Badian's Lambug Beach and Kansanto Spring

Badian, Cebu

Badian is a municipality south of Cebu that is emerging as one of the go-to places because of the canyoneering activity there. However, I went there to do some soul-searching and the place can really help you. If you are not into canyoneering then you can check out Lambug Beach and Kansanto Spring.

How I got there:

From the South Bus Terminal, take a bus going to Bato via Barili. There are a couple buses there that has that route like but I took the Ceres bus. They have AC and non-AC type of buses. The fare is Php126 (AC-type) and although the non-AC costs lesser, it is not much of a fare difference. Travel time is 3 hours. Just inform the conductor that you will alight at the Badian Public Market or mostly known as Badian's merkado. You can opt to be dropped at the corner of the road to the golf course but I preferred the merkado as there are a lot of habal-habal there that can take you to Lambug beach. The fare from merkado to Lambug Beach is Php50 although I was able to haggle it to Php40.

Where I stayed:

I stayed at the Lambug Beach Homestay and it was a very nice place. It is very homey and you can use their kitchen and living room. The homestay is just 1-2 minutes away from the beach. They offer dormitory type of rooms for Php400/person and double rooms that cost from Php1,500-Php2,000 but the rooms are spacious and all have AC on them. The caretaker, Ate Vilma, is friendly and nice to talk to. They also serve breakfast for Php150 but you must order in advance. You can check out their website here. You can also contact them through 09167620044 and 09254606573 or email them through: info@lambug-beach-homestay.com

Kitchen and Dining area of the Homestay

Living area of the homestay

The big dormitory room that can occupy 10-12 persons

If you really need to have a place to stay at the beach front, there are also other places to stay. Here are some of the accommodations you can check:

Grandeur Beach Resort*

Magic Beach Resort*

Angie's Beach House

*photos courtesy of owners
 

You can also set up tents at the beach and I've heard that it's for free. You can take your own equipment with you or you can rent one at the hotels and just ask about those. Take that for a budget hack.

The things I did and the places I went to:

Lambug Beach

Lambug beach has fine white sand and clear waters. It is not a crowded beach and when I went there, if it weren't for the locals, I may have been the only one there. It is a quiet place that can make you think and relax. I have not used any cottage and just opted to sit by the shade of the coconut tree with beverage and junk food in hand. With a music player on, I was enjoying the view and chilling out by myself. I wasn't able to swim at the beach as intended due to that time of the month. Still I was able to enjoy my time there. I got to meet locals and was able to try some sea urchin fresh from the sea. I also got to meet some friendly dogs there. I would definitely go back and bring some friends with me.

Sari-sari stores that sell basic needs

Unspoiled beach

The friendly pooch I met at the beach

The boy I met having fresh food for lunch

Fresh sea urchin - is this uni?

The beach is not complete without coconut trees

 

Kansanto Spring

Kansanto Spring is a lesser known place to visit in Badian. It is a cold spring and the water there is brackish. There are about 5 cottages there that you can use for Php350-Php400 and I also see a videoke machine certainly for Filipinos who love to sing and showcase their voices. There is no restaurant or store there that you can buy food from so better have some food/drinks ready or bought from the market before going there. The water is so clear and there are fishes swimming around. There are two other ponds/enclosures where they are somehow breeding fish but I was told that before they had sea turtles there that they were raising but because they are endangered species, it was ceased by the government and they had to set them all free.

I was also able to meet the caretakers, Ibong and Baldo, as I had the courage to join them because I was the only guest there. Yup, I had the place all to myself once more. It really is nice to meet locals, I spent my afternoon there with them and I got to know them a little more. It was a nice thing to get out of my comfort zone once in a while. Definitely, check this place out!

