La Union is our alternative destination if we are looking for a great place to chill and unwind. Now it's raining season, this is the best time to surf in Elyu. The waves are freaking high which can go up to 8 feet.  I'm not really good in surfing but I'm trying my best to learn and enjoy it.

Dubbed as the "Surfing Capital of Northern Luzon", this laid back province offers a lot of beautiful places and fun outdoor activities. I must say, La Union is a year-round destination. You can do a lot of things here even it's raining or sunny day.

Kota Kinabalu is one of the budget destinations in Asia. It offers wide array of beautiful attractions over the city, powdery-white sand beaches, tropical rain forests, historical sites, amazing landscapes and its main jewel, the Mount Kinabalu. This simple city is also a famous getaway for tourists and the primary entrance to Borneo Island and Sabah, Malaysia.

Most of international tourists and locals call Kota Kinabalu as KK. Well, it's easy to say and to remember. KK has a lot of things to offer for every types of travelers. From shopping centers, beaches, forests to mountains, you would surely enjoy your stay in Kota Kinabalu. I have listed below travel tips and some of the best places that you should visit in KK.

The province of Capiz is well-known for its freshest and most affordable seafood in the country. It features wide powdery gray-sand beaches, historical sites, eco-tourism destinations and a lot more. This simple province will surely give you a unique travel experience.

Capiz is located in the central section of the Philippines at the northeastern portion of Panay Island, bordering Aklan to the north, Antique to the west, and Iloilo to the south. Capiz faces the Sibuyan Sea to the north. Roxas City serves as the provincial capital and Capiznon and Hiligaynon are the two main local languages.

Guisi Lighthouse is one of the main attractions in the province of Guimaras. It is the second oldest lighthouse in the Philippines (next to Cape Engano Lighthouse in Palui Island, Cagayan). This 18th century Spanish-colonial lighthouse is just beside the beach and 40-minute away from the Jordan port.

Located in the town of Nueva Valencia, Guisi Lighthouse will bring you in the past. You can find here an old damaged walls, a rusty lighthouse and a new solar-powered lighthouse. There's another lighthouse which can be found behind the ruins.

Since I started working in the BPO Industry while doing my online task as a lifestyle and travel blogger, I can't start the day without drinking a coffee. It boosts my energy while at work and it helps me relax while at travel. With all the works and deadlines, drinking coffee makes me more productive.

Most of the time, I sit in a coffee house with a nice hot brewed coffee or cold frappuccino. A coffee shop with good ambiance is still the best place to meet with a client or to talk with a friend. From fresh brewed coffee, pastries, pastas, to refreshing beverages, a cafe has something to offer to different types of customers.

Maybe it's weird for some to see people taking a dip into a large clay wok with flower petals and leaves. This is not new in the Philippines especially in the province of Antique. A lot of local and international tourists are visiting the province to experience this unique spa experience. It's called the "Kawa Hot Bath".

The Kawa Hot Bath is one of the famous activity in Antique. Most of these can be found in the quiet town of Tibiao, which is the first and the most popular place for kawa hot baths. The giant wok (vat or cauldron), or kawa (tagalog word), traditionally used  traditionally used for cooking muscovado sugar which is now converted to a hot tub.

The kawa takes some time to prepare. They filled it with water and strewn with flower petals and herbal leaves. They burn up wood to heat up the water to your desired temperature. You can to tell to the staff of  the resort if the water is already warm so they can stop the fire under the "Kawa."

The warm water with flower petals and leaves was very relaxing. It removed the stress of my aching body after the long day tour around the province. I highly recommend to put the Kawa Bath Experience at the end of the tour. The rate is P300/ head for 30 minutes.

If you want to stay overnight near the Kawa Hot Bath, there are available budget-friendly accommodation around the area. Most of these resorts are just beside the river. Room rates start from at P300 / head standard fan room.  There are also available air-conditioned rooms for P1000 per head  depending on the season.

During my stay in Antique, I stayed  in Kasa Raya Inn. This charming stilt-house is located along the main road in Tibiao which is the jump off point for travelers who want to visit  the Kawa Bath,  Seco Island, Malumpati Cold Springs,  Bugtung Batu Falls, Malalison Island, and other destinations in Antique.

Kasa Raya Inn offers simple yet clean rooms with comfy beds, meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner and Antique package tours with a friendly tour guide.

Aside from Kawa Hot Bath, other activities that you could enjoy include swimming, kayaking, chasing water falls, water tubing, hiking and a lot more.

If you are in Antique, don't forget to visit some of the best places in the province including Mararison Island, Seco Island, Nogas Island, Malumpati Cold Spring, Bugtong Bato Falls, Igbaclag Cave / Stone Castle, Patnongon Ruins, Bantayog ng Wika and a lot more. 

There are several ways to reach the province of Antique. There are terminals in Kalibo, Aklan and Iloilo City that will bring you directly to Antique.

How to get to Antique 

From Clark, take a flight going to Antique. Philippine Airlines (PAL) recently launched direct flights from Clark in Pampanga to San Jose de Buenavista, the provincial capital. The aircraft leaves Clark at 6:00 AM every Sunday and Tuesday, arriving in San Jose de Buenavista at 7:20 AM. The return flight, PR2206, departs Antique 20 minutes later at 7:40 AM, arriving in Clark at 9:00 AM.

