Temple of Leah | Of Love, Devotion and Architecture

And his love was too strong that it became the pillars of the temple.

Truly, love does wonders. It’s so powerful that it goes beyond a bouquet of roses, a romantic picnic or a dinner in the fanciest restaurant, a diamond ring or a strand of pearls. Remember Taj Mahal in India, Swallow’s Nest Castle above the waters of the Black Sea, and the Boldt Castle in upstate New York? What do they have in common? Yes, they are all built out of love. ❤

Temple of Leah

Cebu also prides this magnificent landmark Temple of Leah as a testament of an architecture-romantic Mr. Teodorico S. Adarna’s undying love and devotion to his wife – Leah.

Temple of Leah, Cebu

Perched on the highlands of the city, Temple of Leah continously draws tourist because of it’s splendiferous architecture similar to that of Rome and Greece. Knowing that this is built in the name of love is another thing that invites people’s curiousity.

The girls — Tin, Gichelle, Demi, Louise and Daisy. (L-R) 

Some time in January, after our visit in the botanical garden of Terrazas de Flores, we dropped by this temple to see how lucky Leah must be.

Temple of Leah.

We were collected Php50 each as an entrance fee. The temple was not done yet but it is already open to public. We went there on a weekday so there were not too many people at that time.

 

Ace in the Temple of Leah. 

The edifice resembles Rome classical structures, inspired by Leah’s travel to Rome. It is very evident with the rectangular designs, the Doric columns, the podium and the altar.

The shrine. 

A huge bronze statue of Leah was built in the altar. This spells Mr Adarna’s devotion to her that he treated her like a goddess.

Leah V. Adarna

This temple was meant to be a repository of Leah’s items which she gathered from her travels. According to her daughter, Arlene, her mom was a collector. Before she died, she worried where to put all her collections. Her good husband promised to build this temple to store all her things. Now, this shrine serves as a museum of Leah’s things. However, the museum was not yet open for the public during our visit.

Demi in the Temple of Leah. 

While classical temples have their storage rooms behind the altar, the chambers for Leah’s collection were built on the opposite wings of the edifice.

A fountain at the facade of the podium. 

There is a fountain in front of the shrine’s podium which is inspired by her trip to Europe. Truly a work of art. Look at those meticulous carvings.

Panoramic view of the city. 

The temple also gives a panoramic vista of Cebu City. Although, it’s hot to stay here in the mid-afternoon. We wonder if the sunrise or the sunset looks great from here.

The girls’ groufie. 

The place is sooo perfect for photo ops to flood your Facebook and Instagram. Every corner is “instagrammable”, they said. (Is there such word, by the way?)

Demi and the lion statue. 

From the high rising pillars to the precised carvings, the temple is just WONDERFUL, it’s brilliant. Mr Adarna must have really made his wife happy even when she’s already gone.

The pillars of the temple with Demi photobombing. 

Indeed, love does wonder. The Temple of Leah speaks of a man’s real love and devotion to his wife. And this our friends, we hope inspires you to not give up on love because it really exists. Yay!

Ace and Demi in the Temple of Leah. 

We hope you enjoyed our photo-diary of the Temple of Leah. Over to you, what would you do for love? Leave us some words.

‘Til our next cheesy adventure.

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi

 

Coal Mountain Resort | Bringing You Back To Nature

Let’s wander where the WIFI is weak or where there’s no SIGNAL at all. 

While everybody’s planning for a beach getaway, we, on the otherhand, found ourselves in the middle of the woods, surounded  by mountains, hearing the music not everybody can hear. We’re going back to nature!

Ace and Demi Coal Mountain Resort Story

Who would have thought a place which was used as a grazing ground for carabaos could give us a total relaxation away from chaotic life in the city? In the outskirts of Argao, lies this wondrous haven called Coal Mountain Resort, a perfect place for those who wanted retreat from the bustling metropolis.

Find Demi.

The hubby and I had our post-Valentine celebration (we just need some reason to getaway, you know) in this haven. I was very excited that I booked a room more than a week ahead. Well, I think that was just right because when I called, most rooms were already booked and there were only two deluxe rooms left. The staff whom I talked to said the resort is usually full on weekends especially the family and group rooms. So yah, I suggest to book your rooms ahead.

Deluxe rooms.

