CEBU, PHILIPPINES is dubbed as 'The Queen City of the South' and home to some of the most scenic white sand beaches in the whole Philippines. Summer is here, and it's time to show off the outcome of starving yourself for the past few months (just kidding!). The reason for eating once a day was to lose weight. In my case, I don't mind if I have a summer body or not. I care about the memories I'll be creating with the people I'm with during my trip anywhere during summer, the bond that we forge, and of course, the view of the beaches and the ocean.
A few summers ago, my friends organized a birthday getaway to the beach for me and Ofelia's birthday. These are my beach friends as they don't climb mountains. Back then, people went to beaches mostly in the southern part of Cebu like Moalboal and Badian. However, we didn't know that there were also white sand beaches in the north aside from the usual Bantayan Island and Malapascua Island.
Going there..
On March 2, 2019, my birthday, we met up at 10:00 AM at the Cebu North Bus Terminal. We waited for hours for our other friends to arrive. We hopped on a bus with a sign that read Hagnaya Port, the gateway to Bantayan Island.
Our destination was San Remigio, a municipality located in the northwest part of Cebu. The journey was 113 kilometers long and passed through 11 towns. The bus departed after lunch.
After enduring a 3 to 4-hour butt-numbing bus ride, we arrived in Poblacion, San Remigio at 4:45 PM. Some of my friends went inside a grocery store to buy drinks and food for our dinner and socials while the rest of us waited outside. It was almost sunset when we finished shopping, so we hurried. We hailed two tricycles to take us to the beach resort where we were staying, located 10 kilometers from the town center. Haha.
Orongan-Wagner Beach Resort
The resort where we stayed was the Orongan-Wagner Beach Resort located in Brgy. Anapog, San Remigio, Cebu. When we arrived, the sun was setting, so we hurried to the beach hoping we could still catch it. And it did not disappoint us. The sunset was out of this world. It was one of the best sunsets I have ever witnessed, next to the sunset in Boracay Island.
After taking photos of the sunset, we pitched our tents on the beach. Yes, we were not staying in a cozy room, haha. At that time, there were no available accommodations, but the owner had already started renovating their rooms for people who want to stay in one. We opted for camping style, and I was glad that they were also up for it. It wasn't that crowded when we were there. We prepared our dinner, and I helped grill the pork and fish on their grilling station.
We also brought our cook set and portable burner to cook rice and other dishes that night. I laid my camping mat on the sand so we could sit and gather together as we ate our dinner. I was surprised that they also brought a cake for us, LOL. I don't know how I did not notice it at the bus terminal. I am not really the type of person who celebrates my own birthday; I prefer to do nothing and watch Netflix alone. But I was glad that they surprised me with a cake. I am not good at showing emotions or being surprised, but I was surprised at that time, LOL.
As the night went on, we had too many drinks, and Ofelia even started speaking English, haha. It was a good thing that it was high tide, so we dipped into the water and continued having fun. That's the last moment I remembered. After that, I blacked out, and I can't remember everything that happened. As we grow older, our tolerance to alcohol also declines.
The next day, I had the dizziest feeling ever, and I wanted to puke, but I couldn't. Haha, I was "na-merese."
|
|
|
|
|---|
We poked fun at Ofelia about how she was last night, and we kept laughing about everything she did. LOL
|
|
|
|
|---|
It was a good thing we were on the west side because the sun wasn't that hot at that time due to the shades from the coconut trees. We swam in the water one last time before breaking our camp.
After freshening up, we strolled on the beach and found some Instagram-worthy spots.
We saw a leaning coconut tree on the beach, and they took their time taking photos on the tree while I enjoyed my time on the side under the shades of some trees. LOL.
It's a sign that you're getting old when you no longer care about taking pictures of a spot haha. I'm like, take one picture of the spot, and then I'm done. LOL.
When we were about to leave the resort, we stumbled upon another picturesque spot that we couldn't resist taking pictures of. It was a swing nestled between two towering coconut trees. This time, I attempted to copy CJ's pose. Haha.
|
|
|
|---|
Finally, it was time to bid farewell to the beach. The owner had a small pick-up truck that drove us to the bus station.
Our trip to Orongan-Wagner Beach Resort with friends on my birthday was an unforgettable experience. The journey was filled with laughter, jokes, and lively conversations that kept us entertained the whole way. It was a day filled with joy, love, and laughter, and I couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate my special day.
Summer Starts Now at Orongan Beach Resort, San Remigio, Cebu with the Craziest Squad!
by CJ Estrada on YouTube
About the Author
Meet Kevin de Arca, a Data Analyst by profession and an adventurous wanderer at heart. With a passion for exploring new places and cultures, he uses traveling as a way of distressing and making unforgettable memories. He is always wondering where to wander next.✈️ 🏖 🌅