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Travel Guide: Biking from Baler to Dinadiawan and back

Kara Santos

Baler is a laid-back coastal town in the province of Aurora that’s known mostly as a surfing destination. But it’s also an amazing  base for riders and bikers to explore.  In 2019, we took a road trip from Manila to Dingalan, Baler, Dipaculao and back by motorcycles and loved the vibe, so we decided to return and ride at a slower pace on bicycles in April 2022 as soon as travel restrictions eased.

From Baler, you can enjoy the long traffic-free coastal road that stretches on to the less explored towns of Dipaculao, Dinadiawan, Dinalugan, Casiguran, Dilasag, etc. and camp there. After all the urban rides and having to deal with city traffic the past 2 years due to the pandemic, biking with views like this feels like pure freedom. 

There may not be a lot of touristy spots along this route yet, but every biker knows that just riding with the view of the sea and nature is the reward in itself. 

Where exactly is Baler?

Baler is located around 230 kilometers northeast of Manila via a mountain pass accessible by bus and private vehicles. Aurora is a long province facing the Philippine Sea, and bordered by the provinces of Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija and Bulacan.

Driving here by car, motorcycles, or bus, usually takes about 6 hours through the expressways and steep roads (depending on the traffic).

While you could bike all the way from Metro Manila to Baler if you really wanted to, if you have limited time and just want to enjoy the place for the weekend, you can just rent bikes from Baler, bring your own bikes by private vehicle, or load your bikes on a bus and sleep on the way, so it’s not so tiring. 

Yes, it’s possible to just load your bicycles on a bus as long as they fit in the cargo compartment. We’ve done this for several trips to provinces like Bicol and Marinduque, you just have to disassemble and take off wheels to fit in cargo hold. 

How to get to Baler

It’s easy to reserve bus tickets to Baler online on Joybus, the comfy coach class of Genesis Transport. For this trip, I booked our tickets on IWantSeats.com. You can also book bus trips via PinoyTravel.com.ph.

You can pick the seats and easily pay online via GCash. They’ll send out a confirmation by email, which you need to print out and show at ticket counter to claim actual bus tickets on the day of your trip. The bus itself is spacious and new, with a comfort room on board. 

The Genesis Transport Bus Station in Cubao is located at 704 EDSA corner New York St., Cubao, Quezon City. It is on the Northbound side of EDSA, near other bus stations like Baliwag Transit and Bataan Transit.

Bus schedule

As of April 2022, there are 3 trips daily, with 2 on the JoyBus coaches (2×1 seats with CR available on board) and 1 trip with regular seats. We picked the 2am sked going to Baler, so we would arrive at 8am for a full day of biking. For the return trip, I picked the 1pm (timed after hotel check out), which will take you back to Manila by 7pm the same day. Travel time to Baler by bus is 6 hours. 

The fare on the Genesis Joybus costs P850/person one way. The regular 2×2 – fare costs P590 /person one way. There’s no cargo fee for bicycles.

Cubao to Baler

Baler to Cubao

Cabanatuan to Baler

Baler to Cabanatuan

The Genesis Bus station in Baler is located in 117 Recto, Poblacion, Baler. This is centrally located near Sabang beach. Hotels and the beach are about a kilometer away by bike.

Possible routes for bikers

Our recent bike-cation covers 100 kms  from Baler to Dinadiawan (Dipaculao) and back in 2 days. Elevation wise, this is about 30 km of a nice long stretch of flat coastal road. The last 20kms involve passing through mountainous areas with some steep climbs and hairpin turns. It can be tiring passing here especially if you’re carrying a lot of stuff and if you get here around noontime.

Going back is easier since you can tackle the uphill sections first when you have energy and it’s not so hot in the day yet, and can just cruise the rest of the way.

If you only have one night to spare and you start early, it’s possible to bike from Baler to Dinadiawan and back the same day for a Century ride. You can leave your stuff in Baler at your chosen hotel, and enjoy a full day of riding wherever you want and then go back to check-in and enjoy the beach at night and the next day.

Road bikers and those with thinner tires will have an advantage in terms of speed and ascents in the mountainous areas near Dinadiawan since the roads are all paved. As an MTB user, I found the ascents to be a bit tiring because my bike felt very heavy and I was carrying stuff, but I loved the long downhill portions. Just be careful biking and slow down on blind curves, as vans and SUVs who overtake bikers or those going in the opposite direction tend to speed a lot.

