Forever Summer

what i wore: tank top | Cotton On, boardies | Hollister, sunnies | Fly  what she wore: bandeau bikini top | The Swimwear Project, bikini bottom | Billabong, tank top | diy, sunnies | street find

location:

Dahican Surf Resort

Mati, Davao Oriental
https://www.facebook.com/Dahicansurfresort
 

TRAVEL | Dahican Beach in Mati, Davao Oriental

woke up really early, this beach feels so empty. i like it.

you know you're in paradise when you see these as you wake up.

starting the day early despite ending the previous day just a few hours prior to this shot.

the amihan boys and their playground, Dahican beach.

ugghh! they make it look so easy.

this guy was showing off his skills to the delight of my camera lens.

skimboarding/surfing is not our cup of tea, bumming around the beach is.

of course, no trip to the beach is complete w/o our dose of uv rays.

Summer's definitely in full swing.  I say that because it's friggin hot as I'm writing this post.  I'm not complaining, in fact I'm smiling as every drop of sweat drips down my forehead.  Okay that sounds a little too exaggerated.  Let's just say I'm happy summer's here.  For someone who's addicted to the sun and sea, nothing could be more perfect than a season to compliment it.  Last week, I had a chance to fly to Davao City for a good friend's birthday.  Of course a side trip the beach is part of the itinerary.  I've been itching to check out this beach in Mati, Davao Oriental.  My mom and aunt who were born and raised in Davao both told me to skip this part of my trip saying it's too far, dangerous, practically everything opposite of how I pictured the place to be.  As expected, I did not obey them.  Our original plan was to leave the city right after lunch but we ended up boarding the van-for-hire at around six o'clock in the evening.  So after an ass-numbing four hours of van ride, we arrived Mati town a little over ten o'clock.  I would've mistaken the town square as a ghost town if not for some establishments that were open- a bakery, a convenience store and that one carenderia beside the bus terminal.  Tricycle and habal-habal drivers were extremely friendly it felt weird, a little creepy.  But we were too hungry to mind what was around.  We had to stuff something inside our guts or all hell will break lose.  We had no choice but to eat in that carenderia.  What we ate and how it tasted will be left there, I do not want to remember that part of the trip.  The tricycle ride to the Dahican beach was probably the best and the worst decision we made that night.  Best because it rained really hard during the entire thirty-ish minutes ride, imagine how we would look like if we rode the habal-habal.  Worst because the tricycle driver had an attitude and wouldn't stop whining about how we did not know our way to our resort, it was clear he overcharged us too.  So we ended up walking a few miles to our resort because we were dropped off in the wrong area, plus my friend can no longer stand the tricycle driver's mouth.  Part of the beauty of traveling is that experiences like these make the trip more memorable so I didn't mind it, my friend probably did.

Everything after that tricycle ride went smoothly.  The resort were we stayed, Dahican Surf Resort, is an absolute beauty. We stayed in one of their open-air cottages.  I loved the feel of it, tropical, rugged, very Pacific, cozy in a surfer kind of way.  We spent the night getting wasted over bottles of Bacardi and Smirnoff.  They do make ordinary talks extraordinary, at times loud.  There wasn't really much to do at night in that part of the world because it was dead empty, too quiet.  I knew the music that we played and our occasional bursts of laughter resonated loudly in the area, I'm almost sure we disturbed those surfer guys in the other cottage.  I just wasn't sure if they were about to hit the sack or just getting the day started.  I couldn't tell the difference because it was either late night or too early in the morning.  I woke up just after 2 hours of dozing off in anticipation of the sunrise.  To my slight dismay, grey clouds were hovering right above paradise.   We spent the entire day basking in the sun, drinking alcohol, and watching the surfers show off their skimboarding skills.  Yes you read that right, surfers skimboarding.  The waves weren't high enough for surfing that day.  Too bad, I would have wanted to try surfing.  I guess I'll save this for my comeback.  The rest of the day was spent, of course, camwhoring.  We left Dahican beach right before the sun set.  I got to see how breathtaking Davao Oriental is while on the bus on our way back to the city.  I was captivated by it's simple charm.  And yes, I will be back!

