Disturbing Siquijor

I’ve been to this mystical island for the nth time and every time I come here, something amazing happens to me. 

When friends started planning for the visit, they told me to go with them, acting as their tour guide.

They had booked our stay in Salagdoong Beach without me knowing. They were sure of themselves on what to do, where to go. Of course, I will be the tour guide since they have laid out plans and didn’t know the way.

Okay. So be it.

We started late from Cebu. When you take a land trip to Dumaguete, the starting point for Siquijor island, you should consider the traveling time that usually takes almost four hours + ferry boat transfers. But there are princesses that need grand preparations and wanted grand entrances. In short, we were still in Cebu two hours late of our agreed time of travel and we sure were running very late.

We arrived in Dumaguete City almost ten in the evening with no hotel reservations and no dinner and someone was pissing us off because she was heartbroken and crying since we left from Cebu  and like we should all be concerned with issues between her and her love of a lifetime. In short, tempers were as thin as our egos.

The night was a disaster.

Rainy days are here to stay?

The next morning, everyone was late again. The gloomy morning did not only brought rains but also bad tempers.

Jinx must have followed us everywhere because we were greeted by long lines at the Dumaguete port. It was a Saturday, people came in droves, and some shipping company cancelled its trip for the day for religious reasons.

Long lines greeted us at Dumaguete port

When we arrived in Larena port, we waited for multicabs that seemed not available because we were there. So we opted for a tricycle that we found outside of the port premises because my friends wanted cheaper transportation without considering the distance between Larena and Maria where Salagdoong is located. The tricycle heaved its way to Salagdoong beach overloaded with tired, nasty, broken-hearted, irritating and irritated passengers.

The view at Salagdoong was extremely spectacular. Men and women guests were interestingly in different stages of undress. The sea was calm and blue. The wind blowing constantly.

We could not be accommodated at our reserved room because we were too many and they were full. We have to climb to Hotel Agripino so we can have rooms to stay.

We have to rest to extinguish the bad vibes we brought in with us.

Salagdoong was calm. Not like us.

We each went our ways to discover what Salagdoong could offer to the tired soul. The men drowned several Red Horses to forget the day. The women and halfs, sensing indifference amongst them, had their cliques huddled together ignoring past friendships.

We were appeased the next morning by the presence of a male macaque that the hotel staff claimed, had not visited the hotel for so many years. This is not a good sign, the staff woefully informed us. He further told us that this alpha male caused the destruction of their WiFi and cable TV connections, several of their aircon units and even attacked some guests. Surprisingly, the alpha monkey stayed, hopping between our terraces and the women’s, eyeing at our closed glass doors as if wanting to decipher us individually. He might have sensed we have done more damages than himself, so he went out silently unnoticed.

Naughty monkey

We checked out tired from Salagdoong and purchased an expensive ticket for a fastcraft so we could get home fast. Like the macaque, we silently went our separate ways.

A group travel is not always an assurance that you could have an enjoyable experience.

Lessons learned from this travel:

1. If you travel by group, always inform everyone joining of the plans and itineraries involving the journey.
2. Know the schedules of your bus, boats, ferries, fastcrafts, etc. and the locations of your hotel and resort before embarking on a journey.
3. Always confer with your hotel if they can accommodate extra persons especially if extra means three more persons. 
4. Be sensitive to the group. If you do not want to join the trip at the last minute, DON’T! Do not expect the group to sympathize with your whining and tantrums.
5. Bamboos don’t break because they bend with the wind.
6. The next time your group goes on an adventure trip without them informing you- it’s obvious. You are the problem.

The greatness of GREAT Catigbian

The receiving area for guests and visitors of the Park

Bohol's ecotourism vision has been greatly rewarded since its implementation way back when Bohol had younger generation of politicians leading the province. 

One of the municipalities who ventured into ecotourism is Catigbian. 

Catigbian is a 4th class municipality in the interior part of Bohol, 35 kms north of Tagbilaran City, Bohol's capital city. As an interior town, Catigbian is blessed with an abundance of natural resources and a terrain good for farming and adventure tours. Hence, the GREAT adventure tour. 

