Rieseling Boracay Beach Resort: Where the Sun Shines Brighter

For a busy international tourist destination such as Boracay Island, many would assume that it is already saturated with all the bests that it could offer to its guests. But I think, what makes this island worth-visiting OVER AND OVER AGAIN is its unique, loving people and their hospitality regardless where you came from and whatever activity you have in mind.

I celebrated my 33rd birthday in this beautiful island a month ago. It was an out-of-the-blue decision, filled with excitement to drown the broken-hearted feeling that I had that time. But just like most of the travelers, I have to watch out for my budget as I don’t wanna go broken and broke at the same time. Haha! Special thanks to my three Superfriends for tagging along, the expenses were cut down to almost half and to this this new-found place here in Boracay that offers a outstanding escape from the typical Boracay experience.

Instead of going the usual Boracay trip of enjoying the White Beach and partying at night, our group decided to book two rooms at Rieseling Boracay Beach Resort. A tranquil and very accommodating beach resort fronting Bulabog Beach, which is located on the opposite side of the world-famous White Beach of Boracay. Rieseling Boracay offers a sun-shinier spot equally filled with beautiful view, amazing amenities, exciting activities and loving Aklanons. The only difference, which I personally appreciate is its peacefulness and superb service that you don’t normally get in an off-site accommodation.

10 Funny Things About Philippine Airports

With Summer Season just around the corner, I’m pretty sure that a lot of you are getting ready to be fit, physically and financially. And with 7,107 islands to explore in this beautiful Philippines, I bet that you are targeting not just one but two or more beautiful sites around the nation.

But before you head out and enjoy the sun, sea and sand, make sure that you are also ready to face the challenges brought by our “world-renowned” airports. I listed down 10 of the funny things about our airports – about Philippine airports.

Bohol Beach Club is Back!

All along I thought we will never see it again. Thank God, someone pumped in some blood and after some months, Panglao, Bohol's oldest hotel resort is back, beating its heart again and ready to share Boholanos beauty at its primest moment. Yep, I'm talking about none another than Bohol Beach Club.

After 8 months of hiatus, Panglao's premier hotel resort opens to the public once again sharing the very essence of Panglao, Bohol. Though I must admit that it lost some of its beauty, Bohol Beach Club is proud to share again its timeless appeal made more memorable by its lovely Boholano staff and delicacies.

If you are looking for a decent and family-friendly spot in the beautiful island of Panglao, I can assure everyone that Bohol Beach Club is the place to be. With 88 rooms classified into De Luxe and Beachview Suites, amenities such as swimming pool, business center, game room, beach-side restaurant, pool side bar and club aqua sports complete the whole new beauty of Bohol Beach Club.

Vote for Vigan City as New 7 Wonders - Cities!

The exciting and pushing-to-boundaries online search is on again - and this year, the organizers are in search for the most captivating and worth-seeing cities in the world through New 7 Wonders - Cities!

After our very own Puerto Princesa Underground River bagged one of the slots of the New 7 Wonders of Nature last 2012, Ilocos Sur's capital, Vigan City is now asking for support this year for them to be named as one of the New 7 Wonders - Cities in the world. 

Competing with equally stunning and colorful cities in the world, like Bangkok of Thailand, Beirut of Lebanon, Doha of Qatar, Istanbul of Turkey, Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia, Mumbai of India, Perth of Australia, Seoul of South Korea, and Shenzen of China, Philippines' Vigan City keeps fighting for a slot in this renowned online world-wide competition.

My Dream Balicasag Island Trip

It has been a week now and I can still vividly remember how my recent trip to Balicasag Island ended. It was pitch black, the wind was howling like a danger is coming after us and the thick darker clouds were hovering above us like we can't escape it anymore. Our boatmen had to kill the motor of our boat so as not to hit the corals below - yes, it was low tide too. And though, our boat was moving, I can sense the tension in the sealed mouth of ours. This is not how I dreamed of my first-ever Balicasag Island trip, this is not a dream to start with, it was some sort of a nightmare.

To most of us when we heard of Balicasag, the first thing that comes right up in to our minds is its pristine white beach barely touched or abused by people. Considered as a Panglao, Bohol's pride, my recent trip to this paradise has almost turned differently if not for the determined Panglaoanon guides who tried all their best to bring back us to the Panglaoshore safe and sound.

On the second day of my coverage of Panglao International Dive Fiesta, we were invited by our host - the Panglao Tourism Board - to see and experience one of the hottest dive sites in the country, the Balicasag Island. Boasting with rich marine life that has been attracting foreign divers, Balicasag is actually in my must-visit list here in Bohol.

Cintai Corito's Garden: Balinese Escape at Balete, Batangas

Flowers are in bloom, pastures are green as ever, different species of birds chirping and clucking and trees swaying along the refreshing breeze brought by the nearby Taal Lake – it feels like I am dreaming my great Bali dream, but actually, I am not. Everything was real and the only thing I was asked to do is savor every minute of my stay at Balete, Batangas' Cintai Corito's Garden.

