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by Erica Jahn

Siquijor Itinerary: What to do in 3 days or less

In Airports, Beach Getaway, Negros Oriental, New Normal Travels, Travel, Travel Guides, Visayas
March 1, 2022
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On the way to Guiwanon Spring Park, Ms. Myla Bromo-Abellana, Negros Oriental Tourism Senior Operations Officer, shows a photo of her flying on a broomstick. She assures everyone in the van we’ll all learn to fly before the end of our Siquijor trip.

Well, that’s a way to welcome tourists to the mystical island of fire! It kind of set the mood (and an illusory expectation too).

The country’s third-smallest province both in terms of land area and population, Siquijor, has long been a stereotyped destination in Central Visayas. To most Filipinos, it’s a known place for witchcraft, love spells, folk healing rituals—some locally called bolo-bolo, tuob, pausok, etc.. With its peculiar healers and haunting stories apt for Halloween, you might think why a lot of people come to visit? 

Unlike typical island destinations that rely mostly on their beaches for tourist influx, Siquijor banks on its healers equally as it does on its natural attractions. The peak season of visit for locals and foreigners who seek to get “healed” is on the Holy Week.

 

 

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I remember my first time visiting Siquijor. I flew from Dumaguete via Cessna aircraft. Thanks to the owner of Bravo Resorts (and my previous employer), I only had a day to get around. Not that I’m being sarcastic. I was lucky to check out some accommodations, but you can imagine how it is when you fly to a stunning spot (or any place) for strict business. I didn’t have the chance to go to some “enchanted waterfalls”. I didn’t get to meet a bolo-bolo healer or learn to fly a broomstick… Needless to say, I regretted not staying longer.

Good thing I got invited by the Philippine Department of Tourism – Office of Public Affairs and Advocacy for a familiarization tour!

This second time to visit Siquijor, my mother advised me to not eat while on the island. Clearly, she’s heard some stories. But seriously? Not eat? For three days? 

Anyway, I ate. A lot! And I did more than just eating! This recent fam trip allowed me to see the most incredible of Siquijor. So I am writing this post to address your most common questions: What to do in Siquijor? What to see in Siquijor? Where to stay in Siquijor? Which tour to book in Siquijor?

Me floating on the cool and clear waters of Salagdoong Beach after cliff jumping from a height of 13 meters. Photo taken by Czar Dancel

Siquijor’s attractions remind me of Nusa Penida, only with better roads. The convenience of getting around the island is amongst what the locals are proud of. No traffic jam, roads are paved (well 90 per cent), and the transportation cost is dirt cheap. The temperature on the island, albeit high, is tolerable even for the hypertensive. By that, I mean ideal for staying out long under the sun or hiking more than a hundred steps to reach a waterfall destination.

Three days in Siquijor

Day 1

6:35 am ETD from Manila via Cebu Pacific bound for Dumaguete City

8:10 am ETA in Dumaguete City

8:30 am Breakfast at Café Filomina-Boulevard

9:30 am ETD to Siquijor via Ocean Jet

10:30 am Arrival at Port of Siquijor

10:50 am Siquijor Town Tour (Points of Interest: St. Francis of Assisi Church and Bell Tower, Siquijor Boardwalk, and Welcome to Siquijor Landmark )

12:30 pm Lunch at Bellview Kuzzina Bar

1:55 pm Experience Bolo-Bolo rituals

3:00 pm Proceed to Cantabon Cave and Mt. Bandilaan Nature Park

5:00 pm Check in at Dapdap Sunset Grill (homestay)

6:45 pm Dinner at Baha Bar

8:00 pm Back to homestay

Us inside the Cantabon Cave. This part is the mini-swimming pool. Photo taken by Teddy Pelaez

Day 2

7:30 am Breakfast at the homestay

8:00 am Proceed to Paliton Beach

8:30 am Proceed to Lugnason Falls

9:45 am Lazi Town Tour: (Points of Interest: Century-old Balete tree and Fish spa, St. Isidore Labrador Church and Lazi Convent)

10:30 am Proceed to Cambugahay Falls

12:30 Lunch at San’s KTV and Restaurant

2:00 pm Visit Kagusuan Beach, Salagdoong Beach and Forest Tour

4:30 pm Proceed to Pan Bisaya Store passing by Cang-isok Century-old House

5:45 pm Sunset dinner at Larena Triad Coffee Shop

7:00 pm Back to Homestay

Me just enjoying Paliton Beach. Photos taken by Danny Pata

Day 3

4:30 am Proceed to Mt. Bandilaan for sunrise viewing

7:00 am Breakfast at homestay

8:00 am Half-day snorkel trip with Apo Diver in San Juan

11:45 pm Check out/lunch

1:30pm ETD to Dumaguete

2:20 pm ETA Port of Dumaguete

3:00 pm Stop-over at the San’s Rival Bistro and Negros Oriental Souvenir Shop

5:00pm ETD back to Manila via Sibulan Airport

Me with some locals prepping to jump into the water of Lugnason Falls. Photo taken by Teddy Pelaez

Some tourists don’t have the luxury of time to get around the island in three days. In such a case, I recommend a day tour.

