When we went to Dapitan in December, we planned of doing some sidetrips on our way home.
At the entrance gate of the hydroelectric plant
One of our itineraries was to see Maria Cristina Falls in Iligan City, monikered the City of Majestic Waterfalls, because of the presence of more than 20 waterfalls in the city. Maria Cristina Falls is Iligan City’s landmark (Wikipedia).
Maria Cristina Falls is a waterfalls of the Agus River. The Agus Hydroelectric Plant is powered by Maria Cristina Falls.
Maria Cristina Falls' Hydroelectric Plant
Unfortunately, this river was one of the rivers which overflowed that caused the deluge devastation in Iligan brought about by the killer typhoon “Sendong”. We were very grateful that when the typhoon hit the city, we’ve already had reached our respective home sweet homes. Talk about God’s protection!
Agus River
Anyhow, our trip to Maria Cristina Falls was worth it and time very well spent.
It is sometimes called the "twin falls" as the flow is separated by a rock at the brink of the waterfall
Seeing its beauty and grandeur would make you mutter “It’s Indeed Fun in the Philippines“!
You may ask, why it’s fun in the Philippines? One of the many cool reasons could be the newest resort in Mindanao which is located in South Cotabato. It boasts of its world-class facilities: Moby Wave Pool, Adventure Rapids, Freestyle Swimming Pool and the Wiggles Kiddie Pool.
Please allow me to let the photos speak for itself:
When we went there in December for our Provincial Yearend party, I was amazed at how the place was developed. Everything was so modern! It’s indeed one of its kind in Southern Philippines!
I got the chance to take some captures from my very own shutter:
At the Wiggle Kiddie Pool
More reasons to wiggle and giggle! ;-)
Some rules at the Wiggles Kiddie Pool
Function Hall and Cabanas
If you’re interested to see the rates, here it is:
We sure had a blast the entire time of the happy party there!
I have actually planned for a family outing there in December. But my mother doesn’t want her young, beautiful skin to be exposed under the heat of the excruciating sun (Ang arte! ); so I had to find another place with overnight accommodation, hence Lemlunay Dive Spot. Too bad Paraiso Verde’s open only until midnight.
However, I highly recommend this place to everyone who wants another round of awesome adventure. Paraiso Verde has succeeded in giving fun a different meaning and bringing Mindanao to greater heights.
During the short time that I was on blogging hiatus, I found the time to bond with my family. We took a trip to Sarangani’s dive haven, Lemlunay Dive Spot. It was actually my third time to visit the place but it’s the very first time for our Morning Dew. This is also his longest and farthest trip thus far
I continue to be amazed at the breathtaking views at Lemlunay. I can’t help but press my shutter the instant we set foot at the resort.
Lemlunay Dive Spot on a cloudy afternoon
It was a little cloudy when we arrived. The cottages were fully booked. However, I have long confirmed my booking for an overnight stay.
Our haven for a night
Too bad we weren’t really blessed with a good climate the entire duration of our stay. It was a cloudy, rainy morning the next day.
Sarangani Bay on a rainy day
We were all disappointed because we agreed to rise up at 5:30 am to witness the spectacular view of sunrise from there. We can’t do anything but roll in bed till about midday.
Though it was still raining, we were too excited to take a dip at the inviting pool.
The infinity pool
I thought I couldn’t get the chance to go down by the beach but hey! I was too happy when I learned that it was a low tide and we were able to see the spectacular beach.
The huge rock at Sarangani Bay
I planned of taking a dive adventure for this trip. Do you think I was able to gather enough courage to do that? Do stay tuned!
When we’ve reached Dapitan City at night time, we were all too exhausted after hurdling more or less 15 hours on the road. We had to fill our then hungry stomachs upon arrival, had our luggage arranged in the room, washed up and immediately went to bed.
