ISHI: Travel: SOLOMON'S PARADISE, PATAR, Bolinao

Pangasinan. Tourists often visit this Northern Luzon province to see the famous Hundred Islands located in the town of Alaminos. However, only a few discover that just an hour away is a hideaway town which from way before belonged to the seas rather than the islands.

This is the location of Bolinao on the map of Pangasinan. From Manila, it takes about 5-6 hours of travel by land to reach this distant town of caves and corals. Absolutely worth the travel though.

The coast of Barangay Patar is where the major resorts are. But if you really want the experience to be comfortably 'all natural', I recommend checking in at Solomon's Paradise. I am not sure but this could be one of the cheapest resorts in the area. There are only 4 nipa cottages for guests so privacy should not be a worry. No need for a hired tourist guide because the Australian owner, Brett, will give you every detail of what the town has to offer. His Filipina wife, who ironically did not come from Pangasinan, cooks the meals for their guests.

What's really great about this resort is that the beach is left untouched. The cliffs that were formed by the waves still remain the way it was naturally made, unlike in other parts of the coast where some were put down in order to make way for commercialization of the resorts. The Cape Bolinao Lighthouse can be seen from the cliffs which is just 5 minutes away. This place is perfect for snorkeling, diving and even fishing.

For the adventurous, this could be a piece of heaven.

Jumping off the cliff could be thrilling and fun, but not when the waves are mad.

The best time to go is during summer when there is minimal pressure from the atmosphere and tide pulling. We went there last month, which is the first month of the year, and it was almost impossible to swim due to the superbly strong splashing of waves. Unless you're a really good swimmer, it could be fantastic.