Live and Love Philippines

Manila Ocean Park

2011-05-26T18:22:00.000-07:00

Got a text from Saida that she's coming to Manila for a short vacation. Since it was a short notice, I was not able to file a vacation leave from work. So we scheduled to go around during weekend.

She has an early flight Sunday, so we decided to just go around the city. It would be a hassle to go out of town given the short time that we have. Several options came into our minds, but we decided to visit the Manila Ocean Park.

Manila Ocean Park is a themed marine park. But it's more than just fishes and other sea-creatures. There are the colorful clown fish, the lion fish, the rockfish, the "butete", sharks, rays and other fishes. There are also crocodiles, birds. Kids will surely love this place - it's fun and learning at the same time.

other kinds of fish

clown fish

lion fish

One would also enjoy buying some local items in the souvenir shops. Your group would also enjoy boating where you will ride a motorized banca over the fishes in the aquarium with glass flooring so you would see the fishes swimming under.

Your group can also go to the fish spa where groups of doctor fish eat your feet's dead cells, which is said to heal your wounds. I myself was a little afraid to try this since I saw that the fishes were not that small. I know going over the place can make you hungry. But you don't have to worry since there are also restaurants inside so you could satisfy your stomach's desires.

Potipot Island, Zambales

2011-05-17T17:51:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since the last post in this blog. This article was supposed to be posted last year as we visited the place right after we visited the hundred islands in Pangasinan.

Before going back to the busy life in Manila, I and Ron went to the small island in Candelaria, Zambales - Potipot. I've only been seeing and reading about this island online and decided to stop by after Pangasinan since it's in our way to Manila.

potipot island, zambales

We left Alaminos City around 10am and took a regular bus at the terminal. Since it wasn't a special trip, we had many stops and finally arrived at Candelaria at around 5pm. Since we had little preparation for this extra trip, we asked a local to cook our dinner. We waited almost an hour for the food to be prepared and it was already past 6 when we hit the motorized banca to the island. It took us 5 minutes to reach the island.

It was dark since there was no electricity in the island. Good thing we had our flashlights ready. While some would not stay in a place where there's no electricity, we got more excited about it as it added to the adventure and back to basic feel of the place. We just had our dinner and we slipped to our tent and waited for the sunrise.

We woke up early the following day enough to catch the sunrise. It was indeed a very wonderful morning as the island was almost all to ourselves. The place was quiet, very nice, far from the noise of the city. We had an early breakfast and immediately dipped ourselves into the very clear waters that surrounded the island.

sunrise in the island

Although the island was only 5 minutes away from the mainland, the water and the place was unbelievably clean and clear with its white sand glowing under the sun. The island was very small that you can see the whole of it in just couple of hours. And that's exactly what we did.

the clear waters of the island

the island all to ourselves

other side of the island

It was almost 10am when we packed our things and left the island. The memories we had in Potipot will remain in the photos we will forever treasure.

Hundred Islands, Alaminos City

2010-02-23T11:59:00.000-08:00

to celebrate ann's birthday, we went to the hundred islands in alaminos city, pangasinan. i used to read about this place in books when i was younger. it's time for me to see it in person. =)

we left the victory liner station in cubao at 11.30am. after 6 hours, we arrived in alaminos city. since accommodation is quite expensive in the town proper, we opted to visit bolo beach, which also serves as the backdoor to the hundred islands. we took a tricycle for 150 pesos to the beach and were able to get an air-conditioned room for only 350 pesos (we brought it down from 500 pesos, original price). it's a very basic accommodation, but for a 350 pesos a night, it's definitely a steal! they also have non-airconditioned rooms for only 200 pesos per night. the boat we rented was only 1 thousand pesos (and it can accommodate up to 20 people), from morning 'til 5pm. wasn't it a good deal?

the recorded number of islands is 123 during high tide and 124 when in low tide. of these islands, only a few are developed. most are like rock formations.

view from the governor's island

our first stop was the governor's island, where the pinoy big brother house is found. although the water is clean, it has a lot of seaweeds. it has a view deck where you can have a wonderful look at the nearby islands. the other side has a cave and some tables for picnics.

