January 18, 2017

Women Travelers in Vang Vieng, Laos Be Warned: A Woman Traveler Got Free Whiskey, Drugged, and She Could Not Remember What Happened Next

A note from the blog owner, Jona: I haven’t been to Vang Vieng myself, but this was not the first time I heard about hostels offering free whiskeys to guests in aaos. We stayed in Luang Prabang, Laos for three nights, and we personally had a nasty encounter with the […]
December 28, 2016

Bored of Your Usual Beach Holiday? Visit These 4 Countries

Even with the world at your feet, it can be tempting to revisit your favourite places when you go on holiday. But if you’ve had enough of the same sea and sand, you can easily head to different places for a new adventure. To avoid the same tourist traps and […]
December 13, 2016

TEDxUSanCarlos Talk | How Traveling Shapes Me as a Woman and a Writer

It was TEDxUPCebu that invited me first to debunk the popular dictum [quit your job and travel the world] after some of the students read my open letter Dear Isa, It Is All Right Not to Travel here on BWAB. But I’m leaving Cebu to pursue a year-long trip abroad while fending […]
December 5, 2016

Hale Manna | Where Good Energy Is Nature-Sent

This first appeared on my column Down South on Interaksyon.com.  Moalboal Hale Manna Resort and Coastal Garden MOALBOAL, CEBU, PHILIPPINES—These past days, work—both self- and client-assigned—became overwhelming that I already entertained magic spells on how to grow another head, feet, and hands to finish everything on schedule.  Books to read, […]
December 1, 2016

Brokenhearted? Nine Remote Islands in the Philippines to Find and Grow Some Love for Yourself Again

To live in an archipelagic nation like the Philippines translates to leaving the island you call home and find yourself on a different island whose people speak the same (or an entirely different) language yet with a certain sing-song melody that is different from yours. That is how I live […]
November 2, 2016

AUSTRALIA VISA GUIDE FOR FILIPINOS 2022 | How to Get an Australian Visa

AUSTRALIA VISA GUIDE FOR FILIPINOS | I got mine within twenty-four hours! True story! How to get an Australian visa online.    Australia is a country and continent located in the southern hemisphere. It is known for its incredible coastline, diverse wildlife, and vibrant cities. If you are planning a trip […]
November 1, 2016

DESTINATION WEDDING | #KenyaMeetsPinas in El Nido, Palawan

EL NIDO, PALAWAN, PHILIPPINES—I do not personally know them. I met them once in a Pinoy Travel Blogger-Cebu meetup for some barbecue, amarula, and karaoke. But I admire Reiza a lot; she is one of those rare self-actualized women I see on my Facebook feed, fighting for human rights. She […]
October 16, 2016

Affordable and Practical Gifts for Travelers

Living in Cebu translates to random road trips that often culminate in beaches. That’s why I think we travelers must be the easiest to please. Just give us something that feeds our wanderlust, and we are already the happiest creatures on earth. As a traveler, here are some things I gifted myself, here are […]
October 7, 2016

CORRUPTION IN LAOS | How to Have a Nasty Encounter with Policemen in Laos

DISCLAIMER: This first appeared on my column Down South on TV5’s Interaksyon.com. Included a lot of photos here! This is a personal experience. Corruption in Laos is real. Corruption in my own county is effing real.  A glass wall divided us. That must be sufficient as a border for the […]
October 6, 2016

Nine Places in the Philippines that I Want to Visit Again! Why?

DISCLAIMER: This first appeared on my travel column Down South on TV5’s interaksyon.com last January 2015. I recently saw it again, and surprisingly this list remains a plan. This is a personal reminder. All photos are mine. How about you, are there places that you want to visit again? For […]
October 5, 2016

How to Backpack in Britain 

Britain is an ideal country for backpackers. It is a small island country with lots to see and do. Traveling to a different city will open up a new part of the country with different cultures and often varying dialects. The cities are only a few hours apart if traveling […]
September 13, 2016

KITCHEN TALE | The Sand on the Shrimp and Fish

VARKALA, KERALA, INDIA—“If we are going to live together, our kitchen should not look like that,” said Tobi. The kitchen downstairs repelled him. What could we expect from a kitchen we borrowed for some hours from two hippie men? They played the guitar, one taught yoga upstairs, while the other […]