Budget Travel

The more I gaze at the awe-inspiring photographs of the waterfalls of South Cebu over the internet, the more it had captivated me. To catch a glimpse of the stunning cascades scattered all over the Queen City was one of the reasons why I journeyed to her territory. So to carry out my mission, I travelled solo on DIY for a span of two days in four towns and got myself acquainted with eleven breathtaking (literally and figuratively) waterfalls of South Cebu.

A colleague of mine have asked me if where will be my next destination.  When I told him that I will be heading to Cebu next, he then enthusiastically said that it would be a lot of fun especially when I try Kawasan Canyoneering in Badian.  At the back of my mind, I was trying to recall if I have already encountered what he said, but I was clueless.  Back then, I had the slightest idea of what canyoneering was all about but the huge smile on his face piqued my curiosity and gave me the impression that it seemed very exciting.

Fifteen minutes off the coast of Bancogon in Oslob rests Bluewater Sumilon Island, a tiny landmass measuring at only twenty-four hectares.  To most tourists, the parcel of land is quite renowned for its shifting white sandbar.  However, the privately-owned island is more than just the sandbar and to discern more of what it is truly about, I spent the rest of my first day in Oslob on a day tour in Bluewater Sumilon Island. 

The island of Cebu is divided in two main regions, North and South.  They say that the northern part is for the laid-back wanderer where most of the pristine white sand beaches can be found. And while the southern part of Cebu is for the adventurous and more active traveler, I thought, hey! I also have an adventurous spirit in me and journeying to the south might just let me explore it even more.  

Day 1 of my DIY Cebu City Tour on a jeep and habal-habal was a huge defeat. Before retiring to bed, I pondered on what I did wrong that day. I went back to the drawing board and worked on a different approach. It was a new day the following day. The debacle that I’ve encountered didn’t stop me from making an effort to start anew.

An hour had passed then finally, “Welcome to Mactan-Cebu International Airport”, was announced over the airline’s PA system…At last, I was in Cebu. As I got out of the airport, I was thinking whether to take the taxi which was readily available right in front of me, or to look for the MyBus terminal or jeepney stop to get to where will I be staying while in Cebu. I was inclined to take the bus or the jeep however, I didn’t exactly know yet where the hotel was. So, after weighing each pros and cons, it was more practical to take a taxi at that time even if it was costly.

My grip on to the side of the boat tightened as the huge waves tossed us up in the air. Our boat was like jumping over a hurdle while forging through the swells that were about a meter high. Even with a life jacket on, I was a bit concerned and my imagination ran wild. Will our small boat be able to make it to Carabao Island without capsizing? All thanks to our young but skillful boat men, my paranoia was wiped out about 45 minutes later when we arrived safely in Carabao Island. However, it wasn’t quite the Carabao Island that we were expecting it to be.

I arrived in Liliw late in the afternoon by way of San Pablo City, the initial plan was to visit a good old friend of mine in his hometown to do some catching up. With my recent fascination with waterfalls and to maximize my time in the place, I searched the web for which alluring cascades are within the boundaries of Liliw and was lucky enough to have found Kilangin Falls.

Boracay has been the flagship vacation destination in the Philippines for the longest time. It has been perceived to be an expensive place to go to and spending your long weekend on the island may not come cheap. Everything seemed so costly to be on a world-renowned island getaway like Boracay. However, there are ways to make the most of your first time in Boracay even if you're on a budget.

Despite its remoteness, looking for a place to stay in Islas de Gigantes nowadays would not be a difficult task due to the number of resorts and homestays that can be found on the islands of Gigantes Norte and Gigantes Sur. It just boils down to which you think can offer you the best deal. As for me, I chose Gigantes Hideaway Tourist Inn as the place to stay in Islas de Gigantes.