The hotel room and my co-workers obviously felt the fatigue after checking in
Some of our stuff and there! A co-worker had to recharge her phone to keep in touch with the hubby ;-)
We were scheduled to register ourselves up the next day at Dapitan Cultural Center. Our delegation arrived a day ahead as all other regions arrived on the official day of registration. So the next day, we felt a little relaxed as we had a good sleep the night before.
Too bad we weren’t housed at Dakak. It’s fully booked by some other regions who were willing to spend quite a hefty amount for their accommodation. We had to settle for Dapitan’s second best hotel. The government-owned hotel is a bit old but it gave us the comfort that we needed while we were away from home. It’s a lot more accessible too to the venue of various events not to mention affordable:-)
Before proceeding to the registration venue, we’ve got the chance to explore Dapitan City Resort Hotel.
With co-workers and The Boss inside the hotel
Outside the hotel
What actually prompted me and my Boss to confirm our booking at this hotel as early as October was because of the inviting pool, aside from it being too accessible of course!
Don't look at me but at the pool behind me, hahaha!
More cam-whoring ensued before we’ve finally left the hotel’s vicinity.
Me, me, me. LOL!
Inside and outside the hotel
The Regional Director gave a few important instructions to the personnel before we proceeded to the registration venue. We were the early birds so there was no rush. We took our sweet time. Thus, more time for photoshoots, LOL!
With comrades at work
We then took the bus on our way to the Cultural Center.
The bus owned by the Provincial Government of South Cotabato
Who's the youngest of them all? ;-)
At the registration venue, we had to queue up on a first-come-first-served basis. We always had to get our smiles ready for the camera as it snaps at any given time.
At the registration venue
My cousin Mystique’s Mom, no other than my loving Aunt who is an Election Officer, was with the South Cotabato delegation. We were billeted at different hotels so everytime we see each other, we always make sure that we pose for the cam.
My Aunt and yours truly
The huge hat was all over my face, hahaha!
After we registered ourselves, we have had some idle time. We initially planned of going to Siquijor for a side trip just to kill the time. But the Boss wasn’t too enthusiastic about that. He wanted us to feel relaxed and not too exhausted for the next event- the Welcome Party dubbed Bienvenida a Zamboanga. It was slated to be held at a Thai Restaurant at Dakak Park and Beach Resort. I believe that deserves another post
As I’ve promised, I Am Back With A Vengeance! I feel too excited to share with you all my beautiful experiences and adventures with my recent official business trip. No doubt it wasn’t purely business as it’s mixed with loads of fun
Believe it or not, I only got two (2) hours of sleep the night before we hit the road for the long journey to Dapitan City. I obviously wasn’t able to contain my excitement.
Mind you!
I wasn’t by my lonesome feeling that way as most of the employees were shouting at their Facebook walls at midnight expressing that they’ve got mixed emotions and that they can’t sleep too, LOL!
The road trip to Dapitan City, Zamboanga Del Norte began at 4am.
Comelec Gensan beauties. Looking fresh and clean hitting the road at dawn.
But before proceeding to a long journey ahead of us, a co- Election Assistant invited us over at their home sweet home at Cotabato City for breakfast. Menchie was once a generous sponsor of a lunch treat at work. Indeed, Food Tastes Better When It’s Free
At first I was a wee bit hesitant to have a bite.
Will I eat or not?
But looking at the boys having such big bites (LOL!) made me drool. And so I put all my hesitations away and took a hot chocolate drink, hard boiled egg, pastil (1/2) and native chicken adobo. So yum!
I was caught getting my share of the chicken, LOL!
After a hearty meal, we took the time to pose for the camera at the elegant house.
Sitting Pretty ;-)
When can I own a house as big as this? ~ Dreamy dreamy eyes
My Co- Election Assistants (in standing position) and a subordinate seated beside me
We didn’t stay long as we were expected to be at the Municipality of Parang, Maguindanao by 9am. All 4 provinces of Region XII (South Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, and North Cotabato) traveled by convoy to Dapitan City.
