The Island Explorer

It's difficult to find new places in the Philippines these days, as everything seems to have been discovered already. When I heard about Sta. Ana in Cagayan province in the Northeastern part of Luzon, I had to map out a plan to get there. After visiting Tuguegarao, I finally made my way to Sta. Ana, home to the Cagayan Special Economic Zone that aims to be the next Subic or Clark. Sadly, I was surprised that the Cagayan Special Economic Zone was far from being progressive. It was located in a town called Sta. Ana, around 3 hours drive via private van from Tuguegarao. I saw the vehicle imports from Japan and Korea in empty lots. But we were here not because of the cars, nor the casino. We were here for an adventure that was only lived out in my mind. We found our way to Jotay's Resort, probably the most popular and the best resort in Sta. Ana. It was a small, well kept resort, that looked actually like a decent motel facing the sea. I liked the terraces where one could dine an...

My next series will be a contender for the BEST ISLAND ESCAPE this year, probably something that matches my Biri experience.

Still reeling from that unforgettable trip to Sulu and Tawi-Tawi last year, I already found myself onboard a fast craft ferry from Zamboanga to the one of the most feared towns in the Philippines - Isabela City, Basilan. I was a bit more weary this time, since that Jolo experience. If Sulu is where the bad people live, the big bosses of the bad people reside in Basilan, and consider it their home base. My agitation got worse when I recently watched a documentary in Nat Geo on the Dos Palmas kidnappings. The hostages were taken to Basilan, where the war between the government and the Abu Sayyaf rebels was at its peak. So when we arrived from a surprisingly comfortable ferry ride at 7AM in the morning, still a little bit dozed, we were unsurprisingly picked up by the military police. We rode the patrol car immediately and drove off to our hosts.  I was shocked to see Isabela very neat and organized. There weren't many people, and the surroundings looked very peaceful. It didn...

So what resort will give you this view in Boracay? It is located at the edge of Station 3, far away from the maddening crowd, but still accessible via White Beach. The resort is expansive, has just recently opened and is, for me, the best resort in Boracay. Friends, welcome to Asya Premeir Suites. From Astoria Boracay, we were picked up in a Toyota Innova by one of the staff members of Asya. We traveled 15 minutes into several baranggays, into seemingly nowhere. Then, suddenly, I had opened my eyes to a grand driveway, with a zen fountain in the middle. We were welcomed by the receptionists, who invited us for some refreshing pandan drinks, while we signed our registration cards. Arriving in a reception lobby that looked like those I see in high end resorts in Bali excited me to the bone. I knew I was in for something I never expected. We were then brought to rooms via a golf cart. Funny how these luxury resorts use golf carts to bring their guests to their rooms, even if it wa...

I was surprised at the changes I saw in Boracay, but I kind of expected it. Boracay's backstreets now looked like Bali, less the high end shops and great restaurants. I think Boracay should develop these areas as well, and not just focus tourism on the beachfront. From Astoria, we headed to Bulabog Beach, to see what's happening there. Unfortunately, Bulabog was calmer this season, while White Beach had more of the waves perfect for kite boarding. So we just strolled along the tranquil shores, and looked at the resorts. We wanted to see 7 Stones, as it was a Fuego Hotel development, but we were denied entry. It didn't look that nice anyway. So, we went back to White Beach for lunch. And there we saw the kiteboarders, who gracefully rode the waves using a kite. Kiteboarding looked very difficult, especially after my failed attempts in wakeboarding. We opted to dine in Station 1 since we wanted to try out this Moroccan restaurant that we heard from a friend. We didn't kno...