The Rough Road to El Nido

August. Next time, I really should take the weather in consideration when I book when airlines posts their sale. A few days prior to our Palawan trip, there had been lots of rain in the metro and I was starting to feel dreary of trying to plan the trip while the rain keeps falling.

Finally the day came for our trip and a tropical depression was approaching Manila. My officemate asked me if I was excited, and was starting to feel down. Considering that major activities in El Nido requires riding a boat, I was really praying for calm waters.

Arriving late night in Puerto Princesa, we slept to prepare for an early trip to El Nido the next day. Going to San Jose terminal, there are two major van services that are known to locals. Euleen Joy and Lexus. Euleen Joy's earliest trip is 5:00am with roughly 2 hours interval on their schedule and the latest trip is 6:00PM. Lexus' schedule in about the same but off by about 30 minutes to allow travellers a choice on time. There are also vans at the airport if ever you have an early flight and decide to go direct. Rates at San Jose is around Php500 while the vans at the airport costs Php600.

Travel time is 5 hours by van. You can also take RORO buses that costs around Php400, cheaper but longer travel time of about 8 hours.

The road going to El Nido was long with 80% concrete and the rest rough. You will pass by several towns in Palawan like Roxas and Taytay and the van will stop twice. Transit time may have been shorter if the road has already been completed.

We left the terminal at 7:00 AM, but had to stop by several areas around Puerto first and started our journey 8:00 AM arriving at El Nido at 1:00 PM. We had already reserved rooms ahead of time but there are several inns that you can choose from some are located along the beach front of the town while others are at Corong Corong which is a few minutes walk to the beach front. I would suggest going for one near the beach front especially if you are planning to do some island hopping to give you enough time to have breakfast.

Arriving in the middle of the day, we opted to just rest for the day. We checked in at the alternative and dropped by the church. We were hoping to avail a combination of tour A and C given we only had 3 days in El Nido so we talked to the guide to schedule the trip. Unfortunately, the following day, the rain was falling hard and the waves were higher, thus the coast guard has decided to hold any trips.

Stuck at the main land, we started looking for other things to do within the island. We decided to go to Nacpan beach, which is one of the so called twin beach. Residents of El Nido are not familiar with the name twin beach as it was coined by the tourists visiting the area so if you have plans of going to the area, inquire about Nacpan beach. The name twin beach came around due to to beach coves next to each other namely Nacpan and Calitang.

Riding on a tricycle going to the beach, it took about an hour to reach the location. It is also the road going to Nagkalit-kalit falls which required trekking 30 minutes which, due the the weather, was difficult to do. Upon arriving near the beach, the road was so muddy the tricycle can no longer go in so we had to walk.

But the walk was worth it. Even though it had been raining, you will still enjoy the beach. How the waves would hit the shore, and most of all, we had the beach to ourselves. Aside from the trike ride we paid for, the beach was free for you to enjoy. There are some cottages that you can rent but you wouldn't really need it.

You can also climb a small hill thats at the end of the shore that separates the two beaches and from there you can see the two beaches side by side divided by a small shoreline.

The other Cagayan

I read in an airline magazine, when you say Cagayan, people would normally think Cagayan de Oro. This seems to be true. It's famous for white water rafting, and also is the nearest airport to some Mindanao destinations. But I'm not blogging about CDO right now. Today, I will let you see the other Cagayan, or parts of it.

Cagayan in the north, is part of the region of Cagayan Valley (Region 2) in the Philippines.  Cagayan is sometimes referred to as the "Land of Smiling Beauty, its capital is Tuguegarao City. It is at least a 15 hour drive from Manila, or you can also opt to take a plane which only lasts 45 minutes. The ideal days to vist the place would be during summer because the whole Cagayan Valley may be the most visited region of storms and heavy rains.

