Aal Izz Well!

Chase excellence and success will follow, pants down. 

I think I have told you about the Asian movie fad that I am currently trapped in. After downloading several Thai movies recommended by my Facebook friends, I came across a Hindi movie released in 2009. At first, I didn't really give much thought about it since I am not really a fan of Bollywood (what with all the dance number and stuff [no offense meant]) but a closer look at  the positive reviews that most people have given it, I have decided to see for myself and check whether it really deserves the praise it's been getting. 

The movie is entitled 3 Idiots. It was directed by Rajkumar Hirani and was produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra starred Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan  and Sharman Joshi. The screenplay was a collaboration of  the director, the producer and Abhijat Joshi ; it was "loosely-based" on the novel Five Point Someone by Chetan Baghat.

According to Wikipedia, it was the highest grossing film in its opening weekend in India and also has the highest opening day collection for a Bollywood film. The film was  a critical success, winning several awards  including two Best Pictures, two Best Directions and two Best Screenplays. 

Now, what is the movie about and why all the rave?

*Spoiler Alert* I give crappy summaries so please refer to other websites for better synopsis of the movie. :)

The movie was basically about the friendship of three engineering students who came from different walks of life. One was forced to be an engineer (Farhan), the other one sought engineering as a way to get out of poverty (Raju) and the third was there because of his love for learning (Rancho). The movie revolves around their past experiences and the former two's pursuit of Rancho, their long-lost friend that they haven't seen since graduation.

It starts with the scene on an airplane. Farhan (played by Madhavan) received a call from a former classmate, the Silencer [also known as Chatur], saying that Rancho is going to meet them. Exalted by the news, he fakes a heart attack to abort the flight and rushes to the Imperial College of Engineering, picking up Raju along the way. Disappointment welcomes them when they find out that the invitation was an utter lie and Rancho is nowhere in sight; the only person present is Chatur, who proudly boasted about his achievements in life. Angered by the misleading invitation, they set forth on a journey with Chatur to find Rancho and see what happened to him. 

The entire movie was framed in recurring flashbacks (from Farhan's point of view) and the present day (ten years after Chatur swore that he will be more successful than Rancho)

Farhan recounted the first time he met Rancho. It was during an initiation done by senior students to freshmen students in the Imperial College of Engineering. Rancho arrives during the initiation and refuses to bow down to the senior guys. Angered at the insolence, one of the senior students retaliated and threatened to pee on his [Rancho's] door every single day. Rancho fights back with an impromptu invention; using a live wire and spoon, hr electrocutes the senior student. Since then, the three [Rancho, Farhan and Raju] became inseparable as they shared the same room in the dormitory. 

Farhan then introduced Professor Viru Shahastrabuddhe [or Virus, as most students call him]--- a mean and competitive teacher who also served as the Dean of the college. He warns the freshmen how difficult life is in ICE and mentions about an astronaut's pen that his former professor gave him. He said inventors have spent millions of dollars inventing that pen and he will give that pen to a very remarkable student, if he ever found any [ unfortunately, for the past 30 years, he hasn't found THE one]. Rancho pops in a question asking Virus why the astronauts couldn't just used a pencil in outer space because it could have saved them millions of dollars. Virus was surprised at the impertinent question and was apparently unable to answer the question. 

As time in the college went by, the animosity between Virus and Rancho grew, the former labeling Rancho and his friends [ Raju and Farhan] idiots. Virus hated Rancho for his carefree attitude and strongly advised the Raju and Farhan to stay away from the latter's  company. Rancho, with his happy-go-lucky attitude, impressed on the importance of understanding instead of just doing mindless memorization. He believes that the professor in ICE are constantly pressuring the students to get high grades regardless of whether they understand the subjects or not. 

