Last month, my friends and I flew to Puerto Princesa for a delayed celebration of our little side hustle surviving its first year — which honestly deserves at least one beach trip and several “we did it” moments. It was also my second time in Palawan, but this time I got to experience it with my closest friends, which automatically made everything more fun.
Traveling with friends in your late twenties is funny because half the trip is healing your inner child while the other half is complaining about back pain, heat, and how expensive everything has become.
I used to open a blank page and feel... weirdly motivated to write something. But somewhere in the past few years, that changed.
Maybe life got busier. Maybe my brain got noisier. Maybe I got too comfortable storing ideas in my brain’s very disorganized “I’ll write this someday” folder. Or maybe it’s the weird pressure of wanting every post to be good instead of just letting it exist like I used to.
I’ll sit down, open a new blank page, write a few sentences, and then suddenly my brain decides it has absolutely nothing interesting to say. It’s like my blogging mojo packed its bags, left a short “brb” note, and never came back.
The urge to write is still there somewhere, I swear. Ironically, writing this post is probably the most I’ve written in a while and it’s literally about not being able to write.
Maybe getting the mojo back isn’t about waiting for inspiration to magically show up again. Maybe it’s about writing anyway even if the topic is “I have no idea what I’m doing right now.”
So if you’re reading this and the post feels a little messy, a little random, and a little unfinished… good. That means I’m at least trying again.
And who knows, maybe this is the start of finding my way back.
Welcome to the not-so-up-to-date update! On this episode of #GirlFromTheSouth, I'm excited to share with you all about how my partner and I celebrated our birthdays last year by taking a trip to Siargao (safety precautions were observed). I can't believe it's already been nine months since we went! It's crazy how much I still miss it and get emotional just thinking about it.
(Warning: this will be a photo heavy post + vlog at the end)
At first, I was a bit hesitant about traveling because of covid szn, but my partner and I decided to take a chance and go on a trip to a place far away from Manila. And I'm so glad we did! During our discussion about our travel plans, I suggested Cebu because I wanted to revisit and explore more of the attractions in Moalboal, plus the night market in Oslob. We ended up choosing something totally different to shake things up and make new memories. Exciting stuff!
It took us a little while to figure out where we wanted to go for our trip. Yes, we had a few options, but we eventually decided on Siargao. We did have some concerns because of the typhoon that hit the island in December 2021.There were a lot of information on social media about the damages done, which made us unsure of what to expect when we get there. Thankfully, we found some helpful videos on YouTube from vloggers who visited during the first and second quarter of 2022, and they shared that Siargao Island is already slowly recovering. Many shops and lodges are reopening, which is a good sign.
I gotta say, as soon as we got there, I felt the warmth and friendliness of the locals. They were so welcoming to us tourists and really valued our presence in their community. It felt good to also know we're helping boost their tourism scene.
We arrived in our accommodation earlier than planned, but the person in charge was nice enough to let us drop off our bags while waiting for our room to be available. This gave us some time to explore the area and become familiar with it in case we needed anything or wanted to see something specific.
I chose to book our lodging in General Luna for its close proximity to popular attractions and dining options. We were not really looking for anything too fancy when it comes to our accommodation since we'll be spending most of our time outdoors exploring. All we need is a cozy spot to catch some rest at night and store our belongings. At first, I had reservations about booking with Verde Bungalows due to the lack of online reviews and posts about their accommodations. Fortunately, my inquiries were answered by one of the owners and the booking process went smoothly.
We decided to rent a motorcycle - this option proved to be the most practical compared to renting a tricycle (thank goodness my partner knows how to drive one). It was also a smart move because we got to visit more places and had more time to chill around. We didn't book any tours because we wanted to take our time and explore at our own pace. It was a really cool experience and I totally recommend it.
Greenhouse is an eco resort & restaurant just along the highway and it's now our favorite restaurant on the island! We highly recommend trying the Pasta Alfredo Chicken, it's absolutely delicious!Unfortunately, this is the only photo of us available (sucks!). Most restaurants and retail establishments also do not allow customers to wear footwear indoors. At first, we were a bit uneasy not wearing them, but we became accustomed to it over time. The vibe was so laid-back and the service was perfect. Definitely recommend checking it out.
My partner and I had a chat about how to stick to our travel budget while still treating ourselves - only allowing expenses that are considered to be of utmost importance. When it comes to food, we opted to eat out at local karinderyas or any other restaurant that offers a more budget-friendly option. Don't worry, we didn't deprive ourselves of good food!
On our first beach adventure, we checked out Malinaw beach. We had a great time swimming and just chilling out, taking in the relaxing atmosphere. It felt good to only hear the sound of waves crashing onto the sand. I'm not sure why there weren't many tourists around when we visited, but the beach is stunning. The crystal-clear water was nothing short of breathtaking, and the sensation of the fine sand between my toes was just divine.
I'm a bit bummed that I didn't snap a pic of Cloud9 while we were there - it was just so stunning! The entrance fee wasn't too steep, which was a nice surprise. Sadly, the famous tower was no longer there, but they're working on rebuilding it. It was so hot and crowded that we could only hang out there for a bit. Plus, with the tide being so low, there's really no point in taking a swim.
