The Hills are Alive in Dahilayan

“~The hills are alive with the sound of music~” 

Indeed,  my inner Maria (chus!) was awakened when I saw the beauty of Dahilayan National Park after the 2 hour drive from CDO to Malaybalay, Bukidnon.

                                        

Scenes on our way to the Park. Yup, my window area was dirty and I was able to see the “famous” pineapple in its full glory before it was destroyed by the rebels.

              

The park claims to have the longest zipline in Southeast Asia. I did not try it because my reason was, once you tried ziplining before, it’s the same thing still :P. The bf tried it to get out from his comfort zone and he liked it!

Some of Dahilayan Park’s attractions:

ATV

Rope Course

Zipline!

Zorbing

The  100 meters Free Fall 😛

The map for reference

Although I was really enamored with Dahilayan’s beauty, I have to admit their attraction’s prices are quite steep. Prices are written below. ( Please take note that prices may change depending on their management’s discretion)

Information I was able to note down:

Entrance fees (Weekdays):

Adult: Php.50.00 (note: if you will be riding the ATV/ Buggy Cars entrance is already free)

Kids: Php.20.00

Ride Rates:

Buggy: Php800.00

ATV:Php500.00

Zorb:Php250.00

Bungy Bounce/Free Fall: Php500.00

Tree Top Adventure:Php250.00

Zipzone Rates:
840m: Php500.00

320m + 150m: Php250

Fun Shots!

Dahilayan is very picturesque 😉

            

            

           

Forest Park is is adjacent to Dahilayan. This is where most of the rides are available and you also need to pay a separate entrance fee in order for you to go inside.

                                

        

If you get hungry, you dont have to worry. There is a hotel/ restaurant within the area.  Expect that the prices will be steeper compared to the prices within the city.

        

It never fails to rain everyday so bring an umbrella just to be safe. You need to be at the park at an earlier time  so you can enjoy all the attractions that they offer since it rains without fail, everyday at around 4pm.

                          

How to reach Dahilayan.

Easier way is to ride for the Dahilayan Adventure Park shuttle in Coffee Dream Divisoria. The bus will wait  for passengers until 8am. It operates only during the weekends. You need to have a  reservation  but you can also try your luck by going there and check with the operator if they can accomodate you as a chance pasenger. Fee is 150.00.

Have fun!

Cozy Coron- Day 1

My year ender vacation for the year 2012 is in one of the best place to escape the madness of city life, the island of Coron in Palawan. 🙂

Dubbed as one of the place to look out for in 2013 by one of the leading international travel magazine. Coron with its natural limestone formation and abundant ecosystem is truly a gem of the Philippines, along with its equally beautiful sisters, Puerto Prinsesa and El Nido.

We boarded Cebupacific with an expectation that it’s going to be one of our best vacay ever. I was eagerly expecting it’s going to be like the scene in Boracay. I know, wrong mindset 😛

Scenery from the top. I just couldn’t sleep while aboard.

           

It’s not denuded by the way, the mountains are not made of soil rather they are stones with a thin covering of earth. Only shrubs and bushes thrive on those formation. The last picture reminds me of a savannah which is why Calaut “zafari’ is perfect in Coron.

Posterity shots first hehehe..

                                      

Welcome to Coron!!

We got picked up by Island’s View Inn, our hotel for the rest of our stay in  the island. I will be making a separate post about what we  experienced with the hotel as an FYI for those who are planning to get them for their Coron vacation.

Coron Town is situated an hour’s drive away from Busuanga airport which makes it a bit far from the city’s capital. There are plenty of vans that you can ride from Airport to the town. Price seems to be universal which is 150/per head. We opted for our hotel’s van since they charged us with the same amount. Once we arrived in our hotel, we decided to explore Coron Town and to book our next day ready made tour.

TIP:  For those who are solo or couple travellers, there is no need to get the sometimes, very expensive tour packages offered to you by your hotel or accommodation.  There are so many travel agencies in the area and you can just simply drop by and be included in their group tour, if you want to save few hundreds in your budget.

One of those known in the area are Corongaleri and Lakbay Turismo. I initially set it up with the Corongaleri/ Calamianes Expedition group but was not able to find their agency, so we ended up with Lakbay Turismo and got their Php 750 1 day tour per head. Not a bad deal since it included lunch and drinks in the package. We were told to be in the agency at around 8am to start the our island hopping tomorrow.

Slices of life around Coron Town while touring the area.

