Acuaverde Beach Resort in Laiya, Batangas

How I dream that I can bring "Marky" our pet dog in our travels....but Marky is not the tamed and behaved type of best friend, she can get excited outdoors and get anxious to run anywhere.

This time around, I want to try a beach that is dog-friendly. I may not be able to bring Marky but at least I can see various cute dogs lounging around the beach front. Acuaverde in Laiya is pet friendly and has old large trees making the place cozy during summer.

Henann Beach Resort in Bohol

It was in 2007 when I first visited Bohol; it was purely a "chillax" experience since we were enjoying the beach life for 2 whole days. We only have few pictures as souvenirs. We stayed at Dumaluan beach resort which is  adjacent to Bohol Beach Club, the most famous beach resort at that time. My vivid memories of Bohol beach is the crystal clear water with lots of fishes even at the swimming area near the shoreline. One can clearly see the fish above the water surface and even without goggles. I have been to more than 20 beaches and islands here in the Philippines (plus the Kota Kinabalu beach) and I could say that Bohol has the clearest crystal clear water based on my judgement.

This 2019, due to a company convention,I was able to go back to Bohol for the 2nd time around. Since I have not seen the famous Chocolate hills and the tarsier in 2007 due to my beach bum mode, I see to it that it will be part of my itinerary on my 3 days stay in Bohol.

Much has changed from 2007 to 2019 (after more than a decade), the water along the shore was not the same with how I described it way back years ago. Despite this change, I had a wonderful and unique experience with my officemates since we stayed a Hennan Resort. It is a premier 5 star beach resort which is the preference of local celebrities based on my instagram newsfeed.

Villa Escudero, Quezon

A spanish vibe, a museum of antiques, a picturesque lake, a greenery hacienda - these are what Villa Escudero offer.

Riding in their carabao calash and taking buffet lunch near man-made waterfall are some of the unique experiences you can enjoy.

Island Hopping in El Nido, Palawan Philippines

If there is one place I want to visit again and again, it is El Nido, Palawan. I was enthralled by its majestic beauty. The crystal clear water and the limestone formation of the islands are instagram perfect for travelers. El Nido is also a melting pot where you can meet and greet various people across the Globe, share experiences and take pride of the culture you can share with the other fellow travelers.

In a simple chat with foreign tourists,  locals can even discover new stuff related to new Philippine destinations such as the Port Barton in San Vicente, Palawan. While exploring the town of El Nido, you can have an idea  how the town's income is driven mainly by tourism. Various restaurants, hotels, inns, stores and travel agencies can be found in El Nido.

Gigantes Islands

Iloilo is known for its melodious language - the "Ilonggo". Hearing the locals speak their native language adds to their warm personality and hospitality, making Iloilo more attractive to the tourists.

I've been to Iloilo twice. Aside from the  famous lapaz batchoy (noodle soup) and sea food, my travels here were memorable as I got to visit various marine schools for a customer satisfaction study. Iloilo is one of the top sources of Filipino seafarers. In addition, Iloilo became my access point to visit Boracay for the first time.

This year, I had an opportunity to visit Iloilo again; not the city but the northern part of the region - Estancia, Iloilo. Our entry point is Roxas City since it is just 1 hour and 30 minutes to Estancia. What I loved about Estancia - the seafood!. I ate various sea shells, scallops, oysters, fresh fish and crabs. I described it as a seafood festival in a normal day.

One thing not to be missed in Estancia is the island hopping activity in Gigantes Islands. Travelling across the ocean all the way to Gigantes islands reminded me again of the strong waves in my Calaguas tour. The waves are big and strong; passengers on the front of the motorboat are literally soaking wet (including me 😂 ). All the anxiety brought by huge waves for more than an hour was all worth it when you reach the islands.

Sepoc Beach, Batangas

I have been visiting Batangas a couple of times already but it seems that there are so many tourist places left to wander in that province. It is just 2-3 hrs drive from Manila and it is the best option for travelers who wants to feel the ocean breeze.

Apart from lying on the beach, exploring the nearby islands  in Batangas is a good alternative. Sepoc Beach in Maricaban Island, part of Tingloy, Batangs, is a pivate beach where the main entry point is via motorboat from the Eaglepoint Beach resort in Anilao, Batangas. In this beach, you can do some sort of short hiking and you can take pictures of the flora in the island. It is definitely away from the crowd which is relaxing to the mind, body and spirit.

