Getaway Philippines: The Whale-Sharks Watching, Oslob (Day 3rd)

Plz note actual date went to Cebu Island was on 6-9 Dec 2014. The expenses stated here was for 2 pax.

After a few days closed, the whalesharks watching site was opened. We woke up early cuz the whalesharks will appear on feeding time around 6:30am. We not gonna miss the moment cuz one of the main visit here was to snorkel with the whalesharks. We went there with habal rode (Budget 10: PHP200 for motorbike-taxi) suggested by Uncle Gilmore.

We ride on Paddle Boat due to MotorBoat are not allowed at this whalesharkes site.
Not to worry cuz the staffs were rowing the boat.

We placed our clothes in the shower room provided nearby and went for registration and short briefing regarding the appropriate interaction with the whalesharks. After payment has been made, they given us life jacket, snorkeling gear and we followed them to the boat. Locals pay PHP500 only. The cost for us (foreigners) is PHP1000 per pax for 30minutes inclusive of local guide, paddle boat ride, goggles, snorkeling gear and life jacket (Budget11: PHP2000 for 2pax). We also took underwater camera services PHP500 (exclude CD) and we save in our thumbdrive (Budget12).

Getaway Philippines: Cuartel, Baluarte, Heritage Park, TumalogFalls, Oslob - Town, Ginatilan - Mainit Springs, Malabuyoc - KawasanFalls, Badian (Day 2nd)

Plz note actual date went to Cebu Island was on 6-9 Dec 2014. The expenses stated here was for 2 pax.

Our accommodation: Oslob New Village Lodge

After had breakfast, we hang out at the Heritage Park nearby. On the way to the Park, we passed by Oslob’s oldest church. Adjacent to the church was Cuartel: The Ruin of Oslob, it is incomplete structure that was built to be a barracks for Spanish soldiers in Spanish occupation.

Getaway Philippines: Cebu-Oslob-Ginatilan-Malabuyoc-Badian (Cebu Island 4D 3N)

Plz note actual date went to Cebu Island was on 6-9 Dec 2014. The expenses stated here was for 2 pax.

Cebu, Philippines time = UTC +8

Philippines currency = PHP (Philippine Peso)

Currency rate = 0.086 (e.g PHP1k = RM86)

Language = Cebuano / Tagalog (Mostly can speak in English)

Our planning was 2 days at Cebu and the remaining 2 days at Bohol. However, we cannot proceed to Bohol cuz the OceanJet FastFerry closed their operation due to Hagupit typhoon hit Philippines one day before we departed. As this was beyond our control, hence we executed the travel in Cebu Island ONLY!

Getaway Philippines: Lapu-Lapu City-Cebu-Oslob (Day 1st)

We reached Mactan-Cebu International Airport located at Lapu-Lapu City around 3.00pm (Budget1: RM1130 for 2pax flight inclusive of 2way ticket, meal one way and 20kg baggages each ways).

Day tour: Universal Studio Singapore (USS)

Plz note the actual date of this day tour was on Aug 23rd, 2014.

The must captured momento

I was holding USS revolving logo

with my two fingers

yeyy

We bought Air Asia air tickets two weeks before boarding to Singapore. It costs us RM207 return per pax. If you lucky, you may get cheaper than dat! We bought the USS entrance tickets from a stranger that we found in Backpackers Buddies Malaysia (BBM). She charged RM120 per tickets and she had two tickets. We bought both from her and another two more from travel agent (RM150 per tickets). For those, you may buy from RWSonline or for cheaper rate by coupon.

We depart at 7.40 am and it took an hour from Kuala Lumpur to Changi Airport, Singapore. We ride on three variation trains from Changi to USS and it took more or less an hour. We ride on skytrain from Changi Airport arrival hall to T2 (Terminal 2). The skytrain operates from 5am till 2.30am. [Tip1: During non-operating hours, they provided free shuttle bus service at T1 Departure Hall Door 5 (near row 14)].

Weekend Escaped: Kuala Lumpur to Kedah (Jitra-Baling-Alor Setar)

Plz note the actual date of this weekend escape was on 6-8 Jun 2014.

It has been a while i didn’t visit Kedah. I remember the last time went there was on September 2013 in Langkawi.

We took a bus from UTC KL to Jitra at 11.30 pm on 6 Jun (Friday). The journey took about 5 to 6 hours and Pancaran Matahari bus was our selection. It was double decker bus and the best thing was the bus has a plug pin in each seat except for the middle seats.

Next morning we turned up at Jitra bus station (nearby Petronas) and were picked up by our fwen. We had nasi lemak ayam berempah as our breakfast at Nasi Lemak Daun Pisang, a restaurant nearby. The visit to Kedah presently cuz we plan to attend my bestfwen wedding on 7 Jun (Saturday) at Baling. One thing I luv to share here was the journey to the wedding ceremony. It took almost 1.5 hours from Jitra to Baling. From Baling town to the bride’s house, we have to drive along a narrow path surrounded by forests and estates ambiance in the left and right side of the pathway. It was a bit creepy once we passed by rubber estate and the graveyard. Alhamdulillah, we almost reached at the wedding ceremony. We parked the car and walked through some hilly slopes. Yeyyz we arrived at the wedding ceremony eventually.

Itinerary 4D 3N (Pekan Baru, Riau – Bukit Tinggi – Padang, West Sumatera)

Day 1st (Pekan Baru)

Sultan Syarif Qasim 11 International Airport-Masjid Al-Fithrah-Masjid Bangkinang Islamic Centre-Danau Buatan PLTA Kota Panjang

Others:

Masjid Agung An-Nur / Masjid Raya-Balai Adat Melayu Riau (Jln Diponegoro)-Anjungan Seni Idrus Tintin, Seni dan Budaya Pekan Baru-Pusat Kerajinan Songket Melayu

Shop: Pasar Bawah (Mall Pekan Baru)

Meal: Ikan baung pondok asam pedas baung (depan rumah sakit awal bros)-Ikan patin HM Yunus (Daerah Simpang3)-Pondok ikan bakar bandar hidup 9

Day 2nd (Bukit Tinggi)

Pandai Sikek (weaving and wood carving)-Surau Nagari Lubuk Bauk-Pagaruyung Palace-Silindung Bulan Palace-Extraordinary spiral coconut tree-Graveyard of previous ruler-The written stone (batu bersurat)-Pondok Flora (lunch restaurant/perform solat)-Tabek Patah (local homemade pisang salai and traditional coffee milling)-Jam Gadang-Pasar Atas

Budgets 4D 3N (Pekan Baru, Riau – Bukit Tinggi – Padang, West Sumatera)

The expenses stated here was for 2pax. We can’t recall cost for the item no 11, 12, 14 and some souvenirs. Thanks to Baiz cuz she helped much to keep in mind all these cost. The Supir (driver): item #3 below, contact no +6281363385879 (Aldy).

Plz note transaction for item written in green was made in MYR (Ringgit) while other items was made in IDR (Rupiah). Plz click the image to enlarge and clearer figure.