Summer Series: Top 5 Reasons to Love Bohol

I was going through my files and realized that there are a lot of past travels that I haven’t really blogged about. One of which was my adventure-filled weekend in Bohol with my sister, Cha.  As I was reviewing our photos from the trip, I feel compelled to share a better feature of that amazing island in the Visayas.  

Bohol is undeniably one of the most visited and most beautiful places in the country. Every year, it enjoys a steady influx of both local and foreign tourists. And its visitors are always in for a treat – from the powdery white sand beaches, to centuries-old heritage churches, to green meandering rivers, to world-famous hills, to adrenaline-hyped adventures, to the best deep dives, and to endearing and exotic wildlife encounters.

Here’s a list of my personal favorites in Bohol:

1. Panglao Island – About an hour away from Tagbilaran City is where one of my favorite places in Bohol is located --Panglao Island. It has a lot of pretty beaches without the party and the noisy crowd. The most famous is Alona Beach which is about 800-meter stretch of pristine white sand. 

A pretty beach without the party crowd

Top Surfing Spots in the Philippines

I'm not a pro-surfer, and not even close to being one. I've tried surfing several times but my rides end up mostly in heartbreaking wipe outs and no more than five successful rides each session. I also brand myself as girl-tulak being that I hardly go out to the sea without an instructor. The instructor also acts as my taga-tulak when the waves arrive. :) And my surfing ritual starts with briefing my instructors that I don't know how to swim. They'd often assure me that I should do fine and that I just need to stay close to my surfboard. 

I feel like a beginner each time I surf, always like my first time to try it. But I'll never stop attempting to ride no matter how many times the board refuses to keep me afloat. Despite the pre-ride jitters, the wobbling legs while trying to stay up on the board and the cuts I sometimes get from falling, I will continue to surf!

I'll do so because I get an unparalleled high in surfing. It teaches me to conquer my fear, to harbor patience, to feel a certain balance, and to let myself out in the sea. Each session is about waiting for the perfect waves, paddling mighty hard once it arrive, taking time to feel the rhythm,  and standing without hesitation when the board dances with the waves.

Surfing also teaches me to never give up after every ungraceful and disheartening wipe out. A fall from the board means getting up, and doing the same routine again until the "better" ride comes in. A good ride and a hard fall are in every surfer's diary. And most of the time, the harder the fall, the more exhilarating the stoke is!


Tips:

1) Don't forget to put on sunblock.

2) Wear rash guard and board shorts. It's important to be on the right surfing attire to avoid putting on a show. :)

3) It's okay if you don't own a surfboard since most of these local surfing spots offer rentals for hours of use. Prepare P200-300 rental fee. 

4) Beginners need not worry because there are instructors who could help with the basics in surfing (P200-300 hourly fee).


If you ever get the chance to be near one of these surfing spots, try to get on the board and surf! Experience the thrill and you might end up being hooked to it. Just like how I've been bitten by the surfing bug! :)

1. Cloud 9, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte

Hailed as one of the best surfing playgrounds in the world (recently ranked 9th in CNN's World's 50 Best Surf Spots), with a lot of tantalizing photos to back it up, I thought I must try surfing it myself no matter what. And I did! Well, not really the powerful barreling Cloud 9 waves, but at least the one closest to it. I was stoked during my solo surf trip to Siargao last July! Riding the waves as the sun set and the rain pounded heavily is one of my favorites while completing the 80 before 30 trip. 

Kuya Lino, one of the top surf instructors in Could 9, said that Siargao has the most consistent waves in the country, with almost no flat season. It is in this regard that it's worth its reputation as the Surfing Capital of the Philippines. 

How to get there:

By air, get on a flight from Cebu straight to Sayak Airport in Del Carmen, Siargao. Alternately, you may choose to fly from Manila to Surigao City. From Surigao City, take a ferry going to either Dapa (I would strongly suggest you take the boat straight to Dapa as it is closer to General Luna where most of the the surf actions happen), Del Carmen, or Socorro. From these points, take a trike or habal habal going to General Luna, where Cloud 9 is located. 

Contact: 

The Boardwalk at Cloud 9
General Luna, Siargao Island
Phone: +63 939 164 1268
www.surfingsiargao.com

The famous boardwalk in Siargao

The Rugged and Rustic Charm of Catanduanes

The placid Bato River

An island facing the mighty Pacific Ocean. A destination oft heard but seldom visited. A place where the resilience of the people is mixed with warmth and smiles. A gem beautifully molded by the harsh and wailing winds fronting east of the Philippines. A place I call my home.

Welcome to our province – Catanduanes!

This island province is one of the six provinces in the Bicol Region. Its capital town, Virac, is the center of commerce and the jump-off point to the other 10 municipalities in the island. The other municipalities are: Bato, Baras, Gigmoto, San Miguel, Panganiban (Payo), Bagamanoc, Caramoran, Viga, Pandan and San Andres.

