September 2013 - Senyor Lakwatsero

Philippine Holidays 2014

You may be one of those who feels more comfortable in planning ahead, or a busy bee who simply needs to schedule your vacation ahead of time. Either way, here’s the official list of 2014 Philippine national holidays as declared on Proclamation No. 655 which was signed by President Benigno Aquino III on September 25.

The national holiday schedules for the observance of Eid’l Fitr and Eidul Adha have yet to be determined based on the Islamic calendar.

Based on the list, there are 4 long weekends so far:

January 31 – February 3, 2014 ( 4 days, Friday to Monday)
April 17-20, 2014 (4 days, Thursday-Sunday)
August 23-25, 2014 (3 days, Saturday to Monday)
December 24-28, 2014 (5 days, Wednesday to Sunday)

Enjoy your trip everyone. Be safe always! Cheers! 🙂 🙂 🙂

Camiguin: As Romantic As It Sounds

What adjective comes to your mind when you think of an island richly endowed with natural attractions such as waterfalls, hot and cold springs, and white sand beaches? Dubbed as the “Island Born of Fire”, it’s name alone sounds enchanting. [kami’gin] Camiguin!

My interest to visit the island began after I saw video clips showing the beauty of the island from the Filipino movie of the same title which was shown in the late 1990’s. I got fired up even more after two very good friends got married and spent their honeymoon there. Back then, however, traveling for me was simply a pipe dream. I could only mutter “Someday” to myself, followed by a big, heavy sigh of frustration. I hadn’t had a clue that “that someday” would happen after almost 20 years.

Camiguin, Finally. We got to Camiguin via an overnight ferry from Cebu. Our travel time took longer than usual, we arrived at Balbagon port 3 hours behind schedule. Jojo Ocular (+639059566288), a highly-recommended tour guide in the island and whom we contacted earlier to assist us during the entire trip, had been waiting outside to pick us up. We hopped on his habal-habal (motorcycle)and asked him to bring us directly to the resort. We agreed to re-schedule the tour the next day. Before he left, he suggested we hire a boat and go to White Island later that afternoon, when the tide is low.

And that’s what we did. At 4PM, the resort’s caretaker knocked on our room to tell us that the boatman whom he contacted had arrived. From the resort, it took us approximately 10 minutes to get to White island. The island is truly a gem. It is as beautiful as imagined it to be. It is technically a sandbar, devoid of any type of vegetation and is composed solely of pure white sand. The clear shallow waters surrounding the sandbar is great for swimming and snorkeling. We stayed here till sunset and had so much fun crossing the shallow waters to get from one sandy part to another, taking selfie pics (lots 🙂 ), and watching fellow tourists simply having a great time.

Jojo came back to the resort the next morning. We wanted a relaxed tour so we handed him our prepared list of tourists spots in the island, and simply let him take us to these places in the order he thought best. He brought us to Katibawasan falls first, one of the most popular destination in the island.

The entire area has been developed as a nature park. A Php10-entrance fee per head is collected at the gate. The waterfall is towering at at 250 feet, but it wasn’t big and wide and the water falling from it was weak.

Cemented stairs with hand rails serve as easy access to reach the natural pool at the bottom of the waterfall.

At 9:00 in the morning, there weren’t a lot of tourists yet. The water was chilly but that did not stop us from swimming.

I was shivering the first few minutes, but I kept going.

Surprisingly, my body quickly adjusted to the coldness. The water was actually refreshingly cool. Brrrr…. 🙂

After an hour or so, we headed to Bura Soda Pool. Entrance fee is Php20.00. I thought it looked like an ordinary commercial pool. But I found out later that there was something special about it that’s invisible to the naked eye 🙂 I needed to taste it to know what it was.

