CORON 5DAYS 4NIGHTS DECEMBER 31, 2022 – JANUARY 4, 2023

“My favorite thing to do is to go where I’ve never been”

– Anonymous

Whoever said that is learned in the ways of the world, if you ask me.

There’s nothing like the thrill of discovering a place you’ve never been to, to see for yourself what you’ve read about, to experience firsthand the people, food, and sights.

A LITTLE BACKGROUNDER ON CORON

Coron is the third-largest island in northern Palawan. The island is part of the larger municipality of the same name. It is about 170 nautical miles (310 km) southwest of Manila and is known for several Japanese shipwrecks of World War II vintage.

Because of its unique ecological features, the entire area is protected by several legal proclamations.

DAY 1 SATURDAY DECEMBER 31, 2022

HOW WE GOT TO CORON

We scored tickets from Cebu Pacific.

There are also PAL / Air Asia flights that ply the Manila-Coron-Manila route.

Our flight landed at the Francisco B. Reyes Airport in the Busuanga municipality of Coron.

From there it’s about a 25-30 minute van ride to Coron Town Proper. The van ride was courtesy of the hotel where we were going to stay.

HOW TO GET AROUND CORON

You can rent a motorcycle.

Take a tricycle (fare is P30.00 per person, although we always gave P100.00 as our way of helping out the trike drivers) and zip around Coron Town Proper, where restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops, and bars abound.

The place of happenings (i.e. restos, bars, coffee shops, souvenir shops, dive shops/centers/ tour agents) can be found a stone’s throw from each other in CALLE REAL ST., or BURGOS ST., both of which are near the munisipyo.

WHERE WE STAYED IN CORON

There are a lot of options for those on a budget, as well as for those who can afford the more expensive resorts when it comes to accommodations. All of these can be found online nowadays.

It’s best to book your place of stay online and ahead of time.

We were able to book a great room with the amazing ZURI RESORT CORON:

I cannot get enough of this place.

Their staff were very accommodating, friendly, and you can feel their excitement at having you as their guest.

No wonder they are almost always fully-booked.

Aside from completeness of amenities in your room (cable TV, coffee, bottled water, mini-ref, toiletries in the bathroom), they offer good Wi-fi (with the occasional cut-signal but it was okay), hot showers, and clean bed sheets everyday,

The view of Coron Bay is very relaxing, with the hotel’s infinity pools seemingly spilling out onto the Bay itself, with plenty of open spaces where you can lounge, read a good book, or just soak in the fact that you’re in one of the most beautiful places in The Philippines, and far away from the urban jungle rat-race.

After settling in, we decided to explore Coron Town Proper and have a late lunch at EPIC Coffee, located at Calle Real St.

Check out the place:

TIME TO CHILL

After that amazing late lunch, we headed back to ZURI to soak in some sun and their pool, and take in a sunset view:

Uh but before that, lemme order first hahahaha couldn’t resist a pool bar

The back of ZURI HOTEL facing Coron Bay is being developed into a port.

Nonetheless, the sunset is still quite the spectacle.

An infinity pool behind me, ice cold beer, The Promised Land by Barack Obama to keep your thoughts occupied, this is bliss.

Later that evening, we had dinner at the hotel’s New Year’s Eve Buffet:

**Lechon, pasta, chicken, fish, salads, desserts, are all on the menu**

Later that evening still, @exactly 12midnight, a view of the fireworks display of Coron Town proper from the balcony of our hotel room:

DAY 1 is in the books.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

DAY 2 SUNDAY JANUARY 1, 2023

The Sun rises @Coron Bay

Time to try out the free breakfast of ZURI Hotel

PLACES TO VISIT IN CORON TOWN PROPER

ST. AGUSTIN CHURCH (since 1901)

Capturing still life @LUALHATI PARK

We sort of tried to get to MAQUINIT HOT SPRINGS (it was closed because, well, it’s January 1, first day of the year and right after a night of revelry) and Cabo Beach but the road traversed proved too much for a trike, and by 9:30am, we decided to call it a day with this land tour.

We instead headed back and explored the town proper, and ended up at PACIFICO Bar & Restaurant, located @ the National Highway cor. Burgos St. Brgy. 2 Coron, where we tried out their delicious pastries:

***Chocolate Chip Cookie and Strawberry Cheesecake*** and they also serve lunch and dinner fares

OBSERVING THE TOURISTS: Walking along CALLE REAL ST. or BURGOS ST., it’s amazing to see so many tourists just walking around the streets rummaging through souvenirs, buying @ sari-sari stores, exchanging stories in cafes, having drinks in bars. I asked some locals if this is always the case, and they all said yes, it’s a normal thing.

The languages I overheard walking along CALLE REAL St. were a cacophony of French, Indian, American, Polish, German, Middle Eastern, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, etc.

Even in ZURI Hotel, the influx of foreign tourists seemed never-ending.

According to a shopkeeper in the Hotel, it wasn’t always like this. The pandemic really hit them hard here in Coron, and that it’s only now that they’re recovering somewhat.

Hehehe we took our time and bought souvenirs such as key chains (giveaways to office mates), a ref magnet, replenished our water. I bought a beach sandals for P780.00 because the old one deserved a military – style burial, if you know what I mean.

Before you know it, it was time for lunch, so we hopped aboard a tricycle, and we headed to:

***Funny thing is, we could’ve just walked as it was only about two blocks away***

Their Bulalo and Pansit Canton portions were awesome, and it was surprisingly delicious:

After lunch we made time to buy rice, fish, pork & chicken adobo ingredients at the Coron public market for our Island Hopping lunch of our Day 3 itinerary.

We went back to ZURI, slept till about 4pm.

I headed out to their pool lounge and swam to my heart’s content with a cold one:

Early on in that particular afternoon we would find out that all flights coming into the country since the early morning couldn’t land at NAIA, and that all domestic flights going to / coming from Manila, were all cancelled because the NOTAMS (Notice to Air Missions) navigation system of the NAIA experienced “technical malfunctions”. What a way to start the new year…

Oh well, it was time for another sunset:

After freshening up, we returned to the town proper to sample dinner fare, and we ended up here, @ CRABS & RIBS By CALLE BURGOS located at Corner Burgos St., Poblacion 4, Coron Town Proper:

Needless to say, the food served was delicious.

