Coron, Palawan

Regarded as one of the most beautiful islands in the world, Coron in Palawan continues to attract visitors both locally and internationally. Now I know what the fuss is all about, words can’t really do any justice to its remarkable marine life and aerial beauty. I want to share some of my aerial and underwater snapshots that would make you want to book the next flight to Coron.

Green Lagoon Coron, Palawan

Green Lagoon Coron, Palawan

I was in awe the first time I set my eyes on this lagoon, it was stunningly beautiful. The water is so clear, so pure, and aquamarine. Taking a plunge from the boat into the cold water is such a bliss. I remember we were all giggles while we were swimming.

Twin Lagoon Coron, Palawan

Twin Lagoon Coron, Palawan

Twin Lagoon Coron, Palawan

If you visit Coron on a budget, I suggest Coron Backpacker Guesthouse. They offer one of the cheapest rates, you can get a room for P500.00 which is a good deal especially for solo backpackers. They offer free coffee, a kitchen to cook and eat, and a living room to socialize with other guests. It’s very homey and the staffs are friendly.

Barracuda Lake Coron, Palawan

Freediving at Barracuda Lake Coron

Freediving at Barracuda Lake Coron

You haven’t really experienced Coron if you missed Barracuda and Kayangan Lake. They are two of the most popular attractions. The thing is you need to avail Tour A and B to experience both otherwise you can also rent a private boat and choose the destinations that you prefer. Please note that the entrance fees are not included when you choose a private tour.

Skeleton Wreck Coron, Palawan

Skeleton Wreck Coron, Palawan

Coron offers a remarkable marine life, you must try scuba diving to see some WWII shipwrecks otherwise you can always do free diving. It’s fun and inexpensive, you just need to bring your freeediving fins and mask and you’re all set.

Coron, Palawan

I’m in love with this place, I mean who wouldn’t right? It’s such a beauty.

Burot Beach, Calatagan

Some of my friends went to this beautiful beach recently, so I was reminded of how much fun we had last year. Burot beach is a well-maintained resort for beach camping. The rates are pretty affordable and it’s located near Manila. A very serene place for nature lovers, just be very careful with sea urchins.

How to Get There:

Via private transportation:

We went there via private car; here’s how we made it.

From Pasay
Go to SLEX and exit Sta Rosa Laguna and take the Nasugbu Road.
Go straight once you reached Lian, Batangas. Once we reached Calatagan, we asked directions on how to go to their public market to buy some stuff. Then we asked one of the tricycle drivers to guide us to Calatagan beach, we paid him 100 pesos.

Via public transporation:

Go to Coastal Mall grand terminal, there are buses bound to Calatagan. Updated fare is P160.00, approx 3-4hrs travel time. According to some blogs, the earliest time of departure is 4 am. Alight at Calatagan market then ride a tricycle going to the beach, updated price is P200 for special trip, P50.00  per person.

Expenses and Itinerary:

Entrance fee:

daytrip = P65.00

overnight = P130.00

small table rental = P150.00

Day 1:

travel to Calatagan from Pasay

swimming, relaxing, bonfire at night

Day 2: island hopping for P100.00 each

picture-taking

bound to Manila

We’ve been here on February of 2014 so the prices might have increased as the place already gained popularity. Our total expenses including food is below 1kphp.

Kwebang Lampas; Pagbilao Quezon

I always want to spend time at the sea, the serenity it brings is like a medicine to the soul. I normally search for an unexploited wonder where I can unite with nature without the usual hard partying which is common among the popular tourist’s attractions.

Quezon Province has a lot of beautiful wonders to offer. I searched the internet and convinced my friends to go to Kwebang Lampas for an overnight camping. We used a private car going to Pagbilao, Quezon. It took us 5 or 6 hours to get there.

How To Go There:

By Public Transport

Ride a bus en route to Lucena (either from Buendia, Kamias or Cubao) and get off at Lucena Grand Central Terminal. From the terminal there are vans and jeepneys en route to Pagbilao. All buses en route to Bicol will also pass the town of Pagbilao.

From the Lucena Grand Central Terminal
Take a jeep ride bound for Brgy. Polo for Php 35.00.
Tell the driver that you are going to Lukang Beach (Lukang Beach is the old name of Kwebang Lampas).
Once in Brgy Polo, you can hire tricycle going to the Kwebang Lampas Registration area.
Tricycle drivers are charging around Php 200-250.00 one way, to bring you to the registration area. From the registration area, you can either walk all the way to the beach or ride a boat for P20.00 Round Trip, after the boat ride you need to hike to the beach for 15-20 mins.

