Suroy- suroy: Medellin, Cebu (Survival Hacks for an Overnight Stay in Gibitngil Island)

G I B I T N G I L  I S L A N D ,  M E D E L L I N

Gibitngil Island, now known as the famous FUNtastic Island in Medellin is the perfect spot for those who hunger for adventure. I am that person and so is my girlfriend. So for our 1st year anniversary, we decided to celebrate it differently and went on an out of town trip. 

HOW TO GET THERE?

We can never tell if there is going to be bad traffic along the way so, we planned to leave earlier than 7 AM. The North Bus Terminal is located near the old Makro or now the SM Hypermarket- so you won't get lost just in case you thought the SBT and the NBT are the same, Ha! Ha! Don't worry about being confused about what bus to ride, just ask the terminal guard or the people around (especially the bus drivers or conductors) because they definitely know the bus routes and everything. We took the bus with the sign "Daan Bantayan via Kawit" this means, the bus is going to Daan Bantayan and going to pass by the route of Kawit- where the port to Gibitngil Island is located. The bus fare is 150 per pax but you can get a discount if you have a student ID. Bring snacks to munch on along the 3/4- hour trip.

By the time we stepped out from the bus, people of the Bantay Dagat- an association credited by the Mayor of Medellin to transport tourists- will automatically call your attention and talk about the pump boat rental fees. 

1, 500 Php- Max of 15 people

1, 200 Php- Max of 6 people

The fare rates increase so always check the internet and be updated. If there are more members of the group, you can maybe negotiate for bigger pump boats.

There were only two of us so we took the 1, 200Php pump boat. Manong, the captain of the boat, was friendly enough to give us more information about the island. He was generous enough to carry our bags and turned us over to the caretakers of the island. 

THE ISLAND

Gibitngil is only 15-20 minutes away from mainland. The boat ride will not bore you because manong will tour you around the island. You will see boulders of rocks, cliffs, and more white- sand beaches that will just take your breath away! However, there were things we forgot to consider.

1. Tent

     When we arrived, all the cottages, tables and chairs were all rented out. Lucky for us, we brought a tent (thanks Jaicel for letting us borrow your tent!) The mayor of Medellin had guests brought to the resort before we arrived. There were 60 of them and that's enough to cover all the cottages of the resort. Tables and chairs had to be rented out as well. What we did was we looked for a spot and assembled our tent. We were able to keep our belongings secured while we enjoy the crystal clear waters.

2. DIY Saucer

     It was lunch when we arrived. It's a good thing we were able to buy a newly cooked lechon manok which we definitely enjoyed. The only problem was, "where do we put the sauce?" This lechon manok just got to have a sauce. Bringing a saucer would just add weight to my heavy bag. The things we bought were only plastic cups and paper plates so, cut the plastic cup horizontally and voila! 

3. Not-so-Swiss Knife

     What did I use to cut the plastic cup? A mini-swiss knife my classmate in college gave me for a Christmas gift. It has four tools: a knife, scissors, and two others I'm not really sure of. 

4. C2 Empe

     I'm pretty sure my friends in high school knows this. Who doesn't? The colour of the liquid of a C2 drink looks exactly the same as the Emperador liquor. Don't worry about putting way too much of that in your cup, pull the stopper out from the original glass bottle and transfer it to the C2 bottle. It'll work just fine.

5. Mini Cooler

     It'll keep your drinks cold! Just don't forget the ice!

6. Mini Water Containers

     To keep us hydrated, we brought two 1 liter of water for each other and we brought a mini cooler. Obviously it wouldn't fit so, I got the bottles I saved from our dates before and transferred the water into it. Why didn't I just buy water with smaller containers? Because it'll be too expensive! And really, we needed the bottles I have collected to be used.

7. Plastic Bags

     The big, black plastic bags. We commonly use it for keeping our trashes but I used it to protect our tent from getting wet. It rained a little during the night time. Although we were able to rent a 300Php-worth cottage, we still needed the plastic bag to protect us. After the shower we just enjoyed watching the stars;) Perfect date!

8. Rope or Straw

     You'll need it for just about ANYTHING! I used it to tie my girlfriends phone on top of our tent because we barely have light! Manong, was generous enough to send one of his friends over and handed us a charged solar- powered flashlight! I also used it to tie the plastic bag around our tent and an aid for my slippers. 

9. Partner

     This is one thing I have definitely learned about Funtastic Island, do not travel alone. Me and my girlfriend strongly suggest NOT to travel together only. Travel with a large group to keep you alive for the rest of the dark night. 

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PROS and CONS

CONS

    Don't expect much about the facilities because the island is still on the midst of development. There are NO restaurants or high- class resorts for your fancy stay. They have a sari-sari store but you honestly won't find a lot in there.

PROS

     Bring food or buy from the market before you travel to the island. If you mean food for meals, better buy before leaving the mainland. You can also ask you pump boat's captain a favour. Just give him money for the food and the gasoline. There's a cottage where you can grill your meat. 

CONS

     Don't bring your work, and by work I mean your laptops. It might work for several hours but not until it needs to be charged. Each of the household in Gibitngil is solar powered and that doesn't include the cottages.

PROS

     Maybe you can bring along with you your camera or cellular phones for picture- taking, but I suggest to bring a nokia for a phone. It can go on for a day or two. Bring a phone with a flashlight! It'll help you to get through the night.

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REMINDERS

1. Always check the most updated posts about the facilities of the island so you can prepare sufficient money. 

Bus fare- 150

Boat ride- 1200 to 1500

Cottages ranges from 100 to 500

100- Cottages located on the lower part of the island and on pathways

300- Semi-private cottage with grilling are

500- Cottage near the jumping ramp

Activities (not sure how much)

Kayak- 50/ hour

Zipline- 50

2. Check weather forecasts! You don't want to be stuck on the island in case a typhoon comes.

3. Don't bring too much! You'll end up straining your body.

4. Ask for the number of your pump-boats captain just in case you need help. 

5. Cut- off time is between 8-9am if you want to stay for the night.

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HERE ARE SOME OF OUR PICTURES