Tag: Travel

Singapore Fling

Credits:  Papers by Queen of Quarks; Elements from Scrap Matter’s Life’s Little Surprises kit and You Are Awesome Kit by Crystal W.

Daniel Boulud’s Bistro Moderne, Mario Batali’s Mozza, Boon Tong Kee’s Chicken Rice… all part of my dad’s 70th birthday celebration.  Our whole family of 8 flew to Singapore in lieu of a big celebration and could be the best decision ever.

Not all with favorable reviews, I’m afraid.  The Marina Bay Sands was a let down.

The long lines at the check-in counter had me by surprise, and after that long wait, one of our rooms was not even ready.

We could go up to the famous skypark infinity pool while we wait, they suggested.  If the line at the check in counter had not turned off me off yet,

the pool in similar fashion definitely did.  It looked like a market place – although it did boast of 12.400 square meter of space that can host about 4,000 people and it probably did that day.  We ordered drinks and bar chows while the kids had a swim.  Service leaves much to be desired for…   Chefs Boulud and Batali were the reasons why we opted to stay at the Marina Bay Sands.  Next time, we will take a cab.   😦

Dinner at DB Bistro Moderne was superb, I had the classic Coq Au Vin and a Yuzu flavored ice cream dessert.

The pizzas at Pizzeria Mozza, I truly enjoyed.  I also had my first Burata here.  Yum.

To save the best for my dad’s night, we dined with gusto at Osteria Mozza – a great choice to mark his 70th – he loves food more than all of us combined.

Wonderful French and Italian cuisines aside, we also had our share of chicken rice, but of course!

One day for lunch, we headed out to River Valley Road for an authentic Chicken Rice at Boon Tong Kee.  The chicken rice here ranks high on the best chart.  We ordered the steamed and the roast chicken and were not disappointed, the meat was tender and flavorful, the rice fragrant.  Many tend to think though that BTK is over-priced and maybe it is.  The chicken, although not disappointing, leaves no lasting impression, sad to say.

To be in Singapore with kids and not go to Sentosa is a crime – at least to my 6-year old nephew.  Not too large a place with an array of interesting marine life, Underwater World achieved to fascinate even (a kid at heart like) me.

I sat through the dolphin show with a cup of Cherry Garcia’s at an air-conditioned café overlooking stage/pool. We stumbled on it when we went to get ourselves some Ben & Jerry’s and found out that we could stay and watch the show comfortably for a reasonable consumable fee.

A great deal, if you ask me.  My nephews were equally as happy with their own ice cream cups in their little corner with a great vantage point.

The reason I love food so much is because I grew up in a family that enjoys good food.  More often than not, trips with my parents always involved food, so I say this weekend Singapore fling was a hit despite some lows.

Weekend fireworks at the Marina Bay Sands

Overall, we celebrated my dad’s birthday literally with a bang.

Posted on by Jenn 3

Rest of Taroko

If rugged cliff, marble canyons, towering mountains, and cascading rivers are your thing, then the Taroko National Park will surely enchant.

Hungry for more after our morning’s meanderings, we decided to book a tour to cover more grounds.  A must if pressed for time, actually.  A taxi came for us after lunch, turns out that he is both taxi driver and English-speaking guide.  He said the need for an independent tour guide (and an English-speaking one to boot) has declined now that more Chinese tourists arrive by the busloads providing their own tour guides, hence the dual occupation.

One can spend the day exploring the breathtaking scenery on foot and not cover half the park, which by the way, is the 2nd largest national park in Taiwan. The gorge itself spans 19km long and is spectacular whichever angle you see it from.  With a car, we managed to cover a lot.  Besides, wandering on foot requires a bit of stamina, stamina that has substantially diminished after our morning walk.

Swallow Grotto

The trail we walked earlier apparently does not end at the highway, if we crossed it and walked north, we would have hit a tunnel that splits into two.  We earlier thought about walking along the highway but worried about getting hit by the buses or be charged with jay walking.

Anyhow, traffic and tourist buses are heavy near the tunnel.  The right side of the tunnel is off-limits to vehicles and one gets to explore the tunnel and its surrounding by foot.  Long-term erosion by the river resulted in holes and hollows on the cliffs.  Swifts and swallows took up residence here giving the place its name.

