A travel & adventure blog by Kara Santos
Vatican City, an enclave surrounded by Rome in Italy, is the smallest sovereign state in the world. With a size of just 0.44 square kilometers, this pilgrimage destination is a unique place that blends art, history and religion. Going around the Vatican felt like visiting one massive museum with a vast collection of masterpieces concentrated in one space.
Biking around Cijin Island was one of the highlights of my recent solo trip to Kaohsiung, Taiwan. For first-time tourists who have half or a whole day to spare, this small island is one place you can easily visit for beach breaks with safe walking and biking trails.
Getting there is a cheap and short ferry ride from the mainland, you can spot some fun art installations along the coast, visit temples, bike through a tunnel, and hike up to a lighthouse overlooking the city.
Continue reading “TAIWAN | Biking around Cijin Island, Kaohsiung”Maginhawa Street in Quezon City has a LOT of restaurants to pick from. You could spend a day food-tripping here with different themes. You can find everything from budget-friendly eats catering to students, garden restos ideal for dates, vegan fare, Southeast Asian street food, classic Filipino restaurants, and more.
One of the highlights of our month-long trip to Europe last year was taking it slow and getting to bike around Amsterdam, the cycling capital of the world. The capital and largest city of the Netherlands is well-known for its vibrant biking culture. Cycling isn’t just merely a tool for transportation, exercise, or leisure. It’s a way of life.
Traveling to Europe has always been on our travel bucket list. We originally hoped to go on a European tour in May 2020 for our 10th wedding anniversary, but we all know what happened that year. In the past few years, I’ve realized that life is short and we should take the time to travel and enjoy life while we can. Fast forward four years later, and the dream came true when we finally went on our first-ever trip to Europe to 10 countries for almost a month in June 2024.
UPDATE: As of January 2025, the Philippines has 82 provinces within 18 administrative regions. In June 2024, Negros Island Region (NIR) was re-established with Siquijor transferred from Region VII. In September 2022, the province of Maguindanao was split into two. This travel guide was originally completed and written in 2019 before the split and the pandemic, but has been updated to reflect the new province and newer photos from more recent revisits.
The Philippines is made up of 82 provinces, spread out under three major island groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanano. Currently, there are 38 provinces in Luzon, 16 in Visayas, and 28 in Mindanao. The provinces are grouped under 18 different regions based on their geographical, cultural, and ethnological characteristics.
Continue reading “Travel Guide: 82 Provinces of the Philippines”Like most Filipino travelers, I’ve always wanted to experience winter. While our tropical country is blessed with beautiful beaches and islands, the fact that we don’t ever get to experience snow firsthand makes it extremely captivating. Traveling to a winter destination is just one of those things most of us have on our travel bucket-lists. Maybe it’s all the Hollywood movies and fairy tales we’re exposed to during Christmastime, but winter just looks like such a magical experience. My trip to Sapporo, the capital and largest city of Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island was my first taste of winter.
For international travelers, Auckland, the largest city on North Island is the main entry and exit point to New Zealand. Traveling from Manila, Auckland was our first and last stop during our family trip / backpacking tour in 2016. This diverse and multicultural city is home to the largest Polynesian population in the world. It’s just one of the amazing places in the sovereign island country of New Zealand located in the Southwestern Pacific Ocean, which I consider one of the best places I have ever visited in the world
Every fan of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films dreams of going to New Zealand. In fact, the movie trilogies directed by Peter Jackson based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels have spurred a rise in Tolkien tourism. Many fans of the LOTR fictional universe travel to significant filming locations based on the books.
The best place you can experience Middle-Earth magic is the Hobbiton Movie Set, a sprawling farm complete with hobbit holes, gardens, bridge, mill and souvenir shops. My favorite part of Hobbiton is The Green Dragon Inn, a real pub where you can sample beers traditionally brewed in the Shire, the home of the hobbits!
Continue reading “NEW ZEALAND | Middle-Earth Magic in Hobbiton”La Rosa Vino, a premium wine shop in Quezon City, recently held the third run of their annual Wine and Food Hop, a unique food crawl with curated wines and delicious bites in several establishments along Maginhawa Street, QC’s famous food and arts district.
If you’re looking for an unforgettable summer vacation, there’s no grander experience than chartering a yacht in the Philippines. Though before it was an activity solely for the wealthy due to many of them owning boats, yacht charters have made sailing an activity that is fully accessible to everyone. You can now freely cruise around iconic Philippine islands, indulge in unforgettable sights, and try local cuisine, all while enjoying luxury services that the best private yachts have to offer.
Where’s the best place to get halo-halo in Manila? When summer temperatures sizzle, thoughts often turn to cool drinks and refreshments like halo-halo. This famous Filipino dessert is a delightful mix of crushed ice, sweetened fruits, ube, leche flan, and a drizzle of evaporated milk, leading to a burst of flavors and textures in every bite.
The global shift toward remote work has redefined where and how professionals live and operate. Once confined to traditional office spaces, today’s workforce is increasingly mobile, blurring the lines between business and leisure.
The Pasig River Ferry Service (PRFS) is currently the only water-based transportation in Metro Manila that plies the length of the Pasig River and parts of the Marikina River. As of January 2025, the alternative transport option remains FREE to ride for all passengers. The ferry, similar to a water bus, cruises along Pasig River from Pinagbuhatan in Pasig City to Escolta in Manila City.
If you’re looking for a different mode of transport for urban exploration, this commuter ferry has stations in Pasig, Mandaluyong, Makati, and Manila. While work needs to be done along the riverbanks in many areas, the ferry offers a glimpse of local life and offers a view of notable landmarks from a tourist’s perspective.
Continue reading “GUIDE: 2025 Pasig River Ferry Service route map, schedules, timetable & landmarks”NOTE: Originally written on October 2023. Last updated on January 2025.
The mere mention of the City of Pines immediately brings to mind images of hot chocolate, brewed coffee, ube jam, strawberry taho, and a lot of other iconic eats. Baguio City is an amazing destination for foodies, with a sheer variety of artistic homegrown restaurants to choose from serving all types of cuisine. In the past few years, Baguio has become a destination for beer lovers as well.
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