Kings Canyon and Sequoia in One Day

Kings Canyon and Sequoia in One Day

By: Ivy Lim

It was about 3 hours of travel from Yosemite National Park to Visalia. It’s the closest town to Kings Canyon or Sequoia National Park. Well, it’s the town that has the most affordable motel rates. It was just an overnight stay. Super 8 Wyndham in Visalia should be avoided at all costs.

The room was spacious but the room looks like it hasn’t been cleaned since forever. The coffee machine hasn’t been washed since it was first used. The room was very dusty. Phone line didn’t work. It was affordable but not cheap. One of the more expensive motels that we stayed in during our travel from Lake Tahoe down to Los Angeles. The saving grace of this motel was that it was an hour away from the parks we wanted to visit and served free breakfast. Again, avoid this motel!

I did leave a review and hopefully they address it. Breakfast was served at 6AM. So quickly just stuffed ourselves to get the most out of our stay and to not eat lunch anymore.

Kings Canyon looked like it was still in winter season. High elevation and snow covered this wonderful park. Lots of winding turns to get to this place. So, be extra cautious when driving here.

Entrance to the park is $20 I think per vehicle. The real attraction of the Kings Canyon is the General Grant Tree. It’s one of the biggest trees in the world.

Snow, everything except the path is covered in snow

The area isn’t that big and if you don’t mind walking, it’s actually a nice stroll. Too bad it was just too cold to really do anything except to take quick snaps. Totally not dressed for weather.

Inside of a fallen Sequoia tree

Kings Canyon is less touristy and you won’t have to share with the crowd. It isn’t as popular as its neighbor the Sequoia National Park. If you’re looking for a place with less people then I recommend Kings Canyon.

General Grant Tree

I took the picture using my Samsung A6. Picture quality isn’t the best but the top of the tree is green with some snow on it. There were only a few people walking around the area so it’s nice and you won’t have to wait in line to take the picture of the sequoia tree.

There aren’t as many sequoia trees as Sequoia National Park. You don’t really need to spend the whole morning probably an hour or two. Due to the weather and the cold, we spent an hour or less.

It was 40 minutes of driving from Kings Canyon to Sequoia National Park. It’s really just like one big park if you ask me. We almost missed the drop off point or the parking area for General Sherman tree, which is the most famous sequoia tree in the world. It can be quite confusing when using navigation maps so really you need to keep an eye out for your destination.

General Sherman Tree is more up close and you could just see how huge the trunk of the tree really is. Somewhat too crowded to take your time for picturing the famous tree.

The Tough Twins

It’s really cool to see the Tough Twins. Two sequoia trees side by side and roughly the same height. It’s difficult to walk through all that snow and even the pathways are slippery because of the ice. Even I slipped on the pavement. No one saw.

Unfortunately, due to the snowy conditions we weren’t able to see the Moro Rock. We could have walked it but it was a couple of miles and no one wanted to walk with me. We did visit the Giant Forest Museum. It was warm inside and you get to learn all about the sequoia trees.

Sentinal Tree is just outside of the museum

Here’s a picture of just how large the trees are compared to people.

It’s best to visit the parks in the summer season. Probably less cold and not that much snow. It’s also easier to explore as well and most of the sights will be open too.

Even in spring, bring winter clothes if you plan to visit one of the parks. It was around afternoon we left for Los Angeles. Travel time was about 3 or 4 hours. On the way down try to stop by at this picture stop:

Almost cloud level...it’s cool to see this in person

A Day In Yosemite (April 2019)

A Day In Yosemite

By: Ivy Lim

Spending a day in Yosemite is not enough. But if you only have a day you can make it worthwhile.

It’s about four hours of driving to get to Yosemite National Park from San Francisco. That’s a few hours of driving across winding uphill roads. The nearest city that has affordable hotels or motels would be Merced, which is about two hours away from Yosemite. You can also bring some food. There’s also a food court beside the Yosemite Valley Lodge.

