Category Archives: Commuting

Commuting 101: How to get to Guimaras

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You’ve heard how sweet their mangoes are and now, you wanted to visit Guimaras, the “island that fits your taste.”

Traveling to Guimaras from Iloilo was the easiest and fastest way that I’ve ever experienced. There are two points of entry to Guimaras. One is through the Buenavista Port via the Parola Wharf in Iloilo while the other is through Jordan Wharf via Ortiz Wharf in Iloilo.

Between the two, Ortiz Wharf is nearer. From Ortiz, one can see how close Guimaras is. The Ave Maria Shrine with the Cross can be seen from this point.

First, you should decide whether you’ll take the Buenavista point of entry or the Jordan point of entry. If you’re going to the Navalas Church, then get to Buenavista and hire a vehicle from there to get you to your destinations. But if you prioritize island hopping, then your entry point should be Jordan Wharf.

Here’s my actual itinerary from Iloilo International Airport all the way to Guisi Beach in Brgy. Dolores, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras.

How to get there (in details):

1. As soon as you exit the arrival area of ILO airport, personnel in uniforms would approach you and offer van or metered taxi rides. Choose the van for cheaper option. Fare is Php 50.00. However, you have to wait for other passengers. I’ve waited for around 35 minutes. If you have limited time, then choose the metered taxi instead. Flag down rate is similar to Manila rate (Php 40.00).

2. The driver would ask you where you want to be dropped. If you’re going to La Paz Public Market just like what I did, then choose Jaro as your drop-off point.  The driver would stop the van at SM Jaro.

3. From SM Jaro, you would pass by Jollibee. Cross the street. Don’t hesitate to ask the traffic enforcers in blue. They’re very helpful and approachable. They told me to ride a multicab with the CPU signage in front. Fare is Php 7.00 from Jaro to La Paz. Travel time: 10 minutes.

4. Tell the driver that you’re going to the La Paz Public Market. He would then tell you when to alight the multicab. You know it’s time to bid him goodbye when you see the intersection. Cross the streets and walk along the market. There are numerous eateries offering La Paz Batchoy. If you want to be adventurous, then go for the not-so-well-known eateries. But as for me, I wanted to be sure as so as not to spoil my trip. One of the locals, who heard me asking for La Paz Batchoy eateries, pointed me to Ted’s Old Timer Batchoy.

5. After having a hearty breakfast, cross the street and ride a multicab with a La Paz signage. This would pass by Ortiz Street. Alight at that street where the Eagle’s Mansion or Celso Ledesma Mansion is. It’s one of the many grandeur ancestral homes in Iloilo.

6. From that point, walk for five minutes to the Wharf. You would see a ticket booth that looked like a Lotto outlet.

The FARE & Schedule Notice

7. Pay Php 14.00 then register your name and age. You would be given a card bearing the name of the boat that you’d be boarding. I got Pamela Faith.

8. Pamela Faith has a capacity of 48 pax. Even motorcycles ride the boat as well. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenic ride for about 15 minutes.

9. As soon as the boat docks, leave the boat and you’re now ready for your adventure in Guimaras.

10. If you don’t have a plan on where to go and what to do, then approach the Tourism Desk. You would also be asked to log in your name. They would gladly assist you and give you options of transportation. BUT word of caution, HIRING a tricycle or a multicab is so EXPENSIVE. This is not advisable especially when you’re alone. Do it only if you’re traveling with two or three companions or more. Hiring a trike for a day would cost you around Php 900-1,200. Multicabs for hire also cost Php 1,200 per day.

If you’re traveling soloflight like me, I rode a jeepney to Nueva Valencia. It’s just Php 45.00. Travel time from Jordan to Nueva Valencia is around an hour and a half.

Enjoy Guimaras! 

Travel Notes:

  • Guimaras Tourism- (033) 237-1134
  • Motorcycle driver (Singol/ Single Motorcycle to Guisi)- Minfredo Deza- 0947 294 0992
  • Tricycle Driver- Gil Gabasa- 0921 236 5281

Love is in the air

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“Love is in the air. To watch it together, we declare. The experience will surely be beyond compare.” 

In less than 140 characters, I typed these words on Twitter which won me two free tickets to the 17th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta and a free lunch courtesy of Air Asia.

Prior to that, I was able to secure a photographer’s pass courtesy of Digital Photographer Philippines and Caltex. Thanks to Christian Sangoyo of Lakad Pilipinas who mentioned about the pass.

