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Palawan City Tour

Posted on September 23, 2012 by leawalkerblog

The first thing the hotel would offer any guests arriving in Palawan is the City Tour. I would also recommend this because it’s a nice introduction to Puerto Princesa City. The fee is only Php600.00 per person.

The tour guide, Ron, assigned to us that day was very funny. So John and I , with the other guests had a good time.

First stop was Plaza Cuartel. This place had a dark history because this is where the Japanese soldiers burned 150 americans in an underground tunnel. The park looked so nice now but I felt sad knowing that a lot of people died there. 😦

The entrance of Plaza Cuartel.

The Palawan Massacre Monument.

The entrance of the underground tunnel where 150 american soldiers were burned alive by the Japanese. 😦

Before we left, John and I went back to Plaza Cuartel. At the park near the monument.

We went back to Plaza Cuartel on our own before we left for Davao because John wanted to read the names of the massacre victims. He said that during the war , he had an uncle who was assigned in the Philippines. Sad right? 😦 Uncle Lester, he said, would never talk about what happened to him in our country during the war.

Across Plaza Cuartel is the Immaculate Concepcion Church. This was built in the 1800’s. We were given sometime to stay and say a little prayer….

Immaculate Concepcion Church.

Inside the church. Beautiful right?

PASALUBONG CENTER:

Of course, each vacation isn’t complete without Pasalubong right? lol We were brought to this place to , of course, buy their local delicacies which consisted mostly of cashew nuts.

Other products I saw:

The products at the Pasalubong Center.

Puerto Princesa is also famous for south sea pearls. 🙂 So you’ll find a lot of display at the gift center. I went back there on our last day and bought me some.

South Sea Pearls

from Palawan, Philippines.

CROCODILE PARK AND PALAWAN WILDLIFE CENTER:

The biggest crocodile in the Philippines is in Mindanao. We saw Lolong during our Surigao trip last month. –https://leawalkerblog.com/2012/08/26/surigao-escapade-day-1/

But the 2nd biggest crocodile was found in Palawan. His name is mac-mac. Short for the name of the town where he was caught – Macarascas. 🙂

Macmac, the 2nd biggest crocodile in the Philippines.

One of the many cages…

Holding a small one. The mouth was taped of course. lol

After visiting the crocodile cages, we went out near the forest area. It was a little bit muddy that time because it was raining on and off. But there are concrete footsteps so it was ok. I like the forest and the birds inside. 🙂 They also had a bear cat. But it was shy. It won’t come out of his small house.

Our next agenda was a visit to Mitra’s Ranch. The rest house was built like a pyramid on top of a hill. This area is like Tagaytay. Since it’s on top, it’s cooler than the rest of the city. Also the place was overlooking Honda Bay.

Mitra’s Ranch.

Ok, one final stop was Baker’s Hill. I love hopia, so I bought several small boxes for me and for pasalubong purposes. lol

Another thing I liked about the place, they had several restaurants in the area. One is a pizza house. A seafood restaurant that serves buffet. And another restaurant that serves western food. You have choices, you see. So you won’t get hungry. It’s just too bad that it’s about 30 mins away from the City. According to our guide, most families go there during weekends with their kids. They have a small playground that children love, that’s why. 🙂

Baker’s Hill

Landscaped garden at Baker’s Hill.

Dinosaur area. That’s one of the reasons why children love their place. 🙂

Souvenir shot. Again. 🙂

One of the restaurants at Baker’s Hill.

All those experiences for a fee of P600.00 . Not bad right? Plus we made friends again.

Thank you Ron for making us laugh that day.

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

Posted in My Travels, Palawan, Uncategorized | Tagged Baker's Hill, Crocodile Park and Wildlife Park, Immaculate Conception Church, Mitra's Ranch, Palawan City Tour, Plaza Cuartel | Leave a comment

Irawan Eco Park – Palawan

Posted on September 22, 2012 by leawalkerblog

Irawan Eco Park is Puerto Princesa’s watershed. The local government in partnership with Costa Rican businessmen, rehabilitated the 3,000 hectare forest and developed it into an adventure themed park complete with zipline facilities.

John and I with the Costa Rican partner who developed the place into a beautiful park now. I look like a midget between John and him. LOL

John and I visited the place on our 3rd day in Palawan. 🙂 This trip was supposedly scheduled on our 4th day. But since our underground river tour was cancelled that day, the travel agency where I booked the Irawan Eco Park tour kindly offered to reverse the schedule instead.

We were picked up from Sunlight Guest Hotel around 11a.m. The rain temporarily stopped so we thought that it wouldn’t be so bad going to the park that day. Travel time was about 30mins.

When we reached the Eco Park, we were served immediately with lunch. It was composed of Chicken afritada, fish fillet , sauteed sayote and carrots (which tasted really good) and fresh cucumber salad . We found out later on that the vegetables came from their organic garden. So it was very fresh when it was served to us.

From the dining area, we could see the artworks done by the locals. They were on display incase some guests would like to purchase the paintings and the other woodworks. I was impressed with the crocodile and two-headed snake made of wood. It was so intricate I thought it must have been difficult to do them.

