“Is it really just the two of you?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know anyone from here?”
“No.”
“Then, what are you two doing here in Tabogon?
“Traveling.”
These were the questions of the bus driver, bus conductor, a local habal-habal driver, and some curious boys. Apparently, to them, it sounds ridiculous why two city girls would go ‘explore’ a less traveled town far north of Cebu.
So, I answered their questions politely. Some of them would never understand. I cannot blame them. Even I, couldn’t understand my love for unplanned trips and misadventures.
But who said we need to understand everything in life?
While We Were In Transit…
My best friend, Charlyn and I have done this before in Bacolod. Going to an unknown place, not knowing how to get around and what to see. Perhaps, this is what drew us together. Our love for surprises in life.
All we know is that we had to ride a bus heading to Tabogon from the North Bus Terminal. There aren’t many buses heading to Tabogon, Cebu. In fact, there was only one in the terminal. And it was not an air-conditioned one. It was so hot, but I didn’t mind. I was enjoying the view of the lush green trees and the cerulean skies meeting the turquoise waters.
“Asa mo mga Inday?”
Every time I visit a new place, the first thing that I always do is find the marketplace or the town hall. This is because I know that locals flock to these areas. And in order to know how to get around, you have to interact with the locals.
Upon arriving the terminal in Tabogon, we walked for a few meters and looked for their marketplace. Thankfully, it was just near the terminal. It was already lunch time, so we looked for a place to fill our hungry bellies first.
Prior to the trip, I knew that Tabogon has a beautiful hanging bridge, but I had no idea where it is located. The bus driver also didn’t have any idea where it is. Thankfully, right after we had our fill, we found a habal-habal driver who knew exactly where the bridge is situated. It was a bit far from the town center, but the trip is so worth it.
Salag Hanging Bridge, Tabogon, Cebu
We arrived at this spot with a big tree facing the sea. It was so peaceful I could hear the chirping of the birds and the relaxing sound of the breakers.
There were no other people on the bridge so we took the time to take lots of pictures and videos there. I don’t know exactly where the bridge is heading to because we didn’t want to get lost. On the other side of the bridge, there are two paths leading to somewhere. I didn’t want to risk discovering where it would lead to. There was no signal in the area, and it was just me and my best friend. We left our driver on the other side of the bridge. Ha-ha!
Guiwanon Cold Spring
We asked our driver what other spots we could check out in Tabogon. He suggested this resort called Sea Turtle Lagoon but we decided not to go there since we didn’t have enough time. Besides, Charlyn and I aren’t exactly beach people. So we decided to head directly to a known cold spring cold Guiwanon. It is just situated near the highway. The entrance fee is only 25 pesos.
It was a perfect place to cap off our quick trip! After spending hours under the sun, it was good to chill in this turquoise beauty. And because it was a work weekday for most people, there weren’t a lot of people in the cold spring.
I was so amazed at how clear the water was. I’ve been to quite a few cold springs in the past, but Guiwanon Cold Spring is by far one of the best. The only thing I hated was the fact that I didn’t know how to swim. Ha-ha!
It was a great day to be outdoors and a time to catch up with my best friend. We just wanted to escape the hustle and bustle of the fast-paced life in the city. Fortunately, both of us are freelancers now so we can just get away even if it’s on a weekday.
Until then, one sleepy town North of Cebu at a time.
