In my younger days, I was blinded by the glamour of air travel. Hopping on a plane, matching luggage, outfits, and all, exploring a foreign place, figuring out the local culture, and all that jazz. But as I grew older, I realized that adventure isn’t all that far from my backyard and that my country, the Philippines, is one that’s built for it.
And you don’t necessarily even have to hop on a plane to get to these beautiful places.
Adventure is out there and closer than you think
When I started, driving first meant freedom.
No more squeezing in a cramped train, waiting for jeepneys to fill up, or begging my parents for a ride. It meant I could go and do as I please (or at least as much as I was allowed to as a young adult).
As I grew older, it became something more — especially after meeting Kevin. We shared the same yearning for adventure, but Kevin, despite being as well-traveled as he is, found flying cumbersome and exhausting. So we drove around. Often for hours.
We’ve had our fair share of out-of-the-country trips, but we proudly also say we’ve been on the road more times and for more hours than we’d care to count as well. The Philippines, we discovered, is a road warrior’s paradise. You can even hop on a boat with your vehicle and then drive off when you disembark on the next island.
But here’s the key: your vehicle makes all the difference. Choose wisely, and the road becomes your playground.
A dependable chariot
A 2-hour drive away from the city is pretty normal for most and this usually leads to quieter albeit possibly still crowded destinations. These also usually mean easier drives and more comfortable rides.
Four-hour and six-hour drives are also quite the norm for more adventurous road warriors, and this is usually enough time to get you to somewhere serene and scenic.
Early in the year, I had the opportunity to drive all the way to beautiful Crystal Beach in Zambales with the Nissan Navara Pro-4X as my chariot. Needless to say, the Navara is very well-equipped to handle the journey — and what a journey it was.
Nissan went out of their way to lead us through a whole new path to get to our destination. With a fleet of overlanding-ready Nissan vehicles (Terras, Navaras, etc), we traversed through an unfinished road with one of the most gorgeous and unbothered mountain-top views I’ve seen.
Since the road wasn’t officially open to the public yet, we had a few minutes to take in the view (and some photos) by ourselves.
Once that was done, we hopped back into our cars and continued on the way. The smooth cemented road eventually gave way to rough, unpaved dirt tracks. But nobody was complaining. Our convoy of Navaras handled everything beautifully.
About six or so hours on the road, we finally reached our destination: a calm ocean, a picture-perfect beach, and the welcoming sight of cold beers and delicious food from Sarsa. After such a long drive, it felt like a well-deserved reward.
At lights out, we headed up our vehicles to tents set up by none other than the Overland Kings. Comfy? Definitely. Peaceful? More than the city could ever offer.
While the drive going there was fun on its own, Nissan wasn’t really done showing off.
They told us that we’d be taking the cars next to drive through the sandy beach. Apart from the overlanding setup, these vehicles were stock models straight out of the dealership — no mods or anything. So it would be a treat to see how they perform “out of the box”.
Driving on sand looks unassuming, but there was a lot of strategy involved as this first timer would find out. As a bonafide worrywart, I was a bit anxious. Luckily, I was partnered with Reygan of Reygan’s Rides, who wasn’t an off-road newbie like me. He offered to take the first driving shift, and I hastily agreed.
At first, I observed him carefully, watching how he handled the soft sand and adjusted the Navara’s settings when needed.
When it was my turn, I, unexpectedly, got stuck. On cue, I started to panic but thankfully Reygan was there, reassuring me and walking me through what I should do to get out of the sand. With a few instructions, he showed me how to use the Intelligent 4×4 system and Electronic Locking Rear Differential.
He guided me on which buttons to push, knobs to turn, and when to press the pedal. It took a bit of time — the team even radioed to ask if we needed rescue, but we were determined to get out ourselves.
Before we knew it, the Navara Pro 4X was out of the sand and back on solid ground. The adrenaline was real, but it was such a rush to see how easily the Navara handled it all in the hands of newbie.
The adrenaline had barely died down when we had to move on to our next activity, which was a game of fox and hound, but with Nissan vehicles. In teams of six with three cars each, we had to collect three cones scattered around a large sand dune, while the Fox, another Nissan Navara, was out to sabotage and confuse us.
Reygan took charge of the wheel, and I was on the lookout for the cones. The game was chaotic. At the starting whistle, one of our team’s vehicles got stuck immediately, having us restrategize on the fly.
The activity not only tested us as drivers but also easily showcased the versatility of the Navara. Its power and maneuverability were on full display as it whizzed across the dune. Even with (folded) tents atop the roof, the Navara and even Terra were very easy to trust.
And when we made our way back to the smooth pavement for the journey home, the 7-speed automatic transmission made the drive back to Manila feel effortless. The Bilstein shock absorbers provided a smooth, comfortable ride, even when the traffic tried its best to throw us off.
Not just for the adventurous
But not everyone is keen on embarking on a big road adventure. Sometimes just a few hours away is all you need to recharge.
A few weeks back, Kevin and I found ourselves with the Navara Pro-4X once more, but this time for a more casual road trip — a camp day just outside the city. We’d originally planned an overnight adventure, but unpredictable weather forced us to pivot. While the weather was against us, the Navara was ever ready to help us escape the city.
With limited prep time, we tossed everything we thought would be useful into the vehicle. Thankfully, space wasn’t lacking since its 1-ton payload capacity allowed for more than we would need that day.
Living in a place with wildly unpredictable weather makes a versatile vehicle like the Navara a true lifesaver. Its high ground clearance meant we could shrug off sudden floods and tricky road conditions without a second thought.
Even if you’re not a full-on camper or off-roader, the Pro-4X has features that make getting away an easy decision to make.
The 2.3-liter turbo diesel engine with 190 horsepower delivers the perfect blend of power and efficiency, whether you’re navigating city streets or driving on rugged roads. Technology also backs you up in terms of safety with features like lane departure warning and automatic emergency braking.
We also had the Nissan Navara Pro-4X with the refreshed dashboard announced earlier in May. The modernized interior now boasts a sleeker, more refined dashboard design and an upgraded center console that enhances the cabin’s overall aesthetic.
Top-tier variants like the Pro-4X, VL, and Calibre-X now come with a 9-inch display audio system and built-in navigation, making every journey more connected and convenient.
The road ahead
Unlike Kevin, I do enjoy flying out, but there’s something undeniably special about exploring the Philippines by road. And I, personally, know there’s still so much to explore.
So the next time you’re out looking for a new adventure, try to look a little closer than Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, or Hong Kong. The Philippines has much to offer, from secluded mountains to untouched beaches, from luxe getaways to untainted forests, you have your pick. Some of which, you can easily drive to.
If you’re taking away something from this read, I hope its the realization that sometimes, the best trips aren’t necessarily the ones that take you far or somewhere foreign– they’re the ones that give you new feelings and experiences.
And if you make the journey just as important as the destination, you’ll be banking more core memories, and probably ones that are more unexpected.
