I give these 7 reasons why I overstayed Lanuza, Surigao Sur

The town which I just want to check out in passing, took 4 days of my trip. Sleepy towns are my favorite destinations as they keep my nerves calm and my sanity intact. You'd barely want to think about anything, including what to do next. Then again, more than that, there are other things that kept me in this town for a few days.

1.       Running water, coming from streams of mountains, is cold and is perfect for the summer heat. You barely want to finish taking a bath.

2.     Sleepy town with no breaking eardrum sounds of passing vehicles. It is a perfect place to practice biking. It might be just as safe to camp on the road.

around Lanuza town center

3. The surrounding is very moist. There are several decade old trees around the Plaza, with mossy vegetation in their trunks to prove how cool the climate is. You never get irate about anything too, which goes to show how cool the place is.

4.  I was impressed at how much the local government is investing in tourism, and how well it is valued. At the surf camp, several buildings are setup for visitor accomodation.  Considering that there isn’t much people visiting the town (at least compared to other areas such as siargao, or bislig), yet the town has prepared itself well. The Marine Sanctuary for instance has a cafe, whereby behind is a viewdeck. You can sip your P15 peso coffee either in that viewdeck or in the umbrella seats provided with a highway view.

the LGU built Guest Accomodation fronting the surfng area in Lanuza

Lanuza Surf Camp

Compared to Cantilan which has more heritage houses, Lanuza has a century old house that is well maintained and ready for future.

The Century old house in Lanuza, Surigao Sur

5. The perfectly scenic shades of green of the hills, coconuts, and ricefields from the highway. In the future, I am hoping to see restaurants or cafes just on the highway.

6. Affordability. Entrance to the marine sanctuary is P5. Coffee in the Surf Camp is only P10 and Sanctuary (instant) is only 15. Strong wifi provided in the surf camp, so you can hangout for just your P10.

Notice to the Entrance of the Sanctuario, Lanuza, Surigao

The town which I just want to check out in passing, took 4 days of my trip. Sleepy towns are my favorite destinations as they keep my nerves calm and my sanity intact. You'd barely want to think about anything, including what to do next. Then again, more than that, there are other things that kept me in this town for a few days.

1.       Running water, coming from streams of mountains, is cold and is perfect for the summer heat. You barely want to finish taking a bath.

2.     Sleepy town with no breaking eardrum sounds of passing vehicles. It is a perfect place to practice biking. It might be just as safe to camp on the road.

around Lanuza town center

3. The surrounding is very moist. There are several decade old trees around the Plaza, with mossy vegetation in their trunks to prove how cool the climate is. You never get irate about anything too, which goes to show how cool the place is.

4.  I was impressed at how much the local government is investing in tourism, and how well it is valued. At the surf camp, several buildings are setup for visitor accomodation.  Considering that there isn’t much people visiting the town (at least compared to other areas such as siargao, or bislig), yet the town has prepared itself well. The Marine Sanctuary for instance has a cafe, whereby behind is a viewdeck. You can sip your P15 peso coffee either in that viewdeck or in the umbrella seats provided with a highway view.

the LGU built Guest Accomodation fronting the surfng area in Lanuza

Lanuza Surf Camp

Compared to Cantilan which has more heritage houses, Lanuza has a century old house that is well maintained and ready for future.

The Century old house in Lanuza, Surigao Sur

5. The perfectly scenic shades of green of the hills, coconuts, and ricefields from the highway. In the future, I am hoping to see restaurants or cafes just on the highway.

6. Affordability. Entrance to the marine sanctuary is P5. Coffee in the Surf Camp is only P10 and Sanctuary (instant) is only 15. Strong wifi provided in the surf camp, so you can hangout for just your P10.

Notice to the Entrance of the Sanctuario, Lanuza, Surigao

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Mining in Claver, Surigao is Sick!

It was awkward, but I got so tensed at the color of the mountains ahead of me. Everything was red and raw. I started taking pictures, and a little while later, it was action. Raging trucks everywhere, going up and down vast mountains, and mining companies one after another; dust blowing up like a mountain on fire. This place is sick.

I hope I have better pictures to show you; I tried looking on google, but no picture could get me the same goose bumps I that rose as we were passing by the mountains of Surigao.

For those coming to Surigao (del norte), please please do pass by the town of Claver. This place needs serious attention. The Mining is ill; The whole landscape has been ripped off bare and raw.  

