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DSC_2251

Background is the unedited Kawasan Falls.

I know a lot of people are looking for a fun and adventurous activity in South Cebu in, as much as possible, a tighter budget. I guarantee that you can because I just went to the famous Canyoneering in Kanla-ob River in Badian Cebu, Kawasan Falls in Alegria and Whale Shark watching in Oslob for only PHP 4,000.00 budget each for a group of five. This will be direct to the point as I will post a separate blog about the experience. But for now, let me share with you our itinerary and budget.

Note: Plane fare is excluded. We got a PHP 1,300.00 promo fare from Davao to Cebu. For sure, there will be more promo fare offers of Cebu Pacific Air for travelers coming from Manila. 

DAY 0: MAY 5, 2016

TIME DESTINATION / ITINERARY BUDGET (PHP) BUDGET per pax (PHP)
5:30 PM Davao International Airport 120.00 24.00
6:00 PM Terminal Fee: DIA 1,000.00 200.00
6:40 PM Departure to Mactan, Cebu
7:40 PM Arrival at Mactan International Airport
8:00 PM Taxi : Going to Airol Pension House 320.00 64.00
8:30 PM Check in at Airol Pension House 1,300.00 260.00
9:00 PM Dinner at KFC (Budget includes Taxi) 500.00 100.00
TOTAL 3,240.00 648.00

The taxi going to the pension house has an additional Php100.00 since they don’t allow five passengers in the taxi. Actually, it’s just Php 50.00 additional but since the taxi driver is mabait, we just gave him a decent tip. :)

We do not recommend staying in Airol Pension House. The place is seriously not clean. And we found out that there are other pension houses that can provide better service at almost the same price. You’ll find out below  where we stayed on our last day. So on Day 0, we spent about PHP 648.00 each.

DAY 1: MAY 6, 2016

TIME DESTINATION / ITINERARY BUDGET (PHP) BUDGET per pax (PHP)
3:00 AM Wake up call
3:45 AM Off to South Bus Terminal
4:00 AM Breakfast at 7 Eleven plus to-bring snacks and water 470 94
5:00 AM Bus: Departure to Badian (Ceres Bus with signage ‘Bato via Barili’) 735.00 147.00
7:30 AM Arrival at Matutinao Church (Sto. Tomas Church)
8:00 AM Start of Canyoneering 5,000.00 1,000.00
10:00 AM BBQ Snack 280.00 56.00
12:00 AM Man-made slide in 1st Falls (Must Try!) 25.00 5.00
12:30 PM Lunch at the Falls 0.00 as in ZERO as in FREE
1:30 PM Spend the rest of the tour at the famous and majestic Kawasan Falls
2:00 PM Habal: Back to Kuya Yoyoy’s House 300.00 60.00
2:30 PM Kuya Yoyoy’s Tip (He simply deserved it!) 500.00 100.00
2:30 PM Freshen up at our tour guide’s house
4:00 PM Private Van: Off to Oslob 1,000.00 200.00
6:00 PM Check in at Oslob New Village Resort 1,150.00 230.00
7:30 PM Dinner 375.00 75.00
9:00 PM Socials and rest
TOTAL 9,835.00 1,967.00

The good thing about Airol Pension House is it’s walking distance to the South Bus Terminal so you won’t have any worries of getting late in departure schedule of buses. However from 11PM on, the buses take off every after an hour. We arrived at the terminal by 4 AM, however, the 4 AM sched was already fully booked. This means we have to wait for the 5AM bus. Again, do not worry because although we were late, the 5AM bus was immediately occupied so we were able to leave Cebu City by 4:45 AM and just in time for our 8 AM canyoneering schedule since the travel time is only about 2.5 hours. But of course, I recommend being early in the terminal so you avoid any glitches that might interfere your travel itineraries.

The canyoneering adventure was definitely one for the books! I will have a separate blog post for that experience but I’d like to highlight in here why it became a greater experience. Kuya Yoyoy (Mobile No: 09777753176) was our tour guide. He is very accommodating and makwento despite his cleft palate. He exactly knows how to make the canyoneering experience a worthwhile one. He suggests things to do like where to take photos and where to jump and how to make your jump more memorable (I remember mine ‘superman-ning’ during a slide). He take good photos, by the way. He is very reliable  and really maaasahan.

