#where to eat in siquijor

[shellwanders]

Paliton Beach: Siquijor's Best Kept Secret

Paliton Beach is a beautiful stretch of white sand and clear blue water located in the province of Siquijor in the Philippines. The beach is relatively secluded and undeveloped, making it a great place to relax and escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Traveling to Paliton Beach Siquijor for the first time? This detailed and curated travel guide will make it easy for you to navigate…

[thehungrykat1]

Eat and Box All You Can at Marriott Café's Famsgiving Thursday

Thursday nights are truly special at Marriott Café with their Famsgiving Thursday dinner featuring Filipino heirloom recipes prepared by Marriott's chefs. For the month of April, Marriott Hotel Manila makes it even more exciting as they just launched their calibrated Famsgiving Thursdays offer with a Box All You Can fruits and vegetables promotion at the Farmsgiving Market, in collaboration with Rural Rising Philippines (RuRi), a program that aims to support the livelihood of local farmers.

Famsgiving Thursdays is a weekly dinner buffet at the Marriott Café featuring a selection of heirloom recipes celebrating Filipino cuisines and family thanksgiving. Priced at P3,700 nett per person, this buffet is available every Thursday dinner throughout April 2024. Aside from enjoying all the special recipes and home-cooked dishes prepared with love, guests can also support a very noble cause as local farmers can sell their produce and ingredients directly to hotels and restaurants.

Famsgiving Thursday was initially introduced in 2023 aimed at creating the nostalgia of family feasting and celebrating the rich Filipino heritage through the food served at Marriott Café. The partnership with RuRi makes this meaningful dining promo into even more purposeful initiative, hence taking the notch higher by being able to save the lives of farmers by backing up their source of living via the Rescue Buy Program.

Marriott Hotel Manila is all about preserving and celebrating the most cherished family traditions. It’s a place where we come together to create those heartwarming moments, and it’s all made possible through “Famsgiving Thursday.” This special dining experience highlights a curated selection of timeless Filipino heirloom recipes, all meticulously prepared by the talented relatives of our dedicated chefs at Manila Marriott Hotel. These dishes symbolize appreciation and gratitude, making Famsgiving Thursday an opportunity to savor heirloom recipes that celebrate Filipino cuisine and thanksgiving.

For Famsgiving Thursday, guests can enjoy all these special recipes scattered among the different buffet stations. You can start with the Lumping Sariwa ng Rizal by Chef Earl Jacinto and his mother in law Blesilda Besin.

Long before this partnership with RuRi has been established, Marriott Manila on its own capacity has been involved in several activities that support local farms and farmers by employing sustainable culinary practices such as local food sourcing to support farmers in the country, urban farming by maintaining its own indoor precision farm machine for herbs, spices and vegetables that are customarily imported from abroad, responsible fishing with its sustainable seafood program, and use of cage-free eggs to aid in the increased quality of life for hens, therefore enabling them to produce healthy table eggs, the same that are served to hotel guests.

Some of the other Famsgiving Thursday dishes you can find are the Pork Kilawing Labanos by Chef Alvin Valino and Aunt Emma Gatchalian. Other inspired dishes include the Pork Poacher de Alfonso, Pinakbet, and Siquijor Style Chicken Mataar.

The Binakol was one of my favorite dishes that evening and I really like this flavorful coconut broth cooked with chicken and vegetables.

The other international buffet stations will still be available at the Marriott Café during Famsgiving Thursday. Guests can grab their favorite sustainable seafood items and have them cooked according to their preference.

The carving station is always one of the highlights at the Marriott Café so I was happy to find this big lechon sitting proudly on the counter.

Aside from the very crispy lechon, guests can also find the Kare Kareng Pata, Pork Meatballs Escabeche, Lamb Mechado, and Sinanglay na Isla.

There's also plenty of steak for everyone. Ask the chef for a slice or two of their roasted beef and have it grilled the medium or medium-well doneness.

The Japanese station also has its lineup of sushi, sashimi, and tempura on display. You can also have a plate of teppanyaki freshly prepared with your choice ingredients.

Over at the Chinese station, there are dimsum, noodles, roast chicken, roast pork, and other specialties to discover.

My favorite station at Marriott Café is actually the Paluto station. Here you can ask for their big mud crabs and have it cooked as Singapore Chili Crab. They also have their Catch of the Day fish that can also be prepared steamed, fried, or cooked with butter and garlic.

Beverages are also included in the buffet price including juices and selected cocktails like Rum Old Fashioned, Manila Sunrise, Peach Daiquiri, and Sangria.

For desserts, there's a medley of cakes, pastries, sweets, fruits, kakanin, and other delectable treats waiting for all the guests.

Make sure to drop by the Ice Cream and Gelato Station for unlimited scoops of their signature flavors. I really liked the Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato with KitKat Spread as well as the Peanut Butter Gelato.

Aside from the regular Famsgiving Thursday dinner buffet, for the whole month of April, guests will also get an exclusive access to the Farmsgiving Market where they can play the Box All You Can game for fresh farm produce to take home. Each diner will get one coupon which entitles them to one box.

Executive Chef Meik Brammer explained the mechanics for the Farmsgiving Market together with Rural Rising Philippines’ founders Ace and Andie Estrada. RuRi is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting distressed Filipino farmers in achieving economic stability and pride in their work. Through fair and sustainable market practices, RuRi aims to support 100,000 farmers to become sustainable and debt-free by 2030 under the Rescue Buy Program of RuRi. 

Marriott Manila has set up the Farmsgiving Market just outside the Marriott Café for the Box All You Can game. The farmers have brought their produce and goods here which have come all the way from the provinces and farms.

Once the timer starts, guests will have five minutes to grab all the fruits and vegetables they can get that will fit inside the Famsgiving Box. I hurriedly went to get some broccoli and guyabano together with some potatoes and tomatoes.

Everything that you get should be able to fit inside the box and pass through the steel gate, so make sure nothing spills over because all the excess items will be placed back on the counters. If you want to get another box, you can always buy more at P799 per box. These items would cost a lot more at groceries so you can actually just come to Marriott and participate in the Farmsgiving Market without dining at Marriott Café.

I really had fun at the Famsgiving Thursday with Farmsgiving Market at Marriott Café. You can enjoy a great buffet dinner and take home very fresh fruits and vegetables while supporting a noble cause for only P3700 per person. For those who are entitled to avail of 30% discount like Club Marriott diners, access to the Farmsgiving Market is available for an additional fee of P800 nett only. This promotion is good only for the month of April so hurry and book your tables now!

Famsgiving Thursday at Marriott Cafe

G/F, Marriott Hotel Manila, Newport City, Pasay City

8988-9999 / (0917) 584-9560

www.marriottcafemanila.com

www.facebook.com/marriotthotelmanila

[travelwithgraceyu]

Day Three: April 19, 2019 | Dinner at Dagsa, Siquijor

We drove to Dagsa Restobar since this is where we will be having our dinner. Now this is all thanks to my friend who recommended me this place and other good restaurants in Siquijor.

I searched it in Google and they had a good review. Actually, this is one of the famous restaurants in Siquijor. When we arrived, the place was packed.

We waited to be seated because everyone was already hungry and didn’t want to go to find another restaurant. So while waiting, my mom ordered food ahead.

And look what I found. If you know why Siquijor is famous because the place is full of witches. They make love potions and all others to sell to customers and mostly foreigners. They even sell voodoo dolls which is cool and creepy in the same way.

We finally got a table! The reason why the placed was packed because there was a food show going on and the one hosting it was Robi Domingo. I wasn’t able to take a picture of him because it would be rude to a papparazi all of sudden but his table was just behind us. I actually had eye contact with Robi for a few seconds while waiting for our food. Lol 

our food has arrived and the cuisine is Filipino food. They had this boodle style of the way to eat and the food was just so good.

I mean we were all hungry so it was even more delicious. We all ate to our tummy’s satisfaction and had little chit chats. Dad decided to order beer, me, my brother, and my sister drank with him to let the sleepiness kick in. It was time to go home and rest for tomorrow is another adventure.

Check out here what we’re going to do tomorrow!

[pauonabudget-blog]

Siquijor 2019

Tada!!! After 7 (??) years, I am back doing my first love - blogging. So for my first entry (again), I wanna share with you my solo travel adventure to Isla de Fuego aka Siquijor Island. It’s my 2nd solo travel for this year (6th overall) and I must say it is one of my favorites! (PS all photos are mine unless stated otherwise hehe). Btw I went to Siquijor June 16-18, 2019. All currencies stated are in Philippine Pesos

HOW DID I GET THERE?

Since I am always on the look out for piso fares, I got my roundtrip tickets Manila-Dumaguete-Manila for roughly 1,600.00 during Cebu Pacific’s snap sale (99.00 base fare). Not bad.

From Dumaguete airport, there are tricycles/habal habals (single motorcycles) that can take you to Dumaguete Port. If you don’t have that much of luggage with you (or if you are still not so sure on your haggling skills), it’s best that you find your preferred mode of transportation OUTSIDE of the airport since the drivers on the airport  tend to overcharge. 

Okay so once you have hailed a driver, tell him to drop you off at the ticketing counter of your preferred ferry going to Siquijor, So in my case, I told the habal to drop me off at Oceanjet ticketing office. Ticketing office is walking distance from the port entrance. To be on the safe side also, you can purchase your return trip ticket as well to avoid hassle on the day you’re going back to mainland Dumaguete.

<Schedule and ticket price of June 2019>

Oceanjet from Dumaguete port to Siquijor port is roughly 50 mins to 1 hour. Just a reminder: Dumaguete port is really wavy. I don’t get dizzy easily but man Dumaguete port tested me lol. Before stepping inside the port, you need to pay P13.00 (I forgot what is it for lol but there is a window beside the port entrance). The port itself is clean and spacious by the way and there are kiosks there for those who’ll go hungry while waiting for the scheduled boat trips.

Once you arrive at Siquijor Port, there are tricycles/habal habals waiting outside the port. Up to you what you’ll take. Being a solo traveller and having just one backpack, I contracted a habal to take me to my accommodation and tour the whole island. Kuya Elbert (my habal driver/ tour guide. VERY NICE) and I have agreed for P800.00 for a whole island tour plus him bringing me to my accommodation and to the port. I also paid for his lunches and snacks. Kuya Elbert  +639068382558

<Arrival at Siquijor Port (the water is so clear that I wanted to jump right in)>

<Outside of Siquijor Port>

WHERE DID I STAY?

I stayed at JJ’s Backpackers Village (As recommended by the British solo traveller I met on Siargao). They have bunk beds there for 400/night. One dorm room contains 6 beds (2 single beds and 2 double deck beds) and a bathroom (decent, clean, well maintained, working flush lol). The hostel also has its own in-house restaurant and bar so there’s no need to worry of going hungry lol. But the real selling point of JJ’s Backpackers is the killer beach front since it is along Solangon Beach. It’s very chill and relaxing that I can just lay in the hammock all day and do nothing kind of vibe. 

<Beach front of JJ’s Backpackers>

<Do not disturb mood>

<Dorm room 400/night> PS bring your own padlocks for the lockers.

You may contact them at +639989704452 or go to their Facebook page

WHERE DID I GO?

Siquijor Island is so small that you can tour it in less than a day. There are even some travellers that do daytour and then goes back to Dumaguete. Here are the highlights of my habal tour:

1. SALAGDOONG BEACH

This is where the famous cliffdiving site in Siquijor is located. For those who want that jolt of adrenaline rush on the body, this is your place to go. I chickened out the last minute because the jump site is so high and scary hahaha so I opted to stay on the shore and swim. There is an entrance fee going here (I think 30 pesos but correct me if I am wrong).

2. PALITON BEACH

The beach where you can find the instagram worthy palm tree shots. When I was here, I can’t believe how chill and peaceful it is here. There are also locals who is standing by the famous palm tree that is ready to assist you on your creative instagram photo (just don’t forget to give them a tip - I gave P50.00). My favorite beach of all beaches!! Free entrance!!

3. CAMBUGAHAY FALLS

I fell in love with Cambugahay falls. The water is unbelievably blue like it will take your breath away. So for this destination, Kuya Elbert stayed on the motorcycle parking as there was a designated tour guide going down the falls (it has different levels btw). We went there as early as 7:00AM (normally there is an entrance fee but when we got there, the collector was still not on his post so that means it is FREE again lol). So yeah trying going there early plus also to avoid large crowds as it gets pretty crowded around 9:00 am onwards. So after frolicking in the blue waters and braving the tarzan swing, time to go up again. I gave my guide P100.00 plus I paid the motor parking P10.00

4. CENTURY OLD BALETE TREE AND FISH SPA

I did not try the fish spa since I am a ticklish person but the fishes were big so no thanks lol. The tree looks enchanting tho but I like the one in Baler. There is also a souvenir shop beside it. You can buy shirts, ref magnets, voodoo doll keychains and the infamous love potion in a bottle. 

