Habal-Habal

Canyoneering in Badian/Alegria, Cebu, Philippines

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It was the day after our visit at Lambug Beach. We woke up at Matutinao Beach Resort and got ready for our Canyoneering Activity. I think I got a little bit excited as I woke up around 6:00 AM when we are scheduled to start the Canyoneering Activity at around 9:00 AM. Luckily, I was not the only excited guy around as Lisa (Pinay Travelista) and Marky (Nomadic Experiences) were awake also.

Matutinao Beach Resort

Matutinao Beach Resort

We first went to the canteen near the Catholic Church of Matutinao. Then we bought some trail food and energy drinks from Kawasan Cooperative. We also bought some loperamides just in case a digestive emergency happens along the activity.

Breakfast

Breakfast

Kawasan Cooperative located near the church

Kawasan Cooperative

The plan that day was to do Cebu Canyoneering and later in the afternoon we would head to Osmeña Peak.

If you’re curious where we availed of our Cebu Canyoneering, we availed the activity with Kawasan Canyoneering. I would highly recommend them as they did a really good job in guiding us throughout the activity. They’re a local business that hires and trains guides from within the Badian and Alegria area. Since they are from the area they know much better than anyone else whether the activity is safe or not based on the local weather and other factors.

Osmeña Peak in Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines

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I knew Osmeña Peak was beautiful but I was not sure if we would be able to do a visit due to its challenging logistics. We only knew that travelers could get to Osmeña Peak in Brgy. Mantalongon via Dalaguete Town Proper. On our itinerary we were coming from Badian the next place we needed to visit was Oslob. If we wanted to visit Osmeña Peak, we had to ride a bus for 1 hour and 40 minutes to Carcar City then ride another bus to Dalaguete for 1 hour, ride habal-habal to Osmeña Peak, then back to Dalaguete then ride bus to Oslob. Plus there was also the consideration of our backpacks when we climb Osmeña Peak. Do we climb with our backpacks? It was a logistical challenge with very little options to work with.

Walk to Osmeña Peak

Walk to Osmeña Peak

I was really puzzled on how we would do Osmeña Peak to the point of being a pessimist on its possibility.

Luckily, when we arrived at Matutinao Beach Resort we overheard one of the guides that the group who just arrived was heading to Osmeña Peak. We were curious so when he was free we asked him if it was really possible to get to Osmeña Peak from Badian. He answered yes and we could actually do it right after our Canyoneering activity. The rate for the roundtrip habal-habal ride was 500 Pesos/person, quite steep but we could work with it. So that was our plan, do the Canyoneering then visit Osmeña Peak in one day.

Dodiongan Falls in Iligan City, Philippines

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The plan was to meet at Jollibee Aguinaldo in Iligan City around 10 AM and go to Dodiongan Waterfalls. At 10:30 AM our group of 3 was completed (PinayTravelista.com and Iligan Inquisitor). We walked to Ramiros Eatery to buy our food to bring at the falls. After, we walked to the highway across the Post Office to wait for a jeepney bound for Sta. Filomena or Dalipuga.

11:15 AM – We finally got to ride a jeep headed to Sta. Filomena. We asked the driver to be drop us off at Barinaot. Which is the next intersection (fork) at the right after the big Mandulog Bridge. Or you can say to the driver to drop you off at the intersection to Brgy. San Roque. Fare was 7.50 Pesos/person.

11:28 AM – When we arrived at the intersection, habal-habal drivers quickly approached us with their motorbikes and told us to hire them. When we said that we were headed to Dodiongan Falls, they said that their motorbikes could not handle the rough road going to the jump-off point of the waterfall. That’s when the habal-habal drivers with bigger motorbikes approached us and we hired one of them.

Since we were 3, we were reluctant to ride a single motorbike but the habal-habal driver told us that it was okay. So all 3 of us orderly rode the motorbike, the biggest in weight should be the one closes to the driver, that would be me. The lightest should be the one to seat at the farthest end of the motorbike. (35 Pesos/person, minimum of 3 persons)

Habal-habal ride to Dodiongan Falls in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, Philippines

Habal-habal ride

When all 3 of us were on the motorbike the Personal Space Factor was already -1. When we passed through roads that were going down I was literally becoming closer to the driver. But then the habal-habal stopped along the road and the driver said that we should go closer to him because the road was steeply going up, we all obliged since we really wanted to get to Dodiongan Falls. (Personal Space Factor = -3)

Dairy Farm and Airport of San Vicente, Palawan

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We planned to have the first half of our second day in San Vicente, Palawan trip to visit the Dairy Farm, Airport, Ostrich Farm then the last would be Long Beach. Fortunately, we arrived early at San Vicente Poblacion the day before and was able to visit Long Beach late in the afternoon. Waking up from our 55 Pesos/person/night lodging, we ate breakfast at a nearby carinderia then hired a habal-habal to take us to the Dairy Farm. The driver priced our trip to the Dairy Farm at 300 Pesos, but according to the tourism office it was only priced at 200 Pesos. I tried my haggling skills asking if we could get the price down to 200 Pesos. Fortunately, he agreed! And off we went to the Dairy Farm. We started around 8:20 AM and after a long-dusty-rough road and 2 river crossings we finally arrived at the Dairy Farm at Brgy Kemdeng around 9:10 AM. During river crossings you could ride your habal-habal or you can do what Val does, challenge herself by crossing on the rocks. Unfortunately, we arrived too late as the staff of the Dairy Farm already had milked the cows. According to them it is best to arrive around 7AM or 3PM as that is their schedule to milk the cows. I’ve heard a lot about this Dairy Farm from friends here in Palawan and they said that I could and should taste the newly extracted milk of a cow here.

How to get to Poblacion, San Vicente, Palawan

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Van going to San Vicente, Palawan from Puerto Princesa

The Poblacion of San Vicente, Palawan is the jumpoff for Boayan Island and where the longest beach in the Philippines can be located. You can also visit an ostrich farm, Little Baguio Falls, an airport and a dairy farm there. From Puerto Princesa From Puerto Princesa, you can ride a bus or a van going to the Poblacion of San Vicente, Palawan

Vans Bus
Fare is 300 Pesos per person.Travel Time is 4 hours.

Virus Vans Schedule: 4AM and 1PM

Contact #: 0921-598-8611 (John), 0928-931-2963 (Joseph)

Savior Vans Schedule: 7AM, 9AM, 11AM and 1PM

Contact #: 0946-268-8877 (Charlie)

Cathy Vans Schedule: 7AM and 1PM

Contact #: 0908-772-7633 (Remi Langit)

Savior and Cathy passes by the town of Alimanguan, San Vicente when there is a passenger going there. Fare to Alimanguan from Puerto Princesa is 250 Pesos.

Vans may be air-conditioned or non-air-conditioned, depending on the mood of the driver. But you’re in Palawan where there is abundance of fresh air, so it’s best to have no air-conditioning. 🙂

 There’s only one bus ferrying passengers from Puerto Princesa to San Vicente, Palawan.

San Isidro Express Schedule: 6AM and 1PM

Travel Time is 5-6 hours Fare is 200 Pesos per person. The 1PM bus passes by Alimanguan.

Contact #: 0919-445-5021 (Randy Hugo)

Vans and buses are located at San Jose Terminal, Puerto Princesa. To get to San Jose Terminal from Puerto Princesa Town Proper ride a multicab going to San Jose Terminal at Junction 1 or at Jollibee. Fare is 12 Pesos and Travel Time is 10 minutes. How to go back to Puerto Princesa from San Vicente Poblacion The terminal where you can find the bus and vans in San Vicente Poblacion is in their Public Market.