After lunch, the van took us to their recreation area. The receptionist immediately assisted us upon arrival. We were asked if we wanted to do the zipline first. John and I looked at each other. haha.. We wanted to try so we said yes. The other 3 guests who were vacationing from California were so excited about it. Ms. Angie said that the zipline will be a stress relief from the traffic she has to go through everyday while working in L.A. 🙂

We had good intentions. Promise!

After the preparations, we hiked going up. After 70 or so steps, we reached the top where the zipline adventure starts. Looking below, the height wasn’t that bad. But well, I changed my mind. lol That 3km cable ride in Genting Higlands really got to me. After that, I couldn’t take the chance again. Maybe someday I will surprise all of you. he he..

The next option was to get a massage. I saw this barn type building earlier. So I thought that’s where we were going. But boy, was I wrong! 🙂 The therapists led us to a small nipa hut beside the river. It was an ultimate spa experience, believe me. With the river flowing, the soothing sound was really relaxing. Since it was an open hut, we could feel the touch of the cool air. Coupled with the sound of the tweeting birds, the experience was simply beautiful.

Massage beside the river. It was raining on and off that week so the water was brown. 🙂

From a distance, I could hear Ms. Angie and her group, laughing and shreiking. They tried the canopy walk after the zipline. hehe..

By the time we were done with our massage, the incharge of the park was ready with the fish feeding. The river had small fishes that when you put your hands there with a small amount of crackers, they would come to you. That was really fun!

After the fish feeding, the guide took us to the Bee Farm.

The Bee Farm

John has been wanting a bottle of honey for a long time. It’s just difficult to find a real one. You know, the “honey” with no water in it? 🙂 So while we were there, we made sure to buy the honey we needed.

Next stop was a visit to the rest house of Mayor Hagedorn.

Mayor Hagedorn’s Rest House

Hagedorn Eco Home

John at the Rest House of Mayor Hagedorn.

Going to and from the rest house, we rode in a carabao cart. 🙂 I remember we used to have that when we were kids. It’s been 30 something plus years since then. So I was really glad to have ridden in a cart once again.

OTHER PHOTOS OF IRAWAN ECO PARK:

As the sign board above says – it is more fun in the Philippines indeed! 🙂

In our case, despite the rain, we enjoyed Irawan Eco Park in Palawan.

To our tour guide, April – thank you. Also to our massage therapists. Maraming Salamat po!

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

Posted in My Travels, Palawan, Uncategorized | Tagged Bee Farm, Bird feeding, Canopy Walk in Palawan, Carabao Cart Riding in Palawan, Fish Feeding, Hagedorn Eco Home, Irawan Eco Park, Palawan, Philippines, zipline in Palawan | Leave a comment

Underground River Tour – Palawan

Posted on September 18, 2012 by leawalkerblog

We arrived in Puerto Princesa on Thursday afternoon, 13 September 2012 . Lucky us, the plane trip was good. 🙂 Thank God. Obviously, typhoon Karen was about to hit luzon. The sky was cloudy but no rain. Like Davao, I found out that Palawan don’t have typhoons. They just experience monsoon rains. And since, September is their rainy season, we are to expect a lot of rain in the next few days. Sucks when you’re on vacation. lol

I booked the underground river tour through –

http://www.gopalawan.travel/Underground_River_Tour

Please note that the local authorities don’t allow walk-in guests for this tour. Therefore you need to book, at least 2 weeks ahead of time. Better yet, give a month’s allowance to ensure that you will really be able to go. Or your trip to Puerto Princesa is wasted. Seriously.

I scheduled ours on a Saturday. But due to strong winds and big waves, the trip was moved one day later.

We were picked up by the local tour agency at 6:30a.m. After picking up the other guests from their respective hotels, we travelled by land to Sabang , Puerto Princesa for about 2 hours. It’s such a scenic tour so you won’t get bored. But it’s difficult to take pictures when you’re running at 80-90km per hour. 😦

The waiting area.

When we arrived in Sabang, I was surprised to see the number of people waiting for their turn. We were told that the underground river tour only resumed today. And that it’s been cancelled for 3 days. No wonder huh? The local authorities allow 700 people per day to enter the cave. So that day, they expected a total of 2,100 guests. Whew!

The boats going to the park.

That meant a waiting time of at least 2 hours for our turn. 🙂 Tiring huh? Specially when it’s coupled with rain. John bought 2 sets of rain coats. We needed those because the waiting area could not accomodate everyone. I hope that they will build a real waiting shed with comfortable chairs. 🙂 What they have now are just tents and plastic chairs. One tent got blown up by the wind. lol That was the tent that covered our sitting area! haha.. Despite the miserable weather, we were still excited with the trip. I prayed that the rain would stop and the waves would calm down. Eventually, the rain stopped. But the waves, that’s another story. 🙂

We boarded the small boat around 10:30a.m. Travel time to the park took only 25 mins. It just felt like forever because of the rough seas. When you’re on a boat with just 8 pax capacity, you will really feel it. We were riding the waves, up and down.

