My nephew and I were swimming in the water a short distance away from our boat when a woman snorkeling not too far away from us suddenly surfaced and shrieked in terror. A whale shark was headed straight towards her, its faint outline gliding under the waves. I smiled knowing that whale sharks pose no threat to humans and feed almost exclusively on plankton. But when I dropped slightly underwater to snorkel and view the spectacle, I realized just how massive this animal is. No wonder that lady was frightened to death.

In our travels we’ve had various encounters with natural phenomena some by design, others by accident. Some of these encounters should be approached with caution. Most of these were with members of the animal kingdom but experiences with uncooperative weather made for some memorable circumstances as well.

In the past one of the things we always look forward to when visiting a beach or coastal destination is snorkeling and viewing colorful marine life. One of the prized sightings during these snorkeling adventures is that of a clownfish in its sea anemone habitat. However, we’ve learned not to get too close to them as it will immediately provoke an attack from these attractive but aggressive territorial fish. Clownfish will often bite your hand and though their teeth aren’t that sharp it can sometimes cause pain or even draw blood if the bite is deep.

On a visit to Antonia Beach in Gigantes Sur Island, Carles, Iloilo, we chanced upon an excellent snorkeling site. One of the fishes there was quite aggressive, chasing away other fish that ventured into its territory. It was probably protecting its nest of eggs and when we approached it attacked us. Its bite wasn’t painful – it actually felt more ticklish than painful – but we decided to just avoid it.

Some fish might not be aggressive but their bodies pack toxins that can do plenty of damage. We’ve read a lot about the colorful lionfish and its venom that can cause extreme pain, nausea, headache, dizziness and other troubling symptoms. It may even cause death to very young children, the elderly and those with allergies or weak immune systems. We never saw one when snorkeling but Leo saw one that was trapped in a tidal pool during a visit to a beach in Bolinao.

We’ve never encountered pufferfish or boxfish when snorkeling but did see some dead ones washed up on a beach and a live one that a fisherman just caught off Patar Beach in Bolinao. The guy said he would prepare it for dinner, ceviche-style. He should know how to do that because most pufferfish species are toxic and some are among the most poisonous vertebrates in the world. Although specially trained and licensed chefs in Japan – where it is a highly-priced delicacy – prepare it, a few people have died in the past decade from eating it. On a visit to the Igang Marine Station in Guimaras, we noticed some pufferfish inside a tank full of huge groupers. One of the staff members recalled the groupers swallowing the pufferfish only to spit them out in an instant.

The fish we encountered above was inside one of the fish cages at the Juag Lagoon in Matnog, Sorsogon, also swimming among huge groupers and giant trevally – some of the latter as long as 5 feet. The huge fish left them alone so we can only conclude it was poisonous. We’re not sure if this one is a pufferfish or a boxfish (most probably a pufferfish). The latter can release poisonous toxins from its body when stressed or threatened so it is best to leave them alone.

The jellyfish is another marine creature that we often encounter in Philippine waters. Although there are a few jellyfish species that are harmless most have stings that can cause anything from mild discomfort to serious injury and even death. The box jellyfish in particular has an extremely painful sting that can cause death especially to children.

On a trip to Padre Burgos in Quezon province we learned from locals that some kids in the area have died from jellyfish stings – most probably from box jellyfish. At Dampalitan Island, Leo absent-mindedly stepped outside a marked area where it was safe to swim. As a result, he got an itchy and painful sting in his left leg that left a long mark which a long jellyfish tentacle would normally cause. That mark took 2-3 years before disappearing. We’re not sure what caused it but it was probably a box jellyfish sting.

We’ve seen sea urchins several times when snorkeling. These prickly creatures would just lay on the sea bed, unmoving, so it’s relatively easy to avoid them. When someone unknowingly comes into contact with them, the best immediate remedy we’ve heard is to pee into the affected part of the body which we’ve seen a friend do during a trip to Puerto Galera. Years later we didn’t realize that you can actually hold them with your bare hands – if you know how to do it. But for us it’s better to just feast on these creatures.

Sea kraits are a species of snakes that can move on land and swim. They need to go to land to digest prey and lay eggs. They are also one of the most venomous snakes on the planet. Fortunately, we never encountered a live one in the water although these snakes are non-aggressive, shy and reclusive. Children in New Caledonia are known to play with them. The only live encounter we had with sea kraits was on a visit to Minalayo Island – more popularly known as Snake Island for appropriate reason – situated between Ticao and Masbate Islands. The island became a breeding ground for sea kraits and we were able to observe a number of them on land while remaining a safe distance away.

Another member of the animal kingdom that we always look forward to encountering when snorkeling, corals in tropical waters are often diverse in form and color. But don’t let these hard-skeleton marine invertebrates fool you because some species have razor-sharp edges that can cut you up or scrape you. Which is what happened to us on a few occasions. Barnacles can also cause cuts such as what happened to Leo during snorkeling at the entrance to Kayangan Lake in Coron, Palawan. Although the wound bled a bit at first it fortunately did not fester and healed in no time. Others might not be as fortunate as some of these wounds would sometimes take weeks to heal completely.

Inclement weather is another of mother nature’s harsh jokes that could pose a challenge to our travels. In December 2021, Typhoon Odette (international name Rai) slammed into northern Mindanao, parts of the Visayas and Palawan. In its deadly path were the famous tourist destinations of Siargao, Bohol and parts of Cebu. The lesser known Dinagat Islands/province was devastated. Tourists were left stranded in these regions as the typhoon cut off communications and inter-island travel. We often read a lot about weather forecasts well before leaving on a trip but were still caught off-guard on a few occasions.

During our return boat ride back to the Leyte main island from Kalanggaman Island in Palompon, we ran into a rain squall in the open sea. We had to ride the storm literally since we won’t be able to catch the last ride out of Palompon town to our hotel in Ormoc City. Because of the strong wind that came with the rain we were soaked to the bone although the waves were somewhat manageable.

It was the same on a boat ride to Sombrero Island in Tingloy, Batangas. Leo even considered wearing goggles on the boat so he could see through the strong swells that kept pulverizing the boat and drenching us. Everyone had to cover their eyes to protect them from the waves that smashed into our faces. The snorkeling site was incredible – nearby Anilao is recognized as on of the best dive sites in the world – but the strong waves kept pumping water into our snorkels so we could only snorkel for a limited time.

Many of our island-hopping tours in the past were done in small motorized outriggers and if the destination was in a remote, seldom-visited area chances are the boat crew will not provide life vests. But even with life vests the ride can still be nerve-racking. On our way to Bulog Dos, Banana Island and Malcapuya Island in the Calamianes, Palawan, we had to go through a scary roller-coaster of a ride through the rough seas. In fair, sunny weather. Our boat had to cut power time and again to avoid capsizing resulting in a longer-than-usual journey.

As we mentioned earlier, we do a lot of research on weather forecasts before making our trips. So on a hike to Aliw Falls in Luisiana, Laguna, we were pretty confident when most weather forecasts indicated a sunny day. What we didn’t plan for was a heavy downpour the previous night that turned the trail to the waterfalls into a quagmire of mud. What should have been a 15-minute walk turned into a muddy slog that took thrice that amount of time. Our group ended up covered in brown slush with Nina even losing her older pair of sandals as a result.

