A week before our trip, Metro Manila was flooded because of typhoon Ondoy. Never have I seen so much water in the streets in my twenty-ish years of existence. It was really sad that a lot of people were put in danger, their houses and properties destroyed. But despite all this, I have seen a hope for our country—a people power of a different kind manifested itself.  Ordinary people suddenly became heroes, risking life and limb for complete strangers.  It’s nice to know that even if natural disasters can’t be avoided, you can always count on the spirit of bayanihan to help you get through the storm.

That week came to pass, and yet another storm was brewing… I’d fear that the country hasn’t recovered yet and here we had another typhoon coming. I was worried too that our trip to Coron would be cancelled. Darn it.  I waited a long time for this trip since we booked our flight way back March –thanks to the Cebu Pacific Promo!  I was happy to know that Ondoy is leaving the country, but alas, that happiness didn’t last long since a new typhoon was coming! Pepeng or Parma which is expected to be worse than Ondoy will be in Manila on the day of our flight. That really sucks. Luckily (not entirely) it switched into a different direction. Thus it did not hit Manila. So, we still took the flight.

I was relieved when we arrived in Busuanga, it was like summer! So sunny,  we experienced slight showers but generally the weather was perfect  for a vacation. We arranged a van to get us to Coron (Php 150.00 per pax). It took around 45 minutes to 1hour travel time from the airport to our destination.

Things to do in Coron

Actually, we haven’t set any plans on what to do when we got there. We asked our van driver on where we should go, and we just went to the places he mentioned.

Go Hiking at Mt. Tapyas

I am not sure about the history of the name of the mountain because I don’t have any reliable sources, but judging from its slight cut at the top I would assume it’s why they called it “tapyas(cut or chip)..” It’s  700 steps from the foot of the mountain up to the peak.

You would see the entirety of Coron at the top. I was slightly worried about my prior knee injury but, urgh, whatever! I’m decided to climb this hill! Haha! The effort was very well worth it!

It’s was so nice to see everything from that height. It was an astounding view of the scenery plus the scent of fresh green grass, oh it was so blissful!

Relax at Maniquit Hot Spring

After hiking, we went to the Maniquit Hot Spring (30 to 45 minutes travel time from the town proper) to relax our weary feet. Going down the steps was quite difficult for me. My knees were really shaking. Entrance fee cost us around Php 100.00. They gave discounts to students and senior citizens. It was really hot! I have been to hot springs, but with this one, you have to slowly adapt with the heat. They said that the water came from a volcano, so that may help explains the ultra hot temperature and the sulfuric smell. It was relaxing but I noticed that hot waters kind of affected our breathing. And I felt tired afterwards. After being immersed for 20 minutes, I laid my back on the edge. It felt so good!

What else?! Island Hopping!!!!

I was really really excited with this one! The guest house owner, Patrik has a boat for rent and I think he’s got the cheapest rates in town.

We went to Siete Pecados (fee: 100.00 each) for snorkeling. My bf and I tried to get near in one of the islands but when we got there, I got scared cause there might be a sea snake so we went back right away. Haha! There were lots of fish there! We took some slices of loaf bread  so that the fish will come nearer from where we were. It was really fun and I enjoyed a lot cause a lot of cute fishes came around me and just a few moments later, bigger fish (about the size of tilapia) was already swarming all over! I really got scared and went to the boat as fast as I can! Whew!

We went to the Blue Lagoon. I said to myself, “God has wonderfully created these islands!” Lime stones were beautifully hewn and the plants accessorized it plus the clear blue waters made it even more beautiful! I was stricken with awe.

Sorry for the digression. This is where you get dropped off to hike going to the Kayangan Lake ( fee: 200.00 each). There was a short briefing that explained some tribal ritual and beliefs of the Tagbanua tribe (early dwellers of Palawan). It is here that we were told of the four lakes in the Calamian group of islands. One lake was believed to have a barracuda and only professional divers were allowed there. The biggest lake  was believed to have a giant octopus living in it! And they would only allow divers to explore the lake only if they were given the blessing of the Tagbanuas.

