Beach Resorts and Contact Numbers Available in Malapascua Island

Two years ago, I've been to this terrific, magnificent, and amazing island. I must say that this is one of the cleanest beaches I've ever been to. The sand is powder white with clear blue waters welcoming you to swim, snorkel, and dive. Although in the land, there is nothing much to do here but to swim or to bask in the sun to get a tan, I recommend this to people who do not appreciate many crowd or partying in the night (unlike in Bora). You can get a tan here and there wouldn't be a lot of people staring at you. When Beau and I were there about 2 years ago, we were sunbathing for more than 2 hours and all we saw walking on the beach was a pair of couple. You can also pig out here as there are a lot of restaurants that you could choose to eat at. There is the Japanese Restaurant (it just looks like a simple house outside, the house is painted green, and there's a couple of wooden seats for you to dine at but man! the food is über-authentic, ask him around and they'll know who you would be talking about), there's a much bigger resto in front of that, just so you know. This Japanese Resto serves the best Gyoza that you could ever taste in a secluded island I tell you! Nearby that place is Ging-ging's Resto is that serves the best choco-pancakes with fresh mango on top! Whew! Just remembering it would make my mouth watery. Gosh. This is the only reason why I would like to go back to Malapascua. Haha. This island is at the northernmost part of Cebu and is about 4 hours away from Mactan Airport.

To get there from the Airport, take a Taxi going to Northern Bus Terminal (About P200). I highly recommend to arrive at the airport on an earlier time, like 6-7AM so that you can get the best seat and A/C bus available. Check the buses "D ‘ROUGH RIDERS" and "CEBU AUTOBUS" (orange in colour) from here and almost every hour there is a bus leaving for Maya (where the port going to Malapascua is). First trip is at 4AM and last trip is 4PM. Although, make sure you leave before 9-10AM because the other buses that will leave after that would only be the Ordinary buses, without the A/C, and with literally some rough rides. So opt for the A/C bus instead. Make sure that you will arrive before 3PM at Maya Port or else you will have to take the special trip that would cost you 100 times more than usual or you will have to stay overnight at any nearby motel or place there (which I don't know of). The trip from Maya Port to Malapascua is about 30-45 minutes (depending on the tide) and it would cost you about P35-40 each (paid 35 pesos 2 years ago but not sure how much it is anymore).

Of course, if you're in Malapascua, you would like to make the most out of your stay there. As I can assure you, 4 days won't be enough. Time flies so fast yet feels so slow here. It flies so fast that maybe 2 years after you've been there, you'd still feel the freshness of the memories you would have gathered here (just like I do), and time flies so slow there because the town as well as the living is laid back and just like me, you will end up pigging out all the time and maybe going back to Ging-ging's once in a while.

Now, if you have decided to go here, check the highly recommended list of Beach Resorts in Malapascua and it's contact number. The rates are per room per night and not per person. Rates as of 2009. Breakfast not included unless otherwise noted. I've only given you an idea of the Fan Rooms available because this is the room I prefer. I'm the cowboy/backpacker type and so, I got the cheapest rooms available (Fan Rooms). Well, the reason why I go to this island is to live like I'm in the island, anyway. So, for the meantime, I stay away from A/C rooms because I'd like to feel like an "islander", as I call itÜ. You can opt to google them so that you can check their websites yourself, I also recommend that. Here's the list:

- HippoCAMPUS:
Fan Room P1350
+63 (0) 927-336-9703+63 (0) 915-400-1005
- Malapascua Exotic Island Dive & Beach Resort: ***
Fan Room P1,200 Extra Matt P350
+63 (0) 918-77 40 484+63 (0) 917-3276689
ask the boat man on before hand to drop you in front of our resort
- Danos -
Fan Room P1,200 (been here and I rather go to a different resort - I think there are many more resorts better than this, although breakfast is included but I'd rather go some place else. There are a lot of )
+63915 666 1584
- Blue Water Malapascua Beach Resort ****
+63 918 5872427
- Slam's Garden Resort
Deluxe Fan Room P1,800
+639053433495/+639154410621
- Bantigue Cove ****
Deluxe Fan Room P1,500
Fan Room - Php1,800.00
Extra Bed - Php300.00
+63 0917 6259 826+63 032 437 0322
- Mangrove Oriental Resort ***
Budget Room 2 Persons Fan Only P800
Standard Double Room 2 Persons Fan Only P2800
**Rates exclude 12% EVAT Rates exclude 10% service charge (63) 916 218 55 34
- Logon Beach Resort
No Contact Number. See website below:
http://hem.passagen.se/waeppling/malapascua/index1.htm
My Note: Nice Place and Bungalows! See Website.
- Sunsplash Resort
Deluxe room (ca. 25 m²) with aircondition, SAT-TV, minbar, inclusive Breakfast for two person - 50€ Euro
Super Deluxe room (ca. 35 m²) with aircondition, SAT-TV, minbar, inclusive Breakfast for two person - 60€ Euro
Extra person inclusive Breakfast - 15€ Euro
- Cocobana Beach Resort
Cottage with electric fan and good sea view: 2 Persons P 1600
Cottage with electric fan and limited sea view: 2 Persons P 1000
Super Deluxe AC - P 3,100
Deluxe AC - P 2,700
Fan - P 2,000
Sorry, they can only book rooms as part of a dive package** (please sms/call them still to verify) Reception - +639159200011
Nora, for German - +639159114631 or +639155208068

Touring Around Liliw, Laguna

Beau has been thinking of going day tour on this quiant little town in Laguna. One could reach the province/suburb of Laguna in just about an hour away from Makati/Manila, provided that there is no traffic at all. But upon entering the province of Laguna, one could reach the little town of Liliw in about 2 hours (if traveling by public bus) and of course, could be lesser if one is traveling by a private vehicle.

