I am almost done with my Surigao obsession. I have been to the top Surigao destinations a couple of times and in some cases watched with horror as some of those I’ve visited turned from an exclusive natural territory to a human infested local tourist trap. It’s the way of progress I guess but still watching everything unravel can sometimes be gut-wrenching.

It seems only yesterday when I first discovered the enchanted river in Hinatuan along with a couple of mates. We braved going to where the river is on a habal-habal fearing that our knees would be no more if we figure in a horrible spill should our driver lose control. But some things are worth tempting fate over.

We spent hours jumping from the river bank to the blue water that was supposed to be enchanted. We saw children climb the highest trees and jump fearlessly into the river. We tasted the almost sweet water that’s naturally cleaned every time the tide comes in.

When I went back a couple of months later, I was almost blinded by the neon orange life savers that visitors wear to swim on the river. Lots of them neon orange things. Several structures have already been built near the bank of the river and while the structures make swimming safer for the visitors, the trade off is that its natural beauty is almost gone. The enchanted river has made a turn towards commercialized tourism and there’s no going back.

This December I’ll make one final journey around the entire Surigao province and then focus my energies towards another near province that is Davao. While I believe that I’ll never be able to find the same things I experienced in Surigao, I’m hopeful that Davao will present a different level of enjoyment, and that can only make things more interesting.

A couple of weeks ago, I found myself trailing the significant other who was browsing through the luxury shops in Singapore buying stuff for clients.  It would have been great if some of the stuff she was buying was for me but unfortunately it was all about business as usual.  The great thing is that I finally was able to come to Singapore, not for some gut-wrenching project but for purely materialistic and gastronomic purposes.

Weeks prior to our trip, the SO suggested that I come with her for an all expense paid trip to the city of fines as she was given an incentive by some company for some sales feat she achieved.  I was hesitant at first because having experienced going with her to another country wasn’t exactly the kind of fun that I imagined;  it was all supplier hunting and stocks and infernally long walks in crowded bazaars.  The only R&R I got from some of our out of country sorties was the foot massage at the end of the day when I can barely drag my feet up another stair.

This time however, before saying yes, I checked out what’s happening in the place she was inviting me to and got really excited when I learned that the Ultimate Ramen Championships is happening there (and continues to this date) and all the best Ramen shops in Japan were in town.  I immediately said yes and couldn’t wait to say Itadakimasu, Naruto-style.  I imagined myself slurping down oodles of noodles and sticking a toothpick in my mouth afterwards.  I was also looking forward to getting fiery mouthed with Indian fare from Muthu Curry and slopping bread with Singapore’s famous chili crabs.

Our fist day in Singapore immediately started with a walk-athon inside Marina Sands where the SO just had to go through all the Chanel stores, the Louis Vuitton shops, and the Hermes shops.  Goodness gracious, a freaking bangle for P35k?  Madre de cacao who would wear such a thing?  Sure it’s an Hermes but what gives?  The SO said that it’s for a rich client and further added that the reason I can’t appreciate such a luxury was because I can’t afford it.  Fair point.

Next was a cellphone strap priced at P25k.  My mind was swimming at the number of cases of San Mig Lights that I can buy with P25k.  I decided to shut my trap just in case the SO gets too annoyed.

The great thing about our Marina Sands visit was, it coincided with an exhibit of Salvador Dali’s works.  Dali was one of those surrealist guys whose works I really enjoy.  A certain reality twist is something that a guy who’s always looking to escape life gets a kick out of.  After all the walking I did for the SO, she really couldn’t refuse when I asked her to check out the exhibit.  The entrance fee is way more than 5 cinema tickets here but you know, when in Rome…

The Dali exhibit was a revelation.  I can’t pretend to understand what goes on inside the man’s head but I’m pretty sure he’s got a few screws loose otherwise he won’t be able to conceive a lot of those things he’s made.  The exhibit title says ‘Inside the mind of a genius’ I dare say it’s like going into the inner sanctum of a basket case.  I can’t really say anything else lest I be labeled as an ignoramus, which I probably am, but I do admit that looking at his works really challenged my simplistic way of looking at things.  Oh well, enough with Mr. Moustache.

