Rest day at Movenpick

Day 6
June 18, 2015
Cebu

From Siargao, we went back to Cebu and stayed overnight at Movenpick hotels and resorts. We booked a very nice one bedroom suite through Airbnb for 3,000 PHP. The suite can actually accommodate up to 8 people - sofas can be converted to beds and there were extra mattresses. There was also a kitchen, a minibar, and a balcony with a wonderful view of the beach. The resort also has lounges, spa, outdoor pool, nightclub -  but we chose to stay most of the day at the suite to rest. I guess the past five days had drained off our energies.

Exploring Magpupungko Tidal Pools

Day 5
June 17, 2015
Siargao

The next morning, I decided to eat at Cafe Loca because it has a perfect view of the boardwalk. I expected the food to match the beautiful view but, alas, the 120 Peso-cappuccino and a 120 Peso-tuna sandwich disappointed. While the coffee tasted ok, it was quite pricey considering it was served in a tiny cup. The sandwich was bland - no tomato, no lettuce, just plain toasted white bread with ordinary tuna spread.

We then rented two habal-habal (800 PHP each) to bring the three of us to Magpupungko Beach and Tidal pools. Initially, to save money, we taught of just renting one, which the driver actually obliged. He actually believed that four full-grown adults can fit in one motorcyle! We changed our minds eventually - just the thought of us pressed to each other tight in an hour was enough for us to cough up the payment for another habal-habal.

Habal-habal - some can fit 4 people!

We got to Magpupungko Beach and Tidal pools at past 8 AM, which was perfect since the tide was already low. We got to see and experience the deep and clear natural  pools all to ourselves since no one was around yet - not even a guard or watcher to collect the 50 PHP entrance fee. The place was truly extraordinary - I don't know of any other place similar to it. It is definitely not-to-be-missed in Siargao.

Magpupungko Rock seated on a flat rock

Island tour in Siargao

Day 4
June 16, 2015
Siargao

For breakfast the next day, we decided to try the resort's restaurant. I had a mango pancake (140 PHP) and coffee. With the beautiful view, it was a great way to start the day.

We booked an island tour for 1,500 PHP. Since there were only three of us, Rissa invited an Israeli couple, whom we met at the van yesterday, to join us so we can share the expense.

The tour included 3 islands. First one was a tiny island called Naked, which has off-white sand and crystal-clear water. We stayed for about an hour swimming and sunbathing. I also spent a few minutes cleaning - there were a lot of trash around the shaded area.

Next sop was Daku Island which is actually home to a small community. It actually has its own church and school.

Last island is called Guyam Island. We only stayed a few minutes on the island since the beach was full of seaweed.

For lunch, we requested the tricycle driver to bring us to Ronaldo's for some tasty but cheap food. We ordered sweet and sour fish (175 PHP), chicken adobo (85 PHP) and stirfry vegetables (60 PHP).

Later that night, after a few hours of relaxation at Ocean 101, we went to Kermit Surf resort for dinner.  The place was quite busy - it was well-known after all for its great vibe and amazing Italian cuisine - a personal favorite. We ordered a pizza with 4 toppings (370 PHP) and Gnocchi alla Sorrentina (280 PHP), an oven-baked dish made of gnocchi, tomato sause, fresh basil and mozarella cheese. Everything was mouth-watering. The pizza dough was baked to perfection.

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

Chillin' at the Boardwalk

Day 3
June 15, 2015
Siargao

The next day, our flight back to Cebu got delayed for more than a few hours, which got us worried since we had another flight to catch to get us to Siargao. Fortunately, we were informed that the plane we were using to get to Cebu would be the same one to bring us to Siargao. Problem solved.

We arrived in Siargao at 2 in the afternoon and rode one of the many vans stationed outside the aiport. All the vans were filled up quite quickly - I was not sure if there were enough vans for everyone from the flight. Cost was 200 PHP per passenger and it took an hour to get to the resorts near the famous Cloud 9.

We got really excited when we finally saw Ocean 101 resort where we stayed for the next 3 nights. The resort was really good-looking and there were a lot of open areas where one can relax and enjoy the view. The location was also perfect - a quick stroll would get you to the boardwalk at Cloud 9. However, our excitement was cut short once we saw the cheap room we booked (2,300 PHP per night for 3 persons) - it felt like it was neglected or forgotten - the bed had bugs on it and the wardrobe was worn-out.

Since it was already late in the afternoon, we decided to just relax for the rest of the day. We went to the boardwalk to watch the surfers and wait for the sunset.

Later that night, we ate at a nearby restaurant - Kawayan Siargo resort resto bar. The restaurant had a nice ambiance, which matched the very pricey food - Seafood Pasta cost 390 PHP and was only good for 1 person. It tasted good though and the presentation was exquisite.

Seafood Pasta

Enjoying Camiguin Sandbar

Day 2
June 14, 2015
Camiguin

The night before, we discussed whether to wake up early to see the sunrise in White Island or just get a restful uninterrupted sleep. We decided to catch up on lost sleep which was actually a good decision since it rained quite hard in the morning.

We finally were able to leave the hotel at noon and decided to eat at a nearby restaurant - La Isla Cocina. I ordered tuna salad which I did not like at all - it was like they combined whatever ingredients were available and called it a dish. I liked the cucumber iced tea though.

Seafood pasta (180 PHP), tuna salad (160 PHP), cucumber iced tea (60 PHP)

We then rented a boat for 450 PHP to get the three of us to the famed White Island sandbar. Once there, we rented a beach umbrella for 100 PHP to avoid getting roasted under the scorching hot sun.

White Island was very different from the other sandbars I have seen - by far, this is the longest and widest stretch of white sand. It is a great place to loosen up or rest or read a book, as long as you are under the rented umbrella. It is also a perfect spot to catch the sunset.