To Bayawan and Back

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The boyfriend and I had a short vacation in Bayawan, Negros Oriental, where my folks are currently residing. It was his first time to visit Negros so we were pretty much excited. It was also the first longest trip that we've had together.

Anyhoo, I was supposed to bring with my my CDR-King 35mm camera. However, I forgot it at home and only remembered when we were already on the way to the bus terminal. I wanted to castigate myself for forgetting my camera. I was planning to post film photos of the trip. So, we have to make do of what we have, which are just photos from the boyfriend's SII camera.

beach near Santander port.

fast craft to Sibulan.

We were heading to Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, which was a bit far from Cebu. We opted to go there via land trip, which means we had to sit in the bus for a few hours. It usually takes seven to eight hours to get to Bayawan from Cebu City. This includes the ferry ride from Santander to Sibulan and the jeepney ride from Sibulan to Dumaguete City. From Dumaguete, you'll need to ride another bus to Bayawan City. It's a pretty long trip when you think about it, which why I rarely go there.

Here's the list of vehicles and the fare we spent per person:

• Bus (aircon) from South Bus Terminal to Santander - P140 (student's fare)
• Ferry/Fast craft from Santander to Sibulan - P54 (student's fare)
• Jeep from Sibulan to Dumaguete - P11
• Tricycle from the jeepney terminal to Robinson's Place Dumaguete - P9
• Bus (non-aircon) from Dumaguete to Bayawan - P100

roro from Sibulan to Cebu.

short bus stop at Siaton.

passing by Boljoon.

You have to take the same route on the way back to Cebu. Instead of going to Robinson's, you can immediately head on to the Ceres bus terminal. It's just a walking distance from Robinson's, which is why I prefer having lunch there. So, the boyfriend and I had our brunch there in Robinson's and spent some time walking around with our bags. We, then, continued our trip to Bayawan, which was two to three hours from Dumaguete.

There are also other routes to get to Dumaguete. You can ride a plane from the Mactan International Airport or a boat from the pier. The plane's definitely faster but expensive. I'm also not that comfortable with an overnight boat ride to Dumaguete, even if you can sleep the entire trip away.

*photos taken by Paw*

Beach-ing at Moalboal

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Moalboal has a special place in my heart. This place brings back good memories. I would never be bored of  the blue waters and white sands of Moalboal.

We frequent Basdako in Moalboal, mainly because of the affordable huts there. We've also befriended one of the owners, who always give us nice treatment during our stay. I don't know about other places in Basdako, but in Victor's, you can get a small beach hut with your own porch and bathroom for P1, 000 a night. It already has a double bed and a ceiling fan. You can pack your friends inside the hut. I think six to seven people can fit in the hut. Just use a mat for those sleeping on the floor.

beach.

doggies on the beach

To get to Moaboal, look for the Bato via Barili bus in the South Bus Terminal. You'll be paying around P110 for your bus fare. From the town proper, hail a tricycle that can take you to Basdako where you'll pay around P25 per person. Although the trip can be long, you'll definitely thank yourself for spending time to visit the place.

Basdako has a long strip of white-sand shore. I am never afraid to walk barefoot in Moalboal, unlike when I'm in Mactan. The shore has fine sands which I love. The waters are clear and ever so blue. Although it can be packed with people during weekends, it is still a refreshing place to be in.

I always enjoy my stay in Moalboal. During the day, you can knock yourself out with playing beach volley, swimming, or going snorkeling. There are karaoke machines that you can use if you feel like singing your heart out. You can also rent a boat so you can go scuba diving or visit Pescador, which I will write about next time.

manaygonay (caroler)*

almost sunset *

random local kids *

me reloading my Smena *

At night, you can lie down on the sands while watching the stars. Maybe I'll do that next time. You can also opt to spend the night outside, which is safe. My cousin spent her night drinking on the shore with her friends until the break of dawn, which is also cool. However, it's not really my thing. I opted to sleep the night away with my little nephew and the boyfriend.

It is good that many people already visit Moalboal as it helps in boosting local tourism. However, as many people flock, the condition of the place deteriorates. I hope visitors will be responsible enough and throw garbage properly.

PS. I wasn't able to shoot as much during our stay in Moalboal. I found out, after I DO-ed my rolls, that my Smena 8M is broken. I was really disappointed since I only got 14 shots from my 36-shot roll. 

photos taken with Smena 8M

note: * - photos taken by Paw