Category: Philippines

Hostel Of The Day: OUTPOST BEACH HOSTEL – Social El Nido Hostel By The Beach

Hello & welcome to the 3rd installment of Hostel of the Day feature of this website. In the previous posts, I took you to Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach in El Nido & The Stay Sapporo in Japan. This time, I’ll take you back to El Nido, Palawan – same town where the first hostel feature is located. Today, I will walk about our stay in Outpost Beach Hostel.

Last month, my friends & I went on a weekend reunion trip to Palawan. We spent 2 nights in El Nido & another 2 nights in Port Barton. In those 2 nights in El Nido, we stayed in a relatively new but very social hostel named Outpost Beach Hostel. This hostel opened in early 2017; it wasn’t operating yet when I went there in August 2016. The hostel’s atmosphere is very social & both the staff & guests are welcoming & very friendly.

Welcome to our hostel of the day – Outpost Beach Hostel El Nido!

Just like any other Hostel Of The Day post, let me share with you some details & features about this popular El Nido hostel.

Location & Access

Outpost Beach Hostel is located a few minutes from El Nido town, in Sitio Lugadia, Barangay Corong-Corong. This area has a direct beach access & is also a location of many accommodation choices in El Nido. Corong-Corong is known for its magical sunsets & magnificent views of Bacuit Bay. It was raining most of the time during our stay so we didn’t see the beauty of nature.

The hostel is approximately 3 kilometers away from El Nido town, that’s 5-7 minutes away by tricycle. If I remember it right, the fare to town can go as high as ₱60 to ₱100 pesos per tricycle; but it also depends on your haggling skills. El Nido Airport (LIO) is approximately 8 kilometers away from the hostel – also one tricycle ride away from the hostel. Rates to the airport can go as high as ₱200 per way, but again depending on your haggling skills.

If you’re flying to Puerto Princesa International Airport, you can take a 5-6 hour land (van or bus) trip to El Nido. Fares range from ₱400+ for the bus & ₱600 for the shuttle van. For my past trips, I took the shuttle vans & booked with both Camarih Transport & Lexxus Shuttle. Make sure to check their website for the updated rates & schedules. Don’t forget to let the shuttle / bus driver know you’re staying in Outpost – they know where to drop you off.

Room Options & Rates

Inside the 12-bed dormitory room

Outpost Beach Hostel has room options for all types of travelers. While I think this hostel isn’t for families, I still believe they still cater to solo travelers, traveling couples & groups of friends. The hostel has private rooms that can accommodate up to 5 people. Private room rates can go as low as ₱900 per person for the quintuple room & ₱1,000 for the double / twin room. Rates can go as high as ₱1,600 per night for the quintuple room & ₱2,500 per night for the double room during peak season.

Solo travelers can book their stay in their dormitory rooms. As per the hostel website, they have 2 x 12-bed dormitory rooms, 1 x 8-bed dormitory room, 2 x 6-bed dormitory rooms & 6 x 4-bed dormitory rooms. A bed in these dormitory rooms costs from ₱600 to ₱750 per night during off peak season; however prices can go as high as ₱1,000 to ₱1,300 per night during peak season.

This is how the bunk beds look like

All rooms have air conditioning & ceiling fans. Dormitory beds have comfortable mattress & sheets & individual lockers. The 3 of us stayed in the 12-bed dormitory room & we paid around ₱688 each per night via Agoda. You can book your stay via the hostel website or via Agoda.

Hostel Facilities

Guests have access to communal & unisex shower areas & toilets. The showers feature a rainfall-style water flow & hot water system. The design is very modern & stylish. El Nido water is not safe for drinking & for brushing ones teeth. The hostel provides all guests filtered water for brushing their teeth.

Second floor communal area – this place is very quiet every morning

All guests have access to spacious communal lounge areas in the ground floor & 2nd floor. These areas are the best places to meet & chat with your co-guests. We stayed there most of the time & gained a lot of new friends. Guests also have access to a bar & restaurant in the ground floor. The hostel also has a generator set; guests don’t need to worry if there are power interruptions (these interruptions happen a lot in El Nido).

Pretty busy communal area at night – everyone’s busy socializing!

The hostel has a direct access to Corong-Corong Beach. We didn’t have the chance to enjoy the beach as mentioned earlier, it was raining during our stay. They also provide free Wi-Fi to all guests. Unfortunately, the Wi-Fi was not working during our stay. The rainy weather could be one of the reasons why the Wi-Fi was not working.

Overall, the hostel facilities are basic but you get everything you need.

Sunset Bar & Restaurant

The hostel also features an on site sunset bar & restaurant. Guests don’t need to go to town to have some reasonably-priced food & drinks. The restaurant has a variety of food to choose from – be it Filipino or Western food. A breakfast plate can cost as low as ₱220. Lunch & dinner food cost a little bit more. The restaurant pizza is a must-try! Cocktails are priced ₱200 per glass while local beers cost ₱80 per bottle.

