Aguirangan Island, Caramoan: Bicol - Caramoan Adventure Series Day 3

My hubby Peter took my first shot at Aguirangan Island. That's Mayon Volcano behind me from afar.

I can't believe I'm blogging for three days straight now. I'm on fire! LOL! Unfortunately, I haven't been sleeping much which is bad. I guess something has got to give if I want to continue blogging. I can't just give up my work nor my time with my Bes Hanz nor my role as a wife, right? If only we can have more than 24 hours in a day... Anyway, I also just want to finish as many posts as I can since I promised myself that I'll finish my travelogues before the year ends and I still have so many. Plus, I'm not so sure if there'd be wifi at the 2012 International Youth Seminar on Life and Ch'an in Taiwan. The first week (July 18-25) is jampacked with seminars, activities and tours, while the second week (July 26-Aug. 3) will be devoted to a lot of meditation. 

Nikko Bali Resort and Spa in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia

In my previous blog post, I told you my side of the story of how and why I was able to join PAL's Manila to Bali inaugural flight. 

Ocean 101 - Siargao Cheap Accommodation

Hello from Siargao! I am currently checked in at Ocean 101 and so far I am loving my stay here that I wish I had booked at least a month's stay like I did in Boracay last year, rather than just 2 weeks. How I also wish my husband is with me. Oh well. Might as well make the most of this trip.

Read more:

SIARGAO CHEAP ACCOMMODATION – OCEAN 101 CLOUD 9 BEACH RESORT

Top Attractions You Must Visit on Florida Holidays

To narrow down just a handful of top attractions in the ‘theme park capital of the world’ and the place that is most famous for Disneyworld holidays, is no easy feat, as the Sunshine State offers this and so much more. Personal opinion dictates the ‘top’ attractions but here is a selection of popular favourites guaranteed not to disappoint the likes of either families or couples:

Caribbean Destinations: St. Martin Villas vs St. Barths Villas

They are both Caribbean islands. They both have access to some of the finest beaches in the region. Even their names are fairly similar. So, how do you decide on a villa vacation between St. Martin and St. Barths? Let’s take a closer look at these islands and what they’re like.

[View of Lune de Miel, a luxury villa on St. Martin]

About 87 kilometers square, Saint Martin is an island divided between France and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. St. Martin villas tend towards being modern locations, with clean, white construction, mixed indoor and outdoor living areas, and some traditionally Caribbean styles. The island is also home to favorite locations like Lune de Miel, one of the most highly-requested villas in the entire Caribbean due to its status as a magnificent honeymoon destination. With all the features of an island that has around seventy-five thousand people living on it, villas on St. Martin are a good choice for those who want to mix tropical fun with true luxury. Additionally, the distinct cultures of the two sections of the island allow for experiencing two worlds without ever having to travel very far, and this uncommon design makes for some of the most memorable vacations in the world.

[View of Princess X, a luxury villa on St. Barths]

In contrast to the island of St. Martin, St. Barths is a rather smaller island, with only twenty-one kilometers square to call its own. The permanent population of the island is under ten thousand people, and this can make for a more relaxing vacation experience. Among other things, St. Barths villas gravitate a little more towards personal comfort and use as family vacation spots for people who are interested in relaxing more on their own time, rather than getting too deeply involved with the idea of a more traditional vacation. Resort areas and locations in the middle of town can indeed be very nice, but they might not always be what you want, and that makes all the difference.

So, how to decide between the islands? Simple! Merely pick which sort of experience you’d prefer; on St. Martin, you will probably find more things to do, more places to go, and more people to meet. St. Barths, on the other hand, can often give you a quieter, more relaxing vacation.
 

Last Minute Holidays

 

This shot was taken in Apo island. After booking a last minute holiday to Dumaguete the second time around, we finally made it!

I think it would be great to book some last minute holidays, which could either mean having a vacation 2 weeks from now, or at the latest, 2 months from now. Most airlines, like Cebu Pacific, now offer low rates to various destinations, and they usually text me when they do so I'd know. The reason that I say this is that I used to book flights before like way way ahead into the future thinking that I'd actually have the budget or the time to go through with it. But at the last minute, Peter and I wouldn't push thru with it coz of these three reasons:

Bringing Nivea to My Rated K Interview @ Club Manila East

When I was doing my 6-week stay in Boracay, ABS-CBN's Rated K writer, Marc Almajose, called me and asked if he can feature me on an episode they're doing about cool jobs and happy work life come May. It would of course be an honor to be featured on Mrs. Korina Sanchez-Roxas' Sunday evening show. So I said yes.

Fast forward to 1st week of May. I honestly have already forgotten about the invitation until Rated K's researcher Joseph Palileo emailed me about it. I was  of course delighted! Then finally, this morning, the Rated K crew picked me up at home at around 9 am and off we went to Club Manila East for the said interview. Happiness! ^_^

Alona Kew in Bohol - VisMin Tour 3rd Leg

The next series of travelogues that  I will be sharing with you consist of three weeks worth of vacation,  touring parts of Visayas and Mindanao two summers ago.  This was the time when both of us were able to scrimp the P40,000 we saved up for this adventure and learned the art of backpacking by experience. I’ve already posted the first and second legs of our trip (Cebu andDumaguete). Now, let’s check out Bohol PART III. Come, join us on our journey and explore the beauty of our country. Maybe next time, we can do a backpack tour of Asia and Europe as well. *crossing our fingers now*

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Arrival at Alona Kew… waiting for the reception staff to process our payment 

This is theview that greets us everytime we go out of our cottage…
 

In the afternoon, after our trip to the different tourist spots in Bohol, we transfered to a bigger resort along Alona in Panglao — Alona Kew White Beach Resort. Our contact person there was a man named Noli (09205566597) who took care of us the whole time we were there. Even their front desk staff was very kind and accommodating (038-50290).

 

 Noli showed us the rest of the resort… This is our “love nest”… We later on moved our beds together.

We stayed there for three days and 2 nights before moving on to another destination.  Alona Kew is stationed right along Alona Beach where a lot of other resorts are stretched out. What’s good about this resort is that you get to have a homey feel to it. They have a lot of cottages available of varying sizes, depending on the number of people who will be staying per soom. In the middle of the resort, they have a huge swimming pool where you can swim and frolick, even at night, if you don’t want to stay by the beach. They also have a restaurant where you can order delectable  Pinoy food  at reasonable prices. And if you try to explore the streets at the back of the resort, there are convenience stores lined up that sells groceries, beach products and what-nots. You’ll never run out of stuff for your various needs.

   

This is the view of Alona Kew Restaurant from the back which is just beside numerous grocery shops…..         

Pearl Farm Beach Resort in Davao

For those who want to read this travelogue from the start, please click the following link:

Davao

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  Inside the Marina while waiting for our boat

The receptionist at Davao Museum gave me the number of the resort that books day trips to Pearl Farm. So I called them up and asked for the details. The trip would cost P1500 each inclusive of boat transfers from Marina to Pearl Farm, welcome drinks, buffet lunch at the resort, free island hopping, shuttle tour of the resort and use of swimming facilities. Not bad! 

heading to our boat

The next day, we woke up early and headed to Marina by 7am. Boat will leave at 8am and we didn’t want to be late. While waiting, we took lots of pictures and chilled a bit in their lounge. Finally, we were on the boat on the way to Pearl Farm. The ride only took about 45 minutes and the waters weren’t chopppy at all. We were really excited!

Getting my welcome DRINKS upon arrival…hehehe.