Location:

Dahican Beach

Mati, Davao Oriental

'Tis the season to be sunny.

the beach

the sun worshippers.

summer, finally.

energy, serenity, & bliss.

in my element.

soaking in the sun.

Pat on the back, I just survived two months of no beach!  Now that I'm out of no-beach-rehab, I can't promise I'll stay no-beach-sober for long.  In fact, I relapsed right after I got out.  Who wouldn't?  I was welcomed by a good buddy named summer.  It's been twelve friggin months since we last saw each other, we needed to celebrate our reunion!  Summer's staying around for three months and begged that we do beach at least three times a month. Of course, this beach-junkie said yes.  I missed you a lot, summer.  I'm glad you're back!

photos shot in:

Basdako Beach

Moalboal, Cebu

Philippines

White sand instead of white snow.

my playground

sun worship

i'm the + one

Summer started early.  I'm skipping the holidays this year.  First destination- Boracay.  They say it's become overrated, too crowded, spoiled.  I say it's still one of my favorite beaches.  It's my ultimate playground- beach & party are my kind of games. 

location:

Boracay, Aklan

Philippines

TRAVEL | Lambug Beach, Badian Cebu

the beach as seen from a distance

high tide, left side

right side

another angle

the sand

Manang Virgie's native villas

where we stayed

the other villa

beach, midnoon

right before sunset, view from the villa

sunset, not my best shot

I've been to this beach numerous times now yet I haven't found time to blog about it.  Boo!  My friends have been asking me about the place too so here's the long-overdue post about Lambug Beach in Badian, Cebu.  The first time I was here was around 2008 and I have to say it was love at first sight.  It has all the elements of a postcard beach- white sand & clear waters.  So it's no surprise the beach became one of my personal favorites!  Oh well, almost all of the beaches in Cebu are my favorites.  Let's just say this one's close to the top of my list.  It may not be that close to the city as the other beaches but it kind of works as an advantage.  It's remote location keeps it from getting seriously overcrowded, considering that this is a public beach.  People from around here are very friendly too!

Transportation:

I've tried both means- car and bus.  Driving to this beach via car is obviously the more convenient way.  It takes about 2.5 hours drive from the city, sometimes 3 hours, depending on how mad of a driver you are and the city traffic of course.  You have to drive to the southern part of Cebu, to the town of Badian.  If you're not from this part of the country- you have to turn right when you get to Carcar's town circle and then drive up & down mountains, passing by towns- Barili, Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara and Moalboal before arriving Badian town.  Once in the town proper (where you see the market and all), drive farther south and look for the signage that says Cebu International Golf & Resort and turn right into that small asphalt road.  Drive past the golf course and then into that small dirt road to the left which will lead you to the beach.  Of course, don't be stupid, it's always best to ask around if you get lost.

For first timers and the adventurous, taking the bus just might be the perfect choice.  From the city, head to South Bus Terminal and take the bus that goes to Badian town.  I suggest you go for the larger buses which are mostly operated by Ceres, for safety reasons.  These buses leave in 30-minute intervals if I am not mistaken.  So if you miss one, there's definitely going to be another trip after that.  You just have to wait longer.  Tell the bus conductor to drop you off Badian town proper, specifically in the public market area.  From here, you can either ride a tricycle or a multicab to go to Lambug beach, depending on how many travelers are there.  If there are only 5 people or less, go for the tricycle.  And oh!  Once you arrive at the beach, make sure to get manong driver's mobile number or better yet, arrange your pickup time for the following day (there are no tricycles on standby in the beach area).  Taking the bus+ tricycle roughly takes 3 or more hours to reach the destination. Fare costs: Ceres Bus - P117.00 non-aircon (Cebu to Badian town proper) | Tricycle/Multicab - P20 per person (Badian town proper to Lambug beach)

Accommodation:

There's not that many choices when it comes to accommodation in Lambug beach.  The area is under-developed when it comes to being a tourist destination.  By underdeveloped, i mean no high-end resorts or hotels operate in the area.  There are however overnight cottages/villas.  The overnight rates range from P1000 up.  Everytime my friends and I visit this beach, we always stay in one of Manang Virgie's native villas.  There are two big villas, or houses (as Manang Virgie calls them).  Overnight rate is P2500.  Not that pricey considering there are 2 rooms, and a total or 6 double beds!  And there's no maximum number of guest per villa too, I think.  There are smaller overnight rooms in her place too that are priced at P1000 per night for two.  I find Manang Virgie's hospitability extremely good.  She makes sure all her guests check out of her place with nothing but compliments about her service during the stay.  For reservations, you can reach her at- 09352115549 or 09236626048.  Tell her you stumbled upon her place via this blog, she just might give you a discount if you haggle. *wink*

Food/Drinks:

There are no restaurants in the beach.  Before heading there, make sure to buy/bring everything that satiates hunger and thirst.  If you there by car, I suggest bring everything you can- grocery, alcohol, meat, canned goods, junk food, bread, rice, etc..  Manang Virgie does cooking services for a fee so no need to worry about eating everything instant.  You can have her grill, fry, cook rice, etc.   If you commute however, I don't suggest you do the same.  Heavy bags of grocery, long travel, and tight spaces do not go well together.  Just buy stuff from the city that are only found in the city (your favorite imported brand of vodka for example? lol).  It won't be that convenient bringing loads of grocery bags on board a bus.  Trust me, the ride gets uncomfortable sometimes.  You can do some last minute shopping once you get to Badian public market.  Just ask the tricycle/multicab driver to guide you to the fish/meat stalls there.  There are small sari-sari stores found in the beach area in case you run out of something but expect their prices to be a little bit pricier, item availability can be an issue too. 

So there you go!  I hope this post helps you guys plan out your trip to this beach.  And tell me what you think about this place if you've been there! 

The beach gods must have missed me.

Sunday- it's high noon, you're lazing around the house, daydreaming, wondering how you survived 3 months of no beach.  You're jealous of your brother who's probably sunbathing and getting wasted at the same time during that very hour (he was on a weekend beach trip).  You get knocked back into reality by a call from a friend who's been tortured by the same thoughts all morning.  He invites you to a road trip down south to one of your favorite beaches along with another friend to watch the sun set while you sip Jack and Coke.   How do you respond to that? You don't!  You simply get your ass out of the house, grab your stuff, and get lost.  Fast forward-  you're all a little tipsy when night fell and you all agree to head back to the city instead of staying overnight (i strongly do not endorse this!).  Another 3 hours worth of driving, you reach the city, decide to grab a bottle of Bacardi and continue the liver workout until you all pass out.  Okay that passing out part is an exaggeration just for added drama.  Not exactly how I pictured my grand homecoming comeback to be like, but hey, no-confettis/banners-comeback is still a comeback!  I am back.

 

Location:

Basdako Beach

Moalboal, Cebu

Sun Worship + Beach Love

My addiction to the beach has gone to a level of crazy.  Summer has ended but my trips to beach has become more frequent recently.  I just can't control it.  It's where I find bliss!  You know how I feel if we're on the same page.  Just the smell of sea and the sting of the sun alone gives me a natural high!  Do you have upcoming trips to the beach soon?  Take me! LOL

TRAVEL | Hidden Beach, Aloguinsan Cebu

the dirt road

we finally found it!

