Loboc River Cruise is probably in your must-do-list if you are planning to go to Bohol. It is one of the famous tourist destinations in Bohol, Philippines. Loboc River is known mainly because of its emerald green and clean water and of course the famous river cruise. While cruising the river you will also see the famous Loboc Church which is more than 400 years old, one of the oldest churches here in the Philippines. Though it was severely damaged by an earthquake last 2013, it still hasn’t lost its charm and solemnity.
We took a countryside tour during our last day on our 3-day Bohol escapade and Loboc River Cruise is one of the stops. Our driver, Kuya Mario, drove us there at around 1:00PM hoping that the crowd might have dissipated and we could get a ticket easily, but we were wrong. Maybe because we went on a weekend or the place is just too touristy that that crowd was really overwhelming. It was my first time and I was excited to try the infamous Loboc River Cruise so waiting wasn’t really a big deal. Kuya Mario secured a queue number and since we want to make the most of our time, we decided to go to the Butterfly Sanctuary, Prony the Python and Bamboo Hanging Bridge while waiting for our turn.
Looking for a place to stay in Bohol? [Click HERE]
We came back after an hour and the crowd was still jam-packed though we were a bit closer on the queue. We waited for more or less 15 minutes until we were called. We were very hungry that time and all we want to do is eat, good thing it was a buffet lunch. The ticket costs Php450.00 per person, that includes both the ticket to the boat and for the buffet lunch.
Different nationalities were on board and we were seated on a table with other guests. The food was already loaded and prepared and since it was past the lunch time, the staff told us that we can start eating while other guests are boarding. The food was the usual Filipino dishes and desserts, nothing really special but since I was really hungry it made me think that I was feasting the best food ever!
The cruise started after all guests have boarded. By the time the raft reaches the middle of the cruise, we were done with our lunch, which was actually a good thing because we were able to enjoy the moment while the raft glides on the emerald-green water of Loboc River . I couldn’t help but appreciate how beautiful the river was and I was amazed on how they were able to keep the water clean. While we were sailing on the river, a live band was performing singing different old country songs entertaining the guests on board. I was actually quite amazed that they can sing songs in different languages, like Korean or Mandarin.
I noticed that there were few houses located near the river. There were also some tourists diving and swimming in the river while the locals live their lives as they normally do. Our boat stopped in front of a hut on the riverbank at the end of the cruise. There were group of locals (children and adults) wearing a traditional Filipino attire while performing different traditional Filipino songs and folk dances. Guests are free and encourage to sing and dance with them and of course donation is very much appreciated.
As the boat turned around to make it’s way back to where we came from, we saw a small falls. Busay Falls is what the locals call it, it’s just a small falls, nothing so extraordinary.
By the time we reached the port, the ticketing counter is already closed and the overwhelming crowd was gone. Kuya Mario told us that Loboc River Cruise had a day and night cruise before but due to the intense earthquake last 2013, light posts along the river was damaged so the local management had to suspend the night cruise.
Getting There
Loboc River Cruise is one of the famous tourists destinations in Bohol and is very much accessible via all means of land transportation. If you are coming from Manila, the fastest way to get to Bohol is via plane. If you are coming from Cebu, multiple fast ferry’s offer a daily trip to Bohol, vice versa.
From Tagbilaran airport, take a tricycle to the bus terminal and board a bus to Loboc. You can also rent a car or take a taxi to Loboc. If you are in a tour (mostly offered by hotels and travel agencies) Loboc River Cruise is one of the stops in the Countryside Tour.
Kalanggaman Island is undeniably a must-go destination in the Philippines, no wonder why it is probably in everyone’s bucket list. Long sandbars that stretch from both ends of the island with white and powdery sand and crystal clear water…perfect summer getaway or soul searching, barkada bonding and family holiday place.
It is said to have gained international exposure last 2013 when MV Europa Cruise Line stopped over in the Island and brought around 400 passengers and stayed there for a couple of hours. Since then, different pictures of Kalanggaman Island circulated around the internet which makes it one of the top destinations in Eastern Visayas.
