Showing posts with label Philippines. Show all posts

Affordable Luxury: Thunderbird Resort

A month ago, I was surprised to receive an invite from Nica of Thunderbird Resort regarding their media launch of The Point Residences. Unfortunately I wasn't available due to conflict of schedule with my another plan.

I called up a friend and asked her if she could cover for me and despite of her gruelling schedule at work, she agreed and just brought her laptop with her so she could still do some of her work.

She continuously updated me all throughout the three days that she was in Thunderbird.

She was ecstatic about the resort since the architecture is inspired by Santorini (a Greek Island) and the rooms are uber comfortable.

And the best of all, they were treated with sumptuous meals for the entire three days.

Here are some tips on how to avail luxury on a budget.

1. Keep an eye on new hotels or resorts that are being built in your area. usually they have this soft launch wherein they do some major price cuts to entice customers.

2. Sign up on their mailing list and be the first to know about their promotions.

3. Book on off peak season and the price will surely be lower.

4. Participate on their online contest, who knows you might just win your dream vacation!

5. Be flexible with your dates, most people who own Gift Certificates sell them on the last minute for a really really cheap price.

If you want to keep up to date with Thunderbird Resort's promotion? Don't forget to check their blog every now and then and it would also help if you follow them in Facebook.

Dancing Prisoners of Cebu, Philippines

Where else can you find prisoners dancing in the tune of Thriller or Soulja Boy's tunes... no where else but only in Cebu City, Philippines.

I went there a couple of years back and had a chance to see them dance live.

Here's the video that propelled them to "Stardom."

Video from Mr. Byron Garcia

Here's a video uploaded by the brain child of this project, Byron Garcia. If it doesnt show up in your browser, CLICK HERE!

Here are some pictures that I took when I watched their live performance.

All Roads Lead to Sagada

Sagada is located in a valley near the central Cordillera between the mountains of main Cordillera Ranges and the Ilocos Range. It is just beside Bontoc, the provincial capital of Mt. Province and is only a few hours from Baguio.

According to many, one of a must go to destinations in the Philippines is Sagada. This is the place where one can go, backpacking, camping , caving, do trekking, visit the hanging coffins, enjoy the waterfalls, , and lastly get a taste of the famous yogurt.

Sagada is a sight to behold, the uneven rock formations that can be seen on the road. There’s memorial cliff with more than hundred year old coffins hanged in the air. Sagada people prefers to bury their deceased through wooden coffins kept in caves, or hanged above the ground as high as possible. It still remains a practice today by old locals. It is said that the higher it is placed the closer it is to heaven.

From Bontoc, I arrived at Sagada at around 12 noon, I was not able to make any reservations so I moved around the town and look for a good yet cheap accommodation. After an hour of scouting, I decided to stay at George Guest House and was able to get a room with a bathroom for 300/night.. I highly recommend George Guesthouse since the staff are very friendly, the room is clean as well as the restroom.

I decided to have my lunch at Yoghurt house, the place has a great bohemian ambiance and they serve large servings of great tasting food. Masferre Photographs serves as a design displayed on the walls. With the space provided, I guess the place can only accommodate a small number of guests.

On the same day, I scheduled to do the cave connection as it can be possibly done on a half day. There are two “standard” cave tours – the cave to cave link-up (connecting cave) and the Lumiang Cave tour. The cave link-up that I availed links Sumaging Cave (the largest cave in the area) and Lumiang cave. It takes around 4 hours to complete and there are numerous tight squeezes and several sections where you need to ascend/descend ropes to surpass some steep parts. As such a sound level of fitness is required. The tour costs 800 pesos for 1 person, 400 additional pesos for an additional person. Luckily, I was able to join a group to spit the bill.

Cave Full of Coffins

The Lumiang Cave tour takes only an hour or two, and follows the path of an underground watercourse, taking in some of the most spectacular formations in the area. The tour costs Php500.00/group of 1-5 person. After walking for 20-30 mins, We finally reached the entrance of the cave at exactly 2:30PM. It was a big opening and there were coffins that greeted us, all the while I was thinking just to go straight inside the cave. But I was surprised that we entered a very small opening which our tour guide said was the start of our journey towards Sumaguing cave.