(I will mention the next part although the entire story can do without it because this is my most favorite scene/  I believe this is the strongest, most effective and touching part of the film)

One student named Joy Lobo was like Rancho, eager to learn, good in his subjects; his only problem was that it's taking him a long time to finish his final project :  making a toy plane fly. He asks Virus about the date of the convocation because the whole village from where he came from are too excited about it since he will be the first engineer in their community. The wrathful devil gives his phone to Joy, asks him to call up his father and   brutally tells Joy's father that he will not graduate on time. This breaks Joy's heart and Rancho sees the encounter. He tried to help Joy by fixing the plane. He succeeds in doing so. His plan was to fly the plane over Joy's window and see his reaction from the video camera attached to the plane. It turned out that the joke was on them because as they flew the plane, they saw Joy's lifeless body dangling on the ceiling, a noose around his neck. They run to his room and saw Joy's suicide letter on the wall with two words. "I QUIT." (I cried during this part. T_T) At the funeral, Rancho approaches Virus and tells him that according to the reports it was suicide. He adds that Virus is lucky because even Joy's family thinks its suicide, nobody knew that Joy's death was not suicide but murder...murder from the pressure that Virus exerted on Joy. 

After the incident, Virus writes a letter to Raju's and Farhan's family. As a result, Raju stays away from Rancho and Farhan. They soon reconciliate when Rancho barely saves Raju's father from death with the help of Pia, Virus's daughter, whom they met at a wedding party.

An unfortunate incident happened when Raju was expelled from the school after he was caught peeing on Virus's front door. Virus' gave him two options: save himself and testify against Rancho or get expelled from the school. Unable to choose, Raju jumps out of the window and nearly dies. He spent months in coma but with the help of Rancho and Farhan, he got better. Virus took back the expulsion because of Raju's accident. 

Rancho convinces the two to follow their dreams. Farhan, who was forced to be an Engineering student by his family, wanted to be a wildlife photographer. Rancho helped him by posting a letter that Farhan once wrote but was never able to send to a professional photographer in Brazil. He also convinced Farhan to confess to his father what his true ambition is. Raju on the other hand, who kept fearing about the future, got the job he wanted just because he followed Rancho's advice to not be scared and just face the future without qualms of hesitations. 

Rancho and Virus make amends when Rancho helps Virus' daughter to give birth. Virus apologizes to Rancho and gives him the astronaut pen, saying how remarkable he is as a student.

Back to the present, the three found out that Rancho's name was not really Rancho. He was actually a gardener's son who was sent to school using the name  of a wealthy Indian man's son to get a degree for him (the son). The real Rancho told Raju and Farhan that Rancho, whose real name is Chote, was living in a remote place in India as a school teacher. Chatur laughts at Rancho/Chote's fate, ridiculing his ideals before that the existing system was not good for being successful. They stop Pia's wedding along the way, convinces her to not marry the groom (whom she doesn't love) and drives to where Chote is. 

They finally see Chote and it was revealed that he was the scientist that Chatur was revering about, thus proving that Chhote was right all along that by doing what you love, you'll become successful in life. Chote was reconciled with Pia (they get married) and his two long lost buddies while Chatur cried and apologized for insulting Chote. :) 

(I'm sorry for the crappy summary) :p

What I liked about this movie: 

I didn't really like the movie, no. I LOVED IT. There are a lot of parts that you will adore, from the well-written script to the life-lessons that its trying to get across to the audience. I can make a list but it can never justify how I loved this movie, so below is the best that I can do. 

a. The Quotable Quotes. One of the things I look for in a good movie are the well-written dialogues of the characters and in this movie, you just have an abundance of them. (Click here for a separate entry.) One particular tagline of the movie was written at the start of this post "Chase excellence and success will follow". It is an eye-opening line that should be the mantra of every person. We have been to consumed with chasing money and fame, buying beautiful houses and cars and having all of the material things in this world that we forget to just appreciate the beauty of life and the simple things that make us human. The movie impresses on that and you will have to be a shallow piece of ass if you don't get the message. :(

b. The Lessons. One recurring thing in the movie is the pressure exerted by the people around us: our family, our fears of the future, our professors, society itself. It shows the real impact of this outside pressure to the human soul. We have given too much importance on the norms that we have set that we come to the point of "reification", making these standards bigger than us. It shows a different perspective on suicide. It is not a cowardly thing. It's basically murder. Quoting Rancho, scientists have discovered a lot of devices to measure a lot of things but they have never invented a device to measure the mental pressure that we feel, doing so will prove that the suicide is not suicide but simply murder...murder committed by the people who expect too much from us, so much more than we are capable to give. 

