Cabo Beach, Burgos, Pangasinan

Cabo/Cabongaoan Beach is a perfect respite for those looking for an unspoiled DIY destination. I bet hardly anyone is familiar with the place - hidden in a remote fishing village in Pangasinan, it is at least 30 km from Alaminos, Pangasinan as the crow flies*! The sand is coarse and orange-ish, and the shoreline, I figure, is twice as long as that of Kwebang Lampas.

Kwebang Lampas, Pagbilao, Quezon

Kwebang Lampas in Pagbilao, Quezon is one of the beaches I wouldn't mind going back to over and over again. The trip is cheap, the water is clear and the sand is (almost) white. Besides, I had zero swimming skills when I first got there, and I wanted these "skills" to be tested. As luck had it, it was sunny during our entire stay even if PAGASA forecasted some "isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms".

Kalinawan Cave and Daranak Falls

This trip was irresistible for one main reason - the estimated expenses was only P250. Besides, it was summer, I had nowhere to go and I was dying to take a dip somewhere.

Beachbumming in Masasa, Tingloy, Batangas

The shoreline of Masasa. A cave is visible at the far right.

There's nothing not to love about Masasa Beach. Hidden in the peaceful island-town of Tingloy in Batangas, this beach is largely untouched by commercialization. There's no entrance fee, and you're free to roam around and do as you please. The shoreline is made up of white sand and broken corals. The corals found not far from the shore are great for snorkeling. Too bad we didn't have an underwater camera, but I'd say the corals are even more varied and colorful than those I saw in Calaguas. Two prominent features of the beach are the cave (which makes a great shelter from the sun, visible in the photo above) and the rock formation which was turned into a stairway (perfect for photo ops!).

Uber Fun Taal Volcano Dayhike

Here's a bit of fact you probably do not know: that volcano looking thing at the back side of the P50 bill isn't Taal Volcano itself - it's technically part of the volcano but it's not where the main crater is. It's called Binintiang Malaki (Big Leg), a dormant crater which was the center of the 1707 and 1715 eruptions. It sits on the edge of Volcano Island, and at present, no established trail leads to its crater because of its steep slopes. The main attraction in the island, the main crater which has a lake in the middle is further inward. An small island sits in the middle of the crater lake - and this is what our tourism ads refer to as an island within a lake (the crater lake), within an island (the Volcano Island) within a lake (Taal Lake), which is within an island (Luzon).

I Left My Heart in Calaguas

This awful picture doesn't give justice to how white and powdery the sand is.

I have long lusted over stories of Calaguas from friends who have been there. Their stories sound like cliches from a tourism pamphlet and told of a long stretch of powdery white sand, crystal clear waters, a paradise. Having been there myself, I couldn't agree agree less.

Finally, the Peak of the Beak at Pico de Loro

Not everyone who goes to Pico de Loro actually makes it to the peak of the monolith, also known to mountaineers as the Parrot's Beak, and I was in fact one of them. And for obvious reasons - the monolith is imposing and while not exactly towering, it is completely vertical. It appears as though getting to the peak requires professional rock climbing skills, if not reckless courage. I proved it all wrong when I finally made it to the peak.

The Heartache that was Bulusan

Team Bulusan: Pau, Adel, John, Ruth, Aris, Sir Frank, Analene, Gen, Me, JB

This was perhaps, the longest, continuous travel I ever took on a single vehicle. I crouched on a cramped bus seat, feeling a plethora of unpleasant sensations - hunger, boredom, numbness. We have already reached the province of Sorsogon - a butt-aching ride of 14 hours, but Irosin was still two hours away. I couldn't count how many times I uttered, "Ang tagal naman!" I was so relieved when we finally arrived in Irosin that I wanted to kiss the ground.

Journey to Mt. HibokHibok, Camiguin: A Series of Unfortunate Events

Uh oh, dark clouds.

We were supposed to climb Mt. Apo on December 26, 2012. Everything seemed to have been set, I‘ve arranged a guide and two other hikers have responded to my facebook invite. Then an unwanted guest named "tropical depression Quinta" came and it was but prudent to cancel the climb. There’s no way, I thought, that I’m leaving Mindanao without scaling a single summit. After New Year the skies appear to have cleared up so I eagerly scheduled a trip to Camiguin to climb the famed Mt. HibokHibok. Again, everything was set – guides and all. Then typhoon Auring came, a little too early. I started to feel that my buttocks are one huge Mongolian blue spot [haha, Google that!].

Tips and Thoughts on Traveling by 2Go Ferry

It's only recently that I learned that Super Ferry, Negros Navigation and a couple of other shipping lines merged into what is now known as 2Go Travels. Anyway my very first tip is, as much as possible, don't take a ferry. The trip is boring and more expensive than if you are taking a budget plane ticket. Always keep an eye of promo tickets, especially on yearly scheduled travels.

Manila to Mindanao: A Long, Winding and Boring Journey

Nothing sets me into a contemplative mood than long travels. I took a ferry from Manila to Cagayan de Oro (CDO), where for three days and two nights there wasn't anything much to entertain me other than my own, random thoughts on love, marriage, travelling - life in general - also politics, life on Mars, the RH bill and many other unrelated sh*t.

An Unexpected Gala at Rizal Park (Luneta) and National Museum

It's a shame that I've lived in Manila for years and yet I've never set foot on Luneta. I'm glad I finally had time to visit the place during the holidays.

