Apo Island: A Total Package for Perfect Unplanned Getaway

Traveling is a perfect a way of collecting memories, having an awesome experience, having new friends and for others, its a way of moving on from one thing to another.
There were some instances wherein our organized travel will be ruin, for instances, an unexpected weather. As we all know, not all the time that the weather can be our friend, sometimes the weather is our secret enemy.

My friends (Zaza, Ness, and Judy)will supposedly go to Camiguin Island to explore its majestic spots, however, due to bad weather condition, they have no choice but to change the plan.  It was cold morning when my friends Ness and Zaza called and asked to go with them to Dumaguete. With no plan and almost empty pocket, I go with them and just enjoy the travel. 

At 2:00 pm the same day we ride series bus direct to Dumaguete City. We stayed in El Oriente resort for 1000.00 Php per night, standard room

It was a rainy night when we arrived in Dumaguete City so I can't exactly describe the place. From bus terminal we ride a tricycle to El Oriente where we stayed overnight. Supposedly, we will go stay at Vintage Inn, however, they are fully booked that time. 

Before lights off, we did some research about tourist spots nearby, then we found an article about Apo Island.  We did a quick research about it next day morning, we went to the place.

Basically, we travel few miles away from Dumaguete proper. The travel from Dumaguete proper to Dauin takes more or less 30-45 minutes via jeepney for 20.00 Php.

Celestial Garden -Banawa

 Banawa Heights - Good Shepard and Celestial Garden

It was 3:30 when CM called me and said that  we will go to Banawa Heights to chase sunset. We meet at Cebu Capitol building then from there we ride a jeepney going to Banawa. It was like 10-15 minutes walk going up to Sister's of the Good Shepard in Banawa Road.

Louren is so hurry going to the Celestial Garden where we chase the sunset, so CM and I took a picture quickly then went to the park. Unfortunate, when we arrive in the park it was raining a little but still we enjoyed our time there, we  had a little picnic taking photos but no sun set.

Exploring Bohol and Its Natural Beauty

During Cebu's Sinulog Festival this year 2017, me and my friends (Louren and CM) decided to go out of town or out of Cebu. On a rainy morning after our shift's, we went to Bohol via Tagbilaran  City - Ocean jet.

Plaza Rizal

When we arrived in Bohol we visited Plaza Rizal that was full of pigeons. They are amazing and they love to eat pop corn and peanuts. When you feed them they will literally flying and be scratching your skin. Note, if you have sensitive skin I would highly suggest not to bring any food in the plaza to avoid calling their attention. Lol

Plaza Rizal

Panglao  Island - The Buzz Cafe

From Plaza Rizal we quickly went to Panglao  Island, we just take a walk in the seashore near Henan Resort. We eat our lunch at The Buzz Cafe, we ate the fresh salad with petals of a flower, yes it's literal petals of a flower. I was amazed because that was my first time eating fresh salad with petals lol, love fresh salad though.

The Buzz Cafe

After we eat our lunch we went to bus terminal near ICM Mall to ride a vhire going to Garcia Hernandez, we stayed at Charice's house. We met her mother for the first time and she was amazing and funny.

Bohol Tour : Being a Dayuhan in my own birth place

I lived in Bohol since birth but either you believe it or not I just explored the beauty of Bohol just this year 2017. Yes, it was 1st of January this year when my sister Ethel and her friend Al Amorin had a tour in some beautiful spots in Bohol. They invited me to join with them, it was a rainy day when we had a tour in Bohol. From our town Bien Unido we went to Tagbilaran City via Talibon we ride a series bus going to Tagbilaran City. Before we went to Tagbilaran, we arranged first our tour accommodation.

We leave the town of Talibon around 8:00 am so we arrived in Tagbilaran around 12:00 it was not an ideal time for us because we need to be in hurry always so that we can catch up the bus going back to our town later afternoon the same day. From Talibon we arrive in Tagbilaran Bus Terminal then we meet the tour guide with his car. We start our tour right away, the very first palce we visited was statue of the blood compact. We went to Bohol's famous tourist attraction, the Chocolate hills. It was my very first time seeing the beauty, it was amazing and absolutely beautiful.

We went to a peak where we can see the over looking of the hills, it was like 2-3 mins walk for me from the ground but for the oldies maybe it will take 5-10 minutes including rest time. We also went to Butterfly Sanctuary wherein you can see the the different species of butterfly though not all but at least you can see some. The crew in the spot are absolutely friendly and approachable. 

