Siquijor Day Tour by Motorbike ~ Pusang Kalye

Of course one doesn't go to Dumaguete without visiting Siquijor. It is combo-destination similar to that of Iloilo-Guimara, Davao City - Samal Island or Cebu-Mactan Island. I thought about keeping my options open for Siquijor so I only booked 3 nights in Dumaguete so as I can opt for another night in the former should it be viable.But I meet a fellow traveller over Couchsurfing and she said a day tour of Siquijor is good enough for her so I opted for a day trip as well.

To be honest, I expected too much of Siquijor so I was like "is that all?" at the end of our day tour. But it was not to the level of disappointment because I really enjoyed it so much. I just thought the attractions were not as powerhouse as I thought. But you know what the most fun part is? Renting a motorbike and go around the island. Yes. I highly suggest this activity. For as low as 400 pesos you can a bike all for yourself for the whole day. So if you are with another person to divide that cost then it is really a very cheap way of going around the island. You need to gas up though and return the bike full tank so more or less I spent 500 pesos but the fun of it is way so much more than what 500 pesos can buy.

The 1st to greet you from the port is the old Catholic Church

Renting a Motorbike

And renting a bike is easy. Just leave your drivers licence and sign the logbook and off you go. I didn't bring my drivers licence during the trip but among the three of us got his so all I needed was to present a valid id ( government id). The two of them shared one bike and the other bike was all for myself. The perks of knowing how to drive. I suddenly miss my motorbike in Rizal which I used for 6 years. But I have been driving motorbike on and off since 2nd year high school and never any minor or major accident so I can say I am a pretty good and careful driver.

Riding a bike affords you (other than the adrenaline rush) to appreciate the view more and stop at any point you want. Well, almost, since I had to convoy with my two other companions since I was new in the place. But road condition in Siquijor is really good and the orientation is very simple follow the coastal area and you will not get lost. Paikot lang very similar to that of Camiguin. We started 10am and got back to port before 5:00 pm. A total of 7 hrs and the driving part was like 3 hrs.

Giant Balete Tree

Our first destination was the Giant Balete Tree with a pond they created at its base so you can see the giant roots of the tree part of the pond and there are lots of Dr. Fish in the pond. These are the fiercest Dr. Fish I ever tried. With so many tourists dipping their feet here day by day, these fish still seem very hungry that the moment you immerse your feet by the water they swarm to it and start eating your dead skin and what have you down there. Small one and even some the size of tilapia will greet you. The small ones really tickle a lot while the big ones when they bite borders to "scary level" as if feeling mo lalamunin yung buong daliri ng paa mo. It was fun. There was a souvenir shop in the place too and vendors of fresh buko. Ah! Fresh buko on a hot day's drive is heaven!

Lunch At Lazi

We had a quick lunch in Lazi our next stop. Actually the official next stop is the church here but the lunch deserves a quick mention. The eatery where we have eaten is the only eatery in the place and good thing the food is really good or else we had no choice but to eat shit. It is small and they serve home cooked Filipino favorites like adobo, tinola, silogs, torta and what have you. All other tourists either by bike or van stop here and I saw couple of foreigners and I thought "good thing", at least di nakakahiya Filipino food when they try it.

Lazi Catholic Church

Lazi Catholic Church is worth the stop and closer look. Our companion (the Dumaguete local) who has been to Siquijor countless times actually didn't bother stopping but I refused to follow them and parked in front of the church so they had no choice but to go back for me. Ahahaha It is very old (erected in 1857) you can feel it can be taken down by gravity anytime. The interior is quite simple if I may note and it has this mysterious feel to it. A church that you wouldn't want to go to at night as it could feel so creepy. Ahahaha. Nonetheless, it is an interesting piece of architecture to marvel at.

Cambugahay Falls

This is no doubt the best attraction in Siquijor and the highlight of our trip. No majestic drop for the falls itself, no powerful roar of water as it hit the pool below but it has gentle charm. From the main road where we parked our bikes for 20 pesos, we had to walk down around 50 stairs. From afar one can notice the turquoise water which is rare of pools created by waterfalls.

Its floor is kinda muddy thus the water is not clear but you know it is clean and I enjoy swimming there. There are two falls next to each other with the 2nd falls (lower) with a higher drop. People enjoy jumping from top part to where the water drops. I never dared.

We then moved to the upper for more swimming and the main attraction being the tarzan jump. They attached a rope on a tree trunk and one can swing from the banks and drop by the pool. Water is around 1.5 times as deep as might height ( I am 171 cm or 5'7") so it was not the worry to hit the water floor.

Just make sure you know how to swim if you try this or else the the impact of your drop and the depth you slice through the water might shock and overwhelm you. But it was pretty easy. Just make sure too that you know how to time letting go of the rope. Or else you will swing back to the banks and hit solid ground. I did three times despite the queue as it was really fun. The guys who assist you would expect some tip. They call it donation and 20 pesos is fair enough. It was here where we spent the most time during our day tour.