Pagudpud Ilocos, Laoag and Baluarte ni Chavit

I remember having a group tour in Ilocos back in my UP college days. That trip was my first encounter with the cute baby Tigers at Baluarte. The Pagudpud beach (blue lagoon) at that time was unspoiled yet without  any infrastructures. I also had the opportunity to meet the beauty guru Cory Quirino in Ilocos.

Prayer Mountain and Malagos Garden In Davao

Reminiscing back to my first visit to Davao City, it was a memorable vacation as I enjoyed it to the fullest:

• my first zipline adventure in eden nature park
• visited the Samal Island with free entrance on Pearl Farm as sponsored by my banker friend
• my long habal habal ride from Samal Paradise resort to Pearl Farm
• met the PMA ladies @Pearl Farm
• food trip at tuna restaurants in Davao
• visited crocodile farm and Philippine Eagle park, toured Davao city riding non-aircon taxis which are common that time.

This 2018, I got to enjoy new beautiful places in Davao City. In case you stopped by at Davao, you may include the ff: in your itinerary:

• Prayer Mountain (by appointment)
• Malagos Garden Resort 
• Eagles Ridge Resort (for gatherings/reunions)

La Luz Beach Resort in Laiya, Batangas

Laiya is my safe haven. I can go here at my most convenient time.

Trying out various beach resorts in laiya is fun since it offers new travel experiences and different kinds of relaxation. I even dreamed of owning a resthouse in San Juan  since the area is just hours ride away from my home.

This time, I have tried La Luz Beach resort and I enjoyed the serenity of this place. Having a lazy day at the cabana to hear the sounds of waves is a form of relaxation which I enjoyed the most.

Enjoy the view and ambiance of the place.

Bacolod, The City of Smiles

Ten (10) Years ago, at Bacolod Circle Inn ,  I bumped into my cousin who is a doctor from Cagayan De Oro and with temporary assignment in Bacolod City. It was my first day at that time in Bacolod, a solo young traveler who just arrived at the inn from the airport  for a business trip.  Lucky for me, my cousin attended an event that night and I was able to see her from afar. She joined me during my spare time in Bacolod.

Considering that she has been residing there for months already, she acted as my tourist guide within the city. At that time, SM City Bacolod is still under construction. I was able to have a taste of the authentic Bacolod Inasal" and got the provincial vibe of Bacolod at night. 

My work assignment that time as researcher is to visit our major clients for a usage, attitude,image study. This type of job led me to go to places I have never been to. The sugar canes that are planted on the vast land of Bacolod created a nice view for first time tourists like me. Going to remote places and nearby areas of Bacolod became my stint =)

2017 - I joined the ASPLI event and the venue is in Bacolod. I have seen the progress and the major changes that transpired during the decade =). Since my first time in Bacolod was more of work, this year, I was able to visit the tourist spots of the City of Smiles.

Palm Beach Resort Laiya, Batangas

Palm Beach Resort is a private get-away spot you can indulge over a long weekend. The shoreline is secluded from the rest of the Laiya resorts, thus, you will experience privacy and relaxation away from the crowd.

A  45% degree slope run will greet you all the way down to the resort. Almost all rooms are designed with beach front view. The sound of waves will welcome you in the early hours of the day.

Buffets served are good and the swimming pools are clean. The beach sand is quite rocky so be reminded to bring your own aqua shoes.

Maniwaya Island, Marinduque, Philippines

Maniwaya Island. I only heard about this island beach this year. Looking at the gorgeous Maniwaya pictures all over the internet, I became interested to join my travelmates' summer getaway.

88 Hotspring Resort Calamba Laguna

Want to try Glamping? Then take a weekend vacation at 88 hotpring resort.

The place is so relaxing; it has several hot spring pools, a small lake with mini-farm at the side, and good hiking trail for adventurous people. For those who just want to relax, you may try their spa services.

Masungi Georeserve Hiking

Just few hours away from Manila, you can already enjoy the beauty of the mountainous region of Baras, Rizal. Must see for adventurists is the Masungi Georeserve,a conservation area declared as a "Strict Nature Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary" by the DENR in the 1990s and later on opened to the public in 2015. Masungi is famous for its giant metallic cob web with 360 degree overlooking view of Sierra Madre region.

