February 12, 2011
0815 – 0945H MNL – CGY. Travel time is 1.5 hrs
Cagayan de Oro City
§ You will arrive in Lumbia Airport
1005 – 1030H travel from Lumbia Airport to Budgetel Hotel
§ Taxi from the airport to the hotel (pakyaw system) is around Php 250.00 (don’t go beyond Php 300.00) or ask the taxi driver to using the meter and just add Php 50.00 to the meter registry
1030H check-in at Budgetel (http://budgetelcdo.brinkster.net/)
§ Wash-up, rest and prepare for whitewaterrafting
1145H Lunch
1245H Leave for whitewaterrafting
§ Whitewaterrafting provider will be Bugsay CDO (http://www.bugsayrafting.com/)
§ Check out their website for guide on what to bring
§ Meeting place will be in Divisoria
1300H ETA meeting place for whitewaterrafting
1300 – 1800H Whitewaterrafting
§ Travel time from Divisoria to staging area in Mambuaya is 30 mins
§ Safety briefing in the staging area
§ Actual river run is 3 hrs
§ Advisable to bring afternoon snacks and mineral water
§ Will be back in CdeO before 6PM
1800H Back at the hotel
§ Prepare for dinner (dinner party invitation c/o Manny; attire is semi-formal)
1900 - 2200H Dinner invitation at Dynasty Court
2200H Back at the hotel; end of the day
February 13, 2011
0600H Option for Carol: Sunday Mass
there is a Mass at 0600H at Nazareno Parish w/c is beside Gaisano. 8 minutes walk (ask the hotel for directions)
0700H Check out time from the hotel
0715H Leave for Macabalan Wharf (pier)
§ Travel time from your hotel to the pier is around 10-15 minutes by taxi. Ask the taxi driver to bring you to the passenger terminal in the pier
§ On departure day, you have to be there by 0730H so there is a lead-time for you. Reason being is that sometimes there is a long queue in ticketing and there is still the usual security inspection before you board the sea craft.
§ Get your tickets at the Paras Sea Cat ticket counter
§ All passengers taking ferries or boats in Macabalan Pier will enter through the passenger entrance of the pier. You will have to pay a minimal terminal fee and there will be a series of security check here just like in the airport, but system is not well placed
§ Ask the porters in the pier to direct you to Paras Sea Cat so that you won’t be boarding the wrong ferry. Ask for directions since there are no sinages here
§ Travel time from CGY to Camiguin via Paras Sea Cat is around 2 hours
§ You will arrive in Camiguin via Benoni (or Benone) port around 1030H
1030H Arrival in Benoni Port
§ Options for transportation to the resort:
o Option 1: arrange for the resort to pick you up in Benone Port
o Option 2: rent a multicab. The start of the rental of the multi cab will start when the driver meets you in Benone Port. In th afternoon, this will be the same multicab you will use when you make the tour/go around. See Note 3
§ Travel time from Benoni Port to Paras Beach Resort is 20-30 minutes
§ If you take Option #1, we will book a multicab for a half-day tour starting at 1300H. Half day rental is Php 400.00. Will verify the price if it is still the same. If you take Option #2 ask the driver that you will start the tour at 1300H
1100H Check-in at Paras Beach Resort (http://www.parasbeachresort.com/)
§ Rest and wash-up
§ Lunch
§ Arrange for transportation going to Benoni Port for Feb 15 in the morning
§ Inform the front desk also to reserve a boat for you for White Island at 0700H the following day
Paras Beach Resort
1300H Half day tour
§ Wear swimming shorts and sandals. Yu will be taking a dip at the falls and hot spring
§ Go to Mambajao town proper, take a tour of their old church and the town
§ Visit Vjandep in the public market to pre-order pasalubong to be picked-up on Feb 15 in the morning. You may also visit La Salud outlet for their hand-rolled turrones de mani
§ Visit to Philvocs Mt Hibok-hibok Volcano Observatory. Travel time is 10 minutes from the town proper. Philvocs website: http://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/
§ From Philvocs go to Katibawasan Falls, around 10 minutes travel time.
