TRISTEN ANN

With a new year comes new adventures. I’m so excited to share that, just as planned, I’ve officially arrived in the Philippines for some much needed vacation time. Yes, this is my first time on this side of the globe, and I am absolutely loving it. After a casual 39 hours of travel, I finally made it to Padre Burgos, the southern tip of Leyte.

Padre Burgos is famous for its whale sharks, so naturally that’s where I headed first. Despite some very aggressive jet lag, and after nearly three months out of the water, I hopped straight onto a dive boat. And let me tell you, the underwater world in the Coral Triangle is literally better than Avatar: The Way of Water. Creatures I didn’t even know existed, colors everywhere, coral healthier than newborn babies, and more fish than you could possibly imagine. I was completely speechless after my first day.

I squeezed in two dives that day and two more the next, and it still didn’t feel like enough. Massive turtles everywhere, anemones the size of me, and nudibranchs in shapes I never knew were possible. The sheer amount and diversity of coral here is unreal. For any divers reading this, Padre Burgos is an absolute must. I stayed at Peter’s Dive Resort, and the staff were incredible, warm and professional, and running a really solid dive program. Bonus points: the food met my standards, which, if you know me, says a lot.

Now for the really cool part: whale watching. Many whale shark tours in Southeast Asia are unfortunately not eco friendly. They feed the sharks, which disrupts migration patterns, breeding, and the overall health of the species. What I loved about this experience was that it was completely noninvasive and respectful. We boated about three hours out, stopping at a nearby island to pick up local spotters, men who row out in small boats and look down into the water to locate the sharks.

Once one was spotted, the boat stopped, we slipped into the water with our snorkel gear, and just witnessed magic. Giant, spotted angels gliding gracefully just below the surface, feeding on krill, totally unbothered by us. It was peaceful, humbling, and unforgettable.

Next stop: Dauin. To get there, I took a jeepney from Padre Burgos to Maasin, then hopped on a ferry to Cebu City. The sunset was one of the most intense I’ve seen in a long time, and as if that wasn’t enough, a pod of dolphins swam alongside the ferry as the last light disappeared behind the city. Absolute perfection.

Once we docked, chaos ensued. I had about 30 minutes to sprint to another ferry terminal for a ferry I didn’t even have tickets for yet. It was the last one of the day, so I ran. I made it with five minutes to spare, only for the overnight ferry to be delayed by two hours. LOL. With no food, no water, and zero energy, I just slept through it. Budget traveling is not glamorous, but it is endlessly entertaining. It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey, right? Around 5 a.m., I arrived in Dumaguete and took a bus down to Dauin that same morning.

Dauin is all about diving, so naturally that’s exactly what I did. Alaric and I rented a scooter and some tanks and somehow managed to fit two tanks, two full sets of dive gear, and two people onto one tiny scooter. Don’t ask how, it worked. We spent the week shore diving and saw some incredible things. It was my first introduction to muck diving, which is basically macro diving in sandy areas to find really cool creatures like frogfish, blue ringed octopuses, pipefish, nudibranchs, and more. All the weird, crazy looking tiny things that try to stay hidden. One of my favorite dives included seeing three octopuses, two pairs of nudibranchs mating, and a whole village of dancing shrimp inside a cave. Life here was truly abundant.

I also made it up into the mountains just behind the beach, where the temperature drops about 15 degrees and you literally enter the clouds. There were waterfalls in people’s backyards and sulfur hot springs that I had completely to myself. Even though it’s peak tourist season, I haven’t dealt with a single crowd. Pure heaven.

I got to take a dance class where I was thrown into salsa, bachata, and more. It’s something I started in Curaçao, so I was super excited to get back into it. I also had some relaxing beach days to snorkel, smother my face with mango, and dive back into my watercolor. I of course had to treat myself to a massage, and a massage feels so much better when you only pay $10 for it, lol.

Of course, I had to squeeze in some boat diving, so I booked a day trip to Apo Island for three incredible dives. Highlights included an electric clam, an octopus the size of a Labrador, and a pufferfish bigger than some of the turtles we saw. On top of that, I’ve developed a new obsession: nudibranchs. For those unfamiliar, they’re basically sea slugs. I know it doesn’t sound impressive, but hear me out.

Imagine every Pokémon you’ve ever seen, then add fluorescent colors, wild patterns, and textures like nothing else on Earth. That’s a nudibranch. I’m seeing about 10 different species on every dive, and I was lucky enough to witness two pairs mating and others laying eggs, which is super rare and very exciting.

Next stop, Siquijor Island. The vibe here was less relaxed, as it turns out this is where all the tourists were hiding, lol. Just a 30 minute ferry from Dumaguete, and I’m not sure how we pulled it off, but on one scooter we managed to fit both backpacks and a suitcase to get to our hostel. I am truly confident that you can fit anything on a scooter if you really want to. I again got to visit some really cool waterfalls equipped with rope swings. And yes, I did try some flips, and no, those videos will never see the light of day.

I got in one day of shore diving, which was stunning. I only wish I had gotten more dives in. Why didn’t you, Tristen? Tropical Storm Basyang. That’s why. About three days stuck on the island without power or internet had me pretty cranky, especially since my travel plans were delayed. I’m not sure if it’s just me who does this, but lesson learned: always get refundable or changeable flight tickets.

Overall, I really enjoyed my month in the Philippines. The people are so friendly and warm, and there’s food around every corner. I think I ate more spring rolls in the past month than I have in the entirety of my life, haha. I got to eat fresh mangoes every day and drink watermelon juice, which is the best thing on the planet. I will definitely be coming back to this side of the globe because there is so much more I want to see. But for now, I must say goodbye, or should I say Aloha 😉