If you’re planning to go to Kalanggaman Island and personally witness its picturesque view, I hope this travel guide, tips and other good to know information will help you.
How to get to Kalanggaman Island
Kalanggaman Island is located off the shore of Palompon in the western part of Leyte. From Palompon, it is around 45 minutes to an hour boat ride. You can reach Palompon either from Tacloban or Ormoc.
From Manila: There are daily flights from Manila to Tacloban or Ormoc, both are in Leyte.
If you are coming from Tacloban Airport (like what we did, we didn’t realize that Ormoc is much nearer to Palompon than from Tacloban)
Ride a jeep from the airport going to the new bus terminal, the driver will drop you off exactly at the new bus terminal.
Take either a van or a bus bound to Palompon.
Jeepney Fare: 50 pesos per person
Van Fare: 150 per person
Travel Time (to Palompon): 3 hours
If you are coming from Ormoc Airport
Go to Ormoc City Bus/Jeepney/Van Terminal (just ask the airport staff on how to go to the terminal)
Ride a van to Palompon
Fare: 110 per person
Travel Time: 1-2 hours
From Cebu: Take a boat or a fastcraft to Ormoc City. You can also go to Kalanggamana Island directly from Malapascua Cebu.
NOTE!! All tourists are required to register at the Palompon Tourism Office. It is located in front of the Liberty Park, walking distance from the Market and Terminal.
Rental and Entrance Fees
Boat Rental Fees
Php3000 – 15 Pax Maximum Capacity
Php3500 – 25 Pax Maximum Capacity
Php4000 – 30 Pax Maximum Capacity
Php5000 – 40 Pax Maximum Capacity
TIP: You can save money if you are travelling in a group, you can divide the boat rental fee depending on how many you are in a group. However, if you are a solo traveler or a group of 2 or 3, you can inform the tourism officer that you would like to share a boat with other tourists so they can arrange it for you. You can also talk to other tourists and share a boat with them. The same boat will fetch you back to Palompon so don’t forget to ask the boatman for the return trip time.
On the boat to Kalanggaman
In our case since we were only 3, we asked the officer that we would like to share a boat ride with other tourists. We shared with a group of students from Tacloban, they were around more or less 20 pax so we only paid Php500 (500/3=167 each,rounded off).
Entrance Fees (Day Tour)
Php500 – International Tourists
Php150 – Local Tourists
Php40 – College Students
Php30 – High school Students
Php20 – Elementary Pupils
Php120 – Senior Citizens
Entrance Fees (Overnight)
Php750 – International Tourists
Php225 – Local Tourists
Php60 – College Students
Php40 – High school Students
Php30 – Elementary Pupils
Php180 – Senior Citizens
Cottages
Php250 – 15 Pax Maximum Capacity
Php500 – 25 Pax Maximum Capacity
Pho700 – 30 Pax Maximum Capacity
TIP: Palompon limits the number of guest in the island so if you want to have a smooth travel, prior reservation is required. However, walk-ins are allowed but be there as early as possible (when the Tourism Office opens) to secure a slot. According to what I have read they only allow 100 tourists in Kalanggaman Island. I forgot to asked the officer about this. I will update this info as soon as i will be able to confirm the allowed number of guests with Palompon Tourism Office. Anyways, just be there early (wink emoji).
We tried to contact Palompon Tourism Office for reservation and we called multiple numbers we got from different bogs but all seemed to be not working. Luckily, we were able to obtain one working number and we were able to reserve a slot. You can try to contact this number: 0926-816-4005.
Where to stay in the island?
There is no resort in the island so your gonna have to either rent a cottage or a tent. You can also bring your own tent if you have one. Tent rentals are available in the Tourism Office. We rented a tent good for 5 pax for Php350. Tent rentals are also available in the island but to be sure just rent one from PalomponTourism Office.
Our humble maroon tent! ^_^
Update: There were ongoing constructions in the island. There were construction guys in the area and they were building a convention hall. We also found out that they are building small cottages for those who wants to stay overnight and other infrastructures in the island. It is somehow a good thing as it’ll provide comfort and convenience for the tourists but I hope the local government would not go beyond that and over commercialized the area. I love how it is right now, plain natural and simple.
