Travel from Mandaue City to Santander on a private car is a 2.5-hour drive. If your driving speed is average, you could probably factor in an additional 30 minutes. We boarded a roll-on roll-off ferry at the Liloan port in Santander. The boat trip docks in 30-45 minutes.
We then transferred to the Dumaguete City Port to board the Montenegro Line for the 2-hour trip towards the Larena Port of Siquijor. From there, we proceeded to where we were staying.
The Charisma Beach Resort is a nice place to stay if your pet is tagging along with you since the owner is also a pet lover. This was great news for me since I brought my dog with me. They have three in-house dogs. One of the dogs does not take a liking to my dog, though. Hehe. It has a decent-sized pool adjacent to a small kiddie pool and the rooms are clean.
After checking in, our first tourist spot was the oldest Balete Tree in Siquijor. An interesting addition are the doctor fish in the spring that nibble on the dead skin cells of your feet. The feel of the fish on the skin was expectedly tickling yet surprisingly relaxing. There was no fee collected but any amount of donation will do.
We then stopped at an old church in Lazi before going to the Cambugahay Falls. A parking space was available. There are around 135 steps going down to the falls. This we knew because a group of local tourist help informed us after they welcomed us.
The falls is composed of several tiers. We only went up to the second level, swam for a few minutes, then went to the bottom level to try the tarzan jump. You did the jump by swinging on a branch and then letting go to plunge 5 feet into the cool water. There were no cottages or stools at where we were staying. Refreshments are available by the parking lot.
Dinner was by the bridge at a place called Lalao (pronounced Lala-o) where the sunset by the beach provided a magnificent backdrop.
The name of the store is Black Belt Grill. I was unable to ask why the name. Their barbecue tastes good and price is affordable. It's just a very small sari-sari store but, surprisingly, have a fast wifi connection! Way to go for a convenience store! They also attended to us very well. They only grill in the evening but they accommodated our advanced order for barbecue for pickup 9AM the following day for our packed lunch.
Day 2 started by leaving the resort at 9AM, picking up the barbecue, and going to Salagdoong Beach Resort. Travel time to the resort is at 45 minutes. Cottage is at Php100 and guests are allowed to bring their own food without corkage. The beach is clean and the water is really clear. Kayaks are for rent at Php150 per kayak per hour. There is also a restaurant where you can order food at reasonable prices. There is also a slide that drops you to the sea as well as jumping boards that are around 20 feet high. They have a pool but it's currently being repaired as of this writing. This is a recommended beach destination in Siquijor.
On the way home, we dropped by Capilay's Spring Park. It's not hard to miss because it's right by the side of the road. In the middle part, there's a makeshift stage right across the expanse of the width of the spring. The toilets are dirty and smelly, though. I don't know if it's always the case or it was just that day we visited. There's a karaoke station near the tourist center.
Right before Capilay Spring, we happened to pass by a Firefly Sanctuary. But because it was still bright and early too see the fireflies, we decided to give it a pass. A short conversation with the owner made us know that the fireflies in her sanctuary is a different species from the others in the Philippines because it thrives near salt water and the larva even lights up at night. The best viewing months, according to her, are from November to January when most fireflies are seen. Entrance fee is Php100. This is much reasonable compared to Php700 in Bohol and Php1,500 in Palawan, again according to the owner. When you enter the sanctuary, a dog will bark but don't worry since it's leashed. :-)
Dinner on Day 2 was again at our 'suking tindahan' Black Belt Grill. Service was consistently great and the sunset was splendid!
There was a resort that we missed to visit. The name is Infinity Heights and it was recommended by a couple of friends because it offers a great view from the mountain.
Overall, Siquijor offers great tourist spots just like any other province in the Philippines. The food and accommodation scene could still be improved. If you are a backpacker and do not need the luxury of 3- to 5-star accommodation, you will be at home in Siquijor.
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