A nomad I will remain for life,
in love with distant and uncharted places.

~ Isabelle Eberhardt

After a hot midday tour at the Grand Palace, we moved on to few more temples. There are a lot of Wats nearby, and visiting all of them can be pretty mind blowing.

Outside the Grand Palace, we asked the security personnel on directions to Wat Pho. Sadly he can’t speak english so he called up this guy from the corner which in turn tricked us to a tuktuk ride. The ride was certainly cheap which will take us to the nearby temples and later on  to Wat Pho. He told us about a current national event held in Wat Pho so its best to go there in the afternoon when it’s less crowded.

Shortly after boarding the tuktuk, I realized that we were off to a scam deal. There has been a lot of writings about the tuktuk ride so I felt hesitant to continue since we were on a very tight schedule and we can’t tolerate and buy time to make a stop to a jewelry shop, a tailoring shop or any exorbitant souvenir shop, that aren’t part of our itinerary.

I immediately told the driver to just drop us to the first temple and then were off to Wat Pho. Oooops, too late.

He refused and beg us to just explore the jewelry shop so  he’ll get a  gas refund ticket. We felt sorry for him so we’ve been nice but it got really annoying when he dropped us to 2 more shops for his gas tickets and asked us to stay for about 10 minutes on each. That killed 2 hours of our precious time?@#$!!

Finally reached Wat Pho, one of the largest and oldest Wat in Bangkok. It is the house of a 46 meters long and 15 meters high gold plated reclining Buddha. The feet and eyes are engraved with mother of pearl and illustrates the passing of Buddha into Nirvana.

The Wat Pho complex consists of two walled compounds. It houses more than 1000 Buddha images in total, most from the ruins of the former capitals of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai.

We did a quick round and headed out. Since we swear off to use tuktuk for the rest of our Thailand journey, the mister and I decided to wander by foot and find our way to the Giant Swing in front of Wat Suthat. The 88 feet tall giant swing was formerly used for the swing ceremony, one of the 12 royal ceremonies during King Rama I regime. The ceremony was discontinued after several participants fell to their death. Today,  it is one of the famous tourist attraction in Bangkok.

Further ahead, we saw the Democracy Monument at the center of Bangkok. It was built in 1939 to commemorate the 1932 Siamese coup d’etat. It led to the end of a 150-year old absolute monarchy and Thailand’s constitutional government was born.

Of course we can’t missed Thailand’s Khao San Road, the backpackers and budget travelers haven where the cheapest accommodations and best travel deals are within reach. This is yet the most lively part of Bangkok where you can find everything, from places to stay, variety of dining options and souvenir shops, open 24 hours.

Soi Rambuttri is a bit laid back than Khao San Road but hosts a number of budget options as well.

We sampled the most popular thai dish, pad thai from one of the street stalls. A stir-fried noodles that tasted heavenly!

On to our next destination, Mahakan Fort, one of the two remaining fortresses in Bangkok. It is built to protect the eastern entry point to the island. Behind the fort is a recently converted small park where we rested and killed time for sunset.

A refreshing sight awaits us at the resting area overlooking the river and Rama VIII Bridge.

Just a few steps away is the terminal where we boarded Chao Phraya Express Boat back to the Central Station. We were supposed to wait for night time to catch Wat Arun lightings but we only  have 30 minutes left before the last trip and it’s not even close on getting dark.

Wat Arun or “Temple of the Dawn” is best viewed during sunset and evening where it makes an impressive silhouette against the skyline. Perhaps the most striking riverside landmark in Thailand.

Since we were out the whole day and we wanted some cold treats, we went mall hopping during the night. We window shopped at Siam Paragon and MBK. I’m quite disappointed since I can  buy the same items back home (particularly in Divisoria and Tutuban) at fairly cheaper price.

We discovered something though, street stalls offer better deals, for the same item.

And what better way to cap of the day than a sweet ice cold treats from  Swensen’s!

For him, strawberry stripes and for me, butterscotch brownie  sundae. It’s high time to indulge and were lost for words. Mmmmm.

Alice came to a fork in the road. “Which road do I take?” she asked.
“Where do you want to go?” responded the Cheshire cat.
“I don’t know,” Alice answered.
“Then,” said the cat, “it doesn’t matter.”

~Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Did I mention we are crazy over Cebu Pacific’s seat sale?

November 2009 was an ordinary month until the Zero fare came out.  Everyone went mad, and booked tickets around Asia, even if the travel date entails almost 10 months of waiting. Everyone including us.

We got our tickets from Clark to Bangkok for only P544 for 4 persons. Wooah, not kidding. It’s the cheapest airfare ever next to our Indonesia flight. We scored Bangkok to Manila tickets at P803.00 per person. Not bad either. I wonder when can I chanced upon sale tickets to Paris, Greece, New Zealand, and the like?

Call me Alice and I am in Wonderland. Sa-wat-dee.