Finally we reached the cove where the subterranean river is located. The place is so beautiful. Specially with the limestone karst beside the sea.

Limestone mountain near the underground river. This is where all the boats dock.

Our tour guide, Joseph , asked us to register before we proceeded to another waiting area inside the park. We were told to hide the raincoats because there are macaques inside the forest. And when they see any plastic container, they would think it’s food. So they will snatch those from you. 🙂 It’s a good thing I brought my scarf with me. So we just covered the folded raincoats with it.

The “8pax capacity” paddle boat. Near the mouth of the subterranean river.

Finally, after a waiting time of one hour, it was our turn to go inside the cave. 🙂 We boarded the “8pax capacity” paddle boat. We were asked not to make unnecessary movements while in the boat. I was worried that if it capsizes, I think they will have a hard time looking for the passengers since it’s dark inside the cave.

The river has a total of 8.2 kms but since most of it is being preserved due to the fossils and other finds dating back several million years ago, the local authorities only allow a maximum of 1.5km for the tourists to navigate. At first, I thought that’s so short. But once inside and when you reach the 1.5km area, you’re ready to go back. At least, that’s how I felt. I don’t know how to swim, so with the small paddle boat, I didn’t feel safe. Yes, I know… It’s all in the mind right? lol But when it’s dark and with the deep water, I just wasn’t comfortable at all.

Believe me, even if that’s what I felt, I still would not miss it for the world! It’s amazing inside. Being a Filipino, I am so proud of what our government has done to protect the place. That’s one legacy that our future generation should see…

Let me share some of the photos I took inside the cave. Hopefully, through my photos you will understand why the Puerto Princessa Subterranean River is one of the Seven Wonders of Nature.

After more photo ops, we went back to the port. Part of the tour was a lunch buffet which was served at Taraw Lodge and Restaurant. On the table were grilled pork, chicken adobo, sauteed kangkong , grilled fish, soup , fruits and rice.

I paid Php3,200.00 for both John and me. I thought it was an ok price considering that I didn’t have any headache anymore in getting the permit. It included the boat fee, tour guide fee, van ride and lunch.

All in all, our trip to the Seventh Wonder of Nature , was such a beautiful one! Like I said, despite the weather and all, I wouldn’t miss it! 🙂

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

Posted in Palawan, Uncategorized | Tagged Puerto Princesa, Sabang, Subterranean River, Underground River Tour | Leave a comment

Sohoton Cove – Bucas Grande Islands

Posted on September 7, 2012 by leawalkerblog

I was so surprised when we went inside the cave. I remembered , I ducked to avoid the rocks that I thought would hit me. haha … And I did the unthinkable! Forgot to take pictures. lol Until John told me to open my eyes and see. That was such a funny experience.

But going out, I made sure to video our exit of Sohoton Cove. 🙂

The video above was so short, I know. 😦 Sorry… I was so amazed with the place and enjoyed every bit of it that I forgot to document as much as I can. As a blogger, that’s a big faux pas I guess? But I thought, it’s ok because everything is imprinted in my brain. You just have to go there to understand where I’m coming from…

I’ll repeat these words over and over again… Amazing, unbelievable, awesome. Those are my description of Bucas Grande Islands. Even John who hates small boats, took his chance. I’m glad he did because I saw how much he enjoyed our visit.

The cave like opening of Sohoton Cove. We had to wait for low tide before we could get inside the cove. My first “underground river”. It was short and amazing. 🙂

John nudged me, saying take pictures! LOL.. I ducked and closed my eyes. Very bright… ha ha

We’re almost inside Sohoton Cove… 🙂

The first thing I saw inside Sohoton Cove. After the short cave tour, that is… 🙂

PITCHER PLANTS. There’s plenty of them, growing in the islets of Sohoton Cove.

They call this the Horse Shoe Rock. But I think it’s more like an Elephant Tusk. What do you think?

Rock formation inside Sohoton Cove.

MAGKUKUOB CAVE:

At the entrance of Magkukuob Cave.

Oh my God! This is one of the best experiences ever. 🙂 Going inside a submerged cave, called Magkukuob. It’s named as such because there’s a portion inside where you have to duck to get in or you would not fit. Magkukuob means “go under” in english. 🙂

But believe me, it’s like a cathedral inside. High ceiling with small bats. And what’s cool (literally and figuratively speaking) about it is that you’re half submerged in water too. My brother inlaw Ruben, joked that this is when he remembered the slithering anaconda eating the people in a movie. LOL I said, anacondas mostly live in rivers. Not the sea, right? haha… Oh well, the water was so clear and you can see your feet at the bottom. So it wasn’t scary at all.

John and Me at the entrance of Magkukuob Cave.

Ok, so the guide said, we need to climb up and once on top, jump back to sea. Easier said than done. My nephews, Blaire and Matt, went first. Followed by my sister Daisy, Nanay Ligaya (she’s 60 years old) , Ruben and Kuya Dodong. John and Me? We went back . Booo… lol

I’m afraid of heights. And John will not leave me alone. So he came back with me. We just waited at the opening and had fun watching everyone jump. 🙂

The ledge on top of Magkukuob Cave. When you look at it from below, it looked so near. But they all said, it looked higher while they’re on top. Weird huh?!

