The Anatomy Of A Road Trip

The evening of our office audit, I left Zamboanga as the vehicle sped towards Dapitan. With my cousin B taking up the driver’s wheel, C by my side and friends, I experienced a twenty-hour trip from one island to the next, and making it through a mountain range finally arriving in Bacolod.

In general I was just really grateful to experience Bacolod and see what it’s like to ply the route that my cousin frequently takes and got to note the stories of the sugarcane plantations that can be seen at the side of the road. It has a sinister tone to it but I’d like to write a short story about it someday.

 As for what makes a memorable road trip in my opinion, here’s the breakdown of one for the books. 

We took B's Nissan Terra for a drive

A comfortable and spacious vehicle

It was a perfect time to go for a test drive. My cousin B went on this route many times and with different vehicles, but I think it’s the first time for the Nissan Terra. It was absolutely a breeze to be cruising along the beauty of the island of Negros and with a spacious and smooth drive like the Terra, there was a lot of space for our bags and for six people all in all. The back had foldable seats for reclining to make space for our luggage, because C and I both agreed ahead of time to bring luggage, and I always bring an extra backpack, then our friends also brought their respective duffel bags.

To illustrate, our route was to leave from Zamboanga by 8:00 in the evening then arrive by 3:00 AM in Dapitan to catch the boat that will cross all the way to Dumaguete, arriving at around 8:00 AM for breakfast and then resume, passing by Mabinay, Bago City and then arrive in Bacolod by 5:00 PM. Do take note that there are security checks before boarding the barge and that passengers are required to submit their baggage through x-rays and also wait at the terminal before boarding.

With a continuous playlist of acoustic tracks, we made it, with occasional stops for food, especially for breakfast and lunch of course. 

Enjoying the scenery on the way: Church at the Municipality of Hinigaran

A capable driver and a spare driver

We were quite confident with our company in case B couldn’t continue driving because the trip alone was about 20 hours long. But at least we had two more spare drivers who were experienced on highway drives and long-haul trips. C knows the route to Dapitan by heart and R also knew Negros because of countless times visiting. Thankfully nothing happened that required us to switch drivers during our journey on the road.

Another plus with this arrangement is that our designated, capable driver also had a few stories to share about the sugarcane plantations (read: blood sacrifice for a bountiful harvest) but that’s just some eerie bedtime story, (or so at least I think).

Snacks and water

Nobody gets hungry in Negros especially if there are a lot of street side vendors selling fruits and all sorts of snacks on the way. Of course, I brought water and snacks on hand to endure the trip. Dried fruit and mixed trail with nuts sometimes does the job.

Necessary pitstops

Here’s where breakfast, lunch and dinner come in, as well as bathroom breaks. Luckily we had no issues with any of these. Dumaguete alone has a handful of places offering affordable meals and to freshen up before resuming the trip.

On the way to Bacolod as we were nearing, we had a taste of the famous KBL, a spicy stew that’s best paired with white rice. It’s also known as Kansi, Baboy at Langka, and is a good comfort food during rainy days. 

A destination that makes it all worthwhile

There’s supposed to be a storm coming in, but we made it all in perfect timing. I received a call from my father shortly after we arrived in Bacolod where we were staying in P’s home, asking where we were because my parents were worried about the storm coming in, which would mean that we were going to be stranded if we didn’t get to cross Dapitan to Dumaguete.

However, we made it in good time and it was a good experience for us to be able to make that trip and to end 2018 in  P’s hometown. The plan was to immerse ourselves in Bacolod as we took a break from work and greeted 2019 energized and full of hope.

The next day would be another day in Sugarlandia with plans to visit its attractions. It was one of the long but rewarding road trips that will be catalogued in my memory and taught me that the best that a road trip can be is spontaneous and made with good company.

Disclaimer: This post is in no way sponsored by Nissan Philippines, Inc. or its affiliates. All inputs are based on my experiences during the travel described. 

Destination Diary: Sta. Cruz Island

Being Zamboangueno, I can’t help feeling a bit proud to say that we live next to one of National Geographic’s 21 Best Beaches in the World.

Of all the beaches in the Philippines as well as the planet, our very own Sta. Cruz Island made it to the shortlist of the Top 21. It landed a sweet spot in the 15^th, not bad for being there with the other gorgeous beaches from England, Seychelles, Cambodia and even North Carolina.

Because of the crushed red corals mixed in with the fine, powder white sand, the beach from afar reflects a pink tint and is widely dramatic come sunset. It’s only one of a handful pink, sand beaches in the country, and for someone living in Zamboanga, I can’t express how lucky we were to be invited to spend the night there summer of this year. I invited Michelle to come along and on such short notice, she agreed.

Overnight Stay in the Village

We’ve always talked about coming over for a while now. I’ve visited before, but my day trips were always limited to the swimming area. Spending the night meant seeing the village and cruising through the lagoon. On a long weekend, we finally met up with our former boss who is enjoying retirement life and then hopped on a short boat ride and headed straight to the village.