                                                                                                                                                                                             

My boyfriend did not want to stress himself by walking to Mount Tapyas so we ended up having early dinner while waiting for our “Starry, starry night adventure” with Kingfisher Park.

I wanted to really try the recommended places to eat in Coron and we ended up in Bistro Coron. Bistro Coron is known for their pizza and I would like to give it a try myself. As you can see, prices are bit high though.  I ordered their Bistro Pizza (Php 400), with crossed fingers, hoping  it will live up to its name.

                                                

When the pizza arrived.. The bf did not like it  due to his aversion with food oozing with cheese. I’m the complete opposite, so more slices for me. Yay!!

Yummy! Expensive yes, but definitely worth it 🙂

He was not satisfied with what he ate and went to a nearby panseteria to look for sustenance. The food was good at that eatery too, I just cant remember the name but it’s the one near Island View Inn and the price are fairly reasonable. One big serving for pancit is around 75-80 pesos range. Same price range for their rice meals.

Our tour for Starry, starry night will start at 7:30pm and one of the staff in Kingfisher Park will be picking us up to start our Fireflies and Planktons Watching. I was personally looking forward to this tour thinking of luminescent  planktons “Maldives style” which is a sight to behold.  We went to the port and had a big boat for ourselves. Armed with my flashlight, insect repellent spray and 2 cameras, we set the journey with much eagerness.

The boat ride going to fireflies was absolutely amazing. The moon was hidden and we had the stars as our lights as we gradually moved away from the artificial lights of the town to the enveloping darkness of the night and wide expanse of the sea..

The journey was approximately around 1 hour and we were greeted with geminids meteor shower as well! It was as if everything was sparkling at that time. The dozen tiny lights created by the fireflies against the dark landscape was awesome. The colorful arc made by the plaktons when they got disturbed, is something one should experience for.

The planktons in Kingfisher Park are different from what I thought I would see “ala Maldives”. You would seem them light up once a disturbance was made in the water and the color is of pale silvery nature, not like the bluish and purplish very distinct colors in Caribbean but I can’t still deny the magic of that moment.  It was a truly a wonderful experience…

Kubo sa Dagat.. An accommodation where you can stay for a night for 3K and be greeted with a magnificent view. Sunrise or sunset, either way if you are a nature lover, the place will work for you.  It’s a bit old and slightly dilapidated. However, if you are there just for the view then, it might work for you. It also advocates green living, the electricity of the place is derived from solar panels. How cool is that! 😀

Kubo sa Dagat

                      

   With his light saber 😛                                                                                       Going back to Coron Town

I tried capturing the whole thing on my film and even video but the images I got and videos would not do justice, and as my travel buddy said, “Some experiences in life are just simply meant to be stored in your head”. I guess, this is one of them. 🙂

For those who want to give it a try, although it’s a bit tricky since you need to have the moon and weather cooperating with your plans. It needs to be fully dark so you can see the planktons and I think, even with the fireflies.  Just contact Kingfisher Park and they have their own website with the different type of tours they offer. We paid Php800 per person for the tour.

Will be posting soon about the island hopping tour and feedback from the hotel we stayed (that experience deserve its own post)

Cheers! 🙂

Powdery Sands of Boracay

This is a way, way before trip around 3 or 4 years ago. I was a salingpusa for a wedding proposal set by one of my church friends. I was really kurips back then and the thought of saving few bucks won me over. The free room and board plus bonggang handa in Iloilo cemented my decision to join :D.

Boracay, here we come!

This is not a budget trip (well, it was for me, I couldn’t even remember the amount I shelled out for this trip but I know it was very manageable). The fun really was building friendships and rekindling new ones. I was one of the youngest in the group so Judith and I whose age difference is negliglible, started to build a friendship which has naturally grown stronger within time. 🙂

Judith, Moi and pretty-enough-to-be-an-actress sister of then Ms Policar 😉

I was really happy to personally witness the engagement and listen to the heartfelt speech given by Joseph with matching tears to boot.

              with Meanne                                                                     Joseph and Mary-match made in heaven!

I could not find in my baul of pictures the romantic proposal which unfolded. Let me just share the Boracay pics 😉

                    Famous landmark of Bora                                        Aftermath of the proposal

               Sosyal place                                                                                        Rest of the group

                         Island Hopping                                                                     Puka Beach for Lunch

More pics are found in my FB. What made this trip unforgettable are the laughter, friendship and of course love (yehey!) that blended together in one harmonious memory that will definitely last for a lifetime. Cheers!

awesome Bora! 😉

Livin La Vigan!