These are the cottages that they are building.
Tree House under construction
Where to eat?
There is no restaurants, karenderya or sari-sari store in Kalanggaman so make sure to bring enough food for a day or overnight stay. Grilling stations are available in the island in case you want to grill some fish, meat or hotdog.
Grilling Station
Is there a potable water in the island?
No. There is no potable water in the island so you’re gonna have to bring your own drinking water. Bring plenty of water as you can. You don’t wanna ran out of water in the middle of an island so bring enough water that you can consume.
Is there a CR or dressing room in the island?
Yes. There are restrooms and dressing rooms in the island. But don’t expect too much, the facilities are very basic, just enough to serve your needs. There are no faucet so you’re gonna have to fetch yourself a water, using a pail, from a big water container / water pump ( tubig poso). By the way, the water from the water pumpis from the sea, no fresh water (wink emoji).
Dressing Room
Water Pump “tubig poso” just right outside the comfort room
Activities in Kalanggaman Island
Swimming
Snorkeling
Kayaking
Scuba Diving
Camping
Friendly Reminders and Good to Know Information
Bring sunblock, shades, cap, umbrella or anything that can protect your skin from the direct heat of the sun.
Bring an insect repellent.
There is no electricity in the island so make sure all your electronic gadgets (cellphones, cameras even power banks) are fully charged. Bring an extra battery or a solar power bank if you have one. You might see a couple of light there at night but that’s for the care taker/island personnel and it’s powered through solar panel.
There is a police station in the island for the safety of the tourists.
The boatman provides a container of fresh water to the tourists, but it’s just enough for freshening up.
Two trash bags will be provided to each tourists/group, one will be for the biodegradable trash and the other one is for non-biodegradable trash. The boatman will collect the two trash bags upon your return trip to Palompon.
Start your boat-trip early in the morning if you want to have a smooth sailing. Also, dolphins sometimes show up in the morning.
Do not travel during bad whether conditions.
Bonfire is not allowed in the island.
Swimming at the sandbar area is prohibited due to the rip current which is very dangerous.
Swimming on the other part of the island (rocky part) is not allowed.
Where to stay in Palompon
PACCI House
Address: Rizal Street (walking distance from the Market and Tourism Office)
Amenities: Function Hall, Telephone Service, Internet
Contact Number: (053) 338-2880
We stayed here for 1 night. All regular rooms were fully booked so we stayed in there dormitory type room with 3 double-deck beds, en-suit CR and air condition. There were no TV and the Wi-Fi can also be used best at the lobby. Good thing smart has a strong reception in the area so updating your social media posts isn’t gonna be a problem :).
Whispering Beach Mini Hotel
Address: P. Del Rosario Ext. Brgy. Guiwan I
Amenities: Function Hall, Telephone Service, hot & cold shower, Catering services
Our recently concluded Leyte
adventure is one of my many unforgettable vacation experiences. No itinerary,
no accommodations made before the travel, no plans…a total adventure.
Nevertheless it was still successful and memorable. We survived a 3-day DIY Leyte
Tour – with an endless road trip and challenges in looking for a place to stay.
Looking for a place to stay is
one thing that I always do first when traveling and our Leyte tour is the only
exemption. I guess we were too busy at work that we somehow forgot to
plan our travel. Well, we tried looking for a travel package and let them
arrange everything for us but we were too late. We started looking for a travel
agency just few days before our tour hoping that we could still book a slot but
I guess luck wasn’t favoring us that time. Next time, we will check online
booking sites like Traveloka.com so that at least we would have our
accommodations covered. Less stress, more savings in hotels.
So our last option was a DIY
tour. We started reading blogs to gather information on what to do in Leyte,
where to go, how to commute and best and affordable places to stay. We read
different posts and we decided to copy some details from Travel With Maria’s blog post. We also get some ideas from Out of Town Blog and Blessed not Lucky’s blog post.
