Travel Guides
This archive is a collection of detailed travel guides by a traveler for travelers and backpackers on a budget. It also includes itinerary, places to visit, where to stay and sample budget.
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2025 MT. GULUGOD BABOY DAY HIKE GUIDE (Budget + Itinerary)
I was running out of breath and I kept asking myself, “Why have I allowed myself to be here again?” I was drenched in sweat. My legs felt like they’re going to give up on me. The bag felt heavier on my shoulders. Despite the unspoken regrets, my feet still continued for I know what awaits up there. It’s a love and hate relationship with the mountains. I hate the assaults as much as I love the challenge and the priceless reward at the summit. You would say how you would never want to find yourself doing it again yet these words will be gone in the wind as soon…
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BOLINAO PANGASINAN TRAVEL GUIDE 2025
It was my first time to visit Pangasinan and the first town I’ve set my feet upon is Bolinao. I have always loved long drives and the trip to Bolinao is then one of those. The long drive, particularly the entrance to the town fascinated me big time because of the natural landscape and the green rolling hills and plains at the sight although afar. I was even more amazed when I learned about the historical side of it apart from seeing how stunning it truly was. About Bolinao Pangasinan Pangasinan is situated at the northern west coast of the archipelago facing the West Philippine Sea. It’s beauty and treasures…
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Top 8 Reasons Why You Should NOT Stay in Abraham Bohol
Bohol is my go-to place for dive retreats. It always draws me back to its blessed shores time and again throughout the year. With each visit, I would explore not just the dive spots but also places to stay or accommodations yet amidst the search, one consistent choice emerges – hostels. This year, I stumbled upon a fresh option: Abraham Bohol. And my take on it? Don’t. If you’re curious, here are my top 8 reasons why you should NOT stay in Abraham Bohol. Fun tours every day at the top attractions, restaurants and bars in Bohol Bohol, a gem of the Central Visayas Region, is among the top tourist…
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Mt. Pinatubo Day Trip Experience: What to Expect
My seemingly unending proverbial list of places in the Philippines to see before I die include hiking into volcanoes. It started when we went on a hike in Taal volcano, an active one that erupted just this 2020 (now closed) and told myself I should venture more into such. It’s more than just the thrill of being at the edge of a volcano’s caldera. As a true sucker for earth sciences and adventure, the awe-striking scene that the nature has formed and the fun in getting there got me drawn into it. Since then, I have set my eyes and intentions into meeting Mt. Pinatubo. So, if you’re also looking…
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2024 EL NIDO PALAWAN DIY TRAVEL GUIDE
I was welcomed by an extremely stunning sunset the moment I set foot in El Nido Palawan for the first time. The sky gradually turned into a gorgeous pastel palette. A few settled at the beach, too – in awe of the evenfall hues reflecting into the ocean creating an entirely calming mood. The restaurants ashore started to be filled with people who are tired and famished from exploring the best of the islands. I could hear distant chatters and merry laughter. The small waves softly crashed into the shore – a great music to my ear. I took it as El Nido’s way of telling me that I might…
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North Batan Tour in Batanes: What to Expect
I remember myself being giddy and restless on my seat as I look outside the window admiring the view I’ve been coveting to witness with my own eyes for years. Our plane started the descent and the hefty clouds parted revealing a vast, rugged verdant landscape with long and winding pavements on the edge. I was mouthing prayers of gratitude as we safely landed with a fair weather in the island. It took me some time and pinching before I could even believe myself that I was there. It was only when we were there on top of the iconic Basco lighthouse waiting for sunset to conclude our North Batan…
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South Batan Tour: Top 16 Places to Visit in Batanes
During our North Batan tour on our first day, Batanes has right there and then tugged my heartstrings. South Batan, on the other hand, made me skip a heartbeat. Its marvelous wonders had me feel a rush of emotions—excitement, awe, and a touch of disbelief. The reality is sinking in, and it’s even more breathtaking than the photos I have seen; than I have ever imagined. Every destination was like a page in a book with each revealing a piece of Batanes’s rich and well-preserved tapestry. South Batan Tour: A Storyteller of Beauty and Legacy South Batan Tour is composed of areas of interests in three municipalities namely Mahatao, Ivana…
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What You Should Know about Getting a Tattoo in Buscalan Village
The year was 2018 and you’re a young adult with a tattoo-free skin from head to toe. You woke up to a dark blue sky melting into warm colors of sunrise; on your last day in the peaceful village of Buscalan. You were about to pack your things when it just hit you: I won’t leave this beautiful place without a tattoo. Fearlessly, you got your first tattoo and the next thing you know, a living legend, the master tattooist is hand tapping her three-dot signature on your waist. If you’re thinking of not missing out on getting inked by the living legend too; hence, getting a tattoo in Buscalan…
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Sabtang Island, Batanes: Top 6 Places to Visit for a Day Tour
As we slowly approached Sabtang island under the gray skies, the morning sun peaked a little casting a warm gentle glow on the ocean and the hills from afar. My eyes were glued to the island clueless about the marvelous surprise that we were about to witness. I spotted a movement in the waters in my peripheral and thought, “that’s a flying fish, maybe,” not until it leaped gracefully out of the water leaving a few of us who first saw it in awe. “Dolphins, dolphins!” I exclaimed. A pod of dolphins appeared beside our faluwa with their playful antics bringing most of us passengers to the edge. It was…
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Top Places to Visit in Samal Island, Davao del Norte 2024
Samal island is brimming with natural marvels ranging from its highest peak, magnificent waterfalls, eco-tourism attractions and sanctuaries, diverse array of marine life and more. It promises an ideal retreat and a peaceful respite from the bustle of the nearby city. If you desire to experience what this tropical island has to offer, here are the top places to visit in Samal Island, Davao del Norte this 2023! Places to Visit in Samal Island During an Inland Tour Kaputian Beach Majority of the breathtaking inland beaches on Samal Island are situated adjacent to beach resorts. Although certain beaches may be exclusive and costly, there are also a few options that…
