Lakwatsera de Primera

Sagada: Finding Our Way Through Echo Valley and the Undeground River

Claire — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:03:34 +0000

Hanging coffins at Echo Valley

We spent half of our first day in Mt. Province on board a non-AC bus speeding along the snaky and meandering path of the Halsema Highway. It would have been a scenic drive, but the valleys were shrouded in mist, so I ended up dozing off for most of the trip. I was oblivious to the bouncy ride and the crisp wind blowing in through our half-opened window, while our worn out bus throttled its way up through the mountains. After all, I was worn out after having to take yet another 6 hour bus ride immediately after the 5 and 1/2 hour overnight bus from Cubao.

St. Mary's Church, an episcopal church located at the town center.

But at least we made it on the first bus trip from Baguio to Sagada at 5:30 in the morning, which was a great consolation for taking the expensive deluxe Victory Liner bus – the regular bus trips were booked out and the next available one was departing very late, and we didn’t fancy waiting around in the bus terminal for so long. It gave us enough time in between our bus rides to have a much needed stretch and some hot steaming noodles, which was just what we needed to rouse us from the early morning lethargy. One thing I learned from this trip is to reserve a ticket ahead of time, peak season or not to avoid all the hassles and to leave at your preferred time.

Finding our way to the hanging coffins.

We made it to Sagada around 11am, which gave us ample time to look around for accommodation and rest a bit before lunch time. The town is small and the lodges and restaurants are huddled close to each other, so it was easy to hop from one place to another even with our backpacks and gear in tow. The standard rate now for most backpackers’ lodges is Php200 per head so it was just a matter of choosing the place with the nicest room at that value. We ended up staying at Olahbinan’s Rest House and Café because it was one of the two guest houses we found that offered hot and cold shower for 200 pesos, and the view of the pine forest from its back terrace wasn’t too shabby either.

This picturesque place of century old coffins and beautiful lime stones got its name from the echoes created when one shouts at a distance from the road side.

Come lunchtime, we headed to the legendary Yoghurt House, which has become famous among foodies through good reviews online, in print, and through word of mouth as well. Normally, we scrimp on accommodation and food when backpacking for a longer period to have extra money for adventures and fun stuff, but after tasting their mouth-watering vegetarian open-sandwich and pesto pasta with zucchini smothered heavily with cheese, we decided to make the Sagada leg an exception – food tripping here is an adventure itself.

One of the caves with an underground river flowing through it.

After lunch, we decided to do a DIY walk to the Echo Valley. It is one of the most popular walks in Sagada, and for good reason. It is a pleasant hike through a lush and picturesque valley, and gives the opportunity to see the famed hanging coffins of Sagada up close and personal. For the adventurous, it’s also possible to follow the river as it dives underground through a long (100m+) cave.

Scrambling over some big boulders to get to the larger carvern.

The Echo Valley walk starts from the church, near the Sagada Cooperative Store and the basketball court. A slice of the cheap but tasty cakes and hot coffee from the Cooperative store is a good side trip after the walk if you are going to trace your steps back to the town or you can pack some to snack on while walking. A guide is not really necessary. A map is available at the information centre in town and the trail is fairly well worn, which should allow most parties to self guide themselves on the walk.

To dip or not to dip...

After passing by the elegant church and the graveyard behind it, the trail winds down into the valley below. A short side trail leads to a cave on the left where you can see many coffins stacked high. On the left side, you can see a clean cliff with some bolts in it – this is where the Sagada rock climbing tour is conducted. Further along the trail, on the right side, you can walk to the base of a cliff with some interesting hanging coffins suspended above, including one with a living room chair attached!

Refreshing water flowing through the cave.

After this, the trail starts to become a little less travelled (returning the way you came in might be the best option at this point if you are only looking for an easy walk). I was only relying on Charles’ knowledge of the trail when he explored the area on his own a few years back. We continued walking up the valley and followed the trail upstream, past a point where it passes through a cave on the left. The truly adventurous can enter this cave and follow it upstream to where the river enters, although there are a few tricky climbing sections required to negotiate this route.

This better be worth it.