5. HAPITANAN CAFE AND RESTAURANT

I didn’t do the famous broomstick photo because I was not in the mood lol. But I did chill for a little bit on their backyard.

WHERE TO EAT

So for 3 days, this is how I survived lol

DAY 1

Breakfast - Cinnabon sticks and coffee from the airport (<300.00)

Lunch - 2 pcs chicken with rice and bottled water bought from one of the Dumaguete Port kiosk (P80.00)

Dinner - A hearty plate of gnocchi from Dolce Amore. This is the first time I tasted Gnocchi and it was da bomb!!! (plus their homemade chocolate cake and homemade coconut gelato - shared by us 3 roommates). My plate of gnocchi was P180.00 but it was so worth it! The desserts cost were split between us 3. (Spent around 285.00 for my meal)

<Me with my roommates Elo (Brazil - jumper) and Maria (Spain - red top)>

DAY 2

Breakfast - Leftover cinnabon sticks (I still have 4 sticks left lol) plus coconut juice (40.00 for the coconut juice of Kuya Elbert and I)

Lunch - Kuya Elbert and I ate at an eatery at downtown. Hearty lunch for 2 is at P200.00

2 cans of beer - P120.00

Dinner - Beef burger with homemade patties at JJ’s (P180.00)

DAY 3 (I took the first trip of Oceanjet back to Dumaguete 6:00 AM since I have a 10:15am flight back to Manila)

Breakfast - Sansrival Bistro Dumaguete  (continental Filipino Breakfast) - (P220.00) *walking distance from Dumaguete port*

Lunch - Since our flight was delayed for 2.5 hours, we had free lunch from Jollibee (FREE)

TAKE NOTE

1. Bring sunblock and cap

2. INSECT REPELLENT IS A MUST. Mosquitoes there are annoying as f*ck. Off lotion will not be enough

3. Always make sure to have your phones and powerbanks fully charged since there are schedules of power interruption on the island.

4. Be friendly to the locals and also to your fellow travellers.

5. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR RUBBISH ALONG THE BEACH. Throw them properly.

To end my post, I won’t be able to give exact amount but I can give you my DIY itinerary. I think 5,000.00 will be enough for 3 days as long as you have prepared your expenses. Let me know if you have questions.

Siquijor became one of my favorite destinations. Mark my words: I will be back!

[gredeltaguran]

Camiguin Island: Chase horizons

We are naturally made to experience beautiful places as humans, and we are readily enticed to love places that are rich in nature and amazing sights. It either provides us a sense of relaxation or a different level of comfort because we are in a place for a specific period of time to take a break from our normal routine or from all of reality's chaos. It has a purpose and is beneficial to the soul. Traveling has its own healing qualities and a unique way of rejuvenating our perspectives, and our problems seem to flee as a sensation of serenity comes over us. You'll learn about this particular place in this travelogue and, more than likely, be captivated as I'll also share my personal experiences….

I assume that many people in Mindanao have visited this place since it is regarded to be one of the most beautiful spots in the Philippines and a "must" visit island in Northern Mindanao.  Camiguin was formerly part of the Misamis Oriental and now is part of Region 10 or Northern Mindanao. This province is small in comparison to surrounding provinces on the mainland, yet it has the same laid-back beach ambiance as the Philippines' popular island-hopping attractions, such as Bohol and Siquijor. Camiguin may lack the exciting party scene and nightlife of other larger island destinations such as Boracay and Siargao, but it provides a very secure and serene vacation. It's still a little off the main route for tourists, but first-time visitors will appreciate the unspoiled scenery and friendly locals. Camiguin is a small island province with a plethora of natural wonders for anyone to explore. There's something for everyone, from scenic islands to soothing hot springs and cold springs, spectacular waterfalls, and intriguing historical places. This place has everything an adventurous heart craves.

Camiguin, also referred to as the "island of fire," may seem off to some since not everyone will take the time to tour Camiguin and witness its beauty firsthand, or because it is home to seven volcanoes, one of which is active, that might render these facts worrisome to them. Also, the sight of the island province with its high volcanic peaks is breathtaking. However, Volcanic eruptions and land movements have shaped this wonderful island, which is rich in natural wonders and historical heritage. It is also the source of innumerable hot and cold springs, as well as soda springs, which anybody can enjoy. Camiguin has a nice climate, with seasonal rain showers adding to the island's lush greenery. Of course, you'll be sharing space with nearly 90,000 residents who live, work, and welcome you to their city. Camiguin's economy is based primarily on fishing and farming. That means you'll be able to eat a lot of delicious food there, with plenty of fresh fish and mangoes. Camiguin, nestled just off the coast of Bohol, is still a relatively unknown backpacker attraction. This translates to lower pricing, fewer jaded locals, and enough space to experience the natural beauty of the island alone.

It's tough for me to tell which part of the island is my favorite. Nonetheless, if I were to recommend a great sightseeing route with a low cost and an Instagram-worthy vista, it would most certainly be Sto. Nino Cold Spring. It's a swimming hole in the center of the jungle, located beneath Mt. Hibok Hibok and surrounded by a dense coconut palm forest and lovely gardens, giving it the ultimate jungle sensations! Around the pool's edge, there are numerous shaded huts and seating spots where you may leave your belongings and dive in headfirst to cool off. The spring water is a brilliant blue hue that is very enticing! Like a pool, this man-made structure is reinforced with cement floors, walls, and steps. However, the water comes from a deep underground natural source. It's the best of both worlds, with no harmful chemicals. Float on an inner tube, slide down the little water slides, plunge over the cliffs, or let fish eat your dead skin. It's a fantastic way to cool down during the sweltering island summers.

I can attest from personal experience, having visited Camiguin a few times, that its beauty and natural wonders would not disappoint nor waste anyone's money or time. Because not everyone is blessed with such a site of both richness and magnificence, simply being able to be there and experience it will make you appreciate all of the privileges and chances you have. I absolutely love Camiguin so much that whenever we visit, I find myself longing for time to continue still or for my vacation to last longer. Camiguin Island is the kind of getaway dream. Nature is there for you to explore, white sand beaches to savor, natural water to splash around in, waterfalls to look at, volcanoes to hike, food to eat, and much more. Best of all, there aren't many tourists to impede your trip!

[shellwanders]

Kawasan Falls and Caves Siquijor: A Must-Visit Destination for Nature Lovers

Kawasan Falls and Caves is a stunning natural attraction located on the island of Siquijor in the Philippines. The site boasts a series of waterfalls and caves that are sure to take visitors’ breath away. Traveling to Kawasan Falls and Caves Siquijor for the first time? This detailed and curated travel guide will make it easy for you to navigate your way inside, save money, and maximize your…

[yahooin-travel-inspirations]

12 insider tips for first-time travellers to the Philippines

Travelling to the Philippines for the first time? Guess what? You don’t have to spend a fortune to indulge on an epic trip in this Asian hub. As long as you play your cards right, and travel like a local, you can have a blast, and experience all the charms and eccentricities of the country, without breaking the bank.

Here are a few local travel tips that will definitely give you a memorable, smooth yet affordable trip in the Philippines.

Travel tips for first-time visitors to the Philippines

Source: Kai Lehmann, Flickr

1. Don’t squeeze everything in one trip

Unless you’re paid to travel, you can’t see all the best sights and tourist destinations in the Philippines in just one trip. Remember, there are over 80 provinces and 7,600 islands in this archipelago. In other words, it will take you a year or even more to see all the recommended spots in the Philippines.

For a smoother and more affordable trip, pick two to five destinations only. It is a vacation, not a laundry list you need to tick off. Take it slow and enjoy every moment of the holiday.

2. Pick a base city or island group

The Philippines is essentially divided into three major island groups – Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Each island group has a major international airport that connects Singapore to the country.

From Singapore, you may arrive in Luzon via Ninoy Aquino International Airport or Clark International Airport. To get to the heart of the Visayas region, book a flight to Mactan Cebu International Airport. As for Mindanao, there are daily commercial flights from Singapore to Davao International Airport.

Picking a base is an important step when planning a trip to the Philippines. Not only will it set your travel budget, but it will also let you pick the destinations that best suit your preferences. To help select the right base and destinations for your trip, we’ve listed down the best places to visit for every major island group in the country.

Luzon:

Vigan

Banaue

Batanes

Laoag

Sagada

Visayas:

Cebu Island

Iloilo

Bacolod

Apo Island

Bohol

Siquijor

Mindanao:

Bukidnon

Davao

Cagayan de Oro

General Santos

Surigao city

Camiguin

3. Sort out your logistics

Traveling around the Philippines can be a little overwhelming for Singaporeans. Well truth be told, even local travel junkies may find it difficult to navigate through the country, with its undeveloped rural areas and a multitude of transportation options available. That’s why you need to plan your trips diligently, and sort out your logistics carefully.

Check out ferry schedules, bus routes, and fares for every form of transportation. Better yet, reach out to the best travel bloggers from the Philippines, and get some informative tips on how to save money on your logistics and transportation.

4. Brush up your Filipino

There are more than 130 languages and dialects across the Philippine archipelago. Yikes! But the thing is, you don’t have to memorize all the important phrases of each dialect to experience the country like a local.

English is widely spoken in the country, and you’d rarely bump into a Filipino who can’t understand English. In fact, English is taught in daycare centers and schools, as one of the country’s two official languages, ensuring that even little kids can understand you here.

Nevertheless, learning a few important Filipino (the national language of the Philippines) words and phrases may come in handy in several situations. Not to mention, vendors and locals will be friendlier and even praise you if you try to talk to them in their native tongue. Who knows? You might get a good bargain or a freebie by just speaking a couple of Filipino words at food stalls or a flea market.

Important Filipino words and phrases:

Magandang umaga: Good morning

Magandang hapon: Good afternoon

Magandang gabi: Good evening

Pasensya na po: Excuse me/sorry

Tulong: Help

Magkano po to: How much is this?

Kamusta: How are you?

Salamat: Thank you

Hindi: No

Saan ang..: Where is…?

Paalam: Goodbye

Opo: Yes

Pwede pong magtanong: May I ask you something?

5. Learn how to talk to strangers

Address the Filipino men as pare (buddy), pogi (handsome), kuya (a Tagalog term for older brother or any older male), chief (for policemen and security guards), and bossing or boss. When speaking to female, call them ate (a Tagalog term for older sister or any older lady) or simply “miss”.

6. Jeepneys as your main modes of transportation

Source: Bernard Spragg, Flickr

For a Southeast Asian country, Philippines is fairly developed, with a wide variety of options, when it comes to transportation. From buses and trains to carpools and taxi rides, there are plenty of ways to get around the major cities in the country with ease. If, however, you’re looking for something cheaper that will give you a taste of the local life, look no further than the colorful jeepneys.

Sure, they aren’t the most comfortable way to travel, but they only cost PHP 7 to 50 (S$0.20 to S$1.39) per ride per person, depending on the distance of the trip. On average, the taxi flag-down rate in the Philippines is PHP 40 (S$0.84), and PHP 2.50 (S$0.70) for every 2 minutes of waiting time or 300 meters.

7. Tone down the tourist accessories

Once you are in the Philippines, you will most definitely want to take pictures of your trip. But, if you really want to blend in with the locals, you need to tone it down a bit. Having a big DSLR hanging on your neck, wherever you go, is like wearing a placard saying that you are a tourist and an outsider. Moreover, it can attract skilled thieves.

Don’t get us wrong – cameras are an absolute must for Singaporeans travelling to the Philippines, especially for first-timers. But, try to keep it under wraps, and don’t point your camera where it’s not welcome. The same goes for your other travel essentials and gear, like guidebooks and fanny packs. You may bring them, but always keep a low profile.

8. Opt for cheap accommodations

From lavish beachside resorts to opulent 5-star hotels, the Philippines has no shortage of incredible accommodations to offer to Singaporeans. While these options are great and fabulous, they can cost you around PHP 4,000 to 50,000 a night (S$111 to S$1,394).

