Uniquely Sipalay

If not for its beaches and afternoon sunsets, Sipalay will just be your usual (read: lonely) fourth class city devoid of excitement and charm.  Well, for me, personally.

Rare table napkins and Sugar Beach

Don’t get that title wrong.  I know what you’re thinking.  I don’t mean rare napkins in gold and silver trimmings or rare table napkin finds.  Literally, paper table napkins are hard to find in restaurants at the city proper as these are not staple table features of Sipalay cafeterias and eateries. 

Wondering why this standard practice of big or small cafeterias or restaurants elsewhere is almost never done in Sipalay. I only remember using a paper table napkin once at an eatery and that was when I demanded for it and the owner had to ask one of the servers to go and buy a pack at the store nearby. 

No complaints. This is what is unique about eating out and having coffee in Sipalay.  I’ll bring my own next time.  Well, I presume you get paper napkins automatically in island resorts and tourist inn restos.  My table was paper napkin-happy while I was gorging on my spicy fish sinigang (fish in sour broth) at Driftwood, a resort in one of Sipalay’s islands called Langub popularly known as Sugar Beach Island.  

Habal-habal , Tinagong Dagat

Tricycles, bicycles cum sidecar and habal-habal  (motorcycle ride with more than 2 passengers)are the city’s mode of public transportation.  Habal-habal is Sipalay’s interesting scene on its own.  The place takes pride in skillful habal habal drivers doing their balancing act carrying 2 to 3 passengers and on rare instances, 4 to 6!  And that’s an uphill drive to where you’ll find the city’s Tinagong Dagat plus other unexplored islands of the town and further down,  the Punta Ballo Beach.

Habal-habal is a means of livelihood for a number of tumandoks (people/natives of Sipalay).  It is, for me, a dangerous means of transportation but what the heck, these folks are used to this type of ride, oblivious of the danger it poses.  I wish I have photos to share but was not fortunate to get some good shots of this one of a kind ride.

Forsaken port, soothing sight

That’s Campomanes.  It was a bumpy motorcycle ride going there.  We had very little time to completely explore the place.  What met us was a lonely port with an amazing view of quiet sea water and a little souvenir shop offering inexpensive finds.  The place, so I heard, is great for fishing.  If you need to stay overnight, bring along a good tent or you can stay at the little inn nearby.