The Boracay Trip

My apologies for the delay of this post and I hope you enjoy the quick compilation of my Boracay Trip last July.

We stayed at Boracay Royal Park Resort Hotel (Station 1) and got a very huge room for a good deal. I got my deal at AirYouGo Travels so you should check their deals too! Check their FB Fanpage now!

• 1st Anniversary at Boracay
• First Year Anniversay Trip to Boracay - Day 1
• First Year Anniversay Trip to Boracay - Day 2
• First Year Anniversay Trip to Boracay - Day 2 (Night Out)

One of the best trip ever!

First Year Anniversay Trip to Boracay - Day 2 (Night Out)

Day 2 cont...

We rested the whole afternoon after our sumptuous lunch at Deja Vu (see First Year Anniversay Trip to Boracay - Day 2). Also took some outfit shots :D

Do hype my looks on LookBook.

Since it will be our last night in Boracay, we decided to enjoy the night away with pizza and some GPS in Club Paraw (which is really near our place BTW). :D

My cool 'Glow in the Dark' shorts :D

PIZZA!!!

Enjoying the crowd and music at Club Paraw.

First Year Anniversay Trip to Boracay - Day 2

Second Day

Woke up for the inclusive breakfast and prepared for our exciting itinerary for the day.

ATV in Boracay

About to start our trip! :D

The Zorb

We first went to try the ATV and drove on a bumpy road heading to the Zorb. The zorb looks lame from the outside, but when I found myself inside the zorb while screaming like a kid, it was way cooler than I thought. It was so exciting that I almost picked my wallet and literally about to get money for another round of Zorbexperience! Good thing our guide told us that it's time to go. Money saved!

A photo before the zorb starts rolling.

A photo after the exciting ride in the zorb!

We went back to the hotel to clean up and change, then head out again for our date-lunch at Dejavu.

Deja Vu Resto Lounge - Station 2

Best Sellers!

Deja Vu's Spaghetti Bolognese

Deja Vu's Bacon Cheeseburger

This setting is just too cute and intimate don't you thing? :D

Lunch is SERVED!

Couldn't be any happier! This trip was indeed full of smiles :D :D :D

We then went back to the hotel to rest...but wait there is more -- and will post it in the entry ;)

Bantayan Island 2011 Trip - Enjoying while reflecting during Holy Week

This will be my second time to visit the beautiful Bantayan Island. I wrote my first trip to Bantayan last April 7 of 2010. It was all about how to go to Bantayan Island and how much was the fair. I also featured their some food and best places to stay. Check it out by reading Bantayan Island Escapade 2010.

Now, once again I will be coming back to pay another visit and this time it will be more on enjoying and reflecting. The first stay on the island was more on soul searching and identifying goals. In addition, I also want to meet Manong Noc-Noc again. If you don't know him, you can check the previous entry I wrote about Bantayan (See the previous link above).

So I'll see you guys there!

Update - April 25
Just got home from Bantayan and boy it was fun! Before I go into further details below is the fair expenses from Cebu going to Bantayan and vice versa.

If I compare it last year, there were less people and less events this year...which I think is a good thing for me to reflect and relax better. I was with some friends and we had a wonderful time.

Most of my time was on the beach enjoying the heat of the sun and the cold sea. I also tried sun bathing for an hour (30min front; 30min back) and the result is a perfect fair tan/brown (moreno) skin!

I also tried looking for Manong Noc-Noc but he is nowhere to be found. I wish him and his family good health though.

Indubitably, I enjoyed every minute in Bantayan, especially with great friends and company. The laughs. The talks. The place. Perfecto! Aside from enjoying, reflecting was also one of my plans why I wanted to go to Bantayan...and so I did. I have lots of reflection and realization while I was at Bantayan. So many that I couldn't even write them one by one. However, one thing is sure, I have grown to be a better person. I guess you have found that out ahead of me, but if you didn't, I hope you find it soon.

There is so much to learn and so many things to do. I guess I should be doing them one by one...soon! Anyways, I hope you enjoy some photos I took at Bantayan Island for my Bantayan Island 2011 Trip.

