Johncn
Contributor
Although most while travel by bus and ferry in the Philippines know this, just a reminder to double and triple check your ferry and bus details in person before making assumptions. Ferry schedules change especially often, and very hard (sometimes impossible) to verify online. If the ferry service has a Facebook page, that’s likely your best source.
Why am I mentioning this? Well, for example, in the wake of Super Typhoon Odette (December 2021), travel in the Visayas has changed temporarily for many ferry routes. These changes continue to ripple through schedules. As ports reopen, they change again.
We were in Sogod Bay last week, and headed to Mindanao. Despite verifying the Liloan to Surigao City routes with both carriers’ websites (Fast Cat & Montenegro), things were a little off. We noticed ferries in the bay that were not on the I same schedule as posted, so verified by phone prior to heading out.
We get to Liloan (1.5 to 2 hours from Padre Burgos) early and get our Fast Cat tickets. Schedule matches our expectations…yay! Ticket just has Fast Cat and Surigao on it, no vessel or port names. Contact our hotel on the other end by text ask tell them to send a driver and to meet us in Lipata Port (about an hour drive north of the city). All good!
Getting close to Mindanao, we can see the shore. Doesn’t look like maps we had preloaded of Lipata area. Ferry keeps rolling. About an hour and a half after we thought we were going to be in Lipata, we see the Surigao City skyline. In the pouring rain. Get on cell and sure enough, we are landing about a block from hotel, while driver is waiting in Lipata an hour away…lol.
FYI: Liloan to Surigao City’s Eva Macapagal Terminal in city center has replaced the Lipata port on the Fast Cat and (I think) Montenegro routes between Mindanao and Southern Leyte. Pictures of Liloan loading, the Surigao City port below.
Liloan Loading & Fast Cat Passenger Areas
No huge deal in this case. We paid for a transfer we did not use. But, it reminded me that even as a frequent Philippine traveler, assumptions often make as ass of me! Don’t be me.
Why am I mentioning this? Well, for example, in the wake of Super Typhoon Odette (December 2021), travel in the Visayas has changed temporarily for many ferry routes. These changes continue to ripple through schedules. As ports reopen, they change again.
We were in Sogod Bay last week, and headed to Mindanao. Despite verifying the Liloan to Surigao City routes with both carriers’ websites (Fast Cat & Montenegro), things were a little off. We noticed ferries in the bay that were not on the I same schedule as posted, so verified by phone prior to heading out.
We get to Liloan (1.5 to 2 hours from Padre Burgos) early and get our Fast Cat tickets. Schedule matches our expectations…yay! Ticket just has Fast Cat and Surigao on it, no vessel or port names. Contact our hotel on the other end by text ask tell them to send a driver and to meet us in Lipata Port (about an hour drive north of the city). All good!
Getting close to Mindanao, we can see the shore. Doesn’t look like maps we had preloaded of Lipata area. Ferry keeps rolling. About an hour and a half after we thought we were going to be in Lipata, we see the Surigao City skyline. In the pouring rain. Get on cell and sure enough, we are landing about a block from hotel, while driver is waiting in Lipata an hour away…lol.
FYI: Liloan to Surigao City’s Eva Macapagal Terminal in city center has replaced the Lipata port on the Fast Cat and (I think) Montenegro routes between Mindanao and Southern Leyte. Pictures of Liloan loading, the Surigao City port below.
Liloan Loading & Fast Cat Passenger Areas
No huge deal in this case. We paid for a transfer we did not use. But, it reminded me that even as a frequent Philippine traveler, assumptions often make as ass of me! Don’t be me.