A Day and an Hour Spent in a Quiet and Quaint Town in Tabogon, Northern Cebu : PLACES TO GO, PLACES TO SEE

A number of tourists, foreign or local alike usually prefer having a vacation in Southern Cebu than in the Northern part believing that the southern part have many known tourists spots. Only a few tourists go to the northern part of Cebu and the usual activity is just island bumming in Malapascua, Carnaza or Bantayan Island…

There may be more beautiful spots in the SOUTH but the places in the NORTH are really worth visiting for these places hide their wonder and are just waiting to be visited and explored so that their beauty can be revealed.

 

One example of this place is Tabogon. Honestly, I didn’t have any idea about what this town offers until I reached Bunzies Cove. Anyway, this is my time story and I’ll give you a virtual tour of my 25-hour stay in Tabogon.

8:00 AM – Meet up time

As the van started heading to Tabogon, I was ecstatic because it has been months that I haven’t gone out. It seems I’m slowly becoming a homebuddy and introvertness is getting in. Yes, sometimes I do enjoy my solitude. But I have to go somewhere to be able to breathe again and experience new things or else I’m gonna be stuck in this plain and ordinary life of mine . Haha!

10:00 AM – Lunch at Danao Tinap-an

The van stopped at Danao so that we could have our early lunch of sinugbang isda which Danao is known for. Whenever I ride a bus from Bantayan to Cebu, I always see a lot of sinugbang isda aligned in the stalls along the street of Danao. But now I was no longer seeing this Danao delicacy but actually eating it.

12:00 PM  – Arrive at Bunzie’s Cove, Tabogon

We arrived at Bunzie’s Cove in Tabogon where we would stay overnight. Eventually, we toured the place. Bunzies Cove got its name from the cove at its beachfront where local boats are allowed to dock. It has a small coastline and the rest is a cliff with big rocks.

We also had the chance to look at every room. I was mesmerized by the architectural designs and creative decoration of each room. One could feel the authentic, rustic atmosphere. Like for example the bathroom interior is elegant but no showers are provided. Instead they have a pail and dipper made from coconut shell. Isn’t it cute? Hehe!

Just look at these photos. I grabbed these photos from the website of Bunzie’s Cove (http://bunziescove.com/) because my camera has no wide angle lens to capture the entire place.

Bunzie’s Cove has also an infinity pool that provides a panoramic view of the ocean, a perfect site to watch sunrise.

2:00 PM – Snacks Time

The last spot we went to was a unique empty container van with a very artistic facade. We were enjoying taking pictures with it until an ice cream vendor passed by. Few minutes later our tummy was filled with cold and sweet yummy mango-flavored ice cream. Yum yum!

 

3:45 PM – That Hanging Bridge Though

We also had the opportunity to see other interesting spots in Tabogon. The first place we visited was the Hanging Bridge. It took us more than an hour cruising in a very long and winding road to be able to get there. I’ve seen this hanging bridge in social media sites but it was only this time I knew that it is located in Tabogon.

The Hanging Bridge which stands above a river connects one barangay to another barangay of Tabogon.

At the time of my visit, the bridge wasn’t in good condition. It had a lot of damaged and broken parts making it unsafe to pass through. But I saw locals crossing the bridge cautiously. I hope that repair of the bridge will be attended to the soonest possible time as the place is attractive to tourists and is instagrammable worthy. Furthermore, repair of the bridge will prevent accidents to happen. 

 

3:45 PM – The Headless Virgin

7:00 PM – Dinner at Bunzie’s Cove

5:00 AM – Bunzie’s Cove Morning

After a good night sleep at Bunzie’s Cove Villa, we woke up early so that we could witness the blazing glory of the rising sun at the view deck, but the scene failed our expectation for the clouds in the sky blocked the view of the rising sun. All we saw were blue and grey hues of clouds and the ocean. (Well, life is like that, you can’t have all the flavors to taste in the world. 🙂 ) Anyway I was still grateful, for the calm weather for we were going to hit the waves later which I was so excited about. 

7: 00 AM – To Capitancillo We Go

The roar of the boat’s engine was kind of deafening, leaving us to keep mum and just look around the view of the sea and the horizon. It was a fine day— the sun’s rays were finally penetrating our skin and warming our body. The gentle waves hit the boat rhythmically. It made me sleepy when suddenly one of our companions pointed something in the sea.I looked at it and saw a dorsal fin protruding on the seawater. SHARKKKK! …Naaaaah! We weren’t able to figure out what that sea creature was because we only saw its fin and a part of its head. Its face seemed to be round so I think it was a dolphin. I wasn’t able to capture that moment because it swam away eventually. 

When we finally docked in the island of Capitancillo, I just couldn’t contain my excitement so I hurriedly toured around. It was basically like a 15-minute tour because the island is really small. It has few cottages and some open benches. There’s a lighthouse built in 1905 that truly stands out in the island.The island with its lighthouse looks like a ship.