Now, you’re curious, I could tell. That’s exactly how I felt. The pool is actually filled with natural streaming soda water! You know those flavored water you buy at 7-Eleven or Mini-stop? Imagine, swimming in a pool filled with those. The water flows down from a volcanic spring nearby. Of course you wouldn’t drink from the swimming pool, though you can’t help but taste it while swimming 🙂 There is a faucet specifically dedicated to safe drinking water. I saw several tourists filled up their empty plastic bottles with water before they left.

Our next stop was Tuasan Falls. Initially, we thought that from the jump off point, we would need to trek for at least 30 minutes to get there. But to our delight, and to our guide’s surprise, there has been a major improvement in the road construction near the spot, thereby providing a closer, easier access to Tuasan falls. From where the motorcycle stopped, it was a short 10- minute walk to the base of the falls.

Tuasan Falls is still in it’s rugged, unspoiled state. There are no infrastructures of any kind near the area. No cottages, no shops, no vendors. There weren’t any other tourists too during our visit. It was just us and pure nature.

We stayed here longer than we intended to. We were completely enthralled by the natural beauty around us. We had so much fun, it was quite difficult for us to leave. We left only when our stomachs started to grumble.

It was half past noon when we started walking to where our guide was waiting for us. We told him we’d have lunch first before going to our next destination. On our way, we saw a vendor selling lanzones on one side of the road. At last! It wasn’t the season for this fruit yet but I was really hoping that we’d be able to buy lanzones during our visit. The island is also famous for producing the sweetest Lanzones in the country. I was also happy to have finally seen these fruits clinging on the branches of it’s tress. Jim initially bought 2 kilos but I requested for another kilo (timawa daw ako,hehe.di naman,peyborit kasi e 🙂 )

Our lunch in a roadside carinderia was quick and forgettable. The sunken cemetery was just nearby so that’s where we went next. While this spot is famous as a unique diving destination, we did not go there to dive. We only wanted to see one of the most photographed spots in the island. There is no entrance fee but for those who wish to go to the cross itself, they need to pay a Php20 per head for a boat ride. The place is great for photography during sunset.

After taking a few “I was here” photos, we bought some ref magnets in one of the shops, then headed to the last destination on our list.

We thought a dip in the warm water of Ardent Hot Spring was the best way to cap off the tour. And it was. We paid P30 entrance fee and headed straight to the spring. The water wasn’t too hot. It was lukewarm, which was the perfect temperature for me, personally. It was soothing and relaxing. The place looked and felt magical with its hot spring water flowing over a series of cascades and pools underneath a lush green canopy of leaves.

We stayed here for a while, simply soaking in the water and enjoying the view. We eventually left after a couple of hours and went back to the resort to prepare for our overnight boat trip back to Cebu at 8PM.

As I looked at the pictures later that night, I thought, what a great weekend that was. Camiguin may be a small island but it surely has a lot to offer to delight it’s visitors. It’s a great place for a relaxing weekend getaway. I’m sure my friends were so glad to have chosen the island as their honeymoon destination years ago. Camiguin surely is as romantic as it sounds.

Travel Tip: If you’re preparing an itinerary for a one day or two-day tour in Camiguin, all you need to do is to make a list of the places you wish to visit in Camiguin and let your guide take you to these destinations. Aside from those we visited, which we thought were the best spots in the island, other places worth visiting in Camiguin are Mantigue island, Sto. Nino Cold Spring, Old Guiob Church Ruins, Old Volcano Trail, and the Giant Clam Sanctuary.

The Stunning White Island of Camiguin

Camiguin’s most popular tourist attraction, the exquisite and picturesque White Island located in the town of Mambajao, is definitely one of my favorite beach destinations in the Philippines. It is accessible via a small pumpboat from any of the beachfront resorts in barangay Yumbing or Agoho. Travel time from the jump off point to the island is approximately 10 minutes. Fare is P500 for a maximum of 6 persons. The island is composed of white sand only and is devoid of any trees so it is best to bring an umbrella as a shade.