c. The Characters. Although the characters represent different archetypes of the human being, they are too realistic and relatable that you can't help seeing yourself  in them. Although they are quite exaggerated versions of these human archetypes, they still embody someone or something that we have met somewhere along the path of life. And can I just say that the actors are really very effective? :)) 

d. The Soundtrack. Okay, I am not really a fan of the dancing and booty-shaking but the songs in this movie are quite ear-gasmic. Actually, while I was watching it, I couldn't help thinking "Ohmygod, I need to get a copy of that song!"every time a new song is being played. The songs added the flavor and emotions to the movie. Three of my favorites are Give Me Some Sunshine, Jaane Nahi Denge Tuhje and Behti Saha Tha Woh. And of course, who would forget the epic Aal iz Well. See the music video below. 

e. The Recurring Theme of Friendship. I am very big on friendship.  I only have a few trusted friends, I can count them with my fingers. I love how they depicted the genuine relationship between the three characters, helping each other out in times of need, searching the lengths of the Earth just to find that buddy you've lost a long time ago... it sounds cheesy I know, but sue me, I'm cheesy like that. 

What I didn't like about this movie. 

The dance numbers. Of course, dance numbers are one of the identifying factors of Bollywood films and I can't really take that away from them. But the dance numbers in this movie are....weird, for some reason. I am not a big fan of booty shaking and huge production numbers because I think they are totally irrelevant and funny and absolutely cheesy. Don't hate on me, that's just my two cents. :p

THE VERDICT.

I would give this movie 9.4 chocolates. It would have gotten a perfect score but of course,  I have to shave off some points for the dance numbers. :) It's a perfect movie if you want something that will make you feel good or if you are in the middle of your soul-searching or an identity crisis. I strongly recommend it for students who are about to start college because it teaches so much about the values that we should have during the four magical years of our lives. It is a movie for everybody. It is cheesy but it gets the message across and that's what every movie should aim for. 

So next time everything works out badly in your life, just put a hand over your heart and say "Aal iz well". 

Now everybody say it with me, Aal Iz Well. :) 

Here's the trailer of the movie, for everyone who is curious about it. 

You can also watch the movie in Youtube. Here's the link. 

This is the second installment of my adventure in Cagbalete. On the first one, I included the directions (and tips) on how to get there. This entry will be about our own personal experience of making this adventure possible. 

Before leaving for Cagbalete, I packed all the essentials for a 2-day trip. My bag was really heavy because I yet have to master the art of packing lightly. My best friend dropped by our house at around 7pm  (Saturday) to talk to my father and make paalam. (Here's the thing, I have a very very STRICT tatay (father) and even if I am already way over the legal age, he is still very protective of me. See, I still need his permission when travelling. :( I'm his little girl like that.. grr. ) 

Since it was too early and Neil won't be joining us for the trip, me and Robai decided to hang out at Market! Market for a while to kill time. We met up with the sulking Neil there and had dinner (and dessert) at Tokyo Tokyo. Good thing the blue whale started cheering up after an hour or so. Since the mall closes at 9:30pm, we decided to get out and sit by the benches near the ferris wheel. I mentioned to Robai and Neil that I have never been to Serendra (the shame!) so they invited me for a walk at the famed place, again, to kill time. 

Robai and the Blue Whale

I did not take pictures though. I'm not that kind. I don't like taking pictures of places specially created for the filthy rich to further magnify the social division in this country (echos!). I must say though, that the place is too overrated. It was nothing but a long stretch of über expensive shops and boutiques which products cost a fortune. The only thing I liked was the humongous Fully Booked branch there. It was like a dream to behold! I was drooling like hell (but that is totally irrelevant to this post).

At half past ten, Neil decided to call it a day. He said goodbye while Robai and I went straight to the Ministop nearby to buy our provisions. I remember putting two cups of instant noodles, 2 cans of Century Tuna Paella (it's God's gift to the human race, no kiddin'), 3-in-1 coffee mix, biscuits, chips, a loaf of bread and some sandwich spread, candles and dishwashing soap. The total bill cost us P596 (or something like that).

Me and Robai aboard the bus

We took a jeep to Guadalupe and a bus from Guada to Cubao (JAC Liner). I think we were lucky enough to reach the station in time for the last trip (12:10am). After a quick inquiry with the bus conductor, we figured out that we were on the right bus. The bus left the station at 12:25 am. 

Now, for anyone who's been wondering about which bus line is good for the trip to Lucena, I would advice you guys to take the JAC Liner. Not only is the driver careful and the seats comfy, you also get free wi-fi on board! (Isn't that cool?). We couldn't sleep though because we are nocturnal beings; Robai works on a night shift while I love staying up late. 

