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Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay

19/1/2019

5 Comments

 
Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, Sunset, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
Yes, there are sunsets here at Punta Ballo Beach
Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, Main entrance, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
The main entrance to Easy Diving Resort
Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, Beachfront, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
Down at the beachfront

​Come as guest leave as friend

Come as guest leave as friend, is Easy Diving's motto. And yes, I think so. I made some friends here. Easy Diving and Beach Resort is beautifully located on Punta Ballo Beach around 15 minutes from downtown Sipalay. Expect to pay around 200-250 PHP to the tricycle driver. The Resort has 20 air-conditioned bungalows plus 2 bungalows with fan. 
Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, Beachfront, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
It was very quiet here
Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, The restaurant, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
The restaurant comes with sea breeze and ocean view

The bungalow was very fresh

Since I don't like air-condition I booked my bungalow with fan instead, actually there were two fans. Everything was very fresh and clean. The bungalow had a nice little porch with two chairs and a table where you could sit in the evenings and enjoy the quietness and practice stargazing. A so called free WiFi was included as a pocket WiFi. As far as I remember you had 3 GB of load for free. When you had consumed that you had to pay extra to get an additional 3 GB load. I was told this was only temporary until they had fixed a more permanent WiFi solution. I hope they did.
Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, My room, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
I really like the idea of bedside tables with lamps
Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, My room, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
The bungalow had no AC instead it had two fans which suited me much better!
Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, My room, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
It was very clean everywhere
Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, Say no to plastic, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
To fight the plastic pollution you could buy an aluminum bottle for 500 PHP with free refill of service water


Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, The restaurant, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
The restaurant where you could enjoy Easy Diving's delicious food. They also accept walk in guests.
Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, The restaurant, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
In the evenings they had mosquito coils so I was spared from mosquito bites

The food heaven 

In the restaurant they served excellent food, both Filipino and European style. The tuna steaks became quickly my favourites. Not to mention the delicious pancake with fresh mango and ice cream which was really addictive! In the evenings the atmosphere was really cozy in the restaurant. I was just sitting there inhaling the sea breeze and watched the sunset and contemplated about how good life was.
Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, The restaurant, Tuna Steak, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
Oh my! I could die for this tuna steak with spicy wasabi sauce and garlic rice
Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, The restaurant, Tuna Steak, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
My second love, tuna steak with creamy yellow curry sauce...
Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, The restaurant, Pancake, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
My secret lover forever! Pancake filled with fresh mango served with ice cream and chocolate sauce
Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, The restaurant, Bicol Express, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
Bicol Express, a famous spicy dish from the region of eastern Philippines, Bicol
Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, The restaurant, Breakfast, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
As delicious as it looks, the crispy bangus (fish) with rice and egg. So so Philippines!
Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, The restaurant, Breakfast, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
After a night of stargazing you need a real breakfast, so what can be better than hash browns with bacon and egg??
Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, The restaurant, Shrimps, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
A delicasy for the most demanding taste, spicy shrimps fried with chilli and garlic

Easy Diving has lots to offer

Easy Diving offers a lot, specially for those who are divers and I was told there are some really good diving spots just near. But even snorkelling was good if you swam enough out from the shore line. All the staff, from the owner to the room service were all very friendly and helpful. My highlights were the food, the quietness and beautiful location by the sea and not to mention my stargazing moments from my porch. 
Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, Stairs, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
One of the many stairs at Easy Diving
Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Sipalay, Reception, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
The friendly hotel dog taking a nap in the reception

Video clip

The video shows a bit of what to expect from the stairs and the snorkeling near the beach.

Conclusions about Easy Diving Resort

I paid 2300 PHP per night for the bungalow with fan and breakfast included. That was competitive when I compared with other resorts in the same area at Punta Ballo Beach. The location of Easy Diving is more convenient than those resorts at the famous Sugar Beach which is only accessible by boat. But be aware of the stairs, if you can't or don't like to walk in stairs then Easy Diving might not be for you. There are many stairs to walk when moving around in the resort. Aside from that, the food, the friendliness of the staff, the cleanliness in the bungalow were excellent. 
Rating: 1-5 where 1 is terrible and 5 is excellent
5 Location
5 Sleep Quality
5 Rooms
5 Service
5 Value for the money
5 Cleanliness 
Easy Diving and Beach Resort
Punta Ballo
6113 Sipalay-City
Philippines
(0063) 91 730 003 81
5 Comments

Go Hotels Dumaguete, Philippines

16/1/2019

1 Comment

 

Go Hotels in Dumaguete, surprisingly good! 