The next two days were spent walking, walking, and more walking.  I did manage to visit the Ultimate Ramen Championship site at Iluma, near Bugis Junction and got to order Tetsu’s Very Rich Special Paitan Tsukemen (Pork, Chicken, & Seafood Broth).  Eating ramen Tsukemen-style is slightly different from eating ramen the normal way.  The noodles is separated from the broth and to eat it, you have to dip the noodle in the broth which is placed in another bowl.  The first thing I noticed was that the noodle was really springy.  It’s not like the usual noodle which gives up once you sink your teeth into it.  It sort of puts up a fight which makes the experience very enjoyable.  Or it could just be that this is how noodles should be and I’ve just been eating mediocre noodles all my life.  The broth indeed was very rich and somehow due to its richness it’s now almost like gravy.  Which is not to say that it does not taste good.  It did taste good.  In fact it tasted really good.  The only thing was I didn’t order any drink so all the time I was eating I had to make sure that I don’t gag on those very springy noodles.  Tetsu’s Paitan noodles costs SGD13/bowl.  That translates to around Php455 which is more than my day’s budget for food in Manila.  Perhaps that was the reason as well why I didn’t order another bowl from the other Ramen Stalls.  Poverty does steal one’s thunder sometimes.

The second night led us to one of the more popular hawker centers in Singapore.  The one we went to was near the Esplanade, that big durian looking structure near the bay.  I was already relishing the thought of having chili crabs, something that I’ve been dreaming of eating again for the longest time.  Unfortunately while the SO did order chili crabs, they were not the kind of crabs that I expected.  They were of the alimasag variety– not the alimango ones that I was looking forward to.  But since beggars can’t be choosers I went through the motions and managed to enjoy (even just a little bit) the inferior chili crab in front of me.

The last food in my list, chicken briyani, didn’t fare so well either.  I was expecting a really spicy chicken or mutton briyani just like the one I used to feast on back in the days when I often visit this city for work, but unfortunately what I got were the touristy variety.  It still tasted about the same but without its fiery quality.  I guess we were eating too much in places where tourists congregate so I think the Indian stalls had to flavor it accordingly.  Worse, they were not from Muthu Curry.  I really should go back there some other time and hunt down that elusive Indian stall.

I think Singapore, for a tourist at least, is best experienced when you have lots of money in your pocket.  We went to Funan on our third day to look for things, again, for the SO’s clients, again, and I chanced upon this gaming rig.  Looking at it was painful because I know I can never buy it.  This alienware laptop has 8, mother of god, gigabytes of RAM.  It was just too much for my poor envious heart to handle so I just took a quick snapshot and went away.

Overall, the Singapore trip was a great workout.  I must have burned gazillions of calories from all the walking that I did.  Although I think I promptly got them back during dinner.  Still it was a welcome trip, different from the usual out of country travels that I did with the SO.  But I know I can’t let my guard down.  The next time she asks me again to accompany her, I still have to make sure what the trip is for, and if it provides for a little window for R&R.  Other than that, everything’s right with the world.

Top 5 Philippine Fall Events

The Philippines is a wonderful place to visit in the fall. It may be considered rainy season, but most the time the rain only comes for a couple of hours a day. The bonus is the cooler weather and the many events that will give you an insider’s view into the beautiful country. Our guest posters, AnyTrip have found the top five fall events to visit in the country:

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Asia Food Expo – Manila

Located in Manila, AFEX as it is known in the region is one of the largest food shows. Companies from manufacturing, hotels, fast food, supermarkets and wholesalers come to see the newest in food safety and preparation. For 2011, the expo will be held from Sept 7 to Sept 10 at the World Trade Center.

Peñafrancia Fiesta- Naga City, Bicol

Held annually on the third Saturday of September, the festival attracts thousands of devotees to Naga City in Bicol. As the statue of the Virgin Mary makes its way from the Metropolitan Cathedral down the Naga River to her Basilica on a decorated boat thousands cheer. The party continues for the week after with parades, festivals, regattas and even a beauty pageant.

