A travel & adventure blog by Kara Santos
NOTE: As of July 2014, the tour operator ATV Ride Naga no longer operates.
Visitors to Naga City in Bicol often get a good dose of church-hopping, a few hours wakeboarding at CWC, and a great food trip around Naga’s many restaurants. Those who have more time usually go island-hopping around Caramoan, made famous by hit reality show Survivor.
Continue reading “ATV Ride to Malabsay Falls & Hotsprings in Naga”
With its rough, steep terrain and narrow mountain roads, Lake Sebu is best explored by habal-habal (motorcycle). Located at the southwestern of the province of South Cotabato, this idyllic town is home to a host of natural attractions and points of cultural interest. However, there aren’t a lot of paved roads, so getting around is a thrilling experience in itself. Aboard a motorcycle, you can reach remote areas that can’t be navigated by jeepneys and tricycles.
Standing majestic and proud, Bud Bongao or simply Bud (Bongao Peak), is the major landmark that greets visitors to the island province of Tawi-Tawi, the southernmost province of the country, located in the Autonomous Region on Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
This mountain cliff is considered sacred by locals, who believe that it has a power to heal people of sickness and cleanse them of their sins. Many locals hike up to ask for blessings for good health, to pray in the Muslim shrines along the way, or as a form of thanksgiving. Continue reading “Hiking up Bongao Peak, Tawi-Tawi”
“The main entrance and exit is only accessible during low tide” said our guide as our pump boat glided through the water in the dark cave half-submerged in water. The hard hats we had been issued shielded us from the stalactites that hung precariously above our heads. The boatmen expertly maneuvered through the cave entrance towards a pinprick of light that slowly opened up into a vast lagoon. I stared in awe at the stunning landscape I saw before me.
We had just entered Sohoton Cove, a natural haven that is the pride of Bucas Grande Island in Surigao del Norte. Continue reading “Secrets of Sohoton, Bucas Grande Island”
Old Manila Walks recently launched The Corregidor Walking Tour, dubbed “Of Bombs, Big Guns & Lost Gold.” The walking tour, which is concentrated on the “historic core” if the island, provides a broader, more contextual, insightful and critical understanding of World War II in the country. Throughout the tour, Ivan Man Dy, the founder and lead guide of Old Manila Walks, shared interesting stories of military strategies, enemy invasion, lost treasures and conspiracy theories on WWII. This was actually my third time on the historic island, after taking the traditional bus tour and the Adventure Challenge and overall, I found the whole experience to be a great workout for both body and mind! Below are a few photo highlights & some useful info for those who want to try it out themselves.
For more walking tours, check out my article “History on Foot: Old Manila Walks” in Zest Inflight Magazine, March 2013 issue. Continue reading “Corregidor on Foot”
The first rays of the sun break on the horizon and warm orange light slowly seeps through the cold cover of clouds. As the veil of the night sky lifts, a sea of ghostly mist drifts by on the grassy rolling hills of Luzon’s highest peak.
This was how I envisioned my trip to Mt. Pulag, my first trip of the year and first ever ascent up a mountain (the second highest in the country). But that didn’t go exactly as planned.
What I got was bitter cold, rain, fog and mud so thick that it blackened my feet through my shoes and two layers of thick socks. There were times while hiking that I felt like one of zombies in “The Walking Dead,” just mindlessly shambling on, putting one foot in front of the other, wondering when the misery would ever end. Continue reading “Mt. Pulag: Expectations vs. Reality”
Ah, yes the year-ender post. Where do I begin, when I haven’t written about half of the trips I took this year? Let’s see, bullet points would be the easiest way. The year 2012 has been pretty good in terms of travel. I wasn’t able to go on some of the international trips I had planned this year, but in return I got a lot of local trips, some of which were totally unexpected. Here are the major blog/trip highlights and “achievements unlocked” this year:
Last year, during a trip to Vietnam, I got to explore Saigon by scooter, the most popular mode of transport. In my opinion, it’s the best way to experience the culture of the bustling city.
From afar, Merloquet Falls looked like a white curtain pinned to a lush forest wall just flowing in the wind. Up close, the waterfalls was even more dramatic and grander than it looked. I kept the photo-taking short, as I wanted to join the locals who were relaxing under the cascades.
Interest in Caramoan, Camarines Sur has surged ever since it was featured in the hit reality show Survivor. International franchises of the show that have been filmed here include Serbia, Israel, Bulgaria, France and most recently the 25th season of the US version, which started airing last week.
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