Follow Your Foots

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Potipot Island: Calmness of Water and Island Combined

For our team outing, we decided to hit the beach and one of the places in mind was Potipot Island. It is located in in Uacon, Candelaria, Zambales more than a kilometer from the mainland. Potipot Island is like an oblong-shaped island that is surrounded by fine white sands and calm clear water. Added to that is the vegetation in the area that shades you from the heat of the sun.

As there are no resorts on the island, we stayed at Marj's friend rest house in Masinloc, Zambales were we cooked our own food. You may rent motor boats for Uacon for P 500 round trip and rent nipa hut cottages in the island for P 500 also. But should you want to stay overnight near the the island, you may book in the nearest resort such as Dawal and Isla Verde.

The island is well maintained as there are designated trash cans and area for cooking. There is also a 50-peso entrance fee on the island.

We rented a van going to Zambales so for those who want to commute, I posted the direction from waypoint.ph (http://www.waypoints.ph/detail_gen.html?wpt=potpot):

How to get there

Uacon is about 46km north of Iba, the capital of Zambales. From Manila, take the North Expressway and exit at San Fernando. From San Fernando, head southwestward all the way toward Olongapo City. Right before the city boundary of Olongapo, there is a bypass way via the Subic Base Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) which you may want to take to avoid passing through the city. Take this bypass road through SBMA and exit at its Kalaklan gate then head northwestward to Subic town, Castillejos, Sn Marcelino, up to the T-junction near San Narciso.

At the T-junction near San Narciso, turn right and head north through the towns of San Narciso, San Felipe, Cabangan, Botolan, up to Iba. From Iba, head for Masinloc then towards Candelaria. Do not enter Candelaria town proper. Instead, head straight, and continue along the National Road while keeping an eye for the signs that lead to Dawal Beach Resort in Uacon. Head for Dawal Beach resort.

Coto, Zambales: Catching Fresh Water and Air in Coto Mountain Resort

On our second day team outing in Zambales, we decided to visit Coto Kidz Pool Mountain Resort right inside Coto mining site in Coto, Masinloc, Zambales. I must say, the rough road was so rough! nakakabaog for it took us almost one hour to reach the resort. But the scenery treated us with irony for there are lush greens and picture perfect views and yet you will also see the environmental impact of mining in the area. It was worth the trip when we reached the resort for it seemed you're in a enchanted place with fresh water flowing down the stream as well as water falls that soothes your stress with the sound of its flowing water.

One can stay overnight and rent an airconditioned cottage for P 1,500. For day trippers, one may rent a cottage right beside the river for P 500. Don't miss the balsa to cross the other side of the river to treat you with more sights and cross the hanging bridge going back.

Again, we rented a van going there so for those who want to commute, I got direction from Yahoo Answers:

Coto Mines

It is known as the nation’s biggest deposit of refractory ore in the world. It is 27 kms of well paved and winding gravel road from barangay baloganon to the camp site and commuted through a transportation concessionaire plying the route coto-baloganon at government controlled fare.

baloganon is about 3 kms from the main national highway. victory liner has buses on that route from manila (about 5 hrs bus ride). From baloganon, it's more than an hour before you reach the kidz swimming pools (coto mines) right at the foot of the forest. It's in the town called masinloc (2 hrs from olongapo).

Monday, February 23, 2009

Footsteps: Going to Guimaras

Book a flight going to Iloilo. Our airline of choice is Cebu Pacific. As you reach Iloilo International Airport, hire a van and ask to take you at Ortiz Port. The usual van route will take you up to SM Iloilo but since the new airport is far from the city proper, it is advisable to hire a van. We paid around P 500.

When you reach Ortiz Port, take a boat going to Jordan. The trip is less than 30 minutes and the fare is P 13. Remember that it is strictly prohibited to bring mango fruit, seedling and the like in Guimaras to protect their mango variety and the industry.

As you reach Jordan, you have option to hire a multi-cab or take a jeepney or tricycle to bring you to your destination. We opted to hire a multicab for P 400. The price is standardized so no need to worry.

Guimaras people are very accommodating as evidenced by our encounter with the multicab driver, boatman, resort staff, and others. They maintain that Illonngo culture of being malambing. Though life in Guimaras is simple, they take pride of their interesting places and mangoes .

It was a good retreat! it's worth the trip!

ortiz port, iloilo

on air

iloilo airport

inside the boat

inday mar ferry boat

boat

iloilo airport

Footnote: Raymen Beach Resort

We're supposed to book at villa igang but no one was there when we arrived. When I asked Kuya Jesus our driver, he told us it's better to stay at Raymen so our feet led us to raymen beach resort.

It's facilities are relatively new as they offer hotel-like accommodation. We took the P1,100 room because they only offer local tv channel s so we opted to let go of television. Fan rooms are simpler than air-conditioned rooms.

Unlike some reviews, we find raymen staff accommodating and the place is relatively peaceful. Added to that is access to good food for they have a cafeteria where you can order from their menu or buy fresh catch from local fishermen and ask the café to cook it for a minimal fee.

Raymen's shoreline is relatively small but it has fine white sand. The beach front is protected by safety nets for protection of its guests, as well as supervised by local lifeguards.

Cottages are also available for day trippers.

For more information, text Raymen Beach Resort at 09185207271.

Island Hopping in Guimaras

It was 8 am in the morning and the sun and sea is one with our craving for interesting places in Guimaras. We didn't not see the boatman who offered island tours the other day so we took chances and ask one of the island tour stations along Raymen beach. It's nice to know that island tour is standardized in Guimaras. They charge P 400 for the first hour and additional P 150 for succeeding hour.

After a sumptous breakfast, we took our gears and money to tour the island. We took a yellow boat owned by Charlie and went to diffent places around Guimaras. He's so accomodating, articulate and tourist-friendly. He is a good photographer as we let him take our photos. If you're in Guimaras, he can pick you up from Jordan port and he can meet you in Raymen Beach Resort. His mobile number is 09293100842.It took us almost 10 spots all in all in just three and a half hours so it's worth the boat ride.

We went to Pawikan Caring and Feeding Station situated in a nearby community. It was my first time to touch a pawikan and it's quite heavy. When you visit the station, make sure to bring extra money as they encourage any monetary donations for maintenance of the facility.

After that we passed through several beaches and islets that are undeveloped. Then we stopped at Ave Maria Cave to snorkel. We were not able to swim right inside the cave for it is so majestic that you want to look at it from the outside. A sea urchin hit my toes so I decided to stay near the boat while we stopped bleeding.

On the other side of Ave Maria, we took a dip in a white sand beach. There we had our traditional jump and shoot travel photos. hehe...

We had a breaktaking view when we stopped in baras beach resort and walked up the cliff. It felt like you're one with everything you see. There were many foreigners booked in baras beach as it is one of the secluded resorts in Guimaras since it can be reached through a pump boat.

Isla Naburot is also one of the secluded resorts in the Island and its cottages are made of native materials that reminds everyone of bahay-kuho. There is no electricity in Isla but is situated in a quiet and peacefull location.

On our way back to Raymen, we passed through other interesting places like properties own by foreigners and lighthouse. We bought fresh samaral fish and lobster for P 520 when we arrived at Raymen. yum!

Sharing some photos of my travel friends...