Pandanon Island Discoveries
Hoy, I didn't know I was going to Bohol. Pramis hahaha! This was the 2nd and last of my 'two-island tour' from Mactan. Pandanon Island: is part of Getafe, Bohol na diay!
All I knew was I went on an island-hopping tour from Punta Engaño Lapu-lapu City on Mactan Island, Cebu Province. I just presumed (sige assumed) the hops would be to islands belonging to the city of Lapu-lapu, like Olango Island, as this is one vast area.
I didn't know, for I didn't check that my 1st island destination was/is part of Cordova, Cebu; and this 2nd island on my itinerary belongs to the province of Bohol. Level up?
The administrative affiliations of the islands alone got me excited. So, let's go!
[Maryusep, baka next time, ang island-hopping ko eh mapunta na ng Koror o Miangas!]
Anyway...
The ride from Nalusuan to this island took about 1 hour. It's not near. Nakakainip pa nga actually - since I was alone with no one to talk to hehe! But, I enjoyed the views.
To my right (I'm guessing here), this would be Cabul-an Island, Buenavista, Bohol.
To my left, this should be Caohagan Island, Brgy. Cawhagan, Lapu-lapu City!
Well, ito sure na, we were approaching Brgy. Pandanon Island, Getafe, Bohol!
You see the white sandbar at left? We were NOT going there hehe! We were going to the other end where you see a 'white house' - where the sandbar is longer and wider.
But good that the boat passes this way. That was a peep enough for me, to see part of the community living on this island - which my boatmen told me to avoid entering.
More of that later. Meanwhile, here was my royal highness, landing upon Pandanon!
That bamboo pole is their improvisation of a "handrail" for passengers to hold on to, for extra stability, therefore safety while disembarking. O diba? Real Pinoy ingenuity!
Not a first time for me to experience that. I remember, more than half a decade ago, I encountered a similar "technique" in Magallanes, over a fast-moving Agusan River.
But here, they asked if I prefer the pole to be on my left or my right. Royal Treatment!
That happens when you are the lone passenger on a 30PAX-capacity tour boat!
On landing, explore na agad the fine white sand jutting far to the east.
There were surprisingly many people, that I needed to wait just for this "serene shot".
Lots of them, especially the K-folks, had their pictorials at this eerily alluring "ruins".
Syempre naki-posing din ako dyan! And it isn't easy to capture this kind of shot, that I oh so triumphantly did. Ang daming tao! So how? "Classified Diversionary Tactics"!
There are also day-use cottages, though I didn't see any that was occupied.
Visitors were advised not to go to that solitary cottage on the water. Just look at its base (the rocks under its floor), and you would certainly know the reason why heheh!
If your tour was like mine, where it went to Nalusuan first before this island, you can't help but compare. For me, Pandanon looks like a "has been", a "fantastic in the past".
Well, the ruins seem to be the attraction now. Para kang pumunta sa ancient Greece! It looks like it had had a luxurious past but is now in ruins, courtesy of mother earth!
Past 1PM we had to sail back to mainland Mactan. This tour was only until 3PM.
Oy, that white-and-orange boat wasn't mine. We were already pushing back! Islands Banca Cruises' boats look the same. And no wonder I saw too many orange-shirted people on shore other than my crew. Ay hahaha, they were crews of the other boats!
Not a beautiful resort, but a beautiful island. Yet still a nice, even memorable visit.
The great takeaway from this destination was: it got me thinking! Yes, me ganun na! Kelangan mo mag-isip, to know more of what you've seen - parang homework baga!
Homework pala ha?! While on the boat (it's more than an hour going back to Mactan), I busied my royal highness asking people by txt/call/msgr to help me find answers.
So many questions like 1] Why do structures on Pandanon seem to be dilapidating?
Nalusuan looks middle-class & low-key but sustained or improving. Pandanon seems to have been once an affluent & luxe resort island but now no more. What happened?
Aruu! We were still on pushback, and I was already receiving some of their answers. Woh! It was a 'dreamed' Mediterranean-style high-end resort, that sadly, did not finish.
That explains those fancy picturesque columns (ruins), that to me did not really look like a house where the roof was detached in whatever manner. It did not see a roof!
Hindi pala sya natapos. Sayang. But I do understand the reason/s.
Weh, kung itinuloy at natapos yan, chances are hindi rin naman natin nasilayan ang finished product! It was to be an exclusive membership club. Pang-"alta-sosyedad"!
That big white house would have been a "Villa Amparito" or something like that! Ayan na my kapwa social climbers, that name is "clue" on who built but did not finish this!
Anyway, I was also curious... 2] Why my orange-clad butler/guide/alalay discouraged me from following two other groups, who strolled into the village (Brgy. Pandanon).
That's the residential area at left. The phrase "not advisable" already sounded "hello" to me, but the look in the eyes of all 3 crews seemed to spell alarm or apprehension.
Oh eh di lalo akong naintriga hahaha!
I was about to interrogate them, when my 'call-a-friend' came through (actually I txtd, but she called), and her opening remarks was a rushed "gawas dong, hawa diha, now"!
I said "I'm already on the boat, we have departed". She said "okay, very good"!