So, what can you do in the place? You can visit Callao Cave in Penablanca, the most known tourist spot in the province. It is roughly 45 minutes away from the city. You can hire a van or trike to take you to the place. If you are in a large group, it is best to hire a van. The cave has 7 chambers, 5 of which have sky lights. The last 2 chambers are more harder to reach as you would need to go down a rocky pathway and is not advisable to visit during rainy season as the way becomes muddy, none the less, the first few chambers are sufficient enough for you to enjoy. There is a minimal entrance fee and a volunteer tour guide will assist you inside the cave.

From the entrance, you will climb stairs to the entrance of the cave which will take 15-25 minutes depending on your phase. The chambers are just a few meters away from each other so this is really not as strenuous as you may think.

The Chapel at Callao Cave

After trekking the cave, you can also go for a relaxing boat ride along Pinacanauan River just at the side of the cave. A both ride will cost you Php 500/boat and you can also eat at the end of the river where the boatman will pick you up after. At nightfall, you may also be able to see bats storm out of the bat cave near the river.

Once you are back in the city, one thing you should miss is trying out Tuguegarao's famous noodles, the Pancit Butil Patong. It got its name from patong or to put on top. The noodles, together with its toppings also comes with soy sauce, onions, calamansi and a bowl of soup.

For Catholics, the next activity you can do is visit some of Cagayan's churches. Cagayan is a great place during the Holy Week if you want to do some Visita Iglesia. Some known churches are the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat, Iguig Church in Calgary Hill, and St. Peter's Basilica in the capital. The Basilica Minore in Piat houses the miraculous image of the Blessed Virgin Mary while the Iguig Church has life size images of the stations of the cross and has a view of the Cagayan river.

Basilica Minore (L); Iguig Church (M); St. Peter's Basilica (R)

If you have run out of activities to do in the capital, you can also consider going to Santa Ana. Santa Ana is the home of the Cagayan Special Economic Zone which host casinos and other gaming facilities, some exclusive to Chinese visitors. You can also see several second hand vehicles for auction there. To know more of the place, visit the municipality's facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MySantaAna. 

Being on the northern part of the Luzon, there are many coastlines and beaches in Santa Ana. Port San Vicente is located at the edge of Santa Ana and is the entry point via boat to the place, across the Port, you will also have the view Palaui Island.

You can take a ferry trip from Santa Ana to Batanes, the farthest place north of the Philippines, during the calmest of weathers.

From the port, you can hire a boat that can take you to the three most famous destinations in the place; Palaui Island, Maninad Island and Anguib Beach.

Palaui is considered to have one of the great beaches in the Philippines. The view is breathtaking and can be compared to a mini Batanes. You can either trek the island which will take you at least 2 hours to reach the other part or you can ride a boat that will take you to the other side which takes 45 minutes. On the other side of the island you will see the lighthouse of Cape Engano.

As mentioned on the picture below, the lighthouse was inspired by 3 lighthouses: in Cape Bojaedor in Burgos, Ilocos Norte; in Capones Island, Zambales and Isla de Cabra in Mindoro.

The lighthouse is an additional climb of 20-30 minutes, which was really tiring especially during the time the sun rises the highest. Good thing the view of the island was really worth it.

After a tiring walk from the lighthouse, you can relax at Anguib beach (pronounced as angib). Half of the beach is private and offers an entrance fee of PHP 500 together with buffet lunch. The other side costs only PHP 20. According to the locals, you can also reach the beach via land but the gate towards the beach is normally closed, so the best option is still to take a boat ride to the San Vicente.

Anguib is tagged as the Boracay of the North. Don't get your hopes up as the sand is not as fine as Boracay, and there are also many weeds in the water. There is also not much to do in the place. During weekends, they say that the beach really gets packed with locals.

Maninad or Crocodile Island is a small island between Palaui and the mainland. From afar, it looks like a crocodile and the place is really stoney.

Well, can I say that the trip was worth it? Honestly, for me I travel to explore. I want to learn as much as possible, as they say, the more you travel the more open-minded you become. You get more experience. If you are after the beaches, I'd give it an 8. There is not much to do in Cagayan considering you will have to travel for 15 hours by land, but I recommend the place to people who wants to learn about caves, if you want a secluded place to enjoy on your own, if you want to hike and explore.

