El Nido, Palawan Itinerary - 2 days

Backpacking, Beach | El Nido, Palawan Itinerary
El Nido town, Nacpan Beach, Las Cabanas Beach.
Specs: El Nido town sightseeing, food trip, island hopping tour, water falls hike, souvenir shopping.
Duration: 2 days

Dumaguete City Tour Itinerary - 1 day

Backpacking, Hiking | Dumaguete City Tour Itinerary
Dumaguete town, church and belfry, Rizal Boulevard, Silliman University, Sibulan port, twin lakes
Specs: Town walking tour, food trip, hiking, souvenir shopping.
Duration: 1 day

The Palabok Connection | Santa Ana Heritage Tour - Part 3

Palabok - that noodle dish topped with egg, chicharon and calamansi - you think you know it very well, but do you ever wonder what that orange stuff is made of?

Palabok: the real thing!

Together with Santa Ana Heritage Tours head tour guide, Boyet, and Fundacion Santiago representative, Cheska, we venture into Santa Ana's public market to sample this traditional delicacy. A number of stalls sell their own 'original' version, which have gained quite a following among locals (and now, including balikbayans).

Lilac Street Food Crawl - Marikina | Part 2

The sun was setting fast and our bellies were far from full (so far, we've only tried 2 places). We venture across the road and spot a short row on Rainbow Street.

Working up an appetite along Lilac St.

In case you missed it, here's a link to Part 1.

Lilac Street Food Crawl - Marikina | Part 1

There's a new foodie strip in Metro Manila that everybody's been talking about: Lilac Street in Marikina. This stretch of road is dotted with delightful food joints you don't usually find in malls. There was nothing to do one Saturday afternoon, so me and my sisters decided to do a Lilac Street food crawl.

Bennt II Building: Infinitea and Cupcake Bites Cafe

A Photowalk Back in Time | Santa Ana Heritage Tour - Part 2

Santa Ana, Manila carries a mix of old provincial charm and progressive small town vibe. To be honest, I pass by the area on a regular basis, but never have I set foot inside its parish until this tour.

Inside the Santos heritage house

This oft-taken for granted Heritage Zone is slowly realizing its tourism potential through the efforts of non-profits Santa Ana Heritage Tourism Association (SAHTA) and Fundacion Santiago.

Within The Hallowed Halls | Santa Ana Heritage Tour - Part 1

Three ladies were rounded up in a dungeon-esque room within the thick walls of Nuestra Senora de los Desamparados Parish in Santa Ana, Manila. One of them was me.

National Shrine of Our Lady of the Abandoned

Okay, it was obviously my first time to venture into the back rooms of a centuries-old church. There, our Santa Ana Heritage Tour was about to commence.

Angono-Binangonan Petroglyphs, Rizal

The Angono Petroglyphs (formally called Angono-Binangonan Petroglyphs) is a significant archaeological site found in Rizal. It is the oldest evidence of artwork in the Philippines.

Ancient drawings are carved on a rock wall in the Angono-Binangonan border, within a compound shared by the sprawling Eastridge Golf Course and VIP-worthy Thunderbird Resort.

Tubigon, Bohol Tour Itinerary via Cebu

The other (less crowded) Chocolate Hills

Backpacking | Tubigon City Tour
Bohol Towns of Tubigon, Sagbayan and Pangangan Island
Specs: Travel from Cebu to Tubigon, Sightseeing, old houses, old churches, beach, Chocolate Hills, Tarsiers.
Duration: 1 day

Bike Trails: Post-Habagat Marikina Riverside Loop

Monsoon season is just around the corner, and as a reminder, I'm posting these photos of my bike ride in Marikina just a few days after habagat rains (not even a typhoon) devastated the place last year.

View Marikina Morning Loop in a larger map

My usual morning jumpstarter route goes like this: from JP Rizal in Lamuan area, I head towards the Marikina River Park in Santo Nino all the way to Barangay Calumpang riverbank, and then loop back to Malanday via the riverside Jocson road. If I have extra time, I warm up or cool down (or both) around South Supermarket's 'oval'.