Our one hour  butt-aching motorcycle ride was totally worth it. Admittedly though, when we arrived at the resort, I was kind of “disappointed” as there was no wonderful decoration that would make anybody curious and interested to see what’s inside. The look from the outside was very simple and straightforward.

But, see “never judge a resort by its gate”. 😀

The resort’s viewing deck.

Yet, when we went inside I felt euphoric as I ran towards their viewing deck. It offers a panoramic view of the lush greeneries of the mountains that surrounds the resorts, some of which are part of Dalaguete mountain range. Not to mention the invigorating mountain air, I felt like we were transported to a different world.

Imagine waking up to this view.

I was very excited to roam around to see what other wonders the resort has to offer. So, right after we threw our bags inside the room, I immediately went to explore the place. Look at this wonderful view from our room, don’t you want to wake up everyday for this?

Morning view from our room.

It’s wonderful how the resort mainted its homey environment. It so much felt like I was having a vacation in my grandparent’s house in the countryside. Oh, I could live like this forever.

Stairs to the deluxe rooms.

The resort has three swimming pools, all are fed by free-flowing spring water. But you have to go through the woods to reach the third pool which was the deepest, too.

The first pool is 4ft deep. It is mango-shaped, by the way. It also has a slide for kids or for those who are kids at heart.

Four-feet pool.

Just when you thought you lost your heart, then you realized it’s in the resort. “Buti pa sa Coal Mountain, may heart.” 😛 Behold, the pool with a heart, er, heart shape. The second pool is 7ft deep. There’s a jumping platform if you want to plunk.

The pool with a heart, seven-feet deep.

The third pool is the deepest. Imagine 16ft deep. I bet one couldn’t swim more than 15 minutes here because it’s just sooooooo cold. The hubby and I are into cold springs but this is the coldest one that we’d been to so far. I did not reach 5 minutes swimming here because my nerves were already freezing. There is also a diving platform on this pool that rises up to 30ft high. Perfect for “buwis-buhay” exhibition.

The deepest pool, 16ft.

You have to walk through this canopy walkway in the middle of the woods. It’s quite scary because it was slippery and the steps looked weak. But duh, get that fear out of your system and step carefully. I didn’t expect the hanging bridge to be that far, I honestly felt dizzy before we get to the end of it.

Canopy walk.

The resort also offered a mining demo which includes exploration of a mining tunnel. It was drizzling during our visit, the soil was wet and muddy, so the hubby decided that we go on full gear with the overall, boots and helmet. But you can opt to just have the helmet and boots if you are not comfortable with the overall. We suggest you try this one. Let’s get to work!

Ace and Demi, off to work!

Now, get ready to explore the tunnel that stretches up to 145 meters long and 70 feet below the ground. I swear I was anxious while we were still at the entrance of the tunnel. Seeing the dark and narrow hole, I felt like it’s going to swallow me anytime. But the hubby and the guide were so assuring that I was persuaded to continue.

I’m not scared. Really not scared. 😛

I can’t tell how happy I was when we were about to exit the tunnel. It was an achievement. Along with that fullfillment was a realization. A miners’ life is no easy. The danger while staying several feet below the ground is already something to be scared of, not to mention stooping for hours. But yeah, I did it!

Ahhh, I did it!

The one thing I loved during our stay in Coal Mountain Resort was the fact that we were so far from the civilization. Our smartphones were not getting any signals in the area. If not because of the camera, we wouldn’t be using our phones during our entire stay in the resort. It was another perfect moment for the hubby and me to talk about us, our life. At night, we stayed at the balcony and gazed at the stars in the sky while we contemplated about mundane affairs.

And oh, for the first time in a long time I saw fireflies coming near me. It’s rare to see them in the cities.

Chilling.

It was a healing moment — staying outside the room, breathing fresh air and only hearing the sound of the crickets and the night owls. I felt like I was brought back to nature, to the time when there were only trees, water and air.

Our lungs had their dose of cleansing and our eyes were pampered by the green healthy surrounding. We felt so healthy during our two days stay in the resort.

Ace and Demi are summer ready!!!

We hope you enjoyed our Coal Mountain Resort story. We’d love to hear yours, too. 😀

Stay tuned for our Coal Mountain Resort travel guide in a later post. 

‘Til our next adventure!

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi.

 

 

 

Taste of Spain in Argao, Cebu

We couldn’t seem to get enough of the towns in the southern part of Cebu. After that South Cebu Tour we had last year, we thought we’ll have to give North Cebu its time to shine. But that time has not come yet. There’s still so much more to South Cebu that we couldn’t move on.

