turista trails

B E A C H

G E T A W A Y

There was a time when I was drawn to the undesirable and every single time I resisted it. Being in Bani's coralline beach one summer revived that urge as nothing in the tortured expanse of this Pangasinan's shoreline seemed attractive at the onset. At a glance, everything was a nuance. Nothing desirable stood out and I did not resist taking a gander.

I was told on my way to this province that this area was once part of the ocean. What was once submerged now has everyone in the town treading on dry feet. At least something had the temerity to resist the irresistible.

Barefoot and perked up by nothing but coffee, I tackled the rock-studded beach past the border of Bolinao. My gait was awkward, but my eyes got busy. There was a lot to see.

No one was around except for a small group of girls. I could tell that they're from around the area because of their tattered clothing and bronzed skin... the kind of bronzed that's not seasonal. If no one spoke up from their group to ask to be photographed, I'd assume them to be part of the scenery.

Here, their playground was unusual. For lack of any choice, they had to contend with the crashing waves of the sea as substitute for the dreamy fountain at the park. Instead of butterflies and pigeons, they had the ubiquitous sea breeze that cued them to prance around. Instead of a patch of green, they had the prickly rock expanse. In their eyes, the attraction was a hoot.

The girls were there to kill time. According to them, they walked from their village to reach the coralline beach as this part of the town didn't have any resorts yet. It's desolate but not undesirable. They could have walked a little further to reach the public beach of Patar but they didn't. Clearly, they chose to linger here as I did.

A few more minutes at the beach had me meet a couple of fishing locals who caught a pugita (octopus). Suddenly, we were not alone. Every now and then, a fishing boat would pass by breaking the silence of my idle moments inside one of the beach's coralline crevices.

Looking around, I knew that no other tourist followed me from my booked resort on my way here. Certainly, a time spent barefoot on soft powdery sand is always the luxury of a beach getaway and I can't blame anyone who thinks this way. Who would want to beach bum at an undesirable swath of Bani's shoreline anyway except for me and the girls I met?

Check out my other travel stories:

• A Black and White Infatuation of Itogon Highlands
• Callao Cave In Reclusive Black and White
• A Tribute To My Pet Dog, Lancaster
• Creepy Travel Tales
• Why I Sketch Views In My Travels
• Baguio City Has Two Faces
• Finding Humor In Travel

More Photos Below:

Kinetic Sculptor Lucky Salayog with his piece called "Trireme"

P I N O Y

C U L T U R E

Derelict but timeless. The creations of Filipino kinetic sculptor Lucky Salayog have an attractive appeal that speaks about contrasts in society. They often tug on each other's ends until you see nothing but a thin line of reverie in the middle. What most people discard for garbage, he turns into industrial art. Although his output may generally look like a study on aeronautic expression, he also dabbles on nautical ones. What's common is the blur between industrial and post-apocalyptic sensibilities.

Hailing from Ilagan, Isabela, Lucky was surrounded with nothing but cornfields when he was young. Everywhere he looked, he saw the sky as one vast possibility. Whenever he was not lost in such rural scenery, he was at a neighborhood junkyard tinkering with steel, nuts and bolts. He grew up looking at livid contraptions and seeing grand designs instead. Although most of what he works on may look hard and stiff, there's something soft about the resulting art once they're done.

A commissioned work by Lucky Salayog at a home of a friend

No Looking Back

He attempted to finish Architecture, but decided to take a plunge into what he does best -- kinetic sculptures. With pieces that fetch anywhere between P40,000 and P250,000, his art is certainly lucrative so much so that he's not keen of doing a reset with his life decisions anytime soon. For someone who was deemed with a little chance to live after being born premature, he definitely is one lucky guy.

One-day Show

Visiting his one-day show at a home of a friend in San Mateo one weekend, I got the chance to see up close his new set of art pieces, all mixed media. Although I've already seen in the same residence two of his commissioned art works which are both religious displays, I can tell by the new pieces what he really is about as an artist. His pieces of machine art can either be manually operated or plugged to a power source to have them move. Once they do, they're a treat to the eyes. Any one of them can look stunning at a grand hotel or office lobby.

A commissioned work by Lucky Salayog at a home of a friend

Truly Filipino

Recently, he created a jeepney sculpture for former President Joseph Estrada for one of his events in Manila where the latter's currently the city's mayor. The identity of his pieces can go a long way in the Pinoy art scene especially because it's young, fresh, and reflective of the country's resilience.

Having caught up with the artist at the one-day show, I encouraged him to explore the possibility of doing commissioned work for television and film projects also since what he does is something rare and unique. It will be a treat to see his work of art appreciated by a large audience.

There is currently no on-going show of Lucky Salayog's work anywhere but you can contact him for projects at the contact info below:

Lucky Salayog

Official Facebook fan page of Lucky Salayog

Mobile: 0997-475-2615
Email: lucky_salayog@yahoo.com

Zenfone 3 Ultra

With travel comes the challenge of bringing the convenience of technology wherever you go. In this age of portable devices, a well-rounded vacation works when one has options. ASUS Philippines empowers the traveler with such privilege and with the reinvention of its Zenfones.

At a recent exclusive unveiling by ASUS PH, I personally experienced the incredible buzz to be true. The Zenfone 3 is touted to appeal to a stylish traveler who loves anything premium regardless if the getaway is intrepid or luxurious. Its brand ambassadors Jason Magbanua, Gab Valenciano, and Alodia Gosiengfiao all seem to agree with this.

ASUS Philippines brand ambassadors Jason Magbanua, Gab Valenciano and Alodia Gosiengfiao

Entering the unveiling tent

A Look At Zenfone 3

The unit reflects that exact sensibility. Although it's considered to be a mid-range phone, it feels more than that because of its premium qualities. Its new design has a fancy fingerprint scanner that makes being mobile stylish. More importantly, its 5.5-inch full HD Super IPS+ display boasts of vivid display and rich saturation levels which is sensational for viewing anything in any location, rain or shine. And now that its camera is a 16MP PixelMaster 3.0 with 0.03 second TriTech focus system, shots are expected to be clearer. With the additional convenience of its color correction sensor, you can't go wrong with taking photos when the need arises, be it indoors or outdoors. It's also designed with image stabilization technologies that make it possible to take videos of exciting destinations with less shake. What's more, its battery life has exceeded the expectations of most gadget experts after testing it to last for more than a full day of use.

Zenfone 3 Ultra and Max

The latest Zenfone series also introduces the Zenfone 3 Ultra and Zenfone 3 Max.

The Zenfone 3 Ultra is an easy favorite among smarthpone users who love to be amused with entertainment and games as it has incredible display, advanced speakers and multitude of advanced audiovisual technologies. It's also the world’s first smartphone with a dedicated display processor like those found in the latest 4K UHD TVs. Vibrant viewing is possible whether you're at the beachfront or on a hilltop.

ASUS global executives

Transformer 3 Pro

The Zenfone 3 Max stands out for having a substantial 4100mAh battery. An attractive feature of it is its capacity to double up as a power bank to charge other digital devices. This makes traveling all the more convenient when one has this unit in hand because keeping the juice on your digital camera or portable music player won't be a problem anymore. Simply hook them up to the ZenFone 3 Max and you're set to visit your next tourist attraction sans the worries of being on low batt mode.

Its rear fingerprint sensor unlocks the phone in a fraction of a second. Taking selfies in gorgeous places becomes easy-peasy thanks to the convenience of swiping one's fingertip down across the sensor to summon the feature. A simple tap performs the action of taking the photo. Its 13MP PixelMaster camera takes astounding images and its 5MP front camera shoots sharp selfies. What's more, it's fab for video chats.

At the unveiling tent

Zenfone 3 Deluxe

Also featured in the recent unveiling was the Zenfone 3 Deluxe which can excite vacationers with its use of Sony's latest IMX318 sensor. Raising the bar for mobile photography, it's currently the world’s highest 23-megapixel resolution for a smartphone. Snap a photo and have it come out as the realistic image you've seen it to be on site. Plus, its optical and electronic image stabilization technologies guarantee blur-free shots and videos.

Storage-wise, it's also the world’s first phone to offer a massive 6GB of RAM combined with 256GB of UFS 2.0 memory. Its all-metal unibody also provokes fascination for holding an invisible antenna design that doesn't interrupt signal quality.

As for audio quality, its SonicMaster 3.0 technology makes for immersive listening thanks to the advanced five-magnet speaker construction, metal voice coil and expansive sound chamber that's powered by Smart AMP. Listening to music and watching videos wherever you are in your itinerary becomes less challenging and more amusing.

ZenBook Flip

Transformer 3

ZenBook 3

ZenBook 3 and Transformer 3

Individuals whose office is where their travel takes them can also rejoice in the unveiling of ASUS' new ZenBook3 and Transformer 3 which make for powerful, elegant and compact devices regardless of the trip.

The ZenBook 3 boasts of using premium, aerospace-grade aluminum for its body unlike the heavier standard laptop alloy. Incredibly, though, it's 50% more strong than the standard even after reducing the weight to only 910g and honing the profile to an amazingly thin 11.9mm. And to correct the usual problem of ultra-thin laptops with typical thermal systems, the ZenBook 3 is designed with a brand-new cooling system that uses state-of-the-art components such as a liquid-crystal-polymer fan impeller that’s just 0.3mm thick and a copper-alloy heat pipe with walls a mere 0.1mm thick. Its battery is also designed with a charging technology that allows the user to charge it up to 60% capacity in just 49 minutes. Less frustrations when you're off-grid on an intrepid trip.

The next time you're at the mall or online for a shopping spree, consider the Zenfone 3 series, ZenBook 3 and Transformer 3 for your next lifestyle upgrade. Make vacations worth your investment with the stuff that you bring with you on your trips.

For more information, check out the official website of ASUS.

Check out other travel essentials:

• Columbia Ventrailia Hiking Shoes: Fantastic For Long Treks

• Atunas Aqua Shoes Tested At The Rock-Studded Patar Beach

• My Ka-Eat-Saan Sarap Adventure With 555 Tuna Rice

• Go Digital With MacGraphics Carranz Outdoor LED

Vera Falls

Pasukulan Falls

F A L L S

A P P E A L

Wherever you are in the Philippines, chasing after waterfalls isn't so hard to do. There's always bound to be one at a town near you. You don't have to be an expert in the outdoors. Simply get out of the city and tackle a woodland terrain to discover one. Some are even given decent pathways that lead to them by local authorities or private organizations, making the intrepid getaway a little less dangerous for kids and old folks.

When I was younger, the first waterfalls I visited was Daranak Falls that's located in the province of Rizal. It was a fun excursion with high school classmates as it was just a couple of hours away from our residence in Pasig City. In mainland Luzon alone, I've visited six other such attractions as an adult. What makes each adventure remarkable is being able to see how unique each of them is. No two waterfalls are totally the same. There's always something different that makes a waterfalls an inherent part of a scenery that once it's destroyed, everything around it also suffers. Fortunately, the country still has a lot of these natural gushers around even with city dwellers occupying the forests where they are located.

Before I hit the outdoors again this year to visit three more waterfalls that I've long salivated over, check out the following ones that I've visited for the past three years and cross out those that you've already seen for yourself. For your convenience, I've categorized each based on the level of difficulty one can be reached:

Pasukulan Falls

Pinagbutasan Trail to Pasukulan Falls

Pasukulan Falls in Bataan
Exact Location: Abucay
Level of Difficulty: Challenging

The whole ordeal that is hiking to Pasukulan Falls can take a traveler a total of 12 hours on foot -- six hours of hiking to Abucay from the jump-off point in Orani and another six hours from the waterfalls to where you came from. Being a popular sidetrip among mountain climbers of Mount Natib, it's less explored by locals, even those of Bataan. It's secluded and there's a big possibility of encountering snakes along the way so make sure to get the service of a hike guide.

Begin your adventure at six in the morning to finish everything by six in the evening. Make sure to bring a flashlight for your hike back that's past sunset. You can traverse another trail through the woodlands of Abucay to reach its town proper after you've reached the waterfalls, but that's something I can't recommend simply because I didn't experience it. My recommendation is to go back where you came from -- in Orani.

Read more about Pasukulan Falls.

Balagbag Falls

Nonok Falls

Balagbag Falls and Nonok Falls in Quezon Province
Exact Location: Real
Level of Difficulty: Easy

The municipality of Real is just less than three hours away from Metro Manila where most tourists come from. If you happen to live in Laguna or Rizal, it can be a more quick getaway for you. The mountainside highway where the trails to Balagbag and Nonok Falls fork from is well paved so reaching each attraction on foot is quite easy. Both are just a few minutes away from each other from the highway anyway so visiting them in one trip is highly recommended.

Balagbag Falls is sensational for cliff-diving while Nonok Falls has a more gentle appeal for intimate soaks. The latter is a bit more secluded so much so that you can't tell the time when you're there.

Read more about Balagbag Falls and Nonok Falls.

Majayjay Falls (a.k.a. Taytay Falls)

Majayjay Falls or Taytay Falls in Laguna
Exact Location: Majayjay
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Also known as Imelda Falls or Taytay Falls, Majayjay Falls is a little more than two hours away from Metro Manila. There's a set of guestrooms nearby at the jump-off point of the short hike although a lot of travelers prefer to camp out near the attraction. It's also where a huge parking space is located for visiting tourists. Along the way, you can see a variety of plants for amusement, including a fancy hanging bridge. The water that flows here is so cold that whenever tourists left a bottle of soda half-submerged, they would always retrieve it like it came out of a refrigerator.

Read more about Majayjay Falls.

Vera Falls

Scenery at Vera Falls

Vera Falls in Albay
Exact Location: Mount Malinao
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Albay is more than the famous attraction of Mayon Volcano. There's also Mount Malinao where the secluded Vera Falls can be found. The route to the site of the waterfalls is a little more than a 30-minute drive from Legazpi City and you have to tackle a well-paved but sloping terrain to reach it. It's where nature is still pristine which is a big lure to adventurous tourists visiting Albay. To keep things organized, the ones maintaining it has established a minimal entrance fee to the attraction for the preservation of the scenery and maintenance of its public restroom.

Read more about Vera Falls.

