Author Archives: Trip@dora

About Trip@dora

Ideas tickle her imagination while photos make her jump for joy. Izah Morales is one photoholic journalist who aspires traveling the world.

Soccoro: The gateway to Sohoton National Park

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The beautiful morning that greeted us in Soccoro

It was nearly evening when we arrived at the Soccoro Port from Dapa Port in Siargao. The moody weather delayed our scheduled boat ride. It was almost an hour and a half of being swayed in the sea. After all, we’ve passed by the Pacific Ocean as Siargao and Soccoro are geographically facing the Pacific.

I heaved a sigh of relief as soon as my feet felt the solid ground of the port. It’s time to find the lodge where we will stay for the night. The directional signage of Island Vacations Country Inn was helpful. Country Inn was just a few steps away from the port. It took us less than 5 minutes and saw the inn.

Fellow Pinoy Travel Blogger member, Sir Edelito Sangco, who’s also behind the blog, IslandVacations.me, owns the place. Though he was not around during the time that we were there, he endorsed us to his sister and brother in-law.

The rooms are located on top of a bakery store. Hence, we always smell the freshly baked bread. I got the fan dorm room. The fan room rate is Php 200 per head per night. We stayed for 2 nights. But the gracious Sir Ed Sangco let us stay for free. (Thank you sir Ed!)

It was around 7:30 PM when we decided to have dinner. During this time, only one cafeteria was opened. Candles and flashlight illuminated the area due to electricity loss during that night.

The townfolks of Soccoro slept early as the roads were almost deserted. And so we dozed off to sleep as well for an early island hopping the following day.

The smell of freshly baked pandesal awakened my senses. It really smelled so good. But the downside, the heat emitted by the bakery evaporated through the room. If you’re going to stay at Islands Country Inn, get the A/C room for Php 250 per head per night. :) Read more about Island Vacations Country Inn here.

The morning breeze in the quiet town of Soccoro was refreshing. The port was not yet busy at 6:00 AM. But as I walked further, I found two kids playing by the port.

While others were still yawning, fishermen were already casting their nets into the sea. I knew it was just the beginning of an exciting day.

Up Next: The Adventures in Sohoton National Park.

Travel Notes:

  • Travel time from Dapa Port to Soccoro Port- 1.5 hours
  • Ferry fare from Dapa Port to Soccoro- Php 100.00

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Top 5 things to experience in Ilocos Norte

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If you’re in the mood for a road trip this summer, then pack your bags and head to Ilocos Norte. Located 408 kilometers northwest of Manila, the province of Ilocos Norte is a haven for outdoor adventurers.

It is where you’ll experience the cool breeze from the mountains, a lazy day on the beach, a reflective walk through a path of puddles, a climb to an ethereal formation, an adrenaline-filled slide down the sand dunes, and a mouthwatering food trip.

Here are the top five things to do when visiting Ilocos Norte:

1. Trek through the Adams Trail and take a dip in Anuplig Falls. Stretch your legs and arms and trek in the virgin forests of Adams, Ilocos Norte.  After passing by the Patapat Viaduct, you may hire a motorcycle or opt to ride on a truck at the Junction. Don’t worry. After an hour’s ride, you’ll find yourself in the small town of Adams, where only 1,790 people reside.

From the drop-off point, you can approach the friendly locals and ask for a guide to the Anuplig Falls. If you have enough time, spend the night in town and chill with some Bugnay wine, which is made from wild cherries. The whole day is not enough to see 18 waterfalls and 10 man-made hanging bridges in Adams.

2. Swim and sunbathe in Pagudpud. 

Saud Beach of Pagudpud by Joseph Dy

The azure and turquoise waters of the Blue Lagoon Cove or the Maira-Ira Cove will truly invite you to swim and just spend a lazy day on the beach. Then, give your stomach a healthy treat in Kapuluan Vista Resort near the lagoon. The resort offers organic food-garden salad to homemade vanilla ice cream.

3. Climb up and take photos of the Kapurpurawan Rock Formation. 

From Pagudpud, proceed to Burgos where you’ll find the mysterious Kapurpurawan Rock Formation. From the drop-off point, you’ll have to skip from one coral to another or you may opt to cool your feet on the puddles as you get closer to the magnificent creation.

Kapurpurawan, which in local dialect means “white,” was once underwater, which may explain why the rocks in the area are shaped like waves. As you climb up the rock, you’ll be amazed by the “submarine-looking formation” with the deep blue sea in the background.

4.  Ride a 4 x 4 and drive through the Ilocos Norte Sand Dunes. Known as the Desert of the North, the sand dunes of Ilocos Norte are one of the country’s national geological monuments. You can scream your heart out as you ride the 4 x4 and drive through the La Paz sand dunes, which range from 10 to 30 meters in height.  Then, surf on the sand through sandboarding and feel the adrenaline rush.