Last February, the hubby and I celebrated our Valentine’s Day in Coal Mountain Resort in Argao, Cebu. But I’ll talk about that in a later post. For now, let’s see what Argao has in store for us.

Half of our second day in this municipality was spent walking in the town proper. It’s amazing how Argao managed to keep the Spanish flavor around.

• Cabecera de Argao

Argao, Cebu

Just a minute or two walk from the main road, the town hides the remnants of the Spanish era, from the church to the government buildings.

• Saint Michael, the Archangel Parish

Our first stop was the 200-year old church of Saint Michael, the Archangel.

Ace and Demi in Argao, Cebu

Just like most churches in Southern Cebu, this church walls are also made from coral stones. The facade contains articulate carvings depicting the patron saint displayed on its niche. There are urn-like finials flanked at each corner of the pediment. It’s great that they have preserved this old structure.

The interior.

You should not miss checking the interior of the parish, too. The ceiling immediately caught our attention because of the colorful painting that depicts that archangel’s life. We did not have the chance to check the altar because it was under rennovation.

• The Hall of Justice.

Argao’s Hall of Justice.

Second stop, was the town’s Hall of Justice.  One of the edifice in the town that shows evident Spanish taste. This served as military barracks during the old times but now functions as the Hall of Justice.

• Torta, Argao’s delicacy.   

Have you tasted that delish sweet flatbread called “torta“? How was it? If you think it wasn’t delicious then you have not tasted Argao’s torta. 🙂

I say, “Torta is Argao, and Argao is Torta!”

Home of delish tortas.

When you visit the town, don’t you dare miss this delish delicacy. Argao is known for its homemade tortas that are traditionally baked in a clay oven and they use tuba (coconut wine) as the leavening agent. They said “with time, it gets tastier” or “magkadugay, magkalami“. Hmmm? I ate mine after two weeks, I say they’re right. 🙂

• Nature Park.

Argao’s nature park. 

The town also has a nature park where you can relax and think about your existence. (Kidding.) They offer canoing for only Php10. You can have a picnic or try their wall climbing, too. The park has an entrance of Php5.

Personal rambling:

Our short jaunt in the town proper brought to us a Spanish flavor. Despite the pain the era had caused us, it’s nice to know how we are so forgiving, how we showed importance to its legacy. It would be easy to move on from the Spanish colony by destroying everything that reminds us of that time, but we chose not to. Because these…these things is a constant reminder of how our great grandparents fought for our freedom. A constant reminder that we have to take care of this sovereignty we have now. A constant reminder that we had been a slave once and we should not go back to being one anymore. 🙂

We hope you enjoyed our virtual diary about Argao.

‘Til our next adventure!

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi

 

 

Cycling Around Olango Island | The 200-peso Story

Everybody is hyped up for summer. Got your weekends’ schedule full, yah? Most of us are planning for beach get-aways, some prefer the cold springs to beat the heat of this season. Us…we’re cycling, still.

Don’t limit your challenges. Challenge your limits, instead! 

Inspired by a famous ice cream commercial, you should be familiar of the line, “Saan aabot ang 20 pesos mo?” (Where does your 20 pesos lead you?) Remember the product? Now grab it and continue reading. 😀

Few weeks ago, I decided to challenge myself to try biking around Olango Island with just 200 pesos on hand. So, where did my 200-peso lead me? Did I survive?

Demi in Olango Island

Let’s take a quick trivia of this island: 

Olango is part of Olango Group of Islands with its six satelite islets — Sulpa, Gilutongan (also spelled Hilutungan), Nalusuan, Caohagan, Pangan-an, and Camungi.  The islands are low-lying with elevation reaching no more than 10 metres (33 ft) above sea level.

Perfect for my activity, yah? Thanks Mr Wiki.

Demi in Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary 

The hubby wasn’t available because he went cycling with the Cebu Friendly Bikers Club in the highlands of Cebu City. So, I hesitated to pursue my plan because I’d never been to Olango island since. And the fact that I don’t know anyone who lives there was giving me more doubt. Because of my three awesome friends who gladly accompanied me on this venture, this 200-peso experiment was realized.

