Surigao Adventure: Day 2d - The Beach

After the caves, we visited a small island/beach during our Sohoton tour.  I forgot the name of this beach but it was nice, quiet beach.  The shoreline is short but it has fine white sand.  Crushed corals can also be seen along the shoreline and on the shallow waters.  The beach was clean, clear with small fishes around.  It was only us who were at that beach that time.  Not much to say about this beach, just sharing with you these pictures we captured with it.

Small beach

Closer to the beach

Beach with some rock formations

Another rock formations, with the other couple on our tour

Fine white sand

Unique rock structure, spade shaped.  This has white sands inside.

Clear water with some rocks/corals

Underwater shot

Underwater shot

This beach side trip is part of the Bucas Grande Island tour which was explored during our Day 2 Surigao Adventure.

Surigao Adventure: Day 2c - Bolitas Cave, Bucas Grande Island

Bolitas Cave was our next destination.  This is just perpendicular to Crystal Cave, which is said to be its twin.  Actually they have the same cave entrance, its just that in Bolitas Cave, you need to walk a little further to enter the small opening down to the cave.

This is the entrance to the twin caves

Closer shot of the Bolitas Cave entrance

Another shot of the entrance to Bolitas Cave

Another entrance shot of Bolitas Cave with people going down

Seeing the small entrance of Bolitas Cave, I passed on this one.  Even the couples who joined us with the tour no longer visited this cave.  So we just waited for my boyfriend as he wants to explore everything.

Based on the pictures he gathered, it seems that this cave is very small.  He also has difficulty in going down and climbing up the cave.  It was also hot and with very little ventilation down there.

Inside the Bolitas Cave

Creepy looking rock formations even on the ceiling

My boyfriend coming out of the Bolitas Cave

Bolitas Cave is very unique.  Its rock formations really resembles a bolitas or pellets.  The ceiling seems like droplets.  Not much head room under this cave.  But still worth seeing because of its uniqueness.

This visit to Crystal Cave is part of the Bucas Grande Island tour which was explored during our Day 2 Surigao Adventure.

Surigao Adventure: Day 2b - Crystal Cave, Bucas Grande Island

After visiting the Tiktikan Lake, our next stop were the twin caves, Crystal and Bolitas Cave.  These were called twins since these are located on the same place, just perpendicular to each other.

Crystal Cave
It's not difficult to reach the Crystal Cave even though you need to climb up to reach it.  Going there, the path were somehow formed into stairs with improvised handle to support and guide you all the way up.  Reaching the mouth of the cave will take about 10 minutes walk.

Going to the cave

Crystal Cave Entrance

numerous rock formations will greet you upon entrance

one of the "crystals"

this is Kuya Joxen (blue cap)

Unique rock formed in the middle

another "crystal"

 

Unique rock formation

Inside the cave

look at the ceiling!

Further down the cave

Just taking a shot while everyone is leaving the cave

Crystal cave is wide and with just a few walks, you will be able to tour around it.  Inside the cave, most rock formations are white in color with some sparkling material thus making it seem like a crystal.  The path inside the cave is just a straight one so it's not really difficult to discover rock formations there.  I was fascinated on how these white crystal rocks were formed as they are not only situated on the sides or wall, but also at the middle.  Also, the rock formations were unique, never seen similar to it in some other caves I've been to in the Philippines.  It's another nice experience to be exploring this Crystal Cave.

This visit to Crystal Cave is part of the Bucas Grande Island tour which was explored during our Day 2 Surigao Adventure.

Surigao Adventure: Day 2a - Tiktikan Lake, Bucas Grande Island

Our first stop was the Tiktikan Lake or Lagoon Tiktikan.  On the way here was a spectacular view of the lagoon already with its clear bluegreen waters and lush green trees.

On the way to Tiktikan Lake

  

 

Lovely lagoon at our background

There were huts in this lake which one can rent at Php 3,000 per night, good for 5 pax already.  I saw some people riding a boat around the lake which I think can be rented also.

