I went to Boracay and all I did was eat Pesto Omelet

So I finally met Boracay September of last year and it was overwhelming.

Overwhelmingly beautiful. And unbelievably accessible (if you land in Caticlan).  I've been to marvelous beaches (the country has a lot of that)  and yes they are oh so beautiful. But most of the places are hard to get to (Bantayan, Pagudpud, Siquijor, Guimaras) and  probably the other accessible beach I've been to that I can think of is Bohol. Yes, traveling is about the journey and not the destination so it's all good with me.
But as I walk barefoot in the Boracay sand, feeling the legendary powdery sugary texture of it, all I have to say  to Boracay is, "Where have you been hiding all my life?".

Of course Boracay is hardly a secret treasure. In fact it has been overexposed that a lot of adventurers who are worth their dime shy away from it (ehem), because it is such a cliche.
But cliches are used over and over again because there must be something good about them. A cliche that is tasteful is called a classic. And yes the beauty of Boracay is classic.

Being in Boracay is like being in the metro with a backdrop of a beautiful beach. It feels like I am very near the city. In fact the place is so cosmopolitan, I can imagine hailing a taxicab to take me back to my rented apartment. And yes, there is a Starbucks! Everything that I needed is here! And a beautiful perfect beach at that. Who am I to complain?

For people who want to feel isolated and yes pardon me for saying "one with nature", sadly you won't get it here. Maybe you can get it from the other coves near White Beach.

It's sad that I barely spent two and a half days. Most of the time I was cooped up in my room, doing hardcore writing.  I almost did not push through with the trip because of the impending deadline but what the heck. Also I am meeting some friends there so I might as well go.

I wasn't able to watch the famous sunset, or dip my toes in the waters. I wasn't able to  party at night, or to island hop and do all those beach activities. I did not even get to try the famous shake.

 but i did have a photo op at the Willy's Rock aka the telltale Boracay rock

I went to Boracay and all I did was eat Pesto Omelet from Real Coffee.And it was good! You should try it.

So I am Boracay virgin no more. It is overwhelming and also underwhelming just like any other first times. But there will be more to come. It ain't no one night stand baby. And when I come back I will make love to it like the first time on the second time.

Spellbound in Siquijor

I conjured or even imagined many excuses to delay writing this post. Workload, laziness, more travel, root canal. etc. etc. Why? Because I don't know exactly how to begin. Looking from the outside, the trip that I made was somebody else's nightmare. But for me, it was a dream come true.

PAL flight from Manila to Dumaguete

Before stepping on the pristine, beautiful and enchanting Siquijor shores, I had no idea what is in store for me. See, I've only just dreamt about going to Dumaguete and nearby towns in Negros Oriental. San Juan, Valencia and Dumaguete are my main purpose on this trip. And maybe Apo Island. Siquijor was just a  loosely researched plan. All depending on my mood. But why oh why, did I find myself alone in a nipa hut right smack in Siquijor town in Siquijor province? Listening to strange noises rustling through the walls of my rickety abode for the night?

Simple.
I was spellbound.

Like a helpless victim with dazed eyes hypnotized by witchcraft and sorcery I found myself in the waiting area of the pier at the end of the Boulevard, waiting to board the vessel for which I shall spend the loooongest 45 minutes of my life. It was the choppiest ferry boat I have ever experienced. First fifteen minutes, I was having an internal battle with myself, and I was actually calculating if turning back is still an option.

After that, everything went by really smoothly. Like it was in a dream. And what welcomed me was this.

If it isn't spellbinding, I don't know what is.

The first thing I see in Siquijor and I've fallen in love with it already.

Siquijor Island Tour on my next post.

Seven Destinations, Seven Weekends, One Whirlwind Local Travel Adventure

I am one of those people who wish to travel in foreign and local destinations and stay there for a week, a month or even a year. Forget all the trappings of work,  and just set off on an adventure while still doing what I love to do - to write. I long for long-term travel. And who doesn't? That feeling of freedom and abandon. That spontaneity. That opportunity to live the life of my dreams. Ah. A girl can dream.  

But because I need money to fund my escapes, and because I looove my job and I don't want to lose it by resigning or being fired, I have to make a compromise. Because life is about compromises. We can't have it all. Or can we?

So to  at least satisfy my yearning to travel locally, I availed of this airline's promo which promised that I can have unlimited travel for ten grand. Impulsive me went for it! But there was a catch, heck, there is always a catch - you can only avail of the "unlimited" travel within the period of seven weeks. Since I cannot opt for long-term travel, I decided upon the next best thing to enjoy this deal - I decided that I will travel every weekends for the next seven weeks!