We also went to Twin Lagoon ( fee: 100.00 each) where in you can only pass by swimming. since the tide is high, we have to swim underwater to get to the lagoon. We decided not to go because some of us can’t swim without vest.

One of the best beaches I have been to is the Banol Beach( fee: 100.00 each). The water was so clear and the sand was really fine. Plus I found the place to be quite safe cos I didn’t feel strong currents that pull you away from the shore.

Hike to Concepcion Falls

Yes, we really did a lot of island hopping and it’s really really tiring but really worth it. We were supposed to go to Banana Island but the tide is high so we decided to go somewhere else. We decided to explore around the area. the van driver Kuya Raffy, advised us to go to Concepcion falls. we hired the van for Php 2500.00. travel time is around 2 hours of rough drive.

It wasn’t a really big kind of falls and it’s not even famous among Coron travelers.  It was quaint, but I really found it really beautiful. The water was cold and clear, it relaxed our muscles. After swimming, we stopped at a view deck to have a few shots taken and, of course, soak up more the beauty of Coron. Definitely, one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to.

Food and Pasalubong

Coron town is very friendly for tourists, especially the prices of necessities. Food is relatively cheap compared to other tourist destinations. You can have a meal for as low as  Php 50.00. Mang Joe’s Tapa is the best. It’s just at the corner of the town proper.

Palawan is known for

• Cashew Nuts
• Seafoods
• Yummy seaweeds

Must Haves

There were lots of mosquitoes, so it would be a good idea to bring lots of insect-repellant lotion. You should also bring umbrella (during this season)  As in the duration of our stay, we had at least 2 showers a day.

Where to stay

I’d  like to take this oppurtinity to  thank Timi for referring us to Patrik’s Guesthouse. Thank You Timi!

Try staying at Patrik’s guesthouse. It’s really reasonably priced but cozy and clean. it’s not air conditioned but it’s really cold during the night because the house is by the bay.  For more informantion visit http://swewa.net/

For van rental  contact Kuya Raffy(09085661749).  He’s very nice and he’s rate is a bit cheaper than the usual rates there.

Probably one of the easily-accessible weekend getaway from Manila is Subic. With the SCTEX available, the usual 3.5-4 hours travel time is cut to just 2.5 hours. Subic is a part of Zambales and when you hear Subic you are most likely reminded of ports, duty free shops and beach. But Subic is more that that. There are really loads of activities that you can do around the area. Thing is you should have a car.

My family decided to have a weekend vacay on Subic because my cousins’ summer vacation is about to end. Since my uncle has a membership in Subic Holiday Villas, we stayed there. The hotel is nice since it has a kitchen set where at least you can cook your food. We were left by our parents to of course enjoy the weekend together and have a nice bonding experience.

What To See:

Mangrove Trail

I recommend to those who loves strolling around the park.  Mangroves are plants or trees that grows in saline coasts (in short lives in sea water or even in the river) The park is just around 20 min walk and so full of lush greens. If you love photography, it’s a nice place to hold photoshoots.

Subic Beaches

Thing is I don’t like Subic Beaches much. But it’s still a beach and it’s always nice to walk barefoot on the shore while waiting for the sunset. Yay! And there are actually sports you can do around like kayaking, aqua cycling and jet ski.

Zoobic and Ocean Adventure

Visit the Ocean adventure to watch dolphin shows
And Zoobic Safari to see wild animals live.

What to do

Directions are available on the road and that everything is just inside the Freeport Zone

Shopping

Since Subic is where imported goods are. If you like Nike, Adidas, Samuel and Kevin, Crocs, Grendha they have a factory outlet that gives big discounts. And the chocolates! Yum yum!

