When you mention ‘Dagupan City’, it is already expected that the famous Bonuan Bangus (Milkfish) comes to mind. Not to mention the unique dishes such as Pigar-Pigar and Kaleskes, which originated in my beloved hometown. Although I am not really a lakwatsera when I was in high school and college, my friends and i would go every semester break and hang out in the beach. Food Tripping is a must for us and I don’t blame some people if they leave Dagupan City with a big stomach LOL.
I am glad to inform everyone that Dagupan City is now aggressive in terms of tourism. A few months ago, Simon of What’s Up Dagupan informed me about the Dawel River Cruise. Thanks to Dagupan City Tourism Office, tourists now have something to look forward to when visiting Dagupan City or Pangasinan as a whole.
The Dawel River Cruise had its soft launch during the Bangus Festival 2011, where Dagupenos and visitors were given the chance to try it for free. Since I failed to go last month, I didn’t let the opportunity pass when I went there for a two-day vacation.
I was invited to visit the Dagupan City Tourism Office before the tour. I met some of their officers and I can see that they are really taking this tourism promotion seriously. I guess it’s about time especially now that there’s a lot of shopping malls and department stores being developed within the city. This gives more job opportunities for my kababayans.
Together with Dagupan City bloggers Simon, Mike and Tita Rhoda, we met up infront of San Marino Place, where a  newly built wharf or quay is located at the foot of the Dawel bridge in Catacdang, Bonuan Gueset. Although some parts are still under construction when i went there, i think they’re just in-time for the grand launch and blessing this coming Friday. I took some photos just to give you an idea:
As of writing, there are three available boats. The medium-sized can accommodate 25 persons while the bigger is good for 40-45 passengers. There are plans of adding w a floating restaurant with water-resistant audio-visual facilities, day spa cruise and serenading local musicians. Bongga lang, ‘diba? Dito na ako magbi-birthday next year! 😛
Then I saw the Kayak boat! It’s my first ride on a boat to explore the river in Dagupan and yep, i am not a good swimmer! I wanted to try it though. No one can stop meeee! 😛 I have a guide with me naman 🙂
Then the tour started 😀 Overlooking in the boat is the Silverio’s Restaurant, San Marino’s Place with the lovely resthouse (I was able to go there three years ago hihi lucky me!) and there’s a private kiddie zoo too. I saw a deer peeping LOL. You will not see that in a Galapagos cruise hehehe 🙂
Ok, I am from Dagupan City, but it only my second time to ride on a boat to explore the river. My parents got mad at me when I went to my classmate’s house when I was younger. We were required to ride in a banca to reach her house. I sawa lot of mangroves or bakawan. There are over 14 species available out of the 48 that is present in the country. I think a mangrove-planting activity is a great idea 😀
The Dawel River Tour explores Dawel River to Watac-Mamalingling. Nice to see that these rivers are clean and green 😀
Here are some of the photos I took during the tour:
More photos uploaded at my Facebook account 🙂
Now it’s time for my kulit pix!
The tour lasted for 45 minutes. I am happy that this part of Dagupan City is being developed as a tourist destination. I wonder who’s idea this is. I’m just glad it pushed through!
By the way,‘Daungan sa Dawel‘ the official docking site of the Dawel River Cruise will formally launch this coming Friday, June 1 with the presence of Mayor Benjie S. Lim. The program starts at 4pm and it is expected that media people from nearby towns will cover the event. I also heard that some celebrities will grace the launch. I’m hoping to make it on Friday!
For more information on the Dawel River Cruise, kindly visit http://www.dagupantourism.com.
Love those pictures of you sitting on top of the blue boat!
Thanks Nadia! I’m hoping that you visit the Philippines again particularly Dagupan City. I’m sure you miss it! Now there’s a new tourist attraction to go to.
Great post! By the way it was Mayor Benjamin S. Lim’s brainchild and initiative to clean Dagupan’s rivers and showcase them through the Dawel River Cruise. Have fun in Dagupan!
