First-time at the Phaya Thai Palace

It was a warm afternoon when we arrived at the Phaya Thai Palace or Phya Thai Palace in Bangkok’s Ratchathewi District. It plays a significant part in the royal family of Thailand as it was a Royal Residence during the reign of King Chulalongkorn or King Rama V. When we got there, there were only …

Melaka

First-time in Melaka, Malaysia

“Selamat Datang/Welcome. Melaka World Heritage City. Declared by UNESCO on 7th July 2008.” These are the words I saw on a wall as we entered the central part of Melaka. Malacca, a historic state in Malaysia, used to be a Sultanate which was conquered by the Portuguese in 1511. It was later under the Dutch …

Haw Par Villa

First-time in Haw Par Villa Singapore

Colorful sculptures and scenes depicting Chinese folklore, mythology and life activities fill the 3.2-hectare area of the Haw Par Villa theme park in Singapore. The good thing about visiting this place is that entrance is free. So if you are in Singapore on a shoestring budget, this is one attraction to consider. I haven’t heard …

Cultural Heritage

Making a Difference: Preserving Cultural Heritage

This day that I’m putting out this article is United Nations Day. During this day, not only is the global organization commemorating its inception and honoring its mission to humanity, but it is also when schools let their students don national costumes from various countries. There are cultures that you can immediately identify by their …

Thrissur Kerala Blog Express

Thrissur: Art, Heritage and Culture

Cultural performances, heritage tours, and shadow puppet plays. Thrissur is the cultural hub of Kerala, India; our sixth destination during our Kerala Blog Express Season 4. After our Munnar adventures in the upland (READ: Munnar: Chilling in the Mountains), we went back for a day at Kochi before we headed northward to Thrissur. Our heritage …

Kerala Blog Express

First-time in Kerala: God’s Own Country

Kerala Blog Express Season 4, The Trip of A Lifetime, Kicks Off The past weeks, I was mostly on the road, riding a colorful bus that was shared with 28 other bloggers from across the globe, along with the organizers and crew behind this trip. This is the 4th season of Kerala Blog Express. After …

Sinulog sa Kabankalan

Sinulog sa Kabankalan

Kabankalan City is where I spent the early four to five years of my life. It was still a town then and we lived in its mountainous areas where my parents worked in a sugar central located there. Kabankalan is in the southern part of the province of Negros Occidental in the Philippines and is …

Canada

Canada as Top Travel Destination in 2017

Canada is emerging as a top travel destination in 2017. While travelers are looking at it as a great destination for some adventure, experience or vacation, many are even planning to work and live in Canada. But before we get to that part, let us first look at the lists that name this country as …

Miagao Church

Old Churches and Attractions in Southern Iloilo

The last time I traversed the southern portion of the Iloilo province, as far as I can remember, was when I was in 6th grade during our educational trip. I know that there are wonderful old churches and heritage sites in this part of Panay Island and I was excited that we would be taking …

Masskara Festival

MassKara Festival 2018 Schedule of Events

It’s this time of the year once again when my city is alive with colors, songs, and other attractions. Yes, October is MassKara Festival in Bacolod City, the capital of the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. But what is it all about and how did it all start? Read my post Behind MassKara’s Smile for …

Negros Occidental

Five Days Around these Negros Occidental cities: Bacolod, Silay and Talisay

Instead of me going away and traveling to faraway places, I toured a friend who spent her five-day vacation in my home province in Negros Occidental, Philippines. It was already more than two years since I moved back home and I have somehow become familiar of various routes from one point of my city to …

Travel, Culture, and Cinema

I can still vividly remember my Film 101 class when I was still in the University of Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. I always looked forward to Fridays when we would watch a movie in school or in the mall theaters. Our teacher also required us to watch a movie or two outside of the …

Lake Tarawera

Lakes and Redwoods of Rotorua

Apart from geysers, there’s more to see and explore in Rotorua, New Zealand. With about 18 lakes, a forest, several Maori villages, nearby dormant volcano, wildlife attractions, and adventure activities, Rotorua is a traveler’s haven. When we arrived in this city, Linda (guide #2 who picked us from the Hobbiton in Matamata) took us around …

Geyser Watching at Te Puia, Rotorua

Watching geysers and seeing them erupt are something I haven’t experienced before. I’m not sure if there’s one in the Philippines. I read there’s an El Minit Geyser in Mindanao but I haven’t encountered any blog post about it yet. But it was in Te Puia, Rotorua in New Zealand where I experienced the amazing …

Auckland

Garden Hopping in Auckland

Auckland is a city that is full of open spaces and greens. Gardens and parks, which are often called domains, abound in this city. One example is the Mount Eden domain. Because of its culture and environment, as well as its stability, infrastructure, healthcare, and environment, Auckland is recognized as one of the most livable …