National Orchestra Festival – Manila

Classical music fans will delight in this annual event at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Manila. The country’s best orchestras come together to perform works from composers such as Strauss, Elgar and Saint-Saens.

Zamboanga Hermosa - Zamboanga City

Also known as the Fiesta Pilar, this is the oldest and most anticipated festival of the country. Held each year on Oct. 12, the festival is to honor the image of Our Lady of the Pillar, the patroness of Zamboanga City. The festival features competitions of many varieties including dance and sporting events. Fashion shows, concerts and trade shows also take center stage.

MassKara Festival – Bacolod City, Negros Occidental

The city of Bacolod City, in Negros Occidental comes to life with a blitz of colour and music on the third week of October every year. MassKara is Spanish for ‘a multitude of smiling faces’ and involves a parade of often masked performers dancing through the streets to Latin-style music. It began in the 80s after a sugar import crisis and ship disaster, as a way to cheer the locals up.

The vast and rich culture comes alive in the Philippines during the fall. The country is worth visiting, not just for its beauty, but for its culture.

Images by: Chadwick, Deauts, Wikipedia, Labora, and Ana.

If you are planning a trip to the Philippines, one of the most important things which you will need to consider is where you want to stay. There are certainly plenty of options available in this area of the world, but the choice which you make can have a significant impact on the nature of your stay.

Firstly, you will want to decide what is important to you when it comes to accommodation. If you’re looking to have a luxurious holiday break, then you’ll want to book into a comfortable hotel which offers a good range of amenities. Many of the Philippines’ top class hotels offer a good range of useful amenities. If it’s important that you’re able to play online games like party poker during your stay, for example, then you’ll want to find a hotel with internet facilities. On the other hand, if you’re keen to relax with a range of beauty treatments, then you might be better off staying at a spa hotel, where such facilities are usually on site.

However, this is far from the cheapest option, and certainly isn’t what all travellers will be looking for. If you’re keen to save your money so that you might be able to afford to see more of this region, then you should consider staying in hostels. This tends to be a far less expensive option, although facilities are usually relatively basic.

You will also want to consider the location of your chosen accommodation. If you intend to spend most days on the beach, then you will want to be located closer to the coast than if, say, you plan to spend your time visiting the shops and museums of the nearest town. It is worth bearing in mind that the location of where you choose to stay can also impact the price of your accommodation.

The towering windmills in Bangui town in Ilocos Norte is more than just a tourist attraction. These windmills actually shoulders 40% of the town’s electricity. Sadly, this is one attraction that I have yet to view with my own eyes having only seen them through pictures.

These majestic structures front the seashore on the road to the white beaches of Pagudpud. My buddy Ceblogger was the first one to introduce them to me after his roadtrip to Pagudpud. I’ve wanted to traverse the same roads he drove on for some time now but due to my schedule and the skyrocketing fuel prices, my planned road trip has been shelved indefinitely for the time being.

I do know however that the year won’t be complete unless I’ll be able to go to this town and see these things for myself. There’s one option open to me now but it will involve some manipulation and subterfuge on my part. Heh. One of my pals is fortunate enough to be assigned a company car with unlimited gasoline allowance. The trick however is how to spin the trip I’m about to propose so that his missus won’t complain. The guys have already used my stag party story so many times that I think their wives are already suspecting that I’m some pervy polygamist.

Looking at the windmill pictures and imagining the absence of people makes me think of Don Quixote and his eternal battle with the windmills. Perhaps I should dress up as a knight and bring a lance too. It would be cool if I can manage a horse in this day and age. Hmm.. I think my photographer friends wouldn’t miss that one.

Enough with the pointless thoughts.

The Bangui Windmills, there are 15 of them, apart from being a tourist attraction is something that this country badly needs to replicate all over the Philippine Islands. With electricity rates soaring through the roof, God knows we could all use some cheap source of energy that doesn’t have the burden of creating greenhouse gasses. Which is what windmills is all about. Harnessing free wind energy, and converting them to power that could light up a town is such a no-brainer that I sometimes wonder if something like this isn’t worth giving up a little bit of the government’s time that’s being overused raising and uncovering one corruption scandal after another.