For those who are on a tight budget, though, there are inns and backpacker hostels in every major destination in the Philippines, with prices ranging from PHP 300 to 1,000 (S$8 to S$28). What’s more, there are Homestays that cost around PHP 150 to 500 a night (S$4 to S$14).

As with the rest of the world, Couchsurfing is also a viable and great option for Singaporeans travelling in the Philippines.

9. Traveling during the low season

Most travellers avoid the Philippines between the months of June and September. Prices for flights and hotels drop significantly during these months. According to a survey conducted by Lonely Planet, booking a room between these months in the Philippines will save you 20 to 40% on hotel costs.

10. Avoid the festive or holy weeks

To keep your Philippines holiday cheap, avoid the Holy Week, or the Lenten Season, as much as possible. In general, the Filipinos are religious and they place great importance on the preparation and celebration of these holy festivals. As a predominantly Catholic nation, the festive periods create a high demand on tourist centers, flights, and transport services.

Consequently, charges for local services tend to skyrocket during these periods. If you want to save cash on your holiday in the Philippines, don’t visit during the New Year, Christmas, and Lenten season times.

11. Book early

You get better and cheaper deals on flights, when you book your flights early. Just make sure to use a reliable flight search engine, to score great flight bargains.

When booking your travel to Philippines, use your travel credit card for hotel bookings. This will earn you bonus rewards as well. The DBS Altitude Visa Signature Credit Card, which gets you 3 miles for every S$1 spent on hotel and flight bookings, is one card you can use.

12. Eat at market and street food stalls

Just like Singapore, most major cities and destinations in the Philippines have an eclectic mix of restaurants with an array of mouthwatering treats to offer. But to save big bucks on food during your trip, make market and street food stalls your source of daily meals. For PHP 100 (S$2.79) or even less, you can enjoy a hearty and tasty meal (good for two) in markets and street food stations.

BankBazaar.sg is a leading online marketplace in Singapore that helps consumers compare and apply a credit card, personal loan, home loan, car loan and insurance.

[everythingunrequited]

I have never felt this way towards anybody ever before. I never felt this security, the feeling of being understood, the feeling of being seen. Until I met you, I was someone who was just a passersby to everybody’s life. Nobody stayed, nobody dared to dive with me. But you came, you broke my walls one brick at a time until you saw me at my most vulnerable state.

I love you is somehow an understatement. This feelng I have is bigger than I’ll ever understand. Bigger than me. This feeling is something I don’t ever want to lose. You’re the person I don’t ever want to lose. 

I can never pinpoint when I felt this way towards you. i mean, sure, i’ve been into you for a long time but this one right now is different. I feel different, i feel capable, i feel powerful. Sometimes, it overwhelms me and scares me how i can have this much feeling towards someone. For years, i’ve know that i have all these love that i can give, i have all thse love and affection inside but no one to give it to until you came. all you needed to do was knock and it all kept flowing.

Being away from you made me realize a lot of things. 

I can live without you, yes. I can survive without you, yes. But i don’t want to. Our life together was nowhere perfect but it was more than i could ever ask for. Waking up beside you, looking at your peaceful face. everytime i open my eyes and i see you beside me, i feel like i can survive this. everytime i see you, the voices fade away. they know that they can never do anything while you’re on my side. i feel safe, i feel secure, i feel okay. being away from you, i managed to hushed the voices down. but it’s never the same. the voices are out but i still feel unsafe. everyday is a dream wtih you. yes, we fight, aggresively at that. but somehow im grateful that we do because i know we are trying to make it work. the fights are terrible but im not backing away. everytime you cook me something, it’s like the tastiest meal i ever had. explains why i got fat too, my big appetite is being spoiled by your cooking skills. everytime you kiss me while you’re still sleeping erases all my inhibitions about myself. everytime you look at me with affection, i know im enough. for the first time, i know im enough. i know i deserve this love. i know i deserve something good in life. i love your hands. it’s something i want to hold on to forever. i want to hold it while i jump for my wins in life, i want to hold it while i cry my heart out, i want to hold your hands when im unsure and unsteady. i want to hold your hands everyday, feel the roughness, feel how big it is, feel hwo safe i am with those two hands. the hugs you give are the best. it’s perfect, not too tight that it’s suffocating, not too wide that i don’t feel anything. you are not a hugger person but you know the perfect moments that i need hugs. you know the moments when i feel weak and all i need are your hugs. you stop your work to give me hugs and cuddles, to help me sleep. you pause whatever you’re doing because you know i need you by my side. you let me hug you whenever i want. kiss you whenever i want even though you are too busy. Everything about us, i’ve been dreaming about it for years. Now that i’ve seen how colorful life is with you, i dont ever want to lose it.

I am not building my life around you, i am bulding my life with you. you may think that im too dependent on you, on this relationship. you may have a point but that’s not entirely true. i can still feed myself without you, i can still do the laundry, go by my day, be responsible, make my own decision. but it’s so much better when im with you. i ask you with all the decisions that im making not because i can’t make any decision, but because i want to hear what you think. i may have reached to a point where i felt complacent and depended too much on you but that doesn’t mean that i can’t do things anymore. it’s nice being taken care of. it’s nice knowing that someone is thinking what we’ll be eating. it’s nice to just sit while someone is doing things for you. it’s nice going to a hotel and you are not responsible for the logistics. it’s nice going out knowing you don’t plan everything out all on your own. it’s nice having someone you can ask about everything. it’s nice having someone you can depend on. this relationship for me is the relationship i want to last for years that’s why im anchoring my decisions around this relationship and with you.

i also realized that i was naive. i was ungrateful. i stubborn. i was blind. and i am sorry. i had all the lapses staring in front of me but i was too caught up in my own thoughts i never realized how difficult it was for you. i am sorry for not appreciating you enough. i am sorry for not appreciating the things you do for me, the cooking, the pep talks, the letting me decide what to watch, the blackpink all day, all the questions i ask, taking a bath with me even though you’re still working, pausing work just to let me sleep, adjusting your body clock to match mine, going out because i was suffocated inside, all the eat outs, all the unneccesary gasto. im sorry i haven’t appreciated enough all the things you do for me that i don’t notice. all the unspoken adjustments you did and still doing for me. I am sorry for not ebing grateful enough for all the sacrifices you make. for all the pep talks. for letting me squeeze your hands. for letting me feel my emotions. for understanding my unreasonable anger. for understanding me and how difficult i am to be with. for staying. for letting me stay. for being there even in the darkest times. for still being here even when your world inside is falling apart. i haven’t tahnked you enough for always making sure im okay even though you’re crumbling inside. for always making me your first priority, for making me feel like the most important person in the world. for giving me all that you have. for doing the best that you can do. for all the sleepless nights, for all the quarrels, for th elittle misunderstanding. for everything in between. im sorry i took so much of you to repair me and now you’re broken. im sorry for being so demanding, for asking too much, for being too much. im sorry i made you feel like you were never enough. im sorry. im sorry. you are enough langga, please believe me when i say that. more than enough. i can never say sorry enough for all the things i put you through, for all the things i’ve caused you, for all the times i hurt you, for all the times you felt like you needed to give me more.

i love you more than anything. i love the way the side of your mouth wrinkles when you talk. i love the way you unconsciouly lick your lips when you’re talking about smething you’re so passionate about (you don’t do this over light topics so im not sure if you’re self conscious, nervouse or anxious hehe). I love the way you cook eggs. i love how i feel so enlightened when i talk to you. i love your hands. i love the way you know what you want. i love your mindset. i love your goals. i love the way you don’t think about the future(contraty to me, it’s refereshing tbh). i love the way you randomly get your guitar and play random music. i love the way you watch blackpink with me. i love the way you say yes to my crazy plans. i love the way you encourage me to do stupid decisions (i.e. IG shopping). i love how you hate talking to your mom about political stuff but you’re still patient. i love the way you simplify concepts to me. i love how you give me answers that are so obvious but im just in denial. i love the dips you make. i love your frustration when the food you cook is bad. i love how unbothered you are. i love your hugs. i love your kisses. i love your random sungog. i love your lambing. i love how you push me. i love how you give me coonfidence and erases my hesitations. i love how you budget your money. i love how you appreciate art. i could have an endless list of the things i love about you. some things i may not know yet or doesn’t have a name for it yet but it’s all here in my mind and heart or wherever it is stored.

i love you and i love us. life with you has this particular set of colors i’ve grown to love. and i want to live in our little bubble for as long as i can still remember my name. i want you to be part of my life. i want you to be there when i can finally be in 1 job for a year. i want you to be there when i have so many emails i can’t breathe anymore. i want you to be there when i can watch BP’’s concert live. i want you to be there when im confient to wear bikini again. i want you to be there when i visit my father again. i want you to see my younger siblings. i want you to be there when i go hoome to leyte. or go to manila. siquijor. bohol. siargao. and many other places i wanna go. i want you to be there when im sure of what i want in my life. i want you to be here with me. 5, 10 , 25, 50 years from now. have our own little family. grow old together. but mostly, i want you to be there when i wake up everyday. i want a life with you. i want you. i want us. 

i love you so much.

[travelwithgraceyu]

Day Three: April 19, 2019 | Tubod Beach, Siquijor

Good morning Siquijor! For the places we’ll be going today, the first stop is Tubod Beach. I planned this whole trip on places to go and I hope we can do everything I’ve listed for today.

Tubod Beach consists of a marine sanctuary. When we arrived, there was an entrance fee of 20 pesos (if I remember correctly). This fee was used to preserve and maintain the marine sanctuary.

It was time to swim! Me, my dad and the rest of the siblings explored the sanctuary to look around for fishes or creatures that we couldn’t see back home. As usual, my mom didn’t swim but decided to relax to a nearby resort.

We swam for an hour or so until it was lunch time. Some of the photos above and below were taken by my younger brother. He was so fond of the Go Pro for I don’t know what reason. 

Talking about the Go Pro, I bought a new one to replace the one that got broken in Coron (if you want to know how it got broken, you can check it out here). I bought the Go Pro Hero 7 Black right before the long weekend and now I’m extra careful with this one. Even though it is water proof, I now use a casing every time I swim with it whether it’d be the pool or the sea so that no water can get in and damage the camera.

The huts you see is where the resort is and where mom is chilling. After eating our lunch, we had an hour to spare for snorkeling again and it was time to head out to the next destination.

Check here were we went to next.

[theonewherejgoesonajourney]

Detailed: Cebu – Tagbilaran – Danao – Panglao – Oslob – Badian 7D6N Itinerary

Waddup, waddup! I am writing this travel blog to share with you guys how I spent P19,000.00 for an all-in Cebu-Bohol-Cebu travel package for 7 days and 6 nights! Yes, all-in! This includes my roundtrip airfare, accommodation, private tour transfers (yeah, read that right, private!), meals, souvenir shopping, pasalubong and etc.! But if you’ll deduct my personal expenses like souvenirs, snacks, pasalubong and such; y’all can just enjoy this itinerary for just P16,200.00 or lower!

Now, let’s go by each day as I show you guys the itinerary I made, the what’s, where’s, why’s, when’s and how’s of this trip!

If you guys wanna skip to the breakdown, click the link below:

the link below

xxx

This all started when a good friend mine, RC, shared that there was a seat sale in AirAsia. So last 09 March 2019, we purchased the tickets for a 7-day trip in Cebu! Our trip was also a celebration of our 10th year of high school friendship with 2 more friends. Before booking the ticket, we still don’t have an itinerary and the initial plan was just for around 4 or 5 days, but upon a very short discussion and unreasonable impulse, we took the 7-day flight instead!

The initial itinerary I made was Cebu-Badian-Dumaguete-Siquijor, but checking our time and budget, I created another itinerary that will suit our requirement!

1 night in Cebu with city tour, 1 night in Danao after a city tour in Tagbilaran, 2 nights in Panglao after a hike and an adventure in Danao, 2 nights in Badian after a city tour in Panglao then water adventure while in Badian. With this itinerary, we have more chances of not being sun kissed during the earlier days thus having better aura photos! Tan lined photos are more acceptable in the latter days where we will be spending a lot in the beach and Visayas water!

xxx

DAY 1 – Private Cebu Twin City Tour

Our flight was at 0825h, estimated time of arrival in Cebu was at 1025h. This is my first time going to Cebu and our first time to travel all together as one! I got my roundtrip airfare for only P1,855.18! We got a free ride from my papi so that’s additional pocket money for us! But if you’ll be coming from Pasay, taking a metered taxi or a grab would approximately be around P250-P300 per vehicle (good for 4 pax with 1 hand carry luggage each).