NAME-CALLING

The Canopy Walk

The Green Recreational Eco-Adventure Tour (GREAT) is actually a part of the Abatan River Community Life Tour, a project participated in by the municipalities of Cortes, Maribojoc, Antequera, Balilihan and Catigbian and initiated by the PROCESS Foundation with the assistance of several government and international funding agencies. 

Bohol has seen lately a lot of acronyms in the past years. There’s EAT Danao, Loboc’s LEAP, and now the GREAT Catigbian, which is actually an attached activity to the Dagook Adventure Tour Experience (DATE) Park. Dagook is the waterfalls you can see from the Monkey Bridge. Why all these names? 

DATE WITH A PARK 

Upon entrance to the site, you will be fitted in with safety gadgets by eager staff- helmets, ropes, and harness, everything to make you alive from beginning to end of the tour. I asked if it would be that challenging since I looked like a miner going to the depths of the earth sans flashlight.

The staff only smiled, ignoring me, a gesture I made to understand that they want us to experience the adventure without a hint of what would happen next. This is a sort of a blind date? 

HOLDING ON 

The first challenge is the Canopy Walk. 

I passed the test in a breeze. In my life, I have traversed rivers with hanging bridges more challenging than the canopy walk. So, my adventurous spirit was not lifted hence, I told our guides to make the canopy walk more challenging like, if all the participants are in the middle of the wooden bridge, let it swing or drop a few feet down. 

My friends reacted and said I must be high on something. Adik! 

We went uphill to experience the second challenge- the Monkey Bridge. I don't know why they are calling it monkey bridge. I believe they were not referring to the faces of guests whose smiles would transform into an indescribable contortion upon seeing the “bridge.” 

Or the way we would hold hard later on the wires to keep balance. 

The scary Monkey Bridge

The monkey grip we used to avoid falling off from the thin wire of a trail would be taxing as the guides would tell us- Relax. Loosen up. Don't use too much force or we would have muscle cramps.

But when you are afraid you couldn't help but cling to your life or else we would be hanging like macaques of Loon. This caught me off guard. Yes, we had the precious harness with us but the rain and mud from the forest trail way down made my shoes slippery on the wire. 

Despite the beautiful waterfalls droning its power below, I think nobody minded it because everyone was busy minding where our feet should land, or else. 

My shirt got soaked with sweat. But still I joked to make the trail more challenging despite my nervous smile. 

SLIDE TO FINISH 

The final challenge- the Mountain Slide. The zipline, here termed Mountain Slide, is the last of the exciting activities at the DATE Park. 

The line is not as fearsome as Danao or Loboc but the rush towards the final stage is like a slap of fresh air after the adrenaline rush. And I thought, it was bitin. I was left hanging for more! 

And as the staff was detaching the paraphernalia, I suddenly realized I want to go back. Again. 

That would be 700 pesos please. 

Getting ready to be zipped back to our comfort zones

HOW TO GO TO THE CATIGBIAN DATE PARK 

It is advisable to hire a car to go to Catigbian unless you would want to wait for the unreliable bus service plying the Catigbian-Sagbayan route with no fix hours. I heard the name of the bus is the Fatima Bus Line but haven’t tried it yet. Their bus terminal is at Cogon District in Tagbilaran City. The fare from Tagbilaran to Catigbian is about 45-50 pesos one way. 

Going to the DATE Park from Catigbian’s poblacion is about a kilometer or two. You can hire habal-habal from there or walk towards it. I think walking would be more fun. As always, haggle the price before jumping in the habal-habal. 

A private van would usually cost 2,500 to 3,000 for a day tour. Ask first and tell them your destination since this is not the usual day tour most travel agents would recommend. You can call Mawe Gamit at 0917.999.2297 or Lugod Rent-A-Car at 0922.848.7083 or 038.501.8907 for airconditioned transportation (van or car). Lugod is accredited with the Department of Tourism (DOT) so they are a rate higher than most companies, but they are reliable and honest. Negotiate first. They might give you a discount. Just bring my name and RUN! 

Trails are provided at DATE Park. Some easy. Some challenging.

The activities at Catigbian DATE Park cost about 700 pesos. However, discounts for locals, students and senior citizens are available. Please ask before engaging in the activities. They usually give you a bottle of mineral water for free after undergoing the activities. 