So on a recent hike to a waterfall in Siniloan, we had to abort when the trail up a steep hillside became too muddy… and too dangerous. Another unexpected obstacle we sometimes encounter during such hikes is dense jungle or forest growth. On a trek to Tulay na Bato Falls also in Siniloan, the trail we were using was overgrown with shrubs and vines. Leo cut his leg on a sharp twig while Nina got her hair entangled in a vine hanging from above. Fortunately, we were able to free her without too much difficulty. After that it was a steep ascent followed by a final descent through huge and slippery boulders.

Different countries have different travel problems due to the weather. During our 3-year stint in the U.S., we had the opportunity to visit the Grand Canyon in late winter. It was snowing lightly when we got there very early in the morning but as the day wore on the sun came up and the snow melted. Our car didn’t have any problems negotiating the roads and we were planning to drive to Sedona, Arizona the following day. One of the hotel staff however, told us that it was snowing heavily on the way there and there was no way we could make it safely. There was no other choice but to drive back home the way we came.

These days the pandemic has made travel a lot more difficult as countries put in restrictive measures. Travel has changed a lot because of Covid and we can only hope and pray that things will be better this coming 2022.

For more stories from Leo Castillo, visit his website: ShoestringDiary.

The post Close Brushes With Mother Nature appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Question 1: What’s one thing the public probably does NOT know about the Filipinos?

Almost everyone speaks English. Filipinos (yes that’s Filipinos with an “F” and not “Philippinos”) may have different accents but it is still English. Even the poorest of the poor speak English. The major news media are in English. Street signs are in English. The reason for the predominance of English is due to the American occupation from 1898 – 1946. The best schools were established by the Catholic church. The Philippines was a Spanish colony for about 300 years (1565 – 1898) — practically since the time Magellan landed in 1521 and had his head cut off. This is why Filipinos have Spanish names.

In order to hold on to their superiority, the Spaniards wanted to keep the native FIlipinos ignorant and did not encourage education. Only the “ilustrados” (rich upper class Filipinos) had higher education. America was the opposite. They introduced free public schools. At one point, the Philippines boasted of having the highest literacy in the world.

Question 2: What are some of the “things” or activities that the people of Manila do for fun?

Filipinos love to party — as in big festival parties (aka fiestas). Long weekends herald the great escape from the congested city to nature. During whole of Holy week, Manila is practically empty and businesses almost come to a grinding halt. There are several tourist spots either near the beach (and there are lots of beaches because the Philippines is an archipelago and boasts of 7,641 islands) or near the cool mountains.

Question 3: What has Manila contributed to the world?

OFWs — Overseas Filipino Workers. There are reasons why there are so many Filipinos serving in different highly-skilled professions all over the world. Filipinos are naturally accommodating, hard working and inventive. They are highly educated. Many Filipino nurses are actually doctors back home. Many construction workers are actually engineers back home. If you’re isolated in an island, you will want to have a Filipino with you. They are survivors. The Philippines sends out their loved ones to work in far flung places for months (sometimes years) in order to earn dollars for the family. Without the contribution of the OFWs, the Philippine economy would collapse.

The post 3 Things About the People of the Philippines appeared first on Traveling Archive.

What is Filipino food really? This was a question posed by a Filipino-American who grew up in New York as he traveled to his native Philippines with the late Anthony Bourdain in the latter’s food and travel show No Reservations. Growing up in America, this guy knew for sure what Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean cuisine is. But Filipino? As we somehow expected their travel to the Philippines did not yield any satisfactory answers. But in this case some questions are better left unanswered.

The Philippines’ 7,000 islands and multiple ethnicities have made its cuisine very diverse. Add the influence of the Malays, Spanish, Chinese, Indian, American and contemporary fusion trends and you will be as confused as that guy on No Reservations was. But such kind of influence has made many Filipino tourists and overseas workers adapt to foreign dishes with ease.

Perhaps, this is a major reason why Filipino cuisine is not so well-known internationally even if millions of Filipinos live and work outside their home country. Individuals of the Filipino diaspora tend to assimilate into the surrounding culture and try not to stand out; consequently Filipino food never went beyond their house kitchens and dining rooms. (That, however, is beginning to change as second and third generation Pinoys – an informal term for Filipinos – on a search for their ethnic identity are beginning to promote Pinoy cuisine where they are.)

Like any other cultural component, food is influenced by the geography of a place. Because the Philippines is a tropical archipelago lying in the apex of the Coral Triangle, seafood is a staple of local cuisine. Most of the seafood we have enjoyed at our beach and island-hopping forays are simply fried, grilled, broiled or steamed without much fancy but often very fresh (taken straight from or very close to the source). At other times they might be included in a soup dish (tinola or sinigang) or cooked in creamy coconut milk.

As with most cuisines of the world Filipino food is constantly evolving, having been shaped by history and by many unique and affluent cultures. Influences from China, India and Arabia are evident in Filipino food and culture due to economic trade over time. Influences from Spain (actually more from Mexico from which Spain ruled the Philippines) and America may be observed throughout the country’s colonial history.

Each region is known for specialty dishes and in many cases these are also the result of their geography and consequently their farm produce (or lack thereof).

Pampanga, home of great Filipino chefs, is known as the food capital of the country. There is a dizzying array of Kapampangan food available but the ones that have been adopted by the rest of the country include sisig, tocino, kare-kare, morcon and bringhe (kind of similar to biryani from South Asia).

There are exotic Kapampangan dishes too such as betute tugak (stuffed frog), camaru (deep fried, adobo-style mole crickets) and balo-balo or buro (mudfish fermented in rice) most of which may look intimidating to the fainthearted but which we did try and enjoyed.

Humba is a popular dish from the Visayas group of island provinces that has been adopted elsewhere in the country. The Visayas are known for fish dishes, no doubt because of the abundance of water in the region. But they have also developed their own specialties besides: the La Paz batchoy (a noodle soup made with pork offal, crushed pork cracklings, chicken stock, beef loin and round noodles), chicken inasal (grilled chicken marinated in a mixture of calamansi, pepper, coconut vinegar and annatto), and pansit molo (a pork dumpling soup using wonton wrappers) of the Ilonggos, a people group of the western Visayas.

Although you’ll find lechon or roasted pork all over the Philippines in different versions, Cebu province in the central Visayas is famous for their version of this dish. Lechon is a Spanish word that originally refers to a roasted suckling pig, hence the obvious Spanish influence. Often the preferred lechon – the lechon de leche – is a suckling pig whose meat is tender and whose skin is super crispy. How good is the Filipino lechon? Anthony Bourdain once said it’s the best pork he’s ever had. The “Lechon Diva,” Dedet de Leon, and her Truffle Rice Stuffed de Leche was awarded in London as the Tastiest Dish in Asia for 2015.

(See food vlogger Mark Wiens’ video of the Lechon Diva’s specialty lechon and other Pinoy dishes here, get an idea of what Filipino boodle food fight is and hear the crispy crack of the lechon skin as it is cut and devoured.)