old scout island

we passed by the children's island, but didn't have a chance to test the waters there. our next stop was the old scout island. it's a small beach, waters also has seaweeds. there's nothing much to see in this island.

bridge connecting to another small island

then we went to quezon island, named after the late president, manuel quezon, whose statue is in the highest point of the island. a wooden bridge is connecting this island to a nearby small island. this is the most commercialized of all.

quezon island

our last stop was the marcos island. the beach line looks ordinary. but when you explore the island, you will discover it has a cave with clear waters that you can dive into. it has another opening on the other side of the beach.

cave in the marcos island

all in all, it was a fun experience. at last i can say, "i've been to hundred islands!"

Philippine Places to Visit

2010-02-06T14:11:00.000-08:00

i've been reading some online blogs about some beautiful, yet not so popular places in the Philippines, and my feet are already itching to visit them one-by-one. i could only wish i have the financial resources to do what i love to do - travel and discover places: beaches, falls, mountains, hidden natural treasures.

good thing i already have a scheduled trip to caramoan in june. i pray the circumstances would allow. here's a list of the places i'm hoping to visit someday:

- beaches in pangasinan (maybe one travel to each town)
- ilocos sur and ilocos norte
- falls in laguna
- bantayan and malapascua islands
- dapitan and camiguin
- samal in davao
- glan, sarangani
- puerto princesa and el nido, palawan

it might take a lifetime before i visit all the places above and others i haven't heard of yet. but i will make it a point to go out of town even at least once a year. (pity me!)

La Mesa Ecopark, Quezon City

2010-02-02T15:27:00.000-08:00

i have been wanting to visit the la mesa ecopark from the day i saw it on tv. i've seen pictures online and was more convinced that a visit is a must. last sunday, that desire came true.

and to be honest, i was a bit disappointed. i was expecting green fields, blooming flowers, cool air and shelters everywhere. or maybe, i was just expecting too much. i can probably explain my reaction with the fact that i did not grow up in a very industrialized city like metro manila. that means, green fields and flowers are normal in our place. so i was expecting more.

the tall trees in the park

but i wouldn't blame the city people for loving the place too much. it is indeed an easy escape from the busy and polluted metro life. the towering buildings and busy streets are replaced with tall trees, children playing and families having a simple yet relaxing picnic.

my friend posing for me

all members of the family would surely enjoy this place. playgrounds, bikes and horseback riding for the children, boating and ziplines for the adults and pure rest for the elderly. as for me, i enjoyed boating in the man-made lagoon.

the man-made boating lagoon

Coron, Palawan - Day IV

2010-01-06T06:39:00.000-08:00

this was our last day in coron, but we could not leave without climbing the 700+ steps of mt. tapyas. we woke up early, around 4am, to watch the sunrise on the mountain top. from our lodge, coron village lodge, we walked for about 30 minutes to the base of the mt. and excitedly started our journey.

unfortunately, ann, whose birthday was that day, forgot to bring her water and was already very exhausted and coughing hard after almost 50 steps. she was forced to go down, accompanied by ernest. so i and ozzie were tasked to continue the climb for our dear friends.

reaching the top of the mt. wasn't easy. we had to stop after every 50 or 100 steps to take a rest and breathe. we could feel our feet tiring and getting heavier. but we had the courage that we could reach the top. alas! it was around 5.30am when we reached the top!

the large cross on top of mt. tapyas

overlooking the whole town

it was indeed a relief! it was still dark, lighted by the large cross erected on top of the mountain. we could see the whole coron town and neighboring islands from there. unfortunately again, the sun rose on the other side. our anticipation of witnessing a beautiful sunrise was not met with satisfaction. nevertheless, the experience was great! although i don't know if i would climb mt. tapyas again, if i were to go back to coron.

