Category Archives: #travel

Travel Philippines Series, Part 1: 2 BASIC TIPS WE WOULD LOVE TO SHARE TO ROOKIE TRAVELLERS

We love to travel, it’s not only a part of what we are, traveling is actually who we are. Yet before we achieve a sense of familiarity in this quest, there were stumbling blocks and bitter taste of unfortunate blunders along the way, “rookie mistakes” as others aptly term it.

But with 36 provinces under our belt out of 81 magnificent provinces of the Philippines, in just a couple of years since we began this journey, a feat hindered by the surge of this pandemic, we finally somehow grasp and understood some basic concepts and tenets of traveling within our beloved Philippines.

And these are our personal notes we would like to share to our naïve travel selves, if only there is a time machine existing. And we do hope, these bits and pieces of information can actually help your journey if one day you would want to step foot in and explore our beautiful country.

1. DO. YOUR. RESEARCH.

Like in war, one should never tread new places empty handed. But hey, we are not even referring to carrying of offensive weapons or defensive shields, heck it would be impossible to leave the airport or enter for that matter. But rather, we are more concerned on arming ourselves with an adequate knowledge of the locality, its people, practices, culture and tradition. Yes, this tip may somehow be a no-brainer yet often overlooked out of excitement and over-complacency.

For instance, our first travel together in Dapitan City, Zamboanga Del Norte was not only memorable but also full funny bloopers and nerve wracking moments. Oh how we extremely love the place and the memories we created there but unfortunately, our 3-day stay did literally burn so many holes in our wallets and pockets. We carried a minimal amount of money on the assumption that provincial life equals lesser cost. Later did we know that everything about this province is relatively pricier considering the distance of their locality to the place where they primarily source out their food and other items. On our 2nd day of stay, we had to contend ourselves with a loaf of Gardenia sliced bread we had to sneakily smuggle inside the hotel room to avoid corkage fees. While we basked in the beauty of the 5-star resort we were staying, our “upset” stomachs needed to resist the temptation, taste and the aroma of well-cooked gourmet meals. Thank God we already paid for the hotel room a month in advance, including the daily buffet breakfast, or our stomachs won’t ever forgive us for making them suffer every dinner and lunch.

Tips are almost always welcome but while in Benguet, I almost disrespected an Ifugao without deliberately doing so to which I am already deeply sorry for. It was our first time to travel in Baguio but unfortunately the Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad was not yet ready to accept strawberry picking customers for lack of ripe strawberries to pick. So I asked our driver to somehow allow us to take a photo in the field to which he obliged. Coincidentally we were brought to the area where there were ripe red strawberries tended by an Ifugao farmer. Upon learning that we were from Cebu, she allowed us to pick three strawberries for picture taking purposes. Out of excitement and extreme happiness, I handed her an extra Php100 as a tip for allowing us to enjoy an activity which was unavailable to the public but she declined. (Take note that we already purchased two kilos of her fresh produce at the time.) I didn’t know that my insistence already pestered her since most of them are not accustomed to tips. They really are naturally kind people whom I have great admiration and respect for.

Look how important it is to familiarize your first or next travel destination before breaking new ground, and this leads us to Tip #2.

2. Plan ahead.

Imagine if we did not book a room and paid for the breakfast buffet in advance, it will probably take more than just a Gardenia Loaf Bread to satisfy our needs and we could have end up sleeping in the plaza at night or washing dishes for unpaid hotel bills. We merely relied on our personal assumptions about the place which WAS A HORRENDOUS ROOKIE MISTAKE and with lack of research, we failed to plan properly.

Although, we have read some tips that paying for your food upon order saves a lot of moolahs on booking costs, we still prefer to book a room with breakfast in advance. Why? Having something which is one less of a worry during the actual trip is much more precious for us than the exact amount that can be saved from the booking costs. Peace of mind is priceless my dears and you can thank us later.

See, the second step in traveling, after research, is knowing yourself and your budget. Travel can be expensive or affordable, depending on your choice and preference. How much you are willing to spend initially determines the type of accommodation you will be billeted into, the kind of activities you will want to enjoy and the number of days you will be staying worry-free.

