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San Lorenzo Windmills
Category Archives: It’s More Fun in the Philippines
ROCA ENCANTADA
NAVALAS CHURCH & BELFRY
Navalas Church & Belfry
- No entrance fee
- a place to retreat
- fresh windy place
Smallest Park
Smallest Park
- No entrance fee
- Along the highway
- A monument of Rizal
Mysterious in Silhouette. Why always Rizal?
Researched Reasons:
- National Hero of the Philippines (but there’s more to that is it?)
Balaan Bukid of Guimaras
Balaan Bukid
- No entrance fee
- Trek for 30-40 minutes.
- Notice the different markers that symbolizes the stations of the cross.
- Along the trails, huge and beautiful trees will welcome you while on top awaits the mystical church and the cross; miracles are said to be granted here.
- Witness the majestic view of the seascape surrounding Guimaras.
- Buy atis from the locals (if no mangoes available).
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Back to DIY Iloilo – Guimaras Blog
Island Tour | BALAAN BUKID | SMALLEST PARK | NAVALAS CHURCH & BELFRY | ROCA ENCANTADA | SAN LORENZO WINDMILLS | CAPITOL | TRAPPIST MONASTERY | MANGO PLANTATION | GUISI LIGHTHOUSE |
Guimaras Photography by Kuya Cherald
In connection with the post I wrote about my tour guide in Guimaras, here are some of my fave shots.
Has an EYE for Photography
He has the skills in using DSLR and camera phones. A huge fan of panoramic shots. He did lay on the ground and stood in the risky edge of the old rusty lighthouse just to give me the profile photo-worthy shot. All that under the extreme heat of the sun and while the strong winds scared the fearless-in-height in me on top of the lighthouse. LOL.
What To Do in Guimaras That You Never Read in Other Blogs?
Tired of reading the same stuff about Guimaras over and over again?
Here is a extraordinary spice added to what to look out for.
- HUG A TREE – see the beauty of trees and marvel with their power to connect with our souls.
2. SELFEET – featuring the different landscapes of Guimaras and it’s limestone foundation.
3. Church Hopping – I’m gonna be remarried here 🙂 
4. Make Friends & Take a Jump – awesome people from GenSan. I love jumpshots but it doesn’t love me. hehehe
5. Meeting the Locals – encounters are truly enriching.
Kuya Boy who helped me out with my 3 island hops. A bangkero from Raymen. Please give them some tips, it does help.
The Tres Marias of the Trappist Monastery buy their goods please, you might get discounts and free item from them.
These kids are the naughtiest of all. I asked them if the Bell is working and if I can ring it, they told me that I can. And so I did. Then all ran in different directions including me. Afraid to be caught tugging the cord. 🙂 That was fun anyway. LOL
6. Take Panoramic Pictures
The picturesque ruins
The buwis buhay panoramic shot with the wind blowing too harsh and standing in the old rusty lighthouse is another fear factor experience
The Raymen beach. Short beach walks are too awesome in the morning and noon
7. Try Local Food – the veggies called “Laswa” and their own version of dinuguan.
8. Sea Creature Encounter
Gigantic Bangus
slug
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9. Play with the Colors
no filter. real.
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10. Make Your Own Trail and Chase Sunset – near Raymen is an ecopark and nobody seems to go that way and things unnoticed is what I really like.Plenty of things to see and so I will write more of it with another post.
A LIST FOR CHOOSING KUYA CHERALD AS YOUR TOUR GUIDE IN GUIMARAS
All safe and me happy to explore Guimaras with my awesome friend here. DIY Iloilo – Guimaras blog here
- SMART & GLOBE UNLIMITED SUBSCRIBER
A tour guide who answers your text and call inquiries whenever wherever. If he could, he would definitely answer your queries in his sleep. Suki ng unlimited promos.
Here are the infos: Cherald Padojenog
SMART: 09084748122
GLOBE: 09179647934
credit to his fb account
2. Sought After by Travellers, Chosen by Explorers & Recommended by Bloggers
I will name few bloggers who wrote about him: Blissfulguro (2013), Senyorita (2014), Sacurativo (2013), Lakad Pilipinas (2014), et. Al. All were satisfied with the Guimaras Island Tour and to name this list is just a few. Look it up on google and be amazed of the different stories about him.