Day 2 was exhausting, probably because of the tricycle tour over the roughest road we’ve ever encountered.

Something should be done about that road if the municipality wants more foot traffic to Maquinit Hot Springs and the adjacent beaches.

We retired back to ZURI Hotel to rest for the Island Hopping trip for the next day.

DAY 3 MONDAY JANUARY 2, 2023

Sunrise

Early breakfast to get us going

After breakfast, we hopped aboard a tricycle at around 8:00am, headed straight to the port and out to sea. Don’t forget to bring cash with you to pay for the entrance fees of the islands you’re going to.

It’s a beautiful day to go Island Hopping:

Entrance to KAYANGAN LAKE, where the cliffs are made of karst-limestone

IT. IS. SO. AMAZING. HERE.

***We had it all to ourselves…for about half an hour only***

Our boatman, who goes by the name Rey, guided us to the view point going to KAYANGAN LAKE itself, for some picture-taking:

After this stop, its another sixty or so steps to get to the lake itself….

And when you get there:

A little bit of info, the water at KAYANGAN LAKE is a mix of fresh and salt water but it isn’t that salty.

What’s amazing is its proximity to the open sea.

It must have something to do with the seawater passing thru the karst limestone formations before it reaches the lake itself.

Some more pics of Kayangan Lake:

***Our boatman, Rey, actually took us inside a cave under the rock formations here in Kayangan Lake***

***The world is an oyster…and we are its pearls***

And after about an hour, it’s onto the next stop, about 5-7 minutes away: BARRACUDA LAKE

***What is it with all these hidden lakes being accessible only by taking hazardous, very slippery steps?!&^$%Q&^*** hahahaha

***It was named BARRACUDA LAKE because a large skeleton of a barracuda fish was found here***

***Plenty of snorkeling and scuba diving going on here***

***It’s like a giant sink hole***.
***Divers have said that the temperature of the water in Barracuda Lake changes after 4 meters deep, and that the waters change from***
***fresh water to salt water, and that the texture of the water is often likened to a drop of oil on top of water in a glass***.

***BARRACUDA LAKE’s razor sharp underwater cliffs***

***People are now starting to arrive at BARRACUDA LAKE***

So we needed to high-tail it out of there. Next stop is the BIG and SMALL LAGOON.

The Big and Small Lagoons are actually one water system separated by rock formations.

THIS IS THE BIG LAGOON

***The boats are anchored over there because that’s where the opening to the Small Lagoon is located.***

***This rock jutting out is called “mesa” or table, by the locals. After passing this area, during low tide only, your boatman will slide you under the rock formation opening to take you to***

The waters of both the Big and Small Lagoons are fed by the surrounding seas yet what’s amazing is both lagoons are much more fresh water than salt water.

The Small Lagoon’s waters every so often changes temperature, and you can feel it sort of pushing out cold water from below.

Its literally a “cool” and awesome experience, really.

After about an hour and a half of frolicking in the waters of the Small Lagoon, it was time to head out to

BANOL BEACH / LUNCH

This is where those who are on Coron island hopping tours stop for lunch, as this is a public beach with thatched roofs, tables, long benches, white sand and clear waters.

Boatmen usually start cooking lunches upon arriving in Barracuda Lake, and upon arriving here, lunch is ready to be served.

***Of course I swam here. This reminded me of the beach coves in Zambales and beaches of islands in Mindoro.***

***Grilled fish and chicken pork adobo for lunch***

We headed out onto CYC beach and it was way too CROWDED for us.

We stayed a while on our boat, bought some popsicles and decided to head on back to Coron.

It was about 2:30pm in the afternoon already, and we were spent.

We freshened up and slept-off what remained of the afternoon.

At about 6pm we took a trike ride to KAWAYANAN GRILL for dinner.

***Shrimps, veggies, Sinigang na Lechon Kawali***

Food @K-Grill was so good, guys.

Afterwards, more souvenir-hunting, and I bought a Coron T-Shirt here

We returned to ZURI and had a couple of drinks.

Lights out by 9pm. It was a good day.

DAY 4 TUESDAY JANUARY 3, 2023 CHILL DAY

I woke up at about 8:30am and took a few laps

Freshened up and had breakfast

Hopped a tricycle and headed to the drop-off point to hike up to Mt Tapyas View Deck.

Mt Tapyas is about 210 meters in height and to get to the view-deck, you’ll need to climb 720 lung-busting concrete steps!

Its a test of stamina and endurance, so bring along bottled water with you.

***Near the top***. A panoramic view of the ocean. Very cold and windy at the summit of this hilltop.

***People make pilgrimages to this place during Holy Week***

Going up Mt Tapyas sort of made me reflect somewhat that we all should be grateful to still be drawing breaths, that life, in all of its uncertainties and complications, is still full of roads (or steps for that matter) to take.

So stay on that road, take those steps, no matter how rough or steep, no matter what.

We headed back to ZURI, and I had a light workout at their gym because the adrenaline was still pumping so I needed to cool down.

We headed back to town to treat ourselves to this place, TRATTORIA ALTROV’E

***QUATTRO STAGNIANI (Cheese, Meat, Mushrooms, and Seafood Pizza)***

***GAMBERI e OLIO de OLIVA, sauteed shrimps with sundried tomatoes, fresh shaved red peppers and parmesan***

***ALLA CARBONARA, bacon, parmesan and mozzarella in fettucine noodles***

***FRUTTI DE MARE, shrimps in tomato sauce with a splash of white wine, garlic and butter***

TRATTORIA ALTROV’E in Coron serves amazing pasta dishes. Everything tasted delicious and served with pride. They may be pricier but it is worth it.

After lunch we decided to look for a nice place to have coffee, and we ended up in the farther side of town, in Two Seasons Hotel to be exact, at their BAYA Restaurant

Since it’s our last night in Coron, we decided to dine out at this place called SHARKY’S

***Just a simple sisig and chicken wings***

As I was reading The Promised Land back at ZURI Hotel, in my mind, I couldn’t help but go back the past three days.