From the Ilocos region in Luzon comes the mixed vegetable dish pinakbet, yet another crispy pork dish called bagnet and empanada. Some towns like Batac and Vigan have their own specialty empanada, a deep fried rice wrapper filled with various meat, egg and vegetable ingredients. (We should also mention the dried espada or beltfish from La Union that is so crispy good when fried that a Malaysian-American friend and mentor calls it the “Philippine bacon.”)

We’ve also come to enjoy the fresh vegetables and coffee beans from the mountain provinces of Northern Luzon and still try to get a supply whenever we can even if we no longer live there. Farther down south in Luzon, the abundance of coconuts in Bicol and the Bicolanos’ love of chili peppers have resulted in spicy dishes cooked in coconut milk such as laing. The Bicol Express, originally from the Malate district of Manila, is inspired by Bicolano cuisine. This stew is made from chili peppers, coconut milk, shrimp paste, pork, ginger, garlic and onions.

Mindanao, because it is closest to Indonesia and Malaysia, shares a lot in common with the culture and cuisine of these countries. The rich, pungent-smelling, fleshy durian from Davao and nearby provinces is a favorite of ours. And then of course, the inihaw na panga ng tuna (grilled yellowfin tuna jaw) is something that we always try to get every time we visit Davao, that is until we became plant-based eaters. In the past Visayan settlers have migrated here bringing with them their cuisine which has evolved over time to fuse with local fare. The food of our Muslim countrymen in western Mindanao though is something we still have to try.

Finally no one talks about Pinoy food without mentioning the internationally famous (or infamous) balut, originally from Leo’s hometown of Pateros. A not-so-well known fact is that this fertilized developing duck egg embryo (boiled before consuming) has its beginnings from China. Leo’s Chinese ancestors were said to have brought it with them to the country sometime in the 18^th century. After some more research we later discovered that while balut originated from Pateros, its creation was accidental. A Chinese immigrant named Lao Chuy who had married a Filipina settled in Pateros in the 18^th century. While trying to hatch duck eggs by heating them over charcoal, he ended up cooking them instead. When he tried them he found the cooked embryo delicious and started to produce and sell them. The original balut soon became a hit among locals. Surprisingly most Chinese-Filipinos never became fond of the balut. It is not unique to the country, however. There are similar eggs in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia which we encountered during our visits to these countries.

Our travels are not just about enjoying the beauty of the places we visit. Even when just traveling to other places in the Philippines we have always appreciated and relished the diversity of the people, their culture and their cuisine – all of which contribute to the richness of our travel experiences.

The post Musings About Pinoy (Filipino) Food appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Ever since a month-long stint in the United Arab Emirates more than 20 years ago we’ve become enthusiastic devotees of Middle Eastern food. Several subsequent visits further reinforced that trend but we later realized we need not travel that far to enjoy falafels, kebabs and pita bread. Middle Eastern cuisine has long been popular in the Philippines. Leo recalls munching on shawarmas as far back as the early 1980s when a number of restaurants owned by Middle Easterners began to mushroom in Metro Manila.

Middle Eastern cuisine is not the same due to regional differences and influences but generally includes Arab, Iranian, Israeli, Assyrian, Azerbaijani, Armenian, Georgian, Kurdish, Cypriot and Turkish cuisines. There are however several common dishes – with regional variations of course – that we’ve relished over the years (Arabic and Iranian for the most part). Here are some of them:

Hummus

Probably the best known food from the Middle East, this is a rich dip made from mashed chickpea with tahini (the basic building block for much of Mid-Eastern cuisine), olive oil and garlic. Normally an appetizer, it is served with pita bread with the latter being used to scoop up portions of the hummus. When eating this at home we sometimes add olives for good measure.

Pita Bread

This is a family of round flatbreads of wheat flour and comes in 2 versions: one with an interior pocket as well as a pocketless version. A favorite of ours like the South Asian chapatti and naan, it’s a staple of Mid-Eastern cuisine and is served in practically every meal. Many restaurants serve this bread freshly baked. During this pandemic we often buy ready-made pita bread from groceries here in Mero Manila and just heat it at home prior to serving.

Moutabal or Baba Ghanoush

Hummus might be the more popular dip but moutabal for Leo is the better of the two. It has been a part of virtually every home delivery of Mid-Eastern cuisine for us during this pandemic. Made of grilled eggplant and tahini, its smooth and creamy texture as well as smoky flavor makes it an ideal dip for pita bread or vegetables. Add in chili peppers for some extra kick and you’ve got one unbeatable appetizer.

Falafel

When people are asked to identify the most famous Middle Eastern dish and their answer is not hummus, it’s almost certainly falafel. Any discussion about the true origin of this dish is certain to bring about fierce debates – a matter of patriotic pride between Middle Eastern cultures – so we won’t get into that. A fried ball of chickpeas, onions and spices, the falafel can be used as an appetizer or as the main dish in a meal. Since becoming plant-based eaters, we have adopted it as our main source of Mid-Eastern protein – our most important take-home Mid-Eastern food.

Tzatziki

Less well-known than hummus or moutabal, the tzatziki is a dip made of salted yogurt mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil and sometimes made with vinegar or lemon juice and herbs. There are also soup and sauce versions of this dish but we’ve only encountered the dip so far. We find the tzatziki to be an excellent dish but because it’s made from yoghurt we now favor vegetarian dips like the hummus and moutabal.

Kebab

Before our shift to a plant-based diet, the kebab was part of practically every Mid-Eastern meal we’ve had. Kebab is simply grilled meat and in Middle Eastern cuisine mutton or lamb is the favored option. We’ve often dined on mutton kebabs in the Mid-East and during stints in India, Nepal and Pakistan. But in the Philippines mutton is not so popular. Consequently, Mid-Eastern restaurants here serve mainly beef and chicken kebab.

One kebab variety is cubed meat on skewers, otherwise known as shish kebab. This type of kebab is often served on skewers, sometimes alongside grilled tomatoes and onions. Kofta kebab is made from ground meat mixed in with onions and spices and shaped around and grilled on skewers. While several Mid-Eastern restaurants here serve kebabs with rice to cater to Filipino taste, we prefer pita bread to accompany our kebabs.

Shawarma

A few decades back, shawarma was the one dish commonly associated with Middle Eastern cuisine here in the Philippines. Even today it is still a favorite among locals. The juicy, tender bits of grilled beef or chicken used to be stuffed inside a pouched pita bread with veggies and garnish. Today the meat and veggies combination is more commonly wrapped in a pocketless pita.

Tabbouleh

During our visits to the Middle East we would have salads at almost every meal whether in a restaurant or at a home that hosted us. One such salad, the tabbouleh, is traditionally served as part of a mezze – a selection of small dishes, mainly vegetarian, that serve as appetizers. Tabbouleh is made up of chopped parsley with tomatoes, mint, onion and bulgur (cracked wheat), and seasoned with olive oil and lemon juice. For some reason salads are not as common in Mid-Eastern restaurants in the Philippines. Consequently we’ve had it only twice locally.