Na na na NA! Eh di lalo akong na-intriga. Ano ba'ng meron dyan?! I asked the calling friend, and so I learned that... there's a brewing "public versus private" access issue.
Okay, there are more infos I learned, let's continue this topic on my next post.
Meanwhile, for reasons that I didn't anymore bother to know, we departed eastwards.
What does that mean? We headed towards Bohol, instead of home to Mactan Cebu.
I did not react. I just watched - for it afforded me more views of Pandanon Island.
That's the more affluent eastern end. That's also the resort area that wasn't finished.
Here we were already far north-east, but I could still see the outline of Pandanon.
It's not big, just about a kilometer long, including the shifting sandbars at both ends.
Ah okay, sensing the boat's direction, I realized we were skirting Olango Island, from its southeastern side, east coast going north, then eventually turning left to Mactan.
Indeed it was. Great for me, because I think I haven't passed this way yet.
All I knew was I went on an island-hopping tour from Punta Engaño Lapu-lapu City on Mactan Island, Cebu Province. I just presumed (sige assumed) the hops would be to islands belonging to the city of Lapu-lapu, like Olango Island, as this is one vast area.
I didn't know, for I didn't check that my 1st island destination was/is part of Cordova, Cebu; and this 2nd island on my itinerary belongs to the province of Bohol. Level up?
The administrative affiliations of the islands alone got me excited. So, let's go!
Anyway...
The ride from Nalusuan to this island took about 1 hour. It's not near. Nakakainip pa nga actually - since I was alone with no one to talk to hehe! But, I enjoyed the views.
To my right (I'm guessing here), this would be Cabul-an Island, Buenavista, Bohol.
To my left, this should be Caohagan Island, Brgy. Cawhagan, Lapu-lapu City!
Well, ito sure na, we were approaching Brgy. Pandanon Island, Getafe, Bohol!
But good that the boat passes this way. That was a peep enough for me, to see part of the community living on this island - which my boatmen told me to avoid entering.
More of that later. Meanwhile, here was my royal highness, landing upon Pandanon!
Not a first time for me to experience that. I remember, more than half a decade ago, I encountered a similar "technique" in Magallanes, over a fast-moving Agusan River.
But here, they asked if I prefer the pole to be on my left or my right. Royal Treatment!
That happens when you are the lone passenger on a 30PAX-capacity tour boat!
On landing, explore na agad the fine white sand jutting far to the east.
Lots of them, especially the K-folks, had their pictorials at this eerily alluring "ruins".
There are also day-use cottages, though I didn't see any that was occupied.
If your tour was like mine, where it went to Nalusuan first before this island, you can't help but compare. For me, Pandanon looks like a "has been", a "fantastic in the past".
Well, the ruins seem to be the attraction now. Para kang pumunta sa ancient Greece! It looks like it had had a luxurious past but is now in ruins, courtesy of mother earth!
Past 1PM we had to sail back to mainland Mactan. This tour was only until 3PM.
Not a beautiful resort, but a beautiful island. Yet still a nice, even memorable visit.
The great takeaway from this destination was: it got me thinking! Yes, me ganun na! Kelangan mo mag-isip, to know more of what you've seen - parang homework baga!
Homework pala ha?! While on the boat (it's more than an hour going back to Mactan), I busied my royal highness asking people by txt/call/msgr to help me find answers.
So many questions like 1] Why do structures on Pandanon seem to be dilapidating?
Aruu! We were still on pushback, and I was already receiving some of their answers. Woh! It was a 'dreamed' Mediterranean-style high-end resort, that sadly, did not finish.
That explains those fancy picturesque columns (ruins), that to me did not really look like a house where the roof was detached in whatever manner. It did not see a roof!
Hindi pala sya natapos. Sayang. But I do understand the reason/s.
Weh, kung itinuloy at natapos yan, chances are hindi rin naman natin nasilayan ang finished product! It was to be an exclusive membership club. Pang-"alta-sosyedad"!
That big white house would have been a "Villa Amparito" or something like that! Ayan na my kapwa social climbers, that name is "clue" on who built but did not finish this!
Anyway, I was also curious... 2] Why my orange-clad butler/guide/alalay discouraged me from following two other groups, who strolled into the village (Brgy. Pandanon).
Oh eh di lalo akong naintriga hahaha!
I was about to interrogate them, when my 'call-a-friend' came through (actually I txtd, but she called), and her opening remarks was a rushed "gawas dong, hawa diha, now"!
I said "I'm already on the boat, we have departed". She said "okay, very good"!
Na na na NA! Eh di lalo akong na-intriga. Ano ba'ng meron dyan?! I asked the calling friend, and so I learned that... there's a brewing "public versus private" access issue.
Okay, there are more infos I learned, let's continue this topic on my next post.
Meanwhile, for reasons that I didn't anymore bother to know, we departed eastwards.
I did not react. I just watched - for it afforded me more views of Pandanon Island.
Here we were already far north-east, but I could still see the outline of Pandanon.
Ah okay, sensing the boat's direction, I realized we were skirting Olango Island, from its southeastern side, east coast going north, then eventually turning left to Mactan.
Indeed it was. Great for me, because I think I haven't passed this way yet.
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