Backpacking Landscapes: North Cotabato

Showing posts with label North Cotabato. Show all posts

Thursday, September 19, 2013

P13,273: What I spent in Mindanao for 13 days

I left manila with a 10L backpack stuffed with 4 pairs of clothes, a towel, battery bank, portable speaker, underwater iphone case, toiletries, atm and student id (very imporant :-) ). I have been enjoying spontaniety a lot, so not even an itinerary with me (except that I knew the provinces I wanted to go to and Asik Asik at the top priority). More than that, I just asked around, and researched on my 3G while in the airport, jeeps, bus, trikes, etc. (Did I mention I brought my Mcdonalds Happy Meal minion with me? :-) )

Below is what I spent in 13 days and where I got myself to:

Day 1: Gumasa Beach (with 3 others)
Taxi 250/4=62.50
Jeep to Gumasa fr Lagao: 50 (topload)
Habal back to Glan from Beach: 20
Food: 30
Van to Gensan: 70 (student fare)
Trike to Tyongson: 8
Dunkin Donuts: 180
Room: 700/4=175
Total: P720

Day 2: Lake Sebu, South Cotabato
Breakfast: 57
Trike from Kadulasan St, Gensan to Bus Terminal: 16
Bus from Gensan to Denmark Van Terminal in Marbel: 75
Van from Marbel to Lake Sebu: 55
Skylab: 200 (Half day service: 150+tip)
Lunch: 105
Entrance (7falls): 20
T'boli Costume Rental: 50
Dinner: 90
Alcohol: 144
Lodge: 60
Total: P875

Day 3: Lake Sebu + Marbel City (had to stay in the city as I have an online exam in grad school)
Habal: 100 (from Lodge to National Artist and back to terminal)
Cassava+Cofi: 16
Van from Lake Sebu to Marbel: 55
Lunch: 35
Trike: 8
Internet: 27
Trike: 8
Eduards Lodge: 230 (single fan room common toilet)
Dinner: 75
Cofi+bread:35
Internet: 35
Trike: 8
Total: P642

Day 4: Sultan Kudarat Capitol, Pink Mosque Datu Saudi Maguindanao
Breakfast: 65
Trike to yellow bus: 8
Bus Fare: 45+15 (From Marbel you have to Pay up to Tacurong; And in Tacurong, they issue another ticket for P15)
Trike: 20 (The bus missed dropping me in the capitol so had to take a trike back, and then return to roundball, a.k.a. roundabout where I took the jeep to Datu Saudi Maguindanao).
Jeep to Datu Saudi: 40
Softdrink: 10
Jeep from Datu Saudi to Cotabato City: 50
Lunch: 60
Van from Cotabato City to Midsayap: 60
Skylab to kitacubong, alamada: 70 (missed the last trip; was supposed to sleep in the outpost but was lucky to catch a habal service on his way home willing to take any amount; jeep fare from midsayap to alamada was P50 so gave P20 extra)
Dinner (3burgers, 1 zesto)=73 (Didn't eat all burgers; 2 i handed over to the barangay tanods with me in the hall; just makng clear im not a bburger monster)
Internet=16
Total: P532

Day 5: Asik Asik Falls
Marlboro: 60
Coffee+Pandecoco: 16
Coffee+bread: 15
Habal: 550 (alamada-asik-Linungan)
Misc food at asik: 101 (me & habal driver)
Entrance: 35
Food at Libungan Term: 98 (me & habal driver)
Bus to Cotabato City: 50
Hotel Filipino in Cotabato City: 300
Cigarette: 45
Dinner at jollibee: 123 (missing Jollibee by now)
Prepaid Load: 50
Total: P1438

Day 6: Pagadian City
Fare from Cotabato City to Pagadian: 300
Dodol: 20
Suman: 10
Lansones: 25
Habal to town center from Integrated Bus Terminal: 30
Fan room at roxan hotel: 300
Coffee at roxan: 15
Sikad to Gaisano: 10
Nailcutter: 20
Sikad Gaisano to City hall: 10
Bbq: 10
Meal at Kamayan: 140
Latte at Bo's: 95
Misc hygiene: 26
Total: 1006

Day 7: Overnight in Panikian Island, Pitogo
breakfast: 40
Bread+coffee+load: 50
Fare to pitogo: 100
Misc food: 650
Total: P840

