A lot of magical things happen when you play it by ear. One moment, we were thinking what movies to marathon for the long weekend. Four hours later, we’ve just booked tickets for a far-off island gem in the south of the Philippines.
Siargao’s not exactly the easiest island to go to. Leave it to Filipinos to be blessed with beaches at their disposal, but still need to hop on a plane, van, boat, tricycle, to get to the best ones. But as with any far-flung beach, it was worth all the cartwheels through logistics. Continue reading “Wow, Siargao!”→
Have you ever seen something on TV or in a movie that made you instantly go, “I wanna go there!”? Remember when you were a kid, when you would actually dash off to unknown places, climb trees or rocks without even knowing what’s up there, because after reading and hearing all about adventure, you were dead set on finding your own one too?
Countless travel videos — whether in Vimeo, Youtube or Tripfilms — have often made me go, “Whoa!”, “No s**t!”, “That’s crazy! We need to do this!”, and variations of other expletives. On many occasions, these adventures shook me back into a relentless pursuit of adventure, at times when I start to feel lazy and begin to settle.
Drooling over travel videos has always been one of my guilty pleasures. It’s a love-hate relationship, really — as much as I detest how I didn’t get to join their exploits, it’s really hard to hate something so beautifully made. Join me and indulge your inner fantasy-chaser, as we go through 30 epic travel videos that will inspire you when you’re home-bound (or at least, tethered to somewhere with wi-fi).
May your thirst for adventure be endless!
1.) I Love People:5000 miles, 930 people, 162 secs by Benjamin Jenks
Made years before ‘selfie’ was Oxford’s Word of the Year, this video went viral and captured the hearts of everyone everywhere who genuinely wanted to meet people and make lasting memories while on the road. Here’s proof that there are more friends to be made out there than foes.
2.) The WatchTower of Turkey by Leonardo Dalessandri
Watching this was like seeing my own dream while awake — not that floating, peaceful sensation, but vivid and fast-paced flashes of what could be memories from a past, or maybe even future, life.
3.) Music Video: I Can Be The One by Avicii vs Nicky Romero
I award this one with the Best Use of Music Video Budget for Infinite Wanderlust Inspiration. Watch out for her epic to-do list — I bet that’d be your sole focus from now on too.
Meet Ferdy. (He’s the one with the baseball cap.) Before I get to the list, there’s one important thing I need to share — Ferdy. That’s the only name you’ll ever need to know in Bali.
Ours was a serendipitous meeting — we were a group of six stranded in Jimbaran, at the mercy of the overpriced taxis that lurked outside the restaurants. That was, until Ferdy came along in his Bluebird cab to drop off his passengers.
“Six, can?” – Us
“Can!” – Ferdy
And with three words, a bond was formed.
Ferdy had a smiling rest-face, which puts you at ease at once. We liked him so much that we hired him to be our driver/guide for the whole of the next day. He was honest, cheerful, and extremely generous the whole time, as if he were taking long-time friends around to see his home. I can honestly say that our trip wouldn’t have been as memorable if we didn’t get to know Ferdy.
Okay, now that you know the best driver-slash-guide in Bali, it’s time to explore! The island is simply humungous. For the six visits I’ve made to Bali, I’ve barely scratched the surface. It’s uncanny: each time I go, I find around 5 more things to do when I return to the Island of the Gods.
Here are ten suggestions on how you can make your own Balinese adventure unforgettable, based on the knockout experiences that made me come back for more (I’ve listed them in no particular order):
1. Paraglide at Timbis Beach
A sure way to get a Bali high is to paraglide at Timbis Beach. It sounds crazy to jump off a bluff, but once you soar above the hills and the sea, over the ridiculously expensive cliffside mansions, then it will all make sense. If you’re lucky, your tandem instructor may let you take the reins and control the chute for a bit. If you’re extremely lucky, you may even get to literally touch the clouds! This adventure is time-dependent; paragliding season in Timbis Beach is from May to October.
Back in 2010, we paid ~USD100 for a tandem flight; contact Bali Paragliding Adventure for the latest rates.
Of course, I wasn’t going to let a trip to Bali pass by without trying to catch a wave! I signed up for surf classes on our last day, and I have nothing but praises for the Pro Surf School in Kuta. Kudos!
Thanks Errol for the pictures! =) I look funny when I put on my game face — that’s why I resolve to not take myself so seriously. Nyahaha.
.: ishcapades 