Cebu, Philippines
If you have a sense of adventure, I would definitely recommend a trip to the Philippines. After all you must, or you wouldn't be reading this website after all, now would you?
Well, where should I start? I guess all flights to the Philippines from the USA start either in Los Angeles or S
Traveling the Philippines Under Terrorist Threat
May 30, 2001
At the crack of dawn on Sunday, May 27, 2001, a group of heavily-armed members of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group docked at the Dos Palmas Arraceffi Island Resort, one of the most prestigious resorts in the island of Palawan. Within minutes these camouflage-clad men had taken 20 va
The Village the Highway Forgot
The purist backpacker hates articles like these. They guard their travel secrets like a child guards a piece of candy from an older sibling. Clutched in the palm of their hands and held tightly against their chests the purist holds his secret beach, waterfall, or village, fearing that if his s
The Caves of Coron – The Philippines
I went to Coron again and stayed at Discovery Divers resort run by Gunter, a German guy who ended up in Coron 10 years ago while randomly travelling Asia, found great diving, a local wife and built the resort. He was the pioneer of diving in this amazing place of wrecks, caves, reefs and stone
Chaos in the Canyons – The Philippines
Close to Manila there are a number of dive sites convenient for weekend escapes from the smog and noise. The most common escapes are Batangas, Puerto Galera, Coron, and Boracay.
Batangas is a stretch of rocky coastline south of Manila on Luzon Island, cheap and easy to get to, but devoid of a
Joe and the Whale Shark – The Philippines
“Hey Joe!” yelled the darkly tanned men with weathered faces and ragged clothes fishing along the inaccessible riverbank as we floated through the jungle in our rubber raft last weekend.
“Hey Joe!” yelled the men illegally cutting down small trees in the national park
Pursuit of the Endless Summer #11
Layovers: The Philippines, Guam, Brunei
What day is it? Where are we going next? What country are we in? How long are we staying? Frequently I ask Andrea these questions, as she has become our travel organizer. With palm pilot in hand, she popped up the stored information, rattled off the answ
Philippines Nutz and Bolts
The Basics
Country: Philippines
Where is it?: The Philippines is in south-eastern Asia, east of Vietnam.
Why do people go here?: Due to a number of political reasons, the Philippines are not on most tourists routes, but the country does offer island culture and many remote areas that st
In Imelda Marcos’ Backyard – Leyte, The Philippines
In Imelda Marcos’ Backyard
Leyte, The Philippines
I’m a capitalist. American business practices have been ingrained into my way of thinking ever since I read my first Horatio Alger story in 4th grade. I don’t believe in social engineering and the redistribution of wealth. I
Cock-a-Doodle-Die! – Manila, Philippines
Cock-a-Doodle-Die!
Manila, Philippines
Cockfighting often conjures up images of shady men in a secret alley behind a bodega, placing bets over two roosters going at it in a makeshift ring, like on that episode of Seinfeld when Kramer bought a fighting rooster and named it “Little Jerry.&#
A Day Away – Malapascua, Philippines
A Day Away
Malapascua, Philippines
Someone once said that we must take a day away “to withdraw from the cares that will not withdraw from us”.
So one early morning I woke up in a beach cottage, alone in the faraway island of Malapascua, a place with no electricity and no phone sig
Seoul Man: 12 Months in Korea – #12: Magnum PI – Philippines
Magnum PI
September 2003
Boracay. September 2003. Off-season in Paradise and only the rains keep the peddlers and prostitutes off the beachfront. By day, the tourists roast themselves on the beach and eat three-dollar spaghetti lunches. At night they drink themselves into oblivion and do thing
Palawan, a Paradise – Palawan, Philippines
Palawan, a Paradise
Palawan, Philippines
I tend to seek the most tranquil of locations when I travel. Ambiance is important to me. A tranquil ambiance nurtures the need to tap into the recesses of your inner soul, leading to discovering things that even you didn’t know about yourself. Th
Riding the Roads in the Philippines – Philippines
Riding the Roads in the Philippines
The Philippines
I was riding a mountain bike – with a sidecar, around Laguna, then on to Marinduque Island in the
Philippines. An experience like this in a country where cycle touring is almost unheard of is
always an adventure. Travelling this way also
Travel Lows and Woes: Dungeons – Boracay Island, Philippines
Travel Lows and Woes: Dungeons
Boracay Island, Philippines
When going on vacations, I never really feel the need to avail of first class accommodations. Most of the time, I book myself on reasonable modes of transportation: not too classy, not too expensive, but not too cheap and crude to the p
Travel Lows and Woes: Skin Agony – Palawan,Philippines
Travel Lows and Woes: Skin Agony
Palawan, Philippines
Every summer when I was in law school, I would almost always go with my
schoolmates to the beach or to an island adventure. It was part of the
summer activities of the law school internship program.
During my last summer in law school, I was
Travel Lows and Woes: The Closing Gangplank – Romblon, Philippines
Travel Lows and Woes: The Closing Gangplank
Romblon, Philippines
I was an intern for an environmental organization during one summer in law school, together with Aldwin, my internship partner. For this organization, we were required to go with our supervising lawyers whenever they would go to f
Madeline and the Kooky Cakes – Manila, Philippines
Madeline and the Kooky Cakes
Manila, Philippines
ACT ?
SCENE ?
(Lights up)
A young girl stands centre stage, twirling in the light. She’s singing, humming and moving her body to music that only she can hear. Around her wrists are chains of sweet smelling white flowers. Her hands move in c
The Unsung Philippines – Philippines
The Unsung Philippines
Philippines
Not long ago, after spending ten splendid but pricey days in Hong Kong, I responded to bittersweet memories of the Philippines and booked myself out on a flight to Manila. It was a short run and two hours later, I was walking through Manila’s shabby Inte
A Boat Trip in Boracay – Boracay, Philippines
A Boat Trip in Boracay
Boracay, Philippines
There is something magical about a boat trip in paradise. It can be even more relaxing than just sitting on the beach all day. Plus, you get to view a lot more and feel the breeze ripping through your body. I have been fortunate to have been on many