Dates

In the arid regions of the Arabian Peninsula, few fruit trees are grown with the exception of the date palm. Dates are highly nutritious, high in fiber and oxidants and have a natural sweetener that is much healthier than sugar. Muslims in the Mid-East use dates for breaking a fast during Ramadan because it helps the body’s blood glucose level quickly return to normal. We always include dried dates for a breakfast of oats, fruit and nuts. When Leo’s blood glucose level is down after a heavy exercise, 2-3 pieces of dates are sufficient to bring it back to a healthy level.

Since this pandemic started we have not gone beyond 100 kilometers from our place in Metro Manila. But we don’t have to leave the confines of our home to enjoy the cuisine of a sub-continent several thousand kilometers away when we could have it right in our dining room.

The post Mid-Eastern Cuisine – From the Arabian Peninsula and Manila appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Seven years ago we got on a flight to Dumaguete City (Doo-mah-ge-teh) down south and unto a ferry bound for the enigmatic island. Its laid-back charm, friendly people, postcard-perfect white sand beaches, turquoise waters, old churches, cool waterfalls and fiery sunsets overcame whatever trepidations we had about touring Siquijor. It was such an enjoyable experience that we went back for a second visit just before the Covid pandemic hit.

Siquijor wasn’t as popular when we first toured the province as it is now – to Filipinos at least. When we first set foot on the island and made our way to a resort on quiet Sandugan Beach in Larena (Lah-re-nah) it seemed we were the only Filipino visitors. Most of the other guests were Americans and Europeans. It was obvious that stories about the supernatural in Siquijor were scaring off local tourists. A friend who had visited the island even warned us not to look at local residents in the eyes – a long-held belief for dealing with sorcerers.

The beauty of the island’s pristine attractions, however, trumped over any apprehensions we had about visiting Siquijor. In particular the island is surrounded by a large number of white sand beaches spread out evenly among its 6 towns.

The town of Maria on the eastern coast of Siquijor is home to two beautiful beaches including Salagdoong (Sa-lag-doe-ong) Beach, a public beach managed by the local government. An irritant in the form of an unsightly-looking water park that according to Lonely Planet “has seen better days” stands atop karst rocks in the center of the beach. Despite this Salagdoong charmed us with its white sand and crystal-clear aquamarine and turquoise waters where we swam and snorkeled to our hearts’ content. A lesser-known but no less stunning beach is Kagusuan (Kah-goo-soo-anh), a deserted beach that we had all to ourselves the first time we visited 7 years ago.

On the western coast of Siquijor past Larena is San Juan with a string of white sand beaches. While this town contains the most number of resorts on the island – and where we stayed during our second visit – the beaches have been kept clean and pristine. The beach in front of Coral Cay Resort is typical of the long line of white sand beaches that begins here and ends somewhere near the Coco Grove Beach Resort. There’s plenty of good diving here as well, especially at Maite (Mah-ee-teh) Point and at the Tubod (Too-bod) Marine Sanctuary in front of Coco Grove. Because they face west, San Juan’s beaches are known for spectacular sunset views.

Our favorite beach in the whole province during our first visit was Paliton Beach in the northern part of San Juan. At that time no resorts or tourist establishments existed at Paliton (Pah-lee-ton) which has been declared a marine sanctuary with its excellent dive sites. The beach was practically unheard of when we first arrived in late 2013 and we were the only ones in the area. Fast forward 6 years later and we would encounter a sizable crowd and lively food stalls on the palm-fringed beach. But still no resorts.

South of San Juan is the capital town also named Siquijor with its own collection of white sand beaches and old churches. The most interesting view here is the port which is situated on a stretch of blindingly white sand beach at low tide. At high tide the views are just as magnificent with a maze of aquamarine and turquoise waters offshore which makes this port the cleanest and most beautiful we’ve encountered so far. How often does a commercial port turn up as a tourist attraction?

The last town on this list is the southernmost municipality of Lazi (Lah-zee). Easily the most popular natural destination here is the three-tiered Cambugahay (Kam-boo-gah-hai) Falls with its cool spring water, surrounding verdant forest and gorgeous turquoise-colored catch basins. It is situated just beside the road and the 136-step walkway going down the falls is no problem – except when you have to go back up. But there are no long hikes to get here and just a little exercise won’t hurt. The more adventurous can play Tarzan at Cambugahay’s lowermost tier by using a swing to catapult themselves into the water.

Lazi is home to two historical sites – the San Isidro Labrador Church, built mainly of coral rock and an excellent example of local baroque architecture, and the adjacent San Isidro Labrador Convent, one of the oldest and biggest convents in Asia. The church was closed on both occasions when we visited but we did get to tour the convent’s interior. Nina had an eerie feeling about something supernatural inside this convent – the same sensation she felt when we visited the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia which locals say are haunted by ghosts of victims of the Khmer Rouge. This was perhaps the closest thing we’ve had to a spirit encounter in two visits to Siquijor.

Another destination here that often prompts talks about the supernatural is the Centuries-Old Balete (Bah-leh-teh) Tree also in Lazi. Sometimes known as the strangler fig tree, the balete starts off by attaching itself to a tree, growing hanging roots, then encircling the host tree before suffocating and killing it. Many Filipinos have associated these trees with the supernatural, believing that the balete harbors creatures from the underworld such as dwarves, kapre (Kah-preh – a tree demon) and tikbalang (Teek-bah-lang – a horse demon). One look at this huge balete with its numerous hanging roots and you begin to appreciate the superstition ascribed by locals to the mystical-looking tree. And since Siquijor has long been associated with the occult, the Centuries-Old Balete Tree takes on an even more sinister reputation.

Besides Nina’s eerie sensation at the convent in Lazi, however, we had no other such encounters elsewhere on the island. The friendliness of the locals – we believe many are actually offended by Siquijor’s reputation as a center of occultism and sorcery ­– partly served to dispel notions of the province’s notoriety. And on our second visit the island had a different and obvious festive vibe with places where we used to be the only visitors now filling up with tourists, resorts and dining areas. This probably explains why the island is now popular with Filipinos who were very hesitant about visiting the province years ago.

Getting There

There are no direct flights to Siquijor from Manila or Cebu but there are daily flights on Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines to Dumaguete City, the nearest commercial airport. From the port at Dumaguete there are several ferries bound for Siquijor town or Larena. The fast ferries can make the trip in 45 minutes or so. On Siquijor itself travel is mainly by motorbike (there are motorbikes for rent), trikes or small 4-wheeled vehicles called multi cabs.

For the moment travel to Siquijor and other places in the Philippines are restricted due to Covid-19 although the provincial government is looking to reopen its tourism industry as part of the local government’s recovery plan amid the pandemic.

The post Siquijor: Beyond the Supernatural in the Island of Fire appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Someone described it as “hell on the outside and heaven on the inside.” Another compared eating one to “sitting on the toilet while eating your favorite ice cream.” Those people appreciated the fruit’s taste, if not its scent. Others weren’t as generous. Henri Mouhot, the French naturalist and explorer who popularized the ruins of Angkor to the West, didn’t mince words: “On first tasting it I thought it like the flesh of some animal in a state of putrefaction.” Even Bizarre Foods host Andrew Zimmern who has eaten and enjoyed anything from cow placenta to worms almost threw up as he spat out the first durian he tasted.

