KALANGGAMAN ISLAND: A Sparkling Beauty in Palompon (Leyte)

I have read in several blogs that in order to have an unforgettable Kalanggaman experience, one must be in Palompon early in the day. Since the island is starting to gain popularity among non-locals, it is advised that you call the Municipal Tourism Office first to check if there are available boats. (NOTE: Tourism staff are a bit strict with schedule.)

Since we spent the night at TJ's Lodge in Naval, the trip to Palompon would only take 3 hours via Ormoc. The first van bound for Ormoc leaves at 5:00AM -- if there are at least 7 passengers, it leaves even before then. We're lucky there was a bakery right across the street and the hot pandesal satisfied our rumbling stomach.

We reached Ormoc around 7:30AM because passengers were being picked up along the way. The final stop is at the terminal where you will also find the vans going to several destinations, including Palompon. An hour and a half after, we are finally at the Local Tourism Office where guests headed to Kalanggaman need to register and pay the necessary fees. (Please see image below.)

the Local Tourism Office & Lounge Area

Here are the fees/rates as of April 1, 2015. You can also find the contact details

of the Tourism Office. We paid P220 because we are staying overnight on the island and 

we are non-Palompon residents.

My friends and I were resolved to rent the boat (exclusive to us) so we can hit the island really early. But on second thought, there's no harm in waiting for walk-in guests whom we can split the bill with. Fortunately, a young couple arrived and asked if they can share the boat with us. We found out that they tried to go the day before we got here but then no boat was available for them. After buying food and water in the nearby market, the 5 of us are set to go and we shall be in Kalanggaman within an hour.

Do you see the long sandbar? 

Here we are. Welcome to Kalanggaman Island!

This is gonna be our home for the night. You can stay at this cottage 

for only P500 (good for 24 hrs.)

What to remember in Kalanggaman:

1. Buy your supplies in the mainland. There is a market beside the tourism office.
2. Chips and a few 'drinks' are sold in the island.
3. There is a central grilling area. Bring your own charcoal.
4. Segregate your waste using the black and white plastic bags provided to you at the tourism office.
5. There is a restroom which uses saltwater. Freshwater (in gallons) are provided by the boatman. Ask for it as soon as you arrive in Kalanggaman.
6. Based on personal experience, there are no mosquitoes. 
7. Globe has better reception here. My Smart-powered phone could not even send/receive a message the entire time.
8. If you are staying overnight and do not have a tent, make sure your clothes are thick enough to keep you warm. A pair of socks and a light jacket would be really helpful.
9. Solar-powered lamp posts provide sufficient light at night. There is no place to charge your gadgets here so have your power banks charged 100% before going to the island.

a beautiful sunrise...It's like people are walking up to the sun.

Luvin' the sandbar...

That obligatory shot...

EXPENSES
Hot pandesal - P20
Van to Ormoc - P130
Van to Palompon - P110
Food & water - P268 (P805 / 3 pax - including red wine and fruits)
Boat to Kalanggaman Island - P600 (P3,000 divided by 5)
Overnight Entrance Fee - P220
Cottage good for 24 hrs - P167 (P500 divided by 3)
Reclining beach chair - P50
Additional chips and drinks - P83 (P250 divided by 3)
==================================

TOTAL - P1,648

An Escape to Sambawan Island (Maripipi, Biliran Province)

Of the Philippine regions, the 2 that I haven't been to are Eastern Visayas (Region 8) and ARMM. One is because these two are not in my real bucket list. And two, either one region is ravaged by typhoons or the other affected by armed conflict.

This year's Holy Week was a great opportunity to visit, at least, Eastern Visayas. A travel buddy has been talking tirelessly about a certain Kalanggaman Island in Leyte. And since we were unable to chance upon promo fares to Hanoi, we shall go local this year. 