I've done caving in Biak na Bato in Bulacan but this is my first time to enter a cave like this and do all sorts of things like, rappel, literally fit my body into a tiny hole for me to get through, step on the tour guide so I can get to the next point, embrace the rocks to cling for my life, and a whole lot more. It’s hard to stay dry once inside. There were water pools, dipping area and falls, nature’s wonders at its best. It’s amazing how such beauty formed in time and hidden in the dark. The water seemed crystal to our lights, yet cold as ice.

It was so adventurous yet so fulfilling to accomplish so many tasks and finally reach the end of the cave – Sumaguing Cave. There were so many rock formations, stalagmites, stalactites, some bats and water flowing underground. After 4 hours of caving on our way up to the exit we were literally crawling our butts out of the cave because it was so slippery.

Sagada town is such a charming place that everyone seemed hesitant to leave. I can’t tell when I will be setting foot again or if I will be seeing the same when I get back. Fresh air, beautiful scenery.. After this trip, I am now considering Sagada as a place where I can settle.

Contributed by Alvin Girard. Alvin is a full-time Financial Analyst working in the Makati Business District. He frequently travels around the Philippines. His next destination will be Vietnam and Cambodia.

The Rice Terraces of Banaue and Batad

The Banaue Rice terraces found in the mountains of Philippines has been described as the eight wonder of the world. More than 2000 years ago, these terraces were made by our ancestors of the Batad Indigenous people without the support of machinery to provide levels like stepping stones to the sky, some reaching an altitude of 1500m (5000 feet), where the natives plant rice. It is considered as one of mankind's greatest engineering accomplishment. If the terraces were laid end to end, they would stretch half way around the world. In 1995, Banaue Rice terraceshas been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

I set off on a journey to the Mountain Province on the 27th of August. I left Manila at 10:45pm to Banaue via Florida bus line. From Manila there are air-conditioned buses that go straight to Banaue, The trip takes about 9 hours. Autobus and Florida Bus offer Manila-Banaue route everyday. The Autobus leaves Manila at 10PM, estimated time of arrival is 7AM the next day. The same bus leaves for Manila at 5PM. Florida Bus has two trips during weekend, one leaves at 9:00 pm and another one at 10:45PM, the fare is Php400.00 and Php450.00 respectively. Only one bus leaves for Manila at 8PM. The terminal for both buses is in Sampaloc Manila and the trip will pass through the provinces of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya then to Ifugao.

Once you arrived at the bus terminal in Banaue, there’s transport (van) waiting for the tourists which will bring you to the town proper, and it’s free of charge. At the town, there were a decent number of choices for accomodation so you might find it difficult to make a decision.

I opted to stay at People’s lodge for the price of 250.00/head (common rate) for a shared room with a communal bathroom. Fortunately, I am the only guest occupying the room so I was able to rest well. People’s lodge It is located right in the heart of town. The rooms are typical backpacker type - very basic, but clean enough. All except for a few rooms have private bathrooms with hot showers (500-700/night). People's Lodge has a balcony outside where you can enjoy a nice view of some terraces as well and an old hanging bridge (Paypayan bridge) that connects the market area to another residential area.

The Banaue Tourism Council is the name of the Banaue guides association. It is a non-government group and their purpose is to sell you a tour packages or have you use one of their guides. They can provide you map for PhP15.00 and help you choose a guide or transport. All the guides’ and transport rates are a fixed price and are the same regardless of where you book.

If your time is limited, then the centrality of Banaue makes it a good base while taking in as many sights as possible, especially if you don’t have your own transport. A land tour along the valley is a nice thing to do, just to have a breath of fresh air and a nice views along the main road. On the way back to town, I would suggest that you try to cross the swing bridge(Paypayan bridge) that connect Brgy. Poblacion and Brgy. Paypayan.You can’t go to Banaue without going to Banaue Museum and to the viewpoint which is located on the main road of the town, about 4KM from the town center. A guide is not necessary and it is a good walk if you are up to it.