Your tour in Bohol is not complete without seeing the world smallest monkey the Tarsier and the Man-made Forest. When we visited the area, there are rules that is strictly to be followed for the safety of the creatures. (1.) not allowed to use selfie stick (2.) lower your voice so that the creature will not be disturbed in their sleep (3.) turn off the flash of your camera because Tarsier eyes is kinda sensitive of light. The Tarsier will just sleep during day time, the care taker of the place said before there are heaps of Tarsier living in the place  but during the destructible earth struck in the province on the 15th of October at 8:12:32 PST year 2013 some of the creatures got stressed and some dies unfortunately.

The Bohol Forest is a man-made mahogany forest stretching in a two-kilometer stretch of densely planted Mahogany trees located in the border of Loboc and Bilar towns. The man-made forest stands out because of the uniformity in height of the big trees, the spread of its branches, thickness and design of leaves. Seedlings abound around the older trees. Trunks, some thick and others just a few months old, grow resplendently straight up towards the sky which is obscured by the branches and the thick leaves.

Loboc Bohol is home of the famous Loboc Children’s Choir, Loboc is a peaceful municipality that is world famous to its well-known river which is aptly called Loboc River. This river is one of the cleanest rivers in the country. This is the one tourist spot you don’t want to miss during your Bohol Tours.

When visiting the town of Loboc you can experience cruising along the river on board small a bancas or floating restaurant.

The Loboc River Dinner Cruise starts by the Loay Bridge which is located in the neighboring town of Loay or at the Loboc town proper where you can choose from a variety of river cruising vessels. The Loboc River cruise usually runs for an hour or so back and forth.

There were more spots that we haven't visited during the tour because we are out of time.  

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Danao City: Chasing the Splendid 360 view in Mt. Manghilao

Mt. Manghilao with side trip to Durano Eco Farm

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If Osmenia Peak in the southern part of Cebu is known to be the highest peak in the South, then I think Mt. Manghilao is the highest peak in Northern part of Cebu though it not yet confirmed. Mt. Manghilao is not that famous unlike Osmenia Peak, Mt. Manuggal and other mountains but in Mt. Manghilao you can see the beautiful over looking of Danao City. 

Mt. Manghilao is located in Coastal part of Danao City, few miles from Danao proper. It was a perfect day when my friend Char went there with her friends also (a certified mountaineers), from SM City Cebu we ride a vhire going to Danao City. When we arrived in Danao proper we bought our foods first for lunch and also water. Char and Jenn already knew the place so we just ask the "habal-habal" driver to bring us to Mt. Manghilao. When we arrived in the starting point we ask some local where is the way go up to Manghilao they give us direction but we're not pretty sure if we are on the right way. Luckily there were these 3 kids passing by so we ask them if they can guide us going up. We met Dave a 12 years old one of our guide in our day hike to Mt. Manghilao. Dave is kinda amazing and friendly, he told us something about the place and etc. Also his cousins, the younger one's show us something that is not really different but it's different how they use it. 

Maloray Dalagute : Hundred Foot Drop Cliff in Kandungao Peak

Doing an adventure in the mountains is not that easy. You have to be brave to face all the trails or consequences you may encounter during the activity. It was rainy early morning when we went to Dalaguete Cebu via Cebu South bus terminal. The place is breath taking and so beautiful even if we haven't got in peak yet. In this adventure, I met 2 new person which is my friend's friend, Jeremy an American national and JC a Cebuano. We walk together and had a small talk.There was a registration area wherein you have to write your name and some important details about your for retrieval purposes or for emergency purposes. There will be a local that will offer their service to be your guide up in the mountains. I would highly suggest to ask a Brgy. Tanod to be your guide just to make sure and the good thing is that they won't ask any amount for the tour fee, its up to you how much you wanna give to them.  From the start of the trail you will be walking in the 200+ steps in stairs then after that you will be passing in a farm that is full of green vegetables.

It was like more or less 1 hr trek from the starting point. We need to rest like every other 5 minutes because the way going up is very steep from the starting point. When you finally arrive in the peak, you can definitely say whooaaa, the view is absolutely stunning, very airy and to cold.

Mesmerizing Mt. Lanigid and Traverse to Malingin Stone Ark

Mt. Lanigid is not so popular mountain unlike Mt. Manuggal, Osmeña Peak and other mountains in Cebu.  Mt. Lanigid and Malingin Stone Ark in Brgy. Mulao is very common in Liloan to its beautiful view and  stunning rock formation. The place is also a historical, according to Ate our guide, there were group Filipino civilian who were ambush by Japanese long time ago. This was happened during the Japanese occupation in the Philippines.

It was around 11:00 am when we arrived in Liloan public market, so before we ride a habal-habal we bought foods first since we are planning to eat our lunch in the peak. From Liloan highway, we ride habal-habal for 60.00 php per head, it was like 20-30 minutes travel from Liloan highway to Brgy. Mulaw (Mt. Lanigid and Malingon Stone Ark).