There are only two motor vehicles I’d love to own for fun: a water scooter and an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV). I can’t buy either yet, so I just rent every time I can. That being said, I convinced my two friends to try the resort’s ATV excursion as our Day 2 activity during our stay at Atmosphere Resorts.
It’s my second time in Dauin, apparently. I really thought Dauin is a part of Dumaguete but it’s not. It’s the next town – a 4th class municipality with about 27, 000 people. I went to this place last year to visit two resorts, but this time, I am fortunate to stay at THE top-rated eco-boutique luxury resort ATMOSPHERE RESORTS AND SPA. [Read my blog about the resort here]
There are many things you can do at Atmosphere Resorts during your stay. On our second day, we opted for a 4-hour trek to the mountain on a fully automatic quad bike.
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| Forgive the quality… took these screenshots from my cam ATV video clips 🙂 |
To book this activity, I coordinated with the front desk a day before, so they could arrange the schedule. So, it was agreed. The call time was 1PM.
During our breakfast, a staff approached us to politely remind us about the tour later that day and asked where we wanted to meet – if at the reception or the resort parking. We decided the latter since our room is closer to that area.
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| Breakfast at Atmosphere Resorts with my travel buddies |
What we prepared for this activity:
✓ Sunscreen
✓ Trainers
✓ Action camera
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- What we should’ve prepared:
- ✓ Sunscreen
✓ Trainers
✓ Action camera
✓ Extra slippers
✓ Swimwear
✓ Small towel
✓ Extra clothes for changing
Resort pick up
At 1PM, we met with Mr. Dwight, the ATV tour manager, at the resort pick-up point.
I should’ve known when Mr. Dwight commented about getting my trainers soaked, I needed slippers and swimwear for this activity. But in such case, slippers would be extra. I’d still use my trainers while driving the ATV because they feel more comfy and safe. It’s important to wear something that wouldn’t distract you from driving because there are times when you’d be driving alongside regular vehicles on the road. If you’re like my two friends who drive their own cars, you won’t have any problems. But if you’re like me who’s only driven around the subdivision, you need to really focus.
So… after we’re picked up, we went to the ATV center where we: (1) signed waivers (2) wore our protective gear (3) practiced driving the ATV.
After this safety orientation and warm-up, we gently went on our way with Joseph, our ATV guide.
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| ATV trail from the center to Baslay Hot Spring |
On the way up
For our ascent, we took the trail I marked red on the map. It was 60 per cent rough road. With this kind of trail, it is important to keep your grip tight or else you’ll lose control of the quad bike. I also find it more convenient to (relatively) speed up when trailing through a steep bumpy road.
Shame I wasn’t able to take photos of the trail. My videos are shaky too. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the entire ride. The place reminded me of Boso-boso, a small sitio in Antipolo. Though here, there are more wild mango trees than rice fields.
The mango trees are low-lying and insanely teeming with fruits. You can easily pick the mangoes arm reach. Other trees I spotted were: bamboos, coconuts, Madre de cacao and some local trees I’m not sure the English names of.
Some domesticated animals like chicken, ducks, and cows crossed the road. One wild snake did too.
There is a small community with enthusiastic kids offering high fives as we passed through.
Trek to Baslay Hot Spring
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| Trekking to Baslay Hot Spring |
The highlight of the ATV excursion is the trek to Baslay Hot Spring. To get here, we needed to take approximately 200 steps down to the stream then trek up to the sulfur springs.
After this photo, I took off my shoes and hiked barefoot.
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| Baslay hot spring in Dauin, Negros Oriental |
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| Our ATV guide helping my friend cross the stream here at Baslay Hot Spring |
It was hot to the soles but I didn’t have a choice. I didn’t want to soak my shoes… You can see my shoes (and other stuff) were kindly carried by our guide, Joseph. He is also very eager to help us cross the stream, pointing out some areas that could potentially be dangerous (like that part of the spring which is literally boiling – we avoided that area).
After a few minutes of trailing through the stream, I think my feet got used to the temperature. Also, we arrived at the “man-made facility”.
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| the natural sauna at Baslay hot spring |
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| steam rising over sulfur-coated rocks |
The place itself is gorgeous.
