Category: Philippines

travel posts from the Philippines

I Left My Ray- Ban in Kawasan

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The journey  from the peak to Kawasan has left our bodies sore and devoid of water. That is why when we reached the falls, relief and ease beamed all our faces upon recognizing the  familiar gush of the unsullied waters in Kawasan Falls. We just can’t wait to take a dip and have our bodies soothed by the icy water.

Entrance fee to Kawasan Falls is 10php. From the chapel located along the road, we have to walk a kilometer in order to reach the the First Falls. Kawasan Falls has three main falls. Most people call it the first, second and the third (where the source is located) falls. As you go through each main falls, you can also see a number of miniature falls.

One of the miniature falls you see along the way.

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The Unfamiliar Trail to Kawasan Falls

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This is the second part of our adventure and this, amongst others is the most memorable. It has left our gastrocnemius and hamstring muscles so sore we can hardly move even a single step. Of course this happened the day after. What we faced during that three hour trek was a long haul of uphill and downhill climb intensified by the scorching heat of the sun.

The Barangay of Mantalongon is part of the town of Dalaguete (southeast of Cebu) yet its location gives it an access to the town of Badian located at the southwestern part of Cebu. It is basically located in between Dalaguete and Badian.

There are two ways to reach Kawasan Falls in Badian  from the peak. The hired tour guide (a kid named William) gave us the following option.

First is the 6 hour traverse from the peak which would lead us directly to the second falls of Kawasan. The other option was the 3 hour trek from the peak to Basak, Badian then riding a tricycle to the  Badian Market then a multicab to Matutinao, Badian where the Kawasan Falls is located.

Since a 6 hour trek was so hard to imagine, we opted for the second approach.

After clearing everything up at the peak, we were ready to set foot. It was 7 am when we started and the sun was beginning to show.

Notice the excitement of our faces.

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Cebu’s Highest- The Osmeña Peak

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It has been two weeks since that fateful day and I can still indubitably remember the struggle of my first climb, the shivering cold of my first camp and the grueling 3- hour trek I had on the mountains of Dalaguete and Badian. It was after all my birthday and I celebrated it differently- no candles, no cakes, no birthday wishes nor the opulence of food- it was no ordinary day. And for those who were with me, you know for sure it was one hell of a moment to remember. haha.

This is the first part of our our 3 day- 2 night adventure, bear with me as I relive every moment of it.

We boarded the Ceres Bus for Liloan, Santander at the Cebu South Bus Terminal at around 4:00 pm(fare: 105php for aircon bus). We had to disembark at Poblacion, Dalaguete in order to catch the habal- habal for Mantalongon which would take us to the base of the mountain. From there we have to climb the slope in order to reach the camp site.

The travel from Cebu City to Dalaguete took us almost 3 hours instead of 2 since we were caught with a traffic at San Fernando, Cebu. There was a fiesta ongoing and the buses have to slow down to accommodate the influx of people at the celebration. Hence, we arrived at the Dalaguete junction at around 7:30 pm.

From there, we rode a habal- habal to take us to the mountain base (travel time is 1 hour, fare is 100php/person). Tell you, the ride was smooth for the first 30 minutes but after reaching the Mantalongon Public Market, everything from there went bumpy and tortuous. I salute the habal- habal drivers who are able to jaunt that kind of terrain and take the campers safely to the base.

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10 Things I Love About Dumaguete

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The homey feel of Dumaguete makes it a favorite spot for those who want to relax but still feel the need to connect with the city life. Life in this city has been a brew of idleness and stir. The streets  may be busy but locals still have the time to walk along Rizal Boulevard and indulge on a 50 peso massage. People can be engrossed with work but once you ask for help, they are so glad to deliver and even go the extra mile. This is my favorite city so far and here are the 10 things I love about it.

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Isla del Fuego: The Mystic Siquijor

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The island province of Siquijor has been identified as home to witches, sorcerers, voodoos, potions and alike.  But this didn’t stop us from going there and exploring a land of ethereal beauty and mystery.

DAY 1.

GETTING THERE:

Cebu- Dumaguete (thru Sibulan)- Siquijor

From Cebu’s South Bus Terminal, we boarded a CERES bus en route to Lilo-an Port in Santander ( fare= 162 php). There is another port in Bato, Oslob but according to my research, there are more boats in Lilo-an going to Sibulan than in Bato. Travel time is 3 hrs.

Lilo- an Port.

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