Empty hostel bar & reception in the morning

The bar, or should I say, the hostel organizes daily activities / games where guests are free to join / participate. We didn’t see anyone join the gender bender party while we were there, but oh boy everyone had a nice time playing battle beer.

The only thing I didn’t like about the restaurant is it opens at 8:00 in the morning. I think it’s too late? Some people leave the hostel as early as 6:00 am so I believe they should start serving food as early as that.

Tour Desk

Services offered by the hostel tour desk plus the daily hostel activity schedule

Outpost Beach Hostel has an on site tour desk where you can basically book everything. The hostel organizes alternative boat trips (Tours A & C Combination & Tours B & Combination) for only ₱1,500 per person. This rate includes a visit to beautiful islands, caves & lagoons, lunch, boat & guide fees. The hostel also offers van transfers to Nacpan, Port Barton, Sabang & Puerto Princesa & boat tickets to Coron. It’s a one-stop shop for everything you need to do in El NIdo.

My friends didn’t avail tours from the hostel because we’ve tried the tours in our past El Nido visits. Also, all tours during our stay were cancelled for consecutive days due to bad weather.

Verdict

If you are traveling on a budget plus into social drinking & meeting people, then Outpost Beach Hostel is the perfect hostel in El Nido for you. For me, this hostel is a low-key party hostel (in my opinion) but is very social. The facilities & amenities might have minor setbacks (like when Wi-Fi isn’t working & random times when there was no water) but these didn’t affect the charm of this hostel. It’s still one of the best near El Nido town.

My friends & I enjoyed our stay in this hostel. We look forward to coming back to enjoy the beach & to watch El Nido’s beautiful sunset. I just hope the weather will be perfect in our next trip to El Nido.

Outpost Beach Hostel El Nido
Address: Sitio Lugadia, National Highway, Brgy. Corong-Corong, El Nido, Palawan 5313
Phone Number: +‎63 945 128 1729
Email Address: outposthostels@gmail.com
Website: www.outpostbeachhostel.com
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/outpostbeachhostel

Have you been to Outpost Beach Hostel in a fine sunny weather? How was your experience? Did you witness the famous El Nido sunset? Feel free to share your experiences in the comment section below. Is there a new hostel which you think fits to be the next hostel of the day? Let me know which hostel is this & I’ll have a look at it. You can also communicate with me via email by sending an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com or contact me via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Maraming salamat po sa pagbasa at sa oras. 🇵🇭 Sa uulitin! ✌

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Hostel Of The Day: MAD MONKEY HOSTEL NACPAN BEACH – Beach & Party In One Place

If you’ve read my previous posts, you’re aware that I always stay in hostels. Yes, I am a big fan of hostels. Staying in hostels saves me some money & also gives me the opportunity to meet & interact from people all over the world. Most of my previous blog posts mention short information & reviews about the hostels I’ve stayed with in that destination.

I was on a trip with friends last weekend in Palawan & I randomly thought of introducing a new section for my site. This section will feature / review the hostels I’ve been to or stayed with in my previous trips. It will also mention relevant information about the hostel like location, access, nightly rates, amenities, etc. I will call this section Hostel Of The Day.

Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach it is!

The first hostel of the day is Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach in Nacpan Beach, El Nido, Palawan. Mad Monkey Hostels Group is a famous party hostel chain in Southeast Asia (& has recently expanded in Australia) which brings together people from all over the world to have a good time. This hostel chain is famous for their beach / pool parties & their hourly free shots at the bar. What I like about this hostel chain is they employ locals & help out local businesses where their hostels are located. They also host / participate in environment-friendly activities such as clean-up drives.

File photo of Nacpan Beach back in 2014 when it was sunny! Weather was pretty bad last weekend so I didn’t have nice photos.

Another file photo of Nacpan Beach in 2014.. Beautiful place!

One of the recently opened branches of Mad Monkey Hostels is Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach. The hostel is located along Nacpan Beach, about 30 to 45 minutes from El Nido Town in Palawan. Tripadvisor placed Nacpan Beach as 10th Best Beach in the World in 2016. I’ve been to Nacpan Beach several times already & I can say this beach is indeed one of the best I’ve been to. I previously stayed in Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay (article to follow) in 2016 so my friends & I decided to visit their Nacpan Beach branch last weekend when we were in El Nido.

Access

The nearest airport to the hostel is 12 kms away – El Nido Airport (airport code – ENI). From the airport, you can take a tricycle to Nacpan Beach for ₱500-600 per way. You can also fly to Puerto Princesa Airport (airport code – PPS) & take a 5-6 hours land (van or bus) trip to El Nido town for ₱500-₱600 one way. From El Nido town, you can hire a tricycle to Nacpan Beach for ₱600-₱700 per way.

Who doesn’t love Mad Monkey, eh?

The cheapest way to go to Nacpan Beach is by taking the scheduled trips of Discover El Nido Tour Company. They have hourly trips from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm daily. One way trip costs ₱350 while return transfers cost ₱600. You can book your transfers online by clicking this link. Hurry, seats fill up really fast!

