Category: Luzon

Art in Island has reopened: New Guidelines (October 2021)

Interactive art museum Art in Island in Quezon City has finally reopened to the public starting Saturday (October 23, 2021).

The biggest 3D Interactive Art Museum in Asia, known for letting visitors become “part of the art” and pose and play with its paintings and exhibits, has been closed for 19 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo from a previous visit in 2015 (face masks, face shields, and socks are now required!)

At the moment, only fully vaccinated guests are allowed to visit the art gallery as per IATF and Quezon City guidelines. Children (17 years old and below) are still not allowed to visit.

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Camp Sandugo: Biking, camping & craft beer with a view near Manila

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.

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Cebu Pacific all set for domestic travel recovery in Q4

Cebu Pacific will increase its flights in October to tourism havens Siargao, Boracay, and Bohol as the country’s leading airline push for domestic travel recovery, following the easing of quarantine restrictions. 

In October, the airline will expand its flights to Siargao from five times to six times weekly; raise its frequencies to Boracay from four to five times daily; and bump up flights to Bohol from nine to 10 times weekly.

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LIST: Liquor Bans in Metro Manila (UPDATED September 2021)

UPDATE: Quezon City and San Juan  have both officially lifted the liquor bans as the capital region shifts to Alert Level 4 starting Thursday, September 16, 2021.

The latest memorandum published by Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte states that liquor selling “may be sold at any time except during public safety hours (10 p.m. to 4 a.m.).”

“Liquor Selling. Liquor may be sold at any time except during public safety hours (10 pm to4 am). Drinking on sidewalks and other public places (i.e., not inside a home or establishment) shall remain prohibited. As an exception, the sale of liquor shall be banned inside Special Concern Lockdown areas.”

San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora also announced in a Facebook post on Wednesday that the city would allow alcohol consumption again but “only inside homes and restaurants.” 

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Book Museum and Ethnology Center in Marikina

Do you miss traveling and going to museums? The Book Museum and Ethnology Center in Marikina announced that they’re finally reopening on July 18, 2021 (Sunday) at 50% capacity. This colorful and quirky museum offers an interesting visit for book-lovers and avid travelers. The museum contains a collection of limited edition books and published materials from all around the world, including travel artifacts from different regions of the Philippines.

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Blanco Family Museum & BRKD Café in Angono, Rizal

When you think of museums to visit in Rizal, the Instagram hotspots of Pinto Art Museum and Art Sector Gallery and Chimney Café are the first two museums that immediately come to mind. But it’s always nice to visit and revisit the older and more established museums around the country.

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Bike-friendly garden resto in Rizal: 25th Hill Café

Since the pandemic hit, I’ve been trying to avoid group rides and crowded places. While the number of al fresco restaurants and pop-up cafes along the main Marilaque highway has really mushroomed, the most popular spots tend to get crowded with groups of riders and cyclists. For date rides or solo rides, I prefer to go to hidden spots a little off-the-beaten path.

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National Museum of Natural History in Manila: New Guidelines (June 2021)

Museums have just started to reopen again in Manila at a restricted capacity, with limits on the number of visitors and online reservations systems in place. One of the country’s top museums that recently reopened is the National Museum of Natural History, one of the three main museums inside the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) complex, which also includes the Museum of Fine Arts and Museum of Anthropology.

My last visit to the Museum of Natural History was before the pandemic hit, but I’m sharing the latest guidelines and new features as of June 2021 for reference for those who are looking for somewhere new to go in the metro.

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10 Camping Destinations near Manila

Sometimes we just need to get away from the city to enjoy fresh air and nature. Camping weekends where the main agenda is to do nothing but go stargazing, roast marshmallows over a bonfire and sleep under the stars can offer a quick escape. However, the most beautiful camping spots usually require long hikes up the mountains or boat travel to smaller islands and remote beaches.

Bikepackers and motorcycle riders are always on the lookout for natural spots that are still accessible by vehicles or with secure parking nearby.

Here are just 10 campsites located just 1 -4 hours away from Manila that I’ve personally visited or have been planning to visit. These camping areas are located in areas close to nature, with spacious grounds for pitching your own tents and have facilities like restrooms, running water and places to buy food nearby.

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ArtSector Gallery & Chimney Café 360º in Rizal

I’ve been meaning to visit ArtSector Gallery & Chimney Cafe 360º for a while now. This special events place located in my husband’s hometown of Binangonan has become one of the most popular spots on social media this past year because of the stunning views it offers. The relatively new café perched on a hill offers a 360º view of Laguna Lake, Sierra Madre Mountains, Pililla Windmills, sunset, moon, and city lights.

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