At exactly 5:20am, my travel mates and I were at NAIA3 as previously agreed to assemble and have breakfast before the scheduled flight.  Although some of them had not yet arrived, we still proceeded with our breakfast at the second floor of the airport.  At 6am, we checked-in and we were seated a bit far from one another.  It was a rainy morning so the airline provided a bus to transfer passengers as the plane was parked far from the terminal gate.

We arrived at Mactan International Airport at 9am and I arranged for a vehicle that would bring us to North Bus Terminal.  The fixed fare was PhP400. The driver offered to bring us to Hagnaya port but we graciously refused since we were uncomfortable with the vehicle and the driver could have asked us earlier before proceeding to the bus terminal.

Unluckily, we were not able to board the bus scheduled to leave at 10am since there were no seats available.  We boarded the 11am bus and arrived at the port by 2:15pm.  There were a lot of stops along the way but the scenery was great.  Next time, if I would be traveling with a group I would just rent a vehicle to lessen the travel time.

From the port, we took the 2:30pm boat to Sta. Fe.  The boat was an ordinary RORO (roll in, roll out) with no air-conditioning.  We paid Php170 each for the fare and Php10 each for the terminal fee. The travel time lasted for one hour and 15 minutes.  As soon as we disembarked the boat, we were fetched by the resort van.  I was surprised by the extra service since I was not informed about it. The resort was very near the port and it took us only 10 minutes to be there.  When we arrived at the Sta. Fe Beach Resort (tel. nos. 032.4389090/0928.7787770), we immediately ordered for our food since our last meal was breakfast.  We brought our belongings to our respective rooms as the food was being prepared.  I was happy with the room – it was cozy and most of all it was affordable for the group (2 rooms for 10 pax PhP4,980.00).   The food that we ordered were great and the servings were enough for our hungry stomachs.  

A guide named Jerry (mobile number 0922.9544879) arranged the tours for us. At night, we went to the oldest parish in the area – St. Peter and St. Paul.  As most shops were already closed, the driver (multicab rental Php300) brought us to his friend to buy souvenir shirts.  When we were about to go back to the resort, the vehicle encountered some engine trouble.  We had to wait for almost 30 minutes for it to be repaired. The driver eventually asked us to transfer to another vehicle.  The roads were dark as the lamp posts were far apart from each other. When we reached the resort, we just slept early to prepare for our next day activities.

On our second day, we left early for our island hopping (PhP1,500 boat rental).  It was a 30-minute boat ride to the private island.  We were asked to settle PhP100 each for the entrance to the island.  It was beautiful with turquoise blue water and white sand.  The people living in the island depend on fishing and fees.   The island has no freshwater so the people collect water from the rain through their earthen jars. 

We swam for a while and just enjoyed the island with only a few guests.  Our next stop was the snorkeling site. The group had difficult time swimming due to the strong current so we decided to stay near the boat and moments later, there were few jellyfishes that passed by the boat as big a plate.  We were very cautious as we do not want to get stung by their tentacles.  The group enjoyed the snorkeling because several schools of fish went to our direction because of the pieces of bread in our hands.  It was a 30-minute fish feeding. 

We also went to the sister resort, Ogtong Cave until we decided to go back to our resort for breakfast.  We hurriedly ate our meal as I wanted to buy kilos of dried fish in the market.  I bought around five kilos of the dried fish called danggit, which my peers back in Manila asked me to buy for them.  The price of the fish in the island was relatively cheap compared to the mainland. Good thing I brought an extra bag for the fish since it has a strong scent.

On our way back to the resort from the market, our vehicle had a flat tire.  Admittedly, I was nervous because we might not be able to ride the 1pm boat back to mainland.  We were lucky that the driver immediately changed the flat tire with the spare tire. We reached the resort barely 15 minutes before the boat leaves.  When we finally boarded the boat, it was almost full of passengers and we had no choice but to seat far apart from each other. 

After waiting for an hour at the port, we waited for 30 minutes for another air-conditioned bus to arrive since we missed the earlier bus that was full.  We left around 3pm from the port and again, it was a long trip since we arrived at the city almost 8pm.  We just checked-in at Cebu Pacific Pensionne (tel no 032.2535271 / 0927.2579163) and it cost PhP3,150.00 for two rooms. 