Region XII Delegates at Parang, Maguindanao
Comelec Gensan Personnel
At Ozamis City, we had to take a barge. I was feeling a little nervous. It’s always like that whenever I take a ferry or a small boat. I have always feared for my life everytime I am close to a body of water especially when it’s 6 feet deep and more. To set aside those negative thoughts, I entertained myself by taking a few photos. My upcoming posts will prove that yours truly love the outdoors and no! I don’t fear the body of water at all, hahaha!
Deep blue sea and clear blue skies
Upon reaching the port, we were already feeling hungry. We had our lunch at Mang Inasal.
Sizzling bangus with unlimited rice :-)
The long trip to Dapitan continued after having lunch. When we’ve finally entered Dapitan, some streamers were hanged at the premier roads and highways.
Jalosjos City
Some more exciting trip tales shall be divulged in my upcoming posts. You better stay tuned
I shall be off for Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte for a week and I am not too sure if I can give you any updates while I am away.
Algene once asked where in the hell is Zamboanga Del Norte, LOL!
Here’s two salient information about the place:
It is a hero’s city because it’s where our national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal was put into exile for four years.
It’s a home of the famous Dakak Park and Beach Resort.
Photo not mine
I can’t expect much with this travel as security is in question. Although I don’t feel too excited with this trip unlike when I went to Singapore and Malaysia, I’d like to make the most out of it. I am compelled to be there because I am an organic employee of Comelec, therefore, I am left with little choice but to be present for the Mindanao Goodwill Games.
And yeah!
I must not forget that I shall be representing my region for the darts competition.
Wish me luck folks and please help us pray for a safe journey.
I thank some blogpals who took their time to wish me well during the time when I was feeling So sick and Home-bound. You all know who you are.
I tried to veer away from blogging just for a few days for a quicker recovery. During those days, I so wanted to go to some places where I could find perfect solitude. Only one place came to mind.
I have been to Pearl Farm once at the Island Garden City of Samal (IGACoS) but mind you! I would so love to go back there again for a longer stay. The resort is perfect when you want a get-away with your loveones.
Pearl Farm is nestled in a very quiet part of Samal Island. Its attractions go so much deeper than surface delights. Marine life has been protected and nurtured over the past years, and the area surrounding the resort has been declared a marine sanctuary. Located within a garden of vegetation amidst a man-made flowing waterfall, Ylang Ylang Spa stands out sweetly in the arms of nature’s embrace (Yahoo.com).
Here are some photos to boost taken from my very own shutter:
A quick snap from the boat on our way to Pearl Farm
A gaze at the beautiful lush scenery of Pearl Farm
The huts by the beach
Clear skies and deep blue seawater
Everything looks blue in this photo!
Amazing Pearl Farm!
On top of Pearl Farm with that Vee sign, LOL!
The white sand beach
The giant rock by the beach
A pose by the hut
You must have known by now why we opted for Pearl Farm. It’s simply breathtaking! It’s like paradise on earth!
Breathtaking!
The cost for the overnight stay is PhP 5, 000.00/ person inclusive of accommodation with 3 buffet meals, ferry boat going to and from Pearl Farm Resort.
So you had a little glimpse of Singapore upon our arrival It’s only the tip of the iceberg, folks!
Indeed it is!
The adventure has just begun!
Before actually going out for shopping, we made sure there were enough cash in our hands, hehe!
Money matters ;-)
Time was very limited for shopping because the tour was scheduled at 2pm. We had to immediately go back to the hotel before that time.
We weren’t too lucky though on the first day of the tour as it was literally wet in Singapore.
And the tour begins right here!
Marina Bay Sands by the bus window. I told you it was raining heavily
We only had to content ourselves enjoying the view of Marina Bay Sands from the bus window. Undoubtedly, modern architectures in SG nestles comfortably amidst lush greenery.