I think one of the things that the Aquino government needs is to balance the negativity that’s coming out of the papers everyday with some real cheerful news like, I don’t know, the creation of another wind farm perhaps? Really we are all too engrossed with the misfortune of others that it seems aside from the crab mentality that we accuse each other on a regular basis, I think we have a severe case of schadenfreude with the way we discuss amongst ourselves the misfortunes that are about to befall people with so much glee.

Gee whiz, we need to look at the beautiful and breathtaking scenes every once in a while. And if you’re reading this, you really need to get a load of this…

from digitalmabuhay.com

For months I’ve been dreaming of travelling to Sohoton Cove and swim with its non-sting jellyfishes. I’ve seen some videos on youtube of these creatures and I was amazed by the sheer number of these creatures swimming in Sohoton’s emerald waters. The blue-green waters didn’t make matters easier on me as well. I kept searching for pictures and blogs and videos of this place on the internet and wondered when I will be able to go there.

A couple of weeks ago however I was finally able to go to Sohoton courtesy of the significant other who, out of the blue, decided to call up her friends and organize the adventure. I was so excited and raring to go that the day before we depart, I wasn’t able to sleep! I was so out of it when we started our trip that I asked the SO to drive so I can get some sleep.

We were coming from Butuan City and we were advised that the best jump off point would be Claver, Surigao Del Norte specifically in Huyanggabon town. For those who would be travelling the same route and who are used to going to Surigao City, instead of making that left turn towards Surigao City in Placer, you just go straight and you will not miss Claver.

Because of the excited buzz inside the car, I really wasn’t able to get much sleep which was just as well because the scenery and the road going to Claver was simply beautiful. You have verdant green hills and rice paddies to your right, and the beckoning sea to the left. I was mindful that our driver don’t get too carried away by the scenery that we’d find ourselves on a ditch somewhere but I guess my apprehension was unfounded as our driver focused all her energies in her driving.

Nearing Claver, we passed by a very green semi-forested area with hundreds of migratory birds floating above a lush hill. I just took a mental picture because I wasn’t able to grab my camera in time. Its views like that that city dwellers only get to see on the Discovery Channel or the National Geographic. Pretty sad really when you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars just to be able to see such views in our country.

On our way to Claver we also passed by Taganito town where the Taganito Mining Company has its mining operations. It’s really sad to see the mountains turn brown because of all the mining activities. Although we would like to keep everything around us green and beautiful to look at, mining is an indispensable part of a growing economy. I can only hope that certain measures are being taken to ensure that mining operations don’t cause too much damage to the environment.

One of the wonderful things to see going to Claver is the water that gushes out of the mountains. These are not waterfalls, more of stored water inside the mountains gushing out of the cracks in its sides. Those who are experiencing water shortage in Metro Manila will cry when they see such a site. Speaking of gushing water, here’s a picture I took in Cabadbaran City in Agusan Del Norte. This is what they call flowing water. Nope, it’s not from the water district, and there’s no mechanism to pump the water out of the ground. It’s just a pipe stuck on the ground giving way for the water to come out naturally, or something like that. Yes, there’s no faucet there. It just flows water unceasingly. That’s mineral water right there for the taking.

From our jump-off point in Huyanggabon town, we were met by the tourist guides that the SO thoughtfully contacted before hand. They have already secured a boat that will take us to Club Tara, our temporary home in Sohoton. For this boat, we paid P8,500 including the tour which was good for an entire day. They would also bring us back to Huyanggabon the following day. For those who will be bringing in their own transport, the local tourism office provides a gated parking area just behind their building for P100/day so you don’t have to worry about your car getting stolen.

From the pier in Huyanggabon, I could already see the effects of mining in Taganito town. Their beach has turned brown. Maybe it’s because of the mud coming from the mined mountains which flows into the sea whenever it rains. Since almost all the trees covering the mountains have been removed so they can be mined, there’s nothing that prevents mud from getting washed out. It’s a sad sight really.

