Explore the Philippines, Travel with Locals

I got really excited when I heard the news that WithLocals is coming to the Philippines. I already read about their presence in other neighboring Asian countries and I certainly like their concept of encouraging travelers to travel with Locals.  Traveling with the locals will give you a glimpse of not just the place but as well as the people's way of life and maybe a little bit of their culture and traditions. Certainly, this is going to be very interesting considering how hospitable Filipinos are. WithLocals also helps people earn a sustainable income by doing something they are passionate about. 

Learn to play traditional instruments WithLocals of Maguindanao

So What is WithLocals and How It Works?

The Withlocals website is a marketplace connecting travelers (backpackers, flashpackers or even glam packers) from every corner of the world with locals in Asia offering unique travel experiences and home dining opportunities. It is a peer-to-peer marketplace where local people offer experiences and their skills to travelers. Their goal basically is to connect people and cultures through food and unique experiences.

Learn to cook Empanada de Kalisikis WithLocals of Bulacan

How to Become a Host?

Becoming a host with WithLocals is very straightforward. There are three categories that you may offer depending on your skills and passion. These are Eat WithLocals, Tours WithLocals and Activities WithLocals. Ready to become a host? Just follow these three easy steps and you may start hosting.

Step 1: Fill in the Host Details

You start by giving the details of the tours, activities or dining experience you are offering. Provide an appealing and detailed information as it will appear on the website. Set your own price and make sure it is competitive enough to attract travelers to avail your offering. Also, include the date when you want to offer your activity, tour or home dining.

Step 2: Get Visited By The Ambassador

Upon submission of your application, a WithLocals Ambassador will contact you to arrange a visit. The ambassador will take photographs which will then be used on the website and he/she will also explain further about WithLocals.

Step 3: Receive Bookings 

A profile will be created for you on the Withlocals website and voila you're ready to accept bookings. Make sure you confirm the bookings within 24 hours. 

Enjoy a trek WithLocals of the Philippines and discover great places

For more information about WithLocals, visit: 

Website: www.withlocals.com 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/WithLocals 

Twitter: @WithLocals 

Instagram: @WithLocals 

Become a part of a growing industry. Do what you are passionate about and share it with people around the globe! Join WithLocals now!

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Off-The-Beaten-Path Destination : Bongao, Tawi-Tawi

Tawi-Tawi is the southernmost province of the Philippines. Aside from Sulu, it is probably the least visited province in the Philippines due to the unstable peace situation in the area. I was kinda hesitant to pursue my travel to Tawi-Tawi months after the Zamboanga siege but at the same time a part of me wants to explore the road less traveled.

The flight to Tawi-Tawi from Zamboanga City is in the early morning. We had to check out from the hostel we stayed inn and chartered a tricycle going to the airport. I felt excited when we boarded the plane and at the same time a little nervous. I did not know what awaits us in Tawi-Tawi. It was an hour flight and I was amazed of the islands and white sand beaches I saw up in the air. I was too busy taking pictures I did not realized we were about to land. Truly, the province has a lot of islands to explore.

Welcome to Sanga-Sanga Airport!

We landed in Tawi-Tawi and my excitement was doubled. We're finally in the southernmost province in the Philippines. We immediately went out and chartered a tricycle to Bongao where we planned to stay for the night. We stayed at HOTEL and the staff were very accommodating. We took a room for P1200 good for 3 people. It was fair enough. There's nothing fancy about the hotel but it's location is in the town proper so it's easy to get around. It is a walking distance to the market and municipal hall.

Climbing Bud Bongao

The hotel staff asked the security guard of the hotel to accompany us to climb Bud Bongao. I was hesitant to go at first for some reasons but my travel buds have convinced me to join them. I am not used to trekking so I had difficulty reaching the top of Bud Bongao. The trail was difficult because it rained the night before we climbed. It was slippery which made the trek very challenging. After about two hours, we reached the top.

An Amazing View

We finally reached the top of Bud Bongao and we were greeted with an awesome view of the town of Bongao. It was fascinating and the feeling was phenomenal. One of the best views I've had. It was surreal and it was all worth the trek. I'd definitely want to back there and stay longer. 

Trekking Down
I thought it would be easier to go down but I was wrong. It was equally hard as climbing up. The trail was slippery so you have to trek slowly and carefully. It was one of the hardest trek I've had so far.

Exploring Bongao
After climbing Bud Bongao, we had lunch in a carinderia in the town proper. After lunch we stsrted exploring the town. We visited the municipal hall which actually looked good and new. We also visited the provincial capitol and had a great overlooking view from there.

Sunrise at Sanga-Sanga - Bongao Channel
On our way back to the airport we were greeted with an amazing sunrise. We could not help ourselves but to tell our trike driver to stop so we can shoot. 

*Some of the photos were only taken by my phone so pardon me for the quality of the photos. :)

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Yummy for the Tummy : Sage Restaurant Baguio

Sage (Saj) is one of Baguio's newest restaurant which offers delectable savory dishes and sweet desserts that will surely satisfy your gastronomic cravings. You'll enjoy every bite of both their side and main dishes and desserts. Sage is located at 95 Military Cut-off road, away from the busy streets of downtown Baguio. It's location made our dining experience better, away from the crowd but still accessible.
 

During our visit at Sage Restaurant, we were able to sample some of their offerings from appetizers, side dishes, main dishes and desserts. It was indeed a complete meal and it was definitely enjoyable. Aside from their delightful food, I also like its ambiance. The restaurant has a homey feel. Its walls is painted in vibrant colors and it is well decorated. The interior of the restaurant has a good vibe. I loved it, it feels relaxing inside.
 

