I Heart Travels

Siquijor Sunshine Girls: Day 6 - Escape from Paradise - Break Through    The gods of travel must have heard our desperate prayers. After days of battling relentless rain and wind, the weather in Siquijor finally decided to play nice. We woke up at the ungodly hour of 2:30 am, feeling like zombies, only to be whisked away by our trusty tricycle to the Siquijor port.   It was 3 am, and the port was already buzzing with activity – a scene straight out of a zombie apocalypse, except instead of brains, everyone was after a coveted ferry ticket. Stranded tourists, their faces etched with a mixture of frustration and desperation, were camped out, determined to secure their escape from this idyllic island.   Now, you might think this sounds crazy, but trust me, this was the first time I’d ever wanted to leave an island during a vacation. The sheer tenacity of the other tourists, their unwavering desire to get off this "paradise," was contagious. W...

Day 5: The Wind's Got the Sunshine Girls Number (But We're Still Smiling)   The rain, our nemesis from the previous day, had decided to make a grand entrance into our Siquijor adventure. It poured relentlessly throughout the night, leaving us stranded in our hotel room, our hopes of returning to Dumaguete dashed once again. We woke up at 4 AM to the sound of angry rain drumming on the windowpane, and the ferry website remained stubbornly silent, offering no updates. The sunshine girls, our internal cheer squad, were starting to lose their pep.   "Let's just order breakfast and eat in our room," sighed one of the girls, her voice tinged with disappointment.   "No way," I countered, "It's too depressing to eat in the room. Let's go to the cafeteria. Maybe the sunshine girls will get inspired by the fresh air."   So, with a glimmer of hope flickering in our hearts, we ordered coffee and breakfast at 8 AM. As we sat...

Day 4: Siquijor's Typhoon Tango (and a Greasy Food Fiesta)   Ah, Siquijor. The island that promised adventure, relaxation, and maybe even a glimpse of the mythical "Siquijor magic." Instead, it delivered a typhoon, a cancelled ferry, and a whole lot of greasy food.   We woke up at the ungodly hour of 3 AM, not to the sound of chirping birds or crashing waves, but to the howling wind and the rhythmic drumming of rain on our roof. The typhoon, a mischievous little gremlin named "Typhoon Whatever," had decided to make Siquijor its playground.   Now, the Sunshine Girls (that's us, in case you didn't know) are known for our sunny disposition. We're the kind of people who see the good in everything, even a typhoon. So, with our trademark optimism, we packed our bags, grabbed our few extra snacks, and headed to the port at 6 AM, hoping against hope that a ferry would magically appear.   But alas, the rumors were true. The ferry was c...

Day 3: When the Weather Plays Hide-and-Seek (and We Chase Sunsets)   Siquijor, you fickle island, you! Day 3 started off with a promise of adventure, but Mother Nature had other plans. We woke up to a sky that looked like it was trying to decide whether to rain or shine, and we decided to play it by ear.   First stop: BuCafe for breakfast. Their breakfast menu is a delicious mix of Filipino and Western favorites, and we were ready to fuel up for a day of exploring. The coffee was strong, the food was satisfying, and the atmosphere was cozy. We were feeling good!   Next on the agenda: Kawayan Resort. We'd heard great things about their beach, and we were eager to soak up some sun. But as we arrived, we were met with a closed gate and a sign that read "Closed due to weather." We were a little bummed, but we weren't about to let a little rain dampen our spirits.   We decided to head to Paliton Beach, another beautiful spot on the island. ...

Day 4: When Rainbows Meet Frustration (and Triad Cafe)   Siquijor, you mischievous island, you! Day 4 started with a hefty dose of frustration. Our grand plan to conquer Dumaguete for two days went kaput thanks to cancelled ferry trips. The universe, it seemed, had other plans for us.   Back at the hotel, we wallowed in our collective disappointment for a while. But hey, we're the Sunshine Girls, and we don't let a little rain (or cancelled ferry) dampen our spirits. We needed a plan B, and fast.   Enter the magical realm of Social Media. One of our fellow Sunshine Girls had a friend visiting Siquijor, and they were chilling at this place called Triad Cafe in Larena. The pictures were drool-worthy, and we were instantly smitten.   Now, our wallets were starting to feel a little light, but we're not the type to let a little financial hiccup stop us. We debated between Triad Cafe and the San Juan tourist area, doing the whole "budget breakdown...

