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Photo of the Day: Cape Melville Lighthouse, Balabac, Palawan, Philippines

Cape Melville Lighthouse

“Cape Melville Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse located in the island of Balabac, the southernmost point of the province of Palawan in the Philippines. It is also the southwest corner of the archipelago. The first-order light was constructed by the Spaniards to light Balabac Strait, the treacherous body of water that separates the Philippines from the neighboring country of Malaysia.” wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Melville_Lighthouse

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10 Myths in going to Balabac Palawan Philippines

Onuk Island, Balabac, Palawan, Philippines

  1. No public transport available in Balabac
    • You can take the a Van Transfer Puerto Princesa – Rio Tuba vice versa.  Rio Tuba – Balabac Public Boat operates daily, but there’s a chance to cancel the trip if not accommodated with 50 passengers.  In Balabac, Habal-habal and Tricycle is the main means of transportation with-in the island.  Island-hopping, you can hire a private passenger boat big enough to counter the waves, with “puppet” boat (a smaller boat) to bring you to the shore without damaging the beautiful corals
  2. Balabac is Infested by Mosquitos with Malaria
    • There are reports in some islands (not all) in Balabac that does have cases of Malaria disease.   Take some anti-malaria shots or meds before going to Balabac.  It is best to ask your nearest doctor/hospital about anti-malaria meds.  It’s better to be safe than sorry.
  3. There is Niknik (Sand Mites) infestation on Balabac beaches and shorelines
    • Yes there are Sand Mites in “some” islands… but again, not all.  Cover your skin as much as possible at night.  Put on insect repellant or lit a bonfire (not on the sand) near your campsite.  The smoke will push away the insects, not the fire.
  4. No drinkable clean water in Balabac
    • In Balabac town proper, there are shops where you can buy bottled water.  There’s even purified water refilling stations.  Before hopping the near by islands and shores, bring enough water that you think you need to consume during the trip and in campsites.  It is best to have a portable water filtration system and water purifier tablets with you during the trip.
  5. No Mobile Phone Signal in Balabac
    • You can get full bars with Smart and Globe with in Balabac town proper… but no data with Smart.    Save your phone battery by turning on Airplane mode during sea travels.  In some part of Balabac facing Sabah, you can get Malaysian mobile phone signals.
  6. There is no electricity in Balabac
    • Electricity is not 24/7 in Balabac town proper…  No electricity at all outside the town.  Some households use solar panels.   Bring and full-charge your powerbanks… or bring portable solar panels and crank chargers if you need to charge your devices.
  7. Infested with Saltwater Crocodiles
    • There are sightings of saltwater crocodiles in near-by rivers and mangroves shorelines.  Most of the victims are dogs, chickens and goats…  and a fishermen who went night fishing  got bitten by a small crocs.
  8. Tourist and Foreigners are not welcome especially non-Muslims in Balabac
    • They are generally friendly and hospitable like any other places in the world.   Religion is not an issue… You just have to respect everyone you meet and their culture when you visit places on your travel.   Balabac population is mostly Muslim brothers and sisters.  Muslims and Non-muslim in Balabac get along happily and peacefully.   Just for your safety and record purposes, you need to drop-by and register to the Balabac police station.  Another tip: Hire or a local guide.
  9. No resort nor hotel and lodging in Balabac
    • Look for “Sing and Swing” Lodging/Hotel in Balabac Town.  They offer rooms with fan, shared bathroom and comfort rooms.  Accessible to all shops, markets and wharfs.
    • You can set a camp for your tent or hammock on the islands for free.  Most of them don’t ask for payments… just hand over enough money as token of gratitude.
  10. You need to break a bank to visit Balabac
    • “If you want to travel fast, travel alone. If you want to travel far, travel together.”…  travel with a group to save cost and for your safety.  There are lot of alternative and less expensive way to travel going to and staying in Balabac.  Its up to your personal preference.
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A Short DIY New York City Tour

A Short DIY New York City Tour

Nangaling kami sa upstate New York tru Greyhound Bus papuntang NYC…  and Hotel Carter pinili namin dahil mura na at malapit lang sa Time Square… dirtiest hotel daw sya pero dahil hindi kami pabebe… dun kami nag book… ok naman and mas malinis naman compare sa ibang na witness ko hehe

Manhattan, New York, NY, USA
Manhattan, New York, NY, USA

Day 1 :
02:00 PM – Baba ng Port of Authority Bus Terminal sa 8th Ave cor 42 street
03:00 PM – Check in sa Hotel Carter sa W44th Street (One of the Dirtiest Hotel in NYC)
04:00 PM – Lakad sa 42nd Street (Bryant Park then Grand Central)
06:00 PM – Balik ng konti, tapos akyat ng 5th Ave papuntang Rockefeller Center
06:30 PM – Daan ng St Patricks Cathedral
07:00 PM – Haba pila then overlooking sa Rockefeller Center
09:00 PM – Baba, lakad ulit pabalik ng Time Square along W50th Street
10:00 PM – Tambay ng Time Square at mag selpe, hanap narin ng halal cart for dinner
11:00 PM – wasak!, tulog!

