Travelers Journal

Jun 1, 2008

Boracay: named Asia’s best beach

Talk about beaches and other exotic tourist destinations, the Philippines gives you more than 7,000 options to choose from. Topping the list is the breath-taking four kilometer natural exquisiteness of Boracay.

Known as one of the Philippines premiere tourist attractions, Boracay (or Bora for young Filipinos) has been chosen several times as the world’s best tropical beach by The British TV Quick, the Australian newspaper the Sun Herald, the BMW Tropical Beach Handbook, and Harper's. In 2007, Yahoo travel selected Boracay as the best beach in the world, taking the first spot of the chosen 10 most popular beaches.

Boracay is famous for its white talcum powder-like beach front which oddly never gets too hot even if the sun blazingly envelopes the entire island paradise. (I personally had fun playing with the sand!) From the palm fringed shoreline, any visitor would surely be astonished by a relaxing view of its crystal clear blue- to turquoise-colored water. It is truly a startling experience to see how the monochromatic waters of Boracay fade from deep blue to clear white as you approach the beach front from an island hopping adventure.

Just before the sunset, you will enjoy the view of vinta and sail of different colors. These boats may be rented for a quick sunset island hopping or take photos of them at no charge. Banana boat riding is also available for an unforgettable group fun. If you want a fast paced adventure, perhaps jet skiing on Boracay waters would invigorate your sensations!

Boracay white beach is divided into three boat stations of which stations 2 and 3 are the most popular for backpackers and youngsters. In the evening, boat station 2 is filled with music and endless group chats. It is the most tourist friendly station as it houses a strip of not-so-expensive restaurants and mini supermarkets. Boat station 1 is where most of the high-end hotels are located at. It is the most tranquil boat station in Boracay.

Boracay gateways

All year round, the Philippine Airlines (PAL) offers tour packages from Manila to Boracay with flight and hotel accommodation included for as low as US$190. If you fly PAL, you will have to take a two-hour land travel from Kalibo Airport to the ports of Caticlan either by jeepney or bus. A ferry service is available which will bring you to Boracay Islands in 15 minutes. Expect Boracay waters to welcome you with a splash during the ferry ride so be prepared to get wet!

Other local airlines such as Air Philippines, Cebu Pacific and Asian Spirit fly directly from Manila to Caticlan Airport which saves you from the two-hour land travel from Kalibo. As of writing, Philippine Airlines has recently launched their jet flights straight to Caticlan which are less expensive than their flights to Kalibo.

Island activities

Boracay souvenirs ranging from native hats, hand-painted t-shirts, hand-woven neclaces and bracelets are just a few of the many items you could easily buy from any parts of the Island. The “IN” thing among young tourists is the henna and permanent tattooing. It is most advisable to take a half-day island hopping which will bring you to the Crocodile Island, Puka Beach (the white sand here is absolutely astounding!), crystal cave, and snorkeling areas among others. Each boat for an island hopping may be rented for as low as US$35.00. Don’t worry about buying dollars or Philippine peso, ATM machines are available in station 2.

Experience Boracay... experience a place
unlike anywhere you've ever been!

VIDEO CREDITS (from YouTube):
Video 1: Islands - Produced by the Department of Tourism Philippines
Video 2: One Team One Summer, ABS-CBN Summer Station ID Boracay Special - Directed by Tots Sanchez-Mariscal

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May 14, 2008

Weekend in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

A DELAYED BLOG POST

September 2007 - Kuala Lumpur or KL is the capital and largest city in Malaysia. It is the home to the Petronas Twin Towers, Malaysia's icon of economic prosperity and socio-cultural idealism. My stay in KL may have been quick (an overnight stay that was) but I made the most out of my free time to stroll around!

First destination? The Kuala Lumpur Bird Park or Taman Burung Kuala Lumpur. This park is a 7 to 16 hectares of enclosed aviary housing more than 50 species of birds, of which 90% are local breeds. Aside from having the opportunity to witness colorful birds in their natural habitat, a bird show presenting huge species of colorful parrots was quite fun. I felt like I was a kid again being immersed in an audience of grade school students (Haha!).