Challenge yourself

Go Kart – try karting at  Php400.00 -10 laps in 30mins

Tree Top Adventure

challenge your fear of heights. I’ve been here twice and I enjoyed my stay. I tried the Superman and the Tree Drop Adventure. Superman is awesome but the Tree Drop really scared the hell out of me. I am really scared of falling.

Jungle Joe’s World

The hotel we stayed said that Joe’s world is only available from Thursday-Sunday but we were there on a Sunday but it is closed. Oh well what I heard is that they offer kiddie activities and paintball shooting

Learn how to survive on the jungle

Learn it all from JEST CAMP. The place is not really much developed. The maintenance wasn’t that good but what I liked about the place is that we learned a lot. Pay 100.00Php entrance fee and a jungle expert will demonstrate little-bits of  how you’ll be able to survive the jungle.

He even lit a fire using just bamboo. Oh darn I’ve been wanting to see it in my own eyes for a very long time. Haha. We are actually planing to go camping. You just have to be a group of 10 and each will pay Php600.00 for an overnight stay in the wild.(Sounds like so much fun!) and bring tent and food.

Good News!

I just saw somewhere around royal mall that there will be shuttle bus available that will stop on each destinations inside the Subic Freeport Zone. But I’m not sure if it’s already running.  So now you don‘t have to have a ride to see this nice places.

Everybody is out for vacation this holy week. But me, I just stayed home. Well not exactly at home. Haha.  Even before, we always stay at home to observe the Holy Week, I remembered when I was a child, we always go to my grandparents to sing “Pabasa” (a traditional singing of how Jesus has been put to death) and since they are already dead, no more of those singing stuff,  it’s just me, the tv, Dvds and my bed. A weekend of   movies and pigging out (we were supposed to be fasting).

I’m glad we still have one tradition. Bisita Iglesia. It is a Filipino custom to go to at least 12 churches and pray on each stations of the cross. At least I was able to get out. Argh!

Catholicism is one of the main contributions of the Spanish Occupation here in the Philippines. Because of these, churches here in Manila can be considered places of interests because its architecture has Classic European Influence.  Many of the Church were built hundreds of years ago but still looked magnificent.

Then just this last Saturday, I was supposed to do some bicycle exercise as part of my therapy. My bf and I went to CCP Complex in Roxas Blvd to go biking. But there were no bike rentals there anymore. So we decided to just walk around the area and took some photos.

Manila is the capital of the Philippines and belonged to NCR or National Capital Region which serves as the center of industrialization of our country. There are lots of interesting places that you can actually see here.

Before we go downtown, let’s start somewhere near out place, UST. The oldest, royal and pontifical University of Santo Tomas. I studied here in highschool and I would say,  the prettiest campus in town.

The Kilometer zero. Bagumbayan, now known as Rizal Park, where our National Hero Jose Rizal was shot to death.  Rizal Park has been a place for people who likes picnic. It is the prime park here in Manila. Aside from Jose Rizal, Lapu Lapu’s statue was also placed here donated by Koreans it is also the spot where the Gomburza was punished to death.

Intramuros or the walled city and what I considered closest to the beauty Vigan because of its Hispanic feel. I just love walking around here. Around the area is Fort Santiago, and of course my Alma Mater Mapua Institute of Technology along with other colleges. You can actually go up the wall and relax, watch golf and study (yeah right) oh well just bum around.

Fort Santiago is where Jose Rizal was detained before he was shot at Bagumbayan.

CCP Complex Harbor Square is a very silent area where you can jog, play badminton, do some yoga and whatnot. I was surprised that you could actually find something not so busy here in the city. You can see here the Manila Skyline. You can also do some cruisin around Manila Bay. 250.00/pax for a cruise, add another 250.00 for dinner. What a romantic way to spend your sunset with someone. Yay.

Even Before, Manila City Baywalk is famous for it’s beatiful sunset. It was a very long time since I last saw it there. Oh gosh it still awed me.

