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Vacation Places You Can Easily Commute to From Metro Manila
Sunday, May 12, 2019
featuredThere are many holidays in the Philippines. During some holidays though, it feels better to just stay at home and binge-watch your favorite TV shows than to drive to the beach. Especially if you’re the family driver and the travel time exceeds two hours, right? Good thing, there are numerous vacation places in the Philippines you can commute to via bus or other public utility vehicles.
Let’s focus on the vacation places in Northern Luzon other than the all-time favorite Baguio City. To visit these places we’ll enumerate below, you just need to head to the bus terminals in Cubao (Quezon City) and Pasay. Make the most of the technology available today and do your online research – know the routes, schedule, and travel time to your destination. All the information you would need are available on the bus company’s website. Remember, the best trips will always be those that are well-planned.
Here are six vacation places you and your friends and family may visit in the next holidays:
1.) Zambales
This place is top-of-mind of many people who want instantly think of a quick trip to the beach when they hear the word ‘holiday.’ This province in Central Luzon features nature & parks, sights & landmarks, as well as water & amusement parks. From Anawangin to Talisayin Cove, to Mount Balingkilat, Mount Pinatubo, The Hellships Memorial, and Inflatable Island - Zambales never runs out of offerings its visitors. Travel time to get there from Cubao is around 4 hours and 43 min via North Luzon Expressway.
2.) Pangasinan
Pangasinan is one of the most underrated provinces in the country, as people don’t recognize it just keeps on getting better and better each year. Among the choices you have here are Hundred Islands, Patar Beach, and the Bolinao Falls. First, to get to Hundred Islands, you may take the bus from Pasay City terminal that goes directly to Alaminos. you can then take a tricycle from the city to Lucap Wharf when you get there.
3.) Cagayan
Cagayan is a province located in the Cagayan Valley region in the northeast of Luzon Island, which includes the Babuyan Islands to the north. It borders Ilocos Norte and Apayao to the west and Kalinga and Isabela to the south. Cagayan’s capital is the city of Tuguegarao. You’ll enjoy this place if you’re looking for a trip to some of the most historic churches, caves, and cathedrals in the country. Still, you can chill in Palau or Santa Ana’s scenic islands with various beaches, seaside resorts, and
lighthouses.
4.) Isabela
Despite being the second largest province in the country and the largest in Luzon in terms of land area, very few people would go out of their way to spend a vacation in Isabela. To get there, you may take air-conditioned buses from Pasay in Manila or Cubao to major towns such as Cauayan and Santiago for 500-600 pesos one way. Travel time is around 8 to 10 hours depending on the stops.
As you visit, you'll see many premiere destinations with beautiful white sand beaches and islands in the coastal areas.
5.)Kalinga
The province of Kalinga is in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). How do you get there? Simply take a bus going to Tabuk via Tinglayan. Travel time is usually 3 hours. There are jeepneys that would take you straight to your destination. They say the scenery in Kalinga is probably the best anywhere in the Philippines. It boasts the gargantuan mountains crushing up against one another, as well as the ancient rice terraces that remain cultivated up to now, flowing down their sides.
6.) Nueva Vizcaya
Now let's talk about the major producer of citrus crops in the country, principally pomelo, ponkan and oranges - Nueva Vizcaya. Bet you didn't know its Agricultural Terminal in Bambang supplies
the demand of neighboring provinces and Metro Manila, right? One place you may visit in the holidays is the well-preserved church of San Vicente Ferrer located in Dupax del Sur. Interestingly, it was built during the second half of the 18th century under the Dominicans and was declared as a National Cultural Treasure.
Exciting, right? For sure, everyone would enjoy your upcoming visits to the places we’ve discussed, as all of you would be passengers. This means, no one would be deprived of the precious chance to meditate during the long travel. All you need to do is focus your energy in researching and booking your trips beforehand online. Indeed, one of the best things about the country is flexibility in every aspect of life – even, and more importantly, in the modes of transportation.
Retail Therapy Without Ruining Your Budget in Manila
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
philippines |
| Retail Therapy and how to do it in Manila without ruining your budget. |
Nothing wrong if you believe in retail therapy and really like shopping. After all, you deserve to be rewarded, or you’d find life too hard—just know where to shop.
You work a 9 to 5 job five times a week and had been good to just everyone you meet. Before you know it, here comes payday and the weekend! How do most yuppie like you reward yourself for hustling and being corporate slaves for the entire weekday? You shop. Continue reading to know what this article has to say about ‘retail therapy’ and the best budget-friendly places in Manila.