Watching the hot air balloon festival was not new to me. I’ve covered the sky festivity in 2009 and 2010 for Inquirer.net, where I worked as a multimedia reporter.

Though it was my third time to be part of this event, I still found it exciting. There’s always something new–and that was capturing the balloons for passion’s sake and watching it together with J. It was his first time to watch the balloons fly up in the air. My brother and his girlfriend also joined us. They’re also first-timers.

At around 1:40 am, we arrived at the Five Star Terminal in Pasay City. The airconditioned bus bound for Dagupan, which also passes Dau Terminal, was about to leave. There were only few seats left. Fortunately, we got them. After five minutes,  the neat and seemingly new bus of Five Star left the terminal.

The ride, covering 88 kilometers, was fast and smooth. We arrived safely at the Dau Terminal in Pampanga at around 3:12 in the morning. The rooster was still sleeping. Passengers going to the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta alighted from the bus.

We filled our stomachs with rice and longganisa at the Jollibee beside the terminal. Sipping hot chocolate completed the breakfast. Since only portalets were available at the venue, we did a toilet break.

From Jollibee, we walked to the Caltex gas station and crossed the street. During that time, there were no multicabs going directly to the main gate of Clark. The driver told us that it’s still early and we should just ride his multicab and alight at the Shell Station. This would be nearer to the Bayanihan Terminal, where jeepneys with the Clark main gate route are stationed.

The driver then dropped us at the Shell station and pointed us to ride the multicab waiting at Shell. But it was a mistake to listen to him because the ride from Shell to the Bayanihan Terminal only took around three minutes. The terminal was just nearby and we should have walked instead. But we were tricked. Hmm… Talk about taking advantage of the event at the expense of the visitors.

And so, we took our third multicab. Finally, the driver stopped at the entrance of the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta. The ride from Bayanihan terminal to the venue itself was Php 10.00. Total fare for the three multicabs summed up to Php 26.00. It should have been Php 18.00, had we not heeded the advice of the first multicab driver.

We arrived seeing long queue of excited attendees who haven’t purchased their tickets yet.

At around 5:15 am, I got in after getting my photographer’s pass from DPP. I met fellow PTB members, Kevin, Ian, and Elal who also got their passes. Music was filling up the atmosphere during that early hour. Spectators secured their places infront of the fenced area.

We first passed by the booth of Caltex, which was one of the major sponsors of the event. Their booth was a replica of their gas station. One of the cool things in their booth was the ZERO price of gasoline. (How I wish this was a real gas station. No Kidding. hehe)

Streaks of orange and indigo hues started to paint the sky. The sun was about to wake up and stretch its rays but the security personnel won’t allow us yet to enter the grounds.

The silhouette of Mt. Arayat with the stratus clouds was already inviting me to capture the moment but the security personnel insisted that the pilots should set up first. I already voiced out that we should also capture the moments of setting up the balloons. They allowed to enter the VIPs first. Since we were on the right line, where the VIPs were, we got in. hahaha.

So I was one happy kid in the big playground, taking pictures of the big balloons. I hopped from one balloon to another with the hope of not missing a moment.

The Philippine Flag jump by the Army kicked off the event. Thousands of spectators then witnessed 28 balloons soar high in the sky.

I was very grateful to watch the balloons fly up close. Next time, I would want to ride the balloon. To ride the balloon, one should pay $200 (approximately, Php 8,400). Whew! I would just travel somewhere with that budget. hehe. Here were my shots:

I thought the “Panda” would fly too but apparently, it was just for photo-op’s sake. Nonetheless, it was my favorite.

All of the photographers were then asked to vacate the grounds for safety measures.  We then roamed around the area and walked from one exhibit to another. My brother was so fascinated with the military battle gears. I took photos of him.

Then we walked to the booth of the Department of Tourism. I held my camera close to my face and was about to shoot. I peeked at the view finder and saw some mist.

When I checked on the lens, I was shocked. My Kenko polarizer was gone. GONE. My heart broke into pieces. I saved up for that polarizer. I couldn’t contain my tears. My precious polarizer, which was just three-months old, was lost amid the thousands of attendees. I cried. I almost wanted to go home already because I was upset with what happened.

But J was there, comforting me. Thank you Lord, I have someone to cry on. He wiped my tears away. Then, I realized that some people had lost lives, homes, and dreams. I lost a polarizer worth Php 2,600. Though it came from hard-earned money, it was just a thing. Nonetheless, I reviewed my photos and the polarizer left me with good memories.