I spent one night at Go Hotels in Dumaguete and it was surprisingly good. I usually have other options in Dumaguete but they were fully booked. I kind of hesitated when I arrived there coz at this time they were renovating the place so I was worried it might be very noisy. The receptionist promised me that it wouldn't be any problem with noise and it turned that she was right.
Go Hotels, Lobby area, Dumaguete, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
The lobby at Go Hotels
Go Hotels, Lobby area, Dumaguete, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
The lobby area was large and spacious


Convenient location

Go Hotels is nothing for the one who is looking for a beach resort near the sea with amazing sunsets and a white sand beaches. Aside from that Go Hotels has a very convenient location. It's 2 minutes walking distance from Robinson mall with shopping and restaurants. It's 5 minutes walking distance from the Ceres bus terminal. It's 10-15 minutes walking distance from downtown and the famous Rizal Bouleward (Or just the Boulevard) where you have everything you can wish for.
Go Hotels, Coffee shop, Dumaguete, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
The adjacent coffee shop

The room but no breakfast

The room came with a private shower and CR and it was nice and clean. The AC was quiet and easy adjustable. The TV was working with all the channels that you ever want. The bed was fresh and of good quality so I had a good night's sleep. I paid 1500 PHP for one night and the breakfast not included. 
Go Hotels, The room, Dumaguete, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
The room had a good, quiet, and easy adjustable air condition
Go Hotels, The room, Dumaguete, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
I love to have a window in my room!
Go Hotels, Breakfast, Dumaguete, Philippines © travelblogonline.com
Breakfast in the coffee shop. Nothing out of the ordinary, a traditional beef tapas with coffee stick and creamer. The breakfast was not included in the room price.

Conclusion

If you are not looking for a beach resort or that cozy little family owned hotel with personal service and home cooked food... well then Go Hotels can be an alternative. Competitive price, good location, nice and clean room make Go Hotels to an excellent choice to stay for a couple of days.
​Rating: 1-5 where 1 is terrible and 5 is excellent
5 Location
5 Sleep Quality
5 Rooms
4 Service
4 Value for the money
5 Cleanliness 
Go Hotels Dumaguete
Calindagan Rd, Dumaguete
6200 Negros Oriental
Philippines
Phone: +63 35 522 1100

Related posts to Negros >>>

1 Comment

Bantayan road trip part 2

18/3/2018

0 Comments

 

Crystal clear water

Already from the ferry we spotted those nice fabulous beaches with white sand that we had read about. This was really promising. Even in the port in Santa Fe the water was crystal clear. In fact many of the big resorts are located close to the port.
Picture
Bantayan Island is surrounded by many pristine beaches with crystal clear water and white sand

Bantayan Island Nature Park and Resort

Most places were fully booked the day we arrived at Bantayan island. But on the fly we had managed to get a cottage at Bantayan Island Nature Park and Resort. On the map it looked close to Santa Fe and the port. But the reality turned out to be different. The distance was 6-7 km and the road going there was partly very bad.
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Happy to have reached the destination or hmm just hungry?

Simple accommodation but nice

When we finally arrived there someone was very hungry. We ordered lunch and ate it in their open air restaurant. The accommodation was simple but nice with private bathroom, AC and fan. I really liked the place because the whole resort was surrounded by lush forest vegetation but with a nice view over the sea.
Picture
The food was good but maybe a little bit pricey

Remote location

Due to the remote location of our resort, we were really dependent on our scooter, without it we had been stuck there. But every time when we were going back from town after darkness it was an adventure. Not so much for the traffic more on negotiating bad roads and watching out for stray dogs.
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Two beauties posing together
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Driving in the darkness was all ways adventurous!