If you Google the word “Cintai” (pronounced as Chin-tai), you'll see how this word is related to romance, passion and love. In Indonesia, where this place got its inspiration, Cintai simply means love. A place that is actually made out of love – the love of the children to their mother and the love of a husband to his wife – Cintai Corito’s Garden is overflowing with love that is set to captivate every guest’s heart, soul and mind.

When I visited the place with some friends a few days back, we were surprised to see such beauty exists just around 2 hours away from Metro Manila. Specifically located at Sitio Pandayan, Malabanan Balete, Batangas, Cintai Corito's Garden is currently managed by Paramount Property Management Company, the same group that handles Microtel Philippines.

My Suicidal Trip to Banaue Rice Terraces

Whenever I see postcards of this wonder of the world, I can't help but to get astounded over its wonderful steps and simply fall in love over its breathtaking view, lush greenery and artistic waves. Banaue Rice Terraces or the Ifugao Rice Terraces is definitely a must-see before you die. But make sure that you don't die because you went here wearing the wrong outfit! Hahaha!

Me wearing shorts and slippers 
on a 20-degree Celsius temperature!

December 28, a day after my friend's wedding in Nueva Vizacaya, I and another friend, decided to go uphill to see the glorious and heart-stopping beauty of Banaue Rice Terraces. I never thought that it would be that cold in Ifugao, going there was not part of our plan. I never thought I would survive that cold; we were so stupid to forget about the weather. I never thought it would be that challenging to go up there, but I'm glad we've made it. IT WAS SO MUCH JOY TO BE THERE.

DIY Glamping with Coleman Philippines

Believe it or not, I cannot remember when was the last time I camped out. Since I'm not that good in setting up tents and I find it inconvenient too, since most of "camping" trips mean no toilets and bathrooms, I'm honestly saying that it is one of my least favorite thing to do outdoors. But last week, when I finally said yes to Coleman Philippines' invitation to try out "glamping" trip - glamorous camping, as they say it - my perception towards camping has changed, hence I can't wait for my next "glamping" with them!

If you think glamping is camping with different spelling only, you are so wrong! Because with "glamping", Coleman proved that we don't have to give up our familiar conveniences just for the sake of enjoying the outdoors; Coleman proved that we don't have to spend so much energy and time in setting up tents; and lastly, Coleman proved nothing beats a "real" human interaction than spending a day or two with your love ones in a cozy and fun tents using friendly and easy-to-carry Coleman products.

Last week, at Pico de Loro, Hamilo Coast in Nasugbu, Batangas, Coleman Philippines marked the start of a fun and rekindling summer with the launch of their latest products ready to cater the "Glamping "trend in this side of the world. Categorized into three "Glamping" related outdoors themes, Coleman Philippines put us all in excitement mode as they started presenting these colorful and inviting "glamping" setups, I bet you all will love!

Art Fair Philippines 2014

Time is indeed flying so fast, and just like that the 2nd Art Fair Philippines has just opened and it will be open to the public starting today, February 20 until February 23, 2014. And just like last year, it is still at the 6th and 7th floor of The Link, Ayala Center, Makati City.

I was one of the lucky few who got to see first the pieces that will be on display as the organizer decided this year to hold a collectors' day a day before the official opening. I'm not a collector, but luckily, since I'm now connected to Habitat for Humanity Philippines, and Kenneth Cobonpue, who is one of the featured artists of this fair, has chosen his latest piece, The First Light, to be on display in this exciting and artistically orgasmic display of Filipino artistry - which by the way is created to help raise funds for the families affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda, local name) - I am here!

This year's Art Fair Philippines still features modern and contemporary art, but with a much wider space with the exhibition venue designed by Leandro V. Locsin and styled by design luminary Kenneth Cobonpue, more galleries were showcased, both local and international, but still with emphasis to local ingenuity.

Ilocos Norte: Revisiting Paoay Church

More than of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, more than of being one of the best Baroque churches in the Philippines, and more than of being an Augustinian Church, one gravitational pull that attracts me to see this place every time I'm here in the Ilocos Norte, is its homey peacefulness vibes that it shed to me every time I see it. That and some more are the reasons why I love visiting Paoay Church.

Settled right at the smack of the lovely town of Paoay, the Church of Saint Augustine or more commonly known as Paoay Church is one of the most visited sites in this part of the country. Still standing strong and grand since it was built in the 1700s, Paoay Church also carries this captivating Javanese architectural design aside from its celebrated Earthquake Baroque architecture.

This is my second time to be here, the last one was way back in 2008. And though I wasn't able to stay in town for a day again, I actually spent longer time now than before since we had our lunch in a cafe restaurant right across the church, the Herencia Cafe.