My friends and I met up at JCenter mall at 7am and hailed a jeepney bound for Punta Engano. (By the way, these jeepneys pass by Andy Hotel, Parkmall, Chong-Hua Mandaue…just in case you don’t know.) We asked the driver to drop us off at Movenpick Hotel where the port to Olango was located.

Bird watching in Olango Island 

It was a 10-15 minute relatively smooth boat ride to the island. I forgot to tell you that we did not have an itinerary for this escape. We just knew we’re to explore the island with a bike. There are bicycles for rent in the area for as low as Php10 per hour. It was a quarter to ten o’clock when we arrived in Sta. Rosa Port. We immediately rode a tricycle to take us to Barangay Candagsao where we can rent a bike.

After five minutes, we were greeted by the smiles of friendly locals who were kind to tell us where Kuya Erwin’s bike rental place. After choosing our preferred bicycles, we signed an agreement paper and off we go.

Bicycling around Olango island. 

Our first stop was the Tungasan Boardwalk. Unfortunately, the paseo was closed for renovation. The locals said, the storm had devasted the boarwalk very much that it was now unsafe to step on the walkway. We had no choice but to settle with the view.

After a few minutes, we proceeded to San Vicente Marine Sanctuary to eat our lunch. We were thinking of seafoods but to our disappointment, the staffs were not very friendly to us. We even felt discriminated because they prioritized their foreign guests. Our tummies were already growling but they just told us they don’t have rice even though we saw the rice on the table. Huhuh. 😥

We couldn’t stay there and drool, we headed to Olango Wildlife Sanctuary to experience the bird-watching. Contrary to what happened in the Marine Sanctuary, the staffs in the Wildlife Sanctuary were very friendly and accommodating. They even lent us a binoculars to use in the bird-watching area. Sadly, they don’t have food but chips and snacks. Huhuh…more growling of our tummies.

After repleting our eyes with the migratory birds, we went back our way and dropped by Sagastrand Restaurant to eat our lunch. Finally!!

I’m proud to say that I SURVIVED and my experiment was a SUCCESS. Information about my expenses after this. 🙂

Ace and Demi cycling in Olango Island. 

I didn’t have enough of my biking tour in the island and the following weekend, I brought my younger brother and the hubby with me. Coincidently, the CFB team were also going. Yahoo!

Brother and Me cycling around Olango island.

My brother and I rented our bikes in the same rental place. He chose the mountain bike but I chose the folding bike because I don’t know how to use the big bike. As a result, I caused delays of the team’s ride. (Sorry.) Gladly, they live by their name “friendly bikers” and understood my shortcoming.

Ace cycling around Olango Island.

This time, we had our sumptuous lunch in Barangay Talima. Our good host prepared saang and grilled fish for us. We devoured the feast in just few minutes because we were all hungry.

Once again, for the second time I have proven my 200-peso experiment in Olango. 🙂 

When in doubt, PEDAL it out. 

Here’s a breakdown of my expenses: (Day-tour in Olango Island)

• Php30 — (back and forth) jeepney fare to and from Mandaue City (Php15)
• Php30 — (back and forth) boat fare
• Php6 — terminal fee (Php5 and Php1)
• Php40 — (back and forth) tricycle fare to and from bike rental (Php20)
• Php30 — three-hour bike rental (Php10/hour)
• Php30 — lunch
• Php30 — entrance fee to Bird Watching

Do the Math and that’s all my expenses.

Hence, I conclude that your 200-peso will let you survive in Olango Island. 

Just a few reminder:  **You’ll probably love to stay in the island for a long time but if you are in a day-trip make sure to be at the port before 4pm because it is the boats’ last trip to the mainland. **You can buy seafoods at a very cheap price like saang, talaba and etc., in Barangay Talima. ** Rent a bike at Kuya Erwin’s bike rental in Barangay Candagsao.

’til our next adventure.

Keep safe.
Love, Ace and Demi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discover Catmon | Chasing Waterfalls and Trekking Rivers

The greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. ~~ Roald Dahl

Tinubdan Falls, Catmon

Catmon, Cebu — home of Cebu’s second highest peak, Mt Kapayas. Despite being flocked by outdoor enthusiasts and the like, this town remained self-effacing and humble. And lately, with people’s never ending quest of discovering wonderful places to visit, Catmon, in all fairness has another reason to boast.

Behind the tall mountains of the municipality hides a wonderful haven full of nature’s bliss. A mysterious river slithers through the valleys of the town and divided it into the Old Catmon and New Catmon.