Camotes Islands Tour Itinerary - 2 days

al fresco afternoon nap

Backpacking, Beach | Camotes Islands Tour
San Francisco (Pacijan) Island and Poro Island, Camotes, Cebu
Specs: Town tour, tourist spots, Santiago bay white sand beach, Danao lake, cave, bird watching, skim boarding, seafood.
Duration: 2 days, 1 night

Suroy-Suroy Sa Sugbo (Cebu City Walking Tour Itinerary)

It was Sinulog week and my sister is visiting Cebu for the first time. She had just graduated from college and by coincidence there was an airline seat sale. As a graduation present, I booked her a ticket so she can join me and my kid on our visit to Cebu.

I'm no Cebuano but I've been there quite a lot in recent years, so I pretty much know where to bring first-time visitors. For her first day, we did a Cebu City Heritage Walking Tour!

This walking tour was memorable to me because I got to play the tour guide and we did it with my then 2-year old kid in tow!

First off, here's a quick map of our route:


View Cebu City Walking Tour in a larger map

The entire walking tour covers less than 2 kilometers of road, so this should be a piece of cake; no need to be fit or anything like that.

So let's go!

Manila Tour: 5 LRT Sights You Shouldn't Miss

It's usually packed like a can of sardines, but the LRT1 (Light Rail Transit line 1) is the most efficient way to traverse old Manila. It connects Baclaran to Roosevelt in less than an hour, making it indispensable to the riding public. The fare is cheap - P12 to P20 - and the train cars are air conditioned. I should warn you though, don't expect a dry underarm when you ride it on a summer rush hour!

The first car is for PWD, elderly, women and passengers with small children

Students, yuppies and the rest of the masses rely on the LRT to reach their destination in photo-finish time. But aside from being part of the daily grind, this mode of transportation is also great for sightseeing!

Calatagan Beach, Batangas Itinerary: 2 days

Sweet escape in Calatagan, Batangas

Backpacking, Beach | Calatagan Beach Itinerary
Calatagan, Batangas, Philippines
Hours from Manila: 3 hours
Specs: beach, cable wakeboard park, museum, lighthouse, snorkeling, diving, artificial reef.

5 Must-Visit Churches In Cebu City + Itinerary

Cebu is home to some of the oldest and ornate churches in the Philippines. At least five of them can be found within city limits, so these can easily be added, into your standard Cebu City itinerary.

1. Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño
Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City
Contact numbers: 2556699/2556697/2554498/2556698

Possibly the most-visited church in Cebu; tourists arrive to the Basilica in busloads, also hitting the Magellan's Cross monument and City Hall in just one stop. Being one of the oldest, this 16th century church is admirable both for its resilience and its connection to the people.

Bohol City Tour Itinerary

A wonder of nature, no wonder!

Backpacking | Bohol City Tour Itinerary
Bohol Island Province, Philippines
Hours: whole day tour
Specs: Historical churches, river cruise, lunch buffet, Tarsiers, chocolate hills, souvenir shopping, ATV adventure, first time essential destinations.

Sagada via Banaue-Bontoc Itinerary: 2+1 days

Early morning hike in Echo Valley, Sagada

Backpacking, Spelunking, Hiking | Banaue, Bontoc, Sagada City Tour Itinerary
Sagada, Mountain Province
Specs: Scenic bus route, rice terraces, Highest highway, burial cave, hanging coffins, spelunking, waterfalls, food, souvenir shopping.

Cebu Mactan and Olango Island Tour Itinerary

Watch migratory birds in Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary

Backpacking | Cebu City Tour Itinerary – Day 2
Mactan Island, Olango Island, Cebu Province, Philippines
Hours: Whole Day Tour
Specs: Mactan Island, Lapu lapu City, Plantation Bay, Lapu-lapu monument, Olango Island Bird Sanctuary, souvenir shopping

Baler City Tour Itinerary: 2 days

Baler: where it all began

Backpacking, Beach, Surfing | Baler City Tour Itinerary
Baler, Aurora Province
Hours from Manila: around 6 hours
Specs: Pacific coast beach, islet hopping, surfing, waterfalls, oldest Balete tree, historical landmarks, shopping, sightseeing.

Indie Tip | LRT Christmas 2010 and New Year's Eve (2011) Schedules

LRT 2010 Holiday Schedules

 Here are the official LRT-1 and LRT-2 schedules (opening and closing) for the following holiday dates: