Just got back from our Dipolog-Dapitan-Dakak trip. Here's an account of our adventures (Mama Squeak and other mods, pardon the long post! hehe):
Day 1: (Weather -- Rainy)
Arrived at Dipolog Airport around 1230pm. Rode trike to bus terminal (60 per head ang sinisingil ng driver feeling ko mahal kahit di ko alam kung gaano kalayo yung terminal sa airport so tinawaran ko ng 40 per head...later on nalaman ko mahal na pala ang 20 per head! tsk tsk)
Rode Evergood bus to Dapitan. ANG LAYO PALA. Nakakatawa, tama yung sabi ng isang sis natin dito na pa-palit palit ng koduktor ang bus...naka pitong palit, actually!
Checked in at Villa Pilar pension house in Dapitan. It's right in front of the beach pero yung beach ar normal na mala-Manila Bay lang (pero cleaner). Our room was small and did not have hot water. The tv was tiny but had good (cable) reception. It had cabinets and a dresser. Ok na for 700 a night kasi yung with hot water and ref nila 1,250 eh halos ka presyo na ng Alexandra by the Bay which is WAY NICER.
Had late lunch at
Kamayan ni Manay. SUPE SARAP, HUGE SERVINGS and SUPER MURA!
Went back to Dipolog via Evergood bus again because I realized that I left my contact lens solution at home! (No optical shops in Dapitan). Siksika as in sa bus kasi fiesta sa Dapitan. Was able to buy the LAST PIECE of contact lens solution at Lee Plaza for 270 pesos (it costs only 180 in Manila).
Went back to Villa Pilar to rest. Explored Gloria de Dapitan (maliit na strip with bars and restos). Walked along the boulevard after dinner at Manay's again (closed yung Erlinda's eh).
Day 2: (Weather -- Cloudy with ambon)
Had breakfast at Villa Pilar. Pina-serve namin sa veranda so it was nice to eat while watching the waves sa dagat. Rode trike to City Proper. Rode "singgol" motorcycle to Dakak for 100 per head. Can I just say I REALLY, REALLY enjoyed the ride?! Everytime I'm in Mindanao I ride the "singgol" and don't get scared at all, while here in Manila hindi mo ako mapapasakay ng motor kahit sa loob lang ng village namin, haha!
Dakak was FABULOUS. I've read reviews na kesyo hindi na gaanong maganda, not well-kept, etc. It's not true. Tne beach is really clean and beautiful. Halos kami lang ang tao pagdating namin and after a few minutes, kami na lang talaga. We literally had the entire beach to ourselves. It was sooo nice. Yung mga swimming pool, malalalim. Too bad we only discovered (later on) na may mas mababaw pa lang pool near the Italian resto where we ate our freebie "snack." Snack pero pasta sya kaya heavy. I had spag with meatballs; hubby had Fetucinni.
Unlike Panglao Nature Resort in Bohol though (which also has a "day tour" package for 900 pesos), Dakak does not have lockers nor shower rooms for day tour guests. You'll have to bring your stuff everywhere and shower out in the open. But it's not too bad. Keri lang.
Rode "singgol" from Dakak to the Rizal Shrine (sat on Rizal's and Josephine Bracken's "rock" at nag-moment kami dun) then hired a different "singgol" to tour us around Dapitan City for only 100 pesos (Disembarko thing, Casa Real, St. James Church, Map of Mindanao). Pero dahil mabait si Kuya, ginawa naming 200.
Went to Gloria's Fantasy land around 7pm. WALANG TAO as in kami lang dalawa ni hubby. Feeling namin stars kami sa isang teenybopper series or movie kung saan ipinasara ng guy ang theme park for a date, hehe. Sightseeing lang sana kami (200 each) pero dahil boring naman kung hindi magra-rides, we upgraded to the ride-all-you-can ticket na 500 each (may additional 20 pesos misc fee pag nagpa upgrade). May free food stub na worth 50 pesos each (combined sightseeing ticket and upgraded ticket). We bought Virginia hotdog on stick and Coke with it in the food court inside. The rides were nothing special but were cute and charming. We had fun. After we'd had the theme park to ourselves for about 30 mins, people started to arrive. Mga matatanda sila pero game kaya nakakatuwa silang kasabay at panoorin sa rides. I think they were barangay officials from Negros Oriental. Later on may mga nagdatingan na din na fanilies with kids na keber lang kahit umuulan! Di namin nasulit yung tag 500 pesos naming Ride all you can kasi umulan na at galing ako sa sakit.
Closed na by 930pm yung mga restos sa Gloria de Dapitan and yung mga restos along Sunset Blvd so we were forced to go without dinner! Sa Villa Pilar, cup noodles at Minute Maid lang ang meron.
Day 3: (Weather: Super rainy)
Had breakfast at Villa Pilar. Packed our things for our 1pm flight back to Manila. Went to bus terminal via trike. Had lunch in Jollibee Lee Plaza in Dipolog. Went to Dipolog Cathedral to make a wish. Took pictures of Rizal Park, City Hall, etc. Took trike to airport. Had to pay freakin' 448 pesos for check in because of hubby's bottled sardines. Hay. Mahal pa ang check in fee kaysa sa sardines.
That's it.
