Posts by Doud2

Oh, thank you so much! So for you, more like stops in Dumaguete and Siquijor. I get the feeling that the latter is pretty unanimous! Your feedback on Dumaguete is interesting because one of the people I’m traveling with was saying we could skip that part in the end 😅. And you liked Bohol less? Thanks so much for your help!

Bohol is quicker to reach from Cebu, but it’s a big island, so sightseeing takes time, and there are quite a few tourists. Personally, I prefer Siquijor and the Dumaguete area. You can ride around Siquijor in 120 km by motorbike—super peaceful vibe. Siquijor is served by OceanJet ferries like Dumaguete, or by bus (or van) and ferry from Cebu City, but the trip always takes a while, about 4-6 hours. In Dumaguete: stroll along the waterfront, check out the big public market and try the local specialties. In Valencia, about 20 km away, there’s a gorgeous Sunday market with local producers under majestic trees. Nearby, you’ll find the Casaroro Falls at the foot of Mt. Talinis. In Malatapay, there’s a massive, totally wild market on Wednesdays. Offshore, the cute little Apo Island has turtles, sea snakes, etc. Spend half a day (or stay overnight) at Kooko’s Nest—beach, kayaking, good food, or just grab a drink by the sea. Check out Tombobo Bay, a very sheltered bay. Try to taste shrimp sinigang. Spot the rice fields with windmills. From Dumaguete port, there are lots of fast connections to nearby Siquijor. Just a heads-up: these memories are from a few years back, so things have probably changed since then. Double-check details, especially transport schedules and methods. Happy researching!

Correction: Dumaguete is on Negros Island, sorry.

Hello, We’re heading out at the end of the year to join family in Cebu. We’re thinking of spending a week in the area but are struggling to choose between these 3 islands. Ideally, we’d like to have 2 bases to explore two of them. Have you visited all three, and which would you recommend? We’re into snorkeling, beautiful excursions, and would love to connect with locals. And ideally, do all that without too much logistical hassle 😊 Thanks for your feedback and tips!

Hi..... Dumaguete-Bohol-Siquijor is a great choice because they’re neighboring islands, well-connected, and interesting. Siquijor and the Dumaguete area on Panay remain one of my best memories from my stays in the archipelago: Siquijor is a nice island, pleasant to live in, with beaches, cozy bar-restaurants, and pretty old churches. It’s very close and well-served from Dumaguete. Dumaguete and its surroundings: the city itself is quite nice, and the area is rich with things to see—Tombobo Bay, waterfalls, mountains, farmer’s markets, etc. If you get bored or want a change, there used to be a connection between Siquijor and Tagbilaran on Bohol, but Bohol is quite busy. Anyway, I can give more details if you’re interested.

that’s exactly what you should do—it’s not much, but it’s already something😏 I really liked this island back then; today it seems to attract more people. If you search "how to get to Apo Island from Siquijor," you’ll find recent info, though it’s not always exciting...

In the past, there wasn’t any regular connection—just occasional trips arranged through dive clubs or boatmen who rented out their services on demand, with prices to negotiate... Maybe things have changed since then. Have a great day!

Hello again, Do you know the Bontoc region? If so, do you think visiting the surrounding villages is interesting (Mainit, Malicong, Barlig, Kadaclan, etc.)? And if so, are they accessible by car?

Regarding accessibility: to reach Mainit, it's a dirt track; for Malicong and Barlig, it's a proper road. These are mountain roads with quite a few bends, and there may be earth and rocks on the surface, so drive carefully. You can get an idea by checking Google Maps—plus, there’s Street View now 😎—which gives an even better sense of the road network. Have a great day.

When we used to pass through Bontoc, we loved stopping in Maligcong—even staying overnight for some peace and quiet. Beautiful rice terraces with a few scattered clusters of houses like Favarey, reachable via a winding road for about 5 km. In Bontoc, there’s a lovely local market and an interesting museum with documents on headhunters. Mainit, which was accessible by dirt road back then, is also worth a visit—hot springs, plenty of water buffalo skulls, and traces of *Dap-ay*, the assembly places of the Elders... sadly underrated. Oh well, happy planning!

Indeed, Manila to central Banaue is about 370 km, and you should count on around 9 hours more or less—the express bus partly takes the E1 highway. Unless I'm mistaken, Baguio to central Banaue via Bontoc is roughly 190 km along the Haselma mountain road and also very long. Average speeds are low by bus; for example, a Banaue-Bontoc trip of about 50 km took us two hours including stops. A Sagada to Baguio bus ride took 6 hours including stops. I’m not too familiar with private transport in the mountainous area—I’ve always used the bus or jeepney. From Manila, it’s developing, I think, but at what cost? The topic has already been discussed on VF in the past. Many travelers prioritize the Batad rice terraces and don’t linger much. Others move on from Banaue to Bontoc, then Sagada... Personally, we once did a loop—Banaue one way, then Bontoc and Sagada, and returned via Baguio—taking our time🙂🙂 We enjoyed it. Have a good evening.

Attached is a map I made a few years ago. Back then, we often hiked in the mountains on our own. However, on the trails, the few travelers we met had a guide. Let me know if you'd like more details. Have a great day!

https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=9271146;search_string=carte%20de%20randonnee%20sur%20Batad

The Cebu to Panglao route doesn’t seem to exist (except for Panglao to Oslob). OceanJet offers a dozen or more schedules to Tagbilaran, same for SuperCat; after that, you’ll need to get to Panglao by road, which is pretty easy. You can book tickets on the OceanJet and SuperCat websites. Have a great day.