You can also diy your way and just park at designated view points. Sure you get to appreciate the park, however, without context or the history behind discovering this valley, it would surely deprive you of its wonder.

Take the tour bus, the Valley Floor Tour. I booked the tickets in advance to make sure we get seats on the bus. It was about $36 per person. It is separate from the entrance to the park itself. For me, I recommend this guided tour to truly admire, appreciate Yosemite. It takes 2 hours and the bus will tour you around and explain the different sights of interest and relay the history of the park. Our tour bus driver was very knowledgeable on the history and the places of interest inside Yosemite. He even recommended where to go hiking if there were any avid hikers in our group.

April 2019 was still cold. Best to layer up if you’re going to take pictures. It can be quite chilly. Glad that we took the tour so we wouldn’t have to drive ourselves around the park. Honestly, it didn’t feel like two hours since our guide was very entertaining. Time is frozen once inside Yosemite National Park. Almost as if the mountains and the trees are the way they were some hundred or thousand years ago. Still somewhat the same despite the changes in global climate.  

El Capitan, a huge rock formation

The valley itself is surrounded by granite like rock formations that have a height of thousands of meters. Once you’re there, it’s just awesome to see such gigantic formations that it seems unreal, higher than some skyscrapers. It looks like they’re chiseled but from the Earth’s changes in climate, it has formed these mountainous monuments. El Capitan is one of the highest in the park. If you’ve watched the documentary “Free Solo”, this is where Alex Honnold successfully climbed up El Capitan without any harness. Our guide shared that information and was lucky enough to have seen the documentary on the EVA Air inflight movies. It does look impossible and dangerous to even attempt such feat.

Deers just strolling around

There are still a lot of animals. Some of them are just hiding like the bobcat we saw earlier. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take a picture of it and by the time I got out my phone to take a picture, it quickly hid in the bushes. I managed to take some pictures of wild deers. Good thing that our bus driver stopped so we could all marvel their wild habitat. We didn’t see any bears which is a comfort in knowing you won’t be attacked by them if the situation arises. Wish that there could be more parks like these in the world.

Another awesome view, there are two waterfalls in this picture

In the winter, these waterfalls are frozen. That’s no surprise there. Our driver said that some hikers would hike up to the falls. It just looks amazing from where we were standing. It took me a while to see that there was a smaller waterfall near the bottom part of the mountain. I’m probably guessing that winter is also beautiful to see this view. Imagine snow covered mountains that are so pure white. No doubt it would be beautiful.

Panoramic view of the open plains

A day wasn’t enough or rather a few hours weren’t enough to relax. The sight of nature, the awesome views were truly calming and relaxing. Feeling you’re one with nature even for a moment is something we need for ourselves. It’s a nice getaway from the city life. Fresh air and cool weather, I think that’s just what we truly need.

If you want to visit Yosemite National Park even for a day trip, go there early. Book the Yosemite Valley Floor tickets in advance. I’ll be posting the website at the end of this entry. Pay your tickets online and remember to get your tickets at the Yosemite Valley Lodge at least 15-20 minutes before your scheduled tour. We took the 10:00 AM tour to make most of the day. We had late lunch at the food court beside the Valley Lodge. We couldn’t extend our stay since we needed to get on the road to Visalia, a city near Sequoia National Park. Maybe next time I’ll come back. Well at least I’m looking forward to coming back.

Take lots of pictures and enjoy if you get a chance to visit Yosemite. Worth it to visit!

Tickets: https://www.travelyosemite.com/things-to-do/guided-bus-tours/

Lake Tahoe: A Surreal Natural Painting

Lake Tahoe: A Surreal Natural Painting

By: Ivy Lim

It was an unplanned trip to be honest. My aunt invited us to her birthday celebration to spend it in San Francisco where most of our relatives were staying. Actually, the exact location was in Concord, CA. But the city itself was just an hour away from San Francisco. Anyway, it was also a coincidence that when booking the tickets, EVA Air was on sale. Grabbed the opportunity to book the tickets.

