RSSMar|05|2010
Itching To Discover Saigon
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Cities, Destinations, Travelogger
In less than an hour, I shall be on my way to a country that I have never been to before. I have always wanted to visit Vietnam, if only for their food. Friends who have been there have said nothing but nice things as well. And, apparently, this is one place where I can be a millionaire – at least for a day or two. There aren’t many places where the Philippine Peso has a strong purchasing power, and Vietnam is one of them! For a mere PHP10,000, one call himself a Vietnamese millionaire!
So why am I itching to see Saigon (now called Ho Chi Minh City – HCMC for short – by the way)? As I said, Vietnamese food is to die for. Fresh spring rolls, the famous pho (noodle soup), …
Feb|21|2010
Syria Travel Warning Lifted By The US
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Warnings
The US State Department is known for issuing travel advisories to its citizens on a regular basis. While I understand the need for this and appreciate the rationale behind it, I am also iffy about their warnings, especially when it comes to The Philippines. I guess it’s because I am a local and I feel that I know more about the safety here than they do.
Anyway, I just read that the State Department has lifted the travel warning it issued on Syria. The New York Times reports:
The United States has lifted an advisory that warned American travelers about security concerns in Syria, officials said Saturday, as Washington tries to thaw relations with the Syrians, who are seen as crucial to peace in the region.
Syria’s foreign minister, Walid al-Moallem, welcomed the decision and said “both …
Jan|31|2010
The Dirtiest Hotels In US
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Hotels, United States, Website
Trip Advisor is one of the top web sites in the world when it comes to travel tips and advice. It is a big community of people from all over the world who love travel. One of the things I like about them is that I get to read reviews by “real” travelers from different countries. This month, they just released a list of the dirtiest hotels in the United States. According to the web site, the list is based on member reviews.
Are you ready to find out which hotels are the dirtiest? Here goes…
1.Heritage Marina Hotel, San Francisco, California
2.Days Inn Eureka/Six Flags, Eureka, Missouri
3.Tropicana Resort Hotel, Virginia Beach, Virginia
4.Super 8 Virginia Beach/At the Ocean, Virginia Beach, Virginia
5.Quality Inn, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
6.New York Inn, New York City, New York
7.Parisian Hotel & Suites, Miami Beach, Florida
8.Capistrano …
Jan|30|2010
Philippine Travel Alert Extended By US State Department
Posted by Noemi as Asia, United States, Warnings
Before any of my fellow Filipinos react, let me say that I am in no way in agreement with this extension. In fact, the reason for my writing this post is to express my disagreement with it! This travel alert against the Philippines was issued late last year after the egregious issue of the Maguindanao Massacre hit international headlines.
We all have to admit that that was a horrible affair and that it did nothing to improve the image of the Philippines. Everyone condemned – and continues to do so – that incident. However, that does not mean that the Philippines is an unsafe country. In fact, in the past months, I have interacted with numerous foreign visitors – and each one of them have all their hair in their heads untouched.
For one, Maguindanao …
Jan|05|2010
More Island Hopping In Caramoan
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Destinations, Features, Islands, Travelogger
Island hopping is the main reason one should go to Caramoan. I was really quite disappointed with the beach front at the resort we stayed in. The sand was brown and looked dirty. Dried seaweed littered the beach. I thought I would not enjoy myself, but I was proven wrong. Two days of island hopping showed me just what this place has to offer.
There are two main groups of islands that are usually visited by tourists – one to the south and one to the north. The southern islands are farther, but a whole lot more beautiful. Manlawi, which I wrote about in the previous post, is located in this area. Another island in this area is Cotivas. It is also beautiful, but smaller than Manlawi. When we got there, there were a small group of people lunching under the …
Dec|30|2009
Manlawi: Most Beautiful Spot On Earth
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Travelogger
I am not joking. This island, which is part of Caramoan Islands, is the most beautiful place I have ever visited. Granted, I haven’t been to that many places, but when I first saw Manlawi Island, I was immediately besotted.
Initially, I thought that there were 7 islands to discover in Caramoan. Well, I was wrong. There are more than 7, definitely. Unfortunately for us, the waves were too strong to go to the other islands, so we had to content ourselves with those relatively nearby. On our second day, we went to the nearest cluster of islands – more of them in another post. Today, we went to the southern part, where we discovered paradise. Seriously, every other beach I have been to pales in comparison to Manlawi Island. Take a look for yourself….
Dec|29|2009
Sitting Atop Someone’s Shoulders: A Caramoan Experience
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Transport, Travelogger
It’s my second day in Caramoan, and I have to say that I am feeling a varied mix of emotions. The trip didn’t start off so well, thanks to my not getting any sleep the night before. It didn’t help that the plane we took was smaller than I am used to. The flight was uneventful, though, and I slept through it.
Getting to La Playa Resort is not an easy task, I am telling you now. From the airport, you have to get to the Filcab terminal in Naga City. Airport cabs will charge you 200-300 PHP. If you want them to take you directly to Sabang Port, you’d have to shell out 1000-1500PHP. Naturally, we took the Filcab alternative. That cost us 200PHP for the cab and then 90PHP for the public van to the port.
At the port, everything was chaotic. …
Dec|22|2009
Food In Caramoan: Bicolano Dishes
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Destinations, Food and Drink, Islands
Aside from the white sand beaches and wonderful water, there is one other thing that I am looking forward to when I go to Caramoan: the food. The Bicol Region is known for excellent food, and the dishes almost always are HOT and SPICY and mixed with coconut milk. Chili peppers and coconut milk are staples in this part of the country.
Where we are going, there aren’t too many fancy restaurants. What I am really looking forward to are the small “eateries” where you can taste the local food in all its authentic glory. The best part is that everyone says it’s cheap!
Perhaps the most popular dish from this region is Bicol Express. This dish is available almost anywhere in the Philippines, but I am sure that what I will find in Caramoan is nothing like anything else …
Dec|21|2009
Things To Do And See In Caramoan
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Destinations, Islands, Travelogger
This time and day next week, I should be lounging at the beach – soaking in the sun! For now, I have to deal with work for three more days. That does not mean that I cannot keep thinking about what I will be doing for the five days that I’ll be in Caramoan.
The main thing for me, really, is the beach. I will probably spend most of my time just relaxing and swimming. I already have books and some TV shows lined up. Just give me food and drinks and I’ll be fine. Of course, I cannot pass up on the famed island hopping tours. Caramoan supposedly has 7 islands – all of which have to be discovered by the visitor. From other travelers’ experiences, a tour will take …
Dec|15|2009
Caramoan Islands: How To Get There
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Destinations, Islands, Travelogger
I may not have been to the place yet, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been making plans. Well, technically, it’s not me who has been planning the whole thing, but I do know what is going on. In case, you do get enticed to pay this neck of the woods a visit, here is some useful information.
How to get to Caramoan Islands
First you need to get to the Philippines, which I assume is easy enough for those who are in other countries. From Manila (other cities may have flights to Bicol but Manila is your best bet), you can take a Cebu Pacific flight to Naga City. This is one of the major cities in the Bicol Region.
From Naga City, you need to go to either Sabang Port. The trip will take about an hour …