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We never ate at Tristan’s despite the nice location by the sea

Food market in Santa Fe

The Food market is an area big as a few quarters where most restaurants and bars are situated. Are you looking for nightlife, then it’s here you should be. Many times we went all the way from our remotely resort in to the Food market for our dinner.
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One small part of the Food market
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Those kids seemed not mind to be photographed
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Cge naah! ( come on! )

Our favorites

One favorite was the French bakery, he had super delicious cheese cakes and baguettes. Another fabulous place was the Tiki bar which had very yummy food, specially their hamburgers which were both big and tasty. Outside the central of Santa Fe we sometimes ate cheap at small eateries and barbecue places.
Picture
Did I hear the word food??
Picture
The French baker guy made nice cheese cakes accompanied with real strong and good coffee
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The reason why we became valued customers at Boulangerie Française
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Here they had the delicious Tiki hamburger with egg and bacon
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At the local barbecue place
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Fresh barbecue sticks for the people!
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Digging deep in the pots here
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Back to basic, barbecued chicken with rice!

​Related links:

< previous
​next >
Bantayan road trip part 1
Bantayan road trip part 2
Bantayan road trip part 3
Bantayan road trip part 4
Paradise beach Bantayan

To be continued...

0 Comments

Bantayan road trip

14/3/2018

0 Comments

 

A longer road trip this time

Inspired from our previous road trip to Sipalay we decided to go for an even longer one this time. So why not make it big and go roughly 600 km back and forth, like from Dumaguete to Bantayan island!

The need of travel light

When you are two persons on a regular scooter you need to travel light. There are many considerations you need to think about and one thing is not to bring too much clothes.
Picture
Someone really needed to rethink the amount of clothes to bring

Go with the flow

We hadn’t made any detailed plan for our route. Our motto was to be spontaneous and go with the flow. We took the ferry from Tampi over to Bato to Cebu island.
Picture
The ferry over to Bato on Cebu island went smoothly
Picture
We took our lunch here and witnessed a motorcycle accident. A reminder for us to take it easy. By the way no one was hurt except maybe for the self esteems.


Overnight in Malboal

Our first stretch was not that far. We arrived in Malboal when it started to be dark so we realized we had to stay there for the night. Some consultations among the booking sites and we ended up at the T Breeze Coastal Resort which was nicely located by the sea.
Picture
Life could be worse
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Breakfast was not included in the price but at least the view was for free
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Doing FaceTime with the daughter

Hit the road again

The T Breeze Coastal Resort was really a nice place but we were bound for Bantayan island after all, so we had to hit the road early the next day.
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A friendly hotel dog accompanied us at certain moments (when we were eating) at T Breeze

Buko juice

Aside from dogs, buko juice is the man’s best friend when it comes to drinks. Refreshing and healthy at least if it’s fresh and comes without sugar. Strangely enough it’s sometimes hard to find fresh buko juice... despite there are so many coconut trees everywhere here.
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Buko means young coconut in Filipino
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I have this weird thought that one day someone will chop the hand off while preparing the Buko juice...
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The buko stand had many satisfied customers
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Gathering energy for the next stretch on the scooter
The last stretch to Bantayan island and our first lunch at the Bantayan Island Nature Park and Resort

Tuburan city

It took longer than expected to drive so we had to stay overnight at Tuburan city. Still around 80 km from where we would take the ferry over to Bantayan island. Tuburan hadn’t much to offer but we found a hotel and a 7/11. That’s all we needed!
Picture
Tuburan was a sleepy little town which hadn’t much to offer
Picture
We were lucky, we found the only hotel in town just in time. It offered a simple accommodation and a nice sunset from the balcony.
Picture
Breakfast was not included in our hotel stay but we had a 7/11 just nearby.
Picture
First time ever I had breakfast at a 7/11 and to be honest the sausages are warmly recommended

Tired of driving

The next day we started early after breakfast. This last stretch up to Hagnaya port went fairly smooth. But I started to feel tired of driving so I wanted us to reach the ferry as soon as possible.
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Here we took a short break
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Hey I just want a small ice cream... cege nahh...??
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Finally at Hagnaya port where we took the ferry
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Someone was seasick again
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Finally Bantayan island in sight!