I must say this is the trip I was most unprepared for. Why? Because one of us who is a Waray is clueless about the location of the island and there were very few blog entries about it. While looking at how-to-go-there stuff, we came across Sambawan Island in Naval, Biliran. Since it is 2 hours away from Tacloban Airport, it was considered a possible detour.

Several days before leaving Manila, we have decided to go to Sambawan and then to Kalanggaman in Palompon, Leyte. We shall go back to Manila via Cebu.

Sambawan Island (Tacloban City to Naval)

From Tacloban Airport, one needs to take a cab to get to the New Tacloban Terminal. Fare is around Php200. This will only take 15 minutes.

At the terminal, ask the Manongs there about the shuttle vans that go to Naval. The trip is 2 hours long and fare is only P150. Tell the driver to drop you off at the Naval Port.

[Longer Route] 

Upon arrival at the port, pay the terminal fee of Php10 before heading to your preferred ferry. There are three schedules for ferries that go to Maripipi: 10:00AM, 10:30AM and 11:00AM. Fare is only Php60 which is collected in the boat. Travel time to Maripipi is 1 and a half (1.5) hours.

From the Maripipi port, we rented 2 habal-habal that will bring us to that part of the municipality where we can ride a boat to Sambawan. Before hopping on your boat, make sure you have all the supplies you need as there is no store in the island. 

Welcome to Maripipi!

One mistake we committed was taking this really small boat to the island, only for Php350. As we get to the middle of the sea, the waves got bigger and the water started splashing into the boat. Honestly, I got scared because my two buddies do not know how to swim! Thankfully, we reached the island safely and in one piece. 

[Fastest Route]

There is another way, the shorter one, to reach Sambawan. From Naval, you can rent a habal-habal to take you to Kawayan Port (the trip is approximately 20 minutes). Boat rentals can go as high as Php2,000. For our way back, the island supervisor charged us P1,700 (split to 3) to bring us to Kawayan. I would recommend this route as this is faster and they use bigger boats. The trip to kawayan will only last for an hour.

Hello, beach.

 Amazing view from the top.

Breathtaking...

What to remember in Sambawan Island:

1. Entrance fee is Php50.
2. You can rent a cottage for Php500.
3. There are no sari-sari stores. Make sure to have enough water and food with you especially when planning to stay here for the night. Buy your supplies in Naval.
4. There is no cooking charge! The people here are just so kind.
5. There are cottages you can rent for the night for Php2,500 -- cheap for groups. 
6. Tents are allowed.

We stayed in Sambawan for 3 hours, enjoying the pristine white-sand beach and taking photos from atop the mountain. It gives you a 360-degree view of Sambawan.

The hour-long travel to Kawayan Port was a smooth one even if the dark clouds were already forming and it started to drizzle. At the port, the habal-habal brought us to Naval. To me it was a joy ride, the air was fresh. The rice fields set against the lush mountains make a beautiful background. After 20 minutes, we are back in Naval. We are staying at TJ Lodge. An airconditioned room good for 3 pax only costs Php850.

EXPENSES:
Taxi to New Tacloban Terminal - P70 (metered fare is P200, divided by 3)
Van to Naval - P150
Naval Terminal Fee - P10
Ferry fare to Maripipi - P60
Habal-habal to boat rental - P30
Boat to Sambawan - P117 (P350 divided by 3)
Island entrance fee - P50
Cottage rent - P167 (P500 divided by 3)
Boat to Kawayan Port - P567 (P1,700 divided by 3)
Habal-habal to Naval - P100
TJ's Lodge - P283 (P850 divided by 3)
Dinner at Goldilocks Carinderia - P73 (P220 divided by 3)
=============================

TOTAL - P1,677

My Maldivian Dream Came True (Part 1)

I am a certified beach lover. I love the feel of warm sand between my toes. I don’t mind getting dark with tan lines. But never in my wildest dreams did I think of being able to go to my ultimate vacation destination.

