Before my hubby’s IT project in Cebu will end, he enjoined me to go there and we will celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary in Bohol which is a one-hour water trip through a fast ferry ride. Together, we will explore the famous and beautiful attractions in this region.
wonderful creations
It was Ax’s fifth birthday and we had a simple get-together at SM Mall of Asia. My cutie nephew and his cousins craved for pizza. We took a long table in Shakey’s Restaurant. Gradually, memories of the past came back to me. Our parents would bring us here to celebrate special occasions. Now it’s our turn to bring them here… but this time, it’s with our kids… time flew so fast.
For our last day in Boracay, we woke up so early to visit the most photographed spot, Willy’s Rock. I coerced my hubby and our kids to visit this early morning as it is at its best for a memorable photo shoot. We will never leave Boracay without a picture with the famous iconic symbol of the island.
We woke up early to catch a sunrise photo of Boracay. But to our dismay, it was a gloomy morning. It did not dampen our mood and wishing that the weather would cooperate for our island hopping today. This is our second day on this beautiful island and we are looking forward to a happy adventure in what has been called, the beach capital of the Philippines.
Boracay nearing sunset
Batangas City is known for its beautiful beaches and stunning dive sites. And since it is near Manila, it is frequently chosen for company or group outings. For Shen’s fifth birthday, she wished for a family beach getaway which we highly favored. We are so happy because our little girl had overcome her fear of the sea. We chose Munting Buhangin Beach Camp in Barrio Natipunan, Nasugbu as it is three-hour away only from Manila and has a beautiful sea view.
We enjoined my brother-in-law Noel to go to Tagaytay for a Saturday escape from the stiff atmosphere in Manila. He’s been working abroad for so many years and before he leaves for another wonderful opportunity in California, we wanted him to see and explore some of our country’s exciting places to visit.
We chose Picnic Grove, the most visited park in Tagaytay City. We’ve been to this park so many times, but it’s nice to go back again and again because, in every visit, there is an exciting activity to indulge in. We had an exciting ride in zipline the last time we went here. The other new activity is the Cable Car which is ideal for a family ride.
Entrance fee was P50/head. Rion was free of charge since she is one year old.
Noel is from Baguio. The cool climate in Tagaytay was an ordinary thing to him. What awed him much was the breathtaking view of Taal Volcano and the lake. He got so busy capturing photos of every scenic spot that amazed him much.
Horseback riding is the oldest common activity in Tagaytay with the rate of P150 to P200 depending on the size of the horse. Since we already tried this activity in Baguio, no one wanted to do it again. So we headed down and occupied a picnic shed (P150) near the zipline station. We toured the eco-trail and just like our last visit, we enjoyed walking again to the concrete walkway with metal handrails. We savored the moment looking at the panoramic view of Taal Volcano. It took us twenty minutes before we went back to our area.
We let Noel roamed around at the lower part of the park where lots of people flocked to capture a better view of Taal Volcano. While sitting, we enjoyed watching those kites hovering in the blue sky. Later, what was left were those two big bat kites soaring freely and so mighty.
Since it was summer and weekend, the rate of zipline with photo and a mug with a photo too was Php500. Whew! What a price. It was only Pao and Miko who dared the ride again. We waited for their thrilling fly and cheered them up as soon as they were released into the air. Noel was scared to try it and so with my sister Gie. I guess it has something to do with age. Haha!
Everyone was starving when the two teens went back from their activity. We all sat together and eat our yummy snack. Bringing back the traditional picnic activity was really delightful. I was thankful that there’s a park like this that keeps family bonding so alive. An afternoon stay in Picnic Grove is indeed a relaxing family getaway.
There are lots of souvenir stores that sell t-shirts (Ph100 to Ph250), key-chains (Php35), table display (Php75), bags and coin purses (prices depend on sizes and designs). Of course for every visit, it’s a must to buy cute collections. There are also fruit stands where we bought pineapple and banana at affordable prices.
It was almost 7:00 pm when we finally bade goodbye to the park. Noel was very grateful to visit Tagaytay as he shared his valuable experiences on our way home. He appreciated the scenic view as well as the warmth of our family bonding.
I will never get tired of being the organizer in our provincial getaway because my heart is always filled with joy when we are all together in a beautiful place like this. Indeed, It is a rewarding threat to see their happy faces having fun. For the remaining days of my sister and her family here in the Philippines, we will bring them next to Boracay, Albay, and Sorsogon for a more meaningful adventure.
My good friend Alma prided the beautiful beaches in her hometown in Bolinao, the third class municipality in the province of Pangasinan. With this, we opted to stay for the night in Bolinao after my son’s 13th birthday celebration in Hundred Islands. Pao and the kids enjoyed much the sun and water fun and are all excited for another beach getaway.
Clean and shallow waters, so safe even for the kids
I got up early to catch a photo of the much-awaited sunrise in Coron. Only to discover that there was a tall mountain obstructing the view. Whew! I went back to our room and prepared our things for our exciting Coron Island Loop Tour.
The Iconic Kayangan Bay
Coron is the largest town on Busuanga Island in the province of Palawan. Its dive sites, stunning white-sand beaches, towering limestone cliffs, well-preserved shipwrecks, and clean lakes are just some of its attractions that had been raving about by thrill-seeker adventurers. And what is so surprising, the indigenous tribe “Tagbanuas” is still on hand in managing and protecting the island.
The little porch of Birang Guesthouse with the stunning sea view
We were rejuvenated after an hour of rest from roaming around and buying souvenirs and food in Coron town. The sea view from the window of Birang Guest House to where we will stay for four days was so delightfully refreshing. By 4:00 pm, we were fetched by our tricycle service referred by Ate Viring, the owner of the guest house. This is our first day in our dream destination and our initial activities are: to climb the iconic Mt. Tapyas and to swim in Maquinit Hot Spring.
The spectacular view of Calamianes Group of Island as seen from the top