Immediately, we proceeded to Crown Regency Hotel (032.4188888) for our adventure rides. It was a 15-minute walk from Pensionne going to Crown.  We were able to get the PhP950 package for the Sky walk, Edge coaster, 4D theater, buffet dinner and a souvenir.  Initially, we chose the 4D theater with a museum movie.  It was my group’s first time to watch a 4D movie.  Everyone was anticipating for a big surprise.  Practically, the group was terrified with the mouse effect that was sticking on our legs and the splash of water over our faces.  Our next activity was the edge coaster.  Only two persons can ride per coaster.  When my turn came, instructions were given.  I opted to ride without my slippers because I felt that I would loose them since we were at the edge of 38th Floor.  I asked my officemate to take care of the control button so that I can hold firmly to the bars.  It was an adrenalin rush taking the ride.   Our next stop was the much-awaited buffet dinner at the hotel’s restaurant.  We enjoyed the food as it served international cuisine.  Then, our last stop was the skywalk at the 37th Floor.  We were asked to wear the prescribed suit and harness.   The view from the top was awesome: We clearly saw the city and the Bohol province.  We had some individual photos and group photos taken by our guide.  For the photo, we paid P130.00 each. 

The next day we rented a van for our tour.  We were brought to Dapdap wharf for our Olango island tour.  We paid PhP15.00 each for the pump boat and the ride lasted for only 15 minutes.  Then in Olango island, we rented 2 tricycles for PhP200.00 to bring us to the sanctuary.  When we arrived at the sanctuary, we were asked to pay only PhP10.00 each.  The area was high tide and the birds were hiding at the mangroves so we did not see any migratory bird.  The group had group photos and drank coconut water in the sanctuary.  When the seawater reached where we were staying, we decided to leave the area. 

From Olango wharf, the seawater was evidently getting higher as it reached the pavement.  We immediately boarded the pump boat and witnessed the water getting rougher as it crashed to our boat.  We were a little bit uneasy but the good thing was the ride was only 20 minutes.    We were picked up by the van and went to Lapu-Lapu shrine and bought some souvenirs.  We had our lunch at CNT Lechon near SM mall to try the famous Cebu lechon. Lastly, we went to Magellan’s cross and Sto. Niño shrine. 

At the hotel, we hurriedly took our turns in the bathroom and prepared our things for our check out.  From the airport, our flight was delayed for more than an hour due to heavy rains in Manila.  We had our dinner at the airport and took turns in taking photos.  What I love about the Cebu International Airport was their free wireless internet so we did not mind the delay as we kept on updating our Facebook and Twitter accounts on our mobile phones. Finally, when we boarded the plane, everyone was eager for our next trip wherein we will explore south of Cebu.

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Visited last July 30 –August 1, 2011

It was an exciting day for me as I chose to celebrate my birthday in an isolated island of Apo Reef  National Park in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro. I made careful planning to ensure a smooth trip to Asia’s largest atoll-like reef.

At 4am, my friend picked me up at my house.  We then proceeded to the airport and had an early check in.   I was a bit dissatisfied with the new check-in policy of Cebu Pacific where all passengers queued at any of the check-in counters.  Now, it is a must to come in at least 2 hours before the scheduled departure for just a one hour flight to Occidental Mindoro.

At the airport, we had our breakfast at a coffee shop.  When we arrived at San Jose airport, I noticed that the airport signage was only made of tarpaulin with a liquor advertisement.  I hope the local government could do something to replace the signage.  And also, the airport does not have a luggage conveyor.  To transfer luggages and items from the plane to the airport, the personnel just manually carry them and place them in a rectangular table.  Again, hopefully the local government could improve the said airport since both local and foreign tourists flock to their province.

From the airport, we boarded a tricycle.  We noticed that all tricycle drivers in the airport wore colorful polo.  In just 15 minutes, we arrived at the bus terminal.  We paid the driver PhP70.00, which was a bit pricey for such a short trip.

