A travel & adventure blog by Kara Santos
NOTE: This is a guest post
Thinking of heading to Thailand in the near future? There’s so much to get involved with in the Asian nation, but one of the most exciting prospects comes in the form of the many different types of festivals you’ll find hosted throughout the course of the year. Today, let’s take a look at five amazing festivals you simply have to visit on your travels of Thailand.
Continue reading “5 Amazing Festivals to Visit When You Travel to Thailand”
For those based in Metro Manila, Batangas and La Union are the most popular destinations that tourists head to for a beach fix. For those willing to travel a little further South, then Camarines Norte (or Cam Norte) in the Bicol region, roughly 343 km southeast of Manila might be the ideal spot for you. Much has been written about the historic destinations in this Philippine province, so here are my picks of the most fun and unique activities you can do there.
When it comes to weekend destinations, Laguna is one of the most accessible provinces near Metro Manila. Most people driving cars usually approach the province from SLEX on the way to urbanized cities like Santa Rosa, Los Banos and Calamba. But from the Manila East Road, you can avoid traffic and traverse easily through the more laid-back towns on the Eastern side of the province.
These days, a lot of city folk want a taste of the laid-back provincial life. When life gets too hectic in the metro, just heading somewhere you can float on a bamboo raft, enjoy simple home-cooked meals and see stunning natural sights can be just what you need to re-energize for the work week ahead. One of the fastest-rising destinations to offer this kind of experience near Manila is Minalungao National Park in Nueva Ecija.
Continue reading “Travel Guide: Minalungao National Park, Nueva Ecija”
Nowadays, I’m realizing that having an action camera is a must for a lot of the activities I like to do. For the past years, I’ve been hauling a heavy-ass SLR during mountain biking, motorcycling and island-hopping trips. Ninety percent of the time, I end up just using my Smartphone, because it’s just such a hassle to take out the big camera from a bag when both your hands are occupied driving or if you’re in a water-based environment. I was really hoping to experiment more with video features for the blog this year. As luck would have it, Supremo Philippines sent me their latest action camera to test out.
Are you an Open Road Hero? Join the Wrangler True Wanderer 2017!
Now on it’s third year, the Wrangler True Wanderer competition is extending its scope from bikers to include all types of wanderers.
Read more for the competition details.
Continue reading “Win a Free Trip for 2 to Batanes with True Wanderer 2017”
Laiya in San Juan, Batangas is one of the most popular weekend beach destinations near the metro. It may not have the best beach and coastline compared to some other island destinations in the country, but because of its proximity to Manila and the availability of resorts, it’s one of the most visited beaches in the country for those based in the NCR region.
After days of rain and gloomy weather that hampered our activities in the mainland, the sky finally cleared on the last day of our trip. Just in time too, since our destination for the day was the beautiful island of Palaui, just off the coast of Sta. Ana in Cagayan.
The first time I set foot in Palaui was back in 2011. I remember the roller-coaster like waves that propelled our boats towards the island where the ruins of an abandoned lighthouse sat atop a hill. There were a few rumors from locals that the hit reality show Survivor was going to be filmed there. Fast forward six years later, when I found myself one again with the tempestuous waves heading towards the island.
Continue reading “Travel Guide: Palaui Island, Cagayan”Hello, 2017! It’s been another year of travel and since I haven’t had time to write all of my backposts, a summary year-ender post should do the trick. I had a lot of trips to both new and familiar destinations, participated as a finalist in Wrangler’s True Wanderer competition, and finally got a motorcycle upgrade! Here are some achievements unlocked and noteworthy adventures in 2016:
I bought my scooter five and a half years ago, about the same time I started this blog. The red and white Yamaha Mio Fino you see on the blog header is Chocobo, named after the gigantic bird-like creatures in the Final Fantasy video game universe which protagonists use to explore the world. Chocobos provide a faster way of getting from Point A to Point B than going on foot. They give you access to hard to reach areas and open up new destinations to explore.
I’ve gone on a lot of adventures with Chocobo. He’s been my faithful companion for weekend rides and everyday chores. Despite getting him secondhand, he’s survived a long trip to Bicol. Earlier this year, I shipped him by ferry and rode around Cebu as one of the 10 finalists of Wrangler True Wanderer 2016, a competition where motorcycle riders explore key destinations in the Philippines.
Continue reading “Fenrir: A Final Fantasy Custom Bike”
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