The 3 hours Lazi trip

My first knowledge about Siquijor? A small and mysterious island with a rich history of being inhabited by witches and shamans who perform spells and black magics on people.

Well, to explore is to believe that is why Ami and I decided to have a day side trip to this island before returning to Manila but we have less than 7 hours left to do it as we don't want to be left behind on our scheduled flight back home. Still, we pushed through our plan because we really wanted to see what's in store for us in that mystical place. I was looking forward to meet some "Mambabarangs".

Were we scared? No. We shouldn't be because we know that this place has a lot to offer.

How we got there
From the port of Duamguete, we reached Siquijor by fast craft for an hour commute. The scenery was 'wow' as we near the coastline and the port of San Juan which is very clean. The water is very clear as we can see vast coral reefs.

The 3 hours trip around Lazi
We ended up renting a tricycle as we don't have much time to think where to go because of the limited time.
We told our driver that we only have exactly 3 hours to roam around. He said that we should not worry for he knows what to do. He would just take us to the best places in the town of Lazi and at the same time explain some history about it, a very accomodating driver indeed. With negotiations done, we proceeded to the rushed tour.

An ancient tree in Lazi
The first spot that we visited is the 400 year old Balete tree in Barangay Campalanas. Our driver/guide said to us that it is the oldest and the biggest tree in Siquijor and it was used before by witches for sorcery.
There was a small fish pool with fishes at the bottom of the tree. The water comes directly from the tree's roots.

Cambughay Falls
We proceeded to the next which is the perfect spot to relax, the Cambugahay Falls. The scenery is breath taking. As we go up to the 2 km road, we saw the beauty of the town. Once we've reached the signage, there was still an extra challenge to do, to walk down 135 stone steps without any hand rails. After doing the challenge, we finally saw the clear blue waters of the waterfalls.

 

There's no entrance fees for the falls but there's a parking cost of 10 pesos for the tricycle. There are vendors in the area who will offer refreshments when you get back. One of which will collect the parking fee.

Lazi Church

Lastly, our driver took us to St. Isidore Labradore Church. Known as the largest Convent in Asia, the construction of this religious structure was started by the Augustinian Missionaries in 1857.

We didn't explore much of Siquijor but I am in a way happy that we are able to see its beauty. I'll definitely return to this place and explore more of the island and befriend some witches to teach me some black magic techniques. Seriously!