Gorgeous valleys and splendid views awaits as one walk further into the tunnel.  A part of the trail was closed due to falling rocks when we visited and so we turned back.  Normally, our guide said he’d wait at the end of the tunnel while his guests walk the entire stretch.

Cihmu Bridge

The scenery from the Swallow Grotto to our next destination is quite spectacular where the highway runs mostly through tunnels, narrow gorges and marble sceneries.

At the confluence of the laoxi and the liwu river stands Cihmu Bridge, an H-shape hanging bridge where marble stone lions stand on each side.  The rock beneath is of schist and white marble, resembling a frog with a crown (can you see it?   🙂 ).  The crown is actually a pavilion built on top of the frog-like rock.

Lushui Trail

Our driver/guide recommended that we walk this trail.  He dropped us off where the trail started and he’ll meet us at the end, he said.

The trail climbs gently uphill and crosses a short suspension bridge before making its way onto a spectacular cliff-side section.

It was a fairly easy and very scenic trail that is suitable for people of all ages.  The trail follows the road cutting through the mountain and passing through a short tunnel.

The views of the Liwu River and the gorge are impressive.

A kilometer of rough downhill road signals almost the end of the trail bringing us back to the main road along the rim, our taxi in sight.

Tianxiang

Tienfieng Pagoda

Like Buluowan, Tianxiang is an old Atayal aboriginal village sitting near the confluence of the Daxi Jili and Dasha rivers that eventually becomes the Liwu River.  Its name commemorates Wen Tianxiang, the last prime minister of the Song Dynasty.

This charming town has a large parking space for tourists, a recreational plaza garden and the only 5-star hotel in Taroko – Silks Place.

Eternal Spring Shrine

From the road, driving to our next destination, we stopped only to take photos (as many have done) of the Eternal Spring Shrine, a landmark and a memorial shrine complex paying tribute to the 212 veterans who passed away during the construction of the Central Cross-Island Highway.  The shrine surrounded by lush greenery and the long steep gorge beneath was built above the Chang Chun falls offering picturesque view of the mountain and the waterfalls.  The Chang Chun falls runs year-round.

Shakadang Trail

Bridge near the Shakadang Trail entrance.  Each lion has a different face.

5pm, hot and hungry and we still had one more to go.  We were thinking to perhaps skip it but our guide insisted that we walk even just a portion of the trail.  Glad we did.

It was an easy hike, which started just below the bridge, along the Shakadang creek valley, a tributary of the Liwi River.

The trail is a flat 4.4km following the crystal clear blue water of the Shakadang River which winds through dramatic marble canyons surrounded by lush green vegetation.

The mineral deposits in the rocks produces such beautiful turquoise water and is a major part of the charm.

And with that, we were driven back to our hotel just in time for my aboriginal dinner.

The Sincheng Station

We headed back the next day to Taipei the same way we arrived, impressed with what Taiwan had to offer, realizing that we perhaps scratched only a small surface of this beautiful island once aptly called Formosa.  Another visit is definitely likely to happen in the (near or far) future.

Posted on by Jenn 4

Buluowan, the Lower Terrace

Taroko Gorge.  Travel buddy Art, a globe wanderer for more than 3 decades, largely influenced our trip to the national park.  He’s gone to so many places, he inspire me to never stop travelling.  Ethiopia, Uzbekistan, Iran, Bhutan, Antarctica – name it he’s been there.  And to give a thumbs-up on Taroko Gorge?  I knew we chose a winner and wasted no time booking our flights.  With tips from Art, we planned the trip as efficiently as we could.

We had to make good use of our limited time hence the 2 nights stay at the Leader Village Hotel.  Perfectly located within the park with its headquarters just a short walk down.

From the lobby, following the wooden walkway that borders the road leading to the park’s headquarters, I was rewarded with a bird’s eye view of the lower terrace.

Lush green trees surrounds the lower terrace

A beautiful sight that had me thanking Art for his recommendation.