If only this place would have been somewhere where in the popular routes, I don’t think it will ever come this worst. You don't even need a big heart, nor a broad mind to feel how regretfully horrible it. Please please please pass by this route, take pictures, share on your social media. Please...

Update 10-21-2015:
Someone who did a dive research in the area notes: The iron-laden soil is already affecting the surrounding waters. I performed coastal resource assessments in surigao del norte last year, and the hard corals are disappearing. They are being replaced by corallimorpharians, which thrive in high iron environments, but fish need hard corals to build the reefs they live in.

The red soil is being blown into the ocean, choking the reefs and feeding a different type of organism. Unless something is done to address this, the waters around surigao will be without fish in the years to come.

Adding a video by Pia Ranada uploaded on Youtube on July 2015

It was awkward, but I got so tensed at the color of the mountains ahead of me. Everything was red and raw. I started taking pictures, and a little while later, it was action. Raging trucks everywhere, going up and down vast mountains, and mining companies one after another; dust blowing up like a mountain on fire. This place is sick.

I hope I have better pictures to show you; I tried looking on google, but no picture could get me the same goose bumps I that rose as we were passing by the mountains of Surigao.

For those coming to Surigao (del norte), please please do pass by the town of Claver. This place needs serious attention. The Mining is ill; The whole landscape has been ripped off bare and raw.  

If only this place would have been somewhere where in the popular routes, I don’t think it will ever come this worst. You don't even need a big heart, nor a broad mind to feel how regretfully horrible it. Please please please pass by this route, take pictures, share on your social media. Please...

Update 10-21-2015:
Someone who did a dive research in the area notes: The iron-laden soil is already affecting the surrounding waters. I performed coastal resource assessments in surigao del norte last year, and the hard corals are disappearing. They are being replaced by corallimorpharians, which thrive in high iron environments, but fish need hard corals to build the reefs they live in.

The red soil is being blown into the ocean, choking the reefs and feeding a different type of organism. Unless something is done to address this, the waters around surigao will be without fish in the years to come.

Adding a video by Pia Ranada uploaded on Youtube on July 2015

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Gold Line Transport Inc, Philtranco Bus 725, and their Prey

(An Email sent to LTFRB, Philtranco and Goldline Transport Inc)

We just arrived in Surigao through your Philtranco  bus  725 (Plate no EVK 171) and looking at how much the remaining passengers to davao hugged and bid goodbye to the surigao passengers who got off is very consoling. I did the same to 4 other passengers who I have been with just in the few hours of my Philtranco  business  ride.

Let me tell you their story.

First, i thought they were a family. I first spoke to them when we stopped in Liloan. I got to the  Philtranco   business  in Libagon, Southern Leyte after the Benit Ferry bound local bus  I have taken in Sogod broke its brakes.

While we stopped in Liloan, and because of the delays in the ferry, the bus instead drove further to San Ricardo onto Benit Ferry.

Since we were very early in Benit Ferry, arriving at 5pm, and not expected to board the boat until 8pm, we all got to talk. This is how I found out about what happened.

While the first couple seem to have paid the correct amount of P1400 each to Tacloban, the other couple was fooled into paying a “Gold Line Transport” Ticket to Davao for P2500. In Tacloban, the Gold Line Staff gave them P1200 (600 each) back,  out of the P5000 they paid, and this is for their fare from Tacloban to Davao. Apparently, the Philtranco fare to Davao, from Tacloban is P700.

The first couple ran out of money so had to call relatives to send them money on site; while the other, having nobody else to send them money, borrowed P200 (added to the P1200 refund) from the first couple just to make it to Davao. By now, this couple have no money left, not even for water nor food. Luckily, the other couple they made friends with have been sharing them whatever they have. They have been telling me how much they have been spending on bus stops, and so been sharing to them my travel strategies to spare my money.

Anyway, we are in Benit Ferry now and everyone has been asking if we can refund the change out of the P300 ferry ticket that the conductor have pre-collected, since it will only be P160 from Benit to Lipata Port. These guys have been hopeful to get at least even only P100 each so they will have money to eat. But, as your conductor is not giving us any clear answer, I told them to go with me instead.

I invited them over for dinner in Benit Ferry, told them to just share the food that I will order, and i hate it that the store owner asked insultingly why we are only ordering 2 viands for 4 people. They have been wanting to bath, but with the nearby households charging P20 per bath, they bath in the seawater instead, just to cool them off a bit.

