Boljoon, 9º37'6''N 123º28'40''E
Y por fin de vuelta en Filipinas! Tengo que decir que la llegada no fue muy buena, desde las 10pm hasta mas de las 12am esperando un taxi en el aeropuerto de Manila y acabando pagando mas de 4 veces el precio normal ya que en esas 2 horas solo pasaron 6 taxis oficiales. Increíble el trafico a la 1 de la madrugada, con 5 carriles llenos en cada sentido!!!! Esa ciudad es un caos!
Al dia siguiente cayo el diluvio universal (la cola de un tifon) y no sali hasta la noche que Aaron, un amigo de un amigo que conoci en Madrid y que es de Manila me llevo a cenar a un sitio genial en la calle, Tambai , riquisimo!
De ahi me fui a Bohol, visite las colinas de Chocolate y vi los tarsiers, me desplace en bus local, aguantando musica chunda chunda a tope, en jeepney (jeeps gigantes llenos hasta los topes, como los buses), y fui un dia a la playa, que no era gran cosa pero un grupo de chicas universitarias me acogio y me invito a comer con ellas.
Bohol me resulto impresionante, y me hizo recordar, tras Manila, porque tenia tantas ganas de volver a Filipinas, es verde, llena de palmeras, carreteras rodeadas de arrozales y pueblecitos. Pude ir de paquete en una moto un dia y hacer mil fotos y fue genial.
Mi siguiente parada seria en Panglao, una Isla al sur de Bohol, conectada por un puente, y donde iba a pasar Nochebuena y Navidad en la playa. La playa era bonita, pero el sitio no era gran cosa. En nochebuena fui a bucear a la Isla de Balicasang que es parque natural. Habia muchas tortugas, unas cuantas inmensas.
Por la noche, cena de Noche Buena con 3 Belgas (Hans, al que conoci, en Myanmar, Bruno, en Bohol, y Stephen, uno nuevo). Acabamos en un restaurante Belga dandonos un homenaje de 4 platos y postre!. Despues, en el hostel organizaban una fiestecilla de Nochebuena, eramos muy pocos pero fue entretenido.
Mi siguiente parada seria Siquijor, la isla magica, famosa por los curanderos y la magia negra. Raro en mi, no reserve el ferry y cuando llegue por la mañana no habia! Tras dar vueltas y mas vueltas, en el ultimo momento consegui que me dieran un asiento. Tampoco reserve hostel, y cuando llegue no habia cama, pero Bruno habia reservado y decidido no ir en el ultimo momento asi que me quede con su reserva. Al final me quedaría alli 4 noches disfrutando de fantasticas puestas de sol, una playa tranquila y un dia de recorrer la isla, de nuevo de paquete en moto, ademas de una cena )lechon Manok, que no es cerdo sino pollo) muy divertida en Rastaman Grill, un sitio que encontramos de paso y que tenia una camarera que estaba como una cabra (y cantaba muy bien).
Me habian aconsejado pasar fin de año en Dumaguete, una ciudad en la Isla de Negros Oriental y desde alli fui a bucear en la conocida Apo Island....y a cenar a un karaoke, que es super tipico, pero no cante!jajaja. Celebre el año nuevo cenando el famoso Lechon kawali, que esta vez si fue cerdo! Vamos, lo que viene siendo un Lechon.
En Dumaguete pude encontrar una ofcina para comprar mi billete de ferry a Surigao, porque no los venden por web. Despues de una hora esperando que abrieran me dijeron que aun no estaban en venta, porque no me entendieron el dia, y acto seguido, que ya no quedaban! A veces es desesperante viajar por estas islas, parece que quieran ponertelo dificil! Finalmente me vendieron un ticket!
No hay gran cosa que hacer en Dumaguete, me pase los días charlando con los dueños del hostel, una pareja majisima que me llevo a cenar y me organizo el buceo, asi que me fui el dia 2 temprano en ( triciclo, jeepney y ) barco a Santander y de ahí Boljoon. Ayer me di una vuelta por el pueblo, estaban de celebración de alguna misa especial ( sábado 2 a las 5.30?) e iban todos de punta en blanco, la iglesia muy bonita. Cene un pescado a la parrilla y de vuelta al hostel. Hoy, tras desayunar una tortilla sumergida en aceite en un puesto de la carretera ( en el hostel cobran 4 euros por desayunar!-una barbaridad en estas latitudes- y aquí la señora es muy amable y me ha buscado te en su casa) dedicare mi día a la playa y mañana a Cebu a tomar el ferry a mi proximo destino!
Finally back to Philippines! Not the best arrival as Manila is a complete caos and I had to wait more than 2 hours at the airport for a taxi, and as only 6 metered taxis arrived in those 2 hours I had to pay 4 times the normal fare to be able to get out of there.
Next day it was raining but Aaron, a friend of a friend in Spain, took me to diner to a great place in the street, Tambai, and it was so great after the Hong Kong horrible food!.
