October 1, 2024
We all have a story how the travel bug got us. Mine started when I was a university student. I led the school publication, and the president of the student body government and I were invited to join a nationwide student leader’ press conference in Boracay. This was almost twenty […]
September 2, 2024
Going on a desert safari is much more than taking a thrilling ride through sand dunes. It is opportunity to soak in the captivating beauty of the desert. The unending dunes, beautiful sunset view, and thrilling adventure make a desert safari must-do activity in Dubai. However, to enjoy a desert […]
August 29, 2024
If you’ve ever wandered into Singapore for the first time, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve stumbled into a paradox—an urban jungle that’s at once futuristic and profoundly traditional. I’ve been there twice, and each visit unraveled new layers of this young and small country’s genius. It’s a place where […]
August 19, 2024
I earned my PADI diving license in Dauin, a swim away from Apo Island, and what better way to celebrate than with a dive in the mesmerizing waters of Apo Island. I had snorkeled and free-dived here countless times, but nothing prepared me for the surreal experience of exploring its […]
August 5, 2024
Living in Hanoi made me long for the vast quietness of the countryside. Ninh Binh was always my weekend fix during my four-year stint in Vietnam’s capital. Ninh Binh’s huge rafts of farmed white ducks wallowing in its many waterways, with the expanse of rice fields in different shades of […]
August 5, 2024
Hanoi—where history meets hustle and the streets pulse with life. This what draws me and made me stay for four years, first as a digital nomad, then I went back to teaching full-time. It was the eclectic energy. The relentlessness. The restlessness that made me stay. For first-timers navigating this […]
August 5, 2024
With my four years in Vietnam, Ninh Binh singularly took the number one spot as the most visited. I regularly visited this place on my own especially during the pandemic since it is just 1 hour and 30-min away from Hanoi by limousine—the locals’ word for spacious shared van. When […]
August 1, 2024
Welcome to my beloved Hanoi, a city that never fails to surprise. As someone who’s called this place home for four years, I can assure you that each street, market, and hidden corner has a story waiting to unfold. This Hanoi travel itinerary is designed for first-time visitors who want to dive […]
August 1, 2024
I forgot to bring a jacket. The air was thick with the distinct smell of an air-conditioned vehicle. A slightly smaller yellow bus, three vans, and some private Pajeros were in front of our bus, the biggest among the rest. I took the number of vehicles as premonitions and folded […]
April 5, 2024
Hong Kong reminds me of the paradox of human progress: the dragon-gated skyscrapers at Victoria’s Harbour coexists with the squalidness of Lucky House, infamous for its coffin houses. From the luxury cars becoming a commodity on the streets to the 570 bird species found in its land, representing one third […]
March 14, 2024
The Philippines, an archipelagic country facing the Pacific, never runs out of ways to surprise the curious and the wandering. My home island Cebu, for example, has piqued the interest of fellow Filipinos and foreign travelers alike for its incredible and jaw-dropping underwater ecosystem. On top of my list, regardless […]
March 14, 2024
Living in Cebu City for almost ten years, I tagged Moalboal and Badian as my personal retreats, away from my metropolitan woes and responsibilities. But Moalboal, for its many conveniences and locals, draws me more. I made several friends here and saw some kids grew up. And while I left […]