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.

LEGAZPI, ALBAY-GUBAT-MATNOG, SORSOGON 5DAYS 4NIGHTS JANUARY 21-25, 2022

WHY GO TO THE BICOL REGION?

I have a mechanic – friend, Romeo, who is from the Bicol region and he swears that the beaches there are some of the country’s best-kept secrets there is. He would often mention to me if I ever saw pink sand beaches, and he would say that I haven’t seen anything yet if I haven’t yet laid eyes on a pink beach. I would tease him that I would like to go to the Caramoan Islands in Camarines Province but he would tell me to just go to Mayon Volcano first then make my way to Sorsogon.

One day, out of the blue, my daughter messaged me that Legazpi, Albay accepts fully-vaccinated local tourists (which we are), that a Vaccination Certificate or Vaccination Card would suffice (which we both already have). Before planning for this trip, we already had our sights set on Iloilo-Guimaras but the pandemic requirements got in the way. Again.

So why not Bicol?

I WAS ON EDGE THE WHOLE TIME WE WERE IN LEGAZPI CITY

The underwater volcano eruption off the coast of the island nation of Tonga was still very fresh in my mind when we finished planning a 5days 4nights trip to Legazpi-Sorsogon in the Bicol region.

You see, Legazpi City in Albay is just spitting distance from where the Philippines’ most famous and active volcano resides, Mayon Volcano.

And all those satellite pictures and videos of that underwater volcano eruption, and the devastation it brought, only made me really feel so uneasy, actually, so fearful that Mayon Volcano may just as well erupt also.

Well, I guess you only live once…so what the heck, let’s go!

HOW TO GET TO LEGAZPI CITY, ALBAY

BY LAND TRAVEL / BUS / VAN (Commute)

If you are planning to commute from Manila to Legazpi City, taking the bus going to Legazpi City is the cheapest and most readily available option for you. DLTB offers Manila to Legazpi bus trips and vice-versa. Their airconditioned buses leave for Legazpi City from their Pasay City terminal 9:00 AM, 6:00 PM, and 9:30 PM.

Fare is at around P900+ one way, and travel time is a body-jarring 12-14 hours.

There are also private vans plying the Manila to Legazpi route leaving from Mall of Asia-Pasay. You can find this mode of transport in Facebook.

BY PLANE

There are regular CEBU PACIFIC (CebGo) flights to and from Manila and Legazpi City. The flight takes approximately an hour and ten minutes. You can score your round-trip flight from Manila to Legazpi, and vice-versa in their website. Travel time is one (1) hour to one (1) hour and twenty (20) minutes, even less so.

HOW WE GOT THERE

We booked a round-trip flight to Legazpi and back to Manila with an 8:00am-9:30am departure, and arrived at Legazpi thirty (30) minutes early.

ALBAY LGU TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

At the time of our trip, Albay accepts fully-vaccinated local tourists.

Upon departure from Manila domestic airport , you have to show either your Vaccination Card / Vaccination Certificate and Boarding Pass.

Sidebar: the amount of red tape the government thinks of is, well, very off-putting if you ask me…I mean, why not issue a Vaccination Card with a QR Code already so it can’t be faked?! Why do you need to make people get a Vaccination Certificate when you already have a Vaccination Card, eh?

Upon arrival at Bicol International Airport, they would ask for the VaxCard/VaxCert again, as well as require you to open the TRAZE app on your phone.

HOW TO GET AROUND LEGAZPI CITY, ALBAY

From the airport, you need to pay an airport shuttle service fee of P220.00 per person to get to SM Legazpi.

Once we got to SM Legazpi City, we befriended a local, of course.

Rustom, or “Tom” plies a tricycle at the transpo terminal in SM Legazpi, and we negotiated for him to tour us around Legazpi City’s famous landmarks.

DAY 1 JANUARY 21, 2022 FRIDAY LEGAZPI CITY, ALBAY LAND TOUR, 9:30AM onwards:

DARAGA CHURCH

The Bicolanos are a very hardy and religious people. I would be, you know, religious, too, knowing I’m residing and going about every day life less than 10 kilometers from an active volcano. Daraga Church goes way back to the 1700s. This magnificently designed church was built in 1773 by Franciscan missionaries at the time when Daraga was a part of Cagsawa. This church doesn’t just serve as a place for worship but also serves as a shelter whenever there are Mayon Volcano eruptions.

*Mayon Volcano (right side of the image) partly covered in clouds*

*Even if she’s partially covered in clouds, Mayon Volcano is an imposing presence*

CAGSAWA RUINS

This is probably the most photographed and most famous of all Bicol landmarks, the Cagsawa Ruins. The Cagsawa Ruins (historically spelt as Cagsaua) are all of what remains of a 16th-century church of the Franciscan order, the Cagsawa church. It was said to have been built in the town of Cagsawa in 1587 but was later destroyed by Dutch pirates in 1636. It was, on record, rebuilt in 1724 by Fr. Francisco Blanco, but was destroyed again, along with almost the entire town of Cagsawa, on February 1, 1814, during the eruption of Mayon Volcano.

It has been said that more than 2,000 people died that day.

*Mayon Volcano is ever-present, slowly coming out of the clouds…there are also souvenir shops here where I bought a shirt and “sili” keychains*

*There was a cool breeze in the air but the ground @Cagsawa was, well, warm…Mayon Volcano is scary, really…*

SUMLANG LAKE

Sumlang Lake is another attraction that’s a popular place for weddings, pre-nuptial shoots, birthdays, events like concerts, product launches, etc.

But it wasn’t always as pretty as it is now.

The lake was once filled with filthy waters and overrun by water lilies. It was like that for decades, never holding a candle when it came to competing with Mayon for attention. It was completely ignored for years. Then , in 2014, a “bayanihan” was held, sorta like a SAVE SUMLANG LAKE thingy, and the residents decided to clean and clear the lake of debris. I believe it has been profitable ever since. You can now go kayaking, eat in a balsa in the middle of the lake, there’s a Socorro’s restaurant for food-lovers, and take in a Mayon Volcano view up close and personal.

*Mayon Volcano’s reflection in Lake Sumlang makes for a pretty picture*

*Lake Sumlang is a pretty laid-back and relaxing place*

*Nothing like sipping a frappuchino @Socorro’s while waiting for Mayon Volcano to show herself*

EMBARCADERO DE LEGAZPI

Embarcadero de Legazpi is actually a mall. We had lunch here @Grill Station consisting of Pansit , Barbecue, and rice. Embarcadero de Legazpi is situated along a popular night haven called Legazpi Boulevard.