So to really make sure the tickets was worth it, I just had to plan the ultimate road trip. Ultimate is a subjective word but for me it fit perfectly. Road Trips in the US is such an adventure because it’s mostly driving through open roads, highways.

First stop of my itinerary was Lake Tahoe. It was maybe a couple of hours from San Francisco. About three hours at most. Why Lake Tahoe? I must have heard somewhere it was one of the biggest lakes in the US and the most picturesque. Seeing the snow covered mountains and the blue lake pictures on the internet was enough for me.

Spend a day or two around the lake. Go skiing or boating or kayaking. For me I just wanted to marvel at the views.

Taken at Inspiration Point

There are a couple of view points that interested me. I’ll just post more about Inspiration Point and Vikingsholm. Those two places is where you’ll truly appreciate Lake Tahoe’s sceneries. Also, it’s just beside each other at the southern part of the lake.

It was a winding, icy road from where we stayed (Motel 6, a very cheap and clean motel) to go up to Inspiration Point. You could see the edge down below. Just be careful when driving up and it’s best to check the weather as well. We went there last April 2019. Spring season does not always mean it’s not freezing. So, please wear the right clothes.

Around Inspiration Point, just snow everywhere

I was very excited to see snow again. Too gleeful. Maybe 15 minutes in I just wanted to leave because it was just too cold for me. My fault as well to think I wouldn’t need winter clothes in April. Since, we were already there, together with my family, we just had to snap some quick pictures then back to the SUV.

Winter Wonderland in April

Look, there’s a little island. Somebody could be there now.

Vikingsholm was just a couple of minutes away from Inspiration Point. There was no one around. We were lucky that the parking lot was closed.

It was $5 to park.

Thick snowfall, how could you even park?

We just parked a few metres from the highway, just outside of Vikingsholm. Took quick pictures because it was cold and to avoid paying the parking fee if ever. Probably ten minutes tops that we stayed. Just snap and run! There was one other car that was parked from where we were. One.

Just wow to see the mountain with the trees and snow. And then there are my parents...it’s them alright.

We needed to get back on the road so we can reach Merced, CA by late afternoon. It was before lunch we left Lake Tahoe.

Another shot from the highway, yeah, the place is mostly covered with Pine trees.

Kings Canyon and Speedboat Beach were also on the recommended list on TripAdvisor. We could be just picky but Inspiration Point was the best in my opinion, the best spot to appreciate Lake Tahoe’s picturesque scenery. Put this on your bucket list, really, visit Lake Tahoe and it will be worth it.

FAMTRAVELGOALS! Do it today!

FAMTRAVELGOALS! Do it today!

When you browse through different diy groups especially travel groups it’s always “barkada goals” or “barkada outing” and the likes. It’s seldom that you see posts or itineraries about family travels or even traveling with your parents (senior citizens even..). It’s a totally different experience for sure. You can’t exactly get wasted with your parents on a beach or go bar hopping in some city, walk all day and night or do some crazy activities. Boring? Not exactly. Again, traveling with parents is a whole different experience.

Love for traveling to new places started with my parents. Back then it was always with tours or with other relatives abroad who would show you around. Doing it yourself wasn’t the trend back then. A couple of years go, I started joining some barkada diy trips and then started reading about it online. Well, it sure was cheaper and you had the luxury of time to explore new places rather than being shepherd into tour buses.

It was in 2014 I decided to buy tickets for the family to go to Korea and “DIY” it ourselves. It took many weeks to plan it. I kept reading many blogs, websites and even memorizing the subway maps to make the perfect trip. It had to be perfect since my parents only had me for their “tour guide”. Our one week vacation was a success!

Changing of the Guards at Geongbokgung Palace taken in Oct 2014

My parents, sitting on a bench with my backpack (all travel essentials)

Then the next trip was in 2015 and this time it was Japan...during Cherry Blossom Season! Was I excited? Yes, definitely! Were my parents excited? Of course they were! But to do it “DIY” again was a huge challenge on my part. We visited different cities and took subways and trains most of the time. It probably took me many weeks this time to make sure that this trip will go without any hiccups. I’m very happy that it was as a success as well and got to visit all the places I wanted to see.

