Finally had time to write here again. Basically, I'm not going to write any lengthy post or anything about what's happening with my life lately. I'm just here to share with you guys the film photos I took in Siargao. As the title suggests, it's an overdue post.
Siargao is the best place for a beach bum like me. You don't need to be a surfer to enjoy this place. I've been to different beaches in Philippines, but I don't know why I am so drawn to this island. There's something about Siargao that makes me want to move here. Iba talaga sya guys. Nakaka-addict.
I was lucky enough to score a seat sale from Manila-Cebu-Siargao. The moment I learned about the sale, I knew I had to book it. Can you guess how much I got the fare? I got ours for Php7,800 for 2 pax. Yes!!! I KNOW RIGHT? We all know that flights to Siargao are quite expensive so this one's definitely a steal.
DISCLAIMER: This is a DIY trip... meaning we didn't book any travel packages. Also, after reading this guide next thing you know you find yourself booking a trip to the "Surfing capital of the Philippines". Feelers! Kala mo naman may nagbabasa ng blog ko charot
WHERE TO STAY IN SIARGAO
There are several options of hostels, lodges, luxury hotels and inns you can choose from depending on your budget.
We stayed in Wayfarers - Cloud 9 Residences booked through Airbnb. It is just a walking distance to Cloud 9.
UPDATE: As I am writing this blog, the owner of Wayfarers replied on my review in Airbnb. It was a rude and sarcastic response. So alam nyo na, I don't recommend this place. Stay somewhere else.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
According to the locals, Siargao is generally sunny and dry all year-round. For surfers, best time to visit is from September to November as the waves are nice during these months. For non-surfers, summer season will be fine.
GETTING AROUND SIARGAO
From Sayak Airport, you can take a van to General Luna which costs Php300 each. You can also hire a habal-habal for Php200 each. It takes less than an hour to General Luna.
If you want to explore the island, you can rent a motorcycle for Php350/day. There are also habal-habal everywhere for Php20 per way.
WHAT TO DO IN SIARGAO
Go Island Hopping.
Island hopping includes the three beautiful island Naked, Daku and Guyam Island. We rented a boat for Php1,200. Most hotels here offer day tours to these three islands.
FYI: Some tours doesn't include a meal yet. It's best to buy fresh sea foods in the market and you can have it cooked at Daku Island.
Paluto fee is Php130.
Go surfing.
On our first day, we decided to try surfing for only Php500/hour including instructor. I was terrified at first because this is my first time to surf but wow I never thought that surfing would be so fun.
So I just wanna share my near death experience while surfing in Siargao. Ang lakas ng loob ko mag surf pero di ako marunong lumangoy.
Guys, muntik na ko mamatay dahil naputol yung leash ng surf board. Wag na wag nyo gagawin yung ginawa ko! Hahahaha though andyan naman yung instructor to watch over you pero what if matulad kayo sakin na may dumating na mataas and malakas na alon tapos di ka marunong lumangoy? HUHUHUHUHUH good thing Arvin's instructor saved my life!!!!!!
Catch the sunrise at Cloud 9.
We woke up 5AM to catch the beautiful sunrise. NEVER miss this when in Siargao.
Stargazing.
It's true when they say Siargao is one of the best place for stargazing. True indeed. This is one of the things I miss most in Siargao. Every night we stay at the tower, setup my camera and just watch the bright stars above. Another off to my bucket list.
Anyhoo, I'm not quite satisfied with my milky way shots due to my camera's limitation. I was using Fujifilm X-30 ISO100; 1/30 secs.
Hirap mag explain basta limited lang kaya ni Fujifilm X30 but not bad for a first timer in milky way photography. :)
Swim at the Magpupungko Pool.
I have never seen a natural swimming pool like Magpupungko before. SOBRANG GANDA, AGAIN UULITIN KO SOBRANG GANDA NYA!!! It was beyond amazing. That bluish-green crystal clear water is incredible.
