Resto by the Highway

When you travel by land, especially to a far-off destination, you take rest stops along the way. This is true when you take long bus trips (at least here in the Philippines). Here are some usual rest stops that a few bus companies frequent. All of them are just along the highway and are easy to get to. These places are of note for one reason or another.

Siesta, Tarlac City, Tarlac - With all my years of travelling, I have set foot here so many times that I've lost count. There are food stalls, a convenience store, a bakery, and a hotel at this particular rest stop. Most of the food stalls are quite like fast food chains and are priced as such. You have to be alert for the announcements for departing buses because with the sheer number of buses that come and go here, you just might miss yours. An alternative rest stop at Tarlac City is Travel Gate located at San Rafael and is also located along the highway.

Good-Ah Victory Liner Bus Stop, Sison, Pangasinan - Long ago this place was not known as Good-Ah. I don't know what it was called back then. How often have I set foot here? I do not know. Probably the same number as I've set foot on Siesta, probably more. Food here is more of the traditional Filipino snack kind. But they do have rice meals.

Partas Bus Lines' rest stop at Sison, Pangasinan - Just located a few meters away from Good-Ah, this is one of my more favorite rest stops. Why? Because as far as I'm concerned, food at their canteen is reasonably priced. They also have a gotohan outside, like Good-Ah, native delicacy shop just up front, and the hotdogs that I seem to not get enough of.

Double Happiness, Lubao, Pampanga - This place is pretty much the same as Siesta. This is just located a few kilometers away from the Genesis rest stop, the rest stop that has nothing to offer. I believe I had an entry about that particular rest stop. (Click here to read the post.) There's another Double Happiness rest stop located at San Miguel, Bulacan.

Travellers' Complex

Travelers' Complex, La Paz, Tarlac - Again, this rest stop is much like Siesta or Double Happiness (because the first time this opened, it was known as Double Happiness). It is, however, smaller. So what is special about this rest stop you might ask. It is because of its clean rest rooms. This rest stop is pretty new after all. Wait 'til gets older.

Hebabil, Somewhere around Nueva Ecija before getting to Sta. Fe (Northbound) - This is not a regular stop for buses heading up North to Cagayan Valley. It is, however, a rest stop for those who make deliveries and those on smaller vehicles because it's conveniently located in the middle of nowhere. It's not as big as the other rest stops, not as clean, and it definitely doesn't have a clean rest room. I believe I have written a blog post about this place on my old and lost blog. The one thing that's unique about this place is its menu. There are only three main ingredients; pork, bangus, and tilapia. And there are only two ways of cooking them; sinigang or fried. And you get to choose which tilapia, or bangus, or cut of pork to use. Then they cook it for you. So you have to wait for your food to get cooked.

CCQ Bus Stop

CCQ, Aritao, Nueva Viscaya - This place is similar to the Partas Bus Lines' rest stop; gotohan, reasonably priced food at the canteen, local delicacies with the addition of local handicrafts, and a pretty decent rest room.

So far, the above mentioned are the rest stops that are worth stopping at or at least getting off the bus for (if you're on a bus). The other stops, since I don't recall them, are not really up to par.