Monday, February 20, 2012

San Francisco, Cebu Province

San Francisco is a municipality in the province of Cebu. It is the biggest town in Camotes islands. It is located in Region 7, Central Visayas Region. Suangan is the first name of the place because it was surrounded by a forest with plenty of Sawong tree, a sticky juice which like kerosene can light up their houses. San Francisco is famously known for beautiful white sand beaches and for Lake Danao.


Santiago Bay

Baywalk

Santiago Bay

Santiago Bay

Mangodlong Rock Resort

Mangodlong Rock Resort

San Francisco Municipal Hall

Santiago Bay

Sunrise at Santiago Bay

Sunset at Mangodlong Rock Resort

How to go to San Francisco:

From Manila, there are daily flights bound for Cebu. AirPhil, CebuPacific, Philippine Airlines, ZestAirways ply the Manila-Cebu route. From Cebu City, near SM City Cebu, you can ride a jeepney bound for Danao City. You can also go to Cebu North Bus Terminal and ride a bus, minibus or a jeepney bound for Danao City. Tell the driver that you're going to Danao Port. It is an hour to 1.5 hour travel from Cebu City to Danao.From Danao Port, there are daily boat trip bound for Consuelo town. The boat/ferry travel time from Danao to Consuelo port is about 2 to 2.5 hours. From Consuelo port you can ride a motorcycle bound for Santiago. There are no commuter jeepneys or buses in Camotes Islands. Santiago is roughly about 20 minutes travel from Consuelo Port.

Jomalia Shipping Line ferry schedule:
Danao to Consuelo - 5:30am, 8:30am, 12pm, 5:30pm
Consuelo to Danao - 5:30am, 9am, 2pm, 4pm
Economy fare is 180 pesos.

Additional Links:

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Daanbantayan, Cebu Province

Daanbantayan is a town in the province of Cebu, the Philippines. The town is located at the northern tip of  the Island province of Cebu. Malapascua Island is part of the jurisdiction of the municipality of Daanbantayan.

The town is known for excellent dive sites and this town is being visited by divers who wants to see big Manta Rays and Thresher Sharks.

Every year, Daanbantayan celebrates the Haladaya Festival which is in honor of Datu Daya, the legendary founder of the town.

Bantigue Cove, Malapascua Island

Malapascua Island beach

Malapascua Island beach

Passenger boat at Maya Wharf. This boat is bound for Malapascua


Malapascua Island beach

Maya Wharf

sunrise view at Malapascua Island

sunset view at Malapascua Island

Malapascua Island beach



How to get to Daanbantayan:

From Manila, there are several airlines with flights bound for Cebu, and then from Cebu International Airport, go to Cebu North Bus Terminal. You can ride a taxi or a jeepney. For the taxi, it will cost you roughly around 150 to 200 pesos. Or if you don't want to spend that big and you don't want to go to North Bus Terminal, you can tell the taxi driver to bring you to Gaisano Mall Mandaue. And from that mall, you can wait for buses bound for Daanbantayan or if you want to go to Malapascua Island then look for buses bound for Bogo-Maya. There are several buses plying the Cebu-Bogo-Maya route. The Ceres Bus Liner and Rough Riders Bus ply that route. Buses leaves the North Bus Terminal every 15 to 30 minutes. The bus fare is 163 pesos and it's a 3.5 to 4 hours bus ride.

If you're on a budget and you don't want to take the taxi, then at the airport you can ride a yellow multicab bound for Mercado and then get off at Save More and then ride a jeepney bound for SM Cebu, then get off at North Bus Terminal. The travel time is 30 to 45 minutes. The yellow multicab fare is 7.50 pesos and for the jeepney bound for SM, the fare is 12 pesos. Or if you don't want to go to North Bus Terminal, then from Save More in Pusok, you can look for a jeepney that will pass Gaisano Mall in Mandaue and then from that mall you can catch a bus bound for Daanbantayan or if you want to go to Malaspascua Island then look for buses bound for Bogo-Maya.

If you are going to Malapascua island, catch a bus bound for Bogo-Maya and then from Maya Wharf, boats bound for Malapascua leaves every 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the number of passengers. The usual boat has a seating capacity of 20 to 26 persons. The boat fare from Maya wharf to Malapascua is 80 pesos. The travel time is 30 to 45 minutes.



Additional Links:

http://www.daanbantayan.gov.ph
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daanbantayan,_Cebu
http://www.malapascua.de/