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.

One of my best friends grew up in Angono, Rizal, and she has always told me about this…read morearchaeological site that was discovered several years back in the nearby Binangonan town, which shares Angono's border. During one of their town fiestas, she took me up there to see it. Only roughly an hour away from Manila (and several minutes away from Antipolo) is the Binangonan Petroglyph site, which is a protected historical and cultural site. Apparently, the national authority for arts and culture have been testing the veracity and the authenticity of the site, but the marker from the National Museum must suggest that there has to be a certain level of credibility to the discovery Just a few minutes away from Angono's town proper, one would have to take a very steep mountain road to get to the developed uphill town near Thunderbird Resort and Casinos. Though the trail to the site itself is well-established, it is still recommended to wear your good hiking shoes because the dirt could be a little loose and rocky, especially during hot weather. There is a vast quarry that has a manmade, roughly hewn tunnel cutting through it which connects the highway to the other face of the mountain, where the Petroglyhs are located. With a minimal entrance fee, you will be able to see the Petroglyphs (stone drawings) which were apparently done by our cavemen ancestors hundreds of years ago, possibly even during the Neolithic age (broken vessels, remains and other artifacts were found in the site as well).The petroglyphs are known as the oldest form of folk art in the country. The said stone drawings featured tribal motifs for animals, humans and other natural objects, and they are etched to the faces of the rocks that jut out of the mountain. Some of the areas have been vandalized by people before the National Museum stepped in and built a barrier, restricting close access to the rocks. It is said that the cavemen who etched the designs onto the rocks are the ancestors of the people of Angono, who later on spurred an artistic Renaissance in the town, smaking it the Art Capital of the Philippines. Thankfully, preservation efforts have been done to keep the petroglyphs from being damaged by human activity and the elements. The site is also being petitioned to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.

What do you think would be the oldest artwork in the Philippines? Definitely not the oil paintings…read moreon canvas or stone sculptures, but paintings too, or rather etchings on rocks, of our indigenous ancestors, long before civilization as we we know it was created. The Binangonan-Angono Petroglyphs are rock drawings of what looks like human and animal figures. There are about 127 still-visible drawings on a huge rock shelter on the hills bordering Angono and Binangonan. To get there, my travel companions and I rode up a hill before coming to an entrance of what seems like a cave. The guards told us to pass by the tunnel to get to the petroglyphs on the other side. We just walked straight and when we emerged out of the tunnel, we saw a structure that seemed like a house but which actually holds replicas of artifacts like stones and plates of baybayin, the ancient Filipino writing system. And then we went up a stone then wooded walkway to get to the rock shelter with the cave drawings. They do look like the real thing, though I read in some accounts that it is not yet proven without a doubt that the artworks are indeed authentic. But in any case, they indeed look beautiful and ancient, with some etchings deeper and more visible than others.

A top Philippines hiking destination [PAMPANGA, ZAMBALES, TARLAC Philippines]…read more I am not a seasoned hiker but I went along with my brother, sister (her hubby) and cousin. There were 5 of us. We booked this tour with Alvin and Angie Bognot Mt. Pinatubo Guesthouse and Tours located at the base of Mount Pinatubo in Sta Juliana, Capas. They offered an unforgettable tour to what was once one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Mt Pinatubo erupted after 600 years of being dormant. Our tour included Mt. Pinatubo Day Tour with Tour Guide, Toblerone Hills and Crater Lake. The hike to the crater didn't seem long at first but to me it was! Mt Pinatubo has an elevation of 4875-feet above sea level. Getting there we had to ride a 4x4 jeepney from the guesthouse. We had tour guide assistance with us throughout our entire climb and they were excellent companions especially for beginners like me. The1.5-hr 4x4 drove through sandy and rocky terrain and even through little streams. It was crazy... hold on to your ears 'coz you'll be bouncing left and right and hopefully not fall off the jeep. We reached the foot of the mountain and passed by a group of hilly mountains shaped like triangles resembling the Swiss chocolates Toblerone. They called this Toblerone Hills. We had a chance to take some photos here. Then the hike... it was a bit of a challenge for me and while it took me awhile (almost 3 hrs) to reach the top I was feeling accomplished... the sweat, dust, dirt, and muscle aches were all worth it! I was glad I did it. We were rewarded with a panoramic view of the majestic caldera on a gorgeous backdrop of alpine-like rock formations. We rested and took in the beautiful landscape and scenery. By the way, there are three known trails of Mt. Pinatubo and this was the easiest. Happy trails... Review #3308