The water flowing through the stream is clear and clean. There are thickets of plants and trees. There are stunning spots that can catch your eye such as the white steam rising over sulfur covered rocks, the yellow sulfur deposits coating more rocks in the spring, the sauna-like cave, and some parts of the spring bubbling up from the ground.
Locals come here to relax and freshen up. They also use the natural sauna to sweat out their tension or some illnesses like influenza. Currently, there’s no fee to go here. To bathe here or use the “sauna” or even camp here overnight is free.
Maybe the local government should start charging fees for tourists so they can maintain this place.
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| Baslay Hot springs |
After sweating inside the cave, you can dip into the man-made pool. The water from the hot spring is directed here.
As you can see from our photos, the pools are not in their best condition but we didn’t want to miss the chance to dip.
I learned from our guide that this place was destroyed during a strong typhoon years ago. I really hope the provincial tourism can include this in their preservation projects. This place can still be improved.
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| Just enjoying my time here at Baslay Hot Springs |
Trek to Baslay waterfall
After spending some time in the hot spring, we trekked further up to the waterfall. It was not far. But the ambience is completely different. As we approached the waterfall, I could see ferns and other wild plants in the area. They seem to frame the waterfall. It was enchanting!
I’m really glad we went here. Just stepping on one stone to another, hearing the sound of the water streaming down, and admiring the greenery surrounding us was already soothing.
The temperature here is cooler. The water is cold and rejuvenating. We took a dip to cool off while our friend and ATV guide took photos. I sat beneath the waterfall and got an instant massage!
Locals are fortunate to have this kind of natural recreational place. Not only this beauty reminds we’re blessed with life, but it’s good for the health too!
A post shared by Erica Poyauan (@thegirlwiththemujihat) on
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| GORGEOUS WATERFALL in Baslay Hot Spring |
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| I’m like a child here!!! This place is worth the hike |
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| My ecstatic face here at Baslay waterfall caught on my CAM PARK action cam |
After dipping here and taking loads of photos and videos, we went our way to hike up again.
We didn’t have towels to dry ourselves. We just let the air do it naturally. LOL
Going back to the ATV centre
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| just me riding the ATV |
Our way back was different.
We took the blue trail on the map which is more paved. Also, since we’re headed down, we didn’t need to use much gas.
We also stopped at this spot to take in the view of the ocean and Siquijor Island.
Another sight that amused me was the local who lives in the area. He was giving water to his cow. The cow was drinking the water while at the same time peeing it out. Haha It was interesting to look at! I mean, I’ve never seen a cow pee before!
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| first photo is our guidewith my two friends, next is the siquijor island, third is the scenery on my right |
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| Would always remember this golden afternoon we rode down back to the ATV centre from Baslay hot spring! |
ATV TOUR Price
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- Activity cost:
- One-seater quad bike = Php4,000
Inclusions:
4-hour tour
Drinks
Snacks
Guide on a separate ATV
Why you should try this ATV adventure
1. It’s always great to try something you haven’t done before
2. It feels great to overcome a challenging trail
3. There is something to look forward to in the middle of the trip
4. There is a sense of fulfilment after you finish this extreme activity
5. ATV is super fun
Some travel tips and reminders
1. Wear comfortable clothes
2. Horn if there’s anything you need from the guide
3. Get all geared up. Do not take off your helmet
4. Follow road signs
5. If you can’t take on the trail, don’t hesitate to ask your guide to do it for you
6. Enjoy the surroundings but also be mindful of your driving
7. Don’t forget to tip the guide. While it is not compulsory, we tipped our guide Php500 because he helped us and made sure we had a great time
Book an ATV Excursion
If you’re staying at Atmosphere Resorts & Spa, you may contact them ahead of time to schedule your ATV excursion.
Contact these numbers:
+63 35 400 6940
+63 917 700 2048
+63 998 960 2289
Or send them an e-mail:
enquiries@atmosphereresorts.com
Mode of payment:
As with any transaction you do at the resort, you can pay by cash or credit card. Very convenient!
Parting Words
I highly recommend you try Atmosphere Resorts ATV excursion. This ATV adventure is perfect for beginners to the experienced rider. It is an excellent activity for nature lovers too. The price is not cheap but it is truly worth the experience!
What do you think of this ATV adventure? Do you like riding ATVs? Have you been to Dauin? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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