36 - Romblown Me Away

The barkada trip that we've been drawing since time immemorial is finally painted into life. We were originally planning to go to Siargao (it being one of the top local destinations during the past year), but for some reason we ended up booking plane tickets to Romblon; and lo, we were all blown away!

This trip happened March of 2019. Back when I posted the photos on facebook, a lot of my friends messaged me asking for the 'budget' and 'itinerary', which by that time up til now (sorry guys) I was not able to provide because of the following reasons:

1. Our friends who are working abroad paid for the hotel. (thanks guys, you know who you are :P)
2. I never participated in the preparations; I just nodded my head in agreement to all of their suggestions without even reading a thing in our group chat, hehe.

But here, just to share with you the things we did, and the places we visited.

HOW WE GOT THERE:

We booked our flight through Cebu Pacific, from NAIA T4 to Romblon Airport (Barangay Tugdan, Alcantara, Romblon). Please note that Romblon, Romblon is a different island. If you want to go there directly, you could ride a ferry (you could search it in google).

note: Flights aren't scheduled daily; back then available days were Wednesdays, Fridays & Sundays.

WHERE WE STAYED:

Romblon isn't as developed as other local tourist destinations; back then, it was very hard to search for accommodations at Romblon, Romblon (we didn't find Airbnbs nor budget hotels; it didn't help as well that the change from Siargao to Romblon was sooo last minute and the first few hotels that our -organizer friends- contacted can no longer accommodate us. We ended up checking in at Aglicay Beach Resort, which is located at Tablas.

(see screenshot of google map for better imagination:)

Land Transfer from Airport to Aglicay Beach Resort Options:
A. Van - you may try arranging this with the hotel
B. Tricycle - you may actually negotiate with the drivers if you haven't arranged with any tour companies your transportation for the duration of your stay.

Note that it will take you at least 30 minutes to get to the hotel from the airport (if you're riding a van); add another 15 minutes if it's a trike.

Aglicay Beach Resort boasts a picturesque scenery with clear, pristine waters perfect for a whole day swim. It also offers recreational activities to its guests such as beach volleyball, videoke, frisbee, billiards, etc. Food though is a bit expensive for its taste, but it's not like we have a choice since there are no nearby restaurants. Signal is very weak as well; which is perfect if  you want to disconnect from the outside world.

Food Tip: You could buy from the sari-sari stores in the bayan and ask the resort personnel to cook for you. They'll charge you cooking fee of P90 if I remember it right.

Signal Tip: Globe > Smart in this place. I am a Smart subscriber and I only get to send messages when I'm staying near the shore. How near? Waves were touching my feet!

Here's their website: http://aglicaybeachresort.com

Day 1: Aglicay Beach Resort - Rest. Eat. Appreciate. Repeat.

theviewfromwhereIstand

Aglicay Beach Resort is <3

sunset on our first day

Day 2: Carabao Island

How to get there: Get a van or tricycle going to Santa Fe.

Daytour: Our friend arranged a daytour with a boatman (whose contact details she stumbled upon when she was reading other blogs about this)

Possible Option: Well, Carabao Island is 20minutes away from Boracay. You may want to consider :)

Activities: Cliff Jumping and well, Eating. Note though that food here is expensive. We paid P500 per head for our lunch.

waiting for the sunrise

blue water

cliff jump: everything you want is on the other side of fear

Day 3: Romblon, Romblon

So for Day 3, we went to Romblon, Romblon. If you'll be staying in Tablas (just like us), please research for the SCHEDULE of the ferry online because said schedule is subject to change. We had to wait for hours because we got an outdated information.

The first thing we did when we got to Romblon, Romblon is to buy marble souvenirs. (We won't be riding a ferry back; we hired a private boat so we had to buy our pasalubongs before the inland tour starts). We bought food as well which we will be bringing to the beaches we're going to.

BonBon Beach

Sandbar

RomBlown Us Awayyyy!

We went to another beach but sadly, I don't have the pictures. We alighted at San Agustin where our transpo back to the hotel was waiting for us.

Day 4: Fish Sanctuary

And now we're down to our last day. Our flight is in the afternoon so we decided to use our morning to explore Looc where the Fish Sanctuary is located. We brought skyflakes with us so we could feed the fish. You may also opt to swim with them! No worries, there's a restroom back to the tourism office where you could take a bath and change clothes. Fare is at P100 each; those who would rent gears will have to pay an additional P50.

fish feeding program

Gihigugma Tika, Romblon!

