Central Visayas Central Visayas reveal some of her charm if you catch the moment
Dumaguete's Boulevard
Dumaguete's Boulevard
(Feb 05, 2023 Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Dumaguete comes alive with its expanded Boulevard. From simply a promenade, land has been reclaimed to transform this walkway into a wholesome family park. Dumaguete is forward-thinking and forward-moving. Dumaguete gets it!
Valencia's Magnificent Trees
Valencia's Magnificent Trees
(Feb 05, 2023 Valencia, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Valencia's rich culture and history is exemplified by its magnificent trees.
Budbud Cabog
Budbud Cabog
(Feb 06, 2023 Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Budbud Cabog is nowhere in Cebu, Siquijor, Bohol, or perhaps anywhere else - just in Dumaguete. Once you taste it, you'll never go back to Budbud Pilit, Budbud Tanjay or plain suman
YOGA and Breakfast by the Seawall
YOGA and Breakfast by the Seawall
(Feb 07, 2023 Lazi, Siquijor, Philippines) After a yoga workout, breakfast by the seawall as the sun rises, as gentle sea breeze livens up your face, as little waves wash on the shore, as the tide moves in...who needs deadlines, rush-hour traffic, frayed nerves, congestion, and a dysfunctional environment?
Tuba to Start the Day
Tuba to Start the Day
(Feb 08, 2023 Lazi, Siquijor, Philippines)Tuba(fermented coconut tree sap) is the Philippine's unsung hero - refreshingly invigorating, nutritious, cheap and abundant. It's the poor man's alcohol. I'll be a poor man anytime if that's what it takes.
Oh wait...I was never rich!
Locong Falls
Locong Falls
(Feb 09, 2023 Lazi, Siquijor, Philippines) With tourism commercializing nearly everything in Siquijor, there are a few remaining hold outs that remain largely for the locals. Locong Falls is one of them. Lazi is blessed with a good number of natural wonders that still remain obscure and largely untouched by tourism.
Pants Patch
Pants Patch
(Feb 10, 2023 Lazi, Siquijor, Philippines) It's hard to let go of your favorite pants...even if it's already falling apart and has been repaired many times already. Latest hack, patch the holes!
Night Sea Foraging
Night Sea Foraging
(Feb 25, 2023 Lazi, Siquijor, Philippines) One night, as I was doing my nightly yoga practice, as if on cue, a lot of people just showed up and went to the shallows to forage for sea food - urchins, small crabs, etc. Normally, it's empty, especially at night. Did they talk about it? Was this an auspicious date on their calendar? Was it the tide and moon configuration? How did they all know it was that night and time?
Cable Ties
Cable Ties
(Feb 28, 2023 Maria, Siquijor, Philippines) My bike fell down and the light mounting was broken. With a possible ride back at night, do I abort the ride? Quick thinking took me to a hardware store for cable ties. It worked, the ride went on as planned.
Ocean View
Ocean View
(Feb 28, 2023 Maria, Siquijor, Philippines) On a long uphill bike ride with just concrete in front of you, it's refreshing to see the ocean view on the crest of the road before the downhill section.
Rust Never Sleeps
Rust Never Sleeps
(Feb 28, 2023 Lazi, Siquijor, Philippines) This lonely collapsed concrete column by the water is like a human body...in time, it's bent, twisted and irreversibly damaged.
The Tuba Vendor
The Tuba Vendor
(Feb 28, 2023 Maria, Siquijor, Philippines) When all the tuba has already been sold but you still have to be open
Ending Thoughts The Philippines, starting from Central Visayas, is a gem to discover...through the lenses.
(March 1, 2023) In a polite conversation I had with an elderly woman who owned the modest eatery I was eating at, she told me to get a wife. Surprisingly, she added some unexpected reasons why I should...more »»
(Mar 1-31, 2023)Angkor Wat? You'll never guess it. If you look into the nook and cranny of any community, there's always an Easter Egg awaiting to amaze the beholder...more »»
More on Siquijor Island:
Siquijor Island Local Info
Jeeps - there are only 2 routes for jeeps within Siquijor Island - and they are rare. Most people have their own motorcycle transport.
Siquijor Port to Lazi - last trip leaves at 3pm from station near market
Lazi to Siquijor Port - jeeps depart from the Lazi Port area. 5 jeeps, the last trip at 12:30 pm. Lazi to San Juan, P50.
