Unforgettable Summer in CALAGUAS ISLAND | Travel Blog 2017

SUMMER HAS OFFICIALLY ENDED! (Well I believe so, because everyday it rains...) Thank God I was able to snatch a few days from my busy work schedule and hit the beach before Mr. Sun bid farewell… *sniff* It was never my plan to visit an island though, because actually we are (with my travel buddies) eyeing for a tour in a northern province instead, since I’ll be on leave for almost a week. But due to unforeseen events, we were forced to look for other options…then finally settled with Calaguas.

And it was one of the happiest summer getaways I ever had! *widest smile*

So in this post, I’ll just be sharing my experience, some travel tips and a lot of pictures to make you drool over this beautiful place and visit it soon! Forget about Boracay and El Nido, experience the real island life in Calaguas!

BOOKING

We booked our Calaguas Tour with Travel Galore travel and tours for only 1, 899.00 php each (4 pax in total). It was a 2 days - 1 night island tour last May 13 to 14, 2017. We paid half of the total credit 7 days prior to the travel date, and paid full on the day itself. They gave us the details right after settling the down payment and a travel voucher two days before the said tour. All the communications were made thru Facebook messenger which made it really convenient for me. 

DEPARTURE

A van picked us up at SMEX convention center (Mall of Asia) at around 10:50PM (we actually waited for almost 2 hours since we arrived before 9PM). There were only 11 of us inside, so basically it was not congested, which is good. I just slept during the 9 hours trip (with sore butt and aching back after!) which I believe was quite long and beyond what was stated on the itinerary. Anyway, no worries though because there were a couple of stop-overs along the way so you can stretch, buy food, or use the toilet. 

ARRIVAL

We arrived at Paracale (Daet, Camarines Norte), the port to Calaguas Island pass 9AM. We had our breakfast in a carinderia (which surprisingly sells very expensive food!) and attended to our personal needs. After a couple of minutes, we were told to place our bags and other stuff inside humongous plastic bags (not for free, they sold it to us for 17.00 php each) so they won’t get wet during the boat ride. After sealing the bags, men carried each and stuffed them all in a compartment inside the boat. We all hopped-in and waited for the other group to arrive. 

We were on sail at exactly 10:30AM; sun is hot but the cool sea breeze made it tolerable. Since we’re going against the current, the waves splashed inside our boat, leaving us all drenched in sea water! It was a super fun ride but definitely a long one. We stayed floating on the sea for almost two hours, seeing nothing but the minute view of the islands and the vast water surrounding us. As the island grew closer, I was so amazed by how white and fine the sand is! The water is so clear as well! 

SETTING-UP

We need to wait for our things to get unloaded from the boat so we stayed in a cottage for a while. There were no fancy rooms nor closed cottages but only tents, and you need to pitch it on your own. It was my first time to stay inside a tent on a beach! We took our lunch and settled in a cottage for a few hours, since it was too hot to swim yet. At around 4PM, we were called for the island hopping activity. 

ISLAND HOPPING (TREKKING + SNORKELING)

Since it was not part of the package, we paid an additional 300.00php for the island hopping. First stop was a nearby island where you can go trekking. You’ll see the entire view of the marvelous place on top of the hill and it was so breath-taking! We took a lot of pictures and climbed on the large rock formations. 

After that, we went back on the boat and get ourselves ready for snorkeling. We don’t have our own snorkels though, but they provided us with life vests. So literally, it was not a snorkeling activity, but just a dip in the middle of the sea. We enjoyed it anyway, because with goggles alone, you can still take a glimpse of the wonderful sea bed! So beautiful! And as we chase the sunset, I seated on the extensions of our boat while appreciating the beautiful view. 

SWIM, SWIM, SWIM!

We spent the night immersed in the waters, enjoying the light waves and the very fine sand tingling our feet. After an hour or two, we got back to the cottage, took our supper, changed our clothes and rested inside our cozy tents.

Rise and shine for Day 2! But what to do? Oh come on, swim of course! 

We were back on sail before lunch time, set for another two-hour boat ride bound to Paracle. When we arrived there, the boat crews unloaded our things and we were fetched by our driver. We stopped in a fancy carinderia and took our lunch. They sell very affordable food which are all delicious! After the sumptuous lunch, we went to a souvenir shop and bought a few stuff for pasalubong. 