Baratubot Falls

Scenery at Baratubot Falls

Baratubot Falls in Cagayan
Exact Location: Palaui Island, Sta. Ana
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

To reach Baratubot Falls, you will need to explore the inland terrain of windswept Palaui island and not take the easy boat ride from mainland Sta. Ana to reach the island's other attractions. Dock at Punta Verde beach to commence your short hike of the Lagunzad Trail as the waterfalls is located in the middle of the whole island where the scenery is secluded and highly vegetated. Along the way, you'll see young Agtas or Aetas and massive, age-old trees.

Read more about Baratubot Falls.

Eager for more travel recommendations? Check out the following posts:

• 10 Resorts and Hotels With Attractive Swimming Pool Views
• 7 Charming Resorts and Hotels For Pre-Nuptial Photo Shoots
• 10 Luxury Hotels and Resorts To Book For Pampered Vacations
• 8 Less Explored Attractions In The Philippines
• 10 Extraordinary Resorts and Hotels To Book In The Philippines

• 11 Quick Escapes Near Metro Manila Part 1

• 11 Quick Escapes Near Metro Manila Part 2

• Exciting Beach Getaways In The Philippines, Rain Or Shine

• Essential Adventure Rides To Try In The Philippines

• 8 Essential Wellness Hubs To Experience In The Philippines

• 3 Essential Events Place In Metro Manila For Weddings, Birthdays, and More

The lobby of Red Planet Hotels Davao

The hotel facade with a restaurant at the ground floor

V A L U E

S T A Y S

There's a glut of hotels in the Philippines that's budget in branding but nothing like it upon check-in. You're left wondering what happened to your hard-earned money thinking that it would bring you something decent. What you're faced with is not value-for-money but a clear case of rip-off. As a result, you dismiss it and charge it to experience. What you do is immerse yourself more in the touristy experience that's found outside of the hotel. At the expense of a memorable stay, you accept that a satisfying budget stay is nothing more than a myth.

This is exactly what I was reminded of when my taxi driver in Davao suddenly opened up about a few hotels in the city on my first day arriving from the airport. I was in the city with my old folks for a cousin's wedding. After learning where he was supposed to drive me -- to Red Planet Hotels (RPH), he seemed to look relieved.

According to him, it's a great hotel that's squeaky clean and a favorite among travelers on long stay in the city. He brought it up after he saw me checking out some budget hotels that we passed by along the highway. As if concerned, he assured me that I made the right choice. Then he pointed to some buildings that he recommended me to stay away from. Clearly, some of his previous passengers had some terrible experiences with some of them. Being new in the area, I simply absorbed everything he fed me.

Booked a room for myself and my parents for a couple of nights in Davao City

Snacking on Malagos Dark Chocolate which I brought at a nearby grocery

Reliable Hotel Features

Staying at a facility of Red Planet Hotels wasn't new for me even if it was my first time in Davao. My expectations of the hotel served as a buffer for my first two nights in a city that's more than a thousand kilometers away (two hours away by plane) from where I live in Metro Manila. I was just thankful that the hotel's reliability when it comes to basic room features is consistent in any of its branch in the country. From its bathroom's power showers, nap-worthy beds, strong Wi-Fi connection, to its guestroom's window views, RPH stands out from the glut of budget hotels that I've tested in various provinces.

Convenient Online Booking and Check-in

For one thing, it was not hard to book a room at RPH because its Davao branch has a total of 155 rooms. There's less chance of being shunned away or referred to another hotel which can be a case of disappointment since not all budget hotels are the same.

Booking even without a credit card has been made easy via its official website where potential and returning guests can conveniently book online and pay upfront in cash upon check-in. And with RPH's Remembered Program, patrons or loyal guests can earn up to 15% discount on room rates.

The pleasant urban scenery outside the hotel

Hangers for guests' clothes

Hearty American Breakfast at the ground floor restaurant of the hotel

(top) The view from the room's window; (bottom) The entrance to the hotel

Distinct Differences From Other Budget Hotels

Interestingly, my co-travelers -- my mom and dad -- also opined that they preferred staying at RPH instead of booking a room where the wedding reception was scheduled to be held. After attending the special event in another hotel, they noticed distinct difference in little details like the quality of indoor smell, the wall paint, and interior lighting. According to them, RPH looked more like a healthy breathing space regardless of the weather outside or the time of the day compared to the hotel that hosted the wedding reception where the lobby smelled like old furniture and the walls looked gloomy. This is probably because the staff at RPH always made sure that everything was spotless and the whole interior of the hotel is mostly painted in white and nothing too jarring except for the red color accent. The strategy does work for guests on long stay as they certainly don't want to feel unwelcome after two nights or more.

The spacious bathroom of the Accessible Room booked for my parents

My booked room's bathroom

Accessible Room For The Old Folks

My old folks stayed at one of the hotel's spacious accessible rooms which is something that other budget hotels don't have. Such rooms are designed for people with disability or those with difficulty moving around and RPH definitely designed its type of room to the letter.

Room Feature Details

The hotel's room features are streamlined for business travelers on value stays which means less of the opulence and more of the basic requirements. There's a flat screen TV, a wall-mounted table for desk work, and a wall-mounted rod with hangers for clothes. Mirrors are located against the bed's headboard and along the short hallway to the bed. Guests have access to a hair dryer and bidet in the toilet which some 3-star hotels don't even have. Most of all, each guestroom has a window which is considered a luxury for those on budget stays because that's the first thing that other non-luxury hotels get rid of in the construction of their facilities.

Power showers by Red Planet Hotels

Each toilet at Red Planet Hotels' guestrooms has a bidet

What I consider the best thing about booking a room at RPH-Davao is its bed's upscale linen. An experience of it is something that I won't trade for a miserable stay at another budget hotel. A couple of nights tucked under it -- with countless times of naps in between -- definitely made my stay feel like I spent it at a four-star hotel.

Watch Our Arrival At Red Planet Hotels Davao From The Airport:

Red Planet Hotels Davao

Official Website of Red Planet Hotels Davao

Address: J.P. Laurel Ave, Davao City, Philippines 8000
Phone: (082) 224-0577

More posts about Davao City soon!

More Photos Below:

The lounge area of the hotel lobby where guests can browse the Internet on computer stations

Snacking in bed at the hotel

Upscale linen for restful sleep

(L-R clockwise) Malagos Chocolate, Sinuglaw by Penong's, Blue Posts Boiling Crabs & Shrimps and Puto Maya

A puto maya vendor at the bankerohan of Davao City

T A S T E

T E S T

I was prepared to treat Davao City as just a wedding venue of my cousin who was scheduled to be married early this September. I've never been to any destination in Mindanao even as I had scoped mainland Luzon for the past three years like a dust devil, so stepping foot in that part of the country was like traveling abroad for me. However, I had roughly three more days of free time to spend there which led me to discover just how delicious this city could be.

Davao is a new world for me where hunger pangs can be satiated in a heartbeat. Although highly urbanized, it's known for being home to the king and queen of all fruits in the country -- the durian and mangosteen, respectively. It's no wonder that it's called the Fruit Basket of the Philippines. As part of it is covered by Mount Apo, the climate there is never really hot during summer. Interestingly, it stays balanced with the elements even during Christmas season as a friend of mine who once studied there opined.

Misconceptions and Changes

Although a lot of Filipinos have a misconception of the city's location in terms of insurgencies happening elsewhere in Mindanao, the area did go through years of nefarious activities in the '70s, all the way to the early '80s, when it was dubbed by journalists as the country's murder capital. All that have changed, though, when Rodrigo Duterte stepped in as mayor and cleansed the city of its bad image. In one of my random commutes there, a Davaoeño taxi driver even shared that it was in Lanang where the then mayor started cleaning the city of rampant crimes.

The Davao City Hall

Davao International Airport

At the Rizal Park Stage where the air is fresh (The birds seem to agree!)

Statue of Dr. Jose Rizal which reminds me of a famous Duterte pose

The Central Communications and Emergency Response Center was launched in 2002 to serve as both a call center and a dispatch facility. As a result, the residents needing assistance were linked to the emergency resources of the government – the police, firefighters, medical workers, and rescue services. The numbers 9-1-1 were selected as the access number to the facility, making the city the third locality in the world to use 911 for emergency response after the United States and Canada. A year after, the Emergency Medical Services Unit, Urban Search and Rescue Unit, Fire Auxiliary Service Unit, and K-9 Unit were all added to the roster.

The traditional Filipino "pakimkim" or money dance during the wedding of my cousin

Delicious Destination

Booked at the Red Planet Hotels for a couple of nights, I went about being a respectful guest of the bride and groom for the wedding ceremony. I even had a hoot witnessing the religious tradition of "pakimkim" during the reception. Prior to the event, though, I checked out where the seafood hauls are usually displayed for buying in bulk and where travelers can eat on-the-go, on a tight budget for sharing with fellow travelers, and in a splurge for a luxurious dinner.

Strip of vegetable vendors at the bankerohan

A fish vendor with her supplies

A fruit vendor with his produce

Merchants with their tuna haul

The Early Morning Grind At The Bankerohan

As with all public markets in the country, the Bankerohan Public Market of Davao City is where the locals converge for their area's bounty. From various types of fish to a panoply of vegetables and fruits, it's considered to be the biggest of its kind in the city for being the drop-off point from different provinces in Mindanao. An abundance of fruits in season from lanzones, marang to other kinds can be purchased at low prices. Foreigners are usually the ones who are wide-eyed seeing a copious display of vegetables in different colors and still not cut up because they've been accustomed to buying their supplies abroad already packed.

I arrived at the bankerohan aboard a taxi that stopped at a good walking distance from the pulsating scene of local buyers and vendors, merchants in transit, and different peddlers of goods. It's a one-stop shop for bulk produce and other supplies, but it doesn't come with a map where everything can be conveniently accessed. For one thing, it's necessary to wear a decent footwear if you're mindful of iffy situations, especially on a drizzling day.

Snacking on Puto Maya at the bankerohan

Early morning activity at the bankerohan

You'd have to walk in different directions if you're a first-timer in the area to really have a good sense of where some goods are displayed. Located near the river banks is where the group of fish vendors are. There's also an indoor space for their fresh haul and it's where you can conveniently walk around next to those selling varieties of meat. Those selling fruits and veggies are the ones you will see first on your way down the belly of the scene.

The best way to enjoy the market scenery while you're haggling for prices is by snacking on a banana leaf-wrapped puto maya, a sticky rice delicacy that's cooked in coconut milk and ginger and sprinkled with brown sugar for taste enhancement. Some prefer eating it with a hot cup of sikwate, a hot chocolate beverage made with locally produced pure cacao tablea.

Sinuglaw by Penong's

Blue Posts Boiling Crabs & Shrimps in Lanang

Our busy table of seafood, fruit dessert, and sinuglaw at Penong's

Shrimp Garlic by Blue Posts Boiling Crabs & Shrimps

Dining At Penong's and Blue Posts Boiling Crabs & Shrimps

For a dining experience of the seafood variety and fresh vegetables that I saw at the bankerohan, I forced my parents to go out of the hotel and tagged them along to Penong's Barbecue Seafoods & Grill for lunch and to Blue Posts Boiling Crabs & Shrimps for dinner.

Penong's Barbecue Seafoods & Grill is the local restaurant that a Davao relative recommended we try for being affordable. For being accessible with a total of eight branches in different parts of the city, there was no way we could miss such dining opportunity!

It turned out that most of the dishes in this open-air dining concept resto is also good for sharing. Access to rice is unlimited and every order comes with a free bowl of soup. Although it's popular in the city for its grilled food, we opted to order its crab and shrimp specialty called Seafoods Mandaragat that's good for sharing by three or four people. We also ordered a hefty plate of Sinuglaw, a Filipino dish that's popular for combining the cooking methods of sinugba (grilled) and kinilaw (prepared fresh in vinegar marinade).

Seafoods Mandaragat by Penong's

Shrimp Garlic by Blue Posts Boiling Crabs & Shrimps

My plate of Penong's delights

For a semi-luxurious dinner, we opted to dine at Blue Posts Boiling Crabs & Shrimps that's located in the commercial district of Lanang. It's conveniently a few blocks away from our booked rooms at the Red Planet Hotels anyway so a night stroll was in order.

Since I've already tried its crab specialties back in Manila when it opened its newest branch at the SM North EDSA's The Block, I made sure to order its shrimp specialty -- the Shrimp Garlic -- for a change. The bag where it's normally served was also loaded with corn cobs, potatoes, and sausages. The restaurant is conceptualized as a crabs and shrimp shack where diners can eat messy and have fun doing it, bib and all.

Malagos Chocolate, 65% dark chocolate

The Commemorative Monument of Peace and Unity

The brutalist beauty of the San Pedro Cathedral

Snacking On Malagos Chocolate Before A City Tour

Back at the hotel, I decided to snack on a local product called Malagos Chocolate to keep myself awake for those hours when I had to tour the city on my own. This is because I was also on official business for my EE Club Magazine gig as Editor-In-Chief aside from attending a wedding. On a side trip of the city, I visited the city hall, the statue of Dr. Jose Rizal that's erected next to it, the Commemorative Monument of Peace and Unity and the 1847-built San Pedro Cathedral which loomed at the area with its new brutalist beauty.

The single-origin, ethically produced chocolate bar is made from beans that are harvested at the foothills of Mount Talomo. Its collection can be purchased in 65%, 72%, and 85% dark chocolate variants. I bought mine at a nearby grocery but travelers can always buy one on a whim before one's flight at any of the airport's souvenir shops.

There's a lot more to be had in Davao City when it comes to fulfilling one's craving. A revisit is definitely in the offing for me.

Booked at the Red Planet Hotels for a couple of restful nights

At the Blue Posts Boiling Crabs & Shrimps

Where to stay in Davao City when you're having a food trip?

• Red Planet Hotels Davao For Value Stays
• The Pinnacle Hotel and Suites (Soon!)

Check out my post about the Aparri Public Markethere.

More Photos Below:

An indoor fish stall at the bankerohan

Souvenir shop of local delights at the Davao International Airport

A random space at the bankerohan

Early morning activity at the bankerohan

A local busy with his upod at the bankerohan

The bankerohan of Davao City

The grand 3-storey lobby of The Pinnacle Hotel and Suites

Our booked Family Room

C I T Y

L U X U R Y

Davao City is highly urbanized and I didn't expect it to be that way as I've never stepped foot at a key city in Mindanao until September this year. I've been scoping mainland Luzon and a few provinces in the Visayas for the past three years and I managed to miss out on the developments happening in this southern part of the Philippines. For some reason, I felt that I could take my time and it was alright to hold out on the chance to experience the city that's dubbed as the "fruit basket" of the country. Prior to my visit, all I had was second-hand information about how great the place is and how it's tourist-friendly.