Further along our walk, we found the path to a large cavern, through which the river flows. There were a few locals gathering some wild ferns near the stream, which looked like something I had eaten before in my salad. The “subterranean river” flowing through the cave is quite remarkable and can be followed for 100 meters or so. If you choose to explore this cave, make sure you have some light and shoes that you don’t mind getting wet, as you need to wade through the shallow water in some places. After following this cave upstream for a while, progress is blocked by some large boulders. There are a few options here – turn around and hike out the way you came, swim past the boulders and out of the cave, or climb up and over/around the boulders (can be a bit difficult) to gain the exit. Be aware, however that it is difficult to climb out of the valley and back to the road once you have completely traversed the subterranean river – you may need to continue along the river to the small falls before you can find an easy way out. Be sure to allow plenty of time if you undertake this part of the trip.

We emerged on the other side of the town after exploring the caves. On the way to the town center, the aroma of freshly-baked bread lured us to this local bakery. Luckily, we got to taste some for free.

Echo Valley is a good introductory walk in Sagada, and a must for anyone visiting the town for the first time. It gives you a good introduction to the area and it is a nice walk taking in some pleasant scenery, including, of course, the famous hanging coffins.

A usual vista in the surrounding area of Sagada.

Mt. Province: Sagada at Last

Claire — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 04:55:48 +0000

The bucolic town of Sagada

Sagada is a laid back, picturesque and somewhat bohemian village nestled in a valley high in Mountain Province, Philippines. You could very easily spend away a few days or even weeks here, just enjoying the serene mountain atmosphere, good food and chilled lifestyle. Despite being a popular destination for backpackers, it hasn’t lost its small town charm, and remains pleasant and relaxed, unlike Banaue which has been somewhat overrun by tourists and touts.

A few minutes of walk from the town will reward you with green surroundings from pine covered forest to lush rice paddies.

If just chilling in the village is too tame for you, there are lots of outdoors activities and tours available in the area. The tourist office in town provides good information about what’s on offer, and can arrange for a guide if you wish. Nobody is too pushy here, and you won’t be constantly harassed by touts selling tours and souvenirs – a pleasant change from many popular Philippine tourist destinations. That said a guide is recommended for many trips, especially caving. Trips such as the Echo Valley hike and Bomod-Ok waterfall can fairly easily be done without a guide by those with a bit of experience, by using information on the tourist maps and simply asking the locals for directions as you go.

Exploring caves and visiting sacred coffins are some of the "must" do activities in Sagada.

In all, a visit to Sagada is highly recommended, and a must for any Mountain Province itinerary.

WHAT TO DO IN SAGADA

Some of the activities on offer are:

CAVING

We explored Echo Valley without a guide and saved 400 pesos in the end. A guide is a must in doing the Cave Connection tour though.

There are two “standard” cave tours – the cave to cave link-up and the Lumiang Cave tour.

The cave link-up links Sumaging Cave (the largest cave in the area) and Lumiang cave. It takes around 4 hours to complete and there are numerous tight squeezes and several sections where you need to ascend/descend ropes to negotiate some steep parts. As such a reasonable level of fitness is required.

The Lumiang Cave tour takes only an hour or two, and follows the path of an underground watercourse, taking in some of the most spectacular formations in the area. Some scrambling over rock is required; however it is not too difficult and should be doable by most people.

For experienced cavers who are happy exploring caves under their own steam, there is much more to see in these caves. Best to discuss your plans with the tourism office first.

HIKING

There are endless hiking possibilities around Sagada. A popular, easy hike takes you down through Echo Valley, which boasts hanging coffins and an underground river. Bomod-Ok waterfall (the “big falls”) is spectacular and well worth a visit – a refreshing swim there is just the thing on a hot day. The summit of Mt Ampacao is reachable in a few hours and affords good views of the town and the surrounding area.

There are many other extended hikes possible in the area. You can even traverse all the way from Banga-an to Bontoc, taking in the Bomod-ok falls and the Maligcong rice terraces. Just ask at the tourist office for further information.

ROCK CLIMBING

There have been a few bolted “sport” climbs set up on the cliffs in Echo Valley. If you’re not an experienced climber, you can hire a guide to take you for a few hours of climbing there.

FOOD TRIPPING

Try the vegetarian open-sandwich with yoghurt dressing and of course the yoghurt at The Yoghurt House.

The hefty serving of yoghurt at Php80 is all worth it especially for yoghurt lover like me.