And then we're back.

PS. Just want to share with you, we had a problem with our baggage when we were going to Tablas. Two of us (both using hard case, handcarry luggage) were told that our bags do not meet the standard specs accepted for a handcarry luggage. We had to pay for the check-in fee. Anyway, we find it really weird but we didn't argue with the airport personnel anymore. Bitterness crept when we were already inside the plane and we saw other people whose handcarry bags are even larger than ours. Oh well.

31 - Isla de Gigantes & Guimaras DIY Tour

Everyone has a "life tank" to survive in this world. It gets depleted day by day when we deal with life's bullshit - family issues, love problems, office politics; you name it. There might be times that even waking up in the morning becomes a hard thing to do; yet we have to do it - we have bills to pay, obligations to fulfill, responsibilities to attend to. So we go on, day by day, battling in this adult world using our wits as sword and our brains as shield; and damn it, it can be awfully tiring.

So what do tired people do? They take a break and then they buy plane tickets to Iloilo. Kidding. I have to admit though, it was an impulsive trip. My cousin and I never planned anything and just booked the tickets 2 weeks before the flight schedule. It was then or never. Our life tanks were depleting that even proper sleep couldn't replenish the amount we're losing every single fucking day. Turns out, the best trips are those that you take unplanned. We were in for one of the greatest adventures we've had, thus far. I hope I'd be able to share with you some tips and insights should you be planning to go to where we went. 

HOW TO GET THERE:

From Manila, we booked plane tickets to Iloilo International Airport. Our flight schedule was 5:15AM departure from NAIA; 6:35AM arrival at Iloilo. There were no seat sales (considering that we booked only 2 weeks earlier); so we paid for our 2-way tickets for P7,048.24 for 2 pax, no baggage allowance.

Thoughts: Well, I advise you wait for the seat sale since our plane tickets make up for almost half of our total expenses during this trip. We had no regrets though. Second, if you're planning to go to Gigantes, do not take flights later than what we took. You'll soon find out why. Third, I am no fan of baggage allowance. I've always travelled lightly, even overseas (unless I'm with my bff Lea. We need that baggage allowance for all the things that we might impulsively buy lol hi Lea)

After arriving at Iloilo Int'l Airport, we rode a taxi going to Tagbak Terminal. There were no other modes of transportation, and I should warn you that they add +50 to the taxi meter. I believe it's a normal thing since all the taxi drivers that we approached asked for the extra. Don't be surprised. The terminal is 30mins away from the airport. We paid a total of P305.00.

There are two ways on how to get to the port in Estancia where you will be taking a boat to Isla de Gigantes - by van, or by bus. According to research, the van takes approximately 3hours while if you take the bus, it will take you 4 hours due to the stop overs. We decided to take the van considering that the costs do not vary. (Van fare is P150/head while bus fare is around P180-200/head). We alighted at the van's last stop and took a tricycle P10/head to the port. We arrived there at around 11:30AM. Please note that the passenger boat going to Isla de Gigantes leaves at 1:00PM; and there's only one trip per day. If you missed it, you either wait for the next day or you may book a private boat going to the island which costs around P5,000 - P6,000.

When we approached the ticket booth, we were asked by the Ate if we already have a hotel/accommodation waiting for us in the island. I've told you we had no plans, no advanced bookings or whatever. She informed us that there was a couple who hired a private boat who might actually be willing to take companions, and they were leaving that instance. It will save us time - no need to wait until 1PM; plus the same boatman will tour us for 2 days. We will have our time on our hands. We were originally thinking that we would be sleeping the day off, however if we take this private boat, we could start the island hopping right away! That's how we met these wonderful people whom we shared this trip with:

Reminds me of the Giordano quote from waaay back:
Strangers are friends you haven't met!

FIRST DAY - ISLAND HOPPING PART 1

The first island we visited is claimed to be the most beautiful island in Isla de Gigantes. There's an entrance fee of P50/head. They have public CRs as well.

the view from where i stand

Note: Photos uploaded in this blog entry are without filters. I want you to appreciate the raw beauty of this place. Photos were taken by either iPhone 7+ or GoPro Hero5.

The second island is where we had our lunch. Entrance fee is P40.00/head. 

life's a beach 

scallops are selling at P100 for 100pcs!
No wonder they call it a "poor man's dish"
in this part of the world. It's E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E!

Note: Please bring your own goggles with you! The water's crystal clear and the islands are not "overpopulated" as most PH islands are, now. 

