TIBIAO, ANTIQUE

Hello my Nomadic Friends!

I have been traveling a lot for the entire month of April. I have been to MNL, Tarlac (Mt. Pinatubo), Iloilo, Antique, CDO, Bukidnon, General Santos, Davao & Camiguin. Honestly, Davao, Gen.San & Camiguin was really unplanned. 

But this blog is all about my trip to Tibiao, Antique!!

I have been thinking whether to go on this trip or pursue the Northern most trip in Philippines. Anyways, I decided to pursue this trip. The Northern trip can wait till next summer. 

HOW TO GET THERE?!?!

FLY. If coming from places outside Panay Region, Philippine Airlines & Cebu Pacific flies directly to Iloilo. From there, take a van going to SM (P50) and then take a cab going to Molo Bus Terminal for a 5hrs bus ride (P170), tell the driver to drop you off at Brgy. Importante, Tibiao, Antique. 

It is important to inform your bus driver where you wish to be dropped off. Antique is very big. Or you can tell the bus driver that you wish to go to Kayak Inn. They know where to drop you.

BUS. If you wish to do a side trip, then Tibiao is only 2 hrs away from the party paradise of Boracay. Or if coming from any part of the Panay Region then it is very much accessible. 

WHERE TO STAY?!?!

THE KAYAK INN. 7km away from Tibiao's town center and way up in the mountain. P500/night. 1 bungalow good for 8-10pax. Meals are chargeable at P250/pax.

Arriving from Iloilo International Airport, we took a van going to SM (P50). Do not take any cabs from the airport, they are horrendously expensive! A cab from the airport going to SM is P500! Upon arriving at SM terminal, if you still have some time to roam around but do not wish to carry your luggage nor check-in in a hotel, you can leave your luggage to the Traveler's Lounge for a fee. You won't miss that lounge. That's the first thing you'll see once you get off the van.

From there if you wish to travel directly to Antique, hire a cab going to Molo Bus Terminal. But me & bf decided to spend the night in Iloilo so we checked-in to the nearest hotel.

The next morning we went to the bus terminal and got ourselves on a 5hrs bus ride to Tibiao, Antique. Inform the driver that you wish to go to Kayak Inn or Brgy. Importante so they can drop you off there. Once you arrive at Brgy. Importante, you will then take a 20min habal-habal ride (motorcycle | P70)  either arranged by the Inn or by yourselves. And then you'll need to pay P50/pax for registration.

Once you reach the Inn, you will be greeted by Ms. Shiela & Mr. Edwin, they are the caretakers of the Inn. They are very very nice people. Really! The hospitality they've showed us was really touching. And the generosity was overwhelming. 

We arrived there at about 1:30pm. After we got stuffs settled in the room, we straightaway went on a hike to the waterfalls (P100 for a guide). Remember that it still was summer time during our visit last mid week April so when we got there the water was not so much. Some of the river beds that we passed by were dry. An indication of a really really hot summer. More evaporation but very less condensation.

Please remember to bring water when hiking even if it was just a short distance. We forgot to bring or buy our water because we were rushing from Iloilo. 

The water was cold from the waterfall. Very refreshing. I only managed to reach the 2nd waterfall. The way going to the 2nd waterfall was really steep. 90 deg. steep! And I was running out of breath. No water to drink. And it was really hot. 

We just hang around there for about 20-30min and then we went back to the inn. 

**You need to pay P30 for the environmental fee and P100 for the guide.

Back at the inn, we just went down to the river and bath. It was really refreshing! We didn't do any kayaking or whatsoever. The water was not of a good level to do any water activities other than bathing. After that we soaked ourselves in their famous KAWA HOT BATH (P200/pax). 

The very reason why I wanna visit Antique was because of their Kawa Hot Bath. It was really really relaxing! Best to e done after your outdoor activities to calm your aching muscles.

They have quite a number of Kawa's, but we took the biggest one so we can share. It was an experience I will always remember. 

There are a lot of activities that you can do at Antique. There's the Fish Spa. Unfortunately, we just had our foot spa done the day before so fish spa was out of our list. 

One of the best thing about our cottage was that the toilet was really clean and the bed was really comfortable. Although at night there's a lot of mosquitos and other flying insects but we fell asleep peacefully. We just had to cover our heads. Maybe if they can provide an electric mosquito killer, that'll be great. Just bring insect repellent and you'll be just fine. They also provide soap, shampoo & conditioner.

