Weekend trip to Tarlac (itinerary + travel guide)
The province of Tarlac does not really make the same noise as the top touristy provinces in the Philippines. So why Tarlac? What people don’t realize is this place is such a gem to anyone who loves traveling. No matter what you love doing, they got it here.
Tarlac boasts its ecotourism which is very evident in every spot you could go to. Among all the Philippine provinces you have in your bucket list, Tarlac is probably one with unexpected beauty, and hopefully, this article would inspire you to visit Tarlac as well (if you’ve not been there yet). <3
Hey there! My name’s May and you can view more about me here. I travel a lot for both work and leisure. Thanks to being an auditor and a content creator and, of course, to my love for travel, I barely feel I’m actually at work when traveling. And if I’m actually off work, I usually am with friends or family, discovering places and trying out new food. I’m juggling three jobs – the two mentioned + being a single mom. You think it’s easy? Of course not! But what glues me together is my passion and love for these three. More about my story here.
I love sharing what I know and how I do things, so if you haven’t read these yet, visit the following pages to view:
- how I take and edit my blog photos + what devices and apps I use;
- how I plan my travels;
- how I treat my sunburns (from the mildest to the wildest!); and
- what do I get from traveling, by the way?
About Tarlac
Tarlac is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Luzon island. Its capital is Tarlac City. Tarlac borders Pampanga to the south, Nueva Ecija to the east, Pangasinan to the north, and Zambales to the west. It is a part of Central Luzon, which is composed of Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales.
Tarlac’s name is a Hispanized derivation from a talahib weed called in Ilokano word “Malatarlak”. Tarlac was originally a part of the provinces of Pampanga and Pangasinan. It was the last Central Luzon province to be organized under the Spanish administration in 1874. During the Philippine Revolution of 1896, Tarlac was one of the first eight provinces to rise in arms against Spain. It became the new seat of the first Philippine Republic in March 1899 when Emilio Aguinaldo abandoned the former capital, Malolos, Bulacan. This lasted only for a month, as the seat was moved to Nueva Ecija in Aguinaldo’s attempt to elude the pursuing Americans.
Pre-travel guide
How to get there?
Tarlac province is a two to three hours(or mayber more, because you know how bad traffic gets) drive from Metro Manila. It’s easier if you bring your car, but if you prefer taking public transport which we took because we had no choice, most bus terminals in Manila offer trips to Tarlac. Famous terminals are in Cubao, Quezon City (Victory Liner, Five Star, Baliwag Transit, Genesis, JAC Liner), and Manila (Philippine Rabbit, Viron, Genesis) pass by the province through the NLEX. There also are terminals in Pasay for certain bus lines. From the terminal, buy a ticket to Tarlac and there you go.
How to get around?
If it’s your first time commuting there from Manila, I recommend have the bus drop you off Tarlac City. From there it’s just easy to go around the province by taking the jeepney or renting a tricycle for a private trip.
Where to stay?
When we were planning this trip, I was honestly surprised I couldn’t find much tourist posts online about the place. Apparently, Tarlac isn’t really on top of tourists’ lists. We actually stayed in a hotel in a nearby town because it’s the easiest to book. But upon research, I found some hotels you can check within Tarlac.
Goshen Resort & Hotel
- Address: Bamban, Tarlac
- Contact Number: +63926-785-7787 (GLOBE) | +63943-228-1608 (SUN) | +63922-701-8747 (SUN)
- Website: goshenphilippines.com
- Fb: Goshen Resort and Hotel | IG: @goshenresortandhotelofficial
Propicio Hotel & Resort
- Address: Propicio Hotel and Resort located at Zone 1 Barangay Care, Tarlac City.
- Contact Number: +63939-499-6666 (SMART)
- Website: propicioph.wixsite.com
- Fb: Propicio Hotel and Resort
- Check discounted rates on Agoda
La Maja Rica Hotel
- Address: Ligtasan Street corner, MacArthur Highway, Tarlac City, 2300 Tarlac
- Contact Number: +63945-491-3914 (GLOBE) |+63945-925-5074 (GLOBE) | +63945-114-2622 (GLOBE)
- Website: lamajaricahotel.com
- Fb: La Maja Rica Hotel | IG: @lamajaricahotel
- Check discounted rates on Agoda
What to eat?
