Che Custodio | Jude Ortiz | June 1, 2018 | Lucban, Quezon
Lucban is a municipality in the province of Quezon. It is also dubbed as the Art Capital of Quezon province and is well known for their PAHIYAS Festival which is held every May 15 in honor of San Isidro Labrador.
Our friend Rose, invited us for her birthday and gave us a tour of her hometown.
Day 1 - Jude and I took the 2:30 AM trip via JAC Liner Bus in their Cubao terminal last June 1, 2018 (Friday). The bus was almost full when we arrived, so we did not wait that long for the trip to start. Bus fare was ₱218.00 and we were dropped off at Lucena Grand Terminal at around 6:00 AM. There were jeepneys there going to Lucban - fare is ₱30.00.
We had our breakfast at Jollibee. This is not the common Jollibee that we can see in Manila, because it situated within an old/restored building. This gives you the “time travel” feels when you stay there because it looks somehow similar to Vigan.
We had a taste of the famous and delicious “pancit habhab” of Lucban prepared by Ate Rose. It also comes with puto and she mentioned that the common price of habhab is at ₱10.00 per order, while puto is at ₱7.00. Aside from HabHab, Longganisang Lucban is also one of our favorites. You can purchase these for as low as ₱75.00 per dozen (Small size) and ₱160.00/dozen (Large size).
Aside for the birthday celebration, the main highlight of this trip is a visit to Kamay Ni Hesus. This is one of the most popular places that Catholics visit during the Holy Week. We decided to go in the afternoon to shoot some photos also to avoid the crowd and the scorching heat.
The climate in Lucban is something I look forward to, being a resident of Quezon City where temperature is consistently high. Water from the faucet is as cold as ice and the wind is as cold as Baguio’s!
Since it was ate Rose’s birthday, cake will never be absent for such celebration. It was my first time to have a taste of Rodilla’s yema cake and it was very delicious! (Jude and I bought a smaller version of the cake as pasalubong and it costs ₱180.00).
Day 2 - We attended the 9:30 AM Mass (Saturday) led by Fr. Faller. If you are thinking of visiting this place, there is no entrance fee required. However, you must observe the proper dress code.
After the Holy Mass, people have the option to stay for the “Healing Mass”. This was divided into two parts and is being conducted only on the first and last Saturday of each month. You can visit their official website here.
The first part is like a “general prayer of healing” and the next will be done by batches through color codings. There is a table at the church entrance where you will be asked by the representatives which prayer intention do you have in mind in visiting Kamay Ni Hesus. We chose color green (for general healing). We were able to finish the ceremony at 11:30 AM and decided to hike going up to reach the statue of Jesus Christ afterwards.
I (Che) was the only first-timer and they told me that Kamay Ni Hesus looks better this time around because of the added barracks in stairs which prevents visitors from doing shortcuts. We recommend that you bring a bottle of water (because we all forgot) before hiking because there are no vendors when you reach the peak.
Day 3 (Sunday) - June 3, 2018. Ate Rose took us for a picnic and swimming get-together. It was in Batis Aramin, which is within walking distance from Kamay Ni Hesus.
For just ₱500.00, we were able to rent a cottage from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM and it includes the use of their ihawan. What we liked about the resort is that it has a lot of pools to choose from including shower rooms, so it is unlikely to have long queues (unless maybe during peak season).
The resort also offers other activities that can be enjoyed by large groups such as rock climbing and zipline.
The entrance fee for adults is ₱150 during weekdays ans ₱200 on weekends. You may want to check out their website here for booking inquiries.
Day 4 - On our last day in Quezon, we visited another resort, which is Villa Elma. We rode a tricycle from Ate’s house and were surprised that the fare was ₱150.00. We were only able to check that the usual rate was at ₱20.00 per person after we finished the tour.
Here are the things that you can expect in visiting Villa Elma:
entrance fee is ₱100.00 for a day tour. If you would like to swim, it will cost another ₱100.00
the resort is not yet fully developed. Better have mosquito repellents as they have a lot of mosquitoes in the restroom.
food is delicious and I consider it as a full and heavy meal. We ordered Lucban breakfast meal for ₱100.00 that includes an iced tea and half order of Chami that is good for 2-3 person for ₱150.00
if you're a mobile photography enthusiast, you will enjoy taking Silky Water photos in the spring (“batis”) landscape & still photography with some interesting artworks and moody feels subjects
Feedback for Kamay Ni Hesus:
The place is clean and organized. The human-sized statues and replicas of the Holy Family and saints are well painted. There were a lot of ushers that assists tourists like us, and I can say that I have seen and felt the solemnity of the mass. The view going up to the Jesus Christ statue was also rewarding as you will see the whole town of Lucban from there.
Feedback for Batis Aramin:
The price is reasonable for the amenities we were able to use in a whole day's stay. We were able to take a lot of photos and we did not have any trouble in reaching the area. We also liked the packages they are offering for big groups.
Feedback for Villa Elma:
The resort is not yet ready to accommodate big groups as the place is not yet fully developed/renovated.
The design/landscaping of the place is somehow confusing. In just one area, there are two or three different themes which bothered us a bit.
TCR Recommends:
Che: Aside from the hospitality that we received from our friend, Quezon will be the first place that I will remember to go back to whenever I’ll get the chance to have a quick vacation away from Metro Manila due to its cold weather and good food.
Jude: the town is highly recommended especially when you're into photography, in every genre, from historical up to adventurous activity Lucban has a lot of interesting subjects to offer, The people were so hospitable and friendly you can roam around even at night as police and tanod were active to watch over the town, when you're up to a quick “budgetarian” weekend getaway and looking for a simple solemn and relaxing place, Lucban will never disappoint you.
more of our photos here