When we got back, I asked the conductor again for the change. He was pointing me to a guy, whom he said was in charge of deciding which port to go, etc. I asked the guy for the change, and he said it will not be refunded to cover up the additional road distance travelled from Liloan to Benit Ferry. The distance was 45+/- kms, so i told him, it would not cost as much as P140 for road tariff. He turned to his back, and just left.

I asked some people if they asked for their change, and they said they were given the same answer by the conductor. And with several days travelling, I bet no one has the energy to argue for P140, not minding how hungry they are and how that money would have saved their stomach for a good several hours. They just want to be home.

As per me, I was given my ticket after we left Liloan port. When the driver was asking me P387, I asked why 387. He said the fare was 87, and the ferry was P300. I asked why P300, since I read it shall only be P140, he said we’ll find out later (and I have assumed he was not sure of the ferry cost there).

With 50 plus passengers on board, and P140 each, your staff made an additional P7,000 right on the spot. No receipts, no whatsoever. Probably a month or so earning of many of these passengers who barely know they can actually travel cheaper and much more comfortably and conveniently through a flight, if only they know how to operate a mouse and a keyboard.

Perhaps, sometimes, we can be humans too; Not be too greedy on making money, but being of service as well. And just because nobody is complaining, does not mean everything’s just OK.

I am also appealling if you can look at the sleeping buses of Vietnam. The same size of the bus can accomodate the same number of passengers but on lying reclining seats and for probably a fourth of the price you charge.

Regards,

Ian Limbonis

P.S. If you want some more details, call me

pics available on

I've tried calling the LTFRB Hotline, but number offline... nothing surprising.

(An Email sent to LTFRB, Philtranco and Goldline Transport Inc)

We just arrived in Surigao through your Philtranco  bus  725 (Plate no EVK 171) and looking at how much the remaining passengers to davao hugged and bid goodbye to the surigao passengers who got off is very consoling. I did the same to 4 other passengers who I have been with just in the few hours of my Philtranco  business  ride.

Let me tell you their story.

First, i thought they were a family. I first spoke to them when we stopped in Liloan. I got to the  Philtranco   business  in Libagon, Southern Leyte after the Benit Ferry bound local bus  I have taken in Sogod broke its brakes.

While we stopped in Liloan, and because of the delays in the ferry, the bus instead drove further to San Ricardo onto Benit Ferry.

Since we were very early in Benit Ferry, arriving at 5pm, and not expected to board the boat until 8pm, we all got to talk. This is how I found out about what happened.

While the first couple seem to have paid the correct amount of P1400 each to Tacloban, the other couple was fooled into paying a “Gold Line Transport” Ticket to Davao for P2500. In Tacloban, the Gold Line Staff gave them P1200 (600 each) back,  out of the P5000 they paid, and this is for their fare from Tacloban to Davao. Apparently, the Philtranco fare to Davao, from Tacloban is P700.

The first couple ran out of money so had to call relatives to send them money on site; while the other, having nobody else to send them money, borrowed P200 (added to the P1200 refund) from the first couple just to make it to Davao. By now, this couple have no money left, not even for water nor food. Luckily, the other couple they made friends with have been sharing them whatever they have. They have been telling me how much they have been spending on bus stops, and so been sharing to them my travel strategies to spare my money.

Anyway, we are in Benit Ferry now and everyone has been asking if we can refund the change out of the P300 ferry ticket that the conductor have pre-collected, since it will only be P160 from Benit to Lipata Port. These guys have been hopeful to get at least even only P100 each so they will have money to eat. But, as your conductor is not giving us any clear answer, I told them to go with me instead.

I invited them over for dinner in Benit Ferry, told them to just share the food that I will order, and i hate it that the store owner asked insultingly why we are only ordering 2 viands for 4 people. They have been wanting to bath, but with the nearby households charging P20 per bath, they bath in the seawater instead, just to cool them off a bit.

When we got back, I asked the conductor again for the change. He was pointing me to a guy, whom he said was in charge of deciding which port to go, etc. I asked the guy for the change, and he said it will not be refunded to cover up the additional road distance travelled from Liloan to Benit Ferry. The distance was 45+/- kms, so i told him, it would not cost as much as P140 for road tariff. He turned to his back, and just left.