Day 2:
06:00 AM – WAKE UP CALL
07:00 AM – Heavy Breakfast sa Time Square (McDo)
08:00 AM – Red Line 1 (going to South Ferry Loop), baba ng World Trade Center
09:00 AM – 911 Monument Museum, gala sa labas, less tao sa umaga
10:00 AM – 911 Monument – Pasok sa Museum
01:00 PM – exit 911 Monument and LUNCH sa labas (may burger king na malapit LOLz)
01:30 PM – Lakad pababa sa Battery Park (Zuccoti Park, Trinity Church, Charging Bull)
02:00 PM – Statue of Liberty
04:00 PM – Balik ng Battery Park then lakad paakyat papuntang Wall Street
04:30 PM – Tambay at lakad muna sa Wall Street
05:00 PM – Sakay ng Green line Train going to 33street then lakad papuntang Empire State Building
07:00 PM – Empire State Building mag pahinga at mag night selfie
08:00 PM – Baba ng Empire State Bldg, lakad pabalik ng Time Square
09:30 PM – Habulin makapasok Madame Tussauds New York
11:00 PM – Exit ng Madame Tussauds at mag dinner ng Halal Food Cart para may rice hehe
12:00 PM – wasak! tulog

Day 3:
06:00 AM – WAKE UP CALL
07:00 AM – Heavy Breakfast sa Time Square (McDo ulit)
08:00 AM – Ikot ikot sa Time Square ng Umaga
09:00 AM – Lakad at Sakay ng Blue Line to Museum of Natural History
10:00 AM – Museum of Natural History (Libre pero nood ka narin ng Dark Universe ni Neil deGrasse Tyson)
12:00 NN – LUNCH sa pantry ng musem
01:00 PM – Tuloy ang lakad sa loob ng Museum of Natural History
06:00 PM – Exit ng Museum at bumalik ng hotel para mag pahinga
09:00 PM – Mag lakad papuntang 24/7 na Apple Store Central Park at sa gilid ng Central Park
11:00 PM – Bili ng food (hala food ulit) pabalik ng Hotel para direcho pahinga at matulog

Day 4:
06:00 AM – WAKE UP CALL
07:00 AM – pack-up, breakfast, pahinga ng konti then checkout
08:00 AM – Balik ng Port of Authority Bus Terminal pauwi

Tips:
– I use hotels.com and read the tripadvisor.com reviews to get the most affordable room to stay.
– Hailing a cab : May indicator ang NY cabs kung vacant, parahin mo lang
– Use subway train to save time (traffic!) and money (less expensive)
– Use Google Map or MTA to check the Train Schedule
– WALK! and pili ka ng pinaka komportableng walking shoes mo
– re:911 Monument, book ahead and buy ticket online.

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Chaotic Burias-Masbate trip by ‎Mia C. G. A.

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I took all my courage to share my chaotic Burias-Masbate trip. By the Travelling Kats.

(1) late silang dumating sa Shell Ayala. Nagulat ako sa dami ng tao akala ko fieldtrip.

(2) Walang wiper yung salamin ng bus! Sobrang delikado!

(3) Mainit at masikip yung bus.

(4) Organizer instructed us to pack light. Kaya dumating yung time na kahit jacket wala kaming dala. She even have an illustration on how we should pack our clothes. Dumating yung point na super ginaw na sa lugar at nagkakasakit na yung iba.

(3) she advised us to bring 6liters of drinking water at sumunod kami. In the end na stranded kami at mabilis na ubos ang tubig. Atleast 8 glasses of water ang kailangan ng tao sa isang araw. Just do the math.

(4) yung comfort room! Madumi na may bayad pa. 5php ihi and 10php for poop. Yung water kinukuha sa dagat. ilang beses ba dapat gumamit ng cr ang isang tao.

(5) Food service is like your a prisoner waiting for your turn. Yung mga taga sandok yung mga jail warden.

(6) Okay naman yung lasa. But I skipped a meal napansin ko iba ung texture nung kanin inamoy ko malapit na sya mapanis. Fried rice sya ulam ham.