Upon arrival at Mactan airport, I was shocked with their airport’s beauty! We all rounded up and met Sir Jubet from New Californian Rent a Car at C11, I am then again surprised because I was advised that our private car hire for 10 hours was an Innova but we were upgraded to a Hi-ace van!

Before we start the tour, we asked Sir Jubet to drop us off somewhere nice for lunch. He drove us to a sutukil (SuTuKil is a combination of the Cebuano words sugba (grill), tuwa (stew), and kilaw (eat seafood raw). We had our lunch at Fredz Sutukil, this restaurant was the pick your seafood and we’ll cook it for you for free type (but do not be deceived with this line, because we are not sure if all sutukil’s are like this, but they charged us 15% for service charge! Wow, even a hotel or a high-end restaurant has a lower service charge than this one!), honest review, we paid for too much, P679 to be exact, for 3 pretty plain and limited viand and a rice platter. I personally just enjoyed the buttered shrimp though some are over cooked, I was disappointed with the grilled squid and baked oysters (they only used margarine instead of cheese). The platter of rice seems like it’s only good for 3 pax. Also, always check your bill because we were charged higher than the total; lucky us we had a friend that is good in Math!

After lunch, we headed straight to Mactan Shrine & Lapu-Lapu Monument to start our DIY twin city tour. I highly suggest you guys to hire a tour guide if you’re into historical stories because historical markers are not present in every place you’ll be visiting. We only did a short visit and photo op here since we didn’t have a tour guide and the weather seems gloomy. Afterwards, we went to Alegre Guitar Factory, (this is where I bought my travel momentum!), on our way, it rained hard, until we reached the place. We had the chance to witness how a guitar is made from scratch! Upon entering the place, we were welcomed by one of their staff and he gave us a glimpse of the factory. There is a wall of guitar bodies there that is made from different woods, I asked what wood is normally used in their guitars and he told me that it was mahogany. In their shop, there were different kinds of guitars that they are selling at more or less that P1,000-P2,000 and above. A nice classical guitar is at around P4,000 plus.

We then went to Cebu city, the rain stopped while we were at the Alegre Guitar Factory but upon leaving and while we were on the way to Cebu city proper, it started to rain again, then stopped when we were approaching Heritage of Cebu Monument (the weather here is crazy!). The Heritage of Cebu Monument is just in the middle of the road, it’s a nice sight for locals residing in the area! And since we still don’t have a tour guide, sadly, we did not get the story behind this monument. I’m just not sure if there was a historical marker because it was too hot to stay. Yap – San Diego Ancestral House is just walking distance from there, an entrance fee of P50 per pax will be collected upon entering, this comes with a brief background of the house from their staff/local house guide. They will also accompany you around the house and explain the antiques around, there was this very old radio there that is still functioning! They also have a garden there with a harp player who plays both classic and modern music!

Next stop, Magellan’s Cross and Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino! We first visited the church, there was a school beside it and since it was Thursday, we encountered kids during their dismissal. I believe that when you visit a church for the very first time, make a wish because it will come true. I always do this, and I can vouch that two wishes of mine had already come true! The church has a path going straight to Magellan’s Cross, this was a surreal moment for me (but nothing has still topped my encounter with Mt. Mayon!), this famous cross was just once in my history books but now here I am and surrounded by my very good friends! It’s actually just very simple, it was small and solemn (though there are lots of candle ladies in the area starting from the church selling prayer candles). While taking photos, we saw a guy doing this shot that we copied, that was copied by other people we were with as well! Lolz. See the photo below!

We got hungry so we skipped Fort San Pedro and the running tour of Colon Street, Fuente Osmena Circle and Capitol Site though our driver said that Colon street was what we passed going to the church. Before going to Larsian (it’s a big barbecue/sutukil place located in Fuente Osmeña Circle), we went shopping for dried mangoes at 7D factory (it’s a little far from where we were), it’s cheaper to buy their products there than the mall or market (since it’s a little far, you should buy a lot! The difference of their price from retailers is around P20-P50). We then went to Larsian for an early dinner, we ate at Smiley Best BBQ and this really is a comeback from our limited lunch earlier! And with just a difference of P34 per person from our lunch budget, we had: grilled boneless bangus, baked oysters, chorizos, bbqs, 2 cups of rice each and a liter or soda! I will vouch that your money will be spent here with satisfaction! A definite “go-back-to” in Cebu! (Also, they don’t have service charge and Smiley Best BBQ gave us a discount!)

We then called Sir Jubet so that we can now go to Fort San Pedro, seeing it earlier, seems like the place looks better at night, and I was right! Since there was a park outside it, the light decoration was pleasing to the eyes! But since we had limited time, and because it rained (again), we just had a few photos outside and just had a rolling tour instead. Our place to stay that night wasn’t far from Fort San Pedro and the pier going to Bohol, so I highly recommend The Sampaguita Suites Cebu. We got the Triple Sharing Room so we had to pay P200 for the 4th person plus a security deposit that is refundable upon checkout at P500. We just combined the beds (the room has 3 single beds) so all of us can fit. The room is just enough to what we paid for: it is air conditioned, there is a vanity table, enough outlets (I suggest you guys to bring a Multiple-Port USB 2.0 Hub so that you and your friends can charge all phones and power banks/gadgets easier), private bathroom, soaps and towels, and Wi-Fi!

We ended the night early, we settled at around 2000h and lights were out at around 2200h because we have an early itinerary tomorrow bound to Bohol!

Like and subscribe MJ’s Youtube channel and check our our vlog for Day 1 below!:

Vlog: Cebu City Tour | DAY 1

Suggestion/s:

Take an early     flight where you will arrive Cebu at 0600h or 0700h so that you can visit     all tourist spots before it goes dark.

There were a     lot of buffet restaurants around the area upon exiting Mactan Airport,     better take your lunch here. Saw some at P300 per pax.

Hire a local     tour guide, you help them have income, they’ll help you know Cebu! You can     ask one from your transport supplier or if you’re gonna take a tour     package, have your travel agency book you one!

A tip goes a     long way! Don’t forget to tip your tour guides/drivers!

There’s a lot     of per kilo dried mango in Tabo-an Market in Carbon. We bought some before     heading back to Manila from Badian. The price is half the branded ones,     the taste is still good! There’s also branded products there (7D products     are P20-P50 higher than the factory price). It is better to buy pasalubong     here than what we did on the first day since we had the struggle of     carrying them all throughout our tour.

Bring a Multiple-Port USB 2.0 Hub for multiple charging     and power banks! Extra phone connector will also help for just in case     scenes.

Bring a tumbler! Be hydrated always, you guys! You can     fill it at the airport and restaurants you will visit. This is my way of     lessening my cost in water since my tummy is not water conscious as well     and lessen your use of plastic bottled water!

Supplier/s:

New Californian     Rent a Car – Sir Rico: 0945 132 9178 / 0917 167 4247 / 0921 204 4322

Sampaguita Suites Plaza Garcia – (866) 266-3306; we     booked via Agoda.com

Expense Breakdown: open image in new tab for clearer view for all expense breakdowns

Reference/s:

Definition of Sutukil - www.tagaloglang.com › TAGALOG-ENGLISH DICTIONARY

xxx

DAY 2 – Private Bohol Countryside Tour

We need to wake up early because our ferry transfer is at 0700h. We fixed up at around 0530h (we all took a bath last night then took a half bath in the morning to save time). After fixing up, we bought our breakfast at Mc Donald’s that’s just across our hotel. We then hailed a taxi for our transfer out to the pier (since it’s less than 10 minutes from our place, we didn’t hire a private transfer anymore that costed P500 per way), unfortunately, the taxi driver contracted us at P150 and declined to use the meter (knowing that we weren’t locals, a sad foreign scene) and since there were no taxis in the area at 0600h, we took it. Upon arrival at the pier, we were charged P10 if we wanted the taxi to enter the area (to ease the drop-off of luggage).

When we entered the area, we were then advised that we should check-in our hand carry luggage because we cannot take it with us inside the ferry boat. Each luggage is at P50 each, up to you if you want to check-in your other bags as well, we didn’t. The trip will take 2 hours so you guys can have a quick snooze from your early wake-up. They play a movie inside for the guests, we took the tourist class ticket so I’m not sure if there is also a movie streaming for the business class tickets.

Oh, we traveled in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak so we were very careful of our actions and distance with other people. We arrived at Tagbilaran, Bohol pier at around 0900h and met with Sir Julius from Bohol Car Van Rentals & Tour and immediately started the Countryside Tour. We first went to Blood Compact Site, and again, since we didn’t hire a tour guide, we just had a photo op with the statue there and had a quick sightseeing of the area. We then went to Baclayon Church, there is a museum there that has an entrance fee of I think P30 or P50 per pax, we skipped it and went directly inside the church (the façade was being built when we were there, Sir Julius said that the damage was still from the 2013 earthquake, and the restoration took place just recently). Upon entering the church, there is a basket of scarves there that anyone can use if they are wearing skin revealing clothes to pay respect and shall be returned once you exit. Again, I made another wish here because it’s my first time here! The sun was really high that day so we didn’t stay long. What I like about this church is that it faces the sea, so every time you finish praising the Lord, you get to see this beautiful scene! What a view!

Afterwards, we went to Bohol Lemur Butterfly Park, the entrance fee is at P70 per pax. This comes with a staff/local house guide. They will also accompany you around the place and explain the different animals you’ll see plus an instant photographer! I forgot to ask for his name but shoutout to you Kuya! There’s a lot of animals there, not just butterflies; there’s also an alligator or crocodile there (I wasn’t listening then hehe), different birds, lemurs, and snakes. Next stop, the famous Man-made forest, did you know that this is the first and only man-made forest in the Philippines? Awesome, huh? It’s actually just a regular road where bus, motors, tricycles pass by to get to the other side of the road. Y’all need to park beside the road and wait for the perfect time where there are no vehicles passing by to take that perfect photo. We spent more than an hour here because of the latter! We practiced a lot of jump shots here! The place was really mesmerizing, you’re surrounded by lush green with calmness of its serene silence. When you view it from below, the way the branches and trunks of the trees form is like they’re comforting you with a big warm hug.

Lunch time! We skipped one of the highlights of the Countryside Tour, the Loboc River Cruise (buffet lunch here is at P650 per pax with live entertainment), because of the COVID-19 outbreak, we opted to have lunch in a less crowded place instead so Sir Julius drove us to Mayang Maye restaurant. The place was really cozy and homey, they also have fruit shakes! Fun! We badly wanted one after a tiring morning tour. They had a boodle fight menu and because the photo looked promising, we ordered one, it was named Meat Lovers, that was good for 3-5 persons. Initially we planned to invite Sir Julius to join us in the boodle fight, but when our order came, honest review, it wasn’t like the one in the photo. It looks like it was only good for 3 persons, so instead, we ordered a solo meal for him but he declined it. And just like with our day 1, our lunch is not a happy meal, but comparing it to our Cebu lunch, our stomachs were satisfied here somehow. Another unhappy moment was our fruit shake, it was presented to us in a large cup showing that the shake is not full, maybe they ran out of the right cup size for what we paid for?

Moving on, we skipped the Sipatan Hanging Bridge (it’s P30 per pax entrance fee, this is just a photo op and like the Man-made forest, this bridge is used normally by locals to pass) and the Bohol Python and Wildlife Park (since we already saw a snake in the lemur butterfly park, we decided not to go there anymore). We then went to Bohol Enchanted, and finally, my first time to see a tarsier! We got the chance to see three of them, and because they are nocturnal creatures, silence is a must when you lurk to look for them clinging on the branches of small trees. There were also butterflies there and different animals there. My friends did their souvenir shopping here, there’s a stall selling goodies and Bohol merchandise.

Upon checking them online, I saw a lot of bad reviews because the place we went to is not the regular place to see a tarsier. Seems like the one we went to is a zoo where the animals are well, indeed in a cage, though the tarsiers are not; I believe the regular place to see a tarsier is at Tarsier Conservation Area (Loboc).