View from the hostel bar & restaurant

We took this scheduled van transfer last weekend; the rate was worth it. If you are staying in town, they will pick you up & bring you back to your hostel / accommodation. They also use new & air-conditioned vans which make your trip comfortable & hassle-free.

Tip: Make sure to have enough cash during your stay in Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach. The nearest ATM is in town which is 16 kms away.

Accommodation Choices & Rates

Luke, one of the heads of Mad Monkey Hostels in the Philippines, showed us the accommodation options they have in Nacpan Beach. Note that all the rooms do not have air-conditioning. I can assure you that all these rooms are clean & well-maintained.

The upper bunk beds in the 6-bed dormitory room

The beachfront hostel has a 12-bed basic dormitory room & a 6-bed dormitory room. Each bunk features a power outlet, a mosquito net & a secure storage space (bring your own lock). Rooms have fans & have easy access to communal shower & toilet. Shower areas & toilets are clean & well-maintained. A night stay in the 12-bed dormitory room costs ₱700 while a stay in the 6-bed room costs ₱800.

The camping tents at the back of the dormitory rooms

If you want some privacy, you can book their loft double accommodation for ₱2,000 per night for 2 people. This accommodation choice includes a spacious queen mattress, a wall fan & electrical sockets. Guests also have a private balcony space & have a view of coconut trees outside. If you’re up for some adventure & basic stay, you can stay in a twin tent for ₱1,000 per night for 2 people. The camping tent is only a place to sleep. Guests still have access to lockers. Just like in dormitory rooms, shower areas & toilets are common for all guests.

Screenshot from the hostel website re: rates per night

I checked a random day for next month & saw the following rates in the Mad Monkey Hostel website. I think the 6-bed dormitory room is the best choice for me. You just have the right number of people to share in a room plus you get to enjoy all amenities for such an affordable rate.

Beach Bar & Restaurant

Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach has an on site beach bar & restaurant which boosts affordable & tasty food choices & reasonable alcohol prices. I took a photo of the restaurant’s menu – see below.

The hostel also sells alcohol. Local beers are sold for ₱80 (reasonable considering the location) per bottle while cocktails are available for around ₱200 per glass. I recommend trying their signature Nacpan Beach branch drink called Pacquiao Punch for only ₱200. It’s the counterpart of Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay’s famous Boracay Bomb. The hostel also serves free alcohol shots every hour from noon (correct me if I’m wrong) to 12 midnight. Make sure you’re ready for a lot of alcohol intake when you decide to stay in this hostel.

Free shots at the bar!!!

Nacpan Beach’s signature drink – Pacquiao Punch!

Bar Manager, Harley, preparing the next round of free shots at the bar

Tours & Activities

The hostel may be secluded from El Nido town but guests can still do a lot while staying in Nacpan. Aside from having cold beers, free alcohol shots & unlimited beach swim, guests can also play beach volleyball, have bonfire, go snorkeling & paddle boarding. The hostel also has a stunning view of the sunset. Too bad we were not able to witness it last weekend; but friends we met there said the sunset was one of a kind.

Jam-packed bar & restaurant on a Saturday lunch! Rule number 1 when in a Mad Monkey Hostel – Socialize.

According to the hostel’s website, they also offer an island hopping tour to the Big & Small Lagoons, Secret Beach & Hidden Beach for ₱2,200 per person. Tours happen every Wednesdays & Saturdays. Head over to the hostel website for more information about the tour.

Nacpan Beach is right in front of the Mad Monkey Hostel premises

This pretty much sums up everything you need to know about Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach. This is the place to be if you’re looking for a nice quiet beach with party nights! If you’re into beach life & parties, I recommend staying in this fun hostel. YES, STAY HERE!!! If you have questions about the hostel, feel free to contact them in the details provided below.

Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach
Address: Nacpan Beach, El Nido, Palawan, Philippines 5313
Contact Number: +63 945 412 2369
Email Address: nacpanbeach@madmonkeyhostels.com
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/madmonkeynacpanbeach

PS. Mad Monkey Hostels Group is set to open a new branch in Cebu City in September & another branch in Siargao early next year. Watch out for these new branches soon!

Shout out to Luke, Harvey & to all the kind & accommodating staff & crew of Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach. Thank you for the warm welcome, the drinks & the great stay. You guys made our day trip fun & memorable. Until next time! I hope to come back & stay there for a few nights.

Enjoyed our Pacquiao Punch.. That was hell of a good drink!

Wondering how I get awesome accommodation deals when I travel? I posted a blog how I do it. Click here to know the pattern in getting the best accommodation deals when planning for your next trip. I also previously wrote about the ups & downs of staying in hostels. Head over to the article & check if staying in hostels is your thing or not.

This is Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach!

If you have any or questions, feel free to leave a comment below. You can also reach me via email by sending it to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also send me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter. Until the next Hostel Of The Day!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11. Thanks to my friend Maanne for allowing me to use her photos.