It felt like a blur. At that moment, I wished I could stay longer. I sort of knew that there’s a lot more to do in Coron but alas! so little time to do all of the things that can still be experienced.

There were some things we missed out on doing.

The CALAUIT ISLAND SAFARI was one.

The other was SHIPWRECK DIVING.

We resolved to learn how to scuba dive this year 2023 ( well, at least I did, and I’ll try to save up for equipment and lessons).

DAY 5 JANUARY 4, 2023 TUESDAY

Having been to numerous beaches has taught me to wake up early to catch sunrises, as well as to wait for sunsets because no two of each are ever the same.

It’s a different feeling when you’re alone and you listen to the wind and the waves while everything is very still but slowly starts to be bathed in the sun’s natural light or the color of everything starts to fade when dusk starts to settle in.

There’s a certain peace and tranquility that soothes the spirit during those moments.

I close my eyes, listen for a while to everything around me, then just let out a sigh, then take a deep breath and exhale, sort of like my own little way of accepting that there are things that I still have to do and I need to go back to the city life and its everyday grind.

We packed the night before because our flight back to Manila was @11am.

BREAKFAST AL FRESCO this time around

ZURI HOTEL brought us to the airport and we were able to board with plenty of time to spare.

They are that good, guys.

I will take solace in the fact that there are more places like these that I still have in my bucket list such as Camiguin Island, Calaguas Island, Caramoan Islands, El Nido, Amanpulo (okay, Amanpulo may be stretching it a bit because of the cost involved), just to name a few.

CORON is definitely a must for those who are into really physical activities.

From climbing up Mt. Tapyas, to sliding under rock formations to get to a hidden lagoon, to swimming inside a cave in KAYANGAN LAKE, to snorkeling in BARRACUDA LAKE, it’s like a never-ending adventure.

CORON will challenge you, and you will find out if you’re up to it.

CORON definitely ranks high when it comes to places that should be visited more than once.

I said it before and I’ll say it again:

THIS PLACE IS AMAZING.

So for all my fellow DIYers out there, here’s a summary of expenses incurred for three (3) people.

Be good to one another.

BORACAY 5DAYS 4NIGHTS ITINERARY MARCH 29, 2022 – APRIL 2, 2022

HOW WE ENDED UP IN BORACAY

We really wanted to go to Coron, Palawan. At the time when we were planning to book for that trip, RT-PCR tests were still needed, and the cost of the said tests were a little prohibitive at that time. So we ended up deciding that it was time for my daughter to see Boracay (’cause we’ve already been there before).

WHERE & WHAT IS BORACAY?

If you’ve been living under a rock, Boracay is a resort island in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. It lies 0.8 kilometers (0.50 mi) off the northwest coast of Panay Island.

HOW TO GET THERE

The best way to get to Boracay is via PAL, Air Asia, or CEBU PACIFIC. Book online with them.

HEALTH PROTOCOLS

The Aklan Local Government Unit (LGU) limits the number of people coming into the island on a daily-basis. You’ll need to apply for and download an Aklan QR Code Tracker, Health Declaration with QR Code, have a soft copy of your Vax Cert/Vax Card, and a soft copy of your accredited accommodations (place of stay). By the way, as of this writing, there is a mask mandate on the island.

WHERE TO STAY IN BORACAY

There are a lot of places to stay in the island, from high-end, mid-end, to budget hostels, they abound in Boracay. But it is best to book online in advance. We chose to stay and checked – in to our accommodation, the Boracay Ocean Club Resort in Station 3.

ARE THE BEST DAYS OF BORACAY BEHIND IT? MAYBE…but MAYBE NOT

With all due respect to Siargao, Boracay is still probably the most famous island destination in the Philippines.

Tales of food havens, pub crawls, and rave parties till the wee hours of the morning abounded in its heyday. It definitely was the epitome of what a party island should be.

All of this set amidst the most sparklingly clear sea waters and soft, powdery, creamy white sand.

So much so that in a 2016 poll of 300,000 travelers from ALL OVER the world, none other than Condé Nast Traveler put the island at the top of a list of 20 best beaches in the world, besting places such as Tahiti, Santorini, and Bali for the top spot.

Well past this writing, SIARGAO has also been bestowed with the same accolade already.

SUCCESS COMES AT A COST

A mere two (2) years after being bestowed such a prestigious accolade, the island was shut down to tourists April of 2018, due to an imminent threat to nature herself. Businesses encroached the shores of Boracay. A lack of waste management by the businesses led to garbage and sewage spilling onto the waters of Boracay, so much so that President DU30 himself labeled the island waters, “a cesspool”. It was hard to “un-see” the image of garbage strewn on the waters of Boracay.

I have never been a fan of Pres DU30 but, as much as I hate to admit it, he was right.

WHAT I REMEMBER

I recall coming to the island 17 years ago, Year 2005 (the precise date escapes me now…sis, can you DM me when we were here last?) courtesy of my sister, Dawn. I remember the spectacular sunsets, the seafood spreads, breakfast buffets, the creamy-white powdery sand, the music permeating the nights, the Boracay Regency, and not a lot of people….yet…

Of course, para-sailing, jet-skiing, banana-boating, paraw-sailing, scuba-diving were already there but kite-boarding wasn’t a thing yet. Yeah, it was that long ago that we’ve set foot on the island.

**Taken using an old camera with film. There were no Smart Phones yet back then**

Boracay had a certain magic to it then because it was less dense, just a few shops here and there, pubs didn’t really turn-on music full-blast just to let tourists know they were there, exceptional food can be had but first you had to get there to get a table because locals and foreigners alike knew the go-to places to eat such as KASBAH, EPIC, and many others. My sister and I didn’t really venture far from where we were billeted (Boracay Regency).

This time, though, I made sure to capture awesome sceneries and places to go to here in Boracay.

MARCH 29, 2022 TUESDAY DAY 1

THE CHANGES I NOTICED

When we first came over to Boracay, Jetty Port, where you pay Environmental Fees, get a boat ride to the island was just a not-more-than-5-minute-walk from the airport. Now it’s a seven (7) minutes tricycle-ride away. The port today was, shall we say, bustling with people wanting to get to the island. There’s a system in place (pay environmental fees / pay boat fares) but controlling the crush of people needs to improve. Calling on Jetty Port authorities, please do something about this.