If you only have time for an overnight stay, a trip to Batad and Tappiya Waterfalls within Batad is worth it. Batad has a spectacularly tiered and amphitheatre-shaped terraces with a small village down where the terraces begin.The only way to get there is via a jeep or a van. Trykes can get you to the junction where the road splits to Batad Saddle on the left and Bangaan on the right. But you have to hike for about 40-50 mins. going to the saddle. Jeepneys can be hired in Banaue to take you most of the way there.These jeepneys stop at the saddle point, the jump-off point going to Batad and is about 12km of rough road from Banaue town proper. From Saddle point, it will be about 30 – 45 minutes walk to get to the viewpoint where you need to register and another 10 – 15 minutes to get to the center of the little village. In Batad, choose an inn that will afford you a view of the Batad amphitheatre and the surrounding mountain range. Accomodation here is ranging from Php100.00-250.00. Make your mind to get up early in the morning to witness the sunrise.

Saddle Point

Batad

The saddest part is that El Niño triggered droughts that led giant earthworms to erode the terraces' soil. According to the locals, the rice variety most suited to the area's cool climate is not a high-yielding crop; because it takes so long to mature. Some Ifugao families have abandoned their land in the rice terraces in favor of land that reaps faster rewards. And for those who choose to stay, they begun to turn away from the traditional agricultural practices of their ancestors, turning instead to more modern agricultural methods. For this reason, UNESCO placed the Banaue Rice Terraces on their list of Endangered Sites, in 2001. Although some effort is being made to restore them, it is not quite as simple as many architectural sites, which require only money for restoration. Instead, saving the Banaue Rice Terraces would require a change of lifestyle for the locals and tourists.

The Ifugao’s rice terraces are such a wonderful place that I hope and wish that it will be preserved for centuries to come and that these manmade wonders may not become a thing of the past.

Contributed by Alvin Girard. Alvin is a full-time Financial Analyst working in the Makati Business District. He frequently travels around the Philippines. His next destination will be Vietnam and Cambodia.

Sidetrip to Bontoc

Bontoc is the capital of Mountain Province. It is about 12 hours from Manila and a mere 45 minutes from Sagada. Compared to Baguio, there are definitely less buses going to Bontoc. Bontoc is primarily a commercial town used by tourists mainly as a rest-stop on the circuit to Banaue-Sagada.

From Manila, there’s a bus line going from Manila to Bontoc. Cable Tours has a terminal at E. Rodriguez Blvd near the Trinity College. The fare cost Php500.00 and trip schedules are on 8PM (Manila to Bontoc) and 3PM (Bontoc to Manila). Contact numbers for Cable Tours are (+6374)6021068 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (+6374)6021068 end_of_the_skype_highlighting), (+6374)6021068 (landline), and (+63918)5216790/(+63921)4488814 (mobile numbers).

If you’re coming from Banaue, take first the jeepney that goes to Bontoc., the terminal is located in front of Banaue tourist center and it depart by 8:30 am. The fare cost Php150.00. Top-loading (riding on top of the jeepney) which I did, is highly recommended to witness what Bontoc has to offer before proceeding to Sagada.

If you want to stay inside the jeep, sit on the left side of the jeepney for more views. The Banaue-Bontoc ride was spectacular, as the road passes by great mountain scenery with the Chico River winding its way through the mountains. The trip takes about 2½ hours ride along Halsema highway.

If time permitted, you may opt to visit the small but well-run museum in Bontoc before taking a connecting jeepney to Sagada, for another hour of a scenic journey. It’s open from Mon-Sat, 9:30AM-12NN; 1:00PM to 5:00PM. You need to register at the reception and pay an entrance fee of Php50.00.

Bontoc to Sagada is 45 minutes on a jeep for a fare of Php40.00. One jeep is departing every hour starting 7 am until 5 pm being the last.

Experiencing mountain province is not complete without a stop-over in Bontoc. Though these towns are just a few kilometers away from Sagada or Banaue, one can see the contrast between these towns. Bontoc offers a relatively different experience in that of Banaue and Sagada.

I hope that the local government of Bontoc together with their tourism authority could do something more to promote what the town has to offer.

