Uncategorized

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→

Tudor in the Pines: Romantic Guesthouse in Baguio City

Posted on June 8, 2023

Since it was established as an American hill station in the early 1900s, the cold-weathered highland city of Baguio is the quintessential summer destination in northern Luzon, especially if you want to escape the heat and humidity of the lowlands. Its popularity, however, has made the city center more and more crowded over the decades. One can head over, however, to the outskirts of the city to experience the peacefulness and natural surroundings of old Baguio. If you’re looking forRead More→

Fort San Antonio Abad: The Hidden Spanish Fort of Manila

Posted on April 20, 2023

Fort Santiago, the Spanish-era fortress of Intramuros, is one of the top destinations in the city of Manila. No tour of the Philippine capital is complete without exploring this famous landmark and heritage site. But did you know that Fort Santiago isn’t the only colonial-period fortress in the city? Another one stands in the district of Malate, outside the walls of Intramuros, albeit hidden away within the central bank complex. Fort San Antonio Abad, also known as Fort Malate orRead More→

Banton, Romblon: A Travel Guide to the Heritage Paradise

Posted on January 9, 2023

After exploring the provincial capital of Romblon for a three days, I spontaneously decided to stop by for a few days on the island municipality of Banton – still part of Romblon province – en route back to the Luzon mainland. The remote island sits halfway between the larger islands of Tablas and Marinduque in the northern portion of the Sibuyan Sea. It is known for its exceptional archaeological sites, colonial-era fortress, and isolated white-sand beaches that ring its mostlyRead More→

1898 Casa & Restauranté: Stay and Dine at a Heritage House in Silay City, Negros Occidental

Posted on November 7, 2022

Silay City in Negros Occidental boasts some of the largest concentrations of heritage houses in the Philippines, owing to wealthy landowning families overseeing vast sugarcane plantations since colonial times. Its laid-back heritage zone, which can be easily explored on foot via this self-guided walking tour, is conveniently located only 5 km from the Bacolod-Silay Airport. A few heritage houses have been recently restored into accommodations and restaurants, offering great opportunities to really soak up the old-world atmosphere of the place.Read More→

Gibitngil: Exciting Adventure Island of Medellin, Cebu

Posted on May 16, 2022

I first saw Gibitngil island on a boat trip from Daanbantayan to Kinatarcan island last January. Keen on checking out lesser-known northern islands of Cebu as alternatives to Bantayan or Malapascua, I revisited the north last month to finally explore this rocky island. Fantastic Medellin Adventure (Mobile: +63 9227343533), a local boat operator, arranged a day tour for us from mainland Medellin. On this weekend trip, I was accompanied by fellow content creators Anthony of Tonyo Travels, Christian of TheRead More→