The Island Explorer

So it's the last day of the year. Funny how time flies these days. You really don't feel the change. My last blog post was on July, and it seems that waking up today still felt like it was July. Well it's the last day of the year and 5 months have passed. I'm pretty sure a lot has changed - a lot has happened. But why don't we feel different? Realizing I was falling into some sort of routine, where life seems normal and dull, I set out on a journey that would bring back the explorer in me. You see, I am that kind of guy - never wanting to settle, never wanting to be contented with what I have. Some may think it's wrong and could potentially lead to some sort of unhappiness, but I think otherwise. Exploring keeps me alive. It's seeing new things, breathing the air from different places, meeting unfamiliar people and actually making connections with them. It's that sort of living that makes me feel different every morning I wake up. Earlier, I ...

I remember my first time in Nurture way back 3 years ago. Or even more. I usually just go here to get a massage as it is known for that. Well, recently, I made my way back to the spa and discovered a whole lot more.

If you have been reading my blog, you would have noticed my love affair with the hotel group, W. This hotel chain fits me perfectly. I love its flair for design, its whenever, whatever service and of course, its style. I've been to the W in Bali before but I have never stayed here. So, in this trip, I decided to book one night before we head back home to Manila.

Villas or vacation rentals are still a lesser known accommodation type in the Philippines. Most Filipinos would gravitate towards resorts and hotels. Since I discovered vacation rentals way back during my South African trip, I have not stopped looking for houses that can be rented for a day or two. Well, this post is about a beach house I rented recently in the most popular island in the country. I couldn't stop raving about it ever since. Welcome to Villa Kaloo.

The title says it all and I am struggling to write this post as I see the pictures once again. Perched high above the dramatic cliffs of Uluwatu, the Alila Villas soars in every aspect of a resort experience.

I like staying in Seminyak because it has more sophistication than rowdy Kuta. And a host of the  best restaurants in Bali can be found in this area, particularly in the Seminyak-Kerobokan circuit. One of my favorite dining spots serves up an interesting fusion of Asian and Western food - Sardine.

I don't know how I do it, but I guess I seem to have a lucky charm with hotels and resorts. Just by looking at a picture and analyzing its review, I can really tell if it would meet my high standards. For my latest trip to Bali, I was looking for a new villa to stay in. While skimming through Agoda, I found a decent looking one priced at only USD 120 - with a private pool. 

Shanghai is one of my favorite cities in the world. It is probably one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Asia, along with Hong Kong and Singapore. But Shanghai has that old world charm blending with such a futuristic backdrop. It's something hard to describe without seeing for yourself.

I didn't want to skip this experience even though the Malasimbo happened last February. I have been wanting to go to this festival three years ago, but I never found the time to do so. When the weekend was finally coming up, I spontaneously got on a boat to Puerto Galera along with two friends who were as restless as I am. That night, I witnessed one of the most beautiful festivals I have been to.

I didn't put a title to this post since I wanted to catch your attention. And with this picture as my cover, you may be wondering: where the hell is this beach?

It was a lazy Saturday morning when I dared my friends to be spontaneous and escape for the weekend. Without any plans, we found ourselves driving South, stopping at BF Homes first for lunch and coffee. I had a place in mind, but I wasn't sure of its quality, since, from its pictures, it looked run down. I was glad I still took the risk, since it has become one of my favorite escapes from Manila.

Summer is here in the Philippines. And to those who still haven't been to our lovely islands, now may be the best and worst time to go. Because Filipinos love to travel, the beaches are most likely to be packed with revelers - packed to make Boracay seem like Mall of Asia. But it is also at this time that you can travel to most hidden islands, given the nice sea conditions. Take a look at some of my choices for this Summer - some of which I have not been on to.

Being in Boracay almost every month, I have become familiar with most accommodations on the island, from Station 1 all the way to the very end of Station 3, from Diniwind to Bulabog, from backpacker guesthouses to private villas. But there is one resort that got me surprised, since, I wouldn't have expected it to be like what it is. This resort was the Crown Regency Resort and Convention Center.

It was one of the fastest years of my life. My blog entries are piling up already, and the oldest ones are a year behind. I haven't posted my holiday trips last year even! I still vow to finish them though within the next month. I always thought I lacked travel compared to other years, but upon reviewing my year, I think it was still enough to make a complete list. I traveled mostly out of the country this year, from the UAE at the start, to Australia in the end and of course, a lot of Asia in the middle. I found myself in the same places, from Phuket, Bali, HK, Singapore and Malaysia. I also took my first cruise, which I still have to write about. I also decided to spend time in the Philippines this Christmas for the first time in 4 years, but soon left for Hanoi, where I am currently writing this. I actually spent more time abroad than in the country. So, it was difficult coming up with my list for 2013. Because of my recent trend in travel, I decided to split the list into T...