DIY Apo Island Trip? The Main Thing You Should Know Before You Go

When I tried to include Apo Island in my 11-day DIY Visayan backpacking trip, everything went wrong!

After asking dozens of locals in Cebu City and Santander Island for tips about Apo Island, my travel buddy Tina and I felt …

Moalboal Tips For Beginners

Most travelers go to Moalboal for its world-famous sardine run, but this sleepy coastal town 90km southwest of Cebu City has plenty more to offer. I spent three days, two nights (too short!) in Moalboal as part of my 11-day …

Dorkiest Travel Gear You’ll Secretly Want

Ah, the fanny pack—an oft ridiculed accessory, especially back in the ’80s and ’90s when movie stereotypes of nerds and dorks included the belt bag and its cousin, the pocket protector. But as we evolved into the noughties, what was …

Here’s What Replaced Toast Box PH

Hearts broke when news circulated that all Toast Box branches in the Philippines would close down on May 31, 2018. While there was no social media statement, word got around fast after fellow kopi tiam lovers spotted the official letter…

Beauty Products To Help You Survive The Heat

To describe the current Philippine weather as hellish would be an understatement. The heat index (actual temperature felt by the body based on air temperature and humidity) reached a dangerous 51°C in Nueva Ecija last month. In Manila, the daytime …

Everything You Need To Know About Getting To, From, and Around Siquijor

Public transport in a third-world country can be a highway to hell—or just purgatory on lighter days. Here in the Philippines, not all companies have websites or regularly updated Facebook pages. Even if you do get the commuting schedules (usually …

Siquijor’s Treehouse Adventure For Grownups

On the surface, Guiwanon Spring Park seems like another one of those tourist traps where you go just to take pictures and tick it off your to-do list. My travel buddy Tina and I kept missing this spot when we …

Where To Go During Boracay’s Six-Month Closure

Boracay’s six-month closure officially starts today, April 26, 2018. I’ve been silently keeping tabs on the situation, and sadly there are polarizing points of view from the government vs. the people. Personally, I’d rather hear it from those who know …

Ayan’s Local Foods: Siquijor’s Hidden Zen

One factor that makes Siquijor a mysterious island is that it’s not as Googleable as the other mainstream destinations. A lot of their accommodations aren’t listed on Agoda and other booking sites. Because Siquijor’s internet connection is intermittent, not all …

Hair Care For The Frequent Traveler

Travel can take its toll on your hair, whether you’re backpacking for a month or are just doing a weekend beach trip. Whatever hair type or length you have, you can keep your mane in tiptop shape while traveling…

Badian Canyoneering For Scaredy-Cats

Confession: I’m scared of heights. I may have all those Instagram posts where I’m perching on a mountain peak, rappelling down a cliff, and crossing a hanging bridge, but it took a lot of screaming and soliloquies before I actually …

Sirao Garden: Charming Place, Stressful Commute

There’s one thing travelers don’t mention when writing about Sirao Flower Garden—that getting there is a pain in the a**. Don’t get me wrong; this place is a garden lover’s dream come true. Like all the other visitors, I …

I Bought A Love Potion From Siquijor And This Is What Happened

Siquijor may be famous for mysticism, but it’s not the only Philippine island where you’ll hear stories of black magic and the supernatural.…

This ’90s Kid Went To Manila’s First Sticker Con

I got wind of the emerging sticker movement last year, thanks to the resurrection of ’90s trends such as patches, pins, and stickers. As a ’90s kid, collecting stationery was one of my childhood hobbies. I remember bringing my boxes …

Most Instagrammable Restos In Bali

There are dozens of restaurants and cafés around Bali, from hidden locations to more popular tourist joints. If you’re a millennial (or xennial like me) doing it for the ‘gram, here are 20 guaranteed to bring on the likes. …