’till summer comes around
’til it comes around and it comes around.
-keith urban

In and Around Siargao, we hitched on bikes to delve in a truly authentic suburban Siargao experience. We went into 3 different Catholic churches, wet markets, ktv places and ports. Endure the rugged terrain from the town of Burgos to Dapa to General Luna via rented jeepney.

Reminiscing it now gives me chill with how wicked our trip had become. From delayed flights, bad weather, tsunami scare to eventually overspending on our set travel budget. What if’s run through my mind. I could be either sitting around the office and counting  productivity or pleasure ourselves with a Valentine dinner instead or fancy some London theatre breaks. Budget airlines such as Air Asia, makes it less of an ease to resist to temptation that is, cheap airfare tickets.

Back in Siargao, rainy season on a month of March. What?! Aren’t we chasing summer in this whole trip. Ahhh, there you go, no nice toned, six pack abs, deliciously hot surfer boys. I’ll get over it, soon… haha.

To cover for our called off seafaring expedition,  we made plans to chase the sunset at the General Luna port instead, not so far away from Cloud 9. Best place to go on low tide. Hear the sound of the waves crashing nearby, feel the salty breeze touching your skin and the powdery sand gently massaging your feet. I see people collecting shells, dogs playing around in those shallow waters. Twilight and beyond washed away all my worries.

The board walk wreckage of the old port. I can sit here all day.

The port is now lined up with KTVs and eating places, providing sanctuary to beer deprived tourists and locals alike.

On our last day, we met a friendly German guy who lives in town for about half a year and counting. He likes how Siargao is so small yet not congested. No big malls, fancy clubs and theatre breaks. A getaway from the buzzing city, indeed. He runs a small diving shop. I envy him for living his dreams.

He took us to the airport with his friend who’s in the same flight as ours. Couple of hours and an almost impassable (notorious on rainy days) road later, we’re finally checking in for our flight back to Manila, via Cebu.

Another stumbling block hit us. Bad weather condition delayed our plane for four hours and only Cebu Pacific Air flies directly to and from Siargao.  I came to a realization that this destination can give Batanes a run for its money. I wouldn’t actually care being trapped in the island, if not only that we still are employed and we have commitments to attend to.

Cebu Pacific didn’t gave us any assurance if our flight will pushed through. It will all depend on the weather, else we have a choice to take the boat to Surigao and take our flight from there. Which isn’t really a very tempting alternative after what we went through the past days.

This guy (sorry forgot your name),  flew all the way from England. He visited his girlfriend’s family in Surigao and maximized his itinerary by doing a side trip to Siargao. Sweet. We stayed at the same resort and he got us acquainted with his German friend. He endured the hassle of waiting and risking connecting flights too among hundred others including korean surfers and mostly participants from the recently held Siargao Game Fishing tournament. Cebu Pacific provided lunch for us.

I made arrangement to skip my flight to Manila and transfer to a direct flight to Singapore from Cebu instead. Better than hitting a snag and going to all the inconvenience of delayed flights again.

After four hours and so, finally we’re boarding.

Maybe this year, I would choose a less risky alternative. Considering that we don’t have the luxury of time, a long vacation is out of the list. All the more reason to ask the mister to check out amazing musicals and stage productions instead, like Wicked, Mamma Mia! or even Cirque du Soleil. Hmmm,  theatre breaks in london is not bad, yes? Although, I wouldn’t mind getting trapped in Batanes anytime soon.

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The new campaign of the Department of Tourism (DOT) became viral since it’s launch last January 10. Despite some criticism, majority embraced the slogan “It’s More Fun in the Philippines!” as a positive strategy to a more exciting tourism industry this year.

Weekend Haven is more than happy to participate and show some love to pay homage to why we itch on exploring the Philippines and it’s 7,107 beautiful islands.

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Let’s keep our wanderlust on fire and discover more of the Philippines this dragon year, shall we?

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Nacpan & Calitang Beach in El Nido

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Fall in love with the beauty twice with Nacpan & Calitang Beach.

Divided by the island stretch, these two hidden gems
are nestled side by side  in the quiet town of Calitang.

