2011 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here's an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 44,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 16 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Bucas Grande Accommodation: Club Tara Resort

 

 

Nestled in one of Bucas Grande's many coves, Club Tara provide an idyllic spot for honeymooners. The row of casitas standing far apart from each other not only give guests privacy, but also allow for a very beautiful sight as guests approach from the sea.

 

 

 

Each casita has a spacious air-conditioned bedroom with a king-sized bed, a personal ref, a tv set, a dvd player, and a hot and cold shower.

 

 

 

 

Charmingly designed originally for Korean honeymooners, the casitas feature an open shower area and a jacuzzi pool for two with windows that looks out into the resort's private blue lagoon.

 

 

 

Guests need not go far to experience paradise. The bedrooms open up to a balcony with a see through glass for peering into the waters below.

 

 

 

The best time to visit is during the summer months (March-May), when hundreds of stingless jelly fish take refuge in the resorts private blue lagoon.

 

 

 

 

Getting There:

From Surigao Airport, take the bus or the van from Surigao Bus Terminal to Hayangbon Pier (nearest pier from the resort). Then take a boat to take you to the island from the pier. It will take about 1.5 hour land travel to the pier and another 30 - 40 minutes to the resort by boat depending on sea condition.

 

Room Rates are as follows:

Php 11,000/casita

 

VERDICT:

GOOD: very private
BAD: considering its location, guests should keep in mind that not all resort facilities, such as the resort bar/restaurant,etc. may be in operation 24 hours. Food choices may also be limited, so it is best to coordinate in advance - the same goes for leisure facilities (water sports/kayaking/snorkelling/diving) too. open-bathroom is not family/kid friendly.

 

 

Club Tara Beach Resort
Dona Helen, Socorro, Surigao del Norte
• 0917.522.5500
• clubtara_rsvn@hotmail.com

 

 

 

Bucas Grande Accommodation: Bucas Grande Balanghai Hotel

Bucas Grande Balanghai Hotel may not be at par with its sister hotels, but it serves weary travellers well. While its sister hotels, Club Tara and Butuan Balanghai Hotel, have updated amenities, its wall paint is fading, its structure is old,  and its rooms are basic and bare. It is as if time never passed and it remained in the dark ages. (okay, that's too much. lol)

Located just a few meters from the Socorro Port, it is easy to spot and just outside its gate are carinderias (eateries) that open as early as 4am and close at 8pm. The wet market can also be found within the vicinity, which means that you can buy fresh seafood and request the nearby restaurants to cook it for you.

Room Rates are as follows:

Php 600/aircon room, triple sharing
Php 150/extra person


VERDICT:

GOOD:  close proximity to the port, marketplace, and eateries. clean. en suite bathroom. affordable. kind staff.
BAD: old building. no generator and no window screen, but not a problem as long as there is no power outage.




Balanghai Resort
Portside, Poblacion Socorro,
Bucas Grande, Surigao del Norte
• Eleona Consigna
• (632)9078931233

Expenses for N.E. Mindanao Road Trip (Bucas Grande, Tinuy-an Falls,Enchanted River, & Butuan City 2011)

		Individual Expense	Group of 2/5
Day 1
	taxi to airport	80	160/2
	terminal fee	200
	bfast	39
	H20	20
	van to Surigao City	200
	ferry to Socorro Port	200
	H2O	25
	lunch	16
	lodging house (2 nights)	360	1800/5
	dinner	30
	TOTAL	1170
Day 2
	boat rental	400	2000/5
	packed bfast & lunch	157	785/5
	Sohoton  (boat rental, guide fee, entrance fee, etc)	326	1630/5
	Tiktikan Lake entrance fee	20
	dinner	40
	TOTAL	943
Day 3
	terminal fee	3
	ferry to Surigao City Port	200
	rice puto	10
	trike to bus terminal	30
	bfast	73
	bus to Butuan City	196
	van to Mangagoy, Bislig City	220
	lunch	50
	trike to lodging house	9
	lodging house (2 nights)	280	1400/5
	H2O	23
	dinner	25
	TOTAL	1119
Day 4
	brunch	65	321/5
	habal-habal to Tinuy-an Falls	200
	Tinuy-an Falls (entrance fee, parking fee, etc.)	94	470
	van rental to Hinatuan	500	2500/5
	Hinatuan entrance fee	10
	boating (1 hour)	32	160/5
	Fish Cage entrance fee	5
	trike from hospital to town	9	45/5
	dinner	50	150/3
	TOTAL	965
Day 5
	bus to Butuan City	244
	brunch	44
	trike to hotel	8
	hotel	300	1200/4
	trike to Gaisano	8
	pasalubong (pastry)	242
	trike rental	63	250/4
	dinner	59
	trike to hotel	8
	TOTAL	976
Day 6
	trike to airport	37.5	150/5
	bfast	52
	terminal fee	20
	taxi home	150
	TOTAL	259.5
	RT Airfare (Manila-Butuan-Manila)	200
	TOTAL (without airfare)	5432.5
	TOTAL EXPENSE (in PhP)	5632.5

WARNING: We got on a habal-habal accident on our way to Tinuy-an Falls. Habal-habal drivers will offer their services upon your arrival in Mangagoy. Please rent a van instead. The van option may be expensive, but safer. The road to Tinuy-an Falls is hilly and not paved, in short, dangerous to take a habal-habal.

