A "Temple Run" in Ancient Ayutthaya

Minus the Freaky Apes chasing after me of course and the game is over for me after visiting two temples. Lol. Excuse me but the heat and humidity that day was unforgivably bad that I asked my "Tuk-tuk" driver to bring me back to the train station to Bangkok instead of continuing on with the Temple tours. 

I arrived in Ayutthaya past noon from Bangkok via mini van station somewhere near the Victory monument. To get around the temples, I rent a "Tuk-tuk" for 100 Baht per hour. Others choose to rent a bike for 40 Baht I think.

Recognized today as a UNESCO World Heritage site, this cluster of temples and ruins was built in 1350. The Kingdom of Ayutthaya was once the largest and wealthiest in Asia until it was overtaken and destroyed by the burmese army  in 1765.

Visitando La Faro de Punta Capones

Nope! the title doesn't mean I am into Spanish Language now (maybe in the future), its just that this blog post is about one of the few still standing Spanish Lighthouses in the Philippines, the Capones Island Lighthouse or should I say Faro de Punta Capones. The lighthouse was built in the late 1800's and became operational in 1890. The Lighthouse is still operational despite its old condition.

This trip was after we camp in Anawangin Cove and is part of the tour offered by our boatman.

Capones Island Lighthouse

CAMPING IN ANAWANGIN COVE, ZAMBALES

I had been waiting for this trip ever since I have seen beautiful photographs and read blog post of various travel bloggers.

GETTING THERE

Unlike my trip to Pundaquit Beach which is the jump off point to Anawangin Cove last October 2011, this trip was never a disaster. Getting there is as easy as 1,2,3 for me. ( at least I've learn my lesson, haha..) Anyways, to get there, we took the Victory Liner Bus going to Iba, Zambales from their Caloocan Station. It took us around three hours to reach the town of San Antonio, where we can get a tricycle to Brgy. Pundaquit,  where we get a boat ride to the cove.

Setting up our tent is a little harder than we thought.:-)

Feeling cozy in my tent

Bonfire - a must when camping

LEMERY BATANGAS BEACH

After my tour to Taal Batangas, my plan is to visit Taal Lake but my tour ended late so I decided to visit Lemery Batangas Beach. 

The beach is not the nicest and the worst is, you will see garbage everywhere. I felt bad about the beach and considering there are a number of resorts which for me should be doing the effort to clean it. And the locals should start to care for it as well before its too late.

I was able to see beauty out of the place though.

Happy Travel,

Wamboy

Wamboy wanders: Bohol

Whenever there is a holiday my feet is always itching to get out of the city, and so was last august 27 to 29, 2011. At mas lalo akong kating kati na gamitin yung free flight courtesy of cebupacific, haha... 

I find myself vacationing in Bohol.The Chocolate hills and Tarsier are the two main reasons why I wanted to visit Bohol.Pangarap ko na to simula pa nung Sibika at Kultura Class ko nung Grade 1, so thanks cebupacific for making my dreams come true.:)

CHOCOLATE HILLS, BOHOL

TARSIER

But,a trip to Bohol is not limited to seeing this two amazing attractions, Bohol has a lot to offer to wandering tourist like me. They have beaches, beautiful old churches, the famous Loboc river cruise and so much more. This is also the venue for the first Philippine - Spanish friendship known as the blood compact, which is probably the reason why the city of Tagbilaran is called the city of Friendship.

Tagbilaran, The City of Friendship

We arrive in Tagbilaran at around 10:00 in the morning.At the airport, we were greeted by the locals offering us tours, transportation and accommodations in the island. We did not book for our hotel before going there, so we look for our hotel first which is a little harder than I thought. Almost all the hotel particularly in Panglao Island, where we plan to stay is fully booked, due to a fiesta celebration.

We surf the net for our hotel and luckily www.myboholguide.com find us a hotel in panglao called Chiisai Natsu. I find the hotel cute and nice. Each room has its own balcony facing the swimming pool, it is far from alona beach though, but they offer free shuttle ( habal - habal ) to and from alona beach.

Chiisai Natsu Resort Swimming Pool

Chiisai Natsu Resort Swiming Pool

Habal Habal Ride to Alona Beach

After checking in we only take a short rest and head to the beach.To my disappointment, the beach is  different from what I saw over the internet. Dead seaweeds is littered all over, I am not sure if its always like that or it is because of the weather, but it was so messy that I don't feel like going for a swim at all. Instead we just take a walk along the beach.

Alona Beach and the seaweeds

Alona Beach and the seaweeds

Alona Beach

BOHOL COUNTRYSIDE TOUR

The following morning  we get  up early for our tour. Our driver who is also our tour guide, picked us up at at 10:00 in the morning. Our first stop is the blood compact site.

The Blood compact site

Then we go to Baclayon Church. Baclayon Church is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines.

BACLAYON CHURCH

Our tour continue to see Bohol's biggest python which is also the biggest python I have seen so far.

Its almost 12 noon so we head to Loboc for our Lunch while cruising Loboc River.

After the cruise, we head to tarsier conservation area in loboc. I've been waiting to see this little creature and they really is so cute that I can't resist touching one of them though its prohibited.

Our next stop is the chocolate hills, we passed by this man made forest which is also a tourist attractions in Bohol.

Finally, we reached the chocolate hills.

Our last stop is the hanging bridge, I don't know where particularly  that is located, but it is included in our tour so we go anyway. All the while I thought,  that the bridge will be like "THE-FEAR-FACTOR-KIND-OF-BRIDGE",but its NOT. Its not scary. I was like OK pay 10 pesos crossed the bridge then walk back to the car and sleep because I was so tired. After the tour we stayed at metrocentre hotel located in tagbilaran city.

The following morning I woke up  realizing that i have not enjoy much of this tour.I wanted to see beautiful beaches so, I tried to surf the net if I can find any beaches near the city and I found two: Kaingit Beach and Talisay Beach.

I hired a  tricycle to get there and this is what i saw.

Kaingit Beach Tagbilaran City

Kaingit Beach Tagbilaran City

Kaingit Beach Tagbilaranc city

Kaingit Beach, Tagbilaran City

Talisay Beach, Tagbilaran City

Talisay Beach Tagbilaran City

Talisay Beach Tagbilaran City

The tricycle driver told me that if I want a beautiful beach, I should go to Dumaluan Beach, I wanted to go that day but I have an early afternoon flight to manila. I am sure I will be back in bohol to check Dumaluan Beach Resort. 

Happy Travel,

Wamboy