Related links:

​next >
Bantayan road trip part 1
Bantayan road trip part 2
Bantayan road trip part 3
Bantayan road trip part 4
Paradise beach Bantayan
0 Comments

Pamilacan island Philippines

11/3/2018

4 Comments

 

Something special

Since we had two friends from Sweden visiting us here in the Philippines we wanted to show them something special. So we decided to go to Pamilacan island.
Picture
A beautiful house with an astonishing view located inland on the island
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And of course there were amazing sunsets here as well

Boat from Baclayon

At Baclayon we met with Mam Elvie who had arranged our stay at Enas cottages. The weather was good and the sea looked calm. Mam Elvie told us that it normally takes 45-60 min to go by the boat to Pamilacan.
Going from Baclayon to Pamilacan island
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Someone was still seasick after the boat trip
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Free coffee was included in the room rate

I wanted to extend

After an hour or so we reached Pamilacan. The sea was calm in the beginning but later on it became quite rough. Nevertheless we made it and as soon as I sat my foot on stable ground I realized I wanted to extend our stay to two nights instead of only one night. Hey, it’s not everyday you pay a visit to the paradise, right?
Picture
A visit in the paradise


Accomodation

The accomdation at Enas cottages was simple but nice. No AC, tv or hot water. But a fan, a mosquito net and a private toilet with a bucket of cold water were available. This accommodation is not for everyone but it was good enough for us. Three meals per day were included in the price.
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Pancakes with coco jam for breakfast
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Bonding with the guys

Snorkeling

The main activity here at Pamilacan is snorkeling aside for just unwinding and contemplateing about how good life is after all. You have at least two beaches where you can swim and snorkel freely. Then you have the Coral garden and the Marine sanctuary where you need a guide to accompany you. We did both the Coral garden and the Marine sanctuary. We were more lucky with the Coral garden since the weather was better and the sea was more clear.

Highlights

We also did dolphin watching in the morning. It was a long ride with the boat but the only thing we managed to see were the tails of a couple of dolphins. We were also supposed to see sea turtles just outside Enas cottages but we didn’t see any. My highlights were the spectacular sceneries of the island specially under the water and the quietness at night time.
The highlights of our trip to Pamilacan island

Facts

Boats are available from Baclayon on Bohol. Expect 60 min to go with the boat to Pamilacan. We paid 300 PHP per head one way. Inquire at the pier in Baclayon.
Accommodation was 850 PHP per head and night with three meals included at Enas cottages.
Snorkeling guides 250 PHP per hour. 150 PHP for renting snorkeling gears.
Picture
Another breathtaking sunset
Related links:​
​
Snorkeling at Pamilacan island
Alona Beach, Panglao​
Where to stay in Tagbilaran, Bohol​
Day trip to Isola de Francesco​
The Hills​
Where to eat in Tagbilaran?
Find a house for rent in Panglao
Review of the Food Court in Island City Mall (Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines)
Bohol and Panglao Islands, Philippines
Isola de Francesco or Virgin Island, Panglao, Philippines
Review of Swiss Zurigo Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bojol Grill Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of A's Chicken Nuggets & Grill Haus (Bohol, Philippines)
The giant Arogo and the smallest primate, what do they have in common?
Review of Panglao Island Nature Resort & Spa  (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Henann Resort Alona Beach (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Shang Palace Seafood Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bo's Coffee (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of The Buzzz Café (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Golden Cowrie (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Staylite Park Bed and Breakfast (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Arabelle Suites (Bohol, Philippines)
4 Comments

Apo island the pearl of the Visayas

24/2/2018

4 Comments

 