Fast forward to August 2010, 9 months later.We were supposed to go on a foursome adventure. Yay, did that sound so unwholesome? But our couple friend had to back out for family matters. So it’s just Mr. and Mrs. HavenHunter and our Thai Adventure ahead.

With our last minute changes in Backpacking Bangkok itinerary, booking our accommodations and researching the best budget friendly routes to our destinations during the next 3 days, I was surprised I still had an energy to burn on the next days.

We went aboard the Philtranco bus in Pasay bound to Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark. It was the last trip for the day at 2:30 PM. It made a stop at the Megamall terminal to picked up more passengers. Aircon Bus Fare is P350.00.

We reached the Airport at 5 PM. We were kind of early for our 8:45 flight, but we do have a plan B, if we could only check in our luggage instantly and leave. Unfortunately the gate opens at 6 PM. We found ourselves killing some time by A. shoot aircrafts and CESSNA planes, B. doing my make-up, C. facebooking, D. Dinner at the Airport.

We paid the terminal fee at P600  each and travel tax at P1,620 each. Cebu Pacific flight was earlier than expected. I’m loving them more and more.

Three hours of smooth flight aboard the budget carrier. We landed safely at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok one hour before midnight. One thing we learned about this trip is to listen closely to the flight attendant when announcing which gate to exit for luggage retrieval, especially if the Airport is as huge as Hong Kong, Dubai and Bangkok.

Me and the Mister heard different thing so we were unsure which way to go. I urge him to go to Gate 14, after a quick sweep at the first gates, and finding out that our fellow passengers weren’t there. Oh dear, so jealous of those westerners who have really long legs that they were out of sight in an instant.

The encounter with the Immigration Officer was unusual. No questions asked. What a breeze.

Suvarnabhumi (pronounced “Su-Wana-Poom”) means “The Golden Land” is located  30 kilometers East of Bangkok at the Samut Prakan Province.

After retrieving our bags, we went one floor down to the taxi area. We made reservations at the Old Charm Guesthouse, a recommendation from Nina of Just Wandering. I have the address down in Thai, so I gave it to the lady and she explained it to our taxi driver. We paid 485 baht including the toll fees and airport fees + tip  for the metered taxi.

I’m dying to have these clays. I promise to take you home next time. Teehee.

We initially thought of staying around Khao San Road, known as backpackers area where cheap hotels, inns and hostels are located. But my inner thoughts get the better of me, that I sometime get sick of staying in worn out hostels.

I’m longing for a good, clean, comfortable and peaceful vacation home this time. Even if our itinerary will make it to the Amazing Race cut, I wanted to feel  some laid back moment after our a busy day out.

My kind of Morning in Bangkok

The Old Charm Hostel is located near Ratchatewi BTS Skytrain. It’s  very convenient, especially because we need the train to get around the city for the next 3 days.

Minnie welcomed us at her office. She’s lovely and accommodating and despite our late check in, she showed us around the hostel. Our room is the first one of the three rooms by-the- pond. It is air conditioned with glass doors fronting the lily pond. I am instantly smitten by the giant lily pads, errr… victoria lotus!

Our cozy room. We even have a breakfast nook.

The  restroom is common and that we share with the other guests.There is a bar on the same compound as the guesthouse. The Tree House bar is jam packed with hip young Thais every night. If you want to have a drink or two, there’s no need to go far.

On the Bedside: Bacardi Breezer in Strawberry we bought at 7-eleven store. IMY.

We can’t afford staying in a fancy hotel or a bed and breakfast Inns, if it weren’t off peak season. This is the closest we can get, since we were able to avail the August Promotion: Stay 1 Night, Get another 1 night for Free! and Booking with shock rates : 990 baht for by the pond room. Our total bill is just 2,190 baht for 3 nights! Ah, this really is a relaxing paradise amidst the bustling city of Bangkok.

This quaint hostel truly offers serenity. They have 2 Buddha suites with it’s own bathroom. A swing chair at the front porch is a great addition if one wants to spend an entire day to lounge.  There’s also a prayer room for Buddhist.

One thing we love about our accommodation is  it’s closeness to nature. The frogs croaking at night, the sounds of the crickets and the birds. We were more than happy that we are in the city yet it felt like we were hundred miles away, beyond the mountains, camping.

For our first night, we had mini sausage breads and giant yakults from 7-eleven.

**All photos were taken by Ferdinand Teves. Join us on facebook and get instant updates.

2nd day of our Indonesia – Central Java leg.

We prepared ourselves early and decided to have breakfast at Mc Donalds in Malioboro Street. Seriously, we need to stop eating at this fast food chain. Although, I can’t risk my appetite to any food stalls that day, as I am foreseeing a very long journey ahead of us on the road.

Trishaw or Becaks are a popular transportation in Yogyakarta. Here they lined up along the street and wait for passengers to carry to the nearby destinations. We dropped by at Mulia Exchange to change our last bills for the trip. Oh gosh, you can call me Señora Valeria for the day. Mind you, tourists are one day millionaire here.

