Eastern Visayas Transprovincial Saga (Samar)

sogod-calbiga-tacloban-ormoc
5th solo-backpacking journey
november 11-14, 2010

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.
additional tasks: to experience bungee jumping at the philippines'highest bridge and spelunk the philippines' biggest karst formation

eastern visayas transprovincial saga (southern leyte)

continued...

important note (samar):
Western Samar, formerly Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Catbalogan City and covers the western portion of Samar island as well as several islands in the Samar Sea located to the west of the mainland. Samar is connected to Leyte via the San Juanico Bridge, which spans the San Juanico Strait, the narrowest strait in the country.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samar

trail to calbiga cave

Eastern Visayas Transprovincial Saga (Southern Leyte)

sogod-calbiga-tacloban-ormoc
5th solo-backpacking journey
november 11-14, 2010

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.
additional tasks: to experience bungee jumping at the philippines' highest bridge and spelunk the philippines' biggest karst formation

important note (southern leyte):
Southern Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Maasin City is the capital of the province. Southern Leyte was once a sub-province of Leyte before it was divided from the latter. Limasawa, an island to the south is part of the province where the first Christian mass was held and is said to be the birthplace of Christianity in the Philippines
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Leyte

agas-agas bridge, sogod, southern leyte (highest bridge in the philippines at 90 meters)

Mindanao's Emerging Tourist Spot (Iligan City)

on northern mindanao at 4th budget diy solo backpck

october 2-4, 2010 saturday to monday

objective: to visit the best tourist spot that fits to my budget at limited amount of time.
additional tasks: to explore what filipino's don't know about this place

mindanao's emerging tourist spot (ozamiz city)

important note (lanao del norte):
Lanao del Norte is a province of the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital is Tubod. The province borders Lanao del Sur to the southeast, Zamboanga del Sur to the west, Illana Bay to the southwest, Iligan Bay to the north, Iligan City to the northeast, and is separated from Misamis Occidental by Panguil Bay to the northwest.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanao_del_Norte

maria cristina falls seen on the viewing deck

maria cristina falls seen on the viewing deck

Mindanao's Emerging Tourist Spot (Ozamiz City)

on northern Mindanao at 4th budget diy solo backpck

october 2-4, 2010 saturday to monday

objective: to visit the best tourist spot that fits to my budget at limited amount of time.
additional tasks: to explore what filipino's don't know about this place

important note (ozamiz city):
The city of ozamiz grew out of an old Spanish town called Misamis—a name believed to have been derived from the Subanen word "Kuyamis," a variety of coconut. The origin and the growth of the old Spanish town, Misamis, was due to the presence of the Spanish garrison stationed at the stone fort named Nuestra Senora dela Concepcion del Triunfo which was constructed sometimes the 18th century in order to control the piratical activities originating in the nearby Lanao area.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozamiz

hoyohoy highlands

Danao Eco-Adventure Experience

my most expensive domestic tourism
september 10-13, 2011 friday – monday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.
additional tasks: to experience bohol tourism at its best

welcome to bohol island
bohol countryside tour of interest

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DAY 2 SUNDAY:
DANAO ECO-ADVENTURE TOURISM PARK

we check-out in alona beach around 0600H to be able to catch up the earliest bus trip in dau terminal to danao at 45 minutes tricycle ride. but we failed to do that as the bus was not on the a regular trip during sundays. so i ask locals for a plan B as I have to go there as early as possible. so i did what they recommended, please see downloadable itinerary how did we went there on diy basis.

spelunking kamira cave

spelunking kamira cave

Bohol Province; Countryside Tour of Interest

my most expensive domestic tourism
september 10-13, 2011 friday – monday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.
additional tasks: to experience bohol tourism at its best

welcome to bohol island

DAY 1 SATURDAY:
COUNTRYSIDE TOUR

as agreed with the driver/guide of the car we rented, we awoke 0700H to compressed the 10 spots featured in countryside tour. these spots were in particular order starting from alona beach, panglao island. you can kindly ask your tour guide to exactly follow this sequence PROVIDED that the pick-up time from alona beach would be 0700H sharp. we finished this tour around 5pm.

