A Taste of Adventure Falowa Boat Ride in Batanes

Ever wonder how people travel between the islands in Batanes? You must have at least an ounce of adventure to get on that boat with shallow draft to make it possible to float on the typically wild waves of this northernmost area of the Philippines.

Brochure - Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort

Apulit Resort in B/W

Had fun converting my photos to pencil sketch! Of course, courtesy of Photoshop. And my victim is Apulit Island Resort in Taytay, Palawan.

This used to be Club Noah Isabelle. When the El Nido Resorts company (yes, that same company that operates two other top resorts in the neighboring town of El Nido - Miniloc and Lagen islands) took control over it, they named it after the island where it is located.


A Pacific Swallow


Leading to the water cottages.


The beach area. Many guests prefer the quiet the resort offers. Of course, they have the option to do many outdoor activities like scuba diving, island hopping, cave exploration and visits to the town.


Island hopping


Hardy plants that survive on limestone walls.







An interesting combination of a sea cave and a limestone cave. The speleothems (limestone formations) inside are also quite impressive.



The signature El Nido Resorts send-off. Even hardened guests are touched by this simple, yet sincere gesture.


Not bad for a full-serviced beach lunch. Call this lifestyle.... it simply is an unforgettable experience.

Camotes Islands - Simply Poetic

In my more than 20 years of traveling in every destination I can lay my hands on in the Philippines, I sometimes cannot help but think that maybe I've seen it all and nothing can excite me anymore. Its becoming really hard keeping that air of wonderment and excitement visiting a new destination. There were times that I would wonder whether I'm doing the right thing leaving my home for a few days to discover a new place, new experience, new culture.

But I am so glad to be proven wrong so many times. The thought that beyond the next bend could be a better place has always been my comfort phrase.

Take the case of Camotes Islands in the province of Cebu. For so many years, this group of islands located in the middle of the Philippine archipelago had been regarded as a backward place with almost zero visitor facilities, rough roads, high seas, and simply a difficult place to reach. Even for many Cebuanos, the Camotes Islands is a far, far-away place.

But lucky are those with enough travel and discovery spunk in them and are able to visit the place. And I belong to that lucky tribe. I can't help but declare to myself and the whole world that Camotes Islands is a poetic destination (and I have never declared that in any other place I've explored in the country). It may sound so in-your-face thing, but I simply could not help thinking of it that way.

While riding on a habal-habal (a motorcycle that can sit one or two passengers, and is the usual form of transport in the islands), one would smile at the rustic scenes flanking the smooth roads that cut through communities that look like an unending set of carefully-laid out movie background. Tall trees line the streets, school children walking along the roads, beams of sunlight between trees and canopies... man, any poet would call this place a vacation heaven!

There can be a lot of ultimate places within the Camotes Islands that include perhaps white sand beaches, craggy coastlines, coral reefs that are protected by communities, even caves. But perhaps the bestest sight is Danao Lake. This is a 400+ hectare body of water that has been protected by the communities and the local government units. As of now, not much can actually be done by the visitors except visit the site for five minutes for the usual picture-taking. But if you stay long enough, perhaps get on the only boat that brings tourists around the lake on to an islet, then you would discover that serenity, added by scenic views and the calm waters of the lake could make you compose those little, romantic notes that you bring with you for the rest of your life.

I cannot help but rave about Camotes Islands, but I have to remind everybody that its tourism infrastructure and facilities are not developed yet. Although there are now resorts lining some parts of the coastline (even the crags!), it still lacks quite a lot of requirements that can accommodate many visitors. For now, the destination is for the poets, the adventurers, the snorkelers and divers, and for itinerant travelers like me who are willing to be humbled by a place like Camotes Islands.

Camotes Islands can be reached by fast ferry from Cebu City or RoRo (roll-on, roll-off) ships and ferries from Danao City.

Danjugan Island - A Real Ecotourism Sanctuary

How do you protect a 43-hectare island from degradation?

For the longest time, the tiny island of Danjugan in the town of Cauyan in Negros Occidental had been subjected to a lot of the usual human-induced pressures. Its beach forests were cleared to give way to coconut plantations, and its surrounding seas and coral reefs were subjected to all forms of destructive fishing, foremost of which were dynamite fishing and the use of cyanide.

Add to this, a mining site in the nearby mainland of Negros was dumping unimaginable amounts of silt that smothered what was little left of the marine resource in the municipality. It was the usual story of a spiral towards environmental demise, and along with it, the way of living of the people in the area.