With ze parents in Osaka taken in end of March 2015

International diy trips are challenging since of course being in a foreign land makes it daunting and you’re not used to the surroundings. All the more if you get lost, now that’s a nightmare. I have to make sure that we won’t get lost, I have access to maps or the latest apps that would help us in our travel. Since both my parents are already senior citizens, they don’t have time to google, check itineraries, maps or apps. It’s all on me, their little tour guide.

I don’t know if going on travels made us much closer, I guess it did. But traveling will always make us learn new things around us: the new technologies, culture and food. Truly, when one travels, one learns more about the world. That’s what my parents taught me when I was younger. They didn’t say it outloud but they showed it to my by bringing me to new places when I was a child even up to when I was a teenager.

They were patient with me and now it’s my time to be patient with them. Meaning more walks meant more rest periods. If a place was difficult for them then I would go to it alone and then come back for them. Usually, they would wait for me somewhere like a coffee shop or some small cafe. They didn’t mind and I would show them the pictures I took.

Sometimes, i would push them to go to some places where it was sort of difficult just because they really needed to see it. It’s up to you to decide whether your parents can endure the walk or hike. Or maybe just persuade them, walk slowly, take more rests until you reach the destination. All it takes is a little push, some persuasion, nagging and reasoning. I mean, once you’re already there might as well explore the place. Think of the effort of taking the plane, riding the bus...what’s a little walk compared to the travel of getting there?

Long, somewhat difficult path down to Antelope Canyon. April 2019

Truly breathtaking once you’re inside the Canyon. April 2019

Monument Valley. It was nice according to them...still not many have been there. April 2019.

It’s enough for me that my parents enjoyed the places I’ve taken them on our diy trips. No thanks are necessary. I’m just glad the trips we made were made. Sure, there maybe some disagreements but that can’t be totally avoided. Some places they liked and some didn’t. But, deep inside I knew they liked the overall trips that I arranged. It helps if you have a lot of energy and then it rubs on to them to make them feel young for the moment and have the effort to explore new places.

It’s not always barkada goals to have in mind but family goals as well. Do it today if you can. It doesn’t have to be always international trips. You can even start with a local beach trip. After all, your parents have you to take them to places they’ve never even dreamed of going to without you to do it all. Trust me, they will have the best time.

Siargao (December 2018)

Siargao (December 2018)
All the rave about Siargao this year has made us very excited to see this island. This would be my family's first vacation in nearly two years! We bought our tickets via PAL and decided to visit Siargao in December. It was really apt since my parents were about to retire and we would start on another entrepreneurial venture. This was a great way to end our 2018. :)

Sohoton Cove

Anyway, this will be a long post since we stayed on the island for three nights. So, please bear with me. :) 


Day 1: 



It was an early start for us. The plane left Manila around 5:00AM and landed in Cebu about an hour later. It wasn't ideal to go to Cebu City from the airport as the locals said the traffic would be bad. Cebu City traffic is like Manila traffic now. That was a let down. With nothing to do in the airport, we ended up going to some Korean Spa a few minutes away from the airport. It was very relaxing as we didn't get any sleep at all. We must have dozed off for a good 30 minutes or an hour. After waking up from a relaxing massage, we were famished. So we bought lechon from Rico's Lechon which was a short walk from the spa. 



The restaurant was not open since it was only 9am. We decided to go back to the airport to eat brunch instead. At least when we were at the airport we didn't need to fuss over if we would be late for our flight. There was really nothing to do at the airport but to eat or nap a little or walk around a little bit. Thankfully, our flight to Del Carmen (Siargao) was on time. 