We then went to Sotera's ATV Rides, we took the second trail that takes up an hour to travel and would have the view of the chocolate hills for photo op. We went there at around 1400h and damn, the sun is really high! They will be lending you a pair of rain coat and rain pants to protect you from the mud that will really stick! If you’re into a dirt adventure, you can decline to borrow it, but since we aren’t, we all took it and we are all glad that we did because the place was really muddy when we took the trail! We also swapped our sandals to their slippers, take them too, cleaning is way easier after the adventure! As expected, I crashed, again lolz; hey, at least now it’s on a tree stump not a person! It was a lot of fun though I think that the price is too much? Not sure, just comparing it to my Mt. Mayon ATV ride. We had a little mechanical problem here and there but no fear because their staff/local house guide always helped us and was our instant photographer too! He has all these photo manipulating tricks so just follow it! Just not sure if all of their local house guide does it. After fixing and refreshing up, we then went to our last stop, the wonderful chocolate hills! Again, I was taken away because these hills were just once in my history book but now, here I am, facing them! We encountered green hills because it wasn’t summer time yet, so if you guys want to see their chocolate form, visit around dry season. You have to take a steep ladder to go to the viewing point of the chocolate hills and while going there, the wind will really ruin your hairdo. The sun was calmer when we were there because it is already late in the afternoon, there is a souvenir shop here as well so if you haven’t bought anything yet, you can here. I bought this tarsier scrunchy for only P50!

We left around 1645h and arrived at Danao at around 1800h, we will be staying the night here because we will be waking up early the next day for our Sea of Clouds adventure! I opted to have us stay in Danao instead of Tagbilaran so that we can wake up at around 0500h instead of 0300h and travel to Danao for the hike. We stayed at this amazing place called Gonzaga Legacy Fairytale Hostel, I connected with Sir Carlo and he was very accommodating! The place was beyond my expectation, it has this rustic vibe where you would rather chill in their common area either in the first or second floor, there is a swimming pool, a garden, stray puppies and of course, the touch of province life, “tukos” or geckos. We lounged at the second floor’s common area that has this breathtaking view of mountains, with the right mellow music, drinks and friends, damn, this is the unwinding you need from your metro work life. A quick escape from the hustle and bustle of Manila. The hostel has no restaurant though I think you guys can cook because there is a kitchen area on the first floor, I’m just not sure if there is a fee. The nearest restaurant that is still open was the one in the Danao Adventure Park, there’s not much means of transportation in the area, especially at night time, so we asked Sir Carlo how to go there, he told us that it is a 10-minute walk from the hostel, but he then offered us a ride on his motorcycle, we took it and paid him for the service; we made 2 trips, each trip has 2 passengers plus the driver with no helmet! (A dangerous experience so better get insured and have your life protected!) We made it all in one piece to the restaurant, luckily, they were still open because we didn’t have any stored food if they weren't. The dinner here is also a comeback from our lunch, we are finally for the first time on the budget for our meal! I just initially budgeted P150 per pax per meal assuming that we will be having solo meals every time, but since we’ve agreed to do ala carte, I suggest you guys to have a meal budget of P200-P250 per pax. When we were done, we walked back to the hostel, assuming that we can take it since it’s walking distance. While walking back, we’re all afraid because there’s no vehicle, no street light, nor people passing by, so upon reaching the curve road and seeing that the road ahead is still long, we all went back to the restaurant and tried reaching Sir Carlos. We tried for some minutes and when we went through, (thank God), 2 motorcycles will fetch us!

We got the Family room that has 2 double beds with kulambo each, there’s also no security deposit here. Rooms here are very simple: it has a stand fan, a table, enough outlets, private bathroom and towels, oh, they also have water dispenser!. The water pressure is weaker than the city’s. But hey, the whole place is great with its amenities and our stay there also includes light breakfast for 4 pax so that’s another plus! Plus there is Wi-Fi!

We ended the night at around 2200h and fixed our stuff for tomorrow’s hike to see the sea of clouds!

Like and subscribe MJ’s Youtube channel and check our our vlog for Day 2 below!:

Vlog: Bohol | Chocolate Hills, Man-made Forest, ATV | Day 2

Suggestion/s:

There is also a 0600h ferry schedule that you can take so that you can have more time doing the Countryside Tour. But if you guys won’t be going to Danao for the hike, either 0700h or 0800h trip will be fine.

There is a     buffet restaurant inside the Bohol Enchanted, you can save time if you opt     to eat here if you decide to visit the tarsiers in their place.

Hire a local     tour guide, you help them have income, they’ll help you know Bohol! You     can ask one from your transport supplier or if you’re gonna take a tour     package, have your travel agency book you one!

A tip goes a     long way! Don’t forget to tip your tour guides/drivers!

You can swap     the ATV trip with the Chocolate Hills so that it won’t be too hot when you     rie through the ATV course.

There’s a lot of souvenir shops in the places that we     visited, cheapest one I saw was the one in the Chocolate Hills viewing     deck.

Bring an insect repellant, since the hostel we stayed in     Danao is surrounded by trees, bugs might visit.

Bring a Multiple-Port USB 2.0 Hub for multiple charging     and power banks! Extra phone connector will also help for just in case     scenes.

Bring a tumbler! Be hydrated always, you guys! You can     fill it at the place your staying at and restaurants you will visit. This     is my way of lessening my cost in water since my tummy is not water     conscious as well and lessen your use of plastic bottled water!

Supplier/s:

Oceanjet Fast Ferry – we booked     via Klook

Bohol Car Van Rentals &     Tour – Sir Sherwin: 0926 710 3220 / 0956     153 1337

Sotera's ATV Rides - 0946 721     5056; we booked on the spot

Gonzaga Legacy Fairytale Hostel – Sir Carlo 0956 160     4241; we booked directly

Expense Breakdown:

xxx

DAY 3 – Bohol Sea of Clouds (Mt. Puntaas) and Danao Adventure Park

Need to wake up early, again, because we need to do a hike. As per Sir Carlo, it is best to be on top at around 0500h-0600h so that we can view the sunrise as well while hiking. We fixed up at around 0400h, and again, we all took a bath last night to save time. After fixing up, we informed Sir Carlo and his friend that we are ready. A huge tip, don't drink too much water before going out or take a pee first because the hike is a little long especially if you're not much of a hiker (or not into exercise). Each motorcycle that we rented still carried 2 pax plus the driver, it took us more or less 20-25 minutes before arriving the foot of the mountain. Since I have a little bladder, I needed to go and there is only one available comfort room there, it is located in a local's house and there is a fee of P5 per pax. Expect a provincial type of comfort room with the little toilet and no lights available.

There is an entrance fee of P25 per pax, we were guided by an elder going up the mountain with Sir Carlo and his friend, she was stronger than me! I needed to take a pause now and then but nanay just hiked continuously, she's amazing! The hike we took was the long way so we reached the top after 30 minutes with lots of break haha. Unfortunately, because the wind was strong that day, we only saw very thin sheets of cloud, but nontheless, we saw the beauty that is behind the clouds that swim in the area! We also saw rice terraces while hiking and we climbed a chocolate hill! Yes! A chocolate hill! Who would've thought? The moutain top is not that broad, during our hike there were few people there and one group even brought a dog! There is also a little store before you reach the top of the hill where they sell champorado, snacks and drinks (the champorado was really yummy!).

We stayed around 30 minutes for picture taking and viewing. The view was amazing, we even saw our hostel from there! Going back down, we took the shortcut that was maybe around 10 minutes shorter that our earlier route. We stopped at a market place before going back to the hostel to buy some stuff and food.

Upon reaching the hostel, we all took a quick rest before breakfast and explored the place more. Sir Carlo upgraded our simple breakfast to a rice meal with eggs and hotdogs! That I believe should only be bread and coffee. Yum! Afterwards, we then went to Danao Adventure Park that was just less then 5 minutes away. There was an entrance fee of P40 per pax and the ride choices were sold separately and by pair/package. I didn't try any ride because it was extreme for me since I have a problem with my back and I haven't cleared extreme activities yet from my doctor. But my 3 friends all took The Plunge and I recorded them all! Based on their screams in the video, the ride was heart dropping! The ride was at P700 per pax and it lasts less than 10 minutes from dropping you to pulling you back in. See below prices of their other rides.

We then took our lunch at the same restaurant where we had dinner last night. Restaurants in the area is very limited, even up to none because the place is not actually high in tourists. This park is their main attraction so far. After lunch we went back to the hostel, took a bath and fixed our stuff to transfer to Panglao, Bohol. Oh, we also had the chance to meet the owner of the hostel! If I remember correctly, he's Dutch. Before leaving the place, there was this freedom wall near the stairs where we left a message!

From Danao to Panglao, it took us around 2 hours via private car. We arrived at Bohol Sea Breeze Cottages and Resort at around 1500h, do note that this not a beachfront property, you need to walk for a minute before reaching the beach. Though this property is cheap and can accommodate 4 pax comfortably. We got the Economy Quad Room that has 1 bunk bed and 1 double bed. They also provided us with towels, soap and dining stuff. There is also a water dispenser in the garden area with free water and a cooking area (with charge). There is no security deposit and the front desk associate was very nice and helped us to our little house. Rooms here are like houses that are side by side.

We wandered by Alona beach after freshening up and just enjoyed the view, (honestly for me, the beach was okay, I prefer Calaguas beach though) we decided to swim tomorrow since we had a very tiring day (plus the earlier tiring days), we lounged near Namaka Bar where we had our early dinner. There are not much water activities here than Boracay, what the vendors offer are city tour, whale shark encounter and island hopping tour. The beach is calm and there is a rope dividing it where the tourists can only swim, I guess?

After several days in land, starting today until our last day, we will be spending it by the beach! We took lots of photos here, good thing the weather is nice unlike in Cebu lolz. We also decided to cancel our Panglao City Tour tomorrow because we are all tired from a packed 3-day tour. Good thing Sir Sherwin is flexible to our request of last-minute cancellation. (in my itinerary, the city tour will cost P510 per pax)

During dinner, we treated ourselves with cocktails since the bar had a promo. We had pizza because in the area, the restaurant available is a Chinese restaurant that is very pricey and Namaka (we didn't explore much because we are tired). The price is kinda expensive, though the food tasted good. There was a fire dance as well at the restaurant.

After dinner, we walked by the beach and discovered that there were more restaurants there that serves rice! Hahaha. Now we know, we will be taking our meals in the area tomorrow. We stumbled upon a henna booth there where we all got inked! The price ranges from the design you want and the color, the regular ones is at P100 each. There is also a shop in the area for snacks and stuff.

End of day 3! So far our best sleep because we had a comfortable bed, air-conditioned room and a decent big bathroom! There is also a vanity table and television, but we didn't use it all throughout our stay hehe, there are enough outlets, water dispenser in their garden area and Wi-Fi!

Suggestion/s:

If you want to     witness the legit sun rising and sea of clouds, better hike at 0500h so     that you'll be on the hill at around 0530h. Since the view depends on the     weather (the sea of clouds appears if it's not windy and rainy), y'all got     to pray for it to be there because even the predicted weather online     varies in real time. The view is still pretty without the sea of clouds     but it'd be nicer if you'll witness them!

Wanna try all     the rides at the Danao Adventure Park? Save up! During our visit, for you     to enjoy all of it, it'll cost you P3,640 (with entrance fee). They also     have an accommodation here if you opt to stay in the area.

Hire a local     tour guide, you help them have income, they’ll help you know Bohol! You     can ask one from your transport supplier or if you’re gonna take a tour     package, have your travel agency book you one! (In this tour though, I’m     not sure if tour guides are available – for us, since we had a very     friendly contact person at the Fairytale Hostel, he served as our local     tour guide. Though we didn't gather much information of Danao itself     since Sir Carlo was new to the area. We paid him for the motorcycle rides     since there is no form of transportation that is on plain sight available.)

A tip goes a     long way! Don’t forget to tip your tour guides/drivers!

There’s a     souvenir shop at the Danao Adventure Park.

A GoPro is     very essential so you can capture yourself while doing the extreme     activities! But a phone is fine to if you can hold it steady while     dangling in midair!

If you opt to     have a beachfront hotel, you can explore other options than what we stayed     at there are lots in the line of Ivywall Panglao (though maybe the price     is high since the hotels are directly by the beach)

Bring lots of     snacks, buy some while en route to Panglao because the stores there sell     limited snacks.

Since there is     a whale shark encounter here already, you can also opt to take it here     than in Oslob, Cebu.

Bring a Multiple-Port USB 2.0 Hub for multiple charging     and power banks! Extra phone connector will also help for just in case     scenes.

Bring a tumbler! Be hydrated always, you guys! You can     fill it at the place your staying at and restaurants you will visit. This     is my way of lessening my cost in water since my tummy is not water     conscious as well and lessen your use of plastic bottled water!