Tarlac is known as its “fine food and vas sugar and rice plantations”, according to the Department of Tourism. Here you can meet a looot of Pampangeno, Ilocano, Pangasinense, and Tagalog people so what do we expect from these people? GOOOOOOD FOOOOOOD! I reall ylove the pagkaing Norte I can’t even recall if there was a time I was disappointed from food prepped by them.
Our most recent trip though was very quick we had no enough time to try more restaurants, but here’s a list to get your plans started.
Isdaan Floating Restaurant
- Address: Gerona, Tarlac
- Contact Number: +63943-629-0086 (SUN)
- Website: isdaanfloatingrestaurant.com
- Fb: Isdaan Restaurant | IG: @isdaanrestaurant
Cafe Roma
- Address: Goshen Resort and Hotel, Bamban, Tarlac
- Contact Number: +63926-785-7787 (GLOBE) | +63943-228-1608 (SUN) | +63922-701-8747 (SUN)
- Website: goshenphilippines.com
- Fb: Cafe Roma Ph | IG: @caferoma.grh
Dampa sa Tarlac Seafood Restaurant
- Address: Dampa sa Tarlac Seafood’s Restaurant & Catering Services
- Contact Number: +63933-861-1639 (SUN)
- Fb: Dampa sa Tarlac Seafood Restaurant and Catering
2-day DIY Tarlac itinerary
It was a weekend trip, so it was just super quick. But the province is still in our list of where to go next and we’re trying to cover more spots in Tarlac, so bookmark this page for when we update the itinerary!
The following section is in toggle format. Just click the header to view the details.
Farmers’ Love Agri Farm
Farmers Love Agri Farm (also known as Sunflower Farm or Flower Farm, if you search “where to go” on Google. Hehe) is one of the most-visited tourist spots in Tarlac these days. Apparently, people love flowers in their travel pictures and all because I notice flower farms are currently in trend.
★ Read more about my flower farm story here! >>
The Aquino Center and Museum
The museum is located at Hacienda Luisita, San Miguel, Tarlac. Not only historical, but the place is controversial in many aspects. Learn more when yo uget there! You may contact (045) 9850968 to 69 for inquiries.
Luisita Golf and Country Club
Luisita Golf and Country Club is a private golf course. Guests must be accompanied or sponsored by a member. However, if the player is a guest at the club’s hotel, playing rights will be made available to the player as well.
Photo credit to Luisita Golf and Country Club Inc.’s Fb account and description by golfph.com
Tarlac Recreational Park
We didn’t have enough time (because, work) but this was part of the initial itinerary so I’m still sharing. If you’re into light adventures like this in the photo, then this park is perfect for you! They also offer kayaking activities and many more. This recreational park is located at San Jose, Tarlac. I suggest you contact them for advanced booking and visiting guidelines first to prep you on the trip. Reach them at (045) 493-2471 or 09178579208 or 09998853981.
Photo credit to lakaspilipinas.com, a super cool shot of his ATV ride. Can’t wait to go there again sooooon!
Goshen Hotel & Resort
When I first posted a photo of Goshen’s replica of Michelangelo’s David on my social media wall, I was surprised a loooot of my friends haven’t heard of the place yet. “Where is that, May! Ganda!” When I decided to include this to my weekend itinerary, I sure was excited. I was supperrr thrilled to witness this place of beauty sitting just 2-3 hours away from Manila (yep, considering the awful weekend traffic)!
★ Read more about my Goshen experience here! >>
Wrap-up
Tarlac is indeed a gem, and what I loooove more about the place is it’s not as crowded as other touristy towns. You can just enjoy your vacay there without any hassle. Plus the place is too green, you’ll feel super refreshed after the trip!
Have you you been to Tarlac yet? If not, would you visit them soon? Let me know your thoughts and leave a comment below!
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