I may have lost it but I gained some valuable lessons. You would only know the value of a thing or a person if you have lost it. So never take anything or anyone for granted. Next time, I would be more careful. I tried to bring back my composure and smile.

At around 10:00 o’clock in the morning, we went to the Air Asia booth and waited for the briefing. After an hour, Air Asia Philippines team gathered us and told us about the safety and security measures while on the plane. Then the guard opened the gates.

The flight attendants in red welcomed us to the new airbus A320. It really looked and smelled new. I was surprised with their seats. It didn’t look like a low-cost plane at all.

It was my first time to board an Air Asia plane. My previous booking with them was cancelled due to conflicting schedules. I really hope that I can fly with them soon.

We were given an actual boarding pass, which said that we’re designated at row 17. After their inflight games, the flight attendants gave us our lunch: Nasi Lemak and Adobo.

Malaysian food- Nasi Lemak

Pinoy food- Adobo

Since I like spicy food, I chose the Nasi Lemak. J had the adobo.

Photo courtesy of AirAsia Philippines Facebook fanpage

I felt like the plane’s going to fly. haha. But it was indeed fun to ride the airbus even for lunch. I hope next time it would be for real.

We then disembarked the plane. We were about to leave when I saw the Close Up booth. I told J that we should check it out. I asked the staff what the challenge was about. She told me, “Mag-to-toothbrush lang po kayo.” Perfect! We just had our lunch and I wanted to remove the after taste of the Nasi Lemak.

But then, the challenge was not just to brush our teeth but to withstand the air. It was sort of proving the fire-freeze effect of their new variant of toothpaste.

Though something bad happened, I did not let it overshadow the good memories that we had. We went home sleepy after being wide-eyed for more than 12 hours.

It was my third time to watch the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta but it felt like the first time. Love was indeed in the air.

****

How to get to Clark from Manila by bus

  • Dau Route- Ride a bus bound for Dagupan or Dau in Pasay or in Cubao / Bus Lines: Victory Liner or Five Star (both in Pasay or Cubao),Philippine Rabbit (Avenida)
  • Fare: Php 140-150
  • From Dau Terminal, ride a multicab across the Caltex gas station. Make sure that the multicab is going to the main gate. Don’t hesitate to ask the driver.
  • Clark- Philtranco buses in Pasay Terminal have a direct MNL-Clark route. But it would cost you around Php 450.
  • Travel time: 1 hour and 15 minutes (during the wee hours of the morning)
  • Travel distance: 88 kilometers

Photo: Roadtrip. It’s more fun in the Philippines!

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Are you fond of roadtrips? How about a roadtrip to Diura Fishing Village just like these Ivatans?

Photo taken by Izah Morales in Mahatao, Batan Island, Batanes, Philippines.

Enchanted River: The challenges and the surprises

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Hinatuan Enchanted River by Izah Morales

In life, we always meet challenges along the way. It’s either you face them or you run from them. This happens especially when one travels. Uncertainty is present everywhere. It can be an adventure and a misadventure at the same time. Going to Hinatuan’s Enchanted River challenged and surprised me.

It was past nine in the morning when I arrived at the Langihan Terminal, where the buses going to Mangagoy are. A van driver with a turban in his head approached me readily after I alighted the multicab. He said that his van would be going to Mangagoy and it would be faster than the bus. I asked, “Hindi po ba kayo humihinto hinto?” (Is the van going straight with the route or will you be stopping by the towns?)

He answered,”Hindi. Tuloy-tuloy yan. Hindi na dadaan sa San Franz. Lalarga na rin mayamaya.” (No, it would not stop by the towns. It would not pass San Franz anymore. In just a few minutes, we will be leaving the terminal.)


On that day, I was still torn whether to take the bus or the van. Taking the bus would mean a 5-hour ride while taking the van would only take three hours as per research. Fellow Pinoy Travel Bloggers who already went there advised me to take the bus but I can’t take the five hours since our schedule was tight. We have to visit Hinatuan on that cloudy Wednesday or else the other schedule would adjust as well. Time was very important so I decided to just take the van. But since my travel buddy’s late, I went to this carinderia, Chow Eatery at the entrance of the terminal and ate my early lunch: Adobo, rice, ice tea (Php 65 all-in-all).

The woman who’s managing the carinderia asked me where I was going. (I think this is normal when you’re alone. People would talk to you…puzzled, why you’re all alone.)