3. Has an EYE for Photography
He has the skills in using DSLR and camera phones. A huge fan of panoramic shots. He did lay on the ground and stood in the risky edge of the old rusty lighthouse just to give me the profile photo-worthy shot. All that under the extreme heat of the sun and while the strong winds scared the fearless-in-height in me on top of the lighthouse. LOL.
Highlight of Events: Arriving in the Guisi Lighthouse, 2 girls are taking their photos in the lighthouse and their driver/guide was just watching them. While as for me, Kuya Cherald is such a delight to offer his good skills in photography and allowed me to have my mini pictorial. He took really awesome photos. Gallery of his shots (click here).
Meanwhile, we watched them to took their photos gazillion times and still with no luck with a good angle. That’s a No! NO! Everyone deserves a good profile photo of Guimaras. So, I did offer Kuya’s expertise and even took their photos on the top of the lighthouse.
And much for a surprise, they all discovered that it’s Kuya Gerald that they sought to be their guide and contacted him on his facebook (which he couldn’t open/lost password). Lucky me, I was able to contact him on his cell phone number and yes, he is my tour guide. Almost won the jackpot there (overwhelmed to be the lucky one).
4. KNOWLEDGEABLE
Trivia is an essential part of the tour and he knows what to tell about Guimaras, such Iloilo and Guimaras are two different provinces. We even talked about politics, paying taxes and ownership of lands in this province. Ask and he’ll try his best to give you facts.
5. Haggler
Can ask for discounts if you cannot speak Illongo like what he did with the sugar apple (atis) I bought in Balaan Bukid. He also called Raymen Beach Resort to move my reservation (I came 2 days earlier than my booking. A girl always changes her mind). J
And much for a surprise, he is willing to give discounted rates for the island tour, the lowest and the cheapest Php 1,000 from the usual 1,200 – 1,500. I got mine for Php 1,500. Here’s why ? (click here).
6. A Family Man
I met his wife while descending Balaan Bukid. He told me his story, his humble begginings, about his wife, kids, nephews, and brothers. Some which he says he took as his own. He is a provider, a good father and brother, I could tell especially when he speak of his kids and how he helped his brothers to improve in their tour guiding and took care of some of Kuya Cherald’s guests. I see a good man in him.
7. Good Companion
Answers. – a must have for a good companion
Hahaha. I am a full-of-questions person. From the stupidest to smart-ass questions, I had it all stored in my head.
But the essentials: Guide. Driver. Photographer. Enthusiast. Friend.
I might be running solo on my adventure
but meeting Kuya was all part of the wanders of the universe.
I never felt alone. I was able to fulfil a dream to encircle the entire Guimaras Island.
I even left the entire bag at a stranger’s house and laying on the tricycle (putting in on risk).
But found trust with it,
Learn few Ilonggo words.
DIY ILOILO + GUIMARAS (MY FIRST SOLO BACKPACKING)
Violet’s desire to see the world hasn’t changed, even if means to travel alone.
Solo backpacking. What a big change that sounds. It had never ever happened before. Violet – a traveller always accompanied by friends, now gone solo. What lies ahead for her with no one but herself to depend on? This is definitely no ordinary trip for a girl running solo for the very first time.
Day 1: Planning Iloilo-Antique-Guimaras
That was the original plan but the delayed flight from Manila 4:45 PM went beyond what is expected. Violet arrived more or less 8:00 in the evening in the beautiful Iloilo International airport but was delighted with the tourism office full of beautiful maps of Western Visayas. She knew what to look for next, a van taking her to SM Iloilo (Php 50.00) and then arrived 9:00 PM.
Seeing SM Iloilo closes, she is screaming her panicking heart out. Good thing, a very kind looking Ilocano is also waiting for a ride and she asked for directions going to Robinsons Place Iloilo for the Ong Bun Pension House, and she wasn’t disappointed.
She said to herself, “that wasn’t that bad or scary. Iloilo is good. It was just like Metro Manila. Nothing to fear.”
So, she rode the Mandurriao jeepney, paid Php 7.00, scanned every turns on the road and checked google map. Happy not to encounter any traffic.
Where to Stay in Iloilo?
