Blogs

Travel Log: Day 1 – Traversing Baguio-Sagada Crooked Road and Trekking to Bomod-ok Falls

We left Victory Liner Cubao Station at 9PM and reached Baguio City past 3AM the next day. As expected, it was cold, even colder than the bus’ frosting A/C. We transferred to GL/Lizardo Trans, which left Baguio at 4AM, and navigated the Philippines’ most thrilling and most bewildering highway, the Benguet National or Halsema Highway. After 2 hours traversing the crooked road, we made a stop at Morning Star Fastfood in Barangay Sayangan, Atok, Benguet, where most of us took our breakfast. It was the longest zigzag road ever and surely the greatest torture to persons with kinetosis or motion ... Read more

Few Things to Note While on Travel (Learned from Sagada Tour)

I admit, I am too curious and that may explain why I am a fervent observer. I forget things that do not foster my interest, keep sensitive stuffs secret, document trivial information, and share funny memories (anonymously, if sensitive). Below were just few of the trivial and most of the funny memories I had with newly earned friends while in Sagada. Group Pic at Echo Valley On the Accommodations Side Don’t let six ladies stay in a single room, that makes the waiting longer. Never allow the six ladies in one room share a bathroom with ladies from the other ... Read more

Surviving Sagada: I Was Never Alone

After looking for the best way to spend a weekend, I made a last minute registration with Travel Factor’s Conquer Sagada tour. I was a solo joiner. I boarded a bus with group of strangers, all with the same destination. I had minimal expectations during that moment and my primary goal was to, at least, enjoy the trip. Meetup with TravelFactor Staff Without counting our guides, Tikoy and Ron, I first met Steph. I sat beside her while waiting for our departure. We only learned that we’re on the same junket when Tikoy started to roll out the attendees’ list and ... Read more

Exploring the Rocks in Cabacungan Cove

After taking a relaxing dip in Cabongaoan beach and enjoying the gleeful hop in Culebra Island, we fared to Cabacungan Cove, the fourth stop of our Burgos+Dasol Pangasinan escape. The cove has rocky shores so we got off at a distance where there is enough space between the boat’s keel and the scabrous littoral seabed. We were already wet so we didn’t mind taking another drench. Rocky Beach of Cabacungan Cove The cove is primarily made of rust-colored rocks. On one end is a small cave where you can enjoy wading to its emerald water or listening to a ‘surround-sound’ ... Read more

Photo Gallery: Surviving Sagada (May 24 – 27, 2013)

Okay! okay! I know you guys couldn’t wait any longer so here are the first batch of the photos. The rest will be uploaded in Facebook soon. Sorry, I still have some other stuffs to do so I did not mind organizing. Click on the photo to zoom, share, comment, and download.   [custom_gallery id=”4440″ layout=”masonry”] [toggle title=”Sagada Related Articles” state=”opened”] Photo Gallery: Surviving Sagada (May 24 – 27, 2013) Surviving Sagada: I Was Never Alone Travel Log: Day 1 – Traversing Baguio-Sagada Crooked Road and Trekking to Bomod-ok Falls Sagada Cave Connection – Day 2 of Counquer Sagada Tour ... Read more

Hidden Garden’s Pink Lily

Hidden Garden is located at Brgy. Bulala, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur. As the name says, the garden is hidden to some random folks and passers-by. You need to intentionally visit the Garden to witness its real beauty. Good thing that they don’t charge an entrance fee.  The photo below is a pink lily taken from the Hidden Garden. Make sure you include Hidden Garden in your future visit to heritage city of the north, Vigan. Hidden Garden’s Pink Lily Exif: Camera: EOS 1100D Aperture: F/5 Focal Length: 43 mm ISO-Speed: 100 Shutter Speed: 1/16 seconds [toggle title=”More articles about my Ilocos ... Read more

Shutter: Kabigan Falls

Kabigan Falls is located Barangay Balaoi, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. It is 1.8 kilometer away from the main road and you need to trek an hour or more just to reach this wonder. Kabigan Falls Exif: Camera: EOS 1100D Aperture: F/22 Focal Length: 18mm ISO-Speed: 100 Shutter Speed: 0.59 seconds [toggle title=”More articles about my Ilocos tour” state=”opened”] An Afternoon in Paoay Biyaheng Ilocos Itinerary and Photo Collections Inside and Around Malacañang of the North Pagudpud Tour Cycle: See Pagudpud Wonders for 600 Pesos Inside Father Burgos Museum (Vigan) Vigan, More Elegant at Night [/toggle]

Getting the Warmest Sun Kiss at Culebra (Collibra) Island, Dasol, Pangasinan

A friend, Marx of Marxtermind.com, invited me to a weekend Pangasinan tour with 2000-peso budget. I wasn’t skeptical in accepting the invite but had kept my expectations low. I didn’t expect to see something wondrous and didn’t reckon something pristine (Oops! Am I giving you clues?). Anyway, whenever I get travel invites, I undoubtedly give my nods without any presumptions, because, at the end of the day, it is the people you meet and the people you share the experience with matters the most. We spend the first half of Saturday travelling. We left Manila at 4AM and arrived in ... Read more

Paraiso ni Anton: The Mystery of the Healing Water and the White Lady

Paraiso ni Anton is one of the few stops of the Pagudpud Tour Cycle, a local tourism project of the municipality that aims to bring visitors to Pagudpud’s top-notch destinations. Tourist take photos while locals take a sip of the waters dripping from the hill. Kuya Amante, my tour cycle guide, slowly climbed the concrete stairway after approaching the site. He chanted a little prayer in front of the Virgin Mary statuette. He then stepped down and proceeded to the watery part of the hill. Silently, he put his palms together and fetched some drips and then sipped. Paraiso ni ... Read more