For most of the trip, the two of us spent our time talking about random things in our lives and  the bad things about the government and society. I think I was able to take a nap after a while and I just woke up when the bus made a stop at one of its station somewhere in Laguna. The trip continued (and our exchange as well). At 3am, we reached the Lucena Grand Terminal. It was too early and we had to wait for one and a half hours before the first trip to Mauban leaves. We took the liberty to capture some pictures of the station. Below is the picture of the mini-bus that will take us to Mauban. 

The rest rooms in the Lucena Grand Terminal is really clean although you have to pay 5 pesos if you want to pee or jebs (poop) and 10 pesos if you want to take a bath. There are several establishments near the station also and unfortunately for us, they weren't open yet so even if I was craving for Chowking's Chao Fan, we couldn't buy one. At exactly 4:30am, the mini-bus left the station (for the schedule, check the previous post). It was a bumpy ride and had we traveled a bit later, I know we will enjoy the picturesque view on the bus. There were trees everywhere and mountains and rice fields. The breeze was naturally cold, amoy probinsya. A tip for future travellers, take the 6:30 schedule so that you can enjoy (and take pictures) of the wonderful sceneries in Mauban. 

The Mauban Market

We arrived in Mauban at 6:10AM. Most establishments are still closed. When we asked for directions on how to get to the port, the locals were VERY  helpful. :) Lahat sila nagsasalita ng sabay-sabay, nakakaconfuse! Hahaha.But I do commend their characters though, it was a perfect display of Filipino hospitality. Everyone was friendly and eager to lend a hand. We took a trike to the public market so we can buy our food supply. After buying the ingredients for adobo as well as one gallon of distilled water, we decided to take a trike again to the port.

Mauban is a quaint little town. It was totally different from Manila in that the locals are generally amicable. It impressed on me (and Robai) how jaded we have become from growing up in Manila that we were not used to people offering us their house just because we needed to use the restroom. 

We arrived at the Mauban port too early (I guess). It was only 7:10am. Reaching the port early is good if konti lang ang dala ninyo because you can go sight seeing and not get stuck in one place. Unfortunately for us, madami kaming dala so we can't really go around the town to explore. We met another passenger who is on her way to Cagbalete too. She told us she lives there and she just visited someone in Lucena the day before. She also said that if her son picks her up at the Sabang Port, she will ask him to bring us to Villa Cleofas. We were touched by the gesture and thanked her. We asked her about things in Cagbalete like if electricity is available there or if the cellphone reception is strong. She said that electricity is not available in the island coz it's too remote and as for the signal, it's only good for SMART subscribers.That was a bad thing for me and Robai because we were Globe and Sun Cellular subscribers, respectively.

The most awaited boat!

On-board

The boat arrived at around 8:45AM, thank God! It was starting to get really really hot and feeling namin magkakasunburn na kami even before we get to the resort. After waiting for the passengers to disembark the boat, we went aboard and waited for the departure time. We made friends with the boat's captain (I think driver is a more appropriate term) and the other crew. It started to get crowded at half-past nine with everyone loading sacks of fruits, rice, vegetables and other food supplies. There were more than 40 passengers in the boat and most of them are residents of the island who visited the mainland to get some supplies. There were two other groups of tourists with us, a couple and a group of call center agents (well that's what Robai said) who embarked the boat five minutes before the departure. As such, they did not get good seats in the boat. :)

We left the port at exactly 10am. I was asking of the crew if it was okay to sit on the edge of the boat and he said it was too dangerous (too bad, it would have been bad-ass) as I might slip and fall on the deep waters. It was kind of ironic because he was standing on the edge of the boat like a boss, not holding on to anything. What is bad-assery... =))

The boat ride was really scary because the waves were huge. The land in sight was too far that if the boat capsizes, you have no choice but pray to god that the life vest is enough to keep you alive. It was, after all, the Pacific Ocean. The crew was telling us that the sea was calm so there was no danger of getting our things wet. If you tend to get sea sick, it would be advisable to take precautionary measures like popping a Bonamine tablet and bringing a plastic for your mess. :)) The ride was really shaky but it was also fun. (Note to self: I have to cross out "cruise the Pacific Ocean" on my bucket list.)