If you are planning a trip to Tuguegarao via plane, 4 days is enough (flights are in the morning only). An overnight stay at Santa Ana in the first night, rest on the second, then tour the city on the third day.

View of the Cagayan River from the airplane.

Lime Stones and Lakes

Last week, I was able to finally able to go to Coron with my mom's friends. It was a spontaneous trip for me bacause I was originally not included in the trip, but since I really wanted to go, I was able to get my way and book a ticket. Airphil has only two flights to Busuanga and we chose the later flight, which was adjusted to 2:20 from it's original schedule of 1:50 and was delayed a few minutes.We finally boarded the Bombardier and was headed for Busuanga.

I did our last minute booking at the hotel 2 days before our flight and also scheduled a pick up from the airport to Ralph's Pension house in Coron. Once we arrived at the pension house, we were grated by the owner Jun, who was hands on with welcoming guests. Our accommodation was in the center of the town, near the market place and just at the foot of Mt. Tapyas, plus near the port for island hopping.

After Jun's orientation, we headed for dinner at went to Maquinit Hot Springs. The hot spring they claim is the only salt water hot spring in the Philippines as per the locals. From the main town, it costs P 300.00 per tricycle with a capacity of 7 persons, but due to the rough road, it is advisable for 4 people to ride a tricycle.

The hot spring is really hot and is best to be visited during night. They accept people up to 8:00 PM but is open until 10:00 PM. Most people visit the hot spring after climbing the tiring yet refreshing Mt. Tapyas which consists of 700 plus steps. But since we arrived late, we decided to climb the mountain on another day.

After an hour or so of soaking in the hot spring, we decided to call it a day. The following day, we went island hoping and visited some of the main attractions of Coron including the Kayangan Lake which is considered the cleanest lake in the Philippines. The lake is like a big swimming pool that is very deep but the water is very clear and you can actually see the reflection of the suns rays underneath.

There are several tour packages available in Coron for island hopping. You can opt to rent a boat, buy food for lunch, and pay for entrances or buy the complete package at $ 650-750 that is already inclusive of lunch and entrance fees. The island hopping usually starts from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM where you get to visit Kayangan Lake, Banol Beach, Barracuda Lake, and the Twin Lagoon among others.

Coron is rich in lakes and rock formations, and there are also several dive sites with several ship wrecks. There are sites that you can see easily see the sunken ships with having to go very deep. The nearest is 5 meters deep. But if you are a licensed diver, you can check out one of the many dive sites in the area.

Since the island hoping is an all day event, do not forget to put on sun screen because you will surely get a sunburn.

Our last activity before we went home on our third day was to finally climb Mt. Tapyas to get an overlooking view of the whole town of Coron. We started climbing the mountain 6:00 AM to be able to get a view of the sunrise. After an hour climb and 30 minutes of rest on top to marvel at the view, we came down and arrived at the bottom of the mountain at 8:00 AM.

Palawan is known to be abundant in cashew nuts, but unlike Puerto Princessa, Coron does not have that many cashiews available and most of the cashews harvested in the area is taken to Antipolo for cracking. Please note also that it is prohibited to take home shells from the island and bags are manually checked at the airport due also to the lack of x-ray machines.

If you plan to stay in Coron, 3-4 days should be sufficient. Prepare a budget of P 3,500.00 that already includes accommodation, food at tours.

Review: Sumilon Bluewater Island Resort, Cebu

Sumilon Bluewater Island Resort is located in Sumilon Island, Cebu. It is an island resort that could be reached from their port at Oslob, Cebu. The day tour is about Php 2000 inclusive of boat transfer, use of kayaks, snorkling gears, the pool and jacuzzi, a lunch buffet and a snack. If you plan to stay overnight, it would take about Php 7500 for two people and Php 1500 additional per head.

The Island is 3 hours south of Cebu City, you just need to follow the main road. On your way to the island, you could see many site and drop by many places such as the Shrine of the Miraculous Lady of Simala, were thousands of devotees visit everyday to ask for their wishes. You could also stop by the Municiplaity or Carcar that specializes on chicharon (deep fried pig skin). Once you reach Oslob, take Bluewater's boat to Sumilon Island.

