When I was living in Dumaguete city, I knew I had to visit Apo Island once. It was just situated south of Negros Island. A 30 minute drive + 45 minute boat ride. It was just the perfect opportunity.
What makes Apo Island famous? It is a diving oasis, a turtle paradise, a heaven made on earth for all mermaids by heart.
To get there, one can simply ride a bus from Dumaguete going to Malatapay Market. However, I decided to rent a car to take us there to lessen the travel time. There is also a centralized port for all boats going to Apo Island, you can opt for the public regular trips (less Php500 per person) or you can rent a private boat (Php2000-3000). We went for the cheaper one. Expect to pay a tourist and environmental fee once you get to Apo island.
This trip lasted 3 days/2 nights. I didn't plan anything special. Our only activity was just to freedive and swim with the turtles as much as we could. It was just a small island anyway which one can explore its entirety in just a day.
We got a room at Mario's Scuba Diving and Homestay. It was just a simple yet cozy place. The only thing to remember when staying in Apo Island is they have a designated time during the night where all power is cut off. Then it comes back the next day. So during the day, we had to charge our phones. Good thing, they had solar panels so we were still able to use the fans during the night.
After we settled down, the first thing we did was get changed into our dive gears and head straight to the water.
Swim with the Turtles
The underwater scene was teeming with a variety of corals, fishes, marine life. The first thing that came to mind was "the place was untouched" by human pollution and corruption. However the turtles were so unbothered with our existence as long as there is no physical contact made. They would just go about their own chill life of eating, sleeping, and gliding along the current.
You don't need to be a freediver like us to witness the turtles up close. Just snorkling was enough because most of the turtles can already be found at 5m depth.
The turtles here were far more bigger compared to the ones in Moalboal. There were thriving here. I would see another group of turtles just a few meters ahead after witnessing turtles nearby. In just a day, I saw maybe 20 turtles or more! My mermaid heart was full.
Aside from freediving, you can do the following:
Hike to Apo Island View Deck
This was not to be taken lightly. Though it was just a few minutes hike, it took up a lot of my energy. There was a clear pathway up to the viewing deck but it wasn't a straight line. There were a few rough turns and I had to take a breather midway. There were large boulders to go through at the top however it was manageable.
It was all worth it once we reached the top. We got a beautiful view of the ocean and parts of the island.
Enjoy the local dishes
We found a small local eatery that served this delicious grilled fish! Because it was just that good, I ordered the same dish for the next days we stayed here. The price was Php300. This simple diner had a hut where there guests are able to eat in front of the ocean.
There were only a few establishments who offer food here. It was also best you order a few hours ahead of time because noon time are packed with tourists.
Watch the Beautiful Sunset
The sunsets were absolutely stunning. Orange and Gold hues cover the whole skies with silhouettes from boats afar. We stayed at the hut where we had our lunch earlier. No one was there. Just us two. We got to enjoy the sunset all to ourselves. One of the sunsets I will never forget.
I plan to visit Apo island again this year! Perhaps you would want to join me?
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