birdwatching

Birdwatching in Camiguin: Spotting Rare Birds at Mount Hibok-Hibok

Posted on January 7, 2022

After driving up a dark, winding mountain road on a scooter for half an hour from Mambajao town proper, I was relieved to reach our destination safely with fellow travel blogger Elal Lasola on back ride. A day before our Mt. Hibok-Hibok climb, the Camiguin Tourism Office arranged for us to experience birdwatching (ie. birding among serious enthusiasts), the newest eco-tourism activity on the island.   We arrived at 5:30 am at the Mounts Timpoong–Hibok-Hibok Natural Monument (MTHNM) – VisitorsRead More→

Penang, Malaysia: Experiencing Kampung (Village) Homestays

Posted on August 14, 2014

Enjoy Malaysian hospitality at a homestay in Penang Malaysia has an extensive network of village cooperatives throughout the country that run homestays for both domestic and foreign tourists. I’ve blogged about my homestay experience in Negeri Sembilan, and was given the opportunity to try out the homestay program in another state – Penang. At the Jom Jelajah Koperasi (Let’s Explore Cooperatives) 2014 media trip organized by Gaya Travel Magazine and Suhuranjaya Koperasi Malaysia (SKM), we got to visit four kampungs (villages) in Penang – the popular heritage stateRead More→

Narra, Palawan: Spotting the Rare Philippine Cockatoos of Rasa Island Wildlife Sanctuary

Posted on July 4, 2013

Only 1,000 Philippine Cockatoos are left in the wild, with 300 of them living on Rasa Island From San Vicente, I headed back down to Puerto Princesa City and continued further down south to the municipality of Narra, where I visited Rasa Island, home of the last remaining large population of Philippine Cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygi), locally known as katala. There are only around 1,000 individuals left across the Philippine archipelago, and this species is found no where else on the planet.Read More→

Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary: the Largest Wetland of the Philippines

Posted on September 16, 2010

The Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary is a vast wetland of swamp forests, watercourses and lakes covering an area of nearly 15,000 hectares, roughly the size of Metro Manila! It is accessible via a 1.5 hour motorized boat ride from the township of Bunawan, Agusan del Sur. The Agusan Manobo are the indigenous people that live in and around the protected area. Many of them live in floating houses that rise with the changing water levels. Canoeing at Lake Mihaba ManoboRead More→