A travel & adventure blog by Kara Santos
Want to see Vietnam in a unique and eye-opening way? Motorcycle tours have become an incredibly popular way to see Vietnam. If you are planning to travel to Vietnam and want to see the country in a thrilling and exciting way, here’s our top picks for the most scenic routes Vietnam has to offer.
There’s just something fascinating about riding through tunnels. I blame it on horror movies, but riding through tunnels always feels creepy and cool at the same time. The enclosed space and dark always makes me think of lurking zombies or monsters. The underground passages usually help cut travel time significantly to reach a destination. For bikers, tunnels also offer interesting landmarks and are common photo-op stops along the way to a destination.
Here are just a few interesting tunnels you can find around the Philippines that are popular among motorcycle riders and cyclists.
Continue reading “LIST: Bike-friendly road tunnels in the Philippines”Taal Lake is the third-largest lake in the Philippines. Within the lake, you can find Taal Volcano, one of the smallest active volcanoes in the world. Most people admire panoramic views of the lake from Tagaytay City in Cavite, the most popular (and usually crowded) weekend tourist destination near Manila. Those who want to enjoy a more peaceful and serene trip can visit the towns of Batangas surrounding the lake.
Davao Oriental is the easternmost province in the Philippines. Located in the Davao Region in Mindanao, this province is a rising tourist destination. For beach-lovers, the 7-km stretch of Dahican Beach is its main draw. The province is known as a top surfing destination as its main coast faces part of the Pacific Ocean. Its also one of the few destinations in the country where you can try flying in an ultralight plane, which is an experience worth putting on your travel bucket list.
Davao Oriental is also popular for being home to Aliwagwag Falls, considered the country’s highest waterfall and Mount Hamiguitan Wildlife Sanctuary, the newest UNESCO World Heritage Site in the country and the only based in Mindanao.
Continue reading “Travel Guide: Davao Oriental”Aside from being a source of clean energy, wind farms around the Philippines have become tourist attractions. There’s really something about these scenic spots that appeal to travelers. They just have that air of romance about them. Maybe it’s the sense of solitude brought about by their remote locations. Or maybe it’s the sheer size of the turbines dwarfing all those who visit that never fails to amaze visitors.
Most international tourists immediately think of Bali when anyone mentions Indonesia. The “Island of the Gods” is world-renowned for its beach resorts, rice paddies, volcanic mountains and Hindu temples. But there’s really so much more to the South East Asian country than Bali.
Indonesia is actually the world’s largest island country, made up of over seventeen thousand islands in a vast area scattered between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. With islands bridging the continents of Asia and Australia, many remote spots here still remain off the tourist radar. Morotai Island, located in the less-visited eastern side of Indonesia is one of those spots.
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?
If I had to pick a favorite tree, it would be the Balete (a relative of the Banyan tree). There’s just something about their haunting appearance, gnarled roots and their close ties to creatures of folklore that I find fascinating. They often look and feel like they could be portals to the Underworld. Or at least the setting for a good horror story.
The Balete tree is infamous in Philippine folklore for being the dwelling place of engkantos or supernatural creatures and nature spirits such as dwendes (dwarves), kapres (tree demons), diwatas (fairies) and tikbalangs (demon horses). If you grew up in the Philippines, you’ve probably been told by superstitious folk not to go anywhere near these trees as these could be gateways to the world of myths. This probably explains why I’m drawn to them.
Continue reading “Bewitching Balete Trees around the Philippines”Mention Mindoro and most people immediately think of Puerto Galera. This party beach that’s easily accessible by sea travel from Batangas Port is one of the most popular weekend destinations for those based in the metro. But that’s literally just the tip of the island. The rest of Mindoro has much more to offer. Mindoro is actually the seventh largest island in the Philippines and is composed of two provinces: Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro.
Mindoro is home to majestic Mount Halcon and Mounts Iglit–Baco National Park, a protected area and ASEAN Heritage Park. It’s the only place in the country where you can find the critically-endangered tamaraw (Mindoro dwarf buffalo). Mindoro is also the home of the Mangyan, eight distinct indigenous groups with their own tribal language, ancient script and customs.
Continue reading “Road Trip Guide: Mindoro Loop”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”
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