If you are getting a bit restless in Manila, one weekend trip that you will surely enjoy if you…read morelove mountain climbing and hiking is the trek to Mt. Pulag's summit. Mt. Pulag's Ambangeng Trail is a fairly easy climb even for beginners, but what really makes it challenging is the extreme cold and the highly unpredictable weather. The elusive "sea of clouds" that all climbers hope for isn't a guarantee, and many a climber (including myself) has gone up and back down frustrated, because the famed sea of clouds didn't make an appearance. For what it's worth, though, Pulag is such a beautiful mountain and it has a great biosphere - the flora and fauna are just jaw-dropping. I'll have you know that there is a really great tour organizing company that will take care of your needs if you do decide to go up and attempt to summit Mt. Pulag. Edelweiss Tours is girl power to the highest level, as most of the organizers are strong, beautiful and very enthusiastic local women. Teacher Agot, Ate Odel and their team are dedicated to keeping the mountains safe, secure and ecologically balanced, that's why they promote responsible tourism in this side of the country. Teacher Agot and co. will help you with pretty much everything - from the tour permits, the passes, the fees, the tents and the food. All you need to do is muster up the courage and the stamina for the trek and you're all set. Teacher Agot has been doing the trek for several years now, and her list of clients include high profile celebrities and travelers. You can reserve your slots or book a special trip by getting in touch with the following people: Novelynne Sumakey- 0910-798-7005 (smart)/0906-951-4270 (globe)or Agot Baban -0930-363-1218(globe). Teacher Agot and Team Edelweiss also has a guest house in Kabayan, the Baban Homestay, where you can stay and enjoy the view of the misty mountains and foothills of Benguet. On a more personal note, Teacher Agot literally saved my life during my first Pulag climb. It was 2AM and I woke up shivering in the cold because it had rained during the night. Our tent got flooded despite our best waterproofing efforts, and I was almost in a state of hypothermia when my tent buddy roused Teacher Agot from her tent. She got up even though it was an ungodly hour, and tended to me in the mess tent while I warmed up. Her survival tips made the cold bearable, and I was energized and thawed from the brink of real danger in no time. She even sacrificed our store of butane tanks for the portable stove just to keep me warm. She's the kind of dedicated tour master who would even take off her own scarf and give it to you just so you'd stay warm and comfortable. I'd probably be dead by now if it weren't for Teacher Agot and Ate Odel, who kept my morale up and helped me through the night.

Saw many recommendations to visit Mine's View Park, so we made a quick stop during our trip to…read moreBaguio. Definitely a lot busier and a lot more crowded than we expected - at times, you are walking with wall-to-wall people. And A LOT of vendors everywhere, both inside and outside the park. If you get claustrophobic, just be aware. The view of Baguio is nice. The vista point area is PACKED and you'll have to both wait your turn and push your way to the front to get your chance of the view. The view is nice, but we did see some better ones on our trip. I can't remember how much admission was, but it was CHEAP. I think it was somewhere around $1 per person. Don't think I would return again nor would I make it a top recommendation for those visiting Baguio for the first time. There are so many other nice places to go with better views. So if you have plenty of time on your trip to Baguio, consider it. If you're strapped for time, maybe pick another place to visit.

Very popular and busy spot in Baguio. It is tricky to get around because of several odd steps. The…read moreview is nice when no one is in front of you. Was told before it was all green but now there are homes visible, ruining the view. Plenty of vendors trying to get your money. Also the close quarters will feel tight so be sure you keep the valuables and money close. We visited shops on the side and outside the park. Vendors doesn't seem to be knowledgeable of with making a deal but hey it's their loss. Some are outright rude so don't let them give you crap. Overall the park is just ok. You can skip it if you don'd have the time or inclination.

Whenever I find myself in Pampanga, I make sure to make a dessert stop at a La Creme. My first time…read morein this branch was a few years ago after coming from a beach trip in Zambales. Since then, it has become our "icing on the cake" whenever we're out north and on our way home. While the bistro serves appetizers, soups and salads, sandwiches, pasta, rice meals and other dishes, what we really come here for is the dessert and coffee. It takes a few bites before finding the cake that's right for you because on my first try, I ordered a cake that was way too sweet. However, on my second and third recent visits, I was pretty happy with the cakes, crepe and coffee I ordered. I tried their Mango Loco crepe, and then paired it with a tall glass of mocha coffee. The crepe is good for sharing and has just enough mango slices; while their coffee has Hershey's chocolate syrup at the bottom and topped with whipped cream. The iced coffee drink was enough to keep me awake to the drive back in Manila. On my third and most recent visit however, I think I already found my go-to dessert and coffee orders. On my very first visit, I had the sinful chocolate cake - which was too sinful it was too sweet, so I avoided this. I ordered a slice of blueberry cheesecake which, thank heavens, was not too sweet and went well with the Cafe Mocha I ordered. Other cakes I've tried are the rocky road cake and Belgian chocolate cake. Among these two, I really liked the Belgian chocolate cake, which had this glossy coating and decorated with large dark chocolate buttons. It wasn't too sweet and large enough for sharing between two people. While a La Creme has yet to open a branch in the Metro, I hope it stays this way - there's really something special about driving a few hours just for food. And after getting your sweet fix, you'll see that the travel is definitely worth it - and bring a friend or two to join in on your Pampanga a La Creme adventure.

The food here is very delicious! Especially the Steak and Prawns! Their homemade chips are also…read moregood!