The people are welcoming and accomodating, although I did not enjoy the food that much since some of them were hard to chew, but still was tasty. Lunch included about 4 viands, rice, noodles, fresh fruits and dessert. The buffet is set in the beachfront, just between the beach and the lagoon.

The island has basically two beachfronts that you could swim in, however, the white sandbar, which has the finer sand, is only accessible during low tides and the water is deeper compared to the eatern beach which is very rocky.

The inifinity pool is nice located just near the pavillion overlooking the ocean, the water falls in the bottom where jacuzzis are located. But during the time we visited, the motor was down so the jacuzzis were not running.

There are many other activies in the island that you could do, such as kayaking or canoeing, snorkling, trecking and many more. You could go to the lighthouse, visit caves and grottos when trekking.

Accomodation/Room: 8/10
Food Choices: 7/10
Food Taste: 7/10
Customer Service: 10/10
Overall: 8/10

(Sumilon Island from afar)

(Infinity Pool)

(Infinity Pool)

(Lagoon for Canoeing and Kayaking)

(Lagoon for Canoeing and Kayaking)

(Eastern Dock)

(Shifting White Sandbar)

(Eastern Beach)

(Sumilon Island Map)

MANILA SALES OFFICE				CEBU SALES OFFICE
	MS. MARGIE MUNSAYAC  Director of Sales				For Reservations call us at: Maribago Bluewater Resort
Address:				Address:
	Room 1120 Cityland/Herrara Towers 98 Herera Corner Valero Streets Salcedo Village, Makati City				Maribago, Buyong Mactan Island, Cebu, Philippines
Telephone:				Telephone:
	(63-32) 817-5751				(63-32) 492-0100 (63-32) 232-5411 (63-32) 232-5412 to 14
Fax:				Fax:
	(63-2) 845-0680				(63-32) 492-0128 (63-32) 492-0129 (63-32) 231-0437
Email:				Email:
	margie@bluewater.com.ph				sumilon@bluewater.com.ph
Resort Address:
	Sumilon Bluewater Island Resort Sumilon Island, Oslob Cebu 6025  Philippines Telefax No. (63) (32) 481-0801 Email Address: sumilonreservations@bluewater.com.ph URL: www.bluewater.com.ph

Review: Malapascua Island Exotic Dive Resort

Malapascua Island Exotic Dive Resort is located in Malapascua Island, Cebu. It is one of the many reosrt s you could choose from when you are going to the island. The resort itself is secluded from the main resorts in the island, giving you a more private time. The resort is proud to be the first and complete dive facility in the area having its own accomodation and restaurant.

The place is owned by a Dutch who married a local resident. They, according to the staff, are friendly and treat their staff members as family. The resort is more than 10 years old and mostly is visited by foreigners.

The rooms rates are reasonable, ranging from Php 1000 (electric fan) to Php 5000 (super deluxe). Click here for complete price list. The rooms are spacious although most of them are located behind the restaurant giving you minimal view of the ocean, but you could always stay on the hammocks that are placed on the shoreline of the place, shaded by the big coconut tress.

The food is great, not really outstanding but tastes good. There are lots of varieties you could choose from (from local delicacies around the country, to international cuisines). You could eat at the bar which is just infront on the ocean so you would be able to see a wonderful view while you eat.

The resort does have complete facilities for diving and if you are not yet certified, you could take their open water course that cost Php 17,000. There are many dive spots around the whole island and the resort takes you to the best dive spots, some spots are only available during certain times. But if you are not into diving, you could tour around the island via boat (for around Php 1350) and go snorkling (snorkling googles rented separately) where you could see sea urchins, starfishes and various types of fishes.

Customer service is outstanding. The staff are very accomodating and friendly. No complaints about their service, they are prompt and takes good care of you from beginning to end.