Ilocos Norte: The Not So Blue Lagoon

Before I came here, I read about a dozen of blogs saying about how pristine and beautiful the place is. Some tagged it as the Boracay of the North because of its pure white sand that are made perfectly by the nature itself. But when we got, honestly, I thought I was in a wrong place, until our guide told us that we were not in the right time to see Blue Lagoon on its finest and bluest moment.

One of the many popular summer destinations in the country, Pagudpud's Blue Lagoon, which houses most of the well-known resorts in the northern part was our last destination in this Ilocos Norte trip. Ideal for Holy Week retreat and relaxation, Blue Lagoon offers a captivating view of the top most part of the country.

A perfect spot for surfing too, Blue Lagoon is said to be one of the favorite destinations for those who are starting to try out the sport. Though, the pure white sand is captivating, the water wasn't as blue as its name says when we were there. Along the shoreline were some fishermen's shacks that speak of the kind of town it has.

Ilocos Norte: Revisiting Cape Bojeador Lighthouse

There are really places in this world that seeing once is not enough , and I'm really thankful for the opportunities given to me - opportunities that do not just bring me to different places but also makes me do the thing that I love the most, appreciate the beauty of this world at its finest moment. All that including the howling wind and tarnish rust, I got to do all over again in Ilocos Norte's Cape Bojeador Lighthouse.

We were just in the nick of time when we arrived at this towering beauty of Burgos, Ilocos Norte. Though, it may seem that nothing has changed in it, the moment I passed by its newly painted gates, I know that there is something new - something different - about this place that only my sixth sense can tell.

Unlike my previous visit here in Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, the place was so empty when we arrived. The guard was the only man left and he was about to leave then. Thankfully, he was so kind to let us in to see the whole lot.

Ilocos Norte: The Glistening Beauty of Kapurpurawan Rocks

If you want to know when is the best time to visit this glistening beauty of Burgos, Ilocos Norte, I'd say the rainy season. Because with its flowing silk-like beauty, it created a better illusion with water dripping all over it. And together with my friends, I was lucky to witness all of that when visited the Kapurpurawan Rocks.

It was a treacherous path towards to the what seemed to be a gem created by nature. With rocks, mosses and even small living creatures around, we braved the rain taking the chance to just even gaze at the white rock formation. But the moment we saw it, it felt like there's someone from it that's calling us, and in less than an hour, we found ourselves staring at this humongous white rock glistening while the rain water dripping from it. It was such a beautiful gem!

Kapurpurawan Rocks was a dream destination to me then. With its unusual look and real and pure color, who wouldn't wanna see that up close, right? It is a dream come true to me now. But honestly, when you get here, just "seeing it " is not enough. To purely feel the love from the nature, you must climbed up there to its peak and just be like a a free bird with arms spread wide open. It was a great feeling to be up there, standing in a pure white rock that in a few more years will be goner.

Ilocos Norte: Gazing at Pagudpud's Bantay Abot

When they say it's more fun in the Philippines, its is true! It is really more fun in the Philippines, because aside from our lovely people, pristine and truly heart-melting beaches and tourists spots, we also have some of the most unique nature-made destinations that are just a work of art. Yes, I am talking about the mountain with a hole in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte - the Bantay Abot.

"Bantay," which means mountain or hill, and "Abot," which means hole in Ilocano, is something that will make heads turn before reaching the beautiful Blue Lagoon Beach or Maira-Ira Beach of Pagudpud. Stories had it that the hole, which is visible as far as 3 kilometers, was caused by a huge impact of water that slammed against this hill giving it this unique doughnut-like appearance. And since then, it was considered one of the nicest spot to see here in Ilocos Norte.

I was lucky to finally see it on my recent visit on this beautiful province, and though, I didn't spend time to see it up close due to slippery rockies, I somehow appreciate its beauty as well as the things surrounding it. The green pasture on top of the hill is said to be a vegetation, while the the hole of it gives this bell-like shape up-close.

My Zest Air Flight to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia! (Last Day)

What we thought would to be a sad and boring last day here in Kuala Lumpur turned out to be a super fun and truly memorable one - epic as what's the popular term now. How it won't be memorable, we were invited to cover and see for ourselves the billionaire Sir Richard Branson all dress in red skimpy AirAsia flight attendant outfit! Hahahaha! An international media fiasco for our last day here in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Winner!!!

Since Zest Air and AirAsia are forming this strategic partnership in Manila, just before we took our Zest Air flight back to Manila, Philippines, we were asked to grace the press conference that is about to happen in one side of Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) of Kuala Lumpur. Despite of our kinda tourist looking outfit, which basically said nothing compare to the other media personalities who were there to cover the event, we didn't turned down the invitation for this might be the surprises awaiting for our last day. I mean, seriously, who are we to say no to this kind of frenzy? This is one surprise we would love to have!