At the registration, you have to pay for entrance.
Php 160.00 for an overnight stay.
Php 20.00 If you are crossing the lake via boat, two-way.
Php 300.00 Tents for overnight rent. bring your own tent to save money.
Php 700.00 Tables for rent.

By Private Transport

From Manila take SLEX to its end at Calamba and follow the signs towards Batangas. You will see a fork road on the right a short distance after passing the entrance to the STAR expressway. The right fork goes to Lipa City and the left goes to San Pablo – take the left fork towards San Pablo.

– See more at lakwatseradeprimera.com

The photos will speak for itself 🙂

Kwebang Lampas

Just make sure to bring your own foods if you go to the island. There’s a sari-sari store here but the price is really over the top.

Ilocos day1

Through experience i’ve learned that there will always be a beautiful side in every situation, every place, and every person. It is not innate for someone to appreciate the goodness of life and disregard the downside of it, it is a skill which is acquired through constant practice and experiences.

Last night we had a fight with my boyfriend and so with my aim of finding diversion, I decided to go traveling on my own. Then I found myself bound to the Ilocos Region. I departed at almost 12am from Partas bus lines and arrived at Laoag Ilocos Norte past 10am. It was definitely a long ride and I haven’t eaten anything for dinner so I was really starving. Right after i boarded off the bus i made a haste in finding something to eat. Alas! I found “Mang Inasal”. Try imagining a girl with a man’s appetite.

After eating a man’s meal, I roamed around the area, took pictures of anything that interests me and some “selfie’s of course given the fact that i have no one to take picture of me. Then I took a bus going to Bangui windmill, it was an hour and a half ride, i was dropped off the highway and i took a tricycle going to the windmill. The fare was overpriced i think depending on the proximity of the place. I paid 200 pesos for the two way fare, oh well I think it was fine cause the tricycle driver serve as my photographer during my stay at the windmill.

My day wasn’t over yet, I took a bus going to Pagudpud. I read a blog regarding home stays at Brgy. Saud so I have a definite destination this time. Allen’s home stay it was, never a single regret. They welcomed me with that familiar Filipino hospitality, warm and kind. Tomorrow, i’ll head back to other amazing spots and visit Vigan before I head back to Manila.

It’s my first time to travel solo and the experience was superb. I’ll post more for the expenses and itineraries on my day2 blog.

My Love Affair

Caleruega with Mt Batulao as the background

Life is all about taking chances, every individual struggles everyday in pursuit of their own happiness. Few might be brave enough to risk everything to achieve their ultimate longings and most might be too weak to fight for their heart’s desires. I wonder whether I belong to the majority or the exceptional ones.

I want to share you something about the man I love. Well, he’s not the most handsome guy in town but he has the most atypical way on how to make his woman special.

He might not be the varsity type and maybe not as strong as one but he has a valiant heart of an adventurer. He can endure the scorching heat of the sun and hike for hours just to be with the woman he loves.

He sometimes is fanciful but he’s a very selfless man. He will give his girl the last drop of water and endure his own thirst. He will give her the last bite even if he’s still hungry. He will give his jacket just to keep her warm and will do everything just to keep her safe.

He might have a bad reputation and has done stupid things in his past but I’ve given him the chance and I love the man I know. Truth is, I don’t care who he was, I care about the person I will mold him to be. I’ve given him my trust and I believe that someday he will be a great man because of me. I don’t care what he does for a living nor how much money he makes, I care about his dreams and I’ll be there as he makes it come true.

People around us may not understand my choices and they’re not entitled for an explanation. They just don’t see what I see, can’t listen as I do. What they know is superficial, they can only understand what their mind can process. They say  I’m stupid and is being blinded by love. They’re totally wrong. I definitely know his flaws, how immature he is, how weak he could be, the dark things of his past and the wrong decisions he made. I know his flatteries and his lies but thing is, my love is greater than all his negative traits and I accepted them all with the aim of helping him change.

Today is our 4th month being together, maybe it’s too early to say that what we have will last forever but who cares about forever anyway? We are living in the present and we should enjoy being in love, marvel at different things and live life like tomorrow is the end.