All about retail therapy
Is retail therapy a thing? If you’ve seen the movie ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic’ by P.J. Hogan, the guilty lead character explained why she likes to shop. According to her, there’s something about seeing a nice thing in the store, picking it up, swiping, then boom, it’s yours. To her, these items “never broke her heart.” Men probably can relate to this feeling as well—only that they have more self-control than women when it comes to shopping.
Now, let’s look at some studies and numbers. A survey conducted by TNS Global, on behalf of Ebates.com, revealed that 52% of Americas (64% women and 40% men) engage in retail therapy to improve their mood.
This supports a previous study done by the Journal of Psychology and Marketing. It states, 62% of shoppers bought something to cheer themselves up, while 28% purchased items as a form of celebration.
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| There are plenty of places to shop in Manila without breaking your budget. |
Do it in moderation
So we’ve talked about how retail therapy serves as a de-stressor for both men and women. While it seems all good, it could lead to an unhealthy addiction if not done in moderation. What makes it wrong is when people shop beyond their means. So, yuppies in Manila need to know where to shop with a budget. After all, it would be wrong to spend every cent of your hard-earned money on material things, right?
Shop within a set budget
Who wouldn’t have Divisoria on their personal list? Well, this place is still queen when it comes to budget-friendly shopping haven. You just need to know where the best deals are, such as Asuncion and El Cano streets for fruits, and Ongpin street for cheap clothes. If you’re after items to buy and give to friends as gifts, you can walk to 168 Shopping Mall or Tutuban shopping center. What they sell are not only affordable, but also made of quality materials.
For those who say Divisoria are for the mommies and not-so-chic enough, you may head to Greenhills Shopping Center instead. It has been around for quite a time now serving the more upscale population of trendy shoppers. Stores are neatly divided according to items sold and housed inside an air-conditioned building. You can find everything here from bags, shoes, to gadget and car accessories for the mean. Maybe it would be okay for your boyfriend or husband to tag along as you shop in Greenhills.
Quality is what matters
You’ve probably heard of Taytay Tiangge before, from people talking about how many clothes they’ve hoarded on their very first visit. This garment haven located near the New Taytay Public Market in Rizal has been making waves offering items for as low as 40 pesos. Your 1000 pesos would definitely get far! Items are also trendy and doesn’t look how much they’re worth. See for yourself if this could be the Divisoria of the east, or even better.
Again, cheer up, people of the east! You don’t have to suffer commuting or driving in traffic to get to Divisoria or Greenhills Shopping Center. Just to go Marikina Market Mall. Especially if you’re fond of collecting shoes, you’ll find a lot here made by the famous and legendary shoemakers of Marikina. Rest assured, they’re worth your money because they’re going to last until they fit your grandchild feet, if not forever.
There is nothing wrong if you believe in retail therapy and really like shopping. After all, it is important to reward yourself from time to time, or you’d find life too hard. Just do it in moderation and don’t shop beyond your means. Visit these four best places to shop with a budget, which we have discussed. Remember, elegance is a way of life, not some brand or designer item money can buy.
A Guide to Taboan Public Market - The Dried Fish Capital of Cebu
Sunday, February 10, 2019
cebu
Danggit, a thin kind of salted dried fish, is one of Cebu City’s most famous ‘pasalubongs’. Various places in the city sell dried fish, but none is as popular as Taboan Public Market, also known as the Dried Fish Center of Cebu. The choices and variety of dried fish you can buy here is far wider than all other store in Cebu, that is why a visit to Cebu isn’t complete without going to Taboan. Continue reading below for some things you need to know about Taboan Public Market.
How to Get To Taboan Public Market?
If you’re a traveler, the best way to get to Taboan Market is through a taxi. Taxi drivers are very familiar with this place. It’s not too far off from key locations in the city too, so you don’t have to worry about your taxi bill being too expensive. However, if you want to go for a more ‘local’ route, you can easily ride a jeepney. Jeepneys marked with 04D, 08G, 17B, 17D will pass by here. If you’re not familiar with the place, talk to the driver or the conductor to drop you off at Taboan Market. Jeepney drivers and conductors are very helpful to tourists.
Things to Know About Taboan Public Market
1. One kilo of dried fish usually costs around 350-750 pesos, depending on quality.
Since there is a wide array of choices, prices vary as well. Some of the more expensive kinds are marinated with garlic or other flavors, referred to as ‘special’, for a more mouth watering taste.