Since it's already late in the afternoon, we decided to explore the remaining islands the next day; and opted to look for a hotel where we could stay. The Fil-In couple (let's call them A and P) we were with already have their hotel bookings, while the Spanish couple (let's call them I & D) were just like us - no plans and all. A &P offered that we check the hotel where they booked, however they no longer have aircon rooms. We went to the other hotel near it and found out that there are still 3 aircon rooms available. So we all decided to stick together and got the rooms. 

Name of Place: Arjan Beach Resort

Rate: P1,300/room/night - airconditioned (good up to 4pax)

Note: We had to ride at the back of a motorcycle to get to the hotels. Fare is at P20/head. We had a feast for dinner - too bad I haven't taken any photos. They have a "cooking" fee and the meat/fish/chicken that they offer to cook is per KG. The more you are in a group, the more you save! Imagine we paid P190/head for both this night's dinner and the next day's breakfast - approx P95/meal! 

the view from where I lay down - duyan life is <3

zen defined. they have duyans around the place!

accommodation

one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever watched.
too bad I was not able to capture the sky turning into orange and violet.

Arjan Beach Resort in the morning.

Another note: They do not sell red horse in this island. We opted for the island equivalent of Red Horse. Twas a fun night with the kind strangers that we've met. <3

Also, please bring your powerbanks; electricity is running only up to 6AM. Signal is weak as well. We were not able to access the internet during our stay. :)

SECOND DAY - ISLAND HOPPING PART 2

The first island that we went to during our 2nd day of island hopping is the sandbar. The sandbar disappears during high tide/in the afternoon, so it's best to go here in the morning.

with the kids

Next is our favorite island: The Mini Boracay! This is where we stayed the longest! <3

with our very mabait na boatman.
should you need his details, I still have his number! :)

The last island that we went to is the mini-lagoon where we jumped off the cliff. 

TIP: Bring your aqua shoes. 

(Wish I could share with you a video of our jump but blogger here has a size limit for uploads). Well, I'll post it on facebook. :) 

We went back to the hotel we're staying, had late lunch which costed us P135/head, packed up and decided to go back to the city with A & P considering that there's nothing left to do (we're done with the island hopping), plus we only have one day left which we could use for a city tour or for Guimaras. We took the bus from Estancia to Iloilo City (P170/head). We searched online for accommodation; and found a cheap hostel named The Guesthouse (P800/night/airconditioned room) near SM Iloilo. 

We went to the Esplanade for a night walk and for dinner and well - iced cold beer.

found sharetea lol

THIRD DAY - GUIMARAS DAY TOUR

Knowing that our flight is at night time on our third day, we decided to go to Guimaras for just a quick day tour.

We started our day with the famous Iloilo La Paz Batchoy @ Ted's. It was just one jeep away from our accommodation

P224.00 in total

Then we went to Iloilo City Harbor (Ortiz Wharf) and took a 15-minute pumpboat going to Jordan Wharf. Fare is only at P14.00/head. 

We've read blogs about having a tricycle to tour you around Guimaras for around P1,000 and up. We were even offered the same when we got there. Luckily for us, we were able to meet a driver who was willing to tour us in the city (we only have 3 destinations in mind) for only P300.00.

First Destination: Mango Research Center

Second Destination:  Trappist Monastery where you can buy your pasalubongs

Side Trip: The Pitsop - where you can eat the famous mango pizza!

didn't know mango tastes good in pizza

 Side Trip#2: I <3 Guimaras

Third Stop: Smallest Plaza

And then we headed back to Iloilo City. Since we still have time, we decided to roam around SM Iloilo to buy more pasalubongs and eat merienda:

The Dandy!
Fries with nacho toppings yay

Bluejay Coffee. Iloilo's local coffee shop!

Then we went to Casa Mariquit in Jaro (entrance fee is P100.00/head) and then we walked to Jaro Cathedral before going to the airport for our 9PM flight. Our taxi fare from Jaro to Iloilo Int'l Airport was P320.00.

Casa Mariquit, a heritage house named after the wife
of the late Vice President Fernando Lopez, Sr.

my cousin Dominic with bantay

Overall, the experience was superb! The best trips are really those that you take unplanned. There's no amount of sad nor tired the salty sand and the pristine water of the beach can't take away. We went back to reality with our life tank full.

PS. Budgeting wise, we spent around P7,000-P8,000 in this trip per head (all in) but that's inclusive of the approx P3,500/head flight. Imagine if you could get a cheaper flight! Plus, pasalubongs are already included in that amount. 