The food is good and fresh in Sagada. Most guest houses also offer food, and there are a few restaurants around town as well. Worth a special mention are the Yoghurt House (excellent, filling, organic and healthy meals), the log cabin (fine dining, albeit expensive, in a cozy atmosphere with a roaring log fire) and the Masferre restaurant (which has a collection of Masferre’s excellent cultural photographs hanging on the back wall). The cheap but delicious carrot and pineapple cake at the Co-op paired with hot coffee are just right to start your day on a chilly morning.

ACCOMMODATION

One of the two places we found that offers Php200 per head with hot and cold shower (a must if you're in Mt. Province)

There are many accommodation offerings available in Sagada to suit all budgets. Prices start from around P200 per head for rooms with a shared bathroom (you should also be able to find one with hot water for this price (or at least “warm” water!), which is very welcome given the frequently cold weather in Sagada).

HOW TO GET THERE

Leaving Sagada on the way to Bontoc. The waiting area for jeepneys is at the town center .

From Manila

The full trip from Manila will take you about 12 hours. To make the most of your time, catch a Victory Liner bus from Cubao to Baguio at around 11pm. Once in Baguio (about 6 hours), catch a taxi to the Dangwa bus terminal and jump on a bus to Sagada (another 6 hours), enjoying the views from the spectacular (and sometimes frightening) Halsema Highway en-route.

From Bontoc

There are jeeps departing regularly (hourly) from Bontoc to Sagada.

From Banaue

Catch a bus or jeep to Bontoc and transfer to a Sagada jeep from there.

Romblon: Exploring Carabao Island

Claire — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 03:22:14 +0000

The beach near the San Jose port is probabably the nicest one in the area.

Carabao Island, is billed as “an emerging island paradise”, and is located at the southern tip of Tablas Island, Romblon, just a short boat ride from Boracay. There are grand plans to transform the island into a mega-resort destination complete with an international airport to provide direct access from other Asian countries (the land for the airport has been cleared for some time now, however construction is still yet to begin).

There are two main beaches on Carabao Island – Lanas beach on the western side of the island and San Jose beach on the east. Lanas beach is the closest to Boracay and is a good destination for divers (45 minutes boat ride). You could actually see Puka Beach from here and the lights of the huge resorts at night. There are a number of good dive sites within easy boat ride from Lanas, and at least one resort (Ivy’s Beach Resort) offers diving tours. The beach itself, however, is not particularly stunning. The sand is quite coarse, not the powdery white sand of Boracay, and there is a fair amount of sea weed washed up on the shore. There is no coral directly off the beach for snorkelling either.

Despite this a number of resorts have already sprung up along Lanas Beach with more being built. No doubt the proximity to Boracay is fuelling the development and will ensure the future popularity of these resorts as people look to escape the chaos of “Bora”.

Reoublic of Inobahan is the only established resort near the San Jose port. Most resorts are located at Lanas Beach.

On the other side of the island is San Jose beach. San Jose is the largest community on the island, and has a port where ferries from mainland Tablas dock. The San Jose beach really is beautiful, and sports the same white powdery sand as can be found at Boracay. The area, however, is nearly totally devoid of tourist infrastructure. There is a road along the beach with residential buildings (the most magnificent of which belongs to the mayor); however there are not really any guest houses, resorts or restaurants currently operating.

One of the undeveloped beaches we visited while circumnavigating the whole island on "habal-habal"

The only official accommodation at San Jose is at the mayor’s place, named “The Republic of Inobahan”, however this is quite expensive for long term travelers like us (room rates start at Php1000). You can stay cheaply in a two-storey nipa hut just at the port, however the accommodation there is very basic. Another option is camping on the beach, which is permitted according to one of the local councilors. He also showed us some properties for sale in the area although we didn’t have any intention of buying one. It was nice though getting some local information about the place even unsolicited bits on who owns this land, that resort or that big house.

A stopover at the airport road construction area. It seems impossible but the news about an international airport on this small island with little infrasture to support it had been all over the news before. They even have a huge billboard to prove that.

North of San Jose, accessible by motorbike, there are a few more beaches which, while they are not great places to visit right now, one could imagine that they might be quite nice with a bit of a cleanup. There is also a beautiful and secluded beach and cove just near the ferry port – you just need to scramble over some rocks to gain access to it.

This beach is easily accessible from the port. A short walk and scrambling over some rocks if you don't want to get wet is all it takes to get here.

