The province of Tarlac in Central Luzon is really not known for tourism. In fact, some people even dub it, jokingly, as the toilet stop of Luzon—the area being frequented only by motorist needing to relieve themselves on their way to another province. But my visit to Tarlac opened my eyes to its many tourist spots and food places unknown to most travelers in the country. Tarlac has a lot of tourism potential—it has historical places, museums, adventure parks, religious destinations, hiking and biking trails, waterfalls, and gastronomic places. With this travel guide, allow me to help you to get lost in Tarlac.

The Smashing Pumpkins rumbled through the chorus of Today on my iPod as I climbed the final steps towards the viewing deck of Mount Pinatubo. I was panting a bit, not really used to hiking for hours. I stepped towards the chasm and looked out upon the crater that has caused so much trouble to people of Central Luzon. I suppressed a gasp.

Everyone knows what a cliché it is to have a view take one’s breath away. But you won’t care about that once your eyes lay upon Mount Pinatubo’s emerald crater.

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Can you imagine quality restaurant cuisine being served at a fraction of its usual price? This restaurant, located at Barangay San Vicente in Tarlac City, does so. No, they’re not on sale, nor are they closing up, that’s just how they price their servings. And they do it every single day of the week. Welcome to Primadeli Ristorante, one of Tarlac City’s best kept gastronomic secret.

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CHEF JAMES OF PRIMADELI RISTORANTE TARLAC

This open-aired fine-dining restaurant started serving Tarlaqueños with their Sicilian-inspired cuisine two years ago. The kitchen crew is orchestrated by Chef James, the very hands-on restaurant owner, who whips a fusion of Italian dishes mixed with Western and Asian flavors.

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My ATV rumbled through the arid dirt track of the Tarlac Recreational Park. I sped past a dune buggy, my hands shaking wildly as the ATV bounced through a rough patch of the road. The sun was gloriously shining above, the wind whipping through my whole body, my camera dangling just below my neck. The only thing missing was an AC/DC song blasting through as soundtrack and everything would’ve been rock n’ roll perfect.

LAKAD PILIPINAS AT THE TARLAC RECREATIONAL PARK - PHOTO BY DANDI GALVEZ

The change from absolute calm to supreme mayhem couldn’t be more jarring.

Our group from Microtel Luisita’s Tara Quin Tarlac Tour has just visited the hilltop sanctuary of Monasterio de Tarlac before heading to the Tarlac Recreational Park. It is arguably the hub of sports activity this side of the province.

A thirty-foot statue of the Risen Christ towers over the rolling landscape of the Province of Tarlac. We were at the hillside retreat of Monasterio de Tarlac for Tara Quin Tarlac, a familiarization tour spearheaded by Microtel Luisita to open the floodgates of tourism in the region.

A MONK AT THE MONASTERIO DE TARLAC

A monk from the Servants of the Risen Christ Monastic Community approached us, welcoming us to the Mountain of Resurrection where the monastery is built on. We asked a few questions and he gamely answered, explaining the origins of their order and the monasterio itself.

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Garbed in white, black, and brown coats, the goats in a farmland somewhere in Gerona, Tarlac stared curiously at our group as we went pass their pens. It was the second day of the Microtel Tara Quin Tarlac tour and the first itinerary for the day was, much to everyone’s surprise, a goat farm.

KESONG PUTI AND PANDESAL AT THE JSJ GOAT FARM

We were told beforehand to limit our breakfast at Microtel Luisita since we’d be having another one at the JSJ Goat Farm in the town of Gerona. While I really have no aversion to anything goat, I surmised that we’d be having goat cheese at the said farm. And I was right, kesong puti made from goat milk and pandesal started to make its rounds as we sat down near the farm’s entrance.

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In Manila, the word dampa is synonymous to a single thing, seafood. I didn’t know that the same is true when I headed north to the province of Tarlac. Located on one of the main thoroughfares of the city is a seafood restaurant with the word dampa linked to its name.

DAMPA SA TARLAC SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

The Dampa MOA and its neighboring Dampa Macapagal have always been my favorites when it comes to pigging out on seafood dishes. The prices are relatively cheaper compared to restaurants, so I can eat as much shrimps, squids, and all things that swim under the sea as much as my belly can hold.

Whispers silently echo through the black circular walls of the Capas National Shrine in Tarlac. The sky was devoid of clouds and the mid-afternoon sun shone hard, full and unfiltered. It was sweltering hot, but somehow, these whispers sent a shiver down my body.

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THE THREE-PRONGED PILLAR AT THE CAPAS NATIONAL SHRINE IN TARLAC

On the 9th of April 1942, around 60,000 to 80,000 Filipino and American soldiers, those who survived and surrendered after the Fall of Corregidor, were herded by the Japanese occupational forces at Mariveles, Bataan.

These prisoners of war were then forced to march for hundreds of kilometers, passing through the towns of Pampanga and Tarlac, their numbers dwindling every day due to hunger, disease, and fatigue until they reached Camp O’ Donnel in the town of Capas.