No fruit on the planet has managed to elicit such extreme reactions from opposite ends of the palate’s spectrum. A massive turn-off for eaters struggling to overcome its taste is the fruit’s repugnant smell which has gained for the durian the reputation as the world’s smelliest fruit. Anthony Bourdain once described it by saying “Your breath will smell as if you’d been French kissing your dead grandmother.”

The durian’s smell has a remarkably long reach. When we were still single and dating, Nina once brought some durian for Leo from Davao City, some of which Leo kept in the ground floor apartment unit where he was staying. Later, a guy from the third floor of the apartment complex advised Leo’s housemates that their garbage was weeks overdue for taking out. You can just imagine what would happen when durian is placed inside a refrigerator. Sure enough some officemates of Leo made that blooper and for almost 6 months any liquid or food placed inside that ref smelled and tasted like durian. (That problem would have been easily solved by placing baking soda inside the ref as we learned later.) Even animals are repelled by the durian’s aroma. No small wonder this fruit is banned from hotels, subways and buses all over Southeast Asia.

And it’s not just the smell. The durian also guards its flesh by an array of vicious spikes that gives it the appearance of a deadly medieval weapon. It’s the plant kingdom’s version of a porcupine, only more lethal. Leo once got nicked badly when he improperly handled one. We used to half-jokingly muse about the durian’s serious potential as an actual weapon. But it seems that folks in Phuket, Thailand have taken that to heart and use it not as a weapon against their enemies but as an instrument for self-flagellation at their Vegetarian Festival.

The durian is even more lethal taste-wise for many rookie eaters. However, we believe that what really makes it difficult for first timers is the durian’s pungent smell – a psychological roadblock that influences its taste more than anything. But it’s like eating blue cheese: the rotten smell might turn you off but once you get past that you can begin to enjoy its rich, creamy texture and custardy taste. So if you’re trying durian for the first time better find something to block your nostrils while gorging on the fruit.

Many say that durian is an acquired taste. And even the smell – as horribly bad as it is – can actually grow on you. Henri Mouhot who initially denounced the durian would later say, “…but after four or five trials I found the aroma exquisite.”

“To anyone who doesn’t like durian it smells like a bunch of dead cats.
But as you get to appreciate durian, the smell is not offensive at all.
It’s attractive. It makes you drool like a mastiff.”
— Bob Halliday, Bangkok-based food writer

According to Lindsay of Year of the Durian the durian’s unique taste is a combination of savory, sweet, and creamy all at once. But perhaps Jimmy Kimmel made the best description of the fruit’s taste upon being served durian by Jessica Chastain: “… it’s on the line between horrible and delicious.” Ultimately people’s opinion of the fruit end up either way. You either hate it to death or love it with fanatical passion. There is no middle ground. After eating durian for the 3^rd or 4^th time we ended up on the side of delicious. It has actually become Leo’s favorite fruit.

We encountered durian all over Southeast Asia where it is known as the “King of Fruits” – in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Here in the Philippines it used to be popular only in Mindanao, and especially in Davao City. In recent times more and more durian are being farmed and enjoyed in other parts of the country but Davao’s durian is still the best in our opinion. This is due in no small way to the 2.3 million Rousette fruit bats at the Monfort Bat Sanctuary in nearby Samal, the Guinness World Records holder for the largest single bat colony. The bats of Samal and Talicud Islands are the ones mainly responsible for pollinating the durian farms in Davao.

Davao City is also the place where we lost our “durian virginity” (read CNN Travel’s Leela Punyaratabandhu on how to do this “quickly and painlessly”). While both our first attempts at consuming durian didn’t exactly endear the fruit to us, it wasn’t as bad as in the massively entertaining anecdotes about people trying to conquer their fear of the dreaded fruit. Credit goes to friends from Davao who knew how to initiate us into enjoying the King of Fruits.

Mindful about first-timers chickening out at the thought of trying this smelly, thorny fruit, Davao has concocted many ways of breaking them in. The city has introduced various durian-based sweets and desserts such as durian candies, pie, cakes, ice cream, tarts, pastel, coffee and shakes. Most of these products, while durian-flavored, do not have the strong taste of the fruit and, more importantly, none of its strong smell. This helps one to gradually adjust to the durian’s flavor. Other countries across Asia have a similarly diverse plethora of durian-based products.

For people who are serious about doing a durian tour in Asia, digital nomads Lindsay and Graham of Year of the Durian are arranging group tours. We must warn you, however, that it’s for durian lovers ONLY – for the hard core, the fanatical, the truly obsessed, the durian LOVERS who want to dive in to durian and durian culture with both hands. According to Lindsay and Graham double fisting durian on these tours is totally good etiquette. For now all tours are currently suspended until the Covid world situation settles down but we believe these tours will eventually push through.

A final word to all you curious, would-be durian eaters: although durian may cause your body temperature to rise, it is NOT an aphrodisiac.

The post Wicked Smells and Heavenly Bites: The Durian appeared first on Traveling Archive.

The Philippines often lies in the path of typhoons in the western Pacific which means we’re often prepared for the worse. But a month ago three consecutive cyclones struck the country within a span of 18 days, one of them the strongest in the world this year and among the strongest in recorded history, a streak of calamities unparalleled in the country’s history.

The 3 typhoons registered maximum sustained winds of 130 kph (85 mph) to 225 kph (140 mph), with one of them – Super Typhoon Rolly (international name Goni) – recording catastrophic 1-minute sustained winds of 315 kph (195 mph), making it the most powerful recorded storm to hit land. Those winds carved a wide swath of devastation and caused widespread flooding across the southern part of the large island of Luzon.

Somewhat safe although still affected by winds and flooding in the nation’s capital, we immediately thought about the provinces of the Bicol Region, particularly Catanduanes, the province hardest hit by Typhoon Rolly (Goni). An island-province, Catanduanes juts out into the Pacific from the Bicol mainland. Its location often makes it the first province to feel the wrath of an incoming cyclone. This means it would get hit with typhoons at their peak intensity. Not surprisingly Catanduanes was given the moniker “The Land of Howling Winds.” Until recently it has been largely untouched by tourism. Two years ago we got to sample some of the island’s rolling hills, breathtaking cliffs, majestic coasts, golden sand beaches and pristine waterfalls.

Coming on the heels of the first howler, Typhoon Quinta, Typhoon Rolly initially made landfall in Bato town destroying several houses and leaving residents without shelter, clean water, power and livelihood. We made a short stop on this town on our first and only trip to Catanduanes. Passing by Bato on our way to the north we visited the Maribina Falls and Bato’s 19th century church while relishing its peaceful coastal scenery. (The latter also includes beautiful Cagraray Islet and the 7 islands of Carorian Wonders with its huge white rock formations, turquoise lagoons and seaside falls.) Today it is hard to imagine what became of the houses and other structures along Bato’s coast.

Past Bato heading north is the town of Baras, a municipality that became a favorite among international surfers for the perfect barrel waves at Puraran Beach. The latter helped place Catanduanes on the tourist map. We’re non-surfers but we still enjoyed Puraran’s golden-sand beach, interesting rock formations and tranquil seascape while enjoying lunch at one of its resorts. Sadly the resorts would later be devastated by the winds and huge waves of Typhoon Rolly (storm surges reached as high as 5 meters along the eastern coast).

