Tuesday, January 07, 2014

My Top 10 Travels of 2013


"Escape". This place has been in my bucket list for so long that the first remark I asked when I finally visited the place was "Bakit ngayon lang kita pinuntahan?"("Why did I visit you only now?"). Every nook and cranny of Batan and Sabtang Islands that I visited were picture-worthy, from the rolling hills to the old stone houses, from the light houses to the pebbled beaches and more. I just can't get enough of this place.
 
 

"Paradise". A place of many natural attractions spearheaded by the twin lakes of Barracuda and Kayangan. One of the best snorkeling sites in the Philippines and a shipwreck diver's haven too. Its white beaches and limestone cliffs are just some other attractions worth visiting.
 

"Idyllic". The place where the sweetest mango can be found and a perfect place for gastronomic trip with its Mango Pizza, Adobo Twist (Chicken Adobo with mango) and Bulalo with Mango to name a few. Has numerous beaches and century-old churches too. It also has the country's smallest park recognized by Guinness Records.


"Backpack Getaway". Much has already been written about this little piece of paradise off the coast of Zambales. Although not as popular as Anawangin and may not be as interesting as Capones, Nagsasa Cove hold it's own as one of the most scenic and at the same time laid-back place where you could easily get lost to its beauty and not mind anything at all.


"Back In Time". Bacolod has The Ruins" while Silay boasts of thirty-one ancestral houses. A travel to these places literally transforms you to the era where calesa rule the cobbled-stone roads and where ladies wear baro at saya and the men wear barong or kamisa se tsino. Of course, a trip to Bacolod would not be complete without a dose of Chicken Inasal and sugarcane juice.


"Countryside". How is waking-up with a beautiful sunrise over fine-sanded beach sound like? What's more is that you can have it for just a little more than a couple of hours away from the bustling noise of Manila. Sounds interesting? Then, Bagac in Bataan with its numerous coves and splendid landscape might just be the place for you.


"Historical". 'Of Bombs, Big Guns and Lost Gold: WWII Tales Declassified ' is the 6th installment in the Old Manila Walks historical tour series. This is a collaboration between Corregidor's main logistical and tour provider, Sun Cruises and Old Manila Walks- the city's leading historical/cultural tour outfit. Unlike the bus tour which takes you on a general overview of the whole island, this historical hike is essentially concentrated on the war memorial zone (aka the historic core) of the island and uses this setting as a backdrop in the discussion of the WWII theme of the walk.
 

"Christmas". Jaro exudes a catechistic character thru its modest Church, the oldest one in Panay Island, the Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral. It was built in 1864 and was visited by Pope John Paul VI who conducted a mass in 1982. But the structure that steals the show in my trip to Jaro was the lighting of the Lizares Mansion of the Angelicum School. The entire mansion was all lit-up with colorful lights and lanterns that blinks to the beat of Christmas carols -a sight and sound to behold in Jaro.
 

"Sweeping". Within a couple of hours from Manila, you will be in some of Batangas' popular beaches from the likes of Nasugbu and Matabungkay but endure a couple of hours more and you will be in a total level-up beach that is Laiya. Picturesque place specially when the sun sets in the beach with a mountain backdrop - so sweeping.


"Angels Cry". Angeles is a name synonymous with sex industry in the Philippines. The strip of tacky clubs and bars is strung-out along Fields Avenue in Barangay Balibago. The most popular strip of which is the The Walking Street where rows and rows of girlie bars are located.

20 comments:

  1. Oh, WOW! You have been to some incredibly beautiful places, Oman!! How wonderful that you are able to travel and have places like this a part of your world!! Your captures are superb as always!! Wonderful post for the day! Thanks for sharing!!

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    1. Because of work, I have to make do of the little time I have with traveling so I have to carefully select where will I go.

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  2. Great list. For a full time employee, you do find time to squeeze in some traveling. So here's more to exploring and going away this year!

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  3. Great list. I don't if I can make up my mind which of the locations I like the best...

    Mersad
    Mersad Donko Photography

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    1. I have chosen Batanes as my top pick for 2013 and I will blog more about this place soon.

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  4. Beautiful places.

    Happy New Year, Attorney! :) Wish you more travels this year.

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    1. Happy New Year too Rizalenio and more travels to you too.

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  5. Can't wait for your 2014 edition Sir!
    Looking forward for more new posts from new places:)

    Keep it up!

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    1. Thanks Reydan, just thinking about the hectic blogging year makes me wonder if I can keep-up with my posting commitments. Hope I can :)

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  6. Thank you for including my home province. Ang dame talagang maganda sa Batangas, di lang sikat!

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    1. I agree Darwin. Batangas never fails to fascinate me, from Anilao to Laiya and more.

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  7. Wow. Batanes. Is that a DIY trip?

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    1. Hi Uno, it's a combination of DIY trip and packaged trips :)

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  8. This is a great list specially your first 5. I have only been to te near ones on your list like Angeles and Laiya.

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    1. Hi Zen, I highly recommend these places in the Top 5 so go explore Pinas.

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  9. Magkano nagastos mo sa Batanes? Sabi kasi nila mas mura pa daw mag Hong-Kong kesa mag Batanes eh.

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    1. Hi Kiko, well you can be as low or as high as you want in any given trip. Before, I used to be a budget traveler talaga pero times are changing now and that most of our kababayans naman in these far-flung areas really depend on travelers for their livelihood so ok naman to splurge once in a while.

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  10. I like your trip to Nagsasa among your Top 10 travels. I get to trip on the same place on my special day celebration. It's more beautiful than Anawangin in my opinion.
    I'm glad you also visited the main attraction of our province and of our municipality of Cavite City - Corregidor. Though its part of our city municipality, its quite far from us and I haven't visit it yet. Hopefully soon I'll be able to see its rich history.

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    1. You are welcome Ian. If my memory serves me right, this is my third time in Corregidor and have always enjoyed the place. Invite mo ko when you want to go there :)

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