Rooms are available at the site for 1,500 pesos a night with free breakfast. But with its location, I wonder what would you be doing there during the night. 

Unless you are on honeymoon.

The Dagook Falls from the Monkey Bridge

Peace and serenity at Catigbian's DATE Park

Exploring Medellin’s unknown parts

Somewhere in the northern part of Cebu, lies a town that has enjoyed pastoral peace; idyllic, as some travelers would describe it, for so long so that the rush of tourists to the town sometimes makes people wonder why they come.

Tricycles are the common means of transportation in Medellin

With a population of more than 50 thousand in a 73-square kilometre area, the municipality is basically open and wide and surely not crowded.

Medellin’s main product is sugar as evidenced by the hectares upon hectares of sugarcane when you arrive at the place. But since the sugar industry in the Philippines suffered a slow and devastating crunch, the town has to make up for what has been its main industry.

They opted for ecotourism, now a visible alternative that actually propel the municipality to fame.

Some fishermen also collected washed out seaweed/sea grass to be sold to the city as a plasticware ingredient, an unorthodox way to have extra money but very viable especially in an island like Gibitngil.

FUNTASTIC!

One very popular destination in Medellin is the barangay (village) Kawit where the white sands of its beaches glaringly stare back at you while the blue-green sea cools you down.

Kawit is also the starting point to the very famous tourism-related activity in the municipality- the Funtastic Gibitngil Island, as they call it.

Funtastic Gibitngil Island

From Kawit, going to the nearby Gibitngil Island is never a problem. In fact hordes of barkers would shout PANTASTIK SIR? PANTASTIK MAM? upon your arrival. You have options for 2 persons or a group of 10. Be sure to haggle around instead of hopping on a boat without asking. For safety reasons, I would like to recommend the pumpboats operated by the municipality/LGU. They are reasonably priced and have life vests for passengers.

The way to a funtastic island is a bit rough even during normal days. Normal days mean no strong winds, no monsoons.

Stories of shrewd tourists who chose a small craft for lesser rentals send them swimming in the rough seas just a few meters from the beaches of Kawit. It is an unfortunate event that should not happen to you. Prioritize safety above a small sum of money.

Funtastic Gibitngil is an outcrop of isles that is connected by concrete foot bridges. The water around the area is unbelievable blue and green with some parts several meters deep. Activities are introduced for the tourists’ enjoyment, among them kayaking, swimming, ziplining or just relaxing in the tiered huts around the isles that makes it a popular destination.

Overcrowding however is a problem. If you go there to have peace and enjoy the serenity of the srroundings, you are out of place. The beach area is covered with tarpaulin shades to shelter tourists who would like to sit and eat at the beach. Some irresponsible tourists have thrown a plastic in the sea and it’s an ugly sight. The people staying at the cottages way up were washing their fish from above and water flows along the concrete steps. Yuck. Not counting those who are throwing a barbecue and the smoke creates an artificial fog.

With a 10-peso entrance fee, I didn’t stay for more than 30 minutes in that condition. Sayang. What a waste.

BAR, SAND BAR

Always ask the boat operator to bring you to the sandbar! I did and was truly mesmerized.

For people who are used to the toxic city life, an isolated sand bar is heaven on earth. No amenities except a few docked fishermen’s boats and a drying area for salted fish, the sand bar give me peace and comfort.

Sand bar all for ourselves

We stayed there for several hours swimming and snorkelling and remained there all to ourselves like we have claimed stake to it.

NICE SUNSET WITH THE KIDS

We stayed at Manreza Beach House, an exclusive rest house in Kawit. Built to cater to the owner’s guests, the whole resort came out cheap and cheerful and as if we own the place.

The beachfront is an amazing presentation of life in the seaside towns.

During sundown, the village folks, especially children, come to converge at the beach and play. Several families also came and had their snacks, and perhaps, dinner there, waiting for the setting of the sun.

It was a joyful confusion of children shrieking with joy and drunken laughs of men and women sitting by the beach. Lovely!

I would surely come back.