Even though I wasn’t able to go far this holy week I could still say that I had blast.

more photos at http://carlakatipunan.multiply.com/photos/album/139

Mindoro or Mina de Oro literally means mine of gold. Well, i wasn’t sure of that. but I am positive that Mindoro has one priceless treasure – Puerto Galera.

Puerto Galera a province in Oriental Mindoro is considered to be one of the hottest summer destinations here in the Philippines. It was my first time this year to come to this well-known place to relax from all the day’s work and of course to satisfy my itching-for-vacay feet.

There are a lot of Beaches here in Puerto Galera. Sabang, Tamaraw, White and the infamous Talipanan Beach. I think it was the last stop of the ferry boat and well-known among bloggers. I actually googled about Puerto Galera and I saw on pinoytravelblog about Talipanan. Right there and then I decided to go to that place and I was happy about my decision.  My company doesn’t seem so (most of them are boys so normally they would want to go where the chics are.). What I love about this beach is that you can relax, unwind almost as if the island is yours. Very few people  go here, most of them are foreigners and peeps who just want a peaceful environment.

We went snorkeling at a dive site where the boat man brought us. I was so excited! I put my snorkel gadgets on, then I dived and saw these cute school of fish and the colorful corals alive and pretty! Because of that spectacular beauty, I forgot that I was breathing with my mouth,  I said “WOW” out loud! Sheesh I drank a lot of sea water. I have to remember shutting up even just for swimming. Haha

after snorkeling, we asked the bangkero to drop us inWhite Beach. it is perfect for those who love the crowd and nightlife. The probability to see someone you knew was indeed a fat chance.  Another good thing about White beach is that there are a lot of  restaurants to choose from. It’s like a small city in there.

We weren’t able to try the hike so we just stayed there and enjoyed the beach. Just near our place, we found a beautiful semi-lagoon where you can swim.  There were naturally hewn rocks, oh ith was so beautiful! it  has an amazing formation. I dunno why but I do love rocks. I remembered when I was like around 14 when we went to Calapan, Mindoro. I swear I brought home about 20 hand-sized stones. Haha my mother went ballistic.

The beaches in Puerto for me were just fair, not like the other beaches I have been to. But what is superb about the place is the dive site. It was very splendid. Fish of different sizes and colors, corals that are darn pretty! That underwater beauty on your very own eyes you could almost touch it (be wary though some of them stings).  It was really a wonderful experience.

Activities

Banana Boat Ride – Php 200.00 /pax
Island Hopping / Snorkeling -  Php 1500.00 – 2000.00 boat rental add Php50.00 for  snorkel set
Parasailing – Php 1500.00 – 2000.00 – 1-2 persons

Night Life – Taste the famous Mindoro Sling (I love that drink) available in Tanduay or Bacardi 250.00 – 450.00 per pitcher.
Massage – around Php 200.00
Jet Ski – I wasn’t able to get the rates for these. Sorry
Trekking  to the falls – 150.00 – 400.00

How to get there

Estimated time of travel – 3-4 hours

You can ride a bus going to Batangas Pier in Buendia or Cubao. You can also rent a van. We ride at Buendia which costs Php 166.50 one way.

From Batangas Pier, you can chose from different ferry boats. In our case we ride at Commandos. One way ticket costs Php 250.00 but you can buy a round trip ticket for Php450.00.

You have to pay Php50.00 for Environmental Fee (I dunno maybe for some preservation fund or something) and another Php10.00 for the Terminal fee.

Where to Eat.

Urgh! This was our dilemma during the trip. What I don’t like about Talipanan is that you can’t get a decent meal despite the fact that the prices are doubled save for Luca’s Italian Restaurant.yum!

We had to pay 100.00 for a breakfast meal and there servings are very small. Luca’s is quite pricey but the servings WOW! Big enough for 2. Plus it was very Italian. Tomatoes, basil, olive! Mmmm! I love! At Luca’s prices ranges from 140 – 200 for pasta dishes and 350-500 for pizzas around  14-16inches in diameter

Where to stay:

If you are to stay in White beach you need not to worry about reservations because there are a lot of hotels and rooms that are for rent  ranges from Php800 – Php2500 per night but during peak seasons the prices goes way way highter.

