We’re taking a break from my solo backpacking adventure for now. Again, for now. I’ll share more of my recent solo backpacking adventures in the Davao Region some other time.
You might know me as the fearless girl who backpacks around the Philippines' scariest places but I’m not a nomad and have no plans to be one. I find value in my day job and despite knowing that it’s not the only thing that defines me, my dedication to my work kind of tells people otherwise.
Before discovering my interest in solo backpacking, I’ve always traveled with friends and workmates back in the day. Today, we'll travel back in time with three (3) other workmates. This time, we're not going far away; I'll virtually take you to one of Cebu's neighboring provinces, Negros Oriental. The Negros Island, which is located just west of Cebu, is divided into two Provinces, namely: Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental. In this 5-day backpacking, we traveled to both Provinces exploring gems of all kinds; gems we never knew existed.
We started our journey with an overnight boat ride from Cebu City to Dumaguete City. There are various ways of reaching Dumaguete from Cebu but we decided the most efficient way for us was taking the overnight boat. It might be time-consuming but at least there wasn't a need to take a vacation leave/PTO and consume it on the road.
It was dawn when we reached Dumaguete City. From Dumaguete City, we went to Dumaguete Bus Terminal and took the earliest bus ride going to the southern tip of Negros Oriental.
I remember initiating this escapade; although I consulted with my workmates about our final itinerary for this trip, I did most of the research. They trusted my skills to make this trip a huge success.
Our first destination was Apo Island in the sleepy town of Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental. The bus ride was cold and quick; in this part of the country, there weren't too many private vehicles. We alighted at Malatapay Market and walked towards the waiting area/port. We were already in the port as early as 4:30 AM. I guess we were too early as no one else was around; the stores opened around 5 am and we got our painit.
Before discussing anything else, don't confuse Apo Island (the one we're visiting in this post) with Apo Reef; they are two distinct Philippine destinations one must visit in one's lifetime. Apo Island is off the coast of Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental and the only way to go here is to ride an outrigger;
there are no direct flights to Apo Island, the nearest airport is in Dumaguete City. You can either arrange the transfer through hotels and resorts in Dauin or just contact an independent boat owner who will take you to the island for at least Php 3,000 back and forth.
In no time, we reached a secluded paradise. Apo Island is known for its diverse underwater sceneries, particularly marine sanctuaries full of turtles, colorful reefs, and fishes. Despite the gloomy weather that morning, the blue-green water surrounding Apo Island welcomed us with glee. Apo Island is a marine-protected area, and initiatives to protect and flourish marine biodiversity in this area are in place all year round.
At this point, I already know how to swim but I'm not a good swimmer yet, and I couldn't even freedive; I know how to stay afloat tho. I've snorkeled a few times in Cebu but snorkeling in Apo Island is one I'll never forget. Not too far away from the shore, we spotted turtles that we later chased for photo ops. Don't worry, we snorkeled with a local guide and followed all protocols. I've read in blogs that if you want to see turtles, a lot of them, on one island, Apo Island is the place to go. Perhaps, that's why we decided to include this destination in our trip.
We were at the tail end of our snorkeling when a heavy downpour could no longer be stopped. We decided to take shelter and resumed our activities when the skies cleared. Although I know how to swim, I'm not confident I'd be able to help my friends should the sea condition change; better be safe than sorry.
The rain stopped and it was our time to explore the other parts of the island. Apo Island is surprisingly huge but the only way you could see its entirety is by foot. In our case, we didn't hike up but walked the shore until we reached these amazing rock formations; we were determined to reach the rock formations at the other end of the island. If you have more time, you can hike up the lighthouse erected at the top of the island.
If you ask me my favorite part of this trip, I'd undoubtedly answer: the massive rock formation. We had to wade through the shallow water near the rock formations to reach the biggest rock formation we spotted on the island. It's another grand display of Mother Nature's beauty.
We finally reached the spot where we could see the huge rock formation but upon learning that we still need to cross about 20-30 meters just to reach the rock, we stopped. I was afraid I couldn't make it to the other side in one swim and there was no way I was doing it without my friends. We were mesmerized by the beauty of Apo Island; the water was crystal clear that you could drop anything and you'd still see it at the bottom of the ocean. That's how clear the water is here in Apo Island.
We could spend an entire day here if we wanted but we opted to check other nearby destinations so before noontime, we went back to mainland Zamboanguita.
View of Southeastern Negros Oriental from Apo Island...
We were back in the Malatapay Market where we waited for a bus that would take us back to Dumaguete City.
Right on time for lunch, were back in Dumaguete City. We quickly checked in our budget-friendly inn and jumped off to continue our adventure-filled day in Dumaguete.
Living life intentionally every single day, she believes that there’s no limit to one’s potential. Right now, she’s on the loose for the pursuit of endless holistic self-growth and development. She wants to light the way for others. She believes there’s no better way to leave a legacy than to pay it forward.
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