Travel Expenses: Cagayan de Oro

As mentioned in my previous post, me and my favorite travel buddies spent the weekend at Cagayan de Oro. Eric was anticipating that the Kaamulan would be set on that weekend, so we took advantage of an airline promo late last year. Luckily, the Kaamulan 2009 festival was set on March 7, the date of our flight to CDO. Unfortunately, we were late in going to Bukidnon, where the festival is held.

Still, it was great to discover and explore a new city. This is my second trip to Mindanao, and I’m hoping it wouldn’t be the last. I’ve yet to explore Bukidnon and try white water rafting in CDO.

Cagayan de Oro and Bukidnon are fairly inexpensive cities. Getting around is no problem, as there are plenty of cheap transportation options available (except at the airport, where cabbies will charge a flat rate to get to the city). There’s the motorela, their version of the tricycle/tuk-tuk; the multicabs and jeepneys; airconditioned and non-airconditioned buses for inter-city travel, and; airconditioned taxis. The food is likewise affordable, as is accommodations in the city center.

Cagayan de Oro with daytrip to Bukidnon
March 2009
Cost Actual
Air Transfers
Cebu Pacific PHP 1,056.00 PHP 1,056.00
Manila Domestic Airport terminal fee PHP 200.00 PHP 200.00
Cagayan de Oro Aiport terminal fee PHP 30.00 PHP 30.00

Airport/Ferry Port Transfers
Manila (Two way) PHP 525.00 PHP 525.00 1
Cagayan de Oro (Two way) PHP 75.00 PHP 75.00 2

Transportation
Bus to and from Bukidnon PHP 160.00 PHP 160.00 3
Transportation within Bukidnon PHP 90.00 PHP 90.00
Transportation within CDO PHP 231.00 PHP 231.00

Accommodation
Philtown Hotel
Executive Suite – 3 days, 2 nights PHP 2,990.00 PHP 997.00 4

Food Expenses
All meals in CDO and Bukidnon PHP 2,202.00 PHP 2,202.00 5

Miscellaneous
Souvenirs PHP 626.00 PHP 626.00 6
Malasag Entrance Fee PHP 30.00 PHP 30.00

Total Php 6,222.00

1 There was a pretty long line at the airport for the regular metered taxis. Luckily, I ran into Melo on my way to find an elevator that would take me up to the departure area. We agreed to take the yellow airport taxi, which flags down at Php 70 for the first five kilometers and Php 4.00 for each kilometer, to Trinoma to share on the cost. The total was at Php 430 from Terminal 3 to Trinoma in Quezon City, which amounts to Php 215 each – pretty much the same amount I’d pay if I take the metered cab on my own.
2 Going out of the airport in Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro is madness. There are numerous touts from drivers peddling their cabs and vans. The standard rate from the airport to the city is Php 300, but it can be haggled down to Php 250. We manged to squeeze in one cab, so the fare to the hotel comes down to only Php 50 per person. On the way back to the airport, we decided to head to SM, which is halfway between the city and the airport to kill time before the flight and for lunch.
3 We took the airconditioned bus from the terminal in Cagayan de Oro going to Bukidnon. The 2-hour trip costs Php 120 each. On the way back to CDO, we had no choice but to take the non-aircon ordinary bus that we hailed from the side of the road in Sumilao. The bus was full, and we had to stand part of the way. This bus ride cost Php 40 each.
4 We didn’t have reservations for this hotel, but Gail and Marc did. Luckily, there was a room available. We took the suite, which had one single bed and one queen sized bed. It also had a couch, a set of table and chairs, cable tv, a desk and an enquite toilet and bath with bathtub.
5 This includes a great seafood dinner at Panagatan in Opol, Misamis Oriental, a very filling lunch at Bigby’s, dinner at Sunburst, breakfast buffets at Philtown’s restaurant and VIP Hotel, as well as merienda at Sler’s Ham and Cafe, breakfast and hot chocolate at Coffeeworks and yummy pochero at Roadhouse Cafe.
6 I went crazy buying pasalubong in Cagayan. I bought some Monk’s Blend coffee and peanuts in Bukidnon and pastel from the Vjandep store in CDO.

Download:
Cagayan de Oro 2009.xls (79kb)
Cagayan de Oro 2009.pdf (70kb)


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11 responses to “Travel Expenses: Cagayan de Oro”

  1. Joyceee Avatar

    you din’t go white water rafting? 🙂

    “Cagayan de Oro Aiport terminal fee =PHP 30.00 ”
    ~Ang saya ng airport terminal fee, super cheap! hahaha

  2. Marco Avatar

    hi there great blog. i love it so much!

  3. tuls Avatar
    tuls

    thanks for this. were going to cdo this weekend.

  4. Aidan Avatar
    Aidan

    Do you have a travel budget for Camiguin trip?

    1. nina Avatar

      Sorry, no. I haven’t been to Camiguin yet.

  5. charles Avatar

    Nice post… dapat talag ganyan gawin everytime mag tatravel, para hindi mag over budget.

  6. roger escaro Avatar
    roger escaro

    thnx for this blog.. do you have an updated cost of transportation? thank you

    1. nina Avatar

      Sorry, no. I haven’t been back to CDO since.

  7. Betty Avatar

    It is so true that budgeting is more likely we need to do before a particular vacation or get away, unless you are rich, then there’s no need for that. Yes, cdo is not that expensive city. Most of the time, if you have some nearly places to go, you can ride “Motorela” or jeepney and bus.

  8. Pamela Avatar

    Thank you for the information, I think the airport was transferred to another place, correct me if I’m wrong. I always wanted to try water rafting in Cagayan de Oro but never had the chance for some reasons. Hope this time, I can try it.

  9. […] lunch @ Bigbys, we headed to the Gardens of Malasag Eco-Tourism Village in Cagayan de Oro. With my cool travel companions, we rented a jeepney to bring us to Cagayan de Oro’s cultural […]

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