DAVAO Itineray 4 Days and 3 Nights

DAY 1 - NAIA TERMINAL 3 FT. CEBU PACIFIC A330 AND DAVAO

                After being frequent traveller to Visayas Region, I decided to give a try Mindanao. This time, I travelled with my officemate (Regina). We booked our plane tickets to Cebu Pacific for 800php only (RT) per person, three months ago during Cebu Pacific promo. I grabbed seat since we all know that the airfare from Manila to Davao is a bit pricey. 

 Add caption

                This is my first time in Davao and honestly, I don't have any idea what might happen with this trip. As usual, being a backpacker we should search and asks fellow backpackers how was their Davao trip.  I started searching an affordable but ideally hotel where we can stay for 4 days and 3 nights. I selected HotelUno among the budget friendly hotel/hostels since its location is very great. Peoples Park, banks, food shops and convenient stores are beside of it. I selected their fan room since were just only 2. We got the room for 300php per night and deposited 200php for the key deposit. Their room surpassed my expectations for budget hotel.

inside our room

                We walked around the hotel and familiarized the nearby areas after we fixed our stuffs. Since it's already 9 in the evening, we just looked for any food stall where we can eat and rest afterward since both of us went straight to airport after our work early that day.

NOTE: You can ride taxi from Davao Airport to Hotel Uno. Just tell the taxi driver to drop you at Hotel Uno. In our case, we paid almost 180php.

DAY 2 - SAMAL ISLAND FT. KAPUTIAN BEACH

                After almost 24 hours of being awake from yesterday, finally I catched 8hrs of sleep. I woke up around 7 in the morning and started to fix our things that we need to bring for our swimming in Samal Island. After we took a bath, we straight to Tita D's Restaurant where we ate our buffet breakfast for only 89php per person. We rode Jeep with sign board (SASA) and asked the driver to drop us at near Bangkerohan (just paid 8php for the jeepney fare) and headed to Sta. Ana Wharf. From Sta. Ana Wharf we rode banca bound to Kaputian (M/L Pabros - 2) and leave the wharf around 11:45 in the morning. At first, we really don't know what will happen to us since we don't have specific beach or resort where we will stay in Samal (just paid 60hp for the boat fee per head). As always, unplanned things will give spice to your itinerary. 

                I really enjoyed the view on our way to Kaputian Beach and also had fun while cruising. I really had fun because I had some conversation with other passengers and asked some information about Samal Island.

                I was amazed when we reached the shore of Kaputian and suddenly disembarked. We just walked and asked some locals where the entrance of it. We paid 150php for the entrance, environmental fee, round table and 2 mono block chairs. We just placed the table under Talisay tree facing Kaputian Beach Shore Line at least we can easily see our things.

                The sand in Kaputian Beach is almost likely same with the sand in Canigao Island in Matalom, Leyte. Fine white sand, cool water and pleasant ambiance is I really wanted.

                We rode Habal-Habal from Kaputian Beach to reach Babak (Samal Wharf-Sasa) and paid 110php each since there's no other way from Kaputan going back to Sta. Ana Wharf. From Babak, we rode RORO  (10php each) for about 15 minutes. We walked straight ahead to reach the main road and look for jeepney what may pass through CM Recto where our hotel located. We paid 21php per head and travelled for almost an hour. Were both tired and fixed our things in our room before we headed to Tita's D for buffet dinner.

DAY 3 --- CITY TOUR and MIGRAINE ATTACk!!!

                I requested to transfer us for better room with window when we checked-in last night to feel more comfortable than our first night. City tour is the least expenses every time I travel since I keep on walking and walking to visit city attractions. You should only have enough water for the entire tour and some chips if you got hungry. Since Hotel Uno is quite near to tourist attractions we still encountered difficulties finding some of those attractions. We just walk and first reached Aldevinco Shopping Center, Ateneo de Davao University, China Town, Gaisano Mall, Peoples Park, City Triangle, San Pedro Cathedral, Cinematheque, Museo Dabawenyo and D'Bone Museum. We decided to go back to hotel and take some rest since my migraine attacked and I feel dizzy the whole afternoon. That afternoon I stayed in hotel and just sleep while Regina met her long lost church mate.

