Did you know that beneath the picturesque landscapes of New Zealand lies a hidden realm straight out of a fairytale? Welcome to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, a captivating wonderland adorned with millions of luminescent creatures that transform the darkness into an otherworldly spectacle. Nestled on the North Island, this subterranean masterpiece takes you on an …
Short as it may be, my five-day New Zealand trip has taken me to Middle Earth (Hobbiton), made popular in the novels and movies; the Living Earth (Rotorua), where geysers abound; and the Under Earth (Waitomo), the magical world beneath the caves. Hobbiton is a meticulously crafted tourist attraction located in Matamata, New Zealand. It is a …
Read more “Hobbiton: A Journey to the Shire, The Land of Hobbits”
When the shuttle service we took from the airport dropped us in front of our hotel, I admit I was a bit disoriented. The first signs I saw were Gucci and Louis Vuitton and I thought there must be some mistake. But as I scanned the area the second time around, I saw Grand Windsor …
Read more “First-time in Grand Windsor Hotel Auckland: Unparalleled Sophistication”
It was a 12-hour flight from Manila to Auckland, New Zealand, including an hour of layover midway at Cairns, Australia. I’ve taken my window seat, as I always request during check-in, which gave me an ample view of the scenery down there — Australia is vast and New Zealand is so green. Philippine Airlines has …
Never had I imagined I would travel to the land known for kiwis, Maoris and the Lord of the Rings all for free. It was in November of 2015 when I received one of Nuffnang’s blast e-mail regarding Globe Telecom’s #Wonderful Blog Competition. They had an app I had to use that will source information …
I have heard of the word “lawud” when I was still a child when fishermen manning my auntie’s boats would leave at sundown to the deep sea. Yes, “lawud” is the Hiligaynon word for the deeper part of the sea. The name Palawud for this restaurant located in Brgy. Banago in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, …
Traveling is an enjoyable thing to do. You get to see new places, taste new food, and try on new experiences, not to mention meeting new friends and learning new things. But it’s not just all fun. There are certainly a lot of things you have to bear in mind before you pack your bags …
We were planning our high school batch summer getaway and we were looking for a fun place just within the vicinity of Bacolod City, the hub of the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. Forest Park Resort came up in the discussion. I couldn’t comment as I haven’t been there before, although my mother has mentioned …
Around this month six years ago, everything was abuzz in Shanghai, China as it welcomed visitors for the World Expo 2010. My friends and I were among those who trooped to this 528-hectare compound to see the pavilions of countries from across the globe (Read: First-time in the Shanghai World Expo 2010). Of course, while …
Since I love to travel and I prefer to do things DIY style (Do-It-Yourself), I’ve learned to include “hosteling” in my vocabulary. It started in Guangzhou (Read: First-time in Guangzhou RiverSide Youth Hostel (Jiangpan) where I booked in a youth hostel and found the place favorable and affordable. The one I enjoyed most was in …
It is just the beginning of May and summer in the Philippines is far from over. It even seems that the temperature keeps on rising and it’s getting more humid than ever. While I’m still contemplating my next summer getaway, I’d like to share with you (and reminisce as well) the amazing snorkeling sites I …
Summer in the Philippines is timed by end of March towards May. Apart from heading to the beaches, or any attractive body of water for that matter, it is also the season of the sweet mangoes, which are popularly cultivated in the island-province of Guimaras. This 604.57-square kilometer island is located in between Panay Island …
When the temperature started rising this part of the globe (the Philippines, that is) by the second quarter of this year, I have frequented the beaches, rivers and natural springs in order to cool off and be refreshed. It began with my Siquijor sojourn during the Holy Week, then a day trip to Balokon Spring …
I was quite in luck that my high school buddies are frequent travelers to Sipalay and they have some contacts there. One of their friends is the owner of Robinson @ Cruse Beach Resort. It is located at the Punta Ballo area where there is a stretch of white sand and a large marine sanctuary …
As we were preparing for our Oslob-Badian weekend adventure, we were very flexible with our itinerary as we didn’t know how our day would go by. We were contemplating on staying the night at Oslob after our whale shark watching or in Badian where we would be having our canyoneering adventure at Sunday morning. Since …