Travel Audit

Due to my time-bound goal 30.30.5 inspired by the Sole Sisters, I made an audit of the places I've been in and outside Cebu and places in and outside Philippines.

I've been to 19 places in Cebu.

1 Alcoy
2 Badian
3 Bantayan
4 Catmon
5 Consolacion
6 Daanbantayan
7 Dalaguete
8 Danao
9 Liloan
10 Madridejos
11 Matutinao
12 Minglanilla
13 Moalboal
14 Pinamungajan
15 Samboan
16 San Fernando
17 San Francisco
18 Sibonga
19 Sta. Fe

I've been to 7 provinces in the Philippines.

1 Cagayan De Oro City,Misamis Oriental 2008 with Chooks
2 Bohol 2009 with Exec
3 Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental 2010 with Madam & Co.
4 Metro Manila 2011 with Girls
5 Sta. Rosa, Laguna 2011 with Girls
6 Camiguin 2011 with Exec
7 Bukidnon 2011 with Exec

I haven't been outside Philippines yet.

So where am I in my 30.30.5 target?
Before that let me tell you something about my target :D
Well, 30.30.5 means I have to go to 30 places in Cebu, 30 provinces in the Philippines and 5 countries before I turn 30! Weeeeee! I'am 25 now so I have 5 years to complete my target. :)

Therefore, as of the moment I lacked
11 places in Cebu
23 places in the Philippines
5 countries

To be able to meet my target, I need to have at least 5 places in the Philippines every year and at least 1 country per year. I wonder if I really could meet this goal. This might be just so-so to others but not to me. But I'll persevere :D

Your help is very much welcome too :D

For that, here is my travel plans next year. I'm crossing my fingers on this :D

1. Iloilo City – January 21 – 23 (1st Quarter)
2. Baguio, Tagaytay – April 28 – May 1 (2nd Quarter)
3. Bacolod City – October 26 – 28 (4th Quarter)
4. Siquijor – November 30 – December 2 (4th Quarter)
5. Singapore – August 18 – 27 (Leave for dates: 22, 23, 24 ) (3rd Quarter)

Wish me luck! :D

Villa Isabella: The Team Traveler's Haven

Located at Samboan, approximately 4 hours away from Cebu City is a resort small but comfortable enough for a relaxing and enjoyable trip with your friends. The pink cottages are like cotton-candies against the blue sea and the skyline. I like the view of the skyline the most. The clouds, the sea,  and the water. They fit perfectly like a portrait on a painter's canvass. And don't you ever miss the sunset. it was my first time to be out on the beach as the sun cast it's orangey color, and it was perfect. I never had that kind of amazement before. Pure bliss!

How to go there

Go to South Bus Terminal took a Ceres bus to Bato via Barili. Asked the driver to drop you at Samboan Medical Clinic and Laboratory. Walk a little until you found a bamboo gate that say's "Private property. No Entry." That's the gate to Villa Isabella. The gate is beside a big house with a store. If you're not confident enough, just asked a local. I personally suggest don't go there alone. It's nice but it can be a little lonely. We we're the only guests there. Maybe due to it's far proximity to the city, traveler's find it hard to appreciate it. 

I don't know the actual fare since we had stop over at Alegria. A rough estimate would be PHP 172 since Cebu to Alegria is PHP 134 then Alegria to Samboan is PHP 38. 

The Place

"Villa Isabella: The Team Traveler's Haven". When you're on a team outing, you will surely enjoy this place. It's like having your own private resort. The resort has A videoke place that lets you sing 2 songs for Php 5. You will only have to list the songs. You pay after. You can sing until 10 PM only. It has a mini-bar plus canteen. I don't know if they serve food because we brought our own food. For the meat, fish and some others, we bought it in the local market. I am not in-charge of the market. I will surely ask Ryan to feature it in his blog one of these days. So might as well check it there. He was the one in-charge of the market and foods. I knew this place from scouring the net. Stumbled on it's Facebook page. The numbers are not updated that's why didn't pick this place.  

Here are the updated contact numbers:

0921-200-2327 Look for Obiso

261-2877

Rooms costs PHP 1500. We had 2. It costs the same but 1 is bigger than the other. The girl's room has 3 beds and the guys has 2 bed. It both has its own CR. I think that room is the family room. I never asked though. Both rooms has an extension room with a screen walling. It has chairs and table also. We put our foods their. Talking with the care taker, he mentioned about a room that cost PHP 1200. I was kind of regretful that I didn't ask for it to be opened so that I could take some pictures and post it here. Maybe next time I'll visit a resort, I will surely capture everything in my cam and blog about it. It surely will be beneficial.

About the Beach

The beach front is stony but I like that they are smooth. The shore on the sea wall beside the Resort is sandy. Don't miss to check it out. Night swimming is very ideal there since the beach is so well lighted. 