After almost an hour, we arrived at the Sabang Port. It was breathtaking. Well, not including the informal settlers, but the water was so green and clear, I have never seen such before. The only word for it was "beautiful" and that is even an understatement. 

The picture does not give the beach justice. 

We had to ride a flat boat to get to the port. I had to muster all the self-control that I have so that I will not jump off the boat and take a plunge. The water was just so attractive. :| 

When we reached the port, we asked a local boy to guide us to Villa Cleofas. It was sweltering hot, we were hungry, sleepless and tired. Imagine the difficulty we had to go through just to get to the resort. :| We trekked for 10 minutes but it seems like a lifetime. There were no trees on sight, we had to walk on an open (and barren) land filled with talahib. Robai, who can't handle her hunger anymore, opened a can of the Tuna Paella and ate while we trekked. I think it was a good thing she did or she might have fainted on our way. 

We arrived at Villa Cleofas at half past 11. We gave Arvin (our guide) fifty pesos as a tip and asked him if he can pick us up tomorrow at the same time also. He obliged.  It was a long trip from Manila to Cagbalete but it was worth it. We checked in immediately and asked for a tent where we can put our things. What we did next will be included in the third post. For now, I shall have my lunch. 

Here is what we looked like after the long travel. Sinong mas mukhang haggard?

Robai with her tired look

Moi with my tired look. 

The life-saver tuna paella by Century Tuna.

(click image to enlarge)

Day 14. Emotions.

If only feelings can easily be switched on and off..

(click image to enlarge)

Day 13. Death.

(click image to enlarge)

Day 12. Bestfriend 

 A friend. A sister. A confidante. A critic. A teacher. A shoulder to cry on. 

Having someone whom you can share your experiences and problems with without the fear of being judged.

We were supposed to go to Puerto Galera for the summer. You see, after the Ilocos escapade which I wasn't able to join in, I have constantly bugged my best friend to visit another place possibly close to Manila. She invited me to join the out-of-town trip in Galera with her workmates on April 9. But due to recent (and heartbreaking) events in Japan, everybody backed out in fear that a tsunami might happen in our very own backyard. 

Having filed her vacation leave for that weekend, she informed me that she was still willing to go on a trip and so I started searching for possible destinations close to the metro. I asked her if she wanted to push through with our previous plan to have an overnight visit at Potipot, Zambales but since Neil can't come with us, it was pretty much risky to go on with the trip. I searched for other nearby destinations like Batangas, Mt. Pinatubo and   Subic but all of these places required a budget of more than 3k. Thanks to Manong Google and some very helpful travel bloggers [Ms. Chyng Reyes (No Spam, No Virus, No Kiddin'!), Dong Ho (Dong Ho's Eskapo 3.0) and  Atty. Oman (Lawstude's Journeys)], I found out about the mystifying Cagbalete Island.

So after a few discussion (mostly by me), we agreed to visit this island and I made the itinerary based on some blogs I found on the net. 

For this entry, I'll just  include the basic information about the island (transpo and accomodations). I'll post the rest of the adventure later. :) 

How to Get There: 

A. OPTION 1: Public Transport

1. Take a bus to the Lucena Grand Terminal. 

Lucena Grand Terminal

You can choose to take the Lucena Lines, JAM Transit or JAC Liner. All buses have stations at Kamias, Cubao and Buendia (LRT), Taft.  I highly recommend  JAC Liner because they have Wi-Fi on-board and hindi kaskasero ang driver. As far as I know, the first trip to Lucena (applies to all bus lines) is at 2:00AM and leaves at an hourly interval. The last trip is at 12:00AM the next day. 

In our case, we took the last trip of JAC Liner and left the station at around 12:25AM.  We arrived at the Lucena G. Terminal at exactly 3:00am, ang aga lang..hihi. :)

Or you can also take a bus straight to Mauban from Cubao. I don't know if it's also the case for the other two bus companies but JAC Liner has two daily trips to Mauban from Cubao. The first bus leaves at 5AM and the second (and last) trip leaves at 1:00pm.  It can be a bit risky though because you need to rush to the Mauban Port since the first boat to Sabang leaves at 10AM.