So is Carabao Island the “emerging island paradise” that it claims to be? Well, visiting the island today it’s hard to imagine that this island will ever become “the next Boracay”. The San Jose beach is certainly beautiful, however the infrastructure on the island has a long way to go, and it will take a lot of investment for it to become a world class destination. Certainly if the planned international airport pushes through (some residents on the island are skeptical that it will) it will provide the boost needed to propel the island into the limelight. Until then, go there to enjoy an uncrowded powdery beach or some nice diving away from (but near to) the maddening crowds of Boracay.

View from Ivy's Resort on Lanas Beach where we stayed for 2 nights before heading back to Tablas Island.

How to get there

From Manila or Batangas: Catch an overnight ferry to Odiongan port, Tablas. From there take the first jeep of the day to Santa Fe where you can catch ferry to San Jose on Carabao Island (45 mins). You’ll probably need to stay overnight on Tablas somewhere (either Odiongan or Looc would be good options). If you miss the public ferry to San Jose, you may be able to charter a private boat to take you.

From Boracay/Caticlan: From Caticlan you can arrange a boat ride to San Jose (about 45 mins). Timetables and prices vary, so ask around in Caticlan or Boracay.

San Jose to Lanas Beach: To reach Lanas beach from San Jose take a habal-habal (P120 for 2 pax).

Romblon: An Unexpected Side Trip at Lambingan Falls

Claire — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:38:39 +0000

Boarding the tricycle from Sir Toto's place, where we camped on our first and last night in Magdiwang.

After arriving too late in the day at Sibuyan Island to launch our attempt on Mt Guiting-Guiting, we decided to spend the afternoon cooling off at Lambingan Falls. It is unusual to have some rest and recreation before the hard work but the unexpected glitch on our schedule left us with a lot of free time that day. A side trip to Boracay after the ascent to Mt Guiting Guiting was originally planned during the pre-climb meeting. It is easily accessible from Romblon in just a few hours boat ride. But with just an afternoon to while away, it was the nearby falls in Magdiwang that washed away our disappointment of a postponed climb.

The falls are just a few minutes of walk from the road.

Lambingan Falls are a beautiful series of cascades in the foothills of Guiting-Guiting, just north of the town of Magdiwang. Its natural crystal clear pools are good for swimming while its cool and green surroundings are ideal for picnic. They make a good side trip for those attempting Mt Guiting-Guiting, or an excellent way to cool off on a hot day for those in the area.

The falls are 30 minutes’ trike ride from Magdiwang – we piled 12 people onto a single trike and bounced our way along the dusty road. We paid around 50 pesos each for that ride which I think was a bit pricey considering there were 12 of us in one tricycle. After a short hike up the valley, we came to the first cascade, where a few locals were whiling away the afternoon by the river and leaping into the deep pools from the rocks around the river bank. Apparently, the place is also a popular dating place among lovers. There are small cascades and pools to choose from, some flat boulders to lie on and a forest to explore for the adventurous.

We continued our hike further upstream and found our very own waterfall and swimming hole in which to amuse ourselves. The guys proceeded to spend the next hour or so frolicking in the cool waters, jumping and sliding off the cliffs into the water and generally having fun. I was dying to join them but due to the monthly inconvenience girls usually have, I opted to amuse myself documenting this interesting display of childishness when big boys get together. Further exploration upstream revealed yet more cascades/falls and swimming holes – if you’re visiting feel free to explore upstream as far as you dare!

It was only past 3pm when we started to head back to our base camp. There were still a few locals in the area when we left the pool upstream. On the way down, one of us started picking up some trash and everybody followed suit. The unplanned side trip to the falls became a clean-up drive as well. It was disappointing though to see how much trash we were able to gather in a few minutes in just a small area. It is a nice place that can help boost the tourism in the area. I hope they take care of it more.

How to get there

Magdiwang can be reached by Montenegro ferry from Batangas (via Romblon). From Magdiwang town catch a trike to the falls (about half an hour).

Magdiwang is also the jump-off point for the standard route to the summit of Mt Guiting-Guiting, one of the most challenging summits in the Philippines. With a population or around 12,000, Magdiwang is most notable for its natural tourist attractions, with many rivers, falls and of course mountains in the area around the town. Be sure to stop off at the DENR office in town to find out more.

