For riders, just hitting the open road, regardless of the destination, is an adventure in itself. But if you’re planning to ride all over the Philippines, you’ll realize it can get pretty complicated trying to transport a motorbike around since the country is made up of 7,641 islands. While there are some small amazing islands great for exploring by motorcycle, it’s more convenient to just rent motorbikes from there. For those coming from Manila who have their own bikes, your best bet would be to ride around the mainland of Luzon, the largest and most populous island in the Philippines.

While I’ve traveled to all of these places listed below, I haven’t personally ridden to all of them from Manila yet, so I’m sharing additional tips and photos from Wrangler Philippines #TrueWanderer Season 1 and 2 riders on their tried-and-tested favorites. Metro Manila itself (which ranks in lists of places with the worst traffic in the world) is admittedly not a great place to ride. But if you’re interested in exploring the Philippines, these are the most popular riding routes from Manila where you can enjoy the destination as well as the journey getting there.

NOTE: These destinations involve pure land travel in mainland Luzon from Manila and excludes islands you can reach by sea travel.

Day Trips

Marilaque

My personal favorite for a day ride is Marilaque (Marikina-Rizal-Laguna-Quezon), a highway that traverses several provinces through the Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges of Rizal, the mountaintops of Laguna, and, finally, to Infanta, Quezon. With a road stretching to 110-kilometers, this highway is a favorite for motorcycle riders and mountain bikers because of its cooler climate and scenic views. It will take you about 3-4 hours to get to Infanta via this route.

Ride highlights: View from Cafe Katerina, Paseo Rizal, twisties, Daraitan, Jariel’s Peak, Agos River, Beaches of Infanta, Gen. Nakar and Real

Tagaytay

According to #TrueWanderer Dom de la Torre (RiderAko), Tagaytay City in Cavite is one of the most popular rides especially for those based in the South. Tagaytay is known for its cooler climate, restaurants, and great view overlooking Taal Lake in Batangas. “It’s very near busy cities in the provinces of Laguna, Cavite, Batangas and Metro Manila. A short 20-40 km ride and you’ll find yourself riding winding roads with a cool breeze of fresh air blowing against your face.”

Ride highlights/stopovers: People’s Park in the Sky, Tagaytay Picnic Grove, Hillside roads overlooking Taal Lake, Twisty roads of Talisay with hairpin curves on 20-30 degree slopes, Kaybiang Tunnel

Batangas

Another well-loved riding destination from Manila is Batangas, home to the well-known Taal Volcano (visible from Tagaytay) and Taal Heritage town, a small town that has ancestral houses and structures dating back to the 19th century, which you can visit on a Taal Lake Loop.

Batangas is a popular weekend destination mainly because of its beaches and diving spots, with coastal towns like Calatagan, Nasugbu and Laiya in San Juan favorite spots for ride and beach camping trips. Depending on the traffic and your route (SLEX or Laguna backroads), you can get to Batangas in about 3-5 hours one way.

Ride highlights/stopovers: Nasugbu-Ternate Highway, coastal roads, beaches, Laiya, Calatagan, Taal Heritage Town

Laguna

Laguna, situated southeast of Metro Manila hugs the southern shores of Laguna de Bay, the the largest lake in the country. A popular riding route is the Laguna Loop, a 200+ km route where one circles the entire Laguna de Bay.

Laguna is the birthplace of Jose Rizal, the country’s national hero and is famous for its waterfalls, hot springs and mystic mountains. You can spend a whole day of riding to completely loop the lake and spend quality time at various attractions or just choose to just visit the more laid-back and scenic Eastern towns instead or stay overnight in Caliraya.

Ride highlights: Laguna Lake from various vantage points, Pilillia Wind Farm, Laguna Lake, Paete, Seven Lakes of San Pablo, Historic churches, Underground Cemetery, Pagsanjan Waterfalls, Caliraya Lake

Bataan

For history buffs, the province of Bataan, situated in the Central Luzon region about 120+ kms away, offers another interesting destination to ride to from Manila because of its historical significance as one of the last stands of American and Filipino soldiers before they were overwhelmed by the Japanese forces in World War II.

The Bataan Death March was named after the province, where the infamous march started. Those on big bikes can get to Bataan in just 2-3 hours via NLEX, while those on smaller bikes will have to pass the service road, which can take about 4 to 4.5 hours.

Ride highlights: Bataan Death March markers, Mt. Samat National Shrine, Las Casas de Filipinas de Acuzar, Sisiman Bay

Overnight Rides (2-3 days recommended)

La Union

La Union is a laid-back surf town in the Ilocos region with a wide range of accommodations to fit any budget and lots of restaurants to choose from for all your food trip needs.

Roughly 273 km (170 mi) north of Metro Manila, riders can get here with just a 4-5 hour drive if they’re passing the expressway. While it’s technically day-trippable, you should plan to stay at least overnight to enjoy the beach and nightlife.

Ride highlights: Beaches, sunset in San Juan, Macho Temple, Thunderbird Resort, Luna Pebble Beach, Tangadan Falls (hike required), food-tripping

Baguio

Baguio City, the country’s summer capital, is one of the most popular destinations in the Philippines. “The City of Pines” is always a popular destination for vacations and weekend trips because of its proximity to Manila and cooler climate, great food options and all the interesting tourist destinations you can visit. It’s a great destination for riders as well, because of the scenic views and twisties just getting there. Baguio is roughly 245 kms or about 4-5 hours drive.

