Amanda Virrey
What Kids Love About the Hundred Islands in Alaminos
The Hundred Islands in Alaminos, Pangasinan is a paradise among a spectacle of paradise in the Philippines. It covers a myriad of lush islands scattered within the endless scope in the Lingayen Gulf, offering visitors a myriad of activities to enjoy, anywhere from zipline, kayaking, parasailing to spelunking, camping and hiking.
For children, it is a perfect setting for a string of fantasies coming alive, as described below:
1. The boat ride
The half-hour ride along the sea from the Lucap Wharf on the mainland to the islands opens the kids up to the fresh saltwater breeze and the lush nature abound. It affords them the soft healing-wind kissing their skin and a wide window to watch the verdant heaps of land go by up-close and discern its various shapes and sizes.
That is just one boat leg of the tour. There are more boat trips to the rest of the islands that will overwhelm their senses.
2. The hike up the stairs to the viewpoint on Governor’s Island
Climbing up the landscape of stairs all the way up to the top at Governor’s Island provides an exciting challenge for children to win over. It exercises their physical and mental strengths in such a setting touched with fantasy and adventure.
There is that very high staircase leading to the first viewpoint and another a shorter up and down staircase leading to another viewpoint, which is also the zipline starting point.
3. The viewing points
For kids, reaching the paved viewpoints, encompassing the majestic scenery of the small group of islands in the vast blue sea from way below give them a sense of pride and confidence, as if they are “rulers of the world”!
It also gives them an opportunity to feel and see the differences of being high up on a hill to being on low grounds, as well as understanding the relation of perceiving things in a bigger size up-close to smaller sizes from afar.
4. The beaches
There’s a smorgasbord of beaches everywhere in the Hundred Islands.
At the Governor’s Island, children can revel on the beach for as long as they want (or as their parents allow them to). They can wade on the sandy-rocky seabed, make splashes in the water and create sand art on the cream-colored coarse sand.
They could also enjoy the same fun at other touristic islands, like Marcos Island, the coral-beached Quezon Island, the shallow waters in the Children’s Island, and many more.
5. The bat island
Show the kids how the fruit bats sleep at the Bat Island.
As nocturnal mammals, these spirited bats naturally exhibit their sleeping prowess in the open air, hanging upside down in trees without a care.
Yet at sunset, they flourish into a thick mat hovering above the sky as they fly to their favorite feeding grounds further and beyond.
6. The Children’s Island
In what appears to be an average of three feet, the surrounding depth of this Child-friendly island offers a wondrous height for kids to frolic and swim in the sea for as long as they want.
They can play a ton of water games and make sandcastles out of the pebbles and sands on the shore. And if the kids do not want to leave this island, you can pitch a tent and campout overnight.
8. Bird-watching
Kids love to see birds, especially different kinds of birds all in one day.
They can get a glimpse of the over 50 diverse bird species like Philippine ducks, blue-tailed bee-eaters, magpie robins, white-collared kingfishers, zebra doves, purple night heron, and more.
While birds flock more to quieter spots, it is ideal to dedicate a good amount of time at a particular spot to catch them in their full glory.
Take the kids to Camantiles Island, Heron Island, Tern Island and Bat Island for an amazing sighting of birds they have not seen before.
8. Fun-fishing
With so many islands having a rich pool of fishes that freely swim about, it is likely for kids to simply go into the sea, scoop their pail into the water and successfully catch fishes.
They could create fish-friendly games among them with the fish they caught and throw them back into the sea.
Just pick an island and let the kids enjoy their fishy friends.
9. Cave Exploration
Let the kids find excitement in the caves and learn about corals and limestones formed inside these ancient natural cathedrals.
They will surely enjoy discerning the variety of sizes and shapes naturally formed in the Cathedral Cave, and walk through tunnel types of caves found in Cuenco Island and Simmimbahan Island and get a firsthand knowledge of stalagmites, stalactites and draperies, and stroll in Alama and Century Caves and catch bats sleeping in its echo-sensitive walls, and dip in the magical lake inside Milagrosa Cave even after gathering for a unique picnic experience within the cave’s limestone atmosphere.
10. Camping
Deserted islands, moonlit skies, coconuts, treasures, ships and pirates are what most preschoolers (and above) are interested in. So give them a taste of life on a deserted island as you pitch a tent in any of the Hundred Islands’ handful of camping islands.
For a minimum fee of 200php, you can pitch your tent at the sprawling beaches on Governor’s, Quezon and Children’s Islands and live the fantasy of pre-modern times by creating fire from rocks, cooking on dried leaves, sleeping under the blanket of stars, and so much more fantasies to manifest.
Obviously, when you get to the Hundred Islands and explore the richness found in each of the islands, you and your kids will discover for yourselves the wealth of creativity and knowledge that you are gifted with, as revealed by this spectacular amalgam of nature, which our country, the Philippines is blessed with.