It was here that Mayon Volcano decided to give us a peek:

Only one word came to my mind when I saw all of her for the first time:
Majestic

Mayon Volcano is a highly active volcano with recorded eruptions dating back to 1616. The most recent eruption happened in early January 2018, and with it came phreatic explosions, steam-and ash plumes, lava fountaining, and pyroclastic flows.

Today (as of this writing, at least) she sleeps, hopefully, peacefully, for a long time.

WHERE WE STAYED IN LEGAZPI CITY, ALBAY

After the late lunch, we were a bit tired and we decided to head to our one (1) day accommodation, a resort that’s bordered on my left (this was when I was lying down on a duyan) by Mayon Volcano, and to my right, after a 20-second walk, the sea: VIENTO DE MAR BEACH RESORT in Bacacay, Albay.

Our room accommodation was spartan and simple, as we were only staying for a night. Check the place out:

*Black volcanic sand beach of Bacacay, Albay*

Dinner that night consisted of Fried Chicken, Tocino, Rice, BBq, Tropicana orange juice.

It was lights out for us by 8:00pm.

DAY 2 JANUARY 22, 2022 SATURDAY

I woke up early, and had coffee (3 in 1) at the resort’s store. Tom arrived 7:00am to pick us up and take us back to SM Legazpi City Terminal where we boarded a UV-Express van to take us to Sorsogon City.

Those UV-Express van drivers bound for Sorsogon drive like maniacs, often exceeding 90-100kph whenever the road’s wide open.

Anyway, by some miracle, we made it to Sorsogon City alive after that harrowing van ride. The van driver hooked us up with another tricycle driver to give us a tour of Gubat, Sorsogon tourist spots, and after negotiations, we rode to our first stop:

SAINT ANTHONY OF PADUA PARISH CHURCH

The first Gubat, Sorsogon parish church was said to have been built in Cogon. Gubat became a parish separate from that of Bulusan very much later. In 1777 the parish of Gubat was finally separated from Bulusan and Fray Geronimo Cabello, a Franciscan missionary, was assigned as the first parish priest. It was said that it was also the Franciscans who translated the bible and mass from Latin and Spanish into local Bicol language.

Fr. Cabello constructed a church of bamboo and nipa in Cacogonan, (now Barrio Cogon), but this was destroyed by typhoons. He constructed another church of lime and stone which he dedicated in honor of another Franciscan missionary of world renown – Saint Anthony of Padua – most probably in commemoration of one June 13 morning in Year 1731 when the first missionaries first set foot on Gubat.

During the earthquake which preceded the disastrous eruption of Mayon Volcano in 1814, the new church crumbled. Its reconstruction was led by Father Eulalio Prudencio who opted to transfer it to the site of the Pueblo, in a place called Pinontingan. But because the place was quite swampy, Father Prudencio chose to build a church, also of lime and stone, on the outskirts of Pinontingan, where it still stands to welcome all worshippers to its fold.

ST. JOSEPH’S PARISH and BARCELONA RUINS PARK

In the early 1800’s, the Spaniards arrived, staked and claimed, or more popularly known as colonizing, an entire community in Sorsogon, which they later named “Barcelona”, in honor of then capital town of Spain which is Cataluna. They later constructed St. Joseph’s Church, now popularly known as Barcelona Church, which is just across the Barcelona Ruins Park.

We were supposed to make our way to Bulusan Lake but unfortunately the road leading to the lake was closed. We decided to ride out the road at the side of the mountains to our accommodations for the next three (3) days:

SUKI BEACH RESORT and LODGING, Suki Beach, Sta. Magdalena, Sorsogon

*The pink sands of Suki Beach is caused by crushed red corals swept by the sea onto the shores.*

We ordered a late lunch of Chicken Teriyaki and Sinigang na Baboy (we were famished) and rice. Took a quick dip in the resort’s pool. For dinner, we partook of Chicken Adobo and Rice.

We were lights out by 8:00pm.

DAY 3 JANUARY 23, 2022 SUNDAY

MATNOG ISLAND HOP to CALINTAAN ISLAND, JUAG FISH SANCTUARY

The day before, we befriended Charlie, brother of resort staff Josie, and negotiated for him to bring us to the port town of Matnog, Sorsogon, jump-off point to Calintaan Island. It certainly was a beautiful day to head out to:

SUBIC BEACH, CALINTAAN ISLAND

*Can’t help but feel amazed* *by nature*

After about 2 hours we set off to JUAG LAGOON FISH SANCTUARY. It is privately owned and maintained. Despite being such, the owners decided to open it up to educate the public. The sanctuary prides itself with a wide variety of marine life including lobsters, coral fishes, giant clams, grouper, sea turtles and many others. Each enclosure holds different aquatic creatures.

*It literally is a lagoon smack in the middle of a small islet*

*There were literally hundreds of fish, and all seemed to be used to the presence of man.*

*In fact, they seem to flock towards us, and they seem to know we come bearing “feeds”.*

*Once you throw the feeds into the water, it is a feeding frenzy.*

We were forced to return to Matnog Port Terminal because we didn’t want to risk crossing San Bernardino Strait to get to Tikling Island, which is still a good 30-45 minutes away according to our boatmen. So we headed back to have a (very) late brunch at Bistro De Bantigui, a very quaint cafe like place:

Charlie picked us up and we headed back to Suki Beach Resort and Lodge, where we cleaned-up and slept the afternoon off.

Our dinner consisted of a repeat performance of the resort’s Adobong Manok because it was so good!

Lights out by 9:00pm for us.

DAY 4 JANUARY 24, 2022 MONDAY

WFH for my daughter, CHILL OUT DAY for me

*to just to listen to the sounds of the wind, and the waves*

*there’s something about deserted beaches in the mornings….not a soul in sight…*

After a breakfast of rice, longganiza, and eggs, I took a dip at the resort’s pool for about an hour:

*Their pool was looking really good to swim in. I’m gonna have fun here 🙂*

*Did about 10 laps at the big pool then rested here*

It was 11:00am when I got out of the pool, ordered Pansit Guisado, and dug in:

I slept in the afternoon for a bit while my daughter tried out the jacuzzi again, and it was her turn to use and have the pool all to herself. Dinner that night was simply Fried Chicken and rice.

We were lights out by 9:00pm.

