Food isn’t really the first thing that comes to mind when one speaks of Bali. What this island paradise south of Indonesia conjures up are images of white sandy beaches filled with skimpily-clad bodies and moss-laden temples perched on cliffs. Bali has become such a popular year-round destination for tourists that modern air-conditioned restaurants and popular fastfood places can be found just about anywhere. But dig deeper through the local eateries they call warung and you just might be surprised to find something unique to eat in Bali.

BALI’S INFAMOUS BABI GULING

Yes, they do serve local dishes on the many fancy restaurants in Bali, but for a more local taste—which is a lot easier on the wallet, by the way—the way to go is to eat where the locals does. Be brave. Go down and dirty, and legitly eat your way through Bali.

A TYPICAL HAWKER SELLING LUNCH ON A MOTORBIKE

From my observations, Balinese dishes are cut into three categories—rice meals, noodles, and soups. That’s not discounting snacks and desserts, of course. The difference between the food here to the rest in Indonesia is that they do serve pork, Bali being Hindu instead of Muslim. The taste usually gravitates to a mix of salty and mild spiciness with nary a note of sweetness. It’s a tad similar to the food in Malaysia, albeit with the flavor and spiciness toned down in half. Eating in Bali is generally cheap, with a serving at a warung costing at an average of IDR10,000.00 to IDR20,000.00 (USD0.75 to USD1.50)

Mention Bali and the first things that come to mind are its white sand beaches and the hundreds of ornate temples that dot its landscape. But there’s more to Bali than these, and no, it’s not babi guling—although that porky delight is indeed another aspect of the island worth considering. It’s the traditional Balinese villages that still celebrate the way life was on the island before hordes of tourists started invading this paradise.

COLORFUL TRADITIONAL WOODEN MASKS BEING SOLD ON THE VILLAGES

During the course of my visits to Bali, I’ve visited only two of these so-called Bali traditional villages. There are more, like the Trunyan Village which has the custom of leaving their deceased above ground, a cloth and bamboo canopy its only cover, to the more famous jewelry-making village of Celuk and the culturally rich and more touristy Batubulan Village in Gianyar.

How many beaches are there in Bali? That was the thought that was running through my mind as we savored our last sunset on the island, pastels painting the lower part of the horizon as surfers glide through the curling waves. We’ve just spent almost two weeks on the island, exploring the temples of Bali and waterfalls of Bali, and of course, its beaches. We’ve seen quite a lot, swimming on a few and wishing we actually know how to surf.

Bali, the Land of the Gods. Separated from mainland Indonesia, this island paradise has a belief unique from the rest of the country, practicing Hinduism instead of Islam. With it comes temples, lots of them, sacred grounds carved on mountainsides, built over lakes, and standing over cliffs, all dedicated to their faith’s gods. And they literally have millions of gods, thirty three million to be exact.

HINDU IMAGERIES ON BALINESE TEMPLES

Imagine how hard it was for us, unfamiliar with Hinduism, to choose which temples to visit—each Balinese village having no less than three temples on their soil. We consulted guidebooks and read about Sad Kahyangan, the six cardinal temples of Bali, the holiest and most revered pura or temples in the whole of the island. But not all of these are easily accessible, being located on the heart and perimeters of Bali, and this island is huge.

A sumptuous feast, enough for half a dozen people, was laid on our table. The offerings on each plate were beautifully set, each one looked mouth-wateringly good. But there was one big problem; we were only three in the group. Even the gluttons that we are, there was just no way we can finish everything!

COMFY OUTDOOR-INDOOR SETTINGS AT FERRY HOTEL’S ROOFTOP BAR

We were at the roof deck of Ferra Hotel Boracay [BOOK DISCOUNTED RATE USING AGODA COUPONS], one of the newest boutique accommodations to mushroom at the celebrated island. The hotel is located in between the White Beach and Balabag Beach, a few minutes by foot from D’Mall.

We weren’t staying here though, what we were here for was their Asian-themed Ruf Resto Bar. While dining at Boracay’s White Beach is always enjoyable, it’s quite refreshing to also have one far-away from the island’s maddening crowd.

Giant waves were slamming the shore of Puka Beach like there’s no tomorrow. It was the habagat season in Boracay and what’s once a calm beach for swimming during the summer was now concert of crashing angry surf that would sweep anyone off their feet if caught by it.

THE FAMOUS PUKA BEACH MAKESHIFT SIGN

STORES SELLING SOUVENIRS NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF PUKA BEACH

There’s no arguing that Boracay White Beach is the beach when it comes to fineness of sand and length on the island. But the problem with it is that there’s simply too many people crowding its shoreline, especially during the afternoons. Add in the docked paraws or local sailboats, and well, it’s really not the best place to go for a swim.