A lot of people have been asking me how I was able to grab that super cheap round trip ticket to Maldives. Here’s the story:

It all started when I was FB chatting with 2 of my traveler friends (whom I have never traveled with before this trip) and planning a getaway to South Korea. After agreeing on travel dates, Marky suddenly mentioned that one of his pals was able to book cheap tickets to Maldives via AirAsia. And so our other friend, Gracie, checked and tried booking the three of us for a Valentine celebration in Maldives. I was very surprised when Gracie told me the price of the ticket – Php 90. Yes NINETY Philippine Pesos for a round trip ticket to Maldives from Kuala Lumpur. PLUS, we’re flying business class! Here's what Gracie had to go through to confirm our trip.

I still can’t believe that I'm about to live this dream. Friends, please do not curse me for not including you in the same booking because Gracie and I got scared that AA might charge us with the regular ticket price (that’s P30,000!).

Fast forward to February 12, 2014 (Wednesday).

My 9:00PM flight to KL via Cebu Pacific arrived as scheduled (flight time is 3h, 40m). Gracie and I previously agreed to just meet in one of the coffee shops at the LCCT. She, by the way, was coming from a trip in Miri, Malaysia. (Marky, however, decided to not join the trip. He chose Batanes over Maldives.)

A side story: Gracie and I last saw each other in 2007! After seven long years, we are finally getting together, and this time on a trip to an ultimate destination! :) 

February 13, 2014 (Thursday) 

1:00AM - 7:30AM 

I met Gracie at Starbucks. We stayed there, took short naps, charged our gadgets and used the airport's free wi-fi. Sleeping at a cheap hostel was not an option because it will just be an added cost. 

8:00AM - 9:30AM

We transferred to McDonald's as we noticed some Starbucks customers could not find any seats (I guess that was a sign for us to leave). Gracie and I were both hungry and we ordered the Big Breakfast Meal (13MYR = P176). After breakfast, we still had enough time to go to the restroom and put on a little make-up. Of course, we'd like to look fabulous when we land in Male. :) 

10:00AM Time to check in! Gracie already checked us in online several days ago. We presented our printed boarding passes and waited for final boarding call. Consensus: no checked-in baggage since we both want to make sure that we get to the ferry terminal on time. 

It's time to board.

The excitement is building up! As you all know, we are flying business class to Male. This will be my first time in that category and I think will be the last (I hope not). I am a budget traveler and business/first class flights will murder my pocket. 

 Welcome to Business Class! (12-seater)

 wide leather seat with lots of legroom  

our lunch 

(Chicken Marsala, salad with Balsamic vinaigrette, sweet bread for dessert., orange juice & bottled water)

Well, hello there. I'm now ready to sleep. 

The flight to Male will take 4 hours. That will give me ample time to sleep and re-energize. ETD in KL is 11:20AM. We are expected to arrive 12:25PM, Male time. (FYI: Maldives is 3 hours behind Manila/KL).

It was a very smooth flight. We got super excited when the pilot said that we are on final descent. As we approach Male, the sight below (even though the islands appear very little from where we are) was already breathtaking. I don't know how exactly I will react if i actually step on Maldivian land (or waters). 

And we just landed.

It's as if the Indian Ocean is waving at us, welcoming us with a warm embrace as it was hot that afternoon. 

We are finally here at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport.

The experience with the Maldives Immigration was hassle-free. Lucky me, there were no questions asked. BUT, as I exit the Customs Area for final baggage screening, that's where the 'trouble' happened. I say trouble because that might have caused deportation. A lot of things were going on in my head that time. The story goes: I chose a different line to exit the Customs Area because tourists/guests have started filling up the space after the Immigration Section. One Customs official saw me and pointed his finger asking "Why? Are you alone?" So I told him I was with a friend who is in the opposite line. He signaled to put my bag in the X-ray machine and step on the side. The official said "May I see your passport and ticket." So I handed both to him. 

Customs Official (CO): Are you working here?

Me: No.

CO: Who are you with?