Hammocks to relax in

One of the cottages - not sure if the top part is a private function room

Here is the breakdown of my expense:

What I want you to know:

1. Tricycle drivers will ask you to do a "pakyaw" to take you Lambug beach if you alighted from the Public Market. They will ask you Php100 so don't opt for it if you are travelling alone. There is the habal-habal that you can take for Php50 but I was able to haggle it to Php40 so if you can do that, don't be shy to flash your charm. Of course, take the trike if you have a lot of luggage with you.
2. There are no restaurants at the beach front only small sari-sari stores for basic needs so better buy your meats or groceries at the market. For fish, I was asked by a local if I wanted to buy fish so I think you can ask some of the locals to go fishing but that's not a guarantee. I did see some carenderias at the far end of the beach near the port if you wanna try out local food but it is a bit far from the hotels/homestays.
3. ALWAYS have cash and change with you. There is only one ATM machine found in Badian and it is located next to 7-Eleven just adjacent of the drop off area. There is no guarantee that it will always work so better have cash ready. If the machine doesn't work, you will have to go to Moalboal, which is the next town, to withdraw cash.
4. If you want to have a driver take you to the homestay or to the market, you can contact Kuya Sawi at 09322456126.
5. The locals are very friendly, I recommend that you interact with them. I was able to hear stories from their life and also got to know the place a little more.

Hit me up if you have questions :)

Ilocandia Adventures - (Part 2 - Pagudpud)

PAGUDPUD

Pagudpud is a fourth class municipality and a coastal resort town of Ilocos Norte province, in the northern Ilocos Region of the Philippines. It is the countryside tour I recommend you do while you're in Ilocos Norte.

How I got there:

I have researched to take a bus or van bound for Claveria Cagayan, as it will pass by the town of Pagudpud, which is the last town before reaching Claveria Cagayan. Travel time is 1.5-2 hours. Fare is about Php70 (as of this writing; may change the without prior notice). Tell the driver/conductor to drop you off at Baduang Market. The bus that we rode though was for Pagudpud not for Claveria Cagayan but we still asked to be dropped off Baduang Market still.

Where I stayed:

Our tricycle guide/driver brought us to Northridge Beach Resort as we have not booked in advance because we originally plan on not staying overnight at Pagudpud. The room was fair and it was Php1000 good for two people. It was located at Saud beach so it was a good location. We were able to walk by the shore and was even able to visit the different resorts there though most of them were closed early in the morning.

For a list of accommodations, please check this page.

The things I did and the places I went to:

From a blog, I was able to get in contact with Kuya Rene at 09208532047 (his number may have changed) for the tour. The tour is actually separated per package where South Pagudpud tour and North Pagudpud tour costs Php600 each. The easiest way to go visiting the tourist spots in Pagudpud and the surrounding towns is through a trike/tricycle tour. The locations are really far away from each other. If you are on a big group, I recommend you rent a van. We took both the North and South tour from our guide which would amount to Php1,200. Because my travel buddy was sick, we opt not to go to Kabigan Falls as we have to walk there for like 30 minutes and so Kuya Rene offered the tour to us for Php1,000.

Here are some of the places we went to:

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse

Kapurpurawan Rock Formation

Bangui Windfarm and Windmills

Patapat Viaduct

Blue Lagoon

Maira-ira Beach Resort

Patapat Viaduct

Agua Grande Park

Mama Mary's Grotto - Paraiso ni Anton

Overlooking the Blue Lagoon

Hannah's Resort at the Blue Lagoon

A cottage at the Blue Lagoon

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse

Kapurpurawan Rock Formation

Bangui Windmills

What I want you to know:

1. Bring change cash with you as this is a typical Philippine town that ATMs are not readily available.
2. I got some stomachache during my stay there but there were no drugstores near and towns close very early in provinces so be ready with your medicine kit for your trip. No worries, I survived that night of stomach cramps. 

Please check out the next entry for my last stop, Vigan City! 

Click here for my Laoag City adventure.

Dumaguete - Apo Island for 2 Days and 1 Night (Part 2)

APO ISLAND

How long have I wanted to swim with the sea turtles! Finally, I was able to experience it!

