beach

San Antonio, Zambales: Island-Hopping with Capones Vista Beach Resort

Posted on May 2, 2015

Capones Beach Vista Resort in Barangay Pundaquit in San Antonio, Zambales provides a convenient jumping-off point to Capones and Camara islands offshore. These islands were one of the first destinations in the Philippines when I started traveling a lot in 2008 (check out my blog entry from seven years ago). In spite of its popularity, it was good to see the islands retain its rustic atmosphere through the years, and not succumb to tourism overdevelopment that has befallen other tourist spotsRead More→

San Narciso, Zambales: Learn to Surf at Crystal Beach Resort

Posted on February 27, 2015

I’ve been to Crystal Beach Resort a few times before and even blogged about one of my summertime visits. I like how the  resort hasn’t been over-developed, retaining a rustic, low-key vibe, despite its rise in popularity. Its sparkling gray sands, which I’ve long presumed gave the beach its name, provides not only a wonderful place to beach-camp, but also relatively safe and enjoyable breaks for beginner and intermediate surfers. The in-house Quicksilver Surf School offers lessons for both noviceRead More→

Best Beaches of Guimaras Island

Posted on November 25, 2014

Guimaras Island has some of the best beaches in Western Visayas. As quick and easy as taking a jeepney ride, it takes only fifteen minutes – and only 14 pesos – for a pumpboat to whisk you away from the downtown sprawl of Iloilo to the pastoral pleasures of Guimaras. Wedged between Panay and Negros, the roughhewn island province boasts farm-fresh delights and hidden beachside retreats, ripe and ready to be relished. Mainland Beaches Most visitors, locals and foreigners alike,Read More→

Hadji Panglima Tahil, Sulu: Exploring Marungas Island

Posted on November 7, 2014

A fisherman told me to snorkel past the village jetty to admire an extensive growth of coral that he said looks like “big plates”. The table coral was more impressive than described, descending towards the drop-off like the undersea counterpart of Balinese rice terraces. I float across the vibrant reef. Posses of purple-eyed cardinalfish peered from their underwater patios, while countless blue-green chromis zigzagged through their refuge of labyrinthine tree-like coral. Now and then, a shy Moorish idol or butter-coloredRead More→

Sarangani, Davao Occidental: Sarangani, Olanivan & Marorong Islands

Posted on October 19, 2014

The frontier town of Sarangani consists of three islands: the main island of Balut, the namesake island of Sarangani and the small islets of Olanivan and Marorong. A day of island-hopping can take visitors around these islands and islets, jumping off from Mabila Port on Balut Island. Tuke Maklang Beach Resort is home to hundreds of endangered flying foxes! In contrast to the prominent peak and graceful slopes of Balut Volcano which I hiked across with B’laan farmers, the neighboringRead More→

Kollam (Quilon), Kerala: Ashtamudi Lake Cruise & Kollam Beach

Posted on April 4, 2014

Kollam or Quilon was a trading outpost since the time of the Phoenicians and Romans After the architectural marvels of Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), the Kerala Blog Express moved up to the district of Kollam, formerly Quilon – an ancient seaport since the time of the Phoenicians and Romans – where we were introduced to the topographical and tourism highlight of the state – the backwaters of Kerala. Stretching parallel to the Arabian Sea for more than 900 km, the Kerala backwaters isRead More→