The Church of Balanga was the first on our list of places to visit in the province of Bataan. When the bus from Cubao arrived at Balanga (6:57AM, 2 hours and 1 minute travel time) we were asking around for 3 things – where is the Church of Balanga, how do we get to Mount Samat and our most important question, where to eat. We were hungry!
On the Bataan Transit bus to Balanga
The staff at the Bataan Transit Station were happy to answer all our questions and they told us that we could ride a tricycle for 10 Pesos/person going to the Church of Balanga. Unfortunately, we only had 1,000 Pesos as our budget for our overnight trip around Bataan, so we had to walk.
And after 9 minutes of walking, 15 minutes of eating spicy sinigang and another 16 minutes of walking we were finally across the street in front of the Church of Balanga.
Jose Rizal statue across the street at the front of the Church of Balanga. One of the best statues of Jose Rizal I’ve seen around the country.
After a few minutes taking pictures across the street people started going out of the church. A mass had already finished. A window of opportunity as I could go in the church and take a few photos without disturbing the congregation.
The front of the Church of Balanga
We crossed the street, went into the gates and finally THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE INSIDE!!! Plan failed! At least I could take a picture just from the door not to disturb anyone.
Inside the Church of Balanga
We went around to see if we could take another picture with a different angle. Fortunately, there is.
And when we were leaving I saw that the Church of Balanga has a historical marker from the Philippines Historical Committee.
Now that we had visited our first target, we were again walking back to the central transportation terminal of Balanga for our next target, to climb Mount Samat and visit the Dambana ng Kagitingan.
Church of Balanga Details
How to get there
- Ride a bus from Cubao/Avenida to Balanga, Bataan. Schedule and some details can be found in my post on how to get to Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar.
- From the bus station at Balanga ride a tricycle and tell the driver that you are going to the Church of Balanga. Fare is 10 Pesos/person. Estimated Travel Time is less than 5 minutes.
You can also walk from the bus station. This will take you about 20 minutes of walking, more or less.
Notes
- Balanga is a city in Bataan. There are a lost of stores around. If I remember correctly there’s also a convenience store across the street from the Church of Balanga.
This post is part of my Bataan 1,000 Peso 2-Day Challenge, a series break from my 12 for 2012 Travel Project. I hope this travel guide helps you plan your visit to Bataan.
Follow my Bataan 1,000 Peso 2-Day Challenge
- How much did I spend on our overnight trip to Bataan
- Bataan 1,000 Peso Overnight Budget and Itinerary (Helpful)
- Dambana ng Kagitingan (Shrine of Valor) in Mount Samat, Pilar, Bataan
- Stella Mariz Beach Resort in Bagac, Bataan
- How to get to Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan
- Death March Km 00 Marker and Japan-Philippine Friendship Tower in Bagac, Bataan
- Church of Balanga, Bataan
- Pawikan Conservation Area of Bagac, Bataan