5. Eat what your heart desires.   

You have to allot a space in your stomach to accommodate the luscious Ilocano dishes like laing and pinakbet. Satisfy your cravings with the crispy bagnet at Herencia Café in Paoay. Fill your hunger with the delectable empanada in Batac.

Poque-Poque

Then, treat your taste buds to Dinuguan Pizza and Poque-poque (eggplant) pizza at Saramsam Café in Laoag City. Before you leave Ilocos Norte, don’t forget to bring home the biscocho from Pasuquin and the chichacorn from Paoay.

Pizza from Herencia Cafe

Commuting 101: Siargao Airport to Dapa Port

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There’s no dull moment when you’re entertained by aerial views from Cebu to the surfing capital of the Philippines, Siargao.

Excitement filled me as the plane descended at the Sayak Airport of Siargao. The architecture of the holding area of Siargao Airport was very reflective of Mindanao.

We found our way out of the airport easily as it was small. As soon as we exit from Siargao Airport, van drivers were already inviting us to ride their vans but riding a van would slash a big amount from the budget. Hence, we opted to ride a habal-habal (motorbike that can carry 3 or more passengers).

I approached the tourism desk, where I was asked to register. I also asked for maps.

A few steps away from the desk, we saw a tarpaulin with the standard rates of riding a habal-habal. Whoa! Standard Rates are very expensive! But these habal drivers were accredited by their Tourism Office. They wore orange shirts.

From Sayak Airport to Dapa Port, we paid Php 100 each. The ride from Sayak to Dapa per habal-habal is Php 200. Dapa Port is where we’ll be riding a boat to Soccoro Port.

Good thing, the habal-habal has a cover like that of a tricycle’s hood. It was a 30-minute breezy ride amid lush greens in Siargao. Our habal driver dropped us off at Mem’s Pensionne Hauz & Restaurant.

It was already lunch time. Our stomachs were craving for food. Mem’s has seafood, chicken, pork and veggies in their menu.

From the outside, it doesn’t look inviting. But when you get inside, the restaurant is fairly comfortable. It’s airconditioned and the best of all, it has FREE WIFI. hehe

The only thing that I disliked was their comfort room. Nonetheless, it’s a good stopover while waiting for the boat to Soccoro. The boat to Soccoro was scheduled to leave Dapa Port at 2:00PM.

This is the entrance to the main DAPA PORT. But upon talking with the locals, I learned that the boats docked here are the boats bound for Surigao.

I was then led to another gate beside this one. It’s more of a port for cargo hold than passengers’ port. Loads of goods were being prepared for shipping. Most of the passengers waiting at the port to Soccoro were locals. We’re the only tourists.

The vessel arrived at past 1 pm. Though we were scheduled to leave at 2PM, the gloomy weather delayed our trip. We left Dapa Port quarter to 3 PM.

The picture above was not the actual vessel. It only served as the bridge since the assigned vessel for Soccoro can’t dock directly at the port.

TRAVEL NOTES:

  • Travel time from Sayak to Dapa: 30 minutes via habal-habal
  • Habal-habal fare from Sayak to Dapa: Php 200 per vehicle
  • Lunch at Mem’s: Php 300 for 2 pax
  • Schedule of Boat Ride from Dapa to Soccoro: 7:15 AM, 2PM
  • Passenger Boat Fare from Dapa to Soccoro: Php 100.00

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The journey to the elusive Palaui Island

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The gloomy skies brought drizzles the morning after we arrived in Sta. Ana, Cagayan. But the mood swings of the weather did not dampen our desire to see the elusive Palaui Island. Still, our local guide from the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority told us that we could only proceed with the trip if the weather permitted us.

The free Wi-Fi at the lobby of Sun City, where we stayed during the night, kept us wired and entertained while we waited for the travel advice. After waiting for about two hours, we hopped on the bus and went to San Vicente Port, where the boats were waiting. The skies were still gray but the seas seemed tranquil. And so off we went to our first stop, the Siwangag Cove, an untouched marine sanctuary in the northwestern part of Palaui Island.

According to CEZA environmental specialist Ernesto Ablao, the Siwangag Cove used to protect naval ships from strong waves. But in 1994, the whole Palaui Island was declared as a protected area through the National Integrated Protected Area System Act. Since we had limited time, we headed to Cape Engaño after a few snapshots of the cove’s rough beach.

We had mistakenly assumed that the seas were calm. As we sailed to our next destination, the raging waves of Palaui gave us an amusement park-type thrill. Some of us screamed throughout the boat ride. As the boat approached the six to 10 feet high waves, the other boats disappeared from our sight. The ride through the restless sea was only offset by the calming view of the rustic green hills of Palaui.

