Holy Week ‘drop-pick up’ to allow more tourists in Hundred Islands

The Alaminos City government will implement the “drop and pick up” policy for tourists visiting the Hundred Islands National Park (HINP) during the Holy Week. (File photo: jules a./Unsplash)

ALAMINOS CITY, Pangasinan – The Alaminos City government will implement the “drop and pick up” policy for tourists visiting the Hundred Islands National Park (HINP) during the Holy Week.

The policy aims to accommodate the expected influx of tourists in the 17 islands of the national park, according to City Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office assistant head Rose Aruelo in an interview on Tuesday.

Around 10,000 tourists per day are expected from March 28 to 31.

“Visitors will visit only three islands in a day.

From the three islands, they will identify where they will stay longer and agree with the boatman on the time of pickup,” she said.

Aruelo said the boatmen must honor the arranged pickup schedule or they will be penalized.

She said rental fees of around 1,000 boats that have different passenger capacities will be reduced in line with the policy.

Rents for small boats will be PHP1,400, down from the PHP1,600 during regular days; PHP1,800 for medium boats, from PHP2,000; and PHP2,000 for large boats from the usual PHP2,400.

Among the most visited islands are Pilgrimage Island, where the Stations of the Cross and the Christ the Savior statue are located; Quezon Island; and Governor’s Island.

Aside from island-hopping other activities in the HINP are kayaking, helmet diving, and hurricane ride, where tourist ride a round rubber boat to be pulled by another boat.

Another latest attraction is the bonsai display at the Ramos Island just beside the Pilgrimage Island.