Day 8: Leave Panikian, sidetrip to Lakewood, and travel to Zamboanga
Boat: 1000
Fare: 100
Meal: 65
Bus to tubon: 25
Habal to resort: 40
Entrance: 50
Banana split at Lakewood: 45
Marlboro: 30
Habal back to Tubon terminal: 100
Food at terminal: 52
Fare tubon-zamboanga city (student fare): 265
Coffee+bread: 20
Habal: 60
Lodge: 150
Total: P2002

Day 9: Malamawi Beach, Lamitan Basilan, transit to Jolo, Sulu
Jeep from Lodge to Port: 8
Brekkie: 64
Terminal Fee: 10
Student Fare from Zamboanga to Basilan: 125
Load: 22
Tawid from Isabela City to Malamawi Island: 5
Habal: 100 (Special fare for single passenger; 2 passengers will be P50 each for back and forth ride).
Merienda: 30
Fare back to Zamboanga from Basilan: 125
Terminal fee in Isabela City: 4
Meal: 64
Fare to Jolo: 400 (used the same terminal fee ticket; instead of spending for lodge in Zamboanga, you might want to head to Jolo instead; it's a comfortable sleep with the ocean breeze in the ferry's upper deck).
Total: P957

Day 10: Quezon (Patikul) & Maugu Beach (Jolo), Capitol, Sports Complex, Pangasinan Island in Panglima Municipality, Badjao Stilts
Trike (Special): 300
Coffee: 12
Meal (Ginataan and some rice delicacy): 21
Yosi: 56
Meal : 228 (4 cuts fried chicken; 4 cuts chicken caldereta; mee goreng; 2 serves rice, and a softdrink for me and trike driver in BlueXXXX restaurant in Jolo Market)
Coffee: 18
Boat from fishport to Pangasinan Island: 350
Hotdog: 15
Bike from Stilts to Port: 15
Coffee: 22
Trike from Port to Sports Complex:30
Trike: 30
Lansones: 10
Misc food: 68
Ferry: 400
Total: 910

Day 11: Sta Cruz Island, Zamboanga, transit back to Pagadian
Meal: 26
Load: 50
Sta cruz Island: 288 (shared among 8; I joined a group of 7 in this trip; inclusive of a lot of crabs and tour of mangroves, cemetery, etc)
Cig+coffee: 55
Meal: 75
Fare: 8
Malong (pasalubongg): 200
Bus from Zamboanga to Pagadian: 295
Mealstop (banana bread 2 bbq hotdogs): 28
Water: 20
Trike from Pagadian Integrated Terminal to Town Center: 30
Roxan hotel: 300
Total: P1375

Day 12: Transit back to Cotabato City from Pagadian
Cigarette: 16
Misc: 54
Food: 55
Van to cotabato: 350
Meal stop: 30
Room at Hotel Filipino: 450
Meal: 225
Cig: 40
Fares: 76
Total: P1296

Day 13: Travel back to Manila
Jollibee: 65
Malongs (pasalubong): 425
Internet: 18
Fare: 15
Trike: 7
Load+coffee: 65
Terminal Fee: 85
Total: P680

Total Spending: P13,273.

I was initially intending to spend only 7 thousand pesos for this trip; But, when I was in Asik asik falls and contemplating on the time I am comprimising versus budget, I thought my time was more valuable.. Also, especially in Pitogo, I thought it was but fair that I give back to the people who shared time for me. Besides, my average spend is P1000/day on my trips so my overall spending is just right for this solo (mostly) trip.

I managed to take a picture of the fares from Pagadian To Zamboanga

Day 7: Overnight in Panikian Island, Pitogo
breakfast: 40
Bread+coffee+load: 50
Fare to pitogo: 100
Misc food: 650
Total: P840

Day 12: Transit back to Cotabato City from Pagadian
Cigarette: 16
Misc: 54
Food: 55
Van to cotabato: 350
Meal stop: 30
Room at Hotel Filipino: 450
Meal: 225
Cig: 40
Fares: 76
Total: P1296

I managed to take a picture of the fares from Pagadian To Zamboanga

Asik Asik Falls, Alamada, North Cotabato

Ever since I’ve seen a post in facebook of pictures of Asik Asik falls, I immediately saved in my phone notes. I usually maintain a list of places i’d like to go to so I have a cheat sheet of places I can go to whenever I have availability.

