Amazing experience touring Corregidor island. Day started bright and early for 7:00 boat to the…read moreisland. The trip on the M/V Sun Cruises ll was a pleasant experience the crew was professional, friendly, and extremely helpful. We arrived at the dock and boarded our trams. (Note there are separate tours for Japanese tourists and all others). Our tour guide Armando is very knowledgeable, funny and sobering at times. The tour it self is very interesting. We visited 7 or 8 sites with a buffet lunch at the Spanish museum- lighthouse complex. The lunch is included. Food is tasty. Our day we had pasta carbonara, rice, pasta salad, salad station, adobo chicken, pork loin medallions. Etc. The island itself is amazing. The relics of war are sobering to say the least. The tour ends at 2:00 for a 4:30. Return time. Tour cost approximately 3300P with a separate 30P government dock fee. Please ask for Armando. We have found out later he is the most experienced guide, 28 years of experience. Note beware of monkeys. They are fearless, and fling poo.

January 4, 2018, the only day that I could go to tour Corregidor during my visit to the…read morePhilippines, turned out to be the worst experience. My friend and I paid in advance, arrived on time, and that was the end of the fun for that trip. We were told to board, so we walked to the ferry and were told that we could not board for another 15 minutes even though the waiting area announced boarding. Once we were aboard and seated (enjoying the recorded Scorpions concert on the tele), the worst part of the trip began. The ferry was supposed to depart at 7:30 am, but was still sitting at the dock at 9:30 AM because of a film crew and a missing actor. The cruise line held up the whole boat for one person, and they were not communicating with the passengers. Most of the touring passengers left the boat and went for a refund, as the cruise line's plan was to take the paying customers on a shortened tour and still charge full price. What a waste of time. We received a refund, but with no consideration for the extra time to get there, or the cost of getting there (PHP400 each way). I don't even know if the boat departed that day, as it was still at the port at 10:00 am when we got the refund. I will never recommend this company to anyone, and will never see Corregidor as a result of the company's monopoly.

The Pasig River Ferry is a unique way of seeing Metro Manila. The service has come and gone over…read morethe past few years, and the current incarnation has been active since late last year. The ferry service's resumption was so under the radar that a lot of locals aren't even aware that it's up and running again, and fewer still have actually taken it. That's a shame because it's a gorgeous, gorgeous experience. Okay, the Pasig River is not known for its cleanliness, which is a damned shame. However, rehabilitation works on the river have been undertaken intermittently through the past few years, and the river's quality has improved a lot. Which is good because the ferry's open air. The boats the ferry service uses are slim and sleek, and should fit around 40 passengers. There are seven active ferry stations from Intramuros in Manila to Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City, although most of the people who use this service get off at the Guadalupe station in Makati. The trip from Intramuros to Guadalupe takes about 40 minutes and gives you a glimpse on how important the Pasig River is to Metro Manila, in terms of livelihood, commerce, and interconnection. The fare varies depending on your embark and disembark points; Intramuros to Guadalupe costs P50 (roughly a US Dollar). Whip out your cameras as you pass by the Manila Post Office, as well as some old buildings and quaint riverside residences. Tuck that camera in as you pass by Malacañang Palace, the residence of the President of the Philippines, for security blah blah blah whatever. Seriously, it's a shame you can't take pictures of the Malacañang Palace because it's grand and majestic in the way most structures in Metro Manila aren't. The approach leading to Circuit Makati and Rockwell Center is picture-worthy and gives us a glimpse of the future of the river.

A less-popular and actually very convenient way of getting yourself from Makati to several parts of…read moreManila is via the Pasig River Ferry. If you're a local and you know what Pasig River is, then this mode of transportation won't exactly sound enticing. But you know what? It's cheap, comfortable, fast, and not bad at all. Fellow scout and cousin Ronan E. and I have just finished scarfing down double vegan cheeseburgers at a cafe nearby, and we had absolutely nothing to do. We've already walked along EDSA, went fruit-shopping in Guadalupe, took sneaky pics of that obscure park no one goes to at Guadalupe, and naturally, this was the next, obvious activity. We're both in our late twenties and until now have not been on the river AT ALL. They have several stops that can take you to Pinagbuhatan, San Joaquin, Sta. Ana, PUP, Escolta and Intramuros. For Php 50, you can get your butt to Plaza Mexico, Intramuros, the furthest stop in this ferry route to Manila and it will take you around an hour or more, depending on how many stops the ferry has to make because if you were a boat and you had to ply through Pasig River, that only means A LOT of things can get stuck in the engine/motor thingy (honestly I have no idea what this should be called). We had to stop several times to fix these small issues. But DON'T WORRY, this thing happens normally, so you won't actually get stuck in the middle of a trash-filled river. The only pre-requisites for anyone who wants to ride the ferry are as follows: you are definitely not 'maarte', and you can handle scents that vary from normal canal to very bad toilet to chemical/sulfuric fumes. Operated by the MMDA, the stations are actually quite nice, clean and well-maintained. But as for the river itself, Pasig River's 'cleanliness' varies from point to point as we saw during the trip. There are areas where it actually looks pretty 'okay', and there are other, horrifying areas that are floating with mounds of plastic, styro, and other non-biodegradable crap (I even saw a floating, dead cat! :( Huhu). The river has been in worse states, but it still needs some major rehabilitation. I also do think this ferry ride is quite educational, as you really see where OUR TRASH goes. Here. It will really make you think of switching to a more sustainable lifestyle. Even with those things being said, I still HIGHLY recommend everyone to give this ferry route a try if you'd like to experience a different, more rugged side of Manila. You get nice views of the several bridges, the Post Office, and Malacañang, too. NOTE: This route passes by Malacañang Palace and you can see how beautiful it is and not exactly orange like the bill (Haha), like Ronan. E here kept joking about. Though, don't take photos! It's prohibited. I was scolded by the boat crew. Haha. TIP: Try to avoid getting splashed by the water. You don't want any of that on you.