On my first few nights, I determined the stories to be true. And 12 floors up inside my booked Family Room at The Pinnacle Hotel and Suites (TPHS), I actually felt like I was on a pleasurable staycation in a fancy Metro Manila hotel sans the toxicity of a typical modern grid. It was an unpretentious luxury that the outdoors seamlessly reflect. My restful night in the city's first green hotel actually complemented the pleasant scenery outside where traffic rules are religiously observed by locals who are quite disciplined and no vagabond suspiciously followed me around. For the first time, a city convinced me to plan my revisit even before I could board the plane to go back to Manila. The city and the hotel where it's at were that great!

Arriving at The Pinnacle Hotel and Suites

Wasting no time to have my afternoon soak at the hotel's wading pool and Jacuzzi

Booked with my parents and auntie at the hotel's spacious Family Room

Stress-free check-in

Felt Like A 5-Star Hotel

My overnight stay with my old folks and auntie at the 214-room business class hotel proved to be quite luxurious after spending the day before check-in at the wedding ceremony and reception of our relative in another hotel. To my knowledge, The Pinnacle Hotel and Suites is not a 5-star brand but it certainly felt like one at check-in. It was still the daytime and no opulent lighting disguised what any remnant of poor architecture could offer. By that, I mean everything was bare for guests to see. And was there a lot to see even at the hotel's three-storey lobby! With natural light striking the whole space, I could see how grand Architect Mark Maximo Chan envisioned it to be for first-time guests. I honestly thought that the lobby ceiling depicted the fibrous innards of the city's beloved fruit called durian, but I was informed at the front desk that it was conceptualized for no such reason. It simply looked decadent.

The unobstructed view of Davao City from the penthouse veranda

Mango Shake and Banana Shake for dinner at the hotel's Cafe Frances

A view of the stunning Davao City sunrise from our booked Family Room

The grand lobby still luminous with natural light at daytime

First Green High-Rise In Davao

Interestingly, TPHS is the first eco-friendly skyscraper to rise in Davao City. Located within the city's bustling Chinatown, its green architectural design allows cross ventilation per floor and the whole structure uses LED as lighting system along with its energy-efficient air conditioners. Its elevators are also designed to use less energy without being unreliable. What's more, I was told that the construction materials and the furnishings used were all locally sourced to ascertain smaller carbon footprint.

Six Years of Elegance

It's been on operation since it opened in July of 2010 but everything still looked elegant. From the main entrance alone, the structure stood on a elevated plane which conveys its imposing presence in the landscape where tourism is thriving and people feel safe. There's a plenitude of guestroom options from Superior, Deluxe, Premier, Executive Suite to Deluxe Suite. It even has the luxurious penthouse space called the Pinnacle Suite where the whole of the city can be viewed sans obstructions.

A romantic moonlit night at The Pinnacle Hotel and Suites

Complimentary buffet breakfast at the hotel's Cafe Frances

The grand three-storey lobby at daytime

(top) Tropical Mango Cake for dessert; (bottom) Pasta Carbonara for dinner

Luxury 12 Floors Up With My Old Folks and Auntie

Our booked Family Room was utterly spacious even with the presence of a couple of full-sized beds. It has provisions for a kitchenette and an obvious predilection for bare space where kiddie guests can run around like crazy and not mind hitting any room fixture. It has access to a mini-refrigerator and an electric water pot for preparing coffee. The flat screen TV could have been bigger for the space, but I was not there to stare at cable shows from the bed anyway. There was a wading pool and Jacuzzi waiting to be experienced at the fifth floor and the penthouse has a viewing deck that hotel guests can use so I was instantly out of the room before I even unpacked. The comfortable bed did serve me well after my afternoon soak at the pool.

The lounge area and work desk of the spacious Family Room

Waking up to this beautiful morning view in Davao City from our booked room

Having my nighttime soak at the hotel's Jacuzzi

Delicious options at the complimentary buffet breakfast

Cafe Frances For Dinner and Buffet Breakfast

For dinner, we dined over Pasta Carbonara, Pork Sinigang, Pork Liempo and fruit shakes at the hotel's F&B facility called Cafe Frances. We also enjoyed sharing a Tropical Mango Cake for a post-dinner cuppa before calling it a night.

Cafe Frances welcomed us back the next day for our complimentary buffet breakfast which was reasonably decent for having a balanced mix of featured Filipino and foreign dishes. Although not as decadent as 5-star hotels, it had a little of bit of everything for breakfast from bread varieties, pastries, cereals to different fruits in season aside from the usual salad and soup stations. Unexpected was the presence of an omelette station especially because TPHS is not even a four-star hotel which makes the morning meal surprisingly extravagant. I just hope that the management will include either bacon or dilis in the buffet table in the future in time for my revisit.

Other room types at the hotel

A view of the poblacion district from the penthouse of the hotel

Getting ready for our experience of the hotel's complimentary buffet breakfast

Our booked Family Room's bathroom details

Other Amenities

The hotel also has function rooms to cater to 50 or 200 guests for special events. In the same floor where the wading pool and Jacuzzi are, the fitness center or gym can be accessed by guests on regular hours. It also has a business center with fax and photocopy services and Wi-Fi access is excellent inside our booked room.

Having a faint view of Mount Apo at the penthouse the morning of our overnight stay, I realised why the hotel was named as such. Guests will certainly feel like they're at the height of pleasure in Davao City when booked at The Pinnacle Hotel and Suites. If the city's that great 12 floors down, it looks as great from its penthouse where the country's tallest mountain peak can be seen in one's skivvies.

A faint silhouette of the majestic Mount Apo from the hotel's penthouse veranda

The hotel's gym or fitness center at the fifth floor next to the wading pool and Jacuzzi

Recliners at the poolside

The Pinnacle Hotel and Suites

Official website of The Pinnacle Hotel and Suites

Davao City Address: Sta. Ana Avenue, Davao City, Philippines 8000

Main Office

Phone: (+63 82) 300-5885 | 221-3025

Mobile: (+63) 932-870-8621 | 906-318-5885

Email: reservations@thepinnaclehotel.com and sales@thepinnaclehotel.com

Manila Office

Address: R-5 George Town, 756 Tandang Sora Avenue, Brgy. Old Balara, Quezon City, Philippines

Landline: (+63 2) 433-8399

Mobile: (+63) 927-490-6484

Visiting Davao City's bankerohan

Check out my other Davao City blog posts:

• Delicious Davao: Visiting The Bankerohan and Tasting Penong's, Malagos Chocolate, and More

• Red Planet Hotels For Value Stays In Davao City

More Photos Below:

More treats from the complimentary buffet breakfast

About to have dinner at Cafe Frances

Boracay (Photography by Josua Chan)

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One of Costales Nature Farm's Greenhouse facilities

Harvesting at the farm's Greenhouse

F A R M

T O U R I S M

In this frenetic age of Wi-Fi, processed food, and Pokemon Go, Costales Nature Farms (CNF) defies the status quo of what a tourist attraction should be. It needs to be sustainable and certified organic. What most city dwellers don't know is that the farm is nothing like the monocultural site that outdated textbooks are fond of highlighting under the topic of agriculture. The 5-hectare space is actually an organic eco-farm that started as a family getaway in 2004. It's now a farm tourism destination at the foothills of the mystical Mount Banahaw after being formally established as a farm in 2005. With Cibo, Healthy Options, Italianni’s, and Solaire being essential clients that source organic vegetables from the farm, CNF is recognized as the first agri-tourism destination in the Philippines that's accredited by the Department of Tourism.

Costales Nature Farms is an attractive result of the combination of science, technology, and nature under the nurturing hands of its founder, the late Ronald Costales. He staunchly supported the practice of abstaining from the use of pesticides in crops so that they are not loaded with toxic chemicals for people to consume. Instead, the farm exists to foster a more holistic and natural ecosystem. With his passing, his wife Josephine or Josie is left to lead it but she's not alone in the endeavor as her grown-up kids have imbibed the same values for the environment that she and her husband were able to develop in the past decades. As chairman of the eco-farm, Josephine is positive that the legacy of Mr. Costales via CNF lives on.

With Costales Nature Farms Chairman Josephine Costales

Yellow Cosmos at the farm

A vivid view of the mystical Mount Banahaw from the farm

A healthy organic drink at the farm for afternoon snack

One pleasant afternoon at the farm while booked for an overnight, I got the chance to have a brief conversation with her about attracting visitors and tourists to farm areas for production, educational and recreational purposes, and how it's becoming the new wave of tourism in the country. Known as farm tourism, the practice is actually now a law -- Republic Act 10816 -- that's intended to provide opportunities for farmers to augment their earnings, and at the same time, increase players in the rural tourism industry. As a member of the technical working group of its implementing rules and regulations (IRR), she's excited to have all the details finalized before the end of 2016.

Eager to relax in rural splendor of Laguna's Costales Nature Farms and imbibe the farming lifestyle for a day or two? If anything, it's just a couple of hours of drive away from Alabang via the Majayjay-Lucban road. Here are five more reasons why the farm is worth a visit in Majayjay:

A farm staff harvesting tanglad or lemongrass

Harvesting organic chicken eggs at the farm where they're also displayed for consumers at the souvenir center

A rabbit at the farm

Sorting the harvested crops by the farm staff

1. The Farm Is Self-Sustaining In Many Ways

Lemongrass As Farm Guards

With lemongrass or tanglad planted in strategic parts of the farm to drive out the harmful effects of pesticides brought about by traditional farming methods outside and in nearby areas, the quality of soil and air within CNF is ascertained to be conducive for organic farming.

Organic Pigs and Chicken

Lest you find seeing pigs a bit off-putting, the farm's piggery is not the usual one that can turn your stomach upside-down. During my visit, I managed to see its existing organic piggery which is not at all revolting to the eyes. What's more, it's odorless thanks to the combination of rice hull, coconut husk, and carbonized rice hull, soil, salt and mixed effective and indigenous microorganisms for the bedding. The well-kept area can also be attributed to the no-bath technology being used wherein the piggery's convection roof naturally enables cold air to stay where the pigs are -- at the bottom -- and lets hot air escape to the top, rendering the need for electricity useless.

(left) The African Night Crawler used for vermiculture; (top right) An organic drink; (bottom right) Magic Fruit

Where EMAS is made

The installation also uses vitamins sourced from different concoctions of fermented fruit and plant juices, oriental herbs, nutrients and minerals. Fermented organic feeds and vegetables are used in feed-feeding which makes the cost for feeds reduced in the long run. As a result, the growth rate of organic pigs is higher compared to commercially-grown pigs.

As for organic chicken, the breeds inside the farm are fed with feeds that are formulated and produced from its own organic feed mill.

Vermicast As Potent Fertilizer

After each harvest in its piggery, the manure-mixed bedding are converted into organic, nutrient-rich fertilizer by composting worms called African Night Crawlers as vermicast. The manure of the other livestock are also fed to the working worms. Vermicast is later on converted into vermitea at the farm by brewing it with a a technology known as EMAS.

The African Guinea Fowl that produces eggs larger than quail eggs

What's used as soil for seedlings

The farm is kid-friendly

EMAS Technology

Perhaps what makes CNF stand out from other farms is its use of such a technology which is also known as Effective Microorganism Activated Solution. It is used to improve the soil, increase plant health and yield and deter pests. The technology is basically multiplying microbes by awakening them from their dormant state through fermentation. EMAS is a mixture of water, EM1, and molasses that's fermented for a week in a clean and air-tight container.

The output is a source of beneficial microogranisms that the farm has also used in the construction of its newly-built celebration hall which initially looks like a modern contrast to the rustic accommodations in the same property. What makes the structure unique is that it's EMAS-induced from the tiles to the cement, making it last for more than 30 decades!

Excess vegetable harvest and farm rejects are ultimately fed back to the livestock completing the loop system of CNF's zero-waste policy.

The Seedling Nursery

Farm workers on a morning harvest duty

Newly-born rabbits

The beetroot and its plant

2. A Plenitude of Packages To Choose From For Guided Farm Tours

Getting down and dirty at CNF is what makes the visit memorable. A guided farm tour of the area makes this possible as it allows visitors to be familiar with the basic knowledge on crop-harvesting that include holding in your own hands organic vegetables like okra, ampalaya, onion, tomato, pepper, upo, patola, cucumber and beans, harvesting eggs, harvesting herbs and spices like sweet basil, rosemary, taragon, sage and thyme and fishing tilapia. Plus, guests can also enjoy feeding animals from rabbits to chicken. The experience is not just great for active adults because the whole area is constructed with wheelchair ramps, fences and railings along the walkways leading in and out our farm which make it suitable for old folks and kids.

Tarragon

Rural Life Appreciation

A guided farm tour is the best way to really imbibe the rural scenery as it lets guests appreciate the realities of life beyond living in the city. For example, you will be mindful of soil management in regard to chemical soil treatments that seep into your grocery-bought food because they can harm the beneficial bacteria, worms, and other microbes in the soil where they are normally harvested from unknown areas.

You will also show appreciation for the existence of a good compost because it makes methane-producing landfills unnecessary as it helps feed plants, conserves water, cuts down on weeds and renders food and yard waste nonexistent. What's more, you can learn on site how cutting off a crop with a pair of scissors during harvest time is better than ripping it off from the ground with your fingers as the latter can cause damage to the plant tissue.

Nursery Seedling

A local farmer coming out of the farm's Greenhouse

The scenery at the farm

The guided farm tour includes dealing with seedlings

Greenhouse and Seedling Nursery

The tour will also let guests visit the farm's notable facilities like the Seedling Nursery and Greenhouse.

Before the farm's young seedlings are transplanted into the greenhouse and open-field production areas, they are first nurtured at the Seedling Nursery where they are subjected to an automatic misting facility to ensure that they grow healthy and robust.

The farm has a total of 24 greenhouse units that are owned by OFW partners who finance the construction of the facilities while the farm handles its production, management, and marketing of the produce. Revenue-sharing is practiced in this joint-venture arrangement, making the facilities lucrative regardless of the weather.