DAY 4 - LAST DAY, EDEN NATURE PARK -- FAREWELL DAVAO!    

                This is our last day in Davao and last in our itinerary is the Eden Nature Park. We woke up around 8 in the morning and then prepared our stuffs since we need to check-out in the hotel. We rode jeepney bound to Toril and then dropped in Mercury Drug Store - Toril. We rented tricycle going to Eden Nature Park (It's more comfortable to ride Tricycle than Habal-Habal since you can rest and seat comfortably) and paid 180php for the whole tricycle that can accommodate up to 3 persons.  We reached Eden Nature Park past 12 and headed to Information desk / Day Tour Desk where we paid 220php for the entrance fee with plated meal. Since we need to go back in City in the afternoon, we just stayed for about 3 hours including tour and long wait for our turn in Sky Ride.

FRANCISCO BANGOY AIRPORT FT. DELAYED CEBU PACIFIC FLIGHT

                What I really hate the most is when I’m too early for my flight and then suddenly my flight was delayed due to delayed arrival of aircraft! This was not the first time that my fight was delayed by Cebu Pacific.

4 DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS LEYTE-CEBU EXPERIENCE

Leyte-Cebu Expedition (January 28-February 1, 2015)

This travel was my very extreme travel experience so far since we went two places in Visayas region. I thought this will never happen due to distances of our destinations.

So to start, what are the things we need to consider? Of course leave credits, budget, destination – somewhere that makes you satisfy, plane tickets, BUDGET and companion. A former college classmate (Faithzaira) and good friend of my introduced to me where she is right now. She is in Leyte right now with her relatives. At first, I don’t want to go there maybe because of the location and humors. She insisted to visit her and have a vacation. At first, I was not convinced but when she sent pictures I was amazed with their beaches. I keeps on receiving messages from her telling I should go there and take a vacation and since few months when we last met – in Cebu. 

Since the last time I had vacation was September when I and my mom went Palawan – as my birthday gift for her. I decided to visit her add some thrill with the vacation. After few conversation, and advised me that we’ll visit Canigao Island which is in Matalom, Leyte. Just one ride from her place. I am pretty sure that the place is safe since she’s been there already with her cousins. This time, I informed her that I wanna go back to Cebu sine we can reach Cebu via RORo (Roll On-Roll Off) from Leyte and visit also Bantayan Island. Again, this travel was extreme since we rode plane, travelled by land for about 4 hours, rode a boat for almost an hour, rode RORO to Cebu, and rode bus again for 4 hours going to Hagnaya and RORO again for an hour to reach Bantayan Island. Almost two months prior my expected flight, I was lucky and I booked affordable airfare through AirAsia. I booked my airfare Manila to Tacloban Airport for only 545.00php and Cebu to Manila for just 560php. Bongga di ba? It’s just 1,100php (not bad if you’re on tight budget). 

                A day before out flight, we planned what are the things we need to bring, polished our itinerary and of course BUDGET. Were lucky since we received our pays for the double pay last month and of course our tax refund. Good thing because we had enough budget hahaha. Since our flight to Tacloban was 5:50 am, I offered her for sleep over because we need to be at the airport by 3am.

DAY OF OUR FLIGHT – DAY 1

                Yeah! I finished preparing my special pork barbeque for our picnic in Canigao Island past 12 midnight.  We woke up from our power nap around 1:30am and started preparing ourselves. We decided to commute that time since my regular taxi driver was not available for some reason – my flight is too early (hahaha).   We arrived at airport around 3 am to secure also good seat – window seats.

