hilongos, leyte

it really doesn't happen all the time that i get to go to places in short intervals. my family just got back from bohol but i was still enticed by my mother since she told me that the boat fare is just around Php180. oh well, hilongos it is.

we left cebu at 10pm, friday night. after getting through the people-packed, ventilation-deprived, and forever renovation of pier 3, we went on board to mv beautiful star, roble shipping. the boat was not definitely beautiful for the aircon was busted in their tourist accommodation. after some time, the crew told us that they had already fixed the airconditioning but we had no idea what was their gauge for a fixed aircon since we still had to sleep in discomfort, in sweat, and gasping for air, while we tried to get some sleep. anyway, i still had to thank the ship's crew for we safely docked in hilongos port at around 2am.

TIP! when having a trip overnight by boat, better if you take an economy, at least you would not worry if the aircon fails in the tourist accommodation.

Hilongos

Immaculate Conception Parish

Inside the Church

The Belfry

the church is big enough for a grand wedding although my cousin's wedding was a far cry from that. i couldn't tell if the church can be traced way back to the spanish times since the church's interior and its structure are too modern.

one thing i like about the church is that, i get the homey vibe unlike in the other churches  wherein i sometimes feel so inferior with their holiness. the wedding was simple but it was solemn with a bit of fun. fun because the priest sang a song for the newly-weds! not the usual busy priests i notice in the city.

Leopards Beach Resort

The Pool

Some of Their Rooms

they have cheap accommodations, cheaper than the usual resorts i know. the room has a fully-functional aircon and a toilet of its own. they got interesting names for their rooms. my room for instance was lion. rawr! some names that i can remember are panther and cheetah.

Some Details

The Unappealing Shoreline

Leopard's Own Port

they had their own port since they also offer boat trips but sadly, the oil from the boats probably made the water look greasy. the water was not inviting at all although it seems so calm and serene in the picture. 

The Bride and the Groom

The Farm

we went to the farm, the bride's family owns and got amazed with their loads of ampalayas (bitter melons)!

Everyone in the Farm

Creepy

Ampalaya!

Coconuts Overload!

Canigao Island

on our last day, we went to this island called canigao. the island is being compared  by the people here to boracay since it also boasts pristine white sands. it isn't in hilongos by the way, but in matalom, leyte. however, it is just two towns away, going to maasin's direction.

Canigao Island from Afar

Our Boat to Canigao
 

Tip of the Island

Canigao Shoreline

On the Other Side

Tree House

Canigao's Lighthouse

The Notorious Seashells

got my thumb hurt by one of these seashells and it was  really a deep wound.  the scaredy-cat in me almost fainted with all the blood oozing from the cut.

anyway, it isn't long ago that canigao was promoted as a beach get-away. boat fare to the island isn't expensive. priced at Php45 per person, back and forth. sweet. all you have to pay when you land are the following:

entrance fee - Php10.00

solid waste management fee - Php5.00

the island is managed by the local government so it doesn't have expensive fees  unlike some private islands that scream too much commercialism. 

you can opt not to rent a cottage and just pitch your tent in the island.  since that was a long weekend with monday as a holiday, a lot of people were there that time and a number of them were just in tents. for being a public island, it's not for someone who aims for a peace of mind but there are some parts in the island that offers peace and solitude. you can go around the island in just 30 minutes and that's like considering my pace.

Contact Numbers for a Boat to Canigao

this was the boat that took us to the island. for those who are paranoid when in a small boat, the boat we had was big enough for around 30 of us and it was just really a short trip.  you might not dare to look down, since the surrounding waters of the island are clear and you can see how deep the trenches are. the island is like a plateau with its base submerged in the sea.

what sets canigao apart from boracay are these deep trenches. you only have to swim a few feet and you're in for a real scare, that is, if  you don't feel comfortable swimming in the waters where you have no idea what's down below.

even if i'm scared with its trenches, it's still one great island because of its pristine white sands  and  you won't have to shell out your thousands. if you're short with food or booze, there are a lot of sari-sari stores and the prices are just within tolerable range.

although canigao has a lot to improve, it is one island that the philippines should be proud of!

more pics here.

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