A travel & adventure blog by Kara Santos
Fat Pauly’s Hand-crafted Ales & Lagers is one of the first craft breweries in the Philippines and currently the only brewery based on the large island of Mindanao in Southern Philippines. This proud local brand established in 2010 makes fresh home-brewed beers using the finest imported brew grade malt and local indigenous ingredients like Timoga Spring waters and wild Putyukan Honey.
One of the things I like to collect from different provinces I visit are native weaves and textiles. There are many rich weaving traditions in the different parts of the Philippines and the fabrics often make more unique souvenirs compared to mass-produced ref magnets, mugs or keychains. With every distinct pattern are threads of culture and heritage from different tribes and the skillful artists who weave them. Each piece of cloth tells a different story.
In Marawi City in Lanao del Sur, we came across the langkit, a traditional Maranao weave made with a backstrap loom in the shop of Salika Maguindanao-Samad and Jardin Samad of Maranao Collectibles, who are working to creatively revive the vanishing art of weaving. Continue reading “Weaving for Dreams: Maranao Collectibles, Marawi City”
Siargao is a top tourist island in the province of Surigao del Norte in the Philippines. The island’s coastline is marked by a succession of reefs, small points and white, sandy beaches. Best known for being “The Surfing Capital of the Philippines,” Siargao has attracted local and international surfers over the years for annual sports events and competitions.
Sta. Cruz Island is a small island in Zamboanga City famed for having a pink sand beach. I was awed by the island’s beauty when I first visited in 2013. I was a bit worried when it started gaining popularity because National Geographic included it in a list of the best beaches in the world. While such a distinction can ruin a place and put it in danger of over-development, I was glad to see that the island remained as beautiful and pristine as ever when I returned several years later for in time for their Summer Festival.
Dahican Beach in Mati, Davao Oriental is already a sight to behold from eye level, but soaring over the whole area on an Ultralight Plane offers an even more stunning perspective. There’s just something really thrilling about boarding a tiny aircraft with no windows and doors and flying over bodies of water and land. If you’re heading to Davao Oriental, this is one of the most unique activities you can do there.
Continue reading “Ultralight Flying in Mati, Davao Oriental”
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.
If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, you’ve probably tried camping out in different places around the country. There’s always something peaceful about sleeping outdoors whether you’ve pitched a tent, hung up a hammock, or just decided to sleep out in the open by the beach, beside a lake, up in the mountains or in a forest campsite. But it’s going to be very hard to top sleeping under the stars on a two-meter wide cliff ledge 400 feet above the ground
Mention Pagadian and one thing comes to mind: the iconic inclined tricycle. Tricycles, three-wheeled public form of transportation, can be found all around the Philippines, but the ones here are pretty unique. Designed to adapt to the city’s hilly terrain, Pagadian’s tricycle is inclined at about 25-40° angle. Sure, it’s a unique photo op, but apart from riding the tricycle, little else comes to mind when you mention Pagadian. What else can you do there?
Continue reading “Travel Guide: Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur”
As soon as we reached the dirt road, I knew I was in trouble. I was on my way to Lake Holon in South Cotabato driving a rented motorcycle along with fellow travel blogger Louie of A Nomad’s Perspectives. While the view was nothing short of spectacular, the terrain seemed to be a few levels above my motorcycling skills. Apparently, my concept of rough roads in Manila is very different from rough roads in Mindanao.
Officially, I was in town to cover the T’nalak Festival. Unofficially, I came early so I could squeeze in some sightseeing. Thankfully Louie, whose journey I followed closely when he participated in Wrangler’s #TrueWanderer competition last year, was game for a day ride to Lake Holon.
Continue reading “Ride and Trek to Lake Holon”There’s something I really like about lakes. Though they’re not as popular as beaches and waterfalls, lakes often have this quiet understated charm about them. The Philippines is home to many natural lakes which are closely related to volcanic and tectonic activity as well as artificial lakes or reservoirs that have resulted from the damming of rivers for hydroelectric activity. Aside from their recreational and aesthetic qualities, many lakes are important habitats for marine life and food sources. Other lakes play a part in water-supply, hydro-electric power or flood control. As the saying goes, “still waters run deep.”
Though some lakes are not really suitable for swimming, these serene bodies of water are ideal for for low-impact activities like fishing, boating, rafting, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. Here are just a few of the scenic lakes and reservoirs in the Philippines that I’ve personally visited (arranged by distance/accessibility from Manila).
Continue reading “Lakes in the Philippines”
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