WANDERLUST!

Little Known Marinduque: the Perfect Place to Unwind and Relax

2009-07-23T06:40:00.000-07:00

We went to Marinduque some five years back, but the good memories still stay with me. I have never heard of Marinduque until we were planning for a vacation there, but I am so glad that one of my friends knew about the place. So off we went for a vacation that was not so planned, yet turned to be magnificent.

This was a time when digital and old school cameras ruled the scene, so you'll have to forgive me if the photos here are not of the same quality as those in the other blogs (am sure my husband would want to have that disclaimer). In fact, many of the pictures you see here are scanned. One thing I remember most from this trip is the fact that it was my first time to taste C2 iced tea.

You can reach Marinduque by taking a bus to Dalahican port in Lucena (3hours), then riding one of the fast ferries (less than 2 hours). You need to take a jeepney ride from the Marinduque pier to the town (30mins).

Marinduque is a very simple town, and in fact it will be hard to find establishments still open after 8pm. It may have changed since we were there last, but there are no bars, no restaurants, and no malls in town. We had a great time, though, talking about ghost stories, as there were rumors of extraordinary incidents in town.

We stayed at Boac Hotel, the one hotel that we were able to book. It was nice, clean, and most of all, affordable. Though one of our friends swears that he heard people talking in the hallway at 2am, only to find none when he looked out. Creepy!!!

There are gems of places to unwind and relax in Marinduque. Though food was quite hard to find, their beaches were perfect for rest and relaxation.

We went to Tres Reyes Islands, a virgin island that boasts of perfect white sand.

We went spelunking in Bathala Caves, and saw some big snakes in the process (notice I am not jumping with glee).

Anyway, here are some traveling tips for you if you ever plan to go to Marinduque:

Bring cash! Perhaps it's progressed now, but back then we cannot find an ATM in sight! For the ladies, bring extra cash! You can buy a lot of good handwoven abaca bags, for very reasonable prices.

Get a friendly driver with his own jeepney to act as your escort service. There are not much public transportation in town, and you would want to be sure that someone is there to bring you back to land.

Make reservations in the Boac Hotel. Although it is not the Shangri La, it is quite hard to get rooms if you just walk in. The Boac Hotel is DOT certified, and many workshops and seminars are held there.

When you start traveling, bring plenty of food and water to last you through the day. Food is very cheap, but it is not so easy to find.

Most of all, respect the culture of the town. Don't wander around town late at night making noises. You never know what you might find!

The Great Bicol Adventure: Caramoan, Here We Come!

2009-07-02T04:16:00.000-07:00

What do we have in common with contestants of Survivors France and Survivor Turkey? We all had the opportunity - the privilege! - to enjoy breathtaking Caramoan! Though we were unable to explore Gota Beach when we went there, since it was closed to the public due to the filming of Survivor Turkey, we nevertheless enjoyed one of the other smaller islands nearby - Guijo.

Touted as Philippines' Best Kept Secret, Caramoan is yet another reason to say that the Philippines is really, truly, beautiful. Apart from the total rest and relaxation we all had, and of course the fun that went with it, total bliss can be had in Caramoan.

Here are some traveling tips to make your vacation one unforgettable event:

Start your trip early. To get to Caramoan pier, you need to take a 2-hour boat ride from Sabang. Depending on where you're coming from, you can take GT Express vans to get to Sabang (ours was a 1.5-hr ride from Naga). Be warned that to get to ride the boat some locals will carry you on their shoulders! The boat trips are at 5:30am and 7:30am.
Have a very early breakfast and bring enough food for the day. It will be wise to bring snacks for the boat ride, too.
After the boat ride, you need to take a 30-min jeepney ride from the main pier to the smaller wharf. There are many drivers offering their services when you get to the pier.
From the wharf, you need to take another 1-hr ride on one of the smaller boats. This ride will vary, depending on which island you want to go to. It doesn't matter, though, as your eyes will feast on the hint of the beauty that Caramoan has to offer.
Make sure that you have everything you need with you before riding the small boat. The islands in Caramoan (except for Gota) are all (thankfully!) untouched. There are no stores, no phone loading stations, no ATMs, nothing. In fact, there is nothing but pure beauty. It really has its Survivor-ish atmosphere.
Regretfully, you need to pack and go by 2 or 3pm at the latest. Boat rides are not unlimited, as are the van rides.

Sure, we spent more time on the trip than on the island, but the beauty and bliss we had was very much worth the effort. It will get us through until our next visit to that magnificent place that is Caramoan. Wow, Philippines, wow!!!

Recommended Travel Time: dry season (Jan-Aug)
Approximate Budget: USD 15 (fare only) for one person + packed food

The Great Bicol Adventure: Rest and Relaxation in Awesome Camsur

2009-06-30T06:54:00.000-07:00

Bicol is really beautiful, no doubt about it.