The Traveler’s Center from E-das Hall

What used to be the home of the Taroko tribes more than 3,000 years ago is now the Park’s headquarter, which includes a recreational area (also called the Traveler’s Center)

featuring aboriginal cultures, a multimedia presentation at the E-das Hall, and a souvenir shop.  Also found here are the Swallow Grotto trail and the Meander Core Trail.

While aimlessly walking around, a guy called out prodding us to enter the E-das Hall as “the show’s about to start”, he said.  Happy to be away from the heat even for just a while, we comfortably seated ourselves and watched the entire show… in Chinese with no sub-titles to boot.  Who cares when we can cool ourselves on a hot summer’s day?  The show briefs about the different attractions to be seen and experienced at the park and the visual presentation had us eager to explore the park.  So right after the show, we went on our first trail.

Swallow Grotto Trail

Behind E-das Hall is the Swallow Grotto Trail.

Looks promising, don’t you think?

On the map though, it ends on the highway and A was hesitant to walk this trail because we might end up backtracking.  I insisted and of course he was right.

The steep steps down seemed never ending, and when we reached the end of the road, we were rewarded with this.

An obstructed view of the Liwu River.  

I cringed because I insisted and was wrong, and we had to go back up those steep steps.

Next time I will listen.

Meander Core Trail

Now this trail is a breeze with beautiful scenery and lush flora along the way.

It’s a shorter trail that starts near the traveler’s center.

The pretty wooden walkway leads all the way to a viewing deck at the end. There, we were rewarded with these views.

The Taroko Gorge (left) and the Sipan Dam (right)

After these two trails, a hearty lunch was the only way to go.

We walked back to the hotel through a more scenic and shorter route,

A rooftop picnic area at the Traveler’s Center

which passes the back of the Traveler’s center.

All these stunning scenery left us awed by the beauty of Taroko and we have not technically left our hotel grounds yet.

Posted on by Jenn 5

Taroko: An Edgy Start

Our journey to the east coast of Taiwan began when we got off the cab at the Taipei Train Station with our backpacks in tow.

The station is a large building housing several rail services with an array of shops and restaurants on the 2nd floor.

Getting ourselves acquainted with the station the day before we thought would prepare us for a stress-free travel.   Not quite!

Taroko Gorge, one of the most fascinating areas of Taiwan, is accessible by plane or train.  Unless pressed for time, we like traveling by land, in this case by train.  While we are able to see more of the place, it is likewise a cheaper way to travel.  Sincheng (Hsin-Cheng) station is the closest station to the Taroko Gorge National Park and because our hotel is located within the park, we took Lonely Planet’s advice and bought our tickets to Sincheng,

which we soon realized, is a small station in a small town.  The more common route to Taroko is through the Hualien station (a different train passes that station).  That however is still an hour’s drive to the National Park.

To make matters worse, on the B2 level where we were to board, there are 2 lines going on opposite directions.  The ticket didn’t give much information — it was written in Chinese save for the word “Sincheng”.  It didn’t specify which train/line to take, at least not in English.  All we had were the platform number and the time of departure.  None of those we approached (young or old) could help us because they either did not speak much English or they didn’t know where the hell Sincheng is.  A and I looked at each other and without speaking burst out laughing reminiscing about our bus mishap years ago, very aware that what happened in Uganda might just repeat itself in Taiwan. It really wasn’t something to laugh about but…

We eventually found (and I assume was) a customer service booth.  And with the little mandarin I know and a lot of pointing, we boarded our train hoping for the best.

Three hours later we found a cab parked outside the Sincheng station and in 10 minutes, we were unloading our backpacks at the Leader Village Hotel, our home for the next 2 nights.

Winding through a zigzag road, the drive to the front of the lobby melted away the tensions of the day.

A welcome party greeting guests at the driveway.  Fun sculptures are found around the hotel grounds.  

Spectacularly situated on the Buluowan plateau, the Leader Village Hotel, surrounded by green mountains, was a sight to behold.

Set in fabulous scenery, native aboriginal themed wooden cabins were built in clusters all over the hotel grounds.

Known too for their restaurant, meals were a combination of western and aboriginal dishes.