Travel Time: 2.5-3 hours (Cubao to Lucena G. Terminal); 4-5 hours  (Cubao to Mauban)

Travel Cost: 218 PhP (Cubao to Lucena G. Terminal) ; 277 (Cubao to Mauban)

2. From the Lucena Grand Terminal, take a minibus (NCR Lines/Rienton) or an air-conditioned van to Mauban, Quezon. 

Mini-bus (Rienton Lines) to Mauban

You have two options to get to Mauban. You can take the public bus that  leaves at an hourly interval or you can take an airconditioned van. The former has trips as early as 4:30 AM (we took that one)  and as late as 6:00PM (that is not so advisable since you'll be stuck in Mauban 'til next morning) while the latter has its first and last trips at 9AM and 9PM, respectively. 

Travel Time: 1-1.5 hours (Mini Bus) and 1 hr. (Airconditioned Van)

Travel Cost: 54 Php (Minibus) and 80PhP (Airconditioned Van)

Sidenote:

If you are hungry and want to have breakfast, there are several fast food chains (Chowking, Jollibee, Goldilocks and Ate Carinderia) available at the Lucena G. Terminal. The terminal has clean restrooms also but you have to pay five bucks if you want to pee or jebs and 10 pesos if you want to take a bath. It's a little expensive, noh? 

3. From the Mauban Terminal, take a tricycle or walk by foot to the Pantalan/ Port.

The port to Sabang/Cagbalete is close to the Mauban Terminal, so you can walk by foot. It's pretty hard to tell the directions here since I'm bobo at giving directions. You can just ask the friendly locals and I assure you, they are more than willing to help you. :) 

If you're lazy, you can always hail a tricycle and ask Manong Driver to take you to the port. Just tell him that you want to get to Cagbalete and he'll know. You''ll have to take the tricycle if you took the Cubao-Mauban bus since the station is way far from the port. 

Travel Time: 5-10 mins. 

Travel Cost: 9 PhP/pax; 25PhP (if you took the Cubao-Mauban route); Pawis and Calories (if by foot)

4. Take the Anthony or Neneng boat from Mauban Port to Sabang Port. 

Neneng Boat at Mauban Port

There are only two daily trips to Sabang from Mauban so you need to be there on time or else you'll be stuck at Mauban and ruin your otherwise perfect vacation. The first trip is at 10AM while the second trip is at 4:00PM. The boats arrive 1.5 hours before the departure so don't fret if you arrive too early since you can board the boat as early as 8:45AM/3:00AM. 

The capacity of each boat is 40-60pax and sometimes it can get too crowded with people and baggages. In case you're wondering, life vests are available so in case it capsizes, you'll have a chance to survive. :) The crew are very friendly and it would be advisable to strike a conversation with some of them since they can offer some useful tips while on the island; you can also ask them about the schedule since sometimes, only one boat travels to Sabang from Mauban (vice-versa). Maganda na ang magtanong, di ba? Also, waterproof your electronic gadgets 'coz the ride can be wet and wild. :) If you want to take pictures, you can do so but this is not advisable unless you are using an underwater/waterproof camera. 

If you don't want to take the public boat, you can also make prior arrangements with the resort owner and take a private boat to Sabang from Mauban. The capacity of the private boat is around 20pax (summer time) and 15 pax (during Amihan). You can leave any time you want so maybe it's more convenient. Another advantage is it will take you straight to the resort so there's no need to trek.  I haven't tried this though kasi urban poor lang ako. :)) 

Travel Time: 45-60 mins.  

Travel Cost: 40 PhP one-way(Anthony or Neneng) ; 4300PhP two-way (Private Boat) 

5. From Sabang Port, trek to the resort or take a private boat. 

Sabang Port (see the green water?) 

You're almost there. Once you reach the beautiful port (beautiful being an understatement) of Sabang, you will need to transfer to a flat boat to reach land. It's for free. After that, you need to trek for 10-15 minutes under the heat of the sun to reach the resort. In our case, we were planning to stay at Villa Cleofas so we asked a local resident (a boy named Arvin) to take us there. You can also go on your own, it's your choice, as there are signages that you can follow. A friendly reminder, if you took the 10AM trip, it would be better to bring an umbrella or some skin protection as well as lots and lots of water (and patience) because the hike can be tiring. If you are coming with lots of baggages, you can ask the children to bring them for you (I don't recommend this though ;not only is it child abuse but it can also be risky as there are some children who'll open your belongings: please refer to a separate entry for this) and you can give them some tip. Sabi nga nila, pambili ng candy. 

