Gear Guide: 4 tech essentials to help you travel smarter

Filipinos are finally traveling internationally once again after the pandemic. However, with the surge in travel demand and rainy season, there’s been an increase in flight delays and cancellations. It’s more difficult to book transportation getting to and from the airport, and top tourist spots require online reservations ahead of time. To make trips more hassle-free, you’ll want be connected online constantly.

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JAPAN | Where to drink in Tokyo: A beer diary

When you think of Japanese beer, brands like Kirin, Asahi, Sapporo and Suntory immediately come to mind. You can order these beers easily from any restaurant in Japan, find them in convenience stores, or even purchase them directly from vending machines.

These days, the craft brewing culture is very much alive in Japan. Tokyo is home to many small breweries and micropubs, so it can be overwhelming to decide where and what to drink.

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JAPAN | Guide to Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan, Osaka

Anyone who grew up playing old school video games dreams of visiting Super Nintendo World. This themed section inside Universal Studios Japan in Osaka is a geek-filled paradise where you warp right into Princess Peach’s Castle, punch question mark blocks in real life, and dine on cute Mario-themed food items.

After years of being stuck at home and escaping to virtual worlds, it felt great to get sucked into this immersive video game world in real life in Japan during a recent family trip. 

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JAPAN | Biking around Osaka

If you’ve ever been to Japan, you know that biking is a way of life there. While in the Philippines, biking for leisure and urban mobility has only caught on recently because of the pandemic, for the longest time, people in Japan of all ages, occupations, and classes can manage to bike around safely even in busy cities thanks to the country’s advanced infrastructure and the discipline of road users. On a recent trip to Osaka, my family and I all had a free day in between sightseeing tours to do whatever we wanted. So we combined the usual sightseeing and food trips with biking.

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JAPAN | Immersing in art realms at teamLab Planets in Tokyo

After traversing through a maze room of a twinkling crystals, I was surrounded by hundreds of multi-colored koi fish swimming around as I waded through knee-deep high waters. Moments later, I gazed into a field of falling flowers on the ceiling, the petals seemingly swirling all around in the air. For a couple of hours, it felt like I was spirited away into a magical wonderland.

teamLab, Floating Flower Garden; Flowers and I are of the Same Root, the Garden and I are One. © teamLab
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Rediscover Manila with Klook’s new Intramuros Pass

Tourists can discover the rich history, heritage, and old-world charm of the Intramuros in Manila more conveniently with fun new experiences and attractions. In case you didn’t know, Klook has launched a new Intramuros Pass, which gives access to the top activities in the walled city of Manila.

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La View Mountain Resort: Cabin-style cafe in Quezon

We first discovered La View Mountain Resort in January 2022. After trying to ride to Jariel’s Peak one weekend by motorcycles, we were forced to turn back because checkpoints and border restrictions going to Infanta, Quezon were still being enforced. 

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Travel Guide: Things to do in Subic Bay (2023)

The Subic Special Economic and Freeport Zone, simply known as Subic Bay, is a coastal northwest of Manila frequented by families and water sports enthusiasts for weekend getaways. Formerly the location of U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay before it was decommissioned in the early 90s, the area is now known for its beautiful coastline with sandy beaches and dive sites.

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Island-hopping in Zambales: Beach resorts in Anawangin, Nagsasa and Silanguin Cove (2023)

Friends who were fortunate to have traveled to Anawangin Cove and nearby spots like Nagsasa Cove, Silanguin Cove, and Capones years ago often talk about how the area was once a pure and raw area for camping and getting away from it all.

This area in a secluded part of Zambales facing the West Philippine Sea separated by mountain ranges from the mainland used to offer secluded spots for back to basics camping where mountaineers would head after trekking through by land. 

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JAPAN | Mt. Fuji and Hakone day tour from Tokyo

Mt. Fuji is Japan’s highest peak and one of the country’s most famous landmarks. Commonly called “Fuji-san, this active volcano about 100 kilometers southwest of Tokyo is the country’s tallest peak, at 3,776 meters. 

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