Different kinds of plants at the farm

Agri-Tourism Packages

With seven Agri-Tourism Packages to choose from, guests of any orientation can find one that suits a scheduled getaway.

Spending more than a day at the farm can be beneficial and it has various packages that feature different benefits. It has a Wellness Tour which is a two-night stay for Php4,000 per person. It also has a Life at the Farm Tour (Buhay-Bukid Tour) that lets a guest enjoy an overnight stay for Php2,500 per person. For those opting for something more affordable with an overnight stay, the Green Living Tour can work for Php1,200 per person. If two nights can spell a rural difference, its two-night stay package called the Organic Culinary Tour can work for Php5,000 per person.

For those who opt for day tours, the farm has three such packages namely the Green Salad Tour (day tour for half a day for Php400 per person), the Lakbay-Aral Tour (day tour for two to three hours for Php250 per person), and the Lakbay-Aral Tour with Lunch (day tour for three to four hours for Php650 per person).

Our booked rustic kubo

The accommodation has basic amenities for a relaxing stay

An accommodation at the farm that's good for three guests (Villa Josefa)

Nighttime at the farm means dinnertime

3. Affordable Bed and Breakfast

Romantic couples or families on a reset mindset can also make CNF their perfect getaway since it started off that way for the Costales Family anyway. The farm has five types of guest houses to choose from when it comes to relaxing overnight stays. The Bahay Kubo and the Balai Liwayway can each fit two guests for different rates. My favorite house in the farm is the Villa Josefa which can perfectly fit three guests.

Large groups (maximum of 10 guests) can book either the Villa Marcus or the Villa Angela for roughly less than Php8,000.

Our group's hearty breakfast table of organic treats

(left) Organic vinaigrette; (top right) Showstopping salad; (bottom right) Salad with vinaigrette

Crispy Spinach for dinner

Brick oven-baked organic pizza

4. Authentic Farm-To-Table Food For Dining

Dining at the farm's Apong Damian Restaurant becomes guilt-free after going through all the first three reasons because you can expect not just delicious food, but also healthy dishes that are guaranteed to be farm-to-table.

During my stay at the farm with friends, I enjoyed hearty meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I also indulged on custom-made organic pizza flavors that were freshly baked at the farm's brick oven, plus showstopping salads and appetizing snacks and drinks that were crafted on site. Because the ingredients were fresh from the farm, the flavors were more savory and textures were crispier. With pastoral views that complemented the dining experience, the meals were more satisfying than dining at some high-end restaurant inside a mall. Coffee aficionados can also find it appealing that the restaurant serves an affordable cup of brewed coffee for only Php50!

Dining huts and a snack of caramelized banana

The farm staff working on a custom-made organic pizza

Farm-to-table food for breakfast

(top) The view from our booked kubo; (bottom) Our booked accommodation

5. A Sought-After Training Center In The Philippines

Aside from being a destination for relaxation and touring, CNF is also considered as a national training center for farm tourism. Being accredited as a private extension service provider for the Agriculture Training Institute (ATI) of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Tourism (DOT), it conducts workshops for those who wish to learn about sustainable organic farming and farm tourism. Its celebration hall is strategically located at the property for sensational views of the majestic Mt. Banahaw on a good day. It's also large enough to accommodate more than 200 guests. As for parking, the property has such space for vans and buses inside its sprawling compound.

The Celebration Hall of the farm

According to the farm's founder, Ronald Costales, the best fertilizer is the owner's footprints in the farm. And he might have foreseen his immediate future for saying so because he's still absolutely present in every foliage and crop lot in his untimely absence thanks to the legacy that he left to the rest of the Costales family.

With rural tourism being supported by the Duterte administration, agri-tourism is finally being given the boost that it needs. And at the center of it all promulgating its purpose, methods, and benefits is Costales Nature Farms. It's just waiting for you to experience it.

Costales Nature Farms

Official website of Costales Nature Farms

Address: Costales Nature Farms Training Center, Brgy. Gagalot, Majayjay, Laguna, Philippines
Phone: (049) 576-3824
Email: inquiries@costalesnaturefarms.com

Check out my other farm-related blog posts:

• JSJ Goat Farm: A Refreshing Tarlac Discovery
• Good Earth Garden Cafe: Organic Dining In Tarlac
• The Enduring Rose Farm of Benguet
• Ligao City's Sunflower Farm In Bloom
• Abe's Farm: A Paradise of Capampangan Cuisine
• Melba's Farm: My Secluded Retreat In Talisay City

More Photos Below:

The interiors of the Villa Josefa accommodation

One of the accommodations at the farm that's great for a large group of 10 guests

The pathway to our booked kubo

Brewed Coffee for Php50 only at the farm's Apong Damian Restaurant

The romantic setup for a prenuptial shoot or customized guest experience

The countryside scenery at Samkara Restaurant and Garden Resort

R U R A L

R E S E T

Some attractions are simply borne out of love. Samkara Restaurant and Garden Resort (SRGR) is one such tourist destination in Quezon Province that's the culmination of a heartfelt story, one that features a successful hotelier in Manila who returned to her home province to make her wish come true -- to have her own resort.

A Gumaca-native, Agnes Luna had everything in 2015 from a coconut tree-veiled lot to her seasoned skills in the hospitality industry. All that was missing was someone's reliable hand to turn it into fruition. And fulfilling her dream was her husband whose creative eye for the inventive turned the ordinary into something extraordinary that everyone in Lucban and the neighboring town of Majayjay discovered in amazement.

The al fresco dining huts are connected to an outdoor lounge where guests can relax; Model: Lesly Sim

The resort's chef can exclusively cook for you at an al fresco dining setup.

It's always a feast of hometown specialties and international dishes at the restaurant.

Rural bliss is possible at Samkara Restaurant and Garden Resort.

They continue to be amazed more than a year later along with travelers from other places after the resort opened to the public. Beyond the pedestrian-looking entrance, every visitor walked in awe not expecting that a space could look elegant and still feel natural with creative landscaping and design. This was proven by an increase in revisits for exquisite meals and overnight stays as visitors wanted to experience the rural reset that didn't exist in this side of mainland Luzon before SRGR opened its gates.

This time around, though, the place has blossomed into a sought-after attraction for romantic rendezvous, prenuptial photography shoots, and intimate celebrations where nature is still revered.

Chicken Alabama never looked as good as this in Lucban!

Guests on overnight stay are rewarded with rural views for breakfast.

Pork Sinigang for dinner at the restaurant

Have a soothing soak at the cold water of the resort's batis-oriented pool.

Its set of newly-constructed dining huts that dot the area's countryside is becoming a favorite among patrons even on weekdays. And why not? It's set against the farming plains of Majayjay and Lucban's fringes, complementing hometown specialties of Longganisang Lucban, Hardinera, Sinantol and more. The restaurant's chef has expanded the roster of dishes to cover international cuisines which makes visiting Quezon Province not just a taste of local favorites but also that of world flavors!

A new dining feature that's touted to excite tourists is the restaurant's al fresco experience which gives the traditional Filipino "paluto" or customized order a twist wherein the guest can view the chef cook where the former waits -- outdoors on a bamboo platform with views of the nearby rice field.

Water from the resort's pool comes from the natural spring of Mount Banahaw.

(clockwise) Prawn Pasta, Ginataang Kalabaw, Bicol Express and Rellenong Pata

The rural view from my booked guestroom

Aside from the delectable dishes, here are three reasons why Samkara Restaurant and Garden Resort deserves your attention:

1. It's A Getaway That Nurtures Nature

With just enough trees felled for constructing the resort's major facility (the restaurant which also serves as the front desk for staying guests), SRGR managed to sustain the countryside ambiance going by keeping coconut trees where they are -- next to the cliff-side guestrooms. The result is a rustic vista of the town from one's bedside and private veranda in the different times of the day, rain or shine. On a good day, the vista extends all the way to the expanse of the farming plains.

There's nothing like an authentic whiff of the countryside from your booked nipa hut and SRGR fulfills this with ease. Walk barefoot in your skivvies to gaze at the sliding glass door that opens to the private veranda while you peel open one piece of lanzones after another from the room's welcome fruit tray.

Large groups of traveling friends or families on reunion are finding the place to be an all-inclusive countryside experience since it has specific guestrooms that suit such number of guests and an overnight stay also has access to the resort's batis-oriented pool.

The resort at night where the pool and the Silong Bar is located

Countryside feels at the wash area for diners

Even the guestroom floor is attractive at the resort.

2. It's Where Rural Romance Is Possible

Looking to connect with a romantic partner for more than a day sans the trappings of modern life? SRGR is a perfect venue for achieving that. It still has the basic guestroom features from air-conditioning, bidet-equipped toilet and water heater in the bathroom to a flat screen TV, but they're easily overshadowed by the rural details of the space. As they are, the rooms are set up to appeal to what's natural, something that city dwellers are constantly looking for in near-Metro Manila destinations.

The place is also starting to be a favorite among young couples who are about to be wed, wedding planners and photographers on location shoots, plus longtime partners who are looking to reconnect with each other for anniversaries.

Guests and visitors can go fishing.

(clockwise) Welcome fruits for staying guests; the room view from the bed; the guestroom's bathroom

The restaurant is a favorite choice for intimate celebrations like banquets and special meals.

Views of nature is not at all lost while you're dining at the restaurant.

3. It's Easily Accessible From Metro Manila and The Rest of Mainland Luzon

Since SRGR is located at the border of Lucban, it's just a stroll away from nearby villages in Majayjay which means that Laguna is right next door. This gives travelers from Metro Manila and those on layover from abroad just a couple of hours if they're coming from Alabang to tackle the well-paved and scenic Majayjay-Lucban road. Being in this side of the town is not as challenging as venturing into other destinations in the country that would require a grueling commute and a boat transfer. What's more, it's just along the highway which makes it easily accessible.

Samkara Restaurant and Garden Resort is where love is celebrated and you can spot its evidence in the most unexpected places. Visit it to discover your own rural reset.

My booked guestroom

Customized dining experience includes having your food cooked right before your eyes.

Relaxing at the private veranda of my booked guestroom

Samkara Restaurant and Garden Resort

Official website of Samkara Restaurant and Garden Resort

Address: Sitio Malinao, Brgy. Igang, Lucban, Quezon Province, Philippines
Mobile: 0947-922-0081
Email: reservations@samkara.ph

Manila Sales Office: 5309 East Asia Drive, Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines 1781
Mobile: 0916-469-6276

More Photos Below:

Agnes Luna flanked by her resort's food experts; Photography by Leo Andrew San Juan

One of the rustic function halls at the property

Nocturnal activities at the resort -- lingering at the veranda and swimming at the pool

The restaurant's food experts in action at the resort

Strolling at the garden of the resort will let you encounter this sight.

Model: Lesly Sim

At night, guests can also have videoke at the resort's Silong Bar.

This can be your reset corner.

Feeling relaxed to stay the night at the resort

The private veranda of my booked guestroom with a rural view of Lucban

My locker was right across my booked capsule bed

The capsule beds are stacked in a set per gender-exclusive room

C A P S U L E

B E D

A capsule bed stay at a hotel is not for everyone, especially not for someone who's prone to claustrophobia or one who extremely fears confined places. If you don't love spending more than a minute inside an elevator, chances are such an accommodation is not your thing. However, it was something that fit my need for an emergency layover one hectic weekday in Pasay City.

I only got less than a thousand pesos of cash in my wallet that fateful night and I left my ATM card back home as I was trapped in a grueling commute from an event I attended. Traffic was snail-paced and I couldn't stand to bear sleeping the way home for fear that I would get robbed inside a bus or passenger van. I haven't had dinner nor have I slept an hour a day prior because of previous work engagements, so I needed to turn on the snooze button as soon as I was done with a meal at a fast food chain. Nearby was Kabayan Hotel which I found out to have a capsule bed for only Php750 per night.

Entering the capsule

Complimentary breakfast

Slept soundly sans the bed bugs which is a perceived problem in standard motel rooms

Provisions for a pillow, blanket, and a pair of slippers are available inside the locker

Free Breakfast and Wi-Fi Access

Upon further inquiry at the front desk of the hotel, I determined that the rate is inclusive of a complimentary breakfast and Wi-Fi access. Since I don't have any predilection for open spaces especially when I'm alone, the aesthetic of my chosen sleeping quarters for that night suited me just right. It fit my budget, the emergency case I was in, and I terribly just had to call it a night.

Gender-Exclusive Quarters

For privacy, a separate quarters for capsule beds is designated for female guests. Surprisingly, I found the common room of the male quarters to be like a spa when I entered it. The lighting was dim but just right enough to let you see your stuff as you unpack and change your clothes like you're in a gym locker room. Some sleeping guests in their capsule beds didn't even bother unpacking anymore when they arrived as I saw backpacks tucked just at the bottom of their respective capsules. Some did not also close their capsule shutters, although there's proper ventilation inside each bed space which seems to be connected to the central air conditioning of the whole room. There's also a designated shoe rack for guests near the door, away from the capsule beds.

(clockwise) Male quarters of the set of capsule beds; The hotel hallway; Capsule bed shutters down

The spacious and clean common bathroom inside the male quarters

No room windows but this view when the capsule shutters are up

The hotel lobby

Decent and Spacious Common Bathroom

I first took a bath and found the bathroom to be quite spacious. Water pressure was strong and the whole design looked modern, well-kept, and decent. It was something I couldn't complain about for the affordable rate of the capsule bed. Some guests left their personal bath essentials inside the bathroom, but I preferred not to do the same for the stuff that I bought outside a nearby convenience store. I took mine back inside my designated locker after I was done.

If ever the bathrooms inside the gender-exclusive quarters are currently occupied, other capsule bed guests can use the common bathroom that's designated in the same floor.

Dining for breakfast at the hotel

Charging station inside the capsule

Sleeping Inside The Capsule

Each capsule bed guest is provided a pillow, a blanket, and a pair of slippers. Once inside the capsule, I tinkered with the control system that it's equipped with -- a couple of switches for lighting and another one for the ventilation system's exhaust. I also used the power outlets on the wall to charge my mobile phone while I dozed off to sleep. It was really up to me if I wanted it to be pitch dark inside or not because of the switches. I opted for the former.