(1) Hinagdanan cave – located in panglao island, with entrance fee of php15. this cave is underneath the ground floor and you can spent sight-seeing around 20 minutes completely, no guides needed but locals will assist you there for some pictorials. Also, souvenir shirts are sold here at a very cheaper price.

biggest python

Welcome to Bohol Island

my 3rd most expensive domestic tourism
september 10-13, 2011 friday to monday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.
additional tasks: to experience bohol tourism at its best

important note (bohol):
Bohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines. To the west of Bohol is Cebu, to the northeast is the island of Leyte and to the south, across the Bohol Sea is Mindanao. Bohol's climate is generally dry, with maximum rainfall between the months of June and October. The interior is cooler than the coast.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohol

chocolate hills in carmen town (not in tagbilaran city)

chocolate hills in carmen town (not in tagbilaran city)

Mt. Pulag Funhike, a Determined Planner's Pursuit (2010) last part

another rainy trekking adventure
august 27-29, 2010 friday-sunday

mt. pulag national park

mt. pulag fun-hike, a determined planner's pursuit (2010) 1st part

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I named the group as PEx Fun Climbers Club (PFCC) due it is a requirement in DENR station. Of course, it was called like that in lieu where it was all been discussed, planned and finalized.

anyways, here was the itinerary designed:

trailing the summit

Mt. Pulag Funhike, a Determined Planner's Pursuit (2010) 1st part

PEx Fun Climbers Club (PFCC)
another rainy trekking adventure
august 27-29, 2010 friday-sunday

click here where it was started

Mt. Pulag National Park

after 42 days of planning... 28 joiners confirmed... only 17 stand-out...
here it was .......

it begun after we trekked and achieved the success of mt. pinatubo fun-climbing, which incidentally i was a co-planner too. i saw my travel comrades how they conquer the trail on a happy-go-lucky basis, means we went there despite of the bad weather, no pre-climb orientation and push-the-limit spirit. i asked them if they wanna advance for the next level, they said undoubtedly 'yes', and so the drive has started.

our joyride to mt. pulag

Mt. Pulag National Park

3rd Highest Peak in the Philippines
Ambangeg, Benguet

important notes (mt. pulag):
Mount Pulag is the third highest mountain in the Philippines. It is Luzon’s highest peak at 2,922 meters above sea level. The borders between the provinces of Benguet, Ifugao, and Nueva Vizcaya meet at the mountain's peak.
Because of its high elevation, the climate on Mount Pulag is temperate with rains predominating the whole year. Rainfall on the mountain averages 4,489 mm yearly with August being the wettest month with an average rainfall of 1,135 mm. Snow has not fallen on its top in at least the past 100 years.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Pulag

ranger station

Touring Ilocos Sur (Vigan City)

self-organized budget diy backpacking trip dedicated for my office friends
august 20-23, 2010

ilocos norte expedition (pagudpud and nearby towns)

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DAY TWO:
ILOCOS NORTE Laoag

woke up around 6am, have our breakfast and then head to the plaza around 10am to wait for ordinary bus bound to laoag, ilocos norte's capital. after over 2hours, we arrived and asked locals for the last trip to vigan city which was 4pm. have our lunch 1st and since we only have almost 3 hours to spent there, we have decided to just visit only the fort ilocandia, famous hotel in ilocos. some photo-ops and we rode to their shuttle bus bound to downtown. there we goes, our bus will now going to vigan.

calle crisologo at night

vigan church

Ilocos Norte Expedition (Pagudpud and Nearby Towns)

self-organized budget diy backpacking dedicated for my office friends
august 20-23, 2010 friday-monday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.
additional tasks: to experience all kinds of road trip across ilocandia region.

important note (ilocos norte):
Ilocos Norte is noted for being the birthplace of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, who led an authoritarian rule over the country during the latter half of his incumbency. The Marcoses enjoy a modicum of popularity in the province. Ilocos Norte is also known as a northern tourist destination, being the location of Fort Ilocandia, an upper class hotel and beach resort famous among expatriates, and Pagudpud.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilocos_Norte

kapurpurawan white rock

cape bojeador

Some of Davao City's Tourist Spots

my 1st destination in mindanao
august 14-16, 2010 saturday to monday

important note (davao city):

