Leyte | Kalanggaman Island

I was browsing pictures from a not so known travel site and I saw this birdshaped-white-sand-sandbar and I was in awe. It was Kalanggaman Island located in Polompon Leyte. Since then, I have been reading reviews on how we can get there. The travel wasnt that easy coz there's no direct flight from Manila to Polompon, Leyte. But since Kim and I fell in-love with the place by just seeing the picture, we didnt mind. We were never disappointed. The sight we saw even  exceeded our expecatation (not knowing that the expectation we have set is already high). It was like the islet was manually formed - having its right and left wing to form an island that is bird shaped. The water was so inviting - shifting from light to dark shades of crystal-clear blue as it gets deeper. Life underwater in nothing but amazing!

Puerto Princessa | A Day in Honda Bay

I was too fascinated with Palawan that I had to come back and see what more it can offer. After my trip to El Nido last June, I was itching to go back but not to the same place. This time I set foot in Puerto Princessa, the city capital of Palawan.  It is called "The City in a Forest" because of the lush rain forest surrounding the city. Some quick facts I know about Puerto Princessa, it was awarded as cleanest city in the Philippines, it boasts of the great Honda Bay and it is home of the biggest crocodile captured in the country. I had four awesome days allotted  to discover what's in Puerto Princessa. To simply layout the itinerary, the first day is for island hopping in Honda Bay,  second day is discover one of the 7 wonders of the world candidate - Subterranean River National Park, third day is unwind in Dos Palmas and the last day is roam around for City Tour.

Aerial View of Palawan Islands

EL NIDO | Hidden Secrets of the Islands

This is the third and last chapter of my blog for El Nido, Palawan. As I've mentioned in my previous entry the main activity you can do while in El Nido is island hopping. This time our tour brought us to the striking  spots where unique mysterious caves, limestone formations, landscapes and sand bars can be found. These are the Snake Island, Pinagbuyutan Island (my personal favorite island), Cudugnon Cave and Pangalusian Island.

The Malapacau Island. Looking at this island reminds me of the film Avatar...

EL NIDO | The Enchanting Lagoons

This is the second installment of my blog about El Nido. Being surrounded by magnificent islands, the best way to spend your day in El Nido is to go Island hopping. On our second day, we chose the Lagoon Tour that brought us to the unbelievable crystal clear lagoons of Palawan.

EL NIDO | Paradise in Palawan + Arrival

Paradise is the perfect word to describe El Nido. Imagine a place where you can find rock formations like in Guimaras, caves like in Cagayan, blue lagoons like in Siargao, marine sanctuary like in Bohol, snorkeling sites like in Anilao, exclusive island resorts like in Cebu and the best of all white sand islands like in Boracay,  - this imagination is brought to life by El Nido. A Philippine destination that will definitely last in your memory forever.

Pinagbuyutan Island

EL NIDO PALAWAN | Exploring the Sunsets

It was a rainy vacation for me in El Nido as I did not expect that summer season would be that short as compared to last year. I almost lost hope in seeing a great sunset because of the low pressure area hitting some regions of the Philippines. The weather in El Nido that time was not pretty bad at all. It was only rainy during morning and night but the paranoia of having a sunny day was still there. Everyday, I never missed to stare at the sky during dawn. Hoping that the sun will paint the sky with colorful tones.The sun did not fail me while it used the sky as a canvas...

Watching the sun set is one of my hobbies

CASITA YSABEL | The Balinese-like Experience

After so many months of craving to taste the Balinese-Style Experience, we finally found a place that can satisfy that wanting. It's not as expensive as it should, and should not be time-extensive as expected as Casita Ysabel is just 2-3 hours drive-away from Metro.

Our travel destination is located in Mabini, Batangas - a known center of marine diversity. Though we did not try to dive, we are hopeful that we could come back to experience the marine sanctuary of Anilao.

Casita Ysabel is just a small resort (semi-private) compared to the neighboring resorts. It is a one of a kind hotel you can splurge on - it is uniquely designed with a very inviting landscapes and interiors.

ILIGAN CITY | Maria Cristina Falls + Divine Mercy Shrine

Our vacation in Mindanao was never predicted to be that adventurous and full of first time moments. On the final day of our trip the last destinations we visited were the Divine Mercy Shrine in El Salavador City and the most beautiful waterfalls in the Philippines, Maria Cristina Falls in Iligan City.

CAGAYAN DE ORO | White Water Rafting

Challenge your Mind, Endurance, Strength and Fear with the best extreme activities Cagayan De Oro has to offer. In this third installment of my 5-day vacation in Northern Mindanao, I went out to experience the very popular White Water Rafting at Cagayan De Oro River! This is the most thrilling adventure of my 2011 SUMMER!