Lately though, I could not find much time doing research for my trips. As I may have written on my older posts, I have found excitement at the surprises of not having an IT; I think it’s a good practice for strategy building and learning to adapt to every situation. Although, somehow, I do basic reading whenever I wait on terminals, or while sitting in the bus/vans.

I made my way to Midsayap at about 5pm, and just as soon as I get off from the van from Pagadian, the last trip to Alamada has just passed. My reading said there will be no lodging available in alamada, but, I never have a problem with lodging; I am that type who can just sit anywhere for hours, not to mention that I have my hammock with me, so long as I get to where I want to go.

There were some habal offering service to Midsayap for P150. However, I was not ready to spend that. Luckily, there was a chartered habal that serviced a passenger to Midsayap, and will be going back to Alamada (and I paid only a little more than the jeep fare).

We drove through the dark and cold mountains, and it was about 7pm already when we reached Alamada. As soon as I got off, I asked some of the parked habal drivers if there’s any chance I can hitch from someone who may be home to brgy Dado, but they say it’s impossible. They were offering to drop me off for P150 (but again it’s not in my tight budget); I said I was Ok with waiting for the 10am jeep that will be coming all the way from Midsayap. Meantime, one of the people in the crowd I spoke to is the head of the barangay tanod and offered to stay in the barangay hall. Thank goodness they had a washroom where I had taken a cool bath.

Next day, I woke up about 7am. Kapitana and other barangay officials were already there; shook hands and had a few words; Afterwhich, I bid goodbye to wait in the nearby terminal for chance transport.

Some habal drivers would approach me once in a while and offering P500 to Asik Asik, but i thought it was a huge expenditure. 3 hours passed and I had a serious thinking of what’s my time worth. Indeed, i may be saving, but calculating between the time I’m loosing and the travel opportunity I am loosing, I thought spending a bit is OK (And I managed to get it somehow down to P450) – Back and forth Alamada-Asik Asik.

When I asked how far is Brgy Dado from Alamada, I was told it’s 20+ kms, and from Dado to Asik Asik is 7.5kms. I was wondering why it costs so much.

The next 2 hours told me why. It took us about half an hour to reach barangay dado, and an hour and a half to get to the jump off point. That was the most daring habal habal I’ve ever taken. I had to ask the driver to let me get me off and I’d rather walk since we were wobbling through the muddy uphill. He would always insist he can, but he’d wound himself every so often too with miscalculations on his motorbike. I think I walked 70% of the trail up (which I rather would than risk opening some cuts).

From the jump off point, it will be a descend down to the falls. The descend started on a muddy (again) trail), where I slipped, considering I have been very careful already. Then, midway the hill, there will be 374 (hope I remembered the no right) cement staircase.

At some point I asked myself why I am letting myself endure that much for the sake of a waterfall, but, when you get there, you won’t even recall anything you may have asked/regret about your coming. You’d just want to get so close to the falls.

How to get there:

From cotabato city, take the van going to Midsayap. Fare is 60 pesos and travel time is about 45mins. From Midsayap, there are jeeps (called double tyre as the back tires come in pairs of tires on each side) that go straight to Dado ( I was told these jeepneys leave Dado at 5am the earliest and the same jeep will be on the way back to Dado from Midsayap before 8am, and will get to Alamada by 10am; In this case, best to leave Cotabato city by 6am). Fare to Dado from Midsayap (if I recall it right) is P80.

In case you miss the jeeps, or opt to travel fast, you can take habal (or “Skylab” for cotabato regions) service. From Midsayap, you will most likely be charged P800 up, and from Alamada, it will be P600, both up to Asik Asik jump off point. In Brgy Dado, it will be P300; back and forth, and per ride, not per passenger. However, it will be best if you take the habal from Dado. These drivers take these route (Dado-Asik) more often that the rest, so they are more capable of handling the adversaries in the trail. Look also for those with which wheels are tied up with ropes/chains that prevent the bike from sliding in the mud. In case you’d travel alone, I was told that the rate for Dado-Asik-asik shall only be P200.

In case you’d think about spending overnight in the Jump off point, which is, I’d like to try sometime soon when I come back, you may contact Sally Dequil; A vendor in the jump off point who has a hut nearby for tourists. Rental is P500 and can accommodate up to 4; No is 09058064501. In case you’d need a habal service from Alamada, here are some contacts: Albert: 09068551214; Elmer: 09307202574.

This trip is part of my 13 day Southern Mindanao Trip. I posted a few details of my schedule and expenses here