2017 In Review: Discovering The Known & The Unknown

In less than 2 days, 2017 will come to a close. Another great & memorable year will soon come to an end. Before we welcome 2018, let us look back how this year went. I do not consider this a major travel year because I think every year is a major travel year for me.

My solo travel adventures, which started in 2016, continued this year. I went to most places all by myself & then met amazing people whom I shared good memories with. I also had the chance to reunite & travel with good old friends.

Selfie with Broken Beach in the background 📷

In 2016, I went to places which are known to most of you (perhaps except Koh Lipe). These places gave me unforgettable experiences & different insights. 2017 was a bit different. I’ve been to known places like Coron, Taipei & Ubud, but I’ve also visited unknown places (to many Filipinos) like Port Barton, Nusa Penida & Komodo. 2017 was a year of discovering the known & the unknown.

Let us rediscover the the known & unknown places I visited for 2017.

Port Barton

Port Barton’s village beach

My first solo trip for 2017 happened in March where I spent a weekend in Port Barton. It is a small undeveloped village in the northeast coast of Palawan. It is a more basic version of El Nido.

Enjoyed the tour to untouched islands & pristine beaches 😍

Everything in the village is limited – from accommodation choices, restaurants, electricity to mobile network access. These limitations didn’t hinder me from enjoying a weekend away from the busy city life. I went on an island tour which took me to untouched islands & pristine beaches. I had my first close encounter with a turtle in German Island. I also made good memories with people I met on the tour & in the hostel.

Close encounter with a turtle in German Island 🐢

Blog: PORT BARTON: Palawan’s Secret Paradise

Coron

I had my second Palawan weekend trip for 2017 in Coron. I decided to go there during the Labor Day weekend (to save work leave credits) & booked my round-trip tickets using my GetGo (Cebu Pacific Air‘s loyalty program) points.

Met these amazing people in Coron

I walked around the town & hiked Mount Tapyas on my first day. I took the Ultimate Island Tour on my second day & the Island Escapade Tour on my third day. I flew back to Manila on the fourth day.

Coron’s crystal clear waters 😍

I prefer the escapade tour over the ultimate tour. I think Kayangan Lake, Siete Picados & Twin Lagoon were really beautiful; however, these places were super crowded. I enjoyed the relaxed & laid-back escapade tour to the jaw-dropping Malcapuya, Banana & Bulog Dos Islands.

Malcapuya Island – the highlight of this Coron trip 😍

Blog: CORON – Paradise Beyond Words

Taipei

Taipei was my first international trip for 2017. It was also my first time to use my renewed passport. I’ve been to this city in 2015 with my high school friends. This time, I went on another weekend trip with my work colleagues.

Taipei ’17 buddies – Rona & Shiela 😎

We went to the usual places like Taipei 101, Ximending, Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, Liberty Square, Shilin Night Market & 228 Peace Park. We also went up north to the countryside to visit Shifen & Jiufen.

Colorful vibe of Jiufen 😍

We loosened up a bit by joining TourMeAway‘s Pub Crawl Activity. It was a long fun drinking night with people from all over the world. Our pub crawl photo even made it to the activity’s Klook page. I also got my new HTC U11 during this trip – definitely worth the investment.

Got a new phone in Taipei -the HTC U11

Blog: TAIPEI Revisited: 3-Day Weekend in the Heart of Asia (Less than ₱15,000 all in!!!)

Siquijor

I went on a last-minute weekend Siquijor trip with friends last July. I flew to Dumaguete with a friend & boarded the next ferry to Siquijor. We then met another friend in Siquijor & started exploring the island.

 

Reunion with Geof & JE in Siquijor

We had lunch at Larena Triad Restaurant overlooking the island, went exploring at the Guiwahon Mangrove Park, (they) had fish spa in the century old balete tree, walked around the Lazi Convent & Church, jumped off (a number of times) the famous Cambugahay Falls & enjoyed some lazy (except me who tried the cliff diving) afternoon at Salagdoong Beach.

Cambugahay Falls – the highlight of my Siquijor trip 💦

We had a short Dumaguete side trip; we stayed there for a night before our flight back to Manila. Our friend, who is based there, took us on a late night city tour (?? haha) just to see how it looks like.

Blog: Last-Minute SIQUIJOR Weekend (For Less Than ₱7,000 Including Airfare)

Ubud

Explored Ubud with Mary Ann & Lyza

I spent half of my annual birthday month trip in Ubud in Bali, Indonesia. I’ve been to Ubud in 2014 but I didn’t have enough time to explore the place. I went back for 3 full days to explore different temples, hike up & down the rice terraces, eat the famous crispy duck, walk around the town, tried the luwak coffee in a coffee plantation & go to the waterfall.

World famous Tegallalang Rice Terraces 😍

I also attended a cooking class with Paon Bali. I learned to prepare local dishes & ended up eating them as well after. This Paon Bali Cooking Class was the highlight of my Ubud visit.

