The Island Explorer

Our newest resort experience was spontaneous. I thought of going to Bohol because I finished my work early in Cebu. Since I need to do some work in Bohol as well, I decided to stay at one of the newest resorts in the island - Bluewater Panglao.

Baguio City is an old tourist destination, which means, most budget hotels are also old. Recently, Baguio has undergone a transformation, with the opening of brand new boutique hotels and designer inns. Though still not at par with those in mountain retreats in Asia (Ubud, Chiang Mai, Cameroon), Baguio is slowly redefining itself as not just a summer capital, but a destination for the jet set.

I fell i love with Zamboanga slowly, though the first hotel I stayed in is still my favorite to date. It may not be the biggest, newest or most recently renovated (goes to Orchid Garden), but Lantaka by the Sea provides me with two things I look for in hotels: location and charm.

Though I may not be too sold to to the new Philippine tourism slogan, I still believe it can work So, in the spirit of More Fun in the Philippines, I present to you my annual Top 10 of the year that was 2011. Now, 2011 was my least travelled year. Looking back, I haven't been to someplace truly new. So you may not see a lot of new places in this list. It was more of a year of rediscovery for me. I went back to my favorite places in the country, like Sumilon Island. I've also been to Misibis Bay, Antulang and Pagbilao in Quezon this year, but those experiences didn't live up to my expectations to merit a entry in this list. I was also more out of the country this year, hence, my domestic experiences were limited. Coincidentally, I have come up with this year's list based on one criteria, FUN. It is FUN in the Philippines! 10. Dumaguete City Let's start off the list with probably one of the funnest cities in the Philippines, Dumaguete. Though laid back, Dumag

Before anything else, HAPPY 2012 everyone! I have just arrived from a wonderful trip in South Africa for the holidays, so I haven't really written anything since Christmas. It was also just today that I knew about the new tourism slogan of the Philippines, after checking my Facebook. I was actually in shock when I saw the campaign for the first time because I didn't expect it. I thought, what was this tagline going around with all the weird images attached to it. I was actually confused at first, so I searched further and discovered the REAL slogan.

I am not a big fan of churches, since in the Philippines, they pretty much look the same to me. There are some though that mesmerize, like the Miag-ao Church in Iloilo and this one, the Basilica of our Lady of Charity, more known as the Agoo Church.

On this day, December 20, I was expecting smiles and a lot of fun from our Mindanao Christmas party in a lovely resort in Jasaan.  Today, we visit them with smiles to cheer them up. I have come to love Mindanao, and CDO has been special to me this year. This is what Emily Homes looks like now, which is reminiscent of Ondoy's wrath in my former home in Provident Villages. It has happened again, and will happen again soon.  Help CDO and Iligan and all the other affected areas of Sendong, by donating in whatever way. We are here to help.

Guess where my next destination is. More on one of the country's top tourist draws up next! Merry Christmas everyone!

I I wanted to end my Camotes blog with Santiago Bay, but if there's one thing that made my trip memorable, it was the impromptu bicycle tour that we took on our last day.

When one mentions a beach in Camotes, one would probably say Santiago Bay. After visiting Timubo and Lake Danao, we decided to grab a snack at Santiago Bay Garden Resort, perched on the cliffside of Santiago Bay.

Just like most islands in the Visayas, Camotes has primed up its popular tourists spots. The island has its share of destinations, making a day trip around the countryside worth your while. We hired at multicab to take us around for P2,000 a day. We were also picked up from the wharf with this  fee. We also had a bubbly and informative tour guide, who took us to the right spots. Our first stop was the Timubo Cave.