Davao City is also one of several cities in the Philippines that are independent of any province. The city serves as the regional center for Davao Region (Region XI). It has a population of 1,464,301 (2010 census), making it the country's largest city outside Metro Manila and the second overall with the cities of Metro Manila combined, and is named by the Foreign Direct Investment Magazine as the 10th "Asian City of the Future". The city has good beaches and mountain resorts, and is close to diving spots and the highest peak in the Philippines, Mount Apo. It is awarded by the Department of Tourism as the Most Livable City in the Philippines in 2008.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davao_City

jack's ridge in davao city

This is Batangas when I visited

important note (batangas):
Batangas is one of the most popular tourist destinations near Metro Manila. The province has many beaches and is famous for excellent diving spots including Anilao in Mabini, Matabungkay in Lian, Punta Fuego in Nasugbu, Calatagan and Laiya in San Juan. Batangas is also where Taal Volcano, one of the Decade Volcanoes is located.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batangas

LAIYA BEACH, SAN JUAN

june 30, 2010
wednesday

laiya beach, san juan

Mt. Pinatubo Crater, a Hidden Paradise

rainy season trekking

june 26, 2010 saturday

important note (mt. pinatubo);
Mount Pinatubo is an active stratovolcano located on the island of Luzon, near the tripoint of the Philippine provinces of Zambales, Tarlac, and Pampanga. It is located in the Tri-Cabusilan Mountain range separating the west coast of Luzon from the central plains, and is 42 km (26 mi) west of the dormant and solitary Mount Arayat. Before 1991, the mountain has no recorded historical eruptions. It was heavily eroded, inconspicuous and obscured from view. It was covered with dense forest which supported a population of several thousand indigenous people, the Aeta, who had fled to the mountains from the lowlands during the Spanish conquest of the Philippines.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Pinatubo

we organized this trip together with a fellow travelmate for our newly organized group. we know its rainy season and storms were getting bad as the planned trip becomes nearer, come what may, rain or shine.

mt. pinatubo 4x4 jump-off ride

Hundred Islands day-tour

an independence day road trip
June 12, 2010 Saturday

With 128 islands grouped in a single town of Alaminos, Pangasinan, our team bakasyonista was once again organized this get-away event due to long weekend opportunity of Philippine Independence day. We availed the boat day trip to explore the islands that are for tourist visit only. Islands we visited were governors island (where pinoy big brother house was located), marcos island (wherein there was imelda cave), quezon island, and others. after this event, we planned to go in baguio city for some relaxing city life within the ambiance of pine trees.

Hundred Islands National Park is in Alaminos, province of Pangasinan in northern Philippines. They are believed to be about two million years old Some of the islands accessible for tourist are Governor Island, Quezon Island, Marcos Island and Children's Island. The islands are actually ancient corals that extend well inland, in an area previously comprising the seabed of an ancient sea. Lowering sea levels have exposed them to the surface and the peculiar "mushroom"-like shapes of some of the islands have been caused by the eroding action of the ocean waves.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundred_Islands_National_Park

hundred islands

Visiting the Siam Ocean World

my 1st solo international backpacking (bangkok-kanchanaburi-ayutthaya)
June 4-8, 2010 friday to tuesday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.
additional tasks: to witness the wonders of there architectural ruins and experience the thrill of 1st lone traveling abroad

Thailand, beginning of my travel addictiveness

day 1: bangkok temple trip

day 2: kanchanaburi rail trip

day 3: ayutthaya ruins trip

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DAY THREE:
SIAM OCEAN WORLD

rode an mrt subway bound to siam station for siam paragon mall. my next trip lined-up was the siam ocean world, the largest indoor aquarium in southeast asia at the basement of this mall. for only thb990 package, activities includes glass bottom boating with the sharks beneath, 30-minute sanyo 4d max movie adventure, aquarium sightseeing, massage therapy of happy feet and free large drink and popcorn. there are also schedules of shark, eagle ray, otter, water rat and penguin feeding show.

siam ocean world