The boat trip to Club Tara in Sohoton was only 30 minutes long. This is very short compared to the 2-hour plus boat ride when you’re coming from Siargao. I was afraid that our trip would get rained on when I saw huge rainclouds hovering near the Bucas Grande Islands which houses the Sohoton Cove, but fortunately after only a couple of minutes of drizzle, the rain clouds went away and spared us the misery.

Club Tara has seen better days, I must say. Although one can imagine the resort in its glory days, when I went there, it wasn’t as beautiful as the brochures would like me to believe. However, there’s no denying its charms. It’s patterned after all those Dos Palmas like resorts where the rooms or the cottages are standing on water. The great thing about Club Tara though is that it’s standing on water surrounded by some 6 or 8 islets. That the water is clear and green is an understatement. You really have to be there to see it for yourself. And this is not limited to the Club Tara area, all around the clusters of islets, the water is really, really clear and beautiful and OMFG if you’re a sea lover, you wont be able to stop drooling at the emerald water all around you.

Some things about Club Tara though, the rooms are not that inexpensive. Our cottage cost P2500, airconditioned, standing on water, with a veranda overlooking the sea. Also, they don’t have food there. lol. Which means while you are at Huyanggabon, you really have to buy a lot of food for your meals if you don’t want to go hungry. Bring lots of drinks as well, unless you fancy beer which costs P150/bottle. They don’t charge corkage which is good but boy do they charge a lot for their cooking. P500/meal is their rate.

The great thing about our stay in Club Tara though is that we were the only visitors. Which means we have the resort all to ourselves. For staying there as well, we were able to fully utilize their kayaks for free which is very nice since there are portions of Sohoton Cove that mechanized bancas (or boats) aren’t allowed to go to, including the habitat of the non-sting jellyfish. The sad thing is that there’s not much cellular signal there which rendered the WeRoam broadband kit I brought utterly useless. Club Tara is a viable option for honeymooners though, with all the waters surrounding you, the lack of visitors, and the natural beauty everywhere, newlyweds can go at it like rabbits and to hell with the RH Bill. lol. I support the RH Bill though so don’t take it the wrong way.

Part II Our Sohoton Cove Adventure Starts

After depositing our luggage at Club Tara and hitching a couple of kayaks in our boat, our tour guide took us to directly to the heart of the Bucas Grande Islands which is the Sohoton Cove. The main attraction there as the tour guide would like us to believe is that rocky arch that the boat has to navigate under. They have to time the visit at low tide though because when the water comes in, well you can’t pass under. These islets however remind me of the hundred islands at alaminos and those little islands in caramoan rolled into one. The difference is that the islets in Sohoton are much closer to each other which makes for a very interesting tour. After a few minutes however for those folks with ADHD such as myself, things start to become monotonous. Oh look another islet, big whoop.

The guide then took us to this little structure where you’re supposed to register and pay a little amount for the privilege of getting sunburned and overwhelmed by nature at its best. I don’t have any problem paying because well, the surrounding water was really, really clean and if a few bucks would help to maintain that cleanliness then more power. I sure hope they charge foreigners a higher fee though which is only natural I think.

Near the registration structure there’s another bigger structure that’s being built. I think it’s going to be a restaurant. A little uh-oh for me because I only knew full well what happened to the Enchanted River after I went there the first time. When I returned a couple of months after to that awesome place there were already cement structures and while everything was managed well by the Hinatuan folks, I can’t help but miss the serenity I experienced there in my initial visit. I don’t think I can call it Enchanted anymore, the number of people going there every weekend has driven the enchantment of that place to hell. It’s still very clean though, and the river is still blue.

Back to Sohoton, our guide next took us to another area where the non-sting jellyfish are. I was excited because it’s what I’ve been dreaming about for months. When we reached the area, my heart sank. Although there were jellyfishes in the water, I only counted six. And yes, the jellyfishes were orange. You could mistake them for ponkan if you’re not careful.

But I was reassured when the guide told us that the water where we docked is not exactly the jellyfishes’ hangout, and he proceeded to unhitch the three kayaks that we brought. My companions hopped on the two kayaks, two to each, and I was left to maneuver a kayak on my own. Since I was wearing a vest, I proudly mentioned that I know how to use it. Heh. Machismo to the max. Fortunately I did not make a fool of myself when I boarded my kayak unlike one of my ‘heavier’ companions who had all sorts of trouble trying to maintain her balance. At one point she had her weight equally divided between the kayak and the boat and she had a really hard time maintaining that position. Everyone had a good time at her expense. lol.