DAY 5 JANUARY 25, 2022 TUESDAY

We had an early checkout time, 6:00am to be exact, as we had to return to Legazpi City to catch our 2pm flight back to Manila. Sta. Magdalena is a good 2 1/2 hours away from Legazpi City, so its best to be early.

Charlie took us to Brgy. Trese crossing, arriving at around 7:15am. It was there where we were able to hail a van ride straight to Legazpi City. We arrived at SM Legazpi City at around close to 10:00am. We took a tricycle to Ayala Mall, where we had brunch at BIGGS:

*This place has a view of the volcano but unfortunately that morning, Mayon was very shy*

*BIGGS platter for me: chicken, spaghetti, barbecue, garlic bread, pineapple juice*

*carbonara, pizza slice, and chicken for my daughter*

My daughter rested for a bit @BIGGS while I scoured the mall for and scored 4 pouches of Salted, and Crispy Pili Nuts (gotta have these).

Took a cab to the airport by 11:45am, and checked in. Our flight left early and we arrived in Manila 30 minutes earlier than expected.

Our trip tp Albay-Sorsogon was not without its challenges, so its best to remember the following:

The places you want to see may be quite the distance from each other, so its best to plan ahead on how to get there, i.e. research on mode of transport to take, where to alight, etc. etc.;
Befriend the locals. Bicol folk are generous and kind, and it’s best to be that way towards them, too. Be respectful.
The beaches we visited were very clean. Let’s help keep it that way.
Summer months are the best time to visit but the heat could get really stifling, so always hydrate.
SMART is the dominant telco network in Sorsogon. The other networks have intermittent signals.

The Bicol region definitely has a lot more to offer.

I just wish that we had a lot more time to spend in the provinces of Bicol.

It would be epic to start from Albay, make your way to Matnog, then to the Caramoan Islands in Camarines Sur, all the while sampling local dishes such as Pinangat, Bicol Express, Sili Ice Cream, stay and chat up a storm with the locals, even have a drink or two with them, while you make your way to wherever in Bicol your feet would take you.

One day maybe I’ll come back and be able to do just that.

These contacts may also prove to be useful to our co-DIYers:

Charlie (Sta. Magdalena) 09702374644
Eddie Evasco (Boat Rental in Matnog) 09261404577
Suki Beach Resort & Lodging in Sta. Magdalena, Sorsogon 09614309091
Rustom (Tricy Driver in SM Legazpi) 09306254158

In the meantime, for your reference fellow DIYers, here’s a list of all the expenses we incurred for our 5days 4nights Albay-Sorsogon trip:

Cheers!!!

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

Dinadiawan 3Days 2Nights August 24-26, 2019

So there was this upcoming long weekend coinciding with the birthday of my daughter and she decided to spend it somewhere less crowded and less polluted. We’ve been reading rave reviews about a place 5-6 hrs from Manila just about 45minutes from Baler. A place called Dinadiawan in Dipaculao, Aurora to be exact. It didn’t hurt that the reviews said that for less than P10k, you can have beachfront accomodation, seafood, and peace and quiet.

But what really had me worried about this trip was the weather, as a typhoon just passed by Casiguran (well, technically it was 800 kms. off the coast of Casiguran but it did bring rains). We decided to go for it.

Before setting out, we booked a non-ACU small hut / wooden house for P1k a night @Pacific Villa and Ms Evita (owner of the place) was very helpful with our text inquiries. She told us that we needed to do marketing of food for our 2-day stay, and we could rent cooking (LPG and small stove included)/ eating utensils for P500 for the whole duration of our stay.

HOW WE GOT THERE

First off, we tried to book a bus to Baler by being chance passengers via Genesis Bus Line in Cubao but those in – charge were not very helpful. They could’nt even tell us with certainty if we could get on a bus to Baler @11pm that August 23 Friday night! They didn’t even list our names down as chance passengers! Someone offered us a van ride all the way to Baler for P600 (which we thought was a good deal) but we thought it kinda sketchy as we were told that we’d wait for another group of 10 to arrive at around 10pm.

So we decided to inquire at ES Transit just beside Genesis if they had buses that go directly to Baler. We were advised by their very friendly personnel to take the 3-hr Cabanatuan route, then take either a van or another AC bus to Casiguran, which we were assured, was aplenty once we get to Cabanatuan.

Needless to say, we took this route. Fare to Cabanatuan was P220 each (the bus was nice and clean and had chargers for CPs and it was less than 3hrs because of less traffic) and true enough when we got there, ACU vans to Casiguran were waiting. Fare was P300 each and the trip was about 2-3 hrs tops. We left Manila via ES Transit at around 8:30 pm, boarded a van to Casiguran by 11:30 pm and arrived at Pacific Villa close to 4:00 am in the morning of August 24, 2019. It was a long and lonely trip from Cabanatuan to Casiguran simply because it was dark and raining a bit. But we got there pretty much safe and sound.

PACIFIC VILLA

We knocked at the caretaker’s house and caretaker Jojo welcomed us (we actually woke him up but he was kind enough to lead us to our accomodation and set it up). Jojo stated that he’ll be providing us with our cooking/eating utensils at about 8:00 am, and that if we wanted to, we could just ask him to take us to the marketplace via his tricycle and we could store what we bought at their refrigerators.

My daughter and I took to the beds (clean sheets and cold weather) and had about 3 hrs of much-needed shut-eye after a long trip.

Little did we know that Dinadiawan was going to show off its beautiful sunrise that morning.

Simple accommodations / give me a hammock-by- the- sea anytime and I’m good

DAY 1 SUNRISE

mid-morning view after taking a dip in the sea and walking barefoot in her white sand

Rock-strewn shores made by the sea. By early afternoon, these rocks disappear back into the ocean, literally lapped back by the sea a few meters from the shore.

Couldn’t pass up the chance to make a wish

We were the only ones there, and we had it to ourselves that morning.

LUNCH

So like Jojo said, I asked him to take me to the marketplace and I was amazed how affordable seafood was. I bought hipon for about P120.00 only, liempo for P70.00, chicken for about P80 and ingredients for sinigang / adobo (for dinner).

Seasoned with salt and pepper, nothing too fancy

DINNER

I prepped a can’t-go-wrong chicken pork adobo for a 6pm dinner

DUSK @DINADIAWAN, AURORA

Looking at the sea before it disappears into the night

No Tiger beer here just same old reliable SMB Light for my nightcap

DAY2 SUNRISE

Mornings in the beach are simply magical

We swam in Dinadiawan’s waters in the morning and she swept me around hahaha ‘man, her waters are rough at this time of the year but refreshing still, really.