Coron, Palawan - Day III

2010-01-05T08:54:00.000-08:00

this is the 3rd day of our trip to coron, palawan. the first 2 days were awesome! when we thought we have seen it all, we're wrong! i think the places we visited this day were the best!

our first stop - the twin lagoon. from the name itself, expect 2 adjacent lagoons. we were supposed to go to this place the other day, but the high tide stopped us. one can see the 2nd lagoon by passing through a small door (under a rock), which would be covered by water when the tide is high.

entrance to the 2nd lagoon

the water was cold and very refreshing. we enjoyed swimming into the 2nd lagoon, where the place was very quiet and peaceful. one would enjoy his goggles and see the corals and fishes. unfortunately for us, we didn't have any underwater camera. we didn't get to take any picture in the 2nd lagoon.

welcome to the banana island

it was around 10am when we started going to the banana island. they said the island's shape resembles a banana leaf (though i couldn't see it). upon stepping into the place, the owners would ask for an entrance fee of 200 pesos. the island has some cottages that tourists could rent. the waters were shallow and very good for snorkeling. the sand were white and fine. the beach didn't have much shade, so you would really feel the sun's heat if you decide to take a dip.

the other side of banana island

after eating our lunch and taking a rest in banana island, we went to its neiboring island - the malcapuya island. the banca docked at the back of the island, where it would be safer. we then walked some meters to reach the other end, where the white and fine sand were. as usual, the place was very quiet, very nature.

welcome to the malcapuya island

we rested in the tree house found in the beachfront. you would also fall asleep in the comfort of abaca-made wings. since it looked like we had nothing to do in the island but to enjoy its beauty, i and ozzie decided to explore the place, which proved to be a good idea. we went to the island's view deck and had a perfect view of the island - the turquoise blue and green water, the sand, the trees, just PERFECT! i could sit on the bench and wait for the sunset - the moment i love!

view from the view deck of malcapuya

we left the island around 6pm with the memories and pictures of the islands in coron saved in our camera.

Coron, Palawan - Day II

2010-01-04T07:20:00.000-08:00

we began our 2nd day with full stomach. we ordered "dangsilog" and had a cup of coffee. we asked our boatmen to buy us fresh fish so we could grill them for lunch. it was 9am when we hopped on to our small banca for our 2nd day.

our first stop was the calomboyan island. it was farther than the places we visited the first day (i think it took us more or less an hour to get to the island) we even went out to the open sea. ann and i were a bit shocked at the big waves. we didn't expect them that day. good thing, we had lifevests on.

as usual, the place was peaceful. aside from us, there was a group of divers in the island, who were also having lunch. while our boatmen were busy preparing the food, we had a dip on the clear waters of the beach, under the scorching heat of the sun. and we didn't mind. it was very uncommon to be out in the beach for city people like us.

a part of the calomboyan island

after eating our lunch and taking some rest, we went on to our 2nd site - the sunken japanese ship. although the spot was in the middle of the sea, the remains were visible if one looks below from the banca. since the waves were still strong that time, i didn't muster to jump into the waters (even with lifevests on). the current was also strong, i was afraid i would be taken farther from the banca.

welcome to the sangat island

around 3pm, we continued to our 3rd stop - the sangat island. the island was privately owned. there were some cottages and tennants, most were foreigners. the island has a "cave-like" structure where you can climb up to and see the island from above. the view from there was breath-taking - visible green-blue waters, the neighboring islands.

sangat island viewed from above

after taking a lot of pictures, we called it a day and headed back to the lodge.

Coron, Palawan - Day I

2010-01-01T06:11:00.000-08:00

coron is a 2nd class municipality in the province of palawan. the municipality covers part of the busuanga island and all of the coron island. both islands are part of the calamian group of islands in northern palawan. its main industries are fishing and tourism. it's also a popular location for diving. one of the most popular diving site is the sunken japanese ship. their waters also boast of live corals and colorful fishes. (source)

i had a chance to visit coron, palawan in february 2009. i was with some friends - ann, ernest and ozie. we took the 9am cebu pacific flight and landed in busuanga airport after almost an hour. then we ride a van going to the coron town proper and checked in to the coron village lodge. we ordered their bulalo (which is very delicious, we recommend this) for lunch. after lunch, around 1 pm, we were on to our first set of island hopping.

the first spot that we visited was the siete pecados (seven small islands). the name suggests it's a collection of seven small rocky islands. the waters were very clear and there were live corals. unfortunately for us, the area is well protected, and we're not allowed to deck into one of the islands (the corals might get destroyed). so we just stayed in the motor boat and looked at the waters.

