The Queen's Escape

Storie of connection from the summits to under the seas.

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  • CAMIGUIN DIY TRAVEL GUIDE 2025 (Itinerary + Budget)

    January 3, 2025 / 11 Comments

    The white water kissed the shore as it washes away the grains of sand off my feet. The sound of the waves was resounding; the only sound I’ve been craving for to hear. The air was thick and salty on my skin but it felt good. I took a few steps and felt the brine up to my knees, making my heart beat faster as I take one or two more until my body is finally one with the ocean again. It is the only thing that my senses could perceive in the moment. I closed my eyes and realized that this is just one of the many things that…

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    Anne Elizabeth Gumiran

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    DIY Travel Guide to Sta Cruz Island: Pink Beach of Zamboanga

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  • CABONGAOAN BEACH + DEATH POOL 2025 DIY TRAVEL GUIDE

    January 2, 2025 / 1 Comment

    When the travel restrictions were somehow lifted in most provinces of the Philippines, we took this chance to go far and beyond our region – a long drive up to the north. That’s when we decided to visit Burgos, Pangasinan for Cabongaoan Beach and its Death Pool. As much as we love freediving around Batangas, we couldn’t help but embark on a road trip for hours away from the familiar towns; yearning for new faces and adventure just like how things were for us before this pandemic. Little by little, we are starting to get our life robbed by this crisis back. We left the city, drove past the highways…

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    Anne Elizabeth Gumiran

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    Sabtang Island, Batanes: Top 6 Places to Visit for a Day Tour

    January 20, 2024

    Gintong Bukid Farm & Leisure: A Hidden Gem of Nagcarlan

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  • Valencia Negros Oriental for a day

    Valencia Negros Oriental for a Day: 2025 Travel Guide

    January 2, 2025 / 0 Comments

    I stepped out of Sibulan Airport upon my arrival from an early flight – completely clueless about my first day in Dumaguete City. To be honest, I had no concrete plans other than diving at the old Bacong Port. However, due to some unforeseen circumstances, I couldn’t go diving that day. Not wanting to let that day go to waste plus I can’t check in to my booked accommodation yet, I called a friend right away and asked for nearby places to visit in the province. Knowing that I’m an adrenaline junkie, he told me to visit Valencia Negros Oriental. With no hesitation, I hailed a habal at the airport…

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    Anne Elizabeth Gumiran

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    Intramuros at Night (Walking Tour) 2023

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    Coco del Rey: New, Pretty and Reasonably-Priced Hotel in Cebu

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    The Ultimate Luzon Philippines Bucket List

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  • Pampanga Food Guide: What and Where to Eat

    January 2, 2025 / 0 Comments

    Filipinos love food but it’s beyond just sustenance. A lot about it — from preparing, cooking to eating is deeply rooted to the rich Filipino culture and history. Almost each province, town or city boasts its own unique culinary delights anchored on their unique experiences. However, experiencing them all would take ages. To savor the best of Filipino flavors, it is best to head to the Culinary Capital of the Philippines, Pampanga. This province serves some of the most remarkable dishes in the country. Ready for a gastronomic adventure? Let this Pampanga Food Guide lead you to a top-notch culinary experience. Understanding the Kapampangan Gastronomy Pampanga is hailed as the…

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    Anne Elizabeth Gumiran

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    January 20, 2024
    Aerial view of Itaytay Beach, Port Barton, San Vicente, Palawan, Philippines

    2026 PORT BARTON SAN VICENTE, PALAWAN DIY TRAVEL GUIDE

    January 1, 2026

    Sabtang Island, Batanes: Top 6 Places to Visit for a Day Tour

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  • Vigan City Travel Guide for First Timers

    January 2, 2025 / 0 Comments

    No other cities in the Philippines have captured me the way Vigan did. It’s like a scene straight out of the movies in the 16th or 18th century with a bit of contemporary touch. The skyscrapers and the wide pavements under the city lights do not appeal to me the way the houses along Calle Crisologo, its cobblestone streets adorned with vintage streetlamps do. It just gives off this charm with a sense of nostalgia which makes it special for me. If you haven’t been to this heritage city yet or you just wish to see it in a brand-new perspective, here’s a Vigan city Travel Guide for first timers…

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    Anne Elizabeth Gumiran

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    Intramuros at Night (Walking Tour) 2023

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    Linao Cave Travel Guide: A Cenote in Eastern Samar, Philippines

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    2025 Travel Guide to Buscalan Village, Tinglayan, Kalinga

    January 3, 2025
  • Your Ultimate DIY Travel Guide to Siargao Island 2025

    January 1, 2025 / 5 Comments

    I spent most of my days in there barefoot – with tiny white shells on a string dangling on my right ankle. Everyday, my hair gets too briny and my skin gets tanner than ever. I could instantly hit the beach and bury my feet in the sand when I want to as I could just hop into a motorbike and drive few minutes down to Cloud 9. At dusk, we’d hang out on the beach to get some cheap mango ice candy that tastes heaven available at the entrance of the tower, an overpriced fruit shake or a bottle of beer while waiting for the gorgeous hues of sunset…