And as you may notice, we’ve spent nothing on our lunch. We were surprised that Kuya Yoyoy has arranged the lunch for us FREE OF CHARGE. This was not part of the package kaya nabigla kami that he’s doing it out of courtesy. His brother Marlo took charge of the rest of the tour since Kuya Yoyoy has to attend to his visitors by 1 PM. But we found out na kaya kami nalibre sa lunch was because nahihiya raw siya sa amin for not known reason. But his message, as captured below, is so touching kaya we highly recommend him to all others who wants to do canyoneering. He is humble and mabait and what’s for sure is he can give you a better, or yet best, canyoneering experience.

UPDATE: Canyoneering fee is already PHP 1,500.00 including lunch and gears.

Kuys Yoyoy MSG

Together with other travelers going to Oslob, we agreed to rent a van for Php 200.oo each since the buses took so long to pass by Alegria. We checked in at Oslob New Village’s fan room for Php 1,000.00 for four persons. We just added Php 150.00 for extra mattress. Although siksikan, the room is okay for five since matutulog lang naman doon at para rin may mapagiwanan ng mga gamit namin during whale shark watching.

The place is near the market so you won’t have any problem having your budget dinner. Also at night, we contacted a tricycle to fetch us out by 5 AM so we have sure transpo going to whale shark watching area.

You can BOOK here to get some DISCOUNTS! Just click the image below.

DAY 2: MAY 7, 2016

TIME DESTINATION / ITINERARY BUDGET (PHP) BUDGET per pax (PHP)
4:00 AM Wake up call
4:45 AM Breakfast (Bread from Julie’s Bakeshop 42.00 8.40
5:00 AM Tricycle: Off to Oslob Whale Shark Watching 200.00 40.00
5:30 AM Arrival at Whale Shark Watching
6:00 AM Registration Fee 2,500.00 500.00
8:00 AM Tricycle: Back to Oslob New Village 200.00 40.00
8:30 AM Freshen up
9:30 AM Visit The Ruins of Nuestra Senora de la Immaculada Concepcion
10:00 AM Brunch at Karinderya 365.00 73.00
10:30 AM Bus: Off to Sibunga, Cebu 400.00 80.00
12:00 PM Arrival at Sibunga, Cebu
12:00 PM Tricycle: Going to Our Lady of Simala 100.00 20.00
1:15 PM Tricycle: Going to Van Terminal 100.00 20.00
1:30 PM Van: Off to Cebu City SM Seaside 500.00 100.00
3:00 PM Taxi: Going to Robes Pension House 120.00 24.00
3:30 PM Arrival at Robes Pension House 1,450.00 290.00
6:00 PM Taxi: Off to SM Seaside 100.00 20.00
7:30 PM Dinner at CNT Lechon 858.00 171.60

TOTAL

6,935.00 1,387.00

Oslob New Village is about 10-15 kilometers away from the Whale Shark watching area but the place is still a good choice especially if you have tight budget. Just like what we did, we contracted tricylce driver to have us tranferred to the area as early as 5 AM. I recommend going to the place by that time so you can secure a spot on first batch. Doing that, you’ll definitely avoid queuing long lines and the heat of the sun (because sun block isn’t allowed in the area to avoid contamination of the water); plus the mesmerizing view of the sun rise.

Also, it is walking distance to an old church in Oslob, the Nuestra Senora de la Immaculada Concepcion. You better visit this place so you have the feels of Spanish era with the relaxing view of the crystal clear ocean and its ‘selfie-prone’ park.

I also recommend to include Simala in your travel itinerary for a monarch-feel ambiance. The church is unique among others due to its castle-like structure. It’s huge and you’ll feel like you’re in London or Disney land. :) But most importantly, it’s miraculous.

Robe’s Pension House is a good choice for an overnight stay. What we’ve got was a deluxe room for two. We just requested for additional 2 mattresses so we can be accommodated in just one room for only Php 1,450.00 or Php 290 each. The place is safe and comfortable unlike Airol.

You can BOOK here to get some DISCOUNTS! Just click the image below.

So there! In 2 days, we were able to visit and experience Canyoneering in Badian, Kawasan Falls, Whale Shark watching in Oslob, an old church since ~1800, and Our Lady of Simala for only PHP 4,002.00 each.

I hope this will make you more excited to visit South Cebu while spending just right with your budget. Also, if you have no tour guide yet in Canyoneering, kindly contact Kuya Yoyoy (Mobile No: 09777753176). Every single centavo is worth his service. And for sure, it will be a big help for him.

If you happen to follow or decided to follow this budget and itinerary, I will appreciate any comment from you. Questions are also welcome.

For tourist group of 8, you may check out this budget and travel itinerary including Sumilon Island and City tour.

Thank you!

– Ton

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