Success again! This time it;s pork sinigang hahahaha

DAY 3

How small we are in the grand scheme of things

Dinadiawan in Dipaculao, Aurora might not appeal to those who seek more glamorous vacation spots but Dinadiawan is a nature lover’s dream destination. As the pics show, it exudes a quiet and peaceful vibe, away from the stresses of living in the city and engaging in the proverbial everyday rat-race.

Fresh sea breeze, calm morning waters great for swimming, white sand at your feet, just listen to the waves crash the shore, and be amazed at how the light and colors change from the break of dawn to the rising of the sun.

It is simply a spectacular sight to behold. It’s like watching the Creator paint the sky, and you’ve got a front row seat to it.

I will come back to you one day.

You’ve left me wanting for so much more, and for that alone, I miss you already.

As usual, for DIYers, below is a summary of expenses for two (2) people. Till next time.


AUGUST 23, 2019 FRIDAY	COST

Sashamae/Spikymae allowance (our dogs!!!)	500.00
Grab! San Juan to Cubao (Genesis Bus Terminal)	150.00
Dinner	300.00
Cubao to Cabanatuan (P220 each)	440.00
Cabanatuan to Dinadiawan (P300 each)	600.00

DAY1 AUGUST 24, 2019 SATURDAY
Check in @ Pacific Villa	2,000.00
(2 DAYS for 2 PAX)
Beach Bumming
Lunch	500.00
Beach Bumming
Dinner	500.00
DAY2 AUGUST 25, 2019 SUNDAY
Breakfast	100.00
Lunch	500.00
Dinner	350.00

DAY3 AUGUST 26, 2019 MONDAY

Checkout from Pacific Villa
Dinadiawan to Baler (via Jojo’s tricy)	600.00
Harvest Peanut Butter / other souvenirs	450.00
Lunch @Chowking Baler	500.00
Baler to Cubao (Van)	1,200.00
Dinner	500.00
Grab! Cubao to San Juan	300.00

	9,490.00

MARINDUQUE, HEART OF THE PHILIPPINES, 4DAYS 3NIGHTS ITINERARY APRIL 16-20,2019

” I once embarked on a journey. I was alone, searching for stories I’ve never witnessed, collecting as many moments as I could.” – Cholo Laurel, filmaker, writer.

When one hears of Marinduque, the Moriones Festival comes to mind. We’ve often heard of it, yet, as the above quote states, we’ve never witnessed nor experienced it. But Marinduque has more to offer, and such was the motivation behind this sojourn to the island dubbed as the heart of the Philippines.

From the moment we disembarked till the time we had to return to the city, Marinduque certainly gave us its moments. It evoked thoughts of finding and keeping one’s faith, wonder at the beauty of nature, bemuse at the colors exploding around you, silently remember those who have come and gone, be amazed at getting to know the people of the place, to discover the place itself for the first time, and to simply just let Marinduque take you to where it wants you to be.

HOW TO GET THERE

Before the Holy Week even arrives, BOOK YOUR TRANSPORT AND ACCOMMODATIONS AHEAD OF TIME AND VIA ONLINE.

Communicate with your planned place to stay and be very clear as to the duration of your stay. Do not take a chance that you can get accommodations during the Holy Week. You might as well sleep on the road as there are local and foreign tourists who flock to Marinduque during the Holy Week.

We opted to go by land & sea.

BY LAND & SEA

We booked JAC Liner via Biyaheroes (they are legit) for the routes Kamias, Cubao, QC – Sta. Cruz, Marinduque departure date and time April 16, 2019 4:00 pm, and Sta. Cruz, Marinduque – Kamias, Cubao, QC, departure date and time April 20, 2019 2:00 pm. All terminal fees paid to Montenegro Lines are taken cared of and are inclusive in your payments. The trip is about 10-12 hrs., so stock up on water and snacks.

VIA CEBU PACIFIC

There is another option and that is by air via Cebu Pacific. The plane lands in Gasan, Marinduque, and land transportation (jeepneys / vans) abound just beyond the gates of the airport.

HOW TO GET AROUND and ABOUT IN MARINDUQUE

You can bring your vehicle via the Montenegro or Starhorse Roro at Dalahican port (passenger fare plus cargo fare / vehicle matrix). If you’re going to do this, bring a Utility Vehicle, as the roads tend to be rugged and steep at some points. A pick-up truck would be perfect.

You can hire tricycles for land tours to sightseeing spots, or rent scooters. The sightseeing spots are quite a ways-off from one another, so a means of getting around is necessary. For P2,000.00, we scored this comfortable enough and souped-up ride for our ’round Marinduque land tour.

There are also a lot of jeepneys to get you from one point to the other, but best to get an early start if you’re gonna take this option, as the jeepneys tend to wait until the vehicle is filled with passengers.

Tricycle fare in Sta. Cruz, going to and fro from your place of stay, to, say, the town plaza or restaurant, is P12.00-P14.00 per person.

REGRETS BUT MAYBE NEXT TIME

We weren’t able to chase waterfalls’ Kawa-Kawa, Busay, Paadjao Falls, visit caves, and trek up to Luzon Datum anymore, as we were pressed for time, but you may want to include this in your itinerary.

So without further ado, here are some pics of our stay in Sta. Cruz, Marinduque.

All photos posted are without any filter / filters whatsoever.

Enjoy.

WEDNESDAY APRIL 17, 2019 CHECK-IN and LAND TOUR

VILLA ‘D ARCO.
It’s not flashy but the ACU room was great. Clean CR. Comfy beds.
Unfortunately, because I did not reiterate clearly to the owner that we’d be staying for 4 days, we could only stay overnight at this place. The owner, Melqui, however, set us up at another place.

You know you’re in Sta. Cruz, Marinduque, when you see this enormous statue of a Morion. The people of Marinduque, during Holy Week, celebrate the Moriones Festival based on the story of Longinus.
It is said that it was Longinus, blind in one eye, who stabbed Christ’s side with a spear when He was upright and nailed to the cross. When the blood of Jesus fell on his face, his sight was miraculously restored. A converted believer, Longinus started preaching the teachings of Jesus Christ, and the Romans did not take kindly to that. Longinus was hunted down, and eventually captured.
Legend has it that Longinus was asked to retract everything he said to those who listened to him, to which he declined, and thus was put to death by beheading.