Aboriginal dishes came as a set meal (middle pic): an order of grilled tilapia with different vegetables including sweet potatoes.  It also came with sticky rice on a bamboo.  Steaks were tender, superb when sprinkled with a dry spice mixture.

The staffs are mostly Taroko aborigines and after dinner, we were treated to a cultural show performed by the children of the Truku tribe.

The cabins are spacious, clean and rustic complete with modern amenities such as rain showers and TV.  Although the beds set on the floor is quite charming, getting out of bed was an effort… a sign that age is creeping up on us!

The best part though is to wake up to this.  I could sit on our porch the whole day and I’ll be a happy camper.

Just in front our cabin.  The grounds so green, butterflies abound.

But laze around we didn’t do of course as the beautiful grounds invites to be explored.

Dramatically set above the gorge proper with fabulous scenery everywhere, Buluowan was where the Taroko aborigines once lived and held festivals and celebrations.  Divided into the upper and the lower terrace, the hotel is on the upper while several trails, a recreation area including an exhibition hall are found on the lower terrace.

After breakfast, we explored the upper terrace.  Behind the hotel is a short nature trail aptly called Bamboo Grove Trail.  It was a cool walk through a bamboo grove.

It wasn’t so bad after all.  All is well that ends well.

More of the lower terrace up next.

Posted on by Jenn 10

“Why Taiwan?”

Most would ask when I tell them a trip to our northern neighbor was brewing.  “Why not?”  Truth is, Taiwan was never really on my radar until Fun Taiwan, a travel show featuring fun things to do in… you guess it… Taiwan.  So yeah, these shows can entice.   As an aside… can someone please produce a more quality shows about the Philippines?

Taiwan, I discovered, has marvelous natural landscapes and that is why we found ourselves one day

walking around Yong Kang Street, absorbing the sights and smells of this interesting, trendy street

where snack stands of all kinds, coffee shops, restaurants, boutiques

and even a park share space and voice.

The best Xiao Long Bao — in my opinion.  On the right a new dish: Shrimp and Pork Pot sticker.

It is also where the first Din Tai Fung outlet is still found and to this day, lines are long so being there early is wise.   (We had an early dinner there on our last night in Taipei so we would not have to wait for a table — more on why this is a top choice here).

Dandy Hotel — uses simple lines, white walls and bleached furnitures giving an uncluttered feel to a small space.

Just a short walk from our trendy boutique hotel at the Da’an district, we set out to Yong Kang for some happy hour and dinner after.  After a full day, we deserved it to unwind and to finally savor our first day in Taiwan.

Taken from Baskin and Robbins on the 2nd floor of the station where an array of restaurants and shops are found.

At the Taipei Train Station earlier that day, we got by with the simple mandarin tucked away in my brain somewhere and managed to buy train tickets for our journey east the following day.  We decided to explore the station first to find our way around before tomorrow’s journey.  It’s a huge station, getting lost or worst, getting on the wrong platform or train is a possibility… especially since many still speak very little English.  So our game plan was to always be one step ahead.

With that out of the way, we headed to the second floor and devoured our first meal in Taipei – Beef Noodle Soup at the food court.

A glimpse of what was to come (food-wise) in the next few days… actually in the next few hours.

Wonderful staff helping us find our way around.  That’s our map that they were trying to figure out for us.

Walking around Yong Kang, we entered a bar thirsty for some cold beer.  We made friends with the servers while downing our Asahi and a side dish of shiitake mushrooms.

About an hour later, we walked the street again looking for a place to dine.  When it started to pour, we entered the first restaurant we fancied.  In a small alley off Yong Kang Street is Sit-Fun. The photos at the entrance and the glassed-in kitchen screamed, “Come in!”

Clockwise: a succulent Pork braised in Brown Sugar; tender, crispy Fried Squid with Garlic; a very tasty Fried Oyster with Soy Sauce; interior.

Our default restaurant turned out a winner of a choice.  By no time, the place was full and all the food we ordered were excellent.

Famous not only in Yong Kang but also all over Taipei is this shaved iced dessert (like Ice Monster) and the sweet tooth in me just couldn’t resist.