Vigan has and always been one of the places that I wanted to visit. I was entranced by Vigan’s beauty when I saw a Tagalog movie which I couldn’t remember but the old colonial houses shown was embedded on my mind. I vowed that someday, I would personally see those stately houses and walk on its cobbled lined streets…

Last December, I was able to finally do it :). After a very nice wedding of the two most lovable people that I know. They even gave me the privilege of being one of their bridesmaid. (love you Mitch and Marlon!) I still had a “debt” to the lovely couple by the way, hehehe.

                                                     

I purposely stayed longer in Manila so I can have a side tour in Vigan and if possible, Laoag. I was able to visit Laoag couple of years back but I wanted to try the off road adventure that they offer so I might go there just for the heck of it. I packed my bags and together with one of my closest buddy, we are set to explore the old charming city of Vigan.

The funny thing was, I left my trusty notebook in Cebu. That notebook has been my fountain of information on every trip that I did and because I am forgetful janjan, naturally I left it on my drawer.

So armed with determination and can do attitude, we boarded the bus from Pasay station which would take us to Vigan after 10 hours of mind numbing ride. When we arrived in Vigan city, the first thing that we need to do is to look for a pension or transient house that we can stay for a night.

The main transportation in the town proper are the tricycles. They were the kings of road since it was very unusual to see taxis on the area. We boarded one and proceeded to interrogate the driver if he knew cheap lodging places near the famous Calle Crisologo. ( Sorry, I cant remember the fares anymore since they differ)

He dropped us on one of the colonial styled inn near the famous street and when I inquired about the price, we find it too expensive for our budget. So trudged by foot still hopeful and eager with our adventure. We got lucky on Calle Crisologo and we were offered a room and board for only 500 php per night

                                        

The house was scary looking and the room was dreadful but the view was awesome! 🙂 We were right smack dab on the famous street and we have a huge window on the second floor so we can see the horse drawn calesas and postcard perfect architecture right in our very own window.

Let me tell you a secret, ever since I was a kid, I so into history. I was this little girl, who was so engrossed with history books that when the teacher would gave us the books, I’ll finish it on day one and would consider it as treat. It was a fairy tale to be in Calle Crisologo for someone like me.

After eating dinner, we boarded the tricycle (special ride) and for 40php each we went to burnayan. Burnayan is where they manually create jars and pots and they sold it to different people. It was nice learning about the different stages in jar making. “Ghost” unforgettable scene did enter my mind when kuya did a demo for everyone.

                                                                 

No entrance fee were asked from us but like usual turistas, we succumbed to materialism and bought souvenir stuff that locals usually hawked to eager tourists like us.

We hailed a tricycle and for 40 pesos each, we were able to reach the Chavit Singson’s domain aptly named Baluarte. The most fun thing in Baluarte, everything was for free! From the miniature horse ride, camel ride and even their exotic animal show 🙂 I love it when everything’s free!

                                

Anyag needed to leave for Subic after our adbenchur and I was left all alone in the century old scary looking room. I did not dare to turn off the lights due to my brain’s overactive imagination hehehe… So I went out and took some of the nights shots within the area.

                          

When I woke up, I still wanted to explore even if I was all by myself. I was confident that I wont get lost due to Vigan’s size which is quite small. I went to their empanada stand where I has a yummy breakfast of empanada and explored the area a bit more.

                            

Last stop before I leave Vigan was the Syquia Mansion, a heritage ancestral house by our former First Lady Quirino. I love centuries old houses that were beautifully preserved and the Syquia Mansion was a perfect example. Even the guide was a lot of fun and I learned a lot from him.

                            

As they say things would always have an ending, and my adventure has been nearing its end. I boarded the tricycle to take me back to the bus station going to Laoag and waited for my flight back to Manila in their charming and brick-tiled waiting airport area.

                  

My sojourn in Vigan would always be one of the most memorable trips that I have and I’m hoping that I can go back and revisit the old style charm of La Vigan.

Sampaguita Gardens- Kalibo

I recently arrived from the land of original La Paz batchoy, – Iloilo. Mind you, the place itself is as modernized and even have wider roads compared to Cebu.

It was my first time to travel by my own and I had apprehensions about the whole thing. But I was thinking if I’m not going to this now and wait for the others, I may not have the chance to do this again. I would consider this as a dry run of my series of adventures for this year, programmed and directed by yours truly.

