MONOL believes that one of the keys to enriching the learning experience of students is to travel and explore. Through various weekend travels, students not only get to unwind but also discover new cultures, hobbies, and interests.
The schedule of MONOL’s weekend trips is every two weeks with two different destinations on Saturdays and Sundays. Students have already experienced traveling to tourist destinations that are 2 to 6 hours away from Baguio City, wherein they were able to enjoy various outdoor activities such as surfing and island hopping.
San Juan, La Union
The very first weekend trip organized was in San Juan, La Union, which is about 2 hours away from Baguio. Here, the students learned how to surf for a very cheap price of PHP400 per hour with very friendly and accommodating surf instructors. San Juan is famous for its beaches that have large waves that are ideal for surfing.
Right after the launch of the first weekend trip, MONOL, then, organized trips to the famous hot springs of Benguet. The relaxing springs were located 30 to 45 minutes away from the academy.
Hundred Islands, Alaminos
Going a little bit further away from Baguio, the students also experienced island hopping in the infamous Hundred Islands. Located in Alaminos, Pangasinan, the Hundred Islands is a national park in the Philippines. It has a total of 123 limestone islands with secret coves and white sand beaches that are enjoyed most by tourists. Apart from island hopping, the three major islands developed in Hundred Islands also offer activities like cliff diving, snorkeling, helmet diving, kayaking, and even ziplining.
Bolinao, Pangasinan
Only an hour away from the Hundred Islands is Bolinao in Pangasinan. Bolinao also boasts of white sand beaches, waterfalls, caves and views of rock formations. These formations which are said to be corals that are thousands of years old.
Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
Apart from the beaches and water sports, students got a glimpse of Philippine’s History when MONOL organized a weekend trip to Vigan. Vigan City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is famous for its preserved colonial architecture. It was also part of the New7Wonders Cities. Here, the students experienced sightseeing riding a horse carriage, locally known as “calesa” and was also able to visit famous landmarks in the city such as churches and bell towers.
This is just the start of MONOL’s weekend travels. In the near future, MONOL will take the students to even further places in the Northern part of the country. Soon, students will also explore falls and trek towards the colorful crater of Mt. Pinatubo.