A treat of serenity welcomes you to the sound of the waves.
No hotels, restaurants, or any means of commercialism.

Just us and the twin beach.

What’s more amazing is that on the 3rd side of the island lies a picturesque cliff!

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Sometimes the sky belongs to me
And wraps me in infinity
Sometimes it turns the other way
And hides itself in clouds of gray

-Elizabeth Santos

After a devastating two days of bumming around, finally we’re off to test the waters of Siargao sans tsunami mishaps. Will I ever regret not getting a travel insurance in the future?

Sohoton Cove Slogan:
Here you will find peace: serenity of the mind, simplicity of the heart and tranquility of the soul

Our kind host at Island Dream Resort promised  a day of wicked adventure as he arranged our service boat. Being haunted with the previous day frenzy, I still have anxiety attack on braving the wild waves. If only we have a long stay travel insurance then it would relieved me of some stress.

Sailing on rough weather is not my cup of tea. Although the sky is clear, I know that somehow the 2 hours boat ride will encounter a rough turn. It was reassuring to know that our boatmen grew up in this small island and anything unusual they would know. So there, four people aboard and madness waiting to happen.

Did I mention, it was hubby’s birthday? The resort’s in-house restaurant serves good food as they perfectly put together our breakfast and lunch in a neat picnic basket. Sweet!

At 7 AM, we were bound to Bucas Grande Island for an early morning tour.

Contrary to what I was expecting, there were no violent waves harassing our idyllic journey. We lost count on the natural islets dotting this tropical  destination and whether to cross it off from the 7,107 islands in the Philippines.

A change in temperature is evident when we finally reached the entrance to the hidden Sohoton Cove. Simply stunning!

Soothing to the eyes, the lucid waters seemed colder and transformed into deep turquoise. Corals and fishes are almost visible to see. We felt lucky to have reached this tropical paradise.

Sohoton Cove is part of Bucas Grande Islands located in the town of Socorro. To get there, one can rent a boat from Surigao City or in the town of General Luna, Siargao Island.

We paid P930.00 for boat rental, tour guides (x3) and docking fees. When everything was settled, we transferred to a smaller boat.

The cave entrance and exit point to Sohoton Cove is half-submerged in water, thus it’s only accessible on low-tide. We have to wear hard hats and duck down to avoid being knocked off by the low ceiling.

It’s quite exciting to see the light at the end of the passage. It opens up into another stunning lagoon with more surreal landscapes.

First Stop: Hagukan Cave. The name is derived from the word haguk, a local term for snore. Our guide told us that during high tide when the waters splashed through the walls, it makes a snoring sound. Sounds creepy.

Oh No! Do we really have to go in there?

Growing up in the Philippines where nice beaches abound, it’s a shame that me and my other half don’t know how to swim. I know. I can float though, but I think that’s not even counted.

Our ever efficient and encouraging guides has ways to persuade us. Rather than missing this once in a lifetime experience, we gave in to this dare. No life jackets on. Hubby first.

To get inside the submerged cave we have to go underwater for about 2.5 meters stretch. It opens up to a small, dark cavern with a nice display of stalactites. There’s a piece of large rock inside to stand on while your guide points the light to the rock formations accenting the ceiling.

Second Stop: Magkukuob Cave

As if we have enough of a surprisingly extreme day, this one makes it to the highlight. Further to the entrance, our guide pointed out a wooden plank hanging about 16 feet above the water.

I think I have rather a long list of fears, heights and deep water included.

iJump. iFly. iDive.

Magkukuob Cave just like Hagukan has low opening. But this time, one can wade to get inside as there is enough space to stick out your head. Just watched out for sharp rocks.

The small cavern is adorned with rich stalactites and stalagmites. The temperature quickly dropped and seconds later, I’m already freezing.

We have to climb up to the exit, and there it is, the jump board inviting us to take a plunge on this natural wonder.

I haven’t dive in a pool, moreso an open water before. And our guide won’t let me use  a life jacket. I think I lost my soul there for a  moment. The water is more than 15 feet deep.