At the Dimple Star terminal, we were asked to get a seat number and boarded the bus going to Cubao as it would pass Sablayan proper.  Initially, we were seated at numbers 20 and 21 until we were asked to transfer to seats 1 and 2 because the seats were already allotted to other passengers.  The bus conductor explained to us that they prioritize passengers going to Manila.  Of course, we argued that we were also paying passengers and that we should have been informed beforehand of such policy.  After one hour of waiting, the bus left.  On my personal opinion, the bus management should take a look at their ticketing system in order to address problems of over booking. The fare to Sablayan town was PhP140.00.

It was two and a half hours of paved and rough roads to Sablayan.  We noticed that there were a lot of road improvement signages with pictures of the former president and the congresswoman.  In fact it was their priority project that was never finished.  The bridge was never built and based on our conversations with the locals, during heavy rain downpour, the bridge was unpassable.

We arrived at DJ Resort (mobile nos. 0907.2537815/0917.4965940) before 1pm and we ate our sumptuous lunch.  Our lunch was prepared by Ate Amy (the owner herself).  She served steam lobsters, fish and vegetables.  Immediately, we just fixed our stuff and proceeded to the Tourism office (mobile No. 0928.4659585) to register and to rent the diving gears.  For the permits, equipment and boat rental, we paid PhP9,750. It was a good thing that we were joined by three other persons also from Manila. Our boat rental costed PhP8,000 but it was divided into two so we only paid PhP4,000.00.

Our first stopover was Pandan Island. My friend Marcia together with dive master Toto (0949.6322778) rented mask and fins for the dive.  The private island was just a 15-minute boat ride from Sablayan.  The resort was very simple and it catered to foreign guests.

It was another two and a half hours of boat ride. There were no islands on sight for most part of the ride.  It was tiring to wait for the island to appear.  It was four o’clock in the afternoon when I finally saw the lighthouse of the Apo Reef.  From my point of view, the lighthouse looked like a pencil.  The water was turquoise.  We felt exhilarated with the view as the water was very beautiful and inviting.  From our boat, two islets could already be seen.

The sand in the island was very fine and white.  There were only a few people and military and rangers who guard the island against illegal fishing activities.  I noticed there were two boats apprehended due to fishing violations.  The confiscated boats will be used to patrol the protected area.  On the island, there were tables for dining, open cottages for the rangers, two comfort rooms, deep well, unfinished office structure, dilapidated DENR office and a non-operational desalination facility.  From a reliable source, the desalination facility costed the government 20 million pesos but it was never used because the elected government official pulled out one of the important parts of the facility for unknown reasons.

There were no potable water and no electricity except for some light bulbs run by solar energy. It was my first time to set up a tent and sleep on the beach.  Due to limited water supply, I washed my face with only one cup of water.  I never thought that it was possible to use just one cup!

For our dinner, we had pork, chicken, fried fish and bananas.  We even shared our food with the other group because our food can accommodate five more persons.  It was only 8:30pm when we decided to sleep.  A bonfire was set up for our light.  I could have slept earlier just by staring at the stars but it was very humid.  I only doze off for couple of hours.  It was already 5:30am when I decided to take some photos of the sunrise.

After our breakfast, we prepared for our dive.  On our first dive while we were already at 20 feet, I had difficulty breathing.  I immediately asked the assistance of the dive master for us to ascend.  On the surface, I was asked if I still wanted to continue with the dive.  After a minute of careful thinking, I said yes because that was the ultimate purpose of my visit to the island.  During the dive, I saw white tip shark and other sea creature that thrive from the protected area.  After the dive, we went back to the island and fixed our things for our departure by 12 noon.  Before our second dive, we saw pod of dolphins.  I was very happy because I never expected to see them at 10:30am.  Normally, these dolphins appear early morning.  My photos of the dolphins were picture perfect as the water was crystal clear. From underwater, we saw a turtle but I failed to photograph it since I ran out of film. It was lunch time when we left the island.  Our goal was to arrive in Pandan by 2pm.  On our way, we saw again some dolphins as they swam along our boat.    

When we arrived at Pandan Island, we had our snacks and swam for 30 minutes.  The resort has a truly relaxing ambiance.  It was 4pm when we arrived at the Sablayan town.  We exchanged calling cards with our fellow travellers so that we could still have continuous communication in Manila.

