El Nido: Seeking Felicity

I was armed with knowledge gathered from several blogposts about this place in El Nido, it is almost claimed to be the hidden gem of the island.I was intrigued of the possibility that this particular piece of paradise actually exists, finally a decision was made - I am dropping the second island tour for a daytrip to visit Nacpan & Calitang beach.

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El Nido:Uniquely El Nido!

Flashback to few years back - it was an Amazing Race episode where I saw the contestants rapelling down a limestone cliff, riding a speedboat in the bluest of blue ocean and finally checking in to this resort resembling a beach paradise where a grinning Phil Keoghan welcomed them to El Nido,Palawan. Then it was a frenzy of 'googling', I finally discovered about El Nido and how it finally found a place in the bucket list of places to visit.

[TRAVEL TIP] If you don't have thousands of pesos (which I don't have) to spend for an overnight in the upscale resorts, the best option for a budget friendly trip to El Nido is to stay in El Nido town. The beach in El Nido town is not something spectacular because it is what lies beyond those limestone cliffs and the great blue sea that people came to see and experience - this is the famous El Nido Island hopping activity. Island hopping tours are grouped into Tour A, B and C.There are several tour companies that arranges the island hopping tour, there will be no problem if you are not a big group because they would usually join you with other groups as well. Rates for the island hopping tours is the same among the tour companies. [We took the tour from KrisKlein, it is the burger stand near the street entrance of Marina Garden - look for Ate Lanie]

We were supposed to go for two island hopping tour but due to a last minute discovery (a teaser for my next post), we have opted to just get one island hopping tour. Per recommendation of the receptionist at the resort where we stayed, we choose Tour A which is comprised of the following: Small & Big lagoon, Secret lagoon, Simisu Island and 7 Commandos beach. The tour priceis 900 Php inclusive of lunch. We also rented the snorkel and mask for 100 Php.

Our second morning in El Nido is bright and sunny, a perfect weather for beach hopping. At around 9am, we were called to join a group for the tour which were composed of a balikbayan family from the Windy City and a petite Pinay with her Dutch boyfriend. We exchanged a few shy smiles with the group as we settled into our place in the ferry boat.

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El Nido: Taking the long road to El Nido

:: 05:00 ::   

BBrriinng...BBrriinng..the phone's alarm went off and I dragged myself out of the bed having slept only for about 3 hours. I showered, dressed and took a very light breakfast and did a final check of my measly baggage and I was off  to NAIA3

::06:30 ::  

Since most of the domestic flights have early morning flights it was totally packed inside the airport. Bleary eyed passengers (in need of a shocking jolt of caffeine), whiny & irritable childrens, excited beachbums in colorful boardshorts and havaianas and Koreans in couple shirts (kelangan terno-terno talaga) lined up in the check-in counters. I quickly scanned the information board to check what counter is for Puerto Princesa,when on of the guard approached me to inform me that  if I don't have any check in baggage there is a separate counter for no check in baggage which has a shorter queue. 15 minutes later, I was clutching my boarding pass and I was on my way to get myself a proper breakfast.

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Dumaguete: Of University Town and Wondrous Food

Being a small city,the best thing about Dumaguete is that you can get a decent hotel/hostel in the downtown area and you can just walk to most of the tourist and dining spots in the city. Situated in the heart of the city are several hotels that are priced reasonably and with ample facilities. Getting a hotel/hostel near the famed Rizal boulevard can save you the multicabs fare and one thing I noticed in Dumaguete that most multicabs driver would hike up their fare if they knew that you are a tourist.


A stone’s throw away from Dumaguete port is the American founded Protestant university which is Silliman University. The layout of the campus is comparable to a scaled down version of the prestigous state university – The University of the Philippines. Most of the campus building is designed after colonial American architecture. There is a large open field and numerous huge trees that provides the much needed shade. The university is not really what you can consider an ‘open’ university where one can just go in the university ground, as a visitor you are required to leave an id with the guard at the university’s gate so you can get the visitor pass.

Fronting Silliman University is the famous Rizal Boulevard which can be considered as Dumaguete’s version of the Manila Baywalk. This ubiquitous boardwalk is lined with lamposts and rows and rows of trees. As the sun starts to set, most locals will flock the baywalk to walk or sit around and talk as the sun begins its descent. On the opposite end of the boulevard are several small stalls selling tempura (but this is not the Japanese tempura) where you can sit amongst the multitude of plastic monoblock chairs bathed by the glowing rays of the setting sun as you dip your hot out of the frying pan tempura into a tangy sauce.