Travel is a personal experience that guarantees personal joy and satisfaction. But to ensure maximum enjoyment minus the mishaps and the headaches, it’s best to familiarize your self and get acquainted with the locality and plan ahead.

My Ilocandia Tri-City Dream – Part 1

Leave a reply

It all started with the cobblestone path of Calle Crisologo. I always had this absurd fantasy when I was younger envisioning myself in a Traje de Mestiza with a pañuelo, a tapis and an abaniko to complete the ensemble and promenade around cobbled streets with century-old houses as my backdrop.

When I learned of Vigan years back, I instantly knew that it will become my only means of realizing this life-long dream. Calle Crisologo is just the perfect spot I said to myself. Right then and there, it became one of my dream local destinations along with Batanes, Hinatuan and Baguio City.

As my knowledge about Ilocos expanded with the advent of social media, so is my deep longing to set foot in this beautiful place. Dreams do come true I dare say and so it did.

CALLE CRISOLOGO

Hotel Luna

With those Capiz shell windows, clay roofs, old Spanish houses, Calle Crisologo was then my ideal setting of making my ridiculous dream of living in the colonial past a reality.

Presented with this chance, I immediately grabbed it with no second thoughts and instantaneously booked an accommodation that is closer to my favorite place.

Located at the very heart of the Heritage Village, we chose Hotel Luna.

We love everything about Hotel Luna especially its outdoor pool. Every intricate detail exudes elegance and class, room is very spacious, it’s a perfect fusion of vintage and modern with old Spanish architecture and high tech amenities (hey they have electronic bidets).

They offer complimentary drinks for guests, check in and check out processes are smooth and fast, they have courteous staff and helpful guards, everything was perfect, amazing right?

Unfortunately we didn’t spend much time in the hotel since we are mostly out (wasn’t able to take a number of photos as well) but if given a chance, I will gladly book another room in a heartbeat for Hotel Luna truly is an excellent choice.

LAOAG

Day 1. We began our tour by leaving the hotel at exactly 4 o’clock in the morning. Yes it was way too early from our standard 12nn wake-up time but we delightedly embraced the sacrifices we had to make to fulfill a dream. Lol! Vigan is hours away from Laoag and with just two days to spare to complete the entire round trip, it was fortunate of us for Kuya Ronald to accommodate our what-seems-to-be an impossible schedule and generate an itinerary with major adjustments tailor fit to the time and budget we can offer as tourists.

Because of this early call time, we actually dozed off inside the vehicle and were just awaken by our driver, Kuya Edrian, upon reaching the arc. We appreciate his thoughtfulness honestly.

The sun has not risen up yet when we arrived at Laoag Arc but tourists already flocked the area taking turns in capturing a good photo. (The Arc is well-lighted so it’s not much of a struggle really.) We overheard that one group was from a “joiners tour” which is by the way the most economical way of dilly-dallying around Ilocos but since we are more concern of our time and convenience, we opted for an exclusive tour. Who wouldn’t when we requested for a jam-packed itinerary good for 2 days. Higher cost yet we own the time (higher rewards?).

After a few minutes, we proceeded to Paoay Church (St. Augustine Catholic Parish) and arrived just in time for sunrise. It was so majestic, beautiful and worthy to behold. But since the iconic church faces the direction where the sun routinely sets, we knew we could never expect an IG-worthy shot with my already outdated, albeit still useful, iPhone 6s (but hey all pictures attached herein are taken with the use of my ever reliable 6s buddy), so we were forced to be contented with our captures and we sincerely apologize for the images that never gave due justice to the captivating beauty of the subject.

We were supposed to visit Malacañang of the North next but as it usually opens at 9 in the morning and it was still around 7 or 8, we had to skip it and head directly to Sand Dunes. Thankfully, Kuya Edrian noticed our concern and assured us that we will return in the afternoon.

Paoay Sand Dunes was one of the best experiences we had so far. We initially planned to forego the 4×4 Adventure since it’s expensive, there were only the two of us and there is no one else to share the cost with, and our original plan was merely to have a picture taking but Kuya Edrian insisted to not let the oppurtunity pass since our Ilocos Trip will not be complete without this adventure, a what-could-have-been our missing piece of the puzzle. Heeding his advice which we are extremely thankful by the way, we had a minute of discussion turned debate when we discovered a Php2,500 worth of spare money in my pocket. Lucky us, we do not need any further arguments.