I’m so lucky to have an adventurous family. Or this vacation would not have been fun!

My sister Daisy. 🙂

My 60 year old aunt, Nanay Ligaya.. hehe..

Nanay Ligaya has a minor heart problem. We told her not to go inside the cave. And of course, not to jump because you know, we’re very far from the hospital, if something happens to her. But no, she wouldn’t consider the thought of missing this experience. She said, I only have one life. I’m old. So I’m going to enjoy this vacation. And she thanked us for bringing her with us.

Looking at our pictures, I am still smiling and laughing. It reminded me how all of us had fun. 🙂 And no, we’re not done yet. It’s far from over… he he

HAGUKAN CAVE VIDEO:

You’ll hear from the video the distinct sound of the cave as the water gets inside it. The locals call it “hagukan cave” meaning “snoring cave”. 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo0Z6wsHE1w&feature=plcp

From Hagukan Cave, we went out Sohoton Cove. And proceeded with our island hopping. I’ve seen the waters turned from emerald to turqouise . And then back to blue again. It was just so beautiful.

We stopped in one of the islands to swim. 🙂 And take pictures, of course!

The other islands infront of us. Pretty sight huh? 🙂

One of the most important realizations I had during this trip is that as our family travelled together, we grew as a family together. My sister, Pearlie overcame her fear of the sea. John is now ok with smaller boats. I didn’t jump at Magkukuob but I went inside it. 🙂 My first time was in Malaysia but this experience was so much better.

I know I will treasure this memory for the rest of my life. And I thank God for the protection and for allowing us to have fun at the amazing and enchanted Sohoton.

Indeed!

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

Posted in My Travels, Surigao, Uncategorized | Tagged beautiful islands, Bucas Grande Islands, emerald waters, Hagukan cave, Magkukuob Cave, Snoring Cave, Socorro Surigao Del Norte, Sohoton Cove, Surigao, turquoise | 9 Comments

Surigao Escapade – Cinnamon Island

Posted on September 2, 2012 by leawalkerblog

Cinnamon Island in Bucas Grande , Socorro, Surigao Del Norte is managed by the Strengthened Association of Volunteers for the Environment of Sohoton (SAVE Sohoton), composed mostly of the fishermen in the area.

Our lunch during the island tour was served by them. Man, I was glad we booked through them because their food was really good. Again, this was arranged through the Dept of Tourism. (c/o Mr. Rolando Ajop – 09399047019)

Lunch at Cinnamon Island.

Sweet and Sour Lapu-Lapu. 🙂

Chicken and Pork Adobo, Grilled Isda sa Bato.

We also had Tinolang Lapu-lapu. Adobong pusit (squid) and more of the grilled isda sa bato. Everything was so fresh, we could really taste the difference from what we buy in the market.

Yes, we had seafood galore. 🙂 Yummy huh!

THE PLACE:

Cinnamon is called such because of the cinnamon trees that grow in the island. While we were there, we were also served cinnamon tea. It tasted like any other tea and smells like cinnamon, of course. lol

While having lunch, we had a very picturesque view – the white sand beach, crystal clear waters and the surrounding islands.

The owners were there during our visit. So we had a chance to chat a little. I told them that they were so lucky to have an islet of their own. 🙂 Little did I know that I was talking to the Vice Mayor of Socorro, who happened to be the owners’ daughter.

The owners of Cinnamon Island. Vice Mayor of Socorro, on the left. Thank you for a very delicious lunch! 🙂

THE BEACH PHOTOS:

John, playing with my nephew, Marco. lol

After an hour or so of frolicking in the beach, we had to leave for the continuation of our tour of Sohoton National Park.

MORE PHOTOS:

My nephew Matt. 🙂

As we were leaving Cinnamon Island.

Cinnamon also offers accomodation. For more details, please coordinate with the Department of Tourism. The contact details are on top of this post. 🙂

Thank you again Cinnamon for a very wonderful experience. The lunch was superb! I hope that someoday, we will be able to visit you again….

Lea C. Walker

http://www.davaoproperties.com

Posted in My Travels, Surigao, Uncategorized | Tagged Bucas Grande Islands, Cinnamon island, seafood in surigao, socorro, Surigao del Norte, white sand beach in surigao | Leave a comment

Surigao Escapade – Stingless Jelly Fish Sanctuary

Posted on August 31, 2012 by leawalkerblog

Yours truly with Matt, Blaire and Mr. Ajop of DOT.

Our tour guide, Reggie who was assigned by the Department of Tourism Officer, Mr. Rolando Ajop, picked us up from the resort past 7am . We boarded Partas 30 mins later. Compared to the boat that picked us up at Hayanggabon Port, Partas was a lot bigger. From what I understand, it is owned by a lawyer who has a private resort nearby. They borrowed it to accomodate our request for a bigger boat. 🙂 I am so glad that I coordinated with DOT because everything was perfect during our sohoton tour!