2. You can haggle.
Like all other markets, you can always haggle with the market vendors to buy any product at a lower price. Be sure to haggle reasonably also. The vendors are earning money through honest and hard work. Don’t expect them to give you a price that’s too low that they’re basically giving away their products for free. That’s not fair to the vendors and is bad for the overall health of the market as well.
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| You can find all sorts of Cebu delicacies in Taboan Market also! |
3. Other Cebu Delicacies are also sold here.
When visiting Tabaon Public Market, you won’t just see dried fish for sale. There are also other famous Cebu delicacies available here such as dried mangoes, chicharon, otap, chorizo de Cebu and many more.
4. Danggit is just one of the many dried seafood displayed in Taboan.
Some of the other seafood sold in Tabaon are dried shrimp, dried squid, fish tapa, fish tocino and other types of dried fish.
5. Be sure to compare prices before buying anything.
Prices offered by shops inside the market are cheaper than those of the stores near the entrance. To make sure you are getting the best prices, look around the market first before making a purchase.
6. It is not as busy as other markets.
If you’re a bit hesitant to visit Taboan because you think it’d be too crowded like other markets in the Philippines, then worry not. Taboan is very quiet and low key, unlike the bigger Carbon Public Market. It is also surprisingly clean. You surely will not be uncomfortable.
7. The smell of dried fish is strong enough to stick onto your clothes.
Yes, when visiting Taboan Market, expect that you will be smelling like dried fish afterwards. Make sure to schedule your visit accordingly. Plan your clothes as well, you wouldn’t want your fave outfits smelling like dried fish. If you have somewhere to go after, a bath or a change in clothes would be a good idea.
8. You can ask vendors to pack your purchases in small sizes.
On a budget? You can still get everyone on your list a pack of Cebu’s danggit. You can ask the seller to pack your purchases into smaller sizes (1/8 kilo) for it to be ‘pasalubong’ ready. Smaller packs can be easily distributed to your friends and it is usually enough for one meal.
9. Dried fish can be placed on your carry-on.
If you’re a budget traveler and you don’t have baggage allowance, you can still take these smelly delicacies home. You can bring dried fish from Taboan Market on your carry-on baggage. Just make sure to tell the vendor to pack it to be hand carry friendly. They will already know what to do.
10. Taboan Public Market is open as early as 4am and as late as 8pm.
Although at the earlier and later hours, fewer stalls are open. Schedule your trip accordingly.
There you have it, the important things you need to know about Taboan Market. I hope that this has been helpful to you. If you ever find yourself in Cebu, a visit to Taboan Market is always a good idea. Also, don’t forget to enjoy your dried fish with some hot rice and spicy vinegar!
Upside Down World, Cebu - A Place for Kids and Kids at Heart
Friday, October 26, 2018
cebu
umop ap!sdn.
Please excuse my attempt at having a clever introduction.
Remember when upside down photos were all over social media? Well, of course you do. These photos were, however, taken from Upside Down Museums from different cities. Ever since then, I couldn't wait to have one just like it in Cebu City. That is exactly what we got when Upside Down World Cebu opened their doors to the public on March 23, 2017.
With its accessible location and fun-filled offerings, Upside Down World Cebu is a perfect destination for friends and family.
The Museum
Upside Down World Cebu consists of 11 rooms where you can get your tupsy-turvy fun and have your creative juices flowing. Each room has a theme, mostly rooms we have in our own houses. You can be as creative as you can and let your imagination run wild. Don't worry if you run out of ideas though, their accommodating and friendly staff will be more than happy to suggest some poses and concepts for you.
Guests are requested to take off their shoes before entering the museum to help keep the place clean. A locker where you can store your footwear and other belongings is free to use.
Themed-Rooms
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| The Living Room |
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| The Library |
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| Kid's Playroom |
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| The Bedroom |
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| The Marketplace |
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| The Bathroom and Laundry Room |
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| The Kitchen |
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| The Dining Room |
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| The Magic Room |
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| The Game Room |
Monthly Photo Contest
Upside Down World Cebu hosts a monthly photo contest. The mechanics are simple: Post a photo of yourself in their 11 themed rooms with the hashtag #upsidedownworldcebu. Nominees are posted every 24th of the month. Winners are determined by popularity voting done on their FB and IG accounts. Winners with the most creative photos will receive P3000.