After checking in our luggage, Team Kuala went around the airport first to spend our remaining ringgit to but some more "pasalubong", and just right after I'm done, the AirAsia team called out our attention to orient us on what will happen the moment AirAsia X Charity Flight touches the ground of LCCT. AirAsia Charity Flight X was the airplane that carries Billionaire Sir Richard, AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes and a number of international media from Perth, Australia.

Alta Vista de Boracay: A Different Boracay Experience that I Love

When I plan to see Boracay, all I'm wishing to do is to enjoy the white sand and watch the hot bodies passing on it. But when I had the chance to check-in and stay in one of the most sophisticated and high-lander hotels in this paradise-like island, my idea of Boracay escapade changes and levels up - it's more fun to stay up in the mountain of Alta Vista de Boracay!

I've been hearing a lot about Alta Vista de Boracay since the first time I visited the beautiful island of Boracay, but I honestly didn't spend so much thought of it for I know that by the sound of its name, I will never have a chance to experience the place - primarily because I know that I cannot afford it. But heaven opens its doors and an angel granted me a chance to enjoy the amazing and truly breathtaking accommodation of Alta Vista de Boracay! Thank you, angel! ^_^

Just like what they say on their brochure "Find your worry-free escape", Alta Vista de Boracay of DMCI Homes made my summer escapade in this world-class island so memorable that I myself cannot believe until now that it happened. From the pick-up point to the last minute I bid goodbye to the beautiful island of Boracay, Alta Vista made sure that every money spend here were well-spent and enjoyed.

Pagudpud: Saud Beach

Fourteen-hour drive from Manila, that's what you have to endure if you are planning to take a long road trip up north here in Ilocos Region. But don't worry, because after that skull-breaking and butt-sweating long drive, you'll get to see the prime beach of Luzon. As quiet as the summer wind, as serene as a sleeping baby, the Saud Beach.

One top tourist destination in Ilocos Norte are its beaches, which I'm so proud, by the way. Because with their pristine white sand and truly captivating view, they managed to stay so pure and truly relaxing. Dubbed as the "anti-Boracay of the North", this Saud Beach is just one of the beaches that you could find here in Ilocos Norte.

I had a wonderful time staying there a few months ago, and I must say that after two years since my last visit here, it is just so wonderful to see that nothing much has changed. It's mystifying peacefulness and breathtaking site of the Bangui Windmills were all kept together making it one of my favorite beaches in the country, really.

Celebrate Independence with Pinoy Ingenuity

Tomorrow, the country will be celebrating its 114th Independence Day. And in line with this celebration, series of festivities will be happening all over the country starting from the flag raising ceremony in different government and private companies to commemorate this important event in our lives, to all-day partying that will highlight the greatness of our national heroes who sacrificed their lives for our freedom.

Here in Makati City, where I usually spent most of my time, the celebration already started last Friday with their Make It Happen, Make It Makati celebration. There had a been series of shows that showcased Pinoy ingenuity - from variety shows to arts and crafts that I find really fascinating.

One of the many arts and crafts exhibits that really mesmerized me was the "banig" exhibit that is on display in Ayala Triangle Gardens. "Banig" or hand women mat has been a symbol of Filipinos craftsmanship, and in the latest Department of Tourism's campaign "It's More Fun in The Philippines","banig" is used as a logo - a really clever one, I believe.

La Loma, QC's Lechon Festival 2012!

Here in the Philippines, fiestas or festivals wouldn't be complete without the famous roasted pig locally known as lechon. Its crispy golden brown skin and juicy, tender meat just make the whole town go crazy once it is served on the table. But here in La Loma, Quezon City, lechon is not just some dining table masterpiece, it is also the star of town's most anticipated parade of the year!

Boys and girls, let's dig in to La Loma's Lechon Festival!

Dubbed as the country's Lechon Capital, La Laoma has been celebrating their town fiesta for years now in honor of their patron saint. And since, we, Filipinos celebrate festivals to give thanks to our God for a bountiful harvest or something, La Loma, Quezon City do this "celebration" thing by parading lots of roasted pigs in a very unique and funny way!

A Chinese New Year Holiday at Ongpin

If I'm not mistaken it was the very first time that our country, or in this case, our government declared the day of the Chinese New Year a holiday. And since Ongpin or Manila's Chinatown is just a few minutes away from our home, I spent my work-less, holiday Monday here and join the fun and festivity of this year's Chinese New Year. 

When I was a kid, my family and I used to dine here and enjoy some delectable Chinese food. Those foods were can only be found in this crowded yet very homey place, so I didn't wonder why a lot of people that time really go here just to taste some authentic Chinese food.

If there's one place in Manila that visitors should see, I believe Ongpin should be on that list because in here you'll certainly see how the two cultures, Filipino and Chinese, blended so well.