes, the forest is their backyard.

But wait... There's more! A long stretch of beach is also nearby. Chris gave detailed instructions on how to get to it, which I mapped in my head, before waving a catch-ya-later. And off we went.

Tacking Point Lighthouse, standing 8-meter tall. Cutest lighthouse we've seen, ever!  

It took us only a few minutes to traverse the small section of rainforest. At the end of the path is Matthew Flinders Drive that runs parallel to Lighthouse Beach, and we didn't see a lighthouse when we crossed it. It was summer yet the beach was surprisingly empty when we arrived. The beach was so stunning I wanted to cry.

We finally noticed the lighthouse perched on a headland while we were strolling on the shore. I couldn't believe it's a real lighthouse. It's the teensiest, cutest I've seen. Ever! There's a staircase leading up to Tacking Point (named so by Mathew Flinders in 1802 while sailing and tacking his to the coast) and the climb's relatively no sweat.

Miners Beach north of Tacking Point Headland. Unofficial nude beach.   Tacking Point Lighthouse has been in operation since 1879. It's Australia's third oldest. From here, the view of the coast is simply spectacular and sometimes whales can be spotted near the coastline (they migrate to give birth and to feed) between June and October. It's also a good vantage point for watching surfers when it's the season.

Back on the beach.
No whales, no surfers for us to gaze at that late morning though. Just the beaches and the Tacking Point Lighthouse. And they, along with our host (plus the Koala Hospital we were to visit at noon), were enough to make our pit stop in Port Macquarie worthwhile.

Oh, did I mention that Tacking Point Lighthouse is cute?

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Snapshot Saturday: Postcard #6 Cape Byron Lighthouse, New South Wales

It's day 109 of our our round-the-world trip, and we only got a couple of weeks left to make the most out of our temporal residence in Suffolk Park. It's been a glum spring the past few days. So as soon as the sun peeked through the gainsboro clouds, we jumped in our beat up, borrowed car dubbed Gumby and sped off.

After a month of driving in and out of Byron Bay, for the first time, Shervin took us to the lighthouse. And as you could see, that's where we took a snapshot of the next postcard for the The Postard Project. This lighthouse built in 1901, is Australia's most powerful. It sits on Cape Byron, the most easterly point of the country's mainland.

We intended to wait for the sunset, but called it a day when we felt our tummies rumble. Good that we did, for Gumby broke down while we were rolling down hill. We didn't have to be stuck late evening in the middle of bush nowhere, waiting for NRMA to rescue us (this totally deserves a separate post).

It's not too late to join! Email your address to gaye.emami@yahoo.com. Recipients are chosen via Random.org.

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Anawangin Cove and Capones Island

A secret no more. This summer, my Facebook account is flooded with notifications of friends posting 'Anawangin Getaway' albums containing 100+ photos each. Even back in 2008 when we first visited the cove, it was already getting crowded during weekends. Now that two years have passed, you may ask, "Is it still worth going to?". Well, I'd say yes.

Spidermash at Anawangin Cove.

I prefer Anawangin Cove to stay secluded, but I don't want to be selfish. A lot of mountaineers may hate the fact that 'tourists' (even Koreans donning plastic sun visors) have infiltrated the beach, but for me everyone's got the right to witness its allure up close. After all, the influx of sun worshippers has helped the community stay financially afloat especially these hard times.

If you're one of those who have not been there yet, do not be put off by what others say about its crowdedness. You will still definitely find your own tranquil space within the cove. And try to visit on weekdays when there are less throngs of people.

Here's how to get there:

From Manila/Quezon City, board a bus going to Iba or Sta. Cruz, Zambales. Ask the conductor to drop you off San Antonio. From Victory Liner Pasay, the fare is about P220-250. This station though doesn't have trips to Iba and Sta. Cruz as frequent as Caloocan's. So you may also take an Olongapo bound bus, and from there transfer to a bus which goes all the way to Iba and Sta. Cruz. Travel time, 3-4 hours.

Then from San Antonio, a tricycle will take you to Pundaquit for P30.00 each passenger. Along Pundaquit Beach, boats are on queue waiting for their next passengers. A 20-minute ride to Anawangin Cove is about P1,500 (4-5 persons) with the option of visiting one more island, either Camara or Capones. Make sure you arrange your pick up time for the next day (if staying overnight) with the boatman before he leaves the cove for there's no signal there.