Our ride arrived and our first stop was the Balanacan View Deck in Mompog.

It is said that upon arriving in Marinduque, one has to give thanks and a prayer to
Our Lady of Peace and Safe Voyage
located at the Balanacan port.

Old houses, called heritage houses, abound in Boac.

Eight of these old houses burned last 2015.

The townsfolk of Boac are very proud of their old houses.

It’s like being in Vigan, only less grander and much simpler.

The people of Marinduque are so nice, warm, and friendly, always asking if they could help.

When you’re in Boac, you must eat here @Kusina sa Plaza.

After lunch, I chatted it up with some locals and took a selfie with them. Like I said, they’re really nice people.

Photography works of Cholo Laurel was on display.

We looked for and dropped by at Boac’s 10 y.o. Cafe.

TORRIJOS FREEDOM PARK by-the-sea.

Marinduque State College Sunflower Farm @Torrijos.

In the middle of it all.
It’s not as grand as Quezon’s Sunflower fields but it is uplifting, nonetheless.

Sunset @Poctoy White Beach with Mt. Malindig in the background.

Plenty of shops here, drinks, food, tents. cottages, accommodations, and resorts

I had a great swim here. The waters were cool.

HOLY THURSDAY APRIL 18, 2019 ISLAND HOPPING

Fortune favors the brave.
In this case, it was still really dark when we were about to go to Palad Sandbar, the 1st stop in our island hopping.
We were delayed a bit because someone asked us to accommodate a family of four who also wanted to go island-hopping. We obliged, as this would bring our cost down from P2,150.00 for 2 persons to go on an island hop of 3 destinations, to P1,160.00.

At first the sun seemed to play a game of hide and seek.

Nature is beautiful. She permitted me to capture this shot of her.

Unfortunately, what nature giveth, nature can take away. When we arrived at the Palad Sandbar, she’s already disappeared under about a half-foot of water. In the middle of nowhere, there’s this crush of people standing on the sand bar, putting immense pressure on her. Hope the sand bar does not buckle under the weight.

I did alight from the boat to take a couple of photos

And I thought we were the only ones going to be here because we set out early…

From Palad Sandbar we proceeded to Mompog Island to see the Ungab Rock Formations brought about by millions of years of erosion.

Being in Maniwaya island gives you this vibe that you’ve been here before or wish you had.
Its beautiful here.
It’s like seeing a friend whom you haven’t seen for ages.

There’s a resort here named Wawie’s Beach that has great accommodations.

Great cool and clear waters and I swam for almost 2 hours here under the scorching sun
but underneath the waters, it was exhilirating!
I’ll just let the pictures do the talking now.

Remember when I mentioned that we had to check out of Villa D Arco the day after we arrived?
Well, this is what Sir Melqui, and Ms. Karen, Villa D Arco owners,
scored for us as ACU rooms accommodations for our next 2 days @P1500 / day.
Thanks also to the owner of the place, Ms. Beth Fidelino.

I’m not complaining. It’s a sweet deal.
We had late lunch.
Maniwaya Island restos’ were fully loaded that day,
then we slept from 2pm until 8pm in the evening.

Later that evening we visited this place called Rico’s Inn and Restaurant and had pansit / kare-kare for dinner.

GOOD FRIDAY APRIL 19, 2019

This old house beside the church used to be a convent.

When in Sta. Cruz, this is where you should eat.

Although choices are somewhat limited, the taste is alright. Go for their pasta/noodles/sandwiches, but not the pizza, as the crust needs improvement.

Before the procession started,people jostled for positions where they could join the procession.
Almost all those who would join the procession were barefoot and in their Sunday best, so to speak.
Locals say most of those who participate are from Sta. Cruz, who arrive from other parts of the country together with their loved ones, part of a yearly atonement (panata).
Some join because they believe it brings them luck.
Others take part for the first time and once experienced, the locals say they keep coming back.
Scenes like this are happening simultaneously all over Marinduque.
Here in Sta. Cruz, from this vantage point of mine, it took close to an hour before
all the people were able to join the procession.
There must have been more than 5,000 people in the Prosesyon de Santo Entierro.

I ordered chicken, fries, and bread later that evening while my daughter had lechon kawali.

BLACK SATURDAY APRIL 20, 2019

We had lunch at Roby’s again. This time I ordered Lomi while my daughter had pansit.

Had to bulk up as the land and sea trip back home is about 10-12 hrs.

Before we headed out to sea, Marinduque gave us another of her stunning moments. No filter.

What I will remember about Marinduque, aside from its stunning beaches and spectacular sceneries, is the warmth and friendliness of its people.

Our host for the last two days, Ms. Beth, a native of Marinduque (from Mompog), always has a ready smile for us, and is always asking if we are doing fine. Ditto with Ms. Karen de Luna of Villa D Arco. Even passerbys, if they notice that we’re somewhat at a loss as to where to go, always seem to be ready to help. Our land tour guide, Jeh, is always there for us. Even their native tongue seems pleasing to the ear.

Marinduque certainly has its moments, moments that are worth remembering.

Of course, I did not forget my co-DIYers. Below is our actual 4 days 3 nights itinerary together with expenses incurred for two (2) people.

Be good to one another.

Happy Easter to all !!!

