Wandering 4: Vano Beach

Travel Post

When we say we go, we really go. It was a hot day. I think we probably got bored that day, it was a Sunday, methinks, around August of 2010. My brother usually comes up with the idea, and we just unanimously agree to it. So, he proposed we go to a beach. 

Brother, Chico with wife Diane and daughter Caroline

Everybody just nodded a lazy "Yes", then we all went scrambling to get everything packed and ready for the trip. Mind you, we did not have a destination yet, he just said we'd go to the beach, no specific place. We asked our next door neighbor to come with us, since they also rarely get to see the sea. My dad got hold of a cab we could use for the trip, and off we went!

My hubby, Jensen, with our then-only-baby, Dean and my very beautiful sister (hahahaha... ana ha, ako na jud gi usab!..) sister Lei

We live quite far from the sea. The nearest beach to where we are living would be a two hour drive, without traffic. The closest I could get to seeing the sea would be to go to the wet market to get some fish. I rarely go to the beach; I'd be really lucky to get at least a once-a-year beach experience. 

My super mom, Arlene

So, you could just imagine how excited we were of the thought of going to the beach. We were what you would call, in our dialect, hangol ug tubig, literally, greedy for water (generally pertains to any body of water, as long as we can swim in it).

The 2nd royal family.. haha.. Sister Doyette with husband Armand and kids Brianna and Sophia

In the cab, we were still arguing as to where we were headed. We decided to go to a nearby cheap, yet still OK place to swim at: Vano Beach (Sorry, my lappy doesn't want to make an enye, it's pronounced as "vanyo"). I can't remember how much we dished out for the whole affair, but I believe they charge less than a hundred for your vehicle and a hundred plus plus for your cottage. 

I don't know about you, but boy, were we excited!

They have these decent cottages that you can really sit and rest at when you're not soaking at sea, and the parking space is fine.

"But Lolo Bert, the beach is over there! Why are you swimming here?"

Your next door neighbor would be Plantation Bay, one of the more expensive resorts in Cebu. Haha. They're paying their assess off for the same sea and sand that you're enjoying, albeit they have better amenities and lesser chances of seeing shit float in your face after you do a dive. ^^

"Just you wait till I get my hands on you, cameruh!"

Kids with static and diarrheaic faces.

We packed our own food for the trip, so we didn't dish out anything for food. We always pack our own meals when we go for trips, that way, we save money, and we won't spend the second half of the trip complaining how crappy the food was. 

After enjoying a hearty meal and a bit of splishing and splashing, we rented a little boat and we went island hopping. 

Reflective glasses. Check!

Well, technically, it wasn't island hopping because we never stopped on any islands; the boatman just charged a thousand bucks to bring us further to sea.

Anyway, it was fun, we got to the parts which were so nice and clean, and the waters were crystal clear.

We splashed a bit more at the farthest part we got  to. A little dive here and there, a little choking at the sea water there with some sea water splattering out of our noses, it was really fun.....in a weird way.

I can see your crack from here. Hahahhaha! He'll kill me when he reads this.

A little bit after 3, we decided to call it a day and headed back home. We brought a few fishes along with us, the kind that fishermen catch for eating, but I think they died along the way. I wasn't able to take any pictures, though. 

It was really worth it, we didn't spend too much (except for the pseudo-island hopping), and we all went home with big grins on our faces. 

I think that was all that we were looking for. ^^