MANILA FAMILY TRIP IN PREPARATION FOR CEBU-SURIGAO CITY-DINAGAT ISLAND TRIP

 This is a part of my 10-day family trip (November 16-25, 2024) consisting of Metro Manila, Cebu City, Surigao City and Dinagat Island.  A 4 province trip consisting of Metro Manila, Cebu, Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Island

One Palm Tree Villas 1 in Newport City, Pasay City

I have been a resident of Mandaluyong City since 2008, but on January 31, 2024, our family has transferred residence to Albay due to job promotion.   With this family trip, my wife, son and eldest sister were with me.

Bus stop somewhere in Camarines Sur

Our trip started boarding an airconditioned bus heading to Manila for 14 hours.  For November 16 - 18, 2024, we stayed in an AirBnb accommodation at Flairs Towers in Mandaluyong City.

My 4-year old son during our stay at Flairs Towers

What we like with Airbnb accommodation is that we can our own food and it is much cheaper than to eat at the restaurant.  Besides, it is equipped with a refrigerator where we can store our food supplies and the kitchen utensils, kitchen wares, cooking stove, plates and cutleries are also provided.  We even washed our clothes since there is a washing machine available.

The pool at Flairs Towers

Despite our effort to have a swim at the pool, we were not able to do that since our whole days are spent outside for the transactions that we want to accomplish while in Manila.

Captured from our Flairs Towers at 14th Floor

The pool of Flairs Towers at night

Usually, we arrived at the accommodation late in the evening already spending our time for some outside appointments and activities.

My wife and son at the lobby

SM Lightmall is just walking distance from our accommodation

Honestly, being based in Albay, really made us miss the city life as in our new provincial residence life is so simple and there is not even a single shopping mall and everything is almost not accessible like health care since my Amanphil health card can't be used in Legazpi City as no hospital is accredited to the health card provider.

Matthew played alone at Flairs Towers Children's playground

When we arrived in our Airbnb accommodation late at night, we usually allow my son to play first in the children's playground.

I even missed this scenario at Boni MRT Station where we usually pass

I missed this place since almost every week, I passed through this area when I go home to our Mandaluyong residence.  This is just adjacent to SM Light Mall.

We even missed this part of Mandaluyong where we usually jog

While at Dambana ng Ala-ala in Mandaluyong

Burger treat for my sister-in-law, Gimberly and husband Artem in this part of Mandaliyong

SM Megal Mall, one of favorite destinations

My son wanted to stay here to play

With my son still at SM Mega Mall

Kenny Rogers Roasters as our family's choice of fastfood at SM Mega Mall

At Manila Memorial Park in Sucat, Paranaque

Part of our trip was to visit my mother's remains at Manila Memorial Park in Sucat, Paranaque on November 18, 2024.  Even when we were still in Mandaluyong, we only go there once a year.  My eldest sister was with us during the visit.

Still at Manila Memorial Park

We arrived at the place around 3:30 P.M. and left the place at 7:20 P.M.  When we were still living in Mandaluyong, we usually stay there for one whole day.

For November 18 - 20, 2024, we stayed at One Palm Tree Villas 1 in Newport City, Pasay City.  It was such a great place, since it is just a walking distance to the airport.

At One Palm Tree Villas with my son and eldest sister

Also with the company of my beloved wife

Such a very relaxing swim with my family

One Palm Tree Villas 1 also offers a comfortable airbnb accommodation.  It is convenient for us since we can cook our food and at the same time we can laundry our clothes.  It has complete amenities of a comfortable home.

My son in his playful mode in our accommodation

Family dinner at the Garden Wing Cafe in Resorts World Hotel

We also tried this and it was worth it

Regardless of flavor, I love to eat muffins

Part of our order

Seemed strange to us but we ordered and eaten this

Resorts World Hotel is just a few blocks away from our accommodation in One Palm Tree Villas 1.  Our evenings there in our airbnb unit was quite magical especially during vibrant evenings for a stroll.

After our dinner at the Garden Wing Cafe, we strolled around in Resorts World Hotel.  We did not enter the casino, since kids are not allowed there.

Part of Resorts World Hotel tour

At Resorts World Hotel

Shops inside Resorts World Hotel

Back to our accommodation late in the evening

At dawn of November 20, 2024, we were already at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 for our 3:40 A.M. Cebu Pacific flight to Cebu City.  Watch for my Cebu City tour blog post.