Visits are through reservation with a minimum of 7 people. Mountaineers,hikers and nature lovers will definitely fall in love with the beauty of the place. As compared to Batad, this is an easy hike/climb but with challenging rope courses. One must conquer fear with heights since there are no harness while doing the spiderman's leg all the way down from cliff. This is an extreme adventure at its finest.

Okada Manila Casino

Casinos fascinate me. It is not just about the wonderful design of the interior and the facade. It is more of the people inside the casino ☺

I have seen gamblers like that of the gangsters/mafia in the movie. There are guests who are just so casual lookin' but are heavy casino gamers. Some are just loitering around and taking their chances in the slot machines while others are just watching out of curiosity on every table game. 

Casinos in the Philippines are now competing with the casinos in Macau. This time, Okada is the newest here in Metro Manila.

Baguio in December

Feel the cold breeze of the air this Christmas season in Baguio.

Stroll at the BenCab Museum. Drink a strawberry shake. Eat rib steak at Kanto. Ride a pink horse at the Wright park. Sip a Coffee at Volante. Take a boat ride at Burnham Park. Roam around the busy Session Road. Try ihaw ihaw at Mines view. Get lost at the Camp John Hay. Have a hearty breakfast at Elizabeth. Watch the PMA cadets. Buy veggies at the market. Chill and Relax. These are just few of the many things you can do and explore in Baguio.

El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

In the late 1990s, El Nido is a well known tourist spot in the Philippines, mostly for the affluent and for those who are willing to spend much for their travel and leisure. The hotels and airline cost those days direct to El Nido are too costly. Nowadays, due to the road pavements from Puerto Princesa to El Nido and the booming business of affordable inns and hotels, every traveler who wants to explore the beauty of the place can go there at a lower travel cost.

Big Lagoon

El Nido is a remote town with the most beautiful beaches in the Philippines, as I must say.  It is like you are in a different country as most of the tourists are foreigners (around 70-80%). The limestone cliffs and the landscapes are breathtaking; El Nido is indeed a paradise for beach lovers.

Caramoan, Camarines Sur

180 degrees shift in traveling - From being a trip planner to a hasty wanderer.

In terms of travel personality, I am the type of traveler with the usual ready itinerary, advance bookings and complete travel stuff. Sometimes, it is good to deviate a little from this routine and just go on with the flow.

Cotivas Island

With rough information on how to go to Caramoan (by reading other travel blogs), we were crossing our fingers that we would be able to reach Caramoan without any bus booking or advanced purchased bus ticket at all, considering that this is in Bicol region. Yes, we were taking our chances for this trip since airlines are really costly if bookings are within the week of travel. Fortunately, our positivity paid off. For backpackers, Philtranco can be tried being the safe and oldest bus company to exist in the Philippines. They have routes all over Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao with bus terminal in Pasay, Manila. In this trip, we are chance passengers on the way to Naga with overnight travel time of around 9 hours.

Camayan Beach Resort and Ocean Adventure in Subic Zambales

Want to have a souvenir picture in a beachfront with big sand castle? Then go to Camayan Beach Resort, Subic Zambales.

For environmentalists, no worries; this big sand castle is just made up of plastic material but it looks authentic in the picture. Nice work of art =)

I have featured blog articles about the various beaches in Zambales (e.g. Anawangin, Magalawa, Crystal Beach in San Narciso) and for this season, let me explore Subic. There are bats and monkeys in the mountain ranges along the subic bay area. It is advisable to bring car/van when visiting Subic. Just be ready with the toll fees of NLEX and SCTEX.

Camayan Beach Resort is one of the recommended resorts in Tripadvisor.  This resort is one of a kind since you can actually see fishes that are 2-3 inches in length while swimming/snorkeling near the coastline at the early hours of the morning (similar to Bohol). The beach is also ideal for swimming since the ocean floor is even and smooth with safety lines. Life guards are also visible within the vicinity.

Throwback: Coron, Palawan Philippines

Circa 2009.

Travelers were weighed on the scale when boarding a small airplane bound for Coron, Palawan. The air travel time was just around 30 minutes.

Palawan is the next best destination after Boracay and Coron is a must try for beach enthusiasts who are game in island hopping activities. There are some trekking activities available during the tour, thus, it is advisable to wear beach shoes. You can also bring your own snorkling gear for hygienic purposes and to fully enjoy the beauty of the sea creatures. The more you are in the tour, the lesser your expenses for sharing and the merrier.