A travel & adventure blog by Kara Santos
Hulugan Falls in Luisiana, Laguna is one of the most beautiful waterfalls I’ve visited near Manila. Said to be the tallest in the province, this stunning cascade towers at 70 meters high (230 feet), with a wide basin and several natural jacuzzi-like swimming holes for those who want to take a dip. Previously known only to locals, Hulugan Falls only became popular in the last three years or so thanks to social media.
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.
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.
From festivals to food, the Philippines is amazingly vibrant and colorful. Lakbay Museo aims to give visitors a chance to travel around Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao and experience the best that the Philippines has to offer in under two hours right in Manila. We recently got a sneak peek of the museum inside S Maison at Conrad Manila right beside Mall of Asia (MOA), before its official opening on July 12.
Featuring hourly cultural dances and shows, free samples of native delicacies and even lambanog and fruit wine tasting (for adults), this is kind of like Nayong Pilipino for the Instagram generation.
Continue reading “Lakbay Museo: Explore the Philippines without leaving Manila”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”A couple of days before we were supposed to ride through lahar in the foothills of Mt. Pinatubo in Pampanga, I couldn’t decide whether or not I wanted to actually ride. There was an overwhelming sense of excitement and dread forming in the pit of my stomach. Excitement because damn it would be cool to ride through the post-apocalyptic landscape of volcanic mudflow formed by Mount Pinatubo. Riders even have their own hashtag for it: #Lahardcore.
Dread because I could already envision myself crashing and falling royally in front of all the seasoned riders and motoring journalists who’d be ready to capture every move because “semplang” shots always make more dramatic video footage.
Continue reading “Riding through Lahar in Pinatubo’s foothills in Pampanga”Did you know that there’s a hidden museum in Intramuros where you can go liquor tasting? You can sample local craft spirits like the Ilocano basi (sugarcane wine), mango rum, premium
Destileria Limtuaco, the oldest and largest distillery in the Philippines founded in 1852, opened their liquor-themed museum in Intramuros to the public in 2018.
Continue reading “Museum Guide: Destileria Limtuaco Liquor Museum in Manila”Looking for a road trip destination with friends and family this Holy Week and summer season? Baler, the capital of the province of Aurora is becoming increasingly popular. This chill coastal town offers accommodations for every type of traveler from budget-friendly digs to more luxurious resorts.
We personally got to stay, eat and visit different inns, hotels and resorts in Baler during the #LakbayNorte8 media tour earlier this year. If you’re looking for places to stay in the area, here are some of the establishments you can choose from.
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