Japan 2019 Travel Guide: 2-Day Nagoya Itinerary with Budget

Hello, hello! I'm back with another travel post! Been MIA na naman lately because of a movie I'm working on (as a stylist). Nadelay na naman tuloy my blog posts huhu. Anyway, I'm done with Taiwan, so now I'm gonna take you on an exciting 10-day backpacking adventure in the land of the rising sun-- JAPAN! I will divide my postings per city and will just share one link for all posts below for reference. A lot of you have been asking for the itinerary, budget and details, so here it is! :) Are you ready?! Let's start our journey in what they call "the most boring" (I disagree though!) yet one of the richest and key cities in Japan-- NAGOYA! Read on to know more....

Taiwan Solo Trip 2019 Day 7, 8 & 9: Two Days in Taichung, Sisi Nan Cun Village + P.S. Bubu Cafe

Mejo sinisipag ata ako magblog ah! Pansin niyo din? Hehe. I'm super determined to finish all my Taiwan posts so I can move on to Japan naman. Anyway, we're at the end of the line! This is the last and final installment of my Taiwan 2019 solo travel series. One of my goals during this trip was to see places I missed during my past travels. It was a last minute decision to spend a night in Taichung, but so glad I did it! Read on to know more...

Taiwan Solo Trip 2019 Day 5 & 6: Jiufen, Shifen & Yehliu Tour + We Come Hostel + Ningxia Night Market

Since I'm feeling inspired 'coz of my new laptop (sorry na ansaya ko lng talaga haha), here's the 3rd installment of my Taiwan solo trip last March! On the 5th day, went out of the city through an organized tour which I booked via Klook. :) This time I didn't DIY because the places I wanted to see were far from each other, so for convenience I joined a group tour. If Jiufen and Shifen lang, it's easy to just DIY and commute going there (did it before), but for this trip I included Yehliu and Yin Yang Sea. Super worth it! Here are photos and stories...

Taiwan Solo Trip 2019 Day 3 & 4: Check Inn Hotel, Xingtian Temple, Huashan 1914 Park & Wufenpu Market

Finally, another travel post! Actually, I haven't blogged for quite some time because my laptop kept hanging and nakakawalang gana sa totoo lang. So I finally bought a new 2nd hand one during our Japan trip! Yey! This time I finally took the plunge (stuck with windows for so long hihi) and bought an 11" Macbook air. So far so good! Hope this lasts for years na please lang. Haha. Nico kept teasing me that I keep on delaying my posts so here I am trying to prove him wrong. Lelz. To recap, I went on a 10-day solo Taiwan adventure last March and this is the 2nd installment! On my 3rd and 4th day, I transferred to a new accommodation and just took my time exploring the city. No tours yet! Read on to know where I went and what I did... 

Taiwan Solo Trip 2019, Day 1 & 2: Arrival, Cherry Blossoms, City Tour & Pinglin Tea Plantation

Hi guys!!! I got a lot of messages asking me if I already blogged about my solo adventure in Taiwan, so here it is!!! I emailed my itinerary to many of you but will post here (and in my next blog posts) details about my whole trip. I've been to Taiwan a few times before, so I set a goal for this particular trip-- explore places I've never been to and to finally see cherry blossoms! I took a chance hoping I'd come across kahit 1-2 trees in full bloom. And what do you know? Goal achieved agad on my 2nd day in the city! So, so happy I finally got to tick that off my bucket list. Sakura in Japan or Korea naman next! :) Anyway, here are stories and photos from my first 2 days in Taiwan, plus tips on itinerary creation, booking and of course, budget! Read on...

Antipolo's Hidden Gem: Luljetta's Hanging Gardens Spa + Garden Suites

Last week, Nico and I went on a quick, but very relaxing getaway east of Manila, just less than an hour drive from the city (well, at least from our place in Cubao hehe). I love going on little breaks in places that are accessible yet still far enough from the busy city. Places like Antipolo's hidden gem-- Luljetta's Hanging Gardens! I've always wanted to visit this beautiful place after seeing countless photos of it online but never got the chance, so the invite from Travelbook.ph to check out this Bali-inspired paradise was just perfect timing. I'm also in desperate need of a nice respite from this summer heat that is just killing me. So without further ado, let me take you on a tour of this lush oasis that is the best destination if you want a quick escape with your friends or loved ones. Read on to know more...

How Nico and I Spent our 5th Anniversary in Taal Vista Tagaytay

Nico and I aren't big on anniversaries. We do birthdays best though. Haha! But this year we wanted to do something special since we're celebrating an important milestone in our relationship--reaching half a decade! Can you believe it? We've had our ups and downs and there was a time we had to take a brief time off but we're still here. Will save our story for later, but for now will share with you our amazing anniversary celebration in one of my favorite hotels, TAAL VISTA in Tagaytay! :) Read on to know more...