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    Anne Elizabeth Gumiran

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    The Ultimate Mindanao Philippines Bucket List

    September 9, 2020
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    2026 Bukidnon DIY Travel Guide (Budget + Itinerary)

    January 1, 2026

    CAMIGUIN DIY TRAVEL GUIDE 2025 (Itinerary + Budget)

    January 3, 2025
  • Bantayan Island DIY Travel Guide 2025

    January 1, 2025 / 6 Comments

    Giving into hearsays that Bantayan has the best beaches in Cebu, I willingly traded my view of the busy streets to the towering coconut trees aligned at the long stretch of white beaches of this enchanting island. To see it for myself is quite unbaffling as to why it has been among the top favorite destinations in the province. Beautiful is an understatement — humbly marvelous at the same time laidback would be more fitting. If you wish to be captured the same way it did to everyone who came, here’s a Bantayan Island DIY Travel Guide to start with. About Bantayan Island This idyllic island called Bantayan is cradled…

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    Anne Elizabeth Gumiran

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    December 29, 2024
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    Balabac, Palawan Ultimate DIY Travel Guide 2025 (Itinerary + Budget)

    January 1, 2025
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    SIQUIJOR TRAVEL GUIDE 2020 (Budget and Itinerary)

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  • Puerto Princesa Underground River DIY Travel Guide 2025

    January 1, 2025 / 3 Comments

    I am a true sucker for the world’s greatest explained and unexplained events and things. I love the feeling of fascination, being curious and learning something new. This eagerness has driven me to explore one of my dream travel destinations in the Philippines, the province of Palawan. After diving into the lagoons and shipwrecks in Coron, admiring the spectacular rock formations, hidden beaches and lagoons of El Nido and basking under the sun in the impossibly perfect beaches of Balabac, I decided to do something new in my return to Puerto Princesa, the fourth leg and the last destination in my Palawan Backpacking. I visited the spot as to what the city…

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    Anne Elizabeth Gumiran

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  • a gitl tiptoeing on a fallen coconut tree at the beach

    Balabac, Palawan Ultimate DIY Travel Guide 2025 (Itinerary + Budget)

    January 1, 2025 / 40 Comments

    My emotions started to well up at the sight of the island but extreme happiness took over. My insides fluttered with joy – ah, euphoria. I drowned into a whirlpool of words. A million drifted through my open mind but none escaped from my very mouth. My lips turned into an upward curve instead that only God knows how long it was like that. I was just staring, lost in the reverie – grateful for the moment, amazed by the incomparably pure and unspoiled beauty. So this is Balabac. How mornings are like in Onuk Island I hankered to run barefoot and feel the fine sand on my feet, the…

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    Anne Elizabeth Gumiran

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    PADI Women’s Dive Day 2025 at Casalay Boutique Villas & Dive Resort

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    DIY Travel Guide to Layag Layag Beach Camp with Budget and Itinerary

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    Balangagan Cave: Southern Sagada’s Underground Wonder

    November 11, 2022
  • Baler DIY Travel Guide 2025 (Places to Visit + Itinerary)

    January 1, 2025 / 3 Comments

    To be honest, I did not like Baler. In fact, I have avoided it on several occasions. The first time I set foot on it, I asked, “What’s good, Baler?” I thought it was boring and that there’s not much to see in there. I mean, the beach is not as pretty as the ones that I have previously visited – fine,  bone-white sand, arrays of palm trees along the beach to complete the tropical vibe. But then, as its history along with the places unknown to me unfolded before me, I have swallowed every word and regretted that I did not choose to explore it when I had a chance.…

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    Anne Elizabeth Gumiran

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    Lukong Valley Farm: Connecting with Nature through a Healthy Lifestyle

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THE QUEEN’S ESCAPE

Hi! I’m Queenie Anne Gumiran, the storyteller behind The Queen’s Escape, a Philippine travel and diving blog that celebrates wanderlust, culture, and sustainability. I started this space to share stories that go beyond pristine beaches and scenic peaks — from hidden islands and local eats to my adventures in scuba diving, freediving, and sustainable travel. Through every post, I hope to inspire you to explore the Philippines meaningfully, fall in love with its underwater and island beauty while protecting them, one escape at a time.

Recent Posts

  • THE ULTIMATE BORACAY DIY TRAVEL GUIDE (ITINERARY + BUDGET) 2026
  • Best Things to Do in Boracay in 2026
  • 2026 Fortune Island DIY Travel Guide
  • 2026 Bohol DIY Travel Guide (Itinerary + Budget)
  • CORON PALAWAN TRAVEL GUIDE (Budget + Itinerary) 2026

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