La Mesa Eco Park has been on my activity list for quite awhile and I've finally decided to go with…read moreMr. V for a Sunday outing. We were really excited to go there (although the drive is a little far from Makati) after reading quite a few reviews. We were looking forward to doing some outdoor activities on a beautiful summer day. The Park is smaller than expected but I must say the flora is beautiful. But what a disappointment for the activities. I agree it was a Sunday, but boy the place was crowded and noisy! It was packed with people gathering over food, loud music and screams at the picnic area. And there was only one food stall in the whole park. We were looking forward to rent a bike so we could ride around but you are actually not allowed and the track is basically a circle around a tree. How many rounds can one do for an hour around a tree! The zipline, boating in a lagoon, wall climbing were nowhere to be found (I assume they closed those activities). And the pool was so crowded it would be impossible to swim in it. As for fishing... Well it's in a small pond full of garbage and I doubt anything can be caught. It's definitely not a park where one can enjoy walking around and relax. There is a small trail in the forest but it's really small and takes not more than 10 minutes to walk around. We were really disappointed because we expected a park with nice activities and it really wasn't so. And definitely not a place to have a relaxing and peaceful day.

What elements are essential to make a paradise?…read more Different people would have different lists, but surely a constant feature would be flowers and trees, available food or meals, and fun activities. La Mesa Ecopark has all those three things together. First, flowers and trees. The Ecopark is a forest garden, meaning it's not a garden planted and arranged by a hired gardener but a garden growing out of a natural forest. The land area is quite vast, accommodating various species of plants and flowers such as Ipil-Ipil, Narra, Waling-Waling, Dancing Lady, Dendrobium, Birds of Paradise, and many other indigenous flowers. Second, you wouldn't go hungry walking around the vast space that is La Mesa Ecopark. No, you don't have to eat the flowers. There are many concessionaires stationed in strategic spots, offering to the hungry visitor foods that are close to the Filipino's heart such as inihaw, halo-halo and ice cream. Lastly, since every person is a child at heart, there must be fun activities. The Ecopark features zip lining, target shooting, paintball, bungee jumping, and trampoline. These activities would surely leave you breathless or shrieking from mixed excitement and fear. So come to Ecopark if you wish to recapture the wonderland of youth!

A peaceful heaven in Metro Manila. A lovely way to start an…read moreearly day in nature with family and friends. Depends where in Metro Manila you come from, but getting to La Mesa Nature Reserve can be quite an adventure. So if you come from far, I recommend to get there as early as possible. Plus it's great to start the hike when it's nice and not too hot in the early morning. There is an entrance fee of 200 pesos per person for hiking (not sure of the fee for biking) and you must be accompanied by a guide whom will lead the way. There are several hiking trail but we opted for the one that brings you to the La Mesa Dam. It's a 14km hike back and forth but definitely worth it. It's a very easy trail that is mostly flat and really pleasant in the middle of nature. And most of the time the trail is covered by the trees so you don't have to worry about the hit of the sun. Great relaxing outdoor activity to do with loved one. From the parking area, it's about a 2h walk to the Dam where you can have a little picnic (don't forget to bring drinks and picnic food) by the water and rest. Then you slowly head back. A great place to get out from the concrete city and enjoy nature. There is also the possibility to bike but I believe you have to bring your own bike. Definitely recommended and will go back for sure.

Finding a resort close to Manila is becoming a challenge these days. For when the hot springs,…read moreprivate pools and resorts of Laguna seem too far, one can always go to Rizal. Good thing a friend of mine discovered Punta De Fabian in Baras, Rizal, accessible via a less-than-two-hour-drive from the heart of Manila. For a "swimming pool collector" like me (and "mamaji" from the Life of Pi), the two swimming pools (one is an infinity pool) of the resort are heaven on earth. Sadly, one was undergoing repair the last time we went there, but that's probably longer a concern now. What I like about these pools (and the resort in general) is that it is not at all crowded. They seem to be doing a good job managing the booking schedules and venues, as the pools and dining areas are never overcrowded, at least in the three times we were there. One additional reason for me to come back again and again is the size of their rooms. You and your friends can literally do cartwheels inside. In one room we stayed at, the bathroom was the size of a studio apartment, no kidding! If you want a tranquil place for your R&R, this is highly recommended!

Scrolling down my Facebook and Twitter timeline, I noticed that a lot of young people like me are…read moregoing to mountainous regions near Manila to try out hiking. I'm not really a fan of hiking or physical activities in general, but for some reason I got a bit jealous. I also wanted to go hiking with my friends as part of our yearly barkada goals. When my friend heard that I was interested in hiking, he immediately planned a trip to Tanay, Rizal. He told us that he knows this really cool place where we could hike. It took us 1 and a half hours to get to Tanay, Rizal. We first went to Brgy. Daraitan to contact a tour guide. When we finally found a tour guide for our day trip, we decided to head out to Mt. Daraitan. We only assigned one person from our barkada to take pictures, because we heard that a girl fell down the mountain while she was taking selfies (Yikes!). During our hike, there were many campsites and way points where we rested. There's also a super clean river down the mountain where some of my friends bathe in. If you want to visit an ecotourism site, you can take an alternate trail to Mt. Lugang, a beautiful mountainous region deep within Sierra Madre. This place will surely make you appreciate the beauty of mother nature. It was a very tiring adventure. At first, I was really scared, but the tour guide told me that I'll be safe as long as I follow all of his guidelines. This experience is definitely one for the books!