Reminder: If you don’t know how to swim or dive, trust your guide. they will find a way!

this lagoon is so inviting. i can see white sands beneath the sparkling blue sea

I wish they will allow visitors to visit Sohoton Cove in an extended period. We want to take in as much serenity of the place but the guides warn us about the danger on the cave entrance on high-tide. But they do this even when you come in early morning? Why hurry?

It only took us less than 2 hours to explore the place, then we’re off to the no-sting jellyfish sanctuary or also called Tojoman lagoon. Palau is well known for their jellyfish lake, well we have one for the books too!

Luck isn’t on our side as no brown stingless jellyfish were playing around, I reckon they evacuated from fear of tsunami too? Seen a white one instead.

Best to go March – May when you’re up to snorkel with stingless jellyfish.

just keep swimming.

We went back to the tourism office and switch boat to  proceed to our next stop: Pansukian or Naked Island.

Naked Island is a 200 meters stretch of sand bar, stripped off with trees or shelter.  The sparkling water and white sand beach makes you want to forget time.

finding solitude in Naked Island

she sells sea shells on the sea shore

We spent a good time cam whoring on this beautiful island. On the way back, heavy rain caught us in the middle of the sea, nevertheless were able to survive and reach the resort safely.

What else to see in Siargao? And the risk of being stranded in the island, find out on my next post!

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Misfortune is never mournful to the soul that accepts it; for such do always see that every cloud is an angel’s face.

~Lydia M. Child

This is a continuation to the epic tsunami scare which spiced up our journey to Southern Philippines.

Contrary to the anticipated sleepless night, I had a good night sleep. A bit weird though for passing out in such a dangerous state. We were already resolved that if it happens to chase us and ruin our perfectly planned holiday, then be it. Although, I still felt relieved to hear the rushing waves off a few feet away from our front porch the next morning.

The night before we discussed with Marcos our intent to rent a boat to explore Sohoton Cave and other stunning islands nearby. He generously offered help on finding one, but given the current weather, we are doomed to just settle to explore the town by land. Marcos gave us an option to ride the morning jeep to Dapa town proper. From there, we can haggle on a habal habal ride (modified motorcycle) to Gen. Luna port. We’ll shoot for luck if there are any boat trips going to Bucas Grande by then. We pictured a dragging whole day trip and heaps of hassle off and back to Burgos without renting a private vehicle seeing that public transport offers only a limited schedule.

the surfer chic wannabee – up and ready to catch some *hot surfer dudes* rawwwr

At past 5 AM, the jeepney was still nowhere in sight, we then decided to walk further and visit the nearby church.

While being lost in a morning mist and complete serenity, we talked about our gameplan for the next days. We can’t stay here for long since our main goal in visiting the island is to hop on a boat to Sohoton Cove. We decided that the only easy way is rent a private jeep and transfer to General Luna which should have been our basecamp from the very start.

We walk back to our little hut after a short visit to the church. Our host, Marcos agreed to refund our deposit.

Marcos of Marcos at Burgos Resort

As if the misadventure is haunting me, I checked my mobile mail to see that some serious work flaw needs my urgent attention. Bad, bad, bad. I didn’t brought my laptop as I knew there aren’t any reliable internet connection on the island. Needless to say, the festive mood turned into 360 degrees nightmare.

We decided to rent the same jeepney that brought us to Burgos. This trip is veering away from our usual backpacker budget as it gets more and more expensive.

Scorching heat on a mid-summer day. The rough road is as bad as in Burgos.

We arrived at Island Dream Resort after an almost 4 hours exhausting commute. The place is amazing with a hefty price tag too. I can’t believe that such paradise exist in an almost non-existent paved road. It’s still beach front property with private swimming pool and a number pf villas and deluxe rooms. Since it’s hubby’s special day, I gave in on getting one of their luxury honeymoon suites.

the poshest cottage in town! custom made tub is a winner. ♥

bathtub for two or three or four, put in some friends, soothing music and cocktails for blissful memories ♥

Just what I needed most, they offer free wi-fi! The staff were super friendly. They let me use the reception’s desktop pc to do my business for an hour or two.

