It’s sweet homecoming & a new attraction right here in our hometown of Lucena in Quezon Province. Let’s savor Bagong Lucena after a long while due to the still ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a feast for the whole family with our balikbayan siblings with seafood eat-all-you-can Filipino-dish buffet lunch & fresh buko welcome drinks while cruising the serene Twin Rivers accompanied by timeless classic OPM hits & appreciating nature - the mangroves sanctuary of barangays Barra, Ransohan & Salinas & the beaches of Dalahican. Along the way, you will pass on a modest open-air chapel, a members-only country club - South Waters as you observe daily way of life of Lucenahins by the waterways.
We experienced Loboc River Cruise before in Bohol & it has similar concept: a big raft on a journey through the river to admire the town’s natural beauty with various entertainments in between. No exaggeration, this is even better than Loboc. It has yummier foods with Lucena’s own famous chami, with livelier acoustic music of the 70s & 80s & ala-Zirko comedy entertainment to pump up your adrenalin. The cultural shows are even more fabulous (where you’re comfortably seated) with various folk dances from Pandanggo sa Ilaw to Igorot dance. Remember this is an eco-heritage trip, so after disembarking from the balsa for a stopover to see the cultural presentation (watch our kid & niece danced Tinikling here), go around to check on various Quezon products, too (from souvenir shirts to buko pie) & the tilapia fish farming at home.
This tourism campaign to savor Lucena was long been overdue. The long-coveted dream project was finally realized in February 2022 when Mayor Roderick Alcala inaugurated it & sailed on the 1st trip. Though a highly-urbanized city, keep in mind that Lucena is a coastal city 1st where fishing & other marine-related business is a staple for the rest of the populace. The city proper is wedged between 2 major rivers, Iyam River on the west & Dumacaa River on the east. There are 7 other rivers & 6 creeks that serve as natural drainage for the city. This river basin sourced its flows from Mt. Banahaw & navigates downstream & drains to Tayabas Bay with the Lucena Pier in Brgy. Dalahican serving as sea lanes going to Romblon & Marinduque to as far as the Visayas.
The Bagong Lucena Floating Restaurant River Cruise is a project of the Lucena Office of the City Tourism. Reservations shall be confirmed only by the City Tourism Office. Maximum capacity for one cruise is 50 passengers (all ages are allowed with life vests available for use) & exclusive reservation is good for a minimum of 30 pax. Average travel time inclusive of stopovers is 2-2.5 hours starting from the Cotta Pier in Lucena City. This is now a must-try tourist activity here & OFWs, balikbayans & senior citizens who hailed from this city will surely enjoy this sentimental journey & for 1st-time visitors, the getting-to-know Lucena river cruise that will keep you coming back for more to this city.