Discovering Mauban

As with any traveler, planning is important. You have to plan where to go, how to get there, and what to bring, etc. As for me, I believe that a traveler can enjoy the experience better if it is loaded with surprises and spontaneity. This way, you can relish the moment when you discover a new place, haven or a beach.

I discovered the town of Mauban, Quezon in this manner.

Tired from a long week of crazy corporate work, I decided to unwind by setting myself free from the restraints of my career enslavement. And the only way to do it, is fill my backpack with whatever I can grab, unclasp my watch, turn my cellphone off, bring my camera, and zoom off to the nearest bus station. I did not know where I wanted to go, and I had no idea where I can go, so I asked my new bed friend to go with me, and brainstorm on the idea for 30 minutes. He was game, so YIPEE!

We decided to go southern of the big island of Luzon, but since he was not a big fan of long rides, we chose to go to Lucena and just let our shoes bring us wherever else we may go. After a 2 hour bus ride to Lucena's SM Mall, we asked around the Bus terminal for locals' opinion on where we could go. Some said Mauban has nice beaches, so we took their advice and went to the Hired Van Station near SM. For travelers, Lucena is a nice city with very very nice people, so please do not hesitate to ask for directions and tips from the locals.

An hour of slightly bumpy yet enjoyable ride later, we were in Mauban. Asking around nicely brought us to the local market where we bought "Oh MY God" Crabs for only P200 ($5.00) per kilo or 2 monster-sized pieces. We also bought some "Oh My God" prawns for a measly $3 per kilo price. We asked some more, and a nice young man strongly suggested that we go to La Fella Resort because he knows the owner to be really nice. We took his word for it and we did not regret it.