The sea is heaving. The waves, restless and angry, threaten to upturn our outrigger boat manned by two young Hambil locals. The boat creaks as it bobs over a deep blue bayou that stretches out to the treacherous Tablas Strait in the west. For nearly about an hour, my heart is in my throat.

Sailing to Boracay from Tablas, Romblon when the waves are rough can be a scary ordeal. The sea that separates both islands tends to get tumultuous even during summer months. They say there's a powerful current that flows from Sibuyan in the east all the way to Palawan in the west. Even local fishermen who knew these waters like the back of their hands were not spared from its menace. I remember a friend who grew up in Carabao Island telling me stories about fishing boats being washed away by these tricky waves - the hapless fishermen were found miles away in the south, near the waters of Mindoro and even as far as Palawan.

Traveling to Sibuyan, Romblon requires patience, time and long ferry ride. It's physically taxing but it's worth it.

1. They have an island called Cresta de Gallo that's uninhabited and beautiful, with white-sand beach and rich marine life.

When I think about Philippine geography - there are two things that come to mind. One is the unique map of our archipelago, and the other is Yoyoy Villame's Philippine Geography song. The melody is a little funny but its lyrics offer a primer on geography. It's probably too kitschy for your taste so you hardly recognize the song. Well, it goes something like this. From the north Batanes, Aparri, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Isabela, Cagayan Valley, Mountain Province, La Union, Baguio City. Pretty straight-forward right? But even the composer got a few things wrong.

Then down to Visayan shore/ The most tamis sugar, coconut and corn/ Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Antique
Palawan, Negros, Bacolod City or Dumaguete.

Clearly, Palawan isn't in the Visayas region. Oh you thought all along that it's part of Visayas? Well, time to brush up your knowledge on Philippine geography, don't you think? But don't worry, you are not alone. Yoyoy Villame isn't the only one who's not perfect when it comes to Philippine geography. Unless you have studied and memorized each nook and crany of our country, you're forgiven if you don't have any idea where Romblon is or if you mistake Iloilo for Ilocos.

But you are not forgiven for judging people and stereotyping places to the quick.

It was a lovely day. The sun's out. The sky's bright and clear. The sea was calm. What could possibly go wrong?
The boat ride from Sta. Fe in Tablas to Carabao Island doesn't take more than an hour. This I know too well because I've taken the same trip a year ago when I went to San Jose with a friend. The only difference was we took a passenger pump boat which was way bigger than we had this time. But otherwise, it was the same route and it was also summer.

Dodging the risk of getting mainstream as far as creating my top 15 blog list is concerned, I initially crossed a few outstanding travel sites off my poll. A rather unfair move because most of those blogs deserve a spot in the Top 15 but they've been at the top of the totem pole for quite some time now so excluding them from my list won't even hurt their standing. But I still ended up adding them to the list. I had to!

Most blogs in my list are considered as the underdogs - blogs that are quite unheard of but feature interesting travel stories and insights. In a sea of travel sites, blogs that capture both the heart and imagination can be sparse. When you find one, you consider it a gem, so you bookmark it and subscribe to their feeds.  I'm hoping readers to discover these outstanding travel blogs.


Without further ado, here's my personal Top Travel Blogs for 2013.

"THAT LEDGE DOESN'T LOOK high enough," I thought to myself while looking at the 35-40 feet diving platform where young boys jumped off bravely, doing various stunts mid-air before hitting the water below. From afar, at least where I was standing that time, it didn't look scarily high but once I got to the top, with the clear water a few feet below, I found myself weak in the knees. Confidence extinguished by the height of the diving ledge, I could only look down. I knew right there and then that I needed more guts to do it. I wasn't as brave as I thought I was. The river fairies must have been laughing their heads off at the sight of this scrawny little man too eager to jump but too scared to even let himself fall off.

[Mt. Guiting-Guiting in the background]

THE SUN WAS HALF-HIDDEN BEHIND a bank of grey clouds when we emerged from the ankle-deep stream to find a small clearing before us with the intimidating panorama of Mt. Guiting-Guiting in the distance. The famous mountain refused to reveal herself to us, always veiled in mist and fog which never quite left her. Like an elusive but proud maiden, she only let herself be glimpsed and admired from afar.

Precariously perched atop a crowded jeepney on a beautiful Saturday morning, we traversed our way from the sleepy town of Cantingas to the scenic village of Espana in Sibuyan, Romblon toploading style.
[Local teenager helping my friends to get on top]

Getting to the roof of the vehicle already full to the brim, so to speak, was no mean feat as we had to scramble our way up, dodging passengers whose heads and arms peeked outside the window and ultimately settling our butts in on the hard metal, sharing cramped space with local passengers, bags and sacks of fruits and vegetables. When the engine started to rev up, we anticipated a bumpy yet exhilarating ride while holding on for our dear lives.