Day tour to Siquijor

For day tours, you can choose between a coastal tour or a combined tour via a car or a van. You can also hire a tricycle for PHP 1500 – PHP 2000 if you are travelling solo or two people. (Details about which tour to book at the end of the post.) 

Day 1

9:40 am Arrival at Port of Siquijor

10:30 am Siquijor Town Tour (Points of Interest: St. Francis of Assisi Church and Bell Tower, Siquijor Boardwalk, Welcome to Siquijor Landmark, and Guiwanon Spring Park)

12:00 pm Lunch and broomstick photo challenge at Hapitanan Cafe

1:00 pm Proceed to Lugnason Falls

2:00 pm Proceed to Cambugahay Falls

3:00 pm Proceed to Salagdoong Beach

4:30 pm Proceed to Port of Siquijor

6:00 pm ETD back to Dumaguete from Siquijor Port

Left photo: Dapdap Sunset Grill; Right photo: souvenir from Balete century-old tree. I highly recommend you buy your souvenirs here especially the ref magnets!!!
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    • Booking your trip to Siquijor: Tips and tricks
      • Book your flight

        Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Traveloka. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know you get the best deal. For LCC you can take Cebu Pacific to Dumaguete. Best to take the country’s only 4-star airline Philippine Airlines for a safe and smooth flight.

        Book your accommodation

        You can book your hotel with Agoda or Travelbook. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Travelbook as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time. My suggested places are:

        Homestays: Dapdap Sunset Grill or Estelita Homestay

        Hotels: Salamangka Siquijor or Tori’s Paradise

        Hostels: Blue Wave Inn

        Book your tour

        I recommend Mr. Alvin Etom, a certified tourist driver.
        His contact number: 09058301411
        He offers a coastal or combined tour with his 14-seater van for PHP 3500 for a 10-hour tour.

        Other transport options (rate per 10 hours):

        Grandia PHP 2500 (12pax)
        Coaster PHP 6000 (30pax)
        Car PHP2300 (4pax)
        Tour guide rate PHP1500

        Don’t forget Travel Insurance

        Travel Insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. Know more about travel insurance here.

Trying out this Cambugahay Falls rope swing. Photo taken by Teddy Pelaez

How to get to Siquijor

Siquijor has one small airport with few scheduled commercial flights; the airport is located about 5 km west of Siquijor town. This is the one I took on my first visit. Air Juan now has flights from Siquijor airport to/from Cebu.

Currently, tourists from Manila or outside the Philippines can get to the island through Sibulan Airport in Dumaguete. From the Port of Dumaguete, visitors can take a short ferry ride to the Port of Siquijor.

From either Cebu or Dumaguete, one can reach Siquijor by ferry.


There are frequent passenger ferries from Cebu City (Cebu Island), Dumaguete (Negros Island), Tagbilaran (Bohol) and Plaridal (Mindanao):

  • There are many ferries daily from Dumaguete to 1 Siquijor town port. Fast ferries cost PHP180 and are operated by “Delta shipping lines” and “GL shipping lines”.
  • There is also a slow car ferry that costs PHP100 and takes 2 hours, operated by “Montenegro shipping lines”.
  • Fast ferry from Cebu City run by ‘Oceanjet’ takes 5 hours to reach Siquijor town, it makes interim stops in Dumaguete and Tagbilaran. Price from Cebu – PHP1300, from Tagbilaran – PHP 900.
  • Slow ferries from Plaridal and Tagbilaran dock at 2 Larena port, both operated by “Lite Shipping lines”. Ferry from Tagbilaran costs PHP 235, takes 3 hours, leaves Tagbilaran on M W Sa at 8PM. in the opposite direction leaving Larena on Tu Th Su at 7PM (2016).
  • There is a direct ferry from Larena port to Liloan port in Santander at the southern tip of Cebu Island twice a day, costing PHP 200. From Liloan port there are many buses going to Cebu City and some along the island’s west coast to Moalboal.

(Source: Wiki Voyage)

 

Via Pump Boat from Oslob, South Cebu or Sumilon Island 

You can hire a pump boat from Cebu to Siquijor. Travel time is about 1.5 hours

Via seaplane

Siquijor is also accessible by small planes. Travel time from Dumaguete is about 40 minutes.