At Talipanan, we stayed at El Canoneros – fairly nice. The toilet is clean. Our room cost about 4000.00 for 10pax add 100.00 for additional person. Aircon and has five double-size beds.
Contact Miss Sally – 09164322430

Bamboo Beach House is pretty much more decent though but has a bit higher price.  Around 2500.00 for 4pax.
Contact Miss Juvie – 09175620992

Lakwatsera Tips:

If you are on a tight budget, bring your food and drinks. It is really expensive there. Prices here in Manila are usually doubled. like a 1.5liters of cola in Puerto costs Php 75.00 – 80.00.  a lot of restos there allows packed meal and they also have cooking services so no worries.

Bring underwater camera if you can. I really wished I should have brought one so that i could show you Puerto Galera’s underwater beauty.

Aside from the beautiful Panagbenga Festival, Baguio is a city that does not let you stay in your hotel room. There are a lot of stuff to learn and so many places to see. Plus you don’t have to bother traveling late at noon because of its cool weather. Just driving around is already enjoyable because of the trees and flowers that you don’t usually see in the streets in Manila.

Fast Facts

Baguio is independently famous. But actually for those who didn’t know, Baguio is a part of the Benguet Province. We were actually asking people there from which province they belong to. So there, Benguet was their unanimous answer

Baguio’s warmest temperature to-date is  26 degrees Celsius!

I read from Wiki that, the name of the city was derived from the word “bagiw” in Ibaloi  (the indigenous language of the Benguet region), meaning ”moss.”

Baguio is 250km away from Rizal Park!

Strawberry Facts:

-  These are rich in antioxidants, which help fight free radicals that usually cause cancer.

-  Aside from vitamin C, it is an excellent source of vitamin K and Manganese, as well as Folic acid, Potassium, Riboflavin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, Copper, Magnesium, and Omega-3 fatty acids

-  Crushed ripe strawberry plus half a teaspoon of baking soda once a week can help whiten your teeth.

What to See

Session Road – Probably the most famous and busiest street in Baguio. It is well-known as the center for business and is the place to be for everything you need to find in the city.

Lourdes Grotto – a hundred steps stairway pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Botanical Garden – now known as the Ifugao Village. Aside from beautiful flowers and plants, there are also huge Ifugao sculptures that depict the Ifugao culture.

The Mansion and Wright Park – The Mansion is the presidential vacation house of our nation’s top leader. Wright Park is just right in front of the Mansion.

Philippine Military Academy – when you think of the word military, you might think that you will see a plain training camp with all those army stuff that are awfully scary. But PMA is also suitable for visitors of the feminine persuasion as well; aside from the ancient tanks and planes exhibited, they also have a very attractive landscape which grew a lot of sunflowers!!! (Pardon my excitement haha. It is one of my favorite flowers – aside from tulips).

It’s like everywhere together with other breed of floras. Oh this is so much better than Dangwa!

Our Lady of Atonement Cathedral – much known as the Baguio Cathedral. It is the most photographed building in Baguio and is famous for its pink exterior. Did you know that this cathedral was made into an evacuation center during WWII? And according to Wiki, the Baguio Cathedral is also distinct for probably being the only Cathedral in the world to own and operate its own shopping center, called Porta Vaga.

Tam-Awan Village – The garden in the sky. It is a semi-hiking activity place where you can learn the culture of the Baguio natives (Igorot, Itogon and Ibaloi) while touring around the area. It is also an artist’s haven. They feature minute portrait sketching, plus varied cultural shows. During our visit a band from Bolivia played a Survivor-ish sound that it is really very good to hear plus the ambiance, ooh wow I am really close to nature.

Easter Weaving Room – this is where you can see how the fabrics are hand woven to its perfection. But golly, the items sold there are very much pricey.

