Mag-isa sa Magalawa Day 2

Mag-isa sa Magalawa Island Day 1

My alarm woke me up at 5:30am. I looked outside the window and saw that it is still dark. Despite 9 hours sleep, I am still very sleepy so I snoozed until it was 6am. After seeing a bleak light in the horizon, I decided to get out of bed and wait for the sun to grace my presence.

Breaking Dawn

Almost there

I decided to walk by the sea shore while waiting for the sun to rise and it was the best decision I made in this vacation! Why? Because -- STARFISH!!! I've read about how this island has a multitude of starfish but I haven't seen a lot of them since yesterday. Well, not until...

Constellation of Starfish

STARFISH!!!!! HNNNNNGGGGGGG!!!!

Now I know why some people call this place The Starfish Island. I enjoyed playing with starfishes so much that I almost forgot that I am there for the sun rise. And finally, the sun I've been waiting for presented itself to me. :)

Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end

Fishermen flock Magalawa Island by Daylight.

After eating my baon breakfast of wheat bread and coffee at 7:30am, I got in my.. errm, swimsuit for  snorkeling and some real swimming.

Magalawa Island from afar

The corals and fishes in Magalawa are not one of a kind. The ones in Boracay and Saranggani are better but that being said, I spent more than 1 hour just swimming around this large chunk of sharp corals in the middle of the sea. I kept seeing the same kind of corals and fishes but I just kept swimming. I guess what sets it apart is that the water is very clear and shallow, I could touch the corals and even stand in it.. and have some cuts and bruises from it.

After seeing enough blood on my newly waxed legs, I decided that it is time to go home. It's 10am and I need to catch the bus bound to Caloocan before 1pm so I would have time to rest as I have work the next day. Work?? Wait, my vacation is not yet over!

Another good thing about Armada Resort Malagawa Island is their friendly staff. They accompanied me while I am eating so I could have someone to talk to. I think they secretly wanted to know if I have a big problem which caused me to go there alone.. hehe. I am very thankful for the company of Ms. Grace, Ate Eileen, Riza, Ate Weng, Kuya Rommel and Janjan. Ms. Grace for making sure that my stay in Magalawa Island will be a good one, Ate Eileen for cooking sumptuous meals and taking my pictures, Riza for sharing the story of her love life, Ate Weng for letting me stay in my upgraded room and stopping me from drinking Tanduay Ice alone, Kuya Rommel for assuring that I do not drown while swimming and Janjan for taking me back to the mainland.

After my Calamares lunch, I paid my dues, went back Luan port, and ride the Php150 tricycle once again to the Veritas Road tricycle terminal. The faster option to go back to Manila is to ride a bus/jeep bound to Iba, get off the Victory Bus Terminal and you'll have an option to chose from buses going to Pasay, Cubao or Caloocan. I took the longer but way more fun option, wait for a bus bound to Caloocan that passes by Veritas Road tricycle terminal every hour. 

Why is it more fun? I get to socialize with the locals while waiting for the bus. They are all very friendly, unlike the urban gremlins that are so full of shit. I guess that is one thing I like about traveling, I get to know real people. People who are not afraid to tell their stories. People who laughs at simple things. People who are genuine. I was not able to take a picture of the locals as we are busy giggling. Actually, I did more of the giggling while they make fun of each other and like the staff of the Armada resort, they too are wondering why I went there alone. 

I guess that is one of the 3 hardest things about traveling alone. Having to convince people that I am not a weird person with no friends, I just want to explore. The other two are not having a decent picture of yourself with the breathtaking view and the trips usually cost more. 

But the 3 best things about traveling alone are; I get to move at my own pace, I get to know the place and the people better as I always have to ask for directions and have to track my way, and lastly, I get to test my own limits.

So will my introverted soul ever travel solo again? Definitely. I don't know why my previous solo travels were depressing but maybe I have matured when it comes to traveling. Thanks to my favorite travel blogs, I realized that every trip, good or bad, should be a learning experience.

Below are my expenses for this trip:

Victory Bus Caloocan Terminal to Sta. Cruz	386
Tricycle from Veritas Road to Luan Port	150
Luan Port to Magalawa Island Boat (2 way)	500
Fan Room with own CR (good for 2 persons)	1,500
Meal (lunch, dinner, lunch -- 200/per meal)	600
Snorkeling	150
Tricycle from Luan Port to Veritas Road	150
Bus to Caloocan Victory Bus Terminal	386
TOTAL	Php 3822

Note: Potable water is free at the Armada Resort.
Check out their well updated and very inspiring Facebook Profile page for more info: CLICK
Or better yet text Ms. Grace Armada for more details: 0920-948-3303

Special THANKS to the following blogs for supplying me with helpful information for this trip:
Dialogue With a Wanderer
Chasing Philippines
A Bubbly Life
My Colorless Green Ideas
Gelaikuting