Scrolling down my Facebook and Twitter timeline, I noticed that a lot of young people like me are…read moregoing to mountainous regions near Manila to try out hiking. I'm not really a fan of hiking or physical activities in general, but for some reason I got a bit jealous. I also wanted to go hiking with my friends as part of our yearly barkada goals. When my friend heard that I was interested in hiking, he immediately planned a trip to Tanay, Rizal. He told us that he knows this really cool place where we could hike. It took us 1 and a half hours to get to Tanay, Rizal. We first went to Brgy. Daraitan to contact a tour guide. When we finally found a tour guide for our day trip, we decided to head out to Mt. Daraitan. We only assigned one person from our barkada to take pictures, because we heard that a girl fell down the mountain while she was taking selfies (Yikes!). During our hike, there were many campsites and way points where we rested. There's also a super clean river down the mountain where some of my friends bathe in. If you want to visit an ecotourism site, you can take an alternate trail to Mt. Lugang, a beautiful mountainous region deep within Sierra Madre. This place will surely make you appreciate the beauty of mother nature. It was a very tiring adventure. At first, I was really scared, but the tour guide told me that I'll be safe as long as I follow all of his guidelines. This experience is definitely one for the books!

I was so amazed with how the river looks. Although the ride going to this scenic view is quite long…read moreand bumpy, its actually worth the wait. You have to go in groups though so you will not ripped off your pocket. Its also better if you have your own private car because the only means of transportation is trike going to barangay Daraitan. Just make sure the vehicle will endure the rocky road, literally its super bumpy and kinda steep. Also you have to pay for registrations, mandatory tour guide, bridge and so on.. that's why its better if you're in groups. Locals were nice and friendly though.

This place was beautiful and loved all the activities offered but my only gripe is that it wasn't…read moreclose to the beach so it was pretty hot when we went there. We only did the day tour and didn't stay overnight. You can order prepared food there or bring your own to cook at their BBQ grills. We didn't reserve til the day before so we couldn't get a kubo but was able to have a shared covered area with tables and chairs. They had bathrooms with showers and a sink area to wash dishes. But as usual, bring your own toilet paper and soap. My family did the zip lining, repelling and rock climbing. They said they loved it. We used the pools which were an awesome site. We really liked the maze, too.

I expected a longer travel time to Shercon Resort & Ecology Park from the heart of Manila, so I was…read morepleasantly surprised when our bus rolled into its gates after a little more than two hours. But while the trip was convenient, the stay was not very much so as it does require a bit of walking from the function halls to the rooms to the pools and to the teambuilding areas. For families or small groups, bringing your own van might be best. Still, the forced exercise (we probably needed it anyway) was worth it, given the accommodations we received. It was no small feat, considering there were almost 200 of us for our office teambuilding, but we felt well cared for. Food was delicious and abundant, the staff were friendly and accommodating (they even went the extra mile to assist us when one of our members got sick), and the facilities were well-maintained. For the swimming addicts like me, you'll love that this resort has six (!) pools, so there's definitely no overcrowding at the pool. But the best part of our stay were the teambuilding activities they facilitated for us. We got to experience ziplining, wall climbing, rappelling, and games, which definitely boosted our group spirit. All these great experiences and extraordinary service, for suprisingly friendly rates. I will definitely be coming back. Winner!

The girlfriend and I wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city for a while, so we…read morescoured the internet for a good escape within driving distance from Manila. We ended up choosing Villa Socorro, a secluded farm in Laguna that lets you go camping on their grounds. You can also go river crossing, go hiking / mountaineering, trekking, rafting, or biking. We ended up doing none of these because we were so tired from everything that's going on. We just cuddled in our rented tent and watched the stars for hours, and then went swimming in the river the next morning. For a minimal fee, the farm will also serve you meals based on what they have available. Pro tip: email the owner, who is very nice, beforehand so he can arrange everything you need before you even get there.

Villa Socorro is one of the biggest sources of banana chips in the country, and I smile whenever I…read moresee their chips in stores all over the country because I was able to meet the owner, and he was one of the nicest people I have ever met. My lobster and I were looking for something new and fun to do on our six-month anniversary and we settled on communing with nature via camping and maybe a bit of hiking. We found Villa Socorro Farm online, and it offered both, among other things. We got in touch with the owner, and he personally made sure that we had the time of our lives. And we did.