See photos of the devastation caused by Typhoon Rolly in Catanduanes.

In recent years more travel destinations have opened in Baras including Binurong Point with its rolling hills and rugged coastline and Balacay Point, another upland location that offers panoramic views of the Catanduanes coast. During our visit here we chatted with locals whose livelihood depended on tourism and fishing. Covid-19 effectively negated the former while the typhoons wiped out several fishing boats leaving many residents without their primary assets for a livelihood.

Virac, the capital town of Catanduanes is often used by visitors as a base for touring the province. It’s a relatively small town but has several excellent beach destinations on its southern coast including Igang Beach which houses the Twin Rock Beach Resort – our home for our 2018 visit. Spread out all over the southern coast are golden sand beaches with names like Mamangal, Balite, Marilima, Batag and Bosdak. Most of these beaches feature powdery soft golden sand, crystal-clear waters and coconut palms that are almost untouched by mass tourism. Marilima is probably the best beach for swimming and Batag the most scenic.

Adjacent to and just west of Virac is the town of San Andres and Amenia Beach, another golden-sand wonder which features sand ripples in near-perfect alignment during low tide. Although not located on the eastern coast which made them less susceptible to Typhoon Rolly’s massive storm surges, Virac and San Andres were still battered by strong winds. Twin Rock Beach Resort’s Facebook page showed trees and other vegetation ravaged by the winds but the resort was somehow still open for incoming guests.

Just a few days after Typhoon Rolly another typhoon ravaged the region passing just north of Catanduanes, further hammering a province still recovering from Typhoon Rolly’s rampage just 10 days earlier. The rest of the Bicol Region suffered similarly from the 3 typhoons. Albay province also took a direct hit from Typhoon Rolly, albeit at a “slightly weakened” state which still meant winds somewhere in the region of 175-190 kph. Another disastrous effect of these typhoons were the heavy rains that washed away homes and bridges and caused landslides that buried houses and roads in the provinces of Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Sorsogon. The rains also induced disastrous lahar flows from Mayon Volcano in Albay that swamped everything in their path.

It would probably take a while before much of the damaged infrastructure in the Bicol Region is restored. Up to now many towns are still without electricity and telecommunications. We’re seriously considering re-visiting Catanduanes to hopefully do an outreach to those affected by the typhoons when travel restrictions are lifted. We’d also like to visit the beautiful Palumbanes Islands in Caramoran on Catanduanes’ western coast as well as the Cagnipa Rolling Hills and Tuwad-tuwadan natural pool in Pandan, plus waterfalls and beaches in both towns and elsewhere.

Travel Tips

Travel to places like Catanduanes (and even to the Philippines in general) is still restricted as of this writing due to the Covid pandemic. Ordinarily Cebu Pacific airlines flies to Virac from Manila and back every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. An alternative to air travel is to take a bus to Tabaco, Albay from Manila, then take a ferry to Virac port. Total travel time for the second option will practically take a whole day due to this province’s remote location. Within Catanduanes transportation is not yet that convenient. We had to rely on trikes and motorcycles to get us to several of the destinations mentioned here. Tourism infrastructure in Catanduanes is not that developed but the trade-off is a province with pristine, almost untouched destinations.

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Palawan is not a small island by any means. Approximately 270 miles long but just 25 miles across at its widest point, the island province looks like an extension of the Philippine archipelago pointing southwest towards Borneo. Palawan the province actually includes 1,780 islands and islets in addition to the long and narrow Palawan main island. Which means there are a large number of destinations for the taking.

One of the more popular destinations is El Nido, a formerly quaint municipality located at the northern edge of the province. Today there is a large number of resorts in town but the real draws are the islands offshore in Bacuit Bay. Organized tours have grouped these island destinations into 4 – namely Tours A, B, C and D. Island-hopping tours may be booked at the resorts in El Nido or through any of the establishments in town. Tours A and C are the more popular of the 4 and includes the following attractions.

The lagoons formed by karst cliffs enclosing turquoise waters in the island of Miniloc are probably the most popular and most enthralling of El Nido’s gems. During high tide the Big Lagoon may be explored using tour boats with a shallow-enough draft but to get to the Small Lagoon we had to rent a kayak and paddle through a small opening. Once you’re inside any of these two lagoons be amazed at the stunning turquoise and emerald green waters and the huge surrounding limestone walls.

Reaching other lagoons and concealed beaches requires a little adventure. Miniloc Island also has the Secret Lagoon which could only be accessed by docking at a white sand beach on the island’s southern section, walking inland and finally squeezing through a narrow opening in a karst wall. Once inside we spotted swiftlets darting in and out of the surrounding limestone cliffs. The nests of these birds are highly sought for the expensive bird’s nest soup in Chinese cuisine and locals used to climb these cliffs to gather them. (The nests were called El Nido after which the town is named.) However, due to the influx of tourists in recent times many nest-gatherers abandoned their trade to become tour guides or boat operators.

The Secret Beach – actually another hidden lagoon – lies in nearby Matinloc Island. It’s even more difficult to reach as we had to swim through a hole among a line of the now-familiar karst walls. (The boatmen were a big help to the non-swimmers in our group, helping them to get across without much difficulty.) Once through the opening we were greeted by the primordial sight of a shallow, crystal-clear lagoon fringed by a white sand beach and soaring karst walls. It’s as if you opened a small door in a huge wall and found paradise on the other side. Alex Garland visited El Nido and Secret Beach years ago and locals here say the latter might have inspired him to write the book The Beach (the film was shot in Thailand). Matinloc also has the Hidden Beach, only accessible during our visit by wading and swimming from our boat which could not negotiate the narrow passageway between huge karst formations. But as you can see from the photo on the right boats can dock on this beach under the right sea conditions.

Karst landscape dominates much of the islands in El Nido’s Bacuit archipelago. From a vantage point in Matinloc, one can get a panoramic view of karst formations among adjacent islands. Shimizu Island has an interesting collection of karst rocks of various sizes and shapes set among a white sand beach. We were intrigued by its Japanese-sounding name and later learned that it was named after a Japanese diver who lost his life while exploring an underwater tunnel off the island. This island also offers several excellent snorkeling spots and is often used as a lunch stopover. (Lunch is provided by the boat operators as part of the tour package.)

When it comes to snorkeling El Nido has provided one of the better experiences we’ve had. Tour C is reputed to have the best snorkeling and it did not disappoint in this regard; El Nido and the whole of Palawan has a rich aquatic biodiversity. The best snorkeling experiences we’ve had were at Helicopter Island and the reef at Talisay Beach in Tapiutan Island.

Tours A and C are the best of the lot but the remaining B and D tours are no pushovers either according to other bloggers. We would have gone on these tours last March but for Covid19. We were looking forward to touring pristine Pinagbuyutan Island, exploring Cathedral and Cudugnon Caves, beach-bumming at Entalula Beach, exploring the remarkable turquoise-hued Cadlao Lagoon and wasting time at the 4 white sand beaches of Cadlao Island.

In recent years more gorgeous beaches have opened up north of El Nido town proper all the way to the edge of the main island of Palawan. The most stunning of these are probably the Twin Beaches of Nacpan and Calitang. The longer of the Twin Beaches, Nacpan is a 4-kilometer curving swath of fine, creamy white sand. You can get an impressive view of both beaches from a low hill at the end of Calitang Beach.

