A secret no more. This summer, my Facebook account is flooded with notifications of friends posting ‘Anawangin Getaway’ albums containing 100+ photos each. Even back in 2008 when we first visited the cove, it was already getting crowded during weekends. Now that two years have passed, you may ask, “Is it still worth going to?”….
luzon
Nagsasa Cove, Zambales: Camping Newlyweds
Fresh (and frozen) from our Hong Kong-China honeymoon-slash-backpacking trip, we headed straight to Zambales. And when I say straight, I mean landing at NAIA Terminal 3 around 12:30 AM then go home to unload my backpack of winter clothes and replace them with skimpy beach attire then hop on an Olongapo-bound bus at 5:00 AM….
Voluntourism
Travel to the fullest! And by that, I don’t mean party like there’s no tomorrow. Make your trip more meaningful by getting involved in ‘voluntourism’, or volunteerism while on vacation. Just last January 28, we finally had the time to attend Hands On Manila’s volunteer orientation at Powerbook’s Greenbelt. That’s where we got introduced to…
Aguirangan Island: Overshadowed Gem
Tourists flocking to Caramoan usually skip Aguirangan Island, and may not have heard about it at all. Prior to our Camarines Sur trip, we haven’t heard of such place either. The island is actually just a thirty-minute boat ride from Sabang Port in San Jose, where boats going to Caramoan also depart. To get there,…
Not-So-Forgotten Rizal Park
Rizal Park or Luneta is so famous amongst Filipinos that there’s an expression widely used which goes, “parang naglalakad lang sa Luneta“, literally translated “just like strolling in Luneta”. The expression simply describes a person who walks slowly, without any care if the person behind him needs to rush past. Like a tourist sightseeing. I…
Malacañang Museum
Located in Kalayaan Hall (old Executive Building built in 1920), within the Malacañang Palace complex, Malacañang Museum houses an impressive collection that showcases the heritage of the Presidency of the Philippines. Tours are strictly by appointment only. In my case, there was no need to do so. Back in 2006, some locals I’ve befriended in…
Callao Cave: 12-hour Trip, 2-hour Spelunking
After celebrating my birthday in Sagada last September 2nd, we traveled to Tuguegarao a couple of days after. My sister was hesitant because she received an SMS from our mom saying there’s a typhoon in the region. I insisted on pushing through and said, “We’re already in north Luzon, it can’t be that far from…
Great Santa Cruz ‘Pink Beach’ Island, Zamboanga
July 2006, my Zambuangeño hosts invited me to go to Great Santa Cruz Island a day after we visited Basilan’s Malamawi White Beach. I was still overwhelmed with the fact that I stepped on Basilan territory, and can’t believe we will go next to a pink beach. The small port for Santa Cruz Island-bound boats…
Kwebang Lampas
Patar Beach
The driver of our hired van should have at least consulted a map before driving to a province unknown to him. Instead of taking the route from Camiling, we drove all the way to Urdaneta-Dagupan-Lingayen to reach Alaminos. Then from Alaminos, to Bolinao. A trip that took 8 hours (which should only be 4-5) before…