Alone in the 'Love' Island | Trip to Siargao pt.1

This is not your typical checkout vlog. No perfect drone shots, no sun-kissed beaches, and definitely no party scenes. Instead, it's a story of being alone on an island that promises paradise, but delivers something unexpected. Was it worth it? Let's figure it out. Guys, it's Jessica here. This is a trip for me with a lot of firsts. Number one, it's my first time ever traveling solo officially within the Philippines. You guys know that I went to Baguio alone, but that was only halfway. Number two, this is going to be my first time ever going on a birthday trip for myself. Usually on my birthday, I would really stay home or I would spend it with my family. So it's my first time spending it alone. So basically, it's a trip that I'm giving for myself. Quite a luxury trip because you know the flight ticket going to Siargao was actually 20k round trip. So that's why they say it's actually more cheap to go to Bali or other countries outside of the Philippines. But yeah, it's my birthday. So last but not least, this is going to be my first time in Mindanao as well. I am smiling right now, but very, very nervous. Like with all my gears, I'm just gonna wish me luck. It's my first time actually walking around this airport, Terminal 2. It's so pretty. Then it's a green bus. Yeah. I just want to inform you, as of now, all of the baggage going to Siargao is on hold. It would be transferred to the next flight of Siargao. And we need your address going there in Siargao so that we will deliver it on the address that you gave us. Oh well, something already feels quite off. But hey, the excitement is still winning over any bad vibes. And of course, the flight's still late. But hey, at least it's not canceled. This was a two-hour flight, which is the fastest way to reach Siargao from Manila. As if the weather was messing with me, the moment I stepped off a plane, the sun came out like it had been shining all along. First things first, I had to pay a mandatory 20 pesos environmental fee. Then I grabbed a shared van, which you can easily find outside the airport. The ride cost 300 pesos one way. And once the van was full, it took about an hour to reach General Luna, Siargao's main tourist hub, where my resort was located. It's currently 3 p.m. thanks to a bit of flight delays. But I'm gonna go ahead out for lunch. But you know what? It's quite gloomy. But it's okay. It's okay. Yeah. Oh gosh. I was completely shocked by the prices here. But there's no time to complain because I wanted to make the most out of the day before sunset. So I headed to this popular brunch cafe. It had cozy vibes, complete with air conditioning and Wi-Fi. Rare scene in Siargao. No wonder so many people were here. A solid shelter for gloomy days like this, I guess. It almost feels like I'm really abroad though. Like I don't feel like I'm in the Philippines almost. I don't know how they did it. But usually, commercialized tourist spots like this, I thought would have Jollibee. Because you know, El Nido has McDonald's and Potato Corner and all. But here, the only franchise restaurant is Andok's. So I was planning to wait out the rain and head out for a land tour. But instead, it started pouring even harder. Hey guys. I'm kind of lost right now. It's raining, so... Should I go to do some more tour? Or should I go back to the hotel and try to think about what I can do tomorrow? But 100 again? Going back? It's so expensive. I feel like I'm in BGC right now. Or more than BGC. What a first day. Guys, should I cry? Guys, I'm like so lost. So I got room service. This is their bestseller for dinner, I think. Looks quite good. Let's see if this will lighten up my mood. That's really good. Wow. The rain showed no mercy. Just like that, the day one ended with no wins. Just a sting of those overpriced tuk-tuk rides weighing on me. Today's my birthday. I'm gonna be real honest with you guys. I'm really lost. I don't know. The expensive factor is really setting me back. So a more affordable way to get around here in Siargao alone would be to rent your own motorbike. But I didn't want to risk that, guys. I don't even have a motorcycle license to start with. So the only way to be able to move around here is through those trikes. That's 100 pesos for a kilometer. Another thing that I got really discouraged of is this weather forecast. It's been raining non-stop. I have no choice, guys, but to do some indoor activities today. It's not a rainy, but a stormy birthday morning for me. Because of course, the rain's not done with me yet. But that's not stopping me from enjoying my favorite