Shervin and I have been traveling for five days already with the route Cebu-Dumaguete-Siquijor. Quaint-quainter-quaintest was indeed how we rolled, and what I truly needed. I was jaded to bits.
It was about one in the afternoon when a guy called out to passengers heading to Siquijor. He said we needed to check in at Delta Fast Ferries' counter located in its own floating terminal. Let me tell you, the term "lumulutang na terminal" used by the port's guard (when asked where it's situated) terrified me. That's the last thing my already worsening nausea needed.
The waves were big that day. Even from afar as we approached, we could see that the terminal was rocking wildly, in sync with the ferry. I was too preoccupied with my worries I didn't even bid a proper goodbye to Ari and Benn, Shervin's friends from Australia who traveled with us from Cebu to Dumaguete. They were also in the port waiting for their fast craft back to Cebu.
After checking in (which basically means showing our paid tickets and writing down our names on the manifest), we only waited for about five minutes. A steward let us board with the rest of the early birds. The ferry was quickly filled and we departed on time. The trip's a breeze at forty five minutes.
Upon docking, I caught a glimpse of Siquijor's shore. I remember it being an ooh la la moment, it made me forget about my headache.
Passengers disembarked in an unhurried manner. At the port's gate, trike drivers offered their services but weren't really too pushy. We hired one for we didn't intend to spend the night in town. We longed for something more remote.
We requested to be taken to Sandugan Beach, past the town of Larena, but we were unsuccessful in scoring a room with any of the resorts in the vicinity. Thanks to our driver's recommendation, we ended up in Hotel Agripino, a short walk from Salagdoong Beach. Both places we had to ourselves that evening. An evening spent in serenity.
It was Shervin's birthday. We celebrated over cheap pizza from the hotel's resto.
Trip's Nitty Gritty:
1. Dumaguete's port is located north of Rizal Boulevard. Trikes could take you there for P8-P10, depending on which part of city proper you come from.
2. Delta Fast ferry from Dumaguete to Siquijor's P160. Their official schedule ain't really official. Last trips are either at 4:30 PM or 5:30 PM.
3. There are a handful of cheap accommodations in Siquijor town. No need to ride a trike to browse around. Hire a motorcycle or trike if you want to roam around the island.
4. If you're staying somewhere away from town like in Sandugan beach, Salagdoong Beach, or San Juan, ask for your trike driver's number so he could service you whenever you need transportation (some resorts also have vehicles for hire). Jeeps are a bit rare.
5. Our trike ride from Siquijor town to Salagdoong Beach cost a whopping P700, and that's because (me guessing) I was with a kano.
6. Air-conditioned twin room in Hotel Agripino costs P800 a night. Tissue and towels are provided. Our window had a view of Maria Bay!
[This is part of the Voyaging Visayas Series which took place February 2010. Price of goods, transportation and so forth may already be different.]
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