Good morning from Daanbantayan! Jessa and I are starting our day early—it’s only 6:45 AM, and I’ve already got my coffee and computer out to get a little work done. We’re staying at a small lodging house called DNR Lodge, a place that actually holds a lot of meaning for us. This is where we came back when the typhoon hit, and we needed a place with electricity. The family who owns this place took such good care of us during that rough time, even when they had lost the roof of their own house. They are incredibly successful yet humble people, and it feels right to be back here, even if just for a short stay.
By 7:30 AM, it was time to wake up the rest of the crew and start packing. Today is the big day: we’re heading out to Malapascua Island. Liam was a bit restless this morning, probably sensing the upcoming travel, but once we got moving toward the port, his excitement started to take over.
The logistics of getting to Malapascua are pretty straightforward since everything is so close to where we were staying. We headed to the boat station to figure out the tickets. One thing you learn traveling in the Philippines is that online prices are rarely accurate; you’ve just got to show up and ask. We were pleasantly surprised to find it was only 200 pesos per head, plus some environmental fees (120 for foreigners and 75 for locals). We didn't have to wait long for the boat to fill up before we were on our way.
The boat ride itself reminded me so much of being back home in Norway—there's just something about being on the water that feels familiar, no matter where you are in the world. We arrived safely and made our way to our hotel. Since we were a bit early for check-in, we dropped off our bags (keeping my laptops with me, of course) and went to scout for some food and check out the property.
The hotel has a fantastic pool area—honestly, it might be the cleanest pool I’ve ever seen in the Philippines. Liam was ready to jump in immediately! However, we did notice that the beachside restaurant we remembered from our last visit had closed down, apparently due to a lack of staff. It’s a bit sad to see, but we found a great local eatery just around the corner that served up a simple but delicious lunch of chicken and eggs.
We managed to get into our room by 1:00 PM. After a quick 30-minute nap to recharge, we finally hit that crystal-clear pool. A word of warning, though: that pool is incredibly slippery! Jessa actually started sliding down the incline like it was a hill. If you're bringing kids like Liam, definitely stick to the stairs for cooling down.
We ended the day with a nice dinner at the hotel—sweet and sour pork for me and a chicken pansit for Jessa. It’s been a long day of travel, but we’re finally settled in. We’re staying here for a few nights to really explore what Malapascua has to offer.
Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in the next one!