Early Morning jog or night jog…read more Are the two decisions I have to make when going for a run at track 30 Beware sometimes can be over crowded if going at peak times. So I suggest a 5am run or a 10pm run perfect cool temperature so not many runners will distract your Also at these times you can avoid pollution from the traffic. Happy running!

Like what someone has mentioned before me, Track 30th is the older version of Terra 28th. The Kuya…read moreand the one upfront about his weight training to make pa-pogi to the chicas. Track 30th is part of my running routine as well. It doesn't have the quirkiness that Terra 28th has, but it has areas wherein you could do your free-weights training. I like how there were two structures there were assembled for pull-ups, sit-ups and stretching. There are labels on the wood installations, so don't fret! There's also a running track on another side of Track 30th. However, I don't think would deem suitable for anyone. Maybe for a kid, yes. There are also groups who do training sessions here. I've seen some who do arnis and dance trainings as well. But mostly free-weights training are ideal here. There's just so much space and you could bring your equipment, too!

Mountaineering can be a very expensive hobby, and it is one of those activities that require good…read moreand reliable equipment, or else you compromise your comfort, convenience and safety. In my climbing and hiking trips, I would get such equipment envy seeing other people with really specialized equipment, especially well-designed and hyper-functional camping backpacks and rucksacks. It is comforting to discover that for beginner hobbyists and mountain climbers, a local brand can compete to the very expensive foreign brands such as The North Face and Columbia. Sandugo is a homegrown brand that caters to the mountaineering crowd. Their entry-level equipment is reliable and handy enough for out-of-town camping trips, and even seasoned mountain climbers swear by the durability and the dependability of their equipment. They cost effectively a third of the big brand names, yet with their sandals, shoes, climbing gear, backpacks and rucksacks, you don't really have to sacrifice quality and hardiness. It is a perfect starting ground for when you are only testing the waters as far as mountain climbing is concerned. The knowledgeable staff in their Metro Point branch will tell you about the pros and cons of using their products. They are very honest and straight to the point, as they are also experienced climbers themselves. They are able to give you expert opinions as to what equipment will be more effective for specific types of travelers.

ROX is basically an outdoor lover's playground. Three floors of serious gear, an indoor climbing…read morewall that goes up multiple levels, and everything from bikes to hiking, camping, snow, and motorcycling essentials. The brand mix is solid, Birkenstock, Allbirds, Reef, Billabong, Roxy, Columbia, Garmin, Camelbak, New Era, Nike, Fox, Deuter and more. It's rare to find this range in the Philippines, which makes this place feel like a real destination, not just a store. Even if you're not shopping, it's fun to walk through and explore. If you're into the outdoors, this is the kind of place you could easily lose an hour in. Great value coming here

One day, I decided that I wanted to try Rock/Wall Climbing so I wrote it down on my bucket list…read more After a few days I started googling places that had Rock Climbing gyms. I found really good ones but they were in Quezon city, a bit far from me. Fortunately, I found one that was just a few minutes away. I found out that R.O.X., a one stop shop for anything outdoors, had Rock Climbing facilities. What's great is that their shop is in the heart of the city: The Fort, and they are just in Bonifacio High St. They're literally inside a mall. How convenient! So I skedaddled to their Rock Climbing facility and signed up for a class. The thing was, there are no classes. There's just a quick briefing about the activity, plus a few tips. A few warnings and advices later, I found myself with a harness, a wall to climb, and zero experience. The coaches were very friendly and supportive. They guided me at the start and when I got the hang of it, I just found myself at the top of the wall tired and sweay. When I was done, I had climbed three walls; one easy, one intermediate, and one difficult. The learning curve for rock climbing isn't that steep. All I needed was myself, the desire to learn, and I had fun with it. Rock Climibng was a bit challenging but it was a very awesome experience for me. I really had fun traversing the walls with just my arms, legs, and a harness for safety. It's a bit expensive though, but a good price for this kind of activity (considering that the coaches also help you if you're a beginner). You might spot famous rock climbers in this place! When I went there, I had the privilege of seeing one of the female Filipinos who climbed Mt. Everest. And yes, I was very intimidated and honored at the same time.