If you want an off-the-beaten track type of vacation, Catanduanes is definitely a great choice. One of the things to consider when planning a trip there is the weather. With its geographic location in the Pacific, the weather in the island can be unforgiving especially from October to early January (which may cause delays or cancellation of flights or ferry boats). February until June is the best time to visit as the season becomes dry and there is a huge chance of a clear blue sky. If you're up to surfing, the most ideal time to chase the waves of Puraran is starting the fourth quarter of the year.

Okay, so before heading to our province, here are some words/phrases that will be useful while going around or talking to the locals.

Magayon – Beautiful

Para tabi- Pull over please

Dios mabalos - Thank you

Tigpila tabi ini? –How much is this?

Dios mayad na aldaw – Good day

Cruising along Bato River

Photo Blog: BookSail's Plates for Books

Food, music, people, and a worthwhile cause. What a fun and wonderful night it was!

Seventy seven beautiful people attended Plates for Books, a benefit dinner for the 333 schoolchildren of Palumbanes Elementary School in Palumbanes Island, Caramoran, Catanduanes. This was the first event held for our BookSail project in which we have succeeded in gathering a substantial amount of money that will be used to purchase the books for the kids.

I would like to personally thank everyone who were there last Saturday night, and special thanks to Eph, Jha, Kiks and Madel of Mirage Manila for making the event possible. Thank you also to those who brought in books and school materials during the event. Your overwhelming support for the project brings warmth to my heart. Thank you. It was a pleasure meeting y'all, hanggang sa muli po!  :)

Here are some of the still images captured during that memorable night.

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With my friends Eph  Aguilar and Jha Bobis of Mirage Manila, the event organizer

Discussing (with a huge smile) the history of BookSail, and the current and future projects. 

Meeting for the first time fellow Bicol Universitarian Alumni

BookSail Update: Plates for Books happening tonight!

Tonight, all roads will lead to BookSail's event -- Plates for Books! :)

Some 70+ awesome people (ahem! ^_^) will be meeting up tonight, February 23, 7p.m., at St. Honore Clubhouse in Quezon City, for a benefit dinner for the 333 schoolchildren from Palumbanes Island in Caramoran, Catanduanes. All the proceeds will be used to purchase books and school material for the kids. :)

There'll be food, music, and a lot of sharing of ideas for the cause.  I'm super excited, and I can't wait to meet everyone! 

Sorsogon's ParaParaParadise: Subic Beach and Tikling Island

There's more to Sorsogon than just Butanding (whale shark) watching! This province in Bicol offers a plethora of awesome sights and adventures -- from trekking to surfing; island-hopping to firefly-watching; chasing caverns to sight-seeing waterfalls; and diving with manta rays to visiting old and charming churches.  They have them all!

During my visit in Sorsogon late last year, I  tried island-hopping and surfing. And that weekend there left me wanting for more! :)

Angel and I spent 15-hour looooong bus ride from Manila to Matnog. This small town in Sorsogon, which is the southernmost part of Luzon, is the jump-off point to our first destination -- Calintaan Island. We were told that this island has very little amenities so we  made sure we come in prepared. Before sailing off, we bought foods and water in the market near the port.

From Matnog proper, a motorized boat took us to Subic Beach (never to be confused with the one in Zambales). This beach located in Calintaan Island is gaining popularity among tourists for its pink white sand.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites: The Four Baroque Churches of the Philippines

Four churches we have here are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites (WHS). These are the Church of San Agustín in Paoay, Ilocos Norte; Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion in Sta Maria, Ilocos Sur; The Church of the Immaculate Conception of San Agustin in Intramuros; and Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva in Miagao, Iloilo.

These churches have been selected taking into consideration the style of the building and design that was adapted to the physical condition in our country.

According to UNESCO WHS, "the four churches are outstanding examples of the Philippine interpretation of the Baroque style, and represent the fusion of European church design and construction with local materials and decorative motifs to form a new church-building tradition."

Their common attributes are their massive appearance which shows a fortress/protective-like character in response to invading forces/pirates or protection from earthquakes.

Since these churches are in-scripted, they are covered and protected  through Republic Act 10066 (National Heritage Law) and Republic Act 10086 (National Historical Commission of the Philippines Law). Through these legislations,  these churches are secured of funding for its conservation, protection and regular maintenance.


Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion
Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur

Sitting atop a hill surrounded by a defensive wall, this massive church is unlike many other Philippine churches that's always located near the town plaza. Some of its unique features also include the convento that lies parallel to its facade and its bell tower that stand a few meters away from the church building. The walls are without ornaments or designs but the buttresses are massive enough designed to withstand an earthquake. The interiors are endowed with a pulpit, lectern, and huge altar. It also boasts of a simple fresco on its ceiling near the altar.