Our tour guide

As the guides paddled the boat idly away from the wharf, we accustomed our eyes to the darkness. The crescent moon overhead was not enough to light our way but it provided the perfect setting for this one-of-a-kind experience. It's almost seven in the evening; we arrived in Iwahig just in time for firefly watching.
The stillness of the river was creepy, I couldn't shake off the thought of crocodiles lurking beneath the placid surface. "There aren't crocodiles in here, right, Kuya?" asked one of my friends as we carefully hopped on a boat that can only accommodate 5 people including two guides. Apparently I wasn't the only one with a hyper-active imagination. The guide snorted and assured us that the whole stretch of the river is free from crocodiles. Half-relieved, we sat back, observed and listened to the guide as he introduced us to the main protagonists of the night's affair - fireflies.

Fireflies or lighting bugs are light-producing insects that belong to the beetle family. They are commonly found in temperate and tropical environments, usually in marshes or wooded areas where there are abundant sources of food. The fireflies in Iwahig River are drawn to thickets of nipa and mangroves that line the brackish water. They come in droves and groups, swarming in trees and plants where there are flowers.

At the boat station.

Their beauty and power comes in unity, our guide explained to us as he pointed out his red light at a tree near us bearing a small number of fireflies. The lights erupted into hundreds more, making the mangrove glow like a Christmas tree. "They think this light belongs from their predator, so as a warning they would respond to it by emitting more powerful lights together," the guide told us.

"Don't they get stressed out, with all the lights directed at them every night?" I mused. If they feel they're being threatened every time, it's not impossible that they will leave the place and look somewhere else where they feel safe. The guide seemed to see the question coming and he gently explained that as much as possible they don't use the red light. "Although," he quickly added, "they must have gotten used to it that's why they're still here."

"How long is their lifespan anyway?" Dan, one of my friends, asked. Not very long. They only live for a 2 months tops, according to the guide. But they can be seen all year long as long as there are mangroves and nipa in the Iwahig River.
The 45-minute trip was illuminating, to say the least. We learnt loads of stuff about fireflies and the river itself, thanks to our funny guide (I don't remember his name, shame). Most importantly, we realized how Palawenos value nature and the great lengths they do to preserve it. We all stepped out from the boat feeling revitalized. I've never felt so much peace.

*Picture taking during the trip is not allowed, unless the flash is off. 
*Wearing of life vest is a must
*Rate per boat is 600. It can accommodate 3 tourists.
*Van rental to Iwahig river can cost P1,200 per pax. Not recommended to take trikes during this time of the year because of the ongoing road construction.
*Travel time to Iwahig River from downtown Puerto Princesa is about 45 minutes

 If you’re a sucker for outdoor adventure, then a white water rafting in the wild rapids of Cagayan de Oro River should provide the thrill you’re looking for. The river boasts more than 20 rapids that range from easy to difficult, from smooth to turbulent. River rafting is an adrenaline pumping experience but can also be a little dangerous especially when the rapids get extra wild. 

Here are some tips to ensure a safe and fun white-water rafting adventure:

 It was already past 3 in the afternoon when we left Buenavista and headed to Tablas Fun Resort in Kawit, Looc. I was not particularly excited to see the resort because we had to pay an entrance fee (Php50) even though we're not using any facility. I admit, however, that I was kinda interested to see the changes and face-lift done to it after some years of neglect.

There's something about sunsets that makes me lonely, sad, inebriated, mystified - depending on my mood and the current state I'm in. Sunsets are my kryptonite, my Waterloo, my Achilles' heel. If I'd be lured into trickery, a breathtaking sunset would be an easy bait. 

Three, maybe five (I honestly don't remember how many we were that time) of us were huddled inside a small nipa hut, waiting for an event that we barely know anything about to happen. We were told to keep our voices down and were specifically advised to turn off our cellphone, or at least activate its silent mode so as not to create any noise. And no camera. It didn't make sense to us but they said it's very important that the place must look like it's completely uninhabited.  All lights from the bar and the nipa huts surrounding it were extinguished -against our will - including the solar lights scattered around the lawn, even those hidden under the bushes.
Except for the steady light coming from a thousand Christmas lights coiled on a man-made walkway bridge few meters from the place-that-must-not-be-named, the area was virtually dark. With dark clouds looming overhead, the chance of moon appearance that night was close to nil. It was the type of scenario that the production crew of a famous American reality TV show could ever hope for. For us, however, it was a curse. We wanted to witness what was about to happen, but it would prove quite impossible without any light in the area.

