RSSJan|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 …
Dec|14|2009
Destination: Caramoan Islands
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Destinations, Features, Islands, Travelogger
The Philippines boasts of 7,107 islands, but not all of them are well known tourist spots. The beauty of this archipelago is that there are so many places that you can discover if you only look, and in two weeks, I will be out there discovering Caramoan Islands.
This group of islands is located in the southern part of the main island, Luzon, in the Bicol Region. It only became popular in the recent years, especially after the French version of Survivor was held there. Indeed, not much is known about the area, hence the moniker “Secret Paradise.”
From what I have been hearing from people who’ve been there, there are only a handful of resorts in the area. The main one is Gota Village – the exact site of the French Survivor. Naturally, the rates are quite …
Oct|05|2009
Take Me To The Philippines
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Destinations, Features
The Philippines is one of the most popular travel destinations in Southeast Asia. It has some of the best beaches in the world. If it’s mountains that you’re looking for, they offer some of the best trekking experiences. They also have lakes, nature preserves, and other natural experiences. Of course, the rich culture of the nation cannot be overlooked. And then there’s Filipino food. Last, but not the least, they say you’ve never really experienced real hospitality until you encounter Filipinos.
Last week, the country experienced a natural disaster of immense magnitude. Typhoon Ketsana (Typhoon Ondoy) hit Luzon, the northernmost island, and left billions worth of damage behind. Countless people were affected: hundreds lost their lives, more lost their homes and their belongings. Even today, there are still areas which are waist deep (or even deeper) in water.
Bottom line: the …
Sep|21|2009
India’s Festival Season Begins: Good Travel Deals On Offer!
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Destinations, Festivals, Tips, Trends
India is home to some of the best attractions in the world. Some of the world’s nicest beaches, the Taj Mahal, and of course, their numerous festivals attract countless visitors year in and year out. And speaking of festivals, this season is right around the corner. As such, this is one of the best times to travel to India!
Contrary to what you might expect, there are actually good deals to be found during this season. More often than not, you would expect hotels to jack up their prices during peak season, right? The good news is that many hotels in the country are actually offering lower prices, especially for package deals. The Hindu Business Online reports:
“Average room rates have declined by approximately 30 per cent. However, the decline at leisure hotels has not been that …
