Hundred Islands Weekend Trip

The weekend trip to Hundred Islands is a much awaited team building for our team.

Hundred Islands is in Pangasinan, almost 5-6 hours from Manila by van. We had one stop over along the way.

The tour package is actually a discounted one I got from an online deals site. It includes the overnight stay, the tour and daily breakfast. The staff in the hotel were very nice. There is even a videoke if you fancy singing your heart out.

Anyhow, I'll just let the pictures tell how beautiful the islands were.

In Marcos Island, there was cave where you can do a short cliff jump. I have no pictures but I did a short jump into the water. It was scary but really liberating when finally shoot up the water! Oh yeah, I'm still alive!

On our way back to Manila, we decided to take our lunch in Isdaan Floating Restaurant. Our experience wasn't too good as the food was so late but we enjoyed the chicken which is their specialty.

We also made our way on the Tacsiyapo Wall. It was hilarious because the person will announce where you hit the wall.

I even had a quick photo op with the First Lady, Michelle Obama! *wink*

The Paradise Island of Camiguin

I was really excited that I'm finally going to Camiguin. As this is my first time to travel to Mindanao, I'm glad that I'll be seeing a lot of new places in just one go!

We left in the morning to make way to Camiguin. We took a ferry to the port and I think the travel is just less than an hour.

We arrived in Camiguin in time for lunch.

We then headed for the White Island! All smiles before leaving the port.

On our second day, we went to the Sunken Cementery and Katibawasan Falls.

On the evening of our first night we went to have dinner at Rooftop resto and found this nice quote.

Cagayan De Oro and the Majestic Falls

I missed my blog. It's been a while since I last made a post. I know, I've been too busy with work and other stuff. But today, I just felt I need to get back to my blogging and write about the places I've been to last year. There's a few more backlogs waiting to be published - CDO trip, Hundred Islands, Taiwan and Cebu in 2012 and then my first outing this year at Pagbilao, Quezon this February 2013.

Anyhow, I'm glad to have this time to post once more. Now, I'll be writing about my exciting trip to CDO last August of 2012.

This trip is one of the most enjoyable trips of 2012. I went with my friends from Couchsurfing. Trips with them never get boring, you know!

I wish I could have noted the expenses but it was too long ago! And because I wasn't the one who mainly organised this trip, it was one of my friends who arranged the accommodations, transportation and stuff. I was happy to just get along with the plan.

The thing about this trip is that, I was almost about to back out due to it was scheduled same day as our team building in Hundred Islands. I had to re-book my ticket a few times because I wasn't too sure that time.  Fortunately, the team building was moved to October.

Day 1

The rest of the group went ahead of me the day before. I traveled on my own to CDO the next day. I met them on Saturday morning at the hotel.

The plan on the first day is to go to Maria Cristina Falls. First we had breakfast near the hotel (forgot the name of our hotel!).

If I remember, we took a jeepney and then took a motorbike to take us to the entrance of NPC Park. From the entrance of the park, you have to pay an entrance fee. And then they have a shuttle that takes you to the Falls and back to the entrance. The shuttle first took us to the botanical garden.

It was so awesome to see the Maria Cristina Falls. I could only remember seeing it in my Social Science books as it was always the example given for the Falls in the Philippines! It is so majestic (for loss of the appropriate word) that we can't help but take so many pictures with it.

After the Maria Cristina Falls, we made our way to another Falls i.e. Tinago Falls. We had to take a motor bike going there. Funny is, we are actually 4 in that motorbike! It was hilarious and a once in a life experience. Oh my gosh, did I say it also hurts the butt!

Tinago in Filipino literally means "hidden", and it was. But we were able to find it with the help our guides! haha

What is amazing about this falls is that you can make way to the falls itself with the help of a bamboo raft being pulled by the locals. There is an additional fee though. I didn't try it but my adventurous CS friends did. I knew they enjoyed it a lot by the looks of their face.

We were all tired and hungry after that. We went to a bbq place known for their roasted chicken. It was a good meal and we are really stuffed! We can't wait to go home and rest. The next day, we are leaving early for Camiguin. Let's go!