#adventurepinas

[jhomanism]

Mt Timbak || Atok, Benguet

I keep on coming back to the mountains.

[itsmedhessmercadero-blog]

Dakgogi Cheese BBQ #sibyullee #koreanfood #flavorsofseoul #zomato #zomatoph #foodporn #foodstagram #kfood #tkmadventure #foodjourney eatndblog #adventurepinas #foodies #dakgogi #chickenbbq #mozzarella #ayala30th #thekitchenmombydhess #thekitchenmomsadventure #thekitchenmom #foodietravel #restohunt #placetovisit #lovetoeat #korean #pasig

[drawohleik]

Dalawa sa klase ng taong nakakasama mo sa pamumundok: 🗻🗻🗻 UNA yung kasama nantutulungan ka na di ka maaksidente PANGALAWA yung kukuhanan ka ng video/picture kung sakaling mahulog ka! Hahaha 😂😂😂 #instatravel #worldphoto #pinasmuna #sikatpinas #sinopinas #sunrise #travel #travelwithstyle #travelog #lagalag #wanderlust #wonderer #wanderinghow #mountain #view #igerspinoy #istagood #instanature #yogadlagalag #nomadiclife #nomad #yolo #philippines #experiencethephillippines #mtromelo #hiking #trek #adventurepinas (at Mt. Romelo - Siniloan, Laguna)

[findingmarv]

Never let your mind tell your heart not to wander. Cape Bolinao Lighthouse, Pangasinan, Philippines #wander #wanderlust #outdoors #tripinas #travel #lighthouse #bolinao #getaway #travelnow #travelPH #choosePH #choosephilippines #SeePilipinas #morefuninthephilippines #adventure #adventurepinas #sights

[jhomanism]

You can float on the water or drown in it. It was more than a year when I tried freediving and it was not successful. I was happy that I no longer have to wear a life vest when swimming in an open water, but I was also disappointed with myself. I was ashamed that I failed at my first try, but it is something that I really wanted to achieve. As the song says, "if at first you don't succeed, dust yourself off and try again", I found myself getting excited to try it again. I told myself I have to make it this time. With renewed determination, I bought my own snorkeling gears and fins and visualized myself finally making it. So I did.

[jhomanism]

Mt Taal and A Childhood Dream

Taal Volcano Crater Lake

    It was my childhood dream to see Taal Volcano in person. Blame it on our "Yamang Lupa, Yamang Tubig" discussion when I was in elementary school. Mt. Taal is an active volcano, but it has remained quite since 1977. It is said to be the smallest volcano in the world and is located in the lake shore town of Talisay and San Nicholas Batangas. Vulcan Point is an island in the crater lake on Volcano Island in Taal lake. It is a very popular tourist attraction because of its unique shape and picturesque view. One may simply admire its beauty from Tagaytay ridge or highlands, or cross the Taal Lake by a boat and hike to the top of the volcano.

Early Morning Boat Ride

     In order to avoid the heat of the sun, we decided to leave early Sunday morning. We rented a van, left Ortigas around 4:00 am and arrived at Talisay Batangas around 5:30 am. We even had to wake a boatman up since we were too early. Luckily, our driver knows the area very well. He even arranged the boat for us. We were supposed to get two boats since there were nine of us and I read from blog posts that one boat is good for only 6 persons, but we got a large boat that could fit us all and saved one thousand pesos. 

Pictures From Taal

It took us 30 minutes to reach the Volcano Island. We registered, arranged for a guide then started the trek. You can reach the top by either walking for 30-45 minutes, or by riding a horse. We chose to walk of course. 😁 The cost of riding a horse is 600 pesos. We were the first to arrived so we took our time appreciating the views and taking photos. After the trip to Mt Taal, we decided to eat a sumptous bulalo for lunch in Tagaytay.

PICTORIAL SESSION:

How to get there: source pinoyadventurista.com

By a public vehicle:

Via Tagaytay City:

From Manila, take a bus bound for Tagaytay city, Nasugbu or Balayan and alight at the terminal of jeepneys bound for People's Park. Take a People's Park bound jeepney and alight at Ligaya Drive. Then take a jeepney or tricycle to Talisay Batangas. Upon reaching Talisay, you need to hire a motorized boat to reach the Volcano Island which is the jump off point to Taal Volcano crater lake.

