A travel & adventure blog by Kara Santos
Biking is one of the the best ways to get around in small towns. You get to explore at your own pace, soak in the scenery, and burn a few calories while sightseeing. During our week-long tour with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, I was itching to have any excuse to get on a bike. I always tend to overeat when I travel and by the third day of buffet breakfasts and lunch feasts featuring amazing Thai dishes, I felt like I needed some sort of workout.
Summer is here and many families and barkadas are looking for resorts for their out-of-town swimming trips and excursions. One of the places I can recommend relatively near the metro is Momarco Resort in Tanay, Rizal. Only 1.5 hours away from Quezon City, Momarco Resort has a large, clean and well-maintained swimming pool and an artificial lagoon with a waterfall.
Lakbay2Love is a Filipino “coming of age” film set against a backdrop of the biking culture and environmental protection. Starring Solenn Heussaff and Dennis Trillo, this movie promises to take you on a ride that will make you fall in love. Dennis plays a forester and biker named JR while Solenn takes on the role of Lianne, a videographer tasked to do a feature about climate change. Kit Thompson plays Macky, Lianne’s ex-boyfriend and JR’s biking buddy.
While the movie will be shown in cinemas starting February 3, I got invited to watch a special screening on January 13. I don’t want to post any major story spoilers, but I can say that this is the first movie in the country that tackles the biking culture in the Philippines. It features unique travel and biking destinations and excellent cinematography.
Continue reading “Biking Destinations Featured in Lakbay2Love”
On our first day of biking around Siem Reap, we rented a couple of mountain bikes to explore Angkor’s ancient temples. On our second and third day, we decided to take it slow and just rent city bikes instead. As hardcore as the mountain bikes look, we found out that most of the terrain was pretty flat. We also found ourselves spending more time on foot, channeling our favorite archaeologist-adventurers as we ventured into ancient temples and ruins. Who knows what hidden treasure we might stumble upon?
Cambodia is home to Angkor Archaeological Park, one of the most important historical sites in Southeast Asia. The site, which encompasses dozens of temple ruins, including Bayon, Ta Prohm and the legendary Angkor Wat, has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Partly because the movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) was filmed here, this historic temple complex has been been on my motorcycle bucket list for years.
Angkor Wat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the main tourist attraction in Siem Reap, Cambodia. For foreign travelers and backpackers, biking is a popular way you can easily explore the temples around the massive complex. The roads between the main temples are paved and the distances between them are just right for bicycle touring. If you’re into biking at all, I think this is the best way to explore the temples.
Experiential posts:
Continue reading “Biking Guide: Angkor Wat, Cambodia”Anyone who’s had to endure EDSA during rush hour knows that traffic really sucks in the metro. I always dread taking public transportation because it involves either: a) waiting in line and getting crushed like a human sardine in the MRT, b) multiple transfers on tricycles, jeeps or standing in the aisle for most of the trip in buses, or c) overpriced cabs. Biking is really one of the most sustainable forms of transportation and sometimes the fastest way to get to your destination.
The Nyfti folding bicycle was born out of the necessity of living in the metro and frustration over traffic. What’s great is that these folding bikes are proudly made in the Philippines! Nyfti is the brainchild of Pinoy bike enthusiasts and entrepreneurs Carl Mamawal, Isidro Marfori and Miguel Marfori, who designed and built their prototype bike through funding from Philippine-based incubator IdeaSpace Foundation Inc. While some parts and components are imported from all over the world, the team behind Nyfti assures that the final product is made and assembled here. (Read more about how Nyfti started here)
Continue reading “Gear Review: Nyfti Folding Bike”For adventure getaways, I like to pack light. Along with a pair of slippers, I usually just have one pair of all-around shoes I can use for different kinds of activities like hiking or biking. When it comes to outdoor footwear, Merrell is among my preferred shoe brands. Known for their comfortable, durable and stylish kicks, Merrell offers a wide range of performance shoes that encourages people to get active outdoors.
Continue reading “Gear Review: Merrell Capra Sport Hiking Shoes”
Corregidor is one of the most important historic and tourist sites in the Philippines. This island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in the southwestern part of Luzon played an important role during the invasion and liberation of the Philippines from Japanese forces during World War II. Because of its historic value and close proximity to Metro Manila, visiting Corregidor is a good option for foreign or local tourists who want to go on a day trip or stay overnight.
Nuvali in Laguna is a master-planned residential, commercial and recreational development complex that has something for everyone. Whether you’re a foodie, adrenaline-junkie or leisure traveler, you can find something fun to do here. Located in Sta. Rosa, Calamba, and the municipality of Cabuyao, Laguna, the 2,290 hectare development is a sustainable and environmentally-friendly space that allows people and nature to thrive harmoniously. Here’s a look at some of the fun activities you can do here:
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