Memories of Bucolic Bohol

View of the Chocolate Hills from the 240-step Carmen viewpoint

A trip made several years ago, Bohol was a revelation. I have known it to be one of the best dive spots in the country, but never thought its rural beauty can be disarming, too.

 I treated my Dad to a short trip to Cebu to catch up with his big brother, our late Uncle Sisoy, my cousins, and a day trip for us to Bohol. With Gia in tow, we went for a whole day trip around the island of bucolic Bohol. The rain that the storm brought did not stop us.

Little did we know, we witnessed one of God's miracles--- when we did start our trip, we were blessed by a cool breeze and a scorching sun, up to the time we boarded the ferry back to Cebu. Amazing!!!Perfect weather amidst a supposed storm in the Visayas.

Tubigon was our ferry stop. A sleepy town, less popular than well-known Tagbilaran, but a mere 20 minutes to the first stop---Sagbayan Viewpoint. The place has tarsiers and chocolate hills but without the gruelling 240 steps climb to the viewing deck. Here you will find a rolling pathway (less strenuous) to the viewing deck. The mounds where not chocolate brown but a rich green. It turns brown around March-May, or summertime.

Pathway to Sagbayan Viewpoint (photo from internet)

View from the Sagbayan Viewpoint

View from Sagbayan Viewpoint

Moalboal --- Another Diving Paradise

Pescador Island from Panagsama Beach

After 11 years, I was back in Moalboal!

Moalboal is a town south of Cebu. A favorite weekend destination for locals and a favorite spot for divers.  Having been based in Cebu for about 6 years, it has been our favorite long-weekend destination whenever we have enough of Mactan Island. This is where I had my fill of the underwater world and where I spent lazy days with good friends.

A short , 2 1/2 hours ,  drive from Cebu City passing through the quaint town of Carcar, Moalboal is home to Pescador Island. One of best dive spots in the country.

Panagsama Beach

A resort near White Beach  --- a great house reef

So much has changed, but for the better. Even the diving improved. Well, as far as I can remember, I could not recall diving along Moalboal's wall (shore) was that great too!  

I went back in 2010 after watching a video footage of thresher sharks and sardine run. My dive buddies and I,  packed our bags at short notice to ensure we get to see this rare chance before it is too late.

Underwater shots along Moalboal reef

Photos of the pink diver by Jovic S; Stephen D; Raymund R.

At Moalboal reef -- huge fans abound

At Pescador Island

Diver enjoying the sardine run :)

Can you see it?

Moalboal reef diving

Pescador island diving

And we were not disappointed! We saw thresher sharks feeding almost every dive. Of course, the sardines where like there forever waiting for us. It was one hell of a weekend trip. I just ticked off 2 items on my bucket list: diving with a thresher shark and to witness a sardine run.

The thresher got too near but swiftly got away

A huge ball of sardines! (Photo courtesy of Jovic S.)

And here is a short video of the daily sardine run we witness at Pescador Island. Awesome and overwhelming!

One of those weekend trips I will not forget. One of those experiences I will treasure. On the same level as when I was able to dive with a whale shark. What an awesome underwater experience!

And here's the group shot and the droids of a gear!

The droids and its masters

With my Fey

Revisiting Bantayan Island

Fishermen coming in with their catch early in the morning

From Malapascua, Gia and I proceeded to Bantayan Island for an extended vacation. We initially considered renting an outrigger boat from Malapascua to Bantayan, but seeing the waves and the more than 2 hours trip, I decided to ask the van driver to drop us at Hagnaya Port to catch the ferry to Sta. Fe port in Bantayan, instead.

The ferry ride took about a little over an hour. We then hired a tricycle to Sta. Fe Resort. The resort is actually a few meters away from the port. About 5minutes ride.

I have been to Bantayan Island several times in the past and I enjoyed the trip all the time. What I love about Bantayan is that, it has the same fine white sand beach as the popular Boracay, but without the crowd. We had a great 3 days of mom-daughter bonding.  Frolicking on the beach, riding the tricycle around the island to check out some of the places to see, "binge-eating", and just lazing around. What a very relaxing trip!