"A celebrity is passing by here any second from now," the owner of the bar told us in a careful whisper. That explained why they had to shut all the lights. "Which celebrity?" we asked, the excitement in our voice was palpable. "We don't know. They won't tell us," she whispered back. "I wish I had a night vision or something," I told my companions who were equally beside themselves. The suspense was killing us. We were dead tired, we were blinking off sleep, and yet, our stamina wasn't breaking down.

I'm having a serious bout of traveler's block. I seem to have lost interest in traveling. I have 3 flights booked a few months back (Palawan, Bangkok, Davao) but I don't feel like going. The idea that I'd let my hard-earned money to buy those tickets go kaput bums me out. My head says 'don't go', and my heart asks 'what's wrong.' Maybe, I'm not wired for this. I'm no Kerouac after all. I got bitten by the travel bug but now that the wound was healed up, my wanderlust is slowly burning out. Not enough inspiration or guidance to rekindle the fire.

If you’re planning a holiday in Portugal, one thing’s for sure - there’s plenty more here than just great beaches. Get out and explore everything that this vibrant destination has to offer - from the beautiful city of Lisbon with its quaint cobbled streets, to the breathtaking Feira castle in the North. There is so much to see in this diverse country.
If like many tourists you’re tempted to book Portugal all inclusive holidays, don’t let that stop you from getting out and about. While all inclusive is typically a cost-saver by providing all your meals, snacks and drinks, it can often encourage visitors to stay within the confines of the hotel or their resort, so ask your hotel to pack up a lunch for you and take it out for the day.

For young professionals working tirelessly five days a week, there has to be some sort of stress buster and a much needed get-away to escape from the daily grind and give their soul and body a refreshing respite. Sometimes however, going out of town can bring more stress, with traffic and travel snafu getting in the way. It's therefore understandable when these 20-something hard-workers choose to spend their rest day holing up inside their room, sleeping their way over the weekend, amidst the sweltering summer heat.
But it shouldn't be that way. Ever heard of 'staycation'? It's not exactly how Urban Dictionary describes it, 'vacation for cheap-asses, perfect for tightwads.' To put it in a more decent way, staycation is a vacation that is spent at home or a hotel. A far less costly means to getting a vacation without having to travel, 'staycation' is devoid of all the stress associated with travel such as long trips and waiting at terminals. It can be enjoyed alone or with family or friends. And it's definitely best enjoyed when you have a great hotel/condo/apartment.

It was summer of 2010 when I first saw this beach. I was on top of a hill overlooking a gorgeous seascape. I instantly fell in love with her beauty and I promised to myself that I'd go here next time I go home. But it wasn't until April of this year that I got to see her up close. A relatively short visit but a very memorable one.
How short?
We got there at around 4:30 in the afternoon and we left few minutes after 6. I planned to go there at 2 but my travel buddy said it wasn't a good idea because the sun's still up. We'd burn, as if our skin wasn't burned enough from the previous day of beach hopping.

Some provinces in the Philippines still practice a traditional ritual that turns young boys into real men. In Romblon, we call it 'paltak', a circumcision rite that involves the use of sharp knife to cut the foreskin of a boy's jewel, pulpog (beating) style. I didn't know that it's slowly being eradicated until one sunny day in April when I went hiking to the mountain to visit a local 'doctor' who's responsible for every boy's rite of passage into manhood. I tagged along two kids from the neighborhood because I wasn't sure how I'd get to the 'doctor's' house.
These two young boys apparently knew the way to Sonny's house (Sonny is the local circumcision doctor) because it was where they faced the same ritual themselves. With a tripod on my back and a camera in hand, I followed the boys and we began the trek. It's just a short trek, roughly around 3 kilometers off the road in Sitio Deposito in Punta, Looc, Romblon but it was scorching even though it's only 8 in the morning so I decided to buy a couple of Jelly Ace for us from a small sari-sari store beside the road. (A habit I learned from trekking Pico de Loro and Mt. Pinatubo). I let the boys led the way and I slackened off a bit because I had to take pictures. To keep up, I would take a sprint and bridged their distance from mine.

