Travel Guide Archives - ––Jona of Backpacking with a Book

April 3, 2012

Cebu City | Kan-irag Falls–Mt. Kan-irag Itinerary

I’ve received several inquiries on how to go to Kan-irag | Kabang Budlaan | Kainsing Falls (I know right, even the locals have varied names for the waterfall. The community before and after the main falls have different names for it. Although I was initially reluctant in providing instructives, perhaps it is for the greater good. Or not. Because personally, my trips do not have itineraries at all. I could say that we did not really follow the itineraries below. But this guide might work for those who have not been to these places. Or better yet, approach a local community […]

February 17, 2014

2N3D Malapascua and Kalanggaman Island Travel Guide 2017

2N3D Malapascua and Kalanggaman Island Travel Guide 2017. Do understand this is rather too short and rather cramped for a trip to the northernmost part of Cebu. Malapascua, an island in northern Cebu, can be deceiving. During my first visit, I thought tourism made it too jaded for a backpacker. I was not at my best then to talk with locals. But I am willing to give islands especially the touristy ones a second chance. During my second visit, I experienced an entirely different Malapascua. I discoed and drank with the foreign tourists and locals. I shared island gossips and […]

January 22, 2016

Places in the Philippines to Avoid This Summer

A note: Hi there! I would constantly update this list. If you have been to overcrowded destinations in the Philippines that you want to include in the list, email us at backpackingwithabook@gmail.com—Jona In April and May, some Filipinos take three showers a day while others suffer from the absence of water on daytime—a polar representation of how our society works. This is summer for most Filipinos: the drought hits us hard, especially the most marginalized in the country. I’m typing this away in Siquijor where I met a lovely Filipino-European gay couple who has the means to have a second line of […]

January 28, 2017

We’ve Been Warned about a Misogynyst and Poor India, But We Found a Different Country

Before traveling to India, I braced myself for the possible unpleasant encounters with misogyny and utter poverty I often heard from news. Some said, expect people to poo by the road. Yeah, we saw that. Even stepped onto one in Old Delhi. Expect to be tailed. Yes, we experienced that. Expect to be groped. Hmm, that I did not experience, but I experienced my boob being elbowed, my butt touched. Intentionally? I would not know. We expected and prepared for the worst. But surprise, surprise! There are actually many places in India that are women-friendly, places that make you feel comfortable […]