Bantayan Must-See and Must-Do:

 1) St. Peter & Paul Church - a five-decade old church located in the town center. It is made of corals and stones from the island.  It is the center of the island's  unique Holy Week celebration.

St. Peter & Paul Church (photo by pickled_newt)

2) Ogtong Cave - a natural underground shallow cave where one can swim in its cool waters. The owners of Sta. Fe Resort developed a resort around the cave. Not as spectacular as most caves though but I found it unique with its cool clear waters. You descent a few steps of stairs to the cool waters.

Ogtong Cave (photo from the web)

3) Island hop to Virgin Island (Or Sillion Island) - a privately owned island with same white sand beach as Bantayan. We passed up on this as I felt I had a fill of white sand beach already for this trip. But for hardcore beach bums, I recommend you go.

Sillion Island (photo by Beach Placid Resort)

4) Hire a bike or tricycle and explore the island - visit the local market, visit other resorts, see bucolic living inland, try out other restaurants or go on a photography jaunt. Everything is possible and safe around Bantayan Island. We did just that and we totally enjoyed it.

5) Stroll along the glorious beach - did I say, that the sand is white and soft you can practically go barefoot? The beaches in Bantayan is worth the stroll. Unspoilt and no crowd!

Bantayan beach

6) Enjoy the peace and quiet - just that. Watch local life going on around you. Or space out and enjoy the silence. Meditate? very possible!

Inviting to just laze

7) Eat seafood - this is an island after-all. Never miss their dried "danggit" fried until crunchy. Not too salty.  Nor the "kinhason" (seashell). Yum Yummm.

8) Try some water sports - snorkel or try the banana boat for that adrenaline rush.

9) Spend Holy Week here - they have a unique celebration during these holy days. You will see "lechon" (roasted pig) being paraded and/or served during this period. Being an island, seafood is their staple food and fishing is their livelihood. So, for them to join the Holy Week celebration, they were given special permission by the Catholic Church to eat meat to prevent them from fishing.

No, visitors are not exempted from abstaining from meat, even if they visit this place on said days. And most thought so.

10) Don't miss the sunrise - calming, peaceful, relaxing. Then, watch local fishermen come home with their catch. You may just be lucky and be offered to buy them at such a bargain.

Glorious sunrise

Diving Malapascua

Sunset @ Malapascua Island

APRIL 2007
Malapascua Island, Cebu 

I can still remember being excited for this trip. I was so looking forward to seeing thresher sharks for the first time.

This is one of our dive group's (Hello Divers) dive trip outside of Luzon.

From the Mactan International Airport, we hired a van to take us to Maya Pier, north of Cebu Island, the jump-off point to Malapascua. Then we hired an outrigger boat to bring us to the island.We have no choice because we have our dive gears with us.

1st batch to Malapascua

After sorting out our accommodation problems, we settled in  and had our very late lunch, before exploring the island.
  
While most of us slept the afternoon away (including me), others did not lose time exploring the island and swimming. I woke up at 4pm and decided to join the rest of the group at the beach. Our part of the island is so quiet and secluded, it is paradise!

The view from our cottage

Malapascua white sand beach

The 1st day was more relaxed. After swimming and camwhoring, we started fixing and sorting our dive gears for the very early date with the threshers the following day. We had night cap at a floating bar before taking a very late dinner after.

Woke up very early the following day to keep our appointment with the threshers. But unfortunately, we were able to dive Monad Shoal past sunrise already as we have to wait for the rest of our diver friends who were coming from Cebu that day. :( Really sad we did not get to see the sharks. Monad Shoal is an underwater plateau --the only place one can see thresher sharks regularly before sunrise, and where pelagic also abound. The sea mount is used by the sharks as a cleaning station---where wrasse remove parasites from their skin and clean their gills and mouth. 

Ready to dive!