Information details

The huts and people boating

Another view of the Lake

The lagoon at low tide

We also had our lunch here c/o our contact boatman, Kuya Vincent.  Actually, we didn't inform him that we will avail his offer to cook lunch for us.  The couple who was with us during the tour, avail it so maybe they thought we will avail their lunch also.  Since we hadn't had lunch yet and our packed canned goods may not be enough to keep us full (since we don't have any rice) and I think Kuya Vincent prepared already lunch good for 4, we just took their lunch meal.

We're almost done eating when I took pictures of our food

Kuya Vincent charged us Php 350 per head for our lunch.  It consists of 3 types of fishes: 1 big grilled fish, 2 plates containing small sized fish cooked with sauce (like sweet and sour) and 1 medium sized fished.  The lunch also includes rice, softdrinks, banana and camote.  For the rate they charged us, I find it quite expensive.  But anyway, the big grilled fish was delicious.  The smallest fish was ok too.  Those were the only viands I've tasted.  That's why I find their rate of Php 350 expensive since, for me, it's not worth it!

After the Tiktikan Lake, our next destination will be the caves.  Please read them in my next blog.

More Surigao Adventure blogs here:
Day 1
Day 2

Surigao Adventure: Day 2 - Sohoton National Park / Bucas Grande Island

Whole day of Day 2 will be spent in Bucas Grande Island as per our initial itinerary.  This is located at the lower part of Siargao Island as you can see in the map from my previous blog but still these are part of Surigao del Norte.  Bucas Grande Island tour or also known as the Sohoton National Park tour is where you get to see various caves, lakes, lagoon and the one of a kind stingless jellyfish.

From Revlun Pension House, based from my research, we will just take a tricycle for about 30 minutes travel to reach Hayanggabon Port where boats are situated and the starting point for Bucas Grande Island tour.  Since it was a Good Friday, there were very limited transportation around.  We had difficulty in finding a tricycle.  There was even no any transportation in the Claver Terminal.  A few habal-habal were parked so we just asked them if they could take us to Hayanggabon port.  I know their rate will be expensive compared to tricycle but we are left with no choice.  This was my boyfriend's first habal-habal ride.  More details on transportation from Claver to Hayanggabon port here.

It was a Good Friday, almost no vehicles in sight

Once in Hayanggabon port, we met with our boatman, Kuya Vincent.  His rate was Php 3,500 for the tour for 2 pax with pick up and drop off at Hayanggabon Port and inclusive of all the fees.  Lunch was not included so we just packed some canned goods.  A day before, he advise us if another couple can join us in the tour, thinking the rate will be lowered since there will already be 4 of us, I agreed.  But when I confirmed, rate will still be the same.  I just let it pass, saying let it be our help on Surigao's tourism.  Besides, it is supposed to be a holiday (Good Friday), so it must be double pay work, we joked.

 

Kuya Vicent accompanied bigger group on a separate boat so he left us with Kuya Joxen as our tour guide (he does tours as well separately from Kuya Vincent but we wasn't able to ask how much his rate).  It took us about 45 minutes boat ride before we reach our destination.  Below are the tours we visited from Kuya Vincent's package, in order:

Tiktikan Lake
Crystal Cave
Bolitas Cave
Beach
Sohoton Cove - Horseshoe landmark
Hagukan Cove
Magkakuob Cove
Jellyfish Sanctuary
Coral Reefs Snorkeling
Island hopping: Club Tara, Cantiles Island (?), Hidden Resort

Please click each destination for my blog about it.

Here are our Day 2 expenses, good for 2:

Habal-habal to Hayanggabon port - Php 200 (20 minutes)
Water at Tiktikan Lake - Php 20
Tour - Php 3,500
Lunch - Php700
Tip to boatmen - Php 200
Lucky me - Php 40
Tinapay - Php 20
Water - Php 25
Balot - Php 17
Tinapay - Php 14

Total for Day 2:  Php 4,736

Day 1 expenses: Php 2,151

Total so far: Php 6,887

We brought some canned goods for our lunch but Kuya Vincent offers lunch to be cooked which was not included in the package.  So these canned goods were eaten for our dinner along with the breads we bought (there's no rice to be bought that night near our hotel since its a Good Friday, most stores are closed).