Super helpful tips!

1. Pack light. Since you’ll be travelling with a group, bringing one bag will save space inside the van. Bring only the necessary items; creating a checklist will help you on this.

2. Bring your own food and utensils. On the island, there’s only one store to cater your needs. However, they only sell canned foods and noodles (with other basic grocery items) which are surprisingly expensive. Good thing we brought disposable utensils with us and some canned sardines---saving ourselves a few bucks! 

3. Secure a waterproof bag. You cannot leave your valuables inside the tent, unless you’ll leave someone to watch over your spot. A waterproof storage for your gadgets is essential during the island hopping activity. 

4. Bring your own drinking water. They sell drinking water on the island, but a 1000ml bottle costs 50.00 php! Better bring a few gallons with you and just buy some ice (for only 5.00 php). 

5. Wear slippers instead of shoes. I know you would want to travel in style, but please skip the shoes for this travel-venture. You don’t want to bathe your fave sneakers in salt water and fine sand, don’t you? Trust me, you’ll spend most of your time bare-footed!

It was a tiring trip but definitely a memorable one. There was no signal on the island, so I had no access to my social media accounts for two days. I just spent the days enjoying the gift of nature and it was surreal. I hope I can visit more islands soon! Philippines is truly a beautiful country that we must explore!


Remember to always smile as bright as the sun even on a rainy day :)

Hidden Gem: The Secret Haven Cafe

LET ME TELL YOU A SECRET...but promise me you won't tell anyone, okay?

But I bet you can't do that, just like me! This secret is so beautiful that I can't help but spread it out! Though I can always keep a secret, let me break my silence this time :)

I just discovered a hidden cafe in Noveleta, Cavite. It's hidden because unlike other cafes and food hubs along Centennial road, they are located inside a subdivision. 

They are tagged as Noveleta's best kept secret, though I believe they are no longer a secret to many anymore...Why? because they've got  11K + followers on Facebook already! Wow! *slow claps* Moving on, the discovery on my part was unplanned (as usual), when I joined some of my colleagues at work for an after-shift food trip. We were lost at first, but after a few stirs, we managed to find this humble den. 

Looking at it from the outside, it's just a house with a green door, adorned with vines and potted plants all over. But as I stepped inside, my jaw dropped in awe. There were plants, cactus, flowers, and a lot of green stuff that made me feel happy in an instant. I soon forgot that we are here to eat, because I was too busy taking pictures of every corner of this beautiful place. Let me take you on a quick tour:

They actually cultivate the cactus by themselves. At the back of this door, with the sign "Love grows here", are the  cute potted cacti which you can actually purchase. Seeing them all makes me wanna take several dozens and display them at home. 

Oh! we need to place our orders now! (totally forgotten my grumbling stomach). 

They've got interesting items on their menu. Each signature dish was named after a popular tourist spot. I didn't tried their coffee mixes (since I'm not a coffee-lover) but their smoothies and milkshakes are really good! The lasagna (which I forgot the name on the menu) has the right blend of flavor, which makes it my new favorite. But the incredible part was seeing the rice meal which gives you four different viands in one meal, so you won't have a hard time deciding if you'll go for tapsilog, tocilog or longsilog instead. 

And if you don't feel like staying outside for too long, you can enjoy the cozy vibe inside. They have comfy pillows and good books which you can all enjoy with your friends. Perfect for a weekend meeting with the gals!

I was with other four food monsters, and since we ordered five beverages, we received this loyalty card. Four drinks to go and we shall receive a drink for FREE!

So how's the experience in general?

Thumbs up because:

• The place is very unique. Unlike other cafes which are only confined within four walls and a few set of board games, here, you can actually bring yourself closer to the lovely products of nature. 

• Worth the visit. You can take a lot of great photos because every corner has a different story to tell. Plus, you can try different items on the menu and won't be stuck with the same frappuccino that other cafes offer as well.

• They observe clean and unique plating. They use tall glasses and bottles for the beverages and cute plates and bowls for the food. I love how they play with colors and textures, which makes them stand-out from other cafes. 

• The place is clean and comfortable. You'll even forget that you're staying for several hours already! *I love the pillows*

• The service is quick and the owner is very hands-on; She accommodates even the most silliest request from the guests. 