Larena Port to Lazi - jeeps are unpredictable. As of this writing, there is only 1 jeep plying the Larena-Lazi route. This jeep leaves Larena for Lazi at 9:50am. After that, no more jeep. You'll have to take a tricycle to Siquijor Pob for jeeps going to Lazi
Lazi to Larena Port - 6am (daily) and 9 am (M-Th)
Food - these were suggested by a local to me
Lechon manok & liempo - roasted pork belly and chicken at Joel's in Siquijor Poblacion. I've tried this myself...yummy, even if the chicken was no longer hot
Bibingka - sweetened rice cake by Fidy's Bibingka (P30) in Sawang, Maria. I've come back for this and I buy for other people as well as 'pasalubong' - they love this
Siopao - at the Rosita store near Thrifty (P25) in Siquijor Poblacion
Peanut butter - by Rene. Just ask around in Siquijor Poblacion. It's popular
Torta - sweet cakish bread at the Thrifty story in Siquijor Poblacion
Siquijor Island Map Siquijor - Dumaguete Boat Trips(as of Jan 2023)
Montenegro Lines - at Siquijor Port, P234.00/pax, P169/bicycle, 7:30am/10:00am/2:00pm/4:30pm
Aleson Shipping - at Siquijor Port, 6 am and 6 pm daily, 1:30 pm M-Sat, Regular P200.00/pax, Aircon P250.00/pax
Siquijor - Tagbilaran - Cebu City Boat Trips(as of Jan 2023)
En route to Cebu City, the ferries usually make a stop-over to Tagbilaran (Bohol) to pick-up more passengers or unload.
Ocean Jet - 2 hours, 8:20am, at Siquijor Port
To Tagbilaran: P800/tourist & open air, P1200/business class
To Cebu: ?
Lite Ferries - at Larena Port,
To Tagbilaran: T-Th-Sun, P475/standard, 7pm, 3 hours, PHP?
To Cebu: T-Th-Sun, 7pm, 7 hours, PHP 650
Siquijor - Plaridel Boat Trips(as of Jan 2023)
Lite Ferries - at Larena Port, T-Th-Sun, 2:00 am, 5 hours, PHP?
Siquijor - Cebu (Liloan) - Cebu City BUS Trip(as of Jan 2023)
There is only one bus plying this route - Sugbo Urban. Tourist class coach, a/c, comfortable, Sun-Fri (these dates keep changing). P420 for bus, P275 for ferry to Liloan. Larena Port around 5 am, makes a clockwise roundtrip around Siquijor Island - Larena, Enrique Villanueva, Maria, Lazi (stops at Lazi market for breakfast and leaves 6:50 am), San Juan, Siquijor (arrives 8am, P50 from Lazi to Siquijor Poblacion) and catches the 1pm ferry at Larena Port (Sundays at 3 pm) for Liloan, Cebu and resumes its land route. Arrives Cebu City (South Bus Terminal) 10 pm.
Sugbo Urban is the cheapest and most convenient way because it goes around the island (clockwise) along the circumferential road, passing through - Enrique Villanueva, Maria, Lazi, San Juan, Siquijor...and back to Larena where it takes the ferry at 1 pm. This saves you the hassle and high transport cost of a tricycle. Besides, it's a long trip from the other side of the island to be taking by tricycle.
Suggested Destinations After Siquijor Island
These are the nearest popular destinations from Siquijor by boat
Bohol - Bohol is an island northeast Siquijor. Tourist attractions are Chocolate Hills, Tarsier Monkey, Loboc River Cruise, Beaches of Panglao, whale sharks (recent offering), freediving (recent offering)
Cebu - Cebu City is the usual gateway into the Visayas. But in Cebu Island itself, there are many offerings - Whale Sharks of Oslob, sardine run at Moalboal,Thresher Shark of Malapascua
Dapitan (Zamboanga del Norte) - I haven't been there but a lot of island ferries ply this port. There must be something here.
Dumaguete - Dumaguete is a small charming progressive coastal town in Negros Oriental. Cafe and restaurants line the famous Boulevard Boardwalk. Tourist attractions include Japanese Shrine, Casaroro Falls, snorkeling along the southern coastline (Dauin, Masaplod Norte, etc), Balinsasayao Twin Lakes