Going to Apo island

​When you get visitors all the way from Sweden, what can be better than show them the little pearl of the Visayas, Apo island. Apo island is probably most famous for its sea turtles. Wednesdays is a good day to go there because it's market day at the Malatapay market just near the port for Apo island. There will be many locals going back and forth Apo island and the market so it will be easy to get seats on a boat. Facts about how to get there, fees etc see here >>>
Sea Turtle, Apo Island, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
Apo Island is known for its many sea turtles.
The Rollin Pin, Dumaguete, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
It was empty at the Rollin Pin today where I had my breakfast.
Knives, Malatapay market, Apo Island, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
They have everything at Malatapay market...
Dried fish, Malatapay market, Apo Island, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
Dried fish
Livestock, Malatapay market, Apo Island, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
Here the livestock market. 5 PHP to go in there.
Fisherman with his catch, Malatapay market, Apo Island, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
The fisherman with his catch


A short clip showing the lively livestock market

Never sit under a coconut tree!

Instead of hiring a boat we had arranged a transfer through Liberty lodge where we were going to stay. We shared the boat with two other tourists and some locals. We were waiting over an hour for the boat to show up and get ready for the trip back. When we patiently were sitting there waiting we suddenly heard big THUMP! A big vicious coconut had fall from the palm tree and hit the woman in the striped t-shirt. She was very lucky since she wasn't hit in the head. The woman fainted by the shock and was carried away by some helpful people. Obviously she missed the boat but I guess, at least she survived the incident with just the fright and some minor bruises. 
The port, Apo Island, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
A few minutes after this pic was taken the woman in the striped t-shirt was attacked by the coconut!
The port, Apo Island, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
Unloading and loading our boat.
On our way to Apo island, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
Finally on our way and I managed not to get sea sick!
Liberty Lodge, Apo Island, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
Liberty lodge and our room was at the very top of the building.
Liberty Lodge, Apo Island, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
We had to climb many stairs to get to the Top 1 room.
View from our room, Apo Island, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
Our view from the room was not bad. We paid 3700 PHP for one night with the extra bed included.

We were lucky, we swam with the sea turtles

We arrived at lunch time so we had the afternoon for snorkeling with the famous sea turtles. At first we didn't see any of them but later on we were lucky. That time of the day it was relatively many tourists and the snorkeling guides were busy towing around tourists who were not able to swim and snorkel by themselves.
A video clip showing the sea turtles

Life is wonderful

In the afternoon most of the tourists went back to mainland and only those who would stay over night were still on Apo island. After dinner we went up to the lighthouse at the top of the island and enjoyed the sunset. At 10 PM the electricity was shut down in order to conserve energy and the whole island got totally quiet. It was an almost surreal feeling to sit there on our balcony star gazing and contemplate about the all the wonderful things in life.
Going to the lighthouse, Apo Island, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
350 steps something and 600-700 m to walk to the lighthouse.
Lighthouse, Apo Island, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
The lighthouse and the new construction at the top of Apo island.
Sunset, Apo Island, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
The view from here was very rewarding.
Sunset, Apo Island, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
Sunset at Apo island.
A compilation of pictures from our trip

Don't expect to sleep long in the morning

At roughly 4 AM the first rooster was calling good morning. Even the dogs were still sleeping at that time. 30 minutes later all roosters on the whole of Apo island were calling good morning together with the dogs which were barking. I guess they were also awakened by the roosters. 6 AM the boatsmen started up their boats. The good thing was that we took an early breakfast and plunged in the sea snorkeling before all the tourists were coming from the mainland. Time goes fast when you enjoy so already at 1 PM it was time to take to boat back again. 
Going home, Apo Island, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
After 24 hours on this beautiful island we were heading back to mainland.

The budget

The budget for us on this trip was:
​A double room with an extra bed at the Liberty lodge 3700 PHP with three meals included.
600 PHP per head back and forth with the boat, ask Liberty for the transfer.
100 PHP an environmental fee upon arriving to Apo island.
28 PHP with bus from South Terminal in Dumaguete going there.
​20 PHP with jeepney going back to Dumaguete.

Not included in our budget, but available if you need it: Rent of life vests (when snorkeling), renting a table ( to put your stuff), snorkeling gear and snorkeling guides. 

