A travel & adventure blog by Kara Santos
With its multi-tiered cascades and natural allure, it’s easy to see how Engkanto Falls got its name. The falls, named after creatures of local folklore usually characterized as forest spirits or elves, are believed to live in natural dwellings in the environment.
Unlike popular destinations in the country that dazzle you immediately with their obvious beauty and vibrant energy, the town of Mercedes in Camarines Norte is one of those quiet beauties that often gets overlooked. But when you dig deeper, you’ll find that she has so much substance. Mercedes has a serene and quiet charm that just grows on you. The longer you stay, the more you’ll realize just why the town is called “The Belle of the Pacific.”
There’s always this strange mix of uncertainty and purpose whenever I ride. I may be at the mercy of the elements and of the terrain, but I am still in control of my fate. I come to a fork in the road and it’s always my decision where to go. If a path scares me, I can either turn back or go forward. There are no boundaries except my own limitations.
Continue reading “Just Ride”
The weather in Metro Manila and all through Manila East Road was bright and sunny, but just as we got to the foot of the wind turbines in Pililla, Rizal, the rain started to pour. Howling wind sent small stones and gravel from the rocky terrain flying in the air, showing us just why this elevated spot was chosen to be the site of a wind farm project. But despite the threatening grey skies and rain, the windmills were impressive, towering over the rugged landscape. There were only three turbines standing during our exploratory bike ride last Valentine’s Day 2015.
I drifted along slowly with the current. To my right was a towering wall of limestone covered in lush vegetation. To my left, was a rocky riverbed peppered with purple flowers and weeds. We were cruising along Siitan River in Nagtipunan, a town in Quirino province where several major tributaries of the Cagayan River converge.
Photo by Lakad Pilipinas Continue reading “Siitan River Cruise & Landingan Viewpoint in Quirino”
“Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need… roads!”
Images of Back to the Future’s time machine flashed before my eyes as I sat behind the retro futuristic dashboard of the two-seater Cessna 152 aircraft. The control panel full of complicated-looking buttons, knobs and gauges looked worthy of powering up a flux capacitor that could take me back in time 30 years. The width of the 2-seater plane is only about one-third the size of your standard car or SUV, with two seats squeezed together and some extra space for bags at the back. But judging from my excitement level of riding one for the first time, you’d think I was riding along with Doc Brown himself in the DeLorean.
Without a warning, the clear sunny day morphed into a rainy and foggy mess. The picturesque mountains against blue skies which had looked so inviting seconds before took on a more sinister air. Lightning struck and thunder rolled in the distance. The fog thickened to almost zero visibility. The scene turned to night with lights from houses and a runway blinking in the distance. In a flash, the plane was teleported back on the ground to a runway in front of clear skies again.
Most Pinoy tourists are familiar with the overlooking view of Taal Lake from Tagaytay City. But there’s something special about seeing the lake at eye-level from towns in Batangas.
Last weekend, Outside Slacker and I had a fun time at the Batangas Earth and Water Festival 2015. He got to ride his bike and run around scenic towns in Mataasnakahoy and Balete during the duathlon, while I got to row a kayak at the picturesque Taal Lake. The sporting events were organized by First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities (FAITH) and Lima Park Hotel, a luxury hotel in Batangas which hosted our weekend stay. With the 4 to 5 am call times for the duathlon and fun run the next day, it was definitely a treat to go back to the hotel and chill out instead of having to drive back to Manila at once. If you’re looking for a comfortable hotel with world-class facilities in the Batangas area, Lima Park Hotel is a great option.
Rappelling down the waterfall felt like a scene straight out of a video game. Lara Croft and Nathan Drake make it look too easy and they don’t even have ropes, I thought to myself as I scrambled to navigate the environmental puzzle. The scenery even looked reminiscent of CGI.
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