So, how do you save an island from that sorry conclusion and revive its ecological functions?

For a non-government organization named Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation, Inc. (PRRFCI), a pioneering strategy (at least in the Philippines) was to buy the whole island!

With funding coming from a British NGO called World Wide Land Conservation Trust and from the wallets of its Bacolod-based members, they were able to raise enough funds to purchase the island. Fortunately, the only structures situated on the island were of the caretaker's and his house was replaced by a ranger and research station.

Destructive and invasive species (like cats!) were deported to the mainland to save the remaining bird populations. Yes, ferral cats have been responsible for killing a lot of birds in natural areas. What's more concerning about cats is that they kill birds and other small animals just for fun and not for food! One cat can kill as many as 20 birds in one night. Ground birds such as some species of doves are most vulnerable to cat attacks. Passenger rats are also being eliminated with the use of traps as they really create havoc both to plant and animal life in that small sanctuary.

With the help of the local population and the local government unit, the coral reefs in the area were also protected from destructive and illegal fishing methods. And fortunately, the nearby mining company shut its operation.

Those events happened more than 15 years ago.

And now, Danjugan Island has turned into an ecological jewel that is able to regain its natural beauty and environmental functions. It also provided the locals an opportunity to more sustainable fishing livelihood...... and a bonus in pride and bragging rights that they have done something very significant.

All those 15 years that Danjugan was struggling to regain its footing, groups of "tourists" or volunteers have made the island their piece of paradise and laboratory, courtesy of Coral Cay Conservation (CCC). CCC is another UK-based organization that brings volunteers to places where they do environmental assessments and community works.

Now that the stint of CCC is over and there is a need to continue protecting Danjugan Island. Ecotourists are welcome to visit the island and witness (and enjoy) what real ecotourism destination is all about.

With only about 25 tourists allowed to stay overnight on the island, this destination can offer its visitors exclusivity in communing with nature. You can even "rent" the whole island with nine of your friends! Or if you came to the island with a group, you can decide to hie off alone to a lagoon, a cove, or a shallow snorkeling area and enjoy the whole area all by your self.

A real natural environment, you can do birdwatching and see the nest of sea eagles situated just at the back of the accommodation units.

With an almost 100% live coral cover in the reef areas, snorkeling and scuba diving are the top activities in Danjugan Island.

When I say real ecotourism destination, that would include real ecotourism facilities such as ecolodges. Yes, the sleeping units do not conform to comfort creatures but to people with the genuine interest to commune with nature.

There are no air-conditioning amenities and electricity is limited to light bulbs as solar power is the only source of energy on the island. Even waste in the comfort rooms are sanitized through composting and the use of indigenous enzymes (you've got to see it to believe it!).

I really hope that Danjugan Island becomes a major ecotourism destination in the Philippines just to show to the Filipinos (and the whole world!) that ecotourism indeed works in saving our natural environment and providing the economic needs of the locals.

Im just a bit affected that some dive resorts operated by foreigners are not including Danjugan as part of their tour programs just because they don't want to pay any user's fee. They would rather bring their visitors to nearby reefs that are less impressive, but they could dive for free. Said reefs, by the way, also regenerated because of the influence brought by the Danjugan Island conservation initiatives. Now, how do you explain that to the locals who can see the divers and the resort operators enjoying their resources for free? Anyways, I think I should not make this an issue since I believe that people who don't want to be part of environmental efforts do not deserve to see and experience the rewards to being in those areas. At least it gives more space for those real ecotourists and operators to enjoy the destinations.

How do you get to Danjugan? The town of Cauyan is about three hours away from Bacolod City (almost the same travel time if coming from Dumaguete City). From the coastal village of Punta Bulata, the island is a just a 10-minute ride away by boat.

Please contact PRRFCI if you want to visit the island.

To know more about Danjugan Island, you can click on this link: http://www.prrcf.org/about_danjugan.html

or contact:

Philippine Reef & Rainforest Conservation Foundation, Inc.

12 San Antonio St, Sta Clara Subd, Bacolod City 6100

Philippines

Contact Person: Gerardo Ledesma (President)

E-mail: mailto:mglledesma@gmail.comTel. +63 (34) 441 1617

Fax. +63 (34) 4410855

Some photos courtesy of Gerry Ledesma (aerial shot, hawksbill turtle, facilities)