Surfing at San Juan, La Union (August 10-11 2013)

Basic Expenses:

317.00 Php - bus fare from Dau Terminal to San Juan, La Union (via Partas Trans. Co. Inc, Laoag route)
less than 11.00 Php - jeepney fare from San Juan, La Union to Partas Bus Terminal)
306.00 Php - bus fare from Partas Bus Terminal to Dau Terminal (via Partas Trans. Co. Inc, Cubao route)
400.00 Php/pax - One Circle hostel bunk bed space
200.00 Php - surfing instructor fee per hour
200.00 Php - surfboard rental fee

It will be Jean's birthday so she and my sister had a last-minute decision to go to La Union. Unprepared but excited to try our hand on surfing, me and my other sister also tagged along. They left first and after an hour we followed. We left Dau terminal at around 8:00 am. The trip that we thought would only last for 4 hours actually took us 6 hours. I'm not sure if it's because of traffic. As we have read on one blog that our hostel is near San Juan Surf Resort, we requested the conductor to please drop us to San Juan Surf Resort but then they seem to have forgotten because the bus missed dropping us (although we have followed up numerous times). We were dropped at Urbiztondo Elementary School instead which is quite far (fortunately not too far) so we had to ride a tricycle and pay another 25.00 Php (for the whole tricycle) which dropped us to Urbiztondo Grill. It was already about 2:00 pm so we took our late lunch at Urbiztondo Grill then went on to look for our hostel.

The surfing resorts in San Juan are in just one not-too-long line so when you already see Surf Maid, Sebay, Kahuna and the likes you'll know that you're already there.

we missed the sign board of San Juan Surf Resort which is not as prominent as those of Surf Maid, Sebay and Kahuna

                    right beside Urbiztondo Grill is this road that leads to One Circle Hostel, just walk straight ahead

                                                  the entrance of One Circle Hostel

We logged our names and paid the overnight fee. We also paid a 100.00 Php deposit for each bedsheet. After checking in we had to go to San Fernando City (about 5 minutes or so away from San Juan) to buy a memory card which we forgot due to lack of preparation, it costed me a shocking 400.00 Php. We then went back to San Juan and went to the beach to surf.

                                                               San Juan, La Union Beach

                                         left side of the beach

does anyone know the name of this mountain range?

We got ourselves surfing instructors who taught us the basics of surfing. They will tell you where and how to put your feet on the board and how to stand up. In a nutshell, the process is for you to walk away from the shore, lie on your surfboard belly down and wait for the waves. Once you see a wave coming you have to start paddling and when you already feel the wave pushing you on your back you quickly stand up, find your balance and surf towards the shore :) 

                                                    surfing training

                                                    acting it out

                                                                On Board

                                                                   wiping out

                                            the surfboard pose that everybody does - joining the bandwagon

                                        the beach at dusk: photobombed

Since the whole 1 hour of surfing I am with my instructor, I don't know if I would be able to surf all by myself but it's really enjoyable although I'm not sure if I should feel accomplished because we surfed in shallow water and the waves are pretty tame.

When the sun went down we went back to our hostel. Actually, we were forced to go back because it also drizzled. 

                                                                      back to the hostel

After washing off, we looked around to look for food

                                                                 dinner

Sadly, I can't remember what our dinner tasted like or how much it cost.

It was the morning swim the next day that I particularly enjoyed. It was low tide, the water looked really clean and the water was only mildly salty

Bohol Trip Day 2: Bohol Bee Farm, Island Hopping at Balicasag and Virgin Island, and Hinagdanan Cave (July 6, 2013)

* Bohol Bee Farm

We left our hotel at about 6:00 am and went to Bohol Bee Farm where my uncle and his friend were staying to have our breakfast there. Their buffet-breakfast valued at 350.00 Php is a must-try. The ham is not too salty and the pancake is not too sweet or greasy. The food is devoid of the usual preservatives you taste in food. The vegetable salad, fresh fruits and juice are very refreshing. Their pesto was not overpowered with olive oil, it's just right to the taste and is not cloying. It was also my first time to eat brown rice which is not hard to acquire a taste for. Their buffet-breakfast is something i look forward to trying again. The breakfast area's location which is overlooking the sea is sure to whet your appetite as well. 

                                       Breakfast at Bohol Bee Farm overlooking the beach

                                                                        delicious :)

After breakfast, we went to our uncle's room to see what their room looks like. 

                                          One of Bohol Bee Farm's nicely-decorated rooms

serene view from the room's balcony

At around 8:00 am, we boarded the multicab we rented which brought us to Alona Beach which is about 20 minutes or so away from Bohol Bee Farm. From there, we rented a big boat that brought us to Balicasag and Virgin Island. 

                                         I love Alona Beach's fine sand

                                 Picture-taking before the boat leaves the shore

                                 this part of the boat is not as steady as I thought

*Island Hopping at Balicasag and Virgin Island

The trip from Alona Beach to Balicasag Island took about 30 minutes. We were in the verge of sleeping. Unlike Hundred Islands, the snorkeling area in Balicasag Island doesn't have a rope marker that marks the area where the corals are. Also, it seems like in Hundred Islands there are more corals while in Balicasag there are more colorful fishes.

                                            

                                                       Balicasag Island's shore is made of coarsely-powdered shells

                          the small boat that we transferred to that brought as to the snorkeling area

                                                                         posing underwater

One problem that we encountered is because we are wearing a life jacket we can't submerge underwater to see the fishes and the corals. I don't know but in Hundred Islands it's easier to see the corals but in Balicasag I can't seem to see them well. I'm not sure if it's because of the water, if it's the quality of the corals or if it's my state of mind that time. But one thing's for sure, we should learn how to swim so we can take better underwater pictures on our next snorkeling trip.