Every year, my high school barkada and I would always plan a summer get-together. Since we now live…read moreseparate lives in different universities, we make sure that our yearly reunions would be nothing more than amazing! For the year 2015, we initially planned to go to Boracay. Many of our friends from our respective schools are also going to Boracay, so we thought it would be nice if we could also hang out with our college barkada there. However, some of my friends backed out at the very last minute because they didn't want to spend too much money on a place that they've been to several times already. For days, my friends and I tried looking for a place not too far from Manila that's just as good as Boracay. My brother suggested that we go to Calaguas Islands (7-8 hour drive from Manila). When we got there, we were completely amazed. It was just like Boracay minus the wastes on the shore. This place was so much more quiet and peaceful. You can rent a Nipa Hut for 500 pesos a night. In one hut, 8 people can fit. There are also places nearby where you can look for good food and souvenirs to bring back home. Calaguas was just so beautiful that my friends and I immediately brought out our cameras to have our own mini photo shoot. We couldn't let that scenery go to waste!

My college barkada introduced me to the brilliant idea of renting a beach house in Tali and staying…read morethere for the weekend. We would usually scour the internet for great houses that are rented out by the owners, and then we would leave on Saturday morning and head out to Nasugbu. What's great about these places is that they are fully-furnished, and some of them have great stuff, too! I have gone on such weekend trips to Tali exactly six times, and every time, my friends and I have rented a different villa. You know, just to keep things fun and exciting. We have stayed in really creepy and haunted places, and we have also stayed in really awesome, very well-maintained houses. I just love how we don't have to bring anything anymore, since most of the beach houses are fully equipped with great stuff that you can use for cooking. I love preparing food for my friends because I hate seeing them endlessly bingeing on crap food like chips and stale pizza, so we always pool our money, stop by a supermarket in Tagaytay and then shop for an entire weekend's worth of food and groceries. The villas in Tali are usually fitted with nice stoves and a fully-equipped kitchens, so preparing meals in a jiffy is such a breeze. You don't have to worry about food going bad either, since there is usually a fridge where you can keep stuff fresh. Most of the time, though, the best beachhouses are actually still a couple blocks away from the shore, so you would really have to walk or drive just to enjoy the beach. Moreover, there isn't really much of a "beach" to enjoy, because the shoreline is actually pretty short, just a small cove that is partially sheltered by the surrounding bay. It is also advisable to make sure that you have all your supplies and sundries before you even go inside the gated community, because going out for groceries is such a hassle. There isn't any well-stocked store for miles. This is a pretty nice place to just hang out with friends. If you don't have snazzy memberships in nearby Punta Fuego or Pico de Loro (Hamilo Coast), this is not too bad an option if you just want an idyllic weekend getaway.

Tali is a popular seaside resort community in Nasugbu, Batangas, about 2-3 hours away from Manila,…read morejust a short distance from Tagaytay. The place is a private subdivision so you need to have a homeowner with you or at least advisement from wherever you're staying. It's not totally private though! You can go online and just look for beach house accommodations, since many of the residents there already put up their own houses as B&Bs or inns for those who want to go to Tali Beach. It's a really nice place, like how you'd wish it would be if there were beach cities in Manila, hahah. Not overly developed either so it's pretty peaceful. Here, you have a whole village full of summer houses and instead of the regular playgrounds or village parks, they have a beach! However, the beach here isn't exactly fit for swimming. It's rather small, rocky, and full of corals. There's no long, wide stretch of sand where you can lie down and sleep or sunbathe. But they do have gazebos and small open spaces to hang out in with the water splashing about beside you. If you wanna go swimming, better go back to your accommodation. This is why most houses there have swimming pools already. People like to do water sports around there though, so don't be surprised to see boats and jet skis in the houses inside the village. It's also normal to spot people just casually kayaking and standup paddle boarding all around. There aren't really any organized water sports services, you just do it on your own. Of course, there's also the popular Tali cliff jump you have to try at least once! They have great, clear blue waters that you can dive safely into and then you just climb back up easily through the big polished rock boulder beside the cliff area. Just be careful not to touch the sharp rocks/corals by the side of the boulder! Only grab the ropes by the ladder area.