(7) Sunday night sobrang lamig. Akala ko may bagyo kasi ang lakas ng hangin at may tubig na kasama. Hindi kami nakatulog ng mga kasama ko sa tent.

(8) We negotiated to a local hayaan kami mag stay sa cottage. That’s the time I’m asking for help.

(9) yung supplies na pinadala ng from San Pascual nakadisplay po para ibenta. Di mo alam kung sinong pagkakatiwalaan mo. Wala pong karating na tulong sa amin.

(10) Yung group ng travelling kats di naka register!!!! 28 lang ang alam nilang bilang ng tourist sa don. In fact 100 plus kami nasa island… Part 1 palang to.

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Part 2.

(11) I’m asking for help sa tulong ng DIY group. I didn’t sleep all night. Marami ang nagbigay ng tulong at contacts. Some PM me. Pero may mga nag tip kay Kat that night nag post din sya

(12) Nabasa ko yung screenshot ni Kath na okay na okay “daw” sila. Na may food supply at fresh water. Oo may food unlimited Pusit. Nasobrang over pricing sisingilin nya pa kami ng additional 200. Utang na loob pa namin na may kakainin kaming pusit ilang beses na namin ulam.

(13) Monday night nagplano yung group namin umalis. That night nakausap ko yung coast guard.

(14) lumabas ako ng cottage to talk to other people na di kasali sa travelling kats I asked for help. May sakit na 2 kasama ko. Finally pumayag yung local na makaalis yung 4 nakasama ko. Leap of faith. Dahil that time mas malakas na yung gale warning. Naiwan kaming pito.

(15) I’m starting to negotiate sa ibang bangkero with ate Shella. Di kami pinayagan ni dodong na makaalis. May contact sya sa coastguard. He is pissed when I told him na aalis yung 28 pax. Lalapitan pa nya. Pero nung narinig nya yung word na navy natigilan sya.

(16) nagmeeting kami with the other group na may contact sa navy pumayag sila isabay kaming pito. Sobrang nagpapasamalat ako sa kanila. Lalo na kay kuya na nag offer ng tulong nuong nakita nyang takbo ang ng takbo sa labas ng cottage.

(17) dumating yung navy at pinauna yung 28 pax na nag contact sa kanila. When someone asked about our group seven kami na hinayaan nilang sumama sa kanila. Yung mga nasa group ni Kat immediately raised their hands! And kat is there!

(18) second batch kaming sumakay sa rubber boat. Co DIY din ang nakatulong sa amin. She gave us the paper para maregister sa navy ung names namin.

(19) May nag pm sa kin asking for the navy’s number yung general ibibigay daw kay kat. I didn’t reply wala ng signal. I asked one of the crew na balikan yung mga naiwanan. (20) nakarating kami sa san pascual. Nagrent ng hotel.. wait for. Part. 3

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Last Chapter.

(21) Nasa San Pascual na kami yung apat na kasama ko na nauna umalis nagstay sila sa Hotel kumuha sila ng tatlo rooms. Akala namin bukas pa kami makakahanap ng boat going to Pasacao.

(22) Nakatulog ako around 5 pm ginigising ako ng mga kasamahan ko. May pulong sa baba. They told me na hindi kami makakaalis dahil yung navy vessel limited lang sa 70 pax. Nakita ko yung mga naiwan sa island kasama si Kath nangunguna pa sya don.

(23) lumapit ako sa babae na taga tourism at kinuha ko yung papel nilista ko lahat ng names ng 10 kong kasama. That time I’m starting to break down. Kakatawag lang ng nanay ko she’s angry. Di ko na alam gagawin ko. I cried. Sobrang stressful ng araw na yon. Nuong oras na yon I became selfish. Ayokong makuha nila slots ng mga kasama ko. We deserve it I worked hard for it. Tapos kukunin lang ng iba.

(24) pinaglaban kami nung 28 pax at 16 pax na group that they want us to join the navy vessel. Kaya nakasama kami.

(25) one of my friend confronted Kat She’s a lawyer at we are planning to take legal action. Naawa ako sa kanya pero mas naawa ako sa sarili ko at sa mga taong dinala nya don. If you can send 90 pax there be responsible to bring them back safely. Buhay ang pinag uusapan dito.

Di po ako sasagot sa comments. This is my version of truth.

Disclaimer: These are the statement posted by one of the unfortunate traveler who were stranded in Burias-Masbate Trip facilitated by a local travel organizer.  For her safety and privacy, we hid his name and profile picture.