11:30AM we were on the plane but due to air traffic we left after 15 or 20 minutes. We landed on time 12:30PM. Baggage claiming was a breeze. We met our driver Roger/Sardo outside. He was recommended to us by Villa Solaria (resort we would be spending our three nights). It was a smooth van ride of about 45 minutes. It was P300 per person. Expensive? Yeah, so when we arrived we haggled with him and he gave us a discount if we would be getting him as our ride back to the airport on our last day. P250 per person for the airport transfer. Not bad. Little did we know that everything on the island was expensive. :(



After checking in and putting down our bags we were still hungry. Tricycle drivers recommended Mama's Grill since we were looking for good old fashioned probinsiya food. 

Very late lunch or early dinner was a little over P1000 (including senior citizen discount). I know right? Yeah, expensive. We had three fruit shakes which was P90 each. The squid, the itty bitty tiny one was a good P250 and the fish was P300. For the price it was really a rip off. I recommend you guys order the chicken barbeque or the pork barbeque instead plus it was affordable instead of ordering sea food. 



Dinner was a bust. It was too early to go to sleep since it was around 5-6PM that time. We headed to the famous Cloud 9. Walked around the beach and didn't manage to get to see the sunset. At least now we know where I would be surfing. We didn't walk on the board walk since it was a bit dark plus the entrance was P50 per person. Just being practical not frugal, ok? 



So, back to our bungalow room to get some good night's rest for an early start tomorrow's island hopping. 





Day 2: 



Before going to Siargao, I already contact a tour operator on IG. They were also recommended by the resort. Little did we know that it would be a hassle of two days of tour. Will not be recommending this tour group ever. 



We woke up very early about 5AM as they said they would pick us up by 6AM. Due to misunderstanding by the tour operator and their tricycle driver, they managed to pick us up 6:30AM. At least they brought us to the meeting place to have breakfast. Meeting place was at Cavy's Guesthouse by the way. We left past 7AM and arrived 7:30AM at the beach where our boat was waiting for us. 



Sure we know that the boat ride would be long like 2 hours or more. We just didn't expect that it would be wavy. A long, wavy, bumpy ride...



Upon arriving at Sohoton Cove, mom threw up. So, yeah, if you don't have the guts to endure this long boat ride you better think twice taking this tour. No need to pay for the registration fees since it was covered by the tour. You just need to sign your name and signature for their record. 



First activity was caving. We took a smaller boat to see the underground caves. 

The way to the Caves, so need to pass one cave to get to the next one

To enter the first cave, you need to dive and hold your breath about 6 seconds. The guide will drag you underwater to enter the cave. We didn't stay long inside. It was dark and nothing to really see except for the splashing of the waters. Once inside the cave, if you splashed the water it was like the water was glowing because of the bit of sunlight entering the cave. Sorry, no pictures. :( 



Next cave was easier to enter. No need to dive. Water was waist deep so you could just walk. But do be careful sine the ground was rocky, sharp rocks and corals. 

Family pic!!!

You can climb up inside the cave and go cliff diving, which was also another way out of the cave. Cliff diving seemed scary at first. But, wasn't easy to go back down so cliff diving it is. 

Cliff diving!!!

Now that was over, next activity: Jellyfish sighting/viewing



Our boat headed back to the main pier where we registered. This time, we rode a smaller boat that can only take two passengers and one boatman. The ride to the Jellyfish sanctuary was smoother since the boatman was the one paddling our boat. He said that it's not the season to see jellyfishes. Summer was the season. Tourist arrivals can get very hectic. 

Smaller boat, fits up to 3 persons

Jellyfish Sanctuary

Only saw about 3 or 4 jellyfishes. It's not scary to touch them as they do not sting. There are different kinds of jellyfishes and more if it was during the summer. That's when they breed and make lots of baby jellyfishes. 

Be gentle with them :)

This one looks like it got 4 hearts!

Very soft to touch....

On our way back we saw some big corals. Water was very clear and hope that it would be maintained the way it is. 

It was around 11:30AM when we got back. Lunch was ready. We rested for a little while before eating. The long boat ride really took a toll on us. Our guide said on the way back to visit the three islands will take another two hours. Lord, help us....