Burdeos Attractions: Island Hopping Day 2

Claire — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 07:46:44 +0000

The Minasawa Game Refuge and Bird Sanctuary is a4-5 hectare island that was established as a sanctuary by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to protect the bird population.

Exploring the islands around the remote municipality of Burdeos the previous day had been a very satisfying experience for us, as we enjoy exploring the off the beaten track as much as the well-trodden path. Secluded and unknown, our journey to Burdeos had been a challenging quest, but certainly not an inconvenience. Our first day of island exploration had revealed not only beautiful natural wonders but also friendly and hospital people who had made our stay enjoyable and memorable.

The sanctuary is home to bird species such as the nutmeg imperial pigeon, black-naped oriole, rufous night heron, and swifts. This huge spider however, abounds in the area as well.

On our second day in Burdeos, we set off again to explore its natural attractions that include beautiful caves, scenic beaches, a bird sanctuary and a mangrove forest. I had been looking forward to visiting the bird sanctuary, as I had seen it mentioned when we were researching noteworthy places to visit in Burdeos. We had visited a couple of island beaches and even camped on one of them the previous day so we thought it would be nice to do some bird watching especially on the islands of Polillo which are known as haven for a large number of different bird species.

Getting to the sanctuary, however, was a different story. It was the most challenging boat ride we had during our two-day island-island hopping trip. It is located off the coast of Patnanungan Island and quite isolated from the other islands of Burdeos. I had never seen such big waves despite the good weather conditions – it was rocking our small motorized banca like a matchbox. It didn’t help either that our boatman didn’t have life-jackets or that we were drawing closer to the menacing Pacific Ocean. I was actually eyeing the last two coconuts we had with a view to using them as floaters “just in case”, as my paranoia started to sink in.

Fortunately, we made it safely to the island around noon but we were in for a big surprise. Its shores were lined with many boats of different sizes and the island was packed with people. I was sort of expecting a remote island with no tourists at all except for a few bird watching fanatics. “Bird Sanctuary” for me conjures an image of remoteness, isolation and haven of quietness except for the sounds of nature. But I guess this time of the year was an exception because it was the Holy Week weekend. The good part however, was that the island has a good beach forest a nice beach – no wonder it is also very popular among the locals

So much for the sound of bird calls and crashing waves with videoke tunes blaring through the forest (yes on the island in the middle of nowhere). The food vendors on the other hand were blessings in disguise. We had no more food and had been eating and drinking coconuts for our last three meals except for a small cup noodles for dinner and breakfast.

Approaching Binombonan Island.

Overall, it was still worth visiting the Minasawa Game Refuge and Bird Santuary. This 4-5 hectare island is a paradise for both bird watchers and beach lovers. Although we didn’t spot many birds at that time when we went for a walk through the forest, we could hear their loud twitters. Most of the birds are hovering high above the forest canopy and are better seen from the beach. Bird watching requires a lot of time and patience while a good set of binoculars will come in handy for the serious hobbyist.

Binombonan Island

After a short walk through the beach forest and a quick swim together with boatloads of other visitors, we finally left the island and headed to Binombonan Island for our last island of the day. The island is easily accessible from Sabang Port in Burdeos so it is also very popular among the locals for day trip visits. If you are in Burdeos but don’t have much time to visit the farther islands, this island is good enough for swimming and beach picnics. You can easily circumnavigate the whole island in a few minutes or simply enjoy a barbecue under the trees. It is also nice to walk along its long sandbar during low tide.

Binombonan Island sand bar

There are no cottages in the area or any tourist facilities so it is also advisable to bring your own food, picnic mats, and tent. The good thing is that there is no entrance fee here, but there was no caretaker as well. During our visit, there was rubbish strewn around especially within its small forested areas. Apparently the island is privately owned and is actually for sale. Except for the small rubbish problem, the beach around Binombonan Island is quite good for swimming too. The water is clear and some parts are covered with corals. We spent the rest of our day here before heading back to the town of Burdeos. On the way to the port, we had a short stop at Bakaw-Bakaw Island where our boatman proudly showed us hundreds of mangrove trees that are under the protection of its local government.

Docking on Bakaw-Bakaw Island.

After a day in Polilio Town and two days off the coast of Burdeos we felt like we had only seen a bit of what the Polillo group of Islands have to offer. There are many more unexplored islands, sleepy towns with a lot of promise and surprise and many opportunities to explore the road less travelled – a lot of reasons to come back indeed.