DAY 0 APRIL 16, 2019 TUESDAY	COST
Sashamae / Spike Allowance (our dogs hehe)	500.00
Taxi to JAC Liner Kamias	273.00
JAC Liner to Gasan, Mdque from Manila / Biyaheroes	2,181.00
Late Lunch / miscellaneous expenses	645.00
Arrive at Lucena / Dalahican Port / Dinner @stopover	150.00
DAY 1 APRIL 17, 2019 WEDNESDAY
Dalahican Port to Balanacan Port, Mogpog, Marinduque
Arrive at Balanacan Port
JAC Liner to Sta. Cruz
Check in @ accomodations (Villa D’ Arco)
Advance BDO Bank payment for Villa	1,500.00
Early checkin /breakfast	600.00
Preparation for Land tour (Miscellaneous expenses)	150.00
LAND TOUR via Tricycle c/o Villa D’ Arco	2,200.00
1. BALANACAN VIEW DECK
2. OUR LADY OF PEACE & SAFE VOYAGE	50.00 Entrance
3. BOAC CATHEDRAL
4. BOAC MUSEUM
5. BOAC HERITAGE HOUSES
6. LUNCH @Kusina sa Plaza	560.00
7. Coffee @ 10 y.o. Cafe	185.00
8. SUNFLOWER FARM @MSC
9. TORRIJOS FREEDOM PARK
10. POCTOY WHITE BEACH
Return to Villa D’ Arco
Dinner @Rico’s Inn, Free Time	373.00
Lights Off
DAY 2 APRIL 18, 2019 HOLY THURSDAY
Wake up Call
From Villa D’ Arco to Buyabod Port (tricy /misc)	423.00
Boat rental c/o Villa d’ Arco for Island Hopping	1,160.00
Depart Buyabod Port to:
11. PALAD SANDBAR
Swimming, Photo-ops
12. MOMPONG ISLAND / Ungab Rock Formation
Swimming, Photo-ops
13. MANIWAYA ISLAND
Wawie’s Beach Resort / , halohalo / others	100.00
Photo ops / swimming
Boat ride: return to Buyabod Port
Tricy back to Villa D’ Arco
Checkout from Villa D Arco / transfer to Fidelino residence	3,000.00 (2 nights)
Dinner @R. Centro	273.00
Lights Off
DAY 3 APRIL 19, 2019 GOOD FRIDAY
Wake up Call
Lunch @Roby’s / Miscellaneous	560.00
14. Explore STA CRUZ CHURCH
15. PROSESYON DE SANTO ENTIERRO
Dinner @Rico’s Inn	540.00
Lights out
DAY 4 APRIL 20, 2019 SATURDAY
Wake up Call
Checkout from Fidelino residence
Prepare for return to Manila
LUNCH @Roby;s	500.00
Depart for Plaza Sta Cruz / JAC Terminal	48.00
Arrive at JAC Terminal
Check in @JAC Liner
Depart to Lucena/Dalahican Port via Biyaheroes	2,258.00
ETA Lucena/Dalahican Port
Dinner /Miscellaneous	500.00
Travel time to Manila (3hrs)
ETA Manila
Dinner	500.00
TOTAL	19,279.00

ZAMBALES 3DAYS 2NIGHTS ITINERARY FEBRUARY 23-25, 2019

When Mt. Pinatubo erupted decades ago, what was shown to us was the devastation it brought. Many years after the said tragedy, Pinatubo has brought forth a miracle in nearby Zambales. The ash fall from the eruption has transformed what were once barren terrain and rock strewn shores into agoho tree laden mountain trails and beach havens. So much so that whispers of paradise-like coves abounded, and that slowly but surely these coves were being transformed into camping sites and trek trails and what have you.

This year we decided to check this out on our own.

Zambales is really beautiful. Who knew that a place like this existed a mere 3 hours away from Manila? We had a short but sweet stay. And while we were there on our first day, an earthquake struck :-D, it literally felt like it was “passing through” but it shook! In spite of this, after 2 days, we wanted to stay longer but….gotta do what you gotta do….

We just chilled around on our first day, and we visited the coves like Nagsasa and Talisayin Coves on our second day.

On the 3rd day, we made our way to Anawangin Cove, Capones-Camara islands and it was a really great sightseeing and beach experience.

And the sunsets at Pundaquit Beach are really postcard-worthy 🙂

Time to let the pictures do the talking:

February 23, 2019. After checking in @Wild Rose Beach Inn, we decided to check out Pundaquit Beach. Pundaquit Beach is the jump-off point if you want to explore the coves.

So much so that Capones and Camara Islands beckon on the horizon.

Ohana Art Cafe is where we had meyenda after having lunch @Cafe Pundaquit @another resort, Canoe Beach Resort.

That evening, we made our way to Double Suds restaurant frequented by tourists.

Chicken

February 24, 2019 With the help of Mam Tess of Wild Rose Inn, we scored a boat and skimmed over the waters for close to 45 minutes and landed here, Nagsasa Cove

After staying at Nagsasa for about 2 hours, we made our way to Talisayin Cove.

After travelling to the coves, we went back to Pundaquit and I had to have my coffee again.

This time, after lunch, I had to have this dessert.

On our 3rd and last day. refreshments, and breakfast before heading out to Anawangin Cove.

Anawangin Cove is **the** most commercialized amongst the coves in Zambales. There’s a tent city here, literally, hundreds of them.

Sheer rock walls
Beautiful shores with crushed corals as its sand

We made our way to Capones Island, a desolate place but a great place to swim nonetheless, and a lot of IG-worthy scenery.

While Camara Island is a bit calmer, and Zambales in front of her.

Before journeying home, we passed by Casa San Miguel in San Antonio, a school for music and arts for children and teens.

Casa San Miguel in San Antonio, Zambales.

Its own rooftop view. Don’t forget to pass by here and avail of the tour.

So there you have it, our 3days 2nights stay at Zambales. As always, below is an actual itinerary and expenses incurred for two (2) people.

But before anything else, let me tell you that Pundaquit Beach sunsets are amazingggggg!!!! and no two are ever alike !!!

Like a ball of fire falling slowly from the skies, Pundaquit sunsets are a show of its own.

Sunsets are a reminder that even if you had a bad day, the day always ends beautifully.

Stay good everyone.

FEBRUARY 23, 2019 SATURDAY DAY 1	COST
Sashamae / Spike Allowance ( we now have 2 dogs!!!)	300.00
Grab! to Cubao Victory Liner	176.00
Bus fare to Olongapo	570.00
Van to San Antonio	500.00
Arrive @San Antonio Municipal Hall
Tricycle to Pundaquit	60.00
Check-in to Wild Rose Beach Inn	2,400.00
Early Lunch @CAFE PUNDAKIT	555.00
Rest up
Coffee / Merienda @OHANA ART CAFÉ	329.00
Sunset Watchng @Pundaquit Beach
Miscellaneous Expense	120.00
DINNER @Double Suds	555.00
FEBRUARY 24 2019 SUNDAY DAY2
ISLAND HOP Boat rental	2,500.00
Depart for Nagsasa-Talisayin
Arrive at Nagsasa Cove
Breakfast @Nagsasa Cove	50.00
Picture taking @Nagsasa bluff (pay entrance)	40.00
Swimming @Nagsasa Cove
Depart for Talisayin Cove
Swimming @Talisayin Cove
Return to Pundaquit accomodations
Merienda @OHANA ART CAFÉ	437.00
Sunset Watching @Pundaquit Beach
Miscellaneous Expenses	150.00
DINNER @Cafe Pundakit	555.00
FEBRUARY 25 2019 MONDAY DAY3
BREAKFAST	240.00
ISLAND HOPPING Boat rental	1,500.00
Arrive @Anawangin Cove
Entrance Fee @Anawangin Cove (P70 per head)	140.00
Depart & Arrive @Capones Island
Picture taking @Capones Island Rock formations
Arrive @Camara Island (swimming /picture taking)
Return to Pundaquit accomodations
Lunch @Wild Rose Inn	415.00
Checkout @accomodations
Tricycle to San Antonio to Casa San Miguel	200.00
Sightsee @Casa San Miguel (Entrance Fees)	200.00
Purchase Pasalubongs @San Antonio	450.00
Bus to Olongapo	140.00
Arrive @Olongapo
Bus to Cubao	570.00
Stopover at Travellers Depot /Merienda (misc)	160.00
Arrive @Manila
Dinner @Chowking Cubao	327.00
Taxi to San Juan	150.00
TOTAL: PHP 13,789.00

