The public must have been caught off-guard when the national government closed Boracay for rehabilitation. With said incident, beach-loving people were forced to find alternatives to the famous island.
Batangas is definitely one good option if you need a dose of the sea. Most people might prefer Laiya because of its proximity and because it can be reached just by land transfer. There is also a number of good hotels and resorts in Laiya.
But for those who are willing to travel a bit more and are on tight budget, the town of Tingloy is definitely another good choice.
It was in August 2017 when we decided to hit the beach again. It was planned for about a month, and we were lucky af because there were two typhoons in the country during our scheduled trip (thank you Isang and Jolina).
Crystal Beach Resort is located in San Narciso, Zambales. Unlike most beach destinations we’ve visited before, we did not need to ride a boat to reach Crystal Beach since it can be reached by car. In fact, they have a good parking space.
I think Isang and Jolina affected the cleanliness of the water.
For first timers in Hong Kong, Disneyland is one spot you should definitely not miss. Everyone who grew up with Disney characters will consider such experience a dream come true. And for us Squad Boys, the experience was extra special because at the time of our visit, there were attractions which featured the Avengers!
In this entry, I wrote down several tips which I think can somehow be helpful for those who will visit HK Disneyland for the first time.
Almost every visitor have their selfies taken with this arch.
If you will ask your biyahero friends on where to go for your first out of the country trip, I bet Hong Kong will be first on their suggestions. Factors for such recommendation might include:
cheaper fare and expenses (as compared to other countries)
minimal culture shock (fellow Filipinos are almost everywhere to help you out)
less chances of having jet lag (flight is just 2-3 hours from Manila)
Hong Kong at night is such a beauty.
In this blog, I will share you my experience on how I and the Squad Boys managed to enjoy a 5-day tour in Hong Kong with a budget of less than P20,000 each. Don’t worry, just a couple of merienda meals were skipped for me to reach the budget.
If you will be traveling to a far away area just like Ilocos, it would be good if you book your accommodations beforehand instead of just walking in. Imagine yourselves on road for 10 hours, bodies exhausted, and you can’t find a place to stay. We don’t want tired faces on our travel selfies, right?
So I listed here the transient houses where we stayed during our Ilocandia escapade, Holy Week of 2017. The rates that I will state are their prices during peak season. Just contact them directly for inquiries. Continue reading “ILOCOS’ HOMES AWAY FROM HOME”→
While the capital city of Ilocos Sur boasts of colonial architecture and history, the towns of Ilocos Norte take pride in their greeneries and blue waters. For most travelers, Pagudpud is the main destination in the northern part of the Ilocos Region due to its fine and white sand beaches. If you are travelling from Vigan, it will take you around 3-4 hours to reach Pagudpud. But if you’re straight from Manila, it will be an estimate of 13-15-hour road trip. For those who can’t take such tiring trips but have the extra money, I believe airplane flights are available from Manila to Pagudpud.
Buwis-buhay shot! Cars were already approaching. Haha!
For most of us members of the working class, the Holy Week can be considered as the most important days that we look forward to. For our Christian friends, the season is used to pause, pray and reflect. For others, these days mean a long weekend escape out of the busy walls of our offices.
It was March when we realized that we want to invade Ilocos for the Holy Week. The Ilocos Region is perfect for travelers of different interests. It cradles several heritage sites which is good news for those who enjoy history and architecture. It also boasts of nice beaches for those who want to get wet and sun kissed.
The Welcome Arch which serves as the boundary between La Union and Ilocos Sur
Long road trips are undeniably fun. From the traffic-free roads, the proud and tall trees, and the clear view of the sky… Isn’t it nice to have a glimpse of the simple rural life?
Quezon is one good province if you want to go roadtripping. There are various attractions waiting for you. Beach or mountain, it’s up to you. As for our squad, we chose to go beach bumming in Cagbalete Island in Mauban. After a night, we were already going back to Manila. It was already past lunchtime and we haven’t eaten anything. I googled top restaurants in Quezon, and the top spot of almost every list goes to Catalino’s Restaurant.
Catalino’s Restaurant has two entries in Waze. One will take you here, and the other will take you to Jollibee. You’ve been warned! Haha!
Graduation month is here. Temperature outside is rising. You know what these mean. Summer is coming! And before the peak season officially begins, we decided to go and take our well deserved vacation.
We were just being spontaneous and we were thinking of going on a hassle free weekend getaway. Zambales was actually our original plan. Unfortunately, no slots were available in our preferred resort, even for campers. We were really desperate since we already fixed our schedule for the trip. Then I remembered Cagbalete Island which I’ve been in before. I thought it might be time to recolor a memory.
It was Saturday. The four of us decided to leave Manila at 4:00am. Laurence was assigned to be our driver despite the fact that he hated driving. It was a 4-5 hour drive, and as usual, Waze has been a good party member. We reached the town of Mauban by around 9:00am, just in time for us to buy food in the nearby public market and wait for the passenger boat.
The scheduled boat trips from Mauban Port to Cagbalete is 11:00am and 3:00pm. It is recommended to arrive earlier since seats are on a first come first served basis. The trip is approximately an hour.
If one day you find yourself roaming around Pangasinan and your stomach suddenly cries of hunger, you might want to pass by San Carlos City and treat yourself with savory baby back ribs. Casa Bella House of Ribs and Seafoods has tasty treats in store for random wanderers like you.
Casa Bella is located just along the San Carlos-Calasiao Road.
