Luzon motor cycle trip

[RBM]

We are in the early stages of planing a trip to North Luzon. Although familiar in Visayas and Mindanao not so in Luzon apart from the south east.  

My wish if possible would be to arrive Luzon at Batangas and head north if at all possible by pass Manila. From the maps I have seen it would appear there is not a ring road away from the congestion which would take us around manila. We will be on a large motor cycle so able to use restricted roads that limit the size of same.

Also would appreciate suggestions for an over night stop in a  city not to far North of manila. Most probably we will initially be heading to Baguio. Now try limit ourselves to no more than 180---200KM s per day.

Perhaps some members whom live in the general area could make suggestion which would be most appreciated.

 

Advance thanks.

[chris49]

Firstly you could probably bisect Manila by entering the C5 road as you approach Manila from the south. You would head north on C5 with a number of options. Keep going north on C5 even after it ends and go to Tang Dang Sora....turn left.

Go about 4 km down to Mindanao Ave....turn right. Follow Mindanao Ave to the Midanao extension by pass directly to NLEX the Northern Expresway.  Go 30 km to San Fernando Pampanga. There are no stops in between so go all the way to SF. No stops except those places on the NLEX food stops and gasoline.

If actually headed for Baguio you might stay on NLEX and stop at Tarlac.

Or continue as below.

Get off the expressway and notice SM Pampanga on your left. Don't go there go directly on what is now the old highway going to Subic. Go over a flyover. Look for sign to Sogo Hotel and there are a few other options.

Consider using the old highway to Subic and Olongapo it's about an hour to 80 mins and a nice trip (in context).

Edited September 24, 2016 by chris49

[earthdome]

14 hours ago, RBM said:

Most probably we will initially be heading to Baguio.

Do you know when you will be making the trip? If over Christmas/New Years or weekends in February you may want to make hotel reservations now. Especially if you want to be in Baguio for Panegbenga the last weekend in February. Panegbenga is a huge 2 day weekend festival in Baguio that gets televised like the Rose Bowl parade. 

[Jake]

16 hours ago, RBM said:

We are in the early stages of planing a trip to North Luzon. Although familiar in Visayas and Mindanao not so in Luzon apart from the south east.  

 

Please monitor the incoming storms heading west towards PI.  You're in typhoon season right now, possibly up to late NOV?  

Have a nice and safe trip.  Appreciate some photos that we could all enjoy, OK?  Respectfully Jake

[RBM]

Thanks replies guys and wishes. We plan to do trip November ending rainy period and just before busy tourist season.

Baguio is just at most two nights as our main plan is carry on up over the halserna highway which I understand is concreted on to the usual tourist spots of Sagada Boltoc and that's about as far as we have planed so far. Will also include Vigan and Laoag plus no doubt many other places. 

[RBM]

18 hours ago, chris49 said:

Firstly you could probably bisect Manila by entering the C5 road as you approach Manila from the south. You would head north on C5 with a number of options. Keep going north on C5 even after it ends and go to Tang Dang Sora....turn left.

Go about 4 km down to Mindanao Ave....turn right. Follow Mindanao Ave to the Midanao extension by pass directly to NLEX the Northern Expresway.  Go 30 km to San Fernando Pampanga. There are no stops in between so go all the way to SF. No stops except those places on the NLEX food stops and gasoline.

If actually headed for Baguio you might stay on NLEX and stop at Tarlac.

Or continue as below.

Get off the expressway and notice SM Pampanga on your left. Don't go there go directly on what is now the old highway going to Subic. Go over a flyover. Look for sign to Sogo Hotel and there are a few other options.

Consider using the old highway to Subic and Olongapo it's about an hour to 80 mins and a nice trip (in context).

Appreciate this info very much Chris, will print it off as memory not what used to be........

[OnMyWay]

19 hours ago, chris49 said:

Firstly you could probably bisect Manila by entering the C5 road as you approach Manila from the south. You would head north on C5 with a number of options. Keep going north on C5 even after it ends and go to Tang Dang Sora....turn left.

Go about 4 km down to Mindanao Ave....turn right. Follow Mindanao Ave to the Midanao extension by pass directly to NLEX the Northern Expresway.  Go 30 km to San Fernando Pampanga. There are no stops in between so go all the way to SF. No stops except those places on the NLEX food stops and gasoline.

If actually headed for Baguio you might stay on NLEX and stop at Tarlac.

Or continue as below.

Get off the expressway and notice SM Pampanga on your left. Don't go there go directly on what is now the old highway going to Subic. Go over a flyover. Look for sign to Sogo Hotel and there are a few other options.