I told them that I’ll be visiting Hinatuan Enchanted River. Another local who’s eating at the carinderia said, “Bakit? Nakapag-asawa ka ba ng taga-ron? Anung gagawin mo dun?” (Why? Have you been married to a local there? What will you do there?) Honestly, I don’t want to talk to this guy with a tattoo on his arm because he looked like he’s drunk. But, I still have to utter a few words and be polite. After all, I’m the stranger in their land.

“Bakasyon po (I’m on a vacation!),” I replied.

He then continued, “Ahh…Bakasyon? Ganyan na ba ang mga turista ngaun, pinupuntahan na pala yung Hinatuan? (Vacation? Are tourists really visiting Hinatuan?)” The guy seemed surprised that this lady traveled far just to see the Hinatuan Enchanted River, which for them, is just an ordinary weekend getaway.

He offered to be my guide since he’s also going in the same route. I politely declined and told him that I’m traveling with someone and we already have a contact person in the place. (Maybe, he thought I’m all alone. Yikes. Scary.)

At around 10:30 am, J finally arrived. At last, I can escape the conversation. We then proceeded to the van. A couple who were seated in the passenger seat looked bored.

Photo by Joseph Dy

I asked the driver if we’ll be leaving but it looked like that he’s still waiting for other passengers to board the van. Gahd… I was already having second thoughts whether to stick with the van or get out and move to the bus. It was already 11 am. If we moved to the bus, we would arrive in Hinatuan past 4 in the afternoon. So we stayed in the van.

After two hours of waiting (YES, TWO HOURS of wasted time), the van driver who didn’t keep his word finally started the engine and off we go. I was really getting worried with the time. I set up my timer to get the actual travel time. I slept my worries away.

At around 3 in the afternoon, the driver stopped and told us that we’re already at the Junction going to Brgy. Dugmanon. I looked out of the window and saw the sign going to the Enchanted River. I smiled. I stopped the timer: 2 hours, 33 minutes. If we add the waiting time, it would summed up to 4 hours, 33 minutes.

We went out of the van and started clicking. Then, I noticed, the habal-habal (motorcycle which can carry up to 4 people) was nowhere to be found. I asked the driver. He then pointed me to this group of locals across the street. One of them has a motorcycle. But he declined to give us a ride. No one seemed passing the highway. Minutes later, motorcycles passed by but all of them were full of passengers.

Challenge number 1 solved but here’s challenge number 2. I was really getting frustrated. No one seemed to care. I even called the management of the Hinatuan Enchanted River but the guy who answered the phone said that they cannot send someone to pick us up at the junction. This time, I couldn’t hold back my tears anymore. After waiting for 2 hours and traveling for another 2 hours and 33 minutes, the trip was a failure. J was keeping calm while I got so emotional that I won’t be able to see the Enchanted River and we’ve wasted one whole day.

But God’s so good that HE sent HIS angels to turn the frown on my face into a smile. After 30 minutes of waiting at the junction, a man drove by with only one passenger. J approached him. We negotiated Php 200 (for two, which means, Php 100 each) for a ride to the Enchanted River and back to the Hinatuan Terminal. He agreed. I smiled and hopped onto the habal-habal. Thank you Lord!

After a 20-minute bumpy and adrenaline-rush ride from the junction, the engine stopped and we found ourselves at the entrance to the Enchanted River. It was already 3:50pm. We only have an hour to enjoy the river. It closes at 5:00pm.

We paid Php 10.00 for the entrance fee and entered. The local government has put some cottages and landscaped the pathwalk going to the river. I was ecstatic when my eyes finally saw the magical place that I used to see in photos. The “badtrip” feeling’s gone. My heart was overflowing with happiness.

I dropped my bag at one of the tables and started clicking away. Wow! The deep aqua blue water was so surreal but it was real. Another dream come true for me.

Hinatuan Enchanted River by Izah Morales

Few locals were swimming in the river when we arrived. They were having so much fun and even posed for the camera.

Hinatuan Enchanted River by Izah Morales

As much as I want to take a dip, I decided to take photos of all the angles before getting wet.

Hinatuan Enchanted River by Izah Morales

A little bit later, a staff member whose name was E.M. approached us and started talking to us. I asked, “Bakit po tinawag na enchanted river?” (Why do you call it enchanted river?)

He said,”Kasi gawa nung kulay nya, mukhang enchanted.” (It’s because of its color. That’s why we call it enchanted.) I didn’t ask him any further since he didn’t seem to know. But a group of tech divers explored the depth up to 100 meters and discovered caves.