I asked some people if they asked for their change, and they said they were given the same answer by the conductor. And with several days travelling, I bet no one has the energy to argue for P140, not minding how hungry they are and how that money would have saved their stomach for a good several hours. They just want to be home.

As per me, I was given my ticket after we left Liloan port. When the driver was asking me P387, I asked why 387. He said the fare was 87, and the ferry was P300. I asked why P300, since I read it shall only be P140, he said we’ll find out later (and I have assumed he was not sure of the ferry cost there).

With 50 plus passengers on board, and P140 each, your staff made an additional P7,000 right on the spot. No receipts, no whatsoever. Probably a month or so earning of many of these passengers who barely know they can actually travel cheaper and much more comfortably and conveniently through a flight, if only they know how to operate a mouse and a keyboard.

Perhaps, sometimes, we can be humans too; Not be too greedy on making money, but being of service as well. And just because nobody is complaining, does not mean everything’s just OK.

I am also appealling if you can look at the sleeping buses of Vietnam. The same size of the bus can accomodate the same number of passengers but on lying reclining seats and for probably a fourth of the price you charge.

Regards,

Ian Limbonis

P.S. If you want some more details, call me

pics available on

I've tried calling the LTFRB Hotline, but number offline... nothing surprising.

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Sleeper lodge in Surigao City

En route to Butuan City from our Siargao trip, i came across an ad in the terminal about a lodge for just P50.

Being an (extreme) budget traveller, since we are still waiting for some more passengers to fill up the van, I thought about checking out what that P50 was all  about.

Walked up the lodge and took a picture of the room and the rates.

Unfortunately, as of 2015, on my latest visit to Surigao city, this lodge is already closed. :-(. The next cheapest option are the lodging houses next to the park around 150 pesos up.

En route to Butuan City from our Siargao trip, i came across an ad in the terminal about a lodge for just P50.

Being an (extreme) budget traveller, since we are still waiting for some more passengers to fill up the van, I thought about checking out what that P50 was all  about.

Walked up the lodge and took a picture of the room and the rates.

Unfortunately, as of 2015, on my latest visit to Surigao city, this lodge is already closed. :-(. The next cheapest option are the lodging houses next to the park around 150 pesos up.

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Budget eats for sharing in Cloud 9, General Luna, Surigao

We were at the last night of our 4day tour and we're close to the borders of our budget. As most of the tourists around cloud 9 are expats, the meals are expats too: dishwise and pricewise. We asked around for where we can eat on a backpacker budget, but that's all the way to general Luna,and we'll have to pay for P30/head/way for the habal ride; if you add that up, thats almost giving away what you can possibly save.

We walked around and found one that looks affordable. 

Food in laida's restaurant in  General Luna, Surigao

Food in laida's restaurant in  General Luna, Surigao

Looking at the menu, the prices were almost thesame as the resorts. Thinking that there was no choice, We thought about ordering a dish, and then, just buy some canned good as additional. 

We waited until the food is served before buying any canned good so at least we know how much more to compensate; Thank goodness, the serving was enough for the three of us. The cooking was perfect too, i can just be topping my rice with the chicken adobo's sauce. We spent P240 or 80 each: 1 rice each and a family size softdrink!

Well recommended for budget but well prepared food in cloud 9

We were at the last night of our 4day tour and we're close to the borders of our budget. As most of the tourists around cloud 9 are expats, the meals are expats too: dishwise and pricewise. We asked around for where we can eat on a backpacker budget, but that's all the way to general Luna,and we'll have to pay for P30/head/way for the habal ride; if you add that up, thats almost giving away what you can possibly save.

We walked around and found one that looks affordable. 

Food in laida's restaurant in  General Luna, Surigao

Food in laida's restaurant in  General Luna, Surigao

Looking at the menu, the prices were almost thesame as the resorts. Thinking that there was no choice, We thought about ordering a dish, and then, just buy some canned good as additional. 

We waited until the food is served before buying any canned good so at least we know how much more to compensate; Thank goodness, the serving was enough for the three of us. The cooking was perfect too, i can just be topping my rice with the chicken adobo's sauce. We spent P240 or 80 each: 1 rice each and a family size softdrink!

Well recommended for budget but well prepared food in cloud 9

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Tentative Itinerary for 2012

I have given up the idea of savings and whatever nonsense long time and short time goal I have; For my pleasure is my pleasure...

I have given up the idea of savings and whatever nonsense long time and short time goal I have; For my pleasure is my pleasure...

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