Just like in any country I've been to, the China Town or Chee Cheong Kai in the street of Petaling in KL offers a good shopping experience. You'll find Chinese herbs, handicrafts, textiles or just any item a trader could sell particularly those from China.

Next to China Town and Jalan Bandar is the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, the oldest Hindu temple in KL. It was my first time to enter a Hindu temple and I must say that it was indeed a worthwhile experience. I was amazed at the wall decorations that depict the Hindu belief - a reality check that we are indeed living in a truly diversed world.

After a quick rest at the hotel, my next destination was the Menara KL Tower. Being the fifth tallest telecommunication tower in the world, KL Tower provides a 360 degrees arial view of the city. Just to share with you, although I couldn't remember where I exactly read this, the KL Tower has customarily been a place for marriage proposals. Not sure though if every proposals made here were successful.

As they say, your KL trip will not be complete without seeing the gigantic Petronas Twin Towers, the world's tallest twin buildings. According to Wikipedia, Tower 1 was built by Hazama Corporation and Tower 2 by Samsung Engineering & Construction. They were the world's tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004. At day time, the spectators will definitely be astounded by the architecture of the Petronas particularly its detailed steel linings and humongous steel bars. Wait until the evening breaks, the Petronas seems to be the main source of light of the entire city. The twin towers resemble like two strong beams of light coming directly from the grounds of KL. I was astonished at the beauty of the Twin Tower as I looked up at the sky from the hotel entrance. I couldn't wait for the morning to come, a chance for me to enter the Towers and go up to the bridge connecting Towers 1 and 2. The Petronas Towers is definitely a must see for everyone!

Just before my departure from KL, I had a chance to visit Batu Cave which is approximately 20-30 minutes drive from KLCC. Of all the tourist spots I visited in KL, I must say that this is the best for the reason that I appreciate to witness other religious beliefs. At the ground level, you will be welcomed by a gigantic statue of a Hindu deity. As you start your 272 stair-trekking to reach the caves, you will be entertained by monkeys who would play around with visitors. It might be good to bring some bananas and feed them if you are fond of monkeys. =) At the far top cave, there is a small Hindu temple which a lot of devotees consider as extremely sacred. To reach the caves is quite a tiring activity but I think all my energy spent paid off.

TRAVEL TIPS: The KL International Airports are located one hour drive away from the downtown. Shuttle bus and airport taxis are readily available. Shuttle bus would cost 10 Malaysian Ringgit per person from the airport to the Central Station in KL city. To enable access to the Petronas Towers you need to get a ticket (free of charge) from the Petronas Office as early as 7:30 a.m. You need to be quick on this as tickets usually ran out fast.

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May 7, 2008

My Elite Choices to the New 7 Wonders of Nature

From the organizers of the New 7 Wonders of the World comes another global venue to discover the incredible beauty and variety of our planet Earth - The New 7 Wonders of Nature. Established by the non-profit New7Wonders Foundation, the voting for nominees to the New 7 Wonders of Nature has officially started! See live ranking of the top 77 candidates.

Cast your votes now! The following are my elite 7:
Photos and descriptions were taken from

the New7Wonders official website

#1: Chocolate Hills

The Chocolate Hills is an unusual geological formation in Bohol, Philippines. It is composed of around 1,268 perfectly cone-shaped hills, all about the same size, spread over an area of more than 50 sq km The hills are covered in green grass that turns brown during the dry season, giving them the name ''Chocolate Hills.''

#2: Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located about 50 km north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. It features a limestone karst mountain landscape with an 8.2 km. navigable underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it winds through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. It includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and several large chambers. The lower portion of the river is subject to tidal influences. The underground river is reputed to be the world's longest. At the mouth of the cave, a clear lagoon is framed by ancient trees growing right to the water's edge. Monkeys, large monitor lizards, and squirrels find their niche on the beach near the cave.

#3: Tubbataha Reef

Tubbataha Reef is an atoll coral reef in the Sulu Sea that belongs to the Philippines. It is a marine sanctuary protected as Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park. The reef is composed of two atolls, North and South Reefs. Each reef has a single small islet that protrudes from the water. The atolls are separated by a deep channel 8 kilometers wide. Over one thousand species, including many that are endangered, can be found at on the reef. These include manta rays, lionfish, tortoises, clownfish and sharks.