View of the entire resort

Our dining table.

Shoreline.

Cottage.

Cottage near the videoke area.

Room 1: Girls Room

Room 2: Boys Room

Inside Boys Room. 2 beds with own CR.

Extension of boy's room.

Kitchen Door.

Common Kitchen. We borrowed some utensils here.

The Detour leading to Villa Isabella, Samboan

The Plan:

05:30 - 06:00 AM Rendezvous at South Bus Terminal

06:30 - Departure to Alegria (Batong Malunhaw)

09:30 - Batong Malunhaw

11:00 and beyond - Enjoy!

Actual:

05:30 - 06:00 AM Rendezvous at South Bus Terminal

07:00 - Departure to Alegria ( Batong Malunhaw )

10:30 - Batong Malunhaw 

Unfortunately,Batong Malunhaw is under renovation. The group made a unanimous decision to go to Samboan over Badian not knowing that it's still 2 towns away. Alegria. Malabuyoc. Ginatilan. Samboan. Actually, we're counting on the transportation, whichever comes first, bound to Badian or Samboan, that's our pick. Lucky for us, a Ceres bus liner bound to Bato pass by. Yahoo! We're on our way to Samboan with a faint hope that Villa Isabella, one of the candidate resort for the trip is actually fit for accommodation. I actually prayed hard.

11:00 - Departure to Samboan ( Villa Isabella )

11:30 - Villa Isabella

I don't know how they were able to know where Villa Isabella is located. I was just joining the crowd when they took off the bus. We walked a dirt road unto a dilapidated sign, that says "This way to Villa Isabella". The group were divided as to where the sign is pointing. In my mind, "Gosh! This is so like a horror trip. Waaaah!" Then we saw a back gate that leads to the pink cottages that looks exactly like the one we saw on Facebook. I feel a little relief. We went inside when no one answered our call. Waaaaa! Not long after, a middle-aged man appeared saying he would call the care taker. I thanked God for the discovery of the place and prayed again that all would be OK. Everyone was tired and hungry to transfer and look for another place again. The care taker took longer so we decided to do things ourselves. Some went to the market. The others were content with chatting and feeling the sea breeze. I went to check out the place and took some pictures. Some prepared lunch. When the care taker arrived, I was a little uneasy chanting my prayers silently again. I was so happy we got the place. We had 2 rooms each cost PHP 1500. They were huge so we were considering of getting one room only but the care taker insist. We took 2. it was only the day after that we realized it was the best decision to get the 2 rooms.

Up Next: Villa Isabella: The Groupie Traveler's Haven

Planning an escapade

To start the plan, I usually start with choosing the target destination. Special criteria, it should not be in my "been to" lists. I'm counting my footprints in every places, so variety is a must.

Overnight

After the destination, I then scoured the net for an affordable accommodation in that area. Maximum limit per pax for an overnight accommodation should be Php 250. Anything greater is a no-no most especially if it's a group escapade. The cheaper, the better. Usually people stay up all night and if they sleep, they rarely sleep comfortably so getting an expensive one is not practical.

If I can't find a suitable accommodation on the net, if I'm with adventurous people, I usually suggest we just look for a place there. If I'm not, I just proposed to change the target destination.

Day Only

After, the itinerary comes next. It's important for me to know what to do and expect on an escapade to align my choice of clothing. 

Both Day and Overnight

Foods! I hate planning this one. Usually on a day escapade, I always settle for lechon manok, siomai, lumpia, pancit, fruits, drinks and junkies. For overnight, I don't know how to cook so I usually leave this to the experts :D I just asked them their price to be included in the expenses :D I want to be a backpacker so I will need to learn how to cook alone. Maybe soon! :D

Money and Budgeting

I don't usually keep the money :D I have a tendency to compensate on things myself in case of deficiency. I hate asking people money :(( So, like foods I leave it to someone I think is bold enough to do the honor of collecting, paying and budgeting :D

As a whole, I only like to plan and put things together. Which I think makes me unfit to be a backpacker yet. Because if you are a backpacker, you do things alone. :D

I am a late-bloomer in travel. I just found my passion recently. So I think I still have lots of things to learn. :)

Private Pool/Beach Resthouse (for special gatherings)

Disclaimer: Copied from Istorya.net.
Commercial purpose, for the benefit of those that cannot open Istorya.net :D

For Rent Private Beach Resthouse w/ Swimming Pool
Location: Car-Car City, Cebu

Ideal for:

Team Building
Wedding Receptions
Birthday Party
Reunion
Group/Family Gatherings

Included during your stay:

1 Aircoditioned Room w/ CR [2 double deck, 1 single bed]
1 Colored TV (Sala)
1 Ref (if you want to store your beverage, meat, etc.)
1 Mineral Water Dispenser (free 1 Container mineral water)
1 Cordless Telephone (can call cebu city)
Kitchenware (kotselyo, luwag, kaldero, kaha)
Diningware (plato, kutsara, tinidor, baso)
Beach front grilling
Swimming Pool w/ artificial falls (Artificial falls is not available all the time)
Fully fenced and secured
Fully Exclusive (one group at a time)
Huge Sala w/ 2 sets of SOFA
1 Caretaker (assist on CHECK-IN and CHECK-OUT only)

Rates:

Monday to Thursday : Php 3,000
Friday to Sunday : Php 3,500

(Check-In Time is 12 NOON, Check-out Time is 12 Noon)

WE ONLY ACCEPTS OVERNIGHT USE.. NO DAY USE....
WE ONLY ACCEPTS OVERNIGHT USE.. NO DAY USE....
WE ONLY ACCEPTS OVERNIGHT USE.. NO DAY USE....
WE ONLY ACCEPTS OVERNIGHT USE.. NO DAY USE....

NOTE: Only 20 persons are FREE for the actual rate. P50/head will be charged excess of 20 persons.

Others:

Extra Airconditioned Room w/ Kingsize Bed & Double Deck (P1,000)
KTV w/ Microphone (P500)
Billiard (P500)
Three Burner Gas Range (P100)
Beer Stallion [Red Horse, Colt45] (P25/bottle)
House Party (Sounds/Lights/Talents) - Price depends on your requirements

Here's the pics (Pasensya namo dili profesional shot)

Entrance



Sala



Dining



Room





Pool



Beach



Sketch




For bookings and reservations:

Contact me at this #s:

0922-8906441 (sun)

For Rent: Private Beach House and Resort in Oslob

Disclaimer: Copied from Istorya.net.
Commercial purpose, for the benefit of those that cannot open Istorya,net :D


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Location: Lagunde,Oslob,Cebu

ideal for: Team buildings
Christmas party
Wedding Reception
etc...

Amenities:

Airconditioned rooms
Basketball court,can be used for any activities.
Restaurant fronting the beach.
Kitchen
Safe parking,fully fenced
Long beach shore
Caretakers to serve your needs.
Videoke[by request]


ALSO CATER TRIP TO SUMILON IF REQUESTED,OWNER KNOWS SOME BOAT OWNERS THAT CAN BE RENTED FOR A TRIP SOSUMILON ISLAND


Private Rest house
Good for 5-15 persons
2 airconditioned bedrooms with blanket and pillows.
1 huge restroom
extra foams,pillows and blankets[by request]
sala set with colored and cable television
telephone
kitchen with gas range
kitchen and dining wares
refrigerator
Fully exclusive if rented
Can use amenities mentioned above
NO corkage fee for foods and drinks

Rate: P3500.00 overnight..
check in: 2pm, check out: 12noon

pics...

Private Beach House


outside the resthouse




hight tide lang ni mao abot ang tobig sa hagdanan


sala


bedroom


comfort room








restaurant




We also have other rooms for small guests or if guest are more than 20 persons,others can stay here..this is within the resort also.

Varieties of rooms are available,we have room good for 2 persons,room for 4 persons...etc
airconditioned rooms with cr.

Rates range from 700 to 2000,depends on the room type.
see pics.







Rate: 900 : 4 double deck room


Rate: 900: 2 double deck,1 bed room


basketball court,cinxa ky hugaw ky kosog au ulan pagkagabee ani then sau mi buntag picture2 nya wla pa kapanglimyo







For reservations pls contact
481-9990 or 481-1585
09233317924 look for Magdalina

Simala the 2nd time around!

Yummy!

I had to wake up early since Migo had a team outing and the camera's with me. He picked it up on his way. He also brought the almonds chocolate pasalubong from Mam Ristie. I ate it while watching Slamdunk's episodes 49 to 55.

I got so pumped up watching the 55th episode of Slamdunk that I had an impulse attack to do something I've always wanted to do since my 25th birthday. I hurriedly took a bath, texted a friend if she's free to tag along. Turned out she also had some solo activity planned. I wished both us luck :D

Not my own shot. Wala ko kadala ug cam ky naa ni Migo. Hehe!

I departed to Sibonga aboard a green minibus at around 12:30 PM. Upon reaching Minglanilla, the conductor asked me my ticket, when I showed it to him, he smiled because I rode the wrong bus. He just said that I just have to pay again and I'll just have to stop at Carcar then rode to Sibonga. Haha! Some passengers were kind of making it a big thing, I just smiled and shrugged it off. What's the use of crying over spilled milk. Duh!