​Going there:

Take a jeepney from Dumaguete city centre, around 20 PHP. Tell the driver to let you off at the Malatapay Market in the town of Zamboanguita, around 40 min from Dumaguete. Go down to the shore and rent a motorized boat that will take you to Apo island. The round-trip boat ride costs 2500 PHP (good for 4 passengers), 3000 (good for 6 passengers) or 3500 PHP (good for 8 passengers). Solo travelers may join other groups, and share the costs for the boat rental.

​Or you can let the lodge arrange with the transfer as we did on this trip.
Related links:​
Outing with the girls​
Baslay Hot Spring in Dauin
Road trip to Sipalay​
A day of exercise
The fine art of eating an ice cream​
Review of GK Coffee shop in Dumaguete​
Review of The Tres Bistro in Dumaguete
Review of Chapters Café in Dumaguete​
The Christmas House in Dumaguete
Tarbush, a story of love​
The boulevard in Dumaguete​
Review of 2Story kitchen in Dumaguete, Negros
Review of Gabby's Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Fish 153 Korean Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Mooon Café Robinsons Place (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Café Mafioso (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Atong Kamalig Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of San Rival Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Sta Teresa Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Tierra Alta Residential Resort, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines
4 Comments

Where to stay in Tagbilaran, Bohol

8/1/2018

2 Comments

 

Review of Dayview Tourist Home

Dayview Tourist Home, Bohol Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
Dayview Tourist Home


Strategic location near the port and the airport

Dayview Tourist Home is an anonymous little pearl located just in between the Tagbilaran Ferry Terminal and the airport. Just a few minutes ride with tricycle from both which makes Dayview ideal as a starting point for Bohol.
Dayview Tourist Home, Front desk, Bohol Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
The front desk
Dayview Tourist Home, Entrance to our room, Bohol Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
Our room was nr 11

The best internet ever so far!

Dayview Tourist Home is not a fancy place, there is no beach, no pool and neither a fantastic view. But the place is new, fresh and very clean. The bed was equipped with a spring mattress. Our room had both AC and fan. Breakfast was not included but it didn't matter because you have the Cogon market around the corner where you could buy whatever you want. And last but definitely not least, according to my experience they had the best internet connection so far in the whole of Philippines! Yes you heard right. A stable and powerful connection where you could upload and download heavy files. For some that doesn't matter but if you are working online that's worth its weight in gold.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a fresh and very clean budget accommodation with a central location with good WiFi and if you don't mind taking the motorcycle going to the beach and other attractions this is the place for you. On the other hand, if you like to have the beach just outside the door, near to restaurants, bars and discos this is not the place for you.
Rating for the accommodation:
​1-5 where 1 is terrible and 5 is excellent
5 Location
5 Sleep Quality
4 Rooms
4 Service
5 Value for the money
5 Cleanliness 
​Dayview Tourist Home
269 Lamdagan Street, Barangay Cogon,
6300 Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines
Phone nr: +63 917 512 8163
Related links:
Day trip to Isola de Francesco​
The Hills​
Where to eat in Tagbilaran?
Find a house for rent in Panglao
Review of the Food Court in Island City Mall (Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines)
Bohol and Panglao Islands, Philippines
Isola de Francesco or Virgin Island, Panglao, Philippines
Review of Swiss Zurigo Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bojol Grill Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of A's Chicken Nuggets & Grill Haus (Bohol, Philippines)
The giant Arogo and the smallest primate, what do they have in common?
Review of Panglao Island Nature Resort & Spa  (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Henann Resort Alona Beach (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Shang Palace Seafood Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bo's Coffee (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of The Buzzz Café (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Golden Cowrie (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Staylite Park Bed and Breakfast (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Arabelle Suites (Bohol, Philippines)
2 Comments

Where to stay in Siquijor, Philippines

13/9/2017

1 Comment

 

​Review of Charisma Beach Resort

Review of Charisma Beach Resort and Restaurant, Siquijor Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog

​Charisma Beach Resort a good deal

San Juan is in the western side of Siquijor. Many resorts, restaurants, bars and shops are located here in this particular area. Here you will also find Charisma Beach Resort quietly located near the beach. I ended up here, stranded for a couple of days due to the rough weather. The location is very nice less than 50 m from the sea with a nice beach. If you don't want to swim in the sea they have a fairly large swimming pool as an option.


