The Island Explorer

The Marina Bay Sands in Singapore has become an overnight icon for the tiny island nation. Who would have thought that a spectacular hotel could topple the iconic Merlion in front of it. In fact, the Merlion is currently undergoing a renovation, and during my time of visit, was nowhere in sight.

Do you people recognize it? The last time I was here was in March 2008, three years ago, almost undiscovered. I kind of regret posting it here and naming it the best beach in the world. Yes, the world.

The best beaches of Malaysia for me lie in the Eastern coast of Peninsula Malaysia. While the Borneo side, especially Sandakan are also gorgeous, I see them more as spots for diving. When I first set foot on the Eastern coast, particularly in the lovely Perhentians, I vowed to myself that I would be back. So here I was, back in the eastern coast, but now in a more popular island called Redang.

The last time I was in Corregidor was way back in the early 1990s. I was entering high school then, and we took some of our relatives from the US for a day tour. I could barely remember what transpired that day. Ever since, I've been curious about what Corregidor holds, especially after 20 years.

It is not difficult to tell if you are near the Forbidden City. Buses are lined up the streets, and a wall seemed to stretch the entire length of an avenue. And it doesn't end. You won't see much from outside, but once you step in, you enter an ancient world.

It was winter, and it was getting colder as the day progresses. After a satisfying lunch, we made a stopover at one of Beiing's top spots, its 2008 Summer Olympics village.

The next day was our tour of the city, and our first stop was the Summer Palace. As the rest house of the emperor of China, I knew we were in for another sort of magnificence.

I cannot express how much I love China. Coming from a previous unforgettable trip across the Chinese Southwest, I was left yearning for more adventure. So, 2 years after, I made my way back to China, but now to its heartland, the capital Beijing.

I hope it's not to late for me to present my wish list for this Summer of 2011. I have been seeking the best island escapes in the Philippines and South East Asia for 6 years already, and I have not been to these ones yet. I hope to make it before the rainy season begins. 1. Bukas Grande (Surigao del Norte) My number 1 choice is a place that I wasn't able to visit when i went to Siargao. I believe that the islands of Surigao (Norte and Sur) are the next hotspots - may I say the next Palawan. When Dedon Island Resort hopefully opens this June in Siargao, I will definitely make the trip. Photo by: siargaoislands.blogspot.com 2. Calicoan Island, Guiuan, Eastern Samar I've always wanted to go, but its isolation meant I needed more time to get there and explore the place. But this picture of ABCD beach just makes me drop everything and leave. I'm not a surfer, but hopefully, I will be able to learn at the much talked about Surf Camp. 3. Bitaog Beach, Dinagat Islands

So I've been to Bohol several times, but I haven't been to this popular cafe till now. Cafe Lawis has always been recommended by my friends who have toured Bohol. Well, it's probably because I don't take the tours when I'm in Bohol.

I must admit, but when I was told that the La Mesa Ecopark was something worth visiting, I really didn't care much. Located at the outskirts of Quezon City, on the way to Fairview, the La Mesa Ecopark is an integrated resort of sorts, and a breath of fresh air in a bustling city.

The Bohol Bee Farm is a popular destination in Panglao Island. The resort and restaurant is located on the way to Alona Beach, so one can stopover for breakfast, lunch or brunch there.

Sumilon Island is one of my favorite places on this planet. I have been here 3 times already, and every visit still becomes a memorable one. As I get older and seek for more relaxing getaways, I see myself coming back to this wonderful island more often.

After spending a combined total of 6 days in Paris,  I was quite anxious to get out already. But we still had one more stop before we left the day: the Versailles Chateau. 

We woke up to a new year relaxed and energized again. We decided to have a late lunch after a hearty breakfast at the hotel. We ended up going to Madeline, and find a good restaurant there using our Blackberries.

Though very much against our will, we had to say goodbye to beautiful Venice. It would just be too costly to change plans, and we were to spend our New Year in Paris.

Ah, Venice. We woke up refreshed and ready for a day of exploration in beautiful Venice. And the beauty begins with our hotel, Palazzo Paruto.

We were to leave Rome in a few hours, and we realized we haven't gone to one of the wonders of the world. So, we woke up early, had breakfast, and took a taxi to the most visited landmark in Rome next to the Vatican.

Probably one of the most compelling reasons to go to Rome is the other country situated within its boundaries: the Vatican. Our second day in Rome was to be spent in the holy seat of Catholicism. We got up to a pleasant breakfast facing the Pantheon in our hotel.