Accomodation/Room: 8/10
Food Choices: 10/10
Food Taste: 8/10
Customer Service: 10/10
Overall: 9/10

(Exotic Beachfront)

(The Bar/Restaurant)

(Rooms)

Malapascua Exotic Island Dive & Beach Resort
P.O. Box 1200
6000 Cebu City
Philippines

Website: http://www.malapascua.net/
Email: info@malapascua.net
Phone: (+63) 32-4370983
Fax: (+63) 32-4370984
Mobile: (+63) 917-3276689

Malapascua Island, Cebu

Malapascua Island is located on the northern part of Cebu. The island is famous for its dive spots where you could see various kinds of fishes and some sunken vehicles. Some of the fishes only come out on certain times of the day, so if you want to see them, you can wait. Each spot around the island has its own different types of sights to see. The waters are really high during high tides and really low during low tides, and you would be able to spot starfishes and sea urchins. It is more enjoyable to swim during the high tides because the water is deeper and there is not a lot of sea urchins that you can step on, although the water is a bit wavy.

(Malapascua beachfront)

If you're not into diving, or not certified to do so, one of the activities you could do in the island is to tour the island via motorcycles or locally called habal-habals. The residents of the island are honest, friendly and welcoming people. The habal-habals would go through the neighborhood and you get to see how the residents of the island live. One site to go to is the island's solar powered lighthouse that operates automatically, no one mans the place and is rarely guarded by people thus the path to the top is mostly covered by plants but still passable. Other sights include a place the locals call small beach, Pilar Pilapil's beach house, and Bantigue Cove.

(Malapascua Lighthouse)

(Other beachfronts in the island)

(Sunset at Malapascua)

Malapascua is approximately 4 hours from Cebu City, give or take.  From Cebu city, you could hire a van/car (Php 2500-3500) to take you to Maya port in Daang Bantayan, or you could also take the public bus from Cebu city that costs about Php 100. Once you get to Maya Port, you would need to take a boat ride to Malapascua, that would normally cost Php 50 each, or Php 1200 on a special trip. There are many resorts i the island that you could stay in. Below are links of some of the resorts you could choose from.

Malapascua Island Exotic Dive Resort

http://www.malapascua.net/

Blue Water Malapascua Beach Resort

http://www.malapascuabeachresort.com/

Hippocampus Beach Resort 

http://www.hippocampus-online.com/

Cocobana Beach Resort

http://www.cocobana.ch/

Bantigue Cove Malapascua Beach Resort & Dive Shop

http://www.bantiguecove.com/

Bolinao, Pangasinan

Bolinao consists of 30 baranggays, the best beach is located in Patar. Patar is located in the further part of Bolinao and the travel time from Manila is about 5 to 6 hours. There are two routes that you could take, you could either take the Tarlac way wherein you pass by the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) or via Zambales. You could also take a bus from Manila to Bolinao via 5 Star Bus Line.

Patar has one of the nicest beaches in the place and at the end part of the Baranggay is the white sand beach which is the finer beach front in the area. The water is wavey and mostly is shallow especially during the low tides. Most of the resorts are lcoated in the threshold of the place. Some of the known hotels and resorts their are Puerto del Sol and Treasures of Bolinao, however there are less costly options you could choose, mostly the ones not posted in the internet.


There is a small rock formation in the middle of the ocean that you could go to (picture is seen below). Bolinao is also known for sea urchins and if you are careful, you would be able to see them in the beach.

Bolinao, Pangasinan - White Sand Beach

One of the more famous beaches in Pangasinan is the White Sand Beach in Patar, Bolinao. This is open to public and all you have to pay for is parking and a cottage. The Baranggay of Patar does have a long beach front, and you would be able to find the finer sand in the end part. The road to the area is still rough road, but some parts are already cemented. The only resort in the area is Treasures of Bolinao, which is a bit costly.

The area is packed with people from the area and tourists. Since the travel time is long, it is best to stay atleast one night, there are many resorts and houses that you could rent but they are minutes away from the finer beach.

(Road to Patar)

(Patar White Sand Beach)