Beyond El Nido: Other Palawan Destinations

El Nido is just the tip of the tourism iceberg that is Palawan. The Calamian group of islands lies to the northeast of El Nido and includes the islands of Busuanga, Coron and Culion and the Linapacan group of islands with many more small islands and islets in between. Coron is probably just as popular as El Nido while the Linapacan Islands (also in our travel plans last March) is just gaining visibility on the tourism radar. Linapacan topped an unofficial online list of “clearest waters in the world to see before you die” a few years ago and piqued our interest so much we just had to see it but for this pandemic.

Puerto Princesa, the capital of the province is famous for the Underground River – actually the Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park, an 8.2 kilometer long subterranean river system that flows directly into the sea. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the park includes a rich forest ecosystem and spectacular karst landscape while the Underground River itself has remarkable rock formations.

Halfway up Palawan island between Puerto Princesa and El Nido is San Vicente town with the longest white sand beach in the country and the seaside village of Port Barton with its laid-back pace, lovely small islands and outstanding marine ecosystem. Snorkeling here is on par with that of El Nido and Coron with one major difference: we got to snorkel with sea turtles here.

Lastly, at the southern fringes of Palawan and just a short distance from the northern tip of Sabah, Malaysia, are the islands of Balabac, another dream destination. Blessed with fine white sand with the consistency of talcum powder, dreamy coconut palms and crystal-clear aquamarine and turquoise waters, Balabac like Linapacan is only getting its share of attention in the past 2 years or so.

Although we’ve been to Palawan numerous times, new, formerly “secret” destinations keep showing up forever adding to our bucket list. A major concern is the preservation of the mostly pristine nature of its islands and its diverse terrestrial and marine life which increased tourism is beginning to tax. With the province temporarily closed to tourists due to Covid19, nature in Palawan can at least enjoy a much-needed break.

The post El Nido, Palawan: Inside the Philippines’ Last Frontier appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Romblon province is a typical Philippines destination that boasts Eden-like islands and beaches but which are only becoming popular in the last year or two mainly due to social media. It lies just to the north of popular White Beach on Boracay Island but we can confidently say that at least two beaches here are more stunning than that white-sand wonder.

Among Filipinos Romblon is known as the country’s marble capital due to its abundant supply of the prized rock and the thriving marble industry there. But during a visit to Romblon Island — just one of the 3 major islands that make up its namesake province — we encountered so much more.

Beaches in Romblon Town

Almost immediately after arriving by ferry at Romblon town and checking in at one of its hotels, we were off to the beaches. There are 3 major beaches all less than an hour away from the town proper. Talipasak Beach at 13 kilometers or a 45-minute drive away by trike from town is the farthest one. This beach has creamy-white sand mixed with crushed corals and a seabed that slopes down gradually, making it ideal for swimming. Snorkeling is another activity we enjoyed here; there is a coral reef not too far from shore. Walking down a little further south we chanced upon a smaller stretch of white beach dotted with beautiful rock formations. We belatedly realized that some of these are marble rocks for which the province is famous.

Tiamban, our next beach destination, is just 15-20 minutes away from the town center, has sand whiter than that of Talipasak and is home to a few rock formations at its eastern and western extremities. Tiamban Beach is pristine, judging from the crystal-clear turquoise waters. A further proof of this was the surprise appearance of a small school of large fish — probably bigeye trevallies or jacks — that suddenly catapulted out of the shallow waters about 15 meters away from shore.

Adjacent to Tiamban is a shorter stretch of beach that local residents favor since it doesn’t charge an entrance fee (although Tiamban charges the insanely low amount of less than a dollar for an entrance fee and a dollar for rental of a table and 2 chairs). Margie’s Beach as it turned out is a public access beach — a designation that usually hints at an untidy beach in this country but which is far from the case as the photo below indicates.

The last beach on our first day of beach-bumming is undeniably the most gorgeous on the island. Bonbon Beach is a mere 5 kilometers away from the town center that we could have reached it on foot had we wanted to. This white sand phenomenon consists of two sides of a triangular peninsula protruding out to sea, joined together at its apex and continuing on as a long, snaking sandbar.

Bonbon’s sandbar points to a large rock outcrop called Bangug Island. During low tide and at certain times of the year one can walk all the way to this rock islet. The waters around Bonbon are a marvel to look at — clean, clear, crystalline and of varying hues of aquamarine, turquoise and blue. Inside that portion of the beach half-surrounded by the sandbar, the sea bed gently slopes down making it an excellent site for swimming.

Island-Hopping Around Romblon

We’ve never been to so many beaches just minutes away from a city or large town here in the Philippines but there’s more. Just lying off the northwestern coast of Romblon town is a group of islands that showcases more beaches and a surprisingly unique experience. Our hotel assisted us in getting a boat to take us on an island-hopping tour.

Cobrador Island is the farthest of this group of islands and it took us about 45 minutes of sometimes rough sailing over open waters to get there via the ubiquitous motorized outrigger boat. Sometimes called by its local name Naguso Island, Cobrador has wide expanses of fine white sand beaches studded with crushed white corals. There is a small community located right along the western coast but the beaches here have been kept immaculately clean and the waters offshore are sparklingly crystal-clear. This island is the primary source of black marble in Romblon.

South of Cobrador is Alad Island, another island studded with white sand beaches. Like Cobrador, Alad island contains a fishing village but just the same the beaches have been kept unblemished. We docked at Alad’s western side where we rented a hut and had lunch under the coconut palms. This side of the island is home to a variety of soft corals and colorful sponges. On the east coast, the biodiversity is excellent with its magnificent array of corals and other underwater fauna in marine sanctuaries, making Alad an excellent, although not yet popular, dive site.

We had wanted to visit a sandbar at Alad’s southeastern side but the boatmen said it would take up too much of our time. We headed south instead for our last island-hopping destination: Logbon, an island just 10-15 minutes away from the port at Romblon town. Cruising along the island’s western coast revealed a long unbroken white sand beach 2 kilometers long. We continued on past this beach, rounded the Nabagbagan Rocks on the island’s southwestern tip and docked at a sandbar on the southeastern side.

When we landed at Logbon’s sandbar we thought we were the only people on that part of the island. With no one else in sight we leisurely explored the area, enjoying the sights and swimming in the island’s warm, clear waters and hunting for small pieces of marble. As we were about to leave, a group of villagers including women and children suddenly materialized from nowhere dragging a huge net. They were soon fishing at the water right at the sandbar. Curious, we asked if we could join them and we were soon helping them haul in a sizable catch of anchovies which they would turn into raw ceviche and deep fried patties for dinner.

Romblon Town and Marble Shops

We couldn’t leave Romblon without visiting the array of marble shops at the Romblon Shopping Center near the town plaza. A plethora of marble products ranging from key chains to huge vases and marble tables in different colors greeted us here. Especially interesting were products featuring the rare Romblon black marble or black onyx. We eventually got a mix of small sculptured items at a fraction of what they would have cost back in Manila. Romblon’s marble is particularly tough and hard to break, giving it an excellent reputation.