Bakaw-Bakaw Island

Romblon: Aglicay Beach Resort

Claire — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:04:46 +0000

After visiting the beaches of Carabao Island in Romblon, as part of our Mt Guiting-Guiting post-climb recovery, we decided to visit one final beach in Romblon before heading home to Manila – Aglicay. After catching an early morning banca from Carabao Island back to Santa Fe, Tablas, we rode a Looc-bound jeep as far as the intersection where the road to Alcantara branches off. We alighted here and prepared to wait for the next jeep going to Alcantara.

While looking for a sari-sari store to buy some noodles for breakfast, I met one of the locals, Arthur “Art” Serazpi, who invited us back to his place for breakfast. Art and his mother were incredibly friendly and hospitable, and overwhelmed us with their generosity. For breakfast they cooked for us the pancit canton that we bought and served us bananas, rice cakes, sineguelas, buko juice, fresh crabs, and shrimps and when we couldn’t eat any more they packed some into bags for us to take away. True Filipino hospitality at its best – many thanks to Serazpi family!

Pathway to the viewpoint.

Art also has family living near Aglicay Resort and offered to take us there on his motorcycle. That turned out to have been very fortunate, as the resort is quite a long way off the main road where the jeepney stops. Art proudly showed us the colorful mural he had designed and painted on a shelter along the way in Barangay Comod-om – he is truly “Art” by name as well as by nature.

Other side of the beach from the viewpoint.

Aglicay Beach Resort is located just south of the town of Alcantara on the east coast of Tablas Island, which is part of the Romblon group of islands in the Philippines. It has its own private beach which is lovely although it has obviously been “engineered” somewhat to extend the sand back further inland from the water. There are many facilities available at the resort including volleyball, snorkel hire, pool table, badminton, videoke, conference facilities, restaurant and bar. Day visits to the resort are also allowed for a fee.

The beach at Aglicay is beautiful, boasting fine white sand and palm lined shores, and is very nice for swimming at high tide, although at low tide the sea grass that lies just off shore is exposed and a little too close to the water line for swimming. Charles was not able to find much coral and marine life to see just off the beach while snorkelling, despite the claims of the resort’s website – perhaps he wasn’t looking in the right place? He thought he had seen a seasnake, however, although he didn’t hang around long enough to find out for sure!

There is also a short walk that you can do starting from the end of the beach to the top of the headland which affords great views over the beach and along the coastline. It’s a little steep, but definitely worth the effort.

Dinner by the beach.

The rooms are fairly spacious, clean and comfortable and, at P1000 per night (negotiated off peak rate) are good value for money. There is a restaurant that serves good (but fairly expensive) food. We enjoyed a set dinner and some drinks before indulging in some karaoke with Art when he dropped by later that night.

Aglicay is a great resort to relax for a few days and is probably the best resort on Tablas Island. However, it’s hard to recommend it as a “destination” in it’s own right. But if you’re touring around Romblon and you’re looking for a nice resort to chill at for a while, it should definitely be on your itinerary even if it’s just for a day trip.

How to Get There

You first need to get to Tablas Island, Romblon. There are numerous ways to get there, depending on where you’re coming from:

From Manila: Fly (SEAIR) to Tugdan or catch a SuperFerry or MBRS ferry to Odiongan

From Romblon: Catch a Montenegro ferry to San Augustin

From Boracay (Caticlan): Catch a ferry to Odiongan, Looc or Santa Fe

Once in Tablas, you need to catch a jeep to Alcantara. From there hire a tricycle or habal-habal to take you direct to the resort. Note that the resort is quite a long distance from the main road, so it’s not advisable to simply alight from the jeepney at the turnoff unless you have made prior arrangements to be picked up from there – best go all the way in to Alacantara and negotiate transport from there.

For more information and up to date prices please refer to the official Aglicay website [http://www.aglicaybeachresort.com] or call them directly on one of the following numbers:

0915 425 6898 / 0919 634 6708

0906 481 3470 / (02) 937 5064

Mackay:Fishing at Pioneer River

Claire — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 12:01:45 +0000

Yellowfin Bream is found predominantly from south-east Queensland to north Queensland. They are caught in estuaries, along surf beaches and off open headlands.