From Cebu Pier 1, passenger terminal, there are 2 companies to Tagbilaran: Supercat and Oceanjet, with plenty of schedules... For Panglao from Cebu, are there any connections? Not sure. Online booking is possible via 12GO.

Hi Denis, we often think of you and the archipelago—we haven’t forgotten our great and numerous memories... I follow the news on VF and chime in when I can, though my info is starting to get a bit dated 😉. I’ll send you a private message. Warm regards to share.

Why not... Baguio is a large, university city where people come to escape the heat... there’s plenty to do. Session Road is the lively street, and if you want something quieter, you can find accommodation on Upper Session Road, a bit away from the center—Hotel 45, for example, was our choice.

Things to do: the colorful and picturesque central market, ethnic fabric crafts, Burnham Park in the city center, a stroll through Camp John Hay among the Benguet pines, a snack at Hill Station—a beautiful 1900s house—and more. We really enjoyed our stop in this city. Happy planning!

Hi there, a few years ago in El Nido, Palawan, I met a German woman—a rather elderly but athletic lady who was a kayaking pro. She’d found a guy in El Nido who set up a small kayaking route for her in Bacuit Bay, including camping on the islands. We were tempted to join her, but we had to leave. Anyway, just to say it *does* exist. If you search for "kayak" and "El Nido," you’ll find options, but I’m not sure if they match what you’re looking for. That’s all!

bonjour les Canaries pratiquent des taxes plus faibles que sur le continent, de fait cela rend les tarifs restaurant, bars, cafés plus attractifs comme aussi pour le ravitaillement. Nous avons fait de jolis repas dans certains restaurants. Par contre le vin local reste cher, sans doute du à une petite production et à la difficulté du travail de la vigne sur sol aride et volcanique. bonne prépa B

merci pour cette précision car je ne comprenais pas bien, le lieu de départ n 'était pas indiqué Au dessus de nos têtes dans le ciel, on commence à voir quelques vols , guère plus de 2-3 par jour et encore pas tous les jours; il se dit que les européens resteront entre eux pour cet été d' après toi, le trafic redémarre? B

Je pense que oui.A Camiguin ou j'habites tout a ete fait tres serieusement. Il y avait 1 cas debut Mars.Ca a ete divulgue par le gouverneur. Des mesures avait ete prises. Puis mi-avril,7 cas ont ete reveles.Mesures plus severes. Tout le monde est gueri maintenant.Aucuns morts sur l'ile. Demain enfin, je vais pouvoir faire mes courses sans"pass".A l'heure que je veux. Ports et aeroport reste fermes. Ailleurs aux Philippines je sais pas trop comment ca s'est passe.Je sais que Manille et Cebu-city reste des points rouges. Au point de vue hygiene et securite l'ile n'a pas lesine.Masques et alcools a volonte depuis fin fevrier. Quand je regardais ce qui se passait en France, ca donnait envie de pleurer.

Non, il ne faut pas pleurer les nouvelles de la France ne représentent pas toute la France par chez nous et ailleurs aussi, on n' a manqué de rien; d' abord peu de cas avérés, 12 décès en Réa à ce jour, le service tournait au ralenti, le personnel s' ennuyait, une clinique a fermé ses activités pour se mettre au service de la lutte contre le covid qui n 'est jamais vraiment arrivé jusqu'ici; j 'ai trouvé que les gens avaient fait preuve d' invention et d' adaptation, fabriquant leur propre gel, leurs masques , leur jardin potager, le service aux personnes; ce fût la gloire du circuit court, du petit marché de campagne, le retour vers le petit producteur local, la restauration drive qui a fonctionné plein pot etc Bon, c' est vrai que élevés au canard gras et au vin de bergerac et bordeaux, nous sommes plus solides...je plaisante bien sur Rien à voir avec les régions qui ont souffert; comme dans l 'est, dans le 93, de la famille n'a pas mis le nez dehors pendant 2 mois. Les mauvais choix de gestion sont à attribuer à nos grands technocrates, les puissants et décideurs comme d'hab. Perso, j 'ai fonctionné au vrai savon de Marseille et brossage des mains, ongles et poignets comme nous l 'apprenaient les anciens Ce dernier WE, les motards ont sorti les machines, ça a turbiné toute la journée; même les écureuils qui avaient annexé le macadam regrettent le silence qui s'était installé. Ce jour, nous avons une journée à plus de 30° au soleil, ça va bien finir par le casser le virus à la longue.

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Vous l 'avez compris nous avons adoré cette destination sur ces deux îles voisines, facile d' accès depuis Bordeaux, tarif attractif, accueil sympathique, dépaysement assuré, vie aisée et douce, multiples points d' intérêt et randonnées... Juste, ne pas craindre le vent, le volcanisme, les paysages désertiques, le manque de végétation. Quand la pandémie aura disparu, quand on aura retrouvé le goût du voyage, si vous habitez le quart sud-ouest, cette destination sera pour vous. Nous avons encore des images plein la tête.

- salinas del Rio à la Punta face à la Graciosa - effet de lumière à Playa Blanca, au loin île Lobos et Fuerteventura - salinas de Janubio - on peut rencontrer de nombreux petits ermitages bien tenus.