For the entire trip, we forgot to withdraw some cash. We only had 2k and it was just nice. So I guess if all you want to do in Tibiao is to experience the Kawa Hot Bath and see the Bugtong-Bato Falls, 2k budget is just nice and that includes your dinner too (P250/pax).

It was my first time to experience such hospitality from Mr. Edwin & Ms. Sheila. I just have to say this. They are the most generous and hospitable hosts that I've ever encountered. Being on this trip with a very very tight budget, and having said that we won't be eating breakfast coz we don't have any sufficient fund, they still made breakfast for us. Coffee, Eggs, Tocino, Rice & Bread for free because they said that we will still be traveling for 5 long hours and they don't want us to starve. When we arrived, they sent us Spaghetti for snack free of charge. We had a chat with Mr. Edwin and their family's life story was really touching. He said that they want to share to others the kindness and generosity that they have received from someone, had it not been for his help, they wouldn't be where they are now. Really touching.

THINGS TO DO

While in Tibiao, here are some of the things that you can do.

• Trek to the Bugtong-Bato Falls 
• Swim & River trekking at Tibiao River
• Fish Spa
• Kayak
• Zipline
• Zorb
• Kawa Hot Bath

THINGS TO BRING

While in Tibao I suggest you bring the following:

• CASH (They do not have any ATM's up in the mountain)
• Insect Repellent 
• Rash Guard/Long Sleeve (The hike going to the falls is very hot)
• CAMERA (You've gotta capture those memories)
• Water
• Food
• A great companion

If you wish to visit Antique and experience the famous Kawa Hot Bath you can contact Ms. Shiela Endrico or Edwin Endrico at 09215701947/09287790776.

I really had fun in Antique. I will never forget this experience. And I highly recommend you guys to stay in Kayak Inn. I guess our visit was not really the best time had we wanted to do some kayaking. The river was drying up you see. But we still had fun. 

Till the next adventure!

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN TO LATELY?!?!

Much Love.

MT. PINATUBO | CAPAS, TARLAC

Hello my fellow Nomad Travelers! Today, we are heading to one of the country's historical place that shook the world in 1991 with the devastation that it brought upon; MT. PINATUBO.

A little historical overview of this adventure.

Erupted in June 15, 1991; I t produced the second largest terrestrial of the both century after the 1912 eruption of Novarupta in the Alaska Peninsula. Complicating the eruption was the typhoon Yunya bringing a mix of ash & rain causing the lahar.
The crater lake or "Mt. Pinatubo Lake" was formed afterwards through succeeding rainfalls.  Initially it was high in Sulfuric Acid with the temperature of 40°C. & pH2. Subsequent rainfall cooled and diluted the lake lowering the temperature to 26°C.

I chose to celebrate my birthday at Mt. Pinatubo coz I wanted to have a different feel for my birthday. Not your typical birthday party that kind of stuff. And besides, looking at the photos Google has offered me and some of the blogs I've read, celebrating my birthday there is like the coolest thing ever with the most amazing view there is.

I have prepared for this trip meticulously. Researched it if which one is better, a DIY or a Travel Tour (public/private). If traveling via DIY it is very much doable but I find it too much of a hassle regardless of it being much cheaper than going on tours. Comparing the DIY vs Tour package, the difference is nothing much really. Only a few pesos. However, comparing between going on a public tour vs private tour, the prices were so much of a shock. For a private tour of 2pax you'll have to pay between P6k to P6.5k depending on the travel tour you're going to have. Compare it to the public tour of P2,090/pax. o if you're on a tight budget, I suggest to take the public tour. And hey, you'll even meet new friends.

Of all the travel & tour packages from different company, I decided to take from TRIPINAS. Please check the link for more details.

ITINERARY.

2:30am    Call Time. Meet with the coordinator. Briefing with the rest of the participants and payment settlement.

3:30am    Take off from MNL to base camp at Capas, Tarlac.

5:30am    ETA Brgy. Julianna, Capas, Tarlac. Final Briefing. 4x4 & local guide assignments.

6:00am    Take off from base camp. 1hr 4x4 ride.

7:00am    ETA take off camp for the 2hrs (7km) hike going to the crater.