Islands on our way to Sohoton.

The moment we docked at Sohoton Tourism Center, Mr. Ajop met us. Then, we were shown the aerial map of Sohoton while their staff gave us coffee. A few minutes later, we boarded the paddle boats.

John, Pearlie and Kuya Dodong at the Sohoton Tourism Center.

Paddle Boats at the Stingless Jelly Fish Sanctuary.

My nephews, Matt and Blaire, started travelling with us at the age of 3. That was 9 years ago. 🙂

The boat ride was short but very scenic. Since Sohoton is a cove, the whole area has very calm waters. It was glistening due to the sun’s reflection. I could see the corals underneath. Everything was sooooo beautiful!

The view on the way to the sanctuary.

Motorized boats are not allowed at the Jelly Fish Sanctuary because it will disturb them. Big boats cannot enter as well due to the small opening. It seemed like you’re entering the small gate to a kingdom. At least, that’s what it felt to me.

The Entrance to the Stingless Jelly Fish Sanctuary.

My sister, Daisy , with youngest son Franco. 🙂

Manong, my boat driver, was very nice. He drove us farther ahead so I could take pictures of my family as they enter the sanctuary.

As we proceeded, we were all so quiet. You just couldn’t help it. It seemed like whatever you wanted to say is not important. I felt like I was in holy ground and that I had to respect the place. Its beauty was incomparable to anything I’ve seen. There’s just calmness there that I don’t know how to explain. I was in awe.

Now I understand, why motor boats are not allowed inside the sanctuary…. It would only ruin the mystique of the place.

August is not the stingless jelly fish season. This is their breeding time. So we saw a small number of them. But Manong was kind enough to point out that the dirts (I thought) that were in the water, are actually jelly fish babies. They’re very tiny , they looked like yellow dots amidst the turqoise water. 🙂

The water was so clear. Manong showed me the different colors of rocks. Not corals, but colored rocks too underneath. Unbelievable!

The first stingless jelly fish I saw. 🙂

My brother inlaw, Ruben.

Please remember, do not hold them too long, because they will die if you take them out of the water for a few minutes. And please be careful. I’ve seen jelly fishes that do not have its complete set of tentacles. Manong said that sometimes the tourists don’t handle them with care. 😦 It’s very sad. So please, let us support the sanctuary by respecting the place and the jelly fishes.

My aunt, Nanay Ligaya. 🙂

I was so amazed when I saw several jelly fishes. They looked like yellow flowers floating in the water. 🙂

See the dot-like pieces on the water? These are jelly fish babies. They are so tiny , I thought they were dirts. 🙂

Me and Manong. 🙂

Stingless Jelly fish.

The view at the sanctuary.

As we go out the sanctuary.

Limestone Karst.

Beautiful right?! 🙂

The paddle men. 🙂 Fisherman’s association of Sohoton. Thank you po for your wonderful service!

Manong Osting, he used to be our driver but has retired now, and his paddle boat driver had a conversation. The boatman told him that they’re so happy of the Tourism’s effort to protect Sohoton. And for giving them their jobs. That’s why they do their best to help the tourists enjoy their vacation so they would come back or recommend their place.

He said that they’re all fishermen. True they are abundant of great sea food (isda sa bato and the likes – yummy!) but it’s useless when you have no buyers.

Manong Osting and his paddle boat driver. 🙂 Photo courtesy of my sister.

That’s why I really commend the Department of Tourism for the SAVE SOHOTON project. By booking through DOT , we are helping them maintain the area. And we are giving the fishermen and the other locals , jobs.

Our paddle drivers never asked for money. But we tipped them for the good service. They looked so happy! 🙂 I thought , what’s little for us may be big for them…

Thank you Mr. Ajop and company!

If you ever go to Bucas Grande Islands, please book through the Department of Tourism. Remember, the fishermen grew up in the area. So they know the place perfectly. If you ask me, that’s a lot safer than going there on your own without a guide.

Mr. Rolando Ajop – 09399047019

And please, don’t litter. The place is so clean , it would seem like a crime if you throw plastic or whatever garbage you have. Let’s be responsible tourists. And let’s help the locals in protecting Sohoton. 🙂

Check the view behind me… 🙂

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

Posted in My Travels, Surigao | Tagged Bucas Grande Islands, Socorro Surigao, Sohoton Cove, Stingless Jelly Fish Sanctuary | 5 Comments

Surigao Escapade – Day 3

Posted on August 29, 2012 by leawalkerblog

The culmination of our trip was a visit to Bucas Grande Islands in Surigao Del Norte. This is the main reason why I couldn’t sleep waiting for it to happen. I was so excited about it that I even dreamt of things that I found really funny when I woke up. lol

Pitcher plants thrive in Bucas Grande Island. Its a carnivorous plant that feeds on insects and the likes. In my dream, it ran after me. I remember running so hard while calling for help. hahaha

I know I’m crazy… LOL

So today, we left Licanto Beach Resort (after saying thanks to the staff who have been great) around 6am. We had no idea how long the trip would be but we knew it’s going to be a long one.