Can you tell from the look on my face how overwhelmed I was? That smug look vanished an hour later when we had to pay the balance for the tour. lol.

We went around Malioboro to look for souvenirs as early as 8 in the morning.  But stores are close until 9 or 10. We haven’t bought anything except for the Raissa Batik the other day. =(

Went back and checked out from Rejeki Homestay at 9 in the morning and headed to Sosro Tours for the 9:15 pick-up. Here are some travelers going on a Bromo Tour as well.

We boarded the van with two couples from Germany, one couple from Austria and two girls from Poland. Everyone is raving about the latest football match, and I can’t relate.

Ten of us cramped on a roomy van but the aircon is an epic fail. Either it was too hot outside or it can’t cope up with 11 sweating people. Regardless, I had napped several times during the trip.

They are the usual motorists around Central and East Java. We enjoyed  a sight of Mount Merapi and a lot of rice paddies.

We even caught the train in East Java which got into an accident prior that day. Now, we were worried on how to commute going to Jakarta the next day or is it ever safe to travel this way? The night-sleeper train is our only option  and were hoping there is an alternative trails, than book an expensive flight to the city.

Our super long journey to nowhere finally stopped at a local restaurant.  We had lunch at 2 in the afternoon, I was dizzy and starving. We tried Nasi Goreng and Nasi Campur. It was tasteful and we love it! We ordered Mi Goreng, to-go for our dinner just in case.

We then continued the road trip and had another stop for bathroom break at half past 5 in the afternoon.

It was already 9 in the evening when we reached the town of Probolinggo. We had to go down to register and attend a short briefing for the schedule of Bromo Sunrise Tour and those who will continue their trip to Ijen. Everyone was given another ticket, I didn’t notice that they put the assigned accommodation on the ticket until we reached Cemoro Lawang. Contrary to what our agent told us, we were given a different hotel.

The good thing is that we already paid in for our whole trip which costs IDR 700,000 inclusive of One night stay at hotel, Jeep to Pananjakan  and Mt. Bromo Crater, Breakfast and Van transfer to Surabaya.

Some tourists were not able to book for the 4×4 jeep and paid a lot more at the registration area.

At the briefing, we were told about the pick up time the next day and what we should expect. We’ll go through a 15 minutes trek to the viewing deck or if we’ll choose to go on foot from the hotel, we must get up at least 2 o’clock in the morning to start the trek.

Probolinggo has a number of hotels and inns. If you plan to check in here, most hotels can arrange for Bromo and Ijen tours. It is one and a half hour away from the village of Cemoro Lawang, the closest point to Mt. Bromo.

At Last, we reached our accommodation after 14 hours on the road. The hotel was different from what we have been promised. It was Cemarah Indah Hotel that Ruly showed us if I remember correctly. But I was so dizzy at that moment, I didn’t realized we were dropped off to another hotel. Hotel Sion View.

It was okay, but to quote the other guests, it isn’t a hotel. It’s a backpackers area. The room is basic, with a not so clean toilet. It was good enough that hot water is available.

Here’s me and my memoirs of a lost million.

When we’re settled, we ate our packed dinner, Mi Goreng, then headed out to the Restaurant to have some coffee.

Lights off at half an hour past midnight.

Read our Indonesia Backpacking Itinerary here and how we scored the Bromo Package Tour.

Follow us in Facebook and see more photos.

The further your journey takes you, the more dangers you will encounter. The more you dare, the more you win.

When Cebu Pacific had a promotional seat sale in November 2009, popularly known as Piso Fare, everyone went crazy, and even at a wee hours in the morning, I was cramming to get a seat for 2 to anywhere in Asia. Well, too bad I wasn’t alone as everyone must’ve been awake too, shopping for the very same ticket I’m eyeing for.

The only seat left for us were for Jakarta, Indonesia. I don’t even know of any exciting venture there  or if June is quite bad time to be there, but heck, I still have 7 months to worry and  make do with our itinerary. The P544 (or slightly USD 12)  return-tickets for 2 is just too good to pass up.

Fast forward to March 2010, Mr. HavenHunter and I were already discussing about our gameplan for our Indonesia backpacking in June. We decided that we can’t stay and waste a good long holiday at Jakarta alone, and while in there why not immersed ourselves with the culture and heritage of the nearby provinces too. To save time, we booked for an Air Asia flight to Yogyakarta from Jakarta, to spare us the 8 hours train journey.

Ready, Set, Fly!

Finally, we get to road test our travel itinerary, and hoped for the best that we can keep up with the strenuous schedule. A big turn from what I first envisioned as a laid back adventure .