Fishing is quite an obsession in Mackay. It seems to be a paradise for those who love fishing. Its unique location where the northern and southern fish species meet makes it a great place for salt and freshwater fishing. It amazes me how easy it is to find a good fishing destination around the area. For my first ever “fishing expedition”, we didn’t have to go far from our village to fish in Pioneer River. There is also deep sea fishing along the coastline and on the reef proper and freshwater fishing on various rivers, creeks, and inland dams. You can also take a fishing charter tour to the open water reefs.

All set and ready.

I got to give fishing a go on my 5^th day in Mackay. It’s a blessing that Charles’s father John is into this fishing craze too so we had all the gear we need and the knowhow of a fisherman of note. We packed 3 fishing rods, an esky for the bait, and a bucket just in case we caught some fish, and then made the short drive to George Daniel Park. I thought we were going to have a long journey to a remote place, ride a boat and then have a tough test of patience but I was wrong. A short drive, a few minutes waiting and voila we caught four bream and a flathead fishing on the banks of Pioneer River. We had to let go of the flathead though because it didn’t reach the legal size required by the law and you can be fined for keeping fish that are too small. This rule is followed all around Australia, and helps ensure that the fish populations are maintained at sustainable levels.

This part of the river is a mix of salt and freshwater.

My first fishing trip turned out to be a success, and I hope my future trips are just as good. It didn’t hurt that we had a good fisherman to guide us and a spot teeming with fish – you can’t really go wrong. I thought fishing was a boring pastime because of the amount of lull time in between catching fish. But it is relative I guess to the fishing spot. Now, snorkeling with colorful fishes is an amazing experience but catching them and putting them on the table for dinner is even better.

Yellowfin bream vary in coulour from bright silver to greyish green, but usually have yellow perlvic and nal fins (along the belly of the fish). They may grow to 45cm (4kg). A black spot at the base of their pectoral fins distinguishes them from the pikey bream and tarwhine.

Queensland: A Glimpse of Mackay

Claire — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 09:19:39 +0000

One of the Kookaburras perched on the fence in front of our veranda.

Spending a few days at Charles’ parents in Mackay, Queensland gave me a bit of a glimpse of how much the Aussies love the outdoors. Looking at the family’s photo albums revealed countless camping expeditions, bushwalks, treks and road trips which seemed to be a favorite pastime. Often times they spend their family gathering with a good barbecue outside, beach excursions and swimming in creeks and rivers in the many national parks. I got to experience this outdoor life on my second day when I joined Charles and his relatives in the small town of Calen where Charles’ sister lives.

The goosepond in the backyard of the PalmVille Retirement Village where Charles' parents live.

The small ones are the wild ducks with a goose perched on the rock.

OTHER BIRDS FOUND IN THEIR BACKYARD

A pewee seems to be common around the area.

Purple Swamp Hens fighting over food and lots of ducks in the background which look more like a brown pigeon to me.

Alison and her husband David live in a nice block of land near Eungella National Park. They have a large, wide lawn carpeted with green grass (natural, not planted), thick forest covering their backyard and a stream flowing from the nearby national park. Who needs a pool if you have a rainforest in your backyard with crystal-clear spring water flowing all year-round? We had a sumptuous lunch outside courtesy of David, complete with wine, beer, fresh juice from fruits picked from their yard and a chocolate macadamia dessert brought by their neighbors. It’s the middle of winter here but the weather was just perfect and not as cold as Sydney. The best part of the day was a short walk to the river in their backyard and then later to a bigger waterhole at the base of Eungella National Park where I got to see many wild wallabies along the way. Too bad it was too cold for me to swim but that didn’t stop them (even little Lilly) from trying the very inviting water.

David preparing the appetizer in his Rainforest Bar.

Barbecue, beer and nature seem to go well here.

Another thing that amazes me about Australia in general is their unique and extensive flora and fauna which are well-protected. I had seen a lot of colorful and beautiful birds while walking around the parks in Sydney like Cockatoos, Lorikeets, Seagulls and many more so it didn’t surprise me to see more new species that weren’t familiar to me in the countryside around Mackay. The kookaburras perched in front of our veranda were such a delight every morning as well as the purple swamp hens, the ducks and geese as they do their morning walk along the village’s houses hoping to get fed. Even their species of ducks and geese look a bit different from the ones I’ve seen in the Philippines (at least here in Queensland).

Heading to the river after lunch.

The water is very clear but it was too cold for me to swim, perhaps during summer.

