A travel & adventure blog by Kara Santos
After years of excavation and clearing, and months of pandemic-induced delays, the El Deposito Underground Reservoir is now finally open to the public! Visitors can walk back in time through a portion of the Spanish-era tunnels just sitting underneath the sprawling public park in San Juan City.
Biking, camping, and coffee rides have really boomed in the Philippines during the pandemic. Everyone wants to spend time outdoors, and going on bike rides to natural spots like mountains and forests near the city or visiting bike-friendly cafes with friends on weekends satisfies that wanderlust of traveling somewhere far by car or by air.
Royal Enfield has opened its biggest dealership and new flagship store in Quezon City!
The oldest motorcycle brand in continuous production is enhancing the accessibility of its motorcycles, service, and accessories with the launch of the brand’s newest store in the country. The QC branch is the fifth exclusive store, adding to the brand’s existing presence in Davao, Cagayan De Oro, Meycauayan (Bulacan) and Pasig.
The coffee and cycling culture has really boomed in the Philippines. Since the pandemic hit, pop-up coffee kiosks coffee and minimalist roadside cafes serving good coffee catering to cyclists have become destinations on their own for weekend rides. You can find a lot of minimalist and pop-up roadside cafes situated in scenic spots along biker’s routes like Antipolo, Timberland, Boso-Boso, Marilaque, offering relaxing spots to rest during longer rides.
But for those looking for a destination for quick city rides, there are plenty of cool coffee shops in and around the metro that you can check out as well. Here are just a few cafes in my own Maginhawa neighborhood where bikers can grab a good cup of coffee and snacks for those chill Tambike sessions.
Continue reading “Bike-friendly cafes in the Maginhawa area”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.
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.
Continue reading “Art in Island has reopened: New Guidelines (October 2021)”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.
After almost two years of community quarantine and working from home, most of us are really eager to go on a vacation. But with the additional requirements, risks, and extra costs of travel these days, thinking about going on a vacation feels like a lot more stressful than it used to be.
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