Category: Travel Guide

Travel Guide: Jomalig Island, Quezon

Summer is coming soon, and beaches in popular destinations near Manila are going to be really crowded as usual. For those looking for a different destination to visit this summer, Jomalig Island in Quezon offers an escape. It’s not that easy to get to, which means the place remains unspoiled. The golden sand beaches, agoho pine trees, refreshing atmosphere and naturally sights here are just stunning. Jomalig Island is best for those who enjoy unspoiled beaches. This is where you can enjoy back to basics camping away from the crowds.

jomalig quezon cove beach swimming

Since I previously wrote about our Weekend in Jomalig Island, I’ve been getting a lot of inquiries about how to get there and other questions. So here’s a travel guide to help you out with tips compiled from my experience, helpful locals who left comments on my previous post, Jomalig Quezon’s Facebook page and some 2016 updates from blog reader Senilicius (in the comments section).

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How to Get to Maginhawa Street in Quezon City

Maginhawa Street in Teacher’s Village seems to be one of the most popular neighborhood food trip destinations in the metro these days. There are a lot of restaurants and food parks along the street as well as nearby streets like Malingap, Magiting and Mapagkawanggawa. It seems that every week, a new place opens up.

Once a quiet, residential neighborhood, the whole area surged in popularity with weekend food-trippers after being featured in various blogs (including my own Maginhawa: The Eat Street), television shows and hosting the first Quezon City Food Festival on October 2014. Since then, it’s become a “tourist destination” of sorts for people looking for good eats. For those not familiar with this street, here’s a quick guide on how to get there by different modes of transport.

how to get to maginhawa street sign

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Biking Guide: Angkor Wat, Cambodia

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:

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Hiking to Mt. Pinatubo

hiking mt. pinatubo crater lake travelup

Mount Pinatubo’s eruption in 1991 is one of the most devastating natural calamities in Philippine History. After 600 years of dormancy, Mt. Pinatubo’s erupted. Said to be the second largest eruption of the 20th century, the effects of the eruption were felt worldwide. Continue reading “Hiking to Mt. Pinatubo”

Travel Guide: Corregidor

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.

corregidor island philippines ruins

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10 Things To Do in Nuvali

nuvali dirt weekend biker on trail

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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Travel Guide: Mercedes, Camarines Norte

Unlike popular destinations in the country that dazzle you immediately with their obvious beauty and vibrant energy, the town of Mercedes in Camarines Norte is one of those quiet beauties that often gets overlooked. But when you dig deeper, you’ll find that she has so much substance. Mercedes has a serene and quiet charm that just grows on you. The longer you stay, the more you’ll realize just why the town is called “The Belle of the Pacific.”

01. mercedes camarines norte bicol apuao pequena beach

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Travel Guide: Quirino

Quirino is one of those provinces in Luzon that’s often overlooked and still off the tourist radar. Formerly part of Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino became a separate province in 1966. While most provinces in the Philippines are known for something concrete, Quirino’s identity has yet to be formed. It was this air of mystery and “off-the-beaten path” vibe that made me more eager to visit the province.

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Travel Guide: Itbayat, Batanes

Batan and Sabtang Island are amazing enough. But then I got to Itbayat, the northernmost inhabited island of Batanes, and I was floored. While Itbayat is more rugged and more difficult to explore, it has a unique charm of its own. Hiking over rough roads, hills and steep paths can be grueling, but you will be rewarded with amazing views of caves, cliffs and coasts.

Poverty incidence in Itbayat is high, yet the people are friendly, honest and generous. Itbayanons pride themselves on having no casualties when typhoons hit, since their stone and lime houses were built to withstand calamities. And just like their vernacular houses, the people are strong, resilient, and hard-working.

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Travel Guide: Tawi-Tawi

One of the most memorable trips I took this year was to Tawi-Tawi. This island province located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is the southernmost province of the Philippines. Often misunderstood by the outside world and the rest of the Philippines, Tawi-Tawi is not your typical tourist destination. The concerns about the peace and order situation in the surrounding areas have kept the place relatively off the tourist radar. I know only a handful of travelers who have ventured to this part of the country for a vacation. That’s probably the main reason why I wanted to go there in the first place. Thanks to a trip to Zamboanga City earlier this year, I got to tick Tawi-Tawi off my bucket list.

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