At NAIA Terminal 3 airport we had to pay:

P 1,620 x2 – Travel Tax
P 750.00 x2- Terminal Fee

Travelling alone isn’t much of a problem, but travelling with company and if  only one person (say your father) will pay the taxes and fees of everyone, it takes a really big chunk out of the travel budget. I hope so the government does make some necessary arrangements with this ballooning fees. Come on, we only paid USD 12 for airfare and I don’t think its fair to pay USD 104 for just over an hour stay at the airport with no wi-fi connection. Besides most of the neighboring countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong and the like are not charging for the use of their airports, let alone a travel tax.

Our flight is 10 minutes to 9 in the evening. We had to bare with the 30 minutes delay due to the bad weather. Manila to Jakarta is 3 hours by plane, and Jakarta’s time is behind by 1 hour.

We had a smooth flight all the way and reached Jakarta Soekarno–Hatta International Airport at half hour past 1 in the morning. We were in Terminal 2 and had to transfer at Terminal 3 for our Air Asia Domestic Flight at 7 in the morning. There is only one money changer still open by then, so we were left with no other choice but to change some dollars to Indonesian rupiahs.

Airport shuttles are not available after midnight so we have to take a blue bird taxi (words from lonely planet) if we just know where they parked, else we’ll bargain off with touts to take us to the other terminal. After haggling for the lowest price 70000 Rp ,we were dropped off at Terminal 2 where we settled to sleep under the cold night, until the gate opens for our early flight.

Naturally, we can’t sleep from the benches. MR. HH realized we lost the tripod from the baggage conveyor. that explains the 3rd ticket on our hand. He jumped in to a taxi going back to Terminal 3  but it was too late. No one is available to accommodate him and the guard said that he can return in the morning instead.

But we still have to catch a flight at 6:00 at a different terminal, So there’s no way we can get hold of the lost tripod.

After hours of waiting, the gate finally opened at 4 in the morning. Check in at the counter was a breeze, except that I forgot that when I booked online, we’re not supposed to have a check-in luggage, instead we will have to carry our backpacks on board. Good thing we don’t have sharp objects or liquids with us.

Terminal 3 is a newer part of the airport, much like the one in Hong Kong and Singapore. Travel time is 1 hour from Jakarta to Yogyakarta.

Rise and shine in Yogyakarta

Lack of sleep or I was too dazed to realize that its our only chance to take skyline pictures of Central Java. We missed an opportunity to take photos of Gunung Merapi? or some other mountains and volcanoes from a bird’s eye view. Too late.

Jogja Airport takes us back to time. It’s a quaint airport that’s almost near to civilization unlike the international airport in Jakarta. Here we can take taxi or  train going to Malioboro.

Yogyakarta City,(also Jogja, Yogya, Jogjakarta) is the smallest province of Indonesia. It is located in the island of South – Central Java known for its Javanese fine art, batiks, archeological structures, rich culture and the center for Indonesian Higher Education. This is the also the jump off to see the two World Famous Unesco World Heritage Sites.

We could feel our dilemma building up way back from the time we set foot in Jakarta. We look Indonesians, right? So everyone speaks Bahasa at us.

We went to the taxi line and ask the drivers that can speak english that we wanted to go to Malioboro in Jalan Sosrowijayan.

From our research the backpackers area is somehow located at that street and where we could find reasonable and cheap accommodations. I’m quite positive that at 7 in the morning, we can easily get a budget room.

After around 30 minutes, we were dropped off at Jalan Sosrowijayan (Jalan is Street in English). We’ve seen the infamous small arcs of the narrow alley. Gang II. Okay, I assure you this is safe. Everyone’s friendly, but only a few can communicate in English.

We wander on the narrow street and to the next, taking mental notes of homestays and asking some if they have available rooms. We were warned by the taxi driver that it is holiday and that most hotels might be full. True enough, there weren’t available standard rooms. I wouldn’t want to spend on suites or above our budget though, since we are only going to stay with it for only a few hours to sleep. Finally we made our way to Gang I where I find Bedhots and Setia Kawan Losmen… It was an ideal budget place I saw on the net but too bad they were full at the moment. And then there’s Rejeki. This was a last moment find from my researches. I took the address and even filled it on our Immigration card.  The signboard hanging from its door says its full but I still went in and ask the owner if he will have any room available at 12 noon. Thinking that maybe we can just leave our bags and he can fix it at our room later on. So we can start our day tour.

Fortunately, there’s room available and check in time is 7. Great. Room is beyond basic with fan and TV, but clean. Toilet isn’t as good though, but can do. I have to warn you that most home and establishments here uses traditional toilets that you have to practice a go by squatting position.  We settled in and paid for one night stay, 125,000Rp. (USD 13.5).

After freshening up, we went outside to look for restaurant to have breakfast. Then there’s Superman Restaurant. We found couple of foreigners having breakfast, so they might serve good breakfast here and we don’t have to worry about spoiling our appetite this early.  Indonesian Breakfast for him and American Breakfast for me.

When we were filled, we then hunt for best deals on Bromo Tour for the following day and found Sosro Tours. There we meet Ruly. Their package seemed reasonable enough among the 4 agents we asked. We learned that there are about 16 people who signed up for Bromo the next day and they are targeting 30.  We have arranged our itinerary and should be dropping by at Sosro by 8:15 AM the next day.

