After a gruelling 18 hours on the road, including several stops for breakfast, sightseeing, shopping, and lunch, arriving at Vitton Beach Resort was a welcome respite from the long land trip from Manila to Donsol, located more than 500 km south of the capital. A replica of the whale shark greeted us at the resort’s …
A romance to remember. Tiny bits of light glitter in a synchronized manner as if a Christmas song is played in the background. But these are not Christmas lights but a colony of fireflies taking residence in one of the trees along the riverbanks of Donsol River. One of the many things a traveler to …
“Look down!” our guide shouted. There he was, in all his splendor and beauty, with his white spots that marked him distinctly as a whale shark. The whale sharks, or butandings, were discovered to have frequented Donsol, a quiet town in the province of Sorsogon at the Bicol peninsula, in 1997. The son of a …
Today, I found a wall post on my Facebook page from a friend who is now working in Thailand. I’ve known him as an elephant lover and I wasn’t surprised to find him post a link in change.org asking people to help a Thai woman, named Lek, save her elephants. The petition at the site’s …
Calauit seemed to be a forgotten island. It had its share of fame during the Marcos administration when it was developed as an animal sanctuary. Yes, animals roam freely here and they have a Savannah where they can gather during the day. It’s a long boat ride to this island and not many animals are …
Not everyone knows where it is. It’s not a public place but some events do happen here. For those holding office at the Enterprise building along Makati’s Ayala Avenue, the Sky Garden must be something they’ve heard of. It occupies the rooftop of the lower tower of Enterprise. I came to know it because of …
In December 2011, amid the holiday frenzy, the Philippines was struck with a challenge when typhoon Sendong (international name: Washi) suddenly took everyone by surprise as it caused severe flooding in the southern region of the country. The cities that were heavily hit were Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental and Cagayan de Oro and Iligan …
I remember the time when I was called to a meeting for a big project to be initiated by young people. We just finished the Jimmy Carter Work Project in 1999 that garnered a huge number of volunteers and partners. We had to keep the excitement building…or in building (homes). It was then when we hatched …
Baguio, the summer capital of the Philippines and located in the mountainous region in the north, is a favorite destination of residents of Manila and nearby towns. It is about six hours from Manila by private vehicle or non-stop bus, and can even exceed if one will ride the regular bus routes. I recently went …
I was recently back in Bangkok for the Asia-Pacific Leadership Conference of various Habitat for Humanity offices in the region. Yes, it’s back to business trips for me. Not that I abhor going abroad for work. There were certainly some perks, like fewer expenses. Yet, most of the time, days were spent cooped inside the …
My friends and I were touring Bohol, visiting the famous Chocolate Hills, Lobok River, and the Tarsier Sanctuary. We were wide-eyed as we took in all the beauty around us. But as we were interacting with the locals we learned so many things; like the tarsiers, which have been considered extinct, should not be publicly …
Silk Street Mall is neither your ordinary street nor your usual mall. It was something I’d find anywhere in the Philippines. Yet, tourists, especially those from Europe or the America, love to go to Silk Street Mall. There were a bunch of kids who were having a field trip there. There were Spanish families donning …
The advent of technology has kept people on the go to be in touch with the rest of the world wherever they may be. It’s now an added bonus but it can also be a distraction to your journey. For first-time travelers wanting to be constantly connected, you will not only concern yourself with your …
It was like some secret waiting to be discovered, Zao Yuan Ju Hotel, or Hutong Inn, is located in the narrow hutong of Zhang Wang, surrounded by old houses, some of which has been transformed into a store or a small eatery. Without any much signage, you wouldn’t think a hotel is found a few walks …
Shanghai, being a metropolitan city, is not always a cheap place to visit. If you know how to strike a bargain, then you’d probably hit a gold mine. That’s what happened to our accommodations. We stayed in a hotel with services that made us extra comfortable, yet got a discounted rate. Meilong Holiday Inn Express …