Edifices in Singapore
Our original schedule actually included Snow City and Marina Bay Sands upon arrival but since we got a 3PM bus ride going to SG, it wasn’t made possible because we’ve reached SG late in the evening the day before.
We opted to go to Sentosa Island for the most part of the tour. We were downhearted to know though that due to time constraints, we had no choice but to leave out Universal Studios
One pose at the bus on our way to Sentosa Island
One more closer look for the cam, LOL!
THE SINGAPORE FLYER
Our first stop was the Singapore Flyer, the world’s largest giant observation wheel. It actually is a huge ferris wheel from afar. You can soak in the panoramic 360-degree view of Marina Bay area, towering skyscrapers, tropical greenery and even the hills of neighboring Indonesia and Malaysia in the 30-minute ride. It’s a three-storey terminal building which houses shops, bars and restaurants. It must have been breathtaking to get a panoramic view of Singapore from atop the SG flyer.
Captured Moments: Trying so hard to get a good shot of the SG Flyer
The SG Flyer from my own shutter :-)
The giant ferris wheel just behind me
Photo source: Google
It’s noteworthy to mention that some blogpals especially from Postcrossing Enthusiasts will actually get a hold of the beautiful view of SG Flyer via the Singapore postcards I’ve bought for them It’s now on its way as I’ve mailed them a week ago.
We only stayed for a while here and proceeded to Sentosa Island.
THE SENTOSA ISLAND TOUR
We had a leisurely drive to Mt. Faber for a cable car ride to Sentosa Island. We enjoyed the panoramic view of the world’s busiest harbor.
The bus that took us for the tour
The Jewel Cable Car
Inside the cable car
Change position, LOL!
Panoramic view of the SG Harbor, Star was the model ;-)
The tour actually included the Southeast Asia’s first 4- Dimensional Theater, Sentosa 4D- Magix but it was optional for the tourists to have it. We were told that the scenes do not only jump out but it actually comes to life! We decided not to go for it
IMAGES OF SINGAPORE
We took a walk down memory lane when we viewed the images of Singapore. It was a view to the very heart and soul of the nation that’s depicted through life-sized murals and sculptures. It was here where we experienced the magic and legend behind the story of Singapore. The fact and folklore were creatively interwoven for tourists to enjoy the special “When it happened I was there experience”. Images of Singapore presented a journey into its very soul- a country that survived and progressed through ingenuity, perseverance and fun.
The men that ruled the nation
Some more murals depicting SG's history
Way of Life
My ex-boyfriend, LOL!
The New Harbor replica
Yeeehaaaah!
Is that SG or OZ? LOL!
From Singapura, now Singapore, is one of the biggest countries in Asia
And roaring loud it shall be...
We truly had a blast the entire duration of the tour here! But that was only the beginning. More adventures in my upcoming posts
After such a luxurious coach ride on our way to SG, we were in sheer anticipation of seeing yet another beautiful country. As expected, we arrived late in the evening. We were only armed with the SG maps that Jimmy printed for us.
Photo source: Google
Good thing the bus stopped nearby the hotel location! However, we felt so dumb after finding out from the Filipina receptionist that the hotel we tried to book online was at Bugis and not at Selegie! She further said that there were actually 25 branches of the said hotel in SG! WTH!
Geez!
We were so dumbfounded but she tried to appease us by saying the hotel was situated conveniently and is very accessible to prime locations. We were convinced right there and then. Why not? We were too tired to explore where in the world was Bugis so without further convincing, we checked in the hotel at once.
Photo Source: http://www.fragrancehotel.com
Looking so haggard upon arrival at SG but still managed to wear a smile for the cam ;-)
When we reached our hotel room, Star immediately dozed off to sleep. I was awake the whole time just trying to fix my stuffs. When Star finally woke up after about 15 minutes, we got out of the hotel and tried to explore the city at night.