Supplier/s:

Bohol Car Van Rentals &     Tour – Sir Sherwin: 0926 710 3220 / 0956     153 1337

Bohol Sea Breeze Cottages and Resort – (038) 502 9036; we booked via Agoda

Expense Breakdown:

xxx

DAY 4 – Free at own leisure / Beach day!

Since we cancelled our Panglao City Tour, this is our first day to wake up a little late in the morning haha and we have extra money for food for today! We had our brunch at Aquatica Beach Resort (they also have an accommodation here, they're beachfront!) The food here is super nice! The value is equal to the food quality that's why we had our dinner here as well. For today, we just went back to the beach and just relaxed, swam and took photos. The sun wasn't that high so it was really a good day for a swim! Unfortunately, I didn't last long in the water because I got a skin reaction. We were out until late sunset and settled back at the hotel early since we have an early ferry transfer to Badian, Cebu tomorrow.

Suggestion/s:

Sunblock and stay hydrated! We’re lucky that the weather there was calm that time.

If you got extra money and energy you can do the city tour that will cost about around P500 per pax with a group of 4 pax. You can also do the tours offered by the vendors by the beach!

Got more extra money? Try the amazing restaurants by the Aquatica Beach Resort, some offer international cuisine! (fruit shakes are expensive here though, the restaurant at the Aquatica Beach Resort is my best pick for budget friendly and quality food! They got cheap fruit shake too!)

If you’re a diver, there is this dive shop near Namaka bar where you can schedule a dive!

There are limited souvenir shops in the area where we’re at.

Bring a tumbler! Be hydrated always, you guys! You can fill it at the place your staying at and restaurants you will visit. This     is my way of lessening my cost in water since my tummy is not water conscious as well and lessen your use of plastic bottled water!

Supplier/s:

Bohol Sea Breeze Cottages and Resort – (038) 502 9036; we booked via Agoda

Expense Breakdown:

xxx

DAY 5 – Oslob Whaleshark Encounter

Another day to wake up early again! Today we will be going to Oslob, Cebu then to Badian, Cebu! We need to be at the pick-up point (Rona’s corner near Mcdo) around 0500h since there is a scheduled port transfer by Apekop Travel (this is included in the ticket you’ll be buying). For easier transaction, better contact them directly via cellphone so that they know that you are already in the area since you’ll be with other guests in the shuttle. From our hotel, Rona’s corner is less than 10 minutes away via car/tricycle. You should contract a tricycle the day before because there are none in the area roaming at 0500h, we tried scheduling one but didn’t push through since the fare is “special” because of the time of pick-up. One tricycle can carry 2 pax with luggage at P150 per way. We asked the front desk if they have a friend who uses a tricycle and could help us pay a lower rate, unfortunately all charges are higher since there are no passengers that can be picked up early in the morning. Fortunately, we are very lucky to be offered a ride by the owner of the hotel via their minivan! We paid P80 for the ride and lots of thank you!

The shuttle transfer is kinda long, around 20 minutes from Rona’s corner. Once you arrive, y’all be signing a waiver at their desk, the boat arrived kind if in the middle of the sea (since it’s low tide) so we need to walk for around 5 minutes before reaching a boat that will take us to the main boat. The travel time to Oslob, Cebu is 2 ½ hours so you can take a quick snooze from your early wake up, life vests will be provided as well. Minutes before we reach Oslob, rain came pouring down again while sun was high (crazy Cebu weather is here again) so we got worried coz maybe the tour will be canceled because of the weather. Fortunately, again, the sun was high up when we reached the Oslob Whaleshark Encounter venue! I contacted Ms. Alice from BCD’s Place to rent a van that can transfer us until Badian, Cebu. She gave us a special rate of P2,000 per van per way (that was at P2,500 originally). BCD’s Place also has accommodations if you opt to stay a night instead in Badian, Cebu!

Before riding the boat to the whale sharks, their staff will be conducting a short seminar about whale sharks, the do’s and don’ts during the encounter and some reminders. If you’re not wearing rash guard, better use a sunscreen protector because y’all be spending 30 minutes in the open sea (though you’re not that far from the shore). We got the boat all to ourselves with 2 boatmen, they have snorkeling gears that you can borrow that is inclusive in your payment (though I suggest you guys to bring your own snorkeling gear (the eye mask with mouth piece is better than the whole face gear for me. It’s more hygienic too, since the rented our gears are used by any one and every one). Bring aqua shoes too, it’s safer than plastic slippers. There’s lots of shops in the area where you can buy snorkeling gears, aqua shoes, bathing suits, souvenirs and other essentials!

It'll only take you some minutes before reaching the area where the whale sharks are, a lot of people were there but you won’t bump into each other coz I think limited boats are allowed in the area. The boatmen were really helpful, they took most of our photos in videos! Life vests were provided, but if you can swim, you can opt to not take the life vest. In our case only RC and SL can swim so MJ and me can be seen mostly by the boat’s outrigger/float. The struggle and anxiety of drowning is real for me, knowing that the area we’re at is really deep with big whale sharks swimming around. These gentle giants of the sea live up to their names, since they are domesticated, they are aware of the tourists in their surroundings. They never charge to the people and just eat the fishes that the boatmen throw. I got the chance to see some even if I was scared the hell out! I even got to have a video with one! Looking at them on top of the sea, their size seems manageable but once you look at them down the sea, damn they are really big! We started at around 0900h and ended around 1030h. Before going to Badian, Cebu, we stopped by a bakery to buy some breakfast! (This is a hack we just thought off after eating! To lessen your cost of breakfast, you can substitute it with bread! You’ll get a full stomach too!)

The travel time was around an hour to Matutinao Beach & Cottages, and when we reached the place, all of us got the last but not the least moment! Now this is the best accommodation we got! The whole place is very cozy starting from their welcoming area up until their rooms! You’ll have the metro hotel vibe in their rooms because of their modern design from the beds, amenities up until the bathroom! We got the Triple Room, we just combined the beds (the room has 1 double bed and 1 single bed) so all of us can fit, there is no security deposit here. The room is more than enough to what we paid for! It is air conditioned, there is a vanity table, enough outlets, private bathroom, towels, bottled water, television, cabinet, very comfortable beds and Wi-Fi! The whole area is also a big plus with their accommodating and friendly staff!

The hotel is also just facing the Kawasan Falls entrance! Like literally just 10 steps from the property’s gate! There is a restaurant inside the area of the hotel and they got lots of options to choose from! We spent all our remining meals here before going to the airport! Their food serving is enough for 2-3 pax per order and are very tasty! The best part here, (yeah, there’s still more), we got a beachfront property! Each room has chairs and a table in their veranda y’all can just chill while looking at the sea or chill by the shore, listen to the waves and birds passing by. A phrase that describes all of this for me? “This is the life!”

Since we do not have any activities left for the day, we had the whole afternoon to just relax and enjoy the place!

Suggestion/s:

Hire a     tricycle beforehand if you want to take this itinerary, tricycles are not     available early in the morning in the area where we’re at in Panglao.

If you took     the Whaleshark watching in Panglao, you can directly go to Badian, Cebu     already and take the Badian Kawasan Falls Tour if time permits.

A tip goes a     long way! Don’t forget to tip your tour guides/drivers!

There’s a lot     of souvenir shop at the Oslob Whaleshark venue.

A GoPro is     very essential so you can capture yourself while swimming with the whale     sharks! But a phone is fine to if you can risk brining it in the open sea!

BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION AT     MATUTINAO BEACH & COTTAGES! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE PLACE!

Early booking     is a must in there though since they only have 8 rooms that is a     combination of twin and triple sharing room.

Bring a Multiple-Port USB 2.0 Hub for multiple charging     and power banks! Extra phone connector will also help for just in case     scenes.

Bring a tumbler! Be hydrated always, you guys! You can     fill it at the place your staying at and restaurants you will visit. This     is my way of lessening my cost in water since my tummy is not water     conscious as well and lessen your use of plastic bottled water!

Supplier/s:

Apekop Travel – 0917 880 1464; we booked via Klook

BCD’s Place – Ms. Alice: 0917     799 5330; we booked directly

Matutinao Beach & Cottages – 0916 537 4168; we booked directly

Expense Breakdown:

xxx

DAY 6 – Kawasan Falls (without canyoneering but you should do this with it!)

Since we are literally just in front of Kawasan Fall’s entrance, we decided to do the tour at around 0830h. This tour normally comes with canyoneering where you guys should really take if you’re into extreme adventure! You’ll do water rafting, climbing, and jumping off a waterfall! In the original itinerary I created, we should all really be doing the canyoneering, but, since I am not physically okay to do such. Unfortunately, we then all decided not to take the canyoneering totally and just visit the Kawasan Falls.

You need to trek for around 30 minutes before reaching the turquoise watered falls, along the trek you will encounter mini falls, a long walk on a rainforest, old bridges and more! We had a tour guide during this tour so we learned that, yes, a lot have died in the area because they opt to swim without life vests. It is better to go to the falls early so that you’ll have plenty of time to take pictures without a lot of extra people in the background.

The water there is deep and very cold, locals put a rope where travelers can only swim, strictly with life vests. Thanks to our tour guide, we got lots of photos together in the water! We spent around 2 hours there before having lunch in a karinderia near the entrance with our tour guide.

Since we only have a half day tour, we got the chance to enjoy the day with photo shoots and really take a break from all the tiring days earlier. There’s not a lot of places to explore in the area, but we heard from a group that is staying at the hotel that there are bars in Moalboal (30 minutes away from Badian).

The place is really relaxing, calm sea and a very serene view! Again, need a place in South Cebu? Go to Matutinao Beach & Cottages!

Their restaurant sells alcoholic beverages (limited choices though), but there’s a shop near the church that sells food and drinks too. The hotel doesn’t charge any corkage fee for outside food, eat it by your veranda while enjoying the view!

Suggestion/s:

To fully enjoy the day, I really suggest you guys to do the canyoneering! But if opt to just swim in the falls, then you’ll have half the day of relaxing!

You can also include Osmeña Peak if you have extra budget with this tour. It’ll cost you P700 per pax (rate given to us by Matutinao Beach & Cottages last 2019) for a group of 4 pax.

Hire a local tour guide, you help them have income, they’ll help you know South Cebu! You can ask one from your transport supplier or if you’re gonna take a tour package, have your travel agency book you one!

A tip goes a long way! Don’t forget to tip your tour guides/drivers!

There’s a lot of souvenir shops inside the Kawasan Falls proper.

A GoPro is very essential so you can     capture yourself while swimming! But a phone is fine to if you can risk     brining it in the water!

BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION AT MATUTINAO BEACH &     COTTAGES! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE PLACE!

Early booking is a must in there     though since they only have 8 rooms that is a combination of twin and     triple sharing room.

Bring a Multiple-Port USB 2.0 Hub for multiple charging and power banks! Extra phone connector will also help for just in case scenes.

Bring a tumbler! Be hydrated always, you guys! You can fill it at the place your staying at and restaurants you will visit. This is my way of lessening my cost in water since my tummy is not water conscious as well and lessen your use of plastic bottled water!

Supplier/s:

Matutinao Beach & Cottages – 0916 537 4168; we     booked directly

Expense Breakdown:

xxx

DAY 7 – Pescdor Island Swimming, Sardine Run and Turtle Watching

Last day in Cebu and we’re going back to reality by tonight! Today, we will go to Moalboal to swim in pescador island and with sardines and turtles! We were fetched by a tricycle (that fit all 4 of us) at around 0800h which was a great touch to today’s tour! We traveled for almost 30 minutes going to Moalboal and upon reaching the municipality, we bought some bread (breakfast hack!) for breakfast then went inside their tourist registration office. We were presented with the background of Moalboal and the do’s and don’t’s during the tour.

And yet, again, with the crazy weather of Cebu, rain starts to fall when we were waiting for our boat. We walked towards the boat since it’s low tide, a fun walk because a lot of starfish were scattered! We got the boat all to ourselves with 2 boatmen, they have snorkeling gears that you can borrow that is inclusive in your payment (though I suggest you guys to bring your own snorkeling gear (the eye mask with mouth piece is better than the whole face gear for me. It’s more hygienic too, since the rented our gears are used by any one and every one). Bring aqua shoes too, it’s safer than plastic slippers. If you’re not wearing rash guard, better use a sunscreen protector because y’all be spending 2 hour or so in the open sea There’s lots of shops at the boat waiting area where you can buy snorkeling gears, aqua shoes, bathing suits, souvenirs and other essentials!