Capsule Beds Versus Motel Rooms

Lying there in the middle of my dark space in the city, I realised why I preferred Kabayan Hotel's capsule bed over normal guestroom at nearby motels. Both are cheap anyway so why settle for a weird way to spend the night in?

My decision was clear and it was not because I was judgmental about motels being a venue for sex workers and the promiscuous. It's more than that. It was because I'm always paranoid about motel guests sleeping without their clothes on. And after learning that most motels are not really deploying best practices in changing sheets and all, there's always the possibility of bed bugs and skin diseases in such a place.

That issue extends to the presence of towels. I just couldn't bear to use a suspiciously kept towel in such a venue. With Kabayan Hotel's capsule bed accommodation, a guest is provided a towel inside one's locker and I can only assume that the same housekeeping maintains the same towels provided for the hotel's luxurious rooms.

Another issue I have with motels is the recent rise in criminal activities from murders of prostitutes, sex clients or those involved in illicit affairs regardless if they're drug-related or not. I just couldn't be in such a place and deal with a restful sleep altogether.

(clockwise) Roster of dishes to choose from for your set breakfast; The dining area; Unlimited coffee and drinks

Early Breakfast At 4:00am

I woke up the next day as early as 4:00am for breakfast because the hotel schedule seems to be sensitive to those leaving the place at earlier times. To my surprise, the breakfast was not a simple set as it let me choose from a roster of dishes to customize my own meal. I chose dilis and tocino for viands and had a hoot drinking unlimited coffee and iced tea from the drinking station. What's more, the food was delicious! I couldn't believe that I paid Php750 only for everything given my circumstance the night before.

If you happen to be trapped in Pasay City with less than a thousand pesos, Kabayan Hotel's capsule bed is more than a stay inside a weird sleeping space. I found that to be true.

Kabayan Hotel lobby

Kabayan Hotel

Official website of Kabayan Hotel

Address: 347 EDSA, Pasay City, Metro Manila Philippines 1300
Phone: +632 772-7888 or +632 702-2700
Mobile: +63 917-891-0772

Check out my hostel-related blog

posts:

• Crossroads Hostel Manila

• Junction Hostels Makati

Pork Bagnet Binagoongan

Crispy Chicken Burger by Chelsea Kitchen

M E A L

M O M E N T

SM Mega's Fashion Hall is popular in Metro Manila for housing some of the most unique restaurants in the country under one roof. The whole mall is just the world's seventh biggest of its kind anyway, so having the most remarkable dining spots here is truly necessary. With foot traffic that reaches roughly 500,000 per day, the crowd in this part of the metro is always on the lookout for what's delicious. And Chelsea Kitchen is one such restaurant that has managed to thrive regardless of the shopping season. It's the first commercial establishment to greet mall-goers at the ground floor of the mall from EDSA and the last one to entice them before they brave Mandaluyong City's challenging urban outdoors after a quick shopping errand.

Known to serve "feel-good food", Chelsea Kitchen is where diners rendezvous for reliable meals of Western flavors. Most of its patrons have even come to love it as a hangout spot for cake and coffee. Dining under mall lights with headroom that doesn't need any chandelier, the ambiance is neither al fresco nor truly indoors. It's literally a kitchen lodged at the wing of the mall where people are always in transit, making it the best place to meet someone for an important meeting over a delicious snack or more.

Dine under the mall lights at the SM Mega Fashion Hall

Squid Ink Chorizo Adobo

Miso Bulalo Ramen for merienda

Ramen goodness for brunch or afternoon snack

The Inventive Miso Bulalo Ramen For Merienda

For a taste of its new Filipino-oriented dishes, I dropped by the restaurant one random weekday and ordered one of its inventive merienda treats -- the Japanese-infused Miso Bulalo Ramen -- which is the best way to start any meal if you've missed satiating that essential afternoon craving for food. Although it's served in one hefty bowl, the miso beef shank broth is good for sharing with two more people, especially since it's loaded with ramen noodles and bone marrow. Even after it's left for a few minutes, the dense beef broth still tasted rich and made me miss chilly Tagaytay as a result.

The restaurant's merienda roster also includes other Filipino favorites like Crispy Palabok, Arroz Caldo, Pancit Tinola and Dinugu-an.

Part fruit, part soda. These tasty coolers are refreshing!

Tasting The Filipino Menu For Dinner

Since it was early dinnertime already, I proceeded to order the local heavyweights. I tried the green mango eggplant salad-topped Pork Bagnet Binagoongan. It's served with the restaurant's homemade bagoong which worked perfectly. I loved how the sautéed shrimp paste was not subtle at all. It was a delicious contrast to the fresh taste of the ensalada and a complimenting taste to the crispy, succulent bagnet.

I also ordered a couple more local favorites -- a seafood dish with a twist called Squid Ink Chorizo Adobo and Pampanga's beloved dish called Gising-gising. The Squid Ink Chorizo Adobo served was an attractive plate of homemade chorizo, red onion, and local tomato. It's something that I'll recommend with a cup of rice because the dish is one complex layer of savory flavor after another. As for the Gising-gising which is normally served as appetizer, it was remarkable for being creamy and spicy altogether.

The Pampanga-favorite Gising-gising

The actual kitchen of the restaurant

Crispy Chicken Burger

Squid Ink Chorizo Adobo

Introducing Its Crispy Chicken Burger

Another new treat in the menu is the Crispy Chicken Burger which I also tried. With more and more diners craving for an alternative to the typical burger experience, this version by Chelsea Kitchen is a must-taste. It may not look stellar at a glance, but its tasty secret is in the bite which, oddly enough, reminded me of Vietnamese sandwiches that I've been gorging on for the past few months. Unlike other monster burger versions, this one's gourmet through and through in that it lets you savor the crunchy and tender goodness of the chicken patty without overwhelming the palate.

Ube Pancake for the ube aficionados

Ube Pancake Finally!

As a sweet end for my meal, I had the comforting Ube Pancake, the dessert that has made Chelsea Kitchen famous among ube aficionados in the metro. I've always perceived it as a dry halo-halo because it's that sweet snack that's served as a pancake but with all the festive goodness of such a dessert that both kids and adults will find adorable. It's truly something unique to order as a culmination to a delicious dinner.

Should you find yourself tackling one of SM Megamall's corridors one of these days, a snack stop at Chelsea Kitchen is worth your precious hour. Book that special intimate meal soon since the restaurant has a new Filipino menu out.

Chelsea Kitchen

Official website of Chelsea Kitchen

Address: Ground Floor SM Mega Fashion Hall, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City, Philippines
Facebook Fan Page: raintreechelseakitchen
Twitter: @raintreechelseakitchen
Phone: Call (02) 958-6777

More Photos Below:

Pork Bagnet Binagoongan

A favorite rendezvous spot in SM Megamall

Miso Bulalo Ramen

Gising-gising

The annual santacruzan in Sta. Cruz, Marinduque

More than Moriones

C U L T U R E

S T O P

There's nothing more authentic than watching a traditional santacruzan in the town it's named after -- Sta. Cruz. This spot in Marinduque may be more famous for being the center of the annual Moriones Festival, but also held once a year in this part of the Philippines is the religious festival called Flores De Mayo which culminates in a pageant known as santacruzan (sacred cross in Spanish), a practice that's close to the hearts of many Filipino Catholics. Even its semi-remote island village of Mongpong holds a fluvial version that circumnavigates the whole island at the surf more than once, passing its famous Ungab Rock Formation. On mainland Sta. Cruz, however, the procession is traditionally on foot and accompanied by a festive beat by the town's brass band. The revelry is enhanced with flowers and candles and made solemn with hymns.

The custom of choosing the most attractive female locals to portray the procession titles used to be based on physical beauty that focused on the face. With the change in the perception of women's worth in recent years, the practice has, more or less, evolved into who's the barangay's best and brightest which might explain why some girls who are not that attractive make it to the list.

Town center of Sta. Cruz from a Maniwaya Island-bound passenger boat

The old Holy Cross Parish

Styling in the streets before the procession

The ornate church door of the old Holy Cross Parish

Beauty In The Eyes of The Beholder

Perhaps, this proves the adage of beauty lying in the eyes of the beholder to be true. The tradition is a religious one anyway which defeats the purpose of tending to people's spiritual needs if only physical attributes are considered in the selection process. However, spectators are still expected to see pomp and elegance in the form of Filipinas clad in elaborately produced gowns. They are still guaranteed to see faces that are fully made up to enhance one's best features instead of just concealing the ordinary.

Sta. Cruz Layover

While booked at the backpacker-favorite Dewey Hotel in Sta. Cruz with two friends, I got the chance to see the revelry mount from preparation time to the actual procession. I skipped the mass that was held at the century old Holy Cross Parish for a necessary late lunch at a local eatery near our booked inn since our RORO vessel arrived in the neighboring town of Boac from Lucena's Dalahican Port after midday.

The RORO vessel ride to Boac

Mongpong Island's Ungab Rock Formation where the fluvial santacruzan can be seen every month of May

My dose of dormancy in Sta. Cruz's island village of Maniwaya

The backpacker-favorite Dewey Hotel has AC and fan rooms.

Having street food with Paula and Paulo in Sta. Cruz for merienda

Styling In The Streets

At the quaint streets of Sta. Cruz, I saw a few number of local teenagers being made up by their respective beauty stylists without much care as to who was watching them. Unlike in Metro Manila where most preparations are secretly done in special rooms of beauty parlors to delay the big reveal, it was quite different here. The procession was going to be outdoors anyway so it seemed only natural to start all the nitty-gritty of makeup, hairstyle, and last-minute stitching of gowns right in the streets!

Local Spectators

Since the town center is not that big, I happened to view the procession more than once as it weaved through several streets the whole afternoon, passing by landmarks like the town hall, numerous old houses, and the public market. Here, people still intentionally flocked to where the revelry was unlike in some cities in mainland Luzon where I hardly saw the beginning and the end of the whole event.

The RORO vessel arriving in Boac

The town hall of Sta. Cruz

Maniwaya Island's White Beach

An old local waiting for the santacruzan to pass by her home in Sta. Cruz's town proper

Arriving at the vanishing Palad Sandbar

Even the old folks who could no longer afford to stand outside right across their doorsteps settled to patiently wait by their windows just to get a glimpse of the once-a-year procession. For all I know, some of them might have even walked the same streets as young participants in the same celebration decades ago.

Flamboyant Male Escorts

The only new practice that I've seen being done here like in Metro Manila is the way the perception of male escorts has evolved. They can now be dressed up in more than just the traditional barong Tagalog as some of the guys I saw here were clad in flamboyant fabrics and colors that seem to rival the female participants for attention. Indeed, times have changed.

Being in Sta. Cruz for a layover started as a nondescript schedule for me in Marinduque as I was only there with friends for our target beach getaway in the town's island village of Maniwaya where we planned to visit the vanishing Palad Sandbar. It was made memorable with the chance to see its very own version of santacruzan and it can't get more authentic than that.

Check out my other recommended accommodation in Sta. Cruz -- Marikit-Na Beach Resort on Maniwaya Island.

Marikit-Na Beach Resort on Maniwaya Island

Check out my other Marinduque-related blog posts:

• Mongpong Island's Ungab Rock Formation

• Marikit-Na Beach Resort of Maniwaya Island

• 7 Ways To Enjoy Marinduque

More Photos Below:

The beachfront villa view from Marikit-Na Beach Resort on Maniwaya Island

The calm waters to view from the RORO vessel en route to Marinduque

One of the old houses in Sta. Cruz

Our booked fan room via Dewey Hotel

Mongpong Island where a fluvial santacruzan is held every late May of the year

(top) At Lucena's Dalahican Port ; (bottom) Painful eye sensation due to the vessel engine

Boarding the RORO vessel for Marinduque in Lucena's Dalahican Port

The pleasant view on Maniwaya Island

The front desk of Dewey Hotel

En route to Marinduque

Views to see from the RORO vessel

Finally relaxing on Maniwaya Island's White Beach

A couple of restful nights at the Hive Hotel and Convention Place

The grand hotel lobby

G R E E N

L I V I N G

Unlike luxury hotels that are normally perceived to be decadent, Hive Hotel and Convention Place is luxurious for a cause. And it's one advocacy that definitely gives back to the community. This seven-storey structure in the dining and amusement district of Quezon City is eco-chic in the truest sense of the word. To begin with, its guestrooms' rustic flooring was constructed using recycled wood from old houses and the water being used to flush its guestrooms' toilets comes from harvested rainwater. It's an emerging green hotel that redefines a Metro Manila staycation or layover with environment-friendly functionalities sans the hospitality posturing. From its guestrooms' digital door hangers that save the hotel the use of plastic to its toiletry holders that are made from recycled paper, it's a space where productivity is truly enriching like a beehive from which it gets its sleek name. Its presence in the hotel-thronged grid of the city definitely puts to shame the existence of neighboring luxury hotels that seem to be only after travelers' money.

The 52-room hotel is seriously green which makes for a meaningful stay that's rid of not just travel listlessness, but also guilt from the pleasure of enjoying life. When booked at Hive Hotel, a guest can take pleasure in the fact that the whole property lives and breathes as Mother Earth intends it to. Going against the grain, it defies the norm of how typical hotels should operate. It's none of the excessive pomp on fixtures and frills that hurt the environment and more of the best practices in eco-living.

Lights out in the city of the stars

The hotel lobby at nighttime

Complimentary breakfast of Longganisa from Calumpit, Bulacan

Hotel hallways

Books for reading at the hotel lobby

Solar Panel-Generated Power

In its corner in Scout Tuason, it stands vibrant and effectively functioning on solar panel-generated electricity that 60% of its guestrooms benefit from. And with tempered glass-installed windows that provide more natural light and reduce heat transfer for a cooler atmosphere, power usage is essentially lessened. For that rustic feel, wooden venetian blinds are installed as shutters. To date, the hotel is registered with the US Green Building Council and is LEED-registered (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design).

More Green Sensibilities

Elsewhere in the guestroom, it just gets more green. Its bathrooms' dental supplies are made from plasticized cornstarch while every guest's complimentary purified water is made available in a charming mason jar. According to the Philippines' only magazine for the electrical enthusiast, EE Club, this lessens the chance of one getting in contact with harmful chemicals like Bisphenol A (BPA), Phtalates DEHP, and other toxins that are normally associated with plastic bottles. The move also eliminates the need to dispose of such materials that add to our country's ever-growing landfill. What's more, the jar is 100% reusable and recyclable.