§ Katibawasan Falls. Spend time here, you have about an hour or more to enjoy the site
§ From Katibawasan Falls, go to Ardent Hot Spring. Travel time is around 8 minutes.
§ Ardent Hot Spring. Spend time here, you will have about an hour or more to enjoy the site
§ From ardent Hot Spring, it’s the end of the day. Go back to Paras Beach Resort. Don’t forget to ask the multicab driver to come back for you at 100H the following day for an island tour
1730H Back at Paras Beach Resort
§ Late afternoon swim at the pool and rest
§ Dinner at 1900H and private time after
February 14, 2011
0630H Prepare to depart for White Island
§ Ask the reception counter to book you for a round trip boat ride to White Island
§ Bring mineral water. You will take your breakfast in the island
0700H Depart for White Island. Travel time is 8 minutes
§ Get the mobile number of the boat driver and tell him the time you want him to come back for you. Advisable for you to stay 2 hours in the island
§ Swim, take local breakfast among the huts in the island. don’t forget to try the ‘kinilaw na tuyom’ or sea urchin meat fermented in local vinegar (Php 30.00/serving)
§ Advisable to go back to the resort before 0930H
0930H Back at Paras Beach Resort
§ Prepare for a whole day island tour
§ Advisable to pack a sandwich and some snacks in case you get hungry and there is no food outlet around. Bring mineral water also
§ Be in your swimming gear and sandals
1000H Start of the island tour
§ Walkway to the Old Volcano
Walkway to the Old Volcano summit
§ Mt Vulcan (old volcano)
§ Sunken Cemetery
§ You may rent a boat to tour the site and view the sunken burial grounds
§ Gui-ob Church Ruins
§ St Nino Cold Spring
§ Soda Water Swimming Pool
§ Sagay Eco Church
§ From this church, continue the tri until the lagoon. Make a brief stop-over at the southernmost part of the island overlooking Mindanao
§ Lagoon
§ You can take late lunch here. There are restaurants in this area serving fresh seafood
§ Back to Mambajao and Paras Beach Resort
1730H Back at the resort
§ Late afternoon swim and rest
§ Prepare for dinner
1900H Valentines Dinner and private time
February 15, 2011
0700H Breakfast
Check-out from the resort
§ Request for transportation from Paras Beach Resort to Benoni Port
§ Arrange with the resort the departure time
§ Advisable to pack sandwich in case you’ll have delayed lunch along the way
§ Drop by Vjandep to pick-up the pre-ordered pasalubong
§ Departure to Cagayan de Oro via Balingoan, Misamis Oriental
0900H Departure from Benoni Port in Camiguin to Balingoan. Travel time is 1 hour
Ferry Boat plying the Benoni-Balingoan route
1000H Arrival in Balingoan Port
Balingoan Port
1015H Travel to Cagayan de Oro City. Travel time is 1.5 hrs
Road going to Cagayan de Oro.
This is a well paved road built by a Korean firm (Hanjin) in the late 1970s
1200H ETA Cagayan de Oro
§ Lunch in the city if there is still time, otherwise, you can go to the airport and take your lunch there
§ Suggested place to have lunch is in LimKetkai Center (Café Laguna or Kagay-anon is a good choice for Filipino food)
LimKetKai Mall in Cagayan de Oro City
§ Budget 30 minutes travel time from the city to the airport
Departure
CGY MNL
§ Departure is from Lumbia Airport
§ Terminal fee is Php 30.00
NOTES
1 When you book your accommodation in Camiguin, try to book also your van transfer for February 15, 2011 from Balingoan to Cagayan de Oro
2 Advisable to take a later flight (around 1500H up) CGY-MNL so you’ll be safe on the right timing of the return trip from Camiguin
3 Carol, please inform me if you take Option #2 so I can make arrangements. I feel this option is better because for Option #1 you will pay Php 700.00 one way while Option #2 comes out cheaper:
§ Multicab rental for 8 hours is Php 750.00 for 8 hours. Will enquire if this has already increased due to gas prices and if it is possible the fee includes meeting the group at the pier since that is the start of the rental hour
§ Rental includes gas already
§ You will take care of the meals of the driver