HELPFUL TIPS:

Hitch a Ceres Liner at Cebu North Bus Terminal when you want to go to Medellin. It’s about 130 kilometres from Cebu City and would take about 3 hours in going there. But don’t worry if it will take that long. A stopover at Carmen town gives you time to stretch, go to the comfort rooms and eat a good barbecue. The fare is about 150 pesos going straight to Kawit, or 130 pesos if you stop in the poblacion.

Resorts in Kawit tend to be full during the month of April due to the approaching fiesta of the town. Price ranges from 1,500 to 5,000 pesos depending on the choice of room and location of the resort.

We stayed at Manreza Beach House, known in the area as Ligaya Beach Resort (unbelievably just a 1,000 pesos a night) with four of us sharing an airconditioned room with a bathroom that occupied almost one-third of the room space. This is a private rest house so pray they do not have guests when you are going there. We actually send one of us to the poblacion to request for rooms (the gates of the beach house are always closed). If the owner trusts you, you are asked to pay in advance at the Manreza Store. And stay trusted in return.

We brought our own food and drinks and let the caretaker cook for us for just a reasonable pay.

When in Cebu: Basic Etiquette for Jeepney Passengers

Whether you like it or not, the most common transport is still the old reliable jeepney here in Cebu. They are inexpensive, readily available and exciting means to move around the city.

If you are the squeamish type and would always ask for personal space, go hail a cab.

But when you are in a jeepney (jeep, for short), there are still basic etiquette to follow. Especially in Cebu! I believe that if you follow these rules you would not encounter some problems with Cebuanos.

1. Waving to a passing jeep to signal the driver that you want to board is okay. Shouting for it to stop is basically rude but not when you are running to catch up.

Ary's first jeepney ride in Cebu

2. Sit properly. Be seated properly means you are perpendicular to the seat and not awkwardly facing the driver’s seat. Sitting this way will guarantee just enough space when the barkers will call for more passengers. This will also eliminate embarrassment when the barkers/conductors will bang your backseat and tell you to move closer to others. Sitting perpendicular to the seat will also give others the chance to sit properly.

3. Always pay your fare 5-10 minutes after boarding and NEVER when you are about to disembark. Cebuanos (or worst, criminals) would know you are not familiar with the city if you are paying when you are already disembarking. Some would refer you as coming from the province (probinsyano). But actually, this will ensure smooth transactions especially if your payment needs change.

4. Say PALIHOG (Please) or BAYAD PALIHOG (My fare please) when you pay. And always with a SALAMAT (Thank you) when someone receives and pass your fare to the driver.

5. If you happen to board last and you are near the driver, it is understood that you will be acting as the jeepney conductor. Unless there is a designated conductor in the jeep, which is rare, you accept that fact without fanfare. That means you should have the patience to receive and pass all fares to the driver and give their change to the passengers. Some would even pass their fares without saying a word. Don’t get mad.

6. Almost always, jeepney drivers will move their jeep even if you are not yet seated properly. That’s normal in a city that moves fast. Don’t be angry at the driver. Just maintain your composure and hold on tight. That's what grab bars are for.

7. If you are with your lover/wife/husband/partner/querida it is almost always frowned at when you show public displays of affection. Wait until you are in a private place before smooching with your partner.

8. If you do not want people staring at you, dress decently. But if you really feel that miniskirts and short shorts are the in thing, don’t pull them down every second to cover your legs. Being modest will not invite bad elements.

9. Keep your valuables at home when you are planning to go around the city and ride a jeepney. If it is necessary to wear your tiara, go ride a taxi. But keeping your wallets and cellphones in your front pockets and your bags safely on your lap will not catch the attention of snatchers and swindlers. Be wary.

10. Jeepney drivers are law abiding citizens especially when a traffic enforcer (CITOM) is present. So disembark on designated jeepney stops. If you are not certain which one is, just say LUGAR LANG NYA 'NOY (Pullover please), or PWEDE MANAUG? (Can I disembark here?), or PARA (Stop please). Whatever you say, say it in a nice way. Banging the grab bar with a piso or make whistling/kissing sounds are also acceptable.