Via Tanuan Batangas:

From Manila, take a bus bound for Lipa or Batangas City which passes by the town of Tanuan. Tell the driver to drop you at the bus stop in Tanuan. From there, you could take a jeepney to Talisay. At the public market, you will see boats that you can rent going to Volcano Island.

Van Rental: To avoid the hassle of transferring from one vehicle to another, we opted to rent a van. Our driver named Kuya Toto has been to Talisay Batangas numerous times. The van rental is 4,800 all in, pick up area is in Ortigas Pasig. You can reach him at 09225364945 or his boss Johny at 09773803521.

Boat rental: For boat rental, you can reach Kuya Lando at 09094364210. Small boat rental fee is 2,000 pesos, while a big boat costs 3,000 pesos.

ITINERARY:

02:30 AM Meet up at Jollibee Eton Ortigas

03:30 AM ETD

05:00 AM ETA at Talisay Batangas

05:30 AM ETD from Talisay port to Volcano Island

06:00 AM ETA at Volcano Island JOP

06:15 AM Start Trek

07:00 AM ETA Summit

09:00 AM Descent

09:45 AM ETA JOP

10:30 AM ETA at Talisay Port 

11:00 AM ETD to Tagaytay

11:30 AM ETA to Mahogany for Lunch

12:30 PM Head back to Manila

02:30 PM ETA at Ortigas Pasig

EXPENSES:

Van Rental (4800/9) - 534

Boat Rental (3000/9) - 334

Guide fee (500/9) - 56

Docking fee (100/9) - 11

Registration fee - 100

Entrance fee - 50

TOTAL: 1085

TIPS AND REMINDERS:

Wear comfortable clothes and shoes

Wear/Bring something that could protect you from the heat of the sun (sunblock, arm sleeves, umbrella, hat, sunglasses)

Wear a face mask to protect you from dusts and volcanic ashes

Bring plenty of drinking water and snacks

Waterproof your things

Practice the Leave No Trace principle at all times

[itsmedhessmercadero-blog]

Fried and Crispy Alagaw Leaves #APTM2017 #angonorizal #rizaltour #foodhunt #foodporn #veggie #deepfriedveggie #exoticfood #balawbalawrestaurantandartgallery #wheninrizal #angonopetroglyphs #dot #departmentoftourism #region4 #tpbphl #pintoartmuseum #explorerizal #explore #aptttour2017 #artcapital #anggandangpilipinas #tkminrizal #tkmadventure #thekitchenmombydhess #philippines #placestovisit #manmadetunnel #tunnel #arttour2017 #adventurepinas #history #historical #philippinehistory #explore #travel (at Balaw Balaw restaurant and art gallery)

[itsmedhessmercadero-blog]

Some of the art works in Blanco Family Museum Explore and have fun! #APTM2017 #angonorizal #rizaltour #wheninrizal #angonopetroglyphs #dot #departmentoftourism #region4 #tpbphl #pintoartmuseum #explorerizal #explore #aptttour2017 #artcapital #anggandangpilipinas #tkminrizal #tkmadventure #thekitchenmombydhess #philippines #placestovisit #manmadetunnel #tunnel #arttour2017 #adventurepinas #history #historical #philippinehistory #explore #travel #tourism

[itsmedhessmercadero-blog]

Angono Petroglyphs was the oldest work of art in the Philippines, located in Rizal. There are 127 human and animal engraved in the rockwall. It was been declared by the National Museum as National Cultural Treasure in 1973. #APTM2017 #angonorizal #rizaltour #wheninrizal #angonopetroglyphs #nationaltreasure #nationalculturaltreasure #tkminrizal #tkmadventure #thekitchenmombydhess #philippines #placestovisit #manmadetunnel #tunnel #arttour2017 #adventurepinas #history #historical #philippjnehistory #explore #travel

[itsmedhessmercadero-blog]

This man made tunnel in Angono Rizal is the fastest way to go to the Angono Petroglyphs. Let's go!!! #APTM2017 #angonorizal #rizaltour #wheninrizal #angonopetroglyphs #nationaltreasure #nationalculturaltreasure #tkminrizal #tkmadventure #thekitchenmombydhess #philippines #placestovisit #manmadetunnel #tunnel #arttour2017 #adventurepinas #history #historical #philippjnehistory #explore #travel

[jhomanism]

Si Palawan

     From the beaches, to lagoons, forests, caves, rivers and many more, Palawan is undoubtedly a paradise on its own. It has received the top spot as the best island in the world by the international magazine Travel and Leisure. It is located on the western border of the Philippines and is the country’s largest province with a land area of 1.7 million hectares. Last year, I had the pleasure of exploring this precious island with my friends.

