Bulog Dos: Island-Hopping in the Calamianes

This wasn’t supposed to be. Within minutes of leaving the pier at Coron our motorized outrigger and its 18 passengers and crew were fighting a surprisingly rough sea. On a sunny and almost cloudless morning. In April. After almost an hour of bobbing up and down the turbulent waves we were wondering if the boat might fatally tip over.

Malcapuya Island: Coron’s White Sand Beauty

The temperature these days in Metro Manila are approaching unbearable levels. About the same time three years ago it was just as steamy on our way to a pristine location in the Calamian group of islands in Palawan. We were baking in the early afternoon heat when our outrigger slowly glided past clear waters, where corals of various sizes, shapes and hues could easily be seen, into a beige sand beach on the island’s western side.

Cambugahay Falls: Lazing Away at Lazi’s Natural Haven

Most of the beautiful waterfalls we’ve visited over the years are located a good distance off the nearest paved road or highway. Many require a hefty amount of trekking to reach. Not this waterfall – or so we thought – as we made our way from where our rented trike was parked and crossed the road towards the entrance to Cambugahay Falls on the opposite side.

The Wind Mills of Pililla

Our numerous visits to Laguna and Quezon via the so-called backdoor route along the Manila East Road always takes us pass the quiet town of Pililla, Rizal. Despite the beautiful green rolling hills and some ancestral homes in town, we were content to simply pass through Pililla on our way to other destinations. An unexpected development several months ago made us realize how much we have been ignoring this quaint town all these years.