​Resto with sea view

Review of Charisma Beach Resort and Restaurant, Lunch with a view, Siquijor Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
It was wonderful to eat my lunch here!
The restaurant is with a nice sea view. They serve a wide variety of meals ranging from breakfast to dinner. My favorite quickly became the Baby Squid Adobo. So, so yummy! The breakfast was also delicious with everything a hungry person can wish for. 
Review of Charisma Beach Resort and Restaurant, Baby squids, Siquijor Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
My favorite meal, Baby Squid Adobo.

A standard bamboo cottage

Charisma Beach Resort have rooms from 450 PHP up to 2650 PHP. I was lucky to get the Standard Bamboo Cottage, the one and only cottage for just 1000 PHP without breakfast. There was no sea view but still it was a very good deal. The cottage was clean and spacious with a porch facing the pool. However there was no AC in the cottage but for me, that is not a deal breaker.  On the contrary I prefer a fan room. I am a believer of adjusting myself to the heat rather than fighting it.
The Standard Bamboo Cottage, located behind the bush.
A fairly large pool good for swimming.
The resto and reception area.

​Summary

The location is good. The surroundings around the resort is quiet but still in the area of San Juan so it is near other establishments as restaurants, bars and shops. The room was nice and clean with a bed I can sleep in. No AC, just a fan. Private toilet and shower with cold water. But a private cottage for 1000 PHP and just  100 m from the beach, what could you expect?
Review of Charisma Beach Resort and Restaurant, The hotel dog, Siquijor Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
The super friendly hotel dog waiting for a snack
Charisma Beach Resort
Solangon, San Juan, Siquijor, Philippines
Phone nr +63 908 861 9689
Rating for the resto:
​1-5 where 1 is terrible and 5 is excellent
5 Food 
4 Service
4 Value
5 Atmosphere
​Rating for the accommodation:
​1-5 where 1 is terrible and 5 is excellent
5 Location
4 Sleep Quality
4 Rooms
4 Service
5 Value for the money
4 Cleanliness 
Related links:
Review of Joel's Lechon Manok
Siquijor Island, Philippines
1 Comment

Find a house for rent

26/7/2017

3 Comments

 

My rental house in Panglao

To rent a house

I get many questions about my living when I am in the Philippines. To find a house for rent is often a good idea if you are staying a longer period at the same place. Either you stay at the same location or have it like a base camp when you are doing trips nearby. 
Villas Seaside Grande Totolan Bohol Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog
​That was what I did when I stayed in Tagbilaran. I rented a house in Songculan Panglao, located just 10 minutes from Tagbilaran by scooter. I think the location was good for me because it was close to Tagbilaran where I had friends but still the house was situated quietly with a nice view over the eastern part of Songculan lake. If I wanted to go to a beach resort I was already on Panglao, just grab the scooter and go there! ​This company have both houses and apartments for rent. If you are interested you can contact them yourself. They have their office in Tagbilaran city. Phone: (038) 501-9344/411-2435 


Unit 3, Seaside Grande
A pool available for the residents
View from my bedroom

​Sonculan-Totolan area

The area was nice and quiet with a pool available for those who lived here. The downside was the bad cellphone connection with the SMART company. Most of the time the signal was so poor so it was impossible to make any calls. Same with the mobile data, only late in the evenings you could get a signal sufficient for browsing Facebook or whatever. 
The kitchen and living room area
As always I enjoyed to cook my own food.

​The rent 25K

The rent for the house was 25 000 PHP and it was fully furnished with everything included even the kitchen utensils were there. The cost for water and electricity was additional.
The master bed room.
The master bath room.
The staircase to the upper floor.
The upper hallway.