Don't be the crazy passenger that you are

11. So the driver will know you are about to disembark, say nicely, MO-NAUG KO 'NONG HA (I will disembark now Sir Driver), or if you have children or baggage, say, NAAY BATA HA/ NAA KOY BITBIT HA. This will ensure that the driver will move his jeepney only after you have fully landed on the sidewalk with your feet and not with your face.

12. It is overacting to say goodbye to the driver or fellow passengers.

Otherwise, the following instructional video applies even in Cebu.

Even the whale sharks stay in Oslob

The whale sharks have stayed in the shallow waters of Oslob, a sleepy municipality in the southern tip of Cebu province. The warm hospitality of the people combined with their generosity and change of heart to feed instead of hunt these sharks, in contrast to the snobbish people of the city, have forced them to stay. So I think.

Oslob came into the limelight when they started feeding whale sharks (or butandings by the Tagalogs and tuki by the locals). People have different views (sometimes violent reactions) to their practice of feeding them that even caught international headlines.

So publicity has been done. And tourists come and go to the place.

But I did not go to Oslob for the whale sharks. I went there to relax and chill out. Just like the whale sharks. Everyone is welcome anywhere here. Just behave, the tricycle driver told us. The difference between me and the whale sharks is I paid to be fed.

A beach in Lagunde, Oslob. Empty even on a Sunday.

The municipality of Oslob is a good 3-hour drive from Cebu City going to the south or approximately 135 kilometers from the city proper. With less than 30,000 population, the place is quiet even during holidays. One can obviously notice the cleanliness of the place, a good sight to behold when you are from Cebu City. 

The beaches in Oslob are white but the sand is visibly not fine but smooth white stones. It feels good to sleep on them and dream of long lost loves. But if you want the heavenly touch of fine white sand, you should hire a pumboat (around 2,500 pesos roundtrip) to Sumilon Island, a nearby island that is part of the municipality. There is an expensive resort there, the Sumilon Bluewater Resort. But only if you have more money to spend or else just pay the entrance fee of 20 (or 40?) pesos to enjoy that special spot there where the waters are so clean and so clear you think it is just knee-deep.

The watchtower made out of coral stones

Must visit also are the remnants of the Spanish colonization in the town- buildings and watchtowers made of blocks of coral stones. You can actually find them in their plaza which has been improved and beautified with the eGwen project of the suspended governor of Cebu province- Gwen Garcia. The cuartel, the baluarte and the Immaculate  Conception church are all photo-worthy especially during sunset.

And then there's the Tumalog Falls. But you have to hire a habal-habal (motorcycles that can carry more than 5 passengers at a time) to get to the falls. According to the drivers, the falls used to have a heavy volume of water coming down but the municipality diverted some of the fresh water for the water supply of the town. What you see at the site are the extra water from their reservoir, creating a rain-like deluge from above several meters up.

Tumalog Falls featuring several drops

Kudos to the municipal officials who have a good tourism foresight. The falls is very accessible, roads going there are cemented. But all vehicles are not allowed inside the area. You have to make a 15-minute hike to the falls. That's after paying the entrance fee of 20 pesos.

Most local government units mistook the word "development" to concreting everything in sight. The Tumalog Falls retains its original surroundings with improvements that do not clash with nature. Trails were made out of stones and bamboo.

But one of the reasons why I kept coming back to Oslob is the people. Warm, helpful and always smiling. They are the epitome of the real Filipino hospitality. Maybe the whale sharks like them, too.

HELPFUL TIPS:

Ceres Liner  has an hourly trip from Cebu City to Santander passing through the town of Oslob. Go to the South Bus Terminal near Elizabeth Mall (Natalio Bacalso Avenue) and take the Ceres from there. Airconditioned buses and non-aircon trips are available. The fare from the city to Tan-awan, Oslob is about 155 pesos (aircon) and less for non-aircon. The travel is about 3 hours. Other bus companies also ply the route.

Accommodation abound the area catering from the "social" types to backpackers' delight.

Basking in the sun at South Sea Breeze.
In the background is Sumilon Island.

I recommend South Sea Breeze in Tanawan, Oslob (Telephones: [032] 415-5313; 09129-252-4046) because it is just a few meters from the whale sharks, if you like watching them. But the place is simple and homey. An airconditioned nipa hut costs 1,500 a day. You can bring your own food and let their kitchen staff cook them for you. They usually charge 200 pesos a day.

