After leaving Cebu the plan was to catch a ferry to the island of Siquijor. When I arrived at the pier on Cebu Island it was already dark and a ferry was preparing to leave. I asked for a ticket to Siquijor and got on the ship just in time. But when I arrived on the island I soon realized that I was actually in Negros, not Siquijor.
I'm not sure if I had to transfer in Negros first, or if the ticket attendant pointed me to the wrong ferry. Negros, only a 30 minute ferry ride from Cebu Island, is one of the largest islands in the Visayas and split into two provinces. The plan was to go to Dumaguete, the capital of Negros Oriental, after Siquijor. But considering it was late and I didn't know the ferry schedule I decided to spend a night on Negros first. I booked a hotel that was a bit too nice for a budget traveler and felt pampered having an air-conditioned room, bath included, all to myself.
The following morning I took the ferry to Siquijor (the correct one this time). A Filipino named Victor showed me a few hotels on the island; I was hoping to find a hostel or cheap motel, but didn't have much luck. Fortunately one of the places had a room for 650 pesos, approximately $16 a night. It seemed like the best deal in the area so I booked it for one night. I was planning on staying for three but wanted to scout around and see if there were any more deals to be had.
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| View from my room |
Victor also rented out motorcycles, which would be a great way to see the island. I had never driven one before, but that didn't seem to be a precursor to renting one. The fist bike I tried was manual; after revving it too hard and knocking down a flower pot at the hotel, Victor and I collectively decided that an automatic scooter was a better option. I paid for one day only, figuring that I should give it a trial period before committing.
In the afternoon I rode from the hotel to a town called Lazi, about a third of the way around the island. The ride was great, and after only a few minutes on the bike it was quite easy to maneuver There was a coastal rode that made a circumference around the island, and it was generally in good condition. From Siquijor to Lazi, however, there were some spots where the road was simply dirt with stones sticking out of the ground. Other than those sections riding was great, so I decided to book the bike for the duration of my stay (two more days).
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| An old monastery turned school in Lazi |
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| The Lazi Church, across from the monastery |
I also looked at a few other places along the road to Lazi, but most were too fancy for a budget traveler and none were cheaper than my hotel.
Having booked the hotel and bike for the following two nights, I planned out places to ride. During the second day I circumferenced the entire island; it's not really an amazing feat considering how small it is, but with stops the trip still took 4 solid hours. On Thursday, the third day, I took the interior road (there was only one road that went directly from one side of the island to the other) through the hills. That road was in much worse condition, and at several points I wasn't sure if the bike could make it through the dirt or bumpy stone path. In the end I managed to get through the interior, stopping at several points to hike the surrounding hills. The trip was worth the hassle, with great views of the forest and the sea.
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| view along the coast |
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| The water was this clear all around the island |
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| My scooter for three days |
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| A waterfall in the interior |
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| Another old church, this one in the town of Siquijor |
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| View of the ocean while driving to the interior |
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| Rockin the shades and helmet |
During the evenings I ate out, twice in the town of Siquijor, and once in Larena. Larena was probably the biggest town, but still not much more than several thousand people. Things close down super early, but during the day it was busy with locals from the surrounding countryside coming to shop and/or sell their products. On the second evening I had to go to Larena and withdraw cash because the one ATM in Siquijor was either out of order or closed for the night. There was only one functioning ATM at the time in Larena (maybe the only one on the island) and the line was 45 minutes long! But considering I was out of cash I had to bit the bullet and wait.
While on Siquijor I also met a group of college students studying at a local uni (I was surprised there was one on the island!). We met for drinks and karaoke on Wednesday night and played basketball Thursday morning. Unfortunately my mind still thought I could play, but after a year without touching a ball my body was on a different page.
The Filipino style of basketball involves almost constant cherry picking - waiting by one's own basket and not getting back on defense to try and get an easy fast break once the other team shoots. When your teammate gets the rebound, they will literally fling a blind pass down-court Sometimes it works and sometimes it's an easy steal for the other team. That style was a bit frustrating for me; I'm used to actually getting back on defense and trying to run some sort of offense other than constant fast breaks. It proved to be a good workout though, and I was just glad to play since I never had the chance in Korea.
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| The basketball hoop we played on was a bit nicer |
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| I'd never seen this sign before! |
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