Thursday, June 20, 2013

Balanghai Kanlunes in Bucas Grande Island

One can explore Sohoton Cove in Bucas Grande Island as a day trip from Siargao. Since we intended to stay a night in Bucas Grande, we passed up on the 4500-peso day trip. Instead, we took the passenger boat from Dapa in Siargao at 8AM to Socorro in Bucas Grande. The 1.5-hour boat ride to Socorro costs Php100.

We already had a contact in Bucas Grande who would pick us up at Socorro. Otherwise, we could have just looked for a pumpboat in Socorro that could take us to Sohoton. From Socorro, the father and son team whom we hired to take us to Sohoton Cove first took us to Balanghai Kanlunes where we would be staying in an open cabana for a night.

Son and father / Juvil and Max

There are about ten open cabanas for rent (Php1000 a night) at Balanghai Kanlunes. Each cabana has a mattress, pillows, blanket, mosquito net, and tarp (in case of rain). There are also air-conditioned cottages for Php2500 per.

The cabanas

Two toilets and showers are shared by ten cabanas. When the toilets/showers in the cottages are in use, the water at the common toilets/showers stops flowing. Our skin would glitter with salt before we get the chance to take a shower.

If you do not bring food, then the only option is to eat at Balanghai Kanlunes's own restaurant. The food there would cost an arm and a leg: our lunch of two kilos of fish (which looked like it was only a kilo) and rice for three persons cost us Php900. Drinking water though is free.

Wanna wake up to this?

On the upside, the best part about staying at Balanghai Kanlunes is getting lulled to sleep by the crashing waves, having everlasting aircon(tinuous) in the cabana, and then waking up with a view.

So we got robbed by two kilos of fish, grew salt glitters on our skin, and snoozed in the cabana. What else happened to us at Balanghai Kanlunes? We saw the clear blue sea and the islands from the window of an empty wooden cottage on a hill on one side of Balanghai.


We appreciated the calm and quiet of a smaller beach on the west side.


And took a photo of the cottages of Club Tara Resort. Guests of Balanghai Kanlunes can go sight-see at Club Tara Resort for free (non-Balanghai-guests have to pay an entrance fee of Php20). A pathway behind Balanghai leads to Club Tara. We did not take this path, instead dropped by during our boat tour.

Cottages at Club Tara Resort


Balanghai Kanlunes
Fredie Rosillo 0935 418 3244 / 0946 696 3120
* Boat transfers/tour was also arranged by Mr Rosillo


Three Days in Siargao:
In and Around Siargao Island
La Isla Siargao Bar and Grill
Magpupungko Then and Now
Three Little Islands
Skales Greek Restaurant

Siargao's Neighbor, Bucas Grande:
Balanghai Kanlunes in Bucas Grande Island (you're here!)
Lagoon, Lake, and Caves

Siargao and Bucas Grande: Itinerary and Expenses



16 comments:

  1. It looks cozy and clean out there. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Did you get to play with the jelly fish? Diri ba to? I haven't been to this place yet, but it has been in my bucketlist for a long time! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes diri to sa Bucas Grande ang stingless jellyfish. Pwede ra itouch but swimming in the jellyfish lagoon is strictly prohibited :D Adto na Kikit before it gets really crowded :D

      Delete
  3. bro kudos to you... wala na season ron sa jellyfish no? humana man summer. dream nako nang socorro bro. nihit na kaayo amo travel ron kay mutiwas ko medicine sa laguna, graduating ko. ako asawa ga trabaho na pud didto. basin maka kawat2x mi ani ug suroy sa luzon na pud. idol taka brod! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Up to July pa daw, sir. Pero pinakadaghan daw inig April. Good luck with your last year in med and congratulations! Should I start calling you Doc? :-) In Luzon, sus, masdaghan ug massayon pa gyud ilaag, everywhere is just a bus ride away! Basin every weekend na mo maglaag didto, sir! Thanks again for visiting my blog :-)

      Delete
  4. Grande Island is really stunning! I hope I can visit there next summer. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hello sir. Pwede mangayo ug contact number sa imong boatmen (juvil and max)? Planning a tour next week w/ 6 friends. How many persons diay makaigo sa cabana sir? Hope to hear frm you

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Nasi. The boat transfer/tour was arranged by Balanghai Kanlunes/Fredie Rosillo. Please see bottom of post for the contact number. Four people can sleep in the open cabana. Thanks for visiting the blog.

      Delete
  6. Hi, Mustachio!

    Is there any corkage fee if we bring our own food at Bahay Kanlunes? Is lunch included in the day tour?
    We will definitely check the cabanas of Bahay Kanlunes when we get to visit there. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Team Sweetie! No, there was no corkage fee, but that was more than a year ago...better check with them for current policies :) Food wasn't included in the tour; we requested for food to be prepared by Balanghai Kanlunes (that Php 900 peso bill mentioned above heheh).

      Delete
  7. Okay, we better check so we can prepare. We're already excited. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi, Mustachio!

    Like to ask how to get in Bucas Grande. I'm Iligan City pa.. Mgdala noon mi og sakayanan. gusto lng nko ma hibalan ang directions going there.

    Thank you

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Novnov. Based on the map, you can drive to Surigao del Norte, up to Bad-as junction then continue on to Brgy Hayanggabon in Claver. I don't know if there's a shorter way to get to Claver from Iligan...

      Delete
  9. Ug unsa pay mga affordable nga resort sa Bucas Grande na imung ma recommend.

    thank you

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmmm...I am the wrong person to ask for a recommendation kay ka isa pa lang ko naka adto sa Bucas Grande and sa Balanghai Kanlunes ko ni stay :D. Aside sa Balanghai, these are the other places that I know of: Club Tara Resort, Hidden Island Resort, Tiktikan Lake. There are also a few inns/guesthouses in Socorro town. Thanks for dropping by the blog :)

      Delete