Kuya E.M. was so friendly that he led us to the quieter side of the river with a bamboo bridge leading to the boats. He offered to take our photos as souvenir since we would not be going to Sibadan Fish Cage anymore due to time constraints.

Hinatuan Enchanted River

In fairness to Kuya E.M., he can operate a DSLR camera. haha. He then related, “Marami na rin akong nagamit na camera. Yung mga nagpapakuha din dito. Gusto kong maging photographer. (I have used a lot of cameras from other tourists. I want to be a photographer).” Why not?

Hinatuan Enchanted River by Izah Morales

The other side of the river. That's Kuya E.M. at the stairs.

When I was satisfied with my shots, we returned to the main swimming area. I was about to go down the stairs when I remembered, “Wah, I don’t have a life vest and the water’s so deep!” hahaha.

Kuya E.M. then handed the life vest, which they lent to visitors for a fee of Php 15.00/hour. By the time that we went swimming, the other visitors left. I put on my goggles and was in awe when I saw the school of fish. They were huge. How I wish I knew what species they were.

Fish at the Enchanted River

Two of the school of fish looked like cousins of Dory.

There are other weird creatures that can only be found in salty water.

Swimming with the school of fish felt like I was a fish as well in a large aquarium. The only difference was I don’t have fins and gills so I can swim deeper. haha.

Enchanted River by Izah Morales

The water in the Hinatuan Enchanted River is brackish, a mixture of salt and fresh water. If we had only arrived early, we would have taken the boat leading to the sea. Yes, the river is connected to the sea.

We were having so much fun taking photos underwater when I saw the time. It’s nearly 5pm. I told J that we should get out of the water because the locals have superstitions that no one should swim beyond 5pm. They believe that spirits guard the river.

Kuya E.M. returned and said that the driver’s asking for an additional Php 100 since it’s getting late. We didn’t argue anymore and agreed. We did have fun anyway, even for just a few hours.

After a quick drying up, we bade goodbye to Enchanted River. I’ll surely come back and explore more of its wonders. I thank God for the blessing of experiencing his wondrous gifts. Ahh, nature is love :) Last year, I was fortunate to swim in the cleanest lake, Kayangan Lake in Coron. This year, it’s the Enchanted River in Brgy. Talisay, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, one of the few remaining clean rivers in the Philippines.

Enchanted River by Izah Morales

The sun was starting to rest and its orange rays were fading. We’re off to chase the last bus to Mangagoy, which will leave the terminal at 6pm. And that I will share in my next post.

Lessons Learned: 

  • Take the van if you’re chasing time but if you have the luxury of time then the bus is way better (we tried it on the way back to Butuan).
  • Don’t take the van if you don’t like to wait. Take the bus if you want more leg room.
  • Don’t alight at the junction. Alight at the Hinatuan Terminal, and take the habal-habal from there.
  • Travel early and arrive early. We missed the fish feeding during 12-1pm.

Travel Notes: 

  • Waiting time at the Langihan Terminal: 2 hours before leaving the terminal
  • Travel time Butuan-Hinatuan: 2 hours and 33 minutes
  • Brgy. Dugmanon Junction-Hinatuan Enchanted River Distance: 12 kilometers
  • Travel time Junction-Hinatuan Enchanted River: 20 minutes
  • Habal-Habal Ride: Php 150/per person / Normal rate if you ride from the Hinatuan Terminal (Php 100 roundtrip. Php 50 per way)
  • Operation Hours: Enchanted River opens at 6 am and closes at 5pm
  • Contact Essentials: Hinatuan Enchanted River Management-0920 259 5554 / Gemma Millan-Hinatuan Tourism Officer- 0919 460 0855
  • For the full itinerary and expenses of the trip, click here.

Hinatuan Enchanted River by Izah Morales

How to get to Enchanted River: 

From Butuan:

1. Take the Bachelor bus or van with the Mangagoy route from Langihan Terminal.

2. Tell the driver that you’re alighting at the Hinatuan Terminal.

3. From the Hinatuan Terminal, hire a habal-habal going to the Enchanted River. Fare is Php 40-50 per way. You can also hire a multicab if you’re traveling in a group. You can ask assistance from the Hinatuan Tourism Office.

From Davao:

-This is another route but it would take 7-8 hours. You can ride a van or a bus from the Ecoland Terminal.