At 5pm, Marcia and I decided to go around the town to see the lighthouse and old church.  Unfortunately, we could no longer take photos of the old church since there was no light in the area.  We proceeded to take our dinner in a nearby restaurant and just went back to the old church the following day. 

On our third day, we left the resort at 6:30am to check the tourist spots within the town.  We just rented a tricycle to bring us to the Penal colony.  The road was terrible, unpaved and dusty.  Millions of pesos have been spent for the road construction funded by the former Arroyo administration thru the congresswoman and yet still unfinished.

Inside the penal colony compound, we tried to enter the premises to reach the waterfalls but we were not allowed because we still need a local government permit.  Anyway, we proceeded to Libuao Lake (entrance fee PhP50.00).  I love this place because it is very scenic – the lake is surrounded by mountains, water is filled with lotuses and the blue sky reflects onto the water. 

By 11:30am, we were back at DJ Resort for our lunch.  At the bus terminal, there was a change in bus departure and we waited for two hours.  It was already 5pm when we arrived at Jazmine Royale Hotel (tel. no. 043.4914269).  We went to the plaza to buy souvenirs.  I bought this wooden fish display and key chains (contact no. 0918.6113510).

At 5:30am on our last day, we went to the airport for our early check–in.  We managed to go out of the terminal for our breakfast along the airport premises.  Our flight back to Manila was at 8:10am, which marked the end of a memorable Mindoro adventure.

View Apo Reef Photos and Video

Visited last April 28 - May 1, 2011

I decided to take Airphil Express going to Legaspi to attend a friend’s wedding only to get a bad customer service experience.

Upon disembarkation, I noticed my checked-in bag was moist but I did not bother to open it.  When I arrived at my accommodation, I was very surprised to see my clothes were wet.  I immediately went back to the airport and talked to the airline manager.  He immediately informed me that an investigation will be conducted.  

After a week of follow-ups, I found out from the manager that an email was already sent to their Customer Service.  I immediately emailed CS to inform them of my disgust over the incident.  I received a reply a day after I lodged my email complaint.  Their letter did not express sincere empathy for the inconvenience that the incident had caused me. They even went to the extent of blaming me for not opening the bag while inside the airport and not reporting it immediately.  Without hesitation, I called the Airline Manager based in Legaspi.  He admitted that indeed the plane was wet when it departed from Manila.  I mentioned the Manager’s admittance about the incident to the airline’s Customer Service.  During my conversation with the Customer Service staff, I asked her to revise the apology letter and let her supervisor sign it.  A day after the phone conversation, I received the scanned copy of the apology letter.

With my experience in taking Airphil Express, I suggest that if you are taking their flight , make sure to use a water proof bag and that before leaving the airport premises, make sure to open your bag in front of their staff.

It was half past five in the morning when I and my three office mates left the inn in Legaspi to go to Donsol.  We took a tricycle (PhP40.00 fare) to Satellite terminal.  From the terminal, we took a van (PhP75.00 fare) for Donsol town proper and waited for more than 30 minutes for it to be filled up with passengers.  It was only until everyone got tired of waiting when the driver asked us to pay an additional fee to cover for the vacant seats.  We had an arrangement with the driver to bring us to the tourism office but when we were at the town proper, the driver made an alibi that the van’s break was not working.  We did not argue and instead took a tricycle (PhP20.00 fare) to Tourism office.  From tourism office, we registered and paid for PhP3,500.00 for the boat and guide plus additional PhP100.00 for the environmental fee. 

There were a lot of tourists that day so we had to wait for a while for our turn to ride the boat.  Only a limited number of boats were allowed to set sail in order to lessen the impact on the whale shark population.  At first, my companions were a bit scared of the whale shark to the point of returning to the boat immediately.  I, on the other hand, enjoyed swimming that I felt like it was one of my longest swims ever. I did not even notice my companions were all aboard the boat so I already thought of joining the other group’s boat had I not found my companions.  On our next encounter with a whale shark, the guide told us to jump over board which I did but only to realize that the rest did not jump so I ended up holding onto the boat as it moved to a different location. 