Thanks for the information! I’m glad that Mayor Benjie Lim is quite open-minded when it comes to enriching Dagupan City’s tourism. I’m glad that he initiated the river clean-up too 😀 Thank you also for giving me the opportunity to enjoy the river cruise and for letting me do kulit poses 😛
it would be nice if there will be a resto with live band pa…hehehe! para di naman boring ang cruise… spa on a river cruise? wow! i love that… 🙂
H Mervs! I think nasa plan nila yan 🙂 Mas panalo yung may river cruise spa hehe i bet relaxing tlaga yun 😀
Looks like such a peaceful place! Reminds me of Southern India. Love the pics!!!
Thanks Andi! Hope you could come here in the Philippines soon 🙂
i hope they dont just do a “copy” of Bohol’s floating restaurant… sana they do something different naman. kayaking along the mangrove plants is a much nicer idea. meron adventure effect pa. hehehe
I think they have other plans pa for the river cruise and not just ‘copy’ what Bohol did 🙂
Thank you for visiting Dagupan Mica! Finally, I was able to meet you.
See you soon… and Have Fun in Dagupan!
Thank you for the company, Mike! See you again this week 🙂
Wow naman po… parang magandang puntahan yan…
Malapit lang Dagupan City dito sa Pampanga.. kaya pwede me dumaan… 🙂
Thanks po sa Pag-share… 🙂
Nice! Bisita na para masaya malapit lang naman eh 🙂
Thanks for sharing. Look forward trying it out today!
How was the experience Tita? 😀
Nice mica! pano though pag malaglag ka?
May mga life vest sila and may mga guide naman 😀 makulit lang talaga ako that day hehe
Teh! Balikan natin itez!!!
At bet na bet ko ang Galapagos Cruise! Wahahaha!
Gora na! Hehe sama ka sa akin pag babalik ako 🙂
At i-plan na ang Galapagos Cruise! Haha maisingit lang eh LOL
Hala! ang talas ng mata mo may nakita kang deer!
And I love your wakeboarding pose lol
Hehe thanks! Marami ‘ata nagtaka sa pose ko na yun LOL
I didn’t know that Dagupan had created a floating Nipa Hut as well haha it’s cute though. By the way, thank you for adding my blog to your blogroll. Hope to see you in person one day, maybe in a blog conference. I haven’t attended a blog con organized by bloggers so I am on the look out. I am learning a lot to your writings too. It feels like I am traveling with you when I look into the pictures really great shots and angle.
Awww thanks for the compliment! 🙂 You should visit Dagupan soon para ma-try mo rin yung bagong river cruise and yes, attend na ng blog conferences like iBlog or Wordcamp. Would love to meet you in person too 😀
Nice! Magkano po yung entrance dyan sa dawel? 🙂
Hi Carol! For Free po siya basta mag-schedule ng appointment sa Dagupan Tourism office 🙂
Wow, wonderful blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your website is fantastic, as well as the
content!
Dawel road, to and from Dawel Bridge, used to be scenic and famous with fishponds lining both side of the road. The trip from downtown to Bonuan used to be wonderful upon reaching this area. It is no longer now. A lot of fishponds along the roadside have already been reclaimed. Not to mention the number of fishponds buried to have that shortcut road built. Dagupan continues to bury or reclaim its fishponds that produce its famous bangus yet it has the nerve to invent and celebrate a festival named after the bangus. Where’s the logic here?
If I were a tourist, I would not go to Dagupan just to eat bangus. I can eat it anywhere anyway even in the Metro. I would go there for the eco-tourism spots it already has for the longest time. Aside from the fishpond-lined Dawel road, Dagupan used to have a long-stretch of sand dunes and heritage trees along the Bonuan-San Fabian road, and of course the wide-open but coconut tree-forested, long stretch of Tondaligan beach. Its blue waters used to be visible from the Bounuan-San Fabian road, adding beauty to the sand-duned landscape, thus making travel and sightseeing wonderful.
I cannot help but be nostalgic here, knowing what has become of these wonderful landscape and seascape. City government officials should have capitalized on these scenic spots for eco-tourism potentials. Instead of allowing their degradations, they could have preserved and protected them for generations of locals and visitors to enjoy and experience.
Now I know why tourists flock to Bolinao, Alaminos and other great destinations in western Pangasinan, and to nearby San Fabian especially this summer.
i love on how you promote the river cruise! i hope my dad can see this he is a councilor in Dagupun and I am proud of it! i hope you can go again during summer!