This place is not known to many people not even to most locals. Some of them knew the place but never dared to visit it because of the creepy stories that circulates around the town. Not even the kids in the area are fond to play in this river.

Rumors have it that there were mysterious disappearances in the area. Sometimes, locals nearby hear uproarious sounds coming from the river but there are no people around. Our guide forwarned us to leave the river before 5:00pm to avoid any untoward circumstances.

Hmm? That sounds really creepy!

We trekked for about five minutes before we caught a glimpse of this beguiling watercourse. Just the sound of the water cascades was already inviting. As if nature’s telling us to leave the worries behind and commune with her. And that, my friends, we couldn’t resist. Before we knew it, our feet were already in the water and we’re ready to plunge into an unknowingly great adventure.

There’s something with rivers that we like so much. We love the beach but we always long for the streams.

It gives us the thought that life is indeed like a river. It keeps flowing.

Ace and his emotion.

There are times that life is calm and peaceful. Times when life is steady, just the way you like it to, like nothing wrong could come its way. The water maybe placid but it is vulnerable. This tranquility won’t stay that way.  

 

Struggle pa more!

Sometimes, this life could be harsh that you struggle and fluctuate. The flow could be strong that it could drown you, that it could wash you away forcing you to leave your comfort zone. These times will come when you least expect it, it’d slap you on your face and you couldn’t do anything to stop it.  

 

 

Kapit lang, bes!

Yes, you’ll have a lot of struggle, a lot of holding on, a lot of letting go, too. But one thing is for sure, all of these things will lead you to a better place. All of these struggles will lead you to something great. Really great that you also did not expect it. 

Tinubdan Falls

Yay!!! I couldn’t believe I just wrote that. hahah

Let’s get back to reality, everybody. 😀 And after that musing, Tinubdan Falls finally! Look at that isn’t that worth our struggles? Waterfalls everywhere.

Ace and Demi cheesy moments. 

Hubby and I were very astounded. Tinubdan Falls is not as tall as the waterfalls in the Southern part of Cebu, but it’s stunning just the way it is. It’s unique in its own way. Albeit its height, it would never disappoint you.

We also learned that during the Second World War, this place was developed by the Americans in order to supply electricity for their camp at combat in Agsuwao, Catmon. However, there were no trace of that.

River trekking in Catmon.

We saw more mini falls as we continued trekking downstream. We climbed more rock boulders along the way which tested our balancing skills. It was one great adventure indeed!

Ace and Demi trekked Catmon river.

Before we conclude this post, I’d like to mention few wonderful friends we met during this jaunt. Nhagz of Nhagzventures, who invited us to join this trip, Padz Lai of The Little Lai: Beyond Limits, and Gly of Chasing Potatoes. We look forward to having more adventures with you. Until next time. 🙂

 

What is life but one great adventure!

P.S  We had a wonderful time in this place and would love to come back again. Let’s help keep this place the way it is. Practice responsible tourism. LEAVE NO TRACE. 

Until our next adventure!

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi

 

 

Inambakan Falls | South Cebu Tour 2016

Hey, everyone! I know this post has long been overdue. I was hoping to retrieve some of the photos we had on this place but we couldn’t seem to do so anymore. Anyway, I hope you’d still enjoy reading this one. 

When you least expect it, the great adventure finds you.

Remember our South Cebu Tour few months ago? (Oh, I hope you do but you can click here just in case you don’t.)

One of our most unforgettable adventure during that jaunt was our visit to Inambakan Falls. This mighty 100-foot waterfall is hidden in the outskirts of Ginatilan, Cebu — a half-hour motorcycle ride from the trash-free town.

 

Ace and Demi in Inambakan Falls

Upon disembarking from the motorcycle, we could already hear the sound of water crashing down from afar giving me a relief from the pain I felt because of that ride.

After paying the entrance fees, our guide led us to a cemented staircase which was very slippery because of the moss. I couldn’t count how many times I tripped. So, please take extra caution. (I’m talking.) As we got nearer, the sound of the water got louder, too. At last, after about 10 minutes of walking, this majestic beauty of Inambakan Falls was like telling us our search was all worth it.

The vehement pressure of the water falling from a hundred-foot height already hollowed the banks resulting to small cave behind the waterfall. The falls has a catch-basin as deep as 8 feet but there is also a shallow part for those who don’t trust their swimming skills like me.

Ace and Demi conquered Inambakan Falls

During our visit, there was already a newly-made makeshift raft. We were lucky to use the raft solely for ourselves because we were the only people there. Our guide also let us go to the small cave and plunge into the natural massage of the falling water.

Got your curiosity rising yet? Here’s another trivia, Inambakan falls is also dubbed as Ginatilan’s hidden treasure because this falls is not known to many people yet. the surrounding remained untouched except for the small hut cottages made for guests who wish to stay for a couple of hours in the area. Who would not love to hear the sound of nature alone?

What do you say? Are you ready to visit the place?

We hope you enjoyed our travel diary of Inambakan Falls despite the scarcity of photos. Have you been here? Tell us about it.

‘Til our next adventure!

Keep safe.

Love, Ace and Demi 

P.S You might want to hear about the rest of our South Cebu Tour. Know about our Historical Visit in Oslob, our quick visit to Sanayon Site in Santander, our time in Sumilon Island and stay updated for the rest of the places we visited by subscribing and following our site. Blessings! 

 

Finding Love at Lanigid Hill | Pre-valentine Climb

Every mountain is, rightly considered, an invitation to climb. ~ Henry Van Dyke

Situated in the far-flung barangay of Liloan, Cebu is a hill which is perfect for first-time climbers or for those who just want to get a dose of greeneries. They call it Lanigid Hill.

After a month delay of our plan to climb Lanigid Hill, it was finally realized last Saturday. It then served as a pre-valentine climb. Climbing with me were my single friends hoping to find love on top. 🙂

Feet forward.

The hubby was not able to come with us because he went biking with his friends. So it was my first venture without him, sort of ‘the girls’ climb’.

We rode a motorcycle at the old Liloan Public Market and paid 100 pesos each. After a 30-minute of almost an uphill ride, we reached Mulao’s barangay hall. There we registered our name and paid the Php10 environmental fee. After few minutes of warm-up we then started our trek to the hill.

The ascent was a bit easy but enough to get those sweats flowing. For first-time trekkers like Gichelle, it was a strenuous one because of the steep slope and loose soil. But she made it! (Clap, clap!)

Me and Louise.

Some of the plants along the way had been cut off for the wood to make charcoals which is the locals’ main source of livelihood. But we think, they’re also planting new ones to replace those.

After 20 minutes of ascending, we finally reached the top of the hill. And this view of Mr Sun greeted us. He’s very up but the wind beat his heat.

For office people like us, the kind of moment at the top is priceless. With all the lush greeneries and thick vegetation in the area we can’t help falling in love.

My girls, indeed, found love on top. 

After few hours at the top, we agreed to go down and have a quick visit to Mulao River. You might want to check out our adventure to this wonderful river on my previous post.

How about you? Have you been to this hill? How was it?

We hope you enjoyed reading this post!

‘Til our next adventure.

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi.

 

 

The Vast Beauty of Mulao River

The river once told me: There is no hurry. We shall get there someday. 

Mulao River

Slithering through the valleys of Liloan and Compostela is this splendid river that serves as the boundary of the two adjacent municipalities. It is called the Mulao River.

After our pre-valentine climb to Lanigid Hill last Saturday, we decided to have a quick visit to the said river. But what supposed to to be a quick one became a few hours of astonishment and exciting adventure.

The gang. 

Halfway through our struggle going down the never ending steep slope, we finally heard the gushing water and we felt relieved to know that we’re near.

We were welcomed by the enthralling beauty of this body of water.

The stupendous rocks that were artistically formed eons of year ago are just magnificent. I can’t keep myself from saying “wow” even though we’re forewarned not to make big noises while in there. The locals believed that some nature god or unknown spirits are living in the river, and they hate to be disturbed. I don’t know if you believe in it, too but I grew up in the countryside and have always believed in superstitions and myths.

There’s just something in the river that we can’t explain. As if the nature really showered all it’s care on this place. Imagine the enormous rocks of various shapes and forms. Made us wonder how they formed all these years.

Our main goal was to see the “Stone Ark”, yet the way to it is not easy. We had to climb the large boulders and jump from one rock to another. We mastered our art of balancing just to get through the cliff-like path. One mistake and you’ll get yourself hurt.

The Stone Ark. 

Finally, we reached our goal. This colossal rock, it’s not really surprising because all of the rocks in the area are this huge, but if you look at it, it indeed looks like a ship drydocked in an unreliable base. I say “unreliable” because the stone ark is REALLY big. (See the capslock there? LOL) And the base is too small for it. But lo and behold, this ark has been here thousands of years ago but not even the strongest flood shook and moved it.

Now don’t you call it amazing?

Just near the stone ark, we noticed the rocks looked different from the ones we saw. Here, the rocks resembled the waves in the ocean. The locals said that there are some nights they hear the ship moving as if it’s sailing, and they hear the waves that of the ocean. Could it be? (Now that depends on your belief.)

What more can we say? Mulao River is indeed enchanting. Along with the enigmatic beauty and mysterious stories of this river, it’s all worth the visit. And I really appreciate the locals for keeping this place a clean haven. I’m pretty sure the spirits and nature god are happy thus providing them a good harvest from the river.

Over to you. Have you visited this place? Or a place like this? Have you heard stories such as this? Share it to us.

We hope you enjoyed this travel diary.

‘Til our next adventure!

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi

Sumilon Island Sandbar | South Cebu Tour 2016

Let the waves hit your feet and the sand be your seat.

Want a quick breathe from the hustle and bustle of the city? We suggest you consider visiting Sumilon Island. Not only it’s a four-hour ride from the metropolis, it does not require you a full wallet, too.

Ace and Demi in Sumilon Island.

This beautiful secluded island is privately owned by Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort. They generously opened their sandbar to public for a very affordable fee.

When in Sumilon island. 

Visiting Sumilon Island Sandbar was included in our itinerary during our South Cebu Tour. We headed to this place right after our whale shark encounter.

The Sumilon island sandbar. 

Almost half of the sandbar portion was already submerged in water when we arrived but because the water was crystal clear, it was still visible.

The Sumilon island sandbar. 

There were not too many visitors during that time. We had a great time snorkling and enjoying the waves. After few minutes of basking in the sandbar, our tour guide offered us to tour the other part of the island. We climbed the giddy precipice which we thought is not for acrophobic individuals.

When in Sumilon island. 

But if you resolved to conquer that fear, this spot shows a panoramic view of the mainland and a wonderful view of the ocean. So, drop that fear, honey!!! You cannot miss this!

Ace and Demi in Sumilon Island. 

What do you say? Are you ready to visit the island?

We hope you enjoyed our travel diary of Sumilon Island. Have you been here? Tell us about it. 🙂 

 

‘Til our next adventure!

Keep safe.

Love, Ace and Demi 

P.S You might want to hear about the rest of our South Cebu Tour. Know about our Historical Visit in Oslob, our quick visit to Sanayon Site in Santander and stay updated for the rest of the places we visited by subscribing and following our site. Blessings! 

 

Ace and Demi went South 2016

With only four days to go before Christmas, we’d like to send everyone our hopes of a “merry Christmas”. This is indeed a season to be jolly! 

As we prepare our homes and selves for Christmas day, allow us to share this post about our South Cebu Tour last weekend. This trip was made possible by RoadWavesTour – a travel agency dedicated to give an outstanding and adventurous travel experiences. They have travel packages that give value for money and fit for those who want to travel on a budget. You guys should check it out.

Ace and Demi went South!

To celebrate our second year anniversary, we decided to go South of Cebu. Thankfully, RoadWavesTour has the package that suits our plan.

Oslob

• Whale Shark Encounter

Whale shark encounter

• Sumilon Island Sandbar

Sumilon Island sandbar

• Oslob Church  – The oldest church in Cebu 

The Immaculate Concepcion Church-Oslob

• The Cuartel Ruins

The Cuartel Ruins

Samboan

• Binalayan / Hidden Falls – also called the Three-Drop Falls

Santander

• Sanayon Site

Santander

Ginatilan 

• Inambakan Falls

Inambakan Falls

We will have separate posts for each major destinations — Whale Shark encounter and Sumilon Island, Inambakan Falls, Binalayan Falls, Sanayon Park, and Oslob Heritage Park. While we are still drafting them, kindly stay tuned.

‘Til our next destination!

Love, Ace and Demi

For some reason, I can’t retrieve our photos of the Cuartel Ruins and Sanayon Site. 

*Cuartel Ruins photo credit to WayPointsDotPh

*Sanayon Site photo credit to Laagan nga Bata