A travel & adventure blog by Kara Santos
Situated on the northeast tip of Luzon Island, the province of Cagayan is a paradise for nature lovers and history buffs. Cagayan was originally one of the earliest provinces established in the Spanish colonial period covering the whole northeastern part of the island of Luzon, so you can expect it to be rich in both heritage and natural attractions.
UPDATE: In September 2022, the province of Maguindanao was split into two, so the Philippines now has 82 provinces. This travel guide was originally completed and written in 2019 before the split and the pandemic, but has been updated to reflect the new province and newer photos from more recent revisits.
The Philippines is made up of 82 provinces, spread out under three major island groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanano. Currently, there are 38 provinces in Luzon, 16 in Visayas, and 28 in Mindanao. The provinces are grouped under different regions based on their geographical, cultural, and ethnological characteristics.
Continue reading “Travel Guide: 82 Provinces of the Philippines”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.
Continue reading “Travel Guide: Tanay, Rizal”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?
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.
Continue reading “Travel Guide: Antique”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.
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.
Continue reading “Travel Guide: Masungi Georeserve in Baras, Rizal”
My hometown Naga City in Camarines Sur is commonly associated with religious pilgrimage sites. Most people who stop by Naga usually do a Visita Iglesia tour of the historic churches or come to witness the festivities in September during the Penafrancia Fiesta, one of the biggest and most popular religious events in the Philippines.
But for adventure-seekers, it’s good to know that there’s a lot more to do any time of the year. From scaling down waterfalls to biking down mountain trails, adventure-packed activities await. Here’s a look at some of the fun and exciting activities that you can do around Naga City and nearby towns of the province of Camarines Sur.
Continue reading “10 Extreme Adventures in Camarines Sur”After visiting a place, the journey going back is usually pretty uneventful. Packing up your gear and heading home is usually not even worth writing about. But after visiting the stunning Pinipisakan Falls and spelunking in Sulpan Cave deep in the jungles of San Jorge, Samar, the journey going back was just as exciting. The third and last leg of our epic adventure involved riding the currents of the Blanca Aurora River downstream.
Caves do not have mass appeal. Given a choice between a beach and a cave, most tourists I know would probably be packing their Instagram-worthy swimwear and flip-flops to bask on the sunny shores of a tropical island before you can even say “spelunking.”
I mean, why would anyone want to dangle hundreds of meters in the air to enter a hole in the ground leading to an unknown chamber, stumble around on slippery boulders in complete darkness, crawl through muddy passageways and swim through the frigid inky waters of underground canyons where who knows what could be lurking, waiting to reach up with their gigantic tentacles or venomous fangs to drag you down to the depths below?
Continue reading “The Cave Beyond a Waterfall: Sulpan Cave in San Jorge, Samar”
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