The Philippines surprised me in many ways. Be it the lack of good local fare in Makati (Manila) or the uncomfortable but exciting habal-habal ride in Bislig, the country left me craving for more. By the end of the trip I was just not prepared to say goodbye; it had become my home.
Asia
There are 29 posts tagged Asia ( this is page 2 of 3).
Trailing the river that pumps the majestic Kawasan Waterfall
There’s a lot more to experience in the Philippines than crazy parties in Boracay and hopping islands in the Palawan. Cebu is a tourist hub with plenty of things to do and can get a lot crowded during public holidays and awesome weather; summers.
Continue readingHow not to get scammed by taxi drivers in Manila?
If you have read my previous stories, you’ll know that before going to a foreign nation, I do a ton of research. The most amount of time I spend reading is “beware” or “safety” in a country. This is particularly important while holidaying in a developing country, otherwise, you’ll find yourself in many unpleasant situations.
Continue readingSurviving Philippines as a vegetarian
I have to admit, one of my biggest fears before I left for the Philippines was whether I would find food to survive as a vegetarian during my month-long stay. None of my friends or family had visited the Philippines previously, so I had only blogs and websites to rely upon. Most of them detailed accounts of several ghastly (sorry my Pinoy friends), unthinkable foods like Balut (half-formed embryo of duck) and full roast pigs. Continue reading
Getting a clear view of Mount Mayon in the Philippines
With 7000 islands in the Philippines, anybody can fall in love with their beauty over and under water. Different islands have a lot to offer and hopping different islands is one sure thing to do. But we were here to explore some amazing landscapes especially an active volcano.
Continue readingArriving in the Philippines and getting around Manila
We departed from Chennai in the midnight, had a brief halt in Kuala Lumpur and reached Manila by 8 in the morning. Metro Manila is the largest business city of the country and is known for its skylines, congestion, mix culture and its concrete jungle. People either come here for business or use it as a transit to go to other places in the Philippines. But unlike other metros, Manila has a beautiful harbor overlooking the skylines.
Continue reading2 of the best places in Bali to reach early to avoid the crowd
This is the second time we visited Bali and I wanted to see places without the people. Okay! that seems fake but I really wanted to visit the places when and where it is less crowded. Bali is a big island and most of us hardly make it out of Denpasar, the place where the international airport is.
Continue readingReasons why Kerala is an ultimate destination to explore
Treks are not just limited to hiking in the mountains or climbing big rocks, it is to find the adventure where ever you travel to. We never found a reason to not to travel to Kerala. We don’t need a reason to experience the sun come up from the rice fields of Kumarakom and go down in the Vembanad lake which can be just a few hours of walk or half an hour ride on a bike (bicycle). There is no perfect season to visit God’s own country.
Continue readingHow to get to Enchanted river and Tinuyan Falls from Mangagoy?
Seven kilometers from the town of Bislig lies the small town of Mangagoy, a popular stop for all visitors to two major tourist spots- Tinuy-an Falls and Enchanted River. There are several buses from Butuan city to Mangagoy every day, but most of them are non-air-conditioned.
Continue readingHiking in Kashmir in bad winter weather
Lidderwat in the valley of Kashmir is amazingly colourful and beautiful in the summers but becomes a different terrain in the winters. I am continuing this story from my previous story: Winter whiteout in Lidderwat, Kashmir. When I, Riyaz, Safeen and others got here after 10 hours of hike in 6-7 ft of snow, we were dehydrated and exhausted. The weather had already got worse from bad and it had started to rain. Continue reading