Local food we ate after the cooking class 😋

Blog: The Wonderful Indonesia Series: UBUD – From Temples To Rice Paddies

Nusa Penida

Instagram-famous Broken Beach 😍

The other half of my week-long birthday trip was spent in a relatively unknown off Bali called Nusa Penida. For 2 straight days, I hopped on a motorcycle & explored this untouched island.

Atuh Beach – a cove between 2 cliffs 😍

I went to ‘Instagram-famous’ places like Angel’s Billabong, Broken Beach & Kelingking Secret Point. I also went to the hidden Crystal Bay for swimming & relaxation. On my 2nd & last day, I spent the whole day in Atuh Beach, another ‘Instagram-famous’ cove that is between 2 high cliffs.

Another Instagram-famous – Kelingking Secret Point 😍

I stayed in Kuta for a night before my early flight back to Manila. I’ve been to this place in 2015 but I still walked around the crowded beach & waited for the beautiful Kuta sunset.

Kuta sunset – what a beautiful view to end this week long birthday trip 🌅

Blog: The Wonderful Indonesia Series: NUSA PENIDA – Hidden Paradise Off Bali

Komodo

Kanawa Island 😍

Two months after spending a week in Indonesia, I decided to fly back & sneak out a short weekend trip to Labuan Bajo. This small village / town is the gateway for the more famous Komodo National Park (Komodo Island).

Worth the 30-minute hike up the mountain 😍

I took the shared overnight boat trip to the islands. The islands were hours away from each other by slow boat. On the first day, we went snorkeling on Kanawa Island, swam with the manta rays in Manta Point & hiked up Padar Island for some amazing views. We parked somewhere near Komodo Island & stayed there for the night. The boatmen prepared all our meals while on the boat. We slept under the stars & clear skies.

Ha, once in a lifetime photo with a Komodo dragon 🦎

The following day, we walked around in Komodo Island to spot Komodo dragons, went snorkeling & swimming in Pink Beach & spotted some wildlife on Rinca Island (more Komodo dragons lol). Our boatmen allowed us to snorkel & jump off the boat in a random snorkeling point right before going back to Labuan Bajo.

Met up for dinner with the people I was with in the overnight boat trip

Blog: To Follow

Tokyo & Kawaguchiko

Dinner in Tokyo with Laura & Leon (former HTC people) & Kristin

The week-long trip to Japan was my last trip for 2017. It was not my first time (I’ve been there in 2015 & in 2016) so I decided to explore the not-so-famous areas like Kawaguchiko. I flew to Tokyo in the morning, then I met Laura & Leon (people I met in HTC Elevate years ago) in late afternoon until evening.

Picture-perfect Mount Fuji 🗻😍

The following day, I took the bus to Kawaguchiko where I stayed for 2 full days. I met good friends in the hostel which I went around the place with. We went up to Mt. Fuji 4th Station, walked around Kawaguchiko town & we even went cycling around Lake Kawaguchiko. I saw Mt Fuji at its finest (a lot of times!!) during my short stay in this quiet town.

Cycled around Lake Kawaguchiko with these guys 🚴

Blog: To Follow

Takayama & Shirakawa-go

Takayama Old Town 🏠

After spending 2 days in Kawaguchiko, I took a 5-hour bus ride to Takayama. Takayama is a city that is located in the rural, mountainous Hida region in Gifu Prefecture. Just like any other Japanese rural centers, the city retains traditional character. This is shown in the preserved old town. I walked around the old town & the city for one whole day. I was able to visit various temples & museums along the way. I also tried the famous Hida beef in one of the restaurants near JR Takayama Station.

Hida beef for lunch 😋

I went on a half day side trip to Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage site located at the foot of Mt. Haku-san. Located about an hour away from Takayama, this old village is characterized by gassho-style farmhouses. I spent 3 hours walking around the village, hopping from one house to the other.

Shirakawa-go from the view point 😍

The visits to Takayama Old Town & Shirakawa-go were the highlights of my stay in Gifu Prefecture.

Gassho-style farmhouse in Shirakawa-go 😍

Blog: To Follow

The list above doesn’t account the number of times I went to my hometown in Albay for family functions & random weekends. I plan to continue going home (every few months) to my parents in 2018. There’s definitely no place like home.

Picturesque Mayon Volcano 🌋 There’s no place like home 😍

The trips above pretty much sum up my 2017. It was a year of discovering known places like Coron, Taipei & Ubud, to not-so-known places like Siquijor & Kawaguchiko & to relatively unknown places like Port Barton, Nusa Penida, Komodo & Takayama. It was another year full of memories I will cherish for the rest of my life. I already have a few trips planned for 2018 & I look forward to exploring more of what this beautiful world has to offer.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC Re & HTC U11. 

Last-Minute SIQUIJOR Weekend (For Less Than ₱7,000 Including Airfare)

3 months ago, my friends & I went on a last-minute weekend trip to Siquijor. I consider it a last-minute trip because we booked the tickets a month before (which I normally don’t do) & we made the itinerary few days before our flight.