We took a ferry from Dumaguete Port 

You can take several ferries bound for Siquijor. Ocean Jet and Montenegro are the ones I have tried to take. One way fare for fast craft (like OCEAN JET) costs PHP 250, transit time is about 40-50 minutes. RORO Ferry is slower, about 1.5 hours and one-way fare costs PHP 120.

Last trip for ferry/ fast crafts: 6 pm

If you want to have a relatively more comfortable ferry ride, book a business class seat.

Contact Siquijor Tourism Office

You may contact Siquijor Local Tourism Office through their Facebook Page

Parting Words

Whether it scares some people or captures any traveller’s interest, Siquijor is no doubt a magical place. But the true magic of the island is neither dark nor scary. It’s mostly blue and green. It invigorates. If you need a high-energy vacation with plenty to do and plenty to eat, Siquijor is for you! Travel here for healing or a one of a kind nature adventure, you already got your itinerary!

What do you think about this itinerary? Do you want to go to Siquijor? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below!

Author

Erica Jahn

Erica is a former PR pro turned entrepreneur. Her greatest joys are family, blogging, music, skin care and social justice. As a Muay Thai enthusiast, Erica prides herself on working with increased focus, humility and diligence. She believes in living a fit life doing everything with a flair of creativity and love! Stalk her social channels @thegirlwiththemujihat

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TAIWAN VISA EXEMPT ENTRY for Filipinos (2022)

In Asia, New Normal Travels, Taiwan, Travel Documents, Travel Visa
October 15, 2022
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Philippine passport holders are now eligible for visa-exempt entry to Taiwan for stays of up to fourteen (14) days. The visa-free program is in effect from September 29, 2022 till July 31, 2023.

To travel visa-free, make sure to meet the following conditions:

  1. Your passport is valid for at least six months starting from the date of arrival in Taiwan.
  2. You have an onward/return air/ferry ticket and a visa for that destination (if required).
  3. You have proof of accommodation (or host/sponsor’s contact information or arrangements of tour, travel, visit, events and meeting etc.) in Taiwan.
  4. You completed an arrival card (this is obtained from the airlines or cruise ship company)

taiwan visa exempt entry

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Is it possible to be denied entry to Taiwan?

The visa-free program does not guarantee entry to Taiwan. The Taiwan Bureau of Immigration reserves the right to authorize or deny admission to Taiwan. If you have a criminal record, have overstayed in Taiwan on a previous trip, or cannot prove sufficient funds to support yourself while in Taiwan, yes you may be denied entry.

If you are staying for more than 14 days and you need an E-VISA:

You can apply for an e-visa online. You don’t have to physically go to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines anymore. It costs TWD 1,632 to apply for an e-visa and it takes three (3) working days to process.

If approved, e-visas are valid for three (3) months from the date of issue and allow you a stay of up to thirty (30) days. This new e-visa policy will be on a trial basis for one (1) year. You can check this link for frequently asked questions about the Taiwan e-visa.

For Taiwan arrival procedures/ customs/ quarantine questions, click here

9 Photos that reveal the hidden charm of Sorosoro Springs Mountain Resort

In Travel, Uncategorized
October 29, 2019
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I used to cringe when I see posts headlining “Instagrammable sites” as if blogs only encourage people to visit places for the ‘gram… Then I realize, I myself, take lots of pictures when I travel, in fact, in this recent trip to Sorosoro Springs Mountain Resort Batangas, I took 4 gigabytes of photos and videos, BUT that didn’t sully the fun in my experience nevertheless!

I am sure a lot of people value quality time more than a few seconds of “photo opps”. But for some, these two are not separate entities like my family who’s made it a tradition to take pictures every time there is a gathering even before there were smartphones and mirrorless cameras – yes, we had the film cameras and we printed lots of photographs and framed them or stored in photo albums… I’m glad we took photos, especially from our childhood because no matter how vivid the moment seemed at that time, my childhood recollections fade… somehow if I look at our photo albums, memories come back! 

Nowadays, we just share the photos or videos on social media platforms (or in my case here on my blog). So, if you’re keen to see what the property has to offer, below are snaps from Sorosoro Springs Mountain Resort. 

Sorosoro Springs Mountain Resort is essentially a blessing to the residents of Batangas City and the Batangeńos in general. This 2-hectare lush recreational venue provides the opportunity for families and communities to grow closer together through its facilities, food, and healing environment. [Read Sorosoro Springs Mountain Resort Getaway Guide]

People from the neighbouring provinces are graced by its existence too. It is cheap and very accessible. Even people like us from Manila didn’t have difficulty reaching the place considering we left Alabang at past 9 in the morning. We arrived before 11AM. In my province, we have mountain resorts but quite a travel to get to. So I am really happy when I arrived at Sorosoro Springs Mountain Resort, the first thing I did after checking in was to enjoy at the trampoline in front of our Casita:

After trampolining, I went around the area and found that Sorosoro Springs Mountain Resort is fun-filled and a pretty photogenic resort for people who love nature.