Feeling exhausted from our early morning flightand agenda shortly after arriving, we went back to our lodge to rest up. And let me tell you, we couldn't manage to get any sleep the night before our flight so imagine how completely exhausted we were. To our surprise, we actually slept through the night and woke up feeling totally refreshed at five-thirty in the morning the next day! Even though we missed out on dinner, we didn't feel like we wasted any time because we were well-rested and ready to take on the day ahead.
I'm so glad the weather held up for our sightseeing adventure, but man, we definitely got baked in the sun. Despite that, I really enjoyed spending all those hours driving, passing by rows of trees, breathing in the fresh air, and seeing the beautiful scenery. I'm grateful for the chance to have experienced all of that!
We went to this secret lagoon in Maasin River and I gotta admit, the boat ride had me feeling pretty anxious. I was worried we might tip over or come across some weird stuff in the water. We went there super early in the morning and and it looked like we were the first ones there. It was pretty cool because we got to spend a lot of time just hanging out and exploring the area, but the freezing water made it quite challenging.
Fresh coconut for only ₱50 each
Magpupungko Beach & Tidal Pools is stunning. We arrived during high tide and opted to enjoy lunch and relax on the beach before exploring.
While we were having a good time wandering around the area, we noticed that the tide was receding, and the skies began to get gloomy. Thankfully, we were able to bask in the moment and make the most of our time before the rain started pouring down. It continued to rain for quite a while.
To be honest, I've been thinking about learning how to swim. Wearing a life vest can be quite uncomfortable, especially when no one else you're with is wearing one.
I was a bit unsure about taking a picture of the famous Palm Tree road due to the aftermath of Typhoon Odette which left the trees looking bald. But then I figured it would be a nice way to remember that I had been there.
If you've already visited Siargao or searched for it online, you may have heard about the coconut view deck's famous human drones. While we were taking pictures, they offered to record a video for us to capture the moment. It was actually pretty hilarious!
We stumbled upon a Puregold store on the island and got some much-needed items and snacks while we were there. With all the development happening in the area, I just hope it doesn't lose its natural charm like some of the provinces in Luzon. It seems like a lot of people these days are longing for a return to unspoiled nature.
We still had the energy to go out and have dinner at Isla Cusina. Even though the food was a bit pricey, the food was gratifying. Since my partner and I were celebrating our birthdays we figured it was the perfect way to splurge a little.
The restaurant goes as far as welcoming stray dogs inside! Isn't that just adorable?
We had a relaxing time at Cloud9 boardwalk to end our night. We were fortunate that the location was not teeming with people that night, so we were able to take our time and enjoy the peaceful night.
We were told that the Catangnan Bridge offers a breathtaking view of the sunset. However, since we were always on the go during that time, we decided to switch things up and witness the sunrise from there instead. Our lodge was nearby, so we hopped in our motorcycle and headed over to see the beauty for ourselves.
Time for coffee!
We went back to Malinaw Beach to unwind and map out our itinerary for the rest of the trip.
Look at that fine sand.
We were heading down the highway when we spotted an Andoks restaurant nearby. We thought, "Why not?" and decided to grab some lunch there. And you know what? It was the branch in Siargao that made me realize how much I love Andoks. The best part? The dining area was open, and we ended up feeding the stray dogs while also enjoying our meal!
We spent hours searching for this beach! It's no surprise that it's dubbed Secret Beach. We got lost looking for this location, but it turned out to be very close to Malinaw Beach. I regret not choosing this spot to start our day - the views are unreal and it's so peaceful here. I could definitely see us spending the whole day just chilling out and enjoying the scenery.
That mandatory under the palm trees shot~
I believe the beach is several kilometers away from a mangrove forest and at that moment, my mind was preoccupied with thoughts of crocodiles, which made me reluctant to take a swim. However, the locals assured me that there have been no sightings.
As our trip comes to a close, we made an impulsive decision to get a tattoo. Personally, I was more worried for my low pain tolerance ass than I was about my mom going batshit crazy because I'm coming home with a tattoo. Nine months in and it's still hard to believe that we got tattoos on a whim!
I may have overreacted a bit due to the discomfort of the needle on my skin, but it wasn't all that horrible.
These meaningful symbols will forever remind us of the amazing experiences we've had in Siargao.
Btw, we got the ₱500 surprise tattoos
Since it was a pretty good day - we managed to avoid any tears during the tattoo session (yay!), we treated ourselves to some refreshing Coco Frio milkshakes. Later on, we chowed down on some delicious chicken wings for dinner. Once we got back to our lodge, we started getting our stuff together for our flight back to Manila the following day.
Overall, a solid stay! I wasn't able to take many photos of the island views because I wanted to fully immerse myself in the experience. We didn't also get to do the whole island hopping activity, but I'm sure we'll get to do it another time. I'm feeling hopeful about going back again and trying out more exciting activities. Anyway, we had a great time doing our own version of the land tour that we planned ourselves. This vacation was such a treat for me since I haven't had the chance to travel much due to the ongoing pandemic. It was such a lovely experience to be surrounded by such kind and hospitable people on the island. And having my special someone there to share it with just made it even better.
I'm feeling a bit bummed out because the vlog I edited. I lost some footage from our trip because of a stupid SD card issue. But, on the bright side, maybe this is a sign that I really need to plan another trip to Siargao!