9:00am    ETA Mt. Pinatubo Crater. Rest. Photo taking. Lunch.

11:30am  Start of the descend back to the waiting 4x4.

1:30pm    ETA waiting 4x4. Start heading back to the base camp.

2:30pm    ETA base camp. Rest. Shower.

3:00pm    ETD for MNL back to the meeting point.

5:00pm    ETA MNL. (Depending on traffic)

**There is however an alternative route whereby the hike is only 30min.

Coming from a long international flight, I arrived in MNL at 2pm. Met BF and decided to just check-in while waiting for midnight to go to El Pueblo. By 12mn we went off to the meeting place. and the rest went on according to the itinerary.

The whole trip was fun and kinda tiring especially during mid day as the sun was all up. 

Here's my tips for the trip…

• Have a big big big breakfast. 
• Bring loads of water. At least 1.5L per person. It is a long and very hot adventure.
• Bring your lunch. There's NO RESTAURANT at the crater. They do sell drinks though but too expensive.
• Pack light. A hydro pack suits this hike.
• Wear rash guards & leggings unless you want to have tanned skin.
• Wear sunscreen. It is an ultimate must. Remember, it is very hot.
• Wear a cap/hat.
• Bring a scarf or mask or balaclava. It is very very dusty during the 4x4 ride.
• Wear proper shoes for the hike. I was so glad to have worn my trekking shoes. The path was very rocky. Like literally. Tons of rocks. Plus there's some river to cross too.
• Stick with your group and guide at all times. 
• Exercise before going on this adventure. You'll be needing loads of cardio & legs workout. 
• Share your food with your guide. And please, don't forget to tip them. 
• Bring your camera. 
• Do not throw any garbage. If you have any garbage, bring them with you back to base camp and throw it there. 
• And lastly, RESPECT Mt. Pinatubo and the locals. Remember, you are visiting their home.

P/S: Swimming at the crater is no longer allowed. Too bad. It's for safety reasons so don't be an ass or else your guide will be blamed for your inconsideration.

Take pictures and create memories. Indulge in the beauty of what Mt. Pinatubo has to offer and in the same time make new friends and learn their history.

When we got to the crater, it was too hot that we were so tempted to dive the clear blue waters. Argh.. Anyways, I got a free mud pack though. Our guide happened to find a mud pack brick and told us that it was what they use in the spa for the mud pack spa but they only added some artificial stuff. So I asked him if I could take the mud pack and he gave it to me. He said that it was very good because it was natural. No chemicals added or whatsoever. And it was damn heavy! I've yet to try it though.

It was the best birthday ever so far. And a destination that I once dreamed of to go now crossed out from the list. I was so glad I decided to go. 

If you want to go to Mt. Pinatubo and experience this adventure, I encourage you guys to do so. If going by groups it is so much better and cheaper!! I suggest you guys make a booking with TRIPINAS. At the end of your adventure, you'll get a certificate. Proof that that you've been there and you survived.

The best time to visit Mt. Pinatubo is on summer. They do not provide any tours during the rainy season as the river gets high and becomes too dangerous to cross. 

P/S: do not drink the water from the river. It contains high doses of sulfur. Bring your own water.

Thanks for reading!

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN TO LATELY?!?!

Much Love!

BREAKTHROUGH RESTAURANT | ILOILO CITY

ILOILO CITY. APRIL 8, 2014.

Hello my Nomad Traveler Friends! I just came from a stopover in Iloilo City and I just wanna share this experience of the dinner. Being in Iloilo City for just overnight and not much time, I thought that I wanted to try their specialty dishes. So I asked the receptionist in our hotel for a recommendation of restaurants to eat.

I was told of 2 restaurants, BREAKTHROUGH RESTAURANT & TATOY'S RESTAURANT. 

So we decided to head over to Breakthrough Restaurant. The name seems funny too. Anyways, I just want to share my dinner experience over there. 

According to Google, Breakthrough is located near the beach and their seafood was to die for. Most reviews I read was positive, although I've read some negative feed backs as well. I thought maybe I'll just give it a go. You can't please everybody thus the negative comments.

The dinner turned out to be one of the most HORRIBLE dinner I've ever had! 

First stop, yeah, the location was just a stone's throw away from the beach but the concept of this so called "restaurant" is nothing like a restaurant. Not even a simple restaurant. 