A LONG ROUTE FROM ZAMBOANGA CITY TO DAKAK HOTEL AND BEACH RESORT VIA PAGADIAN AND DIPOLOG CITIES

The stunning scenery of Dakak Hotel and Beach Resort

A. While in Pagadian City

PNB Pagadian Quezon Avenue Branch

My Dumalinao host, Eve Ramos Aseniero, drove me to Pagadian Integrated Bus Terminal as early as 8:30 A.M. as a start of my trip going to Dakak.

It takes a total of 425 kilometers travel distance from Zamboanga City going to Dakak Hotel and Beach Resort.  First, I took an airconditioned Rural Transit Bus liner from Zamboanga leaving there at 9:00 P.M. for a fare of P625 for 265 kilometers to Dumalinao.  From Pagadian City I took another Rural Transit Bus trip to Dipolog City with a travel driving distance of 133.5 kilometers at a fare of P263 for 3 hours.   From Dipolog City, I took a coaster with a fare of P35 for 14.7 kilometers at travel duration of 25 minutes.   Then, from Dapitan City, I contracted a habal-habal going to Dakak Hotel and Beach Resort for P100 for 11.8 kilometers for a travel duration of 21 minutes.

B. While in Dipolog City

While at Dipolog Integrated Bus Terminal

Dipolog, officially the City of Dipolog, is a component city and capital of the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines.  It is known as the "Gateway to Western Mindanao" through the Western Nautical Highway and has also been called the "Bottled Sardines Capital of the Philippines."  It can be also be reached by plane via Dipolog Airpor or by ferry at the Galas Port in Barangay Galas or at nearby Pulauan Port in Dapitan.

C. Dakak Park and Beach Resort

  At the main gate of Dakak Beach Resort

This trip is a part of my Zamboanga City trip and Tawi-Tawi trip.  This started when I left Tawi-tawi heading to Zamboanga City and from Zamboanga City Integrated Bus terminal I took Rural Transit bus at 9:00 P.M. of December 29, 2023 heading to Dumalinao which is 260.5 kilometers where I reached there at 3:00 A.M. the following day.  I stayed in Dumalinao with my cousin's wife, Ms. Eve Ramos Aseniero.  My cousin, Jovito Bracero, by that time is in Brunei where he is working there.  Eve, drove me to Pagadian Integrated Terminal where I left Pagadian at 9:30 A.M. boarding a Rural Transit Bus and arrived at Dipolog Integrated Terminal at 1:50 P.M.

From Dipolog City Integrated Terminal, I boarded a public utility coaster leaving there at 2:20 P.M.  arriving in Dapitan city proper at 2:45 P.M.  While in Dapitan City proper, I explored the place and eventually look for a habal-habal who can drive me to Dakak Hotel and Beach Resort.   Eventually, I got a habal-habal driver and left Dapitan City at 3:00 P.M. arriving at Dakak Hotel and Beach Resort at 3:21 P.M. 

Entering the main gate of Dakak Park at 3:21 P.M.

I paid an entrance fee of P1,000 for a day tour only and it is consumable.  You can use it for food and refreshments, water sports facilities and other activities inside the part. Since I was alone, I persuaded the management to give me a guide while I roam around the beach and he also served as my photographer in the person of JR Murallon. 

The golf course with the port at the backdrop

Touring around the resort needs a service vehicle since its area is 156 hectares.  Good enough that my guide JR Murallon has a service transport.  Actually, he was using the company's service vehicle.  At first, the management did not allow me to get JR for a personal guide since as a beach resort staff, it was still his official working hours with them.

The golf course pavilion

The scenic drive inside Dakak Park and Beach Resort

The extremely inviting beach front

I did not waste my time.  I requested JR not to delay in heading to the beach front.  Prior to my trip, I did not read about the resort and I have no idea how it looks like.  The only thing I knew was that it is a world-class high-end hotel and beach resort.

Walking through the powdery beach sand

I opted not to rent a water sports facility since I wanted to see every corner of the resort.  I want to document them all and share it here in this blog.

One of the restaurants and rental shop for water sports

Such a long walk along this pathway

Heading back to the beach front

The beach front at a distance

A closer look of the beachfront

The bast expanse of the beach front

The rental shop

Overlooking the beach front from the restaurant

The beach front as a backdrop of the restaurant

Water sports facilities

The beach pavilion

The resort's pool

Indeed a lush green beach park

Waiting for the sunset at 4:52 P.M.

The sun is still up at 4:53 P.M.

