Daily Archives: 8 April, 2001

Dayon sa Cabuaan Beach Resort (Mambajao, Camiguin)

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Our room at Dayon sa Cabuaan Beach Resort

Upon landing, we ask around and were able to hire a jeepney, pakyaw-style, to check on available accommodations at Mambajao.    We just about checked all the resorts and hotels and most were either fully booked or simply inadequate for our tastes and needs.  In the end, we all decided on Dayon sa Cabuaan Beach Resort along Cabuaan Beach.

Dayon sa Cabuaan Beach Resort (4)

Our group occupied 4 (Jandy and I occupied one) of  the resort’s 8 airconditioned cottages with bath and cable TV.  The resort also has five 5-pax airconditioned rooms with bath, a restaurant.

Dayon sa Cabuaan Beach Resort (5)

The resort was one of only two places (the other was Mt. Hibok-Hibok) where I could get a SMART signal for my mobile phone.  Camiguin was definitely GLOBE country.  Since it was already late in the afternoon, we decided to rest and explore the island the next day.

Dayon sa Cabuaan Beach Resort (6)

Dayon sa Cabua-an Beach Resort: Cabua-an Beach, Mambajao, Camiguin. Tel: (088) 387-2103.

Camiguin or Bust

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The island province of Camiguin

I was still deciding on where to go with my son Jandy this Holy Week when my 2 companions from a previous climb up Mt. Makulot – Ms. Lourdes “Lulu” Siguenza, a Warner Bros. advertising executive, and free-lance artist Ms. Rosevie Sevilla – invited me to join them, with some other companions, on a week-long trip to the Northern Mindanao island province of Camiguin, an invitation I simply can’t refuse.  This would be my second trip to Mindanao, the first being in Zamboanga City way back in 1976.  I promptly secured plane tickets for me and Jandy.  

On board the ferry MV Royal Princess

We left Manila on April 8, Palm Sunday, on the 5:15 AM Cebu Pacific flight.  Joining us was Mr. Henry Chua, a Pizza Hut advertising executive and Lulu’s boyfriend.  Upon arrival at Cagayan de Oro City’s Lumbia Airport (Misamis Oriental), we waited an hour for our 8 other companions arriving on the incoming Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight.  On that flight were advertising executives Mr. Carl Allen and Begonia “Goni” Gonzalez of McCann Ericksson, Mr. Jake San Diego of Ace Saatchi, Ms. Tey Abonador of Harrison Communications, Ms. Rose Pantoja and Mr. Nubbin Beldia of Aviacom, Ms. Karen Rosel of Publicis-AMA and Mr. Randy Ypon, a balikbayan from Canada.  Carl and Randy brought along their own diving equipment minus the oxygen tanks which they intend to rent on the island.

Shuttling by jeepney

From the airport, we were picked up by a hired (for PhP2,000) Nissan Urvan to take our party on a 83-km. (1-hr.) trip to the Misamis Oriental ferry port town of Balingoan, the gateway to Camiguin.  Upon arrival, we all boarded the 11 AM ferry MV Royal Princess. Fare was PhP20 per pax  for the 45-min. crossing to Brgy. Benoni in Mahinog.   The boat was filled to the brim with passengers out on holiday, many crowding on the unshaded deck.  The trip was smooth all the way until we reached sight of Benoni. Or so we thought …. We heard a loud crash and were tossed about as the ship hit the pier head-on just when we were docking.  As if it were not enough, the crash was followed by a scraping sound as the ship sideswiped the dock ala Titanic.  What an exciting way to start a vacation!