LA UNION 3DAYS 2 NIGHTS ITINERARY August 24-27, 2018

As Arya Stark said, the North remembers. How can one not remember the North, especially La Union?

Surfing has exploded in La Union, or Elyu, as it is fondly called. Urbiztondo Beach is its hotbed. Whether it’s the time of “habagat” or “amihan”, surfers flock to La Union to frolic in its waves, and partake of its nightlife. La Union boasts of unique restos for foodies, live music for the audiophile in you, treks for the avid mountaineer, and of course, the waves for beginner or champion surfer. It’s easy to get to, just ride a Partas Transit and get off at San Juan, La Union but book your accommodations in advance because if you plan to go on there during long weekends, you’d be surprised that almost all accommodations are full.

For my daughter’s birthday, I decided that we should go to La Union and take in the surfer and culture vibes La Union has to offer.

A few pictures are below so you can appreciate the beauty and great vibes of Elyu.

After arriving and checking into our accommodations, we headed to Midway Grille and ordered Ribs / Veggies / Pork BBQ for lunch

After lunch, we set off for San Fernando and made our way to Ma-Cho temple. The temple is said to have been built to celebrate Filipino-Chinese friendship.

This is a place where people from all walks of life come to ask for luck from a Chinese deity named Ma-Cho.

Well after 2 hours, we took our tricy to The Pindangan Ruins. These are the remains of a church built in the 1700s. Locals say this place is haunted. It certainly had a chilling feel to it.

The church was said to have been the binding of two villages: San Vicente and San Guillermo.

After staying for quite the time at both Ma-cho Temple and Pindangan Ruins, we made our way to and sampled the famous Halo Halo de Iloko.

The back part of the place was packed, the front was quaint, and you can tell it’s an antique place. We bought souvenirs here.

We made our way back to Urbiztondo Beach.

After resting up, we headed to Surf Shack and ordered Bocnotan Pizza, Chicken Wings, and a cold one for me. Delicious and affordable.

Surf Shack is the place to be for music, food, and drinks.

The next day, before going to Luna, La Union, we discovered Tipple & Brew. You should eat here.

Roasted chicken, iced coffee for breakfast.

First stop on our Luna trip: Namacpacan Church, said to have been built in 1587.

Walking distance from Namacpacan Church is the 400 year old Balwarte Watch Tower, which has stood guard over the centuries against marauding pirates and dangers coming from the sea.

The Watch Tower’s renovation was completed in 2015. Before that, it was cut in half by Typhoon Lando.

Also in Luna, La Union, is the famous Bahay na Bato where art works carved in stone are found.
*Here’s the original house before it was expanded* up the front of the property.

The inside of the original “bahay na bato”.

You’ll pass by this part of the compound before getting to the original house.

When we visited, there was a pre-nup pictorial going on. Apparently, a lot of that happens here

Here’s a head-scratcher: all these rocks & pebbles were washed ashore by the sea.

So we made our way back to San Juan from Luna, and we ended up partaking of meryenda @Beach Bum Food Park.

The next day oh did we ever need coffee.

Breakfast @El Union Roastery was simply perfect.

As usual, our actual itinerary and actual expenses incurred for two are also below.

AUGUST 24, 2018 FRIDAY
Sashamae 2 days Allowance (that’s our dog)	260.00
11:00 PM Taxi to Partas Transit Cubao	150.00
12:30 AM Depart for San Juan, La Union	1,086.00
AUGUST 25, 2018 SATURDAY DAY 1
5:30AM Arrive @San Juan, La Union
Check-in @San Juan accomodations	1,800.00
Jeep to / Lunch @Midway Grille 11:15am	530.00
Tricycle Tour (San Gabriel / San Fernando)	500.00
Ma-cho Temple 12:30nn-1:30pm
Pindangan Ruins 1:45pm-2:15pm	50.00 entrance fees
Meryenda @Halo-Halo de Iloko 2:47pm – 3:30pm	477.00 we had fries and bought souvenirs
Tricy back to Urbiztondo, San Juan 3:45pm-4:22pm	150.00
5:00 pm Catch sunset @Urbiztondo Beach
Tricy back to accomodations	50.00
Freshen up 6:30pm
8pm Dinner @SURF SHACK	542.00
Drinks @Surf Shack 8:15pm-10:15pm	200.00
Lights out 10:30pm
AUGUST 26, 2018 SUNDAY DAY 2
5:00am – 5:30am prep for Luna, La Union
6:00am Breakfast @Tipple & Brew	506.00 so good to eat here
Jeepney to Luna, La Union 6:20am	80.00 its 40 kms. to Luna so buckle up
7:00 am- 3:00pm Tricy Tour	300.00
– Namacpacan Church	25.00 (Donation)
– Baluarte Watch Tower
– Bahay na Bato
(Entrance Fee Bahay na Bato)	140.00
– Luna Pebble Beach
Back to San Juan via Viron Transit Bus	200.00
Merienda @Beach Bum Food Park	300.00
5:00 pm Catch sunset
Swimming @Urbiztondo
Dinner & Socials @Beach Bum Food Park	1,198.00
AUGUST 27, 2018 MONDAY DAY 3
Breakfast @El Union Roastery	620.00
Abbey’s money	1,100.00
Tricy to Partas Transit	100.00
Pasalubongs	300.00
10:30am Depart for Manila via Partas	1,048.00
7:00 pm arrive @Manila
Taxi to San Juan	200.00
TOTAL EXPENSES: PHP 11,912.00

Be good to one another. Always.

