Luzon

G1 Lodge: Cozy and Beautiful Boutique Hotel in Baguio City

Posted on September 24, 2023

Baguio City, the pine-dotted hill station in the Cordilleras, has long been the quintessential escape for lowlanders including myself, whenever I’m based in Metro Manila. The cool-weathered city is conveniently linked by frequent buses from the capital. Tourists are drawn to the city’s public parks, cultural museums, indigenous crafts, and lively food scene. On my last visit last month, I got to stay at G1 Lodge Design Hotel, a relatively new boutique accommodation conveniently located at #2 Leonard Wood Rd,Read More→

Balabac, Palawan: A DIY Travel Guide to the Main Island

Posted on August 9, 2023

Balabac, the southernmost municipality of Palawan Province, has gained popularity as a tourist destination only in the past ten years. Fortunately, it remains non-touristy as compared to the northern destinations like El Nido and Coron. This is largely due to its remote location. To get to Balabac island from Puerto Princesa International Airport, one has to take a six-hour van ride to Buliyan Port, then transfer to a speedboat (1 hour) or ferry (2-3 hours) to the main island. MostRead More→

Puerto Princesa, Palawan: A Heritage Walking Tour

Posted on July 13, 2023

The provincial capital of Puerto Princesa City — and the rest of Palawan — may be known foremost for its natural beauty, but a handful of historic sights is worth visiting at the city center. The provincial capital is the gateway to the Palawan mainland by air and sea, and most travelers often make a beeline to the World Heritage-listed underground river or the island-hopping paradise of El Nido. However, it’s worth staying in the city center for a nightRead More→

12 Amazing Marinduque Food You Should Try!

Posted on July 2, 2023

No visit to the island province of Marinduque – best known for the Moriones Lenten rites, butterfly farming, and heritage sites – would be complete without tasting their local food, which range from sweet and light snacks to rich and savory dishes. Marinduqueño cuisine is influenced by the native food of southern Luzon, but localized with the island’s unique ingredients like arrowroot and native crustaceans like kagang (land crab) and manakla (pistol shrimp). If you love the richness of BicolanoRead More→

Marinduque: Bila-Bila Festival in the Butterfly Capital of the Philippines

Posted on June 30, 2023

Aside from the unique Moriones Lenten Rites, the island province of Marinduque stands out for being the butterfly capital of the Philippines, accounting for 85% of butterfly and pupae exports in the country. According to the National Museum, the Philippines has around 927 butterfly species, with a third of them endemic to the country. In Marinduque, there are about 600 species of butterflies, which are locally called bila-bila in the Marinduqueño dialect of Tagalog. During our three-day familiarization tour ofRead More→

Boac, Marinduque: A Heritage Walking Tour of the Provincial Capital

Posted on June 29, 2023

Marinduque, the island province just south of the Luzon mainland, is best known for its lively Lenten events and traditions like the Moriones, where townsfolk dress up as masked Roman centurions. It is also regarded as the butterfly capital of the country. It’s my favorite Holy Week destination in the Philippines, and I’ve spent the Roman Catholic holiday there twice before. As a matter of fact, Marinduque was the first province I visited when I started backpacking 15 years ago,Read More→