I was so amazed with how the river looks. Although the ride going to this scenic view is quite long…read moreand bumpy, its actually worth the wait. You have to go in groups though so you will not ripped off your pocket. Its also better if you have your own private car because the only means of transportation is trike going to barangay Daraitan. Just make sure the vehicle will endure the rocky road, literally its super bumpy and kinda steep. Also you have to pay for registrations, mandatory tour guide, bridge and so on.. that's why its better if you're in groups. Locals were nice and friendly though.

I was looking for a place to play badminton in the fort area and I was surprised at the difficulty…read moreI had. I came across Philippine Army Gymnasium and thought I'd give it a try. I showed up to ask some information and I was told that the facilities are reserved exclusively for military personnel on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Any other day, the gym is open to civilians. Everything was quite impressive and you can dplay a lot of different sports from kickboxing, muai thai, tennis, badminton and basketball. It does get quite busy in the evening so remember to play rubber sole shoes if you want to play badminton!

Marikina River Park is like a shapeshifter…read more In the morning, it is like a fitness park. At some point during the day, it's like a playground and sometimes even a place for dating. At night, it caters to the nightlife of the Marikenyos or anyone who wants to come and visit. In the morning, people come here to walk, jog, or bike. Personally, I love early morning walks and I am glad that in Marikina I can do that along the riverside. I can enjoy the smell of grass and breathe in fresh air. Looking at the river also adds to the relaxation because the view of any body of water is refreshing to the eye. Sometimes, I jog here to burn calories but I end up eating breakfast for it is hard to resist the call of several makeshift stores serving breakfast meals - goto, okoy, fried lumpia, tapsilog, hotsilog. There are also sights to see in the River Park like the image of Marikit-na, the lady after whom legend says the city has been named. There are two arcs surrounded with some greenery, the Roman Garden and the Chinese Temple Park. If you walk a little further, you may see the life-size carabaos near SM Marikina. Also, there are days when a boat is available to transport you from one side to the other for a very small fee (if I remember correctly, it's not even more than PhP 5). In the afternoon, I see from the bridge above children running around and playing with each other. There are also some afternoons when you can find couples or groups of teenage friends sitting on some of the benches there. At night, the River Park transforms into a night-out place. The makeshift breakfast stalls are no longer to be seen. Gone are the children playing around the park. Once it gets dark, the bars take centerstage. Just choose among those that line up the Sta. Elena side of the park and enjoy the view of the river while having a drink in one those bars.

We took a bus trip from El Nido to the Underground River. The trip there was a little scary because…read morewe had to switch buses in a small area where there was only a bus stop. We weren't sure that we were in the right place. Once we got on the correct bus, we felt better. The bus ride was bumpy with a lot of turns. My son even got car sick. The town where you get the boats to the Underground River was packed with people. We had to wait in line for quite a while to get tickets. The tour included a lunch which was served in an outdoor tent like area. I even saw a rat! It wasn't very good food. The boat ride to the Underground River we really rough that day. Luckily it wasn't a very long ride. The actual tour of the Underground River was fabulous! My pictures speak for themselves.

When in Palawan, the Underground River is a must! I've toured this river in 2009 (without kids) and…read morein 2018 (with a 1- and 3-year-old) and it was effing amazing both times. It starts at a dock by Sambang Beach where you board a motorized (loud) outrigger boat with about 5 other people. Staff hands out hardhats and life vests. My hubs and I were the only folks who brought kids of any age and while they had childrens' life vests, they were too big for my kids. Yet, we made them work while holding adult hardhats on their heads. We were lucky that child protective services weren't watching. It's about a 20-minute ride to this other spot where you walk a little and switch to a simpler paddle boat you share with about 11 other people. Staff gives you an earpiece to listen to a recorded narration while your tour guide tells you more. It's a short and beautiful ride into a underground/cave part of the river. I don't have good pictures inside the cave because it was too dark, but there are lots of beautiful formations thousands of years old that your tour guide will illuminate with a flashlight within an incredibly peaceful ambiance. This part lasts about 45 minutes. My family really enjoyed it and I super recommend it! TIPS: **Wear rugged clothing (or stuff you don't mind getting f*cked) and waterproof/resistant footwear. **Expect to get your crotch wet. You have to wade at certain parts of the tour. **Try to bring a dry bag (brands like Earth Pak, Marchway, etc. which are also sold at stores along the way there) for your personal belongings. **Your tour guide will offer to take your picture with your own camera/phone. It's a good chance for a full family/group photo. **Life is simple around these parts including the toilet. Bring your own toilet paper for rest stops along the way. Hand sanitizer's also a good idea. **Bring cash to tip your boat crews and tour guide.