The reason that we had to use the kayak was because use of any motorized banca is prohibited from entering the jellyfish area. I think it’s because there’s so many of them and they could easily be caught in the motor’s propeller. When the guide declared that there are millions of jellyfishes in the area where we are kayaking towards, I couldn’t help but express my disbelief. I think the guide was a little bit hurt when he said that I should just see it with my own eyes.

Paddling towards the jellyfish area was easy. We were going with the current so it’s just a matter of guiding the kayak and we’re there. When we reached the area where the jellyfish are, I was totally amazed! Hundreds and hundreds of these little creatures were in the water swimming silently. It’s really a sight to behold. Although they are non-sting jellyfish, I still couldn’t muster the courage to grab one and examine it closely. But since I was very close to the water, there wasn’t a need for me to do so. If you’ve been to El Nido and was able to go to the small and big lagoon, that’s exactly how the jellyfishes’ habitat looked like. Except in this area, the attraction is not the place but the creatures.

But wait, there’s more! lol. The guide said that round the bend there be more jellyfishes. With the number of jellyfishes I’ve seen in the area I couldn’t imagine that there’d be more. I mean there are already hundreds if not thousands of jellyfish there, what could be more than that? The guide wasn’t exaggerating though, when I rounded the bend there were actually more of the creatures there, more concentrated, more voluminous that I think if I just had the courage to go under the water I’d be seeing orange instead of blue. I couldn’t blame him when he said that there’s millions of jellyfishes there. He could be right because there I had to be very careful where I put my paddle for fear of hitting one of those lovely creatures. It even seemed like I was no longer paddling in a sea of water but of jellyfishes. One could even say that you have to part these creatures to be able to see the sea. That’s how many of these orange creatures there are. It’s really unbelievable. One of the guides even dove under the water to scoop an aberation and show it to us. It was a coconut sized transparrent jellyfish. Pure gulaman in his hands if you ask me.

The only sad thing while looking at the jellyfishes was that I couldn’t bring my camera with me. I was afraid that my kayak would capsize and my camera would get wet. Such a shame really.

After we’ve had our fill of watching the jellyfishes, we headed back to our boat. Going back to the boat however was a struggle. My companions had no problems paddling back as they had guides in their kayak who were doing the paddling while I had to fend for myself, and the thing is, I am now paddling against the current. It took me minutes to get back to the boat as I paddled for my life and my pride as the significant other watched how I was doing. It was rough and it took every inch of my muscle and fat (mostly fat) to master the current.

I was relieved when I was finally able to get on the boat and all the kayaks were tied securely. We went back to Club Tara for lunch and to download all the pictures we took to our laptops. As it was only midday, the guide said there are still a lot of sites to discover including a cave and some lagoons. Not for me though. I was out of it. The lack of sleep and all the excitement got to me that I could barely keep an eye open. So much to my regret, while my companions readied for another Sohoton assault, I hit the sack and was snoring midway towards getting undressed.

I woke up before sunset and just sat on the balcony of our cottage, dangling my feet which could almost hit the water. It’s a really nice place for thinking about stuff that you wouldn’t normally think when you’re in the city. Perhaps its the refreshing sea air, or the water, or just the sight of horizon slowly becoming orange.

It is lent in the Philippines and it’s one of those holidays that I really, really like. I say this with a guilty conscience though. I am born and raised a catholic but lately I couldn’t really call myself one if following the catechisms and the dogmas of the catholic church were to be the basis for calling oneself a catholic. But that’s fodder for another story. It is the holy week and during Biyernes Santo or Good Friday, everything in this little country of ours shuts down. Yes, malls are closed which gives me the perfect opportunity to haul my very entrepreneurial significant other to destinations that can be reached in just a few hours of travel.