For this blog post, rather than describing in words how we had a great time and how beautiful the island is, I would let the following pictures speak for me. Warning: I seriously thought of using “Selfie Overload in White island, Camiguin” as a title for this article 🙂

Ferry From Cebu To Camiguin And Vice Versa

Part of our Cebu itinerary was a side trip to Camiguin island. We decided to take the overnight ferry service from Cebu that will take us to Camiguin the next day. Super Shuttle Ferry was our only option. It was the only passenger ship company that was serving this route. The ferry is scheduled to leave Cebu every Friday at 8PM only, and then return to Cebu from Camiguin every Sunday at 8PM. In Cebu, you may find the ferry at Pier 8. Make sure to tell the taxi driver to bring you to Pier 8, as there are several ports within the city. Based on our own experience, some cab drivers do not know in which pier Super Shuttle Ferry is located.

Advance booking may be done at SM Traveller’s Lounge, or one may just go to Pier 8 and buy tickets directly at the company’s office, which is just a few steps away from the gate. Without any hassles or complications, the trip from Cebu to Camiguin could take up to 12 hours. Ours wasn’t exactly smooth sailing though. Our trip took 15 hours instead.

We got to pier 8 at 7PM. We decided to buy tickets to the air-con section for more comfort and better sleep. Fare is P1,000. Fare for the view deck ( non-aircon ) is cheaper by P100-P150 ( I couldn’t remember the exact amount but this should give you an idea 🙂 ) It was great that we were allowed to board immediately. It was my first time to sleep in a ferry overnight so I didn’t exactly know what to expect. I was thrilled nonetheless. The thought of sleeping straight through the night and waking up the next day in a new place seemed exciting. It is the closest thing yet to a cruise holiday, which seems impossible to me at this time.

The beds which are upholstered with leatherette looked comfortable. A foam bed wedge, fixedly attached at the head of the bed, serves as pillows. Bed covers and additional pillows are available for rent. Two bunk beds are attached to one another so there’s a chance that one would be sleeping beside a complete stranger. Pray that the person sleeping beside/near you does not snore so loud. The rest room is dirty and is not comfortable in case you want to take a shower before you sleep.

The ferry left at 8PM as scheduled. Tired from our Moalboal trip, I was fast asleep in no time. I was occasionally awakened by the sound of the television and other passengers talking. We woke up at 5AM the next day and noticed that the ferry was moving so slow. A couple of hours later, they announced that a part of the machine has malfunctioned and that we would not arrive on time. They offered free breakfast of cup noodles and water to compensate. At 8AM, we could already see the island of Camiguin but the boat was sailing too slow, it seemed like forever to get there. We finally reached Balbagon Port in Camiguin at 11:00AM.

Travelling from Camiguin to Cebu was no different. Only this time, the delay was caused by a poor weather condition. A few hours after we departed from Balbagon port, I was awakened by the strong sound of waves smashing against the boat. The waves seemed so big, they were pushing the boat sideways. I got scared. I asked Jim, who was traveling with me that time if that was normal and he said yes. I tried to believe him, but I couldn’t. The other passengers started praying the Rosary and I didn’t know whether to feel thankful or annoyed with what they’re doing. I felt more scared. I closed my eyes and prayed quietly. The agony lasted for a couple of hours, or more. It rained heavily for a while, but soon after the rain passed through, the boat became steady in an instant, and we continued to sail smoothly from thereon. I was and will always be grateful to the Lord for the safe trip…

Travel Guide: MoalBoal, Cebu

Moalboal (pronounced as mwal-bwal) is one of Cebu’s most popular diving destination. Ten minutes boat ride away from the main land is the small yet very precious Pescador island. It’s underwater is considered as a diver’s paradise, It is filled with a variety of beautiful corals and many species of reef fish. It is home to thresher sharks, frog fish, turtles, and hundreds-and-thousands of sardines.

