We got a Promo Ticket from Cebu Pacific.. Thanks CebPac!! It was actually a ticket from Manila to Cebu, then we got Dumaguete to Manila.. That was the first track of the trip actually.. so the itinerary was when we arrive in Cebu, we will travel going to Oslob, Cebu then we will go Whale watching .. then travel to Dumaguete then Siquijor.. yeah that was the first primary plan A. After we arrive on our lodging house, we just leave our bags to there, got what we needed for the trip and off we go to the pier for Siquijor. We went to the pier off to Siquijor island.
The fare was 180 pesos per head on a fastcraft boat. The boat travel was just about 40minutes I guess when we arrived to Siquijor. The travel was not bumpy as there are no waves and not windy at that time. When we got of the fastcraft, we get to witness the serenity of the place, the atmosphere was so quiet that we can't ever hear the sound of cars or honking of the jeeps from the pier. We can see how clear the water from the pier, as if it was a clear swimming pool. When we got to the exit, we contacted our multi cab driver, Jose J. Tagbo Jr. aka Toto. (#cellphone number: 09067758477) Well, he is not much of a tour guide actually, as he is not very much knowledgeable on some historical facts or information about each tourist spot that we been, just a plain driver I must say. Kuya was much of a timid type of guy, and not very vocal on conversing with us, and just maybe because of the language barrier; or not that rather, since he could talk to us in tagalog, the common dialect, but he is not used to talking in that language, so he feel a bit odd doing much of the talking. It would greatly boost up the tourist in Siquijor if local drivers, that turn out to have sidelines as a tourist drivers, would know about important facts about their place. It was a great opportunity and have given locals jobs especially on the summer season, but it would be a great add on's to some if they could introduce more of their place.We passed by the Welcome to Siquijor Landscape..we got to take some picture with my siblings.. We get to step on the grass as Kuya said that it is ok to step on them while we get pose ourselves to some photo taking, and even Kuya have offered himself to take the picture for us.
We have just passed by St. Francis of Assisi Church. We just gazed from the outside as our multi cab drove along the road as it is just located just a few meters from the pier. Not a very much good view from the outside though, so we didn't bother to go down and get some snapshots of it, and even Kuya Toto didn't offer that we get down to check on it.
Moving on, we first get to the... what do we call this, yeah the I <heart> Siquijor welcome logo.. I guess this is the traditional culture of every Filipino tourist spot / places that we have been to. It is never like any other escapade that we have been to if there is no I <3 blah blah to appetize (if there is such verb) to start our travel.. it never happened if it was never been documented in pictures..hahahha you know that...
Next stop, is the known Balete tree.. it is a long long ago folklore that Filipinos have been scared or being scared to the urban legend of the Balete tree. It is said to be that this type of tree is .. or has been the sole home of many good or evil spirits, elves, dwarves, and any other mythical creatures the Filipino believed to be unknown or unexplained to be existing.
Well, to give a minor overview of Siquijor. Siquijor was known to be the land of Magic And Withcraft.. which I beg to disagree with the old Urban callnames that they coined to this lovely island, i must say that these Withcraft thingy was just overrated and the beauty of the place was underplayed. I rather not elaborate on that Witchcraft thing, and lets focus on the beautiful and wonderful that this island could offer to us.
Before Balete trees are feared by many, and now Siquijor have reinstated these enormous tree to be a tourist attraction, and with a lovely fishes to nibble on your toes and callouses..hahahha
Then next stop, is Lunch!!! We are totally famished as we have just taken a quick breakfast, (fried chicken and 1 rice as we got no choice to pick as that is the only selection at the pier.. yeah .. we have no more time as the fastcraft will be leaving in 30 minutes from the time we got our ticket.. and going out the pier for some quick breakfast is not a good idea, as we might undercalculate our walk and eating; worst case we could miss the trip; good idea is to take the breakfast inside). Kuya have some carenderia houses that he knows that offer budget meals that could fit in our budgets; and besides there are no (well, I guess there isn't) fast food chains in the area, I suppose .. hahhaha
After the replenishing of our famished stomach.. of we go to Cambugahay falls...
In here the water is clear and green..hehehe at the top of the falls, there is a swing rope, which all would be called that you will hang on to the other side of the rope (of shall we call the end of the root, since it is like the root of a balete tree, or whatever that is) and then swing to the other side, and before it returns back, you let go and go for the dive.
Each group entering Cambugahay falls is accompanied with a guide / life guard. There are no fees required to on the falls itself, even for the guide, but you can at least give them tips of any amount for the services they offer.
After a few dips at the falls for a bout less than an hour, we call it quits for it and headed for Salagdoong Beach Resort, the known beach resort in Siquijor for its water slides.
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| Salagdoong slide |
We stayed there just for an hour I guess just for phototaking.. we didn't get to have much of water dipping and swimming as for some reason, I am a bit exhausted I guess.. I don't know with them (for my other companions) .. but the water was great... white sand... clear water.. never get to experience the slide though.. too bad.. I am a bit tired for that either..
(credits for wonderingwanderer.com and other sites on watermarks for other pics for Salagdoong Beach Resort)
We get to order Halo-Halo (what they call special halo-halo in Siquijor, but for me its still a regular blend back there in Manila.. a scoop of ice cream doesn't make it special for me... I'm after for the content.. but for the taste.. its mediocre for me...the quantity I guess is not satisfiable..
Now we are off to our last destination.. the Tree house..
There is nothing much of a view for this venue.. as it was just near the seashore, where mangroves grew, and tall trees near them that treehouses were built and bridges connecting to each houses.
Maybe the good view was, these beautiful ladies that I happened to notice since the start of our trip. I noticed them from the Balete tree, then at the Salagdoong Beach Resort, which they exhibit their photoshoots as if they were traveling models. At first I thought they were Koreans, as I have seen them from a far at the resort taking shoots at the edge of the shore raising there scarfs pay no attention to the heat of the sun. Now, I see them again at the tree house taking "buwis buhay" pose shots at the edge of the ledge of the tree house. I have seen some other group of boys noticing there are hesitant to approach these young beautiful ladies. I was curious to what maybe the reason, and I am thinking that they maybe pure chinese and can't really communicate much in English.
So I consolidate my courage to approach them, introduce myself and ask them if I could take a selfie with them. I ask them where are they from, and they said they are from China, and they are having a vacation.. oh my, a asked them a wrong term to ask, I should have asked them "if they are on a trip, not vacation.. as vacation is a unknown term for them...", one (at the middle) keep saying.. "not Hard English please.." now, I have to make my conversation with them as basic as possible..hahahha not used to talking with chinese people i suppose, I have ran out for words..hahaha literally... gosh I am mesmerized with chinky eyes...
Now off we go back to the pier as we are rushing for the 6pm last trip back to Dumaguete.. We are just on the day trip to Siquijor, too bad we have failed to visit the caves there.. maybe on the second trip we will explore the whole island.
Before anything else, a trip is not complete without "Pasalubong" or as we say Souvenirs of our trip..which actually not Souvenirs as we speak, but souvenirs for the friends back at Manila..hahaha an implied routine...We dropped by a local Souvenir shop near the Pier, which is a bit cheaper that those sold at the Balete tree..