The most remarkable part in Capitancillo Island is the crystal clear turquoise water. I was amazed by the visibility under the sea. I didn’t see a lot of corals there but I saw a lot of fishes. Capitancillo has three dive sites. I guess there are still more sites to see in there. Because of my amazement I will make another blog on this and post more photos, so stay tuned.  

Here’s my blog about Capitancillo Island.

https://chasingpotatoes.com/2018/12/11/capitancillo-island-simple-travel-guide/

9 AM – The Brackish Guiwanon Spring

Before heading back to Bunzie’s Cove, we visited the last interesting place of our tour around Tabogon, the Guiwanon Cold Spring where we washed off the saltwater in our body from swimming in the sea of Capitancillo. It is quite interesting to note that that the cold spring was just near the sea and when it is high tide, the cold fresh water meets the salty seawater. When we got there, it was high tide and there were a lot of people swimming making the water brackish. But still I enjoyed my time dipping in the cold Guiwanon Spring. 

1:00 PM – Goodbye Tabogon 

It was now time to leave Tabogon. We had a 25- hour stay in this place. I really enjoyed my time visiting those interesting places and experiencing new things. I had the most relaxing stay in Bunzie’s Cove because Tabogon is truly quiet and quaint. I could vividly remember that at night time I could hear the sounds of the cricket and the rhythmic sounds of the waves hitting the shore. So, if you are wanting to have a peaceful staycation and yet find time to feed your adventurous soul, I really recommend Bunzie’s Cove. 

 

Here’s  my video about our 25-hour stay in Tabogon. 

If you do like this video, don’t forget to hit like and subscribe my youtube channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBm_O45IgHnPoqBPuB0v21g

Tips and Tricks in Your Trip to Bunzie’s Cove 

1. Bunzie’s Cove doesn’t allow walk-ins instead all bookings are donethrough reservations. For bookings and inquiries contact: 

info@bunziescove.com 
anniemaychen@gmail.com 

Or visit the Reservations Office at: 
A.C Signature Developments, Inc. 
Business Walls Bldg., 856 A.S. Fortuna Street, 
Banilad, Mandaue City 6014 
Cebu, Philippines 

Office: +63 32 344 303

 
2. How to Get to Bunzie’s Cove (via Cebu) 

• Go to North Bus Terminal 
• Take the bus with a board sign Tabogon via Borbon – since Bunzie’s is just along the highway. Inform the conductor or driver that you will stop at Bunzie’s Cove.
• The bus ride will take 3-4 hours depending on the traffic, so manage your time wisely to maximize your trip. 

Fare: Non-aircon Bus P75.00

Air-conditioned Bus P115.000 

If you are taking a private vehicle, drive to the North of Cebu. When you reach Sogod, look for this sign, “Welcome to Damulog, Sogod, Cebu” and a few meters from there, there’s another billboard sign of Alegre Beach Resort. Turn right and drive to Borbon. From there, continue driving until you pass by a small bridge that reads “Welcome to Tabogon”. Continue driving about three kilometers more. After that three-kilometer drive, you will see on the right side of the road a red gate and a colorful container van. You have reached your destination, Bunzie’s Cove, located at Brgy. Bitoon,Tabogon.

3. Rates 

The rates of rooms range from Php 1,500.00 to Php 4,500.00 depending on the kind of rooms you choose to stay. They also offer packages for 10-15 persons ranging from Php 11,000.00 to Php 16,500.00. For more information check this site: http://www.bunziescove.com. 

4. If you want to visit also the spots mentioned in my blog, just contact Bunzie’s Cove because they have tour packages for these hassle free travels around Tabogon and Capitancillo. 

5. Around the cove there are rock formations where one can climb up and cliff jump. If you are an adrenaline junkie who likes to jump around always be cautious in every step you take and be mindful of the depth of the water.

6. If you haven’t brought food, you may request a private cook available in Bunzie’s Cove. Her specialty is Filipino dishes like fried fish, grilled pork and sinigang and many more.

7. Always protect you skin from the harmful rays of the sun by using sunscreen when going to these places.  Always use sunblock before sun exposure. In my case I use  Sevensense Sunblock Spray because it’s non-sticky, fast absorbent, white pigment free and preservative free.

8. When touring around always respect the place and the locals.

9. Never ever miss the chance to wake up early and witness the show of the splendid rising  sun. When you are at Bunzie’s Cove the sunrise scenery there is such a beauty.

10. Always bear in mind the “leave no trace” policy.

 

How about you? Have you visited these places? What are your experiences when you traveled Tabogon or Capitancillo Island? Tell me about your story.   I would love to hear from you? Please connect thru  my FB page and Instagram. Join me in my adventure and misadventure. Let’s chase those potatoes.

 

 

Those naughty potatoes roll so fast that I could hardly catch up with them in Tabogon and Capitancillo.. I wonder what place will they be venturing next. So stay tuned for my next chasing potatoes adventure.

 

 

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Thanks for visiting. 🙂