Going to Ong Bun Pension House is an easy find. It’s very near Robinsons Place Iloilo but the street where it is located is quite dark and lots of girls where roaming the dark alleys. Not my biz anyways. I just noticed them when I bought my chicken joy meal at Plazoleta Gay.
Remarkable about my first Day in Iloilo: Good roads. No traffic. The yema is too good to ruin my diet (bought it infront of Jollibee). A night time to plan my solo exploration since I had no itinerary prepared. Sleep.
Day 2: ILOILO – GUIMARAS Island Tour
How to Get There: From Ong Bun Pension House going to Ortiz Port, ride a jeepney going to La Paz (7.00). Get off at the University of Iloilo and walk straight to the port, unfortunately the pumpboats going to Jordan Port transferred to Parola Wharf as per advised the coast guard (Typhoon in Luzon). Hence, another ride with a tricycle worth 20.00 just to get there (approx. 15 minute ride).
Once there, bought my ticket for 14.00 and register. It was just a short boat ride and then there’s Guimaras. Welcome! Welcome to Guimaras Province!
I was greeted to sign in the tourism office and I was greeted by Kuya Cherald – my tour guide. Yes. If you’ve read about him. It’s him. 🙂
ISLAND LAND TOUR
Do not underestimate this small island, it did look small in the map but in a ride, you have to prep the butt for the long bumpy ride.
Here is the list of the places Violet explored (in order, with gallery and notes):
| BALAAN BUKID | SMALLEST PARK | NAVALAS CHURCH & BELFRY | ROCA ENCANTADA | SAN LORENZO WINDMILLS | CAPITOL | TRAPPIST MONASTERY | MANGO PLANTATION | GUISI LIGHTHOUSE |
OCEAN ADVENTURE SUBIC: ANIMAL TRAINER ADVENTURE
Learn how to swim and
swim with dolphinsand whales– Excerpt from Violet’s bucket list https://violetxplorer.wordpress.com/category/bucket-list/
Violet would like to share the joy of fulfilling another dream: swimming with the dolphins and an encounter with a gigantic sealon named Kai. She had gone to Ocean Adventure Subic and had her share to become an animal trainer for a day. This is quite expensive but the memories are surely priceless and she had put strike on it on her bucket list.
MEETING A SEA LION
When younger and loved watching NatGeo, I came across a feature about seals and sea lions. I was actually fascinated on how adorable and cute they’re and I was sure they also perform in circuses. But what happened next had disturbed my entire childhood-being. This brought me into tears and entirely shocked, I think I had never actually moved on.
Arriving 2 PM at Ocean Adventure, we are quick to change clothes and finally meet our mentors. They taught us some information and basics of teaching sea lions and of course, I asked if it’s safe to be near the carnivorous sea lion and recalled to everyone about the feature on NatGeo, they said yes and with their convincing poses. We would be meeting Kai, the friendliest, tamed and cutest sea lion in the park.
Here is Kai wearing a big big smile on his face. He must know that I am his new trainor and to do this, we had a bro-fist thingy (my fist and he presses his nose against it). To make smile, use your thumb and index finger and shape it like a smile or check, press the clicker device and feed him fish. He was taught with positive reinforcement (rewards and prizes are the best way to learn not just for kids but also for sea lions).
Raise your thumb and see his cute inverted heart-shaped tongue. cutey…
See the clicker on my hand? When he does something correct the clicker is pressed and it’s time for his fave rewards: fishes and squids.
More photos soon…
DOLPHIN ENCOUNTER
I was able to see how fun dolphins were when I encounter them at Panglao, Bohol. We are at the boat and chasing their entire school. I had fun seeing them jump of the waters, race and swim too fast, but I also felt that I violated their peace and i just hoped they will never be put on harm because of that tour vieiwing.
It was a dream to see them but I never thought that swimming, interacting and touching them would actually be possible. Here is our coach Jay and patiently reviewing us the hand signals for the show. Waaaahhh… we are part of the dolphin show that day, just awesome! And he had this amazing trick with the false killer whale dolphin
Here is my biggest friend ever – Tonka, a false killer whale dolphin.
Tonka decided to gave us some splash…woah!
Dragged… by a dolphin. Thought I had lost my shorts. LOL! It was awesome how fast they swim and how strong they were.
violetxplorer 