welcome sign at the kayangan lake

our 2nd stop was the kayangan lake. after docking the banca, we climbed several steps of the hills to go to the secluded lake, and it did not disappoint. the place was quiet, very serene. the water was deep, and had some "caves" under it. it was actually scary to look at the bottom of the lake.

breath-taking view of the entrance to the lake

the peaceful kayangan lake

fishes in the kayangan lake

our next stop was the mawoway beach. it's a small beach with white sand. so small that i don't think any structure could be built in that place. the water as usual was clean and clear. it was also shallow that we enjoyed swimming in the beach.

our last stop for the day was the maquinit hot spring. it's like a tub of hot spring water. there were a lot of visitors when we visited the place. even if it's a little crowded, the pool was big enough to accommodate all of us. the water was very relaxing and soothing to the body. i really enjoyed soaking myself into the warm water. it was as if i was having a body massage. hehe...

it was already 6pm when we left maquinit hot spring and went home. we were tired, yet happy. we ended the day with an anticipation of the other islands and beaches that we were about to visit the following day.

San Antonio, Zambales

2009-12-25T11:37:00.000-08:00

we finally had a chance to visit san antonio, zambales after searching online about their beatiful coves and beaches. target date: december 20-22, 2009. why december? because the probability of having typhoon in the country is less. not to mention the bonuses to finance the trip.

we planned to visit 5 places - nagsasa cove, talisayin cove, anawangin cove, capones island and camarra island. we would camp for one night at nagsasa cove, then go to the other destinations the following day and rest in a resort. our estimated budget, 6 thousand pesos.

we left victory liner station in cubao exactly 9am. after 4 hours, we arrived at san antonio in zambales. we had our late lunch in one of the carinderias in the place, then went to the market to buy other things we need - water, junk food, rice, dried fish, oil, 3-in-1 coffee mix, charcoal. just a note, the place was very quiet. it's not the usual busy and noisy marketplace.

around 2.15pm, we took a tricycle going to barangay san miguel. after 10-15 minutes, we arrived in the place where our boatman was waiting for us. we then went to the beach where the boat was ready. it's when i saw the big waves. it got me scared since i don't know how to swim! i immediately picked up the lifevest and wore it around my upper body.

once the boat started sailing, it made me feel relaxed. the boatman was good at maneuvering the boat. but it didn't stop me from saying a lot of prayers. :-) after an 1 hr, we were at nagsasa cove. we had the place all to ourselves. it's very quiet and peaceful. the view, simply amazing! it's as if we were in another country - new zealand?

nagsasa cove

nagsasa cove, early morning

early morning on december 21, our boatman came and took us to our second destination, talisayin cove. it's almost the same as nagsasa cove. but it has some concrete cottages. the caretaker said the owner of the "resort" only opens the place during holy week.

we then went to anawangin cove. this time, there were other campers in the place. this i think is the busiest in the 3 coves. camping won't be hard here since the place has pump wells and clean and concrete rest rooms. if you ran out of food, you can also buy some food in a small store.

i thought we would stay longer in anawangin, but after seeing that it's almost the same view we saw in nagsasa and talisayin, we sailed to our next destination - the capones island. the waves were bigger. i could feel the boat really shaking. but knowing that my boyfriend was with me was a great help to calm me. :-)

we arrived in capones island around 1pm. it was so hot, and the place had very little shade. since the boat was unable to dock in the area near the lighthouse, our other option was to trek to the area for an hour or two. but the heat of the sun weakened us. we decided it might not be the right time to see the lighthouse.

talisayin cove

anawangin cove

capones island

at least we still have something to anticipate when we come back - the lighthouse and the camarra island. all in all, the trip was great and very enjoyable. just seeing the beauty of nature gives me joy. thank God for his creation.