I love hotdog sandwiches. You won’t ever hear me complaining on plain ones, with a simple zag of mayo on top and a sprinkle of cheese. Heck, even a fried Tender Juicy in between a soft pandesal is good enough for me. On this last visit to Dumaguete, you can just imagine how my eyes popped when Massive Munchies prepared a hotdog for me—with pickles, spicy jalapeños, crispy fries, and lots and lots of cheese.

COOL GRAFFITI ON THE WALLS

Coming from our Siquijor trip, we saw Massive Munchies on our first night in Dumaguete. Their store design was quite intriguing so we took a peek right after having our fill of BellyChon from Qu4dros Grill, it sits just right across the street. We promised we’d be back the next day.

And indeed, after trying out Dumaguete’s painitan the next morning, we trooped over to Locsin Street with our backpacks on (again) for our final meal in the city before flying back to Manila.

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Without complimentary breakfast from Plaza Maria Luisa Suites Inn, the hotel we’re staying at in Dumaguete, we headed straight to the public market for one of the city’s traditional breakfast fare, budbud. The locals call the place painitan, which, I guess, literally means a place to warm up in.

A TYPICAL STALL AT THE PAINITAN IN DUMAGUETE

As we walked along the open-aired stalls along Dumaguete Market’s painitan area, we were immediately overwhelmed by vendors calling out to us to try their budbud. I have tried this unique delicacy before when I visited Dumaguete the previous years, but I have yet to sample it as a breakfast fare.

Indeed, this is a popular place, it was packed with locals having their early morning grub, luckily, we quickly found an empty seat right by the road. We joined the fray.

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With amused grin, we walked towards our twin room at the Plaza Maria Luisa Suites Inn. The corridors were very colorful—like rainbow colorful—and it totally wasn’t what we were expecting when we saw the façade of the hotel. I asked my buddy, do you think Jolina Magdangal owns this hotel? Lol.

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THE HOTEL’S COLORFUL HALLWAY

Finally, after literally knocking around several hotels in Dumaguete, including the one I stayed at before, Hotel Nicanor, we finally found a vacant room at Plaza Maria. Apparently, there’s an ongoing event at Silliman University and almost all of the lodging places in the city is fully booked. We were lucky we found a hotel at all. Remind us to book ahead next time we tour Siquijor again.

Coming straight from a one-hour ferry from Siquijor, the first thing we looked for in Dumaguete City was dinner. Having had nothing but beer for lunch, we were absolutely famished. It was early evening when we arrived in the city and still without accommodations, we roamed its street with our backpacks on for something to satiate our hunger.

While walking, we were also checking out local hotels in the area where we can sleep the night off before our midday flight the next day. It was absolutely by chance that we passed by Qu4dros Grill (which, I guess, is pronounced as quadro) on Locsin Street and was arrested by the sight of a gargantuan piece of skewered meat—lechon belly!

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During my first trip to Siquijor, I’ve wanted to visit a Guiwanon mangrove park after reading about it from Ironwulf’s blog. Back then, I haven’t been to the Kalibo Mangrove Eco-Park, which was probably one of the most extensive of this type of parks, so I was really interested to go—wooden planks elevated several feet from the ground, gnarly trees and all. It was just unfortunate that we were unable to check it out due to time constraints.

A PROFUSION OF BRANCHES AND LEAVES

After four years of traveling around the country and outside of it, I’ve finally seen my share of mangrove parks, but still, I was still longing to see Siquijor’s own mangrove forest, a place that has long piqued my curiosity. And so on this recent trip, during our last few hours on the island, our guide at last delivered us to the gates of Guiwanon Spring Park.

We were at the town of Enrique Villanueva, it was almost evening and we still didn’t have a place to stay. San Juan, with its famous Tubod Beach, may be the most popular beach town in Siquijor but we wanted to explore the province’s other locales. Enrique Villanueva fitted the bill, we wanted a quiet place where we could have the beach all to ourselves, plus we were told that there’s a marine sanctuary near the area. We were sold, but first, we needed to find an affordable lodging.

SEASIDE GARDEN RESORT & COTTAGES FAN ROOM IN CAMOGAO, SIQUIJOR

The sun had finally set when we settled for the Seaside Garden Resort & Cottages. Located at Barangay Camogao, it offers a couple of rooms clad in sawali—the walls are made of concrete though, so there’s no problem with privacy. We’ve initially talked with the owner of the place, but passed off since we found their price a bit too high. Well, PHP800.00 per night for a fan room isn’t really expensive, but we’re cheapskates like that, lol. We eventually gave in, finding no other suitable place to bed in for the night.

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We were at the tail-end of our whole-day Siquijor island tour. From the Beach Port of Siquijor, to Lugnason Falls, the famous Siquijor balete tree, Cambugahay Falls, Kagusuan Beach, and finally, Salagdoong Beach; we’ve been to places we’ve visited before and to new ones. And there’s definitely nothing more rewarding after such a journey than a relaxing coffee break (or beer, perhaps?) right by the beach as the sun sets far off into the horizon.

