The Island Explorer

Day 2 of my Taiwanese escape began early. I woke up at 5AM to catch at 6AM train to Taroko National Park in Hualien, in eastern part of the country. 

It still surprises me that even though Taiwan is just 2 hours away from Manila, it was my first time to be here this year. I mean, I've heard a lot of good stuff about this small country, but I never managed to step foot on it. I didn't set any expectations when I arrived though, so every experience was a pleasure indeed.

General Santos has grown over the past years. When I first visited the city 7 years ago, Manny Pacquiao was not the attraction here. I passed by the city again two years ago, and was amazed at how much the city has transformed, and how the Pacquiao name is synonymous already with the city. This year, I made it to the southernmost city in the Philippines, the tuna capital and discovered a new resort that got me really excited.  Situated on top of a hill, providing commanding views of the Saranggani Bay, the Sarangani Highlands resort is one of the more popular destinations in the General Santos. Although it is located 30 minutes away from the city center, you will see a lot of balikbayans visiting the place for a day, or just simply to have lunch or dinner in.  I was pleasantly surprised when I entered the resort. After ascending in a dirt path, I was expecting to be in the middle of nowhere. I couldn't figure out what the resort will look like given the surroundi

The Kahuna Beach Resort and Spa is one of the most desirable resorts in La Union. I mean, it is the choice resort of celebrity surfers and the jet set crowd in popular San Juan beach. Hence, when I was on a roll in La Union, I just needed to find out for myself if the saying is true - that Kahuna is the best accommodation in La Union (even better than Thunderbird according to some colleagues).

San Fernando La Union is not known for its beaches. So it was surprising that there was one beach resort tucked away beside its airport that was as popular probably as Thunderbird. Welcome to Sunset Bay Beach Resort.

A visit up north to La Union usually comes with a stopover in the province's most prestigious resort complex - Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point. With an impressive view of the South China Sea, its notably Greek architecture and design stands out among the rest of resorts in the region. 

Moalboal is my Tagaytay in Cebu. If I use ant to escape the city, I usually end up driving here. Though it doesn't have the best beaches in Cebu, I love the vibe of the entire place. I have already featured Club Serena and Ravenala in the past. Now, let's take a look at another gem of Moalboal - The Dolphin House. The Dolphin House is located at the Bas Daku area, but it's not part of the shoreline. So it really is in between Bas Daku and Diot. But you take the road to Bas Daku to get here. The property is huge, and when you enter its gates, gardens of green await you. The resort is tropical in design and the rooms are in detached chalets. I love these types of resorts, wherein the rooms are spread out in garden paths. There is a pool but it doesn't look too inviting. It looked old, but it is still pretty decent. There are plastic pool lounges lined up by one side. The restaurant is bright and airy. It is actually the heart of the res