On our last attempt to see the whale shark, everyone jumped out but the life vest of one of my companions was defective.  We swam back to assist him as he was a bit panicky of the situation. From there, we decided to go back to the shore so that we can return to the city earlier than scheduled.  Unfortunately, in the town proper, there was no air-conditioned van so we had to contend ourselves in taking a jeepney.  The jeepney had a flat tire along the way and the trip was delayed for half an hour.  But this streak of misfortune did not stop us from going to Cagsawa ruins to buy souvenirs.

On the third day, some of my companions went to Ligñon Hill while I went to the airport for my flight back to Manila.  I hope to be back by next year for another whale shark adventure.

View travel photos

Visited last  April 16 – 18, 2011    

We decided to go for a trip to the north most of Luzon in Pagudpud.  As early as 5am, we arrived at Saud Beach. Since it was early, we walked along the beach to watch the fishermen haul their catch.  We saw in the boat this fish called porcupine puffer and it was a pity to see it struggling to breathe air.  I asked the fisherman to just sell it to me so that I could free the fish.  By the way, the fish was bloated as it tried to defend itself  (please see photos below).  The fisherman agreed to sell the fish and it was thrown back into the water but I was not sure if it survived!  We saw the fisherman’s other catch, this time it was a dead baby shark and stingray.  To our dismay, it was not just an ordinary shark but a hammerhead shark!  Since it was already dead, we told the fisherman that it was rare species and that it should be protected.  As a scuba diver, it was truly disappointing to see marine creatures wasted due to people’s lack of awareness.  Through a friend, we expressed our concerns regarding the incident to the local officials of the town.

At the Saud Beach Resort, I saw for the first time some wild ducks and herons freely roaming the area. The resort served as their natural habitat as simulated by the pond at the back of the resort.  It was a pleasant thing to see that wild ducks still exist in harmony with the community.  I highly commend the local government and the resort’s management in protecting the bird species.  I hope that the other towns emulate Pagudpud’s initiative to protect their flora and fauna. 

In the afternoon, we witnessed the mayor’s birthday celebration as people flocked to the
gymnasium to attend the mass and program dedicated to their dearly-beloved mayor.   For a non-resident of the town, it was surprising to know the huge turnout of crowd greeting the mayor.  Everyone was indeed invited to the celebration. 

The following day, we passed by the Vigan town to eat their delicacies and buy locally-produced furniture.  It was cheaper to buy furniture in Vigan than in Manila.  The distance is not a problem as most shops offer free delivery to Metro Manila.  I bought a round side table for only P400. 

Our last stop was at Thunderbird Resort in La Union.  It was a Greek-inspired theme resort.  We had our late dinner at their restaurant overlooking the pool.  The time had eventually come for us and our driver to rest before our 3-hour long drive back to Manila. 

Truly, it was a tiring but enjoyable 2-day Ilocandia trip! 

Visited last November 13 - 14, 2010

Since my flight to Bohol was at 8am, I took the most practical way of going to the airport – riding the MRT from Quezon City and then a taxi from Taft Avenue.  Despite the number of transfers,    I still arrived early at NAIA3.  At 7.30am, we were asked to board a bus going to the plane.  We were stuck inside the Cebu Pacific plane for almost one hour due to the air traffic.  The airport at that time could only accommodate limited take-off and landing.  It was unfortunate that my flight was delayed because it meant that I barely have only a few hours in touring the island. 

 Upon arrival in Bohol , the hotel car service failed to pick me up at my desired time and wanted me to wait for 30 minutes more at the airport, which I declined.  I had no choice but to take the motorcycle with a former workmate from Bohol to bring me to the Buen Bella hotel (0918.5297742).  Fortunately, it was cloudy that day and that the hotel is only 10 minutes from the hotel.    I complained to the receptionist about the hotel car service and she readily apologized for the miscommunication between her and the driver.

 Together with my officemate, I went to two malls: BQ for souvenirs and Alturas for the cheap local shirts. 

Immediately after our lunch, we proceeded to Mag-aso falls in Antequera.  The travel was fast since we rode the motorcycle but since it rained in some areas, we had to make a few stops along the way. We paid 20 pesos as entrance fee to the falls.  I enjoyed the view of the falls surrounded by trees and the water appeared nature green as if camouflaging its adjoining environment. 