Fun place to visit and pick grapes. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming! Great tasting juices…read moreand we purchased two of each as well as a bunch of grapes.

It's a good place to eat and drink coffee. Food are fresh and good, I would definitely recommend .read more

A worth it dessert stop just before Baguio or after eating at Calajo which is situated on the…read moresecond floor, HOY on the entrance. Probably the best yogurt I've tasted in Philippines, deliciously creamy with different choice of three toppings for an order. Calajo- dont have Calajo on yelp but would like to comment on this as well as its just situated on the same place, so normally you can go dine in at Calajo then have some HOY yogurt after. The food we ordered were delicious taste so good, chicken curry has its own unique taste, I really liked the kangkong with red rice. They have plenty of food to choose from some are pricey some are not, recommend it you want local taste with wonderful view in the outside. P.S.2019

I've always wondered how hummus would fare as a pasta sauce. I didn't expect to have it here of all…read moreplaces, in a small La Union town. If you're on the road up North in Rosario, La Union, and looking to eat somewhere that's not a Chowking/Mang Inasal/local Filipino cuisine, and a place that has a bit more flair, check out S.O.U.L. Café. While on our way to Baguio, we only accidentally stumbled upon this cafe only because we were supposed to eat at the Chowking across it, and it had no available parking spaces. Haha. This place is very easy to miss, so spot the 7-Eleven by the gas station at Rosario. This place has a laid back, bohemian vibe filled with artworks, wall paintings, like a cafe you would usually expect to be beside the beach. But it's not. It's on La Union's main road! They have some good selections on their menu if you're veering away from local, traditional fare. Their dishes are something you would expect to see in a restaurant in trendier places in Makati or BGC, but in reasonable prices. For vegans, get the Hummus Pasta (sans shrimp). It is pretty good, but the hummus-basil ratio is 1:4 which can be a bit disappointing. For a refreshing drink, you have to get their Lemon Green, which is a basil and lemon slushie that's going to make your day. Downside: Service is a bit slow and they're quite understaffed, and the server didn't seem too knowledgeable about their dishes, though.

We ate a late breakfast here with friends who always stop here on the way to Baguio. A nice…read morealternative to fast food. We all had the Filipino breakfast with the daing bangus. Perfectly fried, seasoned and a generous portion. It was great to have brewed coffee that tasted freshly brewed, not sitting for hours and had actual coffee taste instead of the instant 3 in 1 packets that are too sweet. Glad we ate local!

Smooth icecream, though would have liked the coconut taste to be stronger. The mango chunks,…read morecoconut shavings, and nuts on the side diversify the flavour. And of course, putting it in a half coconut makes it a more fun treat. Great stop after a day surfing or lounging around on the beach.

A must-go vegan ice cream when in San Juan! Been here 3 times and each visit,i would get 2 of the…read more#2-COCONUT ICE CREAM with fresh coconut shell. FYI: the ice cream is made up of coconut milk so it's gluten-free and has lower glycemic index. Healthy,right? The lady would top it with some rice crispies or pinipig(young glutinous rice and roasted). Price is cheap. There are only 4 items in their menu. 1. The one that I get all the time 2. COCONUT ICE CREAM WITH MANGO 3. COCONUT ICE CREAM BY ITSELF AND 4. COCONUT WATER. The best dessert!

I have a childhood friend who's lived pretty much his entire life here, and he responded with, "Are…read moreyou crazy?!" when we mentioned we were gonna check out the city's night market. What can I say. I'm all about finding a bargain even if it means doing a little "ukay-ukay." And it'll be an experience, for sure. So, Big Bro, GodNiece and I came through a tad bit early. (Every vendor was still setting up when we got there) so we got to kinda walk around (what I was told was) Session road and did a little exploring. (We even discovered a store that had these beautiful giant pythons! Whoa!) And then: opening hour. The entire area was simply bustling once their prearranged opening hours began. Boy was it crowded. We started on one end of the street where one can find a spread of Filipino street food: fish balls, chicharron, dim sum, porridge, soup, etc... we had a few to start us off prior to our bargain hunting. I found a SF 49ers sweater for P300PHP (around $6.) It was a must have because it wasn't a fake. (I would know. I already have something similar.) GodNiece found a sweater jacket worth $85US (her boyfriend who is in the US just got one) for the bargain price of P350PHP ($7.) It was a steal. (FUN FACT: Most clothing items hail from abroad. If you have an eye for it AND some patience, you will find some good buys here in this night market!) We walked through the entire thing and found even more good eats on the other end. (No, childhood friend refused to come.) It could use better lighting and spacing out between vendors. Otherwise, it was fun! I'd do it again given the chance!

During the day, traffic takes over this busy street where visitors flock Burnham Park at this…read moremountain city. At night most of the traffic is rerouted and this street turns into a night market! I've been to Bangkok's and Bali's night markets, but this is the first one I have been to in The Philippines. There were plenty of vendors selling clothes, electronics, and accessories! Some of the stuff here are much better in quality than some of the things I got in Bangkok and it was cheaper as well. We only did a little bit of shopping because we wanted to check out the food vendors which were all located towards the end of the market. The street foods were so good and cheap! skewers for 40 cents USD each and fresh coconut juice for 30 cents USD! I also saw several international street food choices as well (Chinese, Thai, American, Mexican, and Middle Eastern) as we walked through the market. Cheap delicious foods and bargain shopping are always a plus in my book!