A travel & adventure blog by Kara Santos
There are destinations where you ride fast just to get to where you need to go and other places where you just want to take it slow. And I wanted to savor every minute and every mile while going around the island province of Camiguin. This compact island has a 64-km circumferential road, which locals say you can loop in just over an hour or so if you wanted to. But why do that when you can just stop and admire the view?
It’s Holy Week once again, and no doubt many Filipinos will be visiting seven (or 14) churches to pray the Stations of the Cross and reflect. Visita Iglesia or church visits are customarily done during Maundy Thursday or Good Friday, though it’s commonly practiced during any day of the Holy Week.
Over the years, I’ve visited a lot of churches, chapels, and sites of religious significance in different provinces around the Philippines. Though I’m not really an expert on heritage sites, I thought it would be timely to come up with a list of some of the most beautiful and unique churches I’ve been to around the country.
For this list, I included a selection of 14 churches (and a couple of church ruins) from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao that I personally found really beautiful along with some trivia about what makes them worth visiting any time of the year.
Continue reading “Visita Iglesia: Beautiful Churches around the Philippines”Most provinces of the Philippines have a unique identity. The older, more established ones usually have a rich history, distinct cuisine and well-known tourist spots featured in postcards and calendars. Something immediately comes to mind when you mention certain places. For instance, most people think of Magellan’s Cross and
Older destinations usually need no introduction. They all have direct airports and good road networks, so they’re relatively easy to visit and explore. Chances are, you’ve been there already.
Continue reading “10 Youngest Provinces of the Philippines”
It’s been over a year since the Marawi Siege, the longest urban battle in the modern history of the Philippines. No doubt, you’ve seen the images online of the capital of Lanao del Sur in the Southern Island of Mindanao during and after the conflict. Continue reading “#ForMindanao: Hope for Marawi”
Zamboanga Sibugay is one of the newest provinces in the Philippines. It’s the 79th province created in the country, with territories carved out from the third district of Zamboanga del Sur in 2001. Located in Region 9 or the Zamboanga Peninsula in Mindanao, this area lies smack in the middle the road traversing from Zamboanga City to Zamboanga del Sur. But what can you do there? I was curious about that myself. Most destinations have a clear identity or something they’re known for. You immediately think of vintas when you think of Zamboanga City and the steep inclined tricycles when you think of Pagadian, but this province is a bit more obscure and mysterious.
Bukidnon is a province in the Philippines located in Northern Mindanao. Despite being the third largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction behind Palawan and Isabela, this province remains still a bit off the tourist radar. Many travelers have yet to explore the province’s amazing attractions.
With more than 7,000 islands, the Philippines is blessed with beach breaks along both the Pacific Ocean and South China Sea, as well as reef breaks throughout the archipelago. For surfers, this means that there are numerous surf spots around the country to check out.
A lot has changed in Siargao since the fist time I visited in 2012. The quiet island where I found peace and serenity during one of my first memorable solo trips felt uncomfortably crowded. Despite it being the lean season, direct flights have made the island more accessible to international and local tourists. Tourism is booming in General Luna.
Continue reading “Revisiting Siargao after Six Years”
Most tourists associate Zamboanga City with Sta. Cruz Island, famous for having a pink sand beach. But there’s a new eco-cultural tourism destination that you can check out in the area: Once Islas.
This cluster of eleven mostly uninhabited islands and islets belong to the remote villages of Panubigan and Dita in Zamboanga City just recently opened to the public in July 2018. These unspoiled islands are ideal for low-impact activities like swimming, kayaking and trekking.
Continue reading “Travel Guide: Once Islas, Zamboanga City”INGREDIENTS: ginger, sakurab (white scallions) and sili (native chili)
PREPARATION: Chop one part scallions, one part ginger and one part chili peppers into small pieces. Crush ingredients finely and pound everything together with a mortar and pestle. As soon as it is blended, the palapa can already be eaten in its raw form.
You must be logged in to post a comment.