As we prepped up and positioned ourselves at the back of the jeepney, we were asked if we wanted the “extreme” route, I jokingly said yes. What was unknowingly waiting for us, in the middle of a patched desert, were differing peaks of sand waves, bumpy trails and rugged terrain. I hated how the driver intentionally move the vehicle sideways as if almost to topple and run over the steepest terrains giving us thrilling drops on that 10-20ft tall sand ridges when there was a safer, less bumpy, no heart attack route.

As we were standing at the back of the 4×4, we were holding on to that steel bar for dear life.

But Sand Dunes is more than just a heart stopping adventure for it offers the most breathtaking view of the Suba Beach. A serenity like no other.

Sand Dunes was the most fun we had, it was worth the 2,500php, actually never mind the price, we will sign for it up again.

After an hour of adrenaline rush, we decided to have our breakfast near the Wishing Tree. It was not part of the itinerary but Kuya Edrian deemed it best to include it since it was still early in the morning, and maybe there are no other carenderias open to cater to hungry stomachs at daybreak.

It is called wishing tree not because they believe that your wish will come true but instead you donate any amount of cash to make the dreams of our less fortunate brothers and sisters come true. So touching and worth emulating.

We passed by the Sinking Bell Tower and kuya Edrian told us a story that is famous among the locals. The bell tower is not actually sinking per se but there are rumors that once a person, any person for that matter, gets inside the structure, it will automatically sink. Structural integrity perhaps but better stay out of it for safety.

Malacañang of the North was the last item on our Laoag Trip Itinerary before we proceeded to Ilocos Sur. Upon our arrival we were greeted with dozens of kids on a field trip but when they left the premises, we had the place pretty much all to ourselves.

Now stands as a museum, Malacañang of the North used to serve as the official residence of the Marcoses in Ilocos Norte.

The mansion is intricately designed with a mix of Spanish and Ilocano architecture. But for me its best feature is its panoramic view, the entirety of Paoay Lake.

… to be continued …

For a personalized Ilocandia Tour, we highly recommend the services of Kuya Ronald Tayawa, he may be reached through these magic digits: 09458454363

Chocolate Laboratory

Leave a reply

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, almost always, but chocolates are, every time. They’re inexpensive, they’re pocket-friendly, they’re everywhere and they satisfy one’s cravings all the time, now that’s a real deal and a lifesaver, boys do take note.

But its production are often tucked away from the public and eventually off the limelight, and on numerous occasions we only get a hold of the end result ~ those neatly wrapped expensive-looking chocolate bars cleverly arranged in a separate aisle of the grocery stores and are effectively utilized as baits and temptations.

Curious?

Thank heavens we have just the right spot for chocolate lovers in Davao. Plus, if you are more than willing to spare Php450.00 for one session, you can take an active part in the chocolate-making and take home personalized chocolates spiced up with your own desired taste.

Said fee already covers the rent of apron, two Malagos-branded boxes, use of molders, condiments, hairnet, plastic gloves and a creamer containing 250ml of pre-concocted melted chocolate, 60% dark. As a self-proclaimed chocolate addict, guess, I was a very willing victim then. Lol!

I noticed these sign boards when I entered the “laboratory”, and since there were not much tourists (thanks God it was not a weekend, a peak season or a holiday), I was immediately entertained and provided with all the necessary materials by Ms. Lyn who I highly commend for being so attentive with my needs and alert with my requests.

P-rsonal Notes

• The sign board on top says you can choose between white chocolate and dark but during my experiment I was immediately given the dark chocolate without being asked. 🤷🏻‍♀️

As much as I hate to burst your bubble but we did not brew our own chocolate formula from scratch. Well, aside from the fact that it’s time consuming, it needs years of training, skill and mastery to perfect a Malagos-worthy quality recipe. But the experience is still worth the price, I can assure you of that.

I put the apron, hairnet and gloves on before I proceeded to the molders and picked two sets of design.