Said Beach

As the motorcycle we were riding on snaked its way down a one-laner path to Nausa, a small village in the northern part of Carabao Island, I asked our friendly and accommodating guide, Kuya Darwin why Hambil took its moniker after the country's national animal (even though I already knew the answer.)

"This place was once home to several carabaos," he told us. "Funny, I don't see any carabao here," I intoned, chuckling. Kuya Darwin gave me a non-committal grunt. I was ready to torment him with questions regarding the whereabouts of the carabaos on the island - why they were gone, or where can we see them - but all inquiries I had formed in mind vanished in thin air when the motorcycle revved up toward a craggy and narrow road, prompting me to hold on to the motorcycle pretty tight. The vehicle swayed and jolted as it trod on bumps and rocks. With such distraction, I have completely forgotten to take snapshots of the grassy fields along the way. I could have probably spotted a carabao if I looked very hard.

As kids, I and my cousins used to watch the flickering lights in the sea from the window sill of our grandmother's house while waiting for supper to be served. Lights coming from small fishing boats glimmered like small constellation in the sea, but it was the light emitted by old lighthouse that was predominantly visible from afar. It danced in the night in a slow, constant rhythm. Before going to sleep, our grandmother would tell us stories about the mystery of the lighthouse. She said 'bulalakaws' (falling stars) liked to land on a spot near the sentinel. Local fishermen would spot weird creatures in the area, like a giant squid and possibly a 'sirena'. That was more than 20 years ago, the lighthouse might have been less older than it is today.

Hiking through the volcanic landscape of Mt. Pinatubo is perhaps the closest thing you can have in experiencing a Tolkienesque world. With unique and stunning scenery of sculpted sandstone and long winding streams, you'll be in for an interesting trek. For starters, you'll wind your way through sand dunes and dust carpeted plains, through rocky gullies and canyon walls. The trek, supervised by local guides (each group has one assigned), can be a wondrous journey but it should be noted that it can also be quite dangerous especially when there's rain. Flash floods quickly occur so make sure to pay the weather man absolute attention when planning a trek. That being said, only go when there is no rain in the forecast.
Hard-core hikers may consider trekking to Mt. Pinatubo as cliche because of its popularity and the easiness of the trail. Regardless, the landscape offers scenic vistas and the turqoise blue crater lake is a destination that's worth seeing. And yes, trekking to the most sought after crater is physically demanding.

Are you convinced yet to trek Mt. Pinatubo? Well, here is a guide that might help you survive the hike. I'm not saying trekking to a volcano is dangerous but a little preparation and knowledge will definitely come in handy. You don't have to be a complete health buff to hike. What you need are two legs. And a good weather.

So you've heard about Caramoan. That it's being developed to be the next Boracay makes you find out what it has to offer before it gets infested by tourists and vacation-hungry people. But you don't know where it is. Yes, it's in Bicol, where exactly in Bicol, you barely have a clue. You Google it, and you get to this page. Don't worry, you've come to the right place. This is a rough guide on how to get to Caramoan by land and how to survive a very long trip from Manila to the Caramoan Peninsula in Bicol.

For my most recent trip (December 2012) in Caramoan, you may want to check out these links:

1. The long trip starts in Cubao where there's a bus terminal that features a pageant of bus lines (old and new, defective and rabbit-fast, cheap and affordable) all offering to take you to your destination. One way fare to Naga can be as low as P400 depending on how effective your haggling skills are. But don't just go for the cheapest. Try checking the bus as well. Old ones are more likely to encounter tire problems, engine failure and what-not, which will cost you dearly, time-wise. We're told that reliable bus companies are Penafrancia, Cagsawa Tours and Isarog.