Chasin' turtles be like

Apo Island is located south eastern tip of Negros Island and 30 kilometers south of the Negros Oriental capital of Dumaguete in the Philippines. I wouldn't want to miss my chance. The best thing about group travel is to share cost of the pump boat that can take you to island which is PHP2,500 good for four and of course it is not pratical if you go on solo for that amount. Good thing that the place I stayed at has a joiner offer of PHP1,000 per individual. It is kind of pricey than group sharing but that amount already covers the transportation to and from Dauin, breakfast, lunch, boat, snorkel gear and the guide. You need to be at the hostel at 6:45AM and because I stayed there, it was convenient for me. You will be asked to sign a waiver and also just next to the hostel is the dive shop where the equipments are handed out.

Swimming away

It was past 7AM when we headed off to Dauin. Most of the people I went the trip with were Chinese and Koreans, there were Filipinos and I wanted to talk to them but I just didn't have the voice - I actually don't know what to talk about after the initial greetings. It was a good thing there was also another person in solo travel and I took the chance to talk to him and become his companion that day. That made me very happy! I got to meet someone new and I was able to meet two more when we were grouped together for the dive.

One side of the Island

The package includes three dive spots because we have divers with us. One thing to note though is that you will not be taken TO the island but the boat will just be navigating around it as there is an additional fee. If you want to have your feet touch the sand and be on the island as well as check out the lighthouse, this package is not for you. Also, most of the sea turtles are feeding in the shallow waters near the beach so the dives/snorkels  you will be having with the package does not assure a turtle encounter but it has 80% chance you will have one as what I have experienced. None the less, you will have a great time! It was on the third dive that we encountered turtles and our group was lucky to be the only ones there. We had the turtle all for ourselves! Even if the first two dives were turtle-less (is that even a word?), the island is a marine sanctuary and the corals and sea is full of life! The water is also clear, even if it is deep, you can see the sea bed. You are scheduled 1 hour snorkel for each dive spot, two are done before lunch and last one after as you need to be back on shore by 3PM as the waves gets high that time.  The overall experience was fun and I highly recommend joining the tour!

Here is the breakdown of my expenses:

Note: It could have been lesser if I have booked in advanced as well as I am a foodie so I do spend on food. (peace)

What I want you to know:

1. If you only have the weekends to visit Dumaguete and go to Apo Island, I would recommend you catching the 1AM schedule to Lilo-an Port from Cebu's South Bus Terminal. You will arrive at 4 or 4:30AM which is the first scheduled trip for the ferry. It only takes 30-45 minutes to Sibulan. You have time to catch up with the Apo Island tour (provided that they are not fully booked which is less likely).
2. The lunch including in the package is kinda like a "snack". We were just only served pancit though I was expecting a full meal. You may need to bring your own lunch if it is not enough. There is unlimited coffee/milk, bread and bananas though (at least that's what I have observed).
3. I really do advice to have Apo Island be your first day activity because it will be a three hour swimming under the blazing sun and it will exhaust you. Of course, it will be entirely up to you.
4. As you need to get wet in boarding the boat, be in clothes that you don't mind getting wet in.

That about sums it up with my first solo travel adventure! I can't wait to explore again! Hit me up if you plan to visit my place. I would love to suggest places and things to do for you :)

Dumaguete - Apo Island for 2 Days and 1 Night (Part 1)

DUMAGUETE

I had long been wanting to visit Dumaguete, it's just a bus (and ferry) away from Cebu. One thing that kept me from going is I have no one to go with there. I haven't been there and there is also the introvert part of me of facing foreigners and also that having the look of being lost. I was happy when my housemates wanted to come so I applied for leave right away. But as you know, never plan your vacation way early as they ought to go as planned. We had talks about our trip a month before. Eight planned the trip and then by the time the day came, I was the only one left still wanting the plan to push through.

Rizal Boulevard

No worries though, I think this is the sign that I go solo. Yes, this is my first solo travel and guess what.. No Regrets! I had an awesome time and I got to meet new friends! I thought that I will be alone the entire time I will be there. I was able to muster the courage to take my first steps to travel solo!

