A travel & adventure blog by Kara Santos
With all the promos and seat sales these days, it can pretty overwhelming to decide which out-of-the country destination to visit. For first-time travelers from the Philippines who want to build up their travel experience, the easiest way to start traveling is to focus on neighboring countries around Asia. Not only are most of our Asian neighbors Visa-Free to enter, they also have pretty budget-friendly and unique attractions to visit that will give you value for your hard-earned money.
Formerly a major United States Navy facility, Subic Bay Freeport Zone (also known as Subic Bay or just Subic) is an industrial and commercial area in Region III or Central Luzon in the Philippines. Located on the west coast of the island of Luzon, 100 kilometers (62.1 miles) from Manila Bay, Subic Bay is known for its deep and protected waters surrounded by mountain ranges. It’s also known for its collection of shipwrecks, which date back to the Spanish American War, in 1898.
Like other surf towns in the Philippines like La Union and Siargao, the food scene in Baler is growing. During previous visits years ago, it seemed there were only a few usual favorites to eat in town. This 2019 during our #LakbayNorte8 trip, I noticed a lot of cool new restaurants have popped up, with some establishments making an effort to highlight the tropical surf vibe and local flavors and ingredients on their menu.
Sometimes you just want to get away from the city and sleep outdoors somewhere cool and refreshing. And Laguna is one of the destinations near Manila you can do that. You can find resorts and campsites all around Laguna especially near Caliraya Lake.
If you’re looking for a fun summer activity with friends or family without hitting the beach or hiking trails, glamping is a unique option. While most of us have tried the usual tent camping, glamping combines the appeal of being outdoors with safety, security and access to creature comforts.
Baler, the capital town of the province of Aurora, is a haven for surfers and bikers. This laid-back coastal town is known primarily for its waves. Numerous surf shops are situated along Sabang beach catering to novice and the seasoned surfers.
The local craft beer scene in the Philippines is really booming as brewers infuse local flavors and creativity to homegrown beers. You can find now find a growing number of Philippine craft beer breweries when you travel around the country, with cozy brewpubs and craft beer joints in top tourist hubs like Baguio, Sagada, Vigan, La Union, Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Palawan, Davao and Iligan.
Continue reading “Craft Beer Bars in Manila”Maginhawa Street in Quezon City is one of the top go-to places for a food trip around the metro. However, the turnover rate in the area has become really high lately. I’m having a hard time keeping this list updated every time a new restaurant opens or closes in the area. To make my life easier, I’ve decided to just narrow down this list to 10 places to eat in the Maginhawa area (which are still open as of January 2019).
Continue reading “Top 10 Places to Eat in Maginhawa (2019)”The first thing that popped in my head when I got an invitation to visit Sapporo was beer. Sapporo Brewery is known as the oldest brewery in Japan, named after the capital and largest city of the country’s northernmost island. Though bottled variants of the Black Label variety are now available around the world, nothing beats drinking fresh draft beer right in the town where it originated, right?
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.
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