life outside the box: livin' la vida LOCAL!

Do not believe anything only by hearsay.

Pack your bags and set off to find the truth yourself.

Just like what we did. The thrill of experiencing (?) the much-talked-about mysticism lasted for many weeks until we finally set foot on the island.

And indeed, what we knew about Siquijor is true. There are sorcerers here.

Meet Emil, a smiley warlock ready to cast a spell on Heid? *wink*

Naah, he is actually our very accommodating and perky insider during this trip. We met him on the plane by chance and we clicked instantly because he is such a chatty kind of person. The exchanges we had during the one-hour flight seemed so relaxed and spontaneous. It was like we have known each other for many years already. So upon touchdown, the deal was sealed. We officially signed up for a local life experience in Siquijor courtesy of our instant travel buddy Emil. :) He created such an effective potion that we could only say "yes" to his generous offer. haha

Then, Emil introduced us to his two friends, Rachel and Ragi, and the cast for this mystic travel experience was completed. They are as chatty and funny as Emil is. We all felt like old friends, easily teasing and laughing and chatting most of the time. And since we had a prior deal with Emil, they were stuck with us for four days as well.

Heid and I felt sooo lucky! :)

Cambugahay falls

(Lazi, Siquijor)

We were having so much fun we completely forgot about taking photos.

Cambugahay falls is the first travel spot we ticked off our list. Here we found natural jacuzzi tubs, ready to soothe our tired muscles and relax our minds. There were a lot of tubs to choose from and each offered us excellent natural therapy. We enjoyed every bit of our day-spa also because our wonderful guides made sure we experience only the best. They even pulled some swinging vines so we could cross the cascading falls. And the best experience was when Heid and I almost drowned here (haha). Good thing was, we were not traumatized at all and were even smiley while waving our hands for help.

Here's what Cambugahay Falls looks like.
(Thanks to Google image) ;)

The Old Enchanted Balete Tree

Next stop, the spooky looking balete tree. Adding to the creepiness of the island, this all so famous sanctuary of supernatural beings (according to folklores) is four centuries old. Spine-chilling? Indeed! But we remained so smiley! That's already expected.haha

Fishing villages

Emil also brought us to this fishing village where we found little kiddos having fun sunbathing. This spot is unexploited. The local vibe is so evident, which I love! :)

the tranquil water and the sea vessels

We enjoyed a lot of motorcycle rides, pollution-free! Along the road, we saw the farm life of the locals as well and it was so refreshing! Emil also brought us to some other villages on the island and we met quite a lot of locals who are all very friendly and hospitable. :)

The happy riders

"What are you staring at?"

Happily relaxing! :)

Life's a beach!

We also had a lot of beach hopping. And this beach spot is one of the most beautiful I have seen in Siquijor. For our next trip, will surely love to go camping here :)

I love the beach and I can't deny it! haha

Lazi Church

Lazi is our homebase during our trip in Siquijor. Luckily, one of the must-see churches is found here -- the Lazi church, which is just a stone's throw away from where we stayed.

Built in 1884 under the Augustinian Recollects, Lazi Church is a baroque church which has original retablos, coral stone facade and wooden floors with herringbone pattern. The church resembles a barn when viewed from afar but the intricate details from the facade to its interior indeed qualified it to the Tentative List of the UNESCO World Heritage.