We plan to exhaust the wonders of this great region (if that is at all possible!) little by little. And so we plan our travels well, making sure we go to the most number of places we can on a limited time. But one place that is always present in our itineraries is awesome Camsur. Specifically, the Camsur Watersports Complex (CWC).

While we are novice wakeboarders and kneeboarders, we are nevertheless hard core "TH" - as in trying hard - we really tried very hard, though many times we failed. :)

While our muscles ached after the adventure, we will always yearn for the unique rest and relaxation Camsur has to offer.

So, here are some traveling tips to help you unwind and have fun in awesome Camsur:

Come early. Around 8 or 9 in the morning will be an ideal time to arrive. There aren't too many people yet, and you don't have to wait for a good 20minutes just to be able to ride again. The later it is in the day, the more people there are.
If you can, go on a weekday.
Don't pay for the whole day package unless you are sure your body will be able to take the pain. You can always upgrade later. For the not-so-sure, there are 1-hour packages available. This is advisable only if you come early. Otherwise your 1 hour will just be spent on the long lines.
You don't need to pay for the coaching/tutorial sessions separately. Operators of the ropes will tell you what to do.
Follow instructions very well. If you are easily spooked, this might not be for you.
Try the different boards available. Contrary to common beliefs, you don't need to be experts kneeboarding before trying wakeboarding. You can go straight to wakeboarding if you like.
If you are not in your best physical form, you might want to do some stretching exercises just before riding the waves.
If you fall after just a few seconds of being in the water, try again. And DON'T swallow that water!

Most of all, have fun! Make sure that you are able to laugh at yourself. On that note, let's ride!

Recommended travel time: year-round
Approximate Budget: USD 25 (day travel) for one person

Simple Pleasures That Help You Unwind

2009-04-11T10:01:00.000-07:00

On our trip to Tagaytay, we decided not to book for a hotel (against all traveling tips we've read), and instead just stay on wherever our feet will take us. We found a charming little place just hanging on the edge of the hills called Potter's Ridge Hotel. Suffice it to say, we were pleased. The staff were all friendly, the food was delicious and reasonably priced, and of course, the view was breathtaking.

While there was no cable tv in the room where we stayed, there were dvds available from the front desk. And we had a great time watching movies and drinking Bailey's - yum!

In Manila, we barely have time to really unwind, and though we often take some small forms of rest and relaxation every now and then, nothing beats having some quiet time, away from the consistent and persistent buzz of the metropolis. In Manila, there is always some noise that can be heard - even in the dead of night! So just spending a quiet night in good old Tagaytay is really a welcome treat.

Another treat we had was the literally car-free SLEX and C-5! Take a look at the C-5 (northbound) toll gate - heavenly!

On our way home, we passed by some demolished buildings and since traffic was practically at a standstill, my husband went down and took some shots. Here's a framed portrait of Taal Volcano he took, and he says to make sure to mention that it is unedited!

Recommended travel time: year-round
Approximate Budget : USD 102 (2 days, 1 night, 4 meals) for two persons

Spending Some Serenity at Sonya's Garden

2009-04-08T17:21:00.000-07:00

Finding ourselves without a plan for the long weekend of the Holy Week, we instead made an impromptu trip for some rest and relaxation to Tagaytay on Thursday morning. Ignoring all the traveling tips we've heard about making a trip on a Maundy Thursday, we so bravely went full speed ahead southward. This proved to be an error in judgment, since there were many pilgrims taking the same trip (perhaps their trips were better planned) and the usually 2-3 hour trip from Quezon City to Tagaytay took us almost 6 hours to complete. Buildup started even before the Santa Rosa toll gate.

Our goal was to get to Sonya's Garden. While we are not fans of organic food, we were nonetheless hooked by the spa services they offered. They seemed so heavenly and blissful. While the traffic was really something, we were consoled by the beauty that greets us whenever we go to Tagaytay. We took this alternate route as the main road were lined up with churches, and therefore, heavily crowded. It was tree-lined and rolling, and while we have taken this road before, we appreciated it more this time.

Good thing we decided to have lunch before getting to the main road that leads to the heart of Tagaytay. We had lunch at Kanin Club, a very nice Filipino restaurant. There were a lot of people lining up to eat, perhaps because of the comforting feel the resto's ambience afforded its diners.

The road to Sonya's Garden is long but it was worth it. Upon arriving, we were immediately enveloped by the serenity the place seemed to exude and immediately we were able to unwind. Everyone seemed to feel the same, and you can see this by the way they talked in hushed tones. I even put my cellphone on silent mode, fearing that I will break the spell. It was indeed a very warm, cozy place. garden. Even the parking slots were lined up by plants!

The place did not disappoint. While I have had better spa services before, I have never had the same feeling of serenity as the one I had at Sonya's Spa. Perhaps it was the furniture, or the flowers that adorned every nook and cranny of the place, but the overall effect was just, well, blissful.

Recommended travel time: year-round
Approximate Budget: USD 163 (includes spa packages) for two persons