Filipino breakfast. My birthday breakfast. Tapsilog. My tapsilog did cheer me up for a moment. Because it did not take long for yesterday's frustration to resurface. The 100 pesos tuk-tuk fare kept bugging me so much. So I decided to check with the resort desk about the proper rates in Siargao. Here goes another day of me being a clueless tourist. If you're planning to visit Siargao, here's a heads up. Within this entire main area of General Luna, tuk-tuks or trikes should only cost 30 to 50 pesos per head. I paid 200 pesos round-trip to travel this distance. So yep, I definitely got ripped off. So guys, I really cannot accept this. I really cannot accept it. I knew it! I told you, I really got discouraged. This one? If he says more than... If he says 100, I'm gonna... 100. He said it's only 30 pesos. He said it's 30 pesos. 30, ma'am. It's only there in the middle. Because we're going in. We're going in. Okay, we're not going in. It's okay. I cannot believe that I literally paid 200 back and forth yesterday. I knew something was off. I knew it. The way the wind tossed my hair felt like it was echoing my frustration. Hopefully, the next destination will help me unwind. Thank you. Look at this street, guys. It's like a... I guess they're developing this area still. I still cannot get over the 100 pesos, guys. Seriously. I was even telling my parents about it yesterday because I couldn't understand. And they were also shocked. But I insisted that I did not get scammed. But I did. Wait. Is this the one? Oh, yeah. This cafe felt new and not too well known yet. And I loved how it was surrounded by nature. Like a secret garden waiting to be found. Even with the rain, it had a soft dreamlike atmosphere. And above all, what completed this cafe's charm was the serenity. And that gentle stillness was what I fell in love with. Oh, and the coffee. Hands down the best I've had in Chagall. Good quality coffee. So I was soaking in the calm vibes until someone started talking to me in the most unexpected language possible. Oh my gosh. Do you speak Korean? A little bit. So good. No, no, no. So good. I just saw you walking in the hall. She must be a Korean. How do you know Korean? I used to, I think, for a few years. My friends tell me that if you've been here for three years, you should speak better Korean. No, but some foreigners don't even try. That's true. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I live in the Netherlands, and the Netherlands are very far away. So when I see Koreans, it feels like I second thought. So it's always nice to... Do you live here now? No, no, no, just traveling. You as well, right? Well, I live here in the Philippines. You live here in the Philippines? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Wow. Manila. Manila? Okay. Yes, I'm Filipino. You're Filipino? Okay, that's amazing. Wow. Please. What's your name? My name's Jessica. Jessica. What's your name? Sebastian. Sebastian, yes. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you too. I love this cafe. This cafe kind of brightened my mood because it's so pretty. With the rain finally stopping, I decided to walk to the next spot since it was just a short distance away. I booked the aerial... Yeah. Something. You don't speak Tagalog? Oppo. You're based in Manila? Oppo, oppo. Because you have GK? Yeah. Set in nature, this open gym is one of the largest in Siargao. It had everything you could possibly need. And apart from the aerial flow class I signed up for, there were also many other fitness programs and classes available on their website. So this is like flying yoga, right? No, it's not actually a yoga. It's more like the dancing. It's dancing? So the ironic part for me was that aside from the instructor, all these students were foreigners. Siargao was filled with foreign visitors, especially from the west than locals. But leaving that thought behind for now, the class itself was an experience. It lasted about an hour and a half. It was tough but a lot of fun. My core muscles were sore until the day I left Siargao from this activity. So if you're into fitness, it's definitely worth trying. What I enjoyed the most though was the relaxing atmosphere surrounded by nature. That was really fun. Now I'm gonna head to that karenderia that everyone was talking about. It's like the first place that pops up when you search for food in Siargao. Kuya, first time ka, hindi makasabi 100. Okay, guys. This is the most famous karenderia, I would say, here in Siargao. This karenderia started off as a small shop but as Siargao got more popular, it grew in size and so did the prices. The interior