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”Where are we gonna have lunch again?” I asked my seatmate for nth time. The dragon in my stomach was already rumbling, ready to breathe fire at a moment’s notice. ”We’re having it at the VES food resorts,” he replied. What I heard him say though was that we’re gonna be having our lunch at the best food resort.

The best food resort! My goodness, my dragon cannot be happier.

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VES FOOD RESORTS AND VILLAS IN TARLAC

But it was a case of mispronunciation. It turned out we were having it at the V.E.S. Food Resorts and Villas. I thought we’d be going to a resort full of best dishes, so my enthusiasm somewhat diminished as I entered the airy hall of the resort. But that was before I saw what’s on the buffet table.

Sitting quietly at a parcel of land in Concepcion, Tarlac is a stately old mansion built during the pre-war days of the city. Painted in blinding white and striking reds, the structure stands proudly across a sprawling yard dotted with trees and carpeted in grass. Welcome to the Balé Aquino, the Aquino Ancestral House.

INSIDE THE AQUINO ANCESTRAL HOUSE IN TARLAC

Tarlac is the Aquino family’s baluarte. This is the province where Ninoy grew to prominence as a politician. The guy was a whiz when it comes to politics; being a mayor at 22, a vice governor of the province at 27, and finally, its governor at 29. His record still stands as being the youngest senator of the country at age 34.

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Literally just a few hop away from Microtel Luisita, our home for two nights in Tarlac, is the first destination for the Tara Quin Tarlac tour, the Aquino Center and Museum. I had no idea there’s a museum dedicated to the Aquino’s, one of the most prominent and loved—or hated, depending on where you stand—political names in the Philippines.

THE AQUINO MUSUEM AT TARLAC’S HACIENDA LUISITA COMPLEX

The Aquino Museum is housed in a spartan modern structure inside the Hacienda Luisita Complex. The center is not government owned nor government run, as was made clear to us before the tour started. Funding from it comes from the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation.

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The familiar red and cream façade of Microtel Inn emblazoned itself against the bright blue Tarlac morning. We hauled ass from Manila and arrived at Tarlac City after two hours of straight driving through the highways of North Luzon. The local government of Tarlac, together with Microtel Luisita, has invited us for Tara Quin Tarlac (Tara na sa Tarlac), the first ever media tour of what this familiar but not-so-explored province in Central Luzon has to offer in terms of tourism.

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TYPICAL BREAKFAST ON ANY MICROTEL HOTELS

Before anything else, the first order of the day was breakfast.

After dropping our bags at our assigned rooms, everyone trooped back to Microtel’s lobby for the buffet. The staple corned beef, sausage, egg, and crispy danggit filled our plates; it was gonna be a full day of going around Tarlac and we’re packing in as much as we can for the day.

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It was the sixth night of Lakbay Norte and everyone was already feeling the effect of non-stop traveling through the roads of north Luzon. After a full day of cruising through the Dawell River in Dagupan and speeding through the race tracks of Kart City Tarlac, the group called it a day and retired to the La Maja Rica Hotel.

This 40-room boutique hotel at the heart of Tarlac City was once a junkyard of sorts. Before the hotel, a half-century old warehouse once stood on its ground. The Pascual Family took notice of this and decided to transform the eyesore into something beautiful; the La Maja Rica Hotel.

The flag was waved and I pushed the gas of my go kart as hard as I can. Hard right, full throttle forward, an s-curve, hard left and a looping right curve; the wind was whipping hard through the open kart, everything’s a blur and my adrenaline was pumping high. Welcome to Kart City Tarlac!
The Lakbay Norte crew was welcomed by Mr. Pio Arugay, one of KCT’s brainchild and he immediately led us to their videoke room.

Kart City’s fame is not limited to high-speed chases; they also serve a mean panizza. It’s basically a thin crust pizza sliced into strips that you then roll into bite-sized balls. We never minded that we’re still full from our lunch at Matutina’s Seafood, KCT panizzas (and regular pizzas as well) are simply superb.

It was hard to leave the comfort of Baguio’s The Manor, but we had to go. However, we of course wouldn’t leave without eating platefuls of their breakfast servings first. This must be the best breakfast buffet I have ever digged into.

Our Lakbay Norte coach was waiting for our heavier selves as the sun starts to top the pines of Baguio. We’re off for a three-hour ride to Pangasinan!
We alighted at Dagupan to try out their newest attraction, a river tour not unlike that of Bohol’s river cruise. The difference here is that there’s no buffet included on the raft but the tour is free (you’ll just have to arrange it with the local tourism department).

Lakbay Norte wouldn’t be Lakbay Norte though without food, so instead of the usual buffet, we got some local treats in the form of various kakanins.

We plied the greenish water of Dawell River then transferred to a smaller boat to visit a bangus farm. I’m really not into boat transfers since I find it to be quite a chore with my bulges and all, but this one proved to be easy.