After we settled everything, it’s time to switch back to holiday mood. We hailed a habal habal to take us to the famed Cloud 9 board walk.

walk all the way to the end of the wooden bridge to get the best view of the world-famous surf break

Where have all the hot surfer dudes and sexy washboard abs gone? Total fail.

I take it that this isn’t a good time to surf. This Surfing capital of Asia is best to visit during the months of July to November. Siargao hosts Annual International Surfing competition. The “Cloud Nine” is perhaps the most renowned surf break while there is also Siargao High Waves which measures 10 – 15 feet high. Wow.

Even at an off-peak season, a lot of foreign visitors flocked the area. Some even staying for month-long or more. When I had the chance to ask a friendly german diver about how is he coping up with living in the island for 6 months already, he answered that he likes the simple life that Siargao offers. The community is so small that everyone knew each other. It’s away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Lucky him, he found a perfect home away from home.

He’s one in a hundred reasons to move in Siargao right now. hotness!

The weather has changed dramatically with no signs of tsunami or even heavy rains. We are off to an amazing Bucas Grande adventure next!

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The stars shine so bright
Heaven can’t be miles away
For it is right here

-Allisson Liddle

Beyond the roadblocks of delayed flights and bad weather, we were determined to make the most out of our summer plans. Bring it on!

Let our weekend adventure begin. We pulled off a flight marathon to Siargao and finally settled down in a secluded resort along the coastlines of Burgos town.

Are you up for a challenge? Here’s a picture perfect yet ever-changing weather during our Road Trip to Siargao Island. Yes! Welcome to the traffic-free zone.

Is it just me or do you also think this island is underpopulated?

Read the Previous entry about the Unexpected Hitchhiker and our Siargao Itinerary here.

Day 1 | 3:30 PM

After a power nap and an energizing late lunch, we hit the road to explore the nearby town. Amidst the drizzling weather, we hopped on a motorcycle for an afternoon stroll. We three (hubby, me and mr. driver) pretty fit into one bike, so I was a bit anxious about safety. Good thing, our driver is well familiar with the turns, the rugged terrain and the muddy road ahead. Hubby kept reminding me to relax ‘cos I tend to put my weight on the wrong places when the motorcycle leans to switch direction. Didn’t know being a passenger can be so complicated.

one of the many classic bahay kubo (nipa hut) in the Philippines

the pier

En route to the pier we caught sight of the threshold to Taktak falls, or also known  as Sta. Monica falls, not my itching feet’s desire though and still under the weather a.k.a. jet lagged, we chose to skip trekking. Instead, we headed further to the end of the town and wander along the fisherman’s wharf.

Colorful boats are perfect contrast to the seemingly serene sea

This port is an entry point and a docking station for small passenger boats, fishing and cargo vessels from Surigao City. Mangrove forest can be seen from afar. Nothing much to do except for an  occasional conversation with locals and forage for some photo shoot-worthy finds.

The rich Mangrove forest reserves from afar.

Few meters away, big waves caresses the sea and breaks. I began to wonder if it’s this usual waves which made Siargao a world famous Surfing destination  all year round.

While we were lost in our own thoughts, we overheard some Surigaonons discussing fresh news. Apparently, a tsunami warning was issued earlier by the Philippine government affecting the towns along the Pacific ocean. Siargao Island made it through that list under level 2 alert. This originated from a deadly tsunami that sent walls of waters washing over coastal cities north of Japan following an epic magnitude 9 earthquake that morning. We weren’t really aware of what’s happening since we are officially detached with the world since our flight marathon.

Can’t get enough of this kulit kids

Few minutes later, Hubby received couple of calls from friends trying to reach us and warn about the situation. I didn’t mind it at first since I haven’t seen a particular sign that a tsunami would just barge into the island anytime soon. Referring from the Tsunami videos in 2004 that struck Thailand, the shoreline should be dried out and waters will be swept off the coast towards the opposite direction at first and will take a few minutes before surprising the island with gigantic waves. But then again I might be wrong.

We went to this old church not far from the pier. I thanked God for the weekend break and prayed that we’ll be spared of with this tsunami scare.