The grand plan:

Dumaguete – Siquijor        August 28- September 2

Kalibo                              September 3-5

Cebu                                September 11-13

Bacolod                           September 17-19

Legazpi                            September 24- 26

Davao                              October 1-3

Palawan                           October 13- 16

So this was the plan: I'd travel every weekend, even for as short as three days for seven weeks. I told myself, I will complete the itinerary. Short vacations are still vacations. Weekend travels may be short, but it's enough to feel the vibe of the destination, to sample the local food, to connect with new people. I promised myself that I would go, even when I have deadlines. I'd bring my trusty laptop so I can write, inside the hotel, or at a local cafe. There is still something exhilirating about working in a new setting.

Plus it will be a great way to fight lethargy - all tickets are already printed for the next seven weeks. All I need is a map, moolah and myself! 

So, was I able to stick with ze plan?

I traveled solo but I think TRAVEL FATIGUE tagged along. 

I was only able to travel to four destinations out of the projected seven. Sigh. Three things, flexibility, graciousness and simple gung-ho attitude can make you brush your disappointments like yesterday’s dandruff.

And I still think that the whole experience is one for the books.

Plus, despite not being able to complete my itinerary, I realized that the four-local destination glimpse to our motherland made me state this  very important thing that I have learned: Whoever says that The Philippines is inferior to another country when it comes to natural wonders and beauty is a complete fool.

Nothing can beat that one moment - when you are riding the local habal-habal ripping the coastline of a remote island, sleeping alone in a hut in no less than Siquijor Island, riding the ferry boat traversing the choppy Bohol Sea, eating buffet lunch in Mactan Island, writing/working while having breakfast in Real Coffee, or being stranded in Bicol because of typhoon Pedring- whatever you do, that moment can come unexpectedly, when you realize that you are living your dream, you are exploring and you are happily, breathlessly alive.

Up next, the first leg: My solo Dumaguete-Siquijor Adventure! 

The Journey to Bantayan

1 hour taxi ride from Sct Borromeo to Terminal 3

1 hour waiting at Terminal 3 before boarding

1 and a half hour plane ride to Cebu from Manila

30 minutes taxi ride from Mactan Airport to North Terminal (near SM Cebu)

Two hours break: Late lunch in SM Cebu, bought tickets for the Ferry Ride.

4 hours Bus Ride from North Cebu Terminal to Hagnaya Port

2 hours ferry ride from Hagnaya Port to Bantayan Island.

10 minutes shuttle ride from Sta Fe wharf to Kota Beach

…All sums up to priceless memories in Paradise.

They say that the journey matters more than the destination. But in this case, both the journey and the destination are worth every single penny, time and effort! 

This journey marks my  first time in the island of Cebu. My stay in the city was short and sweet because I was headed to a paradise that lies up north…Bantayan Island. 

I stayed in Kota Beach, where there is a natural pool separated by a magical sand bar. 

It was a magnificent beachfront view. Natural and if I try to bend the truth, virgin. 

There were endless aquamarine waters. White sand.

While the beach is not remote, my general take on the place, is as if, I was all alone in the island.  Peaceful. Not too much noise, not too quiet either. 

Not too touristy, not too remote.

Maybe because of the lack of too much beach activities like kayaking, surfing, or sailing? That the allure of the place relies on the calm of the sea, the sand and the traveler. You're not forced to do something, because doing something takes you away from all the magic.
Maybe because I’ve seen a few kids who haul their boats and nets for a quick fishing expedition early in the day?

Bantayan is not yet a party island, and it doesn’t quite aspire to. It is a beach that can be enjoyed to socialize and to vegetate in solitude or with your friends.

Priceless.

How to get there:

1. Board a plane from Terminal 3 going to Cebu City if you are coming from Manila.
2. Upon reaching Mactan Airport, you can now take the white taxis (just climb a short flight of stairs and you'll see them). Yellow taxis with more expensive meters are what you will see first though.
3. Go to North Terminal - it's near SM Cebu. The fare from the airport to North Terminal will cost about 100 plus pesos. You will pass by Mandaue city, Lapu lapu city and others before you get to Cebu city.
4. Once you are in the North Terminal, you can board a Ceres bus going to Hagnaya Port. There are choices between air conditioned and non a/c buses. In my case, we took the air con bus. Fare costs about 150 plus. The journey is about three and a half to four hours. Along the way you will pass by various ports goint to Malapascua and Camotes Islands.
5. After hours of bus ride, you will are now in Hagnaya Port. The ferry boat is operated by Island Shipping corp. We took the special (air con) trip that costs around 170 pesos.
6. After about one and a half to two hours, you will now reach the port of Sta Fe in Bantayan Island. Your beach resort will probably have a shuttle that will take you to your resort. I stayed in Kota beach and the resort has a shuttle stationed near the port. If you do not have any accomodation yet, there are trisikad, habal -habal that can take you to various resorts. Travel time is only about 5-10 minutes.