Since we are already behind schedule we asked Ruly if he can assist us with finding a car service for our city tour- Borobudur – Prambanan and Ramayana Ballet.

Then he contacted Toto. We got a little stiff price of  400000Rp, I think its quite reasonable since the package is for 10am to 10 PM. This doesn’t include the entrances.

Next stop in Borobudur Temple near Magelang, Central Java.

I have to give a shout out and thanks to Pinaytraveljunkie for accommodating every questions I have regarding their Adventure in Jakarta.

Exploring strange new lands with just a backpack and a map in hand is beyond exciting and fun.  Here you’ll find the fundamental part of our adventure and what kept us busy for the last few weeks. Expect a lot of road trip stories and budget travel tips coming up.

Indonesia isn’t the world’s most popular route for independent travelers and backpackers, but surprise, we cannot underestimate the beauty of the road less traveled. And who can resist a $12 roundtrip air tickets for 2? Thanks to Cebu Pacific’s Piso fare, we got the most coveted airfare, that’s P544 in peso.

28-June { Monday }

18:00 NAIA Terminal 3 Check In at Cebu Pacific
21:25 ETD Flight Mla – Jakarta (delayed flight by 30mins.)
00:15 ETA Jakarta Soekarno Hatta International Airport Terminal 2
Take taxi to Terminal 3 Airport for Domestic Flight (airport shuttle is not available after midnight)

29-June { Tuesday }

04:00 Check in at Terminal 2
06:00 ETD Flight Jakarta to Yogyakarta by Air Asia
07:00 Arrival Yogyakarta
Take taxi from airport to Malioboro/ Jalan Sosrowijayan
07:45 Hunt for Accommodation along Gang I and Gang II backpackers area in Jalan Sosrowijayan
08:15 Check in at Rejeki Homestay
08:30 Breakfast at Superman Restaurant
09:00 Hunt for Bromo Tour and Package tour for Borobudur – Prambanan – City Tour – Ramayana Ballet
Bargain and Settled in with Sosro Tours
10:00 Start of Borobudur Tour
14:00 Drop by at Batik Shop
16:00 Start of Prambanan Tour
18:30 Dinner at Prambanan Garden Restaurant
19:30 Ramayana Ballet Show
21:30 End of Show
22:00 Back in Yogyakarta
Went around Malioboro to scout for souvenirs but stores are closing already and food stalls are being set up.

30-June { Wednesday }

07:00 Breakfast at Mc Donalds
07:30 Scour the market for souvenirs but its still too early and all shops are still closed.
08:10 Check out from Rejeki Homestay
08:15 Pick up at Sosro Tours office for Bromo Package
08:30 Leave for Cemoro Lawang in private van (10 pax including us with Austrians, Germans and Polish)
14:00 Lunch at local restaurant
14:30 Continue long trip to Probolinggo
21:30 Briefing and Registration at Probolinggo
23:00 Arrival Cemoro Lawang. Check In at Hotel Sion View

1-July { Thursday }

04:30 ETD Mt. Penanjakan – Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park
05:00 ETA Park. Start trek to Viewing deck.
05:15 Viewing Deck. Wait for Sunrise.
06:00 ETD to Mt. Bromo Crater
06:30 Start trek to the active volcano
08:00 ETD Hotel for Breakfast
08:30 Arrival at Hotel. Free Breakfast
10:00 ETD for Surabaya
15:30 Arrival at Surabaya Bus Station. Take taxi to Pasar Turi Train Station.
16:00 Pasar Turi Train Station. Purchase Tickets for Night trip to Jakarta
18:30 Leave for Jakarta via Sembrani Train

2-July { Friday }

08:30 ETA Jakarta – Gambir Station
Freshen up. Leave luggages at Locker center.
Explore Jakarta
Monas
Mangga Dua
Jalan Surabaya
17:00 Back at Gambir Station to pick up luggages and transfer via Damri Bus to Airport Terminal 2

3-July { Saturday }

00:30 Flight to Manila via Cebu Pacific
05:30 ETA Manila

Don’t missed out on my next posts for our adventures and misadventures in Indonesia and the rest of Java!

Terima Kasih,

Get Ready for some Outdoor Challenge and an off-road adventure weekend to  Mount Pinatubo!

Promote healthy lifestyle and indulge in a  30-minute trek to dried-up river beds and lahar field. At the end of the journey, indulge your senses with a panoramic view of ash covered peaks and turquoise crater lake.

Sta Juliana in Capas, Tarlac is the gateway to our Mt. Pinatubo Day Trek Challenge. Being an active stratovolcano, it has been a popular destination to backpackers, foreigners and locals alike. But with the new developments in the area by Sta. Juliana Tourism Council, family and kids enjoy this challenge with an ease as well. 