The park is divided into two areas by a highway. The western side facing Manila Bay is where the Rizal Monument stands. I decided to explore the eastern side first, which is where the statue of Lapu-Lapu is located. The area is flanked between two buildings - the Department of Tourism and the National Museum. The guard explained that the National Museum actually consists of three buildings - the one inside Luneta is called the Museum of the Filipino People and features historical and archaeological artifacts. The other one, which is a short walking distance away, is the more familiar building that we seen from LRT - the National Art Gallery. Third one is a planetarium located at the western side of Luneta. I knew that The National Art Gallery houses the famous Spoliarium by Juan Luna, which got me excited.

Pico de Loro: First Climb Fail

There's something with being unable to reach the summit after having trekked and endured the trail for hours. The feeling of heartbreak is the only thing that comes close. I stood at the foot of the famous Parrot's Beak, made a quick ascent by working my way to the first boulders that I had to step on. I haven't even reached the where the rope was (supposedly used for rappelling) when fear began to creep in. I decided, I had to back out.

Stargazing at Mt. Batulao

When a childhood dream doesn't get fulfilled, it often becomes an adult's frustration. I still have quite a number of unfulfilled frustrations on my list - visit any of the Disneylands for example - but let me tell you one that I have accomplished recently - in excess!: I watched a freakin’ meteor shower.

Last night, I ran out of wishes as stars - actually meteorites - fell from the skies like a soft drizzle form an imminent rain. Picture this: I laid out my tent on the ground - I was too lazy to set it up and I thought it would serve a great mat. I cuddled myself myself like a spring roll inside my warm and comfy sleeping bag. I lied down, facing the sky. The sky is dotted by uncountable stars – I don’t remember seeing this many stars before. With my viewing deck completely set, I waited for the anticipated meteor shower. I wasn't in some fancy observatory though. My naked eyes were treated with a great show at Mt. Batulao. Hayahay ang buhay!

Tipid na Chilax Mode at Kwebang Lampas (Puting Buhangin), Quezon

Our trip at Pagbilao, Quezon's Kwebang Lampas beach is the supposed beginning of my planned one month hiatus from hiking - and supposedly, to give my clicky knees some time to heal, and to "diversify" my travels. This scenic white sand beach is enclosed by two rocky cliffs, both of which may be explored. The water is amazingly clear and the sand is powdery in some areas. A number of spots are infested with sea urchins, which stung Allan early on. This made us extremely careful for the rest of the day - we even resorted to swimming with sandals on.

Mount Pulag: Descent via Ambangeg (Part 3 of 3)

There’s a reason why Mt. Pulaog is popular even to non-mountaineers – the Ambangeg Trail (or Amba for short). Smooth and straightforward, this trail is also known as the "Executive Trail". The view on the trail is also a great visual feast. From the Amba Ranger station, it’s just an hour of walking until you reach what looks like a Japanese garden, and then another hour until you reach Camp 2. From there, you will need to take an hour of walk on the rolling and grassy terrain of Mt. Pulag to reach the Summit.

Mt. Pulag: Ascent by Akiki (Part 2 of 3)

I'm afraid I won't be modest here (I apologize in advance). According to (one of my favorite blogs) Tramping Philippines, the Akiki trail doesn't quite live up to its notoriety as the "Killer Trail". I believe that we all have different lungs and legs - the two parts our bodies that determine out fate in the Akiki trail. At least to me, this feat, as of date, sits as my crowning achievement (LOL). I have never pushed myself beyond what I thought I could. For days I kept on moving and carried my body and my 12-kilo backpack across steep slopes that didn't seem to end. even if my energy reserves have been completely depleted. What kept me from giving up was ... oh well, giving up was not really an option when you're halfway on a difficult trail.

Mount Pulag: Overview (Part 1 of 3)

It was about half an hour past five, the 24th of November. I could not recall a place I've been to before, whose beauty could compare with what was in front of me. The sun was about to set, but not on the usual horizon. I was surrounded by a sea of clouds, and the sun, a quaint orange ball - as tired and as weary as we were - slowly hid itself behind the sea of clouds. There are no words, everything was indescribable. I have instantly forgotten how treacherous our journey was just to get here. Our pilgrimage has commenced to the closest I've ever been to what it's like to be in heaven. I was at the very summit of Mount Pulag.

Happily Baked in the Grassy Slopes of Mt. Sembrano

Grassy mountains offer a charm that is different from those that have a well-forested slopes. They give the mountain a somewhat manicured look from afar (think of the classic Windows XP wallpaper). After having been left unsatisfied by the Higantes, I decided to join the group's hike for Mt. Sembrano - my third grassy peak after Maculot and Batulao. As I did not really intend to join the hike, I was wearing a poloshirt, jeans, an ordinary rubber shoes and a knee strap - certainly not the best things to wear while trekking. I was off for a here-goes-whatever adventure.

Colorful Higantes Festival

Higantes Festival is a yearly parade of huge, painted papier mache made by the people of Angono, Rizal. The event was conceived originally as a mockery of greedy and bossy landlords during the Spanish era who always have their arms on their waist (maybe a predecessor of effigies?). I have never been to a festival, and have even missed Adlaw Hong Butuan where I have been based for years. I am thankful that, finally, I had the chance to beef up my exposure on our country's trademark festivities.

The event was a dayhike to Mt. Sembrano organized by star blogger Ivan Lakwatsero. I've been reading his blog even before I starting hiking, and I can't believe that I'd actually get a chance to meet him in person. The Higantes is a sidetrip that fortunately coincides on the day of the hike. As my knees and toes were still reeling from the torture of Mt. Tapulao a week ago, I decided to catch Higantes, and roam around Angono, Rizal the Arts Capital of the Philippines, and maybe visit a museum or art gallery, while the rest of the group climbs Mt. Sembrano.