• Lastly, the prices on the menu can be overwhelming at first, but as they serve your orders, you'll then agree that it's somehow worth every cent. 

Thumbs down because:

• The place is not very accessible. There were no signages near the place that will guide the food trippers to the exact location of the said haven. 

• If you'll bring a car, the parking space would be a dilemma. In that case, you'll park outside the subdivision instead. 

• During peak days, the place maybe congested and you won't enjoy its features for sure. I hope they will extend the current space and do some renovation in the near future. 

Will I come back again? Of course YES! I'm planning to visit soon! I still need to try other stuff on their menu :) Now if you want to visit them, below is a map which I snatched from their Facebook page. You just need to drive straight from SM Bacoor and along Centennial road. Use the Caltex gas station as your mark to turn right and enter Jordan Estates Subdivision. They are located just two blocks from the gates. 

I'm having a lot of food escapades lately, so I'll do more beauty blogs on the next few days. Hope you enjoyed this one though, we shall see each other again soon! 

Eat, Pray and Love!

Grill All-You-Can at MRP House of Grill

ARE YOU AN "IHAW" LOVER?! Well this place is sooo perfect for you! Get to enjoy unlimited, I repeat, UNLIMITED grilled foods for a very affordable deal! 

Excited? Let's start grilling!

BLURRY SHOT. All pictures on this blog post  were taken using a mobile phone only. Forgive me because the visit was unplanned though *peace sign*

The sun was about to set anytime soon and we still cannot decide if we'll be going for frappuccinos and nachos or just settle with rice meals and pastas. The entire stretch of Centennial road has become the home of numerous cafes and food hubs. However, we really don't feel like going too far. Odd as it may seem, but our feet seem to know where to take us. 

and we landed at MRP House of Grill.

I've heard about this place before though, but this was the first time that I've tried it first-hand. 

They've got a nice place and wide array of choices on their menu. You can order rice meals, different beverages (ranges from alcoholic to non-alcoholic), and of course, their famous offer: UNLIMITED IHAW. 

You need to sit outside if you choose to battle with the unlimited ihaw deal. But if you opt to munch an ala carte grilled dish only, you can enjoy the nice ambiance inside. 

We ordered three unlimited ihaw and a platter of rice (plus water! yup, only water). At the center of each table is the traditional griller, which make use of heated charcoals. So basically, you'll prepare your own grilled food!

We choose among the 10 different items laid on the long table. It includes lean pork meat, pork liempo, chicken breast, homemade longganisa, betamax (pork blood squares), isaw (chicken intestine), adidas (chicken feet), atay and balun-balunan (chicken liver and gizzard), tenga (pork ears) and sausage. They also have tiny eggplants too, which makes it 11 all in all.

After hoarding several sticks, we proceeded with the grilling part. They provided a bowl of barbecue sauce with brush and vinegar in tiny cups. 

We left the place after two hours of pigging-out over grilled foods. Here's our bill:

SO how's the entire grilling experience?

Thumbs up because:

• The staff are really quick in serving and very accommodating.
• They offer unlimited refill on barbecue sauce, vinegar and other condiments, charcoal, etc.
• You'll feel no pressure because there's no time limit. You can enjoy as many grilled items as you want.
• The barbecue sauce is not perfect but good. It enhances the flavor of the grilled food, but doesn't overpower the natural taste. 
• The vinegar tastes just right *I love it*
• The place is clean, properly lighted and well-ventilated.
• They have a separate washing area and a clean restroom. 
• There's a big parking space just beside the hub.

Thumbs down because:

• There is no notice or warning sign that you might get burned once your legs touched the bottom part of the griller (beneath the table). Since the table is not that large, your legs will definitely come close to the hot metal. 
• I was expecting for more items to choose from. This can be improved anyway. 

So there you go! I hope you enjoyed the post :) To get there, just ride a baby bus from SM Bacoor and alight a few meters before Island Cove. Below is a really dependable map which I grabbed from their Facebook page: 

You can send them a private message on Facebook if your have other queries, or may be for reservation---they are very responsive. 

WITH MY pig-out buddies!

'Til next time I guess, cheers to more sulit food escapades! But oh, before I forgot, though grilled foods can be really tempting, you must not consume too much nor take them regularly. Indulge occasionally and in moderation ^_^

Bye for now! *munch munch*