Can’t hide my excitement while we were on our way to Bangui Windmills, the prominent trademark of Ilocos Norte. I was here five years ago with my former colleagues, awed and astonished looking at the swirling giants stood firmly like a military army protecting its base. Now I am back with my family and our favorite travel buddies, Froi, Marie, and Abu.
The group
The summer heat is on! My kids had been longing to swim since the first day of April. My hubby and I decided to go back to Boracay de Cavite now Katungkulan Beach Resort for a beach getaway. And we set it on this holiday.
passing again the hilly mountain of Ternate
Patungan Cove is privately owned and we were so lucky that we had the opportunity to soak up the sun in this resort which is less crowded and teeming with tranquility. The cove is located in Sta. Mercedes (Patungan) at the farthest end of Maragondon, Cavite.
The cove during twelve high noon
My excitement in our snorkeling today in Giant Clam Sanctuary at 9 a.m. woke me up so early. I rushed into the window and hailed the curtain. Oh my, it was gloomy! But rain or shine, we got out from Captain Hook’s Red Parrot Inn and started the day taking a morning walk in a nearby Kaputian Beach Resort to see the humble community of Kaputian.
the wide stretch of Kaputian Beach Resort
Setting foot at Samal Island or the Island Garden City of Samal in the province of Davao del Norte is the most exciting part of our Davao City tour. The island which has been said the largest resort city in the Philippines boasts of the famous Pearl Farm Beach Resort, pristine white sand, rich marine life, waterfalls, and other exciting tourist spots that will surely make your stay so memorable.
the stunning view from the veranda of Capt. Hook’s Red Parrot Inn
Davao City is famous for its Durian and Marang, their signature fruits which are commonly asked for pasalubong. And there is more, the city is so clean and peaceful. Thanks to the strong leadership of the Dutertes for imposing a remarkable discipline to Davao City, thus making the people so proud of it.
Seeing Davao in person is such a fulfilling experience. I’ve learned the reason/s why this city though far is now frequented by tourists and adventurers like me.
I think I’m in love with You Davao!
Let me now begin my story in our Davao City tour.
This is the first time that I traveled by air with my kids. It was raining hard in Manila when we left by 8:00 pm, and so we experienced turbulence up in the sky. That’s part of the adventure, anyway. We were all excited setting foot at the airport and seeing my hubby waiting for us at the arrival area. He was on a two-week IT project in the city with his team. He enjoined us to spend their last weekend for an exhilarating getaway.
the excited trio
We boarded a taxi going to Lanang to where we will spend our first dinner at Penong’s Barbeque Seafoods and Grills. It is one of Davao’s famous chicken barbecue restaurants and is famed for its juicy barbecue. I was so curious to taste their food which was comparable to Mang Inasal’s delicacies. Well, let us see which is better.
the jam-packed restaurant at night
Penong’s was set in an open-air dining area, built entirely of authentic native wooden material. Thus making it so cozy and homey. Barney, Froi, and Dwight joined us in our dinner. It was now packed with people and we were lucky because we got the last table.
We ordered the delectable Fiesta Plate, a combination of chicken and pork barbecue, liempo, pork chop, and longganisa (P710) with a dipping sauce of soy sauce, vinegar, and a pinch of calamansi juice. We also ordered kinilaw na tuna (P113), sinigang na hipon (P121), and bottomless ice tea for our drinks. We were given complimentary bulalo soup and cold water. I left my diet in Manila and so I ate all the dishes served on the table.
the delectable Fiesta Plate
The Davao kinilaw style was so delectable. It was me and my hubby who feasted on it. Yummy! Overall, the food was really good, really good that Pao and Shen’s plate had no rice leftover. Whooh!
the Davao tuna kinilaw style
What amused me much was the clapping of hands to call the waiter’s attention. I recommend this restaurant for its affordable price and fast service.
they had a juicy barbecue that you will long to go back and eat for more
Honestly, their barbecue is much better than Mang Inasal and they have more variety of foods to choose from. Better try this if you happen to visit Davao City. They have budget meals with price ranges from P68 to P92, choices of chicken, pork barbecue, and pork chop.
Location: JP Laurel Avenue, Lanang, Davao City (in front of Toyota Motors and near SM City Lanang Premier)
Schedule – 10:30 AM to 2:00 PM and 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM
Happy Eating!
My comments about Davao City – I was impressed by its clean environment. But what I admired most was the strict implementation of city ordinances like the city-wide ban on smoking in public areas and the selling of alcoholic drinks which prohibits from 2 AM to 6 AM. See how effective Davao City’s governance was ruling anyway?
Next stop – Drifter’s Apartel and British Hub
The nestled lagoon in the middle of an island, a natural sanctuary for giant seafaring turtles, fills with saltwater during high tide.
This was the caption of the March to April 2007 page of PNOC’s (Philippine National Oil Company) calendar with their theme, “Our Undiscovered Country” with the stunning picture of Paguriran Lake in Bacon, Sorsogon. Imagine an enclosed lagoon in the middle of an island? I jotted it down in my brown notebook and vowed to visit it in the future. Below the main picture were small pictures of Vera Falls which I visited last year (so thankful) and the other was Naghaso Boiling Lake (next target to explore), both are found in my humble hometown Albay.
The scenic view atop the jagged rocks
Election day was over. Part of our one-week vacation in our hometown in Albay is the exciting sun and sand getaway. My relatives mentioned a secluded beach in Baryo Jonop in the municipality of Albay. I was puzzled for I knew there’s no beach resort in this town. Out of curiosity, we contacted a van for hire, hastily cooked for our lunch, and off we go for another water adventure.
the elusive Mayon Volcano
Coming from a refreshing swim in Puting Buhangin and a visit from Kwebang Lampas, our boatman, Mang Urong brought us next to Dampalitan Beach for around a thirty-minute ride. We brought all our stuff because he will fetch another group from Borawan. But as soon as we were approaching the island, the sky became cloudy.
The refreshing view from our table
I was amazed when I saw pictures of Puting Buhangin in Pagbilao Grande Island in Quezon. When my family rejected the idea of going back to Baguio for a Holy Week vacation, I showed them pictures of this island. Beaming with excitement, they all voted for a Quezon family beach getaway.
Puting Buhangin is radiantly beautiful from afar