                Left Manila on time. Due to zero visibility in Tacloban Airport our flight was delayed for about 3 hours. Our flight diverted to Mactan Cebu Airport since our plane need to refuel and praying to have good weather coming. Our first day was totally messed. Faith and I had conversation after landed if we can still land in Tacloban or we will here in Cebu and proceed to Bantayan Island since the management of AirAsia offered us that we can disembark in Cebu airport and ride ferry going to Ormoc to reach Tacloban. However, they will not compensate the possible fare. Ginnie and I were both positive that we can still land in Tacloban that day since we don’t want to ruin our itinerary. After almost an hour, the Captain of our plane explained the situation and again, safety of their passengers is their main concern. I understand that it’s beyond their control. And so there! Got a permission from traffic Controller of Tacloban Airport that we can now land there. Finally, after almost an hour circling in Tacloban Airport we safely landed in past 11 in the morning. After I got my checked-in tripod, we headed outside the airport and rode a jeep that can drop us to Duptours Van Terminal going to Matalom (50php each). We reached Duptours Van Terminal and then find good seat – again we seated at the back of the van since we don’t to move time to time if there is passenger. Ginnie and I were both hungry since that last time we ate when we were inside the plane and ordered 2 cups of coffee and a small box of cookies (6 pieces) for the two of us. This time, we rode almost 4 hours the van from Tacloban to Matalom, Leyte. I felt sad when I saw how this province affected by Typhoon Yolanda a year ago. Sitting inside the van and travel for 4 hours was a SACRIFICE!!! I really hates travelling by land for more than 2 hours. I’m not very comfortable in my position (para kasi akong kiti-kiti sa van di ko alam kung anong position hahaha).

(chips and coffee that we purchased while our flight diverted to Mactan Aiport and refueling our aircraft)

After 4 hours, we finally reached Matalom Municipal and wait for Faith, Van and Phoebe. While waiting for them, I bought a loaf of Gardenia, 10 pieces chicken neck (5 php each), 1.5 softdrinks etc. We walked for about 5 minutes from the main road going to wharf where we boarded and rode the passenger banca which will bring us to Canigao, Island. Were all excited to ride that big banca and dock as sooner.

                                                                  Now Boarding ....

(Selfie daw  muna with Faith and Ginnie)

THIS IS IT!  CANIGAO!

  

I was amazed with what I saw on our way to beach. Oh my god! After our flight got delayed, diverted to Cebu and sacrificed for 4 hours travel inside the van --- WORTH IT! I was very excited and jumped when we reached the shore. Canigao Island was not a well-developed island that’s why the entrance fee is very affordable (I don’t want to use cheap since the island is not). When we arrived, there were passengers going back to the wharf. Basically, in our original itinerary we will just have a day tour in Canigao and headed to Bato or Hilongos that night and proceed to Cebu City. Unfortunately our itinerary for first day was ruined due to delayed. Since I’m the In-Charge for the Itinerary, I decided to stay overnight in the island since we are already there also were all tired. When we settled our things, we just started fixing our stuffs and foods. That night the only source of our light was my laptop and sulo (torch). We rent big tent that night since were all tired from a very tiring day.

SAND BAR, LAST DAY IN CANIGAO – DAY 2

We enjoyed our stay in Canigao that night. To start our last day, we decided to walk around. Since its still morning, you can walk until the mid-area of the sea. I was surprised since there’s a lot of migrant birds that morning.

I appreciated Canigao because of its fine sand and very great ambiance. We ended our last day in Canigao with lots of experiences and memories that we can bring in Manila.

Sand Bar!

After we packed our things and prepared ourselves we headed to Maasin, Leyte City proper. That day, I craved so much to Jollibee Spaghetti and Chicken Joy. To satisfy myself, I asked Faith if there is nearest Jollibee outlet where we can eat lunch and also satisfy with foods.

                We departed at Bato Pier at around 8 in the evening and had soft dinner to prepare ourselves for almost 6 hours boat ride bound to Cebu.

DAY 3 (Cebu City and Bantayan Island)

                We arrived at around 4 in the morning in Cebu Pier and then headed to Cebu North Bus Terminal to catch the first trip of bus bound to Hagnaya. We rode bus for more than 4 hours from Cebu City to Hagnaya. When we arrived in Hagnaya, we suddenly went through the shipping information desk to book our tickets. After an hour roro ride we arrived in Bantayan Island and grabbed tricycle which brought us to Abaniko Hotel.

NOTE:

Catch early as much as possible bus ride going to Hagnaya since travelling time is about 4 hrs from Cebu City. The first trip is at 5 am and the bus leaves every hour.

From Cebu Pier catch taxi and jut tell to driver to drop you at Cebu North Bus Terminal.

From Mactan International Airport catch taxi going to CNBS.