There's a P100 camping fee per head. Money goes to the Aeta caretakers (and of course the owners) who maintain the place.

Capones Island Lighthouse

Bring your own tents if you intend to stay overnight. And since you're camping, remember to bring torches and batteries. I don't think I have to remind you guys about bringing enough food. Filipinos always do. I stress though that your group should bring an ample amount of water for drinking and cooking. There's a manual pump on the cove, but I recommend to use it only for washing utensils and bathing.

The water's ideal for swimming, but be careful not to let yourself drift too far from the shore. Sadly, some people already fell victim to Anawangin's strong undercurrent. You wouldn't want to be part of the uhm, statistics, right?

When you leave the cove, bring your trash with you. Sure you paid P100, but that doesn't give you the right to turn the place into a big rubbish dump. Be a responsible traveller. You've had your fun, now do your part in keeping the place clean.

About that side trip I mentioned earlier, I have never been to Camara Island but I'm confident to say that Capones is more interesting to visit because of its lighthouse. Faro de Punta Capones (Capones Island Lighthouse) started its operation in 1890, and has been used to guide ships for more than a century. Though its frame (and the building beside it) is already old and dilapidating, its light is solar-powered. Pretty cool that it uses new technology but I wonder, does it efficiently work?

The coast's gorgeous sunset.

The lighthouse is perched on the highest point of the island, a bit of a hike (about 20 minutes) from the shore. Make sure you climb to the top, as it promises a rewarding view. If you're lucky, you'll spot some interesting looking birds swooshing by.

The whole experience will definitely make you fall in love with Zambales. Will probably make you feel selfish about the place too!

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Patar Beach

The driver of our hired van should have at least consulted a map before driving to a province unknown to him. Instead of taking the route from Camiling, we drove all the way to Urdaneta-Dagupan-Lingayen to reach Alaminos. Then from Alaminos, to Bolinao. A trip that took 8 hours (which should only be 4-5) before we reached our destination.


We arrived at midnight, and so Shervin and I didn't have a choice (Pearl's Sea Breeze is distant from the other resorts) but to pay P1,000 a night for a small air-conditioned separate room. The two rooms booked by the team (it was my sister's team building) were just enough for all of them. The rate was way above our budget, but this turned out to be wise decision for we bummed off Gabe's team for food. Room rental by the way, comes with free use of their kitchen with fridge. They also have a barbecue pit where you can grill food.


The next day, after a late breakfast, we headed to Cape Bolinao. It sits on top of Punta Piedra Point, and is the second highest lighthouse in the Philippines. It's easily accessible from any of the accommodations along Patar beach via private vehicle. Hiring a tricycle can also be arranged with your resort's management.


After taking photos of the awesome view from the lighthouse, we drove to the main road and scanned the row of resorts. Pearl's Sea Breeze, where we were staying, has a rocky shore so we entered a different resort just for a swim. And that's pretty much what we did for the rest of the day, until sunset.


We were home bound by day three. But before we left for Manila, we visited the famous Bolinao church. Built in 1607, it is considered as one of the oldest churches in the Philippines.

I don't know which of Gabe's colleagues suggested to go to Bolinao for their team building, but I'm sure glad he or she did. I cannot remember if I've ever been to a Pangasinan beach before (some of our relatives live in this province, and I'm not sure if they took us there when we were kids).

How to get there:

For public transport, bus companies Five Star, Victory Liner and Dagupan Bus have routes to Pangasinan.

For private vehicles, take NLEX and exit at Dau. Follow the road going to Baguio. When you reach Tarlac City, at the Victory Liner junction (Siesta stopover) take the road to Camiling and Bugallon. Drive until the next junction at Bugallon then take the road to Sual and Alaminos, Pangasinan. You will pass through the town of Bani then turn right to Bolinao. I am not good in giving directions (I can't remember which website I initially got this from so apologies for not giving credits), if this is confusing for you, just ask around as you go. It's actually pretty easy!

Accommodation:

Pearl's Sea Breeze Resort
+639178579117
Website: http://www.pearlsseabreezeresort.com

For a more luxurious vacation, visit:

Treasures of Bolinao
Bolinao Office: +63 (075)6961297 / (075) 696-0668
Manila Office: +63 (02) 497-1068 / (02) 413-4914
Website: http://www.treasuresofbolinao.com
Email: bolinaotreasures@yahoo.com

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