Here are the numbers of our boatmen:
Kuya Vincent -0930.802.8704
Kuya Joxen - 0909.204.4829

Other boatmen I inquired for the Sohoton tour:
Samy - 0907.715.7134 (rate Php 3,500 for 2, tours only)
Keni - 0939.438.0618 (rate Php 3,000 for 2, tours only)
Dodo (Sohoton Tourism Office) - 0939.904.7019 (rate Php 4,950 for 2, tours and fees)

Surigao Adventure: Day 1a - Review on Revlun Pension House

Our first destination was in Claver, Surigao del Norte. Since we were advised by our boatman that the Bucas Grande Island tour will take us one whole day, we opted to just stay in a hotel that is near to Hayanggabon Port, pick up point bound to Bucas Grande Island. Our another option was to stay in any hotel in Bucas Grande Island where our boatman can take us there upon arrival in Claver but it will take us an additional transportation cost as it is not part of the Bucas Grande Island package tour.  Being a budget traveler, we just opted to look for accommodations in Claver or anywhere near Hayanggabon port.  The only accommodation I researched was Revlun Pension House.  Unfortunately, no contact details can be found over the internet.  So we took the risk of not getting any hotel reservations and just walk in, hoping that there will still be rooms available.  Otherwise, we can ask around if there are available hotels within the area, but this might be time consuming.  Another risk, it was Holy Week, so we expect a lot of tourist which will mean, no more rooms available.

Good thing, there are still a lot of rooms available in Revlun Pension House.  The establishment seems new or at least newly painted.  The rooms were situated in the second and third floor.  The ground floor was the reception area and beside it were other establishments like canteen, sari-sari store, bakery, etc.  There are also ample parking spaces in front of the building.  The reception area was just small and simple.  Since its our first time in that place, we ask the receptionist (manang) and some of her companions on some how to's in the area and of course, the places to eat.  Even if there is a canteen at the ground floor of the same building, the receptionist pointed us out at G-Ann's which they say was the restaurant where most tourist eat.  I'll blog about this restaurant soon.  I also learned from them that they are open 24 hours 7 days a week, even on holidays.

The room we availed was just a small and simple room with 2 single beds, small cable tv, air conditioning and rest room.  The first thing I checked was their rest room. I was surprised that it was very small!  I'm sure you're familiar with rest rooms in any aircraft.  That's how small it is or maybe a bit bigger.  I'm not sure if all their rooms have the same rest room size.  But nevertheless, it was clean, so as the room itself.  The cushion of the beds were just right, though a bit thin but still comfortable enough.    The pillows they provide have cute cartoon character design, hello kitty and tigger.  Each bed also have blankets and towels each.  They also provide few toiletries like soaps sachet shampoo and coreless toilet tissue.  Outside the room is a veranda with small round table and two chairs.

our room

the beds and restroom door at the back

small cable tv

Our toiletries

small restroom: toilet on left and shower and sink on right

Tigger pillow

Hello Kitty pillow

The veranda

The location of Revlun Pension House was perfect as it was just walking distance in Claver terminal.  The area was peaceful and seems safe or maybe it was Holy Week when we stayed there so the neighborhood was quiet.  There is also a nearby gasoline station in case you have your own car.  Globe signal was ok but there is no 3G network in the area in case you want to use it with your smartphone to connect to the internet. 

You may contact Revlun Pension House at 0907-244-5467.  I hope this number will last long with them since I learned that their previous contact number got lost.  By the way, our room rate was Php 600 per night.  Not bad.

More blog posts about Surigao here!
Day 1
Itinerary
Transportation and map