En route to our cozy hut, we heard repeating alarm . Like that of a fire drill. So there is a disaster plan, me thinks. My guess is that it signals everyone that an evacuation is impose to all residents. It started to rain again. I can barely hear a speaker announcement to the community. Everyone is in panic, gathering as much as they can carry. Poultry, rice, pets, clothing, food, family members and more. Neighbors and families help each other to get to higher grounds.

Strange how I feel a sudden panic attack. This is so real. Oplan: Evacuate the Island low land.

~no pictures from here, either we were really panic stricken or the camera is too precious to get wet~

5:30 PM

We reached our accommodation where our British host, Marcos apologized for the inconvenience as we have to join them to crash at his friend’s house on the hill. We learned that a possible tsunami will hit our location at around 7:00 that evening.

We went back to our hut speechless. I stared back at the sea mocking me to give up my hopes for a luxurious getaway. Marcos said he didn’t notice anything unusual with the waves today, so I guess that is what I’ll be holding on for the rest of our trip. But to avoid any risk, together with him and his family, we’ll seek shelter for the night, or at least for few hours.

I’m guessing another sleepless night. What sleep?!

Finally, I had the chance to connect with the world with my trusty old nokia phone and a super slow mobile internet. I managed to find some videos of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami at Fukushima. It left me disconcerted seeing the damage, it finally sinked in how we are in serious danger too. Although I don’t think the hill is still the safest place.

The mood was more intense when Marcos started driving his jeep with only one headlight working in the midst of the dark night and heavy rains.  We have 3 babies on board and most of us were soaked with the wild downpour. The rough road seemed rougher this time, and Marcos was driving like crazy. Just like the movies, an intense cinematography with a tragic plot.  If it were, we’ll probably bagged the best visual effects. It scared the hell out of us.

Didn’t help that we were so near the sea that we can hear the waves wildly splashing by the shoreline. I was imagining huge waves gushing after us. Crazy me.

Few minutes later, we arrived at the hill. Safe and wet.

Marcos friends were very accommodating. I was impressed to learn that they were foreign volunteer workers who settled in at Siargao for quite a long time now. I’m yet to find out why a lot of foreigners chose to settle in at this quaint island.

They have other foreign visitors in town  too. They offered us drinks and made sure we feel at home.

We were only there for only about an hour. Marcos decided for us to go back and succumb to a false alarm.

7:00 PM

I’m a bit hesitant to go back right after all the chaotic mayhem. As if locking the door and windows of our room will stop the waters from coming in if it really happens. This is one helluva mind-blowing day! I fell asleep thinking of any survival strategy whenever the tsunami hit us.

The Day after the Tsunami Alert

10:00 PM

The tsunami alert was lifted. Didn’t made me feel any better though.

Palm tree’s ocean breeze, lets go crusin you and me
salty air sun kissed hair, endless summer take me there

This is Part 1 of Our Siargao Getaway.

I must have mistaken the early warnings of nature with Cebu Pacific’s lack of competency when my red-eye flight was delayed by 2 hours. The grounds being technical difficulties and bad weather. I have a feeling that this isn’t going to be an easy travel even if I packed light.

I’m bored and I can feel another sleepless night brewing at Changi Airport budget terminal. Crossing fingers that I’ll make it to my connecting flight for Manila-Cebu at 7 AM.

How can I manage to sleep if I am being entertained by stunning views like this? Somewhere near the Island of Siargao. I’m not sure if it is Surigao or Dinagat Island.

The good news is that I will be flying with the same airline company on 3 connecting flights: Singapore – Manila – Cebu – Siargao. Then I don’t have to worry if I missed any of my flight since they’ll arrange for a seating on the next schedule. Bad news is that I don’t really want missing any flights whenever ‘coz that will ruin such precious time on a short getaway.

My flight map: 4 airports in less than 8 hours.

To make the long story short, I made it to Manila, just 20 minutes before departure of the Cebu bound plane.

I barely made it to our flight. Mind you i had to run from end to end of NAIA terminal 3 airport, from arrival to departure area. I haven’t even breathe Manila’s familiar smell, as I hear my name being announce for the last passengers call. I was the last one to board the plane, albeit not so late, but just in time. I saw my husband already seated near the front row.

Maayong Buntag Cebu!