If you’re visiting Moalboal anytime soon, here’s some information that might help you plan your trip:

HOW TO TO GET TO MOALBOAL FROM CEBU CITY

1. From any part of Cebu, hire a cab or ride a jeep to the South Bus Terminal.
2. Ride a Ceres bus going to Moalboal. Aircon bus costs P111. Non-aircon bus only costs P107.00
3. Get off at Moalboal town , then hire a tricycle or habal-habal for either Panagsama or Basdaku beach.

Most tourists opt to ride a V-hire(vans) to Moalboal since it’s faster. Fare: Php120. They are located at One Citilink Terminal, a few minutes walk away from the South Bus Terminal.

Travel time from Cebu City to Moalboal takes approximately 2 to 2.5 hours.

WHERE TO STAY: PANAGSAMA VS BAS DAKU(sometimes spelled as Basdaku,Basdako)

These are the two main beach destinations in Moalboal. Both offers easy access to Pescador island which is the main diving spot in the area.

Panagsama does not have a white sand beach. Instead, dead corals line its shores. If you’re looking for cheap accommodation in Moalboal however, you would probably prefer to stay here as you will find more cheap, budget and affordable rooms in Panagsama.

There are fees that you need to pay before you get to Basdaku White Beach- P5.00 each for the barangay and P10.00 each for the owner of a private lot that is being used as an access to the beach. Accommodation in Basdaku is not as cheap as the ones in Panagsama, most probably because Bas Daku has a long white sandy beach. There is plenty of accommodation at the beachfront including nipa huts and cottages which can be rented for a day or overnight use. The beach is nice but there’s really nothing to rave about. Simply put, you’re not really missing that much if you decided to stay in Panagsama. There’s plenty of more beautiful beaches in Cebu than the white beach in Basdaku.

We arrived in Basdaku after our great experience at Kawasan falls in Badian at lunch time. Just like what happened in Matutinao, Badian, we were immediately swarmed by local men, this time, tricycle and motorcycle drivers offering their services. We ignored them and walked straight to the market for a quick lunch in one of the carinderias. One of the motorcycle drivers was very persistent, he followed us and waited until we finished lunch. Eventually, we agreed to hire him to take us to our accommodation in Panagsama for P150.00. Later, we struck a deal with him to bring us to Basdaku beach and pick us up later in the afternoon to take us back to Panagsama for another P150.

BELOW P1,000 ACCOMMODATION IN PANAGSAMA BEACH, MOALBOAL AS RECOMMENDED BY TRAVELERS AND BLOGGERS

1. Rosita’s Cottages

Address/Location: Panagsama Beach, Basdiot(Moalboal), Cebu
Rate starts at P750 and even lower depending on the season. (Note: Rates may change without prior notice. Call or email them to find out the latest rate)
Contact Number: +63916 920 5618
Email Address:n/a
Website/Other Resources: n/a
My own Review: We stayed in one of their fan rooms for P750.00 during our visit to Moalboal. The cottages are clean and spacious with free wifi. What I really liked about this place was the availability of a kitchen complete with kitchen utensils and a fridge, which we really took advantage of. I have a good cook who travels with me 🙂 The lady caretaker was very nice. Highly recommended.

2. Eves Kiosk

Address/Location: Panagsama Beach , 6032 Moalboal, Cebu
Rate starts at Php500 (Note: Rates may change without prior notice. Call or email them to find out the latest rate)
Contact Number: +6332 4743008 /+63917 950 5249
Email Address: eveskiosk@live.com.ph
Website/Other Resources: Facebook Page
Guests’ Reviews/Comments: We went there for a family getaway. Me, my husband, parents and children stayed here for 4 days. The value for money is good. Rooms are clean, they have nice garden and decent pool if you don’t fancy the beach. We ate here a lot as well because the foods are nice and good value for money as well. Read more>>>