 

 

 

 

I also tried practicing my photography skills and start conceptualizing stuff.

• A lonely marsh mallow bear alone at Bantayan

• The marsh mallow bears

• The Traveling Crab

 

 

• My coffee with marsh mallows

 

 

• The Sunrise in Bantayan Island

• My Zagu in Bantayan

More photos will be posted soon!

Last Saturday, my friends and I went to Papa Kit's Marina and Fishing Lagoon for a visit and also want to try what is in the said place. I was able to speak with their General Manager, Mr. Demosthenes Inso, and found out that Papa Kit's only started a few months back on September. Check their Facebook Page here.

I've heard lots of rumors of this newly found entertainment destination in Cebu and that's why we have decided to pay a little visit to the said place.

Before we went inside, we paid the Php 100.00 entrance fee (4 person * 100 = Php 400.00). The Entrance Fee is consumable by the way. We went directly to their restaurant and start ordering. Check the link for the Food at Papa Kit's.

After our very sumptuous and affordable lunch, we went to the Zipline area where we paid Php 200.00 each. This will be 2 way trip (back and forth). The line was quite long so there was enough time for us to digest all the food that we took during lunch. We also tried their fresh butong which was very refreshing!

See the following videos below for our Ziplining Experience at Papa Kit's Liloan Cebu.

Ziplining at Papa Kit's Liloan Cebu

Summary:

It was indeed fun and worthwhile. Papa Kit's is rapidly getting the attention of the local and it will not take a while for them to have massive foreign visitors. Well in fact, there are foreign people visiting the place already. Because of this, they better make sure that they improve their customer service.

The list below are some things I have noticed that need customer service improvement:

• The lady in the front desk when you get inside the gate. They might want to consider looking for a person that is welcoming and who knows how to entertain tourists and customers.
• The waiting time of your food after you've ordered.
• The restaurant would be even better with ceiling fans (ventilation system).
• A cleaner and well washed utensils would definitely give me a very relaxing feeling while eating.
• A designated point person would be really great to each of their services so that the customers will have an idea who to ask for example the 'Horse Back Riding'. I would really love to try it; however, I don't know who to ask.
• The location of each spots are quite far from each other. They might want to consider a transportation service like a 'gareta' or 'kalesa' to make the scene more like a farm or an hacienda.

These are just some of the concerns I got from my friends and with my personal insight. I hope the management will take this as a constructive criticism or suggestions...and I know for a fact that the management has their own plan on how to make Papa Kit's even better so let's just wait and see for the innovation shall we?

My officemates and I will be going back to the said place a week after Holy Week...enough time to see some improvement on the said newly found tourist destination.

In addition, before I end this entry I would like to share with you one of the best sunset I've seen in my life that I took at Papa Kit's and since I'm not a good photographer, my apologies.

Marco first saw the scene and has a better photo of this here.

Until the next time we meet...

Bantayan Island Escapades 2010: How to go to Bantayan Island

The blazing heat of the sun and the uber crowded terminals and stations did not hinder me and my friends from leaving Cebu City for Bantayan Island. This Island is not as popular as Boracay, but the island is starting to build its name, locally and globally. I will try to elaborate and write here every detail that I saw or experience during my 4 days stay in the Island.

Here is my Bantayan Island Escapades 2010

Fair Expenses from Cebu City to Bantayan Island

This is how to go to Bantayan Island. From the City (SM), we took a taxi going to North Bus Terminal and took a bus that is a 4 hour travel going to San Remigio, Cebu where our next ride awaits, the ferry boat. The Ferry boat which is an hour travel will directly lead you to the Island of Bantayan. Since this is a long trip, you might want to bring or buy some water and some food like pintos, is a delicacy from Bogo City and is made from corn, milk and margarine wrapped in corn skin and steamed.

(Photo from Langyaw)

So below is a breakdown of the fair expenses (excluding the taxi going to North Bus):

So you only need Php 500.00 to go to Bantayan and go back to Cebu (back and forth)!

