The Island Explorer

We were supposed to have a light dinner and some drinks in Olio, which is one of my favorite restaurants in Cebu. But as we got down our van, a new imposing restaurant caught my sight. The sign said, Maya. Maya is a Mexican fine dining restaurant in Crossroads in Banilad. The place doesn't look like your typical bright Mexican restaurant. it was modern and ancient at the same time, owing its design to the great Mayan civilization of Mexico. You would be surprised that Maya is actually not that expensive, for a place looking so upscale. It is owned by the same people who put up Abaca in Mactan (soon in another post). The prices range from P120 to P400 only. If it were in Manila, the prices would definitely be higher. We weren't there to eat dinner, since we just had lechon from CNT. So we ordered appetizers and some drinks. The one below is called Volcanes (grilled tortillas with cheese and salsa roja, P125). It was a volcanic dish indeed, as it was hot and spicy. We also ordere

After spending the night in Moalboal, we drove off to nearby Badian to see what it offers. We headed straight to Badian Island Resort but got turned down by the guard who told us we needed a prior reservation. A day trip will cost P1,000 already, and we just wanted to see the place, and have a snack there. But we weren't allowed. So we drove away, passing by some wonderful scenery, like the one in the picture above. It was a secluded cove, with a tiny island. The view was pretty inspiring, and I thought it would be a great location for a resort. Badian Island could be seen from here. We drove back to the highway in search of Badian's top tourist's draw - the Kawasan Falls. Badian's coast looked magnificent as I sped along the cliffs. We arrived in the entrance of the Kawasan Park, where you can park your car. A guide was offering his services to us, but we politely declined, knowing it would be an easy task to find the falls. And it was easy. There's actually a clea

We didn't intend to stay in Panagsama Beach, which really doesn't have a beach. Again, think of Anilao. I was intent in staying in Bas Daku, a nearby beach, that was just like Panagsama before a typhoon changed its landscape. Bas Daku is around 6 km away via a narrow access road into the plain fields of Moalboal. Essentially, Panagsama and Bas Daku share one coastline. Coves and rocks separate them. But the difference between the two beaches are stark. Bas Daku has a lot of beach front resorts, having a white sandy coastline that extends for about a kilometer. It has a shifting sandbar near the resort that I consider the most well-designed in the area. Though not the most popular and high-end (that goes to Serena Beach Resort, which I will talk about in my next posts), Ravenala Beach Resort is welcoming and charming. I am a fan of resorts that blend well with nature. Beautifully landscaped and well-kept as well, Ravenala offers accommodation in comfortable nipa hut like cottage

Moalboal is an easy and scenic two hour drive from Cebu City. You pass through the South Road (SRP) and head all the way to Carcar. You take a right at the junction in Carcar and go straight to the beautiful mountains of Barili. Just a side note, I think Barili has a great mountainous rural landscape that can become the next Ubud. After Barili, you pass through 4 other towns, before reaching the popular seaside destination that is Moalboal. Moalboal is known for one thing: diving. The center of dive universe in Cebu is found here in Panagsama. The laid back community has a lot of dive centers. Moalboal is the Anilao of the Visayas. A lot of foreigners and locals have their dive lessons here. Panagsama Beach in Moalboal doesn't really have a beach, so don't expect sandy shores. Instead, expect dead corals and rocks. The tide goes really high in this area, so during that time, there's even no beach. Nearby Pescador Island is the highlight of diving. I don't really dive s

I'm a fan of the Intercontinental Group, because they really do offer value for money. And this promo exemplifies this trait. Imagine, rates as low as P2,000 a night for Holiday Inn and just P2,500 for Crowne Plaza. Plus, if you confirm your bookings before Aug.2, you get 50% off on all buffet meals at their restaurants. This is certainly an offer you cannot resist. So go and splurge for less at any of the hotel of the Intercontinental group.

I couldn't believe the picture. When my friend Donna shared this link in Facebook, I was astonished indeed. This is great PR for our country. But really, the Chocolate Hills never looked this surreal and otherworldly. Wow! The name of these unique mounds comes from the fact that the green grass covering them turns deep brown during the annual dry season, but is does not hurt that they bear a striking resemblance to Hershey Kisses. The stunner is how perfectly uniform each of the conical hills are, and inevitably, first time visitors simply cannot believe they are not man made. However the scale of this construction project was best left to Mother Nature: There are too many of the hills to count—estimates range from over 1,200 to 1,700! See the entire list here .

The rainy season is NOT a reason for you not to travel. This season is actually the cheapest time to explore, with a lot of resorts and hotels dropping their rates to fill in their vacancies. Though airline sales are already over for this season, you can still get great deals from PAL via their Econolight Fares (can only be transacted online) or from Zest Air (though I'm weary about their safety protocols). Cebu Pacific will have relatively higher fares, as their system increases prices as the seats fill up when the departure date is nearer. You can still get cheap fares even with one week or less to go before your spontaneous vacation. But before that, where can you go in the Philippines at this time? Here are some of my top monsoon destinations. 1. Davao The southern city actually gets relatively less rainfall, and typhoons rarely pass through this region. The waves may be rougher though than during Summer, so island hopping around Samal will be shortened and confined during the

Subic is like home to me. It's my weekend getaway, more than Tagaytay. With the NLEX and SCTEX (expressways) linked together now, it only takes an hour and a half drive to Subic from Balintawak in North EDSA. That's like going to Makati during morning rush hour. And with more options than Tagaytay (though less on food), like shopping, beaches, mountains and adventure parks, Subic will always be my number one choice for that quick travel fix. One of the coolest places in Subic is Vasco's. Dining by the sea with sails as ventilation (fans) makes you feel you're inside a galleon. That ambience is unmatched here, and gives Vasco's the charm it is known for. Their menu is comfort food, offering a wide array of international dishes. You can have Asian favorites from curries to Filipino staples, or savor steaks and continental cuisine. Their food is not the best though in Subic, so I must warn you. I am not promoting it as a food heaven, but more of a place where you can e

Perhaps the most compelling reason for you to go to Bellarocca are their villas - stunning, gorgeous, like a house for the gods. Named after greek gods, these villas are worth P50,000 a night, but we only paid P25,000 for each, after being upgraded. So, call us lucky and all, but our experience would not be the same if we didn't stay in these hedonistic dens. Since we were a group of 18, we booked 6 villas in all, some had two-bedrooms, while the rest had only one. The villa above is our villa, Zeus, a two-bedroom suite with one of the most breathtaking views of the Sibuyan Sea. It came with a 4-meter lap pool and a separate jacuzzi. When I first entered, I didn't know how to react. I wandered over to a balcony, which was connected to a bedroom. We immediately seized that room, knowing it had a great view. And it was the only bedroom among all the six that had a balcony like that. The bedroom was large, with a huge king size bed. The sheets were very comfortable and spotless.