Author: iAn L.

If that deep-blue river in Hinatuan defines “enchanted”, then Asik-asik Falls is probably the waterfall version of it, wherein the cascades drip from a seemingly unknown source. The lush vegetation that covers the entirety of the perpendicular ravine adds mystery as to where the water is coming. You will have an impression of multiple springs sprouting from the rock walls, unless you come really close to it. Fascinating cascades of Asik-Asik Falls Asik-asik Falls does not have the force that defines a majestic waterfalls, but it has a mystery that clearly emanates the meaning of enchanted, and, of course, a beauty that ... Read more

At one point of his life, Architect Jose Rizalino “Jerry” Acuzar, the owner of San Jose Builders, fell in love with art and culture. With this love and his sizable amount of fortune, he built Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, a heritage park that features centuries-old houses from all over the Philippines. Take note, the houses he built are not replicas. He collected the remains, parts, and ruins of these mansions and rebuilt them based on the original design within the Las Casas premise. The property started construction in 2013 and was only opened to public seven years after. Currently, the park is ... Read more

I’d been to Intramuros for several occasions already, since my college years, however, I always missed Fort Santiago. It was probably because it was a paid section of the fortress, or I had little interest with Philippine history during those times. It was only during my tax-paying years when I got this strong sense of nationalism. Unfortunately, by the moment my interest about our past surged, my time resources plunged. Inside Plaza Moriones Until recently, I was able to make time and finally experienced the one of the most significant remnants of our past. The admission fee is just ₱75 for adults and ₱50 for ... Read more

Jenna, not her real name, was panting really fast when she approached the gate of Dambana ng Kagitingan (or the Shrine of Valor) atop Mount Samat in Pilar, Bataan. After a very deep breath, she finally said; “..at last..”, then sipped the last drop of water from a transparent container. I saw Jenna and here companions halfway to the shrine when I was on my way up on a trike. I met her and her friends just arrived when I was on my way down. I would like to warn her that it isn’t their last struggle, but then I realized they already endured ... Read more

The Ayala Museum has long been around the corner. Though seating just beside Greenbelt 5 and perhaps, lurking along my daily walkway route when I was still reporting at our Makati office, I never got a chance to peek on what is inside. I was never curious, probably because of their “yellow” branding and frequent showcase of the Aquino family. Yup, to be honest, I am not a fan of Cory or Ninoy. Just recently, my visiting friends from Indonesia (Annisa, Wina, and Veeta) were curious and were willing to explore the museum. Since I volunteered to be their guide, I ... Read more

I am not sure if Go Hotels patterned their accommodation chain with Tune Hotels but the marketing, the branding, and the offers are almost the same. While Tune Hotels is a sister company of the budget airline, AirAsia; Go Hotels of Robinsons Land Corporation partners with Cebu Pacific Air, also a brand under the Gokongwei group. Tunes Hotels, however, has established reputation in 5 countries already such as Malaysia, Philippines, United Kingdom, Australia, and India while the Go Hotels chain is only present in the Philippines. The waiting area for guests I found a very affordable room at Go Hotels Otis branch so I ... Read more

Whenever I face a bitter situation, I usually hop on long bus rides to think about it and plan for a perfect scheme to resolve or ease the predicament. One moment, I did not go farther than I usually do. I headed to Angeles City, instead, just two hours from Manila with no plans in mind. Since the main reason of the escape is to think, I decided to look for a peaceful place to stay. I grabbed my phone and searched for hotels nearby using the Agoda app. Red Planet Hotel Angeles City offered a very affordable rate. I immediately ... Read more

It was my first time in Kuala Lumpur. I arrived via a bus from Singapore. The only information I had was I am alighting at Puduraya. I had pre-booked my accommodation at Agoda and I used that as assurance that I’ll have a good place to stay. The problem, however, was getting to the hotel from Puduraya. Luckily, I had the address of Tune Hotel Downtown KL – that lessened the worry a bit. The bus took nearly 6 hours to reach Kuala Lumpur. It was already 2 in the afternoon when we arrived in Puduraya. I followed where most of the people go, without any ... Read more

With my right foot on the 6-inch street gutter, my left extended a bit backwards, and my torso slightly leaning forward, my lap was strong enough to support my 8-kg crammed backpack. But before I did the drill, I had my eyes scanned the surroundings. I was in Pasay so I was a bit wary to the passersby. When I felt it was safe to open my bag, I searched for my face towel, unzipping almost every pockets. I believe that it was the downside of making last minute preparations, locating stuff would not be easy. It was just 4:00AM ... Read more