Burnham Park – actually, we weren’t able to go there because it was so crowded during Panagbenga. Burnham Park is the most visited park in Baguio. A boat and bicycle ride are just some of the activities to enjoy in this park

Mines View Park –where you should see the mines. But now, it’s mostly pine trees that you will see there. The mines were already gone a long time before.

Baguio City Market – for all your pasalubong and shopping needs.  Always ask for discounts

Not so far from Baguio

La Trinidad Strawberry Farm – if you are a fan of fresh green salads and strawberries, this is the best place to buy your lettuce and strawberries. It’s fresh and it’s sweet! You could actually do the actual picking for better selection, but you have to pay a slightly higher price. Wow, I thought to myself, I could just bring a dressing and eat there. Haha.

Bell Tower – a Buddhist temple with a very good view of Benguet’s Urban Mountain. Just remember that this is a sacred place, so be wary on how you behave during your visit.

Gastronomic Delights

First on my list would be strawberries, the main reason why I love coming back to Baguio. Strawberry jam, strawberry taho, strawberry ice cream, strawberry candy, oh I love!

What I like about Baguio’s cool temperature keep the veggies and fruits fresh and crisp.

Pinikpikan – we weren’t able to find a restaurant that serves this local delicacy. Our tour guide recommended that we tried it out. For those who are staunch advocates of animal rights, you wouldn’t want to know what Pinikpikan is. It is actually a chicken beaten to death. The reason for this is that they wanted the blood to clot inside its body, giving it more flavor. Now, now. You can’t sue them for doing that. It is really just a part of their culture.

Lakwatsera Tips:

For this city with a lot of places to go and visit, an itinerary is a definite MUST.

If you are planning to buy Good Shepherd products, you must be there as early as 8am. The thing is, you have to fall in line to buy their products. Yeah, I know too much hassle. Sheesh.

If you are planning to bring home strawberries, pick the not so ripe ones. This can be determined by the not-so-red color and yellow tip. They ripen quickly so keep it in an open container. If there are already ripe ones (very rich red color), bring out the cream and condensed milk then mix it all up! Voila! You now have strawberries in cream! Yum yum!!!

This is not an advertisement. Haha! I have tasted a lot of packed pasalubongs and the following brands are the best: Mikasan choco flakes, Rico’s or Mother’s Best peanut brittle and lengua de gato, Good Shepherd ube. Their price is much higher than the other brands but at least it’s worth it! Especially the Mikasan choco flakes, Hmm I love!

If you are going to buy silver jewelries, check out Pilak right in front of the Botanical Garden.

Wear casual, colorful clothing and have your jacket or poncho handy. Baguio is freezing cold during the early morning and at evening. At noontime, it’s not that cold, you might even sweat a little. So just be casual, but with style of course.

Lakwatsera’s Commuting Guide:

To go to Baguio from Manila, there are several bus lines to chose from.
Victory Liner which travels to Baguio 24/7 with buses leaving each hour.
Fare : Php 445.00 Aircon Bus 1 way.

Partas Pasay also has a daily trip but I’m not sure about the frequency.
Fare: Php 360.00 Aircon Bus 1 way.

Hmm. You don’t have to worry so much of having to bring your own vehicle to get around the area. All of the places’ “must-sees” are very easy to access by jeeps and taxis. Oh and you’re gonna love their cab fares. Their flag-down rate is Php17.50 which is much lower than the usual Php30.00 in Manila.

Jeeps and taxis can be rented and it costs around Php 2,000.00 for a whole day trip around the city.

Where to stay:

A place to stay in Baguio isn’t actually something hard to find mostly because there are vast numbers of hotels and transient houses peppered across the area. But a reservation is advisable especially if you are going during Panagbenga or any holiday season.

We stayed at a transient house and it costs us only Php 150.00/person a day. If you are to cook meals in the house you just have to pay Php 200.00/person a day. Good value huh?

The only minus side is that we are 20mins far from the city. But as I have said, every place is accessible.