Me: My friend. She's right there at the Currency Exchange. (I yelled out to Grace and begged her to come to me.)

CO: What do you do? 

Me: I am a _________________. 

CO: May I have identification?

I handed over my Philhealth ID.

CO: Is this ID issued in the Philippines?

Me: Yes.

The CO continued to scan through the pages of my passport -- checking every stamp, visas attached.

CO: So, you've been to Korea, HK, Taiwan (blah blah blah)

Me: Yes, Sir.

CO: Before here, where did you come from?

Me: Kuala Lumpur. Before Malaysia, I went to Vietnam.

CO: Oh, how many days in Vietnam?

Me: Just for 3 days, for my birthday.

CO: Okay. 

While we were having this conversation, Gracie was being "interrogated" by another Customs official. When the guy saw that she had a UK visa, he stopped asking her questions.

After one last look at our passports, the Customs Officials let us go. 

Whew! While we were walking out of the airport, both of us were very quiet. I almost fainted because if they were not satisfied with our answers, we might have been sent back to KL! Thank you, Lord, for not leaving our side the whole time.

Anyways....

Many of you now know that holders of Philippine passport are issued visa upon arrival for a maximum stay of 30 days. An extension may be allowed (up to 90 days) with a fee of MVR750 (Php2,167 or US$48).

Some basic information about the island nation of Maldives:

Capital:        Malé 

Religion:      Islam

Currency:    Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR) (US$1 = MVR15)

# of atolls:   26 (composed of coral reefs and sandbar)

President:    Abdulla Yameen (president is elected every 5 years with a limit of 2 terms)

Economy:    Tourism (on a major degree)

(This is the first part of a long write-up. Please give me more time to organize my thoughts as I do not want to miss any detail. Will post Part II very very soon.)

How to Compete for that Seat Sale

A lot of my friends have been trying to convince me to put up a sort-of list of how to grab promo fares especially with Cebu Pacific Air.

To begin with, let me share with you the many trips I've gone to with plane tickets at very low prices.

1) In 2008, I was able to book 10 FREE (no taxes, take note!) round trip tickets for different people (including for myself) because CEB won their very first award. I don't remember anymore what kind of award that was but I'm sure many of you remember this one. I think I slept around 3:00AM after they broke this fabulous news online because I wanted to go to sooo many places. One friend was so thankful she had a free trip to Cebu, another to Camarines Sur.

2) Holy Week of 2011 - I was able to book round trip tickets to Cebu for my family of 7 people for only P10,000!

3) September 2011 - I went to Taipei. My RT ticket cost me only P3,000.

4) February 2012 - HK (RT ticket for only P2,000)

5) Holy Week 2012 - Seoul, my roundtrip ticket was priced at P5,000! If my memory serves me right, one-way fare is only P888.

4) November 2012 - Bohol with family. I spent P5,000 only for round trip tickets for 4 people. That's one helluva deal!

5) For June 2013, which is supposedly a birthday treat for my father (may he rest in peace) to HK, one round trip ticket cost me only P2,500.

6) In January of this year, my birthday month, I finally was able to visit HCMC and I purchased my round trip ticket for only P3,400. Tickets to Vietnam usually costs P5,000-P6,00 depending on the season.


Here are some ideas if you would like to grab those cheap fares:

1) Make sure to have a copy of Philippine holidays for the current and the following year. Yes, that's how OA I am :) When the Office of the President released the list for 2014 (Proclamation No. 655), I immediately printed copies -- for my desk and my phone for quick reference. Take note of the long weekends. This year we have 4 awesome long weekends:

January 31 (Chinese New Year), February 1 and 2 (DONE!)
April 17-20 (Holy Week)
August 23-24 and August 25 being National Heroes Day (falls on a Monday)
December 26 (non-working Friday), 27-28

2) USUALLY, if a holiday is coming up, CEB will also come out with a promo. The EDSA anniversary is in a few days, I'm guessing there'll be a seat sale so be sure to be online when midnight strikes.