My booked Deluxe Room

(left) The guestroom's metal-finished door which costs less than plywood ; (right) Bathroom

Wooden venetian blinds for window shutters

(left) The guestroom-assigned vintage phone; (right) The room's digital door hanger

The hotel's Sky Garden where the Jacuzzi is

Restful Nights Whether On Business Or Leisure

Having stayed for a couple of pleasant nights at the hotel, I also appreciated its off-center point of view when it comes to interior design. When most neighboring hotels seem to focus on nondescript templates, Hive Hotel ups the ante with color accents and wall textures that expertly combine the pleasant with the jarring and the hard with the soft. Its grand lobby is proof of this aesthetic and the same sensibility flows through its hallways and its guestrooms from floor to floor, all the way to its fancy sixth floor Sky Garden which surprises with a semi-al fresco restaurant next to a vegetated viewing deck and Jacuzzi. It's also where the complimentary breakfast (a combo of buffet and a la carte options) is served.

Complimentary breakfast

About to have breakfast at the charming Sky Garden

The hotel supports local brands like this banana chips as in-room snack

The unobstructed view of Quezon City from my booked room

The hotel lobby at daytime

One's stay, regardless if it's on business or leisure, is made remarkable with reliable bed and bedding. This is why I highly recommend restful nights at this hotel for having bed linens and duvets that are made from 400 thread-count, 100% Egyptian cotton. I also recommend it for using organic materials that support local entities from its bathroom's bulk dispenser-available amenities to its organic robusta coffee at the buffet breakfast table.

Sofa Bed For Extra Guests

For those staying as a group of more than two guests, its standard Deluxe Rooms have full-size sofa beds that are equipped with pull-out beds for accommodating at least two more guests. An extra guest can only set you back a thousand pesos per night if ever.

Wall textures at the grand hotel lobby

The room has a sofa bed with a pull-out bed for two more guests

The complimentary breakfast's buffet table

The view of the city from the Sky Garden, six floors up

Textures and displays at the grand hotel lobby

Sneak Peek Promo Rate

The hotel is currently on an introductory or sneak peek rate of Php3,000 per night which is normally lower than the standard rate that it's supposed to offer, so take advantage of its promo soon.

The next time you're in Quezon City, don't stay at a luxury hotel that turns a blind eye to its surroundings. You're not just throwing away hard-earned money as a result of such booking. You're contributing to the industrial era detritus that our planet can't possibly handle anymore. Instead, have guilt-free pleasure from a restful night at Hive Hotel and Convention Place. In doing so, you're not just patronizing a brand to continue operating at its optimum eco-living standards, but you're also, in effect, supporting the community it belongs to.

Hive Hotel and Convention Place

Official website of Hive Hotel and Convention Place

Address: #68 Scout Tuazon corner Scout Madrinan Streets, South Triangle, Quezon City, Philippines
Phone: (02) 951-4483

Where to eat in Quezon City? Check out Vittorio's Steakhouse, a stroll from Hive Hotel.

More Photos Below:

The hotel facade

Each room's complimentary purified water is available in a mason jar.

The hotel hallway

(left) The hotel's personalized greeting; (right) The bathroom's toothbrush is made from plasticized cornstarch

More treats from the buffet breakfast table

The spiny coast of Lulumnan Beach

Blanketed by the surf at Lulumnan Beach

D U M A G A T

D O M A I N

Beyond the issue of land grabbing of the Dumagat tribe's ancestral domain and misfires from military encounters with NPA rebels, General Nakar is one attractive town that's been trickling at its fringes for decades. If its barbed wire-fenced resorts at the poblacion can trick the gullible tourist to run away from it, I remained unfazed. I was not at all discouraged to see the lack of modernization at the town's more far-flung villages. Instead, they posed a promising off-grid terrain for me to explore the further I go into the mountainside. If anything, it's an adventure for me.

Getting To General Nakar's Lulumnan

Determined to discover its secluded attractions that lie in the Sierra Madre and the rest of its unknown coast, I commenced with a three-hour bus ride to Cabanatuan from Manila and continued to catch a Dingalan-bound passenger van which took another three hours to finish. I opted for this way rather than taking the Manila-Infanta route. In Dingalan, I had a necessary stopover with a friend at its public market for supplies. One dirt road ride of a tricycle to Umiray, the bordering village of General Nakar, and thirty minutes more at sea from the town's pantalan sealed the whole seven and a half-hour trip.

Dumagat kids at Lulumnan Falls

A Dumagat family on foot

Viewing the coralline rock expanse of Lulumnan Beach from a prominent rock formation

Bathing at the pristine Lulumnan Falls

Reaching Lulumnan Beach

With a friend whose roots can be traced to the tribe of the Dumagat, I jumped off the small pump boat that docked for a few seconds against the thorny coralline rock expanse of Lulumnan Beach, the first area in the scattered tribal community where my friend had acquaintances waiting for us.

The weather was pleasant. However, the beachfront was noticeably breezy because of rock formations that extend to a massive cliff and break into smaller ones out into the sea, producing dramatic waves. I normally arrive at island destinations in my trips on more comfortable instances, but this one felt like escaping a shipwreck. I barely kept myself from shaking because of the bizarre coldness. And what made setting foot on land a bit more epic was the sight of the imposing Sierra Madre at the beachfront which I'd see more of in the next few days of my stay in this part of the highly vegetated town.

The dramatic waves at the beachfront of Lulumnan

A young Dumagat carrying his harvested gabi plants for lunch and dinner

Dumagat Natives With Japanese Eyes

After pleasantries with a Dumagat couple were exchanged, we settled to unpack and dress up in our swimwear. While organizing my stuff, I couldn't help but notice how blue the eyes of the couple's toddler were. Also, the eyes of both parents looked remarkably like those of Japanese people which revived in me old stories of how the imperial army of Japan once made this part of the country as one of its bastions during World War II, including burying their loot of several Asian countries' gold. And true enough, some of the tribal members divulged that some of their old female folks did mingle with Japanese soldiers in the '40s, resulting in their generation's distinct eyes that are angled upwards. Their dark skin and curly hair, however, do not belie their katutubo or native roots.

Nature's bubble bath at Lulumnan Beach

What Dumagat tribe members use when traveling to nearby Umiray instead of a 3-hour hike in the mountains

Enjoying the pleasant weather on top of a prominent rock formation

Cliff-Diving and Epic Soaks

To see how different the view of the beach was from up the rock formation, I scaled the most prominent one at the beachfront. The edge of the rock formation offered me a stunning cliff-side view of Lulumnan Beach where Dumagat kids, as I was told, cliff-dive or jump off for fun on a good day. The windswept scenery looked similar to the views that I've seen in Cagayan's Palaui, but this beach felt more tropical for being warmer.

After scaling down the rock formation, I decided to finally experience the surf down below where dramatic waves proved to be good for outdoor bubble baths. The black sandy beach is similar to that of Real which runs in the same coastline, but the distinct rock formations here made all the attractive difference. It rendered sunbathing more epic and less average.

Boarding a pump boat at the pantalan of General Nakar

A local stalking the coralline rock expanse for seafood

Bathing At Lulumnan Falls

I ventured next to the hike trail to one of the area's waterfalls that the locals call Lulumnan Falls. I was told that another waterfalls deserves to be seen because of its location next to the sea, but I was warned that scaling the way to it can be a bit challenging, so I settled for the easier one which took me about 15 minutes to hike. It was there where I bathed with some of the Dumagat kids we saw who were carrying their harvested gabi plants.

The scenery of abundance here was a stark contrast to the devastation I saw in Dingalan hours earlier where several river-crossings halted or slowed down the delivery of goods due to damaged bridges and spillways. Even if relief goods of sugar, rice and medicine in nearby Umiray did not reach this tribal community, the members of the Dumagat tribe looked capable of easily bouncing back without any help from outsiders. My friend added that the natives are usually the ones who recover the fastest after each calamity because nature surrounds them and gives them back what it takes from them in a matter of a day or two.

Where Dumagat kids cliff-dive on a good day

Fresh buko juice for refreshment during the hike in the mountains

Wearing my reliable Columbia Ventrailia Hiking Shoes for my outdoor adventures

Lulumnan Falls

Hiking To Baniladan Beach of Mactang

We only stayed in Lulumnan for a few hours as we were scheduled to stay for the night at a katutubo friend's hut in the community proper of Mactang. Once we were dry and ready, we proceeded to hike roughly an hour to reach our target native dwelling in Mactang's Baniladan Beach where a lot of banilad trees can be found.

Along the way, we had the pleasure of refreshing our parched selves with freshly harvested coconut juice. Natives here drink the water from the terrain's pristine rivers and waterfalls, but the abundance of coconut trees in the area just gives them more nutrition from coconut water. In my opinion, the abundant access to its simple sugars, electrolytes, and minerals here is a blessing in itself.

The scenery at the dock or pantalan of General Nakar

The Escalating Issue of Land Grabbing

No one cares about social media or mobile phone signal here in Lulumnan. The Dumagat couple whom we talked to may have a radio but they didn't even know the details of the violent October 19, 2016anti-US Embassy rally that a communist group organized and duped some of the Dumagat tribe members into joining by misinforming them about a simple advocacy meeting in Metro Manila. They learned that some of their distant neighbors managed to go, but have not returned after being promised of being away for only a few days. What was supposed to be a peaceful meeting turned out to be a sensational news item where the tribal members were made to become bait for issues that don't concern them at all. What concerns them is actually the issue that land grabbers are toiling day and night to displace them from this side of General Nakar for reasons like profit from illegal real estate transactions or treasure-hunting.

With the escalating issue of land grabbing happening in this side of the town, there is an uncertainty in the future of Lulumnan's pristine beauty. Will it fall to the hands of preying businessmen or stay in enigma under the clutches of lingering NPA rebels?

In this frenetic age of information, who will care for its future anyway? One thing's for sure, though. The world watches and becomes aware when tourists come to a deserving destination.

How To Get There From Metro Manila:

Option A
• From Cubao, board any Cabantuan-bound bus.
• Ride a Dingalan or Umiray, Aurora-bound van.
• Rent a tricycle in Umiray, Aurora for Umiray, Quezon Province (Php300 or less).
• Rent a pump boat at the pantalan or dock of General Nakar for Lulumnan Beach (Php700 or less).

Option B
• From Legarda, Manila, board either a Raymond Bus or a passenger van for Infanta.
• Rent a tricycle for General Nakar town proper.
• Ride the passenger jeepney for Masanga.
• Either hike the mountainside for 3 to 5 hours or rent a pump boat (Contact Ramon Romero of Masanga: 0909-478-6191) for Lulumnan Beach.

You want to know more about General Nakar?

Check out my visit of Maktang Beach and Fallshere.
Check out my visit of Masanga Coves here.
Check out my visit of Tutulakan Riverhere.
See my compilation post about General Nakarhere.

More Photos Below:

Come and visit Lulumnan Beach!

Scaling the sea-view Tibulsot, a rock formation at Baniladan Beach

The secluded Maktang Falls

A N C E S T R A L

D O M A I N

Many things have been said about the tribal members of the Dumagat by some of my well-meaning relatives and friends. Some say they're illiterate and foolish but passionate about what's deemed as right and wrong. Some opine that they're lazy for not caring about earning a living. However, they're known to be resilient and require less help after each catastrophe that befalls their settlement. What remains unknown to them is how idyllic their home is. Called Maktang, the tribal community in the coast of General Nakar is a paradise that I've been blessed to visit this October. Although I've long planned of exploring their ancestral domain as early as 2014, it was only days ago when I had the chance to travel with someone from their tribe who has managed to live in the lowlands and is now helping in the preservation of everything that is Sierra Madre.

The Dumagat Tribe

The tribe comprises less than 30 percent of the whole indigenous peoples (IPs) in the Philippines. And, in Maktang, they're only a dot in the scattered clusters of more than 14 million IPs across the country. The verdant coast of this side in Quezon Province even makes their presence minuscule behind decade-old coconut trees, peculiar rock formations, and windswept coralline rock beaches.

The distant view of the surf-worthy Maktang Beach from Baniladan Beach

Having a cool midday soak atop the Tibulsot of Baniladan Beach

Maktang Beach, an emerging surfing spot in Quezon Province

Scaling the rock formation called Tilbulsot

Remote Paradise

Being here was both exhilarating and poignant because the whole coast is highly vegetated and appears to be untouched by modernization. There isn't even a single sari-sari store in sight anywhere in this storied shoreline that weaves next to the imposing mountain range, giving any first-time visitor the impression of seeing green citadels.

Betel Nut Chewing Story

On our way to the sleepy settlement in Barangay Umiray, my Dumagat friend even had a remarkable story about another one from his tribe who managed to study outside of Quezon Province and have been exploring Metro Manila recently. We've just visited a smaller tribal settlement in Lulumnan Beach hours prior and we were on foot in the thick tropical forest of General Nakar's mountainside when he recalled the funny story. According to him, his katutubo friend was driven away from a train station in Metro Manila for being allegedly drunk.

Where Dumagat natives harvest shell fish in the morning for food

A Dumagat mother and child leaving the only school in Maktang

Atop the Tibulsot, everything was tranquil

Maktang Falls

"So was he intoxicated?" I curiously asked my friend.

"Of course not," he replied. "He was just mistaken for being one because he was stuttering and somehow excessively salivating. It was because of the betel nut that he'd been chewing during his commute to the station," he averred.

Daily Struggles

Misunderstood and usually judged for their looks, the Dumagat natives have learned to endure every kind of challenge from the temptation to be involved in illegal logging by unscrupulous, lowland contractors to being unfazed by land grabbers who dangle fake land titles and confuse them with real estate jargon.

A young Dumagat hitched a boat ride with us when we were leaving Maktang for Masanga

A female Dumagat with the devastated beachfront in the background after Typhoon Lawin

The natives converging at Maktang Beach

(top) Lobsters cooked by our host; (bottom) A pet hog named Pula (Red)

Maktang Beach and Falls Stopovers

Our hike stopovers consisted of visiting Maktang Beach where Dumagat kids are known to surf using anything flat that they can get their hands on. Since nearby areas frequently suffered the burden of misfires between the military and NPA rebels, the coast of the province had been considered off-grid by tourists until recently when tensions ceased to exist. The beach is highly recommended for surfing professionals and enthusiasts, especially between the months of November and February.