#4: Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776 meters, and has an exceptionally symmetrical cone. A dormant volcano that last erupted in 1707, it is surrounded by five lakes: Lake Kawaguchi, Lake Yamanaka, Lake Sai, Lake Motosu and Lake Shoji. It is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park

#5: Maldives, Archipelago

The Maldive Islands make up an island nation consisting of 26 atolls in the Indian Ocean. They are located south of India’s Lakshadweep islands, about 700 kilometers south-west of Sri Lanka. The Maldives encompass 1,192 small islands, roughly two hundred of which are inhabited.

#6: Mount Everest

Mount Everest is the highest mountain on Earth, with the summit 8,848 meters above sea level. The mountain, which is part of the Himalaya range in High Asia, is located on the border between Nepal and Tibet, China.

#7: Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is a set of massive waterfalls located on the Niagara River, separating the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York. While not exceptionally high, the Niagara Falls are very wide. The falls were formed when glaciers receded at the end of the last ice age, and water from the then newly-formed Great Lakes carved a path through the Niagara Escarpment on its way to the Atlantic Ocean.

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May 4, 2008

Las Vegas: The city that never sleeps (at night)

A DELAYED BLOG ENTRY

October 2007 - It was a quick stop by at the surprisingly cold Las Vegas – a city in Nevada that never sleeps at night! The weather was cooperative as it was only at that time we arrived in Las Vegas when the temperature changed from hot and humid to cold and breezy at 57.3 °F (14.1 °C). As they say, the first thing a visitor could do is to try his luck with a slot machine found at the reception lobby of the hotel. Thrilled I was, my first try with the $20 - no luck! Haha!

Roaming around during daytime would give any visitor an impression that Las Vegas is just an ordinary city – high rising hotels, light to moderate traffic situation, and bargain souvenir items everywhere. In fact, one may think that it is a dull city as nothing so special is happening at day time. BUT try to visit every hotel lobbies where as early as 8:00 a.m. you'll see people sipping their hot coffee while playing a $1-$10 slot machine. You'll be convinced that people do really come to Las Vegas to gamble. What a way to spend your leisure time!

Now what happens at night time? I need not to scribble further. As expected, Las Vegas is at its finest in the evening! The covered streets of Fremont is enveloped with glittering lights and buzzling music. I was amazed at the LED screen-ceiling presentations on Fremont Street. People are filled with so much energy (not unless you go back to your hotel room as a loser). The Las Vegas strip is so stunning and the architecture of the Ceasar's Palace Hotel is truly amazing!

Since I'm not a habitual gambler I must say that my first day in Las Vegas was not fun at all (Not to mention of me losing a $100 bill was as quick as 10 snaps in less than 10 minutes!!!). What I like about this city is the fact that shopping is not as expensive as in California. I enjoyed buying presents in all the malls we've been to. Food is also cheap. The roads that we passed through were all clean. Best of all, you can buy a detached house in this city for as low as $200,000- Well not for me to stay long and raise a family here but perhaps as a vacation destination (I may be too conservative but I think this is not a good place to raise your kids).

As a whole, I should charge our four-day stay in Las Vegas to experience. I may not have a tremendous fun like in my other trips but it was not that bad at all. After all, I won $400.- during my last night in Vegas! Thanks to the Wheel of Fortune at the Golden Nugget Hotel!

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Apr 15, 2008

Trekking in the Lion City - Singapore

A DELAYED BLOG ENTRY

As they say, an Asian Tour is not complete without a quick stop in Asia's Lion City - Singapore. Being the smallest country in Southeast Asia (704.0 km² or 272 sq mi), in just one day, you would be able to visit most if not all of the tourist attractions in Singapore.

In August 2005, I got a chance to revisit this fascinating city all by my self. It was indeed a nice trip. Imagine travelling alone in a foreign country (what a liberation!). It was also my first time to fly a budget airline (a courageous move that was!). What's good about Singapore is the fact that the locals speak the English language fluently. I never had the feeling of being alienated or "home sick(ed)". The city itself (particularly the shopping malls' atmosphere) gave me the impression that I was just strolling in any of the malls in Manila particularly those in Makati City, Philippines.