3. Maya’s Native Garden

Address/Location: Panagsama Beach, Basdiot(Moalboal), Cebu
Rate starts at P600 (Note: Rates may change without prior notice. Call or email them to find out the latest rate)
Contact Number: Mobile: +63 915 480 96 10 Landline: +63 32 4743084
Email Address: Contact Form
Website/Other Resources: http://mayasnativegarden.com
Guests’ Reviews/Comments: This place is really good. The rooms are native looking and have a good feel to them I took the fan room because that is native. The staff was nice and easy going. This is a great place to stay located in Panagsama town. Read more>>>

4. Moalboal Backpacker Lodge

Address/Location: Panagsama Beach, Basdiot Moalboal, Cebu, 6032, Philippines
Rate starts at Php275 (Note: Rates may change without prior notice. Call or email them to find out the latest rate)
Contact Number: +63 917 751 8902 / +63 908 607 6240
Email Address: info@moalboal-backpackerlodge.com
Website/Other Resources: http://www.moalboal-backpackerlodge.com,Facebook Page
Guests’ Reviews/Comments: Thank you guys for a great times! The place is super clean, the staff is very nice and helpful, and the location is very good. Excellent place at an excellent price. The best place to meet other sole traveler. I had the best time there and defiantly will be back again for good times. Read more >>>

5. Pacitas Beach Resort

Address/Location: Panagsama Beach, Basdiot Moalboal, Cebu, 6032, Philippines
Rate starts at Php700 (Note: Rates may change without prior notice. Call or email them to find out the latest rate)
Contact Number: +639108587222 / 032-474-0182
Email Address: n/a
Website/Other Resources: n/a
Guests’ Reviews/Comments: I stayed in Pacita’s Resort for 5 days and I felt as my home. The people are really exceptional and the room was useful, clean and spacious. I also have a garden with my private hammock… was spectacular spend my rest after diving there! I recommend it to all. Read more >>>

6. Quo Vadis Dive Resort

Address/Location: Panagsama Moalboal, 6032 Moalboal, Cebu
Rate starts at Php750 (Note: Rates may change without prior notice. Call or email them to find out the latest rate)
Contact Number: (032) 474 3068
Email Address:
Website/Other Resources: http://quovadisresort.com,Quo Vadis Facebook Page
Guests’ Reviews/Comments:

7. Sunshine Pension House

Address/Location: Panagsama Beach, Basdiot, Moalboal, 6032 Cebu
Rate starts at Php700 (Note: Rates may change without prior notice. Call or email them to find out the latest rate)
Contact Number: Smart+639216891865, Globe +639273051105, Sun +639327303090
Email Address: sunshine_pension@yahoo.com, sunshine.pension@gmail.com
Website/Other Resources: http://www.sunshinepension.webs.com/ Facebook Page
Guests’ Reviews/Comments:Right from the beginning on arrival Aida and her family were very friendly and welcoming, making us feel at home! I stayed there in total for 6 weeks, so we were a bit of a different group compared to the usual tourists, but the overal care and attention Aida gave to us was no different to the other guests. Read more>>>

CHEAP AFFORDABLE ACCOMMODATION IN BASDAKU WHITE BEACH, MOALBOAL AS RECOMMENDED BY TRAVELERS AND BLOGGERS

1. Ester’s Homestay / Ester Escabas Cottages

Address/Location: Basdaku, Saavedra, Moaboal, 6032 Moalboal, Cebu
Rate starts at Php 1500 for 4 persons (Note: Rates may change without prior notice. Call or email them to find out the latest rate)
Contact Number: +63927-578-5983
Email Address: malyn_esc7106@yahoo.com.ph
Website/Other Resources: Facebook Page
Guests’ Reviews/Comments: Our trip coincided with the town fiesta hence Tita Ester said the rent rose to 1,700. We haggled a bit over the phone so she said she can give the room for 1,600 and food will be free since its the town’s fiesta. Winner! When we got there she brought us to the aircon room. When we were all settled…Read more >>>