Outside the hotel at night
We tried to look for something to fill our then hungry stomachs. It was a little hard for us because we practically didn’t know where to go, hahaha! But we were in the mood for some adventure. We ended up at Little India, one of SG’s MRT station.
Going down the MRT Station :-)
We went back on our way and got lucky to have found a Chinese restaurant. Only 30 minutes left and the restaurant was about to close. So we quickly browsed over the menu and ordered fried rice with sliced beef. Everything looked alien to me so I opted for that one. Besides, my teeth can’t chew hard solid foods and I don’t eat that much. Star decided to take the same order. However, the waitress never cared to warn us that the small order was big enough for two! Star was too hungry though and ate up almost everything. I didn’t even managed to eat half of the plate.
"Flied Lice" for dinner, LOL!
Star and I at dinner
It was a long day for us. When we returned back to our hotel almost at midnight,we immediately washed up and called it a night. We agreed to set the alarm for 6am but ended up getting up at 7, LOL! We then took our breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant.
Looking so fresh early in the morning. Ready to have our breakfast
Excited for the SG tour. But hey! Breakfast first ;-)
Perfect breakfast for me ;-)
Right after breakfast, we were too excited to have our itinerary finally realized. But everything clouded up on us when we went down at the hotel’s lobby and saw quite a handful of people stranded! There was a heavy downpour and we didn’t even realized it! Singapore was entirely wet all morning. Our excitement died down a bit. We just then decided to explore the hotel but went back to our room after a while.
Wet Singapore: Selegie House fronting our hotel
Hotel's pool
Star and I agreed to wait up for a few minutes to let the rain subside a bit. We ended up doing some photoshoots, LOL!
YAY!
Windy reprimanded us via SMS for staying so long in the hotel room instead of being out, LOL! To quote him:
“What?! You went to SG only to stay in the hotel room???!!!! OMG!
That was so Windy! Hahaha!
Realizing that we don’t have so much time in our hands, we had to finally go down and decided to arrange a hotel package tour instead of doing it on our own.
Just finished arranging a hotel tour package
Unfortunately, the tour was scheduled at two o’clock in the afternoon. We had no choice but to explore wet Singapore and did some shopping.
Exploring wet SG
As this post have been fully loaded with images, my next post shall feature the SG tour.
Like I’ve previously mentioned H E R E, Jimmy bought tickets for us which was slated at 3PM. Prior to our departure, we had our lunch at a famous satay restaurant
My first taste of the famous satay
On our way to SG, we were totally amazed of the luxurious ride we’ve had in the bus. It’s like we’re on board a plane!
You see, the bus was never something like that in the Philippines. It’s not overloaded and it’s completely equipped with entertainment facilities like individual LCD screen with headset for its passengers to watch a selection of pre-programmed digital movies of their choices.
All set!
Enjoying a whole lot of movies
It’s fully airconditioned, too! And oh yeah! It’s so sleek and clean! Refreshment was served by a stewardess twice during the 6-hour trip. On-board services was something that I truly appreciated the whole time of our travel.
The refreshment
You might ask why we opted for the bus ride instead of taking a flight straight to SG from KL. Apart from getting a view of Malaysia traveling by land, we’re gonna pass by JB to where Windy was.
Yipeeeeee!
We took Nice Executive Express Coach.
Photo Source: http://www.nice-coaches.com.my
Inside the bus
Though it was raining heavily the entire time, we were too comfortable and at ease to even feel the heavy downpour.
The heavy downpour by the bus window
I have never seen anything ugly in Malaysia as we passed by the various cities going to SG. I was truly fascinated by the country’s beauty that I can’t help but exclaim: “Malaysia, Truly Asia!”.
Indeed, it was a smooth journey that’s worth remembering.
Blog Owner and Post Author: Lainy 
Dapitan in December, we planned of doing some sidetrips on our way home.
)
But we were in the mood for some adventure. We ended up at Little India, one of SG’s MRT station.
General Santos Time
Recent Comments