Hi traveler society! The topic of my thread sound exaggerate but it's quite true for Cebu Island in Philippines.
My trip started with Philippines airline and landed at Mactan-Cebu International Airport.
After landing, getting through the immigration, you can see the booth outside the airport. There are 2 telephone company booths. First one is Globe and another one is Smart, my friends bought Sim card from each company to compare. Look like the Smart is cheaper and signal is better for the whole trip. I think it's because Smart is the new company to compete (I don't know, just guessing).
At the immigration, there is a special lane for the senior (60+ years old) so you can bring your family along easily!
Today we will go to Bohol Island by boat via Cebu (Pier1). The price is not expensive at all, it is 475 PHP (9 $) for open air class and 525 PHP (10$) for tourist class (air-con.)
We chose open air to see the view around the area. It's also the first time for me in Philippines so I want to see this country without a window.
When we arrive there, a lot of tour program offer tourist. You can negotiate the price as you want. You can pay them for the whole day and a driver will bring you around an island.
The first place that we visited is man-made forest. This tree tunnel is so cool, I took a lot of portrait with my friends. :)
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/dRoGx4qgXgzaA1Kz8
It's noon time so we asked our driver to find a restaurant. This island is famous for floating Restaurant, they will take you through a river with food (Buffet) then visit local village. Oh they also has a singer to sing along the way to the village. :D
Nice food but it's a bit salty. Delicious anyway.
Here is the local village. They had some show for us (For example, fire breathing show)
And some souvenirs to sell.
Next one is Tarsier Conservation area. This animal is quite timid so you cannot use flash and cannot speak loud, I heard that it may die if it feel nervous. Don't scare Tarsier!
My recommendation is you should talk with your driver about this location because I think my driver took me to the zoo that has Tarsier, I think it was a private zoo, not the Tarsier conservation area. That's quite sad :(
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/asjumLyhereEBXa37
Next one is the famous place! "Chocolate Hills" you know, when I was a child, I thought they collected a lot of Cacao that as big as mountain. lol. Actually, it is hills that color is like a chocolate. Anyway, this place is breathtaking.
Beautiful, isn't it ?
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/SJD8murEUCTHHvTq6
It's late afternoon now so we decided to go back to the Cebu island and rest at the hotel.
"Don't forget" to download "Grab" application so you can call a taxi easily in Cebu city (It's quite cheap too!)
Next day, we took a bus from Cebu city to Alegria. I booked the hotel name "Bamboo Beachhouse" because it's near a lot of waterfalls in that area such as "Kabutongan Waterfalls", "Dao Waterfalls", "Aguinid Falls" It's very adventure part for the trip. You need a guide to visit there. Just wander around the area and the guide will come to you. haha.
This hotel is not luxury but the view is worth millions. You can walk to the sea in the morning when it's low tide.
This is a shallow reef so watch out and don't step on them. They takes years to grow.
I use an action camera to take this picture. You don't need to swim at all.
Watch out for starfish.
Sea urchin ? It's a little glow ?
Okay, let's start with Dao waterfalls. You will see an entrance with a guide. Pay for entrance fee then you will see this beautiful view.
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/3dFDNwq4SgvyQ3Nq5
Where the fun begins.
Keep walking and walking.
Finally, it's amazing. So high. We took a lot of pictures here. The water is cold as well, you can swim around.
Wanna go any waterfall. I never touch water so long time. T^T
So many activities in Philippines
Such a beautiful waterfall
will go with my girlfriend.
⋌༼ •̀ ⌂ •́ ༽⋋ ⋌༼ •̀ ⌂ •́ ༽⋋ ⋌༼ •̀ ⌂ •́ ༽⋋ >> I like your post so much.
So adventure!
So interesting!!
Wahhh. Missing sea, sand, and sun.
So adventure ! Thank you for keep posting guys !
Thanks. I never know Tarsier before.
Miki likes snorkelling and scuba.
This is an adventure trip. I will ask my friends to follow your trip with me.😳😳
Next one is Kabutongan waterfalls. Pack your things because it will get wet for sure.
This waterfalls in not the most beautiful one but it is the most fun one. haha.
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/KXTaF49GjgfeHJoJ7
So adventure, you need a life-vest and a guide. Swim in there.
The tiny waterfalls there is Kabutongan. This is my guide jumped off the cliff. You don't need to jump if you don't want. It may get hurt, I think you can keep your strength for another activity is better. haha.
Alright, final waterfall here is "Aguinid". A lot of activities along the path to see this one. You need to swim, climb, trekking so you need to rent shoes, helmet, life-vest and guide.
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/nSqkPSi7fHVSbAjB7
You will meet several waterfalls like a ladder in this place.
Nice view and fun.
Climbing time.
My guide hold our bag above the water to prevent a phone get wet.
I really like today activities because they created an awesome memory with your friends. I never forget that.
Breakfast from the hotel. Yummy!
Last city for this trip is Moalboal. The city for snorkeling, scuba and the famous canyoneering!
What is Canyoneering ? Well...I google it and here is a definition.
Canyoneering is the exploration of a canyon from point A to point B using a range of techniques that include hiking, scrambling, sliding, stemming, chimneying and rappelling.
But actually it is not that scary, this is more like you just walk along the stream and have fun, jump into the water (both low and high cliff, you can choose it), swim, play at the waterfall, climbing.
You always have a guide and other group along the way so they will give you an advice or you can what other group do.
There is a BBQ & beverage shop on the way so eat some chicken or sausage after using a lot energy is extremely delicious! haha.
Final place for canyoneering is Kawasan Falls where you can relax and enjoy this emerald pool. After finish, my guide take me to the restaurant and have lunch which already include in the activity. Total that I paid is 1500 PHP (30$), not expensive for the joy and food.
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/FffxuqFRvmUZh94d7
The next day I plan to snorkel at the beach. I am not sure the name but you can see the location in my link below. This beach has Cebu Dive Centre near it.
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/cbZbutXYTppahxbx6
Above picture is my guide that is using foam raft to take me and my friends to snorkel around the area. After we put on the rented snorkel, he swam and dragged us via the raft.
The sea is quite shallow and very clear, you can see a lot of fish, starfish.
My guide took us to the point where normally sea turtles comes to find food. This is my first time that can see real sea turtle in the real sea! Marvelous experience.
After swimming for a while, my guide took us to the sea cliff, not far from shore where millions of sardine locate. You can see some scuba divers if you face down.
(I and my friends were floating on the sea with snorkeling mask, haha)
The advertisement that millions of sardines are here is true. They were like a storm and moved together when a big fish come. This is like a whole new world.
We didn't diving at all, just hand on the raft. haha
My trip end here in Moalboal, I looked at the sea one last time and went back to Cebu airport to go back. I think I will miss this place.
I use around 400$ in this trip exclude airfare (it's depend on your country how far from Philippines) so I think this is really worth if you compare a precious 7-day memory with this amount of money.
It must be while that I can explore the world again, may need to wait until a vaccine that can prevent new corona virus. Anyway, I will not think twice if I have a chance to travel again.
Goodbye and see you again traveler society!