                                           Don't forget bringing bread to attract the fishes

                                                

                                                      exhausted and sunburned

Virgin Island was next. 

                                                        Virgin Island

                                they sell sea shells by the seashore

                                     quenching our thirst with coconut juice

Virgin Island is open-spaced, there are no trees aside from that spot behind us which do have clumps of trees but is restricted because it's private property (which explains the fence around it. How ironic.) Since the sun is scorching hot that day we also left quickly after an hour of walking and looking around. 

Our boat took us back to the shore of Alona Beach then we went to eat at a carinderia and then went to see Hinagdanan Cave.

Bohol Trip

Basic Expenses:

2008.00 Php - roundtrip ticket via PAL (departing from NAIA)
5000.00 Php - stay at French Kiss Asia Resort for 3 days and 2 nights (for 3 pax, additional mattress requested). I would recommend staying at Bohol Bee Farm instead and if you have cash it's better contacting them directly instead of booking or making a reservation online. 
1800.00 Php - multicab for the city tour for 8 hours (a multicab looks like a small jeepney)
450.00 Php - Loboc river cruise and buffet (the river cruise and the buffet is 350.00 Php then you pay another 100.00 Php for municipal fee)
350.00 Php - Ziplining at Loboc Ecotourism Adventure Park
1500.00 Php - multicab that brought us to Alona Beach, Hinagdanan cave and to Island City Mall to buy pasalubong (8 hours)
1800.00 Php - boat for island hopping for 7 pax (Balicasag and Virgin Island)
150.00 Php per pax - small boat to snorkeling site in Balicasag
350.00 Php - Buffet Breakfast at Bohol Bee Farm consisting of bread, bacon, pancake, fresh fruits, salad, pasta and fresh juice

Day 1: Bohol Countryside Tour (July 5, 2013)

* Church-hopping and Sikatuna Blood Compact Site

                                                                                    St. Joseph Church facade

                                                                       a flock of doves at St. Joseph Church

                                                                                   Sikatuna-Legazpi Blood Compact Site

                                                                        Baclayon Church Facade

                                                                             Baclayon Church Side View


 

                                                                                     Baclayon Church

                                                                                                   St. Peter's Church in Loboc, Bohol

 old bridge and arches beside St Peter's Church 

                                                The old clock tower of Loboc Church: one of the landmarks in Loboc, Bohol
                                                          

* Loboc River Cruise and Floating Restaurant

At 10:30 am, we were at the Loboc River Floating Restaurant.

the stairs to the bridge leading to the floating resto

                                                                                                   bridge to the floating resto: it would be nice to lounge here at night                                   

 inside the floating resto: tired, oily and hungry hahahaha

floating resto taken from the bridge

The buffet is not something to rave for but it's okay, the river cruise compensated for the food. The green water of the river is a wonder to behold especially since the water of our river in Pampanga is brown. It's nice to view the trees and flowers along the river banks and feel the soporific air while listening to the nostalgic music being played by the guitar man on board.

Song lists played during the cruise in random order:

To Love Somebody

Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok ko

Hey Jude

Pusong Bato

Leaving on a Jet Plane

... the rest I already forgot but it's like a cd long.

* Loboc Ecotourism Adventure Park

After taking our early lunch at the Loboc River Floating Resto, we proceeded to the Loboc Ecotourism Adventure Park. Air gets colder in this part of Loboc and part of the road resembles the zigzag road of Baguio so they named it "Little Baguio". Sandra, our uncle's friend said we should try the zipline here however since I already tried ziplining in Subic I'm not really interested. I also don't feel like stepping down but they said since we're already there it's better to at least look around so look around we did. 

transparent glass wall offering a panoramic view of the the Loboc Forest. Notice the camera on the left.

my uncle and his i-want-to-do-it-again expression

At first, I don't want to do the ziplining because I thought it's too expensive for 350.00 Php but seeing that the the zipline looks higher and longer than that in Subic and also seeing that my uncle enjoyed it, I decided to try it as well which thankfully I did. It became one of the highlights of our visit in Bohol. It was very enjoyable and relaxing to view the trees and the snake-like Loboc river below. I particularly enjoyed the initial zipline because it's much slower compared to  the return-zipline which is faster and heart-jerking. 

climbing the stairs towards the start point of the zipline

getting ready

getting harnessed

it's fun to zipline in the Philippines

We were told that the zipline in Danao is better so we'll put that on our bucketlist if we ever go back to Bohol.

* Hanging Bridge of Sevilla

We also went to the Hanging Bridge of Sevilla. I don't know why but there's something about hanging bridges that I find charming. The foliages hanging over the entrance and exit of the hanging bridge gives it a fresh look and feel.

*Tarsier Conservation Area 

*Man-Made Forest of Bilar

We had fun doing jumpshots on this spot. In-between doing jumpshots we're also alert of vehicles that may suddenly appear. The canopy of trees makes a picturesque scene. 

                  exhilarating jumpshots: the best place to jump and fill your lungs with fresh air

*Chocolate Hills in Carmen

I can admire this sight for hours.

                                                                    jumpshots

                                                            going down

                                            the Chocolate Hills along the road

After visiting the Chocolate Hills we went back to Tagbilaran to eat then to our hotel in Panglao.

You can click here for the Day 2 of our Bohol Trip.