People! I'm Jay and I'm back!
.....We share our travels here and there saying this was a bang-for-the-buck and that was a good value for the money. But in a world full of wandering souls and endless travel opportunities, how do you gauge whether it's cheap and truly worth the experience? Well, let me show you what your money's worth.
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Being a Filipino, the sights of white sand beaches, colorful marine life and pristine waters are not new to my eyes. With more than 7000 islands, this country boasts more than a handful of scenic beaches, gorgeous islands, trek sites and backpacking hotspots that a lot of local and even foreign tourists are digging. It is truly a traveller's haven, the destination to check-off pages in that endless bucketlist of yours.
For most travellers, it is not really about the cost, rather, it is the overall experience that defines how great a trip is. But no matter how much we all thirst for the perfect getaway, the experience has to justify its cost under the merits of our own personal judgements and preferences. And my my I've got just the perfect destination for those thrifty wanderers! To make my case, let me give you a breakdown of one of my 'sulit' (bang-for-the-buck) travels as we call it in the Philippines.
Braving the wild tides of the Pacific, in the province of Surigao del Norte, Lambason Island is maybe the cheapest you'll find to get the perfect tropical island experience. It is situated in Barangay Cagdianao, Claver just roughly 2-hours from Surigao City proper. From the city terminal, you're given ample of choices to get to Cagdianao and its up to you to choose whether to ride the bus, a multicab, or my most preferred V-hire. But before you travel, be sure to stop by to get all your essentials mainly food and a few of your toiletry needs. This costs $5 as for my budget for all day food and water (and yeah it's that cheap!). Jumping off from the city center to Cagdianao some 33km, you'll be asked $2 for your fare. Upon arrival, you'll be greeted by the laid back, basic and bare ambiance of the place. You will need to ask around from the locals to find someone that offers a boat ride to the island. No need to worry with the language barrier, Filipinos are relatively good at english, thus, you will not be having such a hard time to get vital information. Don't be shy! Ask around!
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...Once you find one, a boat ride costs $3 from the coast and it will only take you around 10 minutes to get there. Take note, that's back and forth already! So, taking everything to account:
$2 Fare to Cagdianao
$5 Food and essentials
$3 Fare to and from the island
$2 Fare back to Surigao City
Damn! That's only $12 in total, so, allow me to add $3 more as allowance for unexpected expenses. Now, that's a total of $15! It's not cheap right?
It's a complete bargain! Or I might just call it free already.
But what you will ultimately come to love is the photo-perfect view of the island and the adjascent sandbar that's equally as stellar as the sparkling waters that surrounds it. Deep in its waters, you'll find a biodiversity of marine orgasms that's rich, dense, and colorful radiating the energy of this untouched wonder. Watch out for those treacherous tides though, as the powerful currents of the pacific are more than capable to pull you to uncharted waters. And for the travel junkies and photographers out searching for the perfect background to shoot their next scenic nature spread, portrait shots or just loads of selfie clicks. You've found your haven! Lambason is a beauty at every angle!
Well, I guess I've made my case. That's it for now!
If you have any plans to come to Surigao, feel free to message me. I could give you tips on what destinations to go to and how to get there or I might just accompany you there if I have the time. Leave a comment below! Cheers to more travels. Ciao!
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Lambason!
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......Lambason, Cagdianao, Claver, Surigao del Norte