A travel & adventure blog by Kara Santos
For road bikers and urban cyclists, coffee rides have become a big thing for weekends. There are just so many new minimalist cafes that have popped up all over the metro that you can ride to every week just to go somewhere new or hang out on those Tambike rides with friends.
But for mountain bikers, there’s nothing quite like a mug of ice cold beer to beat the heat and help you relax and recharge during longer weekend rides, night rides, and bike camping.
Baler is a laid-back coastal town in the province of Aurora that’s known mostly as a surfing destination. But it’s also an amazing base for riders and bikers to explore. In 2019, we took a road trip from Manila to Dingalan, Baler, Dipaculao and back by motorcycles and loved the vibe, so we decided to return and ride at a slower pace on bicycles in April 2022 as soon as travel restrictions eased.
For those coming from Metro Manila, Tagaytay in Cavite is one of the most popular choices for a road trip or quick weekend getaway. You can enjoy the cooler climate with a refreshing view in this mountain town overlooking Taal Lake without having to drive too far.
We’ve all been cooped up for the past 2 years since the pandemic hit, and it’s great that we can finally rediscover and revisit our favorite spots again.
The film and television industry in Vancouver has been booming for years now. While it was once primarily based in Los Angeles and New York, producers come from across the globe for its stunning locations, studios, production facilities, and crews. In 2019/2020, British Columbia’s film and TV industry was worth $2.8 billion, creating tens of thousands of jobs both directly and indirectly, and inspiring many visitors to buy one of the Vancouver homes for sale and begin calling this city home.
Bikers are always on the lookout for scenic spots to visit for a bit of nature and greenery in the city. Aside from Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife and Quezon Memorial Circle, one of the public parks currently open to visitors as of January 2022 is La Mesa Eco Park in Quezon City.
Much has been written about the benefits of nature and green spaces. For many people who have been cooped up inside their homes for almost two years, a simple walk in a park or bike ride with a view of trees can really help boost one’s mood. Nature parks and green spaces can provide a respite from the stress of urban life and offer city dwellers a place to relax and recharge.
One of the things I miss the most about traveling is hunting down unique beers you can only find in specific destinations. We used to enjoy biking in the Timberland area before the pandemic hit, but sadly most of the bike trails (Blue Zone, Green Zone, etc.) through the regular route up the Wall are no longer accessible to mountain bikers except for special events.
I really wanted to revisit the area just to try out Brusko Craft Beer, the in-house craft beer served at Camp Sandugo, a popular biking and camping destination in San Mateo in Rizal, near Metro Manila.
Continue reading “Camp Sandugo: Biking, camping & craft beer with a view near Manila”With the shift to Alert Level 3 in various areas in the Philippines, museums around Metro Manila have been given the go-signal to reopen, with limits on the number of visitors and online reservations systems in place. One of the 27 history museums under the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) that recently reopened is the Presidential Car Museum (Museo ng Pampangulong Sasakyan) inside the Quezon Memorial Circle.
Looking for ideas where to go in the near future? Just in time to mark Museums and Galleries Month this October, museums and art galleries in areas under the National Capital Region (NCR) and other parts of the Philippines have started to reopen their doors with the shift of community quarantine levels to Alert Level 3.
Based on latest guidelines from the IATF, most museums are only accepting FULLY VACCINATED visitors with pre-booked reservations. Minors are still not allowed in indoor attractions and museums. Some museums are operating at a limited capacity. All National Museums are FREE to visit.
Here’s a roundup of some museums and art galleries that have reopened to the public around the country as of October 19, 2021.
Continue reading “LIST: Museums that have reopened in Metro Manila and around the Philippines (October 2021)”The island province of Camiguin is finally reopening to tourists for responsible travel starting October 25, 2021.
Camiguin was the last destination I traveled to in early March 2020 before the pandemic lockdown restrictions were imposed and I can’t wait to revisit again when I have the chance.
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