Coco Grove: Where the Sun Shines and the Waves Crash (But We Didn't) - Typhoon Edition   After a lunch that stretched into the late afternoon (and probably involved a full meal, let's be honest), we decided to embark on what we affectionately dubbed an "ocular tour" of the Coco Grove Resort. Now, I'm not talking about a rigorous, map-in-hand exploration. This was more of a "ooh, look at that!" and "wow, that's pretty!" kind of tour, punctuated by frequent stops for photos and the occasional "I need a nap" moment.   The resort, in all its tropical glory, was a feast for the eyes. Lush greenery, vibrant flowers, and the ever-present gloomy sky (thanks to the ongoing typhoon) created a scene straight out of a moody travel brochure. The amenities were impressive, too. There was a pool that looked like it was designed for Instagram influencers (though I'm not sure I could have even reached the bottom), a spa that pro...

From Beach Bummers to Coco Grove Elite: A Siquijor Lunchtime Revelation   After our typhoon-tossed beach hopping adventure, the Sunshine Girls were famished. My stomach was grumbling louder than a disgruntled monkey, and my energy levels were lower than a sloth on a Monday morning. I suggested we head to Runik Resort, a place I had heard whispered about as the hippest spot on the island, boasting modern amenities and a touch of luxury.   However, the price tag for their pool access, a hefty 800 pesos for two hours with consumables, gave me pause. My inner accountant, ever vigilant, calculated the cost per minute and declared it a financial disaster. The Sunshine Girls, ever the optimists, were unfazed. But I, ever the pragmatist, was not convinced. We needed a haven, a place to recharge, but not at the cost of our wallets.   So, with a touch of reluctance, we opted for the humble Coco Grove. I had heard it was a decent place, but I wasn't expecting...

Sunshine Girls and the Typhoon-Tossed Travels of Siquijor 2024   Siquijor, the island of fire, was supposed to be a haven of sun-kissed beaches and turquoise waters. We, the Sunshine Girls, had arrived with dreams of blissful swims and sun-drenched naps. However, as fate would have it, the island had other plans, plans that involved a rather persistent typhoon and a whole lot of rain.   Our adventure began at Bucafe, a charming little eatery with delicious food and a view that promised a beautiful day. But as we finished our meal, the heavens opened, and the rain poured down like a waterfall. We waited, hoping for a break, for a glimpse of sunshine, for a chance to explore the island's famed Paliton Beach. Two hours later, with our hopes dwindling faster than the dwindling rain, we decided to move on.   Our guide, a seasoned Siquijor local, suggested Kawayan Resort, a haven of peace and tranquility. But alas, the resort was closed, a victim of the ...

Bucafe: Where the Coffee's Small, the Views are Big, and the Rain is Always a Guest   Siquijor, you fickle mistress, you. One minute you're showering us with sunshine and smiles, the next you're unleashing a typhoon-fueled deluge. And on this particular day, you decided to unleash your fury upon us as we embarked on a pilgrimage to the legendary Bucafe.   Now, Bucafe is not your typical roadside diner. It's a bit of a trek, nestled in the hills about an hour's drive from the bustling center of town. We arrived, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, at 7:30 am, only to find the cafe closed with no sign of staff yet. The cafe, though humble and homey, boasts a view that's anything but. It's the kind of vista that makes you want to grab your phone and start snapping Instagram-worthy shots. The promise of a breathtaking panorama, a canvas of emerald green forest meeting the azure expanse of the Siquijor coastline, beckoned us forward.   ...

The Wet Tour: A Siquijor Day Drenched in Adventure (and Rain)   Day two in Siquijor was a testament to the island's unpredictable charm. We dubbed it "The Wet Tour" for good reason - the heavens opened up with a ferocity that would make Noah jealous. But let me tell you, even a torrential downpour couldn't dampen our spirits (pun intended).   Our day began with the usual suspects: sunrise, beach, and a healthy dose of caffeine. But the moment we stepped out of our hotel, the sky unleashed a deluge that would make even the most seasoned sailor reach for their life jackets. Undeterred, we hopped into our trusty jeepney, a rickety chariot that braved the onslaught with the gusto of a seasoned warrior.   First stop: Pitogo Cliff. The panoramic views were breathtaking, even through the misty rain. We braved the wind and the downpour, snapping photos with the gusto of a group of kids on a sugar rush. Our next destination, Cambugahay Falls...