Negros Occidental | The Traveler Carl

If you have heard about a reality show titled Survivor, we were also making our own version of it. We named it, SURVIVOR SIPAWAY ISLAND.

Sipaway Island is located just across the port of San Carlos City in Negros Occidental. The island has no electricity, no drinking water, and if you need water, you still need to go to mainland to get supply, really survival.

I said to myself, ‘this is way too out of my comfort zone’. So, I took the challenge for me to test if I can survive and to really value the basic needs in life are the most important things to treasure.

In this survival test were my friends from the BPO industry and the mountain climbers association called, ‘The Sentinels‘. Our journey started at 1300H wherein we boarded a fastcraft that took us merely an hour to San Carlos City and then we went to Sipaway Island thru a motorized banca.

We arrived at around 1500H, everyone was exhausted. When we arrived at the island, it was peaceful. It was confirmed that there is no electricity and the island is run thru generator by 1800H to 2300H. We still need to buy drinking water for PhP15/gallon for us to take a bath. I and one of the survivors wanted to go swimming but how can we swim if it was just 2 feet deep so we just took some time to befriend and talk to newly met Sentinels.

At nightfall, we had dinner and on the menu, barbecue and chicken tinola. I was really waiting for the sea to rise til 2000H, the sea level was still at 2 feet. So, I decided to take a bath instead and sleep. The island was so warm, feels like there’s no air at all. It was very uncomfortable.

By morning, I have decided to go home and be voted out of the survival test. It was only hours and I can’t withstand it.

If I were in a survival reality show, I can say that I won’t last a day. The same way goes for Survival Sipaway Island. Definitely, I’ll be voted out first, =). I went there to see the beach and experience the adventure but it turned out that the reason I stayed is I enjoyed the company of my workmates and the Sentinel. With the island, all I can say is its way below my expectations. If I’ll give it a score from 1 to 5 with 5 as the highest, its negative 3 (-3). But I will still give the island a try if it will be in Whispering Palm Resort just on the other side of the island.

Note: Photos were taken in Sipaway Island during nightfall and sunrise. Others with backdrop of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

I always deprived myself of being luxurious and spending extravagantly or excessively during my trips. So, my adventures are always on a tight budget without compromising my safety and security as well as enjoyment that I can get from the trip.

My journey started from the Queen City of the South, Cebu and had a bus trip from the city centre on my way to Toledo port. The bus trip took about an hour and a half. After that, I took a ferryboat on my way to San Carlos City port in the province of Negros Occidental. The boat trip lasted for 2 hours.

Once the boat was in dry dock, I directly went and stayed at Lola Nitang’s for a reasonable price.

After I kept my luggages there, I immediately went to the bus terminal to get into a van for my trip to Bacolod City. It was drizzling when I arrived in Bacolod but it didn’t stop me from exploring Bacolod city by foot.

First, I went to Bacolod City Church to make a wish and to start my trip in a positively way with protection from our Almighty God. Then, I headed to the plaza and walked to SM Bacolod to take a rest and I saw that the people here are amiable, might be the reason that they call this city, the City of Smiles.

A customer service representative in the mall advised me to go to The Lagoon since it is the nearest rendezvous for lovers, family and friends. So, I hailed a taxi that took me to the Lagoon and just relax while watching Negrenses do what they want to do in the park.

It was almost five in the afternoon that I went to the bus terminal to go back to San Carlos City since my stuffs were there. I arrived at San Carlos City by 8 and had dinner at some place famous for chicken inasal and then, went to my hotel to take a rest.

In the morning, I visited San Carlos City church and prayed. Then, I went to People’s Park to take some photos and enjoy the summer breeze.

Time flew so fast that my weekend getaway was over. I got into a bus for a RORO trip back to Cebu City in the afternoon. I arrived in Cebu City at nighttime and went directly to bed to sleep.

I spent not more than PhP3,000 for that trip yet I still enjoyed and had fun exploring some parts of those cities for just 2 days. You can always enjoy without thinking too much about the money you have in your pocket.

San Carlos City is known as the Sugarbowl of the Philippines while Bacolod City is the City of Smiles.