A memorable vacation in Dumaguete and Siquijor (before lockdown)

Last March 6-9 2019, I had an awesome adventure with my fellow momshies: Carine, Maymay, Luma, and Abby together with Jolie, Sir Carl and Sir Louie in the island of Negros Oriental. At least, I ticked off some of my dream destinations before I leave the Philippines!

At first, I was so sorry I turned down their invitation due to personal reasons, but when I realized this is an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed, I told them to count me in and prepared myself for the trip.

GOING TO DUMAGUETE, THE CITY OF GENTLE PEOPLE

I’m from Alegria, Cebu and I’ve heard so many positive feedbacks about Dumaguete City.

This is our Dumaguete Itinerary:

·       11 PM – 6 AM We went to Cebu South Bus terminal and waited for the 11PM Ceres bus going to Bato Port (via Oslob) to get us in a RORO, a vehicle vessel ship. It was a long ride that took us approximately 5 hours to arrive at Dumaguete bus terminal. We had rented a car for the eight of us with Lumarie as our driver of the day.

·         6 AM – 7 AM Bag drop off at the Pethouse

We dropped our bags at the Pethouse, which I must say a very wonderful bed and breakfast accommodation. It was homey and the owner was hospitable. Needless to say, they have an adorable dog named Blue who greeted us with a happy bark. We ate our cup noodles for breakfast and I took a refreshing morning shower before we started our first destination.

Dumaguete is not a big city so we just explored it in just a day.

·        10 AM – 10:45 AM Smokey Mountain, Valencia, Negros

Unfortunately, the weather was unfavorable due to a low pressure area but it didn’t stop us from going to our first destination. It was lucky that Carine brought her bluetooth microphone for us to sing-along during the road trip. Before we reached the place, we stopped by a convenience store for coffee. Truly, as we went to Smokey Mountain, there was a NATURAL TOXIC GAS sign. The gloomy weather was a good thing since the geothermal vents produced more sulfuric smoke on dark. Even though it was drizzling, we still took group pictures and carefully climbed the top of the yellow barrier. One thing that should keep in mind is that it is a landslide prone area so extra precaution should be observed.

·         10:45 AM – 12:00 PM The forest Camp

This tropical resort is fascinating! So many greens around! Being a nature lover, I was enraptured by its scenic beauty. A paradise! I love how the place was developed and we got awesome pictures at some of the locations of the resort. I love the lush rainforest and the cauldron shaped pools. There was a hanging wooden bridge too! I would like to thank Maymay for her exceptional photography skills! With her, we had awesome pics.

·         12:00 PM -1:00 PM Lunch in a carinderia near Tejero resort.

We kept on reminding ourselves that we are on a tight budget so for now, we decided to stop by a carinderia. We ordered their homecooked meals and  asked ‘Ate’ to cook corned beef and scrambled eggs. We had a satisfying lunch at a cheaper price.

·         1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Pulangbato falls.

Too bad some of my comrades were tired of trekking to Casaroro falls so we just decided to take a quick visit to the soothing waterfall of Pulangbato and true to its name, the rocks are rustic because of the sulfur.

·         2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Red Rock Sulfur Hot Spring

At first, I was bothered to take a dip in to the yellowish and cloudy water but as I watched other tourists enjoying, I gave it a try. The bath was so relaxing and I thought that the warm sulfur water is good for the skin. It relieved my back pain.

·         4:00 PM – 6:00 PM Tierra Alta Resort

We made a side trip to this Santorini-inspired mountainside clubhouse. It is a perfect venue for social gatherings and pre-nup pictorials. The pavilion in its clean whites and royal blues speak of the Greek vibe. There is a lighthouse offering an aerial view of the luscious greens of Valencia highlands. With our matchy Polo shirts, we had a good time taking group pictures.

·         6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Gabby’s bistro

We wrapped the day trip with a sumptuous feast. Gabby’s is a European themed restaurant and the vintage ambiance added to the beauty. I was impressed to each of the menus for it has its own stories. They are known for their baby back ribs. When we were waiting for our orders, we spent taking pictures . I was able to taste all my colleague’s dishes. They were very delectable.

·         8:00 PM – 8:30 PM Sans Rival Bakery

Before we bought our tickets going to Cebu, we stopped by Sans Rival Bakery, the famous bakery in Dumaguete and bought our pasalubongs to our loved ones. I bought Silvanas. These are frozen buttercream cookies that are covered with crumbs. This is the signature delicacy of Dumaguete

·         8:30 PM – 9:00 PM Rizal Boulevard

Just near the port, we passed by the Rizal Boulevard at night and saw the oldest American university, the Silliman University. I marvelled the stretch of bright lampposts giving a vibrant atmosphere to chill and hangout with friends. As we were on our way to buy tickets going to Siquijor, I witnessed the beautiful sunrise at the heart of the city.

·         9:00 PM onwards Shower and rest

We were not satisfied with our bath from Red Rock so we showered once again to make sure we’re clean before going to bed. We drawed lots as to who’s gonna be bedmates. I and my ‘fierce’ mentor Sir Carl got the same number. Hahaha. We got the chance to chat with Thea in Missouri.

GOING TO SIQUIJOR, THE ISLA DEL FUEGO OF THE PHILIPPINES

Linked as a mysterious island of witchcraft and exorcism but for me, Siquijor is paradise. A remote island blessed with natural resources such as white sand beaches, waterfalls with luscious greenery, and iconic landmarks. We headed our way to Siquijor a day after. The moment we landed to the port, I already knew that there’s more to discover in Siquijor!

