This was the third weekend that I was getting out of the capital, Manila. This time we were to hold a workshop in the province of Batangas. We traveled before sundown of Friday to get to our venue, the Central Azucarera Don Pedro (CADP) in Nasugbu, Batangas. The guest house was readied for us, including …
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When the temperature rise in Manila people head off to the beach, whether it’s far-flung Boracay or a few-hour drive to Subic or Batangas, specifically in a beach in Laiya, Batangas (and in this case, it’s the Triple G Beach Resort.) The beauty of being in a tropical country, we have the sun all year …
In this particular trip, I realized that I have paid a lot of attention to the people I’ve been with and I met in the journey. I’m not sure if it was the isolation of Batanes from the rest of the Philippines, perched atop this archipelagic nation. Or, it must be the green rolling hills …
Among the three main islands of the province of Batanes, Sabtang seems to be the most interesting because of the old stone houses that have been part of the Ivatan culture. We rose early morning to catch the boat that would take us to Sabtang Island. Alas, waking up at 5:30 and having breakfast at …
For years, I had my eyes set on the northernmost tip of the Philippines. It was a place that only few has conquered because of its isolation and unpredictable weather conditions. It was the closest place to Taiwan and surrounded by the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. This is Batanes. Brief Preview of …
Zamboanga del Norte is in the island of Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines. And when one mentions Mindanao, tourists suddenly cringe and take a turnabout-face, especially when travel advisories label this part of the country as dangerous. The name Zamboanga alone may cause goose bumps to travelers. Scary is the exact opposite …
…and Manila’s other hole-in-the-wall eateries It was another holiday in the Philippines as we commemorated the Day of Valor, celebrating the bravery of Filipino soldiers who fought during World War II. Supposedly, my friends and I were scheduled to go to Corregidor Island, the fortress of Japanese soldiers. Unfortunately, the cruise liner called the day …
For a predominantly Catholic nation, the Philippines, time and again, has observed holy week religiously. Work often stops as early as midday of Holy Wednesday and everyone shifts to holiday mode. Even regular TV programming halts replaced with religious rites or spiritually-inspired shows. The workforce takes advantage of the long lull without using up their …
The Plantation Bay Resort and Spa always grace the pages of travel magazines. I’ve seen photos of friends who stayed in this luxurious resort located in Mactan Island, Cebu. I’ve been part of contests that gave out a few nights stay for free in this popular relaxation place. Sadly, I’ve never set foot in Plantation …
There I was again traveling alone. It usually happens whenever I travel for business wherein I would be left to my own devices. Having been used to working with non-profits, I often visited new and unfamiliar places without any welcoming party at the airport or a transport service. Sometimes it sounded scary but I always …
All of my trips to this southern Philippine city had always been for business. My first visit to Cagayan de Oro City, or CDO, as most Filipinos refer to it, was a decade ago when I was there to hold a training workshop with the local affiliates of the organization where I used to work …
Nothing prepared me for the surprise I’d find in my first-time at Black Island. Part of our Calauit tour in Palawan was some stopovers at islands around Busuanga. A short distance away from Calauit was Black Island, where the Slovenian franchise of Survivor, Survivor Srbija: Philippines, shot some of their episodes. Black Island loomed from …
The weather in this part of the globe is once again changing. The slight chill in the air has ebbed away and Philippine summer seems to be entering earlier than expected. It’s not really a sudden shift because, in our tropical country, weather conditions could be rainy, normal (dry and warm), and warmer. Most of …
Right after our plane touched down in the runway of the Dumaguete City airport, at the capital of the Negros Oriental province in the Philippines, we embarked on about half an hour ride by van to the southern part of the island towards Malatapay Beach Resort. It was night when we arrived at the resort. …
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Getting out of the capital of the Philippines, Manila, to nearby cities and towns is not an uncommon occurrence among the urban dwellers. With friends and relatives from abroad visiting every now and then, it gives us more reason to escape the metropolis. But with the “Viaje del Sol”, Spanish for “Way of the Sun”, …