Along Perdices street, is the Dumaguete Belfry which stands out amongst the modern buildings and the busy street because of it’s century old stone structure. This bell tower is considered as one of the historical places in Dumaguete.

Synonymous to the city of the Gentle People is the term “Food trip” .Unofficially dubbed as Philippines ultimate Food Trip Capital,Dumaguete did not fail to deliver these gustatory delights. Head to the famous SansRival store/bakeshop at San Jose street to grab any daily lunch special and satisfy you sweet tooth with the famous sylvannas and sansrival. Their sansrival and sylvannas are nice,smooth and creamy and I personally noticed that the butter is not overpowering rendering a distinct taste that make you want to grab another piece. If you want to bring a slice of Dumaguete’s famous sylvannas you can preorder a 10pcs. boxed sylvannas for P105 which you can pick up before your flight back to Manila.

Move over Starbucks because Dumaguete got it’s own Cafe Antonio with a wonderful spanish-inspired interior. With antique like chairs and tables, old pianos, stained glass windows and even wooden porch swings transporting you to a scene in Noli Me Tangere. I did not try any coffee drink but I can highly recommend their very own Hot Choco which is priced at P65. It is what a hot choco must taste like because you can really distinctly taste the cocoa.

If there is one food place that Dumaguete is known for it will be Jo’s Chicken Inato along Silliman Avenue. A dish of grilled chicken (Chicken Inato) is priced at P85 which is reasonable and affordable enough. For less than a hundred you get to feast on a tasty grilled chicken and a cup of rice.Chicken Inato is similar to chicken inasal but it has a distinct taste which makes it more flavorful and juicy than the inasal dish which tends to be dried.

Aside from these three places there are still a lot more food havens in Dumaguete that I personally haven’t sampled (which are reasons enough to find myself back in this university town) – Fried Icecream, Mamias and one of the well known seafood restaurant (which I forgot the name).

For your pasalubong shopping you can head to Handumanan along Perdices st. You can grab native home decors, kitschy cellphone charms, various designs of keychains and ref magnets as well as Dumaguete and Silliman University shirts.

They say that food is the way to a man’s heart, the same thing goes for Dumaguete as well. Dumaguete’s food and laidback charm is the way to any traveler’s heart.

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Siquijor: Loco Over Coco

Tucked in the Island of Fire is a resort that promises quality service and total relaxation. Roughly fifteen minutes from the port of Siquijor is a little gem of a resort called Coco Grove. You will be greeted by a unassumming gated establishment with a small well-maintained garden. The reception area is very Filipino in architecture and interior from the nipa thatched roof to the wood decorations and rattan chairs. You will be warmly received by the hotel receptionists in their very cute and floral uniforms. They would address their guests by their name and not the usual generic greeting of ‘Sir’ and ‘Ma’am’. The reception area also houses the resident parrot named ‘Macky’ but a word of caution you can take picture and admire but you are not allowed to touch him.

Beyond the reception area are stone steps leading to the grounds of the resort.There are two swimming pools in the resort, one is near the reception while the other one is near the diveshop. The one near the diveshop got a swim up bar so you can literally sip your cocktail in the pool.


The cottages/rooms in the resort are done in a sort of Bahay Kubo architecture but no need to worry it is totally concrete it’s just that the design is made of nipa and bamboo to evoke a Pinoy cottage house. Each cottage comes with it’s own veranda where you can stay and enjoy the breeze from the sea or just to chat with your next door neighboor. There are several types of cottages that you can avail depending on your required capacity. The bigger cottages or villas have lofts to accommodate a whole group or family perfect for your bonding getaway. To truly make you relax and unwind, there are no television sets in the room, so make sure you pack some engaging paperback if your going solo or a mean boardgame that you can play with your travel buddies. With no pesky television set which glues you on that comfy bed and under the sheets, you can walk along the shore, sit and soul search in the many small huts scattered within the resort or just chill out and admire the stars while lying in one of the hammocks.


The resort boasts of a white sand beach that stretches for about 800 meter as well as a clear sea. The shore are dotted by tall and magnificent coconut trees that renders a very picturesque quality of the beach.
Though you have to go farther in the sea during late afternoon because of the low tide. You might find that morning and early morning are the best time to enjoy swimming in the beach. If you are an avid snorkeller, there is Tubod Marine Sanctuary near the diveshop but you need to pay an additional 50 Php to snorkel here. This fee is for the marine conservation.