Ride highlights: Lion’s Head Statue, Biker’s Pit Stop, Stobosa, Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad, Burnham Park, Mines View, Camp John Hay, food-tripping

Baler

According to #TrueWanderer Gab Casuga, Baler is a good destination for riders, especially those who like to surf. The capital of the province of Aurora is located 231 km (144 mi) north-east of Manila or roughly about 7-8 hours drive via a mountain pass. The scenic views, spectacular geographic formations, laid-back vibe and beach are its top draws.

“The coastline going there is just beautiful. It’s great for riders because of the fact that at the end of your ride, the beautiful pacific coastline just awaits you. If you leave early around 5 am, you can get there by lunch, spend the afternoon surfing, enjoy the nightlife with a couple of beers with pako salad as pulutan and other local delicacies.”

“Then the next morning take a joy ride going North seeing the white beach part of the Aurora coastline.”

Ride highlights: Visiting the Antonio Luna Shrine in Cabanatuan, stopping over for coffee and the famous suman, the beach for surfing, Millenium Tree, Sabang Beach, Diguisit Beach & Rock Formations, Dipaculao

Longer Rides (3-5 days recommended)

Vigan, Ilocos Sur

Vigan, the capital of Ilocos Sur, has the distinction of being named a UNESCO World Heritage City. The city is well-known for its Spanish-era mansions, cobblestone streets and kalesas (horse-drawn carriages), which are the most popular way for tourists to go sightseeing.

According to #TrueWanderer Marvin Geronimo (No Barriers, Just Horizons), getting to Vigan will take riders roughly 10-12 hours straight drive coming from Manila but exploration is easy once you get there. “Every attraction is pretty much just a couple of minutes away. Vigan itself is very rider-friendly and easy to go around, you will see a lot just by roaming the streets. People are very kind to riders.”

Ride highlights: Calle Crisologo, Vigan Museum, Vigan Cathedral, Plaza, Bantay Church, Bantay Tower, Baluarte, Mindoro Beach.

Sagada, Mt. Province

The mountain town of Sagada nestled in a valley in the Mountain Province is a great destination for adventure junkies. This scenic town in the Cordillera region offers the most spectacular view of mountains, cooler climate due to its high elevation and well-preserved culture.

If you want a long ride with amazingly scenic views through the mountains, this is a great choice. Sagada is about 391 km from Metro Manila via Baguio, La Trinidad, Bontoc Rd, Halsema Highway and the Mountain Trail. You can split your ride in two (by spending the first day/night in Baguio) before riding up to Sagada or drive straight here, which will take roughly 10 to 12 hours from Manila.

Ride highlights: Hanging Coffins, Sumaguing Cave, Cave Connection, Kiltepan Peak, Waterfalls, Lake Danum, the road just going up there

Bicol

The Bicol Region is composed of six provinces, four of which are on the mainland on the southeastern end of Luzon: Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay and Sorsogon.

The Manila to Bicol route passing the Asian Highway 26 (AH26) (also known as the Pan-Philippine Highway or Maharlika Highway) is a major road trip route. Bicol is about 437 kms away from Metro Manila, and will take you about 10 – 12 hours depending on your pace.

Ride highlights: Old Zigzag Road in Atimonan, Coastal road in Gumaca, Bagasbas Beach in Daet (detour required), CamSur Water Sports Complex, Mayon Volcano, Bulusan Lake in Sorsogon

Ilocos Norte

The province of Ilocos Norte at the northwest corner of Luzon facing the West Philippine Sea is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the North.

Known for its historic churches, stunning beaches and mouthwatering cuisine, Ilocos Norte showcases some of the best destinations up North. It’s also home to one of the longest and most extreme bridges in the Philippines, which is sort of a landmark for road trippers.

The Patapat Viaduct, a coastal bridge elevated 31 meters above sea level, is a top draw for riders on their way to the coastal town of Pagudpud. According to #TrueWanderer Carlos Baldosa, a safe estimate for motorcycle riders coming from Metro Manila to get to Patapat Viaduct is about 12 – 13 hours if that’s your main destination. Patapat Viaduct is 569 kms away from Metro Manila.

Ride highlights: Patapat Viaduct, Fort Ilocandia, Pagudpud, Kapurpurawan Rock Formations, Bangui Wind Farm, Sand Dunes 

North Luzon Loop

At the top of most Filipino rider’s bucketlists is the North Luzon Loop, a 1,200+ km ride that loops the main roads on the entire Luzon Island. Some riders just speed through this and make minimum stops while those on smaller displacement bikes say it will take at least 2 days to complete. But if you’re after touring and sightseeing, you should probably allot at least 5 days to circle the entire route.

Ride highlights: All the highlights from previous destinations listed above along the route, the Highest Point of the Philippine Highway System, Halsema Highway, welcome arches, endless stretches of roads and fields, Aparri (the northernmost tip of mainland Luzon)

There are a lot of other places around Luzon and the Philippines that you can ride to, but so far these are the most popular riding routes that I know of and are usually recommended by fellow riders. Got any other suggestions? Please let me know in the comments section 🙂

Thanks to my fellow #TrueWanderers for their ride tips and photos! Ride soon!