So we made it to Italy. We took an Easyjet flight from Orly in Paris to Ciampino in Rome. Ciampino is somewhat like the budget terminal of Rome, and is nearer the city center. We had a difficult time getting a cab in the airport, as the cab driver imposed a high fixed rate to go into the city.

We were already getting bored with Paris, so we opened our guidebook and read through the walking tour options. Our choice was the quaint town of Montmarte, popularly known as the bohemian capital of Paris.

So it was Christmas, and the sun shone for the first time since I arrived. The pleasant weather was perfect for Day 3 of our European escape. We wanted to see more of Paris, hence we decided to go to the Eiffel Tower. 

I woke up at 5AM to meet Lizzy and Kats in the Latin Quarter area, where our next hotel was situated. I was supposed to stay for two nights at Cuadron, but since I arrived in Paris a day late, I had to spend just one night. We checked in Albe Hotel, which had a very good location in the Latin Quarter, just off Saint Michel station.

This begins my account of my first trip to Europe last Christmas 2010. I took a KLM flight to Amsterdam from Manila. However, the flight from Manila was delayed, so we missed our connecting flight to Paris. We were billeted overnight in Ibis Hotel at the Schipol airport, and boarded a morning flight to Paris the next day. So, I arrived in cold Paris after lunch, still dazed by the fact that my schedule got messed up, and I had one night in my hotel foregone. I was also in limbo because I couldn't believe I was in Europe. I had a very busy year, and just before my flight, I had to attend several Christmas parties.

I was already satisfied with my Kawayan Cove rental. But that got me going. I wanted to find more vacation houses for rent in Batangas. I also wanted to share the experience with my close friends, so I decided to take them to a new house that I spotted online. It was named Villa Angelina.

I woke up one Saturday morning without anything to do, so the most logical move was to head out of town for a beach. I was kind of getting bored with the North already, so I decided to explore more of the South. I really didn't want to go to Nasugbu, so I thought of heading to San Juan. This is how I ended up in Palm Beach Resort (La Frondosa) in Brgy. Hugom, in San Juan, Batangas.

I'm quite shocked that Dean & Deluca, a stellar New York based cafe, chose Bangkok as their first Asian location. I mean, Manila would be perfect, given how much coffee and cafe addicts we are. I would imagine D&D in the Fort, with an all white modern facade, laying their commitment to be purveyors of fine food. 

UPDATE: This beach house is no longer for rent. Vacation rentals is a relatively new term in the tourism industry. It is a growing worldwide trend and Asia is leading in this new type of accommodation. Given the number of villas for rent in Bali, Phuket and other popular island destinations in Asia, I don't see why our country hasn't exploited this trend. In the Philippines, vacation rentals come in the form of beach houses, or seaside mansions even. Recently, I have been searching for the best beach house for rent in the country. Of course, I started where there is a number of these accommodations: Batangas.

It's my 300th post, so I want to make this special. And since we've begun a new year, I've come up with a list of travel trends for 2011. I still have a lot to write about from last year, but since work doesn't permit me, I haven't shared as much as I did. 2010 was a landmark year for the Philippines in terms of travel. We increased our tourist base to 3.45M already, around 19% from 2009. Even though we had the hostage crisis and other travel warnings, we still managed to grow. Not surprising, and the government should be happy about it, since Asia will keep growing. What we need is a drastic increase, spurred by an overhaul of promotions and focusing on new travel trends. Here are 3 of my takes: 1. Secluded and Unique Luxury More and more exclusive and luxurious resorts are opening in Asia. But the most significant ones are those who offer the most secluded locations. Take 4 Rivers Floating Ecolodge in Cambodia for example. It is a floating luxury camp on a r

I love Tagaytay because I love to eat. With its relaxing setting and cool climate, no wonder a day trip to Tagaytay is such a temptation for those living in Manila. My most recent visit was in Marcia Adams, not a new restaurant, but it's jut one of the places that I haven't tried.

2010 was a whirlwind year for me. One, I was too busy with work, which means I visited more places. It went to the point that I didn't keep track of where I was. It was also a year of new discoveries, and expanding horizons. I finally made it to Basilan, which means I have been to the entire ARMM. Basilan though was not a notable travel experience for me, except for the fact that I lost my Blackberry there. Two, I felt I was getting older, thus, my needs for travel started to change. I looked for more relaxing places, if not luxurious. However, there were still times that I yearned for a backpack adventure. I had a memorable journey to the Lombok and the Gilis in Indonesia. I also made it to Europe this year, hence the delay in my posts in December. 2010 was definitely not my ordinary year in travel. 10. Thunderbird, Poro Point, La Union From Pangasinan, we decided to take a quick side trip to La Union, since I really haven't been there to explore. We ended up staying a nig