It's best to visit during low tide at least before 1PM because swimming is strictly prohibited during high tide. You should never miss this when in Siargao. It's one of my favorites.
You can take a habal-habal to Magpupungko. It will take about 45mins from General Luna.
Paddle away at Sugba Lagoon
I can't recall exactly how much we spent on this tour but I will try my best to remember the expenses. I didn't really bothered myself tracking the expenses kasi gusto ko i-feel yung moment hehehe
We didn't a book a tour package for this one Initially, we were about to go to Kermit the night before to book a tour to Sugba Lagoon. Fortunately, the habal-habal driver who's supposed to take us to Kermit offered to take us to Del Carmen for Php1,000 RT. Of course we said yes because it's cheaper than booking it with Kermit (guys tight budget talaga hehe)
From Del Carmen, you will have to rent a pump boat that will take you to the lagoon. The pump boat costs around Php1,600 (not sure of the exact amount) that will fit up to 8 people. A couple was supposed to share the pump boat with us but they were only staying in the lagoon for an hour (WHAT SRSLY?!) so we had no choice but to rent our own boat.
Baka nga yung isang oras na yun nagpapaddle pa lang ako hahaha so NO I wanna enjoy the place.
We didn't bring food with us so we had to buy it from there. No regrets though because they sell fresh seafoods like Lapu-Lapu, crabs and lobsters.
GRABE ANG SARAP BIHIRA LANG KAMI MAKAKAIN NG GANITO SA MANILA
The Lapu-Lapu only costs Php90. I can't remember how much yung crabs pero mura lang siya promise!!!!
You can rent a SUP for Php200/hour. There's also an entrance fee to the lagoon for Php100/pax and table for Php100.
What I love about Sugba Lagoon aside that it is a paradise -- there aren't many tourists here yet so you will really enjoy the place. We even had this place on our own for few hours.
Beach bumming.
This is my most favorite part during beach trips. After a very tiring day, nothing beats taking a nap by the beach, get high on the view and syempre medyo may konting singit na pag-eemote hahaha
Siargao has a very special place in my heart. I fell in love with this island, can't describe how beautiful this place is. Basta ang alam ko lang the moment I stepped my feet into this island I knew I wanted to live here. I love Siargao!!!!! There's something about this place that you never want to leave. I guess it's the people, the laid-back island life, and the friendly locals. Aah, I CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK SOON!!!! Love you, Siargao <3
I was lucky enough to score a seat sale from Manila-Cebu-Siargao. The moment I learned about the sale, I knew I had to book it. Can you guess how much I got the fare? I got ours for Php7,800 for 2 pax. Yes!!! I KNOW RIGHT? We all know that flights to Siargao are quite expensive so this one's definitely a steal.
DISCLAIMER: This is a DIY trip... meaning we didn't book any travel packages. Also, after reading this guide next thing you know you find yourself booking a trip to the "Surfing capital of the Philippines". Feelers! Kala mo naman may nagbabasa ng blog ko charot
WHERE TO STAY IN SIARGAO
There are several options of hostels, lodges, luxury hotels and inns you can choose from depending on your budget.
We stayed in Wayfarers - Cloud 9 Residences booked through Airbnb. It is just a walking distance to Cloud 9.
UPDATE: As I am writing this blog, the owner of Wayfarers replied on my review in Airbnb. It was a rude and sarcastic response. So alam nyo na, I don't recommend this place. Stay somewhere else.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
According to the locals, Siargao is generally sunny and dry all year-round. For surfers, best time to visit is from September to November as the waves are nice during these months. For non-surfers, summer season will be fine.
GETTING AROUND SIARGAO
From Sayak Airport, you can take a van to General Luna which costs Php300 each. You can also hire a habal-habal for Php200 each. It takes less than an hour to General Luna.
If you want to explore the island, you can rent a motorcycle for Php350/day. There are also habal-habal everywhere for Php20 per way.
WHAT TO DO IN SIARGAO
Go Island Hopping.