Next, I grabbed the sauce dish and chose three condiments to build up the flavors I hankered for. I cannot particularly recall what ingredients were provided but I can clearly remember that I chose durian, chili flakes, rock salt, mint leaves, almonds, and dried mangoes among all the others readily available.

I placed the molders close to me and started to fill the little holes one by one until half-full, I then inserted my chosen ingredients then poured the concoction again to cover the little secret.

I did the same procedure for the 2nd molder but this time I’ve done them a little neater. Oh well, there’s no hard and fast rule on how to fill those babies up the same way as there were no rules on the ingredients needed to combine to achieve the fancied taste. I think I combined chili flakes and durian, rock salt and durian, among the many weird combinations I could probably think of. However, if you are not that kind of daring and adventurous, one flavor per molder will do, it’s always up to you.

When I was done and satisfied with my job, I then signaled Ms. Lyn who took my tray and stowed it in the chiller. We waited for 20 minutes for the wet chocolate to completely cool off and harden before it was given to me again for the final steps.

A little tip though, for easy dislodge and to prevent breakage, choose the simple shapes at the beginning. It took me several minutes to take those little pieces out of the molds because of the chocolate seeping through the little corners. Out of four, I broke three of those little horsey necks. Yikes!

I cannot even begin to describe how on earth I did not manage to properly organize them inside the box. It’s like a work of a pre-schooler, I know.

Now I understand what Forrest Gump said, “life is like a box of chocolates, you’ll never know what you’re gonna get”, ‘coz after all my efforts, I kinda forgot which among these pieces have the weirdest flavor combination except those little bears which I packed with nothing but only chili flakes. As I said before, I am a sucker for spicy foods.

I think these boxes will continue to surprise us then, good luck!

❤️❤️❤️

P.S. Shout out to the bf who I wholeheartedly thank for supporting me in this and for patiently taking several pictures during the process. ILY!

MALAGOS CHOCOLATE MUSEUM

Malagos Garden Resort, Malagos, Davao Del Sur

Time Out

Leave a reply

There are times days appear to be momentary, quick, swift and short-lived and once in a while they seem to be longer and lingering than they are supposed to be. Times like this, realization dawns upon me that life shouldn’t all be about boring desks, cluttered drawers and endless piles of paperworks for life is meant to be enjoyed as it has to be endured.

Ormoc City, Leyte is just one boat ride away from our hometown making it an ideal escape from domestic drudgery. Coterminously, holidays are a perfect excuse for an impromptu journey.

I always crave for a little stroll along the gravel path or a quick dip in the pool while stuck in my chair back at the office. Having the chance to make this daydream a reality, Sabin strikes as the precise man-made paradise fit for this temporary bliss.

Not a native of this beautiful land, I heard about Sabin from a dear friend who relentlessly promote it as one of their best. Relying on said assurance, we booked a Presidential Suite with no gnawing or second thoughts.

It actually came to a shock upon learning that booking a room is as easy as pie. You just have to call front desk days prior your intended date, state your desired room accommodation, name and contact number then voila ~ you’ve got a reservation.

Their Presidential Suite could be the most expensive in their list but it is the cheapest we’ve had so far at this room type, ever. Php5,500 per night. We’ve been roaming around the country for years now but this is the only Presidential Suite we’ve booked that is equipped with a visitor’s lounge and a visitor’s own comfort room separated from the main bedroom by a sliding door.

A very appealing room size that is three or four times bigger than a standard room is one, but to be furnished with a bath tub, a separate shower, a classic bidet bowl and a toilet bowl is another. Not to mention the large tv, the king-sized bed, the personal bar and the free toiletries and as added touch, the private balcony built just outside the glass doors for that picturesque overlooking view. Truly a great steal and a good value for money!

Sabin lacks nothing when it comes to comfort and convenience. Aside from its 24-hours front desk and security guards on duty who can assist you anytime of the day, it has its own restaurant serving incredible dessers and mouth watering dishes. And apart from the seashore which is just right outside the premises, it houses the finest and the biggest outdoor pool in the area . However they prohibit swimmers from getting inside their restaurant wet which is a bit of a bummer for us but still kudos to the staff for being so polite, courteous and helpful.