BUKIDNON | Dahilayan Adventure Park

If you like cold weather in the middle of a hot summer then Bukidnon is the best place for you. This province is the home of the best pineapples in the Philippines. On our journey to Bukidnon, we had a different activity in mind - to explore Dahilayan, Adventure Park. Zipline, ATVs, Buggy Cars, Zorb Balls, Bungy Bounce, Tree Top Adventure - name it they have it!

CAMIGUIN | The Island Born of Fire

This is my first time to set foot in Mindanao. As most of the people spend their vacations on different popular destinations in the Philippines, my family and I chose to explore the treasures of Northern Mindanao. To begin with my 5-day vacation the first stop was Camiguin - The Island Born of Fire.

TAYTAY RIZAL | Club Manila East Resort + CME 2011 Surfing Cup

Summer heat is officially ON!

Where is your destination to actually escape this intense heat? A lot of us prefer to cool down in out of town beaches and other prominent summer destinations in the country like Bohol, Palawan, Boracay, Davao and the likes. Going to these places means digging a hole in your pocket and extra effort doing your researches. Fun activities and definitely awesome experiences would then be the result. 

MANILA | THE SCRIPT CONCERT

After months of waiting for this concert, I finally saw The Script perform LIVE! The concert was held last April 16, 2011 at Araneta Coliseum, Cubao. I was seated on the right wing of Upper Box A and somehow got a good view of the stage. The concert was really awesome with the crowd singing along in every song. I thought the night was already over after they sang Rusty Halo but the band came back at the stage and finished the concert with their 2 famous hits – For the First Time and Breakeven!

The Script Live in Manila Concert Set List:
You Won’t Feel a Thing
Talk You Down
We Cry
If You Ever Come Back
Before the Worst
If You See Kay
The End Where I Begin
Science and Faith
The Man Who Can’t Be Moved
I’m Yours
Nothing
Dead Man Walking
Rusty Halo
For the First Time
Breakeven

Here are the photos. Enjoy!

QUEZON + TANAY RIZAL | Kamay ni Hesus - Regina Rica

Jesus and Mary. This is our theme for our 2011 ritual for this lenten season. Year on year, we do Station of the Cross wherein we visit 7 churches and say two prayers on each - its like a Visita Iglesia with Station of the Cross on the side. This year we made it different.


My family decided to do the Istasyon on the the two renowned places for worship - Kamay ni Hesus Shrine in Quezon and Regina Rica in Rizal. It was a long ride going to Quezon Province and Tanay Rizal.

BOHOL | The Extreme Danao Experience!

Looking for something extreme? Then Danao Adventure Park is the place to be. This is the most intense activity we did in Bohol. A great deal of heights await you in Danao. The park offers ziplining, bungee jumping, trekking, ATV rides, caving, rapelling, root climbing, cable ride, river exploration, wall climbing, camping and village tour.

BOHOL | Wow Panglao!

My flawless day in Bohol was defined by a breath taking sunrise, dolphin watching, snorkelling in marine sanctuary, crystal blue water, white sand and an afternoon at the hammock. This is one experience you can find perfectly in Panglao.

BOHOL | Travelling Around the City

It was a long yet eventful day. Smiling tarsier, miraculous water, unusual geographical formations, humongous python, appetizing food while enjoying scenic views, underground cave, bloodcurdling bridge, colorful butterflies and historical church - all these in just a day. This is our itinerary for the Bohol City tour.

BATAAN | Turtles + Coral View Beach Resort

The most freedom that anyone have is when you didn’t have any - no worries, no expectation, no boundaries, no deadlines, no pressures. It's a good feeling that you are free - even in just one aspect of your life. More so, its a wonderful feeling that you've been an element of how one creature achieve its freedom.

On this particular day, January 29, 2011, I just did. I became one of the reasons why these little turtles were now free. 

It was a special opportunity for me to visit the Pawikan Conservatory Centre in Morong, Bataan. This is the home of rescued turtles and the nesting site of pawikans.

CALIRAYA LAGUNA | The Perfect Recreation

Zip lining, wall climbing, horse back riding, swimming, fishing, jet skiing - name it, they have it! This is the impression that I've got when I first saw their advertisement. True to its claim, Caliraya Recreation Center got almost everything you need for outdoor activities. This resort in Lumban, Laguna settles beside the well-known Caliraya Lake. The facilities they offer are perfect for group activities that can bring physical and mental challenge.

