Frugal Finds in Bohol

We recently went on a 9-day trip to Bohol and, as promised, we made note of some frugal finds we encountered.  Here are some of them:

Nuts Huts.  This place is IT.  Located at the heart of Loboc, Bohol, it rests beside the Loboc River and high up in the mountains.  Our room cost us P500/night. The original price is P600/night, but there’s a P100 discount if you stay for more than one night.

Since Loboc is closer to Corella (where the tarsiers are), Bilar (Butterfly Conservation Center and Man Made Forest) and Carmen (Chocolate Hills), compared to Tagbilaran or Panglao, it makes more sense to stay here when visiting those places.

You can also organize tours and transportation with the Nuts Huts office.  The Magnificent Cave Hike costs P200/person, including guide fees.  They also rent mountain bikes.  The staff is friendly and approachable, so if you need to organize specific tours, they’re always ready to help.

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Making the SuperFerry Stateroom More Affordable

Last week, my partner and I went to Cebu and Bohol on our vacation.  Since the ferry trips took 24 hours or more, we wanted to make sure that our accommodations were comfortable.

The Manila-bound tickets we initially bought were for cabin accommodations. This was okay, since the 2 of us were the only ones in the cabin, so we had our privacy.  Cabins can accommodate 4 to 8 people, depending on the vessel, and each cabin has its own TV and bathroom. But when we were going back to Manila from Cebu, our cabin had 5 other people in it, so we had to upgrade accommodations to have our privacy.

For the SuperFerry 1 vessel bound for Manila, getting the stateroom accommodations in the SuperFerry offices meant paying  P3,962.99 for two people (net fare including taxes and fees, and without meals).  However, by getting the upgrade on the ship itself,we were able to save P1,843.19!

How did this happen?  When we approached the vessel’s front desk, the person in charge told us that we only had to add P700 to our original fare (which was P1,419.80).  That’s only P350 each!  This would make our new fare P2,119.80, which is much cheaper than the P3,962.99 that we would’ve paid if we purchased stateroom tickets in the first place.

This was a real bargain because stateroom accommodations have a much bigger bathroom, a bed for two (rather than one small bed each), and a private viewing deck.  Also, your TV gets a wider range of channels (the TVs in other accommodations can only view GMA and ABS-CBN).  You also have a desk, chairs, and a nightstand.  You can also request hot and cold drinking water to be brought to your room.

The only downside to doing this is that if all the staterooms are full, then you can’t get an upgrade.  Also, you’ll have to reserve your upgrade as soon as you get on the vessel, or others who want to request an upgrade might get ahead.  But if you travel during off-season or the shoulder season, there’s a good  chance that there will be empty staterooms and fewer passengers to compete against.

I also don’t know if you can have the same amount of savings in other vessels, but I think that it’s likely.  After all, you’re already on the ship, and if there are vacant staterooms, at least SuperFerry can still earn from them because of your upgrade.

Have you experienced this yourself?  What do you do to make ferry accommodations more affordable? Please share any tips or comments with us

Note: Prices are accurate at the time of writing.

‘Staycation’ as the frugal alternative to a vacation

Staycation is the new buzzword, probably because of the rising cost of gas.  Generally, it means staying in your own home or in your own hometown during a vacation instead of going far away.  What can you do during a staycation?

Take a photo walk.  If you’re into photography, you’d be surprised how many photo opportunities there are in your neighborhood.  For example, here are some thumbnails of photos taken by my partner in our subdivision:

 

Just go around armed with a camera and explore the area and look at it with a fresh perspective.  You can easily turn the regular, mundane things you see into something extraordinary.

Eat someplace new.  Whether it’s a new turo-turo place in your area or a hole-in-the-wall coffee shop, there’s probably some place in your hometown where you haven’t eaten yet.  I have yet to explore all the restaurants and eateries in Marikina. Doing this instead of an out of town vacation will prove to be interesting and it will introduce you to new nearby favorites.

Make a great home-cooked meal.  Nothing beats a delicious gourmet meal you make yourself.  If you have some free time and you want to learn to cook new dishes, use your staycation as an opportunity to do this.

My favorite site for recipes is AllRecipes, especially since users are allowed to rate or comment on the recipes.  Here are some great, simple dishes you can try:

• Scott Ure’s Clams and Garlic
• Hot n’ Spicy Spareribs
  
• Marinated Grilled Shrimp
• Lemon Garlic Tilapia
• Spinach Tomato Linguine

You can also go to  SuperCook to find recipes for ingredients that you already have at home.

Visit the local parks, museums, and galleries.  Most cities in the Philippines have museums, art galleries, and parks.  To enjoy them, we just need to know where they are and what they have to offer.

If you want more ideas on what to do during your staycation, I recommend taking a look at these other articles:

• 5 Tips for a green staycation
•  List of staycation suggestions
• 7 Tips for a fantastic and frugal staycation

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