The Food

The food tastes heavenly. I enjoyed every dish they served to us especially the dessert. It was mouth-watering you want to eat more once you tasted it. 
 

Onion Rings (P160.00)

For our starter, we were served with a tower of crispy and freshly deep- fried onion rings. It's one of my favorite starters so I was really delighted to have this to start our lunch.
 

Nachos Supreme Platter (P220.00)

Another starter that was served to us, Sage's Nachos Supreme Platter is a mixture of nachos, chili con carne, tomatoes, lettuce, corn kernel and slices of black olives topped with grated cheese and a generous amount of sour cream.

Shrimp Pomelo with Sesame Dressing (P180.00)

It is a Thai classic dish with a mixture of prawns and pomelo along with mixed greens in honey and sesame dressing.

Lemonade and Iced Tea

Stuffed French Toast (P110.00)
A classic French toast with banana and nutella filling.

Shrimp in Pesto (P180.00)

One of Sage's must-try dishes, it's a pesto-based linguine with fresh shrimp sauteed in garlic and olive oil and topped with parmesan cheese.

Chicken Chimichangas (P130.00)

It's one of Sage's Mexi-Delights, it is a combination of shredded chicken and potatoes wrapped in flour tortillas, fried to a crisp and served with fresh salsa and ranch dressing.

Barbecued Spareribs (P240.00)

Fall-of-the-bone slab of marinated pork spareribs coated in sweet barbecue sauce pan-grilled to perfection served with java rice and vegetable salad.

Creamy Bulalo Steak (P280)

Sage's bestseller Creamy Bulalo Steak is truly mouth-watering. It is slow-cooked beef shanks with mushroom gravy served with mashed potato and buttered vegetables.

Roti Supreme (P160.00)
Caramelized fried roti topped with vanilla ice cream, peaches and sesame seeds. 

 Iced Craze (P60.00)

Mango Tapioca (P80.00)
A combination of fresh mangoes, tapioca pearls and cream. This became my instant favorite dessert.

Assorted Cheesecakes (P75.00/slice)

Strawberry Cheesecake

Mango Cheesecake

Blueberry Cheesecake

Malteser Cheesecake

Sage /saj/ Restaurant 
Address: Military Cutoff Rd., Baguio City Philippines 
Operating Hours: Open daily from 10:00 AM - 09:00 PM 
Contact number: +63 (074) 422-2954 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sagebaguio

Disclosure: Sage is a partner-restaurant of #BaguioFoodTour2014. 

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Minalungao National Park : Nueva Ecija's Top Tourist Destination

Minalungao National Park is fast gaining its popularity as a top tourist destination in Northern Luzon. The national park is a protected area located in the town of General Tinio (also popularly known as Papaya) in the province of Nueva Ecija. Minalungao National Park covers a total land area of 2,018 hectares and was declared as a National Park in 1967.

Today, Minalungao National Park is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Nueva Ecija. Visitors come to the park to swim, raft and enjoy the scenery of  the 16-meter high limestone walls and the clear water of the Peñaranda River in between the limestone walls.

On my last visit to Minalungao National Park, I was surprised that it is already that crowded. It was on Friday when I went there but still I have seen a lot of visitors, how much more during weekends. Perhaps,it is because it's summer time. 

I was kinda disappointed when I first saw the area where a lot of cottages were built. It was dirty, crowded and there was a lot of flies flying around. The water where the people swim wasn't so inviting. I thought the trip was a total disappointment but when I started walking around and went to the limestone area, I was amazed. I love the limestone walls and the clear water of the river. It was really nice to finally see it. There were a lot of tourists rafting and swimming around the area but the beauty of the park is still there. It is definitely a picture-perfect scenery.

How to Go to Minalungao National Park?

There are a number of options in going to Minalungao National Park. Here's a suggested way on how to go there the cheapest possible if you are commuting.

From Manila:

Take a bus going to Gapan or Cabanatuan and alight in Bucana (Gapan's town proper). There are Five Star Buses from Pasay and Cubao that goes to Cabanatuan City that passes Gapan, NUeva Ecija. Travel time is around 2-3 hours depending on the traffic situation. Fare from Cubao s P150 and P196 from Pasay.

From Cabanatuan:

Take a bus or jeep going to Gapan and alight in Bucana. Travel time is around 1 hour. Fare fr the aircon bus is P50 and jeepney fare is P35.

From Gapan to Minalungao National Park:

There are two options how to get there. The first and the cheapest option is to take a jeepney from Gapan to the town of General Tinio. Fare is P23 and travel time is around 30 minutes. You may also take a tricycle from Gapan to Papaya and fare is between P120-P150 depending on your negotiation skills. From General Tinio, take a tricycle going to Minalungao National Park. travel time is around 30 minutes and fare is between P300-P400 roundtrip.

The second option (the one I did) is to charter a tricycle from Gapan going directly to Minalungao National Park. Travel time is a little ver an hour. The initial fare that the trike driver asked me was P800 return but I managed to negotiate it to P600 return since I was not planning of staying there for long. 

Entrance fee to Minalungao National Park is P20 and trike entrance is P30 for those coming from Gapan and P20 for trike based in Papaya. 

There are cottages for rent for P300. You may also rent a balsa for approximately P800 depending on your negotiation skills. You will also have to pay P10 to use the CR.

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