Just like in any of my travels, to have a picture in one or two of my destination's well-known tourist icon(s) would complete the trip. Singapore may be a small country but it has a lot of good things to offer its visitors and I may not have enough time to scribble down all of them. Let me simplify my life by highlighting a few of my destinations.

Changi International Airport - Known for being one of the world's

best international airports, what I like most about Changi is its accessibility to all types of transportation in the city. During this visit, I excitedly grabbed the opportunity of riding the MRT (mass rapid transit) which is conveniently connected to Terminal 1. The best service available at Changi Airport is the telephone service. Anyone can call a number in Singapore (including mobile numbers) using the public phones at no charge.

Hotels/Hostels - Tourists are given an array of choices where to stay but it is best to book in advance to avoid last minute hassles.

The Merlion Park - I've always been happy to meet the Merlion statue (haha). I think you would agree to me if I say that this is the most popular tourist attraction in Singapore. In case you do not know yet (but I'm sure you do), Merlion is a statue with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. It stands in front of the Marina Bay. Sound a bit churlish but to me, Merlion is an attestation of a fulfilling experience by seeing it personally since I only get to see it in the pictures or in my books when I was still in grade school.

The Esplanade Theatres - I've always been fascinated by the unique architecture of the Esplanade Theatres. Many Singaporeans casually refer to the Esplanade as "The Durian". Well if you look at it, the thorny design of the roof resembles like the durian or the jackfruit. Actually, the two roofs of the Esplanade also look like the magnified eyes of a fly. I think I read about this somewhere but I can't remember exactly which material was that.

The Sentosa Island - Just one frustration - I was not able to ride the cable cars. I had to look for someone who is also alone to take a ride with me but no luck! Perhaps next time (haha). At Sentosa, I only targeted for two things (1) the Underwaterworld; and (2) the Musical Fountain Show at night. The Underwaterworld is an oceanarium which has more than 2,500 marine animals of 250 species from different regions of the world. I am not sure if this is the first oceanarium in Asia but what I know is that just like the Merlion statue, I have always been fascinated by the Underwaterworld which I used to see and read about only in my books when I was in grade school (haha). What's best about this park is its 83 metre long travelator that conveniently tours the visitors along a submerged glass-windowed tunnel showcasing a vast range of marine life including stingrays and sharks.

I'm not sure about the others, but to me, the Musical Fountain Show is a relaxing treat from a full day of walking and sight-seeing. It may be good for kids only but I did enjoy it A LOT! hahaha... It's like watching a Disney show. The sounds and lights and the narration made by a ventriloquist and a clown makes the show entertaining. The music is definitely wonderful! At that night, an orchestra of Singaporean students performed before the actual fountain show started.

The above are just a few of the places I've been to during my revisit to Singapore. If you are a shopping fan, perhaps Singapore is not the place for you to enjoy. Goods are quite costly. I missed Bangkok all of a sudden! However, the food is great and I enjoyed the black seafood noodles. Ah and one more thing, I had an opportunity to meet my former English teacher in High School who is now residing in Singapore with her family for good.

Are you planning to fly to Singapore, soon? Make sure it happens. You won't regret it!

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Apr 2, 2008

A glimpse of the Tehachapi Pass Wind Farm in Southern California, USA

A DELAYED BLOG ENTRY

October 2007 - Cruising down the Tehachapi Mountain Pass in Southern California in the United States gave me the opportunity to take this priceless shot of the Tehachapi Pass Wind Farm. Thanks to my mobile phone ofcourse for I was able to quickly capture a very good angle of the Wind Farm.

This unique scenery brought back an unforgettable childhood memory. It was indeed a sudden flashback as I recalled one of my favorite movies when I was about 7 years old -- Mac and Me, a family movie about a disabled boy and an extraterrestial. According to Wikipedia: "The decision to create it was based largely on the success of E.T. (1982). The title itself, Mac and Me, comes from the working title for E.T. — E.T. and Me." In this movie, I can recall a scene where the characters are traversing through the Tehachapi Wind Farm. Thanks to YouTube, I found a video clip of Mac and Me. After almost 20 years, it was indeed a great experience to personally witness an unforgettable scene in an unforgettable movie of my childhood! =D