BALER 2DAYS 1NIGHT D.I.Y. ITINERARY

Just collected all pics from our Baler trip and sad to say, we weren’t able to get to Dipaculao beach and other sites that are equally if not more spectacular. All I can say is one can really fall in love with this place.

We were fortunate enough to come here minus the Holy Week or vacationing crush of people…I would recommend that you do so because you will get to really appreciate Baler’s beauty, the warmth of its people, the truly rustic feel of Baler is an experience in itself…

Include in your itinerary the 1.3 km uphill / downhill trek to Ditumabo falls (you get to draw your inner strength), see the 600 year-old Balete tree, hike up to Ermita Hills, see the Aniao islets (pick sea urchins), go up to the lighthouse shaped like a plane’s wing, watch the sunrise, surf, swim at either falls, river, or sea, or where the river meets the sea, go kayaking, discover a deserted cove…Baler is really beautiful…thank you, Baler…

So to start off I’d like to share some pictures of our Baler trip, and after these, the actual itinerary and expenses we incurred, and it is hoped that this can be of help to those who would want to D.I.Y. to Baler.

Always, always befriend locals wherever you go and Dennis here was really knowledgeable of the history behind the numerous sightseeing spots in Baler.

A wishing well beside the great 600 year old balete tree.

This is the huge 600 year old balete tree. It is imposing, really, and very much alive and still growing.

On the way to Ditumabo Falls. A 1.3 km uphill trek up the mountain..

The stream along the way turns into a raging river during the monsoon season.

But during the summer, the waters are cool, calm, and refreshing.

The very rickety hanging bridge. There are a lot of souvenir shops under its base.

The Tromba statues…legend says that a town was feasting when an old woman foretold of a coming tsunami, which was heeded by this family, who went up all the way up Ermita Hill, and later that night, the tsunami came, and everyone perished except these families.

literally the word “jagged” comes to mind when you see these rocks

In the cove is a river that meets the sea

minus the crush of people…it should always stay this way but…

we had it all to ourselves that one beautiful day

till we got to the lighthouse shaped like a fighter plane’s wing

where I took a, shall I say, nervous selfie hahahaha

Don’t forget to buy one of these because it’s delicious.

As promised, here’s the actual itinerary and expenses incurred. Hope this helps you guys.

In the meantime, be kind to one another. Ciao.

VIGAN-PAGUDPUD 4 DAYS 3 NIGHTS

DECEMBER 30, 2017 – JANUARY 2, 2018

“History is not everything, but it is a starting point. History is a clock that people use to tell their political and cultural time of day. It is a compass they use to find themselves on the map of human geography. It tells them where they are but, more importantly, what they must be.” – JOHN HENRIK CLARKE

When I first came across this quote, it immediately reminded me of Vigan, of how men and women of today seem to want to walk in the steps of those who have gone past. Visiting this incredible place makes one feel like being transported back to a simpler time, a simpler place, and a simpler life.

Vigan and Pagudpud are simply beautiful that words are not enough to describe these places.

To the uninitiated and to those who want to try out their D.I.Y. skills, here’s a simple itinerary (with expenses incurred by 2 people) you might want to give a run for:

DAY 1 December 30, 2017
Grab! From San Juan to Dominion	150.00
Chowking dinner	334.00
Coffee	35.00
Dominion Bus to Vigan (around 7-8 hrs travel time) / ETD 1:00am	1,160.00
Subtotal 1	1,679.00
DAY 2 December 31, 2017
Snacks at Carmen stopover	30.00
Arrived @Vigan 9:30am
Tricy fare looking for place to stay	80.00
Check in at Manuela’s Inn 9:53am
Brunch @Dada’s Carinderia	200.00
Tricy to Calle Crisologo 10:15am	20.00
Crisologo Museum Donation	20.00
Walk @Calle Crisologo
Meryenda at Irene’s Empanada 2:10pm	200.00
Souvenir Shirt	200.00
7-11 Pineapple Juice / others	82.00
Bantay Bell Tower Donation 5:35pm	100.00
6:00 PM onwards
San Agustin Parish
Vigan City Hall
St. Paul’s Cathedral
Bought Hoodie @Mart One (it was cold in Vigan)	449.00
Plaza Empanada Market (seriously, it was a huge market)	85.00
Plaza Salcedo
Watch Dancing Fountain Show at Plaza Salcedo 7:30pm
Tricy Back to Manuela’s Inn	40.00
Tricy to Junofel’s 24hrs Diner (the pancit was superb!!!)	50.00
Dinner 9:35pm	445.00
Night photoshoot @Calle Crisologo (watch fireworks)
Subtotal 2	1,971.00
DAY 3 January 1, 2018
Coffee	10.00
Hire Tricy for Vigan Tour (Eddieson @09168544136)	750.00
Breakfast @Baluarte Zoo (pansit/hotdogs/water)	115.00
Hidden Garden (no entrance)
Lunch @Lilong at Lilang 1:20pm	530.00
Brgy. Pagburnayan Donation	50.00
Cristy’s LoomWeaving ( bought 2 bonnets / one woven blanket)	250.00
Arce Mansion
Quirino Museum
Syquia Mansion (Donation)	200.00
Sta. Catalina Beach
Dinner @Cafe Leona 7:30pm	420.00
Settled Manuela Inn 2 days stay (P1,300 per night)	2,600.00
Subtotal 3	4,925.00
DAY 4 January 2, 2018
Check out from Manuela’s Inn 4:30am
Coffee	10.00
6:30am Left for Pagudpud via GMW (2hrs)	410.00
Stopover @Laoag
Arrived @Pagudpod 10am
Tricy to Arinaya Beach Resort	80.00
Lunch @Arinaya	530.00
Tricy Tour (Billy @09471020965)	600.00
Store Purchases	50.00
Bangui Windmills
Connecting Tricy to Bojeador Lighthouse / Kapurpurawan (Allan)	300.00
Cape Bojeador Donation	40.00
Kapurpurawan Rock Formations Entrance	30.00
Emapanada (PM Snack)	100.00
Dinner @Arinaya	350.00
Overnight Stay @Arinaya	1,750.00
Subtotal 4	4,250.00
DAY 5 January 3, 2018
Tricy from Arinaya to Pagudpud Plaza	100.00
Bus Fare to Laoag City	150.00
Mcdo Laoag Breakfast	200.00
Pasalubong	480.00
Bus Fare to Manila from Laoag	1,595.00
Snacks (stop-overs)	350.00
Taxi back to San Juan	100.00
Subtotal 5	2,975.00
TOTAL	15,800.00