Indochina 2018: Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam Travel Guide 2018-2019 (Itinerary, Budget, Accommodation and Tips)

Lately, I am feeling super inspired to work on travel posts especially personal trips I shelved for quite some time. There are times when the feeling of "burnout" becomes so overwhelming that I can't even bring myself to open my laptop. Have you ever felt that way fellow bloggers or writers? Anyway! So sorry if it took me one whole year before writing this post. So many things happened in between that I was not able to go right back to it. And so, finally, here it is! The first part of our super epic 10-day INDOCHINA adventure! Traveled with a few of the Cubao crew making the trip more special. Our first stop? HO CHI MINH, VIETNAM! Read on to know more...

Travel Guide: Enchanting Siquijor (Things To Do, Where to Stay, Budget) + Bohol Side Trip

I know this is 5 months overdue but in my defense, I really thought I already blogged about our Siquijor trip last October! Waaah! Tried searching it on Google coz was looking for something but nothing came up. So ayun na nga, hindi pa pala. Haha. So finally, here it is! :) Flew to this mystical island with a few family and friends to celebrate Nico's birthday. Since he's a merman (or baka isda talaga) in his past life, he wanted another beach trip (last year we spent it in Bluewater Sumilon naman). We wanted to go somewhere we've never been before or only a few people frequent, so my cousin Rjae suggested SIQUIJOR! So we all booked our flights, researched for weeks and off we went to one of the best beach trips of our lives. Read on for photos and stories...

Yogyakarta, Indonesia 4-Day Travel Guide: Transportation, Accommodations + Borobudur & City Tours

I never thought I'd have one last out of the country trip before the year ends. I was starting to feel sad. Haha! But a few weeks ago, I surprisingly received an invitation for a 5-day media familiarization tour in *drumroll please*...Yogyakarta, Indonesia!!! I have always wanted to visit "Jogja" after seeing beautiful photos of the Borobudur temple-- and if you know me, you know I LOVE temples and historical sites. I did this trip with Cebu Pacific, Indonesia's Ministry of Tourism, Stratworks and a few media friends and I'd say, it has become one of the highlights of my year! :) It was my first time in Jakarta (briefly so I will be back) and Yogyakarta and it was truly an epic adventure. Read on to know more about our wonderful trip including tips on where to go, where to stay and what to do in the beautiful city of Yogyakarta!

Two Main Things You Can Do in Palm Springs: Celebrity Hunting & Golfing!

I am not getting any younger, obviously, so I do have a list of places I want to see and experience ASAP. One of them is spending a week or two at the home of palm trees and Coachella--Palm Spring, California! With its old-school glitz and glamour still being a major draw for the rich and famous, Palm Springs has deservedly maintained its position as one of the best holiday destinations in California.  In this article, I am also going to show you a glimpse of what you can do in and around Palm Springs. Read on to know more...

(photo: http://repolished.com)

Staycation at Zen Rooms Melbourne Makati

Got sick after I came home from Siquijor so I decided to hibernate for two weeks so I could recuperate and recharge. And for that, our staycation in Zen Rooms Melbourne Makati was just perfect timing! I spent 3 days and 2 nights just resting, catching up on sleep, watching Netflix, eating, chilling and blogging. It was just what I needed. Sharing with you a review of the place but please forgive me if I would only be able to share a few snaps. My phone gave up on me last week and all of my files (including photos huhu) all got deleted. Sadly, I wasn't able to back them up. Huhu. Anyway, read on to know more!

Singapore 2018: Little India Heritage Trail, Chinatown, Keong Saik Road + 5Footway.Inn Hostel

Hibernated at my parent's house over the long weekend, so I had time to edit some of my Singapore photos! Anyway, here's part 2 of my 8-day Singapore birthday adventure with Nico. We were aiming for a more laid-back cultural experience this time (we already did all the touristy stuff a few years back) and it was a success. It surprises me that I still get to explore and discover so many new things, even though I've already been there a few times. I have shared with you what happened during our first day and night in Singapore, now read on to know more about what we did during days two to three! Photos and stories below...

Singapore 2018, Day 1: Vintage Inn, Little India, Rainforest Lumina, Night Safari & Tep Wireless

While I am still on antibiotics, hence the self-imposed house arrest, I will be working on my pending travel posts. (Wrote this a week ago, I'm all well now! Yipee!). Still so much to share with you, guys! I am done with Krabi, Melaka and Coco Beach, now I'm working on my Singapore birthday trip before I move on to Siquijor! Writing about recent trips excites me, maybe because the memories are still fresh in my mind. Soooo, I MUST finish Singapore STAT. Haha. Anyway, it was Nico and I's first time alone together in Singapore. We've been there before (with my family), so we never really got to do what we wanted. Our 8-day trip in the Lion City all started because of an online seat sale to Malaysia (for only P1500 roundtrip!) and the rest was history. Read on to know more...

