Author: Kara Santos

JAPAN: Beer & Food Trip Diary

Some people collect ref magnets or mugs when they travel. I collect beer. Or at least I try to drink as many variants of unique beer as possible when I travel to a different country. Though Japan is really known more for sake (rice wine), I was glad to be able to add a few new ones to my beer collection during our trip around Nagoya, Takayama, Gamagori and Gujo Hachiman with Cebu Pacific.

japan nagoya travelup akamiso beer

There are 4 major beer producers in Japan: Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo and Suntory, who produce mostly easy to drink pale-colored light lagers with an alcohol strength of around 5.0%. While some of these beers are widely available internationally including here in the Philippines, it’s always nice to pair a great Japanese meal with the local brew. Here’s a look at of some of the beers we tried and the delicious meals we consumed them with. Continue reading “JAPAN: Beer & Food Trip Diary”

5 Things To Do in Cagayan de Oro

Cagayan de Oro is best known for Whitewater Rafting and kayaking adventures. This first class and capital city in the province of Misamis Oriental in Northern Mindanao has been dubbed the “River Rafting Capital of the Philippines.” However, this adventure activity is best experienced if you’re staying a few days in the city. I tried this years ago during pre-blogging days when waterproof digital cameras were not yet that popular. For first-time visitors, this would be the major highlight of your visit to Cagayan de Oro.

mapawa nature park cagayan de oro travelup tree

But aside from whitewater rafting, what else is there to do if you only have a limited time to go around?  Here are some things to do in Cagayan de Oro around the city that you can easily visit in a day. Continue reading “5 Things To Do in Cagayan de Oro”

5 Reasons to Visit Guam

The island of Guam most often evokes images of pristine white beaches and turquoise waters. Located east of the Philippines in the Western Pacific Ocean, Guam is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Island Arc. This exotic and stunning destination is rich in natural resources, and boasts of diverse colonial history and local culture.

Tumon Snklr Continue reading “5 Reasons to Visit Guam”

Vintage Garage Bar & Diner in Legazpi City

I’m kind of a sucker for any establishment that uses retro motorcycles and bicycles as its theme. There are a few biker bars in Metro Manila, including The Roadhouse along Mall of Asia, Vintage Cafe Muvela in Marikina and Handlebar & Grill, to name a few. I heard that there was a similar bar in Legazpi City in Bicol, so during a family road trip there, I made it a point to check it out.

vintage garage bar legazpi bicol mopeds
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Gear Review: Hull & Stern Dry Bag

Did you know that the best way to dry wet gadgets is to dunk them in a bag of uncooked rice? I learned this the hard way a couple of years ago, when my SLR camera and mobile phones fell in a river (along with me) on the way to visit a waterfall. While my ancient Nokia survived, my other smartphone’s touchscreen was irreparable, and I had to pay a visit to Hidalgo in Quiapo to get my SLR and lens serviced.

hull & stern dry bag boat shades cebu

Nowadays, I usually have a couple of garbage bags in my all-around convertible belt bag during weekend trips in case it rains. But it really makes sense to have a dedicated waterproof bag since a lot of the activities I like to do – like island hopping, snorkeling, kayaking, chasing waterfalls and canyoning – involve bodies of water. Continue reading “Gear Review: Hull & Stern Dry Bag”

Inside the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant

The maze of narrow corridors with pipes snaking through the ceilings, hulking machinery and elaborate control panels looked like something out of a classic Science Fiction or horror flick. I couldn’t help imagine being chased by zombies as we walked along the dark hallways and climbed the industrial stairways of the building that has been sitting idle for three decades.

osprey bataan nuclear power plant control room Continue reading “Inside the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant”

10 Things Kids Can Do at KidZania Manila

I’ve been wanting to take my 6-year old nephew Eli to KidZania Manila ever since I heard it opened in Park Triangle Mall in Bonifacio Global City this year. We’ve done the rounds of the kid-friendly establishments in the metro – The Mind Museum, Art in Island, The Manila Oceanarium, Ark Avilon, Fun Ranch, etc., and KidZania Manila sounds like the ultimate kiddie theme park. This unique indoor kid-sized play city currently has 20 locations in 17 countries and is now in the Philippines!

kidzania manila tickets eli

Imagine a huge interactive indoor play city full of kiddie-sized stores, vehicles, shops and dining destinations. KidZania Manila was built to scale for children using recognizable brands to make up a city. It provides a unique and realistic educational environment, where kids between the ages of four and 14 can get hands-on experience on their dream jobs. KidZania aims to spark kids’ imaginations, ignite their minds, nurture creativity, and inspire real-world exploration. It’s the ultimate role-playing environment for kids!  Continue reading “10 Things Kids Can Do at KidZania Manila”

JAPAN: Old Town & Autumn Takayama Festival

If the UNESCO World Heritage site Shirakawa-go is the starting village or hero’s hometown in a classic video role-playing game, Takayama is the peaceful yet bustling trading town you go to when you want to upgrade your gear and buy all the rare items.

autumn in takayama japan ootd lakhambini shoes doorway

Takayama is a city in the mountainous region of the Gifu Prefecture, about 2 hours away from Nagoya, Japan. It is home to a beautifully preserved Old Town with buildings and whole streets of houses that date back to the Edo Period (1600-1868), when the city still thrived as a wealthy town of merchants.
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Backpacking in Time: Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

There are certain destinations in the Philippines that make you feel like you’ve traveled back in time. Places like Vigan in Ilocos Sur, Corregidor in Cavite and Intramuros in Manila offer that old-world charm that makes you appreciate history more. Our adventure trip in Bataan had us not just visiting destinations, but jumping from different time periods. From the cobbled streets and Spanish Colonial Houses of 18th Century Philippines to the elaborate control room of a nuclear power plant built in the 1980s, we literally went back (packing) in time.

osprey bataan las casas de acuzar travelup bag door window

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Gear Review: Lakhambini Shoes

One of the things that I look out for when I travel around the Philippines are items made from native weaves or indigenous textiles. Underneath the motifs and patterns are beautiful stories of culture and heritage from different tribes and the skillful artists who weave them.

lakhambini shoes philippines banig yakan textile basket tote bag itsmorefuninthephilippines
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