Also the Oslob Garden Stay in Lagunde, Oslob (Telephones: [032] 481-8072; 0922-811-1575) offers the whole house with 2 airconditioned rooms that can accommodate 3-4 pax. Towels, hot and cold shower are part of the package. Privacy is their mantra. They also charge 200 pesos if you let their staff cook for you. Or if you are feeling like Anthony Bourdain, you can do your own cooking.

Habal-habal fares range from 20 pesos to a hundred depending on where you want them to go. But they are the easiest way to move around. Haggle first before hopping in.

Go to the town's public market to see the whole town unfolding before you. Fresh produce are cheap and affordable, of course. The people there are extra helpful.

Welcome 2013

newyear2013.in

I have been crazily lazy nowadays. So much work to do and so tired think and write so that my blog has been neglected for a loooong time.

As we welcome 2013, I hope I can do better and post something more interesting in my travels.

Hope this new year would bring me more opportunities to travel and be out of the crowd.

WELCOME 2013!

I HAVE LANDED!

Photo by Leo Odtuhan

Travel is little beds and cramped bathrooms. It’s old television sets and slow Internet connections. Travel is extraordinary conversations with ordinary people. It’s waiters, gas station attendants, and housekeepers becoming the most interesting people in the world. It’s churches that are compelling enough to enter. It’s McDonald’s being a luxury. It’s the realization that you may have been born in the wrong country. Travel is a smile that leads to a conversation in broken English. It’s the epiphany that pretty girls smile the same way all over the world. Travel is tipping 10% and being embraced for it. Travel is the same white T-shirt again tomorrow. Travel is accented sex after good wine and too many unfiltered cigarettes. Travel is flowing in the back of a bus with giggly strangers. It’s a street full of bearded backpackers looking down at maps. Travel is wishing for one more bite of whatever that just was. It’s the rediscovery of walking somewhere. It’s sharing a bottle of liquor on an overnight train with a new friend. Travel is “Maybe I don’t have to do it that way when I get back home.” It’s nostalgia for studying abroad that one semester. Travel is realizing that “age thirty” should be shed of its goddamn stigma.

- Nick Miller, Isn't It Pretty To Think So?

Inspired by PHL360, today I decided to make my blog a TRAVEL BLOG and should now focus on the travels I've made and will be making. 

Keep me company.

I have an RFS

Yes. RFS. The medical world may have an explanation for that. For the past months my foot have been restless I could not stay in one place. An old adage credited to Publius Syrus says, Rolling stones gather no moss, but I am no stone and I don't like rolling around either much more having moss in my body. But I move a lot and I love it. 

For that RFS means RESTLESS FOOT SYNDROME, a term I love to use.

Here are some places I have traveled every now and then. If RFS is a malady, surely I am not leaving some moss there. Nor garbage.

Simala, Sibonga, Cebu. This place amazed me no end with all the success stories I heard from pilgrims coming from there. Also the news of corruption and inappropriate behavior of monks (they were supposed to be doing a Ms. Gay pageant inside the confines of the church) there grabbed the limelight and made the place more interesting. When I went there, I was dumbfounded. The place is grandeur personified and you won't agree to the fact that those religious men and women asking for donations could stay in a place this opulent. My blog about this place is in the draft and has not been posted here out of frustration.

Leyte province. This place is like a dream playing over and over. Actually the gateway in going to the Samar provinces coming from Cebu, that's why. My several trips to Samar always brings me to Leyte. I love the vibrant environment of the province especially Ormoc and Palo.

One of the reasons why I visit Tacloban City in Leyte province is that I have a client, an owner of an Italian restaurant from that side of the Philippines, who from time to time, would call us to do a photo-shoot of his products for a revised menu book or a new additional item in their menu. Food photography always excites me and it shows in my body nowadays.

The island municipality of Zumarraga in Western Samar. I call this place my second home. In fact, I always come and visit this place more than my hometown Batuan in Bohol. The island is far from civilization, so to speak. But lately technology has caught up everyone here. Still Zumarraga is the best place to hang out with new-found friends that have become close friends, drinking gallon after gallons of tuba, eating fresh seafood while watching the sun set.