Malacca/ Melaka, Malaysia: Two-Day Itinerary, Travel Guide & Photo Diary

Hello guys! Just came home from Siquijor for Nico's birthday getaway and it was all sorts of awesome. Will get to that soon, maybe a little sooner than my other travel backlogs. Let's see! Hihi. For now, I want to share with you our quick stopover after our 8-day Krabi, Thailand adventure. Since we were flying out from Malaysia, Nico and I decided to make a little side trip to the city of MALACCA or Melaka. Read on to know more...

Coco Beach Island Resort: Island Paradise in Puerto Galera + How To Buy Discounted Rooms!

I've been busy with a lot of things lately--blogging, styling, all those rakets in between while trying to redecorate our apartment, pay my bills and also fix my life LOL-- I am going into overdrive. I think it also has something to do with this weird lingering feeling I'm having ever since I turned 30-something (mid-life crisis sucks, will make a separate post about this). You know that phrase "So little time, so much to do"? ME RIGHT NOW. Lately, I've been doing a lot of thinking mostly about life, time, the future, and it's driving me nuts. One thing that helps me keep my sanity whenever I'm feeling suffocated is leaving the city and going on a quick getaway. Change of scenery could really be a good thing 'coz it helps keep things into perspective, it helps me breathe again. And two weeks ago, we did just that when we escaped to Coco Beach Island Resort in Puerto Galera. We left the city for 4 days, slightly disconnected from the world (walang signal dun guys and it was actually quite nice) doing nothing and just making the most out of everything in the midst of a storm. Read on for more stories and photos...

Our little haven in this island paradise

Krabi, Thailand 2017 Day 5-8: Ao Nang Town, Railey Beach & Tiger Cave Temple

After a 3-week hiatus, I'm back with another travel post! As I said, I am going to finish my Krabi posts before working on my recent Singapore escapade. And as I'm nearing the end of this amazing trip's chapter, I couldn't help but feel a bit sentimental. You see, this trip almost didn't happen. A few weeks before our departure, Nico and Gio's dad passed away. It was unexpected and sudden, and it left all of us heartbroken. After it happened, Nico cried himself to sleep every night with me fearing he might actually die of a broken heart. We actually considered cancelling the whole trip. But one day, to my surprise, Nico told me that he talked to his younger brother Gio and they decided to push through with it. You see, this trip was more than just a trip, it was a journey to healing. This trip was for their dad, Tito Alan, who loved the sea and water (he even works as a professional diver) as much as his sons do. Throughout our trip I saw how they looked up the sky smiling yet with slight tears in their eyes, during every sunset and in every beautiful moment. It was sad and beautiful at the same time. This trip was a gift, a celebration of life and love.  And celebrate we did. :) Photos and stories below...

Krabi, Thailand 2017 Day 3-4: Tubkaek Beach & Ko Phi Phi Don Island Tour

Hello guys, it's finally the weekend! Any plans? Spent my Friday editing photos, binge watching Meteor garden (and watching movies online), eating, blogging, and just bonding with my cozy bed. Thank God for Grab Food coz I didn't starve to death bilang walang labasan ng bahay! Anyway, I am working this weekend so sinulit ko na din my free time. So, here's the 3rd installment of our Krabi, Thailand adventure! On our 3rd and 4th day, we discovered more beaches and one of Nico's dreams finally came true! He finally ticked one thing off his bucket list. Read on to know more and for stories/photos...

Me at Maya Bay (The Beach). So surreal!

Krabi, Thailand 2017 Day 2: Nong Thale Mountain View Resort + Ao Nang Beach

Working on my travel posts little by little! Sorry for the delays, work always gets in the way and don't get me wrong, I love that it does. I'm still very much thankful for the opportunities. Mahirap mag freelance ah! Haha. Anyway, here's Part 2 of my Krabi, Thailand posts! Super long overdue, I know. But still want to share our experience because it might help you plan for your next trip! If you want to see the famous Ko Phi Phi Island (popularized by the movie "The Beach"), stare at soaring limestone cliffs in Railey beach, or if you just want to experience local culture, try amazing food, hop on a motorbike and discover hidden beaches, then this post is for you. If you love the laidback beach life as much as Nico, you might never want to leave this paradise. Keep reading to find out why!

Krabi, Thailand 2017: Booking + Arrival via Malaysia

Starting another travel post, now na!!! Woohoo. I did a poll last time which of my past travels you'd like to see next on the blog and most of you answered-- KRABI, Thailand! So here it is, finally!!! Uumpisahan ko na after 1 year. Haha. So much happened after our trip, so I wasn't able to blog about it. I get a few inquiries in my DM every now and then about that trip last year, so I decided to write about it na. :) 

Anyway! The trip was a spontaneous one. Nico has always wanted to go to Maya Bay and Ko Phi Phi islands (ultimate beach boy eh) where his favorite movie "The Beach" was filmed, so when Air Asia had an online big points sale which included Krabi, we quickly grabbed the opportunity! More about our booking and our trip below...