APO REEF:Exploring Underwater and Nature Park (Day 1)

I will soon dive, go into deep and will visit you again on that day.

It’s a week before the long weekend and I still don’t have plans on what to do. So out of curiosity, I asked Chyng on twitter :


@chyngreyes Gudmorning! San ang trip nyo this Holy Week?
@untiedescape gladys!! sama ka sa apo reef - kasama sina maricar dito. april6-9.

Nervous and excited, I invited my officemates to join. My supported bf also encourage me to join the trip may sumama man sa akin or wala. After telling them where we are going, they are all excited but since it’s a Holy Week, Only Kate and Jay confirmed with the invite. And yes we are all excited to join the trip.

We joined Aisa and Kendra on a bus trip than a plane as it was a short preparation already. Thanks to Kendra for taking care of buying tickets for us in advance. We had the last trip of Dimple Star @ 8pm but then muntik na kaming hindi matuloy.
Since its Holy Week and we had to travel on Thursday night, right after our shift, we headed to Cubao and arrived at around 5:30 (6pm ang kitaan), then we say the only Dimple bus on the location and they are telling that it’s the last trip.

So I said “Hindi kuya kasi 8pm kami naka reserve ng ticket”, si kuya with his exasperated face insisted and tried to explain na wala nga daw. Then finally, after unclear and long conversation with another lady (that I guess is in charge), we understand that we don’t have any way but to ride the bus and call Ken and Aisa to hurry up to catch up. Buti nalang maaga kami, at umabot pa kami sa halos paalis nang bus nung pagdating namin kung hindi apat kaming naiwan.

They don’t have any choice but to wait since it’s their accountability for reserving us for uncertain trip. Kainis lang kasi they don’t have any reasonable response when I asked what they will do if their passengers failed to arrive earlier and will be left behind. We also found out that there’s no trip via Abra de Ilog and we had to go the longer route which is to San Jose. Mukhang iikutin naming ang Mindoro nito. Sabi pa nila walang byahe ng ferry kaya na cancel yung last trip and so we understand. Adventure na agad papunta palang at buti nalang ang luwag ng bus papunta.

First time to ride a RORO bus, I thought we will stay in the bus while on a ferry boat but then realized that we will stay on the upper part of the ferry and the lower part are the vehicles. Ang cool lang pero nakakainip mag intay umalis yung ferry, atsaka if you are the kind of person na tulog sa byahe, istorbo ang pagbaba at pagsakay ng ferry at pagbalik ng bus in the middle of the trip. :p

Ken and Aisa - my new travel buddies plus Katie of course.

Bumaba kami ng San Jose and luckily the only trip for that morning was there waiting. Muntik na ulit mawalan ng byahe. Nag refund nalang yung Dimple sa supposed to be hanggang Sablayan na bus ticket namin (Bumawi sila). That refund was used going Sablayan. And since nasa San Jose na kami, we meet Chyng’s group (suspense muna) while waiting for the local ordinary mini bus to go.

I realized wala pla ako shots sa bayan ng Sablayan and the DOT office. Ang init kasi at super bigat ng gamit. Tamad lang.

From the DOT office where we settled the boat arrangement and rentals of tent and other stuffs, we headed via trike to the port and had our 2-3 hours trip to the APO Reef Natural Park.

Dito palang ibang iba na yung tubig ng dagat, malinis.


First glimpse of the APO Reef Natural Park. Excited on what to see down below.

After eating (fasting and no meat muna) and gearing up, we prepare to begin our sea adventure. Snorkling mode na on the famous APO Reef. Yes it was famous as it's the second-largest connecting coral reef system in the world and the largest in the country.

Jay and Kate

From left: (Me), Ken, Aisa, Maricar, Chyng, Peng, Donnie, Otep, Jeng and Kate

We don’t waste time to see the underworld. We were pulled by the boat literally by holding a rope while snorkelling to have wide access to see the reef. It’s my first time to see wide variety of underwater creatures, sharks, big fish, school of fish, eel, turtles and different corals below. Photo credit kay Jeng and her cool underwater cam and also kay Manong Diver na kumuha sa ilang closer shots below:

Inabot lang kmi ng hiya ni Maricar umulit mag snorkelling kasabay ng next batch, walang sawa lang :p So what we did was mag emo nalang after mag recharge. We walked on the other side of the beach to wait for the sunset. Andun din c Otep na nag abang rin. The rest of the gang were eating and some were on a rest mode.

And when the sun slowly touches the sea and said goodbye in seconds...

I appreciated APO Reef more after that, may mga hindi mo lang talaga magugustuhan like yung niknik sa gabi at yung mejo makalat na part na medyo nakalimutan pansinin ng mga caretakers ng place.

And nga pla, challenge ang mag banlaw sa island dahil walang tubing tabang. Pati yung poso maalat rin yung tubig. Musta naman mag toothbrush? So imagine nalang kung paano ako nagbanlaw.
Buti may baon akong 2 liters na water, un half liter eh ginawa kong huling banlaw. :p Sabi ni kuya tourguide sira daw yung water system nila. Ewan lang kung kelan pa yun sira.

After was the dinner kuno with no rice ulit. Our guide already set our tents and we decided to stay near the hall since prefer nila Chyng sa patag na tulugan, mejo mainit at dun na naglabasan ang itchy beach bugs. Make sure to bring insect repellent kundi kawawa ka.

Good morning beach front! Your so beautiful!

Day 1 palang and I am overloaded with the beauty of nature. I woke up early as I wanted to go to the lighthouse and watch the sunrise, kaso wala pang gising at mukhang hindi ko naman keri mag lakad dun mag isa. Slowly everybody woke up and get ready, ayan na! Eat mode ulit ng natitirang baon at we are ready to see the view on top naman. That’s the beginning of our Day 2. On my next post nalang. :p