A vacay trip to Bohol won’t be complete without taking the Loboc River cruise…with buffet lunch! 🙂 I’ve visited Bohol twice — first in 2011 and second in 2013. The first time we visited the province of Tagbilaran, it was a group of 6 with and we took a 3D/2N package tour. Though it wasn’t part of the package, the driver asked us if we would like to go for a zipline (flying fox) ride and of course we said we would! I took this photo while I was screaming my lungs out while wheezing past the Loboc River and all its lush greens! I had the camera strapped to my neck and I just kept clicking! 😀 the second time I was in Bohol with my friend Leah, we had a DIY tour and we were lucky to get into the cruise in time, only through hitching a ride with tour package tourists coming from the Chocolate Hills! The buffet, of course, was awesome and totally worth the amount we paid to board the Loboc River floating restaurant!
Tag Archives: #endlesssummer
#100days Photo 8: Tammy’s Beach Resort, Iba, Zambales, Philippines
There was a time in my field work life that I frequented Zambales. And since there are no decent hotels by the road at the time, we always stayed at Tammy’s Beach Resort in Iba. And, though it’s weird to have two big beds all to myself, the stay at Tammy’s, in my experience, is always good. Food was also good, especially their Kinilaw! I remember the day when I took this shot — we were just arriving at the resort after field visit in the northern clusters of farms in Zambales, so I literally ran to the beach and caught the sunset. It was really nice and pretty at dusk and, at day the sand glitters in your hand as the sun hits it. I’m guessing it’s because of the tiny crystals that are mixed with the sand. Though not as popular yet to tourists as the beaches of Alaminos or Puerto Galera or Batangas, Tammy’s Beach Resort and the other ones along the coastline of Iba and Zambales are definitely worth a try!
#100days Photo 7: Paradise Island Park and Beach Resort, Samal Island, Davao Oriental
When people think of Davao, probably the first thing that comes to mind is durian, followed by the Philippine monkey-eating eagle, and perhaps the Pearl Farm in Samal Island. Getting more and more popular though, not just with the locals but the visiting tourists alike, is Paradise Island Park and Beach Resort also on Samal Island. Actually, Paradise, as it is popularly called, is one of the most accessible and I’m guessing (last visit when this photo was taken was in 2011) most developed beach resort in the island garden city of Samal. It’s quite easy to get there via the regular boats that ply the route, found in the (if I’m not mistaken) port in the northern part of Davao City. If you’re in the recognized capital of Mindanao and have time to spare, a quick beach getaway to Samal Island is definitely a must!>
#100Days Photo 6: Yamuna River, Uttar Pradesh, North India
While the Taj Mahal is one of the most popular seven wonders of the world, very little is known about the beautiful river in which bank it stands — the Yamuna River. Also referred to as Jamuna, the Yamuna River is the biggest tributary river to Ganges River, one of the holiest rivers in India and Hinduism. I learned that today by reading the Wikipedia entry on the Yamuna River since I’ve already forgotten! Hinduism promotes the belief that the Yamuna River is actually a goddess, and revered as such, with the legend that bathing in her waters will “free you from the torment of death” (I don’t really know what that meant). So, when you happen to visit Taj Mahal (or Agra Fort, where I took the photo), take a moment to enjoy the view the Yamuna River offers and maybe, just maybe, your whispered prayer or wish might be granted by the goddess. In the meantime, there’s a YouTube playlist widget (on the right) on my Taj Mahal and Agra Fort tour, with more Yamuna River views should you want to armchair travel!>
#100Days Photo 5: Kampong Ayer (Water Villages), Negara Brunei Darussalam
One of the things I love most about traveling is the learning that comes with it — just like the way I was taught of Brunei’s water villages not from the books but by experiencing it myself! Though there’s no sand and sea (in the sand, sea and sky peg of #100days), the river that flows through Kampong Ayer and the web of water villages in the area deserve some attention and focus too! As Brunei, or at least the Sultan, is among the richest in the world, i didn’t really expect to see water villages as it reminds me of slums in the mega cities. I was, however, amazed at how and why the people of Kampong Ayer, though most likely as rich as the average mainland Bruneians, chose to preserve their history and local heritage by living and thriving in the water villages. To learn more about the water village life, read my blog post on the Kampong Ayer and do some armchair traveling via a walking photo tour and a viahera vlog.>
The Diarist Wanders 