24 - A First Timer's Hike | Masungi Georeserve

The Masungi Georeserve is a wildlife sanctuary and conservation area boasting various rock formations and plant species. The trek lasts for 3-4 hours, depending on the capacity of the guests as well as the amount of time spent for photo ops (the view is breathtakingly beautiful one couldn't just resist). It is situated at kilometer 47, Tanay, Rizal.

The marker. You know you're in the right place when you see this.

This trip is about 2-3 months in the making. It was difficult to reserve a schedule with Masungi since they are always fully-booked, especially on weekends! Do not be disheartened if they do not reply to you asap when you email them since they receive tons of messages everyday, but they surely make it a point to reply to each and every one who's interested to do the trail. Anyway, here's some info about the reservation:

1) You may contact them in this email address:  trail@masungigeoreserve.com
2) Once your reservation has been confirmed, you are required to pay 50% downpayment. (Note: The fee is P1,400PHP per person, inclusive of drinks and sandwich after the hike.)
3) The remaining 50% is payable on the day of the hike.

Moving forward, I have to warn you about two things that we've encountered:

First, since we live in Antipolo, we took the Antipolo Shopwise-Tanay route (the one passing by Solid Cement), diligently following the instructions from Waze. Our van ended up stuck on the muddy road and we spent an hour or so pushing back the car to the main road. Apparently, the route we're taking is not passable (though Waze insists it was the way to get to our destination). We also learned from the residents nearby that even though we could pass that area somewhere in Baras, gates were already installed beyond it, and vehicles are not allowed to pass. Anyway, just take the Marcos Hi-Way-Tanay route instead! Will save you from all the trouble, really.

The aftermath. I should've taken photos of them pushing the van :P

Second, I know the reservations were made 2-3months earlier, so we had no way to know that there will be thunderstorms on our reserved date. As much as we want to push the hike (it is difficult to find another schedule that we would all be available plus we're already there after all), we had to cancel and ask them to fit us on another weekend; the earliest schedule possible. Note that there are wires installed along the trail (for the duyan, giant spider web, etc.), so it is dangerous to continue the hike during a thunderstorm.

Foggy

Fast forward to a week later, we're finally back and the weather is great! At the onset, you will be provided a bag and an emergency whistle for every two persons, two bottles of water each, and a raincoat if it is raining. Here are some of the photos:

Down the rabbit hole, adventure awaits!

(c) Amber Garcia

(c) Nico Apilado

(c) Frances Tan

(c) Roma Domingo

Since I am a first time hiker, here's a list of the challenges I've encountered, as well as a little bit of my inputs regarding them:

1) I was out of breath a few moments after we started the trail. Having no exercise for the past few months lowered my stamina plus the fact that I was feeling asthmatic due to a recent activity. I suggest you guys hit the gym or run a few kms everyday before engaging to hiking activities. It's all in the preparation!
2) The rocks may prove rough and kinda pointed at times, so it would help if you have gloves.
3) Do it slowly, but surely! Do not be pressured if your groupmates are getting ahead of you, or if they can easily climb or whatever. Your safety is of utmost importance! Nevertheless, do not be such a scaredycat and challenge yourself. Push your limits and conquer heights. The view is breathtakingly rewarding.

(c) Zeb Gozon

4) It wouldn't hurt if you bring your own first aid kit. Simple things like band-aids, alcohol and meds (in case of a migraine attack). Keep it light though. Remember that what you bring with you during the hike, you'd be carrying in your bag for the next 3-4hours or so. Those items that you think you will not be needing during the hike (like perhaps your extra clothes), leave it to your car.
5) Hardhats exist for a reason. Hehe
6) As the saying goes, rest if you must but don't you quit!

As Winston Churchill once said,
even if you're going through hell, just keep going!

(c) Amber Garcia

7) Reward yourself with a hot shower or put a hot compress on your sore muscles once you get home. The struggle to wake up the next morning is real.

with my favorite people!

8) I will end my list with something as basic as charge your phone or bring your own power bank. As you've noticed, almost all the photos I've posted have the (c) sign, all because I forgot to charge my phone and was empty bat the whole time. Oh well. (But I surely enjoyed the view more than anyone else since I do not have to take photos here and then lol)

*insert good sigh-haaay* Masungi, you were fun, majestic and wonderful! The trail was not that difficult (wehh) so first time hikers like myself would surely enjoy! To more hiking activities! :))

For more info, here's their website:

http://www.masungigeoreserve.com/