Another option is to take a private boat to the resort. The cost is about 200-400 pesos and the boat's capacity is from 4-6 pax. Finding a boat will not be a problem because there will be boats waiting to pick up passengers when you arrive at Sabang Port. This will not be possible though during low tide. 

If you are staying at Villa Cleofas, you can ask the resort owner if you can avail the services of the Kuliglig to carry your heavy baggages. You can also have horses carry you or your baggages from Sabang Port to the resort (but this is animal cruelty so if you don't want PETA or Greenpeace as your enemy, I suggest you don't choose it). 

Travel Time: 5-20 minutes (by foot, depending on your speed); 5-10 mins. (by boat, kuliglig or horse)

Travel Cost: Dugo't Pawis  (sweat and blood) if you are travelling by foot plus tip if you asked for a local child's help; 200-400 pesos (boat); 100pesos/horse and ire of animal protection groups; 250 PhP (one-way) by Kuliglig.

Here is a summary of the travel expenses (two-way) from Cubao to Mauban. Message me if you have any questions. 

B. OPTION 2: Private Transport

I don't drive. Forgive me. So I just checked the instructions from the Villa Cleofas page. I'll paste it here for your own disposal. (No Plagiarism intended)

Photo Credit: Villa Cleofas Website (www.cagbalete.com)

First alternative   is to take the South Super Highway, then pass by Sto. Tomas, Batangas – San Pablo – Tiaong –Candelaria- Sariaya –– Tayabas -Mauban. Total road distance is about 168 kms. and average travel time for this route would be 3 1/2  - 4 1/2  hours depending on the traffic condition. The Tayabas-Mauban road that was undergoing construction before is already completed and cemented.  This route is the national highway road where most private and public vehicles pass and will be inconvenient to motorists during peak season. This is a good route when travelling very early in the morning and can take you only 3 to 4  hours driving.

Second alternative  from Manila is to pass by South Super Highway, then proceed to Calamba, Laguna. The route is now to pass by the towns of Los Baños – Sta. Cruz - Pagsanjan – Cavinti – Lusiana – Lucban –Tayabas before finally getting to Mauban, Quezon, the town proper. This route is shorter if you are coming from Rizal- Sta. Cruz and you can pass via Sampaloc then Mauban. Sampaloc-Mauban route  has a little rough road (on-going construction but passable) which is about  700 meters long. If you want to avoid the rough road, then proceed to Tayabas  then Mauban, after reaching Lucban. The Calamba route gives the alternate route to Mauban avoiding the traffic in national highway. It takes only about  4 hours if guests will leave Manila very early in the morning. It has less traffic (except during holidays where the South Super Highway and Laguna towns can be really packed) and has a great view of the Makiling. It is also ideal for those tired of the city since the view along this route is mostly very countryside (rice fields, mountains, etc.). 

 Third  alternative route is via Antipolo, which can take around 4 - 5  hours average. Travelers will pass by the towns of: Teresa, Morong, Sta. Maria – Fami – Siniloan – Paete – Lumban – Pagsanjan – Cavinti – Lusiana – Lucban, and Sampaloc ( Sampaloc -Mauban road , same as Alternative 2)  before reaching Mauban.   On holidays like during HolyWeek, this is the most ideal route to avoid traffic in South Super Highway and Los Baños. 

- Source: Villa Cleofas Website- 

Publish Post

Photo Credit: Villa Cleofas Website (www.cagbalete.com)

B. OPTION 3: Magical Transport (Recommended for Trained Witches and Wizards)

A. Apparate to Cagbalete Island. You can check Google Earth for the exact location. There are several secluded areas where you can apparate in without Muggles discovering you. 

Travel Time: less than 30 seconds

Travel Cost: None except for possibility of body splinching. 

B. You can also ride a broom to Cagbalete from your location. Travel time may vary depending on your flying skills. Check Google Earth and the weather before travelling. Touch down can be done in secluded areas at the back of the resort. You can also take a thestral. Travel time maybe less than an hour. 

*Floo powder transport is not available because fireplaces are not used in the island. 

Where to Stay: 

There are several resorts in Cagbalete where you can stay depending on your budget. I am going to include the three most popular resorts in the island namely Villa Cleofas, Pansacola Beach Resort and MVT Sto. Nino. 

