Visiting this island was never a plan of mine. I was supposed to have a day trip in Negros but due to a "series of fortunate events" I ended up on the beautiful island of Apo.
Apo Island is still a part of Negros Oriental, though it's a separate island away from the province, it's still a part of its jurisdiction. Apo Island can be accessed from Dauin and Zamboanguita. In Dauin, you can rent about from dive resorts while Zamboanguita has their port and you can also rent a boat from there.
I was supposedly going to be in Negros for a day. When dinner time came, Ar-ar told me she's meeting some friends so I went with her. During our dinner, her friends told us they'll be going to Apo Island the next time. I was supposed to catch the earliest bus the next day to go back to Cebu but I took the chance to ask my Senior Manager that time if I could get another day off (since he owes me several). Thankfully, he approved. Next thing I know I was heading to Apo Island and not to Cebu.
I stayed the night in Ar-ar's place and we left early to go to Zamboanguita where we will take the boat to Apo Island. We arrived around 6 am together with her friends. It was four of us plus another 2 passengers. Before embarking, the boatman advised us to keep our stuff inside the box without knowing that the boat trip will be full of water splashes.
Upon arriving on the island, we were asked to register our names and we were surrounded by people who offer snorkeling and diving. Apo Island is known for its coral reefs and turtles. But I came to the island to just chill and relax. Ar-ar's friends did snorkeling while we went to Coco Grove to eat and enjoy the view of the ocean. The resort is facing the famous rock formation of the island.
We spent the entire morning to afternoon in Coco Grove. Enjoying the view, the clear blue water, and living our best life. The sand is not as powdery as other beaches in Negros but the water and view compensate for it. We had some fun conversations and got to know each other. We also took a lot of photos for remembrance. Our time there was limited since it's not allowed to stay there longer unless you booked accommodation on the island. By 2 PM we went back to the mainland.
You might ask, "How to get there?". Coming from Cebu, you can either book a flight to Dumaguete, ride a bus going to Malatapay, Zamboanguita and rent a boat going to Apo Island. If you feel like taking a long trip, you can take a bus going to the south part of Cebu. You can either go to Santander or Bato Port buy a boat ticket to Sibulan or Tampi then go to Dumaguete Ceres Bus Terminal and take the bus going to Zamboanguita. The trip will take more or less 6 hours if you choose the latter. The plane ride will be quick but flights from Cebu to Dumaguete are limited.
This is one of the most spontaneous trips I have ever done and surely a memorable one too. It was a great way to release some stress and explore new places with people I just newly met who turned out to be friends. Have you ever done a spontaneous trip you will always remember? Please share your experience in the comment section below!