Day 1:

     From the Puerto Princesa airport, we immediately hit the road to El Nido. It took us 4 hours to reach El Nido by a service van. We stayed at El Nido Bay Inn for 2 nights and we asked them to arrange our boat tour and transportation during our stay in El Nido. Shortly after we arrived at the Inn, we decided to go to Nacpan beach. It was my idea to visit Nacpan beach as a travel vlogger that I follow went there and fell in love with the place. Surely, it didn’t disappoint. I fell in love with the place too. This long pristine beach is the ideal place for soul searchers. When I get the chance to visit El Nido again, I will make sure to spend a night in Nacpan beach, pitch a tent and watch the sunrise and the sunset. We left just before the road gets dark and went to another beach famous for sunset viewing (I forgot the name), but the sun was hidden by the clouds that day and we didn’t get to see the sunset.

 The Twin Beaches of Palawan (Nacpan and Calitang)

Day 2:

     The second day was scheduled for our boat tour (island hopping). There are 4 boat tour packages to choose from (A, B, C and D). We opted for tours A and B. Two boat tours are good for one day. All tours start at 9:00 AM and ends at 4:00 PM. We spent the day beach bumming and exploring lagoons. Our boatmen prepared food for our lunch. We had a great time.

Below are the boat tour rates and inclusions:

Tour A: Php1200 (Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon, Simizu Island, Secret Lagoon and 7 Commandos Beach)

Tour B: Php1300 (Entalula Island, Pinagbuyutan Island, Snake Island, Cudugnon Cave and Cathedral Cave)

Tour C: Php1400 (Hidden Beach, Helicopter Island, Secret Beach, Matinloc Shrine and Star Beach)

Tour D: Php1200 (Bukal Island, Ipil Beach, Nat-Nat Beach, Cadlao Lagoon and Paradise Beach)

 Island hopping

Day 3:

     We woke up early and headed back to Puerto Princesa. We arrived at Mariafe Inn by noon. The place is located near the Palawan Provincial Capitol and is accessible to all. We asked them to arrange an Iwahig Firefly Watching tour for us. Before the Firefly Watching tour at night, we spent the rest of the afternoon strolling around the area, walking, looking for a place to eat and to buy pasalubong. Around 5 PM, we went back to the Inn and found our tourist guide already waiting for us. The receptionist told us, our tour guide will arrive at 6 PM. Oh well. Soon after, we arrived at the area where we had to ride a boat that would tour us around the Iwahig River. It was a bit scary because it was really dark and silent, you could only hear the boatman talking. The best time to do Firefly Watching is from December to February. It was September when we went there, so there were only few fireflies at that time. It was still an awesome experience though. It’s not everyday that you can see a tree surrounded by glowing fireflies, looking like a Christmas tree. 

Firefly Watching at Iwahig River

Day 4:

     One of my friends had to leave for work, so there were only two of us left. Of course, we did not want to miss the opportunity to visit the very famous Underground River of Puerto Princesa. The Puerto Princesa Underground River is a UNESCO World Heritage site and has been proclaimed as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. Be sure to visit early due to long queue of people wanting to see the place. Inside, you would see a lot of rock formations. You just need to have a wild imagination.

 The Puerto Princesa Underground River

Day 5:

     Last Day. Our flight is at night so we still had the chance to explore Puerto Princesa before we leave. We checked out early, asked Mariafe Inn to take care of our backpacks while we were touring the city and arranged a tricycle tour. We went to the Butterfly Garden Sanctuary, Crocodile Farm and Baker’s Hill. We ate lunch at Baker’s Hill. The food was great and not pricey. We also bought pasalubong from Baker’s Hill. Their breads are yummy and their hopia is my favorite.

