Balagbag Island

Located in the Province of Camarines Norte, Balagbag Island is situated beside Calaguas Island with it's highest peak standing at an estimated elevation of 125 feet.

According to my sister's narration, a fee of 25 pesos is collected as an entrance fee that will let you explore the hilltop. From the summit one will have a commanding view of the seemingly endless blue water of the Pacific Ocean. The coastline is composed of long stretch of beach with fine grain to pebbled white sand, and also features the stunning views of the rugged rock formation similar to that of Dingalan and Batanes which truly offers a paradise-like-setting.

Balagbag means “not correctly aligned or positioned” in Tagalog language, but since the island is in Bicol region, there might be other meaning for Balagbag. 

***My sister joined an organized tour on Calaguas and Balagbag Island.

Mt. Pack (Banskila)

Also known as Mt. Banskila and was later renamed as Mt. Pack which is one of the highest among the peaks along the Purgatory-Mangisi Traverse that stands at 7513 ft. above sea level.

From Mt. Mangagew the trek continues on a continuous ascent through an open and pine tree-forested trails that passes the Bangtinen campsite until reaching Prospect which opens the door to Mt. Pack and Purgatory. From there on hikers will be greeted with an endless mossy forest that goes all the way to Bakian. 

The cool breeze and dense forests counters the continuous ascending trail of Mt. Pack which has a total of 1772 ft. elevation gain from Mangagew. The summit is almost a plateau composed of mossy forests and green vegetation which offers a surrounding view of the towns of Benguet on one side and Nueva Viscaya on the other (mosquitoes are present, bring insect repellent).

Mossy Forest



How to Get There:

1. Ride a bus bound for Baguio via Victory Liner

2. Once in Baguio, you can take a chartered jeep to Bokod Municipal/Tourism Office

Mt. Mangagew

Situated in the Cordillera mountain ranges and is part of the Purgatory-Mangisi traverse, Mt. Mangagew is the first among the series of mountain ranges in Bokod, Benguet.

It stands at an altitude of 5741 ft. above level and has a total of 840 ft. altitude gain from the jump off point. The trail is mostly straightforward which is composed of endless pine trees and the slope is a continuous ascent with almost no flat stops.  

Upon reaching the summit, one will see a village, school, store and even a catholic chapel.  Vegetable and crop plantations can also be seen along trails which offers a picturesque view.

How to Get There:
1. Ride a bus bound for Baguio via Victory Liner
2. Once in Baguio, you can take a chartered jeep to Bokod Municipal/Tourism Office

Seoul Kitchen

Los Banos, has been a melting pot of different cuisine, among which is the Korean cuisine which has become one of the favorites among Filipinos. Tucked along F.O. Santos and Pearl St. in Umali Subd., Seoul's Kitchen is perhaps one of the best Korean restaurant in Laguna.

The ambiance is great and the food even greater which is comparable to authentic Korean cuisine. The prices are affordable and student friendly which also has a generous amount of serving, truly it is a pleasant surprise. 

My siblings ordered several menu which includes: Green Ice Tea Frappe, Maki, Tonkatsu, Bibimbop, Soy Chicken, Chapchae which indeed satisfied my Korean gastronomic cravings.

Food Rating:

8 out 10

Minalungao National Park

Situated in the municipality of General Tinio in Nueva Ecija, Minalungao National Park was established in 1967 by virtue of Repbulic Act No. 5100 and covers an area of 2,018 hectares. It is centered along the scenic Peñaranda River which is bordered on both sides by up to 16-meter high limestone walls in the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountain range. 

It resembles both Tinipak River and Montalban Gorge which is composed of marble rock formations, thus compensating for a truly a remarkable environment that has attracted travelers and thrill seekers alike. 

The water is pristine and clear which is inviting to swimmers, but the main attraction is the "Zip Line" and other attractions for for picnics, swimming, fishing, raft riding and cliff diving have been put up to draw more visitors. 

Extreme precaution must be observed at all times especially during rainy days where rocks becomes slippery and flash floods does occur, my sister who went on a day tour shares her experience about the sudden gush of Peñaranda River which eventually made them trek through marble rocks and boulders to avoid being stranded. 

***The following write-up was based on my sister's account where she joined an event organized by Adventurous People

Burnham Park

Considered as the "heart of Baguio City"- Burnham Park is a 32.84 hectare urban park that was named after the American architect and urban planner, Daniel Hudson Burnham who laid the plans for the city.  

There are several attractions that can be seen inside the park, among which are the Burnham Lake that is a man-made lake where tourists can rent boats and pedal boats. Another noticeable attraction is the Melvin Jones Grand Stand which has hosted several events including the visit of Pope John Paul during the World Youth Day. There are also bike rentals; where one can choose single bikes, tandem bikes or even bikes with side cars and they even have small bikes for little kids with two and three wheel versions. Other facilities also includes Children Park, Skating Rink, Japanese Peace Tower, Picnic Grove to name a few. 

To this day, it remains as Philippines' most well known and beloved park where the whole family can enjoy while relaxing at the soothing breeze of Baguio City.

How to Get There:

1.) It can be accessed from any one of the following roads: Harrison , Kisad Road, Governor Pack and Magsaysay Roads.

Hinulugang Taktak

Back in the old days "Hinulugang Taktak" was considered as a popular tourist destination in Antipolo City known for it's famous waterfalls with pristine and clear waters, and is one of the most iconic landscapes in the Province of Rizal. In fact, a folk song was composed in 1929 by Gerry Brandy which says: 

“Tayo na sa Antipolo/ at doon maligo tayo/ sa batis na kung tawagin/ ay Hinulugang Taktak/ at doon tayo kumain/ ng mangga, suman, kasoy at balimbing.” 

According to a local legend, townsfolk forced a local priest in the 16th century to drop a bell in the river due to its harsh and unbearably loud sound when rung during Angelus; thus the name “Hinulugan Taktak” originated from which literally means  as “where the bell was dropped.”

Today, it was just a shadow of it's former glory, gone are the days where one can swim and bathe in it's waters. The waters cascading from Hinulugang Taktak directly came from Antipolo itself, thus one can only assume what city river is like- polluted and the water has a pungent smell.

But then again, a joint effort was made by the city government and DENR to rehabilitate the park and it reopened again on February 2015 with the facilities repainted and fixed. The park management is doing an extra effort to bring it back to what it was before; now it has a noticeable improvement compared to it's state a decade ago. The park is clean with no litter in sight, there is also a swimming pool where one can take a swim and dip for a very reasonable price. Though the smell near the falls somehow resembles Pasig River (blame it in the irresponsible people who does not properly dispose their trash).

How to Get There:

1. From Cubao/Shaw Boulevard you can ride jeepneys bound for Antipolo.

2. Alight in Antipolo City then you can ride a trike and tell the driver that you are going to Hinulugang Taktak