3) Most of the time, and if you are too late to check, promo seats on a long weekend are the first to get taken. If this is the case, try checking flights the night before your intended trip. Usually they are cheaper, if not on sale. And for your return trip, take the early morning flight (arriving in MNL between 4AM-5AM, esp. with international flights).

4) Create an account with CEB Club. It will save you time filling up the name and address fields. Also, you get to see the remaining seats on that flight.

Feel free to add to this list. :)

Let's travel!

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Created by Eugene Villar.

my PALAWAN adventure (February 2007)

This is my very first plane ride. I flew to Puerto Princesa with my dad and sister via a Cebu Pacific flight. This trip is actually my Kuya’s Christmas gift to us (one of the nicest gifts I ever received actually). Our plane took off on time and I must admit I wasn’t feeling good while it was taxiing at the Domestic Airport . But surprisingly, the fear turned to excitement when I heard the Airbus engine’s noise. Papa and ate both said the plane is now off the ground. Not a bad experience for a first timer like me, it was just fine. Better than riding that small boat going to Puerto Galera. We landed right on time. It was funny because I saw a guy raising this placard with my name on it. Right then I knew he was from the hotel we’ll be staying at for 4 days and 3 nights. Duchess Pension House (www.duchesspensionpalawan.com) turned out to be a cozy place after all. Miss Tricia, our contact, was very accommodating (the same way she is when we were still texting each other). We had a reservation for a family room (P700/day, quite a good deal), it was spacious with a big T&BR.

DAY 1 – AFTER LUNCH – CITY TOUR

Our first stop is the Butterfly Garden . It is located in the southern part of the city. After viewing a short film about butterflies, we headed to their sanctuary. If you are into these insects, you’ll surely enjoy getting a closer look at them because they come in different colors and sizes. Next destination is Crocodile Farm. The institute implements a 30-minute interval per group of tourists. Lucky us, we didn’t get to wait too long. They now have approximately 1500 baby crocodiles, bred in captivity. If you are interested to have them as pets, feel free to contact the institute. Third destination is the Iwahig Penal Colony, a.k.a. Prison Without Bars. Inmates from minimum security (color code: brown) can freely roam the 28,000 hectares of land provided they report for headcount in the morning and evening. Mitra’s Ranch, the fourth stop in the tour, is the residence of the late House Speaker Ramon Mitra, Jr., highlighting the large trunk of tree supporting the whole house. Near the ranch is Baker’s Hill—famous for its hopia and tuna pandesal. This isn’t an ordinary bakeshop. People, most especially tourists spend their merienda hours to experience freshly-baked items at super affordable prices. (Take note, one box of hopia, 10pcs regular size, only costs P26.)

DAY 2 – HONDA BAY

We settled for a hassle-free tour since we're not familiar with the barrios and municipalities of Puerto Princesa. Entry to this amazing destination is via Honda Bay Wharf. First stop is SNAKE Island (called so because it is shaped like a snake). This is a very good site for snorkeling, fish feeding and plain swimming. Next is Starfish island which is also recommended for snorkeling. By the way there are 5 Nemos (clown fish) here. Lu-Li (lulubog-lilitaw) Island is the final stop. Highlighted at Lu-Li is the diving board that guests should try (but I never did). I think the water is 10 to 15 feet deep.

Day 3 - UNDERGROUND RIVER TRIP

I must warn you that the trip to the Subterranean River is a challenge. One needs to endure a two-and-a-half-hour trip on a super rough road. The tourist guide calls it the "Palawan massage", and indeed it is. But once you get to the cave entry, the excitement will start. Paddling inside the cave, the boatman points at the various images formed by the stalactites and stalagmites. There's a giant candle, the Virgin Mary, a banana heart, the Holy Family, Smokey Mountain (yes!), the face of Jesus Christ and a lot lot more. The National Park limits the river trip to only a kilometer (the whole stretch is more that 8 kms).