Before calling it a night, we stopped by Smoothie House and I convinced A to share this huge bowl of shaved ice filled with strawberries, condensed milk and topped Panna cotta with me.

So what say you?  I say a perfect end to a long fruitful day.   🙂

Useful Info:

Dandy Hotel
No. 33 Sec. 3, Xinyi Rd., Da’an District
Taipei City 106
Tel: +886-2-2707-6899
Fax: +886-2-2706-5777
 
Sit-Fun Shih Tang
5, Lane 8, Yong Kang Street 
Tel: +886-2-2322-2632
 
Din Tai Fung
194 Sec 2, Xinyi Rd., Da’an District

Posted on by Jenn 6

Swim. Snorkel. Fish. Eat.

Around Port Barton, San Vicente – a small fishing and farming village blessed with so much unspoiled beauty and the best way to catch a glimpse and have a feel of the island is to book an island hopping tour.

Tour comes with food and drinks — in this case fresh buko juice.

The first agenda was Bigaho Waterfalls. A charming enough waterfalls that cascades to a pool that is big enough for swimming.

From Bigaho town, it is a 10-15 minute walk that started flat and even and gradually turns into rocky (and a bit slippery) steps leading to the falls.

The water was refreshingly cold and on a hot summer’s day, it was a welcome treat.

Beautiful despite the rains.

The most part of the island hopping tour (which we booked with the resort) was snorkeling and rightly so.

San Vicente (or Palawan for that matter) is blessed with beautiful underwater landscape that one could end up a like a prune (texture and color) delighting in its wonderland if you do not watch it. Here’s more proof:

The next day, the kids still wanted more, and more was what we got. We set out to a different area and snorkel some more.

The second day was better in terms of fish spotting as we saw a baby eagle ray (bottom-middle) and a stingray (bottom-right).

Today’s lunch venue was a far cry from yesterdays.

Privately owned and a friend of Mark’s, we got to step foot in this beautifully landscaped lot, tempting us to take our sweet time over lunch.

Before the end of the day, we also tried our luck on fishing. Caught a handful of tiny besugo (sea bream), which we devoured over dinner. Fried Besugo. Yum!

Since the ’80s, I’ve heard about the rustic beauty of Port Barton… I wish I had not waited 2 decades.

Posted on by Jenn 5

A Secret Hideaway… Not for long

Credits:  Papers from Me Designs Christmas Treasures mini-kit (berry, light holly and light holly pattern);  Elements from Moninda Fall Mediation kit; Ribbons by Traci Brennan of Prairie Woman Designs

By some fortunate stroke of serendipity, we came to learn of a cove somewhere in Palawan that evokes nothing but serenity.  I got a call from A, “cancel your holy week trip, we’re going to Port Barton”, he insisted.  At a bar in Puerto Princesa early this year, he strike up a conversation with an Englishman who owns a resort off Port Barton.  It’s a “private, protected bay”, he said.  And with that, I canceled my Easter break dive trip.

Secret Paradise Resort is a 52-hectare nature reserve situated between Sabang and Port Barton in Palawan.

Close to Cacnipa Island (another destination bookmarked for the future), the bay has crystal clear blue waters that are as placid as a lake.

Mark Worsdell met us at the airport.  A kind enough fellow who gave in to our request to have our fill of Pho and Ban Mi at Rene’s Saigon along Rizal Avenue, before heading to the island.  A must when in Puerto.

Full and happy, we ventured northeast to Port Barton, a 3-hour (about) trip by van.  At Port Barton, we took another 45 minutes by boat to the island.

Approaching the resort, I can see why it is called a secret paradise.

Unspoiled, secluded and surrounded by tropical forest with calm waters that invites for a dip right there and then.

There were 10 of us and we had the resort all to ourselves, occupying all 3 cottages and a bedroom at the main house – that private.  Mark has plans though of putting up more cottages in the future to accommodate more guests.  The place has more than enough space for that!

An Eco tourism resort, it is committed to protect the bay and its marine life, especially the marine turtles that goes to Turtle Beach, one of the 3 beaches of the resort, to lay their eggs.  On our visit, the eggs were buried under the sand still, to the disappointment of my nephew.  The 2 other beaches are Hideaway and Sunset beach – all within walking distance from each other.