Suggested Itinerary for N.E. Mindanao Road Trip (Bucas Grande, Tinuy-an Falls, Enchanted River, & Butuan City)

 

Day 1 (travel to Surigao del Norte)

AM
730am - flight to Butuan City (1.5 hours)
9am - arrive at Butuan City
914am - van to Surigao City (3 hours)
1215pm - arrive at Surigao City Port

PM
1245pm - ferry to Socorro Port (approx. 2.5 hours)
330pm - arrive at Socorro Port
4pm - lunch
5pm - check-in at lodging house
730pm - dinner

 

Day 2 (Bucas Grande)

AM
630am - off for island hopping
7am - arrive at Bucas Grande Guard House
730am - bfast
830am - explore Sohoton Cove
- Sohoton Cove
- Bolitas Cave
- Crystal Cave
- Hagukan Cave
1115am - end of Sohoton Cove tour
1120am - off to Tiktikan Lake

PM
1130am - boating at Tiktikan Lake
130pm - lunch & swim at Cinnamon Island
230pm - visit Club Tara
330pm - leave for Socorro Port (waves are more restless in the afternoon)
- pass by Hidden Resort
4pm - arrive at Socorro Port
5pm - dinner

 

Day 3 (travel to Surigao del Sur)

AM
430am - buy ferry tickets
540am - ferry to Surigao City (approx. 2.5 hours)
810am - arrive at Surigao City Port
815am - trike to Surigao Bus Terminal
830am - buy bfast to go
850am - arrive at Bus Terminal
854am - bus to Butuan (2.5 hours)
1130am - arrive Butuan Bus Terminal
1135am - buy lunch to go

PM
12nn - van to Bislig City (3.5 hours)
330pm - arrive at Mangagoy, Bislig City
350pm - check-in at pension house
5pm - go around Bislig City
530pm - dinner

 

Day 4 (Tinuy-an Falls & Enchanted River)

AM
645am - off to Tinuy-an Falls (45 mins)
750am - arrive at Tinuy-an Falls
830am - bfast
1050am - back to Mangagoy, Bislig City
1150am - van to Hinatuan, Bislig City (45 mins)

PM
1250nn - arrive at Hinatuan Enchanted River
2pm - boating
- Tinago River
- Sabadan Fish Cage
- Pangasinan White Sand
3pm - end of boating
4pm - van back to Mangagoy
5pm - arrive at Mangagoy
530pm - dinner

 

Day 5 (Butuan City)

AM
410 - bus to Butuan City (5 hours)
9am - arrive at Butuan Bus Terminal
915am - brunch
10am - check-in at hotel
11am - pasalubong (gifts) shopping

PM
1pm - Butuan Historical Tour
- National Balanghai Museum
- Bequibel Shell Midden
- Balanghai Shrine
5pm - dinner
6pm - back to hotel

 

Day 6

AM
730am - trike to airport
740am - buy bfast to go
8am - arrive airport
930am - flight to Manila
11am - arrive at Manila
12nn - taxi to office

 

 

Update: We booked our tickets before we finalized our destination on this trip. For those who wish to copy our itinerary, you could book Manila-Surigao and Butuan-Manila to lessen travel time.

 

 

 

The Big Apple is the old New Orange

 

Before it became known as New York City, it was called New Amsterdam and New Orange. Say what? Funny how New York is now famously called Big Apple when it was previously called New Orange, huh?

It appears that the territory where New York City now lies was discovered by the Dutch (Not counting the original Indian settlers). The discovery was a result of an attempt by the Dutch to find a short cut to India for the Dutch East India Company. The territory was called New Netherland and its capital was called New Amsterdam. Local trade flourished making it attractive to other European colonial powers, including the English.

In 1664, English frigates invaded the territory, prompting the Dutch to cede power to England and led to the fall of New Amsterdam. Under English rule, the territory was named New York City, after the Duke of York (later King James II), who was the brother of King Charles II.

Not the kind to back down, the Dutch reclaimed power and renamed it New Orange in 1673.

Probably tired of all the squabble and diminishing fund, a treaty was signed and the city was relinquished to the English and was named New York again.

Interesting history for an equally interesting megacity!

 

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[CLICK on any picture to see a larger image and details.]

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DISCLAIMER: I am not a historian. Travel just opened up my world and  New York's history just happened to get my attention. I do not ensure accuracy of the facts stated herein, so please confer to official publications for a complete historical overview.

Main Source: http://bit.ly/bIpLYY

 

Last Chance to support the Puerto Princesa Underground River

 

 

 

The Puerto Princesa Underground River is presently a finalist to the New 7 Wonders of Nature campaign. If you liked what you saw, please vote for it by texting PPUR to 2861 or visiting www.n7w.com.  Voting ends on November 11, 2011.