Day Two. An adjustable itinerary. Surigao City’s Mabua Pebble Beach

It has been a sunny day and it’s our second day in Surigao City. On the previous day, we visited Basul Island and on our second day, we really don’t have a fixed itinerary. Our second day is really just a waiting day. I called it a waiting day because we are just waiting for one of our friends to arrive in Surigao before heading to Claver for our next travel destination, which is the Sohoton National Park. Our friend will arrive at around 11am plus another three hours of travel from Butuan City to Surigao because her flight was from Manila to Butuan.

Welcome to Surigao!

Our original itinerary was to visit Capalayan falls and then travel late in the morning to Claver so that we will have the entire afternoon for island hopping. But our friend texted me na naiwan daw sya ng flight nya and she purchased another ticket pero 12:30pm na ang alis. So we revised our itinerary for the day kasi malamang late afternoon na sya makakarating ng Surigao. We just then texted her na huwag na lang sya dumiretso ng Surigao City at dumiretso na lang sya ng Claver para makatipid na sya ng travel time. So ayun, ganun na ang arrangement namin and we all agreed that we will just visit Sohoton on the next day.

City Hall of Surigao

The city park

So for our second day, after having our breakfast, we just roamed around the city. We also visited the tourism office of Surigao to ask for some information about the tourist site within the city proper and to ask some information on how to go to Capalayan waterfalls. They gave us instruction and they also encourage us to visit Mabua Pebble beach at Barangay Mabua, Surigao City. We got somewhat curious with that pebble beach so we decided na sa pebble beach na lang kami pupunta instead na sa waterfalls. So after we roamed around the city, we got back to the pension house at kinuha namin ang mga swimming gadgets namin. We rented a tricycle for 100 pesos for one way trip, and then 20 minutes later, we arrived at Mabua Pebble beach. May dinaanan din pala kami sa Brgy. Ipil na nagtitinda ng sayongsong, one of the delicacy of Surigao and we bought some sayongsong for our snacks. This delicacy is made from ground sticky rice and coconut milk. Gusto ko sana bumili ng pampasalubong but this delicacy only has a shelf life of 1 to 2 days. So dahil masisira lang naman agad, bumili na lang kami ng makakain namin na sayongsong for the day.

Siargao Pension House

Sayongsong, a Surigao delicacy

When we arrived at the pebble beach, there were only few people and medjo nagtaka din kami kasi sobrang ang lalaki nung mga pebble, na tatawagin ko nga ata yun na mga malalaking bato, but one of the resort employee informed us na sa kabilang cove pa daw yung beach na may mas maliliit na pebble. We didn’t swim at the beach because the sea was kinda rough and my friends are a bit hesitant because of the size of those stones and the big waves crashing at those smooth stones. So kaya ayun, nagpictorial na lang kami for about an hour. By the way, there are also several cottages that can be rented for 500 pesos and there’s no entrance fee at the beach.

Mabua Pebble Beach

After spending an hour sa pagpictorial, we decided na pumunta na sa kabilang cove because we really want to swim sa dagat. So off we go to the other cove, but going to the other cove is not that easy. We have to climb several hundreds of stairs going to the other cove. I think we walk and climb the stairs for about 20 minutes before arriving at the other cove. Sobrang nakakapagod ang hagdan na mas gusto ko pa ang trail na lang kesa sa concrete stairs. Sobrang hiningal ako sa pagakyat sa hagdan na gusto ko na maghanap na lang ng escalator.hahaha! Or pwede din cable car na lang.hahaha! Anyway, after the 20 minute walk, we finally arrive at the other cove and there were only 4 persons swimming at the beach. It was blistering hot by the time that we arrived at the beach kya nagdecide na lang kami na matulog na lang sa mga cottage instead of swimming. Mga tinamad na kasi kami at napagod sa pagakyat sa hagdan.heheheh! There are also several cottages for rent but since there are no caretaker at the site, wala na din sumingil sa amin sa paggamit ng cottage.

Mabua Pebble Beach

The other cove of Mabua

We just spend around an hour sa beach and we just slept for a few minutes at the beach before deciding na umalis na and proceed to the big resort na nadaanan namin sa Brgy. Ipil. There are no restaurants near the pebble beach so we all agreed that we will just take our lunch at that resort in Ipil. We rode a tricycle to Fiesta Resort and we paid 40 pesos for that. The entrance fee at Fiesta Resort is 100. The resort has a big pool, a kiddie pool and an adult pool which is about 7 feet deep. At dahil gutom na gutom na kami, nagorder na agad kami ng lunch namin and while waiting for our lunch, lumangoy langoy na muna kami na parang isda at syokoy sa dagat.hehehe! Napaisip nga kami kasi pumunta kami sa beach pero hindi naman kami lumangoy sa dagat at sa swimming pool na lang kami lumangoy.tsk! We are so weird.hahaha! Nagbabad na lang kami ng matagal sa pool kasi mainit talaga ang panahon and after spending several hours nagpack up na din kami ‘coz we still need to travel to Claver. We then rode a tricycle back to the pension house and then picked our bags and then we hurriedly travelled to the bus terminal. Wala ng bus na dadaan ng Claver pagdating namin sa terminal pero buti na lang, there was still a van bound for Claver and it was the last van trip for the day. We then loaded our bags sa van and we were kinda amazed ‘coz it was our first time to see a van na may topload pa na mga pasahero na parang jeep lang. Overloaded kung overloaded talaga yung van.hehehe!

Fiesta Resort, Brgy. Ipil, Surigao Del Norte

Our lunch, beef broccoli

After 2 hours of travel, we finally arrived at Claver and because we still doesn’t have an accommodation, we asked the van conductor for some information and luckily he knows several cheap and nice accommodation in Claver. He offered na ihahanap at ihahatid na nya lang kami sa lodge house without extra cost and we proceeded sa unang lodge house. The first lodge house was a little bit expensive so the van conductor instructed the driver to go to the other lodge house. The second lodge house na pinuntahan namin medjo hindi sya mukhang lodge house, mukhang bahay at tindahan lang but it has a huge family room pala with private bathroom, 1 queen size bed and 2 double deck bed and kasya sa room ang anim na tao. It was cheap for 800 pesos per night. The name of the place is Valentin Lodge House. I forgot to ask for their contact number but this lodge house is just near the town center and sa gilid lang sya ng highway. Kinuha na namin yung room at nagpasalamat na din kami sa van driver and conductor na naghintay pa at hinatid kami. So ayun, nagrest na kami while waiting for our friend na galing din sa Butuan.  By the way, the lodge house only has several rooms for rent and they also served meals for 50 to 100 pesos only. Mga simple meals lang but okay na din sya lalo na yung price ng room.  Hanggang dito na lang muna ang kwento ko, hanggang sa muli!

This blog entry is part of my June Travel Series for CARAGA Region and some parts of Eastern Visayas Region.

Day 1 of CARAGA Trip. Surigao City's Basul Island
Day 2 of CARAGA Trip. Surigao City's Mabua Pebble Beach
Day 3 of CARAGA TRip. Surigao Del Norte's Bucas Grande
Day 4 of CARAGA Trip. Surigao Del Sur's Pride. Hinatuan's Enchanted River and Tinuy-an Falls of Bislig
Day 5 of CARAGA Trip. Davao City. The Final Stop.