I was so exhausted upon reaching Carcar since I never slept well on the bus. I was afraid I'd doze off too much and have another detour again. On arrival, a Samaritan who took off the bus with me directed me to the gas station where transport bound to Sibonga is located. I was lucky there was another solo flight girl. We rode the tricycle together. It was a long tricycle trip. We paid Php50 each for the fare. I was so tired I never had the chance to chat with her. I was planning to but I doze off. When we reached Marian Hills, she was hurrying that I lost the chance to find a new friend. :(

It was my 2nd time to visit Marian Hills. I''ve been there with Jen, Elgie and Dea last February 2008. I was so mesmerized I promised to visit again but got so busy I forgot. I'm happy I have finally fulfilled my promise today. :)

The Poster

I noted there are lots of changes since my last visit. The road up is quite nice already. There were new additions to the place itself. For the first time, I got the chance to see the galleries. I never thought there was something like that. We never go there last time. There was a petition gallery, different Mary's from all over the world and some others. People are required to take off shoes in going there, I was hesitant at first for fear that I might lost mine. In the end, my desire to see and touch Mama Mary overcome my fear.I'm glad I did :)

I lighted 2 candles, gold and violet. Gold for health. Violet for plans. When I was touching Mama Mary at that sacred place, I was asking Her about something. It's kind of complicated though. I hope Mama Mary still get what I meant.

Been there for almost an hour and a half. Back at City at 6:30 PM. Migo and I had dinner at Ayala. We watched "Horrible Bosses" movie after. It was very funny that I got excited to inform my friends about it. I hope they'll watch for a good and de-stressing laugh. :)

We ended the night with 2 scoops of Gelatissimo ice cream, hazelnut and milk flavor for each scoop. :)

Alcoy-Dalaguete G Adventures

Attendees: Kring, Ryan, Jellie, Lawra, Cha, Mitch, Mira, Ed, Ken, Sensei, Izumi

Individual Contribution: Php 500

Trip Budget: Php 5500

Destination: Dalaguete, Alcoy

Trip Type: Overnight

Call Time: 5:00 AM at South Bus Terminal

Actual Departure: 6:30 AM

First Stop: Obong Spring at Dalaguete, Cebu

Arrival Time: 8:30 AM (exactly 2 hours from the City)

Fare: Php 106

Terminal Fee: Php 5

Transport: Ceres 8906 bound to Oslob

Weather: Fair with scattered clouds; Sun's rays are hidden. Ideal for a comfortable travel.

Participants in order of arrival: Lawra, Mira, Kring, Cha, Sensei, Izumi, Mitch, Ryan, Jellie, Ed, Ken

Due to Ken's lateness, we had to let go the 6:00 AM bus. We decided to left him aboard the 6:30 AM bus but he got lucky and was able to catch up when the bus went out of SBT. :D

Expenses:

2500 Foods

1500 Overnight Cottage at Alcoy Beach

  150 Cottage at Obong Spring

  155  Entrance Obong Spring

1195 Etcetera's (Fare, Entrances)

Itinerary:

  5:00 AM Call time at South Bus Terminal

  6:30 AM Departure to Dalaguete, Cebu

  8:30 AM Arrival at Obong Spring

11:00 AM BRUNCH (Breakfast and Lunch!)

01:00 PM Departure to Alcoy (Road tricycle to Alcoy beach. Fare: Php 15 each)

01:15 PM Arrival at Alcoy beach

01:30 PM Etcetera. Swimming. Videoke (Cinco Cinco Galore!)

03:00 PM Market! Market!

05:00 PM Food Preparations

06:00 PM Dinner

07:00 PM and Beyond Swimming

07:00 AM Prepare to go home

08:00 AM Alcoy Beach Departure

10:30 AM Back in Cebu

Obong Spring

Entrance Per Person: Php 5

Cottage: Php 150

If you happen to visit Dalaguete, don't dare miss this place for a day of fun and relaxation. The water is so cool and inviting. What makes this Spring different from others is its water salinity. The water is salty :D I really taste it :D Hahaha!

The spring! Brave kids on top! :D

Ryana doing the planking thing!

The water is so deep! :D

Yummy! I forgot the name!

Super yummy! Yum! Yum!

The ride to Alcoy Beach!

Alcoy Beach (I don't know the exact name, but the resort above it is Kai Nane Point.)

Entrance Per Person: Php 20

Cottage Overnight: Php 1500

Tent Put-up: Php 150 (your tent or their tent)

Nice affordable cottage. Cool and amazing beach! :)

The beach! Fine sand! Cool water :)

Weeeeeee!

Love the cottages!

Videoke Area! Our cottage is in the back!

Foods! Us! Inside the cottage!

The day after!

Back to the real world!

Truly a superb weekend get-away! Go and ask some friends to have one too! Yahooooooo!