The Big STEP to Bantayan Island

I was mostly asleep during the 5 hour travel (in the bus and in the ferry boat) going to the island. Probably, I was preparing myself for the big STEP I am about to experience!

And the time has come... It is the time for me to take a step to one of the most rumored islands in Cebu.

I realized that no matter how positive the rumors are about the island, you can still clearly spot...and I mean literally spot the flaw of the island.

The Flaw

If you try to look at the pictures, this is the port area where all tourists passes through to get inside Bantayan Island...and you can see this piled garbage destroying the beauty of a crystal clear beach. It just breaks my heart that no one even seems to care. I hope the authority or even the people living in the island will do something about it.

I mean, their port is like the surface of their island, if it doesn't look good, how are they going to attract more visitors? How are they going to progress more? I hope this concern gets heard and by the next time I come back and make my seconds step to the said island, I hope I can see a clean and outstanding port!

Celebrating the Lenten Season

At the port, we had a long conversation on where to go. Bantayan Island is composed of 3 municipalities...so here are the 3 options:

Bantayan, Cebu is a 2nd class municipality and is considered as the town proper of the island. The town is well known for their delicious dried fish and dried squid.

Madridejos, Cebu is a 4th class municipality and is more on livelihood projects. A good friend who was with us during the escapade is from Madridejos.

Santa Fe (Sta. Fe), Cebu is a 5th class municipality and is the most crowded and the busiest town in the Island during Lenten Season (Holy Week). People usually get their reservations as early as 6 months - 1 year before the Holy Week, or else all resorts will be fully booked.

We chose to go to Santa Fe (Sta. Fe) since it is where you can find the best beaches in the island and most events are being held there during Lenten Season.

Most Visited Resorts at Santa Fe (Sta. Fe)

Below are 4 of the most visited places at Santa Fe:

Ogtong Cave Resort is located in Pook and is part of Cebu's Best Kept Secrets. You can either enjoy their swimming pool, cleans yourself in the cave's fresh waters or chill in the waters of the beach.

Kota Beach Resort, they say, is pure and enchanting. The only unspoiled beach and can be considered as one of Cebu's best kept secrets. Too bad I never got the chance to visit the resort. The next time I visit Bantayan, this will be the resort I will be staying. I wonder why people call this place enchanting.

Santa Fe Beach Club, I think, is the most visited resort. You will definitely enjoy the beach with their clear blue waters, powdery white sand, and lovely ambiance. Boats are ready for those who are interested in snorkeling, fishing or sightseeing. They also cater wide variety of mouth watering dishes that will make you salivate to death! You might want to consider your budget though.
Sugar Beach Resort is the best place for those who wants to enjoy the beach (as fun as how people enjoy at Santa Fe Beach Resort) without burning their pockets. There amenities are not as good as Santa Fe Beach Resort, but are manageable. I had so much fun at Sugar Beach Resort, especially when we were using the well (tabay).

Bantayan Island Escapades

I had so much fun!!! I cant explain how enjoyment was surrounding me! It was a fascinating atmosphere indeed! Below are some photos of my 4 days stay in Bantayan Island:

(Click the photos to see the full size)

Firework Display on Easter Sunday (12:00 am)

However, while I was enjoying, I did not forget the goal that I planned. It was written on my previous entry: Holy Week at Bantayan Island - PUMP N SUMMER 2010. I planned of befriending someone who lived in Bantayan Island his whole life.

Here is Manong Noc-Noc, a padyakero for more than 5 years now. He is 59 years old (turning 60 this December) and has 5 children. Living in the island, he said, is hard especially that the island is isolated with less job opportunity. You will, indubitably, try any job or any strategy of making money just to finance and let your family eat 3 times a day. However, they sometimes don't even eat 3 times a day.

It was heart breaking while listening to his talk while paddling the bike. I wish I could help him...even for that day...at least I could comfort his shaky voice. The only thing I could give him was money and so I did. His frowned face turned into a dimpled smile and said 'Thank you...' I smiled back and left the Island.

I wish him well and blessing to his family. Till the next time we meet...


Related Link:
Bantayan