Sweet Guimaras

Iloilo proved to be not just a mere drop off point to island destinations, but... Guimaras is another story. The best way to describe Guimaras for me is sweet -  I was enchanted by the remoteness and the simplicity of this small island province, the sweetness of the wind and waters that greeted me as I wake up everyday when I was there. I think I'm getting addicted with being whisked at a remote province, the simpler, the better.

The thing is, as most people thought, Guimaras is not all about the beach. The island has islets, coves, waterfalls, mangrove farms, mangoes, caves, mountains and cliffs. Two days is too short to explore all of them but I managed to get a taste. The island's very rich waters, marine life, and land formations can make you one with nature, one with your deepest emotions.

So on a Sunday morning in Iloilo, I took a cab from Iloilo pension house at 7 in the morning, and asked to be dropped off at Ortiz Port which was roughly about 20 minutes from where I was. I paid 50 pesos and walked to a rather rickety, small, port where I rode the cheapest ferry boat ride that I have ever rode. Yes the fare from Iloilo to Guimaras is a whopping thirteen pesos. Haha. So anyway, the person manning the rickety pseudo ticket booth (or more like a little counter or window pane) handed me a little slip of paper that says "Hollywood". A little later I discovered that this was to be the name of the ferry boat that I will board.

So anyway, the fare was cheap, because,  well...the Ortiz port is not exactly some fancy shmatzy port, it is very basic, very simple with houses built just inches from the water. It looks like Manila but doesn't smell like Manila as is most of Iloilo.

After riding that boat for about 15 minutes, I alighted and was attacked by tricycle operators. Good thing I came prepared and somewhat expected for the worst kind of peddling. The guy from the tourism office took a look at me and smiled ruefully with pity, haha. Because he knew that I was being attacked by these transpo peddlers. However I was firm, so I went to the little tourism booth, signed in, got a Guimaras map, asked the tourism guy which multicab (jeepney) to ride to get to the resort,  and shooed the peddlers as gentle and as firm as possible. Didn't realize it would really work. I just told them that I don't mind riding the jeep for 45 minutes and that I was saving my money. The last of the persistent peddlers just nodded his head, and even escorted me to the multicab of my preferred destination. This made me realize that hey, they are not as ruthless as what we think, they're just making a living. And if you try to be firm yet gentle, these transpo peddlers will understand where you are coming from.

So I rode the jeep with the locals. This part I really liked. A bibingka peddler offered her goodies...I wanted to buy one but she can't seem to understand me. (heck we did not understand each other obviously). When I asked how much, she said. "Pulo". Of course I didn't know that. So after the miming, a gracious co passenger translated and it meant ten pesos. Having rode the jeepney, I got a taste of what the local culture was like. And it felt as sweet and calm as the waters around the island.

I was dropped off at the Crossing Alubijod where I took a tricycle to the destination  where I was treated like royalty by the caretakers. I also met the owner, Dr. Lacson who is a marine environmentalist and scientist who is currently studying sea grass for a seminar in Phuket.

The Guimaras daily life, simple, unpretentious, unabashed. They are that way, and it seems that there was no hurry to progress or to change. In fact the province doesn't need to, because therein lies the charm.

After that, I immediately went on an island hopping trip which took me to white sand beaches and coves, turtle sanctuaries, shifting sandbar and Alubijod beach. The island hop is very cheap too starting with 400 pesos plus 150 pesos the following hour. It took me about 7 hours to explore the whole island, pointed to a particular beach and called it my own. 

The night wore on, and some fellas from Bacolod (Marine studies former students and professors) were drinking and asked me to join. It rained that night after the sunset so the time was spent drinking and laughing with new found strangers. Mind you this is the kind of drinking where the only ambient sounds were crickets and the gentle waves crashing on the sand under a star-less sky and lone moon. No annoying dance music, no videoke, no television. How sweet is spending the night unplugged and unjaded? Waking up the next day after roughly two hours of sleep felt like a dream, as I woke up to this dramatic sunrise.

Everything was sweet in here, not cloying, but a dreamlike sweetness as was my stay in Guimaras.