We drove for about three hours before reaching Sariaya, and surprisingly without the usual Saturday AND post-All Soul’s traffic at SLEX. We were to look for a private port in Talaan, Quezon, or “Port of Talaan”, as the father-in-law says. That’s where their crew was docked and where we’ll meet him for an overnight in one of the resorts in town. 


As it turns out, there is no such name. Even Google Maps couldn’t find where Talaan is in Quezon, much more a port in Talaan. It also didn’t help that there are two Talaans in Sariaya: Talaan Pantoc and Talaan Aplaya.





Dirt road upon dirt road, we searched till we finally found Nation Granary Inc., a privately held port in Talaan Aplaya. We stayed a minute to ask locals and to take a whiff of the cool, salty air from the beachfront property before heading on for miles of rice paddies and towering coconuts on either side of the road, and the majestic Mount Banahaw looking out from the west.


 Mount Banahaw 



Farmlands by the Talaan Aplaya road

Similar to the narrow, winding towns before this, the road went on for kilometers without any establishments in view: not a local turo-turo or a sari-sari store, or even a house. No public transport either. We plied seven kilometers on the Quezon Eco Tourism Road before reaching Dalampasigan Beach Resort where we had prior reservations. 



Guisguis Beach during low tide

I previously thought of sneaking in a side trip to Borawan, Puting Buhangin and Kwebang Lampas (sans the in-laws, whom I expect wouldn’t let me go on an hour-long boat ride with my little one). But contrary to expectations I found no boats for hire in Guisguis –  probably because it’s over 30 kilometers away from Pagbilao, the jump-off point to these fascinating sights. I simply spent the day roaming the perimeters. 

Guisguis Beach at sunset


For someone who has seen immaculate sands elsewhere, Guisguis Beach may be a letdown. While ultra fine, the sand was a typical, uninviting shade of brownish-gray. Weeds and tree bark
were scattered across the seabed, along with empty sachets of hair conditioner and nuts. The shore was sprawling with twigs and shavings of coconuts, a primary source of livelihood in the area. Unfamiliar as it is though, it is serene and relaxed even on a weekend.


Them locals burn coconut shavings by the beach.


Low tide at 7am


At 7 am the next day, the tide was superbly low. One could walk for a kilometer or more away from shore without the water reaching the kneecap up until noon. I sat Lia on the sand to take pictures of with my phone. Two sisters went past with an infant a couple of months older than mine and said, “Look oh, the baby’s not eating the sand. ‘Kaw kinakain mo ‘yung sand.” I smiled and raised Lia’s hand to bid them bye as she obliviously examined the brown sprawl of earth surrounding her. As soon as they turned around, Lia grabbed a handful of sand and quickly slipped it inside her mouth. I laughed as I spooned the soil off her tongue and gums with a finger. 



I tried not to be a buzzkill and ruin my daughter’s first sand-eating experience by being too OC. Like playing in the rain and rolling over grass, I believe this one’s good for her soul. She may not remember it at all, but we adults don’t know how far-reaching the influence of travels and experiences are to our little ones either.


(On the other hand, if this was some totally primeval rural community, I’d probably think twice and go paranoid about worms).





How to get there:
Take the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), then exit to Sto. Tomas. Follow the route through Pan Philippine Highway (the same route going to Bicol), and go straight past the towns of Alaminos, Tiaong and Candelaria. Once you reach Sariaya town proper, there is a signage past the town arch (by the town hall) that points towards the town of Talaan Aplaya. Turn right at this point. The sign however was covered by a palm tree when we went, so you have to drive slow when you reach town.


Just go straight; there will be signs pointing to Talaan. You will first pass by Talaan Pantoc, followed by Talaan Aplaya. At the end of the road, there is an intersection where the dirt road and a paved highway meet. This is the Quezon Eco Tourism Road. Ply right onto this road and go straight.You will pass by the town of San Roque, followed by Guisguis. Resorts line up the highway, there are signs. You won’t miss it.
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Gretchen is a Best of the Net and Pushcart Prize-nominated poet and essayist from the Philippines, where she embraces life while managing bipolar disorder and ADHD. Her confessional pieces unpack the complexities of grief, healing, motherhood, love, and intersections, garnering recognition from the Greg Grummer Poetry Contest and Navigator's Travel Writing Competition.

5 Comments

  2. Although the beach may not be out of the ordinary, I think one plus factor for this destination is there's not a lot of people. When I go on vacations, I want to go to a place where there si peae and quiet. Popular beach destinations are often too crowded and there's usually a lot of things going on.

    Reply

  3. The beach looks peaceful. I bet it's relaxing because there are no people. Nice place to get that much needed R&R 🙂

    Reply

  4. Apple and Ditas – yes, the beach was very serene indeed and that's probably its main selling point.

    Reply

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