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.
Tag: Philippines
Vast DAVAO
As a jump start to the year 2013, my mom and I decided to visit the vast city of Davao. The initial plan was to book a ticket for Davao, avail one of those city tours and sleep at Pearl Farm- a beach resort in Samal Island widely publicized as a tourist hot spot. Yet, as I began researching and reading blog posts from DIY (do it yourself) travelers, I realize that it would be a hell of an adventure if I plan our trip just like these backpackers did. We rarely rode their taxis and opted for commuting and walking. We didn’t hire a tour guide, instead we bought a map, did vast research and asked the locals for directions. And we never checked- in at Pearl Farm, we were at the Royal House, which on our second day gave us 50% discount on room accommodation. Kudos to my nanay, who was all out with this adventure!
Day 1
GETTING THERE:
We booked the ticket from Cebu Pacific’s piso fare last November 2012. Travel time from Cebu City to Davao is approximately an hour.
Laid- Back Dumaguete
Food. This is what I always think everytime someone mentions the place Dumaguete. The Sans Rival Bistro was simply the most delicious resto of all! I had the chance to visit the place August of last year together with my HR Director. It was business mixed with pleasure.lol
From Cebu, we rode a Cebu Pacific plane to Dumaguete. The flight was so short we didn’t realize it was touchdown already, 20- minute flight as I recall! Cebu Pacific flies everyday to Dumaguete, they only have 1 flight to Duma early in the morning and back to Cebu late in the afternoon. Rates differ from the length of time you purchased the ticket. For us, it was 899 per person exclusive of tax. For those on a budget, you can have a land trip from Cebu to Liloan (south part of Cebu) then ride a ferry from Liloan to Duma. Another alternative route would be through slow boat or a fast ferry (Oceanjet) which would take 5 hrs or more to reach Dumaguete.
The Little Island of Canigao
It was my pre- birthday celebration and the family decided to lurk the waters of Canigao island. From our house in Ormoc City, we traveled 3 hrs to reach the port that would lead us to this small, uninhabited island in the southern part of Leyte.
Since it was April 8, Easter Sunday, we expected the island to be packed with locals and tourists ( in the Philippines, most families celebrate Easter by going to the beach) so the family decided to leave at 6 am but since we are Filipinos ( sorry! haha), we left at around 7 am.
It was more of a mini reunion, the family was jam packed into this 16- seater van! We were so tight! (literally tight!)
It was a very long drive. We enjoyed the 3-hour hiatus by watching the scenery from outside our window and of course, the never ending influx of food. =)
And Alas!
Canigao Island.
Soaked in Bantayan
This was my second time to be in Sta. Fe, Bantayan and true as they say, its really sweeter the second time around! I’m loving the place even more and the fact that I was with some of my closest friends made it even more fun!
The trip was supposed to be a three-day, two- night adventure but due to conflicting work schedules (thanks to me!), we managed to squeeze our activities in 2 days and one night. The trip was pure fun and ecstacy! After all, it was our way of welcoming summer!
Day 1. Saturday. We took a Ceres bus to Hagnaya at the Cebu North Bus Terminal. We were there at 5:00 am but since the bus has to be full, we ended up leaving at around 6 am.
It was a 3-hour bus ride from Cebu City to Hagnaya. The bus fare was 132 but we were able to “trick” our way to getting a student privilege so we ended up paying 107 php. Haha
doreen the explorer 