Coco Boat

There are two restaurants within the resort, the prices of most meals are quite pricey compared to the standard restaurants. Price range of a single meal is around Php200 and onwards. Breakfast is free and already included in your room price but don’t expect much they do have an extensive lists of breakfast menu but the serving is measly.Here you can enjoy a candlelit dinner by the beach serenaded by the resort’s singers which has a very extensive songs repertoire.


Coco Grove’s rate is actually pricier when compared to the other beach resorts in Siquijor but when you consider the service, facilities and beach it is good value for money. Quality service, well maintained facilities and a magnificent sunset will make you go loco over Coco.

View from Sunset Restaurant

How to get Here: You can take a habal-habal/multicab from Siquijor’s port. I was charged Php200 pesos for the ride from the port to the resort. Another option is to avail of the resort’s own pick up service this is convenient and economical if you are in a big group since you have to basically rent the jeep (the resort’s transport service is a converted jeepney) or you can try to check with the resort if they can tag you along if there is also a group that will be picked up in the port on the same time of your arrival so you can split the pick up rate with them.

Website: http://www.cocogrovebeachresort.com/

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Ilocos: NORTHERN EXPOSURE (Exploring Vigan and Pagudpud)

A day after Christmas of 2007, me, my sister and my two college buds were off to the first leg of our Ilocos trip which is Pagudpud. We took the Partas bus going to Laoag from the Partas bus station in Cubao (right below the flyover going to Sta.Mesa) with a departure time of 11 pm. We wanted to get the deluxe or first class bus type for the added comfort but since there is quite a long ticket queue in front of us, only regular buses are available by the time we purchased our bus tickets. I noticed that the most deluxe and first class buses have the earlier departure times so if you are planning to take this type of bus make sure that you take the earlier departure times . Regular bus fare from Manila-Laoag is Php667 (as of Dec.2007).

Quick Tip: Partas have a ‘No Reservation’ policy. Be there 3-2 hours before the departure time of the bus to purchase your tickets.

Of rolling waves and raindrops

We reached Laoag by 8am and it is another 2 hours ride to Pagudpud. From the Partas station we took a tricycle to the station of the mini buses going to Pagudpud. The mini bus brings back to memory the Marikina Autoline buses plying the route of Makati-San Mateo during the 80s and early 90s. For a fare of Php70 these mini-buses will guarantee a breezy (the mini bus are not equipped with aircon units) and scenic (watch out for the statuesque beauty of the windmills in Bangui) ride to Pagudpud. The driver of our minibus was kind enough to drive us directly to Saud Beach Resort but of course for an extra fare.

After 12 hours of weary road travel, 1 bus transfer and roughly 2 hours of sleep, we were greeted by the rolling waves in the latte colored shores of Saud Beach, Pagudpud and a drizzle of rain.  In serious need of nourishment and some power nap, we were able to explore Saud beach late in the afternoon.

By mid-afternoon, the wind has picked up resulting to bigger waves and the patter of rain has not shown any signs of stopping, we abandoned all hopes of donning our suits. Armed with hooded jackets and our trusty digicams, we traversed the latte-colored sands of Saud beach; stopping here and there to strike a pose for the camera. Most of the sandy stretch of the beach is near Saud Beach resort and Aryana. The rocky portion of the beach is located at the other end near Apo Idon resort; this is also where one can get a vantage view of the statuesque Windmills of Bangui.

Long walks along the shore, loads of picture taking and a quiet night capped our Pagudpud experience.

IMHO (In My Humble Opinion):

Food is quite expensive when you compare the amount as to the serving size. Food quality and taste is average. Bring lots of snacks, biscuits and breads so you can just buy the main meals from the restaurants.

Brace yourself for quite a long wait when you dine at La Helene Restaurant (near Apo Idon), there are more food choices as compared to Saud Beach Resort Restaurant but you have to wait…and wait…and wait

Of calesas and cobblestones

As morning arrives at the sandy shores of Saud beach, it was time for us to start our journey back to Vigan City. After a 4 hours drive (Pagudpud-Laoag-Vigan) along the scenic route of the Ilocos region, we arrived in Vigan at around 11:30 am.