"One loves the sunset when one is sad," said the Little Prince in Antoine de Saint Exupéry's most beloved story. If that were true, then we might be as well a bunch of sad, emotional and sorrowful souls who simply happened to be in a pretty lonely place on a peculiar afternoon waiting for the dying sun. Could be very poetic if that was the case. But we were far from moping.
Tired, yes; but lonely, no. Spending a whole afternoon in the gorgeous island of Cresta de Gallo made us all a little worn out. Still, when our tour guide asked us if we wanted to watch the sun set in Azagra, a small sleepy town nestled at the foot of Sibuyan mountains and ringed by Sibuyan sea on the west coast, we couldn't say no. A little downtime couldn't possibly hurt.

My stomach groaned in disagreement when the group decided to take lunch in Cresta de Gallo, a small island off the coast of San Fernando, Sibuyan, Romblon. Well, I had no problem per se with having lunch in Cresta de Gallo. It's just that I felt like someone or something had been intent on taking my lunch away!

Lunch had been pretty much elusive that day. En route to Cantingas River Resort aboard a crowded jeepney, we were promised by our guide that the food was ready. When we arrived at the resort, there was no lunch in sight. It turned out that it was waiting for us on the beach. So we settled our stuff in and hopped on a small trike which took us to Azagra, a fishing village about 4 kilometers from Cantingas. The trike was too small, it was a wonder how 10 people, including the driver, were able to fit inside.

Travel quotes don't only inspire, they also provide great insights that help even the most seasoned traveler widen his perspective on traveling. Memorable ones are a thing of beauty that's timeless, rings true and hits close to home.

Here are some of my favorite travel quotes. They inspire me in more ways than one. I hope they will inspire the traveler in you too. Have a safe and meaningful travel this Lenten season.


“A wise traveler never despises his own country.” – Carlo Goldoni

“Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” – Seneca

I like to romanticize my journey home (I wrote a post about it here). Going back to the place I grew up has always been a nostalgic affair for me. After leaving our house in the province more than a decade ago to pursue my college education in Manila, the once-in-a-year trip back to my hometown has since become a sojourn and a moment of escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Traveling to Looc (that's the name of our town) requires some plans and preparation simply because getting there takes at least 12 hours: 3-hour road trip and a 9-hour sea travel. I can't imagine spending just a day there and then come back to Manila the day after. It's been a tradition for me to go home every summer but this time, it'll be a little different as I won't go home per se. My friends and I will be doing a Romblon Leg which includes a short visit in Tablas, from there, we'll wind our way to its neighboring islands, capping the tour with a quick trip in Carabao Island and Boracay.

Before the anticipated trip happened, I got a call from my sister that the primary school I graduated from had once again asked me if I could be their guest speaker for the graduation ceremony. They had been inviting me for quite a few years but I had always refused the offer. I didn't feel like I was in a position to talk about success when I knew that I haven't been yet a man of success. Despite the gnawing self-doubt, I accepted the invite and on a clear Sunday morning, I packed a few clothes, took a bus south and sailed forth. Spending two days at home did a lot of good to my soul and body. Time was slow and unhurried, I got to pig out on my all-time favorite food, slept too early and woke up very early the next day. I just stayed at home the whole time. I honestly can stay at home all day everyday doing absolutely nothing and still feel not bored.

[Watching the sky turn saffron, pink and red is one of the things I look forward to every time I board the ship. Ferries normally leave Batangas Pier a few moments before sundown. You can simply take a spot at the railings and gaze at the horizon.)

Every summer, Looc celebrates the town fiesta with Talabukon Festival as one of its main highlights. Usually held during the third week of April, the festival coincides with a week-long celebration that honors St. Joseph, the town's patron saint. The festival is a commemoration of some sort to a local legend about a giant who once saved the inhabitants of the town from the marauding Moros. The unlikely hero defended the town by choking the pirates, thus the town's name "Looc" which literally means "choke."

By now, through a series of posts and photos, I think I have established the fact that I absolutely love El Nido and that it's a beautiful place with dramatic limestone cliffs and pristine beaches. If I were given a chance to spend a paid month-long vacation in a local destination, I'd definitely go for El Nido. It's my kind of town - laid-back, quiet and gorgeous beyond words. Two days in El Nido was too short of a stay but it's been a wonderful experience. I'm sure this lovely town has more to offer than island hopping tours. And I can't wait to be back in paradise (Yes, my friends and I are traveling to El Nido this coming summer, first week of May to be exact.)

The first thing you'll notice in El Nido is the abundance of foreign tourists. They're literally all over the place. The chance of not seeing a foreigner when you're in El Nido is close to none. Whether you're walking down the beach in Bacuit Bay, or having a stroll along Calle Hama or Rizal, you're bound to meet and see White people, that's for sure. So if you're the type of person who's afraid of foreigners or have something against them, you better think twice before going to El Nido because they dominate the place. Not in a bad way though.
When you're alone in a far-flung but beautiful town like El Nido, it's hard to play the I'm-alone-so-don't-talk-to-me game. I traveled here all by myself but having been surrounded by hundreds of people who were mostly foreigners, I didn't feel so alone anymore. Despite the unpleasant part of my stay at La Banane, I don't regret the fact that I spent two days at the hostel. If anything, it let me meet cool foreign travelers and mingle with them. I threw the introverted persona in me out of the window and let my guard down. In a place I didn't know a single soul, there's a danger of becoming out of my element but there's also an exciting possibility of experiencing something different - something that I wouldn't have gotten to experience if I were with a company of friends.