One day, we hiked to a quiet fishing village on the other side of the island – the hike took less than an hour over a rainforest.

At the highest peak, one could have a nice view of the bay.

The village, also a pretty beach minus the tranquil shelter of a cove.

The full moon left the fishermen with not one fish to sell.  We contented ourselves with giant squids instead.

They were off to town to sell their catch but we intercepted and they were happy to sell all their merchandise to us (us includes the resort).  Suffice to note that we had squid for lunch and dinner.

Notice the recycled straw made into curtains —   🙂

The village folks are mostly fishermen and their families hailing from Ilo-ilo (if I remember correctly).  They say that they live a simple but abundant life with little to worry about.  Some of them works for Mark at the resort.

Turtle beach, where the cottages are, has a walkway that connects to Sunset beach where the main house and restaurant is.  Everyday and every night we walk this path back to our cottages,

in between we were in different snorkeling spots of San Vicente and when at the resort,

Mark chatting and drinking with ladies while the boys play billiards

we’d hang out at the restaurant chatting or playing billiards till before midnight… when the generator goes off.  There are only 5 barangays in San Vicente, which are partly served by electricity; the rest has to still make do with generators.  But despite being on generator, Secret Paradise Resort provides free Wi-Fi and hot showers – I’ll give them an A for that!

Secret Paradise Resort is definitely worth checking out if quiet and calm is what you’re looking for.

Quiet and simple with a few modern amenities, endowed white sand beach, calm blue waters… it is indeed quite a paradise on earth.

Useful Info:

Getting There:

San Vicente is accessible by bus or shuttle vans from either Puerto Princesa or via Roxas.

By Public Transfers:

From Puerto Princesa to Port Barton – public jeepneys leave between 8-9AM daily from the public market in San Jose.

From Roxas to Port Barton – there is only 1 jeepney that leaves at 12nn to Port Barton.

From El Nido or Sabang to Port Barton – take public transport to Puerto Princesa and ask to be dropped off at Roxas, there is however only 1 jeepney that plies to Port Barton so make sure to arrive at Roxas before 12nn.  Alternatively if you miss the bus, ride all the way to Puerto Princesa and hire a motorcycle to take you to Port Barton.  You can also rent a vehicle with driver from the airport.

From Port Barton – hire a boat from the tourism office or book a boat from the resort 2 days in advance.

Secret Paradise Resort
Turtle Bay, Port Barton, San Vicente, Palawan
Contact Nos: +63 928-339-9446; +63  926-490-8899
Email Address: inquire@secretparadiseresort.com
Posted on by Jenn 6

Picnic In the Woods

We found our spot, laid out the mats, set up the portable table and chairs,

brought out the wine and some snacks, enjoying the open sky, the lovely weather and the great view.

It was a day spent with good friends, can’t ask for a more relaxing time.

We chatted, we slept, we ate (again), and we drank –

a perfect follow through from that wonderful morning trek.

The woods on the way to the grounds.

The Kiltepan viewpoint boasts of great sunrises and most would make their way there before daybreak – a must too, actually.

But before sundown, you’ll get a perfect view of the terraces sans the clouds and the place to yourself.  A great picnic ground for those who refuses to be stressed about getting up at 4AM and prefer to unwind before dinner.   🙂

Posted on by Jenn 8

Bomod-ok Trek: Ten Things Before

Credits:  All materials used from JSprague’s Digi in Deep Lesson kit.

A visit to Sagada is not complete without doing one or two of its more popular activities –

trek to Bomod-ok falls, explore Sumaging cave or

traverse to Lumiang.  If you are a thrill-seeker, than you MUST do all three and more.  If, however, you’re not as daring,

I would still recommend venturing out to the falls, if only for the scenery.

If doing such a thing is stepping out of your comfort zone, here are some tips on how to prepare for it and what not to miss while at it.  You’ll never know what might spark after this experience.  One has to start somewhere, I certainly did and trekking these terraces started my love for the outdoors more than a decade ago.