·         7:00 AM – 8:45 AM Ferry boat ride from Dumaguete to Siquijor

It took 1 hour and 45 minutes on a ferry to reach the island of Siquijor and this time, we had rented a jeep with a driver. Luma can now enjoy the coastal tour.

·         8:45 AM – 10:00 AM Larena Triad Restaurant and Coffee Shop

It was a good way to start our Siquijor escapade. Kuya driver suggested that we take our late breakfast at this restaurant. We arrived at Larena Triad at around 10 AM and we ordered foods from their menu. While waiting to be served, we enjoyed the vast expanse of Siquijor as well as the vantage view of the islands of Cebu and Bohol. The relaxing ambiance and spectacular view deck of the restaurant was marvellous. The foods were superb! We relished in a hearty brunch of their Sisig and Pansit. We had the chance to call Divina in Australia while we’re eating too.

·         10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Paliton Beach, San Juan, Siquijor

It took us 30 minutes to get into this hidden paradise. This postcard perfect white sand beach is lined with palm trees. I changed my outfit to have an awesome pic. You need not to worry if you don’t have someone to take pics of you because there are locals who will do it for you but for a fee of course. They would even teach you how to pose! I enjoyed swinging on the tree swing tied to a palm tree as Kuya took a picture of me.

·         1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Old Enchanted Balete Tree

The mystical tree surrounded with vines is said to be 400 years old, making it look more enchanted. But the catch is this, there’s a small pool at the base of the Balete tree for a foot spa. I found it enjoyable as I dipped my feet into the pool and fishes started to eat the dead skin off my feet! It tickled me. I sat still so the fishes nibbled my skin. We bought ice candy to beat the humidity and I chose the vanilla flavor.

·         2:00 PM – 2:30 PM Hapitanan

Since Siquijor is known for witchcraft and dark magic. We didn’t miss the opportunity to stop by Hapitanan and take a photo of us flying with a broomstick! The movie Harry Potter came into the picture. The volunteer’s photographic skills are commendable, we got awesome photos of flying to the sky! I also had the chance to have a photo op of their garden with the stunning overlooking view as my background.

·         2:30 PM – 3:00 PM San Isidro Labrador Parish, Siquijor

It is also known as the Lazi Church. This century-old Baroque church is well maintained and surely stood the test of time. Its architecture is compelling, showing how prestigious it was during the Spanish colonial era. When we went there, there was a pre-nup session.

·         3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Cambuhagay Falls

The place is most-visited by foreign tourists and I must say that this is the most epic waterfalls ever! During our visit, the tourists enjoyed cliff jumping. It is a 3-tiered cascading aquamarine waterfall where flowing rock pools and swimming holes are located. They have bamboo rafts and this improvised rope swing called the ‘tarzan swing’ in which I took the courage to try it, not just once, but thrice! Good thing, there were locals ready to assist us from the moment we swung till we splashed our way to the water. I unleashed the dare-devil in me as it was my first time to jump that 10 feet high! I even dared myself to jump a level higher but unfortunately as kuya let go of me, I couldn’t grip the swing handle anymore resulting to an epic fail jump. My chest hurt but I decided to give another try to make use of this exciting moment.

·         5:00 PM – 6:30 PM Salagdoong beach

Sir Lou dared to jump that 35 feet high cliff. I and the rest of the group remained watching. I am not a swimmer and I thought that jumping in Cambuhagay falls was enough of an experience.

·         6:30 PM onwards Glamping at Aquamare Beach Camp Resort

This was our last destination to unwind from the whole day’s fun adventure. The inside of the dome-shaped teepee style tents are very functional. It features a cozy atmosphere! The tents are air-conditioned with appliances such as television and water heater plus free wifi connection. The bathrooms had clean towels and toiletries. It could accommodate more than four people since it was spacious.

We enjoyed plunging the pool as we played message relay. As we ate our dinner, we were serenaded by the band and had a good time. Jolie and the rest were so insistent that I sing before the session ends so I just gave in and sang one of my favorite jamming songs, Para sa akin by Sitti Navarro. You know what, I felt great after the performance. There I realized that somehow, there are still people who come to appreciate my talent. I love how supportive they are to me.

Of course, we had ‘Tagay sessions’ once again and Carine opened some topics for us to discuss. The night grew and as usual, I was still sane. The vodka didn’t knock me off as I still managed to go back to our tent, woke my sleeping roommates, and dozed off.

We spent our remaining time in Aquamare before checkout by plunging the pool and pictorials. We checked out at 12 noon.

On our way to Cebu…

As we embarked in a barge and the bus going to Cebu City, we were dead tired. I slept in the bus and so was my seatmate, Sir Carl.

After a long ride, we arrived at the Cebu South Bus Terminal. Carine and Abby were night shiftees so they have to catch the time.

That was the last time I saw my colleagues as each of us parted ways. Well, that was the end of my CebuDoc journey and I’m really thankful for the company of momshies and some of my colleagues there.

Also, I was very thankful that we were able to go back home before the lockdown. I couldn’t imagine if we were stuck there with the little budget that we have.

One thing that I must add in this trip is that I find the locals in both towns friendly and accommodating. We were so unfortunate that we were able to witness how beautiful these places before the lockdown. This has been one of the memorable travels so far. If a given a chance, I would like to visit Dumaguete and Siquijor again with my family in the future.