The highlight of our Leyte Tour
is Kalanggaman Island, so we decided to have an overnight stay in the island on
our first day and spend the remaining 2 days in Lake Danao in Ormoc, waterfalls
chasing in Biliran and touring in Tacloban City. We just actually came up
with this plan a day before our flight. Luckily, we were still able to reserve
a slot in Kalanggaman Island when we called the Tourism Office. Let me share
with you our 3 days DIY Leyte Tour.
Day 0
12:40 PM : Arrival at Tacloban
Airport.
· Take a jeep from the airport and tell the driver to drop you off
at the New Bus Terminal.
01:30 PM : We reached
Tacloban New Bus Terminal and took a Van bound to Palompon.
· Travel Time from Tacloban to Palompon is roughly 3 hours.
05:00 PM : We arrived at Palompon
Jeep/Van Terminal.
After arriving in Palompon we
head straight to PACCI House where we stayed overnight. It was just walking
distance from the terminal and right beside the highway so finding it wasn’t a
problem. The only room available was their Dormitory Type Room which costs
Php4,000 good for 6 persons. Since we were 3 they gave it to us for Php1200
(1200/3=Php400 per person). It was like a standard room with 3 double-deck
beds, air con and in-suite CR but has no TV. There’s free Wi-Fi but could only
be used best in the lobby. We would only be staying there for a night anyway so
we took the room. Besides, it was raining hard that time so we didn’t have a
choice to look for anywhere else to stay.
I personally recommend to stay
here as it is very accessible and it is walking distance from the tourism
office, market, convenient stores and it has an ATM. There are 3 banks in
Palompon proper. Metrobank, PNB and Landbank, all have ATM’s.
06:00 PM : We had our dinner at
the PACCI House’s cafeteria.
06:30 PM : The rain stopped so we
decided to go out and roam around the area.
08:00 PM : We head back to the
PACCI House and had some rest.
Day 1
06:00 AM : Woke up, freshened up
and had a morning stroll at the port.
It was probably one of my most
relaxing morning moments, walking around the market with the overlooking sea
and a breath of fresh air and also, I must say that they have the cleanest and
clearest water in the port compared to other ports I have seen. The water is so
clear that you can see the bottom, which has lots of starfish and different
multi-colored fishes. Some locals are even fishing just right there.
Look! The water is so clear that you can see the starfish at the bottom. Take note, this is in the port.
07:30 AM : We went to the market
and bought food and supplies that we will be needing in our overnight stay in
Kalanggaman Island.
08:00 AM : We went to the Tourism
Office for the registration (entrance fee, boat and tent rental).
The boat ride costs Php3000
good for 20-30 persons. Since we were only three and we don’t want to pay that
much for a boat ride we decided to wait for other tourists so we can share a
ride and pay less. Day tour and overnight stay has a different entrance fee
rate. You can also rent a tent or bring your own. There is no potable water in
the island so bring enough water. I will be posting a different article about Kalanggaman
Island tips and good to know info’s.
11:00 AM : We depart from
the jump off point in Palompon to Kalanggaman Island. We were with a group of
students who also stayed overnight in the island.
12:00 PM : We reached Kalanggaman
Island.
Stunned! Yes I was stunned with
its amazing beauty and crystal clear waters. It was one of the most beautiful
islands I have ever seen. I have been to Boracay and Palawan and they were
amazingly beautiful in their own ways. Kalanggaman Island is known for its long
sandbar stretching from both ends of the island and a crystal clear water
surrounding the area.
We spent the whole day enjoying
the natural beauty of the island. Photo ops, swimming, photo ops, eat and photo
ops again, haha. Watch out for my next post about our Kalanggaman Island
experience.
Day 2
11:00 AM : Boat ride from
Kalanggman Island back to Palompon
12:00 PM : Lunch in Palompon
01:00 PM : Went to the terminal
and took a Van bound to Ormoc
Our next destination was Lake
Danao in Ormoc. We were in fact a bit behind our schedule coz the boat who
fetched us from Kalanggaman was late.
