It was my first official day of traveling solo in my 7-week backpacking adventure. Feeling excited and just a little scared, I bade goodbye to my friends bound for Manila while I headed to the port in Ubay, Bohol, with boat trips to Hilongos, Leyte. From Hilongos I would be taking a van to Tacloban…
Danjugan Island is the perfect playground for kids and kids at heart. With its beaches, plentiful and colorful marine life, mangroves, caves, sea eagles and other birds, what more could a kid ask for? A few months ago, on one of Danjugan’s marine and wildlife camps, I was lucky to see kids smile and laugh…
For travelers who want an experience of paradise while supporting a worthy cause, Danjugan Island is my top recommendation. Danjugan is not just a wild, unspoiled paradise – it is a paradise consciously and painstakingly maintained by a group of committed environmentalists, the Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation, Inc. (PRRCFI), and volunteers. During my…
The moment I stepped into Danjugan Island, I was smitten by its raw, quiet – almost surreal – beauty. A clear green lagoon and swaths of mangroves greeted my arrival. What followed was nothing short of a magical experience. Hands down, Danjugan easily became one of my favorite islands in the Philippines during my three-day…
During my adventure around Visayas, I had some of the most amazing and unbelievable experiences of my life. I leaped out of my comfort zone by meeting new people, turning strangers into family or friends, exploring remote areas where I had not the faintest idea where to sleep that night, and trying new things I…
When I walked into Liptong Woodland, it was like stepping into another world. Towering native trees and rare flowers and plants, with some species as old as dinosaurs, greeted me in every step. As I soaked in Liptong’s magic, I felt like it was an old, old forest patiently created by nature and time. Imagine…
What would plants that saw the same light of day as dinosaurs look like? This was the question in my head when my new friend and guide in Dumaguete invited me to Liptong Woodland in Bacong, Negros Oriental. My friend told me that Liptong’s forest is home to prehistoric plant species, Negros province’s native –…
When my new friend and tour guide in Dumaguete asked me if I was interested in trying the ligiron, a four-wheel wooden contraption resembling a bike, I enthusiastically said yes, not knowing what I was signing up for. That time, we were already in Valencia, the home of the ligiron in Negros Oriental, so it…
On our way to Pescador Island. One of the divers eagerly look on. For a few seconds that felt like eternity, I could not move. I watched the dark giant swim gracefully, majestically, as though in slow motion just a few feet beneath me. Its perfect, shiny black tail splashed the water as it moved…
I originally wanted my title to be “How Travel Made Me the Richest Person in the World.” I thought that would be a bit of an exaggeration, though. Or maybe not. Because in truth, during my seven-week adventure around Visayas, I felt like the richest – and most blessed – person in the world. Why?…
Traveling Light 