Going here is only 2-2.5 hours from Metro Manila. You can take either the route in Antipolo or the usual SLEX. If you are coming from North or East of Metro Manila, I suggest you take Antipolo Route. Personally, I also prefer Antipolo because there are no toll fee charges when going to Caliraya. 

Upon reaching the resort parking lot, guests are required to ride the service boat in order to cross the lake. Do not worry about car safety because they are guarded by the resort staff.

ACUATICO | The Best Infinity Pool in Laiya

Here's the story how I landed in this beautiful resort in Batangas. Our flight to Naga got moved and totally messed up our itinerary in Cam Sur so we decided to cancel the trip. As alternative, I chose Acuatico Beach Resort. This resort sits in the shore line of Laiya, Batangas. It is only 3 hours drive from Manila via SLEX and Star Tollway. The best reason to visit this place is their INFINITY POOL. It offers a one of a kind perspective by making the pool seem connected to the sea.

Mt. PINATUBO | The Hike to the Crater

This is our awesome adventure in Mt. Pinatubo! A volcano that is situated in Luzon - Philippines. It's last eruption was 1991 and became dormant since then. It has been recorded as one of the largest eruption in the world. In fact, even our house in Metro Manila received ash falls that time. After it has erupted, a crater lake was formed surrounded by lava formation. This magical lake is what brought us to hike in Mt. Pinatubo.

A quick glance of the Mt. Pinatubo Crater...

BAGUIO CITY | 9 Degrees

If you are looking for a place where you can experience good climate, then this is the best place for you. Baguio is the Summer Capital of the Philippines. We went up to Baguio last January 2011 to experience the 9 Degrees Celsius temperature and to escape the busy metro. You can only go to this province by land as there are no airports established yet. The travel time is roughly 5 hours from Manila where you will pass Tarlac, Pangasinan and La Union.

DAY 1

We left Manila at 6am and arrived pass 11 because we had many stop overs. The house we rented is situated near Camp John Hay (CJH) - called as 'Forest House'. From the outside, we thought the house wasn't good because we only saw an entrance door below a restaurant. When we got inside we were all wrong. The house interior is purely American Style and perfect for our preference! We felt like we were in Southern U.S. It has 2 floors, 5 Bedrooms (2 queen size beds each), 4 bathrooms, complete kitchen utensils for cooking, overlooking view from the sala and the best one of all - a working chimney. =) Initially, we wanted to book one CJH House but we ran out of reservation so their Marketing Spoc recommended this house to us. The house is Php12,700 per night.

BICOL | Sorsogon + Albay + Camsur

Let's go to BICOL! This is my mom's hometown and I've been here four times already. My family go here to visit our relatives in Sto. Domingo, Albay. Going back to our province with my 2 buddies made it a different experience. It was holy week of 2009 back then. Because I was the one who has contacts in the province, I was assigned to layout the plan. Our schedule was a bit tight having only 3 Days with an afternoon flight back to Manila on the last day.

So here's what happened.....

DAY 1:

We landed at Legazpi Airport and then went straight to Donsol, Sorsogon! Any clues what's waiting for us in Donsol? If you think its the Whale Shark or "Butanding", then you are right! From Legazpi Airport to Donsol it took us 1.5 hours drive. We decided not to check-in yet because our hotel is out of way to Sorsogon and it will just eat time to dropby in Albay. The signage to Donsol are easy to find, they are placed every kilometer or two.Don't forget to open the windows to experience the fresh air. ;) Most of the view you'll see on the way are green trees and farms.

 

We reached Donsol around 9:30am. The first thing we did was to register at the tourism office and enlist ourselves for the boat ride. The standard package is for 7 people and costs Php7500. This includes the boat rental and snorkeling with the Butanding. Additional fee of 100 pesos for the snorkeling gears rent. Since we were only 3 that time, it was more practical for us to share the boat with other tourists. Underwater cams were not very popular yet that time so my friend bought a Digital Camera Underwater Case for 1000 pesos.

BORACAY | Things To Try In This Island

For many people, when you say summer there is one place that comes to their mind and that is - BORACAY. This island in Aklan, is well-known for its long stretch of white sand beach. This is the best place for water sports and beach parties.

My Friends and I went to Boracay last June 2010 for a 3 Days, 2 Nights Vacation .It was my first time and very excited to finally go there. It was lean season already but the weather was still perfect. After our check-in to the hotel, we went straight away to the beach. At first glance, I  got mesmerized with the shore - it was spectacular! It's like paradise to me. The sand is so white and fine as powder. While waiting for our tour guide (Kuya Homer) to arrange our para-sailing we grabbed the time to take some wacky shots and enjoy the sun.