Holy Week Destination

This year the destination I had in mind was Duka Bay Resort. This is a little resort in Medina, Misamis Oriental that some folks have been raving about, which to me seems unnatural given that this part of Mindanao isn’t exactly known to have white sand beaches. Still, even the significant other spoke about it, and even mentioned that one of her dealers from Medina has invited her countless times to visit Duka Bay promising free accommodations and what have you. Freebies however do not tempt the SO, nor does any form of relaxation. If it doesn’t bring in money, fuggeddaboudit, it ain’t hapenning. Especially when her stores are open.

Anyway, earlier today I finally got the SO to take a drive with me to Duka Bay. At a relaxed driving pace, Duka Bay can be reached from Butuan City in approximately 90 minutes. I think it can be reached faster if only the government officials of Carmen and Magsaysay towns bothered to fix their roads. I wonder where all those pork barrel funds went to? Really mysterious (or not). Gingoog and Medina however have excellent roads so it’s easy to lose yourself in your driving and not notice that you’re already hitting 100kph. That’s a luxury you’re not able to do in Carmen and Magsaysay, the potholes in the middle of the road will always remind you of the maximum driving speed. I think in this part of the Philippines, the speed limit is imposed so the drivers don’t wreck their cars in the numerous potholes. Elsewhere it’s for the pedestrian’s benefit. Oh well.

Duka Bay Resort

My idea of a Good Friday as being hot and humid and dusty was quashed by the torrential rain that pounded us heavily on our way to Duka. The sky was overcast with granite clouds that the closer we were to our destination, the heavier my heart sank. I was hoping that there would be a lot of sunlight so I can take a lot of photos for this blog. Unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be.

It was still raining a little bit when we arrived at Duka Bay. Regardless of the little rain however, there were still a few people swimming in the beach. I noticed that Duka’s beach has a concrete barrier that reined in the water, and looking a little closer I noted that the water was very clear eventhough the sand wasn’t necessarily white. I guess the word of mouth about Duka being very clean wasn’t just hype after all.

I went over to the front desk and asked for their room rates. The front desk lady explained that they have special rates for the holy week. And their rates were very special indeed. Their P2.8K regular junior suite rates suddenly jumped to P7K++. It’s holy week alright, even the resorts will force you to share the pain of Christ.

Duka Bay Resort Facilities

Duka’s accomodations boast of around 9 villas (very private, very nice view), a picnic area, and aqua sports amenities for those who want to frolic in the water. They also have function rooms that can cater to birthday parties, weddings, and seminars.

But what differentiates Duka Bay from the run of the mill beaches dotting the Misamis Oriental shoreline is that they’ve managed to preserve their reefs and its surrounding ecosystem. This means that for avid divers and snorkellers, Duka has a compelling proposition. I really wanted to do a bit of snorkelling myself but I was turned off by the winds and the rain. It’s summer and a Good Friday to boot but it seems the world was conspiring to make it a miserable day. And understandably so, after all our Lord Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross today. If that doesn’t make the world miserable, nothing ever will.

Cabilao Island, once one of Bohol’s hidden paradise but is now slowly being visited and discovered by nature-loving people.  Cabilao Island is located in the western part of the main island of Bohol , facing Cebu. It is part of the municipality of Loon. I have a classmate in college who lives there and she even invited me to their place. Had I known that I would be writing about Cabilao, I would not have declined her invitation and went with her, and take lots of pictures! But anyway, I remember her proudly telling me about the great things you can see and experience in their wonderful, triangular-shaped island.

First off, she told me that electricity service is not 24 hours in the island. It’s only available for like 7:30 AM to 11:30 PM, but you wouldn’t mind about it because you will be enjoying nature at its best. By this time also, many people and resort owners in Cabilao now have generator to power up their place. So that is not a problem anymore. She also told me there are lots of foreigners, even local tourists, visiting their island for snorkeling and scuba diving since it has beautiful coral reefs and fishes surrounding the island. I also researched about it and indeed it is true. Now there are three famous resorts in Cabilao that offers snorkeling and scuba diving. These are Cabilao Beach Club, La Estrella Beach Resort, and Polaris Beach and Dive Resort. They are all owned by German-Filipino couples.