Consider using the old highway to Subic and Olongapo it's about an hour to 80 mins and a nice trip (in context).

When you get off NLEX in San Fernando, that main road is called JASA (Jose Abad Santos Ave.).  As Chris said, I think there is a Sogo if you head towards Subic, but there is also one if you head over to the SM mall, across the street from the mall and easy to find.  It might be newer (not sure) than the one Chris is thinking of.

If you go to the back of the mall before mall opening time, there are several coffee places including Starbucks that I think are open early.

If you head to Olongapo on JASA, the road has had a lot of improvements over the past few years and is in good shape, but the recent heavy rains (all of August!) opened up a lot of potholes, so be aware.  I think most are probably fixed now.  Same on SCTEX.  There were a lot of potholes, especially on the overpasses, but I think most are fixed.

If you go to Olongapo, you either have to head north on the coast, or go back to Angeles City on SCTEX, where it connects with the northbound expressway, which was just extended another 5 km north towards Baguio last month.

It may be the same road you mention,  Halserna, that we took up to Mt. Pulag.  It was in great condition with no traffic, so it would be an excellent ride with several nice places to stop.

[earthdome]

2 hours ago, RBM said:

Thanks replies guys and wishes. We plan to do trip November ending rainy period and just before busy tourist season.

Baguio is just at most two nights as our main plan is carry on up over the halserna highway which I understand is concreted on to the usual tourist spots of Sagada Boltoc and that's about as far as we have planed so far. Will also include Vigan and Laoag plus no doubt many other places. 

I have driven that route. From Baguio through La Trinidad on to Sagada. Then from Sagada through Bontoc to the Banaue Rice Terraces. Then your choice is to either continue east and then around the northern tip of Luzon or back down to Baguio then head west and then north to Vigan. If you already plan on going as far north as Laoag then best to head east from Banaue to the Pan-Asian Highway. Then head north. On the way you pass through Santiago City where member Paul B opened his coffee shop. You can continue on up north through Tugegerao and up around the norther tip of Luzon to Pagudpud where there are some great white sand beaches. Then turn south on the west coast to Laoag and on to Vigan. From there further south to San Juan where there are supposed to be good surf waves. Oh... on the east coast of northern luzon somewhere are the beaches where Apocalypse Now was filmed. I have also driven from Santiago City up north and back down south to Vigan. About a 12-14 hour drive by car with no stops.

 

One note of caution. Be careful on those mountain roads. Rains frequently wash gravel or stones out onto the road.

 

Ohh. Going up to Baguio you can choose either the safe easy route of Marcos Highway or the slightly shorter but more scenic and some think dangerous route of Kennon Rd. Check to make sure Kennon Rd has been reopened. A big chunk got wiped out in a huge landslide last year. I don't know if that has been rebuilt yet.

Edited September 25, 2016 by earthdome

[mogo51]

If you want to see Angeles (just for curiosity) the Tiger Hotel is where I have stayed many times, good size rooms, close to main area and restaurants and very reasonable, about 1200 pesos a night standard room.

Vigan is nice but accommodation is expensive and poor standard in the main.  Laoag a nice town, Chris is a big fan.

We are heading to Nth Luzon in 2 weeks, will catch up with Chris in Candon City.  Looking forward to it.

Enjoy your trip.

 

 

[chris49]

9 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

When you get off NLEX in San Fernando, that main road is called JASA (Jose Abad Santos Ave.).  As Chris said, I think there is a Sogo if you head towards Subic, but there is also one if you head over to the SM mall, across the street from the mall and easy to find.  It might be newer (not sure) than the one Chris is thinking of.

If you go to the back of the mall before mall opening time, there are several coffee places including Starbucks that I think are open early.

If you head to Olongapo on JASA, the road has had a lot of improvements over the past few years and is in good shape, but the recent heavy rains (all of August!) opened up a lot of potholes, so be aware.  I think most are probably fixed now.  Same on SCTEX.  There were a lot of potholes, especially on the overpasses, but I think most are fixed.

If you go to Olongapo, you either have to head north on the coast, or go back to Angeles City on SCTEX, where it connects with the northbound expressway, which was just extended another 5 km north towards Baguio last month.

It may be the same road you mention,  Halserna, that we took up to Mt. Pulag.  It was in great condition with no traffic, so it would be an excellent ride with several nice places to stop.

I probably confused the issue there is only one Sogo? I think. And a low key Victoria's Court a little further on.

I was going by the big sign. Which I can visualize but I cant actually pinpoint the location of the hotel.