How I got there:

There are several ways to get to Dumaguete. By air, by sea or by land (via RoRo) or a combination. There is the option to fly or voyage directly to Dumaguete,  I selected the cheapest way which is by land-sea-land though it is not the fastest route. I wasn't in a hurry so I didn't mind. I took a bus from the South Bus Terminal to Lilo-an. The bus signboard had Bato via Lilo-an on it. If not sure just ask which bus goes to the port for Sibulan. It takes about 3-3.5 hours to arrive there and the fare is PHP185 (as of this writing). The bus will stop just outside (bus conductors will shout "Lilo-an!") and you know you have arrived. You need to take a number as there are limited seats on the ferry or else you will have to wait for the next trip. The fare is around PHP65 pesos and takes around 30-40 minutes to get to Sibulan which is a town 20 minutes away from Dumaguete.  It was early in the morning (nearly 5AM) that I arrived in Sibulan. There will be a lot of tricycles waiting and a few jeepneys. The drivers will charge you PHP170 to take you to your hotel (you will split the cost if there are two or 3 people) but because I was alone I opt for the jeepney where I just spent PHP20.

Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria

Where I stayed:

I have not booked in advance for the reason that I didn't think there were be a lot of people in Dumaguete for the weekend because there is no festival or any celebration the city is having. How wrong I was! I first arrived at Harold's Mansion which is a popular backpacker's hostel. I wanted to stay at their air-conditioned dorms for a night but their dorms are fully booked and only available rooms are the double fan rooms.  I decided to try another place which is the Vintage Inn however before even asking for a room, I knew it was fully booked because of the sign they have on their frontdesk. I asked the tricycle driver where he can recommend and he informed of the Gateway Hotel and they were fully booked too. I decided to go back to Harold's Mansion and paid for the fan room good for two which is PHP500.

The things I did and the places I went to:

Sans Rival Bistro

I wandered around Dumaguete on the second day because I went to Apo Island on the first day which you will know more about in my next entry.  But I had dinner at Jo's Chicken Inato that night and got my dessert at Sans Rival Bistro. The bistro is facing Rizal Boulevard so I was able to do a quick stroll together with my new found friends (Yep! I was lucky!). They have some street foods there but I was too full to even try some.

Tempura stands in Rizal Boulevard at night

Real life rooster at Jo's

 After chasing turtles on my first day, I was exhausted and my skin was hurting so my plan to go to Manjuyod Sandbar got cancelled and because I had a back up plan I didn't fret much. My back up plan is the city tour and was pretty interested in going to the museums of Siliman University, however, it was on a Sunday and I had asked multiple trike drivers if they are still open only to be answered no.  The museums are not option so I decided to go to Sans Rival Bakery which is just next to their bistro. I had a quick stomach filler there which is their lasagna and got one box  of their famous Silvanas. I was able to stop by the Sisters of St Paul of Chartres Monument which is just across the bistro and took a quick photo or two. After that I went to the Campanario De Dumaguete (Dumaguete belfry) which is the oldest in the Visayas and it is just next to Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria which I just admired from the outside as there was an on-going mass because it was Sunday. 

Dumaguete belfry

Rizal Park just happens to be across the church too. It was noon so the heat was scorching and what better way to cool down than by sitting under a shade of the tree. The breeze was so nice so I stayed at the park for around a quarter of an hour. I then decided to just walk to the Public Market after taking a rest at the park. I had a handy maps app on my phone to let me know where I was so I was able to make out that it is just two blocks from the park. I may have regretted it slightly as it was 11AM and the sun was really scorching hot not counting that I still was sunburned. My purpose there was to buy pasalubong and the public market had the budbod kabog which is made from bird seeds.

Rizal Park

After my purchase, I wanted to have a keychain as I make it a point to get one when I travel as souvenir for the  places I went to but none can be found there. I have to go to Robinson's Mall to buy one thanks to the locals I asked about where to get those. It was nearly 12NN and I have to get back to the hostel to check out and started my journey back to Cebu. There is still the option to do the bus from Cebu-Dumaguete but still went to the land-sea-land option.

Check my next entry for my Apo Island Adventure!