Cabilao Beach Club is located at Cambaquiz which is on the north-eastern side of the island. It has four spacious bungalows equipped with complete facilities like hot or cold showers, semi or fully air conditioned rooms, and terrace with the view of the magnificent sea. They also have a restaurant and a bar.

Polaris Beach and Dive Resort is located at Pantudlan, Cabilao Island. Their rooms are in cottage-style facility. You can log on to their website for more details http://www.polaris-dive.com.

Lastly, they have La Estrella Beach Resort which is the first resort in Cabilao. They have five different rooms available. Their room rates starts at 2,535 to 3,445 php. You can also visit their website for more information http://www.laestrella.ph.

You might wanna ask how to get to this beautiful island I’ve been talking about. Well, upon arriving to Bohol either by plane or by sea, you have to ride a bus or a jeep. In riding a bus, you just have to go to Cogon Bus Terminal and look for the buses or jeepneys going to Loon, or you can also go to the Integrated Bus Terminal at Dampas, Tagbilaran City . But I recommend you to go to Cogon Bus Terminal since it is nearer to the airport and pier. The fare to the airport or pier to the bus terminal is 10php (if there are no increases in gasoline). You have to be careful because some tricycle drivers ask for more fare, especially to tourists. The bus or the jeepney ride to Loon costs 50php. When you arrive to Loon, you still have to ride another jeep to Sandingan pier where you can ride a banca to the island itself. But, to avoid all these hassles, you can call the resort you will be staying and contact them if you want to be picked up in the airport or in the pier. I think this is much better especially if you are with your family or friends, though it will cost you a lot of money. But all these would pay off when you get to Cabilao Island .

The best time to go there is during summer since you will be on the beach and enjoying the walks along the island’s white sand beaches, the sparkling sun and gazing up at the fluffy blue and white clouds. And don’t ever forget snorkeling or diving! You wouldn’t want rain to ruin all these great things, right?

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• Cabilao Island Is The Place To Be (zay0612.wordpress.com)

I mentioned in this travel blog before that I really like how Cebu Pacific tries to be hip and young with it’s fare promo’s. Their tagline– “It’s time every Juan flies” is a classic in my book. Along the way, Cebu Pacific made some pretty fun promo slogans as well although some may be corny at times but still those slogans were fun. I’m not so sure about the last promo I received via email though. True looking at the catchphrase doesn’t elicit anything but for since they usually base their taglines on puns, this last fare promo did not sound right at all. Check out the email marketing material I received right after the Cebu Pacific slogans below.

Here are a few that I’ve collected all over the internet:

This latest Cebu Pacific Air Promo however leaves a little malodorous thought in one’s imagination. I think somebody will have to explain why he came up with this slogan and another to explain why this slogan was approved.

Be a jetSIETEr! Grab our P777 all domestic seat sale now!

The Philippines’ largest national flag carrier, Cebu Pacific (CEB) officially begins summer with a P777 seat sale to all our 33 domestic destinations, from now until April 18, 2011 or until seats last, for travel from June 1 to July 31, 2011.

For the Lite Fare of P777, you can travel to CEB’s most extensive route network in the Philippines.

These destinations are Bacolod, Boracay (Caticlan), Busuanga (Coron), Butuan, Calbayog, Cagayan de Oro, Catarman, Cauayan (Isabela), Cebu, Clark, Cotabato, Davao, Dipolog, Dumaguete, General Santos, Iloilo, Kalibo, Legaspi, Laoag, Manila, Naga, Ozamiz, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa, Roxas, San Jose (Mindoro), Siargao, Surigao, Tacloban, Tagbilaran, Tuguegarao, Virac and Zamboanga.

We’re also holding a P1,399 Lite Fare seat sale from Manila to Kota Kinabalu, for travel from May 1 to June 30, 2011.

Our Lite Fares are perfect for the summer, so book your holidays at www.cebupacificair.com now!
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Why this slogan was ran at all is beyond me. But you know, when you’re the biggest airline in the country, I think there’s a feeling of entitlement, a feeling that you can write sh*t and nobody will notice or even care. Oh well.