Laguna is a very big province, there is also what was called Viaje Del Sol (travel under the sun) which a lot of townsfolks are raving about but we were only able to go around the town of Liliw, but t'was a great day tour I've had there.

Liliw is called Laguna's Shoe Capital. Well, I would agree. When I got off the jeepney at Liliw, there was a whole stretch that spots about 30-40 shoe shops left and right. There were also vinegars for sale along the road, some people offering you longganisa (marinated ground pork with fat, something that looks like a bolognia), and the usual street food.

However, of course, the highlight of this trip was the retail therapy I had when we went there.

• bags
  
• shoes
  
• bags
  
• shoes
  
• and moooore shoes!!
  

You wouldn't see any clothes shop nearby (not that I know of).

*****

It was a bright Sunday morning when Beau and I were able to get up from the bed and decided to leave for Liliw. Well, out of anticipation to reach the town the earliest possible time, we decided not to eat breakfast, as I was also trying to make a lot of room for Ara Bela, so we left with empty stomachs and hopeful hearts.

Being travelers who do not have a vehicle of our own, from our place in Muntinlupa, we rode a jeep going to Alabang. By 8AM, the sun was unusually striking-hot already, I wished I was able to wear sunscreen for protection. Too bad I didn't have one at that time (Hey! It's -ber months! Who would think that sun's heat would be as piercing as summer?). When we got to Alabang, as we were walking towards Hen Lin, there was a bus going to Sta. Cruz, and so we quickly jump aboard and looked for a spot where we could avoid the sun (well, for the meantime).

I could have sung "killing me softly" while riding on the bus from Alabang to Sta. Cruz. If you're not the type who could sit and stay for a long, bumpy, dusty, and muggy ride, I would suggest you take an aircon bus instead as starting the day riding an ordinary bus going to Sta. Cruz. Not sure though if there's an aircon bus going there (but I think there is). On the other hand, if you are the kind of person who's like me - harangan man ng sibat, aalis pa din - (anything goes kind of person), then the bumpy, muggy ride is just a part of the trip and like me who would think that there's nothing to compare with the sense of accomplishment that would go with reaching a certain destination alongside the exceptional experience - then the ordinary bus could be for you.

So, yes, we took an ordinary bus and got swept away with the Sunday morning wind that kissed our faces when the bus was traveling about 120kph on the highway. The ride just got pretty slow when we reached the narrow streets of Los Baños, Laguna (well, compared to SLEX - South Luzon Expressway, Los Baños's streets are quite narrow). Ah yeah, alright, if you're also thinking of going to Los Baños, riding a bus going to Sta. Cruz could be an option too. We passed by some public pools in Los Baños with some people waving those little boards offering for private pools (I do not recommend them - highly NOT), the Korean 88 Spa (this is HIGHLY recommended in terms of privacy and quality), and of course, another hour traversing unpopular towns in Laguna.

Okay, so one little (but huge!) mistake which we did was to alight the bus right after this Metro-something Mall. I'm telling you now! Sta. Cruz is still farther than that! I guess we were just soooo giddy reaching the town of Liliw that we got so excited going out of the bus when there were a few people started to alight the bus. Haha. We had to take the jeepney tour around the town of Nagcarlan, then to Liliw. Oh, it was grueling. Be a little more patient in reaching Sta. Cruz, and when everyone is alighting the bus, that is the only time you should leave the bus too, ok? ;)

So, after the long version which we took going to Liliw, we reached the area. The jeepney we rode dropped us off the lowest point of the road, I guess it's for the shops to be able to display their products to the travelers/wanderers/visitors of the area who could be possible shoppers too. We found out that Ara Bela was located on the other side of the road, And of course, me being famished, I was sort of having a nausea when we were walking up the steep road. Oh yes, the roads in the town of Liliw were sort of steep (well, where the one the jeep dropped us off was steep), like where the shoes and sandals shops are located? They're steep. And, I may had wanted to strangle anyone who would stop me from going to Ara Bela. Yes, my heart was focused on going to Ara Bela. Nowhere else.

Finally, we had reached Ara Bela.

Ara Bela (Arabela) is in the basement of a 2 storey house. Everybody in this town knows where this is.

Beau was already hungry, if not famished, this time.

Beau is wishing that his order would taste awesome.

An antique electric fan and a lampshade to add ambiance in a small and sort-of-crowded place.

The P50.00 almost good-for-two pudding that's not so sweet and is drizzled with caramel on top. This is just to pacify my nausea.

top-view. The pudding was soft, it doesn't taste like the usual bread, the texture is neutral. Not dry nor moist. It's yummy :D
It's ARA BELA, there's a space in between. Not Arabela.
The ceiling is unusually low as this place is just a part of the house's basement.
Make sure you'll be here before 12PM. We got there at 11:30AM and, gawd! The place was already crowded! We thought we wouldn't be able to get our fill but we got lucky there was a small table for two. We rushed onto it so fast!

This is seafood spaghettini. (I think it's 140)

Take two.

Take three. (Yummy spaghettini!)

Beau's generous serving of chicken marinara. (I think this is for 160.00)

Busog na. Hehe :D *burp!*

Next... The other places you could find at Liliw, Laguna (^_^)v