All boats from Jetty Port to Boracay now drop off passengers at Station 3, whereas before, we were dropped – off at Station 2 itself, where the Boracay Regency was. The reason behind this is that making frequent boat trips to the main shore line of the island may damage the waters and the beach itself.

Hey, you got my vote on this, guys!

Nowadays, to get to your accommodations, you have to take an E-Trike, which are very environment-friendly, less noisy, and literally no smoke emissions. Again, it’s a great idea! The ride takes you along the main road, the Boracay Circumferential Road, where almost all businesses, hotels, shops, stores, marts, malls, are situated.

Another noticeable change: beach front establishments are now at least 10-15 meters away from the shores and sands of Boracay.

LATE LUNCH

After checking in, we had a late lunch at TITA MAGZ just a few minutes walk from BORACAY OCEAN CLUB, where I ordered a “silog” meal:

At about 3pm, we walked over to the Food Hub Festival near Station 2 to sample Jonah’s Fruit Shakes. These shakes are famous in Boracay:

**souvenir shops abound before entering the Food Hub**

At about this time, we were walking along the beach making our way to D’Mall to check it out and I must admit, closing the island to tourists for 6 months was probably the best thing for the island.

The sands along the beaches of Boracay are, I am at a loss for superlatives, really…

Sunset-watching on the shores of Boracay reminded me of that movie-scene in City of Angels, where the “angels”, clad in all-black get-ups, would flock to the shores of the beach to strain their ears and listen to “music from God”, but in this case, to watch the sun set over the horizon:

***just listen to the waves gently lapping the shore now***

***I made my way up to Boracay Ocean Club Resort’s rooftop infinity pool* *to get these shots***

We were famished come 7pm and we made our way to TWO SEASONS but unfortunately because of an overflow crowd, they had no choice but to impose a cut-off, that only customer pick-ups and deliveries are to be served.

We made our way to nearby MAYA’s and partook of their sinigang na baboy, inihaw na liempo, and baked oysters, and it did not disappoint:

**it’s a Mexican resto but we wanted something closer to home…**

Day 1 is in the books, guys.

MARCH 30, 2022 WEDNESDAY DAY 2: ISLAND-HOPPING

I’m an early riser.

I like to beat everyone else just to get that tranquil and relaxing feeling of being alone with my thoughts and nothing in front of me but the ocean, feel the cool breeze on my cheeks, breathe, and just listen to the waves:

Walking along the shore, I chanced upon SUNNY SIDE CAFE opening their store, ordered a pour, a pastry, and sat down fronting the ocean.

Heavenly.

I went back to the resort, just in time for their breakfast buffet. Leni, anyone?

I befriended a local and he goes by the name Boy Godly (yep, that’s the name he gave me), and he became my contact for the island-hopping we planned to have today.

After going through the routine listing at the manifest, and checking-in with Coast Guard, our island-hop itinerary took us to:

CROCODILE ISLAND

**The sands are so white it hurts the eyes**

The island-hopping tour started out 8:30am and ended about 3:00pm. We made our way back to the resort and slept till about close to 5:00pm.

We made our way to EPIC-BORACAY @Station 2 for an early 6:00pm dinner watching the sunset:

Dinner @EPIC Boracay consisted of:

**my go-to drink of choice when in the islands**

That dinner @EPIC- Boracay made us want to just walk-off our full stomachs and it was quite a ways-off to Station 3, and we took our sweet time getting there, taking in the sights and the sounds of Boracay @night.

I couldn’t help but go back with my thoughts to the beaches of PUKA and Crystal Cove, as they certainly swept us off our feet.

In case you missed it, a few years back, there were news that a conglomerate was planning on putting up a !!@$#$%!!! casino right at PUKA Beach, and thank God that never got off the ground due to vigorous protests from locals and environment groups. I couldn’t imagine having such an edifice smearing the beauty of PUKA Beach.

Back at the resort, I needed a night cap, so I ordered a double Jack Daniels straight up with ice, and yep, that knocked me out.

MARCH 31, 2022 THURSDAY DAY 3: LAND TOUR

Take a look at this sunrise:

BREAKFAST @SUNNY SIDE CAFE

This time we made sure we ate breakfast here:

**This place is quaint but famous for its breakfast dishes**

After breakfast, Boy Godly set us up with an E-Trike for a land tour of Boracay. First stop was:

**This bent coconut tree is a famous INSTAGRAM spot**

Next stop was The Grotto. The sand here is ridiculously white, even under the water:

3rd stop of the day: NEWCOAST and its spectacular panoramic views:

The KEYHOLE rock formation

4th stop of the day: Ilig-Iligan Beach

5th stop: DINIWID BEACH

The land tour ended at around 10:15am, and we were able to score a table at TWO SEASONS:

We ordered their famous Four Cheese Pizza:

Their Angus Beef Stroganoff is to die for:

After that great lunch, we took an E-Trike back to the resort, where we rented a paddle board and soaked up the sun and surf:

**you can have Manila, I’ll take this place anytime**

We returned to our accommodations to rest up a bit, and I fell asleep for about two (2) hours. We freshened up and made our way down to CAFE MARUJA / JOE’s Restaurant for dinner.

Ordered their CAJUN BOIL SEAFOOD PLATTER:

Acoustic night music was great, so…

**I know, Scott, I should’ve went for the TIGER but there wasn’t any**

Back at our accommodations, we were treated to a fire dance:

We retired to our room and talked about extending our stay for a few more days hahahaha because we felt like we haven’t really seen all that Boracay has to offer.

APRIL 1, 2022 FRIDAY DAY 4 CHILL DAY

Just watching the sun rise and how colors react to the play of light:

Got breakfast at Boracay Ocean Club Resort’s buffet:

**porridge, eggs, beefsteak, corned beef**

My daughter made her way to CHACHA’s SUNDOWN Cafe:

Took some more still photos:

Hit the waves

Finished off with 10 laps at the resort’s rooftop infinity pool, I had it all to myself that morning

Freshened up and had Lunch @SENSI besides CALYPSO Dive Center

Lunch with a view of the beach

After the late lunch that day, I went back to our accommodations, and slept till about 5pm. We freshened up and decided to try out a buffet dinner at LA-UD Restaurant located at the HUE Hotel Station X:

**Hotel lobby with a pool smack in the middle**

**fresh fish, chicken, kare-kare, shrimps, desserts**

That night, we seriously considered and talked about extending our stay for at least two (2) more days but ultimately decided against it because of, of course, the need to go back to work (my fault, really). The night was spent talking about the days spent on the island amidst packing for tomorrow’s flight back to Manila.

