Tag: Iloilo

Condé Nast Traveler recognized three Philippine Islands, Boracay (1st), Cebu (2nd), and Palawan (4th), as among the five best islands in Asia on its latest readers’ choice awards. Two of them are from the Visayas. Boracay and Cebu are undoubtedly two of the country’s most popular. Both receives significant number of tourists, and many more are aspiring to visit. Whitebeach, Boracay Island Malapascua Island, on the other hand, may not be able to make the cut but is already an internationally recognized dive spot. It is a haven for deep sea scuba divers, especially those who wanted to see the ... Read more

As I always share, I find peace in three things. Those are: listening to a favorite country music while seated next to a window during long bus rides; gazing at a sunset or a starry night as the cold, gentle breeze gives me a comforting chill; and staring through the horizon with a white beach on the foreground and green massifs with a blue sky on the backdrop. Bulobadiangan Island Sandbar: Undeniably a stunner With my unending search for peace, I found Concepcion, a small town in Iloilo that hides a beautiful gem. The Bulobadiangan, Agho, and Pan de Azucar Islands are ... Read more

To start, this is not a recent travel story. We visited Isla de Gigantes July last year, few months before the rampage of Typhoon Yolanda, wherein Isla de Gigantes is one of those places that received a big hit. Good thing that the island group has been making significant recovery. I am sharing this, though late, to give you an idea how great it is to stay on its islands. I can guarantee that the beauty it once had when we visited the place remains ’till the present. Nature always survive nature, anyway. We accessed Isla de Gigantes via Iloilo ... Read more

After checking-in at Ong Bun Pension House, where we spent our night before heading home, we boarded a jeepney at Valeria corner Ledesma Street to Tatoy’s Manokan and Seafood (sorry, I forgot the jeepney’s route). Upon hearing seafood, our ears rang really hard, making us in doubt. We’ve been eating the same seafood (scallops specifically) for two days straight  in Isla de Gigantes, so we wanted something different – something that isn’t shellfish. Since a friend, who happened to be a local, recommended the restaurant to us, we headed there without further questioning. The jeepney ride took nearly 45 minutes and it ... Read more

We took the earliest Cebu Pacific flight to Iloilo and headed to SM City Iloilo immediately after our arrival. We decided to wait for Marx there, who was coming after an hour, and for us to look for some early morning refreshments. When we arrive at SM Iloilo, we found nothing, I mean, every shop, eatery, or carenderia were closed. Good thing I had my phone fully charged at this moment. I completely realized the importance of my data plan during those kind of situations. Search…search..search, and boom! I found Ted’s Oldtimer LaPaz Batchoy which was nearby. Ted’s OldTimer LaPaz ... Read more

As Islas de Gigantes rises to popularity, you may be curious and would like to set foot to these island groups. So, to ease the pesky travel preparations, I have prepared a quick guide on how to get to Isla de Gigantes. Tanke, a Saltwater Lagoon The main gateway to Islas de Gigantes is the town of Estancia and you can get to Estancia via the following: Via Iloilo City Take any Philippine major airline to Iloilo International Airport. From the Airport, take a van to SM City Iloilo. The fare is ₱50.00 and the travel time is 30-45 minutes. ... Read more

Sitting in the northeastern tip of Panay Island, Islas de Gigantes is making a buzz among backpacking enthusiasts—seemingly inclining its trend towards popularity. The once unknown is making its name to the list of Philippine scenic destinations—competing with other new comers on the rise. I can’t say its virgin since the locals had long been scouting its beautiful territories before any outsiders do. Islas de Gigantes is comprised of two main island groups namely: Gigantes Norte and Gigantes Sur. The lighthouse erects in Gigantes Norte and is the home to Baquitan and Baquitan Cave, Langub beach, and Gigantes National Museum. ... Read more

We stayed at Gigantes Hideaway Resort during our tour in Gigantes Islands. For 200 pesos a day, we were nested in a nipa hut accommodation (good for 3) with comfy bedding (but don’t expect too much) and a common CR/bathroom. We are talking about rural accommodation here, so expect mosquitoes to ruin your sleep (you know what to do to counter them). Brgy. Aluman’s shore is covered with scallop shells instead of sand or pebbles. Aside from the island’s main attractions such as the island and beach hopping, spelunking, lighthouse viewing, etc, the other thing that we enjoyed during the ... Read more

One of the famous stops of Isla de Gigantes Island Hopping is the Salt Water Lagoon in the south of Gigantes Islands. Locals call it Tangke. Tanke is the featured photo from our recent Trip to Iloilo. Saltwater Lagoon (Tangke), Isla de Gigantes Sur, Carles Iloilo