Author: Kara Santos

Klook Travel Fest 2024: What to expect

Looking for deals and discounts for your next trip to Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and more?

You might want to sked a mall visit this weekend for the Klook Travel Fest 2024. Activity booking platform Klook is launching great deals for Klook users at the Klook Travel Fest 2024 happening this September 14 (11:00 AM to 7:30 PM) to 15 (10:00 AM to 7:30 PM) at the SM Megamall Fashion Hall.

You can save up to PHP 8,000.00 on your purchases, avail of Buy 1 Get 1 deals, win hourly hotel stay giveaways, and meet special guests and favorite travel icons at the two-day event. 

Here are some of the highlights to look forward to at the event.

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ITALY | Historic hotel on Lido Island: Home of the Venice Film Festival

While in Venice, we got to stay in a historic hotel on Lido de Venezia or Lido Island, which hosts the Venice Film Festival every year. The 1st Venice Film Festival took place on Lido Island in August 1932. The 81st film festival is happening from August to September 2024, with stars congregating at “Palazzo del Cinema,” a 1937-era theater just five minutes away from the hotel we stayed in.

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ITALY | A taste of ‘La Dolce Vita’ in the Tuscan countryside

After a full week of sightseeing in Italy’s capital city Rome and Vatican City ticking off all the big-name attractions for first-timers and biking along Rome’s ancient Roman roads, we got a taste of “La Dolce Vita” (the sweet life) in the Tuscan countryside near Florence on our way to Venice.

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Lonely Planet Philippines 2024 guidebook is now available

If you got bitten by the travel bug before the digital era, chances are you’ve relied on Lonely Planet for your explorations.

For the past five decades, globetrotters have considered Lonely Planet’s classic guidebooks a “traveler’s bible” to help plan in-depth country trips and pick the best things to do, where to stay and where to eat in each country.

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5 rainy season destinations in the Philippines for nature lovers

It can be tough to plan trips during the rainy season in the Philippines. There’s a lot of uncertainty when traveling by air and sea, especially if a typhoon hits. Once you arrive at your destination, overcast skies and seasonal downpours can be a downer during sightseeing and typical outdoor activities like going to the beach.

But this doesn’t mean hitting the snooze button on travel. Some places around the country come alive once the rainy season sets in. Natural landscapes like waterfalls look their finest and mountain scenery is at its greenest. The fog in mountainous areas can make places look more captivating.

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House of Cravings: Dessert bar and events place in Maginhawa

Cravings, the well-loved establishment known for serving home-style comfort food and cakes since 1988, has found a new home on Maginhawa Street. 

House of Cravings is a dessert bar and events place on Quezon City’s famous foodie street. To kick off their new space, House of Cravings will be hosting a monthly “Unlimited Cake and Coffee Buffet” to highlight their signature offerings. 

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UNESCO Biosphere Reserves of the Philippines

Did you know there are currently four UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in the Philippines? The province of Apayao was recently designated the country’s newest biosphere reserve as part of UNESCO’s initiative to conserve and manage biodiversity. Apayao is the country’s fourth province named a biosphere reserve, after Albay, Palawan and Puerto Galera. 

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Family-friendly holiday in Zamboanga City | Smile Magazine

The article I wrote about our family vacation to Zamboanga City was the cover story in the June 2024 issue of Cebu Pacific’s Smile Magazine.

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Bataan Food Trip: Cozy new cafes for road trip stopovers

Bataan, a 3 to 4-hour drive from Manila via the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), is a rising road trip destination near Manila. This province best known for historical landmarks like the Shrine of Valor at Mt. Samat and cultural destination Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar also has spots that will appeal to foodies.

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ITALY | Exploring Rome on rented bikes

Rome isn’t really famous as a cycling destination compared to other European cities. The first thing that comes to mind when you think of exploring Rome on two wheels is driving the iconic Vespa rather than a traditional bicycle. My original vision of our Roman Holiday involved whizzing around ancient sites and city streets aboard the classic Italian luxury scooter.

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