Hotel Celtic in Paris. I got the last room!
So I decided to go to Paris for a week. I usually prefer to stay in area of Montparnasse. But this time it was a little bit hard to find a suitable place. Finally I found the Hotel Celtic in the heart of Montparnasse. I was lucky, I even got the last room. A typical Parisian style hotel where my room gave the shape of a pizza slice a new meaning. It was located opposite of 8 Rue d'Odessa which actually was the address where my mom and dad lived with my grand parents many years ago!
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Yes, there are sunsets here at Punta Ballo Beach
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Related posts to Negros >>>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.
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.
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.
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.
Two beauties posing together
Driving in the darkness was all ways adventurous!
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.
One small part of the Food market
Those kids seemed not mind to be photographed
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.
Did I hear the word food??
The French baker guy made nice cheese cakes accompanied with real strong and good coffee
The reason why we became valued customers at Boulangerie Française
Here they had the delicious Tiki hamburger with egg and bacon
At the local barbecue place
Fresh barbecue sticks for the people!
Digging deep in the pots here
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...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.
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.
The ferry over to Bato on Cebu island went smoothly
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.
Life could be worse
Breakfast was not included in the price but at least the view was for free
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.
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.
Buko means young coconut in Filipino
I have this weird thought that one day someone will chop the hand off while preparing the Buko juice...
The buko stand had many satisfied customers
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!
Tuburan was a sleepy little town which hadn’t much to offer
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.
Breakfast was not included in our hotel stay but we had a 7/11 just nearby.
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.
Here we took a short break
Hey I just want a small ice cream... cege nahh...??
Finally at Hagnaya port where we took the ferry
Someone was seasick again
Finally Bantayan island in sight!
Related links: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.
A beautiful house with an astonishing view located inland on the island
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
Someone was still seasick after the boat trip
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?
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.
Pancakes with coco jam for breakfast
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. 
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) 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 >>>
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.
Finally on our way and I managed not to get sea sick!
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.
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.
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 Review of Dayview Tourist Home
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.
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.
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) Review of Charisma Beach Resort
Resto with sea view
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.
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?
My rental house in PanglaoTo 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.
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 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 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 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) |
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