Island hopping includes the three beautiful island Naked, Daku and Guyam Island. We rented a boat for Php1,200. Most hotels here offer day tours to these three islands.
Naked Island |
Daku Island |
Guyam Island |
FYI: Some tours doesn't include a meal yet. It's best to buy fresh sea foods in the market and you can have it cooked at Daku Island.
Paluto fee is Php130.
Go surfing.
On our first day, we decided to try surfing for only Php500/hour including instructor. I was terrified at first because this is my first time to surf but wow I never thought that surfing would be so fun.
So I just wanna share my near death experience while surfing in Siargao. Ang lakas ng loob ko mag surf pero di ako marunong lumangoy.
Guys, muntik na ko mamatay dahil naputol yung leash ng surf board. Wag na wag nyo gagawin yung ginawa ko! Hahahaha though andyan naman yung instructor to watch over you pero what if matulad kayo sakin na may dumating na mataas and malakas na alon tapos di ka marunong lumangoy? HUHUHUHUHUH good thing Arvin's instructor saved my life!!!!!!
Catch the sunrise at Cloud 9.
We woke up 5AM to catch the beautiful sunrise. NEVER miss this when in Siargao.
Stargazing.
It's true when they say Siargao is one of the best place for stargazing. True indeed. This is one of the things I miss most in Siargao. Every night we stay at the tower, setup my camera and just watch the bright stars above. Another off to my bucket list.
Anyhoo, I'm not quite satisfied with my milky way shots due to my camera's limitation. I was using Fujifilm X-30 ISO100; 1/30 secs.
Hirap mag explain basta limited lang kaya ni Fujifilm X30 but not bad for a first timer in milky way photography. :)
Swim at the Magpupungko Pool.
I have never seen a natural swimming pool like Magpupungko before. SOBRANG GANDA, AGAIN UULITIN KO SOBRANG GANDA NYA!!! It was beyond amazing. That bluish-green crystal clear water is incredible.
It's best to visit during low tide at least before 1PM because swimming is strictly prohibited during high tide. You should never miss this when in Siargao. It's one of my favorites.
You can take a habal-habal to Magpupungko. It will take about 45mins from General Luna.
Paddle away at Sugba Lagoon
I can't recall exactly how much we spent on this tour but I will try my best to remember the expenses. I didn't really bothered myself tracking the expenses kasi gusto ko i-feel yung moment hehehe
We didn't a book a tour package for this one Initially, we were about to go to Kermit the night before to book a tour to Sugba Lagoon. Fortunately, the habal-habal driver who's supposed to take us to Kermit offered to take us to Del Carmen for Php1,000 RT. Of course we said yes because it's cheaper than booking it with Kermit (guys tight budget talaga hehe)
From Del Carmen, you will have to rent a pump boat that will take you to the lagoon. The pump boat costs around Php1,600 (not sure of the exact amount) that will fit up to 8 people. A couple was supposed to share the pump boat with us but they were only staying in the lagoon for an hour (WHAT SRSLY?!) so we had no choice but to rent our own boat.
Baka nga yung isang oras na yun nagpapaddle pa lang ako hahaha so NO I wanna enjoy the place.
We didn't bring food with us so we had to buy it from there. No regrets though because they sell fresh seafoods like Lapu-Lapu, crabs and lobsters.
GRABE ANG SARAP BIHIRA LANG KAMI MAKAKAIN NG GANITO SA MANILA
Lunch at Sugba Lagoon |
You can rent a SUP for Php200/hour. There's also an entrance fee to the lagoon for Php100/pax and table for Php100.
What I love about Sugba Lagoon aside that it is a paradise -- there aren't many tourists here yet so you will really enjoy the place. We even had this place on our own for few hours.
Beach bumming.
