A travel & adventure blog by Kara Santos
Bambike is one of the most popular locally-made bicycle brands in the Philippines. These unique bicycles made from durable and all-natural bamboo and abaca materials are hand-made and crafted by builders from Gawad Kalinga, a Philippine-based community development organization. Bambike aims to be one of the greenest bikes on the planet.
Baler, the capital town of the province of Aurora, is a haven for surfers and bikers. This laid-back coastal town is known primarily for its waves. Numerous surf shops are situated along Sabang beach catering to novice and the seasoned surfers.
Manila is not the most bike-friendly city in Asia. But if you venture a little further from the metro, you’ll be surprised to find that the Philippines actually has some pretty spectacular mountain biking destinations. Ok, so it may take a little bit of time, effort and resources to get there, but for cyclists looking for bucketlist-worthy places to bike in the country, I think we have a few that we can be proud of.
For riders, cyclists and road trippers clocking in the miles, meals on the road often just consist of quick stops at fast food joints or meet-ups at gas station convenience stores before heading out. Most riders would be satisfied with cup noodles or hot coffee to warm up along the way. A few years ago, this was pretty much all there was along the Marilaque route (also known as Marikina-Infanta or Marcos Highway), the scenic twisting road traversing Marikina, Rizal, Laguna all the way to Infanta, Quezon.
During weekend rides, I’ve noticed a lot of new places to eat and a lot of other establishments being built along the route. Below is a growing list of old favorites and new places where you can grab a bite to eat and enjoy the view along Marilaque. Manila East Road (specially in towns overlooking Laguna de Bay) also has a lot of interesting dining places that makes it great for road trips. This is arranged by distance coming from the Quezon City side.
Continue reading “Road Trip Restaurants along Marilaque”Wondrous and stunning as the centuries-old temples of Angkor Archaeological Park in Cambodia may be, if you’ve just spent two days straight just looking at nothing but temples, it is possible to get “templed out.”
The Gili Islands (or simply the Gilis) are three small islands – Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air – that lie a short distance west of Bali in Lombok, Indonesia. While Bali is world-famous for its party scene, the Gilis are becoming more popular on the radar of international travelers’ as “the next go-to destination,” because of their untouched and laid-back appeal.
Continue reading “Travel Guide: Gili Islands, Lombok, Indonesia”
There are lots of different modes of transport you can use to get around the Philippines. But my personal favorite is just getting on a motorbike, riding around and exploring on your own. Motourism is on the rise and more tourists are discovering the Philippine islands on two wheels.
Marinduque is an island province in the Philippines best known for celebrating the Moriones Festival, one of the oldest religious festivals in the country held during Holy Week. Everywhere you go in the province, you can spot references to the icons of the Moriones, men
Corregidor, an island at the entrance of Manila Bay, mostly attracts history buffs. Known as “The Rock” because of its rocky landscape and the heavy fortifications, this historic island is a great destination for bikers as well. Traversing the island’s well-paved roads and jungle trails on a bicycle and getting to visit the different ruins and landmarks offers a totally different experience from the usual day trip tour onboard a tramvia.
I was thinking of booking a random flight or taking a road trip somewhere just to get away during the ASEAN Summit holiday. Just based on my Facebook feed, it seemed like everyone was planning to go out of town. But with major roads being locked down for security and horrible traffic because of the special lanes, I dreaded the thought of going to the airport or getting stuck somewhere on the way to a good “out-of-town” destination.
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