The terminal is located at the back of Shopwise, just beside Ali Mall.
2. Bundle up. Even if the bus you're boarding looks a bit rusty and old, it still has an excellent air-conditioning system that will leave you literally chilling for the entire trip down south. It's a long 10-hour ride, add two more hours because of the ongoing road construction in some parts of Quezon and Camarines Sur. If your resistance against cold is bear-like, then fine, don't bother covering yourself up. For ordinary people however, wearing a summer outfit is advised against because you'll just be freezing your ass off. It's like being inside a moving fridge. Not sure if you can ask the driver to lower down the temperature. You can give it a shot, especially if you feel like you're close to getting hypothermia.

3. Don't forget your music, especially if you're the type of person who easily gets bored. Better yet, take an antihistamine or your favorite sleeping pill so you can be lulled into complete oblivion. It's a looong ride. If you're used to getting to your destination by plane, then a long bus trip like this will certainly test your patience.
4. Take the early evening or late afternoon trip. Travel time to Naga is around 10 to 11 hours. Expect some bumps (read: delays, flat tires for instance) on the road. If the bus leaves from Manila at 6pm, you're more likely to arrive in Naga 12 hours later, tops, delays already included in ETA. So at 6am, you'll be taking a van from Naga to Sabang, where there are boats plying to Caramoan.

While in Naga, grab something to eat (there's a panaderia and Dunkin' Donuts near the terminal) and have breakfast on the road. Travel time from Naga to Sabang is 2 hours. Sleep or watch the scenery outside, your choice.

Van Terminal to Sabang near SM Naga

5. Without the travel snafu you dread, you should be in Sabang at 8am, just in time to catch the second boat trip to Guijalo, Caramoan. There is a toilet nearby which you can rent (5.00) if you need to do your morning business. The boat is parked a few meters from the shore. You have the option not to get wet - ask the porters to carry you (on their back, fun experience for sure). They charge for the service, of course. A small raft transports passengers to the boat. A 10-peso fee is collected from each passenger who gets on it. They charge everything in Sabang - for using the toilet (5.00), for getting your bags to the boat (20.00) and for riding on the raft. Boat fare is 120.00. The boat is pretty long but awfully narrow. Not much leg room. For a boat that size, it can surprisingly carry up to 70 people. Don't worry, they have life jackets on board.

Earliest boat schedule from Sabang to Guijalo is 5:30 AM. Latest is normally at 12PM or 1PM.

At Sabang Port, you will see Mt. Mayon

6. Enjoy the panoramic view of the mountains on your left as the boat winds its way through calm waters (if the weather's fair) or rough current (common affair). Thick-forested, Shire-like - the landscapes are changing. Because the route that the boat traverses is only about a kilometer from the shore, you get a close view of the scenery nearby. You can even make out the small waterfalls dotting the rocky walls. We counted about 4 on our way to Caramoan.
7. Before you leave the port of Guijalo, you are required to pay a 30-peso environmental fee at the terminal. A few meters from the port, you'll see a pockmark dirt road and you'll begin to wonder where the environmental fee is being used for.

8. Book your accommodation ahead so you'll save time looking for one when you get to Guijalo. We didn't find any hotel but they have villas, resorts and affordable homestays, which are located downtown, and far from the beach. Most of these resorts send a motorized padyak to fetch you from the port. It's perhaps wise to choose a resort that includes food and island hopping in their package. The exhausting 16 hour travel time will make you yearn for two things - food and sleep.
9. Caramoan is all about beaches. It is of paramount importance to check the weather before you schedule your trip because you can hardly enjoy the island hopping tour when there is a storm. But then again, the weather in Bicol region is finicky and unpredictable. Sun-dance won't work, maybe prayers will.
10. Another important note - a SPECIAL PROJECT is occasionally held in Caramoan so a few islands are closed to public. There was a beach front in Paniman that is inaccessible to everyone, including the locals. But we were lucky. Since the owner of the resort we stayed at has a resto-bar located inside the camp, we're allowed to enter the site and were able to find out what that SPECIAL PROJECT is.

To sum it up, total travel time from Manila to Caramoan is 16 hours, which is why it's advisable that you plan your trip ahead so you can maximize your stay in Caramoan. Remember that you'll be spending 32 hours on the road. That's a lot of time to be wasted spent on travel. Having said that, it'd be smart to schedule your VL on a weekend.

Better yet, take the plane although there's always a chance of having your flight cancelled. But road trip is fun.