China in 5 cities, 25 attractions

China is a huge country that is rich in art, culture, cuisine, and history. I’ve only been to five cities in China, but I felt that I have seen a great deal of this interesting nation. Of course, there’s more to cover, but these five has already left me feeling satisfied. It’s like having five …

10 Places to Visit in Seoul

Seoul is probably one of my favorite cities to visit. I must admit that I have never fully explored the South Korean capital. I have friends and relatives who have been big fans of K-Drama and K-pop. I also got hooked to many of these K-dramas as my sister has watched many of them and knew a …

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

10 Things To Enjoy in Taipei

If you are looking at the map and wondering where would be a good place for your next travel destination, it’s time you take a closer look at Taipei and put it in your must-visit list. With its urban vibe, colorful history, and surprising nature destinations, there are so many reasons to visit Taipei. I …

Lakawon Island

First-time in Lakawon Island: Tales from an Idyllic Retreat

As the sun painted the horizon in vibrant hues of gold and crimson, casting a mesmerizing glow upon the rippling waves, a sense of anticipation filled the air. The ferry sliced through the crystal-clear waters, its bow carving a path toward an ethereal destination. The mere sight of Lakawon Island, a tropical paradise tucked away …

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 …

Taipei Eats

Taipei Street Eats

Of all my Taiwan posts, I think this one on the Taipei street eats would be a lot interesting. Whenever I travel to a new place, I try to taste the local food, not just those in known fine-dining restaurants, but also those served in small eateries and along the streets. Our first few hours …

Taipei 101

Taipei 101 and Din Tai Fung

As soon as the sun was about to set, we rushed via MRT to Taipei 101 to see this popular Taiwan landmark transform from daytime to nighttime. The 508-meter, 101-story structure was the tallest in the world when it was inaugurated in 2004. Its reign ended in 2010 when it was surpassed by Burj Khalifa …

Taipei Zoo

First-time in Taipei Zoo

Our first order of business when we got to Taiwan was to see the panda. It’s not everyday that we see it as there are no pandas in the Philippines. I have seen it twice but I wanted to see it again. So off we went to the Taipei Zoo. It was easy to get …

Shifen Sky lantern Taiwan

The Sky Lanterns in Shifen

Releasing wishes to the heavens through a sky lantern is a popular tradition in Asia. In fact, it has also slowly becoming a trending group event in the Philippines. In Taiwan, there is a Sky Lantern Festival and even when it is not the season for the festival, locals and tourists alike converge at the …

Jiufen Taiwan

Jiufen’s Colorful Old Street

From the coastal area of Yehliu, Peter drove us upland towards Jiufen, located in a mountainous area of the Ruifang District, New Taipei City. Jiufen is a historic gold-mining town. The gold was said to have been discovered when a railway was being built in the vicinity. Prior to the gold rush, the village was …

Yehliu Geopark

Yehliu and its Rock Images

There were mushrooms, candles, animals, profiles of a princess and a queen, a shoe, and so much more. These are the rock formations found in Yehliu Geopark, Taiwan. After our trip to Xiaoyoukeng and Qingtiangang of the Yangmingshan National Park, it was sort of a long drive going to Yehliu. I have dozed off to …

Qingtiangang Taiwan

The Qingtiangang Grassland

The Qingtiangang Grassland is still part of the Yangmingshan National Park and seemed to be a few distance from Xiaoyoukeng. The fog has become heavier as we got to the parking lot. Peter pointed us to a flight of steps and promised to wait for us in the car. While we were still on our …

Xiaoyoukeng Taiwan

The smoky pits of Xiaoyoukeng, Taiwan

We were riding uphill and as we ascended towards the mountains, the weather has shifted. From the sunny and bright skies when we left Taipei, we arrived at our destination covered in a cloudy and misty air, providing us with almost zero visibility. There was a slight drizzle but the overcast was also due to the …

The Taipei Expo Park

The EcoArk at the Taipei Expo Park

We had to include the Taipei Expo Park in our itinerary because one of our companions have watched on TV about this building built out of plastic water bottles. I searched online and came upon the EcoArk, which is part of the Taipei Expo Park. From the Martyr’s Shrine bus station we checked out which …

The Red House

First-time in Taipei’s The Red House

We got to the Red House unexpectedly. We came into the Ximending area not knowing it was so close to our hotel. As we were looking for the Ximen MRT station, a red-brick octagonal building that looked interesting came into view. We decided to take a closer look and crossed the street. Only then did …