An hour's drive from Baler, tracing the beautiful coastline of Aurora, brings you to Dipaculao.

Rocks dominate its seashores, making it unsuitable for leisurely walks or runs. This beach is typically visited by tourists for diving or snorkeling, as it is a marine-protected site.

Besides snorkeling, if the sea conditions permit, tourists can explore the Dibutunan Twin Cave by renting a banca from any of the local fishermen. (Just don't forget to pay, okay?) There's also a site for cliff diving, and if the waves are too strong, visitors can also walk to the location.

During our stay, we chose the Aurora Beach Club as our accommodation. The resort features a large cottage with one room and two beds. The chair on the veranda can be converted into a bed, making the large cottage sufficient for most of us. Given our penchant for roughing it out, having this, along with clean comfort rooms, already felt like a luxury.

The resort also offers two small cottages for day trippers, a separate shower room with reliable water supply, and a spacious kitchen and dining area, which we were allowed to use. 

With several great cooks in our group, we enjoyed preparing our own meals. Guests should note that bringing their own food is a must since there is no restaurant on the premises. 

The resort is owned by another member of AURORA or the Aurora Offroaders Club.

Unfortunately, the Pacific Ocean wasn't gentle that day, making it unsuitable for swimming, snorkeling, or a banca ride. We didn't want to risk getting slammed into those rocks, and even a group of divers found the waves too strong to attempt.

Nevertheless, the cool breeze and the enjoyable company made this weekend getaway truly worth the hours of travel and effort to reach Aurora.