Dakak is famous for its Sunset Cove

The location of  this beach park is off the coast of Sulu Sea in Taguilon, Dapitan City of the province of Zamboanga del Norte, which means that though it is far from Dapitan City proper by 11.8 kilometers, it is still a part of the city.

The resort's staff waiting for customers

Exiting the secondary gate at 4:56 P.M.

Since I can no longer wait for the sunset, I still have to tour around Dapitan City proper and take a bus back to Dumalinao which is 165 kilometers away or 3 hours and 46 minutes boarding a habal-habal first to Dapitan City proper, then a coaster to Dipolog City and a Rural Transit bus to Pagadian and from there, my host Eve will pick me up from Pagadian Integrated Bus Terminal with her car for another 4.5 kilometers going to their residence in Dumalinao.

Exiting the Main Gate of the resort at 4:59 P.M.

My guide JR Murallon at the beach resort was still my guide and driver going to Dapitan City.  His official working time at the resort is only till 5:00 P.M. thus, he was permitted to guide me to the city proper.

D. Quick Tour in Dapitan City Proper

      1. Dapitan Rizal Shrine

At the entrance of of Rizal Shrine

JR Murallon drove me with his habal-habal heading to the city proper. I opted to have the Rizal Shrine our first destination in the city.  However, it was closed already.  It closes at 4:00 P.M. and we arrived there at 5:21 P.M.  Surprisingly, it looks different when I visited it last June 2002, it has no fence and no gate.  That time, it does not even have an entrance fee.

The shrine is open to the public from 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. every Tuesday to Sunday

The Dapitan Rizal Shrine is a national park preserving the 16-hectare estate where Dr. Jose Rizal lived in exile from 1892 to 1896, turning his forced house arrest into a period of prolific community development, medicine, farming, and teaching.   Who is Dr. Jose Rizal?  He is the national hero of the Philippines.

Walking along the fence of the shrine

Purchased with his lottery winnings, Rizal built houses and established a community in Talisay, where is family later joined him.   The site was designated a national park in 1940 and later enlarged to a protected landscape in 2000, preserving his legacy through reconstructed building and a museum.

2. Saint James Parish Church

Saint James Parish Church of Dapitan

This church symbolizes the early Christianization of Dapitan.  The old Spanish masonry and architecture are still evident even if a century has passed since its construction.  It was built in 1871 in honor of St. James the Great.

The church plaza at the foreground

St. James Parish Church is the second church.  The first church was constructed between the years 1631-1767.  Except only for the finishing the exterior walls which is is more than a meter thick and its design are original.  The altars and interiors had been renovated several times because of deterioration over time.

The church's interior

There is a historical spot where Rizal stood while hearing mass on Sundays during his exile in Dapitan from  July 17, 1892 to July 31, 1896.  The Jesuits missionaries stayed in Dapitan for about 221 years (1629/1631-1767) and (1864-late 1940's) while the Recollect priests stayed in Dapitan for about 96 years  (1768-1864).  In 1944, Japanese soldiers used this church as a resting/sleeping area for about five days.

The church plaza as captured from the church main door

More about the church's history

The church plaza

3. Dapitan City Hall and Government Center

The facade of Dapitan City Hall

This government center is along the picturesque beach coast

The undying marker of "I Love Dapitan" at the government center

The park side of the government center along the beach coast

E. While at Dumalinao with my host

Dumalinao is a coastal municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur.  The municipality has a land area of 117.64 square kilometers or 45.42 square miles.

With the host's house in the municipality of Dumalinao

A picture with my host family

Party! Party! Party!

F. A Quick Tour in Pagadian City

Pagadian City serves as the capital of Zamboanga del Sur and is a major commercial and transportation centre in Mindanao.  Known for its sloping roads and unique inclined tricycles, the city center offers both charm and convenience.

This "Overlooking Road" is called "Little Hongkong" of Pagadian

Pagadian "Little Hongkong"

Typical road in Pagadian City

Rotonda viewdeck

Part of the City Hall of Pagadian

City Hall grounds

City Hall grounds

Still a part of the City Hall grounds

The Port Area

The Port Area

The city's downtown

The city's business district

Cebu Pacific flight back to Manila

Boarding for my Pagadian - Manila flight

Arrived at NAIA Terminal 3

This concludes my 8-day Trip in Mindanao covering Zamboanga City, Tawi-Tawi, Dumalinao, Pagadian City, Dipolog City, Dapitan City and Dakak Park and Beach Resort.  It covers three provinces of Mindanao, namely: Zamboanga del Sur, Tawi-Tawi and Zamboanga del Norte.