Active Volcanoes in the Philippines

With Taal Volcano’s ongoing eruption, everybody’s on edge. Thousands of residents who live near the lake have been displaced and animals have been abandoned on the island. The landscape of Taal’s Volcano Island will probably never be the same again.

View of Taal Lake from Tagaytay (pre-2020 eruption)

It’s scary to think of what could happen in the future. It makes you wonder how prepared we are considering that the Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7,100 islands, most of which are volcanic in origin. In fact, there are at least 300 volcanoes in the country.

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Travel Guide: Tanay, Rizal

The town of Tanay in Rizal province is one of my favorite destinations near the metro for motorcycling road trips. Its proximity to Manila, refreshing mountain scenery, cooler climate, and generally uncrowded destinations makes it a good alternative to Tagaytay on any given weekend. Parts of Tanay pass through portions of the Sierra Madre mountain range, making it a great motorcycling and biking destination.

For weekend warriors and families, Tanay has lots to offer in terms of natural attractions. The resorts and leisure camps in the area also make it a popular destination for team-building activities as well.

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Ricardo’s Vista del Cielo in Tanay, Rizal

The Marikina-Infanta Highway or Marilaque in Tanay has always been a favorite for solo breakfast and date rides during weekends. With all the Christmas madness, I find myself just wanting to get away from the city, even if it’s just to drink coffee or have breakfast with a view of the mountains, away from all the cars and traffic of Metro Manila.

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Fun Outdoor Activities for the Rainy Season

The Philippines is a tropical island, with two major seasons: wet and dry. The months of June to October are generally wet, while September and October are often the typhoon season in the Philippines. While we do get dry days, weather is generally unpredictable, making it difficult to plan travel and vacations, especially if sea travel is involved.

The rainy season can really curb one’s enthusiasm for travel and adventure. But if you’re already in the country during the monsoon season, what can you do?

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Travel Guide: Antique

Antique is a province of the Philippines located in the region of Western Visayas. Just a couple of hours away from the gateway to Boracay, the country’s most famous beach party destination, Antique offers a different kind of getaway. “Off-the-beaten-path” is the description that immediately comes to mind. This laid-back province comprised of 18 municipalities (no cities!) has a lot to offer for those looking for raw and rugged adventures.

They’ve got it all for you, including riverside jungle hot tubs, beautiful uncrowded beaches, rice terraces hidden in remote mountain villages, multi-level waterfalls, clear rivers and springs, mountain highlands and stunning karst cliffs.

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10 Extreme Things to Do in Bukidnon

Bukidnon is a province in the Philippines located in Northern Mindanao. Despite being the third largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction behind Palawan and Isabela, this province remains still a bit off the tourist radar. Many travelers have yet to explore the province’s amazing attractions.

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10 Great Biking Destinations in Luzon

Manila is not the most bike-friendly city in Asia. But if you venture a little further from the metro, you’ll be surprised to find that the Philippines actually has some pretty spectacular mountain biking destinations. Ok, so it may take a little bit of time, effort and resources to get there, but for cyclists looking for bucketlist-worthy places to bike in the country, I think we have a few that we can be proud of.

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The Legacy Trail at Masungi Georeserve

Masungi Georeserve is a conservation area and karst rock garden hidden in the rainforests of Baras in Rizal. I’m sure by now, most tourists are familiar with the giant hammocks, rope bridge courses and spiderweb-like view deck, which are the highlights of the Discovery Trail. For those who would like to delve deeper into the forest, engage with the local community, and make a difference somehow, the park just launched a new trail called the Legacy Trail.

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Travel Guide: Masungi Georeserve in Baras, Rizal

Masungi Georeserve is a conservation area and karst rock garden hidden in the rainforests of Baras, Rizal. Its name comes from the local term “masungki” which translates to “spiked” – describing the jagged limestone landscape found here. The discovery trail offers a unique outdoor experience where visitors get to hike through karst landscape, with limestone formations, sinkholes, caves and natural trails and forests. The geological park has eco-friendly conservation areas, rest stations and obstacles including hanging bridges, rope ladder descents, view decks, and a giant hammock where you can enjoy views of the amazing natural landscape.

masungi-georeserve-travelup-hammock-cover

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Hike to Binurong Point, Catanduanes

Ang sarap siguro mag motor dito. All the time I was in Catanduanes traveling by van with fellow travel bloggers, I couldn’t help but think how great it would be to go on a motorcycle tour of the place.

While visiting the various tourist spots in this island province in the Bicol region, we passed through long coastal highways devoid of traffic and off-road areas zigzagging through the mountains, only to reach stunningly beautiful spots with amazing views. Our hosts saved one of the best for last in our itinerary: Binurong Point.

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