Normally when I take a trip somewhere, hiking is on the agenda. On my first trip to the…read morePhilippines, I learned about Pinatubo via a museum visit in Angeles City. I couldn't make the logistics work during that trip so I made sure it was at the top of the list for my 2nd visit. Before visiting Pinatubo, you should learn about it. Considered the 2nd largest volcanic explosion of the 20th century. When visiting nearby villages and areas, you get the sense that the area rose from the ashes of the eruption. It hits hard with the resilience of the Philippines and the people. The eruption was in 1991. After the primary eruptions, the area experienced numerous quakes, and smaller eruptions with a huge ash cloud. Some reports have some of the ash reaching as far as Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos. The one thing that differs with hiking significantly in the Philippines as opposed to America. In America, you just go. You're on your own usually. Take your medkit, water, and anything to survive. One thing that took getting used to in the Philippines is that some things are locked down or there is usually a need to hire a guide to make it to remote areas. And trust me, without those guides... you'd be lost even if you could make it in. Pinatubo in particular is now part of a military base so you could very well see the military conducting exercises during your drive and hike. We hired a company to shuttle us to Pinatubo. Numerous companies do this. The one we used started super early(2 AM) in Manila. We didn't have to meet them until around 4:30 AM at the Dau bus terminal in Angeles. One thing with Pinatubo is that since it's on a military base, you have to be in and out of there by noon-1 PM so you're forced to start early. From there, it was about a 1-hour ride to the gate. From there, you're handed off, sign your life away, get to know the group you're with if you're with a group, and head off. The first 1-1.5 hours are spent offroading by jeep back to where you start hiking. The offroading part can wear you out in itself but it's fun. We were in the back with two other girls. You get to know your group simply because you're knocking knees during part of the offroading. The mask you're given... WEAR IT! I wore it about half the time and ended up paying for it that night/following days. The offroading stirs up quite a bit of dust. Who knows what I breathed in from metals, clay, rock, or whatever the eruption brought to the surface. After that, the hike starts. It's not a painfully difficult hike at all. You do cross numerous streams. Wear or bring shoes/sandals that drain well. I didn't think it would be so bad but you do cross quite a few knee-deep streams that keep you cool during the hike. At a few spots along the trail, some locals come out from their villages and have things to sell. Had I known that, I might not have brought so many snacks. I would've bought a couple of bananas from the little girls selling them if I didn't have any. I did come across a few young boys selling coconuts. We couldn't pass up a fresh coconut. I think with us buying one... it made others that come along buy them too. I can't believe that the locals still live close to the crater/lake. Aside from the lake and the final jungle trek, there's not much back there. It's almost like driving/walking through this rocky space-like planet. The last 500 meters being jungle is a nice welcomed shelter from the sun after the first few miles. After that, you make it to the lake. It truly is a beautiful place but there's not much to it. You can take an extra walk down these steep stairs to get closer to the lake. Our guide let us go but he wasn't going...lol. It seems like they would build some extra little areas so that you could walk around the lake and get other views. I guess it's hard because who knows if it'll ever erupt again. One thing our guide told us is they're working on extending the road back meaning... less hiking and possibly more tourists(because of that). Overall I'm glad we went but I'm not sure if it's a hike you need to do more than once or twice. On the way out, a local flagged us down so that he could get a ride back to town with his wife. His wife was painfully sick. I do hope they got the help they needed. She was hunched over in her husband's lap for most of the ride back. Feeling bad and offroading over all that rocky terrain... I think I would've just jumped off a cliff than go through that while feeling bad. The company we hired also prepared lunch for us. We were given a menu before to choose what we wanted. I went with chicken curry and she went with tinola. Both were delicious! We also ordered more coconuts to drink and eat and to top it off, our meal was in a treehouse.

On a good day, Tagaytay is only about 40 minutes away from the southern parts of Metro Manila so…read moreaccessing this cooler part of the Philippines is pretty easy. Since most people also have this in mind, it can get pretty congested. If you've gone there several times in the last decade and you feel like you're running out of things to see, consider the Taal Volcano Hike. You'll find some boatmen along the highway offering this experience but for the more adventurous type you can actually do this on your own. Just drive down to Talisay via the road in Tagaytay (there are signages everwhere). Then, when you get there, you need to grab a boat to cross over to Taal Volcano. Boats are cheap and if you are travelling to as a group, you can actually split it because rental is per boat and not per person. When you get there, you have a choice of hiking up or getting a small horse. Of course, I got a horse but the rocky road leading to the top really made me think that I should have gone up by foot instead. The view from the top is exhilarating. Just the thought of peering down into an active volcano is so mind-blowing. Definitely a must-try experience.

