The Native Banca

We arrived at Buot, Punta Engaño by 11:00 am and to get to the boat, we had to pass in a bigger passenger banca which were guided by a long bamboo pole. Then we finally began boarding the boat and started off our trip off the southeastern coast of Mactan Island and took us to some of the smaller islands to the south and east of Mactan.

Our first stop was to get cooled off and refreshed. We all dived off into the water and enjoyed the very salty, but best ever crystal clear water.

The Crstal Clear Water plus the Pure White Sand

FYI: For those who are interested , the boat can be rented via any of the beach resorts, or from one of the numerous operators in Mactan. Beware, though, about the pricing; even though bancas are basically the same ,the price can vary hugely depending where you book your boat. Boats are rented usually from 2000 pesos or more (maximum of 12 or even 20 passengers depending on the boat)and it should be noted that stopping by in an island have entrance fees, which are usually about 50 to 150 pesos per head. (Islands namely: Sulpa Island, Caohagan Island, Hilutungan Island, Nalusuan Island)Bringing you own food and drink is encourage but there are some boat cruises discouraged the passengers to bring drinks onboard. They also have different packages to suit your needs; like, a snorkeling activity is definitely possible and perhaps go kayaking or play some beach volleyball before heading to another island for another snorkeling activity.

Labels: travel and vacation

Wanna cool down after basking around under the heat of the sun? Are you looking for a perfect place for an outing with friends or family and a lovely place for relaxing, swimming and taking photos? For those who do not want sea adventure anymore , and if you're really such a big sucker when it comes to cold water..I suggest Obong Spring , located in the southern most coastal barangay of Dalaguete, Cebu. In the spring, visitors will find not just the usual pool of cool and crystal clear water but also a great part of Dalaguete’s history.

All ages will enjoy a day spent relaxing,swimming and eating in a clean spring water

people enjoying the steady flow of fresh water

At first we were sort of dubious about how fun the spring would be but Obong Spring is one of the favorite destination here in Dalaguete. And that made us more curios about how beautiful the place is. Just look at the spring yourself , the ambiance alone can really take all the stress in you .The water in Obong actually comes from the cold spring that sprout up from below. And when the sea comes to high tide and mixed with spring water, the depth in the middle reaches to approximately 8-10 feet high . So if you really enjoy swimming in the water, jumping off the huge rocks in Obong could really be fun for you..
You don't have to worry about where to change clothes because Dressing Rooms are just a few steps away from the spring. And you can also locate Lifeguard’s Post in Obong Spring for everybody's safety. So i guess ,not that bad for a summer destination for the whole family and a very good picnic site during summer...

Facts:
Local legend about the town says that when a couple of Spanish soldiers passed by the area they asked a woman bathing in the pool for the name of the place.Thinking that they were asking for the name of the tree beside the pool where the Spaniards were standing, the woman said Dalakit. And so the name Dalakit or Dalaguete found its way in the Spanish records.As legends go, it may not be true but a big and centuries-old dalakit tree is still standing beside Obong spring today.

Labels: travel and vacation