The boat ride to Pescador Island is around 30 minutes, where you’ll have the chance to see corals and different fishes! Life vests were provided, but if you can swim, you can opt to not take the life vest. We spent around 30 minutes before going to the sardines!

Y’all know when your near because the strong scent of salty fish will welcome you! Remember the courage you need to put up with swimming with the whale sharks? The struggle and anxiety of drowning is way bigger for me here! Not only knowing that the area we’re at is really deep but I can literally see a dark pit without any sea floor, yeah, that’s how deep it is. You’ll witness a lot of swirling sardines that are bigger than the ones we eat! Unfortunately, we don’t have any videos for today’s trip because we lost the memory card when we were packing. We also some divers deep down, so if you are one, you can be closer with the sardines!

With 2/3 activities, we are already exhausted. Last stop, sea turtles! This is the highlight that I have been waiting for since day 1! We went to the area where sea turtles normally stay, but, sadly, since the water is still shallow for them, our boatmen told us that they are swimming in the deep areas at that time. We did see one though a little far from our boat, he’s just looking around popping his head in the open air.

We then went back to land and traveled back to the hotel. Exhausted and hungry from swimming and snorkeling! We arrived the hotel a little around 1130h, had lunch, fixed up and enjoyed the view one last time. We left at around 1400h via private car and made a detour to Tabo-an Market in Carbon to buy more souvenirs. I suggest you guys to buy here instead if you’re not into branded food. We reached Mactan at around 1900h so we decided to have dinner at the famous Rico’s Lechon where here, we experienced a legit baked scallop that’s only for P200 per 8 shells! We had 2 rounds!

Wrapping it up, with bags full of souvenirs and dirty clothes. We left Cebu with lots of new and treasured memories! Indeed, a way to sum up a 10-year long friendship of ups and downs, makeups and breakups, tears of joy and sadness!

Suggestion/s:

You can opt to stay the night before in Moalboal instead of Badian to save time going back and forth.

Hire a local tour guide, you help them have income, they’ll help you know Moalboal! You can ask one from your transport supplier or if you’re gonna take a tour package, have your travel agency book you one! (In this tour though, I’m not sure if tour guides are available)

A tip goes a long way! Don’t forget to tip your tour guides/drivers!

There’s a lot of souvenir shop at the boat waiting area in Moalboal.

A GoPro is very essential so you can capture yourself while swimming with the whale sharks! But a phone is fine to if you can risk brining it in the open sea!

Bring a Multiple-Port USB 2.0 Hub for multiple charging and power banks! Extra phone connector will also help for just in case scenes.

Bring a tumbler! Be hydrated always, you guys! You can     fill it at the place your staying at and restaurants you will visit. This     is my way of lessening my cost in water since my tummy is not water     conscious as well and lessen your use of plastic bottled water!

Supplier/s:

Matutinao Beach & Cottages – 0916 537 4168; we booked directly

Expense Breakdown:

Extra tip: If you’re fine to get a little sunkissed in Bohol, you can do this itinerary as below, it’s a little jam-packed though:

Day 1: Cebu Twin City Tour

Day 2: Travel to Moalboal, Cebu (etd 0400h) – Pescador Island snorkeling, sardine run and turtle watching – transfer to Badian, Cebu

Day 3: Badian Canyoneering with Kawasan Falls Tour – Osmeña Peak (if time permits though this is better done during sunrise) – transfer to Oslob, Cebu

Day 4: Oslob Whaleshark Encounter with Tumalog Falls (if time permits) – transfer to Panglao via fast ferry – Panglao City Tour

Day 5: Bohol Countryside Tour – transfer to Danao

Day 6: Sea of clouds and Danao Adventure Park – transfer back to Panglao/Tagbilaran (if via Tagbilaran, get last ferry bound to Cebu)

Day 7: Depart via Panglao or Cebu airport

[themicahjea]

My 2 0 1 9

I started my year as a freshman student in college, figuring things out and is really confused as to what i was doing and what direction am i heading. I wasn’t doing well in my studies since i had a “transfer shock” and literally only had 2 weeks of “summer break”. By the second semester, i was physically and mentally tired—this also means that my emotional status is not as strong as it was the previous years. The first day of the first month of year, i remember writing a note somewhere and wrote my feelings out. I was really sad. My mental health was affected by the things happening around me — obviously, i wasn’t doing well at the beginning of this year.

February came. I just had my midterms exam when my sister broke the news that my dog died. My sweetest little boy, Gift, just turned 1 and he died. I felt worse. I felt like i failed as a fur momma. I felt like i failed him. I cried so many nights, and it didn’t help that my roommates keep on reminding me about his death as if it was nothing to me. March. The last hurrah of the semester. My friends and I were planning about our Siquijor trip, took the finals — which i THOUGHT i did good. I finished my NSTP and said goodbye to my tut-tees. They are so precious, i could hug them — then went on to the trip. I went cliff jumping, lots of swimming, attended a sponge cola concert which surprised me because the lead vocalist of the band recognized me. That night, my friends went drinking. I drank a little but i poured more softdrinks than the actual gin. THAT was when my “friends” babbled and said “the gin doesn’t taste good anymore because we’re out of softdrinks”. It was a heckin small problem but they made it seem really big. — that’s when i knew that that “friendship” is not gonna last. I was right. I didn’t hang on to them anyways so it didn’t really hurt. Lol. April and May, it was summer break! Finally! I spent most of my time at home, soaking everything up before school starts again. Last April, i attended our church’s annual youth camp. It was a three-day-camp where you just learn about certain people in the Bible and their way of living and how God sustained them. It was also a team building camp and let me tell you, THIS CAMP HELPED ME. A LOT.  — aside from the camp, we went on different short trips, here and there. Also, the whole summer break was filled with me getting some rest and watching the whole Avengers movies, from ‘The First Avenger’ down to ‘Infinity War’. I basically became a fan. It was the 12th of May when my friend, Shayne asked me if i could watch Avengers Endgame with her since she wants to watch it again. I said yes. I knew how it would end since I’ve seen some scenes on twitter and my sister’s friend spoiled the heck out of me — BUT THAT DID NOT STOP ME FROM CRYING! It was so embarrassing to get out of the theater with VERY swollen eyes. It was probably the most heartbreaking film i watched this year.  June, school started, again. SOPHOMORE YEAAAAAR! I kinda know what my classmates are , where they’re from and what they’re attitudes are. I was MORE cautious this time. I only spend time with Ross, Angela and Charlene. In fact, i went to Bohol with Ross and Angela!  July. Right before my birthday, my family and churchmates went on a trip in Palawan. Enjoyed every bit of it. My birthday came and it was all fun, until it took a turn on the 17th. I got robbed. Lol, i knew that man was up to no good. My body told me that. My intuition told me not to trust him but oop, i dont know why i still gave him my money... idk. Two days later, i went to the police station to file a report and it turns out, there’s another man who’s looking for the SAME man. He was robbed by the same man as well. This was when i realized what God meant when He said that the love for money is not good and is a sin. I realized what a man can do to be able to get your money. August, i went to Bohol for a weekend! It was one of the most spontaneous trips I’ve ever taken. I went to Bohol to watch a movie. Yes. I went there to watch ‘The Art of Racing in the Rain’. I pranked a few of my close friends that i was pregnant which was surprisingly a success. They really thought i was. Lol. It was also “Hibalag”! Took the midterm exams and then celebrated the festival. All i did was stay in the booth for certain period of times. Bought some stickers. I went home for a little bit to meet the newest member of the fam, little Miss Potts. We bonded and watched a little bit of Avengers endgame. September went by so fast, i cant even remember what happened. Basically, i went back to Dumaguete. Then i received another news from my family that Miss Potts escaped the gate and is missing. I did my very best to look for her so does my family but nobody turned her in. I couldn’t  believe i lost 2 dogs this year and it’s heart breaking. — but right after Potts was gone, we have been blessed with another pup. My mom’s friend made us adopt him since she has tons of dogs already and she doesn’t have enough space. We, well i, was supposed to name him ‘Stark’ to keep the “one-syllable-name-for-the-pets” rule. But when i saw him, i knew Stark wasn’t his name. When my aunt called him ‘Happy’ since he made the whole house happy again, since Pott’s gone, it clicked. It wasn’t a one syllable name but Happy suits him. Happy’s also the name of Tony Stark’s head of security, anyways so...  Also, I guess i was so drowned with all the school works i had to do that time. I. Was. LOADED! I even attended a climate strike!. But thank you Lord, i was STILL able to nap in between lunch breaks and classes. My sister and my cousin also visited me in the campus and stayed for 3 days! We went on a lot of food trips, we can’t even take it anymore! October means semestral break— but there’s always rain before the rainbow comes, right? Thankfully for my minor subjects, all we had to do were requirements like making a video, recording songs as well as plays. I was the lucky one who was picked as the Basilio of the group. Being the Basilio means i have TONS OF LINES, but the Lord sustained me. I was able to master my lines and delivered them without any mistakes on stage.i also made new friends. Looools. After the finals, i went home to my family. I went home to a news which would be my fall for the next few months. I received a news that involves my parents. Im not gonna elaborate but because of these information, i had several mental breakdowns and at one point, the one thing i don’t want to happen, happened. I melted down in front of my sister. Personally, i don’t want her to see me cry. I don’t want her to see me at my weakest point. This month started t all. Started all my emotional breakdowns and my anxiety is back from its grave. I really thought I’d  already heal because i also went to my father’s home town to just have an emotional closure with the place. I visited some of the places i used to play in and visited my elementary school and the friends i used to play with. I really thought I’d be fine, but no. I was so so so stressed that the whole 2 weeks of my break, i was just lying down, wasn’t able to do a thing. I cant even eat. I got the flu. I was SO weak and couldn’t move. November. I went home for a little bit because of intramural break and went home again for The Jesus Reigns celebration because my sister performed on stage for the second year!!! Im so proud!  December. I was home early. I went home on the 13th so i could attend my sister’s birthday party. Outside the house, it’s full of fun. Went out a bunch of times with my churchmates, bonded with them, we attended our church’s annual thanksgiving which i enjoyed, my sister and i was able to hang out in achi joanne’s house a lot more late. I went swimming with my friends, everything is actually fine outside. But then when im inside the house, it feels like im suffocating. I cant move well. I cant feel well. I honestly dont know how and what to feel right now. On Christmas day, i ate processed/packed chocolate chip cookies for Noche Buena instead of tita mom’s lumpia and then i cried. I didn’t even get a family photo for this year’s holiday season. I really really dont know. I feel numb and unable. I long for the connection with God which i know i have to work on. I’m so down and depression is eating me ones more. Little by little. Right now, i feel like I’m  fat Thor Odinson. Depressed and feels like he failed with his mission in killing Thanos... I’m in a battle of my inner Thanos right now. I’m not losing but he isn’t either. But i know, I’m going to win this Battle because it is not I that’s handling it. It is God. I know He’s got my back and I’ll win because a child of Gos is NEVER a loser. I’m gonna win this fight, and just like what Cap said,  Whatever it takes. I’ll do whatever it takes to win this fight. To win this Battle. This situation that I’m in right now should not really affect me in any way because i know that God’s with me and He’s going to fight for me. My life is “Father-filtered” which means whatever I’m going through right now, God has allowed it to happen. WHY? Because He is preparing me for my future battles. He wants me to gain more strength to carry on.  I know that all these BREAKDOWNS of mine will become BREAKTHROUGHS. I know it and i believe in it. I trust in the Lord. 2020, Get ready for a stronger Micah. She’s not gonna give up on whatever you throw on her because her God is bigger than those problems. 

 Happy New Year Everyone!

God Bless You All! 

