Melo Villareal
Lunch at the Malatapay Wednesday Market
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It’s Day 3, our third day waking up early and sleeping late due to so many activities we have to attend, but just to clarify… I’m not complaining at all. For me, traveling is something that never gets old or tiring, and this is something I want to do for the rest of my life:)
We headed to Tagbilaran Port from our respective resorts to catch the earliest ferry bound for Dumaguete. In Dumaguete, we will be meeting other Fam Tour participants, and we will then visit the Malatapay Wednesday Market in Zamboangita, Negros Oriental.
We didn’t wait too long, and in less than 30 minutes at the port, we finally boarded the Dapitan-bound Ocean Jet Ferry to reach Dumaguete. Our Ocean Jet Ferry experience is horrible. The front rows of the ferry where we were all seated had no air conditioning.. that means two hours of humidity inside an average-looking ferry. By the way, seats are available at the back with functioning aircon, but it’s right next to the comfort room…
Upon arrival in Dumaguete, we passed by Island’s Leisure Boutique Hotel (separate review soon) to fetch other travel agents who will participate in the second leg of the PHILTOA Central Visayas Familiarization tour. We had a short hotel inspection, then boarded the bus to reach Zamboangita for lunch at the Malatapay Wednesday Market.
Malatapay Wednesday Market
Malatapay Market is only busy on Wednesdays, when livestock growers, local farmers, handicraft makers, Dried fish vendors, and fishermen converge in the area to sell their fresh produce. Aside from livestock and other farm produce, other vendors display an array of merchandise such as plastic wares, household items, garments, slippers, toys, and even cooked food like Lechon and Puso (steamed rice wrapped tightly in coconut leaves).
One souvenir shop also sells accessories like earrings, bracelets, t-shirts, and wall decor like masks and various wood carving art.
We stopped at the small port for our lunch. Our group occupied two long wooden tables, and our table was already full of local dishes in no time. There was an overflow of Lechon, some of which were even brought to Antulang Beach Resort for our dinner.
I love their jackfish sinigang and Kinilaw (raw fish cooked in tuba vinegar). They also served their own version of Lechon… I hate to compare it, but their lechon is as good as Cebu’s version.
Right after the feast, we headed to the busy streets of Malatapay to check out the tabu-an (a Cebuano term for makeshift marketplace) and to have some serious shopping. I planned to buy a colorful woven pandan, “Banig,” but since I planned a trip to Eastern Visayas next month, I decided not to buy it in Malatapay since the ones in Eastern Samar are known for their intricate design.
We were only allowed to shop for 30 minutes to ensure we continued on schedule. After shopping, we traveled for more than an hour to reach Antulang Beach Resort, where we will stay overnight. On our way to the resort, we passed by rolling hills just to have a magnificent bird eye view of Tambobo Bay – a Yacht docking area for Yacht owners living in Negros Oriental.
A few minutes later, we finally reached Antulang Beach Resort. We had a short briefing followed by resort and room inspections, and then the keys were distributed to us. We had a cliffhanger room at the northernmost tip of the resort. After unpacking our bags and a quick shower, we returned to the resort’s reception area to gather for our scheduled Sunset Cruise.
Upon reaching Tambobo Bay, we boarded Antulang’s huge boat, with air-conditioned cabins, two restrooms, and spacious decks. We were not that lucky to catch a colorful sunset due to the cloudy skies, but the overall experience was excellent.
After the cruise, we returned to the resort and prepared for our dinner by the pool. We had such a lovely buffet candlelight dinner by the pool, and after our dinner, we enjoyed swimming in the pool till midnight.
The resort was a perfect hideaway; this is the place for people who want peace and serenity. Proudly the first and only accommodation of its kind in Negros Oriental, Antulang’s Premier Pool Villas offer guests that elusive factor when on holiday: guaranteed privacy in paradise (full Antulang resort review soon).
Our six-day Central Visayas Familiarization Tour was hosted by PHILTOA and local stakeholders based in Central Visayas. The Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), Inc. is an organization of tour operators and allied members actively promoting Philippine Destinations.
PHILTOA members comprise travel agencies, hotels, resorts, transportation companies, handicraft stores, and other tourism-oriented establishments and associations. For more information on the 23rd Philippine Travel Mart, please visit www.philtoa.org
Philippine Travel Mart 2012 will be on August 10-12 at the SMX Convention Center in the Mall of Asia Complex.
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Next Post:
- Antulang Beach Resort Review
- Ultimate List Of The Best Hotels in Dumaguete City, Philippines
- UPDATED Dumaguete City Travel Guide: Itinerary, Things to do, How to get There and More