overnight room

the beach as seen from the room balcony

the beach (right side) | low tide

the beach (right side) | high tide

the beach (left side) | low tide

the beach (left side) | high tide

vantage point from the sea

sunset

 I've heard of this beach some two or three years ago but never had the chance to visit it.  It is said to be really secluded and you just might get lost if it's your first time going there.  There's not a bunch of photos found in Google if you try searching "Hidden Beach, Aloguinsan Cebu" so there's no proof if it's even worth the visit- I've seen photos online but they're either poorly taken or overly photoshopped.  As a self-confessed beach addict, I wanted to see it for myself.  I've planned of going to this place but it just would not push through because my friends would always drag me to the well-known beaches in Cebu.  If you ask any Cebuano about where to go if the itinerary involved swimming in a white-sand beach, most of the responses would be- Moalboal, Bantayan Island, Malapascua Island, Camotes Island, Badian, some would even tell you to go to Mactan.  Yes, all these towns have nice white sand beaches but they all require ass-numbing 3 to 4 hours of travel or more if you travel by bus.  Mactan island can be reached within minutes but the beaches there are not authentic white-sand impressive beaches if you know what I mean.  So after my brother told me about his trip to Aloguinsan town and how he compared Hidden Beach to Tingko Beach in Alcoy town (which is breathtaking in its own right by the way), I was itching to go there asap.  We were on our way back to the city from Basdako Beach two weekends ago when we decided to drop by Hidden Beach.  It wasn't a smart decision driving from Moalboal to Aloguinsan because we had to drive through dirt roads and countless roadside signs that said to drive carefully because we were in danger of falling into deep ravines plus the tide was really low when we got to the beach (a big bummer) so we didn't get to swim that day.  But I was not disappointed with the place as I scanned it.  We had to go back the next weekend. 

Transportation:

The drive from Cebu City to Aloguinsan town only took us two hours and it was the exact opposite from the drive the weekend prior- this one's way smoother.  If you plan of driving your own car (like what we did), drive south either via SRP or the south highway, passing by Talisay, Minglanilla and then Naga.  Turn right just before reaching the cement factory in Naga (Cemex), there's another highway going to Toledo City.  You will pass by towns Lutupan, Toledo and Pinamungajan before reaching Aloguinsan town.  The road to Hidden Beach is a little tricky (we got lost during our first attempt the weekend prior).  Before reaching Aloguinsan town proper, you have to turn right into this dirt road.  There's a little signage that says "Hidden Beach Resort" on the right side of the highway, right next to a house.  You have to drive through grass and bush fields and and just have to keep on turning right until you get to trees that hang the sign "Hidden Beach".  

If you decide to go there by bus or van for hire, either go to the South Bus Terminal (bus) or the City Link terminal (van for hire).  Take the van/bus that goes to Pinamungajan town proper.  From there, you can either take a "habal-habal" or a tricycle to go to Hidden Beach.  Taking the "habal-habal"/tricycle from Aloguinsan town proper is farther compared to doing it from Pinamungajan according to my brother since they went their via public transportation.  The good thing about getting to Hidden Beach via bus/habal-habal/trike, is you don't have to worry about getting lost since you just have to rely on the driver but it won't be as comfortable as traveling with your own car.  Note that only the smaller buses (non-aircon) go to these towns, Ceres and the other major buses do not travel to this part of Cebu.

Accommodation:

There's only one resort found in the area and is aptly named "Hidden Beach Resort".  Upon getting there, look for Ate Baby who over-servicing seems to be her main business, the woman is extra hospitable and she runs the place by the way.  All rooms are priced at P500 and there's no maximum number of guests.  It's "fit all you can" but there's only one double bed and the room is quite small so I don't recommend you get only one room if there are 10 people staying.  Unless you don't plan of sleeping during the night then the idea is alright. And oh, I forgot, the bathrooms/comfort rooms are found outside the rooms so yes, you get to share it with the rest of the guests if there are other guests during your stay (which is rare).

Food/Drinks:

I recommend that you bring food and drinks from the city.  There's no restaurant in the place but they do cooking services for a minimal fee upon request.  By cooking services, I mean they cook whatever needs to be cooked from what you brought from the city.  In our case, they grilled the pork that we brought for dinner and fried the hotdogs during breakfast.  They however had rice available during our stay so we didn't have to worry about that.  According to Ate Baby, you can also have them buy food (raw or cooked) in the town proper upon request.  If you decide to bring meat for grilling or drinks or anything that needs refrigeration, you can have Ate Baby store it in their fridge.

So if you're looking for a beach that's not crowded, peaceful and quiet, head out to Hidden Beach in Aloguinsan town!  You may reach Ate Baby for reservations at 09225577390.