One thing that turned me off big time was that they do not provide any MENU!!! Like how the hell are we suppose to know what they have? And not just that, how the bloody hell are we suppose to know the prices of every dish? 

Second, once seated they told us to go over to the food counter to order. Okay. Well, what turned me off again was that they do not even have a menu at the counter. They have a variety of dishes laid inside the glass food heater. Think CAFETERIA STYLE. 

Third, it took us a long long long time to make an order. As if things weren't horrible enough. You have to order your drinks separately because they only take food orders. Drinks are to be ordered from your table which took another long long long waiting time. 

Fourth, the service staff were not friendly & helpful at all. 

Fifth, the bill took forever to get to us. I could've just walked away and forget to pay everything which was by the way, I felt totally ripped off. 

And this is what I meant by not having a menu which states not just what they have but also the "prices" of every item. Because you will never know if you've been ripped off or what.

The shock I had when I got the bill. For 2 persons, I paid nearly a thousand bucks. Literally. A few pesos and I would've hit the Thousand bucks mark. 

We had Scallops, Fried Bangus (Milkfish), a terrible plate of Lechon (Roasted Pork), a miserable portion of Sinigang na Isda, platter of rice, 1 fresh Coconut, 2 small mineral water and a Mango shake. And all costs nearly a thousand bucks??? Please tell me if that was a rip off or not.

We were only in Iloilo only for a few hours, not even 24hrs and that dinner was enough to ruin the night. 

Will I recommend this restaurant? BLOODY HELL NO!!! This place is a total RIP OFF. Service was HORRIBLE. Staff was UNFRIENDLY. Food was only OK, not the kind that I would really brag to everyone. 

I'm sorry, but there's nothing good to brag about this place and I sure as hell won't go back there.

Good thing the restaurant in our hotel serves delicious La Paz Batchoy. And that's their pride and glory.. They said that their La Paz Batchoy was the first and the original in the entire Iloilo. Hmmm… Yummsss.. Somehow, I've forgotten the restaurant's name. Sorry. But at least this made our day on our last day in Iloilo.

Much Love.

DAKAK BEACH RESORT | DAPITAN CITY

Hello my Nomad Travelers!

Today's travel, we're going to Dakak Beach Resort!


HOW TO GET THERE


FLY. Cebu Pacific & Philippine Airlines flies daily to Dipolog. From there, you can either drive to Dakak on your own or have Dakak pick you up from the airport. Shuttle service to and from airport is free of charge.

BUS. If coming from any part of Mindanao, Rural Transit serves daily & hourly trip to and from Dipolog. Again, from there, you have to option of driving towards Dakak or have Dakak pick you up from your point of origin.

Upon confirmation of you booking in Dakak, if you want to avail the free shuttle service just inform Dakak ahead as to where you wish to be picked up.


DAKAK EXPERIENCE

I have been to Dakak twice and there has been quite an improvement to the resort since my first visit. The rooms however were still the same except for the newly added family pavilions which can house family up to 10pax or more.

Added attraction to the resort is the newly established Adventure Zone. They have introduced an outstanding 1,364 meters and 300 meter drop zipline. The fastest dual zipline in Asia.

Other extreme activities are available too such as bungee jumping, wall climbing, war gaming such as airsoft. Horseback riding and ATV are also available. And of course water activities such as snorkeling, kayaking, banana boat ride, jet ski and more are also available.

There are endless activities available at Dakak Beach Resort for you & your family/barkada's enjoyment.

Upon check-in, Dakak also offers complimentary tickets to their amusement park, FANTASYLAND. May not be as grand and as big as Enchanted Kingdom or Starcity but this is the only amusement park in the region.

Dakak Beach Resort will provide shuttle services to and from Fantasyland. Shuttle service starts from 6pm to 10pm for going to Fantasyland and 10pm to 1am for going back to the resort.

**I don't know why my pictures sucks here. I think Blogspot has a problem with pictures because they certainly do not look like this. I SHOOT RAW. 

Anyways, for more information about Dakak Beach Resort visit their website http://dakakresort.com. For more information of about Fantasyland please visit their website http://www.gloriasfantasyland.com

Have a great summer everyone!!

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN TO LATELY?!?!

Much Love..