Kawasan Falls

Image | September 26, 2017September 4, 2019 | i am laagan

Underrated Kawit, Medellin

Image | March 21, 2017March 21, 2017 | i am laagan

This is not a post about Funtastic or Gibitngil Island. This is about the often overlooked stretch of beach where you board a banca going to that island.

I have scoured the internet for places to go to in Medellin. And 100% of those i checked on the first few pages on Google Search talk about Funtastic island, which really is a nook in Gibitngil island. There is almost nil article about the coastline of Medellin itself, which boasts of white sand and turquoise waters that could rival Bantayan’s Sta. Fe.

I get it. People who go north would rather go to Bantayan. Or Malapascua. And people who visit Medellin go straight to Gibitngil. It’s precisely the reason why little notice has been afforded to the beautiful coastline of Kawit, Medellin. People go where the mob goes and miss this grm.

For one, the beach is better than Badian and Moalboal. The sand could equal Bantayan’s to be honest. It has a wide shoreline for playing beach games or sun bathing if you want a tan. The water is clear and blue and most of all it’s not shallow on low tide and has none of the seagrass to pester your swimming.

The important bit is, it’s a public beach! You do not need to pay anything. The shoreline is long and you can pick your spot under a tree. There is one resort that pops up on google search but the rest are low-key (some don’t even have a name) owned by locals which means rooms are cheap if you wanna go overnight. A tent for the more budget conscious might help too.

I feel sorry for Kawit. The beach deserves more attention than other public beaches down south are getting. But in a way, I’m quite glad it hasn’t been noticed as much. It would push prices up. I’m sorry South beaches, I just found a new favorite. And I heard there’s another public beach in Medellin. Gotta get back soon.

WHERE WE STAYED

I have been on a hunt for public beaches around for quite a while and Kawit’s is one of the best I’ve been to. We stayed at a resort called Kawit Paradise Beach Resort. Nothing fancy – a few rooms and just a few tables under trees, no food served though you can always buy from the nearby public market. We paid an entrance fee – 30 pesos per head and another hundred for a table and long benches. We weren’t planning to stay for the night.We could have just chosen a nice spot somewhere for free but decided to rent a table under a Talisay tree because we didn’t bring anything to grill the fish and pork we bought at the local market. And we needed a place to take a bath before going back to the city. Even if I were alone, 130 bucks is still worth it because we had the whole beach to ourselves save a few locals on another table enjoying their Sunday with the kids.

We stayed there the whole day and that’s all we paid! A non-airconditioned room at the resort costs 800 pesos.it has a bed and there’s no need to pay extra up to 5 people. Quite decent to be honest. A backpacker’s choice if you must. If you need additional mattresses though, you might have to add.

Expenses (excluding food):

Fare from North Bus Terminal to Kawit Public Market (one way – 170 (aircon); 130 (non-aircon)

Entrance Fee (Kawit Paradise Beach Resort) – 30

Table Rent – 100

Tip: Buses going back to the city may be full if your boarding late in the afternoon. Chances are you’re gonna have to stand on the bus aisle the whole trip like we did. You might wanna cut your trip by disembarking at Bogo City bus terminal and boarding another bus from there.

Lambug Beach, Badian: I Still Go Back

Image | March 14, 2017March 14, 2017 | i am laagan

I’ve been to Lambug Beach in Badian so many times I’ve lost count. It still is a favorite place to get away from the city. It’s a no frills zone. Nothing fancy but a white sand beach that’s too shallow for swimming on low tide but doesn’t necessarily disappoint on high tide. It’s not the best beach around but people like me seem to be drawn back to its shore. I haven’t thought of it really but now it’s clear to me why. It gives me the peace of mind I’m looking for in a beach. It’s well secluded, not too many people and hanging out under the shade of a coconut tree til one falls asleep appeals to me. I have probably spent more hours napping there than swimming and that’s okay. When the tide rises, a dip is enough to make the 3-hour bus travel worthwhile. I will always go back to Lambug. It has no pretentious resorts. And the locals understand that’s what people go there for – some peace and quiet without caring much of the spend meter.

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Bantayan – Why We Go Back

August 30, 2016September 16, 2016 | i am laagan

If there is one place that ranks as my most favorite in Cebu, Bantayan is probably it. There are so many beautiful spots in the Cebu but it is the island that comes to mind first. More than any of the beautiful waterfalls of Cebu or the fancy white beaches of Mactan combined!

Maybe it’s the distance from the city. One that requires you to travel to the northernmost tip of Cebu and board on a ferry. Or maybe it’s the promise that it will give you the stillness from the drudgery of urban life. The thing is, both of those things attract me. And maybe to most people who pack their bags if only to spend a night figuring out what they wanna do with their lives. Bantayan needs your time. And if you allow it to take your time, it will not fail to give you the peace and quiet it promises. The powdery white sand is yours. The sea is yours. You own it and it owns you.

Parting is always bittersweet. But leaving Bantayan is like leaving a lover that carries all the solitude in the world. The kind of solitude you wanna bask in. You go back to the city knowing the waves crash on the shores of Bantayan, as if calling you to return. If you listen closely enough, each year you go back without fail – sawi or not.

(And then there are your friends. Of course, you aren’t in any of the photos.)

BnW Day 54 – Girls of Bantayan (and a Boy)

August 14, 2016August 14, 2016 | i am laagan

Bantayan Island, August 2016

Palm trees

August 6, 2016 | i am laagan

It’s been a few years since Yolanda and the palm trees have little signs of the destruction the world’s biggest typhoon has wrought on this island. So glad to be back and seeing Bantayan on it’s feet.

Pandanon Island

Image | April 21, 2016April 22, 2016 | i am laagan

Last weekend, I found myself joining my first Instameet with fellow Cebu Instagrammers. It was refreshing meeting people you admire and follow in Instagram. I usually go out on trips alone, and some of those trips I get ideas from Instagram. For one, the idea of going to Pandanon Island for the first time for free was tempting enough. Secondly, it was a chance to meet creative people who share a similar interest for photography and travel. I was added last minute to the roster of participants but the moment I got a confirmation I could join, I was ready to hop on a boat.

Pandanon Island is a small island between Mactan and Bohol. It is in fact a very small piece of land with glistening white sand. We arrived at noon after almost two hours of boat travel and I couldn’t be happier – the sun was up, the water was immaculate and everyone had their summer mood on. Not long after the group’s short introductions, everyone was pointing their phones and cameras at scenic spots around the islet.

There were many tourists around. Boatloads of our Korean friends came in waves. Families were enjoying their time in cottages while kids played by the beach. I took some time going around to take photos myself.

There are many picturesque views in the island. The sand is white, though Bantayan’s sugar beach is finer. The chapel, from the outside, would make for a perfect place for a small wedding and the strip of sand that connects the side where islanders have built their houses to where the cottages are could make a perfect location for magazine covers. I had low expectations when I went there. I have heard stories that the island can get a little crowded. I think it’s the side where there are no cottages. Boats would anchor near the shore and everyone’s just left swimming – no cottages, no shade. I could understand why people complain that it could get too hot and there’s not much to do but swim. We were however, on the other side of the island where the cottages were. There were a few trees and cottages lined up to provide shade and one can have the beach to yourself when you want to. So I guess my expectations were met when I was there.

So here’s what I got from the trip. Enjoy!