Window Shopping in Vira Mall, Greenhills

Vira Mall in Greenhills is the place to go if you want to buy second hand electronics such as celphones, laptops, cameras and other stuff. A lot of people go here to buy, sell, or trade their gadgets for another one. Sadly for me, I just went there to stroll and kill time.

It is also famous for pearls, south sea and freshwater pearls. A lot of tourists go there to buy these expensive jewelleries because comparatively, it’s still cheaper to buy it here in the Philippines than from their home country.

Greenhills is also popular with knock-off designer goods. I think this is very common not only in our country but as well as in other Asian countries. I’ve seen a lot of stores in Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, Thailand selling pirated designer items.

The law is quite strict about this concern but apparently it’s a huge business for everyone. Almost everyone has one fake item. I had one too. I bought a fake Crocs shoes because the original was too expensive, it was really cheap in Divisoria (shopping mecca of the Philippines) but surprisingly tough. I used it for my six months backpacking trip and it didn’t fail me.

If you get tired of shopping, you could head to the numerous restaurants and watering holes that surround the shopping complex.

Again, I went home empty handed but with a full stomach. Lunch at Casa Reyes is definitely filling.

Cheap Finds at Tiendesitas

Tiendesitas is like an outdoor SM Hypermart where you could find and buy anything, well, almost anything that is. I could not remember the last time I went there, but a couple of friends invited me to spend the night strolling around this big outdoor shopping complex.

Tiendesitas is divided into different complexes or ‘villages’ of products. They have this Novelty Village that showcases gift items, local handicrafts, some local clothings and some other ‘unique’ items.

They have ‘villages’ for home furnishings, clothes, some designer brands (I’m not sure if they’re knock off or factory overruns), plants and flowers and some antiques.

What interest me the most is the Pet Village. You could purchase pet supplies and pets like dogs and even exotic pets such as hedgehogs, sugar gliders, snakes, tarantulas and some other reptiles. The dogs seem to be quite happy even if they’re in small cages but one thing that struck me was the sugar gliders (check google images, they’re cute). There’s this one shop, I forgot the name, who have baby sugar gliders in hamster cages. I felt sad for the gliders because they need to have ample space to move around.

They also have this People Village where you could sit and enjoy live band while drinking ice cold beer and of course, a night out wouldn’t be complete without food. There are so many food shops to choose from. We ended up choosing Puerto who specializes in local cuisine. They’re grilled chicken is a must try.

I went home empty handed though which is a good thing because I’m stopping myself from buying anything even small stuff so I could save for my next trip.

Tiendesitas is definitely a good place to visit for locals and tourists alike.

How Much did I Spend in Sabang

Before we go to the cost of the trip, I just want to give information on how to go to Sabang.

The most convenient way would probably going to Buendia and take a bus going to Batangas Pier. From Batangas Pier, you actually have a lot of choices, you could either go to Muelle, White Beach or Sabang.

Ticket Area

Waiting Area

Here’s how much the weekend trip cost me:

	PHP
Jeepney from House to Bus Terminal	7.00
Bus fare	167.00
Terminal Fee (Batangas Pier)	30.00
Environmental Fee	50.00
Boat Fare to Sabang	230.00
Accommodation for Two Nights	1000.00
Food and Drinks for Three Days	855.00
Terminal Fee (Sabang Port)	10.00
Bus going to Manila	167.00
Total	2516.00

You could still go cheaper if you want to by sharing the cost with a friend and by adjusting the food expense. :-) Happy trip!

Three Things You Shouldn’t Miss in Sabang

Here’s my list of things you shouldn’t miss in Sabang:

Snorkelling and Diving

People go to Sabang to dive and marvel at the richness of the Philippines marine life. But if you don’t have a budget for diving, snorkelling is a nice alternative. The snorkelling area in Big La Laguna may not be as impressive as what we have in Coron but you would still enjoy swimming with colourful fishes. If you have additional budget to spare, rent a boat and go to Coral Garden to see more fishes and corals.

Drink and Party

Sabang, a stone throw party place away from Manila abounds with a lot of drinking holes to choose from. Among the crowd favourites is the Big Apple which is facing the beach and offers free wi-fi. Although I didn’t go there to party, I lazed around this restaurant/bar and took advantage of the free internet connection.