02:00 PM : We arrived in
Ormoc Public Terminal
A tricycle driver was offering
us a ride to Lake Danao for Php1500, it was too expensive so we didn’t take it,
only to find out that the multi-cab going to Lake Danao already left. According
to the locals one last ride will be at 4:00 PM but there’s gonna be no ride
back to Ormoc until the next morning. We were not sure if there’s any place to
stay in Lake Danao and we didn’t have a tent so we decided not to go and just
head back to Tacloban for our city tour the following day.
So if you guys want to follow
our itinerary you now know what to do. Leave Kalanggaman Island as early as
possible, probably around 7 or 8 AM. If there’s one thing that I learned about
our Leyte Tour it would be to allot ample time for the road trip.
06:00 PM : We reached Tacloban
Since we didn’t have any
accommodations made, we spent around 30 minutes looking for a pocket-friendly
place to stay overnight. We check a couple of lodges and inns but they were all
fully booked , thankfully we found one lodge with an available room. We took
the basic air conditioned room with twin sized-bed, small TV and an
in-suite CR. The room costs Php750 for two persons plus Php80 additional since
we were 3.
We had our dinner at the
nearest fast food and then we headed back to the lodge to rest from a tiresome
road trip. So literally, we spent our second day on the road, lol.
Day 3
06:00 AM : Woke up, freshened up,
and packed our things.
We decided to rent a tricycle
for our Tacloban City tour and we were lucky to have a nice and friendly
tricycle driver, his name is Kuya Omer. We agreed to pay him Php500 for the
tour, so he became our personal driver and tour guide for 4 hours.
· We also visited the ship which ran aground in Tacloban during
typhoon Yolanda
· Leyte Park
· Kuya Omer also brought us to where we can buy pasalubongs
· Sto. Nino Shrine
12:00 AM : End of city tour.
Since our flight back to Manila
was scheduled at 5:30 PM and we still had 5 hours to kill, we decided to go to
the Robinson’s mall and watch a movie, lol. So we had our lunch first and
watched Doctor Strange . It was cool coz we got to watch Doctor Strange for Php195,
haha. We would have spent Php270 or more if we watched it here in Manila.
02:00 PM : Went to the airport
for our flight back to Manila.
We still rented Kuya Omer’s
tricycle as our ride to the airport. We paid him Php150. He was nice,
accommodating and helpful. He was also a Yolanda survivor and he told us his
story and what really happened when the typhoon struck Tacloban. We were glad
that somehow we were able to help him even in a simple way. If you will be in
Tacloban and plan to rent a tricycle for a tour, you can look for Kuya Omer.
Too bad he doesn’t have a cellphone so there’s no way to contact him. If you
happen to be staying in Leos Lodge he is usually there, you can ask for him.
This is kuya Omer, a yolanda survivor!
No plans made, no itinerary
made but we were able to pull off our Leyte Tour. It was indeed an adventure. There are still a lot of beautiful places in Leyte that we haven’t covered on our 3 day tour. Next time around I will surely plan my trip properly and honestly, I’m really not good in DIY travels, lol, or maybe I just need to get the hang of it.
Stay tuned for my upcoming Tacloban City Tour and Kalanggaman Island Experience posts.
Mag-Aso a 75-meter high waterfalls that creates a smoky-like foggy effect with a clear turquoise green water is a perfect summer getaway and must-see destination for nature lovers, like me. The refreshing air, cool ambiance, relaxing gush of the water and beautiful green trees and flowers will surely take all your stress away. I remember during my college days this used to be our bonding place and escape from the busy college-life. Kabankalan is a first class and second wealthiest city in Negros Occidental. It is also tagged as one of the cleanest city Negros Occidental.
[Looking for a place to stay in Bacolod…click HERE]
My last visit to Mag-Aso Falls was back in April 2015 when I went home for my sisters wedding. My college mates and I had a mini reunion (we were only 9 in our batch so it wasn’t that hard to call for a reunion) and of course where else should we go? Since it was summer time, we all agreed to visit Mag-Aso Falls.
There were quite few renovations and additions to the camp but it’s refreshing ambiance was still the same. The swimming pools greeted us as we walk towards our cottage and it’s as if inviting us to plunge in the water. There were two pools in the area, one for the adults and one for the kids. The water that fills the pool also comes from the falls so there is really no need for you to wear proper swimming attire like swimsuit or trunks but if you really want to, by all means you are free to wear those.
There are different cottages stationed in the area. There are also few picnic tables that you can use in case the cottages are fully booked. As of the moment, there are two villas available if you want to stay overnight. Restrooms are also available but there’s a one-time 2 peso charge, I guess this will be use for the maintenance and/or salary of those who are maintaining the comfort rooms. Don’t lose your ticket as you will be showing it to the person in charge whenever you have to use the comfort rooms.
The falls itself is located at the lower part of the area (another perfect moment for hikers). The management made some stairs with railings down to the falls so it’ll be easier and safe for everyone but it’s still kind of fun because you’re like in a mini roller coaster. Going down is very easy but going back up will probably numb your feet.
It was summer time when we went there so the water was not that strong. Sorry for the picture quality.
As the water cascades down the twin cliffs, it creates a smoky-like effect (aso is the local word for smoke) and the perfect turquoise green water is cold and relaxing. Beware though as there are lot’s of stone in the shallow part of falls and they’re slippery. For those who know how to swim (unfortunately not me) there is also a part where you can swim and enjoy.
View of the waterfalls from above. As you can see, that turquoise green water below is very clear which kinda creates a smoky effect as well.
HOW TO GET TO MAG-ASO FALLS FROM BACOLOD-SILAY AIRPORT
Mag-Aso Falls is located at Sitio Dug-anon, Barangay Oringao, Kabankalan City. It is 2-3 hours away from Bacolod City.
From Bacolod-Silay International Airport, take a van (Php150/pax) or a taxi (Php500) going to the Ceres Liner South Terminal.
From the Ceres Terminal, take a Bus with a Dumaguete-Mabinay Route.
Inform the ticketing officer to drop you off at the Oringao old Public Market or Mag-Aso Falls.
From there, take a tricycle or a motorbike (if you’re alone) to Mag-Aso Falls. It is a 15-minute ride. Take note that some parts of the road are very steep and bumpy.
Please take note that the Bus will have a short stop over at Kabankalan Ceres Terminal but that isn’t your destination yet. If you want to roam around the City and explore it first you can definitely do so. To go to Mag-Aso Falls from Kabankalan City.
Ride a tricycle going to Kabankalan Public Market or tell the driver to drop you off at the Jeepney Terminal going to Oringao or Mag-Aso (all tricycle drivers know where it is).
Tell the jeepney driver or “kundoktor” to drop you off at Mag-Aso Falls.
From there, take a tricycle or a motorbike (if you’re alone) to Mag-Aso Falls. It is a 15-minute ride. Take note that some parts of the road are very steep and bumpy.
If you want to have a little bit of an adventure you can also hike all the way up to the falls. Just like us during college days, we used to hike it back and forth.
ENTRANCE FEE AND COTTAGE/VILLA RATES
The entrance fee is 50 pesos for adults while children up to 7 years old are free. Cottage rates depends on how big it is, it ranges from 200-300 pesos for day-stay. If you want to extend and stay overnight, they also have 2 Villa’s amounting to 1000 pesos per night good for as many persons as you can fit in, good for barkada overnight stay. You can also bring a tent with no extra charge. As for the picnic tables, I don’t have a specific price information if it is for rent or free if all cottages are full. I’ll update you once I got an answer from a friend working in the City government ;).
ARE WE ALLOWED TO BRING FOODS?
Definitely YES! I highly suggest that you bring your own food,in fact bring everything that you will need such as water and any other essential things. There is only one store in the area and there’s really nothing much in it.
Just a reminder, do not wander far from the camp and be careful as there are cliffs and sharp stones. Also, it would be much better if you bring an insect repellent just in-case you will need it.
Disclaimer: Pictures were taken almost a year or 2 years ago. Will update it when I have the chance to visit the place again.
[Looking for a place to stay in Bacolod…click HERE]