ITINERARY:

Day 1

07:25 AM ETD at NAIA Terminal 4 

08:20 AM ETA at Puerto Princesa Airport 

08:48 AM ETD going to El Nido 

01:37 PM ETA at EL Nido (lunch) 

02:30 PM ETA at El Nido Bay Inn 

03:00 PM ETD to Nacpan Beach 

03:45 PM ETA at Nacpan Beach 

05:00 PM ETD 

05:55 PM ETA at Las Cabanas 

08:00 PM Dinner at Big Mama's 

Day 2

09:00 AM Start Island Tour And B 

03:30 PM End of Island Tour 

07:00 PM Dinner at Art's Cafe 

Day 3

09:00 AM ETD from El Nido 

02:00 PM ETA at Puerto Princesa (Mariafe Inn) 

02:30 PM Walk tour and Pasalubong Center 

06:15 PM ETD to Iwahig Firefly 

07:15 PM ETA at Iwahig River 

07:30 PM Start of Firefly Watching 

08:00 PM Finished Firefly Watching 

08:30 PM Dinner at Iwahig Firefly Watching Restaurant 

Day 4

07:15 AM ETD to Underground River 

10:00 AM ETA Sabang Wharf 

02:00 PM ETD from Sabang Wharf 

04:00 PM ETA at Mariafe Inn 

06:00 PM Dinner at Akinato's Restaurant 

Day 5

11:15 AM City Tour (Butterfly Garden, Crocodile Farm, Baker's Hill, Ranch and MCA Pasalubong Center) 

04:00 PM End of City Tour 

06:00 PM Puerto Princesa Airport 

07:45 PM ETD 

08:45 ETA NAIA 

EXPENSES:

Day 1:

80.00 Lunch 

30.00 Snacks 

400.00 Tricycle tour (1200/3)

50.00 Developmental fee at Nacpan Beach 

100.00 Mango Shake 

65.00 Pansit 

250.00 Dinner at Big Mama's 

TOTAL: 975.00 

Day 2

167.00 Kayak boat rental fee (500/3) 

50.00 Buko Juice 

463.00 Dinner at Art's Cafe 

TOTAL: 680.00

Day 3

10.00 Tricycle 

100.00 Merienda 

TOTAL: 110.00 

Day 4

250.00 Dinner at Akinato’s Restaurant

TOTAL: 250.00

Day 5

250.00 Lunch at Baker's Kitchen 

200.00 Terminal Fee 

230.00 Uber from NAIA 

TOTAL: 680.00 

OVERALL: 2695.00

El Nido Expenses:

1666.00 - 4998 El Nido Bay Room for 3 (2499 X 2 Nights) 

1000.00- Van Rental From Puerto Princesa to El Nido and vice versa 

2167 - 6500 Island Tour A and B X 3 persons 

TOTAL: 4833 

Puerto Princesa Expenses:

1133.00 Mariafe Inn room for 2 nights (1600 per night 533 first night; 600 second night)

1100.00 Firefly Watching

1340.00 Underground River

300.00 Tricycle City tour

2000.00 Pasalubong

TOTAL: 5873

　TOTAL EXPENSES: Php13,401.00

[itsmedhessmercadero-blog]

Seafood Pancake #sibyullee #koreanfood #flavorsofseoul #zomato #zomatoph #foodporn #foodstagram #kfood #tkmadventure #foodjourney eatndblog #adventurepinas #foodies #dakgogi #chickenbbq #mozzarella #ayala30th #thekitchenmombydhess #thekitchenmomsadventure #thekitchenmom #foodietravel #restohunt #placetovisit #lovetoeat #korean #pasig #seafoods #seafoodpancake

[itsmedhessmercadero-blog]

Volcano Kimchi Fried Rice #sibyullee #koreanfood #kimchi #flavorsofseoul #zomato #zomatoph #foodporn #foodstagram #kfood #tkmadventure #foodjourney eatndblog #adventurepinas #foodies #dakgogi #chickenbbq #mozzarella #ayala30th #thekitchenmombydhess #thekitchenmomsadventure #thekitchenmom #foodietravel #restohunt #placetovisit #lovetoeat #korean #pasig/

[itsmedhessmercadero-blog]

Blanco Family Museum APTM2017 #angonorizal #rizaltour #wheninrizal #angonopetroglyphs #dot #departmentoftourism #region4 #pintoartmuseum #explorerizal #explore #aptttour2017 #artcapital #anggandangpilipinas #tkminrizal #tkmadventure #thekitchenmombydhess #philippines #placestovisit #manmadetunnel #tunnel #arttour2017 #adventurepinas #history #historical #philippjnehistory #explore #travel