APRIL 2, 2022 SATURDAY DAY 5

I just had to see you one more time…

Our flight back to Manila was scheduled 11:45am that day. We had an early checkout so that we could have one more of the same breakfast we had at SUNNY SIDE CAFE.

**Champorado with a twist**: **with mangoes / vanilla ice cream / bacon!!!**
**wow just wow**

We took the boat from Station 3 back to Jetty Port, hopped on a tricycle to the airport, checked in and took off just in time. Cebu Pacific is awesome.

MUSINGS

When I came back to Boracay, I honestly did not know what to expect.

Now I know why my daughter chose a Station 3 accommodation. It was for the peace and quiet.

I was kind of shocked on our first day when we were walking along this path as we made our way to Jonah’s Fruit Shakes.

When we were nearing Station 2, it was wall-to-wall souvenir shops, restaurants, hotels, scuba diving academies, tattoo shops, paluto stalls, hawkers offering services such as massages, hair-braiding, sunglasses, island hopping, paraw-sailing, paddle-boarding, para-sailing, banana boating, jet skiing, and the like. It was, well, noisy.

The Boracay Regency is now the Henann Regency.

The brand Henann seems to be everywhere in Boracay.

And I haven’t even described D’Mall yet. It’s an alley way with wall-to-wall of the same: restos, shops, dive centers, drug stores, 7-11s, the works. It certainly felt like a mall: blaring music, smoke from ihawan, pet dogs, pet cats, lots of people, like Divisoria during Christmas season. Everything’s there, even a cellphone repair shop.

Station 2 can be likened to the ultimate tambay-place. And that’s putting it mildly.

Hey, I am for progress. But sometimes there is such a thing as over-commercialization of an area. It’s all so…“touristy“ now.

The one thing I really noticed that was good. even great, and I can’t reiterate this enough, is how far back from the sands and shore these establishments are now situated. And people seemed to be really aware to throw garbage at the proper bins, as BORACAY’s shoreline, beach, and the walk ways are very clean.

This is now the new BORACAY community, commercialized and all. And it’s somewhat of a turn-off for me.

But that’s just me, who still recalls the Boracay of ‘yore, when it wasn’t all that crowded. And for this reason, for the moment, I’ll choose the community of SIARGAO, where people are more ready to give you a smile, more approachable, more laid-back, and seem to genuinely care about what you think of their island.

On our second day, I ventured out at about 2:30am all the way down to Station 2 from Station 3 and you could hear a pin drop.

It was that silent. Gone are the days of the pub crawl and beach parties that lasted till sunrise.

BORACAY is paradise for the food junkie. The food at the places we ate are reasonably priced but so, so good.

EPIC-Boracay? Don’t forget to try out their EPIC Cheesecake. AWESOME dessert.

SUNNY SIDE CAFE? Go for the Champorado, Kitamaya Beef Tapa.

SENSI? The Chicken Inasal was really good.

CHACHA’s SUNDOWN? Try their iced-coffee.

CAFE MARUJA / JOE’s Restaurant? The CAJUN BOIL platter was superb.

TWO SEASONS? Four Cheese Pizza and that Angus Beef Stroganoff, again, is to die for!

MAYA’S? Their Inihaw na Liempo is fantastic, grilled just right.

BORACAY’S NATURE OFFERINGS

I’ve been to SIARGAO, and the sands of DAKU Island are made up of crushed corals and is soft and almost fine. I’ve seen the white sand beaches of BANTAYAN Island, specifically Sugar Beach, and it is also made up of fine white sand, coupled with the fact that BANTAYAN Island has both fantastic sunrises and sunsets. KALANGGAMAN Island also is such a sight to behold, both for its sand and the waters surrounding it.

But BORACAY’s powdery sand is definitely superior in terms of how it feels to the bare feet, and BORACAY’s crystal-clear waters reminds me of the waters surrounding KALANGGAMAN, she with a deep blue hue, turquoise-green, and crystal clear color once the waters hits the shores.

For me, BORACAY’s powdery white sand and sparkling waters are still the best I’ve experienced.

So ARE THE BEST DAYS OF BORACAY BEHIND IT?

I would not bet against this jewel of an island making a grand comeback.

And to all of you DIYers out there, here’s a list of expenses that we incurred for a group of three people:

Whoever said that “It feels good to be lost in the right direction” is a genius.

Till next time. Be good to one another.

SIARGAO DIY 4DAYS 3NIGHTS NOVEMBER 1-4, 2021

This trip was supposed to have occurred last Year 2020 but we all know what happened.

My daughter and I planned this again before the summer season of 2021 for us to avoid the crush of people, and then another lockdown happened. After the first lockdown (or Enhanced Community Quarantine, ECQ for those of you who are into acronyms) was lifted this year 2021, we were able to squeeze in a Bohol trip, which was cut short because of the passing of my father in-law.

And then another lockdown happened, which is what Philippine bureaucrats seem to know as the only viable solution to this wildly unpredictable affliction called SARS-COVID 19.

This Siargao sojourn of ours was supposed to be for 6days 5nights but we had to cut it short again, which I’ll explain why later.

HOW WE GOT TO SIARGAO

Book a flight online via either Philippine Airlines or Cebu Pacific. You have the option of flying directly to Siargao, or via Cebu with a connecting flight to Siargao Island, which may have a 1-3hours layover.

We chose a Manila-Cebu-Siargao / vice-versa flights via Cebu Pacific.

WHAT ARE THE SURIGAO DEL NORTE-LGU REQUIREMENTS WHEN TRAVELLING TO SIARGAO

You’re required to secure a Saliva Test 72 hours upon date of arrival, from the Philippine Red Cross that shows a Negative Result for SARS Covid 19;
You’re also required to have a Confirmed Hotel Booking accommodation document with an LGU accredited place-of-stay;
A clear copy of a government-issued Identification (ID) card.