For those who want a shorter and mainly flat route, Ampere Beach and Rock Formations, almost 20 km away from Sabang Beach is a good ride destination in itself. Going back and forth will be a chill 40 km.

From Sabang Beach in Baler, bikers can also head to Dicasalarin Cove, less than 20km away. Getting up to Pag-Asa station involves a steep climb, but the road itself before that is relatively flat and easy. You can pass a scenic pier area, Diguisit Beach and Ermita Hill here for relaxed bike touring.

Photo from previous solo trip with rented bike

You could also take a leisurely bike ride to visit the famed Millennium Balete Tree in the neighboring town of Maria Aurora. It’s roughly 14.6 km one-way through the Pantabangan-Baler Road and you can do a bike loop to get back for another chill 30 km ride.

Really, choosing where to bike in Baler is really up to you and how much time you have to spare.

Top sights to see in Baler and beyond

READ MORE: Travel Guide: Baler

Our itinerary

Day 1: Baler to Dinadiawan

Where to stay & eat in Dinadiawan:

There are lots of beachfront resorts along Dinadiawan. For this trip, we stayed in Porto Novo Dinadiawan, which has a private beach front area with a great view. The rooms here are spacious and you can actually bring your bikes inside the room for added security.

As of our visit, there was no food at the resort (they only hire a cook on weekends), but you can cook and prepare your own food, or just go to town or other nearby resorts to eat. Room rates start at P2,500.00 for 2 pax. I had to pay a deposit for the room reservation, but you can easily send payment by GCash or bank transfer.

Another option you can stay in is La Sunshine Resort, a few minutes away. This resort caters more to families and has a secure parking area for vehicles, swimming pool, and has a nice airy restaurant that serves all-day breakfast meals. The service here was very nice and friendly.

If you’re riding to the Dipaculao town proper, there are small eateries along the road, including Lily’s Restaurant, where you can stock up on supplies and snacks as well. There are several vulcanizing shops along the road in the town proper in case you need bike repairs done.

Day 2: Dinadiawan to Baler

Where to stay and eat in Baler:

There are lots of places to stay in Baler, but some resorts have been affected by the pandemic and may no longer be operational. For this trip, we stayed at Nalu Surf Camp, a well-designed resort with modern and deluxe beachfront cottages ideal for groups and families.

They also have air-conditioned Ifugao Huts with garden views ideal for just 2 pax. I picked this because the resort is within a gated complex, with a secure parking area. The hut also has railings that we could lock bikes to when we went to the beach.

There are a lot of new old and new resorts and restaurants along the beach that are still operational, including Costa Pacifica, Bay’s View Inn, Bay-ler View, Aliya Surf Resort and Playa Azul, but most of the parking areas here are open. Those who want to camp can try Balud or Balituk Beach.

If you want to chill out on the beach at night, you can dine at The Boardwalk Restaurant, Aliya Surf Resort, Yellowfin Grill, or at Nalu Surf Resort.

READ MORE: Hotel Guide: Where to stay in Baler, Food Trip: Baler

Day 3: Baler

(Depending on your sked, you can always opt to stay longer to maximize the trip or leave early the next morning)

What to bring

The roads in and around Baler are all paved and are suitable for road bikes, mountain bikes, gravel bikes and folding bikes. Since you’re carrying everything while biking, it’s best to pack light. 

There are some bike rentals available in Baler itself, but these may not be in the best condition for long rides.

We just brought clothes in handlebar bags, and had a small hydration bag with snacks, a raincoat, spare bike parts, tools etc. The less you are carrying, the better.

You could also opt to camp, but there are a lot of secure beach resorts and camping areas you can stay overnight in the Dinadiawan area, some of which offer tent rentals. You can also buy food, water and supplies or eat in the eateries in the different towns there. I suggest you bring a water bottle and refill it every time you stop for a meal to reduce plastic wastage.

Bring enough cash, especially small bills for the smaller towns, where mobile signals and WiFi are intermittent. GCash may not always work.

Budget & total expenses (for 2)

BUDGET: You can cut down your expenses if you camp out in a tent or find cheaper rooms instead of staying in a resort, eat in carinderias instead of the nicer restaurants and if you don’t drink beer. Refill your water bottles when you eat in restaurants so you don’t have to keep buying bottled water. For a 3D/2N trip, I think a budget of P6,000 person will be enough.

Travel tips & useful info

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