We stayed at Gordion Inn Bed & Breakfast and are very much delighted with our antique-themed bedrooms and comfy Iloko blankets. The rooms are very clean and well-maintained. Though the toilet is a bit small and the towels provided are a bit threadbare.

Deciding to grab a quick lunch before we have our calesa tour, we spotted the famous red ‘M’ arch near Plaza Burgos. But as we are walking in Plaza Burgos we passed by the white stalls of the famous Vigan empanadas. With no second thought, we settled in one of the tables and ordered empanadas with extra vinegar dipping, okoy and a bottle of Pepsi. The empanada is made of ground meat and vegetables rolled in a thin flour wrapper (resembling the lumpiang shanghai wrappers). The okoy is humongous and is good for two people. The okoy is made up of a nice helping of small shrimps fried in egg. No empanada & okoy meal will be complete without the Iloko vinegar dipping.

After a satisfying empanada & okoy encounter, we made our way towards the line of calesas. We picked out a nice horse named Brono (this is the visayan-version of Bruno). The calesa rate is fixed at Php150 per hour. Our calesa tour included: Bantay Church Belfry, Crisologo Museum, Burgos Museum, Pagburnayan Jar Factory and Baluarte.

Bantay Church Belfry

Bantay Church Belfry with its old brick structure sits atop a small hill. The endless stretch of the clear blue sky serves as its perfect backdrop to complete a picturesque view. Upon climbing the church tower, you can be treated to a bird’s eyeview of the surrounding areas.

Burgos National Museum

Burgos National Museum is the ancestral house of Padre Jose Burgos of the famous GomBurZa priests. There is a Php10 entrance fee and guided tour. According to our tour guide, there have been no major renovations made on the house.

Crisologo Museum

Crisologo Museum is the ancestral house of the famous Crisologo clan that was turned into a museum in honor of its patriarch, Floro Crisologo, who was assassinated in Vigan Cathedral in the 70’s. The museum contains clippings, articles, memorabilia, artifacts and antiques of the Crisologo clan. Also on display is the car where the former Governor Carmeling Floro (wife of Floro Crisologo) is riding during a foiled assassination attempt. There is no entrance fee in this museum.

Pagburnayan Jar Factory

Pagburanayan Jar Factory is where the burnay jars are made. The jar maker kindly allowed my sister to sample molding clay but sad to say my sister’s final product was like a disfigured empanada. There are stalls in front of the factory that sells mini-burnay jars that you can buy as souvenirs.

Baluarte

Baluarte is a property of Chavit Singson, which he turned into a mini-zoo with ostriches, monkeys, deers, small horses etc. There is no entrance fee.

After a tiring but delightful calesa tour, it was time to hit the famous cobblestone-covered street of Vigan which is Calle Crisologo. Walking along Calle Crisologo is a walk down memory lane during the Spanish era in the Philippines. Old houses with Spanish architecture line the long stretch of this street. The click-clock of the calesas is the constant noise as you walk along the street. Nowadays, souvenir shops abound this street.

With weary feet and growling stomachs, we headed to Café Leona for a sumptuous

dinner. We ordered a serving of bagnet and pinakbet, both are famous Iloko dishes.

I also tried a chocolatey tiny cup of Vigan Tsokolate.

Still in the mood to explore Vigan at night, we walked towards Plaza Salcedo, Vigan Cathedral and Nuevo Segovia Museum. Since it’s already quite late, the fountains are already turned off in Plaza Salcedo and Vigan Cathedral and Nuevo Segovia Museum are already closed for the day.

To cap the final night of our northern exposure, we had a cool tall glass of yummy milkshake at the bar room of Gordion Inn, a toast for a memorable road trip into the culture-rich northern province of the Philippines.

Quick Tips:

• 
  
  You can buy your pasalubongs/souvenirs at Vigan public market since it is cheaper there as compared to the souvenir shops in Calle Crisologo.
• 
  
  Recommended souvenirs/pasalubongs:

-         Vigan bibingka

-         Longganisa

-         Bagnet

-         Iloko blanket

-         Chichacorn

-         Iloko Vinegar

• 
  
  Bagnet & Vigan longganisa have fixed price for all the stalls in the public market.
• 
  
  Marsha’s Bibingka is highly recommended even if you ask the locals. There is a stall in Partas station. Consider grabbing a few boxes before hopping into the bus.

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