Singapore Trip
Singapore has a special place in my heart. It was the first city outside of the Philippines that I set foot on. My first time was almost two years ago and it was on that trip that I met some of friends. That's why when I was thinking of a trip for me and my mom, it was easy for me to decide to head back to Singapore and share with my mother what it has to offer.
I Found My Childhood at Casa San Pablo
We packed our bags, drove to San Pablo City, Laguna and checked in to Casa San Pablo. We weren't blown away. No, not blown away. What was there was a whisper, a gentle breath reminding me of the things I had lost.
Padre Burgos-Pagbilao, Quezon Camping Trip
This was no ordinary trip. More than anything, this trip was a reunion. My college friends and I had not met one another in years and it was the first time that all of us would be going on a trip together. Needless to say, the trip was bound to be memorable primarily because of the people I was with.
3D/2N Hong Kong Family Trip
Although it wasn't my first time to travel abroad, it was my first time to travel out of Luzon with my family. When they announced that the plane was ready, I had to literally cover their mouths because the kids won't stop shouting.
The Majestic Mayon Volcano | Bicol Adventure
“Mayon is the most beautiful mountain I have ever seen, the world-renowned Fujiyama (Mt. Fuji) of Japan sinking into perfect insignificance by comparison.” —British traveler-writer A. Henry Savage Landor
BOHOL Getaway | Summary and Expenses
Our energy level isn't really proportional to the beauty of this island province. Touring Bohol is really exhausting but every calorie we burned and second spent was worth it.
ILOCOS Road Trip | Summary and Expenses
The Ilocos Region is home of the most amazing tourist destinations in the country. I was pleasantly surprised that even up to now, this trip to Ilocos remains on my short list of my best domestic travels.
Bacolod–Negros Occidental Trip | Summary & Expenses
This trip is probably one of my favorites! I enjoyed every single second and every single thing I experienced in Negros Occidental --- from the gastronomic treats in Bacolod, to a welcome history lesson in Talisay and Silay, to a much greater appreciation of nature in Cauayan. Negros Occidental is a gem.
DAVAO Highland Adventure | Summary and Expenses
Yes, I was afraid at first. But now that the tour was over and I’m back in Manila, guess what. I LOVED IT. I extremely enjoyed our white water rafting experience and thoroughly appreciated my first time to try the zipline. Even my first taste of crocodile and ostrich meat was not that bad. At the moment, I’m planning to go back to Davao City and do the exact same thing all over again with friends.
Tacloban-Marabut Trip | Summary and Expenses
Tacloban, Leyte and Marabut, Samar are beautiful destinations. I just wish the weather was not that killjoy when we were there. We weren't able to drop by many spots in Tacloban and we also failed to visit Sohoton Natural Bridge National Park because of the strong river current. Although we had a great time, I take all the things that went wrong in this trip as a sign that, well, I shall return.
From where I stood, I could see the sun paint the clouds pink as it began to kiss the horizon. The Poor Traveler was walking with friends to the beach and our excitement was just overflowing with each step towards the shore. As the sound of the waves stammering the name of the sea got louder, the thought of watching [...]
Every time my phone beeped, I prayed to see a “yes.” I wasn’t proposing to my partner; I was procrastinating. It was one o’clock in the morning, a few hours before our flight and there I was, still trying to find a hotel online. I had texted every contact number I had seen online in the middle of the night [...]
El Nido is a town in the northern part of Palawan. Comprised of 45 islands, El Nido is popular for white sand beaches, snorkeling and diving sites, and steep Karst cliffs. Although famous, reaching this tropical paradise can be quite a challenge to travelers because of its remoteness. For the Poor Traveler and his friends, however, its location is not [...]
As our boat glided through the waves into the Big Lagoon of Miniloc Island in El Nido, Palawan, I couldn’t help but think about how much I needed this break. The limestone cliffs that surround the clear, turquoise waters reflecting the sunny skies were more therapeutic than any massage or cigarette I had. It was the perfect moment. A classic [...]
“Hey, look at this!” There she was, my friend Tonet, standing motionless before a gravestone; her eyes glued to the engraving. “It’s weird.” “What is?” I walked towards her. “Look.” Her finger led my eyes to two words in particular. Last seen. Usually, a gravestone has two lines written below the name of the departed — the date the person [...]
Coffins scare the hell out of me. I said it before and I’m saying it now — The Poor Traveler is not the Brave Traveler. There are so many things out there that terrify me. One of them is death. And most of the things related to it. The mere sight of a coffin is enough to make me shiver. [...]
“I don’t know.” That was my groundbreaking answer when my friends Dane and Ces asked me where we would be staying in Sagada. We were already on the way there. “Are you serious?” Unfortunately, I was. And it was a big problem. How could a group of yuppies travel to Sagada without any hostel reservation? The guest houses I called [...]
We missed the sunrise. Although the original plan was to witness the sunrise from the Kiltepan Viewpoint on our last morning in Sagada, we still hoped we could catch the dawn as soon as we arrived. We tried to dodge the idea of waking up really early on our last day. Unfortunately, the sun was already up when we reached [...]
“Let’s go to Sagada.” More than five years ago, just before our college graduation, my friend Tonet invited me to go to Sagada. Tonet and I had always wanted to visit Sagada for a number of reasons. “I don’t think that’s possible given that we’re too busy working on our theses. Perhaps after graduation?” I suggested. After graduating, while we [...]
First times. If there’s one thing that I am so grateful about this trip, it’s that it gave me a several first times. It was my first time to board a cruise ship. It was my first time to see a cruise ship, to be honest. My first time to set foot on Malaysia. My first time at a Temple [...]
“Hey, come inside! Look!” Normally, when somebody excitedly invites me over to show me something, I get thrilled. But at that particular moment, I was not. And with good reason. My blogger friend had just emerged from the restroom and excitedly grabbed my arm to show me “something.” “Where are we going?” I asked. “Stop asking questions! Just come with [...]
Quarter-life crisis. I guess it’s starting to kick in. Almost every night since my 25th birthday I would just lie in my bed at night and think about my childhood. When I close my eyes, I try to relive the days when I would just spread my arms wide open and pretend to fly. I try to remember the day [...]
Earlier that day, when our Tour Guide announced that we had entered the city of Kuala Lumpur, I quickly moved to a window seat and started searching the skies for an imposing structure — the Petronas Towers. When I looked at our itinerary before this trip, I was familiar with these twin towers only. Prior to this trip, I had [...]
The Kuala Lumpur Tower, or Menara Kuala Lumpur, has become one of the most iconic landmarks in Malaysia. Completed in 1995, the tower is 421 meters (1,381 feet) tall, making it one of the tallest free standing towers in the world. The KL Tower, as it is more popularly called, was built to improve the quality of telecommunications and broadcast [...]
Our tour bus stopped in front of what looks like a cricket field. “We gonna play?” I mumbled. The green field lie in front of Tudor-style buildings that somehow reminded me of Old England. Malaysia was under British rule before. It was only when I caught a glimpse of the flag pole in the southern end of the field that I [...]