Matt, Blaire, Nanay Ligaya and Franco.

We’ve been seeing this all over Agusan and Surigao. We realized finally that it’s a flood meter installed by the Dept. Of Public Works and Highways.

Beautiful Scenery in Surigao.

See.. roadtrip is not boring when you’re greeted with this kind of view! 🙂

Lake Mainit

Lake Mainit in Surigao. 🙂

The island at Lake Mainit.

Most rivers we’ve seen in this trip have either azure color or blue green hue. They just look so beautiful!

I coordinated with the Department of Tourism for this part of our trip. I was lucky enough to have talked to Mr. Rolando Ajop – the Tourism Head of Socorro. I booked the trip through their office. I thought it’s safer that way. Per conversation with him on the phone, the Department of Tourism is helping the fishermen in the Sohoton area. So with any bookings done through them, we are helping the local people as well by giving them a job. 🙂 Plus they know the area perfectly well, so you are assured that you won’t get lost. You will understand why I’m saying this when you read the next installment of this blog.

From Barobo, we travelled 6 hours to Claver. Hayanggabon Port is about 15 mins drive past Claver. Before proceeding to the port, we stopped at the Tourism Center along the highway. This is where we will be leaving our vans. The fee is Php100.00 per day/ vehicle. Not much considering that our vans will be left there for days safely. 🙂

Tourism Center in Hayanggabon , Claver.

Reggie, the one assigned by Mr. Ajop to be our tour guide, met us at the center. He told us that the boat is ready but we decided to have lunch first. We proceeded to the port around 1pm and to my surprise, the boat was small. 😦 I remember requesting for a big boat because John and Pearlie hates small ones. We were told that this is their big boat. haha.. I wanted to cry. Seriously. Because I could see John and Pearlie’s faces. They’re both, not happy. 😦 Mama said that if they don’t want to continue with the trip, all of us would go home. Remember the family’s motto – no one gets left behind. We all enjoy the trip or we don’t.

I heard John mumble, it’s not fair. My sister Pearlie’s face could not be drawn. he..he. I should not laugh. She’s going to kill me when she reads this. lol

So after waiting forever for their decision, we proceeded with the trip.

I was told that the trip by boat will only take 30 mins. True, IF the waves are not big. In the afternoons, when the high tide starts, the waves are huge. And if you’re in a small boat – that’s not a nice experience. We were all so quiet during the whole trip.

It was the longest one hour of my life…

So remember this, if you don’t like waves, then leave for Bucas Grande Island early in the morning. The trip is only 30 minutes then. And no hassle at all.

When we started seeing the little islands, I could have shouted for joy. It was a welcome sight to behold. Since Bucas Grande mostly have coves, the ride is so smooth sailing.

Hidden Island Resort at Bucas Grande, from afar.

We finally reached our destination, the Hidden Island Resort in Bucas Grande, Socorro. This is going to be our home for the next 3 days. 🙂 We all forgot our harrowing experience when we docked at their port.

The view was fantastic!

If you love to commune with nature, this is the place to be. I have not seen anything like it in my whole life. I love Samal. But I’m sorry folks, there is no comparison. The beauty that’s infront of me was beyond expectation. And this is just a bird’s eye view so to speak of Bucas Grande.

There’s a sense of calmness. That no matter how tired or scared (from the boat ride, that is) you are, it’s like you’ve come home. It’s just so peaceful and beautiful… I sat there for a long time, just letting it sink in.

When I got over whatever it was I felt, I started taking photos. I’m sorry but my pictures won’t do justice to the actual sight. I did my best to take nice ones so you’ll understand where I’m coming from.

The small islands fronting Hidden Island Resort.

The afternoon sun’s reflection on the islands..

My nephews ran towards their Ate Edith (she’s the incharge of Hidden Island Resort), asking for a life jacket. 🙂 It’s high tide like I said, so that water is really deep. But since they’re both good swimmers, it didn’t bother them at all.

I remember my 6 year old Japanese nephew, Franco, asking if there are sharks in the water. hehe..

Matt and Blare.

My brother inlaw, Ruben. Kayaking at Hidden Island Resort.

My sister Daisy, took Franco to the cage below our cottages and showed him the big fishes and turtles. 🙂

Huge Turtle at Hidden Island Resort.

The Lazy fish and his turtle friend. haha

Yes, I call him the lazy fish. Because the whole time we were there, this fish was always on top of the turtle! He seldom swims on his own. hahaha

Then John called my attention. He was so impressed with the common bathroom of Hidden Island Resort.

The rock is the bathroom’s wall at Hidden Island Resort. This is the common bathroom near the restaurant. 🙂

John, being his funny self! LOL

He likes caving. That’s why he was so impressed with the wall of this bathroom. 🙂 That’s why I couldn’t resist taking this shot. hahaha. He just looked so funny and cute!

My review on Hidden Island Resort will be posted soon. 🙂 Before that though, be sure to come back next time. Because I will be posting more on Sohoton Cove in my next episode.