We also dropped by the secluded Maktang Falls which is a 15-minute hike away from the beach. Since no tourist has ventured in these parts of the province, the hike trail was nonexistent. I had to get the assistance of an elder member of the community to find a safe trail to it. Reaching it, though, proved to be rewarding because its swimming area is an intimate space unlike most waterfall sites I've been to. With just enough space to move around in for 8 to 10 people, the plunge pool is remarkable for letting any visitor stay as close as possible to the falls itself.

Maktang Falls

The rock wall of the Tibulsot was awfully slippery.

Baniladan Beach

(top) Our host uses a solar panel for power; (bottom) A native couple in Maktang Beach

The Coast That Defines Their Traits

Having stayed for four days where they've been thriving for centuries, I came to realise why the Dumagat natives are simple-minded and complicated to deal with at the same time. The harsh conditions that they're subjected to in their environment reflects their personalities. At sea, they can be listless but they have to be focused to know what sea creatures they can feed on. On land, they're surrounded by lush greenery but they have to be on their toes all the time with the kind of localized weather the Pacific Ocean has in store for them every day. There simply is no middle ground anywhere in Maktang. Where one part of the terrain is miry, another can be spiny. Even the most inhospitable swath of the landscape can be quite compelling. Everything's just intense here.

Natural pool with a stunning view of the General Nakar coast

The hiking trails from Lulumnan Beach to Baniladan Beach where different trees can dazzle any botanist

Another beachfront rock formation with a rainwater catch basin on top

The scenery at the hiking trail in Maktang

Scaling The Tibulsot

During my stay in Maktang's Baniladan Beach at a katutubo friend's house, I confirmed this rumination. It became clearer atop what the natives there call as Tibulsot, a rock formation that has a rainwater catch basin for a crown. Reaching it from a grassland clearing at the beachfront was one thing. Scaling it was another. In between, I faced the challenge of a 15-minute stroll on a thorny coralline rock expanse that made me look like I was tip-toeing on broken glass.

At the base of the rock formation which one resident divulged as once being a hiding place of Japanese gold, the rock wall did not look intimidating at all. As a result, I scaled it in the fastest pace I know. Fortunately, I determined the surface to be awfully slippery ahead of time and so I managed to slow down. It clearly required extreme patience for someone like me who has no rock-climbing experience which led me to decide on a rewarding cool soak up there after reaching the top of the rock formation.

Bathing on top of the Tibulsot with an expansive view of the coast, I felt in awe of how nature has endured and thrived with the Dumagat natives in this part of mainland Luzon. Something as remote as this can be pleasant without having to be tainted with modern life's detritus. As I lay there half-submerged in rainwater, I said a silent prayer to God that it stayed that way for Maktang for decades to come.

How To Get There From Metro Manila:

Option A
• From Cubao, board any Cabantuan-bound bus.
• Ride a Dingalan or Umiray, Aurora-bound van.
• Rent a tricycle in Umiray, Aurora for Umiray, Quezon Province (Php300 or less).
• Rent a pump boat at the pantalan or dock of General Nakar for Maktang (Php700 or less).

Option B
• From Legarda, Manila, board either a Raymond Bus or a passenger van for Infanta.
• Rent a tricycle for General Nakar town proper.
• Ride the passenger jeepney for Masanga.
• Either hike the mountainside for 3 to 5 hours or rent a pump boat (Contact Ramon Romero of Masanga: 0909-478-6191) for Maktang.

You want to know more about General Nakar?

Check out my visit of Lulumnan Beach and Falls here.
Check out my visit of Masanga Coves here.
Check out my visit of Tutulakan River here.
See my compilation post about General Nakarhere.

More Photos Below:

After my impromptu midday soak, it was time to sit still.

Reaching Maktang Falls

The thorny coralline rock expanse of Baniladan Beach

The surf-worthy Maktang Beach

Dumagat kids gathering at the beachfront school in Maktang

Baniladan Beach where I stayed for the night

Aimlessly stalking the beachfront for seafood

Maktang Beach

Maktang Falls

The first cove that welcomes visitors in Masanga

A local on an early morning fishing errand at the beach of Masanga

G E N E R A L

N A K A R

There was a time when the sleepy hamlet of Masanga in Canaway was totally remote. It was so remote that the Dumagat natives have chosen to flee to it when lowland locals in Infanta outnumbered them in the area. Whether it was grief for having lost a place that can reflect their sense of self or simply a natural reaction, they didn't dwell on it for too long as they soon found this Quezon Province coast their new home. With numerous river crossings and a winding dirt road, the only convenient way to it used to require riding a motorcycle or habal-habal.

It was probably why it was also chosen by one Capt. Guillermo Nakar as his Philippine Army Battalion's hiding place from the invading Japanese forces in 1941. As a crucial refuge, the challenging terrain of Sierra Madre sheltered Nakar's guerillas of more than 1,000 men until he was captured and subsequently executed by the Japanese. It was eventually included as part of the new town of General Nakar that's been named after the World War II hero. These past few years, though, a jeepney ride has been made possible as a three hour-long commute to the once inaccessible fishing settlement.

Sunrise view at the third cove of Masanga Beach

The impressive coralline rock expanse that has tidal pools next to an imposing rock formation

The dramatic ocean waves against a rock formation in Masanga Beach

A young Dumagat and his fishing tool

A Community In Harmony

Today, Masanga is home to both lowland locals and Dumagat natives. Most are into fishing for livelihood and some have found the coast to be beneficial for farming as well. With four pristine coves that are unique in their own ways, it can easily charm any tourist who loves the beach. Three succeeding coves have dark brown sand and are respectively veiled by the highly vegetated Sierra Madre. Both also have a few profound-looking rock formations at the beachfront.

The fourth cove that's the farthest from the entry point to the sitio looks more tranquil with its white sand and age-old trees. However, when it's low tide during the day, it looks like a desolate expanse of coralline rocks.

Morning fishing at the third cove of Masanga Beach

Early morning catch in Masanga

The coralline rock expanse in Masanga

Shell fish for lunch at a cove in Masanga

Post-Typhoon Lawin Visit

Knowing that I have a few relatives living in the area, I was hopeful that I'll have the chance to meet them for the first time. Unfortunately, I didn't know where exactly in the area they eventually settled so I decided to just tag along with a Dumagat friend of mine who was scheduled to visit his own tribal community there this October.

Staying for a couple of nights in Masanga, I was able experience two kinds of home -- that of a Dumagat family and a lowland local. Each was remarkable for showing me glimpses of the hamlet's storied past.

My challenging morning stroll at the beachfront of Masanga

Hiking inland for the fourth cove in Masanga

The dramatic ocean waves against the first cove's rock formations

(top) Diana, the Dumagat snacking on sugarcane; (bottom): Cooking at a Dumagat home

Dumagat Home

At the humble home of a Dumagat family, the experience was more communal in that neighbors can easily go in and out of each other's house. It was like each structure was simply an outpost in the whole settlement that's been there for more than a century.

Even if there's an electric distribution utility that currently services the area (Quezelco), most of them unfortunately don't enjoy the convenience of access to electricity because of the lack of budget for it. This is why most homes here only have a sleeping area and a kitchen but don't have living rooms and bathrooms.

Feeling minuscule in Masanga

Almost sunset in Masanga Beach makes the dark brown sand almost black

The first cove in Masanga Beach where the jeepney for Infanta parks to wait for passengers

Second Night In Masanga

I spent my second night at the house of my Dumagat friend's mission co-member who has long been living in the area since marrying another local. As a seasoned fisherman and boatmaker, he has managed to raise his family and is open to entertaining tourists in his home or touring them in the area's different coves and nearby attractions on his boat. A stark contrast to the typical house of the Dumagat, his home is at the beachfront of one of the area's four coves and is more spacious. As a matter of fact, his family enjoys free water that flows straight from a pristine stream in his backyard, rendering his budget useful for other expenditures.

Both families seem to enjoy the off-grid way of life in Masanga. The lack of a decent mobile phone signal and facilities for amusement have not deterred them to appreciate life. Any setbacks like storm surges from the Pacific Ocean or sporadic encounters between the military and the NPA rebels don't seem to impede their way of living. They just keep on going knowing that grief is always brief in an underrated paradise they call home.

Watch A Short Video of A Fresh Catch In Masanga:

How To Get There From Metro Manila:

• From Legarda, Manila, board either a Raymond Bus or a passenger van for Infanta.
• Rent a tricycle for General Nakar town proper.
• Ride the passenger jeepney for Masanga.

Contact Person For Accommodation:
Ramon Romero (0909-478-6191)

You want to know more about General Nakar?

Check out my visit of Lulumnan Beach and Falls here.
Check out my visit of Maktang Beach and Falls here.
Check out my visit of Tutulakan River here.
See my compilation post about General Nakar here.

More Photos Below:

The second cove in Masanga Beach where the house that I stayed in for my second night is located

The view of Masanga Beach from the road

Where we docked in Masanga from our previous trip in Maktang

The tranquil cove that's farthest from the jeepney terminal

When black sand is beautiful

The rock-studded way to the fourth cove

White sand at the fourth cove

From afar, the coralline rock expanse looks like one massive tropical desolation

The view of the second cove from the house of my host

How we arrived in Masanga from Maktang

Maktang Falls, Lulumnan Beach and Baniladan Rock Formation

Lulumnan Beach

T O W N

V I S I T

General Nakar is like a gnashing wound in one's body. It's been neglected and is now a source of irritation. What a remedy can do is now long-overdue and may not be effective. However, being forsaken is not always a bad thing like in the case of this Quezon Province's biggest town. Sometimes the cost of attention can be as damaging as one's act of neglect. There really is no wonder pill for all wounds. As someone who's been to its highland border in Cablao next to Rizal, its poblacion past Infanta, and its remote coast where a majority of the Dumagat tribe members live, I've determined the town to be a wound that naturally heals itself.

What I consider to be General Nakar's painful past is not even its own fault. Its involvement in large-scale logging prior to 1986 didn't happen because it was the only lucrative trade to engage in there. It's not just rich in its vegetated mountains, but it's also teeming with a variety of sea creatures at the coast. The movement of communist NPA rebels in the area contributed greatly to such nefarious activities, giving greedy elements from the lowlands the chance to excessively extract timber out of Sierra Madre undetected. And where tourists are scared and locals displaced, the wound develops into an infection.

Fortunately, nature has its own silly way of bringing tempest where it's mostly needed. With Quezon Province being in the Philippines' typhoon belt, settling there is only meant for the unperturbed. You can actually see it in the faces of its locals, including the enduring natives of the Dumagat tribe. They've seen the worst and yet they're seriously not going anywhere. Those who depart the town beating their chests out of disdain are the ones who don't belong. They are the pus in the wound that is General Nakar.

The boat for Lulumnan Beach at the pantalan of Umiray, General Nakar

Having a morning stroll in the thorny coralline expanse of Masanga Beach

This jeepney regularly plies the Infanta-Masanga route.

Should you be visiting the town that time seems to have neglected, drop all your preconceived notions. It's nothing that you've seen before. It's not the Batanes nor the Palawan of Calabarzon. It is a self-healing wound that's finally having its chance to mend. With several attractions that reflect the people who live there, the town makes neglect the best thing that ever happened to it. If anything, it's been preserved for the future.

Here are seven essential attractions to visit in General Nakar:

Where Dumagat kids love to cliff-dive on a good day

Resting on a rock formation in Lulumnan Beach

Dumagat kids at Lulumnan Falls

Having a cool soak at Lulumnan Falls

1. Lulumnan Beach and Falls

Lulumnan Beach is the farthest attraction to reach if you're coming from Manila via the Marikina-Infanta route. However, if you're coming from Dingalan in Aurora, it can be the first stop in your tour of the town. Simply charter a boat ride at the pantalan of the town in Umiray and you can expect to be there in about twenty minutes.

The challenge is docking at the beach because its beachfront can be remarkably breezy even in summertime. Thanks to its distinct rock formations that extend to a massive cliff and break into smaller ones out into the sea, the whole beach becomes a tropical concoction of dramatic waves and heavy sea breeze.

It's recommended to scale any of its rock formations to have an expansive view of the rock-studded coast. You can also cliff-dive on a good day as some Dumagat kids love to do. After spending time at the beach, you can explore its inland terrain where hiking for fifteen minutes can lead you to a secluded waterfalls.

Read more aboutLulumnan Beach and Falls.

Dumagat locals on foot at Baniladan Beach

Spot the Dumagat resting against a rock at the coralline rock expanse of Baniladan Beach.

After scaling this rock formation, it was time to experience its wading pool at the top.

Lobsters for lunch at Baniladan Beach

2. Baniladan Rock Formations

A good one hour-long hike from Lulumnan Beach is Maktang, another community of Dumagat natives which has been blessed to be veiled by the green citadels of Sierra Madre from any hint of modernization. There isn't even any well-paved hiking trail here because the terrain is highly vegetated inland and the beachfront is either a miry swath of tidal pools or a spiny expanse of coralline rocks.

It's recommended to scale its peculiar rock formations at Baniladan Beach which the natives call Tibulsot, a wading pool-topped rock wall against the mountainside. As one Facebook friend of mine commented in my recent post about it, the rock wall that naturally fences the rainwater catch basin resembles blocks of chocolates. From up there, you can have an unobstructed view of the whole of Maktang, its coralline rock expanse, plus the distant Maktang Beach that's touted to be great for surfing.

Read more aboutBaniladan Rock Formations.

Dumagat youngsters in Maktang

The secluded Maktang Falls

Maktang Beach that's recommended for surfing

Maktang Falls is a short hike from the beach.

3. Maktang Beach and Falls

A good 15-minute hike from Baniladan Beach is the surfing spot of Maktang where Dumagat kids are known to copy moves of surfers using any flat object that they can find at the beach. You can't find any resort or outpost for surfing enthusiasts here because the beach is currently where the Dumagat natives live next to their garden of crops and it's also where their kids' school is located. According to a friend of mine, the beach can be sensational for surfing between the months of November and February.