My first Island was Bohol. I visited the Chocolate Hills and the Tarsiers, momve around in local buses with loud music and typical jeepneys so crowded you couldn’t move an inch, I went to the beach and was invited for lunch by a group of University girls...
Getting to the island reminded me why I was so eager to return to Philippines, the green of the palm trees, the little roads and villages, everything was so beautiful, and I also could explore it from the back of a scooter, so I took many photos.
I decided to spent Christmas in Panglao, an Island to the south of Bohol, it was not so special. I went for diving to the National Park of Balicasang Island and saw many turtles, some really big.
I went for diner with 3 Belgian guys in Christmas Eve, we gent ot a Belgian restaurante and had a 4 dises menu! And ended up in the little Christmas Eve party at the hostel.
Next stop would be Siquijor Island, the magic Isalnd, famous for the witchcrafts and black magic, shamans and sourceres. As a weir thing I didn’t book the ferry in advance, and when I got there they were sold out. Finally, after going after every staff member I found in the pier, I got a ticket in the last minute. I hadn’t book a room either but a friend did not showed up so I got his bed in the resort. I would stay there for 4 nights, enjoying the most beautiful sunsets, the quietness of the beach and another island visit in the back of a bike. Also I should mention a diner of Lechon Manok (that is chiken)we had at Rastaman Grill, a place we found on the way, that has the most crazy waitress that also sings quite well.
I was recomended to spend New years Eve in Dumaguete, a town in Negros, and I stayed there some days and went for diving to Apo Island...and I went for diner to a Karaoke, very typical here, but I didn't sing!ahaha. In new year I went for diner with the hostel owners and I finally had Lechon kawali ( that's actualy pig).
I was finally able to buy my ticket to Surigao here, as they don't sell them through internet and have been told that they might be sold out the day of departure in Cebu. Was a bit tricky as I waited one hour for the office to open, then thay told me they were not for sale yey as they missundertood the date and then that they were sold out, but finally they decideed to sell me the ticket. As you see, it is a bit anoying to travel thorugh this country, they don't like to make it easy...
As there was not much to do in Dumaguete: I spent my days talking to the owners of the hostel, a really nice couple that took me to diner and organiced mi diving day; in the morning of the 2nd I took a boat ( tricicle and jeepney) to Santander, shouth Cebu, and I came to stay in Boljoon. Last evening I visited the town and they were all so dressed up for mass, it was nice to see, and the church was beautiful. Today I have just had an oily omelete for breakfast in a road shop ( hostel charges 4€ for breakfast, these people is crazy?) where the woman was so nice and looked for a tea for me in her own house, and now I'm going to the beach. Tomorrow, I will go to Cebu City to take a night boat to my next destination!
Tips:
Try to find a meter taxi at Manila airport. 3€ (150php) to go to the AirPort and 4 times that, to get off he airport!
Makati junction hostel in Makati, new hostel with nice traveler vibe. Around 12 € shared room, expansiva breakfast for 4€.
Z hostel in Makati, nice rooftop bar.
Tambai restaurante in Makati, bear 1€, bbq food from 1.5€.
Bohol:
Fox and the firefly cottages in Loboc, Bohol. 450php shared room. No lockers. Expansive food.
Chocolate hills, get there by bus, 28php or jeepney (10php), en trance to view point 50php (1€)
Tarsiers Sanctuary, 50php.
Alona:
Moonfools hostel in Alona, Panglao. 13€ night in shared room. No lockers but they have cctv. Really nice owner so helpful and available. They do not provide towels. They are quite new and improving...
Island adventure divers, 2 Fun dives with equipment and Balicasan Island fee for 2000php (40€).
Siquijor:
Charisma beach Resort in Siquijor, 350php in a big share dorm. Bathroom not that cool but the Resort and the staff is so nice. Great pool as is not easy to swim on that beach. Food is not the cheapest but is good for sharing as the quantities are big! 50 php tricicle to the port.
10php to park bike at the falls.
Rastaman grill, fun restaurant in San Juan, Lechon Manok, bbq and more. Nice staff, they are preparing to open a Guesthouse.
Ferry from Tagbilaran was 910php ( OceanJet). Ferry from Siquijor to Dumaguete only 100php with Aleson.
Dumaguete:
Tricicle around, 20php.
Bungalow hostel: new hostel, a 20php tricicle ride from the center. Nice and new, really helpful owners and staff. Not lockers yet but they offered to take care of belongings. Owners took me for diner 2 nights and they were really nice and funny people, had a great time in their company. Dorms (4pax) a bit expensive.
Dove with Harolds Mansion, 58€ 2 dives with food. Not the nicest staff.
Jeepney to Sibulan to take boat to Cebu:10php. Boat:62php. Bus to Boljoon, 55php.
Noordeze hostel, 9€ shared room. Really expensive food. Go next door for breakfast and to the town for diner. So close to Olsob to see the whale sharks. It has a beach and a small pool. Nice for a stop on my way to Cebu.