From garden pools with a breathtaking backdrop of the mountains to picture-perfect hanging bridges, here are 9 photos that showcase the beauty of Sorosoro Springs Mountain Resort:

1. HIGHEST POINT

With a stunning and invigorating view of the mountains, it’s always recommended to keep your eyes on the skies when getting around Sorosoro Springs Mountain Resort – but nowhere is this more relevant than the highest point, I think it is also called the Griffin point where the cabanas and the gazebo are located. Hidden away on top of the resort’s highest peak, we took 98 steps to get here. The perfect shot is at early morning or near sunset. When you’ve got this shot, you can swim or drink by the pool with a loved one – the pool and the garden is aptly is romantic.

2. BOODLE FIGHT

You can’t come to Sorosoro Springs Mountain Resort and not try a Boodle Fight – it’s practically the law! LOL Silliness aside, this meal prepared for at least 10 people has gotta be one of the best big servings to try a selection of baby back ribs, fried milkfish, clams, and shrimp. I can’t help but salivate thinking about the time we were devouring those juicy meat. I liked the bihon too and the sides of corn, carrot, cucumber, and tomatoes. I really recommend you try this with your family or a group of friends. Or if you are a foreigner in Batangas, head to this resort for lunch and try this very filipino way of eating. You can dip into the springs pool afterwards. You can try local drinks too – you’ll easily find people who’ll cheers to you!

3. CAMPING AREA

As well as your food, your senses will be pleased too by the lush environment surrounding you at this mountain resort. I think the name already gives that away. But yeah, this is the place for that much-needed breathing away from the pollution or the noises of the city. You can camp here or spend quiet time with nature or dance around like me. I recommend dancing barefoot though.

4. CLOSE-TO-POOL CABANA

Looking like a place straight out of a Balinese resort makes this the most snapped spot by our group. Located at the highest point of the resort, this is where the cabanas are nestled where couples or honeymooners can enjoy a romantic moment. It took us 98 steps to get here, fed some koi fish, checked the rooms—decently spaced with airconditioning, queen-sized bed, private shower, and wood double door you can open for a breathtaking view of the mountains—took photos and swam in the garden pool. The view from here as you can see is invigorating, best for an early morning swim or a romantic sunset date by the pool.

5. STAND OF TREES

If you fancy catching some fresh air and admiring a stand of trees, then take a few-minute walk to the camping area or to the resort park and photograph stands of mahogany or bamboo trees. You can’t miss this as the stand of trees are almost everywhere. Pro-tip: wear something that would stand out.

6. ROCKTOBEERF3ST

Have you ever been to Sorosoro Springs Mountain Resort’s Rock to beer fest? If you haven’t, you should go next year. That will be the fourth year and you bet it would be even more fun! As well as this famous event in the area which gets all locals all excited are the bands who participate – all are incredibly talented and entertaining. I really recommend you see it for yourself: the contestants this year, and the winners: The Blanc from Lipa Batangas, Manok ni San Pedro, and Maria. It’s the first music fest I’ve been to for a long long time and it reminded me so much of the good times when I was still playing with a band. If you like music, if you like having a great time with a beer or other alcoholic beverage, then, this event is for you! Oh, and keep an eye out for all the food too!

7. TEAM BUILDING

Head to Sorosoro Springs Mountain Resort to make your Corporate Outing a Team Building to Remember. That’s right – Sorosoro Springs Mountain Resort is famous for their awesome activities as well as own professional team building facilitators that will really build stronger bonds together with your team. [Read Bloggers Team Building Experience at Sorosoro Springs Mountain Resort]

8. CASITAS

Big fan of camping? Then you’re gonna want to check out these Casitas and see an interesting space with a decent toilet and bathroom that’s just steps away from nature. It’s a lovely accommodation that is private, clean and super cheap too! When you stay here, you can spend more of your money on food and pasalubong!

9. HANGING BRIDGES

There are two hanging bridges in Sorosoro Springs Mountain Resort. The first one is the featured photo of this blog post and is called the monkey bridge. This is the second one which we took to get to the camping site. It is covered with very tall trees you might not notice what’s below. But if you care to look closely, you’ll see a lovely spring (frightening to some due to the height). But worry not, this bridge is very safe and sturdy that you can run and do jump shots! This charming bridge and the other monkey bridge have become an icon for this resort.

Parting Words

There you have it! Hope from these pictures you’ve got an idea of what Sorosoro Springs Mountain Resort has to offer. But I am telling you, there’s more! If you’re planning your trip to Sorosoro Springs Mountain Resort soon, then be sure to check out this travel guide.

What do you think about these photos? Do you wanna visit Sorosoro Springs Mountain Resort? Let me know in the comments section below!

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