[martasielska]

Jak nagradzać siebie i czy w ogóle warto to robić? 🎁 Osobiście mam z tym problem, bo drobne przyjemności zaczęły kojarzyć mi się TYLKO ze słabością i wymówkami. - Kupujesz sobie coś i chcesz dobrze wyglądać? Nie oszczędzasz na podróże. - Zjesz coś dobrego? Będziesz gruba i nie trzymasz diety. - Rozmawiasz o głupotach? A dlaczego nie tylko na mądre tematy. - Idziesz na imprezę? Tracisz czas zamiast pracować. Zap...ieprzaj i nie marudź! Można od tego zwariować! Pułapka robienia samych rzeczy, które mają sens. A gdzie ładować baterie do dalszych działań? . Po każdym zadaniu wyznaczę sobie mniejszą lub większą rzecz z przyziemnymi czynnościami i spotkaniami, najlepiej bez telefonu. 📱Mam nadzieję, że to pomoże w zmianie nastawienia, a głowa jakoś zaakceptuje taką formę wypoczynku. . A Ty jaki masz na to sposób? . . [EN↴] Rewarding yourself – yes or no? And how? 🎁 I have a problem with it because now all simple pleasures mean ONLY weakness and excuses to me. - You buy yourself something and want to look good? You don’t save money for the trips. - Eat something good? You’ll get fat and don’t keep your diet. - Talk about something stupid? Why not discuss something worthy? - Going to a party? Waste of time, you should work instead. Just keep on working and don’t fuss! It can drive you crazy! A trap of doing only meaningful things. And where should you charge your batteries? After all particular job, I will assign myself small or big simple thing to do, best of all without the phone. 📱I hope this will help me change my attitude and accept such a way of relaxing. . What’s your recipe? . #philippines #filipiny #philippines🇵🇭 #philippinen #panglao #panglaoisland #panglaobohol #panglaoislandbohol #bohol #alonabeach #alonabeachpanglao #dumaluan #dumaluanbeach #siquijor #siquijorisland #travelguide #travelholic #travelph #grupapodróżniczki #wearetravelgirls #blondesandsweets #sheisnotlost #fly4freepl #itsphilippines #blondesandsweets #pinaswonders #pirackiraj #sheisnotlost #wearetravelgirls #wearetravelgirls (at Sevilla Hanging Bridge, Bohol) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByQd791osv1/?igshid=td1qn4upcnme

[shellwanders]

Explore the Mysteries of Sambulawan Underground River Siquijor

Sambulawan Underground River is a natural wonder located on the island of Siquijor, in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. It is considered as one of the island’s hidden gems, as it is not as popular as other tourist destinations on the island. Traveling to Sambulawan Underground River Siquijor for the first time? This detailed and curated travel guide will make it easy for you to…

[heyitsnikki]

SIQUIJOR TRIP 2K17

Okay, so this is my first write up for 2017, please bare with me, I haven’t been writing for a looonnnggg time. Okay?? ;D

I actually don’t know where to start. lol

Okay.. Okay..

Just last week, me and two of my friends (Marc & Bien) decided to go out of town and chose to visit the Echanting Siquijor. It’s our first time going there so we basically did some research and asked Mr. Google everything we need to know before leaving. So, the first thing we did was to book a room. Since, were not familiar of the place and we don’t know anybody living in Siquijor or knew anyone who just went there (to get us ideas), we decided it would be the safest thing to do. I’ve searched online for cheap guesthouse or homestay, we don’t really need a fancy one since were gonna be mostly out for the whole day, so we just wanted a clean & decent place to put our stuff on and have a good rest during the night. 

I booked a 3D2N stay at DASTRAUM GUESTHOUSE via booking.com. It is located at Siquijor, Siquijor and just 2 kms away from the Siquijor port. We booked a non-ac room for our first day since ac rooms were already fully booked on the day we arrived. The room was quiet enough for us 3 with own CR, tv & a fan (though its really not warm in there during the night), it has a King sized bed (we didn’t asked for an extra bed since there’s no more space to put it in.. and the bed is big enough for the three of us too). We then transferred to an AC room the next day, bigger room, queen sized bed & two extra beds (a double deck & a single bed) - the room is good for 4-5pax, with own CR & a sofa. I can say the place is affordable, we spent less than Php 1,500 for our 3N stay, we split in by 3 and yeah it’s a pretty good deal. ;D

DEPARTURE DAY

I rode an Uber from my house (Pusok, LLC) going to the South Bus Terminal. Our call time is 8am. I woke up late :D I just got home from a whole day tour at Bantayan Island (I’ll write about it later..)  I paid the ride for Php 159.00 plus Php 10.00 for the terminal fee if you wanted to be dropped off inside the terminal. Luckily, my friends were already on the bus waiting for me & saved me a seat. hehe :D We took the Ceres AC bus going to Santander via Liloan Port, just in time of my arrival, the bus took off #luckygirl :) We paid Php 200.00/pax for bus ride ride and dropped off at Liloan Port. The bus ride is around 3hours but really felt forever. haha! We arrived at the Port and took a fast craft going to Sibulan Port in Dumaguete. I think we paid around Php 70.00/pax for the boat. It just took around 30mins to arrive at Sibulan Port. We then took a multicab going to the city proper to ride a tricycle going to the Dumaguete Port. We paid Php 10.00/pax for the multicab & Php 8.00/pax for the tricycle. It was just a short ride, maybe less than 25mins. We then arrived at the Dumaguete Port, paid Php 150.00/pax for the fast craft going to Siquijor. Their port was really nice and big (better than Cebu Port, no offense), we paid for the terminal fee around Php 30.00/pax (Sorry I forgot, but I’m sure less than Php 50.00). We had our lunch inside the port, they have food stalls inside with combo meals & coffee fraps :) We then took the boat ride for an hour and finally arrived at Siquijor at almost 6pm. THE SUNSET IS AMAZING!!!!! You can check my IG photos for proof lol. We took a tric going to our hotel, paid Php 10.00/pax. Beware for abusive tric drivers who asked for a bigger fare. 

We arrived at the hotel, checked-in, get settled then head out for dinner. Since  the hotel has no restaurant, we need to head out to look for a place to eat. It was only about 7-7:30pm and it was literally nobody on the road, no trics, no street lights, even the houses are lights off. We are all starving so we don’t have a choice but walk. It was indeed an interesting walk. We passed by a local hospital with the morgue located just in front of the road :D As I’ve said, no street lights, only using our phone flash lights. Its very quiet, not even a sound of a tv on the houses that we’ve passed by. I wasn’t scared at all, I just walked in between Marc & Bien with their arms tied to mine, not looking back and singing a Shine Jesus Shine song. Yeah, not scared at all. LOL

We finally found a small carenderia few walks away from the very creepy hospital, perfect for a horror movie, no offense. Our belly's are finally full. We are the last costumers btw, they closed up the store halfway on our meal. haha Anyways, still creeped out from our night walk, we decided not to go back on our way but walked straight ahead going to the city proper (near the port) to find another place to hangout and have a few drinks before snoozing. We found this fancy restaurant just near the Church called BELL VIEW. They have a bar & a wine cellar but doesn’t have a drink menu or a bartender. They only sell bottles, they don’t make drinks. So, we just had Mudshake Vodka single bottles for Php 100 each. Cheers!! We decided to head back to our hotel around 8:30-9pm and luckily found a tric on standby near the port (We don’t really wanna walk back in there, not at this hour, no offense haha). Arrived at our hotel, cleaned-up & snoozed. Lesson learned: Always get back to your hotel before 8pm or else you’ll walk on your way there.

DAY 2: Whole day ISLAND TOUR

We met our driver/tour guide, kuya Reycard (people calls him Richard, easier to remember then Reycard) on the port from our arrival yesterday. We booked him for our tour today using his tricycle for Php 1,000 for whole trip not including food & entrance fees though. We split it up to 3 so it’s a pretty good deal. The more the cheaper. Anyway, I would not discuss further about the tour coz it would take me forever. All I can say is that we LITERALLY CIRCLED AROUND THE PROVINCE. It was amazing!!!! Tiring but so worth it! I’ve never expected siquijor to be that beautiful. And I’ve noticed, most of the visitors were Europeans, Chinese & South Americans (Latin people), haven’t really seen an English Speaking foreigners in there. Anyway, we got back to our hotel past 6pm, too tired but hungry, so we washed up & head out to the Boulevard to have skewers for dinner. We walked on our way out & luckily found a tric, few meters from our hotel. We ate our dinner fast, left the boulevard before 9pm, started to walk and look for a tric, failed, walked again, finally found one, got home around 10pm. I think it would be better to rent a motorbike since tric isn’t really readily available during night time. They let you rent it for Php 200/day. Just ask anyone, everybody lets you rent their motorbikes.

DAY 3 - Dumaguete Stop before heading back to Cebu

Woke up around 8am, just had bread and coffee for breakfast, checked out and head off to the port. Took the 10am boat and arrived to Dumaguete around 11am. Had a sumptuous lunch at Lantaw Dumaguete and bought the famous Silvanas at Sans Rival for pasalubong. We then took the 4:30pm Ceres AC bus ride going to Cebu via Santander. Paid Php 170.00/pax for the bus and Php 25.00/pax for the port & another Php 70.00/pax for the roro.

It was a looonnggg & rainy 4 hour bus ride from Santander to the South Bus Terminal (Cebu City). 

Arrived to Lapu-Lapu City at around 9pm.

Photos of our trip is on my FB account as well as on my IG account.

[travelwithgraceyu]

Day Two: April 18, 2019 | Touchdown Siquijor!

We have arrived at Larena, Siquijor which is where the port is and it is 2 pm now. We haven’t had our lunch yet so we ate our late lunch at Portside Cafe just a few minutes away from the port. 

After eating, we went looking for the nearest Mhuiller since one of our employees needed money for emergency. It took awhile since it’s the Holy Week today and most of the stores were closed but eventually, we found one.

Now, it is time to go to our resort. We arrive at the resort around 4 pm. The name of the resort that we booked is Blue Wave Inn Resort and once we were able to check in, we settled down. The room that me and my sister got had a pretty view with the infinity pool and the beach.  

It was time to roam around the resort and check out what it has in store for us, the guests. I like that they had this small huts were you can chill and sun bathe during the day. 

As me my sister and dad were just sitting down by the beach, it was time for the sun to set. Thanks to this long shoreline, the view of the sunset became even more beautiful.

If you really know me through my older posts, you can say I am sucker for sun set and I will never get over each sunset I encounter. 

Just as the sun set, the shore decided to rise since high tide is at night time. It was time to go back but I wanted to do an activity, so I swam in the pool around 6:30 pm. I took a quick shower after, just before we had our dinner which is just at the resort. 

After eating dinner, me, my sister and brother had our stargazing session. If you zoom in the picture above, you can see the stars. As you also know me, going to the beach, I would always bring my mat with me to stargaze and ever since my mom gave me the mat, I’d only used it for that purpose. Half an hour later, everyone got tired so it was time to sleep.

Check out here what we’ll be doing tomorrow.

[phgq]

Dino wants Luzon pork ban extension in Central Visayas

#PHnews: Dino wants Luzon pork ban extension in Central Visayas

CEBU CITY – The total ban of pork and pork products from Luzon should be extended until the provinces are assured that the country is free from African Swine Fever (ASF) virus, the presidential assistant for the Visayas said on Monday.

“There’s only one way of protecting our region’s hog industry. That is to make sure that the ASF virus is contained. That’s the time that we can declare that we are ASF-free and eat the pork and pork products in areas that there is an outbreak,” Dino said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

Dino said he wrote President Rodrigo Duterte over the weekend, informing him about the possibility of extending the ban to ensure that the virus is contained and will not affect the PHP20-billion hog industry in Central Visayas.

He said he asked the President to support the initiatives by the four governors in the region in protecting their provinces against the entry of meat and meat products derived from pigs or processed in Luzon areas where the ASF outbreak have been declared.

He said the ban “imposed by the governors could be indefinitely extended until the government declares that the country is free from ASF virus”.

In his letter, Dino said the “Visayas Islands have a significant chance of protection” from the disease affecting the pigs.

He lauded the move of the governors in sealing off the provinces in Central Visayas, which is also aimed to protect the livelihood of the backyard farmers, that constitute around 70 percent of the hog industry in the region.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia had issued an executive order imposing a 100-day total ban on the entry of pork and pork-related products originating from Luzon.

Bohol Governor Arthur Yap, Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and Siquijor Governor Zaldy Villa also imposed the same policy of temporarily banning meat and meat products derived from pigs from the northern Philippines.

About 58 provinces out of 81 in the country are protecting their hog industry by imposing the ban.

“There is a high risk of contaminating the local hog industry run by backyard farmers who augment their feeds with leftover food collected from different food service establishments,” Dino said in an earlier statement sent to PNA.

Dino said in the memo that since the imposition of the ban, there has been a 10-percent surplus in the supply of pork in the region.

He also noted a stability in pork prices as shown in the price monitoring done by the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division of the Department of Agriculture Region 7 (AMAD-DA 7) from July 5 to October 2 this year. (PNA)

***

References:

* Philippine News Agency. "Dino wants Luzon pork ban extension in Central Visayas." Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1084434 (accessed October 29, 2019 at 04:56AM UTC+14).

* Philippine News Agency. "Dino wants Luzon pork ban extension in Central Visayas." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1084434 (archived).