Iloilo-I was lucky enough to get the roundtrip of the whole thing for 114.00 Php. Yup, part of the piso fare promo by Cebupac but of course some good things never last.. At the last minute, they decided to change my original schedule of 8am to 2 pm. Lovely, see a hint of sarcasm there? Anyway I have no choice but to say yes, unless wings would sprout at my back magically.

At 2:45, we arrived in Iloilo and I got kinda excited to chronicle my steps in the city 🙂 (Armageddon sound track blaring in my mind)

Mistakes that I made as a neophyte in traveling solo.

1. I did not research well enough about the place- I assumed that Iloilo is like my beloved Cebu and mistress Manila. I thought its easy to navigate since we are in the Philippines and its way easier to find my way. I checked the net on places that I need to go thru and boy, reality was way out on the skimpy information that I have on my trusty notebook. Armed with courage and determination to reach my intended destination, I was shameless in asking directions even though I may have looked like an “eng2x” tourist.. good thing,

He was directing my steps and I never did encounter crazy people on the way. Still, possibilities are big that I may be taken and sold in white slavery ( mind largely influenced by the movie Taken :))

2. I did not call and reconfirmed reservation made days before– I almost got into a heated discussion with someone from Ongbun Pension house because the receptionist thought I canceled. My blood pressure did rise up at that point because it was late and I did not make any alternate reservation on other area and the worst thing, it was only their pension house that I know in Iloilo. It was also Feb 14, the worst possible time to be in an unfamiliar city since almost all of the lodgings were taken. Good thing, Ongbun acknowledged their mistake and booked me in a different place but has more expensive rates. Anyway, they do have cable television so I’m ok.

I couldn’t think of anything to add, so we would just leave it as is but I would be adding on it once I have my eureka moments again.

So lets get down to business- Sampaguita Gardens

I have been fascinated with this resort ever since I saw it featured on a show but alas, I forgot the place and also the name but the images I saw on TV burned in my mind. Especially the collections of those toys with teardrop eyes from the world famous Precious Moments.

I turned to Google and I was able to get the name of that magical place, Sampaguita Gardens which is in Kalibo. I read info about the area on the net and was able to get mixed reviews of different people on the subject but the desire to see the “christmasy resort” won me over and I gave in to wanderlust but I’m also dependent on the mercy of the sale fare of different airlines. No sale for Cebu to Kalibo but there was one for Cebu to Iloilo and of course rational being that I am, I grabbed it.

Going to the Ceres terminal was not as straightforward as I thought it would be. Iloilo has 3 SM malls, Jaro SM, SM Delgado and SM City. I just made the assumption that Iloilo would only have one or the driver of the airport shuttle would know what I’m talking about. Apparently, he did not because I was dropped off in the wrong SM (SM Jaro). Good thing, manong guard from jollibee was really helpful and told me I could take a ride in jeeps with signages Jaro ikot or Leganese and told me to ask the driver to drop me off at Tagbak Terminal.

I had written it down as a reference. I remembered I had anxiety semi attacks when I saw terminals because the manong might drop me off on the wrong one (residual effect from airport shuttle experience)

Thing is, I hate traveling if involves long stretches of bus rides but I was on on a bus bound for Kalibo and I need to travel for 5 hours to reach the city, yaicks! By the way, the fare is 184.00 php

I felt like a piece of my baggage when I reached Kalibo at 9 pm. Seeing no jeeps, only very insistent tricycle drivers, I know this would cost me. (Thank you again Cebupac for the wonderful change of sched) I haggled with the driver and got the initial asking price of 160 to 120 from Ceres terminal to New Washington where Sampaguita Gardens is. At least I don’t have to resort to taxis because it was far, imagine the meter ( I know I’m a cheapskate).

I was crossing fingers that the reservation I made few days ago would hold since I haven’t called them again. The front staff was quite wonderful and they honored my reservation. I’m amazed by my room.

Goody! It even had a bathtub :)! Which I was dying to test when my insatiable appetite for capturing everything on camera was satisfied.

I personally would like to thank all the staff in Sampaguita Gardens. They were really helpful and even concede that I can do a late checkout which is really great :). They waited for me to have my breakfast even it was past the buffet time because I woke up late. They were camera shy, so no pics.

I got somewhat saddened because some of their attractions were already closed to the public like the gallery, ferris wheel, train ride and the mansion. I assume due to the cost upkeep in making all of these operational. Still, you couldn’t deny the magic of the place.

I personally recommend that you visit Sampaguita Gardens. If you like to awaken the kid in you and feel its Christmas everyday, then add it as one of your must do.