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

Posted in My Travels, Surigao, Uncategorized | Tagged bucas grande island, claver, department of tourism, hayanggabon port, Hidden island resort, kayaking in bucas grande islands, placer, Surigao | Leave a comment

Surigao Escapade – Day 2

Posted on August 27, 2012 by leawalkerblog

Five in the morning is still dark these days. But I went out of our cottage, when I saw Kuya Dodong and Manong Osting preparing for breakfast already. It’s too early , I know. But I’m waiting for the sunrise. 🙂

I’m glad I did. Because, when it came out, the colorful hues of its rays with Turtle Island in the background , was simply breath taking. It was worth waiting and standing on top of the water slide ledge, after all.

Beautiful sunrise in Barobo, Surigao Del Sur.

Another sunrise shot taken at Licanto Beach Resort in Barobo, Surigao del Sur.

Taken on August 21, 2012 at Barobo, Surigao Del Sur.

Our itinerary of the day includes a visit to the Enchanted River and Tinuy-An Falls. I haven’t been to the Enchanted River yet, so I am so excited about it. I’ve been to Tinuy-An Falls last year but it rained almost the whole time we were there. So today would be a better experience, I believe. 🙂

After breakfast, we left for Enchanted River. From Barobo, the trip took more than an hour, mostly on a concrete road. When we finally reached the entrance, the sign said 12 kms to the river. That’s far when you’re on a rough road. hehe.. So be sure that your vehicle can stand it. 🙂

Barobo to Bislig Highway. En Route to Enchanted River.

The entrance to Enchanted River.

The first 4 kms are okey. But the remaining 8 kms, specially the road going up , needs more work. You just need to take it slowly because other than being rough, the road is about 6.5 meter only and there’s a ridge beside it. No one wants to fall off the ravine, right? So the keyword is to drive slowly and safely.

As John continued driving, the beautiful scenery entertained all of us.

The bridge going to Enchanted River.

I just found this really pretty. Post card perfect huh?

Before reaching the river, we stopped at the row of stores to buy softdrinks and bottles of orange juice. This is where you buy crabs and other seafood for lunch. The stores there will cook them for you. In our case, we had baon. Kuya Dodong is really a good cook. 🙂 So we were spoiled.

When we reached Enchanted River, hundreds of people were already there! It was so crowded, it was difficult to move. I forgot that it was still holiday today. We looked for a shady spot to put our things. But we all decided to have our lunch at Tinuy-an Falls, instead.

Too crowded during our visit. 🙂

I am amazed by its azure color…

At exactly 12:00nn, the bell rang. That was the sign for people to leave the river so the incharge can feed the fishes. Yes, these fishes come to visit every day during noontime. It’s as if they know that they will be fed. Amazing huh?

A lot of people complained though because there were this group of teen-agers who never left the water. Most fishes would not come out if the river is disturbed. So we were limited to a few fishes then. Some people are just so inconsiderate huh? 😦

I took a video and you can hear people grumbling. lol. One girl said that they’re hard headed. The other guy beside me probably knew them so he told them that people are complaining already. But of course, they didn’t care…

After the fish feeding, we proceeded to Tinuy-an Falls. From there, it was an hour trip to the Falls. So we stopped in between. We saw this huge lake with nipa huts beside the road. We decided to have our lunch there. That way, we can swim at our heart’s delight when we reach the waterfalls. 🙂

Bislig Bay. En Route to Tinuy-an Falls.

The River, on the way to Tinuy-An Falls.

Lunchbreak.. 🙂 Nipa Hut beside the lake.

Proceeding to the Falls. 🙂 Yey!

Tinuy-An Falls, finally!

John, busy with his camera. 🙂

Near the falls. John, Matt and Blaire.

With my 2 sisters, Pearlie and Daisy. Ruben with Wemce.

Mama and Nanay..

Raft going the waterfalls. 🙂 Matt , Dandan with Franco, Daisy, Kuya Dodong, Nong Osting, Blaire and Ruben.

The bridge at Tinuy-an Falls.

John’s shot of Tinuy-An. 🙂 My most favorite.

We left Tinuy-An past 4pm already. By the time we reached Barobo, it was already past 6pm. You know, we hear of bad things about Mindanao always right? But never , in our travels, have we felt unsafe. At all.

Before we left, the family has offered a rosary for protection, good weather and that all of us will go home happy. 🙂

Prayer granted!

This is only the 2nd day. The best is yet to come… So please visit my blog again! 🙂

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

Posted in My Travels, Surigao | Tagged Enchanted River, Licanto Beach Resort, Sunrise in Barobo, Tinuy-an Fall | 12 Comments

Surigao Escapade – Day 1

Posted on August 26, 2012 by leawalkerblog

We left Davao City around 5 in the morning. I dozed off for about an hour only last night. I guess, due to the excitement, I was restless.

Finally, the wait is over. We are on our way to Surigao! Yehey… 🙂

The road was very quiet. I was surprised that we have a thick fog surrounding Cabantian, Indangan and Acacia area. Tagum City looked beautiful too. So does Mawab and the rest of Compostela Valley. The roads were covered with fogs, the silhouette of the trees beside the mountains made a pretty sight with the golden yellow of the sun’s rays hovering over it.