This is my most favorite part during beach trips. After a very tiring day, nothing beats taking a nap by the beach, get high on the view and syempre medyo may konting singit na pag-eemote hahaha
Siargao has a very special place in my heart. I fell in love with this island, can't describe how beautiful this place is. Basta ang alam ko lang the moment I stepped my feet into this island I knew I wanted to live here. I love Siargao!!!!! There's something about this place that you never want to leave. I guess it's the people, the laid-back island life, and the friendly locals. Aah, I CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK SOON!!!! Love you, Siargao <3
(Wrote this on my birthday)
Today is my 30th birthday. I can't believe I have reached another milestone in my life. Ten years have passed and boom my 20s is finally OVER. Grabe, parang kailan lang college ako... parang kailan lang ang alam ko lang eh mag-aral at sumilay sa crush. JUST LIKE THAT?! I feel old pero not looking old. Thank God for my parents! I am blessed with vampire genes. Aminin niyo, mukha lang ako nasa early 20s! Hahahah!?
Anyway, So I am feeling anxious as I type these words. It hasn't sink in yet but this is it!!!! GOOD BYE 20s!!!! Welcome to the fucking 30s club! I always thought that being on your 30s means more responsibilities, wrinkles (yes, concern ko talaga yan bec skincare is life hahaha), and people pressuring you to settle down. Our society tells us that you should be married by this age. In my case, I wanted to rebuild myself. I wanna age graciously! I have wasted so many opportunities when I was in my 20's. I was carefree that I forgot the things that matter. So my goal is to be a goal-getter this time.
Good thing about being in our 30s is that we have become a better (and matured) person. Kung hindi ka naging better person most probably may mali na sa'yo. Wow, I can't believe... I have made it through the struggles. I have learned to become confident with myself. We all have insecurities kasi tao lang naman tayo but as we mature, we learn to embrace and deal with it. I came to the point that I stopped comparing myself to everyone. Na-realize mo na kahit pinagpala siya ni Lord in every aspect of his life, mayroon ka din naman na wala siya. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't focus on the things I don't have rather I focus on what God has blessed me.
I remember when I used to compare myself to my colleagues. I SWEAR sobrang unhealthy. I've done things against my will to impress everyone. Sa totoo lang, nakakahiyang aminin but that's it. I REGRET it but that's part of I am now. I have learned to love my flaws and imperfections.
Now, I constantly remind myself that life is not a race. Chill lang dapat, 'wag ma-pressure. Take baby steps, because trying too hard puts too much pressure.
Whenever I look back at the past, my 20s was full of ups and downs. It was a time of self-discovery, insecurities and self-doubts. Dami ko pa hanash nuon parang highscool rebel hahaha but once you overcome all of these, it's totally worth every struggle.
I am embracing my 30s in a very positive way. It may mean more responsibilities but for me being in your 30s is like starting a new life with a better YOU. So to everyone who's feeling anxious about their 30s, normal lang yan but eventually you will get over it. Just strive to age graciously.
It's been more than a year since I last updated this blog. I have nothing to share here aside from my travels because my life is pretty much boring. My 2017 was nothing but uncertainty, maybe because I literally had no
plans for myself, for my career and for my future. So many things have happened since the year started. And just recently, I was depressed with so many things in my life but I can finally say I'm getting back on track. So here I am typing away sharing you my recent travels.
I just got back from an epic beach trip with friends at Masasa, Batangas. I was initially planning not to go, I hate social interaction these days. You know that feeling when you just want to isolate yourself from everyone? That's exactly I was feeling back then. But I thought I needed this, so I did a little research of the island, it was beautiful. I was sold. Good thing I decided to come with them, this trip made me feel much better.
Saturday, 4AM call time. We took a bus at Jam Liner in Pasay then got off at Grand Terminal in Batangas. It was a 3 hour long bus ride.I was just sleeping on the entire trip, I had no sleep because, yes, I watched Britney Spears' concert. WOOOOH! (That was the best concert I've been to! I will try my best to blog about the concert)
Another 40mins travel time to Anilao, Batangas via jeepney. As soon as we reached Anilao Port, we took a ferry ride to Tingloy, Batangas. That's another 45mins to an hour travel.