Quick brekkie at Mactan International Airport before our next flight.

We transferred to a smaller plane with only around 50 passengers. It’s a bit scary for a first time, not to mention, our first experience to fly with a lady pilot too. I must admit I was uneasy the whole time, praying we’ll be landing safely to our destination. How to relax, if the propeller is just outside my window? Not bad for the first encounter except for a rough landing which everyone on the plane will agree.

I guess to alleviate my whole experience with Cebu Pacific this time, I won a trivia game on board and got this blue pouch. I answered Backstreet Boys =} Not too long ago, I also won a Cebu Pacific tumbler.

Touchdown in Siargao, a province in Surigao Del Norte, an island located in Mindanao Region. The home of the largest intact mangrove forest reserves in the Philippines.

We were fetched with a jeepney arranged by our host. It was supposed to be a private van, but I don’t know what happened. Anyways, we love the rough roads, and we still prefer jeepney over van.

As expected with this countryside tour, ours was a bumpy ride that deserves a flat tire. Uso din dito ang top load. You can actually ride on the roof, if it’s full inside. But with this unforgiving sun, I wouldn’t dare.

Our first destination is small town of Burgos, northeastern part of Siargao Island. It was a loooooong ride though with a scenic view along the way. It’s amazing to see a lot of authentic bahay kubo (nipa hut) and peek of the Pacific Ocean from the rocky coastline.

I let my hubby take charge of this trip so he made prior arrangement for our accommodation and drawing up our itinerary.

We met our host, Marcos, who owns Marcos at Burgos resort. He has 4 cottages for rent nestled in front of a world class surf spots. We love our own nipa hut with porch. I can almost taste the sea. Err, have to catch up some zzzs first and recharge before exploring the whole town.

We woke up with a late but hearty lunch made by Marcos wife.

This is paradise away from stress. You know I can sit here the whole day and daydream or maybe look for some starfish, which always perks me up on beach trips. Can you find me?

Enough of our little cozy place. It’s time to get out. We rented a ‘habal-habal‘ or a modified motorcycle that sits more than 2 people. You’ll be surprised how much it can carry. This is the only available public transport in the island, unless you want to wait for the jeepney that mostly carry passengers only 3x a day, early morning, late morning, and afternoon.

We negotiated to bring us to the port at the far end of the town where we found these hidden gems smiling at us. Playful and carefree, these Surigaonon kids will make you wish to be young again.

This is the real dilemma. Devastating. We found out a powerful earthquake and tsunami strucked Japan that morning and Surigao Island being in the front row of Pacific Ocean is under threat too. We have no idea, we have a hitchhiker in tow. A tsunami warning that rocked the whole community.

When in Siargao, do what Surigaonon do. Evacuate!

Part Deux, soon.

Summer is kind of like the ultimate one-night stand: hot as hell, totally thrilling, and gone before you know it.

- Cosmopolitan

The smell of summer comes right out of a fine powdery sands, calling out some wandering feet to hit the beach!

Time to indulge in a sinful summer love affair in a scene of gentle wind blowing kisses against our skin and the majestic blue sea humming soft lullaby all day. Our restless soul surrenders to a one-night only, three nights of thrilling adventures and misadventures.

yep, proud tanlines, represent!

Here’s a sneak peak of our Surigao Itinerary:

First Day Highlight:

Singapore-Manila-Cebu-Siargao Bound

3 Connecting flights. Lo and behold, the first one was late by 2 hours. My schedule got screwed up.

Almost left by our plane bound to Cebu. Was dashing madly from end to end of NAIA Terminal 3 from Arrival to Departure Gate. I was the last one to board the plane… sweating.

Head straight to the Town of Burgos, Siargao Island. Our accommodation was a little nice hut, with a porch fronting the Pacific Ocean. No other guests, just us.

And then came a Tsunami Warning.

Second Day:

I wanted to explore General Luna and maybe spot some surfer dudes. *giggles*

We checked in to probably the poshest resort in town, and the most expensive ever that we paid for our backpacking trip accommodation.