THE OLDEST HOUSE IN SIQUIJOR LOOKS READY TO FALL DOWN

Those thoughts were running on our mind as Dennis, our guide, revved his tricycle along the empty highways of Enrique Villanueva. After passing through the now crumbling Cang-isok House, the oldest of its kind in Siquijor, we asked him to slow down a bit, we knew exactly where to end our Siquijoran adventure.

He counted; one, two, jump! On his back, he flew thirty five feet into the air, arms outstretched, his shout trailing behind as his long hair whipped about. The air swooshed against his scraggly beard and at the last moment, he turned, diving perfectly into the aquamarine waters below, plunging deep. And with a gasp of air, he reemerged, with a triumphant laugh.

Watching from the concrete platform from the cliff area of Salagdoong Beach, I wished mightily that I could jump too. My mind was sure I can do it, but my body resisted, my hand still painfully swollen after a minor accident at Cambugahay Falls.

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“Can you show us a different beach this time around?” I asked our Siquijor guide, Dennis, as our tricycle sped through the deserted highway loop around the island. We’ve been to a few of the famous beaches around Siquijor; Tubod Beach and Salagdoong Beach, particularly, but we knew this island still has a few more sandy secrets right up its mystical sleeve.

THE UNENDING TREE TUNNEL TO KAGUSUAN BEACH

From the highway circumnavigating Siquijor, we turned a bend from Barangay Minalulan in the town of Maria and crossed over to barangay Lilo-An. The road was narrow, set on both sides by lush trees bending right at the top, forming a sort of leafy cathedral ceiling for us. It might be the desertedness of the path but it seemed the road wasn't going to end.

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Down some hundred steps from Lazi’s main road is a scenery as magical as Siquijor’s mystical reputation. The afternoon was steadily progressing on as we made our slow way down on stone steps leading to Siquijor’s famous three-tiered Cambugahay Falls. The treads were evenly made with natural stones, probably procured from the river that feeds the waterfall. The falls cascade all the way from a small rainforest above the mountains, some freshwater springs, and watersheds.

UNEVEN STONE STEPS TO CAMBUGAHAY FALLS

A hint of light green waters, reminiscent of Palawan’s famed Kayangan Lake, springs into view in between the foliage as we made our ever downwards progress. And in less than five minutes, we were holding on to our jaws, lest it fall all the way downstream with the green gushing waters of Cambugahay Falls.

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The minutes quickly passed as our tricycle roared off into the humid streets of Siquijor. It was already two in the afternoon, and again, we disembarked and found ourselves staring right into a gnarly body of a huge centuries old Balete tree growing at the end of a shallow swimming pool.

VINES STRAGGLING DOWN THE SIQUIJOR BALETE TREE

The tree is said to be around 400 to 500 years old, depending on who you ask, and is definitely the biggest of its kind on the island. Balete or banyan trees are usually parasitic in nature, creeping up on unsuspecting healthy trees and wrapping itself around it until the host finally dies. This leaves a hollow core in the middle where one can enter if it becomes big enough.

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I wasn’t really aware that Siquijor has more than one waterfalls gushing down along the island. There’s the famous three-tiered Cambugahay Falls at the town of Lazi, and then there’s Lugnason Falls; a lesser known attraction located at Barangay Napo in San Juan.

LUGNASON FALLS DETAIL

There are a couple of reasons why this particular waterfall is relatively unknown to tourists visiting Siquijor. First, I heard it closed down sometime ago due to its spring source drying up; we’ve been told by our guide that it has only been recently reopened.

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I’ve always been mesmerized by the beach at the Siquijor port. The first time I visited this island province, the shallow translucent waters on both sides of the concrete causeway was the first thing that struck me as we disembarked from the ferry we boarded from Dumaguete City. This second visit, it was absolutely the same; the waters of Siquijor pier was so inviting that we decided to stay for a night and see if the beach in the area is any good at all.

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CAN YOU IMAGINE A PIER LIKE THIS?

The first thing we looked for was a place to sleep in. Camping out on a tent is possible, but was not a choice for us since, well, we didn’t bring no tent with us. After passing through the port gates, it was easy enough to ask around for lodgings. We were told there were a few inns in the area, although definitely not luxury resort types.

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I was under the impression that Penang holds the seat when it comes to Malaysian cuisine, but I was told otherwise by my friend from Melaka. She may be biased about it, since she comes from Melaka, but this was what she told us; people from Melaka goes to Penang for food trips, while people from Penang goes to Melaka for their own food trip.

During our short two-day Melaka adventure, we got to taste firsthand if this UNESCO city can indeed holds its own against its northern counterpart.