Drink and Blog

Yachting

I wasn’t able to try this but I’m sure that this is one thing that I would do the next time I go back to Sabang. I saw an ad in one of the cafe’s where you can rent a Yacht for around P10,000 for the whole day of P5000 for halfday tour. I know that this is a pretty hefty amount but if you could split the cost with some of your friends then this would definitely an affordable once in a lifetime experience.

Imagine cruising the bay of Puerto Galera on a Yacht! :-)

A Weekend in Sabang, Puerto Galera

Sabang is a tourist town in Puerto Galera. It attracts more foreign tourist than local because there’s not much beach to laze around. What attracts tourists here is diving.

The water between Batangas and Mindoro is considered as one of the most biodiverse areas in the world. There are some frequent dolphins and whales that passes through this area not to mention colourful corals and fishes that abound beneath the sea.

Sabang Town

The town itself has facilities to support the tourism trade. It has a lot of diving shops to choose from, some souvenir shops to buy from and of course, some beer joints and of course a small red light district.

Sabang Beach Front

The area is divided into three, Sabang which is the main town, Small La Laguna and Big La Laguna. I stayed in Smal La Laguna for about two nights and the cheapest accommodation that I found still cost me P500/night.

The pseudo-hostel is being run by a local family. It doesn’t have a signage though but you can find this decent and affordable place when you go to the street next to El Galleon restaurant. Just look for Andy.

Their place is smacked in the middle of Sabang where you can buy your food and stuff and Small La Laguna where you can just snorkel.

On your way to Small La Laguna, you can also climb up the small hill and see the picturesque view of Sabang.

View from the Hill

Small La Laguna also has a cluster of small resorts and some dive shops. This is also a good place to snorkel. Dont get your hopes to high because the corals here are dead, some are dying and some will die soon if not protected.

But there are still a lot of fishes and I really enjoyed my time snorkelling in Big La Laguna.

If you want to go to a better snorkelling area, you can rent a boat and ask the boatman to bring you to Coral Garden.

Three Things You Shouldn’t Miss in Coron

We could do and try a lot of things when we go to a certain destination. Here’s another segment that I want to introduce to my audience in Flipnomad. In every destination that I’ll go to, I’ll recommend three things that you shouldn’t miss.

Here’s the three things that you shouldn’t miss in Coron

Island Hopping

This would be the only reason why you flew to Coron from your hometown. No words could really express how beautiful it is. There’s a lot of island hopping activity to choose from, just don’t miss seeing Kayangan Bay and Twin Lagoon. It is indeed breathtaking.

Kinilaw from Bistro Coron

I didn’t eat to every restaurant in Coron due to budget purposes but this is definitely one of the best food I have ever tried in my entire life. Go try it for yourself.

Cashew Nuts from Coron Harvest

It’s crunchy, creamy and a little salty, perfect for everyone’s taste buds. What more could you ask for.

Creamy Cashew Nuts of Coron Harvest

We were on our way to Kayangan Lake when one of our travel friends brought out some cashew nuts she bought from the town.

I tried it and I fell in love instantly. It’s crunchy and the saltiness and creaminess were just perfect for my taste buds. I immediately asked her where she got it and she said that I should look for Nanay Lita of Coron Harvest once we get back on the town.

And so I did.

Coron Harvest is just a tricycle away from where I was staying. Just hop on a tricycle and tell the driver to bring you to Coron Harvest. Don’t worry about getting lost since Coron is a small town.

Nanay Lita, has been in the cashew business for quite some time. She was able to raised and sent her kids to school because of her delectable cashew nuts.

She has also been featured in numerous local tv shows in the Philippines.

The process of making a cashew is quite simple based on her explanation.

They start by harvesting the cashew fruit (which by the way most people don’t eat) and then by removing the nuts. They then wash it, split it into two and then fry it on a big pan.

They’re also selling some sun-dried nuts which I didn’t try because they say that it’s a little itchy on the throat.

Next time you go to Coron, don’t forget to say hi to Nanay Lita and buy some Cashew Nuts for pasalubong.