Olango Summer Trip

My family and I decided to take a quick trip to Olango Island. We rode a jeepney to Mactan and we headed over to Angasil port. It's beside what was once Portofino Resort. Surprisingly, the fare going to the Island itself was cheaper than our jeepney fare. The trip was more or less fifteen minutes. We opted for a tricycle to take us to our resort. We stayed at Shalala beach. It has been our second time staying there.

Fifteen minute boat ride from Mactan Island to Olango Island

Touchdown at Olango Island

Tricycles are the way to go

We had the air-conditioned room which was a bit pricey considering the size and its bathroom amenities. The room was good for two so we had to pay for the excess people staying in the room. The caretakers were very accommodating and assisted us with whatever we needed. Sari-sari stores are at a nearby walking distance and you can buy cold soft drinks there, also a gallon of water and a few other items. You can also grill your food, just ask assistance and at an affordable price, you could ask them to cook your rice. The sunset is heavenly but sunrises aren't visible from the beach front.

Air-conditioned rooms named after the owner's grandchildren

The beach and Mangroves

Enjoy the beach with this open cottage

There was a terrible thunderstorm the night we stayed there. We thought it would be a typhoon but thankfully it went away in the morning. After strong rains, the beach becomes a bit murky and you should avoid diving into the waters then. You can rent a canoe if you're up for it. The current's not too strong and you need not worry about being carried away into the deeper part of the ocean.

Beautiful stretch of white sand

Picturesque Sunset

You can never go wrong with canoes

Ecotourism park

After checking out, we decided to stop by a few tourist spots in the area. The nearest one was ecotourism park. The place was nice, there were aquariums of aquatic animals and little boats situated at the shore. You can go for a swim and lounge at the provided tables. Public restrooms are also provided and you can go change in there. They also allow tourists to camp and sleep in tents overnight. Whenever tourists decided to, Policemen would patrol the area to provide safety.

Marine Wildlife Sanctuary

Our next stop was the Olango Wildlife Sanctuary. It was a long trip going there and cost us a lot more because of the distance. The Marine Wildlife Sanctuary has a boardwalk made out of bamboos. You can see mangroves and different birds. If you want to, you can take a swim but due to time constraints we weren't able to do that. The Bird Wildlife Sanctuary was a few minutes away. Unfortunately, the migratory birds already left but nonetheless the view was breathtaking and extraordinary. There is a walkway towards a cottage which provides a better view of the area. When we got there, there were a lot of Korean tourists and we just stayed out of their way and explored the other parts of the sanctuary.

Bird Wildlife Sanctuary

We made our way to the sea port and headed back to Mactan Island. It was an amazing trip and I wouldn't mind going back to Olango Island.

Denim Fever

I’ve been seeing a lot of pictures on the internet with this trend. A lot of fashion bloggers would experiment on styling denims. It can make a girly outfit look casual and it looks especially good when paired with a dress of light material. Denim on denim has also been a big hit. If you want an edgy look buttoning the top most portion of a denim vest would do the trick. You can pair a jacket or vest with shorts or jeans not necessarily of the same color or shade. So, don’t be afraid to mix and match denims!

Edgy? Yes Please.

Denim + Girly Dress

Denim on Denim

Work it

Bantayan Island

We went to Bantayan Island and stayed at Budyong Resort for 3 days and 2 nights. The bus schedule was a bit early so we had to catch up. It was 3:30 A.M. when we departed from the North Bus Terminal. A ferry boat took us from Medellin to Sta. Fe which is in Bantayan Island.

Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island Seaport

The beach was so enticing when we arrived at the resort but we had to rest due to the excruciating heat. It was around 8 then. My mom made sure that we stayed in a fully air conditioned room. The resort overall was nice. Their room rates are affordable, staff are accommodating and the beach is exquisite. My mom heard negative feedback on their restaurant so we opted to eat out. There were a lot of carenderias to choose from since its location is near a local market. You can even buy fresh seafood and have it grilled at a very affordable price. The resort was strict about the check out time so we made sure we were ready by 12.

Sneak Peak of the Gorgeous Beach

There was a sandbar in front of the resort. It was fun taking pictures because of the powdered white sand. There were a few foreigners during our stay and they usually would go sun bathing at the hottest time of the day and would stay in their rooms in the time nearing the sunset. The Filipinas on the other hand, would flock the beach around that time sporting their swimwear, usually bikinis. I’m guilty of doing this too since I’m avoiding to be tanned beyond recognition. The place is ideal for photoshoots and just swimming and basking in the summer heat.

We were sad to leave this paradise. I’ll give this summer getaway 8 out of 10 stars. The only downside was the journey back and forth. It was a bit pricey but worth it.

Budyong Resort

Beach Front

Sunrise in Bantayan Island

Sand Bar near the shore

Lounging by the beach

Summer Escapades

Growing up, I used to think highly of the overseas beaches in movies. Awed by the wide stretch of white sand and clear blue waters, I never knew then the beauty of my country. My mom likes to travel when we have the luxury of time and money. We would like to think that we are wise spenders, rarely do we lavish on expensive resorts or trendy beach attires. The internet opened our eyes to budget friendly travels and gawking sceneries our country has to offer. We started out at underrated destinations in our province, Cebu. This is where I’d like to share our experience, the beautiful and exotic paradise of Cebu.

Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island, Cebu, Philippines

Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island, Cebu, Philippines

Sunrise in Camotes Island, Cebu, Philippines

Clear waters of Camotes Island, Cebu, Philippines