Bird watching and fishing are just two of the favorite pastimes here – you don’t have to go far to see different species of birds or be an expert at fishing to catch one. Mackay in particular has a thriving community of people who love fishing. It’s not only the old ones who indulge in it but kids as well. They even post pictures of their biggest catch in the local newspaper.

We haven’t really started our road trip and exploration of Queensland yet, but what I have seen and experienced so far has just made me even more excited. This is probably our last day in Mackay for now before taking off for a month long road trip in a camper van, camping and trekking in national parks, checking out some wild white-sand beaches, experiencing the outback, snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef and getting up close and personal with the wild-life. Let the adventure begin.

Looking forward to more of this...

Looc Romblon: Snorkeling at Looc Fish Santuary

Claire — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:40:29 +0000

The path towards Looc Port is bordered with lush mangrove trees.

The Looc Fish Sanctuary is a protected marine area in the middle of the bay at Looc town, Tablas, Romblon. The sanctuary is home to many species of fish and a nice (although not spectacular) coral reef. The local government there seems to understand the importance of tourism, and has gone to great lengths to preserve the reef and fish life, even posting guards out on the bay overnight to prevent illegal fishing in the sanctuary.

The sanctuary is just 5- minute boat ride from the port.

The very helpful staff in the town tourism office gave us directions to the pier from which you catch the boat to the sanctuary. The pier is only a short (200m) walk from the town square. There is an office at the pier where you pay the P100 per head fare for the boat ride to the sanctuary (no booking is necessary). You can also rent a mask and snorkel here for P50. It’s then a short (5 min) boat ride to the permanent floating shelter at the sanctuary.

The floating shelter has an aquarium in its center where you can feed the fish.

The floating shelter has an opening in the middle where there is no floor and you can see straight down into the water. This allows you to see the fish very well without even having to swim. If you want to see a lot of fish, be sure to bring some bread to feed them (no doubt this is one reason why there are so many fish here – free food!).

Feeding the fish with junk food.

To get up close and personal with the fish, don a mask and snorkel and jump into the clear waters. The most abundant fish life is immediately around the shelter, however if you swim north (roughly) you will find a reef with some other interesting formations and marine life, including giant clams. South of the shelter is mainly sea grass and not so interesting, although you can see some enormous sea cucumbers and starfish on the sea floor there.

Visiting the marine sanctuary at Looc was the cheapest snorkeling tour I ever had so far. It is fun, good value for money, and definitely recommended if you’re in the area.

Tablas Island Romblon: Looc Town and Angelique Hotel

Claire — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:48:39 +0000

Looc is a small town on the west coast of Tablas Island, the largest island of Romblon. It is a pleasant and friendly town, which boasts a marine sanctuary just five minute’s boat ride away that is well worth visiting. It is also a convenient place to stay overnight if you are planning to catch the 9am ferry from Santa Fe to the emerging beach destination of Carabao Island the next day (there is little in the way of accommodation options in Santa Fe itself).

Angelique Inn and Restaurant

Probably the best accommodation in Looc town is at Angelique Hotel. This hotel is located conveniently in the town centre on the square, close to the tourism office and markets. The building is two stories and easily spotted by its white paint.

Angelique Inn and Restaurant is one of the few good places to eat in the area.

There are around 6 rooms available, starting from P300 for a double fan room. The rooms are basic, but clean and perfectly serviceable, although the bathroom is communal (shared with the other guests of the hotel). The hotel is well appointed and constructed, and still seems to be quite new.

Fan room at Php300

The restaurant downstairs serves reasonably priced food, although the menu is a little limited. It seems to be popular with the locals in the evenings as well. The staffs are very friendly and accommodating, and even helped us move to a new room when ours was overrun by mosquitoes after we left the windows open after dark.

The place to register for snorkeling and kayaking trips.

The town is pretty much quite at night. But if you are after some nightlife or videoke, ask around for Robert’s Bar, which is not too far from the hotel.

Our short stop-over at the bucolic town of Looc had been pleasant and relaxing. Leaving the town now on "habal-habal" en route to Carabao Island.

Looc is a friendly and laid-back town and well worth a visit if you happen to be in Tablas Island. At P300 for a night, Angelique’s Hotel is good value for money and recommended, although if you’re on a tight budget there are other accommodation options available in the town as well