​The house was big

There were three bedrooms, a living room with kitchen and two toilets both with showers. A nice balcony where you could sit and drink your evening tea.
A very short clip showing the area outside unit 3.
The fixer guy Seaside Grande Totolan Bohol Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog.
The nice and very talkative fixer guy. He was helpful but sometimes hard to get hold on.
Related links:
My rental apartment in Toril
Where to eat in Tagbilaran?
Review of the Food Court in Island City Mall (Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines)
Bohol and Panglao Islands, Philippines
Isola de Francesco or Virgin Island, Panglao, Philippines
Review of Swiss Zurigo Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bojol Grill Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of A's Chicken Nuggets & Grill Haus (Bohol, Philippines)
The giant Arogo and the smallest primate, what do they have in common?
Review of Panglao Island Nature Resort & Spa  (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Henann Resort Alona Beach (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Shang Palace Seafood Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bo's Coffee (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of The Buzzz Café (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Golden Cowrie (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Staylite Park Bed and Breakfast (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Arabelle Suites (Bohol, Philippines)
3 Comments

My rental apartment in Toril

18/7/2017

2 Comments

 

To rent an apartment in Toril, a suburb to Davao city

For a certain time ago I stayed for a longer period in Toril which is basically a suburb to Davao city. I was lucky because the apartment I rented was just newly built so I was the first renter there.

I paid 13000 PHP per month plus water and electricity.  The location was about 2 km from the local city centre and Gaisano mall in Toril. About 30-50 minutes with two rides in to Davao city depending on the traffic.
Picture
Andaya st Daliao, in Toril. My apartment was located on the top floor.


The kitchen was western style with a combo stove with both gas and electric.
My living room.
The better view that I had, was towards the street and Mt Apo in the distant.

The apartment was fully furnished

I was the first renter in the apartment so everything was very fresh. All the furnitures and the kitchen utensils were included. The owner was helpful and keen on that everything would be ok. If you are interested to rent you can contact the owner yourself. The location in Toril might be a little bit odd since it's a bit far from Davao city. But for me it was perfect, relatively quiet compared to the bustling city centre of Davao. It's close to Eden Nature Park, a wonderful place where you can do many activities such as hiking, fishing and of course eat at the beautifully located buffet restaurant. For me it was also interesting with the relative proximity to Mt Apo since I had plans to hike there.

Inside the apartment

A tour inside the apartment. But I have an excuse to my English speaking viewers since I am talking Swedish in the video clip. But at least I added some English subtitles.

View from balcony

View over Andaya st which could be a very noisy specially in the mornings and evenings.
My other view, maybe less nice, was towards the sea and Davao city in the distant.
Here the street kids tried to sell the puppy to me.

The other view

My other view from the apartment was overlooking a squatter area. The owner told me it was her land but for the time being she let squatters stay there. On the other side of the street was this little puppy which most of the time was tied up. The poor puppy was all alone there and crying all the time. But then suddenly the street kids decided to try to sell it to me. I felt sorry for the puppy but I denied of course. 

Going to Toril city centre

The video clip shows the first 2 km stretch from Daliao to Toril city centre. Most of the days I traveled in to Ecoland just near Davao city. I usually went to Starbucks to enjoy a delicious cafe latte and use their excellent WiFi. It's a perfect way to do some work on the computer. To get there I took the tricycle from Daliao to the city centre of Toril. Next I went with the Uso-Uso jeepneys or to the Hop On Hop Off Terminal for the 30 minutes stretch to Ecoland. Actually I usually went by the Hop On Hop Off jeepneys, they felt more safe to ride with.

The cooking

A traditional breakfast
Squid barbecue on the balcony
The final result, grilled squids.
I had a frequent guest specially when I was cooking...
Banana flowers
With banana flowers you can do a delicious salad
Some ingredients for the spicy sauce.
Spicy sauce for the grilled squid.
One good thing I like with renting a place is that you can cook your own food.
Related links:
Traditional dances in Philippines
The Uso-Uso Experience in Davao
The jumping kids of Talikud Island
Review of The Red Parrot Inn (Samal Island, Philippines)
Review of Monclair Suites (Toril, Philippines)
Samal Island (Mindanao, Philippines)
Review of Chow King Restaurant (Davao, Philippines)
2 Comments
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