Itinerary

02:00am : Assembly
02:30am : ETD to Capas, Tarlac
06:00am : ETA Tourism Office, Tarlac; Registration
06:30am : 4 x 4 Skyway Ride to jump off point
07:30am : Start of trek to crater: 30mins (might be shorter depending on the speed of participants)
08:15am : ETA crater; free-time, swim, explore, photo ops, boating
11:00nn : Early Lunch
01:00pm : ETD to jump off point (30-mins trek)
02:30pm : ETA jump off point; 4 x 4 ride back to Tourism Office
03:15pm : ETA Tourism Office; wash-up
04:15pm : ETD to Capas Shrine
04:30pm : Side trip to Capas Shrine (if time permits)
06:30pm : ETA Isdaan Restaurant/ Taksyapo
08:00pm : ETD Manila
10:00pm : ETA Manila (arrival time in manila may vary)

Budget/Expenses:
P1,700
Minimum of 10

Inclusions

* Roundtrip Private Van Transfers
* 4×4 Vehicle to hiking trail (via skyway)
* Local Guide
* Conservation Fee
* Skyway toll fee
* Sidetrip to Capas Shrine (if time permits)

Exclusions:
Lunch, Dinner

Optional:
* Boat ride to crater – P350 each
(will take you to 3 parts of the crater: pampanga, zambales, tarlac)

What to Wear:
* Shirt: short or long sleeved
* Shorts, tights, leggings or anything comfortable and light.
* Trekking sandals/ rubber shoes (prepare to be wet/ no slippers)
* Sun protection : Cap, umbrella, sun block, warmer/sleeves, shades
(you might want to keep your hair under a hood/cap, unless you want to expose it through the rough ride on a 4×4 jeep in the midst of dusty lahar field)

Must Have:
- Water
- Packed lunch & Snacks
- Camera
- Personal medicines
- Umbrella/cap/sun block
- Waterproofed gadgets
- Extra clothes
- Fresh Eggs (try to boil it on the other side of the crater)

For More Information : Go to Event Page

Cheers to our Independence Day Group trekkers! See us in action here.

Picture Source : RL Bernardo

Can’t wait to get back on trail,

Life is known only by those who have found a way to be comfortable with change and the unknown.
Given the nature of life, there may be no security, but only adventure.

~Rachel Naomi Remen

I have long been waiting to get out of my couch, and do a full swing to beat our lazy summer solstice. Another successful getaway with a new set of weekend travelers, from sampling authentic Ilocano delicacies, to souvenir hunting, Visita Iglesia, R&R at Blue Lagoon, learning more about Ilocos History and Marcos Regime, to our super long, bumpy road trip. Not my first time, but exploring Ilocos still excites me.

Refer to our Vigan – Laoag – Pagudpud – Ilocos Itinerary here.

The late holiday declaration left almost everyone a vague plan for a getaway. I was a bit confident though that it will be another long weekend, so we planned it out early this year. All 13 participants were eager to escape Manila’s hot weather and busy days. We have guests from as far as Zamboanga, to a new Nursing graduate, to professional landscape photographer based in Seoul, quite an interesting mix of personalities.

We left at 10 PM in Manila, hoping to get an early start for our Ilocos Sur to Ilocos Norte Tour the following day.

Day 1

Bong, our super driver cum Sexy Model, transported us safely to Narvacan, Ilocos Sur by 7 in the Morning. We had our first breath of Ilocos air at the shoreline of Paraiso ni Juan Grotto, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur.

After having breakfast, quick stretching and a photo op, we continued our journey to Vigan City. An hour later and 407 km away from Manila, we invaded Calle Crisologo’s tranquil Saturday morning.

Our first stop is Vigan Cathedral or also known as St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral. This church is a testament to Vigan’s strong Chinese heritage.

Behind the Church is Calle Crisologo. A leisure walk at this exceptionally intact and well-preserved cobblestone street takes us back to yesteryear. Vigan is declared as Unesco World Heritage Site for its fusion of Asian and European architecture and cultural elements. This makes it unique to the rest of the world.

Further ahead, we reached Bantay Church and Bell Tower. A popular tourist destination, where guests can climb the tower on top of the hill. No one from our group dared to take the stairs, as everyone seemed already exhausted with the hot weather.

There is an ongoing fair at Marcos Museum, so we skipped that part and rescheduled it for our 3rd day. We then headed to Paoay Church or also known as St. Augustine Church in Paoay. It is another Unesco World Heritage Site. The church architecture is a blend of Baroque, Gothic and Oriental designs.

By the time we finished wandering around Paoay Church, we were already craving for lunch. Ah, we savored the best bulalo in town, enough to energize us for the rest of the day.

We paid a short visit at Museo Ilocos Norte. This museum is a tribute to the cultural heritage of Ilocano people.

Our next stop is Malacanang Ti Amianan, or Malacanang of the North. It is the residence of former President Ferdinand Marcos in Ilocos Norte. It’s quite bizarre how similar it looks like from the Malacanang Palace along the North bank of Pasig River in Manila.