And lest we forget, one should not pass the opportunity of tasting their freshly squeezed pineapple juice up. After all, Ormoc City now promotes their “queen pineapple” as one of the best tasting there is in the entire country.

Harried days are made more bearable with a little time out from the worldly pressures. And Sabin’s laidback ambience and outstanding service provided us our much needed breathing space from the incessant demands of our workload, far from being perfect perhaps but exceptional. So what’s your ideal breather? Care to share?

📌📌📌

Details:

SABIN RESORT HOTEL

Ormoc City, Leyte

(053) 561-4243 / (053) 561-4499

Around Siquijor in One Day

Leave a reply

We had one so many attempts to visit Siquijor for months already and all the time, our efforts only proved futile. It wasn’t because of all the horror stories hunting the island itself (we are pretty much sure about that) or the rumors about sorcery and witchcraft that’s been going on and around the country for centuries, it so happens that every time we map out a weekend visit, unknown reasons unexpectedly pop out. Every. Darn. Time.

P-rsonal Notes

• It was year 1565, Miguel López de Legazpi and his Expedition arrived and landed in the Philippines.

• Legazpi gave orders to search for nearby islands. And while afloat, two of his men found a land gleaming and glowing from afar, hence they named the island, “Isla De Fuego” or Island of Fire. That’s why Siquijor is also known as “Isla De Fuego”, why it is called as an “Island of Fire”.

• Such phenomenon is caused by a number of fireflies hovering around molave trees used to proliferate in the area

But then, nothing can escape an aggressive travel duo no matter how elusive the sought for destination is in our travel list. So one day, one holiday, we booked a tour for 2, though only planned haphazardly.

Going There

There are so many available options for would-be-tourists of Siquijor coming from Cebu. For budget conscious travelers, there is that time consuming route yet the cheapest of all. But for us who value time more than money we chose the most convenient mode of transport, lesser travel time but relatively pricey.

From Cebu City Pier 1, we booked two tickets in Ocean Jet that traverse Cebu-Tagbilaran-Larena, Siquijor route. Cebu to Tagbilaran usually takes 2 hours of travel time while Tagbilaran to Larena has 1 and a half. Ticket Cost? 4k for 2 pax, one way, business class.

Tariff Rates

One Day Itinerary

Siquijor is a little island in the southern part of the country and is usually divided into two tours: (1) Island Tour and (2) Mountain Tour. Since we only had a day to spare and roam around the province, we chose the former instead of the latter or both. At least, in our minds, we can cover almost all of the tourist spots readily available and still have one more reason to return to this beautiful isla.

(As I don’t want to bore you with the minute details of this trip, I’ll just narrate the highlights of our entire tour. We can assure you that this post contains nothing about the tittle-tattle tale of the witches of Siquijor as locals even deny the truth of their existence. A minimal reference won’t hurt, I guess.)

A little side trip, the moment we disembarked from the fast craft, we only had Larena Triad Coffee Shop in mind for a sumptuous afternoon lunch. This dome shaped coffee shop/restaurant is strategically built in a high elevation with a 180 degree overlooking view of the island of Siquijor and the neighboring provinces of Cebu, Bohol and Negros Oriental, hence “Triad”.

Day 1 starts the following day and we began our tour with I Love Siquijor and Welcome Siquijor Sign, taking several photos for documentation (evidentiary, really) purposes. Hey, best evidence rules!

We then made our way up towards Kanheron Ranch which according to our tour guide got its name from the combined Visayan Words “Kanhe” ug “Karon” translated as “the past and the present”. It’s a private museum of American Artifacts collected and made available for public viewing for the generation of today.

Thereafter, we proceeded to Lilibeth’s Pan Bisaya which is famous for their freshly baked, soft and sweet-tasting varieties of native bread.

They call it “native bread” as they adopt a traditional Filipino method of using fire-ignited corn husks placed on top and below an assembled structure resembling an oven. Yes, instead of a regular convection oven run by electricity or gasoline which are commonly used in ordinary bakeries these days, Lilibeth’s bakes their goodies in their own fabricated oven using no yeast as a leavening agent but coconut wine (tuba) instead.

