Budget Trip

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.

You must have probably seen dozens of photos of Islas de Gigantes also known as Gigantes Islands as you sift through some destinations in the Philippines over the internet. Tagged as the Scallop Capital of the Philippines, its postcard-like immaculate white sand beaches and astounding karst formations have caught the attention of many and had urged them to come and spend a day or two, or even more in this so-called Paradise.

An overcast skies greeted us on our arrival at the busy Estancia Port in Iloilo after an hour and a half long drive from Roxas City. At the pier, we met our contact, Sir Nick. Arriving early gave us ample time to procure our provisions for some snacks and most importantly, drinking water. And off we went.

Gigantes Islands, have been luring local and international travelers alike in an impressive accelerated rate over the past few years. But can we, the average Joe, afford to have a vacation in this fast-rising dream destination?

I took a break from soloing and dragged my folks with me on a 9-day journey in and around Panay. To kick-off our Panay Island escapade, we sought for Roxas City, the capital of Capiz, as our first stop. We’ve spent 3D/2N in Exploring Places in Roxas City on DIY. Roxas City is an emerging economic city, 460 kilometers southeast of Manila. Also known as the Seafood Capital of the Philippines, it supplies the nation with most of the freshest seafood.