After an hour and a half, the outlines of mysterious-looking hills came closer to view. The boat finally docked on a stony white sand beach, which meets the blue green waters. Alas, we found ourselves at the foot of the hill, where Cape Engaño was built.

The hike to the top of the hill was not difficult since there were concrete steps along the way. As I we went up the steps, we were treated to the grandiose sight of turquoise waters enclosed in lush greens. I hurried my way to the top to take panorama shots of the awesome scenery. I stopped on a spot which gave me the view of the rough seas facing the Pacific Ocean and the quiet cove of Palaui. It was amazing! The landscape of the island reminded me of Batanes. But of course, Palaui has a beauty of its own.

A few more steps led me to the ruins of Cape Engaño, one of the remaining Spanish-inspired lighthouses in the country. It was constructed on September 21, 1888 and was finished only after four years. I roamed around the lighthouse and noticed that had not been maintained. Nevertheless, its dilapidated look showed its character.

At the back of the lighthouse, I was astounded when I saw the majestic landscape of the Dos Hermanas Islands. Our local guide related to us the legend of the Dos Hermanas Islands. The twin islands were actually twin sisters who were waiting for their loved ones who never came.

After awhile, the rain poured leaving the Lakbay Norte participants stranded in the lighthouse. We waited for about 30 minutes before we returned to our boats.

Going to Palaui Island was an adventure in itself. Nature has its own way of protecting the wondrous seascapes and landscapes.
How to reach Palaui Island
By air: Fly to Tuguegarao City via Cebu Pacific or Philippine Airlines. Travel time is around an hour and 20 minutes. When you reach Tuguegarao City, proceed to Don Domingo Bus Terminal, which is near the public market.
Ride a bus going to Sta. Ana, Cagayan. Fare is 185.00. Sta. Ana is 158 kilometers away from Tuguegarao.
When you reach Sta. Ana, Cagayan, proceed to San Vicente Port, where the boats going to Palaui are stationed. From San Vicente Port, take a pump or motorized boat (seating capacity for six to eight people) to Palaui Island, which is 10.5 kilometers away from Sta. Ana. The ride would take about 1.5 to two hours. Boat rental costs Php 2,500 (which includes trip to Cape Engano and to Anguib Beach).

By land: Ride a bus. Florida Bus Lines in Sampaloc, Manila will take you directly to Sta. Ana, Cagayan. Travel time is around 10 to 12 hours.

Essential contacts:
Cagayan Economic Zone Authority- Administration Complex , Centro Sta. Ana, Cagayan Philippines  Tel. No: +6378 8581017. Manila Office: Tel. Nos: +632 636(CEZA) 2392 +632 636 5774

Getting to Siargao

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“Nasubukan mo na bang mag-rapids sa Pagsanjan, magdiving sa Anilao, mag-surfing sa Siargao?”

 -Excerpt from the lyrics of Biyahe Tayo

Known to be the surfing capital of the Philippines, Siargao has become synonymous with surfing. Though I’m not a surfer, my curiosity led me to discover that there’s more to Siargao than surfing.

Getting to Siargao can be done by air and by sea.

By Air- As of this writing, there’s no direct flight yet from Manila to Siargao. One can either fly via Cebu or via Surigao.

Via Cebu

This is the shortest route to get to Siargao. Fly to Siargao from Cebu via Cebu Pacific Air (Schedule: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday). As of now, the only airline that serves this route is Cebu Pacific.

  • Travel time from Manila to Cebu: 45 minutes
  • Travel time from Cebu to Siargao: 50 minutes

This was the route tried by Tripadora but it entailed staying in Cebu for a night to catch the flight at 10:20 AM. Arrival in Siargao is around 11:10 AM. Return flight schedule is from 11:30 AM-12:20 PM.

I was lucky enough to score cheap flights during a promo of Cebu Pacific to Siargao. The roundtrip ticket to Siargao from Cebu costs only Php 1,000.00. Usually, the regular rate if booking Manila-Siargao with a layover in Cebu will cost a passenger around 4k-6k roundtrip.

The 50-minute flight to Siargao was not boring. I was entertained capturing the breathtaking aerial view of Siargao and its neighboring islands. How I wish I can identify each one of them.

Travel tip: To see the aerial beauty of Siargao, request for a window seat on the left side of the plane (Seat A). 

By Air and by Sea

Via Surigao

When you choose to fly via Surigao, you still have to ride a ferry from the Surigao main port to get to Siargao.

According to locals whom I spoke to, this route is easier when you want to visit Sohoton National Park in Soccoro since it’s just 30-40 minutes away from Hayanggabon Port of Surigao del Norte.

  • Travel time by air Manila to Surigao:
  • Travel time by sea Surigao to Siargao: 2.5-3 hours