One advantage is that our former division chief has a home in the village, which she generously allowed us to stay in. together with her family and friends from work, we occupied their house and had a hearty lunch right in front of the beautiful shores of the island.

After lunch, we went on a visit to the lagoon where we rode on yellow boats and experienced leisurely rowing around, looking at lazy jellyfish, standing on sandbars and spotting blue starfish, bats and sea grapes which I reminiscingly called “small grapes” when I was younger. Locally, they are known as latu.

No starfish were harmed in the capture of this photo

Sandbar in the lagoon on a low tide

Sea grapes from the lagoon are a rich source of iodine

After our lagoon cruise, we went on a stroll to the only village school for a short while amidst the white sand all over the island. The locals were surprised to see a group of “mainlanders” walking about, but we were told that most of the villagers are related, so that makes them one big family in a way.

Michelle's New Career

 

After dinner that night, we were sitting on the shore, looking at the city with its lights. We could hear the sounds from Paseo del Mar and the gentle breeze from the ocean was slightly humid. Some of our companions brought a tent and camped outside right there on the shore, while we occupied the floor of the house’s living room.

View of Zamboanga City from Sta. Cruz's Shores 

While on the island, we got to experience the unplugged life, although there was cellular signal for communication, we got to see that most villagers relied on solar powered lamps and drinking water was a scarcity. With the help of motorboats, almost anything from the city can be delivered to the villagers at any time of the day.

The Swimming Area

The next morning, we headed on to the swimming area after breakfast, which was swarming with tourists and visitors because it was summer. Here’s where we played the board game that I brought, Monopoly Ultimate Baking, where I eventually lost to my friends.

Accessories for sale are somewhat a cottage industry on the island

Swimming Area features the I Love Zamboanga standee

Monopoly Ultimate Banking

After our quick and simple lunch, we paid a quick visit to the sandbar (which only shows up during low tide) and then finally docked back in the boulevard as we concluded our overnight stay.

Clarifications

To answer a few questions, the swimming area is the only portion where tourists are allowed to spend the day and is managed by the City Tourism Office. Only a limited number of visitors is allowed to regulate the ecosystem of the island.

We were invited by the family already living on the island for an overnight stay so arrangements were made months before we departed for the island.

To be honest, I consider myself lucky to have this story to share, because not a lot of visitors get to spend the night on the island unless they were born there or have stayed as a local all their life. But what makes this experience special is that it’s spent with good friends on one of National Geographic’s 21 Best Beaches in the World.  

ZC Had Its Very First Planner Meet…

And only five people showed up, not including our escorts LOL.  

         

So in our group messenger alone, we all decided and picked on the venue to meet in. We settled on Third Cup Café in LM Hotel, Tetuan. We also brought small gifts to share with our new friends.

It was an afternoon of getting to know and also working on our journal pages, planners and simply getting messy.

As for food, we ordered snacks like cheesecake, nachos overload and coffee to munch while waiting for the glues and glitters to dry on our creative projects.

We spent hours and hours talking and crafting and before heading on home, piled all our planners and notebooks to take a photo of our obligatory (?) planner tower.

Even if we know that crafting can be a bit messy, we did clean up after so that the café can allow us to come back when we shall decide to meet again in the future.

I came home with gifts from new friends and I also hope they enjoyed the ones that I brought too. It was a good experience and I hope to be a part of the next one, hopefully with more members too. 

Quick Guide to Onse Islas, Panubigan, Zamboanga City

A random invitation to visit Onse Islas soon gained some interest from friends and family online as I posted our photos on socmed (social media). I put together a quick guide to answer the questions you left through comments on my feed and of course, more photos of the Eleven Islands.  

In front of Panubigan Barangay Hall

How to Get There

On a Sunday morning, we went all the way to Panubigan for breakfast at our family friend's place in a shack on the hill overlooking a beautiful view. In the highway once reaching Panubigan, there’s a huge sign by the highway that says Eleven Islands, some parts of the road going in isn’t concretized yet, so be ready to encounter a dirt road still in its construction phase. Some parts are already concretized, be patient as it will be completed soon. It also pays to have a careful and good driver with your party. 

Onse Islas Activity Map 

Do's and Dont's Onse Islas Guide

Registration and Orientation

The local government monitors all tourism activities in the area, so it’s mandatory to register all visitors and attend a brief orientation of the islands (islets rather). Visit the Barangay Hall, sign up and attend a brief orientation on the Eleven Islands, Do’s and Dont’s. The barangay will assign your guide for the day and a corresponding boat for your party. Our host paid a total of Php 5,000 for our party of eleven people (coincidentally) consisting of family and friends.