Cloud 9 Boardwalk at Gen. Luna

Third Day:

Went spelunking. Swimming underwater to get inside the cave. Dive! Play with jellyfish. Fun!

Fourth Day:

Siargao-Cebu-Manila-Singapore Bound

Nightmare with Cebu Pacific isn’t over yet. Our flight was delayed by 5 hours and I have to make an arrangement to fly me off to Singapore directly from Cebu. Boo. So much with promo fares!

More of our Siargao Getaway series soon:

Part 1: The Unexpected Hitchhiker

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

~ Oriah, Mountain Dreamer

I wake up on our 2nd day not feeling well. This is probably the effect of basking out on a hot weather the day before and cooling down at the mall afterwards. Bed rest is so tempting yet I wouldn’t dare missed the fun, so I bid goodbye to our lovely sanctuary and hit the road.

The Grand Hall of Wat Maha That, Sukhothai

Our destination: Ancient City, the Gateway to Thailand’s Cultural Heritage  located just outside Bangkok, in the province of Samut Prakan. An off the beaten path must-see when you’re pressed for time to explore the whole of Thailand.

Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Kuan-Yin) Performing a Miracle

How to get there? Easy. We hopped on a skytrain to On Nut Station and took a cab going to the Ancient City in less than an hour. Cost us around 150 baht for one-way taxi. There’s a cheaper option by bus though but it will cost us more time and we’ll probably get lost. haha.

Ancient City, also known as Muang Boran, is the largest outdoor museum in world. It takes you to the heritage of Thai wisdom and discover the arts, cultures, religions and customs of Thai people. It’s also an exceptional experience  to walk through a wide range of architectural symbols in fine Thai craftsmanship on a natural environment.

The Buddha Image of Dvaravati Period

Admission rate is 350 baht per person for foreigner. A map is provided which is really helpful if you are not hiring a guide.

Bicycles are free to use and a tram for big group can be rented for a fee. We prefer to use the Golf cart though. Yey! Golf cart for 2 is up for rent for 100 baht per hour. We planned to cover the whole place in  about 3 hours on quick view, not going down on each and every architecture.

Pavilion of the Enlightened

The 320 acre outdoor museum is an architectural reflection of Thailand’s magnificent past. On the area as large as 600 rais, both the copies and the artifacts of the archaic sites and relics of historically and culturally national importance are laid out in the fittingly relevant pattern and environment. More than that, the visitors can deeply absorb the great diversity of architecture, arts and religions, not to mention ways of living.

that’s me on the go for most of the tour

Hence, the Ancient City can’t be included with the replicas or miniature cities, but it is by its own virtue the reflection of the old-day cities, bringing the Thai back to touch and feel the ancient Siam Kingdom.

To freshen up, we decided to have lunch in one of the restaurants at the floating market.

Overall, we enjoyed our short tour. This is such a wonderful place to learn heaps about Thailand in just a span of four hours without being trapped with loads of tourists. Too bad we can’t stay long enough for sunset, shopping is way too hard to resist. haha.

See our Thailand itinerary here.

Sometimes backpacking and going on cheap vacation deals can be exhausting. Most often than not, a day in the life of a backpacker involves sharing bathroom with molds and defunct shower and sleeping on budget hostels with bedbugs and stinking smell. Yes, the worst part we can have over a great getaway.

We can’t get enough of cheap air tickets but arriving to a no frills accommodation can be a little daunting especially if you’ll be spending a lot of time lounging at your hotel room.

We often dream of a luxury all inclusive holidays with bed and breakfast in a private villa, a stretch of white sand beach greeting the front porch and the best of world-class facilities. Winter is just around the corner and that can only mean one thing, it’s time to plan for Summer. Don’t you love hunting for bargain thrills this early? I know, I do.

Some of my top holiday destination includes Bali, Maldives, Australia and the Caribbean. A perfect descending sun along the turquoise coast and tequila on hand, ahhh… Life is a beach.

I would happily trade my boring weekend to a leisure Cheap Holidays in Spain cruising while having the ultimate R&R feast. I can’t resist the temptation of a cool and down-right luxury paradise with clean linens, spotless en suite bath, Jacuzzi and infinity pool right on the front step.

Who’s coming?