I’ve been traveling around Visayas, been to some provinces in Mindanao and Luzon… stood gawking at picturesque landscapes, majestic waterfalls, tranquil lakes… frolicked in powder-white sand beaches, been captivated by unspoiled islands and islets… been riding outriggers, passenger boats, buses and airplanes. But I have never discovered all the beautiful and God-given gifts nature bestowed upon the island of Cebu, my home. So now, whenever I have weekends to spare, I hop on buses or private vehicles with friends and family and take time to tour and discover the South-West side of Cebu island… where every town has their own scenic spots to discover and admire…
A quaint, family-owned beach resort in the sleepy town of Malabuyoc provides tours of scenic spots of Malabuyoc and neighboring towns. A perfect antidote to the busy and hectic life of the city, Kawayan Marine Resort is the perfect haven for those who seek refuge, seclusion, relaxation and comfort. While away your day reading a book or lazing around while the crisp, cool sea breeze touches your sun-kissed skin, bask under the glorious sun, go kayaking and snorkeling in the resort’s protected marine sanctuary and discover colorful fishes, corals and the resort’s pride, their giant clams or you can sit outside at night and admire the diamond-studded sky and watch shooting stars streak across the dark, velvet sky… a past time you seldom get to enjoy while living in the brightly lighted city. The soothing sound of the waves rushing to shore lulls you to sleep in their cozy and spacious bamboo rooms built on stilts above the sea. It is also the ideal place to start your adventure tours like diving, dolphin-watching, snorkeling, cave exploring and spelunking, waterfalls and lake tours. Their friendly and capable staff give tours and act as guides to some of South-West Cebu’s natural wonders… Alegria’s numerous waterfalls, caves and lake…. Malabuyoc’s Mainit hot springs and the famous aventure-seekers’ favorite, Montaneza Falls and the hidden jewel of Malabuyoc, Looc Waterfalls… Ginatilan’s Inambacan Waterfalls…. Samboan’s enchanting Aguinid Falls… explore the underwater paradise with their Scuba-Diving Package… or have a fun day watching dolphins play and spin beside your outrigger with their Dolphin-Watching Package. They also offer Dive Courses with licensed diving instructors wherein you are issued a license after completing the course and their Discover Scuba Package is good for one day with two dives but the guest aren’t given licenses. There are a lot of activities to occupy and entertain the guests whether for relaxation or adventure.
Buses bound for the South are plenty at the South Bus Terminal. Just hop on a bus heading for Bato-Barili and inform the bus conductor that you’re getting down at Kawayan Marine in Sto. Nino, Malabuyoc… usually the buses charge 130-150 for the trip to Malabuyoc depending on the bus company. The bus ride takes 3-4 hours. The room rates at Kawayan Marine are reasonable and they even cater meals for their guests upon request, but you have to inform the resort a few days before your scheduled stay. Their rooms are at 800 pesos, good for 2-3 persons and 100/extra person. Their catered meals are at 550 for 3 sets of meals ( breakfast, lunch and dinner) but excluding drinks. Guests could also bring their own food. They charge 300 per day for their adventure tours and that includes two guides for any destination the guests chooses. Their Dolphin-Watching Package is for 5,000 but if guests would like to enjoy a stop-over at Manjuyod White Sandbar, the rate is 5,500… the outrigger can carry up to 20 persons for the tour.
For inquiries and reservations please call mobile number +639175466686 and look for Mr. Fred Ponce. Or email at yawyan15@yahoo.com; coconutjungle@hotmail.com; conniecebu@hotmailcom
for Kawayan Marine rates, accomodations and other services : http://kawayanmarine.wordpress.com/
KAWAYAN MARINE RESORT, Sto. Nino, Malabuyoc
a lean-to outside the resort for guests as they wait for the bus
the panoramic view of the sea from Kawayan Marine’s bamboo bridge
glorious sunsets at Kawayan Marine… an everyday spectacle at the resort…
THINGS TO DO @ KAWAYAN MARINE
A. Kawayan Marine Dolphin-Watching Package and Manjuyod White Sandbar Package
Manjuyod White Sandbar during low tide… picturesque, pristine, breath-taking sight with the powdery, white sand beach, azure sky and aquamarine waters
Manjuyod White Sandbar during high tide… perfect for snorkeling and swimming
B. Kayaking
C. Scuba-Diving and discover the Underwater Paradise
Sea Turtle
Giant Clams
Giant Clam or Tridacna Gigas
Clownfish or also known as Anemonefish
the magical, beautiful, breath-taking underwater paradise…
D. Adventure Tours ( Malabuyoc and neighboring towns )
MALABUYOC, SOUTH-WEST CEBU
Montaneza Falls
one endures an arduous climb over boulders, wade in the cool river, scramble over rocks to get to the breath-taking waterfalls of Montaneza
the lush vegetation and huge boulders surrounding Montaneza Falls
Looc Falls
towering stone cliffs flank the river that leads you to the falls
a trail up the hill, through dense vegetation, is the only way to reach the hidden jewel of Malabuyoc…
breath-taking, captivating, undiscovered waterfalls of Looc, Malabuyoc
GINATILAN, SOUTH-WEST CEBU
Ginatilan Public Plaza
the public plaza of Ginatilan
Inambacan Falls, Ginatilan
the first levell of Inambacan Falls where many flock for a cool swim and a thrilling dive
the upper falls of Inambacan which remains undiscovered and unappreciated by many local tourists… a hidden paradise for the adventurous town locals
beautiful, breath-taking Inambacan Falls… some 30 minutes hike uphill, crossing shallow rivers and through tropical vegetation leads you to this hidden jewel of Ginatilan…
footbridge leading to Inambacan Falls
SAMBOAN, SOUTH-WEST CEBU
the Rotunda of Samboan’s town proper… standing on top of the kiosk’s roof is a statue of a farmer
Jacob’s Ladder and the Ancient Watchtower
built in 1878 with coral stones, Jacob’s Ladder has 154 steps leading to the Ancient Watchtower which is also built with coral stones… it’s original purpose was to provide the villagers living by the sea easy access to the church… but now is used by the locals as a place to relax, get-together, spend a leisure time with family and friends while enjoying the panoramic view of the Tanon Strait and neighboring Negros Island.
the 154 steps of Jacob’s Ladder leading to the Watchtower
view of the sea, sky and mountains of Negros Island from inside the Watchtower
the Watchtower
St. Michael the Archangel Parish Church of Samboan
Aguinid Falls
the first level as seen from the river
the second level of Aguinid Falls
the third level of Aguinid Falls where one can clamber up the cascades since the stone remains rough from mineral deposits left by the cascading water
the upper level of Aguinid Falls where one can get to this unspoiled, magnificent beauty by climbing further up the stone wall or climbing up the side of the mountain with roots and plants to grab to heave yourself up
ALEGRIA, SOUTH-WEST CEBU
Kawa-kawa Falls
on our way to the falls
first level of Kawa-kawa Falls
second level, Kawa-kawa Falls… a difficult climb up a steep hillside with only vines and plants to grab to prevent from slipping and rolling downhill to reach this falls…
Caves of , Valencia, Alegria
more than an hour’s hike over hills and plains to reach the numerous caves found in the mountains of Valencia
the cave’s entrance
beautiful and magnificent rock formations inside the cave
Montpeller Falls , Alegria
an hour or more of arduous hiking on steep hillsides brings you to this breath-taking, hidden beauty of Alegria… nestled in the tropical mountains of Alegria, more than three stories high of cascading waterfalls… one can even get a glimpse of this nature’s wonder from the sea…
the hike uphill with loose soil and rocks to make your hike even more difficult and a real adventure
