Pilar - Disembark
  JUNE 2016:   Click here to read our Philippines Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I made my way from Ticao Island to Masbate City and I stayed in the Greenview Hotel & Restobar for 3 nights. The Greenview Hotel was OK for the price but it is a bit isolated. I would advise GRANDPAckers to look for a different hotel located in the ‘north east corner’ of the city peninsular. It was time to move on to Donsol. Donsol is where you SCUBA dive for Whale Sharks and Manta Rays. HOTEL TO MASBATE FERRY PORT: I walked to the port the previous day and enquired about ferry times. There […]

Masbate – Philippines – To Donsol

  JUNE 2016:   Click here to read our Philippines Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I made my way from San Antonio To Ticao Island and I stayed in the Ticao Lodge, San Jacinto for 2 nights. San Jacinto is a pleasant little town in the real Philippines – away from the busy and popular tourist spots. It was time to move on to Masbate. The internet in San Jacinto was so bad that I couldn’t do any detailed planning before I left … to some extent, I was running blind … MINIBUS TO LAGUNDI: The owner of the Ticao Lodge told me that Jeepneys leave from San Jacinto […]

Ticao – Philippines – To Masbate City

  JUNE 2016:   OVERVIEW: In this post, I tell you a secret … I tell you about a little ‘hideaway’: Maripipi Island … I tell you how you can spend a month living in peace and quiet on this idyllic little island … and do so on a GRANDPAcking Budget. ABOUT MARIPIPI ISLAND: Maripipi is an island in the province of Biliran, Philippines. It is the smallest and least populous municipality in the province. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 6,699 people. Maripipi has a coastal circumference of twenty-four kms. Maripipi is home to the famous Sambawan Island. Maripipi has […]

Maripipi – Philippines – A Secret Escape

  JUNE 2016:   Click here to read our Philippines Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I made my way from Maripipi to San Antonio and I stayed in the Haven Of Fun Beach Resort for 2 nights. There were only 2 nights available in an ‘acceptable’ quality room. San Antonio is a nice ‘hideaway’ island if you are looking for a quiet place in the real Philippines – away from the busy and popular tourist spots. It was time to move on to Ticao Island. The internet on San Antonio was so bad that I couldn’t do any detailed planning before I left … to some extent, I was […]

San Antonio – Philippines – To Ticao ...

  JUNE 2016:   Click here to read our Philippines Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I made my way from Naval to Maripipi and I stayed in the Napo Beach Resort for 3 nights. The Napo were great hosts and I will have more to say about them in a future post … It was time to move on north. My next target was San Antonio Island just off the east coast of northern Samar. To get to San Antonio, I had 2 options: OPTION 1 – VIA TACLOBAN CITY: Head south back to Naval and take Minivans through Tacloban City, Catbalogan City, and Calbayog City. This entailed: A 4:00am […]

Maripipi – Philippines – To San Antonio

JUNE 2016: OVERVIEW: I occasionally publish contributions from 3rd Parties on my website when I feel that their contribution may be of interest to my readers. Disclaimer: I cannot vouch for the accuracy of such contributions; you need to do that for yourselves. BACKDROP: I met Roger, the Contributor in Bali in 2015. THE WARNING: “I thought I’d alert you to a dodgy travel deal which may need a bit more research. It involves Flight Centre and in essence may make a ‘take care’ story for your blog.” “A couple of friends booked a holiday from Perth to Bali for July.” […]

Flight Centre – Australasia – Warning

  JUNE 2016:   Click here to read our Philippines Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I made my way from Ormoc to Naval and I stayed in the QUTCERR BED & BATH for 2 nights. I only stayed for 2 nights in Naval so that I could have a quick look around and organise a trip to Maripipi Island. Naval was surprising pleasant but it is not a town where you want to stay for more than a day or two. If you are coming to Naval, have a look at the QUTCERR; the Aircon Double with cable tv and wifi is good value (for The Philippines) at PHP1,000 / night. HOTEL TO […]

Naval – Philippines – To Maripipi Island

  JUNE 2016:   Click here to read our Philippines Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I had made my way from Malapascua Island to Ormoc and I stayed in the ORIENTAL PENSION PLAZA for 2 nights. I only stayed for 2 nights in Ormoc so that I could have a quick look around and organise the rest of my trip to Biliran. Ormoc is a grubby little place; don’t bother coming unless you are in transit. Don’t bother staying over-night unless you need to. And, don’t pay more than PHP1,000 / night to stay in a Deluxe Aircon Double at the ORIENTAL PENSION PLAZA. HOTEL TO MINIVAN TERMINAL: My hotel was an […]

Ormoc – Philippines – To Naval

  MAY 2016:   Click here to read our Philippines Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I had made my way from Bantayan Island to Malapascua Island and stayed in the BLUE CORALS BEACH RESORT for 10 nights. As I say in my post about Malapascua, you only really come to this island for SCUBA diving. It was time to move on to Biliran Island. But, first, I had to get to Ormoc. BANGKA TO MAYA: If you are staying in the ‘Green Zone‘, it is an easy walk to the port. Make your way to the small wooden building that sits over the water. The bangkas leave […]

Malapascua – Philippines – To Ormoc

MAY 2016: OVERVIEW: My costs start in Bantayan Island and include: Transport from Bantayan to my Malapascua hotel 1 night in a BELOW GRANDPAcking Standard Fan Room (breakfast included) 10 nights in a GRANDPAcking Standard Fan Room (breakfast included) Food & Drink Mobile Data / Communications Visa cost apportionment 5 SCUBA Dives CROSS REFERENCES: For more detail, read about Bantayan Island to Malapascua Island, Malapascua Information, and Where To Stay On Malapascua. Click here to read about Retirement Locations in this country. Click here for detailed Travel Information and more Travel Budgets in this country. Read About – GRANDPAcking Costs if you don’t know how to interpret my figures. SPREADSHEET SUMMARY: MY ACTUAL 1 PERSON […]

Malapascua – Philippines – GRANDPAcking Costs

  MAY 2016:   Why not read our Philippines Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: Malapascua Island is located just off the north coast of Cebu Island, Philippines. Malapascua Island is a well known SCUBA Diving destination. As with Port Barton, El Nido, Coron, Boracay and Panglao … its popularity reflects in its prices. For GRANDPAckers, Malapascua is expensive (yet still affordable). Read on … GETTING THERE: I made my own way from Bantayan Island to Malapascua Island by Ferry, Ceres Aircon bus and Bangka. The ferry from Bantayan to Hagnaya leaves every 1-2 hours, takes 1.5 hours, and costs PHP175 each including the PHP5 Terminal Fee. At the Hagnaya Ferry Port, you […]

Malapascua – Philippines – Information

MAY 2016: Click here to read our Philippines Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: As with many other destinations in The Philippines, the cost of pre-booking nice accommodation online was too high for a GRANDPAcking Budget. Malapascua Island prices were comparable with El Nido, Boracay, Panglao and Bantayan prices. High. Very high. Accommodation in The Philippines ‘known tourist destinations’ is, generally, a problem for GRANDPAckers … the accommodation is poor value for money. Everywhere. Anything less than PHP900 per night is likely to be backpacker rather than GRANDPAcker Standard. PHP2400 / day is our total GRANDPAcking Daily Budget! As a rule, I try and keep accommodation costs to no more than 50% of our Budget; this […]

Malapascua – Philippines – Where To Stay