though had a unique local vibe which I really loved. That's what I got. 80, 80, 20, 20 dao. Exactly 200 for this meal. The quality of the food is good. Well made, like each ulam is very fresh. So I guess it's a karenderia for the tourista. Where the foreigners can experience the karenderia culture of you pick and get the ulam and then you pay later. In the real karenderias, I guess they just remember, right, what you ate. But here you have to take your own photo and show it when you pay later. Which is a karenderia culture that I love. You know, the trust is always there. So I just hope that the foreigners are not making use of it. Obviously 90% of the people are just driving motorbikes without any helmet. Quite intimidating for me, I guess. Honestly, I'm just still not over the 100 pesos for a kilometer. I really wonder when I will not get scammed. But I really kudos to the buyeh who brought me here. He was the only one. So I'm back at the hotel and now I'm gonna try to go find a skating instructor in Promptu. Because apparently that's how you do it. You just walk in in one of the skater shops. So the skating culture in Siargao is also quite big since it's a surfing capital. And you know how surfing, skating, these sports always go together. So I wanted to try to learn how to, you know, just get on the skateboard at least. Because I've never done it. So let's see if I could find one. This is a shop. Is it better today? Today... Thanks to the rain, the skating lesson was cancelled. But I did not want to go back to the resort just yet. So I headed to another one of the famous food spot in Siargao for an early dinner. It's supposed to be a very famous restaurant that I was able to walk in because I'm alone. But if you're in a group, you have to reserve now. Since it was a famous restaurant, it seemed like they prioritized fast turnover to accommodate all the customers. So I quickly ate and headed to the next spot. Hello? Cumin Tum's coffee? That's a Korean franchise chain. So they don't have Jollibee here, but they have Cumin Tums. It's a pretty little stall. This stall with a trendy design is also quite known in Siargao for its aesthetic design and coconut-based drinks. From fresh coconuts to milkshakes, they had a variety of refreshing coconut beverages. Are you traveling alone? First time? No, I've been here quite a few times. I always come back here to Siargao. How far is it from Cebu? One hour's ride? Yeah. Actually, I was in LA yesterday. I just went with a boat instead last night. Oh, how long is the boat ride? 12 hours. How much? 1,300. It's not directly from Siargao. It's from Cebu, Siargao. It's okay. I'm used to it. Tuk-tuk? Yeah, yeah, yeah. 1 kilometer, 100. I paid 200. Because I'm a Filipino. But they wouldn't tell you. They wouldn't tell you're a Filipino. I mean, just the face. Say it's my face. No, no. I think you look good in my face. I'm just going to tour. I gotta go ahead. Yeah. Can I get your number? Oh, my number? Maybe we can exchange numbers. Maybe if you want to call me. Oh, but I'm just actually... Nice meeting you though. You too. Back in the hotel. I'm just about to do something very important. My public birthday live on YouTube. As you guys are watching this vlog, you might be thinking, wow, she's spending such a lonely birthday. Wow, I feel bad for her. You know, but don't. Because I'm actually having fun. I'm actually having fun. Everything's new. It's just that I cannot get over the 100 pesos. But yeah. That was fun. Since the night has come, I'm not stepping out, guys. I'm not stepping out. Because you already know why. You know, this is a party place. So even during the day, there are like so many scary moments. At least for me. You look so adorable. Oh, yeah. Okay. Nice to meet you though. See, that's what I'm saying. I just had like around 10 people do that to me, guys. That was not caught on cam. So, surface it is. It almost saves my day up. I was reflecting my day today. And that moment where I was going to really finalize Shargao as that place. If you go on the road around, like people are gonna be flirting on you so bad. But Sebastian, at least, is a proof that it's not entirely like that. I think I was just really excited to see a Korean in Shargao. Because honestly, guys, I have never seen a single Korean so far. That's actually my favorite part. So I guess Sebastian was also like, That's cool. First Korean I saw. So yeah, I'm almost like regretting that I should have actually made friends with him. I'm not falling in love, guys. Don't worry. Let's see how tomorrow unfolds. 100? Where is that one? I don't know. Really expensive.