This humble park sits in the heart of Ortigas' business center, and no doubt pretty popular for…read morehumans "native" to the area. But it was more than just a park to me (or to my friends). We had a lot of crazy memories here. Most notable would be one summer night when we got kicked out of my friend's house...after having a noisy marathon of Supernatural and pigging out on home-made tacos (gee, if I was the man of the house, I would've kick out the crazy kids outside my room too!) Anyway, we packed up our food, the huge grocery bag of chips and drinks and dips and headed off to--you guessed it--Ortigas Park! We actually looked like hobos having picnic outside the surrounding upscale foodplaces, which is kinda embarrassing, but not one of us gave a shizzle. And who would've thought having a picnic there is allowed? The guards patrolling the area were giving us weirded-out looks but not one told us to get the party out. Perhaps because we had our own trash bags? Hey, we love the environment! It was a funny night, until it rained, and we all have to move to Strata for shelter and eventually back to the condo. Ortigas park isn't just fun at evenings, though. I love staying there during mornings too! In my lonesome, I chill here with a sketchpad to brainstorm on new dresses. The daylight just brings out my spirit all the time, and if I'm feeling for some coffee, I will just hop right in Coffee Bean. I wish Ortigas Park will remain essentially the same, and not built-on, somehow. Because that would totally suck. It's one of the few parks that holds a dear place in my heart!

Oritgas Park is slightly less "extravagant" and quite smaller than other parks in highly urban…read moreareas, like Ayala Triangle Gardens. There's not that many people there, there's fewer trees, and the only establishments are the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf there, unless you wanna walk towards Ortigas Jr Road and their assortment of Fast Food Restaurants. But that's exactly why I love it. When it comes to parks, I like quiet ones. Ones with fewer people, where I could sit with some coffee and listen to some music. And that's exactly why Ortigas Park is probably the park for me. I absolutely love looking at the waterfall, the ambiance of the wooden benches, and basically how completely quiet the place is during the night time. It's also a really solid study/work spot for me. I've written 3000 words on one of those Coffee Bean tables before. If you like quieter places, then I suggest Ortigas Park!

Having transformed several times over the past few years, Baywalk is once again in the midst of…read morechange. This time around, the plan seems to be to add a small road nearly in the middle, big enough to fit a car. This does, needless to say, look like it will definitely be far from attractive when all the work is done. Some things, however, have stayed the same. There are still numerous people hanging out (although the number of fishermen seems to have decreased significantly; perhaps they migrated to the area beside Harbor Square). The various stalls selling a plethora of items to eat, drink and wear are still present. The ubiquitous dogs are also still very much around as are the many cats (a personal favorite) that seem to make their home in the area beside the Manila Yacht Club. Come at the right time of day (early morning or late afternoon, to be precise) and you'll encounter swarms of joggers and dog walkers. Their presence is testimony of the area's appeal for those ambulant by choice. Be warned, the smell of Manila Bay varies in intensity but never really goes away.

My girlfriend will hate me for this, since she prefers the UP Academic Oval (Isko at heart, what…read morecan I say) but this is my favorite jogging route. All throughout college, I jogged from the Taft entrance of Luneta, all the way to Kilometer Zero, hard left to Roxas Boulevard and straight to CCP. 80% of this route is along Baywalk, and when done at the right time, it offers the most gorgeous views. I've lived by the sea all my life, and I find sitting on the breakwater with the sea breeze in my face relaxes me. Try not to get too much of the sea spray on you though. That's Manila Bay. You can get a third eye or an extra arm if you swim in that muck.

Whenever my friend, Mica, and I get bored of the Belvedere Park, we end up in Merville's…read moreContinental Park. This park is more secluded and there are fewer cars that pass by this place. It's also a great place to just hang out and talk because the airplanes don't really pass overhead. Yes, the noise of the airplanes can be heard but not as bad or as loud as the sound you'll hear when you visit the Belvedere Park. When the airplanes pass, you don't have to stop telling your story to your friend. During the rainy months when Mica and I visit the park, we end up here because there's a little gazebo that has a roof. There are no tables or chairs, so we just sit around on the floor and have a little picnic. At night, children don't really visit the park. There are times when people come to play basketball or practice some dance they need to perfect. Another thing, you can smoke in this park and they won't tell you to stop. Bad for your lungs. But, oh well.