Siquijor is a small province island located southeast of Negros Island & south of Cebu. People normally refer to the island as the island of sorcery & witchcraft. They say (but I haven’t seen any proof) many locals practice sorcery & folk medicine in the island. I know for a fact the most provinces here in the Philippines have people who practice this, so I don’t see any reason why Siquijor be labeled as such.

Siquijor’s famous Cambugahay Falls 

One of the purposes of this post is to debunk that myth & to show to my readers that there’s more in Siquijor than witchcraft & sorcery. Siquijor is starting to gain attention from foreign & local tourists because of its beautiful landscapes & very accommodating people. I’ve heard amazing stories from my friends who’ve been there so I was happy I was able to experience what they experienced.

Siquijor squad : (L-R) JE, Geof & myself 😎

Another purpose of this trip was to reconnect with our friend JE who is now based in Dumaguete for work. It’s been years since we last saw him so we took advantage of this trip to visit him & spend the weekend in the chill island of Siquijor.

I will layout to you in this post how we went to Siquijor, where we stayed & what places we visited & how much I spent for this trip.

Ticket

Screenshot of my ticket to Dumaguete ✈️

30 days before the trip, Geof & I booked a round-trip air ticket to Dumaguete for only ₱2,013. That airfare is already cheap considering our trip falls on a weekend (Saturday morning to Monday afternoon) & the trip is 30 days away. We’ve planning to go to Dumaguete for quite sometime, so it was nice to finally push through with the plan.

How We Went To Siquijor

There are a few ways to go to Siquijor from Manila – you can fly to either Dumaguete, Cebu or Tagbilaran then take a ferry / fast craft ride to the island. Given we only had the weekend, we took the easiest option. We flew to Dumaguete in the morning, went straight to Dumaguete Port & took the earliest available ferry to Siquijor.

We initially planned to take OceanJet‘s fast craft service but the units used in the Dumaguete-Siquijor route were under maintenance that weekend. We had no choice but to take the 9:30 am Montenegro Ferry to the island. Upon arrival in the island, we took a motorcycle ride to the Larena Port (the other port) to meet our friend JE, who came from a work trip in Tagbilaran.

Our ride from Siquijor Port to Larena Port; Geof tried to vlog while on the road 😂

The Bruce Resort

Our plan was to spend the 3 days & 2 nights in Siquijor but JE had to go back to go Dumaguete on Sunday night for following day work commitments. We agreed to just stay there for 2 days & 1 night. My friend JE recommended that we stay in Bruce Resort in San Juan.

Our triple room in Bruce Resort

We got ourselves a triple fan room for ₱1,200 per night (without breakfast). The room is a few meters from the beach. It comes with 1 double & 1 single bed with private toilet (with towels & toiletries). Guests can also refill their water bottles for free. This resort is strategically located in San Juan, it’s in the middle of all the major tourist spots. The resort also had a swimming pool which we were not able to use.

Bruce Resort’s beach 😍

Accommodation choices in Siquijor vary; you can find luxury & budget resorts, hostels & homestays in the island. Make sure to choose the type of accommodation that suits you. If you are looking for a budget & nice place to stay, I’ll recommend The Bruce Resort in San Juan, Siquijor.

Siquijor Coastal Tour

Siquijor is only a small island. If you are coming from Dumaguete or South of Cebu, you can actually go there in the morning, explore for the day & go back in the afternoon. The island’s most popular tour is the coastal tour. The most convenient way for small groups to take this tour is to rent a tricycle for a day for ₱1,000. The rate is directed by the local tourism office, so expect that all tricycles will offer the same price. We arrived late on our first day so we decided to split up the coastal tour into 2 days, also to have more time in each place. We went to the following places:

St. Francis of Assisi Church

The St. Francis of Assisi Church, commonly known as the Siquijor Church, is the very first landmark you’ll see upon stepping out of the Siquijor Port. The parish was established in February 1, 1973. Just like any other church made during the Spanish colonial era, this was also made of stone.

Larena Triad Coffee Shop & Restaurant

View from the restaurant 😍

This coffee shop & restaurant was the place we had lunch after meeting up with JE. Situated on the top of a hill, this place offers a panoramic view of the coasts & the sea. From the view deck, you can see the islands of Cebu, Negros & of course, Siqujor. Food was unexpectedly good & was reasonably priced.

Guiwahon Mangrove Park

This mangrove park has a man-made wooden track / bridge between mangroves. They also have cottages for rent if tourists decide to stay for a few hours. I forgot to ask for the cottage rental rates (sorry). Guests are required to register & pay ₱10 entrance fee.

Enchanted Balete Tree

The enchanted balete tree is a 400-year old tree located along the national road in Lazi. A visit to the tree premises is free; but the place also offers a fish spa for only ₱10 per person.

San Isidro Labrador Church

The San Isidro Labrador Church or Lazi Church is the largest & oldest Church in Siquijor. It was built in 1884 using stone & wood.

Inside Lazi Church ⛪

San Isidro Labrador Convent

The San Isidro Labrador Convent is situated in front of the Lazi Church. This is a museum of historical artifacts & antiques. Unfortunately, the museum was closed when we were there.