WARNING: this place will charge you for everything!!!…read more Over priced and not worth the price you pay. No outside food or drinks are allowed and if they see outside food, they will fine you. The first day we arrived it finished raining and they shave no dining areas that are closed in, so all dinner locations were filled with mosquitos that kept biting us all. The rooms are pretty small so my ma and pa asked if there were extra rooms. They tried to pretend that all they had left were executive rooms that were expensive. One my mama and papa said it was to expensive for us they magically found a "cheaper room available." The WiFi only allows for 2 guests to connect per room, however the WiFi was not even good at all. Even the employees at the bar told us that the WiFi would work and not work all the time. When my I laws room was "cleaned" the made the bed, emptied the trash, but did not bother to change the used towels. The towels should be the first thing to be changed, especially if they are left on the floor. The TVs in each of our rooms were difficult to operate as the instructors were wrong. It tells you to change the TV to Video 1 or 2 which we're not even options on the TV we had. If you want an extra pillow or blanket or anything they will charge you to "rent" it. The guys at the bar lacked maxing skills and all seemed to be new as they had to look at a recipe cheat sheet when they only serve a hand full of cocktails. When checking out they said everything and everyone has to be out of the room. One of our friends that had another room was charged $4,700 because there was writing marks on the bed sheet. They said that if after they wash it, and it "goes away" they will refund the price. They contacted my friends and said that the marks "went away" but that "it's not as white as it use to be" so they refused to refund the money. I would not recommend this place to anyone because they will charge you for everything and there are mosquitoes everywhere!! Beware they will take you money and instead of enjoying the resort, you will be more worried about what restaurants to drive to outside the resort, making sure you have enough mosquito repellent, as well as making sure you are no over charged on your bill.

Last weekend, we took a short, overnight trip to Island Cove in Kawit, Cavite…read more We took the Cavitex, and there were 2 toll booths. One charged P24.00, the other charged P64.00, for a total of P88.00 one way. We just used Waze to navigate, but it was just all driving straight ahead until Kawit, a little past Island Cove, actually, and then making a U-turn after the toll booth to head back to Island Cove. Took us less than 30 minutes from SM MOA. There's a big sign that says there's no bringing of outside food & drinks. ISLAND COVE HOTEL Parking space was plentiful. We checked in at the hotel, it was the usual process where we were asked to provide a deposit. The staff was helpful. The lobby was cold and air-conditioned, and the original hotel building, where our room was, was obviously old but maintained. They have some newly built villas beside the main hotel. Our deluxe room had cold air-conditioning. The amenities are modern - there's an Asian-sized bath tub, hot and cold water, rainfall shower, telephone shower head, soap, shampoo with conditioner, lotion, vanity kit, shaving kit, hair dryer, etc... room entry also used key cards. They also provided some insect repellent lotion. You'll need this. It is an island, after all. There will be insects. Slippers are also available. It's nice to see Island Cove's support of the local community. At first, I was worried that I wouldn't have enough water to drink, so I was so happy to see that they provided complimentary filtered drinking water, and you can request more drinking water if you want to. I'm one of those people whose first order of business after settling in for a foreign trip, is to buy a gallon of drinking water, so this is great! They also provided several USB sockets located near the headboard! It's much appreciated for charging our gadgets. Some usually ignored areas like the back of the headboard was a bit dusty though. Wifi was available, but was spotty. It's good enough for casual surfing and staying online, but if you need internet for work, better bring your own pocket wifi that you can position near the balony. I had good Smart signal outside, but weak cellphone signal inside the room. ... AND LEISURE PARK There's an electric shuttle you can ride to take you to the different buildings and areas on the island, but we decided to just walk. It is really not too far, just 2-10 minutes' walk to anywhere on the island. This was better than a staycation where we just stay inside the room. We were actually walking around, breathing fresh air, in wide open space, getting good vibes from the abundant plant life. It is so different from crowded Metro Manila. Time moved so slowly. SANGLEY POINT After swimming, we had dinner at Sangley Point, Island Cove's main restaurant. Sangley Point and the pool are connected, but have different entrances. However, you can order food from Sangley Point and eat it at the poolside tables. We ordered the Sangley Point Burger (P330), 6 sticks of their Pork Barbecue (P495), and Chicken Piccata pasta (P330). These were good, especially the BBQ. BREAKFAST BUFFET The breakfast buffet was at Sangley Point, from 6 AM - 10 AM, Saturdays and Sundays. I was happy with the breakfast buffet -- it's not the most extensive, but it was just such a relaxing morning, the ambience made one feel like they had their own hacienda, it just didn't matter. They had typical Filipino breakfast fare like rice, tuyo, tinapa, adobo, corned beef, goto, champorado, etc... There are eggs cooked different ways. They had breads, pancakes, cereal, salads, fruits, coffee, juices. SUMMARY Our stay at Island Cove was a happy, relaxing one. It brought us out of the Metro Manila time dimension and we experienced a slower pace of life - can't believe it had just been a day! It felt like we had a long time to unwind and relax, more than the actual 20 hours we actually had.