All of the above should be in JPEG format so you can load these onto the s-pass.ph online site, after which you’ll be able to secure an Approved Travel Coordination Permit that looks like this:

By the time some of you read this, these restrictions may have been eased somewhat already or maybe even removed altogether, in line with the so-called lowering of Alert Levels by the Infectious Diseases Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).

HOW WE GOT AROUND SIARGAO ISLAND

Alighting at SAYAK AIRPORT in Siargao Island, there are already tourist vans waiting to take you to your accommodations. Fare is P300.00 per person, no more, no less.

We booked our ride to our accommodations and back to Sayak Airport when we departed the island, with ARNEL (09365010921). Travel time from Sayak Airport to General Luna, Siargao and vice-versa, is roughly 35-40 minutes.

There are a lot of options to get around the main island itself.

You can either:

rent a scooter; Fair warning, though, to scooter fanatics. You’ve got to be a real good rider in order to avoid becoming a statistic. A lot of accidents have happened on the roads of Siargao due to over-speeding on wet or dry roads.
hire/rent a van;
hire a tricycle for a land tour;
or pay for a tour with a local tour guide (there are a lot of signboards offering land tours and island hopping tours).

One thing I noticed when we arrived: gasoline was P70.21 per liter, and when we got to Day 3, it was already at P71.40 per liter!

For our Land Tour of some of the island’s popular destinations, we contracted RENCE (09079788198). He also hooked us up with island tour boatmen Bryan and Piloy.

SOME THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN IN SIARGAO

One thing to remember is that there are quite a few nice establishments such as places-to-stay and places to eat that aren’t really very far from each other. A lot of times, in the mornings. I’d walk to LUNARES CAFE for my morning coffee fix. When taking a tricycle, for example, fare shouldn’t exceed P20.00 per person to reach a place to eat or see that is just 2.5klms. away up to 5klms;
DON’T DRINK THE TAP WATER unless the resort staff of the place where you’re staying says it’s safe to do so;
BEFRIEND and be RESPECTFUL of the LOCALS. They’ll help you out for land / island hopping tours, and they may even broker for you a sweet deal;
BE GOOD TO NATURE. DON’T BE A TRASH MONKEY. LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS;
DON’T EXPECT A REALLY FAST INTERNET CONNECTION. It is intermittent, at best, so you’ve got to make do with what you get, ‘man;
TEMPER YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF THE ROADS IN SIARGAO, some are paved smooth but most are rough also;
Book and pay for your flight / resort accommodations / tours early and online. This is to avoid the stress of winging it as you go along.

WHERE WE STAYED IN SIARGAO

When going to Siargao, it is best to stay in GENERAL LUNA, where all the accommodations, places to eat, and where the action can be found.

We stayed at KAWILI BEACH RESORT because all the other accommodations that we scoured for were fully-booked already because of the long weekend holiday (Saturday October 30 to Monday November 1, 2021).

There are a lot of high-end, mid-end, budget accommodations at Siargao but we chose Kawili because of its proximity to restos and it being just walking distance to the beach, and also because we’ve already put down a 50% deposit before for their SURF SHACK.

Unfortunately, because of the two (2) lockdowns of the year 2021, we weren’t able to use SURF SHACK and our deposit was forfeited. The only accommodation available was for their DORM ROOM shared with 4 other people who also had bookings for those dates of our stay. So we took it.

View from Kawili’s quaint lounge, kitchen, billiards, pool area

DAY 1 NOVEMBER 1, 2021 MONDAY

After settling in at Kawili, we immediately contacted Rence, and he took us to the COCONUT TREES VIEW DECK, about 25 minutes away from General Luna:

About 2 minutes away was the MAASIN BRIDGE BENT COCONUT TREE & RIVER SWING in Brgy. Maasin:

A further 3 minutes away, we went to the NEW BRGY. MAASIN BRIDGE:

After taking in these sights, we went back and got to the famous CLOUD 9 Surfing Area:

The place was packed with surfer wannabes and selfie-seeking tourists, both foreign and local.

Time to get in some refreshments at SHAKA CAFE

while I was a bit more adventurous, trying out their Bom Dia, which has banana, mango, acai, muesli, pineapple, and berries. It was heavenly.

We returned back to our accommodations and planned to have dinner at KERMIT Restaurant.

Unfortunately, KERMIT Restaurant had a long waiting list that night and we were famished already, so we tried out the home-made pasta at LA CARINDERIA, and they did not disappoint.

We called up Rence to make arrangements for our pickup to do the Tri-Island Hopping the next day.

It was lights out for us 9:00 pm, as we were flat-out tired from the flight and sight-seeing.

DAY 2 NOVEMBER 2, 2021 TUESDAY

LUNARES CAFE

I accidentally discovered this cafe’ when I was walking along Tourism Road in General Luna, looking for a place where I could score a hot cup. I had coffee and freshly-made croissant at LUNARES CAFE, and I tell you, their croissant looks, smells so good, is hot, and is so delicious, that for the next few days, I got up from bed 6am sharp to head straight for LUNARES CAFE. You must try out their Croissant and Coffee Americano:

TRI-ISLAND HOPPING TOUR

Rence picked us up and took us for a 5-minute ride to the port of General Luna. After paying P100.00 Environmental fee, I rented out snorkeling equipment, and Rence introduced us to our boatmen, Bryan and Piloy.

And off we went.

First stop was the MARINE SANCTUARY, and here are some screen grabs from my GoPRO:

I was scared as hell as it has been a long time since I snorkeled hahaha but the corals were worth watching, really

NAKED ISLAND

DAKU ISLAND

The sand, sea, and surf here takes your breath away. The waters were so good, and of course I swam to my heart’s content out here.

DAKU ISLAND is famous for its boodle fight food setup,
but my daughter didn’t want it.
So why would I boodle alone? Not much of a fight if you ask me hahahahaha, so I settled for just a light longganisa breakfast

This one took me by surprise. Mango shake with Ice Cream. Need I say more?