Other options

(From Boracay, Aklan) From Manila, take a flight going to Aklan. Airlines such Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific fly daily to Aklan.  From Kalibo, take a tricycle to the Kalibo bus terminal and ride a Ceres Bus to Antique. From Kalibo, buses ply the route to Pandan and San Jose de Buenavista. Travel time to Antique is 2-3 hours from Boracay or Kalibo.

(From Iloilo) From Manila, take a flight going to Iloilo City. Airlines such Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific fly daily to Iloilo City. From the airport, take a van to Molo Terminal (P50). Then take another van (P110) or jeepney to Antique. From Iloilo, buses and vans take two main roads: the mountain and coastal road. Travel time to Antique is 3-4 hours from Iloilo. Travel time to Antique is 3-4 hours from Iloilo.

For hassle-free tour, you may contact Las Islas Travel & Tours. It offers package tour inclusive of accommodation, transportation to several destinations, all entrance and environmental fees and friendly tour guide. This local travel agency also handles tours all around Panay Island including Capiz, Aklan, and Iloilo.

Las Islas Travel & Tours

Address: 2nd Floor, Bancal Commercial Building, Bancal Port, Carles, Northern Iloilo, Panay Island, 5019, Philippines
Contact Number: : +63 0995-335-7310 / +63 0929-595-8870 / +63 34 445 1346
Website: http://lasislas.ph/ Email : info@lasislas.ph

If someone ask you about Antique, what's the first thing that comes to your mind? I think you would say the famous "Kawa Bath". This is the common answer when you ask this question especially for those people who have never been to this place. Honestly, I didn't even know much about this province before visiting. But I assure you that Antique is much more interesting than you probably expect.

Antique (pronounced as an-tee-keh) is known as “The Land Where the Mountains Meet the Sea.” It's a couple of hours away from the country's famous white sand beach, Boracay. The province is part of the Panay Island located in the region of the Western Visayas, bordering Aklan, Capiz, and Iloilo to the east in the Philippines. San Jose de Buenavista serves as the provincial capital and Kinaray-a is the official language spoken by the locals.

If you are planning to visit Singapore, don’t forget to join The Fifty Cents Fest – an exciting food event in the Singapore Food Festival. The event will take place at Chinatown Food Street from July 27 to 28, 2019 featuring over 40 stalls and mobile vendors selling an assortment of more than 50 different savouries and sweets.

The Fifty Cents Fest 2019 will highlight Hokkien heritage, taking you through a multi-sensory, gastronomical experience of all that the largest dialect group in Singapore has to offer. It will showcase the best Hokkien dishes and eateries, and bring you the most authentic experience with curated Hokkien-centric entertainment and activities.

One of my favorite outdoor activities is hiking. It is a wonderful way to immerse myself in the nature. It gives me a peace of mind and to discover the beauty of mountains. Even I get blisters, bruises, bug bites and muscle cramps, I don't stop exploring mountains in the Philippines. It's fun yet challenging.

Recently, together with media friends and Merrell PH team, we traveled to Rizal to discover the beauty of Mt. Ayaas and Payaran Waterfalls. Aside from that, we tested Merrell's newest hiking shoes, the Waterpro Maipo 2. We're guided by our friends from Trail Adventours. 

Set within the city of Makati, RedDoorz Plus @ Poblacion offers simple yet cozy accommodation with free WiFi access throughout the hotel. It's a 5-minute drive from Makati City’s Central Business District and a few steps from shopping malls like A-Venue Mall and Century City Mall.

I stayed in one of the RedDoorz Plus' air-conditioned rooms equipped with big comfy bed with white and soft linens, flat screen tv, mini refrigerator, oven, working table with lamp, chair, coffee/tea maker, and a safety deposit box.

The province of Guimaras is famous for its wide mango plantation and world class mangoes. This island province is one of the smallest province in the Philippines, covering a total area of 604.57 square kilometres (233.43 sq). Despite its size, Guimaras offers a lot of great things that will surely satisfy your travel needs.

Guimaras is located in the Western Visayas Region, just 15 minutes boat ride from Iloilo City to Jordan via Ortiz Wharf. Fare is P15 (one way). Some passenger boats can be found in Parola Wharf and it will take you to Buenavista, another port in Guimaras.

Boracay is always my top favorite spot in the Philippines when it comes to beach destination. This beautiful paradise is the place where I can find  peace and happiness. From fine white sandy beach, cozy yet budget-friendly accommodation, exciting outdoor activities, to fun night life entertainment, Boracay has almost everything for an excellent vacation.

Finding a good hotel or resort is the most vital task when you are planning to visit Boracay. There are many cheap accommodation available in the island and it's hard to decide which one is the best for you. One of my highly-recommended hotels is Agos Boracay. This charming guesthouse is just a 5-minute stroll from White Beach and is centrally located between the famous seafood market, D'Talipapa & D'Mall in Station 2.