A short hike from the beach is where Maktang Falls is. What it lacks in plunge pool space, it makes up for its height. Compared to Lulumnan Falls, this one is more secluded as the way to it can get a bit steep. You will have to get past age-old trees that lead up to the foot of the nearest mountain where it can be found. Once you're there, you won't be able to resist having a soak because the plunge pool is strategically veiled by a slope in the ground which receives the impact of the strong waterfalls, making every plant and tree jutting out of it quiver in sheer wind force.

Read more aboutMaktang Beach and Falls.

One of four coves in Masanga

A rock formation in Masanga

Tidal pools in Masanga Beach

Youngsters of Masanga on an early morning errand

4. Masanga Coves

Past Umiray, Masanga is already part of the village of Canaway and is a good one hour-long boat ride away from Maktang. Should you intend to visit this destination first, it's possible because a jeepney ride regularly plies the dirt road that is the Infanta-Masanga route. The whole trip takes about three hours. The way to it on land is actually interesting as you can topload on a jeepney that crosses more than three shallow rivers, not on a bridge but on water. If you're coming from Maktang, a boat ride to it will take a full hour and will offer you epic views of the town's mountainous coast. Or you can go intrepid and hike the same way for about five hours.

Once you're in Masanga, you can enjoy strolling and beach-bumming at its four unique coves where a combination of lowland locals and Dumagat natives also live. There is currently no resort in the area but you can contact boatman Ramon Romero at 0909-478-6191 for accommodation in his humble beachfront house. He can also take you on a boat tour of Masanga, Lulumnan or Maktang. He's also the caretaker of a small waterfalls that's a stroll away from his home.

Read more aboutMasanga Coves.

GENACOGA Tour Guide Joel aboard his Tutulakan River bamboo raft

Hiking to Tutulakan River from Tinipak Spring

The rock-studded entry point to Tutulakan River

About to jump in the turquoise-colored Tutulakan River

5. Tululakan River

The closest attraction in General Nakar from Metro Manila is Tutulakan River. It's only roughly four hours of travel -- two hours on the road and less than an hour of hiking in Sierra Madre -- via Daraitan in Tanay, Rizal. Past the tourist-thronged Tinipak Spring, Tutulakan River is a getaway that intrepid travelers appreciate because of its secluded location in the mountains and its turquoise-colored water. Surrounded by massive rock formations, visitors here find it enjoyable to cliff-dive on a good day. Some also love to simply ride GENACOGA tour guides' bamboo raft that's tied from one spot of the river to the shallow, rock-studded entry point where a safe camping site for overnight stays can be found. For hiking guides or camping, you can contact Joel Astoveza of GENACOGA at 0926-933-4286 or 0915-595-9988.

Read more aboutTutulakan River.

A view of the mighty Agos River

A General Nakar kid at the brown sand beach of the poblacion

The town hall which has a statue of WWII hero Guillermo Nakar

6. Agos River and Poblacion Beach

If you're coming from Metro Manila and making your way to General Nakar via Infanta, the poblacion is the first ideal area to explore. If you're coming from Masanga after visiting Maktang and Lulumnan, you can consider it as your last destination in your itinerary of the town.

At the poblacion, you can visit the Infanta-General Nakar Bridge to have an expansive view of the mighty Agos River which can be breathtaking to see from up there. You can also rent a tricycle to bring you to the nearest beach which offers locals and tourists a vast strip of brown sand to frolic in. There are a lot of resorts in this area but be prepared to see traditional ones with aesthetic that seems to be trapped in the '80s and with an insurgency twist -- barbed wire for fences.

Read more aboutAgos River and the Poblacion Beach.

Umiray Bridge over the river with the same name

Umiray Bridge connects Dingalan to General Nakar

Umiray River

7. Umiray River and Bridge

Umiray River flows between two villages of the same name in two respective towns -- Dingalan (Aurora) and General Nakar (Quezon Province). It's known to feed the water level in Angat Dam and almost always overflows in the rainy season which is why the construction of the Umiray Bridge has become not just a beneficial project for locals in the area, but also a symbol of hope that connects the two provinces. The bridge itself doesn't look as fancy as other beautiful bridges in the Philippines. What it offers the traveler is an expansive view of the river that used to be only visible from separate banks of their respective towns. Up there on a good day, you can view merchants aboard coconut-filled boats.

Go Ahead and Visit General Nakar

Like any suspense movie you've ever seen, the sequence when the horrified victim shows a friend a gnashing wound is what's the movie's climax is all about. You see the wound and you close your eyes out of disgust, but you can't seem to take your eyes off of it. That's how compelling General Nakar is for me. It's a place that everyone can see but simply choose to neglect over more glossy destinations. And I'm fine with it because it's on its way to mend itself with or without our intervention. It's as natural as any paradise that God made.

Know more about General Nakar:

Check out my visit of Lulumnan Beach and Fallshere.
Check out my visit of Maktang Beach and Falls here.
Check out my visit of Masanga Coves here.
Check out my visit of Tutulakan River here.

More Photos Below:

Viewing Masanga Beach from a rock formation

On top of Baniladan Beach's wading pool-topped Tibulsot

The first of four coves in Masanga Beach

Spot me strolling at the coralline rock expanse of Masanga Beach.

N E W D I S H E S

After three years of serving Mandaluyong foodies with its traditional roster of Filipino favorites, St. Nicholas Catering and Restaurant takes dining in fantasy on a grand level taste-wise by introducing two new dish options -- the seafood delight called Hot & Juicy Shrimps and the share-worthy Boodle Fight. Restaurateur Nick Pelaez ascertains that it's still in keeping with traditional Pinoy cuisine as both appeal to the typical local diner who appreciates sharing over seafood and a variety of grilled dishes. What's more, they can enjoy dining with bare hands if they wished to. Utensils are still available for them to use if ever.

Dining Venue For Special Events and More

St. Nicholas Catering and Restaurant has definitely attracted throngs of different types of diners who love the communal ambiance that its new dish options provide. Dining under an eclectic setup of native and travel souvenirs, patrons and first-time customers easily get lost in the peculiar charm of this casual dining restaurant. This is why it's also attracting numerous special events like birthday celebrations, reunions, and even wedding receptions. It also accepts catering services for different special functions.

Tasting The Hot and Juicy Shrimps

The restaurant's Hot and Juicy Shrimps can be ordered in regular (not spicy), spicy, mild, sweet, and medium versions. The shrimp is sourced from the Philippines' seafood capital, Roxas City, while Pelaez personally came up with its signature sauce. The sauce tastes so remarkable that it's great to even slather on one's hot cup of ordered rice.

The mild version that I had for my weekday visit days ago was served in an ideal plastic bag to keep the heat intact. Opening it made the order even more enticing to taste as a result. Instead of consuming it straight from the bag, I was served a small native plate that resembled a bilao or circular basket. Topped with an ideally cut banana leaf, the plate looked so traditionally Filipino that made dining more interesting. The bag was a half-kilo of succulent pieces of shrimp with corn on the cob tossed in.

With a "Shrimp Wednesday" happening once a week, seafood lovers have been returning every week for the 50% off promo. And why not? From Php399, the same quality of Hot and Juicy Shrimps can be had for only Php199 every Wednesday. It's basically a steal!

Boodle Fight Options

For those who love to dine in groups, the set of Boodle Fight options of the restaurant can allow them several chances of dining in different times of the year as it's available in nifty categories based on popular dining destinations, namely Mandaluyong, Bataan, Davao, Palawan, Boracay, Cebu and Batangas. And each is fantastic for sharing by two or three people.

Check out the following Boodle Fight options:

St. Nicholas Catering and Restaurant

Official Facebook fan page

Address: #1 Fatima St. corner San Rafael st., Bgy., Plainview, Mandaluyong City, Philippines 1550
Phone: (02)535-7637
Email: st.nicholascatering@yahoo.com

Discovery Suites, B Hotel QC, Hive Hotel, Madison 101 Hotel + Tower, Y2 Residence Hotel and more

B Hotel Quezon City

U N U S U A L

S T A Y S

With heavy traffic becoming a problem in progressive Metro Manila, more cities are becoming "served" in the sense that hotels are now being considered for layovers and staycations regardless of their location in the metro. If before a hotel always had to be 30 minutes away from the nearest airport to be considered, it isn't the case with travelers these days. It's like whichever city one is booked at, it really doesn't matter anymore. What counts now is the quality of service and its location to nearby attractions for essentials. This has rendered strength to hotels that are located in unusual grids of the Philippines' National Capital Region (NCR) like those in Quezon City and Pasig City.

For your hotel-hopping days in 2017 (or even as early as December this year), I managed to test seven Metro Manila hotels in unusual locations with off-center profiles. They're not your typical hotels and they shouldn't be. This is because hoteliers know that, to survive in Metro Manila, they need their property to stand out regardless of the location. As a wise auntie of mine once opined, only the pedestrian fades from one corner to the next.

For Part 1 of my Metro Manila hotel compilation post, click here. For Part 2, click here.

Here are my recommended hotels that you can consider for your next layover, staycation or special event:

Discovery Suites Ortigas

The spacious bathroom of my booked room at Discovery Suites Ortigas

The indoor swimming pool and Jacuzzi of Discovery Suites Ortigas

Discovery Suites (Ortigas, Pasig City)

Unusual Quality: Ultra-spacious bathroom
Located across an upscale mall in Ortigas Center, Discovery Suites is an institution in Pasig City when it comes to a luxurious stay whether short or extended. It's a towering paragon of serviced apartments that travelers on leisure prefer over boutique hotels for its reputable distinction. Surrounded by more than 20 major corporate players in the city's financial district, it's a must-book by those who are on business as well. With 220 well-appointed suites, it's recognized by returning guests to be a premier address for long-stays.

Read more about Discovery Suites.

The infinity pool of B Hotel QC

Complimentary Buffet Breakfast at B Hotel QC

My booked room at B Hotel QC

B Hotel (Quezon City)

Unusual Quality: Forward-thinking interior design from lobby to guestroom
B Hotel stands out from the glut of classic hotels for a lot of reasons. It's designed to evoke the unique sensibilities of "Brutalism," a profound movement in architecture that became prominent from the 1950s through the '70s. As a result, its aesthetic appeal crosses the boundaries of a business and a vacation stay the same way that a relevant museum successfully makes a first good impression on any type of visitor. It's impressive at 11 storeys in a landscape that still has a lot of residential bungalows, giving guests unobstructed views of the city.

Read more about B Hotel.

The lobby of Hive Hotel

My booked room at Hive Hotel

Hive Hotel

Hive Hotel (Quezon City)

Unusual Quality: A promising green hotel that's registered with the US Green Building Council
Unlike luxury hotels that are normally perceived to be decadent, Hive Hotel and Convention Place is luxurious for a cause. And it's one advocacy that definitely gives back to the community. This seven-storey structure in the dining and amusement district of Quezon City is eco-chic in the truest sense of the word. To begin with, its guestrooms' rustic flooring was constructed using recycled wood from old houses and the water being used to flush its guestrooms' toilets comes from harvested rainwater. It's an emerging green hotel that redefines a Metro Manila staycation or layover with environment-friendly functionalities sans the hospitality posturing. From its guestrooms' digital door hangers that save the hotel the use of plastic to its toiletry holders that are made from recycled paper, it's a space where productivity is truly enriching like a beehive from which it gets its sleek name.

Read more about Hive Hotel.

My booked room at Madison 101 Hotel + Tower

The Penthouse Suite of Madison 101 Hotel + Tower

The lobby of Madison 101 Hotel + Tower

Madison 101 Hotel + Tower (Quezon City)

Unusual Quality: Fully carpeted from hallway to guestroom at 3-star hotel value
With the presence of the 35-room Madison 101 Hotel + Tower at Quezon City's fringe, having an affordable stay at a value hotel is now possible for tourists away from toxic Makati City. It shines in its corner of Aurora Boulevard and Madison Street after which the establishment is named. San Juan City is easily accessible right across it and Mount Carmel Shrine is just a few blocks away for weddings. Not far away is the cluster of bus terminals that unload hotel-seeking travelers from provinces on a daily basis. With the dining district of Tomas Morato being just a few minutes away, it's also potentially a good base for food trips and the dizzying night life.

Read more about Madison 101 Hotel + Tower.

Y2 Residence Hotel rooftop lounge

The lobby of Y2 Residence Hotel

My booked room at Y2 Residence Hotel

Y2 Residence Hotel (Makati City)

Unusual Quality: Impeccable interior design with hand-painted wall accents
The offbeat side of Makati City near its poblacion is referred to by some people as the area's entertainment district, but it has a more notorious reputation that makes it a bit complex. It achieves a touristic balance in the presence of numerous budget hotels at almost every block along Makati Avenue where unconventional dining hubs and artsy cafes thrive. One such lodging is Y2 Residence Hotel, a chic high-rise that also houses the newly-opened Art Circle Cafe and a Southeast Asian diner called Pink Panda.

Read more about Y2 Residence Hotel.

My booked room at Jupiter Suites Hotel

Bathroom with bathtub

Jupiter Suites Hotel grounds and complimentary breakfast

Jupiter Suites Hotel (Makati City)

Unusual Quality: Being in the middle of everything in the city
Jupiter Suites Hotel is a 25-room value lodging that can easily be your affordable base for touring Makati on a tight budget. From irresistible street food at the poblacion to a community market in Salcedo, the city has a lot to offer other than foie gras, rib eye, and wine at its chic business center. An accommodation at this hotel is a wise thing to have when travelling in Metro Manila since it's quite accessible to such attractions from various points.

Read more about Jupiter Suites.

Kabayan Hotel capsule bed

The capsule bed of Kabayan Hotel

Complimentary breakfast

Kabayan Hotel (Pasay City)

Unusual Quality: Availability of capsule beds
A capsule bed stay at a hotel is not for everyone, especially not for someone who's prone to claustrophobia or one who extremely fears confined places. If you don't love spending more than a minute inside an elevator, chances are such an accommodation is not your thing. However, it was something that fit my need for an emergency layover one hectic weekday in Pasay City where I stumbled upon the presence of Kabayan Hotel. It's along EDSA anyway but because of the imposing MRT station, I always managed to ignore it.

Read more about Kabayan Hotel.

For Part 1 of my Metro Manila hotel compilation post, click here. For Part 2, click here.

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