One of the New SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD?!?! I'm down with that! Let's go! Found in the…read morePhilippines, on the island of Palawan, it's one of the many beautiful sites to see in this country. First thing you MUST to do is secure an ENTRY permit to ensure your 1.5hr winding road journey doesn't end up as just shopping for souvenirs. Rather than use a group tour, we went through Joracs Transport Service (owners: Jonel & Evelyn Racuya... Maraming salamat po for AWESOME service!) with a nominal service fee per permit, on top of the cost of permit per person. Joracs took care of this a few weeks BEFORE our arrival. AND, by using Joracs for our visit, our group of 7 could adjust to what the pace of day was, without the pressure of being in a big group. This worked to our advantage, because jet lag made our California boys struggle to stay awake past 5pm local time. So, off we went, 7:30am departure time from the hotel that day. Beautiful countryside journey got us there in 1 1/2 - 2 hours from Puerto Princesa City. First, once you exit the bus doors you are bombarded by local merchant sellers. We actually purchased water proof phone & cargo bags from them at a good price for peace of mind during the boat rides. Hats too, because of concerns of bat guano in the cave. Our guide Jonel left to get our passes at the time. We then waited around for the boat ride to the Cave site, which was roughly an hour in open shaded waiting areas. IT IS STILL HUMID in the cooler months of November, so lots of sweating while waiting. There are local merchants serving fresh fruits & smoothies USING PURIFIED WATER, so delicious & refreshing way of killing time without worry of "nag tataé (tah-tah-éh)" from the other end ;) Our number is called & off we go. Only life jackets are provided. Max people per boat is 8 plus captain & mate. It's about 15 minutes to get to the cave location. Engine is loud, trip is windy. We exit by walking off the boat onto the beach so prepared to get wet. Look for Macaque monkeys and bayawak lizards, they are around! Audio tours provided, then short walk to launch bay, where construction hats with a small front brim are given before boarding cave boats (seats 10 including guide). It is AWESOME inside! Leisure pace inside with skillful boat maneuvering by our guide. Light is provided by the guide's headgear which is ample enough to view & take pictures & video of this natural wonder. Bat are NUMEROUS & you hear lots of "water" drops so not sure what's falling on us lol! A lil tip... Don't look up with your mouth open. ;) All smiles by everyone as we leave the cave boat! We did tip our transport driver, captain, mate, and cave guide. REALLY COOL excursion! REALLY EASY RECOMMENDATION! ENJOY KAYO! :)

We took a bus trip from El Nido to the Underground River. The trip there was a little scary because…read morewe had to switch buses in a small area where there was only a bus stop. We weren't sure that we were in the right place. Once we got on the correct bus, we felt better. The bus ride was bumpy with a lot of turns. My son even got car sick. The town where you get the boats to the Underground River was packed with people. We had to wait in line for quite a while to get tickets. The tour included a lunch which was served in an outdoor tent like area. I even saw a rat! It wasn't very good food. The boat ride to the Underground River we really rough that day. Luckily it wasn't a very long ride. The actual tour of the Underground River was fabulous! My pictures speak for themselves.

When in Manila, you have to visit the area! They did so much clean up in the area. It's a great…read morewalk and picture opportunities. Ample areas to pick a quick bite. So impressive how they did the clean up ... the pictures of before and after ... so happy to I have seen the Dolomites beach in person.

Manila Bay is stunning at sunset. It is magical. Kids are running around, locals are exercising,…read moreand street vendors are aplenty. The sunset is calming and even with the crowd and the noise it is wonderful. There is a mall nearby to start your walk and a huge Ferris wheel within walking distance. If you are anywhere near there, I really would go for the sunset. Sadly, the place is not clean, not the beach area and not the water. You can not swim it, the pollution is so bad. There is a government program to clean it all up and from what I have read it is much better than it was. The smell is not fun and I would never go anywhere near there in bare feet. Keeping that in mind, it is still a lovely sunset and I love watching kids play while the day ends.

Finding a resort close to Manila is becoming a challenge these days. For when the hot springs,…read moreprivate pools and resorts of Laguna seem too far, one can always go to Rizal. Good thing a friend of mine discovered Punta De Fabian in Baras, Rizal, accessible via a less-than-two-hour-drive from the heart of Manila. For a "swimming pool collector" like me (and "mamaji" from the Life of Pi), the two swimming pools (one is an infinity pool) of the resort are heaven on earth. Sadly, one was undergoing repair the last time we went there, but that's probably longer a concern now. What I like about these pools (and the resort in general) is that it is not at all crowded. They seem to be doing a good job managing the booking schedules and venues, as the pools and dining areas are never overcrowded, at least in the three times we were there. One additional reason for me to come back again and again is the size of their rooms. You and your friends can literally do cartwheels inside. In one room we stayed at, the bathroom was the size of a studio apartment, no kidding! If you want a tranquil place for your R&R, this is highly recommended!