2. HK Beach Resort

Address/Location: Basdaku, Saavedra, Moaboal, 6032 Moalboal, Cebu
Rate starts at Php 1500(Note: Rates may change without prior notice. Call or email them to find out the latest rate)
Contact Number:+63919 4766385.
Email Address: n/a
Website/Other Resources: n/a
Guests’ Reviews/Comments: We stayed in HK resort for one night and for a P1,500/night room, it’s all okay. There are no other amenities like a tv set or free breakfast, but we had a comfortable stay. If you love the sea, the sun, and white sands but don’t care for a five-star accomodation, this is definitely for you. Read more>>>

3. Magic’s Place

Address/Location: Basdaku, Saavedra, Moaboal, 6032 Moalboal, Cebu
Rate starts at Php1,500 (Note: Rates may change without prior notice. Call or email them to find out the latest rate)
Contact Number:+63905 906 6956/ +63906 347 3555
Email Address: n/a
Website/Other Resources: n/a
Guests’ Reviews/Comments: he last time I went to Magic’s Place there was no air conditioned room but after almost a year, almost all the rooms were air conditioned. Amazing! However, the room rates raised. From 1200 pesos to 2500 pesos, it SURELY raised. There was the only non aircon room too which costs 1500-2000 pesos. My friends would like to take it but I wanted the room where I could see the beach. Read more >>>>

4. Ravenala Beach Resort / Bungalows

Address/Location: White-Beach Saavedra, Moalboal,Cebu Island,Philippines
Rate starts at Php3,000 (Note: Rates may change without prior notice. Call or email them to find out the latest rate)
Contact Number: +6332 474 00 75 / Mobile Phone Number: +63917 550 01 02
Email Address: edschaap@yahoo.com
Website/Other Resources: http://www.ravenala-resort-moalboal.com
Guests’ Reviews/Comments:Stayed two nights at Ravenala and thoroughly enjoyed my stay there. Staff were very attentive and courteous. Breakfast was included in the rooms and was a very nice and simple meal (bacon was nice and crispy). Had the 3 bed family room but it could fit 4 people easily and had a ref in it Read more>>>

5. Club Serena Resort

Address/Location: Baranggay Saavedra, Basdako, Moalboal, Cebu Moalboal 6032
Rate is a little expensive and starts at P5,600 (Note: Rates may change without prior notice. Call or email them to find out the latest rate)
Contact Number: +63 920 902 8888 (3pm to 2am) +63 928 507 2026 (9am to 6pm)+63 920 927 2939 (9am to 6pm)+63 908 894 5847 (9am to 6pm)+63 918 965 1673 (9am to 6pm)+63 939 345 4127 (9am to 6pm)
Email Address: info@clubserenaresort.com,nudibranch@clubserenaresort.com
Website/Other Resources: http://www.clubserenaresort.com, Facebook Page
Guests’ Reviews/Comments: This resort is a splendid bastion of good taste in the island of Cebu. Everything emanates style and subdued elegance. The rooms are excellent. The restaurant not a rip off with great food. The beach is very nice, the snorkeling the best I’ve had in a while, and it is just 2 hours from Cebu City. Read more>>>

GETTING AROUND: Take a motorcycle or tricycle. Fare should be around P25-Php50 to either Basdaku or Panagsama. You may also rent a motorbike for Php135 to Php900/day depending on the type of motorbike you want to rent.

Recommended activities. Aside from snorkeling/diving at Pescador island, I highly recommend a side trip to Kawasan Falls in Badian which is approximately 30 minutes ride away from Moalboal.

Note: I am not affiliated with any of the above accommodation so in case you have questions, kindly communicate with them using the contacts provided. Pictures were randomly picked from the internet. No Copyright infringement intended. In case you own one of the pics and would like me to include your links here, please let me know. Thank you Mr. Dan Ocampo for allowing me to use your turtle pic! I’ve always been a fan of your underwater photography

Senyor Lakwatsero

Philippine Holidays 2014

Camiguin: As Romantic As It Sounds

The Stunning White Island of Camiguin

Ferry From Cebu To Camiguin And Vice Versa

Travel Guide: MoalBoal, Cebu

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