Ferry Terminal, Panubigan

After the orientation, it’s a short walk to the port where all the bancas are tied to. Vehicles can be parked near the barangay hall. All visitors are required to wear life jackets during boat rides, provided by the bancas themselves. Safety first, folks!

Speaking of safety, even if there are shortcuts through other routes, let me take the opportunity to remind everyone that protocols are there for a reason. Each person has to log in and register so that the local government can monitor, regulate and manage the visitors and the sites properly in case incidences occur. 

Experience Onse Islas

Eleven Islands is a group of islands in the barangays of Panubigan and Dita, Zamboanga City. Activities allowed in the area are island cruising (with a guide), kayaking, paddle boarding, swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving, and also trekking.

Bisaya-Bisaya Island's Powder White Beach, Eleven Islands, Panubigan, Zamboanga City

In the first island called Bisaya-Bisaya, there are beautiful, weathered rock formations that one can walk to. Be careful to walk on the black rocks, I slipped and landed on my butt. Luckily I didn’t sustain any wounds. It turns out that the black surface on the rocks are caused by algae dried by the sun that turned black on the rocks.

White Rock in Bisaya-Bisaya Island, Eleven Islands, Panubigan, Zamboanga City

Natural Pool in one of the islets, Eleven Islands, Panubigan, Zamboanga City

During low-tide, it’s easy to cross to the other islet and visit the natural pool but it’s hot and we jokingly called it the solar-powered, hot spring infinity pool. There’s also the sand bar that appeared in the last island we went to, Sirommon Island where a family of starfish emerged just also enjoying the sun and sands.

Starfish Colony in Sirommon Sandbar, Eleven Islands, Panubigan, Zamboanga City

I like that the place is quiet, not crowded with too many tourists, there was only another group visiting the islands apart from us on the day. After all, Sunday is meant for relaxation.

Powder white sand beach, Eleven Islands, Panubigan, Zamboanga City

Be Responsible Visitors

It’s a good thing that the local government was able to straighten out the solid waste management program before tourists soiled the environment. There are huts to have picnics in. What lacked from the facilities was a good changing room and its corresponding amenities.

If you ask me though, I’ll have none of those souvenir stalls that are commonly seen in selling shirts, keychains or ref magnets. It just gives off a too-commercial vibe. I would rather have those on dry land and away from the islands. It’s also a good thing that no food vendors were allowed on the islands, minus the barbecue sticks and plastic that can be thrown away in the water.

Keeping the area clean is top priority and it’s emphasized in the orientation. No matter how small, it’s important to dispose of trash properly. Clean oceans is a plus, so let’s do all that we can.

Sandbar at Sirommon Island, Eleven Islands, Panubigan, Zamboanga City

At the end of the day tour, I have a collection of beautiful photos that look like I teleported to the Caribbean from Zamboanga City. I told an officemate that the only sighting missing is Captain Jack Sparrow. I went home with sunburn, but I do have stories to tell about how beautiful the place is. Looking at the islands, I’m grateful to have spent the weekend with people close to me and in such a beautiful place.

I’ve received inquiries and reactions from people in my socmed feed, so this quick guide was put together to share some information to those interested to visit Onse Islas. May you find time to experience and enjoy our beautiful sites in Zamboanga City and do be mindful of keeping them clean. 

Check out my video below. See you soon!

Viva Nuestra Senyora La Virgen Del Pilar + Tang's Sweet Orange Makes Waves At The Zamboanga Regatta

Early on a bleak Saturday morning, we went to witness the Regatta event in RT Lim Boulevard. The colorful vintas were a welcome contrast against the gray horizon. Everybody has been waiting for the Regatta, last year's having been cancelled because of the siege.

I was invited by Ms. Grace Bermejo to join the Tang Philippines Team as they sponsored various events in the city. Tang has also activated the newest flavor to the market, Tang Sweet Orange. Sweet Orange is specially formulated for Mindanao, having studied the preferences of Mindanaoans when it comes to refreshing beverages. #TimplangAto

I have to say that the activation was a successful one, spectators were able to sample the new flavor as they cheered on the vintas racing on that eventful morning.

Over a hundred vinta sailors showed up to compete. The Regatta has been an attraction for as long as the Zamboanguenos can remember. Lawrence Lorico, Assistant Brand Manager from Tang Philippines explained that the Regatta reflects the brand, that it is an inviting and colorful event.

 

Even the Coast Guard has its own colorful vinta. 

Gerald Anderson is the endorser of Tang Sweet Orange #TimplangAto

Tang also gave away prizes for the Regatta winners.

What's impressive is that Tang also brought in three bigger trucks containing the refreshing Sweet Orange drinks for on the spot refill. 
 

 

People from all walks of life went to witness the Regatta. It was a colorful morning, and as the day progressed, the sun came out to brighten the day. Just like Mi Ciudad, she has risen from a dark nightmare and is slowly facing the beauty and color of the present.