Word on the backpacker’s grapevine says that Batad is one of those rare glimpses of heaven on earth. A village that used to be a well-kept secret, Batad is neatly tucked away, almost in the shadow of Banaue, its more-familiar neighbor. A few souls have dared call it as the 8th Wonder of the World, but seriously, the title has been thrown around so often, that we can probably come up with a Top 7 ‘8th Wonders of the World’ list.
Having been drawn to the island paradise 4 times over the last 5 years, I think I can personally vouch that Cebu is a tried-and-tested fun-in-the-sun destination. Of course, January is a great time to flock to Cebu to join the droves for the Sinulog festival, but Cebu offers a whole lot more: alluring coasts, mouth-watering grub, sky-high thrills, and of course, the people who are gorgeous inside and out.
I rarely get to make vacation mash-ups with my family in it, so this vid was a real treat for me. Now you have solid proof that insanity is hereditary. Enjoy!
Us trying to put on our scariest game faces. As to what the hell I'm doing, I have no idea.
Ever since I left Manila, the list of the things I’m missing out on seems to grow longer and longer. Artists like Jason Mraz and the AI S10 idols oblige their throngs of fans in Araneta, but couldn’t be bothered to even take a peep at wee Singapore. Football-fever struck Manila as well, and I could only watch the FB updates as my high school friends troop to the game stadiums together.
So when a friend sent a shout-out about watching the Lions-Azkals friendly game in Singapore, I immediately raised my hand for tickets. At last! I have ZIP knowledge about football; I couldn’t tell you what the red/yellow/technicolor cards meant, even if my life depended on it. But what the hell, it’s been so long since I’ve been to anything nationalistic and I’m determined to yell, cheer and heckle for my country. Continue reading Azkals Loose in Singapore→
The anticipation is messing with your head. You could have sworn your heart was right next to your ear, as you hear the thumps bang against your eardrums. You glance at your designated spotter squinting at a distance, before swapping Bicolano with the other boatmen. You nervously fidget with your snorkel mask. Wait, did he just say… ‘Jump!’?
And you jump, right into the chilly beryl deep. After a few chaotic seconds of flailing limbs underwater, you compose yourself and catch sight of what you came all this way for: the magnificent leviathan of a fish, nonchalantly passing by in all its 8-metre spotted glory. Everything else fades into the background. You feel that it’s just you, and the giant. It takes all self-control not to reach out and hold on to its fin, ala-Free Willy.
We were blessed with a sunny day in Donsol; all in all, we spotted 4 whale sharks. It’s said that in season, it’s actually rare NOT to see at least one. Some of them glided slowly, letting you bask in its graceful splendor; some of them will really make you work your fins. During the interactions, the guides will remind you to stay at least 5 feet away from the whale sharks, as to not spook them or more importantly, not to get swatted by its tail. At one time, I was gliding along on top of the whale shark, when I noticed the spots getting larger by the second. I soon realized it was trying to surface. In my head, I was going like ‘5 feet! 5 feet!’ at the titan. My friends who dove in with me saw this as well. They swore that given a few more seconds, I could have gotten a free ride on the back of the whale shark. He plunged into the deep again after a while, and once the nervousness wore off, the thought of that rare close encounter still gives me smiles up to this day.
Close encounter of the BIG kind.
Donsol is one hour away by land from Legazpi City, Philippines. There are a lot of sites offering information on how you can organize your own Donsol whale shark experience; here’s one from the regional tourism site.
Of course, every great trip deserves a tribute video. =)
To say that Mt. Kitanglad was a sight to behold is a glaring understatement. It was definitely one of the best climbs I’ve been on –> fun trail + awesome view = winner! If there was any doubt if climbing is still my first great love, then this trip just about squashes it all.
This goes out to kindred spirits Jan, Stan & Biboy. Can’t wait to go back and visit D2 next! 🙂
I remember always wanting to go to New Zealand to try out the zorb, but the good thing was I didn’t have to go all the way to NZ anymore! A lot has changed since I last went to Boracay — now they’re offering zorb rides as well. Call it a cliche, but Boracay is really THE island paradise — nothing but fun, smiles, good food and the glorious beach. I had to ask myself over and over — how could I NOT be from Boracay?! Here we were, literally having a ‘ball’ at their new attraction.
This trip’s moral lesson: The quickest way to have a embarassing-stories-about-you marathon is to get your friends and your sister & niece together. Spell L-A-G-L-A-G.
Casualty Assessment:
Bus to Pagudpud/Laoag – Php 700 (1-way)
1 bedroom at Punta Azul (for max 3 persons) – Php 3,500
Van tour of Pagudpud ( Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, Bangui Windmills, Patapat Viaduct, Agua Grande, Paraiso ni Anton, Kabigan falls) – Php 2000
* You can ask the resort to hook you up with a tour operator. There’s also an option for a tricycle tour, but in long distances, that might not be fun. =P)
The best thing about this picture? Not the sun. Not the beach. It's sharing the shot with friends as awesome as these guys.
There was no way I was leaving the land of glorious beaches without one last trip. Since Jan already had a trip set with her high-school++ friends, Alex, Ralph & I invited ourselves to Jan’s hometown for the Holy Week break (hehe =P).
8 hours on the bus + 1.5 hours on the back of a pickup + 2 hours on a boat = sore butts. By noon, we find ourselves arriving at Caramoan, with a welcome lunch waiting for us prepared by Caramoan’s parish priest. After several bouts of conversation about boat trips, islands, sharks and malunggay, we proceeded to a house in a barrio by the seaside to settle. It was nice to be reminded of the trips I had before HP happened — where electricity and a shower were luxuries, but nothing could beat the sights and calm. Roselyn, Jan’s HS buddy, was an awesome cook and led the troops in the kitchen. After dinner, we literally laid down on the road right outside the house, chatting the night away under the stars with beers at hand. This is the life. Continue reading Kaladkarin Gets Charmed by Bicol→
Proof that if things don’t go as planned, then your plan was wrong. =P We originally wanted to idle away in Boracay for January, but after some discussions, hotel-scouting, and some shifts in the constellations, plans changed and we opted to meet up with Mike in Cebu instead. Continue reading Kaladkarin Invades Cebu Once Again!→
It’s been a while since our last kids’ day out, so Ate Ting, Ikay (my niece) and I set off for Manila for a fishy escapade at Manila Ocean Park. Apparently, a lot of other kiddies also had the same idea. The place was so packed, you had to get a number, just to BUY the ticket. To give you an idea, the number I got was 890; they were still serving number 357. The three of us let the time pass by gorging on munchies and looking for good photo-op spots.
Finally, we got our tickets and entered the oceanarium. As you may have already predicted, we saw fish after fish after fish after fish. I had fun, though, as I’ve never been in another oceanarium before. The shark tank was a bit of a downer, though; I was hoping to see big ones. However, all in all, since I had Ate Ting and Ikay for company, there was never a dull moment. 🙂
.: ishcapades 