GUYAM ISLAND

A small yet beautiful and oh so pristine island

Back at General Luna, where we had LATE LUNCH AT BRAVO RESTAURANT, after spending 6 hours on the islands

After lunch and after buying some souvenirs, we came across this (sorry, the gear head in me had to include this), a pristine-looking Toyota MR2. SWEET.

That night, we had dinner at ARKA HAYAHAY and I had about three bottles of beer to go with dinner

Hummus for me, Filipino food for my daughter

DAY 3 NOVEMBER 3, 2021 WEDNESDAY

Siargao seems to stir slowly awake as the sun rises

MAGPOPONGKO ROCK POOLS AND FLATS

It pays to start early.

After leaving my daughter to do her work-from-home thing, and after having coffee and croissant at CAFE LUNARES, Rence and I started our trip to MAGPOPONGKO ROCK POOLS and FLATS at 7:15am and arrived 8:11am, and I had the place all to myself:

Already had a dip but I can’t wait to try out this pool

Here are some screen grabs of what it’s like under the pools:

At around 10:15am, a lot of people were arriving and that was my cue to leave. I left at around 10:24am and arrived back at General Luna 11:15am, and had a late lunch at a place called CASHEY’s PLACE. and it was both instantly regrettable and forgettable. DO NOT EAT HERE.

Later that evening we had dinner at WHITE BANANA BEACH CLUB and the ambience, with its techno-trance music, was so chill and cool. The food was simply divine. You should eat here:

Craved for Hot Chocolate and dessert so we stopped by at Tom N Tom’s Coffee:

DAY 4 NOVEMBER 4 THURSDAY

I would walk down a sandy alley and emerge from it to this…

We rebooked our return flight to Manila for today Thursday Nov. 4, 2021.

Flight leaves @12:20 noon time. We contacted Arnel for an 11:00am pick-up.

Before preparing to leave, I had my by-now customary coffee/croissant fix at CAFE LUNARES, showered and freshened up after, and we made our way to LAS PALMAS Restaurant for brunch. You must eat here:

Filipino breakfast with freshly squeezed orange juice

WHY WE HAD TO CUT SHORT OUR TRIP FROM 6DAYS 5NIGHTS TO 4DAYS 3NIGHTS

There is a directive from Surigao Del Norte LGU that if you stay for more than 4 days in Siargao, before you can leave the island, you would have to undergo testing for C-19, and result should be negative. If the result is positive for the virus, then you can’t leave and you’d be quarantined for 7-14 more days. We knew this before going to Siargao.

What really rankled me was when we went to a local clinic (that I won’t name), no one can give us a definitive answer as to how many cases there are in the island as of the moment, and its staff’s seemed insistent that even if we just spent 4days there, we should be tested before leaving, saying something about us testing negative 4 days ago, October 30, 2021. Even KAWILI resort owner Robert said it was all about making money for the LGU. I’ll leave it at that.

Also, we’ve noticed that the internet connection seemed to go on and off all of a sudden.

Our plan was to go sightsee on Days 1-2, then my daughter will work-from-home on Day 3 Wednesday. then go on Leave Day 4 Thursday to continue sightseeing. But seeing that the internet connection is what it is, and the threat of us not being able to go back to Manila to our jobs, we decided it best to rebook our flight back scheduled for Saturday to Thursday November 4, 2021.

The end-result was I wasn’t able to go surfing, and we weren’t able to visit Sohoton Cove, Coconut Grove, Corregidor and Mam-on islands anymore.

But it doesn’t matter. We will come back for the things we were not able to do next year, as soon as we get Iloilo-Guimaras done hahahaha…

Siargao is an island of super-friendly locals. Siargao is so vibrant but at the same time so laid-back, so much so that it allows you to move forward living the island life at your own pace, and that is probably Siargao’s most alluring appeal, aside from the spectacular sights, surf, sand, and island beaches.

Oh before I forget, if you’re a group, you can actually hire an open party van blaring your own music whilst you go on an all-nighter around the island!

Siagao did not and will not disappoint!

This was a do-it-yourself trip for 2 persons, and I’m sure you guys can do better, so here’s a list of expenses that we incurred for a 4 days 3 nights stay:

Antigen Saliva Test (Oct. 30 Saturday)	3,123.00
Sashamae / Spike Allowance	1,000.00
GRAB ! To Domestic Airport	401.00
CEBUPAC AIR FARE	14,119.00
Taxi fare & BREAKFAST @McDONALD’s LAPU-LAPU, CEBU	650.00
Van from Sayak Airport to General Luna (P300 per pax)	600.00
Check-in to KAWILI BEACH RESORT	2,700.00
TRICY /LANDTOUR:	1,200.00
SHAKA CAFE Smoothies	490.00
DINNER @LA CARINDERIA	750.00
BREAKFAST @LUNARES CAFÉ	180.00
ISLAND HOPPING FEE	1,710.00
Tricycle to Port of General Luna	100.00
Paid environmental fee P50.00 per person	100.00
Tricy fare back to KAWILI	40.00
Late LUNCH @BRAVO	900.00
Tricy to and from Arka Hayahay	80.00
DINNER @ARKA HAYAHAY	725.00
BREAKFAST @LUNARES CAFÉ	180.00
Hired Tricycle to Magpupungko Rock pools	400.00
Entrance	70.00
Tricycle Parking	30.00
Guide Fee	100.00
LUNCH @CASHEY’s Place	550.00
GLOBE LOAD	200.00
DINNER @WHITE BANANA (plus tricy going P50 and back P50)	1,420.00
Dessert @TOM and TOM’s Coffee	260.00
Tricycle fare from White Banana/ back to Kawili	80.00
Coffee @LUNARES CAFÉ	180.00
Brunch @LAS PALMAS	920.00
Van Pick-up & Depart for Airport	600.00
Paid Environmental Fee @Sayak Airport	40.00
LUNCH @CEBU airport (The BREW ROOM)	564.00
Miscellaneous expenses incurred (water, beer, cigs, souvenirs, etc)	1,101.00
GRAB ! to residence in San Juan, Manila	476.00

TOTALS	36,039.00

Be kind to yourself and to others.

PANGLAO, BOHOL 4DAYS 3NIGHTS JUNE 26-29, 2021

I don’t know where to start, really.