More Information
Rates:
Adults - P250.00
Kids/Students - P175.00
Business Hours:
10am-9pm from Mondays-Sundays
Contact:
Landline: (032)-234-7842
Mobile: 09177728670
Email: upsidedownworld.cebu@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/udwcebu/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upsidedownworldcebu/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/udwcebu/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upsidedownworldcebu/
Location:
2nd floor City Times Square 2 across ParkmallHow to Get There:
From SM City Cebu, ride a 01K jeepney going to Parkmall. Fare is 7PHP. Hop off at the Parkmall Terminal and go across to City Times Square 2.
Note: For updates in schedules and rates, I recommend you to check out their social media sites or contact them at the contact numbers noted above first.
Have you tried an Upside Down Museum before? Let me know in the comments below.
Bohol Countryside Tour
Saturday, August 11, 2018
Food and Travel
The Philippines is simply beautiful. There are so many wonderful sights to see, so many interesting places to visit, so many delicious food to eat and so many generous people to meet. With its 7,641 islands, there is always something that awaits all who come to visit.
One of the most popular tourist destinations in the Philippines is the island of Bohol. It has it all: alluring white sand beaches, wildlife encounters, crazy adventure parks, historical sites and captivating landscape views. That's basically everything your dream destination should have.
Our long overdue Barkada travel goals finally came to fruition, as we decided to go to Bohol for a quick weekend getaway to celebrate our first year as young working adults. My friends came all the way from General Santos City. I met them in Cebu City and together, we traveled via Fast Craft to reach Tagbilaran City. How we managed to catch our boat? That is a story that includes shoving, walkie talkies, running, shouting, sweat, basically more like an action movie. Our boat left Cebu at 6pm and we arrived at Tagbilaran around 8pm. We explored the city to get a general feel of local life. We then crashed for the night at our very cheap accommodation as tomorrow will be quite a day.
7 AM - Pickup Time
We rented a van that offers the Bohol Countryside Tour Package. As much as we wanted to see the rest of Bohol, we didn't have enough time since there are still some more places we have to visit back in Cebu. The package already comes with a driver and costs 2500 pesos. It can accommodate up to 12 people, but there are only 5 of us. This is really cheap if you consider 12 people though. Entrance fees to the attractions are not included in the package.
The driver picked us up at our inn and we were ready to go. We asked him to let us grab some breakfast first though. We wanted to save some time so Mcdonald's takeout it is!
The Chocolate Hills
The Chocolate Hills is not only Bohol's most identifiable landmark, it's also one of the Philippines signature landscapes. It's beauty is something we've only truly seen in post cards. The chocolate hills consist of no less than 1260 hills of almost equal size and uniform shape. The hills vary between 30-50 meter high. With this incredible natural sight to behold, it is truly unbelievable that this isn't a man-made attraction. The hills are green but during the dry season, they turn chocolate brown, hence its name.
Simply Butterflies Conservation Center
Simply Butterflies Conservation Center is the first butterfly livelihood breeding and conservation program in Bohol. It is said to house over 200 species of butterflies. Your entrance fee will already provide you an incredibly entertaining tour guide. Learning about butterflies was more fun than I initially thought. This was a fairly quick stop though.
Loboc Tarsier Sanctuary
A Tarsier is basically Bohol's tourism mascot. They are cute tiny furry creatures with big googly eyes. They're also the world's smallest primates, however, they are now considered endangered animals. It's nice to see a tarsier, but please make sure that every tourist is responsible. They are suicidal creatures and are easily distressed. The sanctuary has signs and railing all over the place, warning people to strictly observe silence, respect the tarsiers, no touching, no flash photography. Still, while we were there, I've seen tourists cross over the lines just to get closer a closer look at these delicate creatures. Not cool.
Man-Made Forest
The man-made forest is a 2-kilometer stretch of mahogany trees that fill the terrain. Tourists visiting the Chocolate Hills will not miss this, as it situated where Bilar meets Loboc. The trees were planted as part of a reforestation project that started over 50 years ago to replace trees lost from the evils of kaingin (slash-and-burn farming). It was the perfect site. It was cold, silent and peaceful. You do have to be careful of speeding vehicles though.
Python Sanctuary
Bohol's Python Sanctuary is home to The Philippines' largest captive reticulated python (Python reticulatus) or baksan in the native language. Prony, the female python, measures 8 meters and weighs more than 300 kilograms according to a Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) estimate. Prony died in 2013 due to an unknown reason. The locals said that she died shortly after her owner died, which is popular Filipino pamahiin (supernatural belief). The sanctuary still continues to operate, showcasing Prony's offspring as well as Prony's remains.
