Author: Kara Santos

Road Trip Guide: North East Samar Loop

My solo ride around Samar Island has been one of the most memorable rides I’ve done this year. I got to traverse through three provinces of (Western) Samar, Northern Samar and Eastern Samar. Since it’s the third largest island in the Philippines, it’s a bit challenging getting around by public transportation.

The main cities are geographically located far from each other and vans and jeeps don’t leave regularly. Usually, you have to wait for public transport vehicles to get filled up with passengers, so getting from one place to another usually requires a lot of waiting time. Since my main purpose was sightseeing and ease of access getting around, I thought I could cover more ground on a motorbike.

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Gear Review: Maz Brasil Sneakers

Whenever I travel, I always pick comfort over style. For the airport, city tours and general travel, I usually opt for sneakers or comfortable shoes rather than more stylish high heels or sandals. It always helps to be wearing something easy to take on and off, won’t keep your feet cramped and are easy to walk around in the whole day. Thankfully, you don’t have to sacrifice style for comfort with the fun sneaker options available from Maz Brasil Philippines.

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Stay connected abroad with Smart’s RoamFree app

Before smartphones and travel apps, part of the adventure of exploring new places abroad was getting lost. Relying on paper maps or directions from locals, trying to decipher foreign public transport systems, and miscommunication with taxi drivers due to language barriers were just everyday occurrences.

These days, travel apps like Uber, Google Maps and Booking have made traveling around so much easier. With the proper apps, you can easily check in your flights, find the best places to eat, book your hotel accommodations, find transport to get around, meet up with locals, get discounts and coupons, reserve tickets to attractions without lining up. You basically have all the travel tools you need right at your fingertips for a hassle-free getaway.

READ MORE: 10 Useful Apps for Travel

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Crazy Jump Day 2017 with AirAsia and AJ Hackett Macau

Participants dressed up as a Thai boxer, a crocodile hunter & a “sumo wrestler from Mexico” emerged as the grand winners for the seventh Crazy Jump Day, an annual costumed bungy jumping competition organised by the world’s top adventure tourism company AJ Hackett and powered by the world’s best low-cost airline AirAsia.

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A Wanderlust Weekend in Tokyo

A weekend in Tokyo is such a treat. This is a city of contrasts that collide beautifully together: sprawling skyscrapers sit side by side with ancient shrines, historic parklands blend into a backdrop of futuristic architecture and cutting-edge technology works in harmony with traditional customs. Discovering Japan’s capital can take years, but with a weekend to spare, start with the highlights.

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Luxury Lovers’ Guide to Bali

The very word Bali, evokes visions of paradise and luxury, and the reality lives up to that reputation. It is packed with incredible upscale experiences, from hotels, to dining, to spas, to tours.

Planning a visit to Bali and want to make sure you take in the best of the luxury experiences that the island has to offer? Read on for our guide on where to go, what to do and what to see.

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Endless Samar Part 4: Ulot River Torpedo Boat Adventure

Any solo traveler will tell you that one of the most painful parts of traveling alone is the fact that you have no one to share expenses with. After riding around the coastal road of Samar on the way back to Catbalogan City, I decide to squeeze in one last activity.  When I passed by the local tourism office in Samar, the three main destinations being promoted were Sohoton Caves Natural Bridge in Basey, the Rock Formations in Marabut and the Ulot River Torpedo Boat Ride in Paranas.

I’ve visited the province of Samar on several caving trips and have written a detailed travel guide about it, but for some reason, I haven’t been to those three main and most popular sites. So while riding back from Borongan to Catbalogan City on my solo ride around Samar Island, I decided to stop and try the Torpedo boat ride at Ulot River since it was along the way.

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Gear Review: SJCam SJ5000 Action Camera

For regular travel, I usually just take photos with my SLR for print magazine features and the blog. Most of the time, I end up using photos and videos taken with my Smartphone for Instagram and social media. But for extreme adventures, motorcycling, biking trips and water-based activities, it’s essential to have an action camera. Video content and vlogs are becoming more popular these days on social media and action cameras can really really help you capture more dynamic content.


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10 Things to Do in Pasig

Pasig is a city in the Philippines located along the eastern border of Metro Manila. While most business and luxury tourists usually stay in the Manila / Pasay area to be near the airport and backpackers will want to stay in the Makati / Poblacion area for the nightlife, I would recommend staying in Pasig if you’re traveling with the family or if you want to enjoy a mix of active pursuits and city comforts.

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Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila

As a freelance writer, I get to travel a lot on my own. However, I haven’t gone a real trip with Art since last year. Since he works regular office hours and Sundays, scheduling leaves are more difficult for him. During weekends, we usually settle for biking trips or motorcycle rides near the metro with date meals in random carinderias. But with the weather lately, we usually end up coming home either exhausted from the heat, drenched by rain or splattered with mud. Sometimes, you just kind of want to take a luxurious break for a change.

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