After taking photos, I immediately asked that we go to Panglao Island.   On the road, we stopped at the town to check if there were local products available for sale.  I found out that products can be seen on a Sunday, which was their market day.  It almost took an hour drive to go to Panglao.  I noticed the improvements in the Alona area resorts.  I still like though the old Alona where only a few establishments available in the area.  I simply do not like the idea of the beach front having lots of chairs and tables lined up.    We had a simple merienda along the beach far away from the crowd.  And, I couldn’t help but reminisce the old Alona Beach when it was tranquil and where one can easily find a spot to read and relax along the beach. 

 From there, we went to the bee farm where I bought some local products made from honey and other local produce.  The products were a bit pricey since they were organic. 

 On the way home, we went to Our Lady of Assumption Shrine Parish church in the town of Dauis.  I went around to check their museum and shop.  The staff gave me a bottled miraculous water from the well inside the church. Apparently, it is being given free to church visitors. Before the day ended, I went to buy more souvenir items.

 The following day, I woke early and found it difficult to speak with my hoarse voice. It could be due to the rain exposure the previous day.  As I passed by the reception of the hotel, old familiar faces of staff greeted me with a smile and said, “Ang tagal n’yo nang hindi nakapunta dito (You haven’t been here in a long time).”  I frequented this hotel in 2007 when I was working wit a non-government organization.  It was already 8am when I asked the driver to bring me to the airport. 

 Hopefully by next year, I shall return to Bohol   as it is one of my favorite places in the country.

Visited last October 2-3, 2010

I went to Legaspi in Bicol to attend a colleague’s wedding along six other workmates. Even if my purpose of visit is to attend a social function, I managed to take a few side trips. All of my other colleagues arrived in Bicol a day earlier while I took the Saturday morning Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight. It may have been a short flight but I still enjoyed the view from the plane but I got a bit confused with the surrounding because I couldn’t see Mayon volcano anywhere within sight. But, when I got off the plane, I immediately saw the volcano and heaved a huge sigh of relief because I was in the right place after all.

A nun friend from Bicol fetched me at the airport and dropped me off to Reynaldo’s Inn.  There, I finally met my workmates who were already preparing for the wedding.  Since it will start in the afternoon, I took the liberty of touring the city through the help of my nun friend.  

We went to Ligñon hill by merely walking.  By the time we reached the top, we were very tired and my shirt was drenched in sweat.  It was worth all the effort going to the hilltop since I saw an unhampered view of Mayon volcano. From there, I asked that we stopped by the inn so that I could change my shirt before proceeding to Cagsawa ruin. Although it was my fourth time to visit this place, I still insisted on going so that I could compare what I saw two years ago when the volcano just erupted and spew ashes.  The place actually looked better with some minor structural repairs.  I even bought some native products in the area as pasalubong for some friends.

We also went to Satellite (a pasalubong center in Legaspi) to buy other souvenir items.  For me, this is the best place to shop products made from this province.  The items were of export quality and the prices were very reasonable. 

Then, I asked that we check out Legazpi’s latest place to hangout – the Embarcadero. The place boasts off various shops and restaurants. I had a taste of their homegrown restaurant, Bigg’s Diner. The good thing about this restaurant was their trading hours (mention the time here in enclosed parentheses) and accessibility to our location. 

By 1 in the afternoon, I was back at my lodging house.  It was 2.30pm and all of us were ready to go to the wedding.  But unfortunately, our service car going to the Church did not arrive and we had no other better option but to take the tricycle. It was funny because we rented five tricycles to bring us to the Church even when everyone was wearing formal clothes.  We arrived very late at the wedding but the only good thing was our officemate was still able to sing during the picture taking.  After the wedding reception, my group went to Embarcadero to see and experience the night-life in the city.    Everyone agreed that instead of drinking alcoholic beverages, we would taste their local coffee shop called ‘La Mia Tazza’.  I ordered coffee with pili nuts and I delightfully enjoyed its flavor. We came back at the inn late in the evening just in time to take enough sleep before leaving the city early in the morning.  It was a wonderful day filled with activities. I hope to be back next year.

Visited last September 18-19, 2010