The palace is uninhabited now and restored as museum to let visitors take a glimpse of this Marcos property. From the veranda, it overlooks the scenic Paoay Lake.

We can’t miss Fort Ilocandia Resort of course and lust over it’s first class interior. Apart from being the only 5-star deluxe resort hotel in Northern Philippines, a showcase of Spanish colonial inspired villas, an addition of mini zoo kept the guests entertained.

Nearing the end of our 1st day journey, we visited St. William Cathedral in Laoag City. The church is built by Augustinian Friars and is unique for its Italian Renaissance architecture. The Sinking Bell Tower across the street is popular for sinking to the ground an inch every year.

Our day ended with a feast prepared by Mr. Haven Hunter’s relatives. We settled in at Vintar and called it an early night.

More Photos :

Weekend Haven Album
Group Shots by Charlone Ibanez
Lakbay Nikkitaa  by Ferdinand Teves
Northern Escape by RL Bernardo

Our 2nd day Ilocos Invasion soon!

Ilocos Photowalk ~

Day 3 Kissing goodbye to the beautiful island of Panglao

See our Bohol Itinerary here.

It was our last day to frolic under the sun and enjoy the white sand of Panglao Island. So we get up early, taking advantage of the perfectly manicured beach just in front of our cottage. Walking further, starfishes brightened up my morning. I couldn’t help but collect seashells for a little souvenir.

Alona Beach is nostalgically attractive and the landscape of azure coast made us felt so blessed. Colorful dreamboats on a picturesque ocean frame, or was I dreaming?

Our morning walk somehow reminded me of Fort Ilocandia beachfront. It brings serenity and peace within me. Or maybe it was just because I was walking with the same person all along. We have differences but we love doing the same things. We argue, but we’re ready to compromise. We’re loving the perfectly imperfect in our relationship. Who would have thought that two years after, we’ll tie the knot?

Alright, getting melodramatic for a moment there and snapping back to reality, the sun gently warms up our day. We prepared breakfast and sit by the porch, contemplating on leaving. It was a scene I wouldn’t want to end yet. But all good things, come to an end as they say. So we finished off our coffee and pack for our next destination.

I’m lovi’n our accommodation at Bohol Divers Resort. The beach front cottage, green lawn, swimming pool and the friendly crew. These made up for a great vacation. I wish we could stay longer.

For a rough ride to Tagbilaran where we will spend the night, we rented a tricycle for a transport. Our driver was clever to ask if we had gone to Bohol Bee Farm already. It was on the way and we might as well drop in and see what everyone’s raving about. A good suggestion, kudos to our driver. We were given a tour of this lush green and hidden sanctuary from the interesting organic farm to beekeeping to sampling the delicious organic spreads… yum.

Off we go to Tagbilaran City. We settled at NISA Travellers Inn after comparing hotel rates. We got the room really cheap, sans the comfortable and cozy linens. It was a perfect choice for budget travelers. Although, the interior needs a little fixing. The hotel seems old and gloomy, which kind of make it creepy specially at the shared bathroom. Thankfully it was just a night.

After dropping of our things to our assigned room, we wander around town and gone to the church, market, mall and plaza. We bought our peanut kisses for pasalubong and shop for some souvenir shirts. One thing that amazes me during our visit is that, at 3:00 PM, everyone at the mall stopped and listened to the 3′o clock prayer habit.

It was a pleasant afternoon and we whiled away the time at the plaza. The local park has crazy doves and pigeons ready to play. We feed them with popcorns and they love it. Oh, we’re crazier, right?

Back to our room early to repack and prepare for an early flight.

We hailed a tricycle to take us to Tagbilaran Airport for our 6 AM flight to Manila. Home sweet home.

Our journey to Bohol is one for the books. It made me proud that I live in this country and that Bohol is something to be proud of. From the starfishes to Philippine Tarsiers to the beautiful beaches and the rich natural treasures, Chocolate Hills and old churches. We haven’t seen everything yet.  We were travelers and on tourist foot. This town has more to offer and it is worthy to keep coming back and discover more.  See you again…

Cheers!

Day 2 of Our Bohol Itinerary.

We certainly had an early start on our 2nd day. Excited or worried? Both.

On late afternoon the previous day, Panglao Island had heavy rain showers and we’re worried about the weather. Although, our boatman assured us that we’ll have a sunny day and plenty of dolphins sighting ahead of us today.

True enough, when we checked out the horizon, there were no traces of dark clouds.

We sailed away into the deep, blue sea, a distant from Pamilacan Island. This is where all the magic begins. We were the first to make it through the show. But the stars weren’t there yet.  We’re sailing again and doing rounds and wait… we heard flipping near by. Our boatman pointed us to the splashing direction and after a few minutes of figuring out what seems to be only waves, we finally had a glimpse of the adorable dolphins.