Disappointed with Monad Shoal, we proceeded to Gato Island. We enjoyed the dive and snorkeling in the area. Later in the afternoon, we dove along Malapascua shores to witness the colorful Mandarin fish do their mating dance early in the evening. Well, they did not mate but I got to see one. What a lovely creature! Too bad I was not able to capture one decent shot as they hurriedly hide amongst corals as soon as they see the dive lights. :(

Despite the disappointments,  we had a great time in Malapascua, albeit short. A great weekend trip.

Mandarin Fish (photo from services.flickie.com)

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Getting to Malapascua:

From Manila, take the flight to Cebu Island. You will land at Mactan International Airport. Malapascua is located north of the island of Cebu, and travel by land and ferry is a total of 3-5 hours depending on your choice of transportation and travel time. Best to take the earliest flight to Cebu.

Option 1: Private transfers - Before arriving Malapascua, you can arranged from the resort for an airport pick-up and transfers to the resort. This is a bit expensive but more convenient. 

Option 2: By Taxi - You can hire a taxi from the airport or the North Bus terminal that will cost you around P4,800 to P6,000 one way depending on your haggling skills.

Option 3:  By bus - from the airport, take a taxi/cab to the North Bus terminal. Take Ceres Bus or Rough Riders to Maya Pier. Buses to Maya leave every 20 minutes and runs 24hours. While buses from Maya pier to Cebu runs from 1am to 6pm only. Non-aircon buses is non-stop and takes 4 hours. Aircon buses have designated stops and takes them 5hours to reach Maya Pier. Bus fares is around P150-200 per way.

From Maya Pier,  there are 2 options:

Option 1:  Private boat - hire a private boat from the pier. Cost may range from P1,500 to P2,000 depending on time of day and your haggling skills. Trip will take about 30 minutes.

Option 2: Public boat - you will have to wait for the boat to be full before it leaves the port. Be sure to be at the port before 5pm to catch the last trip for the day. Fare is P80 per person and travel time is also 30 minutes.
 

 

The Land of Gentle People

Oct 2006
Dumaguete City


Flew in to Dumaguete for the weekend to dive Apo Island and a quick look-see of the City. We arrived just around lunch so spent it having lunch at Jake's home and then touring the City. Dumaguete is called the "University town" because of its 4 universities, but best known for Siliman University.

@Siliman University

@ the Marine Lab

After touring the City, we dropped by at Siliman University and also toured its Marine Laboratory. Dinner was at a Jo's Inato  before we strolled Dumaguete's famous Rizal Boulevard promenade at night.

@ the Promenade

The day I was supposed to catch my flight to Manila, the group had lunch at a place (sorry forgot the name) where the locals and visitors throng--- a long shack with long tables and full of smoke. Their specialty, barbecued chicken or pork at very reasonable price (as in mura!). Maybe you can ask the tricycle drivers to bring you to this place. 


Then off we went to buy THE pasalubong one should really bring home to loved ones from Dumaguete---Sylvanas (or Silvanas) ! Yes, the best tasting sylvanas I have ever eaten. Buy it at Sans Rival Cakes and Pastry Shop along San Jose St. near the boulevard. Their Sans Rival is also to die for. Watch out though if you are diabetic, they do not have sugar-free versions yet.


Dumaguete is one of those sleepy towns in the country I'd like to visit and stay for a while just to escape the hustle and bustle of the Metro. One of the places where one can recharge, take it easy, take stock of everything before going back to the rat race.


Thanks to Jake Martinez for hosting us and taking care of the group while in town. We love Dumaguete!

Diving Apo Island

Oct. 2006
Apo Island

Negros Oriental

NatGeo photo by Chelle

A whole day spent diving one of the world's best marine sanctuaries, Apo Island in Negros Oriental. Not to be confused with Mindoro's Apo Reef, an equally rich marine habitat, Apo Island has been Siliman University Marine Laboratory's project. With documented 650 species of fish and an estimated 450 species of corals, it has become one of the Philippines' premier dive sites and a favorite snorkeling area.

This was the time I was still discovering underwater photography and had my very first u/w camera -- a sony---pre-"Fey" period (for those who may not know, "Fey" is my present u/w rig). So no strobes, no macro lenses, no nothing that time, just the simple point and shoot camera in an u/w case with build in flash.

Finding Nemos