To complete the experience, we paired their native bread with a cup of “corn coffee” which is a famous drink in this country and could actually pass off as a Filipino native delicacy. Yum!

Our next stop was Salagdoong Beach, our absolute favorite. I cannot particularly recall what “Salag” means but “Doong” refers to a kind of birds. Salagdoong is a government managed public beach opened to the public for a minimal fee. We stayed in Salagdoong for a few minutes before proceeding to our next destination after we fell in love with its crystal clear waters of differing hues, the calming sea breeze and its magnificent views. Salagdoong offers the most beautiful view there is in the entire province of Siquijor (at least in our own perception) and it has the best ambience for relaxation.

P-rsonal Notes

• Cliff diving and the slide are only available and open during high tides.

After lunch, we went directly to Cambugahay Falls, trekked, survived and conquered 135 steps just to witness its majestic beauty (expect muscle pain thereafter lol). Cambugahay remains a three-tier falls (almost of the same appearance) since the other levels are not yet open to the public for safety reasons.

San Isidro Labrador Church and San Isidro Labrador Convent were our next items in the itinerary. These religious structures were established as early as 1880s, managed and run by the Augustinian friars.

Like kids, we had fun in Hapitanan Broomshot trying their flying broom challenge. Since we cannot divulge their secret, you’ve got to see it to experience the magic and discover the trick.

We then rewarded our selves with a foot massage-fish spa in Enchanted Balete Tree and bought some souvenirs and pasalubongs in the area. Balete trees are said to be home of kapre, diwata, and other malignos, at least according to Philippine folklores and myths but this Balete Tree is so majestic we forgot how it is a home of entities not entirely our own.

We waited for sunset in Paliton Beach, Siquijor’s Mini Boracay, to cap off one of the best days in our lives.

We we were able to pass through Smile Talingting and Olang Molave Man-Made Forest but we didn’t take a photo because we just didn’t want to. We also passed by Capilay Spring Park, a natural spring made into a public pool in the middle of a public park. Well that’s an attraction.

Planning to stay another night?

If you want to have peace and privacy at a lower cost then Replica Manor is a good choice. For just Php950.00 a night, you get yourself a good night sleep in an air-conditioned room complete with toiletries, cabled tv, wi-fi and a hot and cold shower. Plus, their doggy “King” is a good tour guide as well. He can navigate you towards the ins and outs of the nearby beach. If that’s not much of a steal, this humble inn is equipped with generator sets for power interruptions.

By the way, Siquijor got its name from a simple misunderstanding due to language barrier. When the Spaniards arrived and asked what the place is called, they were speaking in Spanish. King Kihod, thinking that they were asking for his name, he answered “Si Kihod”. Later on the Spaniards adopted SiKihod and changed the last letter “d” to “r” for easier pronunciation. Hence “Siquijor”.

P-rsonal Notes

• King Kihod was the legendary ruler of the province before the Spaniards came and discovered the Philippines.

We proclaim so much love and adoration for this not-so-hidden yet less traveled island in the Visayas. Admittedly, some are still apprehensive of Siquijor owing to its feared reputation as homes of ungodly creatures. But fearing the unknown only made them miss out what this charming little island could offer ~ animal-loving, courteous, kind and helpful people and a paradise like no other. Wherever King Kihod is right now, we know he is beaming with so much pride seeing the beauty of his mystical island and the hospitality of the people living in it.

📣📣📣

For the best Siquijor experience, we highly recommend the services of Johnry Maglangit Ina-an as your driver/tour guide/photographer. You may contact him through his facebook account or his number 09368347510.

Kuya Hermie Tan-awon is an excellent driver as well, you may contact him through his number 09169626941.

Please note: Some areas in Siquijor have no signal, so please patiently wait for their reply.

Life With Phai

Living in the Moment. Creating Memories. Sharing Stories.

Category Archives: #travel

Travel Philippines Series, Part 1: 2 BASIC TIPS WE WOULD LOVE TO SHARE TO ROOKIE TRAVELLERS

My Ilocandia Tri-City Dream – Part 1

Chocolate Laboratory

Time Out

Around Siquijor in One Day