It was really stressful just to get here.

We needed negative results for Covid-19 via Red Cross Saliva test (this had to be taken a good 72 hours before arrival at your destination), had to have a confirmed resort booking accommodations, roundtrip tickets, all of which are to be uploaded to the Panglao – LGU.

We had to make numerous calls to our hosts in Panglao to follow up on their LGU to issue an Acceptance Letter, as well as how to go about getting their QR Code.

All of these need to be done the day before the flight to Panglao.

We learned about my father in-law’s passing when we touched down at Panglao’s airport.

It was heartbreaking news…

We sought CebPac’s ground personnel to inquire how to re-book, as we had to cut short this trip of ours, and they were not much help. My daughter and I decided to figure it out for ourselves, although we were advised to return to CebPac office so that they can help us out.

We were in a daze, really. Sort of like in a gloom and in grief because my daughter was my father in-law’s favorite grandchild.

She was inconsolable on the first day.

We had to just sort of “wing” this trip to get our minds and hearts right, for the meantime…

DAY 1 SATURDAY JUNE 26, 2021

Our accommodation’s version of sizzling pork.

Our accommodations @Hayahay Resort.
It was very nice.
Airconditioned room (cold), ref with goodies, complimentary bottled water, shower with great water pressure and heater, bidet, towels, the works.

Light Dinner, Pasta Carbonara and fries.

I’ve seen a white moon rising from the horizon in Calatagan, Batangas but this one came up and it was a sight to behold,
as the moon was much larger and brighter than usual.
Spectacular sight, really.

DAY 2 SUNDAY JUNE 27, 2021

We literally had to drag ourselves off the beds (we just wanted to lay on our beds, each one deep in thought thinking about Tatay Greg), but we’ve made reservations for a land tour the day before so…

Our itinerary were as follows:

Site where the Blood Compact between Datu Sikatuna and Miguel Lopez de Legazpi took place

More than 400 years old Baclayon Church

Bilar Man-Made Mahogany Forest

Tarsier Wildlife Sanctuary and Buttefly Garden

Chocolate Hills

Bacon and Omelette Breakfast @Pyramid Restaurant
before we left.

Inside Baclayon Church.
This church is more than 400 years old.

Man-Made Mahogany Forest.
The trees are more than 60 years old, planted by students of Bohol,
and it was cold and airy underneath its canopy.

Entrance to the Tarsier Wildlife Sanctuary.

A scene straight out of
The Twilight Zone.

*Musang –* wild cat endemic to Mindanao.

The *Alamid –* a shy mammal endemic to Bohol.

Definitely the star of the Sanctuary, the Tarsier.
It’s so small and fragile, and is easily stressed out
that we literally had to talk in whispers when we were in its vicinity. The Boholanos are environmental heroes, as they have succeeded in breeding more than 100 Tarsiers in the Sanctuary alone, not an easy thing to do.

@Chocolate Hills.
After seeing the sights, we were feeling a little better.

It is 220 steps to get to the top view deck.

Late lunch @Henan Resort.
Their Nilagang Baka is superb.

I just lied down on Alona Beach’s powdery white sand
and soaked in the sun.

The sea was surprisingly serene and tranquil
during this *habagat* season.

Calm, cloudy, and grayish Panglao Sunset.

DAY 3 MONDAY JUNE 28, 2021

We were able to figure out via online re-booking how to get back to Manila and we decided to return to Manila on Tuesday June 29, 2021.

DAY 4 TUESDAY JUNE 29, 2021

WHERE TO EAT IN PANGLAO

Pyramid Restaurant is the way to go, affordable yet delicious.

Panglao in Bohol certainly gave us its magical moments.

She was, throughout our short stay, very peaceful, and people always had a ready smile for us.

However sad we may have been because of the passing of my father in-law was somewhat soothed by Bohol and Panglao’s nature, which is so beautiful and picturesque.

God bless you, Tatay Greg.

Thank you for touching our lives with your love and presence.

We love you and we will surely miss you.

For the DIYers, below is a summary of expenses that we incurred.

Be good to yourselves and to others.

	TIME	COST
JUNE 24, 2021 THURSDAY ANTIGEN TEST		4,000.00

JUNE 26, 2021 SATURDAY (DAY 1)
Prepare for trip
Sasha / Spike allowance, house cleaning		1,000.00
GRAB! to NAIA Domestic	630am-7:00am	500.00
Manila to Tagbilaran	11:00am-12:30nn	9,700.00	Rebooked
Transfer to accommodations	12:30nn-1:30pm	400.00
Check-in Hayahay Beach Resort		4,500.00
Restup
LUNCH @Hayahay Resto	2:00pm-2:30pm	745.00
Chill by the beach (merienda)
DINNER @COCO VIDA	7:00pm	730.00
JUNE 27, 2021 SUNDAY (DAY 2)
Wake-up call	6:00am
Breakfast @PYRAMID	7:00am	815.00
BOHOL COUNTRYSIDE TOUR		2,500.00	Rent car/driver
Blood Compact Shrine	9am-2pm	no entrance
Baclayon Church (no entrance)
Bilar Man-Made Mahogany Forest		no entrance
Phil. Tarsier and Wildlife Sanctuary	200.00	entrance fee
Butterfly Shrine
Chocolate Hills	100.00	entrance fee
Back to accomodations
LUNCH @HENAN	3pm	600.00	food
Chill @beach	4pm-6pm
DINNER @JASZ RestoBar	7:00pm	995.00
JUNE 28, 2021 MONDAY (DAY 3)
Wake up call	6:00am
Breakfast @JOLLIBEE	7:00am	286.00
LUNCH @LOST HORIZON (this was regrettable, don’t eat here)	12:00nn-1:00pm	365.00
DINNER @PYRAMID	7:00pm	710.00
JUNE 29, 2021 TUESDAY (DAY 4)
Prepare for trip back to Manila
Breakfast @PYRAMID	7:00-8:00pm	790.00
Travel to Airport	11:00am-11:20am	400.00
Check in
Flight to Manila	1:05pm-2:35pm

GRAB to San Juan	3:20pm-4:00pm	500.00
Miscellaneous expenses		1,246.00

		31,082.00