Dolphin Watching near Pamilacan Island and Snorkeling at Balicasag Marine Sanctuary. Those were only the decent shots I have on my p&s camera. You really have to be quite attentive as your proctor in college entrance examination to be able to get a good shot of this playful species. And pardon my awkward stance as I hold on for dear life.

We’ve seen dolphins before but not those swimming freely on its natural environment. They are not our common entertainers but anyone who is fortunate to watch them seemed to be transported in happy valley with high spirits. Everyone are thrilled even our boatman who makes it a living to bring tourists here every single day.

Not too long, a number of boats are coming towards our side. All of them carrying tourists, who are in for some visual thrills. Dolphins appeared to be more excited to put on a great show as we noticed school of dolphins everywhere. Spinners show off their acrobatic skills in spinning. They even seemed so inviting to join them for a swim. Of course, I didn’t fall for their cutest tricks, even at their charming appearance, I’d dive if only I’m the best swimmer in town.

We can’t get enough of the dolphins but we’re not staying the whole day or we’ll be baked under the scorching sun, so off we go to snorkeling at Balicasag Marine Sanctuary. It is a world class diving spot boasting the best coral reefs in the country.

Growing up, I wasn’t exposed to swimming in an open water and underneath, the sight of huge barracudas scare me, next to the deepest dark part of the ocean. But without a doubt, it was better than Puerto Galera’s reefs. The underwater world is just amazing. Even at the shallow waters, it was a haven for starfishes and tropical fishes. We wish we have an underwater camera with us.

After the draining water activity, it’s time to grab some lunch at the nearby island. We didn’t brought packed lunch with us since we were told that there is a restaurant operated by Balicasag Island Dive Resort. Approaching the pristine island, we saw a white watchtower and we reckon it’s just a few steps away. We then asked our boatman what path should take us there. He pointed the way passing through rows of houses. We got lost and finally made it back to track through the sweltering heat. On our front laid Balicasag Watch Tower where I wondered how beautiful it is to see the light shining from the lookout point to break the ocean waves against the darkening sky.

Back at the beach, we wander by the shore first,and took advantage of the lack of tourists and guests around the resort. We have the place all ours, from the seaside chaise lounge to the swimming pool and the massage cabana. Time to get camera happy!

The beach isn’t fit for swimming though as a result of the marine sanctuary, chunks of coral debris and broken shells abound the area. Although we learned that when the wind turns to another direction, the other side of the island gets the share of the rocky shore, then the fronting resort gets a fine beach front for a season.

This place is a haven for scuba divers to just relax, chill and sunbathe. We even met the lady who runs Balicasag Island Dive Resort. She was picking up some seashells and noticed our photo session. She approached us and was so nice to give us a background and a little tour at one of the cottages. Surprisingly, the amenities and rates are very competitive with resorts in Panglao and Boracay Island. Most of their guests are foreign scuba divers and are napping at the moment. We learned that they get up really early for the dive. That explains why we’ve only seen only a few visitors wandering around the resort.

Balicasag Island Dive Resort is a government owned, special interest resort. A joint force between Philippine Tourism Authority and the Philippine Navy to promote under-water sports and protect the marine life sanctuary.

If you want to get lost with nature, this is the perfect place to be. Peaceful community, front beach lifestyle,  what more can you ask for?

Our mini tour ended at the cozy Restaurant which overlooks the beach. The airy ambiance is welcoming. We were so ready for the sumptuous feast, albeit a bit pricey too.

After a hearty meal, we walked down the beach one last time and hopped aboard to our banca for the next destination. We were heading to Puntod Island. As we get nearer, I was like a kid seeing stars on the island. Quite excited to land but we were too late to catch the low tide period where the long white sand bar emerges to glisten under the sun. It was deserted and known to locals as Virgin Island and the movie location of the the famous Muro-Ami film.

To satisfy my swimming desire to the finest of sand and an almost waist high water, our boatman docked to  the sand bar.  I had a few minutes of joy to soak in and feel Bohol sea cleansing my tortured soul.

We decided to get back to land and explore Panglao Island, or not yet. We wanted to wash off the sea waters and what better way to cool down than to hang out at Bohol Divers Resort Swimming Pool. Ahhh, this is life, yeah?  Everyone’s busy at the beach and the pool is all ours.

After some time, exhaustion got into us, so we headed to our room for an afternoon nap. Gotta take some zzzzz’s after all the water fun today.

Just in time for sunset, we agreed to explore the other side of Panglao. We headed to a cliff nearby to witness the whole beach stretch. The sun, no longer burning but the warmth and charm of Panglao Island is truly amazing. Found countless of starfishes at the shore, oh, I was thrilled every time. Strolling further, we had an encounter with a puffer fish and loads of sea urchins.

For dinner, we walked in through one of the local eateries. We had delicious pork sinigang and pork chop. Solved for the night.

Kissing Panglao Island goodbye on Day 3.

Only in Panglao Island, Starfishesssssssss!