Baclayon Church
Bohol has a lot of beautiful old churchs, the most popular of which is probably Baclayon Church. It is just six kilometers away from Tagbilaran City, Bohol and is said to be the second oldest stone church in the Philippines. The church was constructed in 1595 by the Jesuit priests. It currently houses important relics of the Roman Catholic history in the country. Sadly, the church was severely damaged when a massive 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Bohol on October 15, 2013. It has been undergoing restoration immediately after. We only got to take a picture on this side of the church, construction was still ongoing when we visited.
Bohol Blood Compact Site
The last place on our list, The Blood Compact Site serves as a historical memorabilia of The Sandugo. This commemorates the mixing of blood between Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Rajah Sikatuna which symbolized a forged friendship between the Spaniards and the Filipinos. The monument was created by Philippine National Artist Napoleon Abueva, who is also a native of Bohol. The shrine is easily accessible to tourists and offers a fantastic view of the ocean.
After a tiring day, we headed back to the pier and boarded our boat that would take us back to Cebu. Although we only stayed in Bohol for less than a day, this trip will forever hold a special place in our hearts.
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Sirao Flower Farm, Cebu's Little Amsterdam
Friday, November 24, 2017
cebu
I've been living in Cebu City for over a year now. I moved here, from my beloved General Santos, to pursue a career as a Structural Designer. I have yet to explore all the wonderful places Cebu has to offer. One of these places is Sirao Flower Farm, also known as The Little Amsterdam of Cebu City.
There's an entrance fee of P50.00 as means of maintenance and for further improvements.
I was immediately awestruck with the flowers when we arrived. However, after a while, I got a bit disappointed because it wasn't what I had expected. The flower garden was way smaller, there were too many people, and it really took a lot of effort to take a good photo (without any photobombs). The flowers at Sirao Flower Farm were fabulous though and the vivid colors were a fantastic visual treat for my eyes. It was also great to breathe in fresh air after being stuck in the polluted city for so long.
The famous Sirao Flower Farm was originally just meant for growing and selling flowers. However, over the years, it has attracted flocks of tourists and photo enthusiasts. The influx of people wanting to see the celosia flowers in full bloom convinced the owners to turn it into a well maintained tourist destination instead.
Previously, you would have to wait for the flowers to be in season to enjoy this spectacular site since the flowers will have to be harvested for Sinulog and All Soul's Day Season. If you didn't know, Celosia has grown to become the official flower of Cebu's Sinulog Festival. Currently, you can visit the farm all year round and still get a glimpse of a sea of flowers. The management purposely leave some flowers unharvested for the visitors to see.
To increase the European feel of the garden, several ornaments, such as a windmill, rainbow bridges, statues, bicycles, etc., can also be seen in the area.
There is also a cafe where you could enjoy refreshments like buko juice and a lot more. A lot of stores offering these are present outside for a cheaper price.
You can also purchase bundles of flowers that are grown from the garden which you can take home.
When visiting, you have to dress appropriately. It could get muddy. This means wearing your favorite white sneakers could yield an unfortunate mess.
How to get there:
The most common way to reach Sirao Flower Farm is by riding a motorcycle (locally known as habal-habal) from JY Square Mall. A bunch of drivers would instantly approach you especially if you look like tourists. P200.00/head roundtrip fare is already enough. You can discuss additional charges with your driver as an incentive for waiting for you. You can also opt to ride a taxi but the usual charge would start at P1500.00. If you have a car, you can simply just Waze it and you'll be good to go.
Tips:
- Make a very clear payment arrangement with your driver so there are no gray areas that could cause misunderstanding. Be wary of being tricked to pay more though. Some habal-habal drivers (definitely not all) are known to charge a whole lot more especially if they realize you're not from Cebu. Speak Bisaya if you can.
- If you're taking your own car, be careful as the road going up could get pretty challenging and slippery.
- Some habal-habal drivers would offer you a three-way tour, which would allow you to visit three famous Cebu tourist destinations: Sirao Flower Farm, Tops Skyline Garden and Temple of Leah. This is already very worth it. The usual price is P300.00/head, excluding entrance fees.
- Please be a responsible tourist and give respect to the management's effort of beautifying the place. Don't pick flowers, step on them or leave any trash behind. The destruction of these lovely flowers is a big price to pay for your perfect selfie. Please be mindful of other tourists as well. They, like you, are struggling to take the perfect picture too.
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