In college, we had a course on Earth Science. Naturally, we studied about the physical aspects of…read morethe earth. It was an easy subject to coast through and what's more was that the professor announced a field trip! We were going to Taal Volcano! What the professor neglected to mention was that it was a rigorous hike. The field had tall grasses, the path wasn't very defined. We had to climb several hills and go down on our butts because the the ash was loose. All of us didn't know what to expect and at the end of the day, we were all sunburned and tired to the bone. Later on, we discovered that the path we took was for the horses. OMG. With a horse, the hike would have been really fun. The horse being a larger animal, could manage the terrain. On foot as a mere human, however - torturous. Don't get me wrong; it was really beautiful. Just be prepared.

Being stuck in the city kinda sucks. Seeing nothing but the greys of concrete can get a little…read moreexhausting, and even a walk in the park can feel a little artificial when smog still blankets the sky. "Detoxing" is a very popular term now especially in terms of dieting, but we all need a little away time from the city every once in a while to enjoy nature. One of the most accessible mountain treks near Manila is Pico de Loro. The mountain, not the SM development. Just a couple hours away, the walk is quite long and there are few areas with really great views. The path passes through a lot of dense forest, and it isn't until you reach the top that the view really opens up. The most important tips I can give would be to bring a mask since it gets a little dusty, and to bring shoes that don't slip. The climb up to the peak is a bit slippery, and those with no experience might slip and slide more than they'd like. A walking stick could help, and it's important to keep a buddy system to make sure nobody tumbles into a ditch.

I don't really have a travel bucketlist, or any bucketlist for that matter, but one thing that I…read morehave really wanted to do for the longest time is to go to Kalinga and get a tattoo from Whang-Od, one of the last survival tattoo artists in the Cordilleras. A little history, Whang-Od is a trained tattoo artists, and at 96 years old (nobody really knows how old she is. Some people say 94, some 96) she is still doing the craft that her forefathers taught her. She creates really intricate geometric tattoo designs using traditional methods and materials (with just a suha thorn as a stylus, soot from pine trees and more soot for creating outlines and templates). The art was about to die out, but fortunately, Whang-Od has been training her grand-niece to follow her footsteps. Anyway, the trek up to the Butbut tribe's village up in the Kalinga mountains is not only treacherous and arduous, it is also a logistical nightmare. The buses and the jeeps there run on a very unpredictable schedule, and sometimes, you will need to stay an entire night at the foothills if you miss your jeep connection by even just a few minutes. You will really need a tour company to organize your trip if you want to go about it with the least hassle, and one of such companies is run by the hilarious Sir Yunan Reyes. Yunan has built his contacts over the years, and his tour organizing company caters to quite a lot of destinations: Banaue, Mt. Pulag, Batad, Sagada, Ilocos, Anawangin, Boracay, Caramoan, Calaguas, and recently Mt. Halcon. Yunan's operation is a worry free tour service, and he takes care of everything, depending of course on your budget. My experience with him in Kalinga was awesome - he took care of our return trip through the Bontoc route (my friend and I went on our own via the Tabuk route). You can set up your own all-inclusive trip, which usually costs P3000-5000 per person. You can also join a tour group, if you are okay with the idea of sharing a vacation trip with complete strangers (this happened to us in Kalinga). You can agree on a meeting and a drop-off place, and he will pick you up with a spacious van with a skilled driver. All you really need to do is pay, book a schedule, show up and have a great time. You can contact Yunan at trek_travel2010@yahoo.com.

Trek Travel & Tours by Yunan Reyes helped us enjoy the best experience possible at Buscalan,…read moreKalinga! Our first trip with Yunan Reyes was last 2014 and the trip was as flawless as it can be! From then we have booked his services and we've been at Kalinga for THREE TIMES now! That's how much we enjoyed his services! Due to the bond we have experienced travelling with Yunan for almost 2 years now we can all say that he is a trust worthy & a very good friend! As for Buscalan the place speaks for itself. Enjoy Butbut tribe's culture along with nature's finest! We are looking forward to our next trip to Mt. Pulag or Calaguas Yunan! See you soon!!!

I love the interiors of this cafe. There are a lot of beautiful mementos of travel destinations…read morelocal and overseas. My friend and I had the asado and tuna pandesal, and shared a spam carbonara. But what I liked most was their Metropolitan cocktail. I think I've found my new favorite pitstop where I can kick back a few drinks before heading home.