Cambugahay Falls

Cambugahay Falls is a three-tiered cascading falls with clear water coming from natural springs & rainwater. The falls is 100+ steps down from the main road. The highlight of visiting this place is trying their Tarzan swings – hanging in the man-made vine & jumping into the water. There are 3 swings (with different heights); each swing costs ₱40 but you get unlimited tries. We stayed for more than 2 hours in this place & had more jumps than we expected – definitely our favorite in this trip.

Tip: Best to hire a guide that will take you around the falls. The guide will also serve as your photographer when you jump into the falls. They don’t have a prescribed rate; but I think it’s best to give them ₱100-₱200.

Salagdoong Beach

Salagdoong Beach is located in the small town of Maria, Siquijor. Located a few downhill minutes from the main road, this place is famous for its cliff diving spot, rock formations & a nice white sand beach. The resort has a restaurant where you can have your lunch. They also have cottages for rent & rooms for overnight accommodation. Entrance fee to the resort is ₱25 per person. Make sure to conquer your fear & try cliff diving. I tried it twice & it was hell of fun!

View from the cliff diving spot 😍

Tip: Do not go here on a weekend, especially on a Sunday. Locals usually go here for Sunday family excursions. We were there on a Sunday & the place was crowded.

Two other tourist spots we missed out (due to time constraints) in the coastal tour are Calipay Spring Park, a public natural spring made by the local government for the locals & visitors, & Paliton Beach, one of the nice beaches in the island.

Cebu Detour

After enjoying a nice late lunch & afternoon in Salagdoong Beach, we went back to Siquijor Port to buy tickets for the last ferry trip to Dumaguete. Upon arrival in the port, we found out that Ocean Jet still doesn’t have trips & all the other trips were fully booked. It was a blessing in disguise we were with JE – he knew another way of going back to Dumaguete, via Liloan in Cebu.

View from the ferry en route to Liloan, Cebu

We immediately went to the other port in Larena & got tickets for the 5:00 pm ferry trip to Liloan, Cebu. The slow ferry ride took us about 2 hours. Upon arrival in Liloan Port, we took the tricycle to the fast craft terminal to Sibulan. Thank God we made it to the last trip for the day at 7:30 pm. The trip to Sibulan Port (located in the town beside Dumaguete City) took us 30-40 minutes. We were back in Dumaguete before 9:00 pm.

Dumaguete City Side Trip

We only had 1 night & 1 morning in Dumaguete so we weren’t able to go to the nearby attractions like Manjuyod Sand Bar, Casaroro Falls & Apo Island. We only stayed in the city in our short stay. Upon arrival in the city, we headed to the Sans Rival Bistro to have dinner.

Dinner with the boys at Sans Rival Bistro

After dinner, JE took us around the city. He showed us the church, the boulevard (like Manila’s Baywalk), the city church & bell tower, the city & provincial halls, the malls (haha) & other notable establishments. Then, we went to Golden Gate Suites to check in, leave our stuff & freshen up. We went out for coffee at midnight before we finally dozed off.

Our room in Golden Gate Suites, Dumaguete City

The following morning, we went out for breakfast at Cafe Mamia & dropped by Sans Rival Bistro to buy some treats for families & friends back home. We went back to the hotel & spent the rest of the morning there before heading to the airport for our flight to Manila.

A trip to Dumaguete will never be complete w/o buying the famous silvanas! 😋

Summary of Expenses

Everything might last-minute for this trip, but let’s have a look at how much I spent for the entire trip.

Spending ₱6,836 for a Siquijor weekend getaway (airfare included) is not bad. The airfare was definitely a bargain, considering it was booked 30 days before the trip. We obviously spent more on food but it was all good. We didn’t have enough time to explore more of Dumaguete but I look forward to visiting the city again soon.

Until our next trip! 😊

My friend Geof made vlogs about this weekend trip! Make sure to check  his Day 1 vlog & Day 2 vlog. Don’t forget to subscribe to his channel for more travels & adventures.

Have you been to Siquijor? How was your visit to the beautiful island? Are you planning to go there soon? I think you should! Feel free to post your questions in the comments section below. You can also send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Drop me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC Re & HTC U11.

Throwback Thursday Treat: Third Time Fun in El Nido

It’s been over a month since my last trip blog post. I am very sorry I haven’t posted anything; I’ve been busy with work & personal stuff. I had several birthday celebrations; I’ve also been just back from a week in Bali & a weekend in my hometown in Albay. I hope everyone is doing well. I promise to keep up with all the content planned for the past weeks.

Anyway, back to business. It’s Thursday, so it’s time for another Throwback Thursday Treat! It’s been a year since my high school friends & I spent a long weekend in El Nido, Palawan (my 3rd time). I think it’s a good time to relive the good times we had in that short weekend trip.

View from El Nido town 😍

Airfare

Philippine Airlines had their annual Christmas sale last December 2015. I was able to book a round-trip ticket to Puerto Princesa City for only ₱1,636. The fare included a 10 kg check-in baggage allowance per way & in-flight snack. Not bad, right?

