Luzon
-
Top Places to Visit in Sagada, Mountain Province
It may seem tiresome with all the long drives, early morning wake up call and thousands of steps up and down the hill or stairs but I must say, Sagada is more than worth it. All the beautiful and scenic distractions it offers along the journey and the priceless view and takeaways at the end of it are all worth it. It truly has a lot to offer and if you wish to explore this charming little town in Mountain Province, here’s a list of the top places to visit in Sagada, Mountain Province to begin with! Important note: The local tourism office requires the tourists to get a guide…
-
Top Places to Eat in Sagada
What could appease a wandering soul who just came back to población, tired and famished from a journey through the scenic trail? I’d say it would be a heavenly plate of food. If you find yourself in such a situation in this cool, tranquil place in Mountain Province, here’s the list of the top places to eat in Sagada and the food that you shouldn’t miss in each. A Glance into Sagada’s Gastronomy On the Traditional Plate The Igorots (mountain dwellers) of the Cordilleras are largely carnivorous or meat lovers. They have developed their own unique ways of preparing or cooking their food, especially the meat; which made their dishes…
-
Freediving in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines
I am honestly into chasing new and beautiful things in the places that I haven’t seen nor experienced yet that I tend to miss the ones in those that I have previously visited. Unfortunately, during the pandemic, our destination options and outdoor activities to try are quite limited. On the bright side of it, we took this as a chance to go back to those provinces that are open and we’ve already visited. For more than a year now, we’ve been traveling to nearby towns and provinces where we could go freediving since it’s one of the few that we can do. Looking for some place else to dive aside…
-
La Union’s Tangadan Falls DIY Travel Guide 2024
In my most recent visit in La Union, I made sure that I’ll make the most out of this trip seeing to it that I’ll get to experience a piece of its well-traveled towns as I didn’t get a chance to do so before. I went on a gastronomic walk in San Juan, a cultural and historical trip in San Fernando and Luna, grape picking and tasting at Bauang and an exciting trek to the famed waterfalls in San Gabriel. Among these activities, the one that I enjoyed the most is the trip to Tangadan Falls. I’ve been to this province a couple of times but the weather or my…
-
2024 DIY Hulugan Falls Travel Guide (Itinerary + Budget)
I stood still, staring at it; regretful of my decision a few years back when I refused to visit it as I busy myself chasing wonders far from home. I was astonished as I gazed at the cascading waters creating a mist that made its plunge pool invisible. It was so enthrallingly high and powerful with its beauty coming right at me; blessing my senses in every way possible. This small quaint town of Luisiana is a cradle to a gem with an irresistible charm. This is Hulugan Falls. About Hulugan Falls Hulugan Falls is one of the four and the tallest of all falls in the town of Luisiana,…
-
Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point for a Day
I have always dreamed about walking down the streets between whitewashed walls with blue dome roofs one day in my life in this Greek island that I don’t even have to name as everyone knows about it. I’ve fancied standing on a terrace overlooking the crystal-clear ocean with the sky melting into golden hues before me. I was manifesting all of it as I do the exact same thing in this Greek-Mediterranean-inspired hotel and resort somewhere in northern Luzon in the Philippines. Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point gave me the closest feel of one of my dream getaways but with a less significant price tag. About Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point Thunderbird…
-
A Solo Backpackers’ Travel Guide to Palawan (Coron, El Nido, Balabac, Puerto Princesa City)
Every day for 17 days, people asked me, “Why are you traveling alone?” I usually tell them that I can’t find people whom I can travel with for that long because they can’t just leave from their job or the trip might cost a fortune. I responded with those because those were the easiest answers I can give. I did not have to explain a thing because the people who asked me could understand. But deep in my heart, I know that it’s not just it. Though partly true, those were not entirely my reasons. Let me tell you, this is beyond the pictures that you see. It’s more than…
-
Ganduyan Museum: A Trip Down Sagada’s Memory Lane
If there’s one mistake every tourist visiting Sagada would be making, it is not dropping by Ganduyan Museum before going anywhere else in the town. This was my thought the moment we finished interviewing sir Lester Aben, the son of the late Christina Aben – the curator of this very museum. I’ve been to a lot of museums as a true sucker for origin, culture and history but only a few have I heard of speaking about the past as if it wasn’t distant. Perhaps because Sir Lester was more than just a museum guide – it was his ancestors, his family, the Applai tribe, his home that he was…
-
Balangagan Cave: Southern Sagada’s Underground Wonder
I’ve been to some of the most renowned caves in the Philippines like Callao of Cagayan and Underground River in Puerto Princesa City and I must say, caves are a proof that nature is an unparalleled artist. These made me interested about caves that I wanted to see and experience more. Recently, we got a chance to explore another one found in southern Sagada, Mountain Province – the Balangagan Cave. For someone who has not really tried spelunking, the Balangagan expedition was quite an experience. Caves in the Cordilleras, including Balangagan, are fascinating in such a way and let me tell you why. How Balangagan Cave got its Name The…
-
Panag-apoy: A Night of Remembering the Dead in Sagada
As the sun started to set, thick, dark smoke began to rise towards the sky just above the cemetery. “Panag-apoy must have started“, we thought to ourselves. We then followed the flow of the crowd silently walking to the Anglican cemetery — some carrying the pine twigs on their shoulders. Sagada people’s culture and traditions are rich making it truly interesting. Among those that fascinated and intrigued me big time is their death and burial practices. This year, we got a chance to witness Panag-apoy, one of the most unique ways of Igorots in remembering the dead. Panag-apoy is a Kankana-ey (Igorots of Sagada’s language) phrase that means “to light…