Philippine country side is amazing, I thought. Specially , early in the morning! 🙂

Tagum City , early in the morning view. I loved the palm trees!

Somewhere in Compostela Valley.

About 4 hours on the road, running between 60 to 80 kph, we reached Bunawan. The home of the Philippine’s largest crocodile , Lolong. He was named after the guy who caught him at Agusan Marshland.

From the main highway, we had a short drive through a rough road for about 15 mins. You won’t get lost since there are signages everywhere leading to the eco park where Lolong is housed now.

The road to Bunawan Eco Park, the home of Lolong.

The entrance fees were very minimal. Mama, Papa and Nanay Ligaya (my aunt who came with us) were free because they’re all senior citizens. 🙂

After paying, we proceeded inside the park. The local government is not done developing the place yet. But at least they got picnic tables and chairs, made of wood, under the trees. So we were given the chance to set up our breakfast after visiting the cage of Lolong.

Yes, this huge crocodile is in a steel cage, which I think is too small for him. Lolong used to live in Agusan marsh which is composed of at least 14,000 hectares. So imagine the space he used to have. I don’t know how that would affect him but I’m thinking, he might not like it considering the big difference between then and now.

On the other hand, the people living in the marsh is safetier now, without Lolong there. Although, I am sure there are still a lot of huge crocodiles in the area. I mean, they’ve probably lived longer than humans at Agusan marsh right? So I’m sure they’ve bred and reproduced thousands over the years. It’s just too bad that nature and man could not co-exist. 😦

The Philippines’ largest crocodile, Lolong at Bunawan Eco Park.

After eating our breakfast, we went down towards the waterfalls. We could hear the cascading water while eating. So we thought we’d check it first before leaving. 🙂

The waterfalls. 🙂

John at the river.. 🙂

My sister, Pearlie with Ruben and Blaire.

Lolong’s Cage

Picnic area at Bunawan Eco Park.

My sisters, Pearlie and Daisy. With Ruben, Blaire and Marco.

After the photo op, we drove for about 2 hours going to Barobo, Surigao Del Sur. This is where we will be staying for 2 days. I’ll make a review of the resort in my next blog. 🙂

Licanto Beach Resort is just along the highway past Barobo, going to Tandag, Surigao Del Sur. From the market, it’s more or less a 5 min drive. What I liked about it is that they allow the guests to cook. So it is convenient, specially if you’re in a big group.

After settling in, my cousin Kuya Dodong, Nanay Ligaya, Daisy , Papa and I went to the market with Dandan driving the Nissan. Nanay wanted to buy vegetables because she longed to eat law-uy. 🙂 Visayans should know this. hehe .. It’s just fresh fish with a lot of vegetables in it.

I bought several kilos of Mol-mol, Talakitok and Lapu-Lapu. Geee, they were very fresh and so cheap at P140.00 per kilo! You won’t find that price back in Davao. When I go to the supermarket for groceries, I think it’s P400 per kilo.

On our way back to the resort, the rain poured! From what I understand, it rains in Barobo almost every afternoon. With the high tide coming in, the resort’s swimming pool was overflowing with sea water and rain water. My nephews loved swimming in the rain. lol The slide gave them great joy too! 🙂

Swimming Pool with slide. This is filled with sea water.

Dinner that night were mostly grilled fishes. The taste is a little sweet. It’s normal when they’re very fresh. Even John, who doesn’t like seafood that much, made a fish sandwich. 🙂

John and I at the dining area of Licanto Beach Resort. 🙂

Ahh.. everyone’s happy. 🙂 Perfect ending to the 1st day of our Surigao Escapade…

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

Posted in My Travels, Surigao | Tagged Agusan, Barobo, cheap fishes in Barobo, Compostela Valley, Lapu-Lapu, Licanto Beach Resort, Lolong, Molmol, seawater pool at Licanto Beach Resort, Surigao, Surigao Del Sur, Talakitok, the largest crocodile in the Philippines, waterslide | 7 Comments

Surigao Escapade – Prologue

Posted on August 25, 2012 by leawalkerblog

The past 2 months, my sister Daisy and I have been planning a trip online. She’s based in Tokyo with her family and will only be visiting Davao for a total of 3 weeks. So we wanted everything prepared before her arrival so as not to waste time. 🙂

The Plan:

Roadtrip to Surigao and back for 5 days.

Sounded easy right? Lol, that is an understatement considering that I had a terrible time looking for places to stay.

Not many resorts or hotels for that matter, outside Davao City, have a website. So we had to read every blog we can that talked about Surigao. I had so many questions and no one could answer them. There were 16 of us, (3 senior citizens, 🙂 my 2 sisters and family with a total of 5 kids, John and I plus drivers and helpers. ) That was why I needed details. We just can’t arrive in a place without any booking at all or we would end up sleeping in the 2 vans we brought for this trip. 🙂

So in the next few days, I will be writing about our trip to give my readers a glimpse of what to expect , etc. Hopefully, it will help your trip as well. Specially those who travel with kids.