I met Den at a friend's wedding in Lopez, Quezon late last year. He traveled to the town solo, which wasn't a problem with him since he likes hitting the road all by himself. He could have joined us on the way back to Manila but he preferred taking the bus alone so he went off with only his bag and phone for company. Den is no stranger to solo traveling because he has in fact gone outside the country on a number of occasions alone. He has been to Thailand twice. Just recently, he spent a 7-day holiday in Phuket.

For the latest edition of Meet the Young Blood Traveler Series, Den shares with us his itinerary and experience in Phuket. 

It's my second time in Phuket and I'd say that overall it has been an absolute fun. Philippines and Thailand are like twin sisters and so Thai hospitality reminds me of our Filipino hospitality. Phuket is famous for its beautiful beaches, its wild (and sleazy) nightlife and exquisite scenery but there's definitely much more to this island than that. Its plush history has left a legacy of vibrant temples, spicy foods, and those familiar warm smiles all wrapped up with Thai’s mixed and tolerant culture.

Okay. So it's the month of love and your heart is broken. The timing couldn't have been more dramatic. I mean it's fine to have your heart broken on some random days of the year but certainly not this month, right? Just the thought of spending Valentine's Day all alone is downright sad and simply depressing. Ah... what are you going to do on the 14th, eh?
Telling all these may feel like putting salt in your fresh wound. My apologies. It's not my intention to hurt you. To hurt someone who's already messed up is sheer cruelty. What you need right now is some cheering up because you look like you're in terrible pain. Listen, let's pretend I've been down the same road before and I know how hard it is to be in the same situation as yours. Makes you want to do all sort of crazy stuff that only a depressed person can think of. But don't you ever lose it - the pain, the heartache, it will go away. It will just do. I'm not sure when and how but believe me, it's just temporary. You'll get over it. And someday, you will reminisce this whole thing with a smile on your face.

I prefer staying at hostels when I go out of town alone because I don't really feel comfortable sleeping inside the hotel room without any living company. My previous solo escapades forced me to spend a night or two inside a room all by myself. First was during my solo trip in Legazpi and the second was when I went solo in Boracay. Both stays were possibly the loneliest experiences I've had so far. While I enjoy every peace and quiet I get from spending some alone time inside a silent space, the absence of noise can be painfully deafening and an unpleasant reminder that going solo does have its drawbacks.
Staying in a hostel is an adventure in itself because you get to mingle with its occupants, especially if you're staying in a dorm. My 2-day stay at La Banane, a relatively new hostel in El Nido that's already making a buzz among travelers, was quite an experience, not necessarily the great kind. The people I met, the staff I interacted with and the hostel per se were all part of such adventure, making my El Nido sojourn highly memorable.

I was able to mingle with the hostel guests all right, but I also had an unusual experience, which I'm calling an adventure, with one of the hostel staffs. It started with an inquisitive greeting ("Yes?" instead of "How may I help you?") when he saw me standing near the gate of La Banane. He was sitting on the steps in front of the reception area. At first I thought he was a she, because he wore a dress (and a revealing one at that). His deep and husky voice soon told me he wasn't a woman. Right from the get-go, I could sense his indifference toward me.

When D, a traveler I met in El Nido, told me he wanted to see the Manila Chinese Cemetery, I wasn't sure I was ready to jump on board. Seemed like a sad, creepy site but after doing some online research about the place, my curiosity suddenly got tickled. D's flight back to Amsterdam was scheduled at around 12 midnight so he had a few hours to spare. He certainly didn't want to spend his free time doing nothing. We met at Robinsons Mall in Malate where we deposited his stuff. From there, we took a cab to the cemetery.
[An elaborate mausoleum]

I initially planned on going to the Chinese Cemetery by taking the train, so D can also experience how Manila trains work but a little hiccup he encountered at Terminal 1 took some of his precious time so we opted for a much faster transport option. En route to our destination, D shared with me his awesome experiences traveling in the Philippines (mainly Palawan and the Visayas region). He only had great things to say about the country - friendly people, great beaches and cheap but decent accommodations - which made me so proud about my homeland that I almost cried (kidding).

Ipil Beach was dominated by young and energetic holidaymakers that lazy afternoon. You could see them having swell time by simply lazing on the sand, reading books and listening to music. I think our arrival on the island might have momentarily disturbed their reverie. Like beavers peeking out from their lodge, they looked at us with faint interest and once the engine had died, they went back to what they were doing, doing nothing, that is.
The beach was ideal for this type of activity or more aptly, the lack thereof. You can take a spot on the beach, just sit or lie there, do absolutely nothing and you'd still feel great. I tried mimicking what the others were doing but the ADHD in me simply couldn't stay put in one place. The less crowded part of the beach looked interesting and worth-venturing out.