Burot beach
looking good together

Beach Bumming at Borawan Island

My dear readers, my apologies for posting late. I’ve been in this island twice this year and it’s still a beauty. Below are the photos;

beautiful face of sunrise

spectacular sunrise

sunrise signifies new hope, new beginning

enjoying nature’s beauty with friends

bliss 🙂

How to Get There:

We traveled via private vehicle. It’s around 5-6 hrs drive from manila.

here’s how to get there via bus; by http://www.pinoyadventurista.com

1. Take a bus bound for Lucena and get off at the Grand Terminal. There are bus companies that has regular trips to Lucena. We took Jac Liner in Buendia, fare is around 220 pesos and travel time is about 3-4 hours.

2. From the grand terminal, take a mini-bus bound for Unisan and get off at Brgy. Marao in the town of Padre Burgos. Fare is about 40 pesos and travel time is around 45 minutes.

3. Look for Vista Playa Restaurant and ask where you can rent a boat going to these beaches. Prices depend on how many are you in the group and how many islands you wish to visit (600 – 1,500 pesos).

 

 

My Love Affair to Mountains: Mt. Talamitam

Mt. Talamitam in Nasugbu, Batangas is 630 MASL, with a difficulty of 3/9.

This is my 7^th summit and one of the most remarkable climb I would say, misadventures are part of the game but this climb was full of it and that’s what made it challenging. It was supposed to be an easy, minor climb but because of the weather and unexpected events, we ended trekking at night time under the rain. We arrived at the jump off point at around 6:15 pm and started our trek instantly, you can imagine the trail with the rainy weather, it was slippery and muddy. Kudos to Columbia hiking shoes, it never failed me.

It was raining when we started the trek, we had no raincoat or any protection from the rain but still we kept going. We passed through an unstable trail on the latter part of our trek, it was dark and the right trail wasn’t visible anymore. I wasn’t even prepared for a night trek, no headlamps whatsoever; I still visualize the scenario of me holding a basic cell phone with a flashlight on my right hand while my left hand was struggling to pass against the tall grasses. It was indeed a challenge, a part of my mind was thinking, I could have stayed at home and enjoyed the comfort of my own bed yet I instantly came to the realization that this is what I love to do and the challenge uplifted my spirit to keep going.

with the ANITO mountaineers

After all the hardships, we arrived at the summit at around 8pm. It’s not the end of the drama cause even setting up the tent gave us headaches. it was my first camping, so you would imagine the drama.

mt. Talamitam

view from the summit of Mt. talamitam

Mt. Talamitam

Mt. Talamitam

Mt. Talamitam

Mt. Talamitam

freedom 🙂

sunrise at Mt. Talamitam

sunrise at Mt. Talamitam

Hacienda’s de Naga Adventure

Hacienda’s de Naga

If you are looking for an adventure of all sort, this is the best place to go.

 

 

Haciena’s de Naga

 

wall climbing

 

rappelling

 

zipline

 

fishing

 

horseback riding

 

horseback riding

 

biking

 

biking

 

atv riding

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Missing Palawan, Philippines

Dos Palmas Resort Palawan

 

Dos Palmas Resort

 

Dos Palmas Resort Palawan

Dos Palmas Resort

diving platform Dos Palmas

 

Underground River Palawan

Underground River Palawan

Daraga, Albay

We are weekend warriors indeed. I’m guilty of being busy, so I’m always posting late. We visited Albay on the first weekend of July, I travelled with my sister who have visited Bicol for three times, a real wanderlust and a sucker for beautiful places. It was long hours of travel, about 11 hrs from Cubao to Naga and another 2 hrs from the city of Naga to Daraga, Albay. We met my sister’s friend at Daet, Cam Sur before heading to Naga. We checked in at Sampaguita Inn for 800 pesos for 1 day. It was a pretty good deal, room is quite spacious for 3 and it includes 3 single beds, hot shower and the room is fully air-conditioned plus the terrace overlooking Naga river.

 

 

 

Albay

 

morning at Naga

We travelled at night so we didn’t get enough sleep but we only had 2 days to spend so we headed to Cagsawa Ruins and Lignon Hill on our first day. It was a pretty amazing and historical place. Mt. Mayon is really majestic, I wish to conquer this mountain someday. It was formerly called “Daragang Magayon” a Bicol dialect which means beautiful maiden which is very suitable for such a beauty.

Cagsawa Ruins