1. Take a heavy breakfast

Lots of carb.  You’ll need the energy – for sure!

2. Bring lots of water

You’ll want to hydrate even if you don’t feel the heat.  Walking 3-4 hours even on cool weather will definitely make you sweat.

3. Wear swimwear underneath

I’m a sissy.  I could never brave the icy water.  The refreshingly blue pool however entices many and you might be one of them.  Be prepared.

4. Wear good footwear

Nothing ruins a good trek more than the wrong footwear.  Make sure you use a comfortable pair of walking shoes preferably with good traction.  I discourage using Crocs, as much as I find them comfortable – it is not made for trekking.  A good pair of rubber shoes is fine.

5. Use a light jacket

Unless it’s sometime between Nov-Feb when the weather is coldest, a light rain jacket should suffice to protect you from the wind and keep you dry when it rains.  A thick jacket will be too hot once you start to perspire.

6. Book a guide

Very important.  Even if it is the nth time to trek the path, one is still obliged to register at the Sagada Tourist Center near the town hall and book a guide for the group.  This is to make sure that everyone is accounted for after every activity.

7. Exhibit proper decorum

Talk to the village folks, don’t just snap away.  Give way to uphill trekkers and those carrying heavy stuff.  Also, don’t let the faster trekkers intimidate you, let them go first.

8. Take lots of photos

You’ll be walking along the terraces with the mountains on the background,  you’ll kick yourself for leaving that camera behind.  There are pretty sites after pretty sites so don’t forget the camera.

9. Bring snacks along

I prefer trail mixes to chips – they’re healthier.  I combine mixed nuts and dried fruits (I like raisins, cranberries and some dried mangoes cut into bite-sized pieces).   This will get you by until lunch.

10. Prep the body

Prior to the trek, walk more either around your neighborhood or on a treadmill.  This way, your body will not take too much of a beating after a wonderful adventure.

Posted on by Jenn 1

The Way to Bomod-ok

This looks like an ordinary rice plantation, zoom out a bit and it’s no longer so ordinary.

Zoom out further and you will see why I love trekking to Bomod-ok falls, sometimes called the “big falls”.

The falls can be blah at times – I say this when it’s the dry season and it does not really live up to its name.  Yet, whatever greets you at the end is beside the point… it’s the journey that I enjoy so much.  It starts at the basketball court of Banga-an village passing through several other villages.

The last village, Fedelisan, is where you will have to register and pay a fee of Php 10 to pave and maintain the trail.

I like hanging out a bit at the village, the people are friendly and the kids adorable.

The different trails along the way.

Having walked this trail so many times, I was amazed at how easy it is to navigate through the rice paddies today.

Just another playground for the village kids — running around the “unpaved” path.

I remember having to balance myself as I make my way through the wet rocks that was once the trail.   So methinks Php10 is not asking for a lot with the obvious improvements.  But I digress…

Pass the village is a spectacular view of the Fedelisan terraces – one of my favorite sites, truth to tell.

From here to the falls, you will ooh and aah from the different landscapes along the way except for an eyesore I spotted on this recent trip –

gold mining, I was told.

A couple daring kids running around on their birthday suits having loads of fun.

Once you reach the falls, what will greet you will be tons of people and kids who made the falls their playground.

The falls this time, albeit not the strongest I’ve seen, is a pretty sight.

Swimming is allowed if you dare dip into the freezing water.

Walking through the sceneries makes the 3-4 hour trek (depending on your fitness level) a breeze.

Even this is forgiving once you reach the top.

We always like ending the trek through a village called Aguid because its terraces are just so awesome.  From Fedelisan village, take the right trail to get to Aguid.

Less of the cemented walkway and more of the dramatic twists and turns of the rice paddies.  Awesome… but I said that already.

This halo-halo is different as it has macaroni in it — interesting just because it isn’t as sweet owing to the tasteless pasta.

At the end of the trail is a halo-halo stand.  Gotta have some of those to complete your whole Bomod-ok experience.

We capped our morning adventure with a delectable lunch at Yoghurt House. 

A cozy café in town that serves more than just superb yoghurt.  See why I love it so much here.

Posted on by Jenn 12