People's Park, Davao

2009-11-06T10:23:00.000-08:00

davao city opened last 2007 a public park, called "People's Park", built in the old PTA grounds. hundreds of trees were planted around and inside the park. it has different sections like the rainforest and the children's grounds. aside from the trees, native sculptures made by mindanao's kublai khan can also be seen in the park.

since it's opening, it has become a favorite place of group and family gatherings. there is no entrance to the park, but guards will inspect your bags before entering the premises. the sound system in the park does not play foreign nor religious songs. it's to make sure the park becomes a place for every davaoeño.

when i and my friends visited the park last april 2008, it was still new and still have some finishing touches to be done. it's clean and i hope it remains that way.

welcome to people's park davao

colorful fountains dancing inside the park

a small pond inside the park

people's park shot from a higher ground

one of the features that's yet to be finished

Pasig City Rainforest

2009-10-27T07:37:00.000-07:00

if you are near pasig city and would like to have some family time, go and visit the city's Rainforest park. there is no entrance free, and you can bring food inside the park. just make sure to take your garbage with you when you go home.

if you have kids, i'm sure they will enjoy the place. the park has a mini-zoo that houses some animals - snake, wild pigs, ostrich and more. it has ponds with fishes. it also has man-made waterfalls, that though small, still good to see.

it has well-maintained green fields and gazebos and cottages. eating, playing and taking a nap won't be a problem in this place. indeed, this is a great place for clean fun! (have very limited photos below:)

there are ostriches in the park

the man-made waterfalls

a very colorful peacock

A Visit to Tiendesitas

2009-10-21T14:08:00.000-07:00

another place to have fun while in metro manila is tiendesitas, located in pasig city (that is if you find shopping malls too familiar).

if you are looking for a place where you can sit, talk and dine with your friends, this is the right place. its "food village" offers delicious filipino cuisine. some are pricey, some are affordable, depends actually on your choice of food. live bands and/or singers perform everyday (if i'm not mistaken, hehe...) - sometimes including popular names. that's what i really like with tiendesitas.

there are other "villages" in tiendesitas, based on what they offer - delicacies for gifts, handicrafts, bazaar, furniture, pets and accessories, and so much more. it's also a venue of activities every now and then. the last time i went there, they had a dog show.

live band performing (pardon the poor shot)

these lights caught my attention - so colorful!

if there's something i don't like visiting when i'm there, it's the "pet village" (sorry, but i don't like the smell). but overall, i always had nice experience in tiendesitas.

Global Fun Carnival

2009-10-04T07:44:00.000-07:00

filipinos are happy people. we find happiness even in simple things. i'm not really a fan of carnival rides, but it's really fun to visit this place with family or some friends.

it was Christmas season in 2007 when we (college friends) decided to get together in MOA (mall of asia). we've been working in manila for years, but didn't spend time to meet and dine. and Christmas season just seemed to be the perfect time.

so after eating our dinner, we headed to the Global Fun Carnival, setup in a vacant lot near MOA. since rides make me sick, my plan was just to take pictures of them. fortunately for me (though unfortunately for them, haha!!), there were lots of people in the carnival that night. the line to the ride they wanted to take was long. so we all ended up just strolling the place. though it wasn't really an andrenaline-full night, we still had fun.

Trip to Camiguin

2009-09-27T11:31:00.000-07:00

we had an educational trip way back 2002 or 2003 (it's been so long ago, i can't remember the exact year). digital cameras were not yet that familiar and cheap yet. i brought with me our camera (the one that uses films) and took pictures of the places we visited. unfortunately, i only managed to save the above 2 photos. :-(

we left davao at 10pm. by morning, we were already in camiguin. our first stop was katibawasan falls. the waters were very cold. i could not stay very long because i was already shivering. our next stop was the sto. niño cold spring. as the name implies, the water was icy cold. really! no exaggeration. but if you're with your friends, no condition can stop you from having fun.

we then rode a motorboat to the white island. it's a small island with white sand, that's visible during low tide. the island vanishes during high tide. mt. hibok-hibok served as a beautiful background from the island. we finished the day with a stop at ardent hot spring. it's a 3-level tub of hot water - the topmost level the hottest. we went back to the resort exhausted and ready to sleep. that's it for our camiguin trip. i'm planning to go back to camiguin though. the trip we had was only for a day, so we spent very little time enjoying the scenic spots. hopefully, i could post a part 2 of camiguin trip. :-)