Screenshot of my ticket to & from Puerto Princesa, Palawan

All the while, the plan was to go to El Nido / Port Barton alone for a weekend, but my high school friends decided to join me on that same weekend. We had plans of going to El Nido but I never thought it will be during this trip that we’ll go there. At least, I didn’t have to enjoy paradise by myself.

Trip to El Nido

2 friends flew to Puerto Princesa days earlier & went around the city for a day & a half. Junelle & I flew on the same afternoon, but with via different airlines. Upon arrival in Puerto Princesa, we immediately went to our friend’s hotel located a few meters from the airport.

Upon arrival at Puerto Princesa International Airport

We had dinner at Kinabuch’s Grill & Bar in Puerto Princesa before heading to the bus terminal to catch the last night bus to El Nido. The air conditioned bus left at 9:00 pm & arrived in El Nido at around 2:30 in the morning. We headed to our respective accommodations & slept for the rest of the morning.

Accommodation

I already booked my accommodation right before my friends booked their flights. I got a dormitory bed in El Nido’s newest (that time) hip hostel – Spin Designer Hostel. I booked via Booking.com; the nightly rate includes a bed in a 4-bed dormitory room with toiletries & breakfast. I paid ₱2,750 for 4 nights.

Each guest is provided a room key card, a spacious bed & locker. Guests have access to common shower & toilet facilities. Wi-Fi is only available in common areas (not sure if they have given access up to the rooms). The hostel also organizes day trips & night activities like acoustic nights, sports nights, barbecue nights, etc. The common areas were well-designed & spacious. The hostel is very social; it’s very easy to meet & connect with new people.

The staff were one of the nicest & the most helpful I’ve met. The hostel is also secured with guards on duty 24/7 on both gates. If you are alone & keen on meeting new people, Spin Designer Hostel is the hostel for you. Make sure to book your stay early as they are usually fully-booked.

Note: My friends stayed in a different accommodation because there were no other beds available in Spin Hostel.

Nacpan Beach Day 1

We hired 2 tricycles for ₱1,200 each for a day trip to Nacpan Beach. We left around 10:00 in the morning & decided to stay there up until 4:00 in the afternoon. It was supposed to be a day of relaxation, but the weather didn’t cooperate. It was raining most of the afternoon. We still had fun in the beach despite the heavy rainfall.

‘Habang umuulan’ photo with Junelle 😂

We headed to Las Cabanas Beach to watch the sunset, but it wasn’t at its best. The sky was cloudy; you could barely see the sunset. We went back to our respective accommodations to freshen up. We met up at 7:00 pm to have dinner at Trattoria Altrove, a known Italian restaurant in town.

Tour A Island Hopping Tour

Tour A is a must when in El Nido. It is my 3rd time to visit this place & I still go back for this tour. For the third time, I took Tour A – an island hopping day tour which goes to different lagoons & beaches in Bacuit Bay.

We booked the tour in the agency partner of our Nacpan tricycle driver. The tour is priced at ₱1,200 but we got ours for ₱1,100 each because we were a group of 4. Our driver picked us up at 8:00 am & we went straight to the beach. We left the town at 8:30 am & enjoyed the tour around the islands until 4:00 pm. Here are the places we visited:

Small Lagoon

Secret Lagoon

Snorkelling somewhere near Miniloc Island

Shimizu Island (also the place where we had lunch)

Big Lagoon

Seven Commando Beach

Nacpan Beach Day 2

We had a little debate whether we’ll take Tour C or go to Nacpan Beach again for our 3rd day. We wanted to relax a bit so we went for the latter. The weather was perfect & the beach was at its best! I’ll let the photos show how relaxing the place was.

Nacpan & Calitang Twin Beach 😍

Last Day

Right before eating lunch in Badjao Seafront Restaurant 

We took the 8:00 am Camarih Transport shuttle back to Puerto Princesa; dropped by the pasalubong center to get some goodies for families & friends back in Manila; ate lunch at Badjao Seafront Restaurant (a must-eat restaurant in Puerto Princesa) & headed to the airport for our flights back to Manila.

It was short but fun weekend trip with my high school friends. We’ve been to different places & countries & I think this El Nido was one of the best trips we had. We don’t have anything planned for our next trip (ehem); I hope we get to decide where we’ll go next & when will that be. I could travel the whole world with these people.

El Nido ’16 crew group photo 😊

If you haven’t read it yet, I already blogged about my past 2 El Nido trips – March 2014 trip & 2014 Birthday Weekend. Have you been to El Nido recently? Any notable changes in infrastructure, island hopping tour costs, etc? Feel free to let me know by putting some comments below. You can also send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Drop me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

The world-famous Big Lagoon during low tide

Curious how I booked my super duper cheap round-trip ticket to Puerto Princesa? Don’t worry, I got you covered. Head over to this post (and this post too) to know more.

‘Til the next throwback Thursday post! 😉

PS. All photos above were shot using my HTC Re.