Catbalogan City. I do not like much of the city. The place is dirty and water seems never runs out of here. I mean that water coming from the open sewer. It's a sad fact that much of the place do not have tap water but there are lots of them in the drainage. I don't know why and I don't want to know.

Silay City and suburbs. I fell in love with this city. The rustic and clean environment, the heritage houses, the excellent food choices, not mentioning Cafe 1925! I want to go back again and again here.

Oh Bacolod, I cansi clearly now! Bacolod City is a must-see, must-visit, must-eat, must-whatever! From the best desserts to best chicken barbecues. From organic food to Italian fare. Of course, the famous cansi, a beef shank cooked to perfection with the signature bone marrow melting in your soup, a good cardiac delight.

Some parts of Negros Occidental including Murcia, Kanlaon, etc. Truly a magnificent province, Negros Occidental never ceased to amaze me. The warm people, the balmy climate, the food, their arts and culture- truly amazing.

Cawayan, Masbate. This place may not be in the mainstream tourism program of the Department of Tourism. Infact, this humble municipality has a lot to do for it to be known. After my second visit this year, the local government unit (LGU) has done a lot of improvements as compared when I first visited the place. The open market is no longer as dirty as before and is now separated from the open sea. Although they really have to do a lot of good job to establish good waterworks system. 

Flushing Meadows Resort in Panglao Island, Bohol. This is my second visit actually. The concrete walls  in the sides turned me off  at my first visit. This time I stayed and learned to appreciate the place as a whole. The staff are attentive and tried hard to please everyone. A good place to stay for the whole family. More info can be accessed here.

Whale and dolphin watch in Panglao Island. No words to describe the experience.

Philippe Tarsier Botanical Garden and Recreation. You have to visit this site for you to appreciate the place as a whole. The area is huge and flora and fauna abound. Exotic animals can be found here. Not to miss here is the extensive collections of the owner now housed in a nicely done, well-planned museum. During my visit, the restaurant with a panoramic view of the sea is still constructed and will be opened July 2012. Visit their website here.

I don't know where my restless foot will bring me next.

Lonely Planet picks top 15 sites to visit in the Philippines

Beautiful and calm and enchanting Siquijor

I wonder why Lonely Planet has not made Bohol to the 15 spots to visit in the Philippines. Maybe because Bohol has become too crowded? Of the 15 sites, I have only visited six of them: Siquijor, Malapascua Island, Camiguin, Manila, Dumaguete and Mt. Kanlaon. Why not visit them too this summer.

Here are the list of the top 15:

1 Siquijor

• Spooky island province of mysterious traditional healers, charming beaches and spellbinding sunsets

• 
  

  2 Banaue & the Rice Terraces

  Trek til you drop in the 'eight wonder of the world'

• 
  

  3 Malapascua Island

  Explore waters teeming with thresher sharks and manta rays from this miniature island paradise

• 
  

  4 Sagada

  Cradle of cool, deep in the heart of the wild and woolly Cordillera Mountains

• 
  

  5 Boracay

  The pearl of the archipelago allures by day, energises by night

• 
  

  6 Donsol

  Snorkellers' wonderland for up-close-and-personal whale-shark encounters

• 
  

  7 Camiguin

  This volcanic island is a playground for outdoor adventurers

• 
  

  8 Manila

  An explosive megacity, with action and possibility around every corner

• 
  

  9 Dumaguete

  The urbane, funky-town gateway to the natural attractions of Negros Oriental

• 
  

  10 Corregidor

  Breathtaking views, bloody WWII history, and a perfect excuse to escape the city

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  11 Mt Kanlaon

  Camp at the volcanic crater amid some of the rarest flora and fauna in the world

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  12 Subic Bay

  This former military town is transforming itself into the country's headquarters of extreme sports

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  13 North Pandan Island

  Low-key, low-impact island stay, alongside seagrass gardens and resident turtles

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  14 San Juan

  Cheap lessons and steady waves draw wannabe and veteran surfers alike

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  15 Bacuit Archipelago

  A water wonderland of jagged limestone cliffs, secret coves and hidden beaches

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/philippines#ixzz1sA8BBNke