We stayed at Ate Elvie's homestay. We rented two rooms for 8 people. It includes unlimited use of her kitchen utilities, ihawan, etc. Ate Elvie is very hospitable. So guys, if you're planning a trip to Masasa Beach, I highly recommend her homestay. Her place is just 5-10min walk to the beach.
We initially planned the island hopping the following day however the weather was nice so we decided to do it on our first day. The island hopping costs us Php300/pax inclusive of snorkeling gears, and bangka. Manong bangkero will take you to two islands, Sombrero and Sepoc Island.
Sombrero Island |
We were lucky that day because the water was so calm. Look at how clear the water is. So beautiful. It was so clear that you can see the fish swimming underwater.
There are no establishments on this island. No bars and fancy restaurants. The place is quiet and relaxing. No loud music. And yes, the island has no signal and Wi-Fi connection. It is definitely my ideal beach trip, nothing but pure fun, booze and laughter with friends.
Lagoon |
One of the most unforgettable moment was when we saw sea turtles while snorkeling. They were so huge and beautiful. Though this is not the first time I've seen one, they still never fail to amaze me. As what my friends said (after seeing a sea turtle), it was really life changing moment. LOL!
It was a beautiful island, but I'm not gonna lie. No matter how much you try to preserve the beauty of the island, there are still some irresponsible tourists and travelers. We have seen a lot of trash and garbage along the shore line. Nakakalungkot!!!! I just hope we all become responsible travelers.
It's quarter past 6, feeling sleepy and sick. I'm feeling the immense urge to sleep but I thought I need do something productive (so, yeah, here I am blogging). I remember last 2015, I told my 27-year old self to take a leap on my career by 2016. I want to get out of my comfort zone. I want to focus on learning new things and try to be as productive as I can.
So, how's my 2016 so far?
1. I have started blogging again, obviously.
I don't know if someone even reads my blog (but if you do, thank you!). I'm so glad I find time to update my blog if I can. I stopped blogging for almost 3 years. I don't know why I lost interest probably because my life's too boring to share hahaha
1. I have started blogging again, obviously.
I don't know if someone even reads my blog (but if you do, thank you!). I'm so glad I find time to update my blog if I can. I stopped blogging for almost 3 years. I don't know why I lost interest probably because my life's too boring to share hahaha
2. I'm keeping a planner again.
I stopped keeping a planner because I wanted my life to be spontaneous (or simply because I really had no plans before). But this year, I am keeping one because my 2016 is full of to-do's, goals and travel plans. I'm excited to fill out my planner. Aaah, I can't wait to be productive this year!
3. On Investing my money
I'm excited to share that I'll be back to school by next month. It's a short course though but instead of spending my money on frivolous stuff, I am investing for professional growth and development. Also, I learned to be more careful with how I spend my money. Gone are the days when I carelessly spend my hard-earned money on clothes and things I don't really need. My goal now is to save, save and become financially stable. I'm proud to say I am smarter now compared when I was in my early 20's, reckless and carefree.
I'm excited to share that I'll be back to school by next month. It's a short course though but instead of spending my money on frivolous stuff, I am investing for professional growth and development. Also, I learned to be more careful with how I spend my money. Gone are the days when I carelessly spend my hard-earned money on clothes and things I don't really need. My goal now is to save, save and become financially stable. I'm proud to say I am smarter now compared when I was in my early 20's, reckless and carefree.
4. Embracing changes positively.
I remember my younger years when I used to hate "change". Whatever changes happens in my life, I always take it negatively and sadly I didn't get to see the bright side of it. I was happy with my own comfort zone (who doesn't like it anyway). And because changes happens constantly everywhere whether it be in my life, work, relationship, etc I have learned to deal with it. I learned to see the positive side of every situation. It wasn't easy honestly, but if you train your mind to see the good in it everything else follows. :)
I'm writing this down so I could track what I have been doing this 2016 and something to make me feel positive whenever I'm feeling lost (ano daw? hahaha).
So how's your 2016 so far? :)