1. Villa Cleofas

I am most familiar with this resort because this is where we stayed during our trip. I highly recommend this place because of its strategic location, accommodating staff and affordable facilities. Sabi nga nila, pang-masa ang resort na ito and I quite agree because during our stay, we only spent 580PhP for a 2D1N stay including kitchen rentals and lodgings. Another plus factor is its location. It is overlooking the Bonsai Island, one of the main attractions of the island, so you can go there any time. It is also close to the delta/estuary (another must-see) and at night time, super mahangin and comfortable, you'll sleep like a baby. 

You have the option to choose a tent (if tipid mode) and go camping at the island. You can either rent from them or bring your own. I prefer the tent instead of cottages because you get to enjoy the nature more and mas cool yun, idk why. They also have cottages depending on your preference. A common mess hall/dining area is available for use (free) and you can borrow plates and utensils for eating. They have free drinking water but I suggest you bring your own also (nakakahiya naman manghingi lagi). 

As for food, you can buy your own food from the Mauban market (like we did) and just rent the kitchen facilities in the resort. The cooking area is for free (if you're using charcoal or uling). You'll have to pay 150PhP though if you want to use the gas range plus cooking utensils (max. of 10 people)...kanin at ulam na yun. They don't have a fridge there so better cook something that won't spoil easily like fried food and adobo. Bring plastic containers too to store your food.  For breakfast, you can buy a mug of hot water for 5php. I don't know how much the coffee costs because we brought our own (Kopiko 3-in-1).  

Mess Hall (right side) at night

They have booze there also, I forgot how much it costs though kasi hindi naman ako umiinom. All I can remember is one shot of lambanog or vodka costs about 25php. You can also bring your own if you want to save money.

The toilets are somehow clean. Tap water is available, no need to fetch water from the poso. It just bugs me that some visitors are too much of a slob, they leave their own mess inside the rest room. Tsk Tsk, walang disiplina. A friendly advice girls, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE YOUR SANITARY NAPKINS at public bathrooms. It's not only unhygienic, it also shows that you are an undisciplined neanderthal who have no consideration for other people. Kadire lang. It's like leaving your ovaries somewhere, yuck. And please people, flush the toilet after you use it. 

The table below is a chart of the room rates at Villa Cleofas. 

Rating: ★★★★★★★★/10

Must Try:

-- Sleeping/Chilling in the hammocks scattered around the area

-- Bonfire 

-- Sleeping on a tent near the beach 

-- Trek to Bonsai Island 

Website: http://www.cagbalete.com

Facebook Page: Discover Villa Cleofas in Cagbalete Island

2. MVT Sto. Niño Beach Resort

This resort is located near Villa Cleofas, I have not tried this resort yet so I have nothing to say about it. :| I just got the rates from their website but maybe next time I visit Cagbalete, I'll try this resort. 

Photo Credit: MVT Sto. Nino Resort (http://mvtstoninoresort.net)

 Website: www.mvtstonino.net

3. Pansacola Beach Resort 

Some people say that this resort is quite pricey compared to the other two. I have no idea. What I can say though is they have a better beach front compared to the other two. Also, they respond quickly on inquiries. I would have stayed here if I had a bigger budget and if tents were available in their resort. I also think this resort is quite closer to the port than the other two resorts. :)

Website: www.cagbaleteisland.com

Facebook Page: Pansacola Beach Resort

That's it. Hopefully this information is helpful. I'll be posting our adventures on the next entries along with the breakdown of expenses that we spent during our stay. :)

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Day 11: Sunrise

*NO edits except for the text

I just got back from a 2 day vacation in Cagbalete Island. I am now uploading the pictures. The post will come after. :)

I am officially in love with that island.. Hihi. 

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Day 10: Humility

That no matter how big you think you are in this world, there's always something bigger. 

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Day 9: Music

Music gives us life. It brings us up when we are down. It adds flavor to the moment. It's a form of self-expression. It defines us.

 Dance with the music of life. 

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Day 8: Tattoo

Express yourself. Laugh like you're the happiest person in the world. Love like you'll never love again. Live like there's no tomorrow. ♥

Day 7: Hold On

No matter how dark life becomes, hold on to the light inside of you and never let it go. At the lowest of low, there's no one you can rely on but YOURSELF. Never give up, never surrender.