The Island Explorer

Our stay in The Three was again short lived, but the weekend was already over and we had to go back to Colombo. But before heading back, we made our last stop to our speedy adventure - the historical fort of Galle - a UNESCO World Heritage site.

From Colombo, it was already a smooth drive along the new highway to Galle. We didn't go into Galle Old Town though and headed straight to our seaside home for the night - The Three by TPV, a lovely boutique resort at Ahangama, which is just after the popular Unamawatuna beach.

We left Hatton at around 1030AM and knew the road to Galle was long. We had to go back to Colombo and then take the newly opened highway all the way to Galle, which is already in the southern coast of Sri Lanka. So just imagine, we were to travel from the central highlands, all the way to the south.

From Dambulla, we drove an exhausting 4 hours to the central highlands of Sri Lanka that is known for one thing: TEA. We passed through the cultural city of Kandy, which was another tourist destination. But because we were pressed for time, we continued on to Hatton where our next adventure was.

I still couldn't get over my amazing experience in Sigirya the day before that I looked forward to the rest of our Sri Lankan tour for the next 3 days. We checked out at the Heritage Kandalama to move on to the tea lands of Hatton in the central hills of Sri Lanka.

After that mind blowing experience in Sigiriya, only one thing was on our mind: FOOD. We managed to pass by a resort that looked posh and interesting. So, we inquired at their gates and were allowed entry. The resort was called Vil Uyana.

It was THE experience of Sri Lanka, to think that I didn't know anything about it. It would rival any Cambodian temple, all to greater heights literally. I will be senselessly raving about this part of my trip to Sri Lanka, since up to this writing, I cannot get over the experience I had in Sigiriya.

We begin our escapade across Sri Lanka, a speed tour more accurately as we only had 3 days to cover the places that we wish to go to. From Colombo, we would travel 4 to 5 hours all the way to Dambulla, where the Sigiriya Rock is located. I was surprised at the length of travel, since the roads were bad and everyone drove recklessly. I was in fact challenged to drive in Sri Lanka, but I figured it would be safer to stay at the passenger seat. We made it to Dambulla after 4 gruelling hours, for a distance that is only 120 km. That was pretty slow.  We passed through a landscape that seemingly looked like South Africa. We drove up dust roads with signs of animal warnings like monkeys and elephants. I was in Sri Lanka indeed, and the scenery has gotten me really excited. And when we arrived at our resort, the Kandalama Heritance, I was already brimming an irresistible smile.  Perched on the top of the hill, the award winning Kandalama Heritance is a classic des...

I never thought I would be setting foot in Sri Lanka soon. I had close friends, Paulo and Tala, living there, but when they told me they were already leaving Colombo to move to Singapore, I found myself struggling to plan a trip. So as soon as my calendar got freed up, I booked my plane tickets to Colombo. I had no expectations of Sri Lanka. I was aware that Lonely Planet called it one of the destinations of the year. I hear a lot of travel enthusiasts giving high praises to this small teardrop shaped island below the Indian subcontinent. So when I woke up to a breezy morning on the apartment of Paulo and Tala in Colombo, all I thought about was where the hell I was.  Nevertheless, I was overly excited to explore the Colombo and the rest of Sri Lanka in just 5 days. We wasted no time, so the day after I arrived, we began our whirlwind journey. More on that of course in my next posts.  We'll be focusing the story now in Colombo, the laid back coastal ...

Joaquin's Bed and Breakfast along the main road of Tagaytay has always intrigued me. I never got the chance to stay overnight there though, until recently, when we were trying to find a place to stay for the night. We were supposed to book in Taal Vista, but when we passed by Joaquin's, I immediately hit the brakes of my car. 

I was already on my way back to Tuguegarao from Cagayan Holiday, but it seemed that Sta. Ana wasn't ready to leave me. Around 10 minutes from Cagayan Holiday, we passed a resort that looked very promising from the outside. I told the driver to stop so we can take a look. The sign read: Avalon Beach Club.

Now, prepare to drop your jaw. The Cagayan Holiday and Leisure Resort is located in a special economic zone in the northernmost tip of Luzon island. It is also known for its casino, the main attraction for the Chinese who came in droves in the past years. 

If you enter the Cagayan Holiday Resort, you will notice a wall that makes vehicles turn towards the reception area. I was a bit curious what was beyond the wall. When I was walking back our room, I noticed a small gate that opened to a verdant garden. I inconspicuously entered the gate and discovered a different resort. 

When I explored Sta. Ana in Cagayan two years ago, I knew the place was destined to delight its visitors. With unknown isolated beaches and stunning uninhabited landscapes, this Northern Luzon escape has always been on my mind since I left. 

There are some places in the Philippines that I consider special. It's rare to find these places, especially in a country where culture doesn't seem to be preserved as much as it deserves. But somewhere in the coastal town of historical Bagac in Bataan, just less than 3 hours away from Manila, a resort is trying to change the way we look at our heritage. This is what makes Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar special.

We left Sugar Beach and headed further south to another beach destination in Sipalay: Punta Ballo. I couldn't believe me eyes when I saw islands like these pictured below. I was pointing again to the islands to our boatman, but he said that most are privately owned, and that we couldn't dock just anywhere. Another frustration.