What You Need To Know: Travel from Iloilo to Boracay

I haven't visited my hometown for a while, so when I got the chance to book a very cheap round trip ticket to Iloilo, I booked it with no hesitation. The original plan was to stay in Iloilo and Guimaras because the latter is only within half an hour of travel from Iloilo. BUT, we changed our mind and decided to go to Boracay instead.

 Iloilo International Airport is surprisingly big and clean!

It's our first time to visit Boracay and we really wanted to see the quality of Boracay's white sand. We were very eager to compare it to Panglao's white sand. We were also eager to drink and celebrate our 22nd Month together. :-)

SM Iloilo

If you're planning to visit Boracay and you're coming from Iloilo, here are some of the few things you need to know:

• From SM Iloilo, ride a Leganes-Bound jeepney and tell the driver to drop you off at Tagbak Terminal. It's a popular transit point for Boracay-bound tourists. It will only cost you 8 PHP per person.
• I recommend you to ride a van. It's a tedious 6 hours of travel by van (UV Express).
• The fare (van) costs 300 PHP per person.
• Ceres bus is another transportation to Caticlan. The travel time is also around 6-7 hours.
• There will be 2 short stop overs-- one in Roxas, Capiz and another one in Kalibo, Aklan.
• When you're traveling on a rainy season (July- October), your last stop will be at the "alternative port" called "Tabon Port" in Caticlan.
• It will cost you around 200 PHP per head to pay for the Environmental Fee, Boat Fee and the Terminal Fee.

 Don't forget to try Iloilo's Specialty-- La Paz Batchoy

 
So now you probably have an idea how to travel from Iloilo to Boracay, eh? I'll post a hotel review of La Carmela De Boracay next week! Have fun!

Read More

Majayjay Experience

Majayjay is a municipality located in the province of Laguna, Philippines. My boyfriend and I went to Majayjay on my 21st birthday (April). It was our first out-of-town trip together.

How to get there:

Bus from Cubao to Sta. Cruz - Less than P200 each- 3 hours
If you're travelling on a weekend, it would be better to leave before 1PM. We left Cubao at around 3PM and we reached Sta. Cruz at 6.30PM.

From Sta. Cruz to Majayjay - P250 - approx. 30 minutes
Since the jeepneys from Sta. Cruz to Majayjay operates until 6 only, we decided to take a tricycle from Sta. Cruz to Majayjay town proper. (Costly, eh?)

From Majayjay town proper to Taytay Falls - P250 - less than 30 minutes
There are tricycles available when you reach Majayjay town. (See, it's really costly. So better leave Manila early!)

Taytay Falls - we have to pay PHP90 in the Barangay Outpost (the tricycle dropped us off at the barangay outpost, walking distance to Taytay Falls) for the tent and the guide to Taytay Falls. There's also a PHP20 environmental fee to pay. According to my bff, there's a small store near the barangay outpost that offers oil lamp rental for PHP20.

Majayjay falls.

another view.

Since we arrived before 10PM and we have no idea where to borrow a lamp or flashlight, my boyfriend bargained and paid the guide PHP100 for him to lend us his flashlight for the whole night.

trekking to the falls

We trekked for about 10-15 minutes going to Taytay Falls. The tour guides were the ones who set up our tents. Mind you, it was really cold there even at night, the water from the falls was "ice" cold.

 the tent.

ice cold water

The place was crowded, since we went there during summer time. The place itself was “rocky” so it was very hard to find a place where we can pitch our tent. The water is very clean but mind you, I noticed that the campers (definitely not us!) don’t really clean their trashes when they leave the place. At night, there’s no electricity so better bring a flashlight or rent a lamp. AND, bring insect repellent! The good thing is, you can set up a bonfire there! Nice!

very clear water.

water from the falls.

Since we didn’t bring any rice or food, we trekked our way outside the camp site just to eat our breakfast.  Rice meals cost around PHP60 to PHP120.

hanging bridge (closed)

for breakfast.

It was easy to go back to Sta. Cruz that morning since the jeepneys were already available. It took us 2 jeepney rides going to Sta. Cruz. From Sta. Cruz, we rode a bus going to Manila. It was a very memorable experience with my loved one.

A budget of 1, 500 each is more than enough for this trip. It was indeed a very "memorable" experience.

Read More