Left around 1:00PM to journey to Naked Island, one of the three islands we would be visiting. 

Rock Formation @ Sohoton Cove/Sanctuary

It was around 3:30PM I think when we arrived at Naked Island. Yeah, naked, nothing on the island but sand. 

Someone must have brought their canopy before

Quick photo ops since nothing to see and get the island hopping over with. 

Took this by myself...timer and some small bamboo stick

Next up was Daku (big in Bisaya) Island. We had coconuts. We rested and just took in the sight. Honestly, it was underwhelming. Hate to break it but...Coron and El Nido are by far the best places to visit. 

At least the waters are clear...

 Last Island, Guyam (small in Bisaya) Island. Nope, it was just an ordinary island. Not to be mean or anything but it was all just hype. Yeah, the pictures on the internet looked great like wow it would really make you want to visit. But if you've visited other islands in the Philippines, the island hopping in Siargao really pales in comparison. 

Small island indeed against the backdrop of cloudiness...

You can even see the I love Guyam sign

Coconuts are so abundant...

The tour joiners we were with recommended Isla De Gigantes instead. Will visit that next time. 



A short 20 minute boat ride then we were back in Siargao main island. The tricycle took us back to our resort. Freshened up and then walked to Harana Resort for dinner. 



The place was homey, lots of lighting. 

Each meal was around P300. Go figure. 

This is end of Day 2. Tiring, so tiring....







Day 3. 



Morning of Day 3 was just disappointing. The tour operator picked us up just past 6am. Which was not cool. They were not on time. And then they told us to get off the van because of some mix up. Not cool, so this is why we won't be recommending them to anyone at all. We were passed on to another tour operator, En Route. It was a good 20-30 minute of negotiating and fixing the mistake and misunderstanding of our original tour operator. My parents were able to have a dismal breakfast at a nearby carinderia. I just had a sweet pancake for take out. It was sweet like a dose of sugar, a dose not a dash or a pinch of sugar. 



After that was over, En Route took us to our first destination of the two part land tour, Magpupungko (nakaupon in Tagalog) Rock Formations. No Comment. The joiners during Day 2 kept saying the Rock Formations were okay. If only they had been honest. Really, pictures on the internet are wow. Another Expectations vs. Reality. 

Way to Magpupngko Rock Formations

After being washed by this big wave, a bunch of us got scratches and then left the place after that. 



I probably slept on the way to the jump-off point for the Sugba Lagoon. It was still mid-morning but my parents were a bit hungry so we ate brunch. Registered at the tourism office then a good 20 minute boat ride to Sugba Lagoon. 

Lighting sucks I know...Here's the diving board

Panorama Shot!

This is my favorite place in all of Siargao, Sugba Lagoon. Water was clear, not rocky at all. Of course it wasn't wavy. Jumped off the famous diving board which one girl said was not bikini friendly. Once you land in the water make sure you still have your top on. Do not forget this advice ladies. Trust me, I know. 

Make sure after you land in the water you still have your top on!

Aside from picture taking, snorkeling, pretty much kayaking or paddle boarding are just the activities you can do in Sugba Lagoon. Thankfully, it wasn't raining. Well it was mostly cloudy at least. 

Standing shot

Kneeling shot

While paddle boarding, you take in the scenery, the deep waters....basically take in nature. Honestly, Coron and El Nido are still the best places to visit. Seriously, this is an honest opinion. 



Back at the jump-off point, another round of lunch then headed back to Gen. Luna (Cloud 9 and the town where our resort was located). 



I'm thankful that En Route was able to accommodate us even if we were just passed on to them. They said that this happens of tour operators can't accommodate their guests especially if there are changes in a tour group. Wow, lucky us. 



We had dinner again at Harana Resort. Met some cute fatty doggos. 

Obviously well fed :)

Chubby little pug

End of Day 3. 



Day 4: 



This day was better. No more tour groups. Just a day for ourselves. It was an easy 10 minute walk from Villa Solaria to Cloud 9. We were very early as there was no one manning the booth entrance to the boardwalk. So if you're really early, you get free entrance! 



More photo ops...

Solo shot of me with Mom in the background

Length of the boardwalk

We had breakfast at Shaka which was what the locals recommended. Expensive fruit bowls/fruit shake mixed fruits in a bowl. P250 per order and no senior discount. Ok...I mean they do have the BIR tax thing on their wall so....errr...

Instagrammable, I know. 



The powerbowls were tasty but if you are the sort of person who would want a heavy and complete breakfast then this might not be enough for you. 



Short walk back to the surfing area and then had my surfing lessons. Fell down a few times but had some long rides. Surfing lessons and techniques differ in each places. Honestly, the technique taught while I was in Baler was easier. 



At least I was able to surf at the world famous Cloud 9. Another advice I could give you folks reading this blog is to have aqua shoes. I wasn't able to read anything from the internet that the floor underneath would be rocky as hell. Not sandy, but rocky. So if you fell down better be careful or you might just scratch your feet against the rocks like I did. 

This board was not meant for me :(

Sweet lovers

The whole boardwalk

Cloud 9

Surfing lessons are P500 per hour and includes the board rental and lessons. 



More photo ops by the parents and then headed to Mama's grill. Unfortunately, they open 11:30AM so back to the resort to shower and pack up our stuff. Left the resort again to have lunch at Mama's Grill. This time no more fruit shakes and just had the basic barbeque to keep our cost at P400 for lunch. 



The driver picked us up 1:30PM. Little did we know that there would be other people joining us for the airport transfer. Two girls were late but we still came back for them. It was 2:00PM we left Gen. Luna. Our driver was hustling and driving so fast since he was very concerned that we might not make our flight or the check-in time. 30 minutes later we were at the airport. Airport to Gen. Luna can be done in 30 minutes after all. 


For Airport Transfers you can contact Roger Lerio at 09124442568.

He charges P250 per way per person. Jusr haggle if ever. 



Our plane left earlier than the ETD of 3:50PM since all of the passengers had checked-in already. Arrived in Cebu past 4:00PM. Unfortunately, flight to Manila was delayed because of Manila air traffic. Left Cebu 9:15PM and arrived 10:30PM in Manila. 



White taxis at the NAIA are vampires. This guy was charging us P300. No contracting please! Dad threw out some profanities at the driver. Driver then left. Such vampires. So again, walked to the Yellow Taxi terminal. Smooth metered ride. No contracting whatsoever and cheaper! 





So yep that's it! End of Siargao vacation!





One thing I could say about Siargao is that the people are very friendly. Stay in Siargao for the people. The place feels right at home. Unfortunately, due to tourism as well, locals are finding it harder to buy affordable food. One ulam or viand is at P80-P90. It's as if food in Manila is cheaper than in Siargao. We've talked to the tour operators and locals while we were in Siargao. Their food supply from meat and fruits come all the way from Surigao City. So yeah, that's also another reason why food is expensive. The boom of the tourism gave the island people their livelihood but also have taken the chance away from them to buy their land. Foreigners are the ones that can afford to buy land. One tricycle driver said that land in Siargao is now pegged at P25,000-P35,000 per square meter. 



There are really pros and cons when a place becomes a tourism spot. Talking to the locals gives you another perspective. 





This has been Ivy...looking forward to more travels in the future...hope you enjoyed this blog as I enjoyed writing it. 





Expenses on the island: 

Airfare RT via PAL - P8000+ per person

Airport Van Transfer - P1050 per person 

Island Hopping with Sohoton Cove - P1800 per person (includes Breakfast and Lunch)

                                *Discount of P100 for senior

Land Tour - P1800 per person (includes Lunch Only)

                                *Discount of P200 for senior

Accommodation - P9000 for three nights

Tricycle rides - P20 per person per way

Surfing Lessons - P500 per person 

Food for three people - P3500-P4000