Summer is not over yet!

It was a fun weekend as we visited one of the best beach resorts in northern Negros recently with tourism officers   for the monthly meeting of the Association of Tourism Officers of Negros Occidental hosted by the City Tourism Office of Cadiz headed by Ms. Juanily Pedrosa. 

An hour and a half ride from Bacolod  to Caduhaan where we turn left towards Barangay Cadiz Viejo passing thru Brgy. Burgos for another ten minutes, those taking the bus may ride on a tricycle towards the port right next to the Brgy. Hall, after paying for your round trip ticket and terminal fee plus entrance fee , guests walk towards the 20-30seater  boat for a 15 to 20 minute ride to  Lakawon Island Resort and Spa. Island hopping can be fun just be sure to come on a high tide , so better check your calendars and be in beach wear , wearing pants won’t look good at all, be sure to apply sun block, wear a hat and shades, while swimming you can be on barefoot but for diabetics, it is best you wear swimming shoes.

 

It has been more than a decade since I last visited the island and it sure has improved a lot with a huge restaurant, open cottages, bamboo huts for overnight guests and a camping site for those who would like to make use of tents with very clean shower rooms. To be inaugurated on Saturday is the floating bar and restaurant with good music and day beds for one to relax while on board. Angela Gonzales was quick to tour us around the boat which is docked right near the island.

Summer indeed is not over yet, as we drove to the south the next day with family for an escapade at  El Tzino Resort at Brgy. Elijan in Cauayan, this  can be reached either from the Bulata side on a dusty road or the Elijan side  which is just a few steps from the boarder of Cauayan and Sipalay, this may take a longer route but the road network is half cemented. 

This is a typical family resort with six air-conditioned rooms, they provide a common kitchen where one can cook  food or pay someone else to cook for your family while you can go swimming. Luckily, we found bathing suit and rush guard at a very affordable price, they have a small raft where kids love to play, jump and swim, the sand is creamy white best for making sand castles  and the water is crystal clear, there are sea grasses, best for  snorkelling, to bring  goggles is a must for them to appreciate the fishes underneath. Ms. Nancy Limsiaco the gracious manager  made us feel at home, and reminded us that there will be a Zumba  by the beach on May 28-29, 2016. 

The resort is very near the turtle island and danjugan island, they provide for an eight-seater boat to take you to the Anjauan Miracle beach which is already part of  Brgy. Cartagena in Sipalay, entrance to the Miracle Beach is 30.00 per person and there are five open cottages @ 200.00 for three hours rent. They called the beach ‘miracle’ because of the sandy spit that moves from one side to the other depending on the wind direction  just like the famous sandy spit at Sumilon Island and other islets around. The spit divides the beach in two , one with the waves and the other calm, with crystal clear water, a school of fish is just right below where you stand. I saw colourful lobsters, some turtles tagged that day to be released in the open sea by Wilson Carbajosa the care taker with a seven year old son Wilson Jr. who taught me some words in the dialect like ‘banagan’ which meant a lobster, pawikan for turtle, island as pulo or Anjauan. 

 

There were small boats that docked that day bringing guests from different resorts around Sipalay and Cauayan, enjoying the beach swimming and  taking pictures in groufies and selfies, when island hopping remember that waves are rough at high noon to afternoon, always wear a life jacket for safety and a bottle of water can do wonders.

Negros Occidental is blessed with white sand beaches , many resorts are open for visitors, the service is good, food is available, all you have to do is hop into a bus, either to the north and the south, bring a map, your smart phone, dial a number, make reservations, google map to find it and bring money enough for the trip. Have fun!