Blogs

I could see the reefs in the seemingly shallow deep. From a afar is a mangrove-forested shore shielded with a concrete dike. On the other end are few houses overlooking the rock cliffs. Few seconds later, I heard the ships honked, signalling that we are approaching the port. Yes! In few moments, I could finally set foot in Siquijor. I missed the fast craft so I decided to hop on a Roro vessel. It wasn’t a bad choice since my resort is closer to the Roro’s port compared to that of the fast craft. Fastcrafts enter Siquijor island via the ... Read more

Standing on Marian Hill of Barangay Simala in Sibonga town of Cebu province is officially called the Monastery of the Holy Eucharist. Locals called it “Birhen sa Simala” or the Miraculous Mother Mary of Simala. They don’t give it a new name for no reasons. In fact, many can attest to the miracles or granted prayers after their devotion. Proofs of these miracles are displayed in the walls inside the prayer hall. The panorama of the Monastery of the Holy Eucharist I arrived at noon in the Monastery after my early morning visit at Santo Niño Church and Magellan’s Cross from Cebu City proper. ... Read more

I’d been to Cebu on Several occasions but I never got a chance to visit the monument that represents the city’s long history and establishment: the Magellan’s Cross and the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. The Shrine of Magellan’s Cross The Magellan’s Cross was brought to the Philippines, Cebu specifically, by Spanish-commissioned Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan on March 15, 1521. The Cross was seated on its current site by Magellan himself on April 21, 1521. The original cross is now encased in Tindalo wood to protect it from those people who chipped away part of the cross for souvenirs. There ... Read more

I’ve been stranded for two days in Siquijor for two days as of this writing. This is all because of tropical depression Seniang which turned into a storm and now, a typhoon. When I had nothing left to do in my 350-peso room near the port, I walked around the town, then I found this snack bar along Caridad Street. I am reluctant to try unfamiliar food houses, however, when I saw that they had plenty of patrons (judging on the number of customers), I checked the place. M’S Place I noticed that most of the guests ordered siopao so I thought ... Read more

Whenever I travel, excitement always wakes me earlier than usual, no matter how tired I was the night before. My visit to Candi Prambanan is schedule at 6AM but I was wide awake at 4 o’clock. I had finished all the preparations and I couldn’t go back to sleep so I had to kill the time watching unfamiliar television shows. At 5:30, I left the hotel and walked towards the closest TransJogja Station which I pre-determined during my research. It was 10 minutes walk. I asked the station master for directions and he was accommodating enough to inform on what ... Read more

Honk! Honk! Honk! Those were the last sounds I heard in my dreams, which turned out to be a reality. The train that I hopped on the previous night in Jakarta was approaching its other end, the Tugu Station in Yogyakarta (or Jogjakarta or Jogja). I did not get that much  sleep I wanted, I was awake most of time because of excitement and of making acquaintance (I was sitting beside a local on that long train ride). I knew that in few hours, I will be seeing Candi Borobudur. The train arrived at 5:40AM and it was still too ... Read more

With the end of 2014 fast approaching it is time to start thinking about what you would do differently in 2015. A fresh start for the new year is the perfect time to start considering what you would like your new year to be like. For many people seeing more of the world is something that they would like to make happen. People are quick to assume that travelling the globe is an expense that they can’t afford. Thankfully travel websites such chinadirect-travel.co.uk have plenty of help and advice on offer. Here is a list of the best tips I ... Read more

Are you travelling to either Hong Kong or Singapore? Then, this giveaway is for you. If you win, we will take care of your 1-day pass in either Ocean Park Hong Kong or Universal Studios Singapore courtesy of Klook. Klook is an online travel concierge, helping travelers to find and book all sorts of tours, and activities. They also offer discounted tickets and passes to various attractions in Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Indonesia, Mauritius, Cambodia, and Nepal. Prize Details: The winner can choose only one of the following prize which can be used between 07-Jan-2015 to 30-April-2015: 1-day Ocean Park ... Read more

To be honest, I am not a hostel guy. Though it’s fun to meet some random travelers around, I prefer a private space to spend the night. The hostel setting would not give me the type of seclusion I wanted. Guests come and go anytime while some have weird activities during sleep. But due the the strong urge to save, I sometimes resort to this type of accommodation. The Reception I am arriving very late at night in Jakarta and sleeping in its airport isn’t an option so I have to get a cheap place for the quickie sleep in advance. ... Read more