Romblon town itself has its share of interesting attractions including the 17^th century-era Fuerza de San Andres (Fort San Andres) overlooking the town and bay area, built to guard against Moro raiders and Dutch pirates. Adjacent to the town plaza is the baroque-inspired San Jose (St. Joseph’s) Cathedral, a 16th century building built using limestone and brick.

Sibuyan and Tablas Islands

Since we’ve visited just one of the 3 major islands of the province, we’ve only really scratched the surface of the province’s tourism potential. Two other larger islands lie to the east and west of Romblon Island.

Tablas Island, located just to the west of Romblon Island, has its share of gorgeous beaches but also has the Looc Marine Sanctuary – a protected 48-hectare reef area which contains a large variety of marine species including different types of corals. Also in the island are several waterfalls, amazing viewpoints of the coast and Tinagong Dagat – a beautiful salt-water inland lake in Calatrava which also includes a splendid collection of karst formations and white sand beaches that have yet to be fully appreciated.

West of Romblon Island is Sibuyan. This island has several peaks that appeal to mountain climbers (Filipinos on their way to a Mt. Everest climb train here), more waterfalls and pristine rivers. It may not have an assortment of beaches like Romblon and Tablas Islands but the islet and sandbar of Cresta de Gallo is probably the most stunning in the whole province (check out incredible photos and a video of Cresta de Gallo).

(At the time of this writing the Philippines remain closed to most foreign travelers. Filipino nationals, spouses or children of nationals, and residents returning from abroad are exempt from the ban, and may be subject to quarantine for a maximum of 14 days or COVID-19 testing upon arrival.)

The post Romblon, Philippines: Hunting for Beaches and Marble appeared first on Traveling Archive.

We were about to explore a tidal pool just a short distance from the beach when our boatman hurriedly motioned for us to join him up a flight of steps carved into the rock surface of a limestone cliff. Halfway through the rugged pathway we stopped at a view deck and stared below into the Blue Lagoon, the shallow tidal pool that plunges abruptly down into a subterranean hole, forming a deep blue-green color at its far end. We stood there in a long collective gasp before the obligatory photo shoot.

But we weren’t finished yet. Or at least our boatman-turned-tour guide thought so. He was soon leading us up another steep flight of steps towards the apex of the cliff. It now became a dangerous climb as we had to literally crawl on our hands and feet to balance ourselves on the uneven rock surface with a fall down a precipitous cliff not a distant possibility. We were beginning to think whether the risky effort was worth it but it was too late to go back. Once we reached the top however, we were rewarded with a view that made us momentarily forget the precarious climb we had just made.

A little-known island province, Dinagat has countless deserted coves and lagoons, immaculate white-sand beaches and verdant islands wrapped in seemingly impenetrable jungle foliage and mammoth rock formations. It possesses an abundance of minerals such as nickel and chromite yet it is also one of the poorest provinces in the Philippines. And despite being a neighbor to internationally famous Siargao Island, it rarely gets visited. So when we toured this underrated province last year we were looking forward to relishing relatively undisturbed natural destinations while having many of them practically all to ourselves.

One day after arriving in the capital town of San Jose by ferry boat, we were off to an island-hopping tour of the western side of Dinagat. Just off the pier at San Jose is Unib Island, more popularly known as Lalaking Bukid, translated as “male mountain” in the local dialect (we never found out the reason for this interesting moniker). Unib Island alone has 5 gorgeous white sand beaches and although it’s difficult to select the best from among them, Bitaog Beach with its fine white sand, towering karst cliffs and crystal-clear waters is often touted as the best of the lot. Duyos Beach is classified as a public beach which means it’s often brimming with local visitors out for a picnic. But it’s as clean and stunning as any in the country.

Two other beaches – Gealan Beach and Pagkawasan Beach are located close to Bitaog and to each other. One of our boatmen narrated the story of a local treasure hunter who discovered a cache of gold on the island – some say it was part of the fabled World War 2 Yamashita treasure – and who subsequently built the grotto on Pagkawasan Beach as a thanksgiving. We would have wanted to treasure a visit to fascinating Cabacungan Cove instead with its imposing karst cliffs and a lush forest which sea eagles and horn bills had made their home. But it was off-limits at the time either due to questions regarding its ownership or the beach manager’s violation of government regulations.

The boat ride back to the main island of Dinagat took us along a coastline studded with magnificent rock formations and into tranquil Babas Cove. This cove features a picturesque beach and lucent aquamarine and turquoise waters revealing corals and marine life underneath. We climbed up another karst cliff – thankfully a less perilous climb – and had a grandstand view of more beaches and coves in the peninsula jutting out from the mainland (see also top photo).

To a first-time visitor Babas Cove and beach look to be the main attractions of this part of Dinagat known as Basilisa town. But the beach is just the starting point of a trek to enigmatic Lake Bababu, an emerald body of water nestled in the forest inland. The trek to this lake was certainly no walk in the park – at least for us. The demanding hike required negotiating steep 45-degree inclines and sharp coral rocks scattered along a large portion of the trail, at times made slippery by ground soaked from previous rains. After 45 minutes of an arduous trek we arrived at the edge of the lake – a body of dark green water framed by a lush forest and white limestone walls.

Lake Bababu is a unique lake with a combination of fresh and salt water with the former occupying the upper 20 feet layer. The two layers do not mix. Our tour guide encouraged us to drink directly from the lake – the waters are said to be that clean. And it did look very clean. But we stole a glance at another group of visitors playfully gliding along the water near us and politely declined. We could also see several colorful reef fishes in the water – proof of the 650 meter long underwater tunnel that connects the lake to the sea – the longest underwater cave in the country.

The following day another island-hopping expedition took us to a cluster of islets northwest of Babas Cove. Part of our itinerary included Sundayo Beach at Hagakhak Island with its long white sand beach and beautiful rock formations but it was disappointingly closed to visitors that day like Cabacungan Cove. But with a profusion of natural attractions around us we simply headed off to Little Hagakhak Island to explore its colossal sedimentary rock formations and later to Isla Aga, a cluster of karst cliffs with a small white sand beach on its western face. You can actually spend a whole day just touring the cluster of islands, beaches and coves around Isla Aga but there are more destinations further north that clamored for our attention.

These islands and coastal spots are part of the town of Libjo. The collection of numerous coves and white sand beaches, karst cliffs and islets in this town is very much similar to the landscapes of Coron and El Nido in Palawan, destinations that are now quite popular outside the Philippines.

We could have explored the largely unspoiled coastal landscape of Libjo at leisure but we could only pass by the stunning scenery and head straight for Pangabangan Island and its Blue Lagoon that we described earlier. From there our little party sailed back towards the shores of Libjo town and into Punta Villa. This resort is better known locally as the starting point for the trek to Quano Cave, a massive cave housing a large number of bats within its limestone formations. But with a limited amount of time on our hands we just chose to enjoy the sights around the resort – its fine white sand beach, several karst islets lying just offshore, beautiful corals easily visible through crystal-clear waters and a panoramic view of nearby islets from a villa on a hill that was open to visitors.

Two other destinations in Libjo are worth mentioning even if we did not get the chance to visit them: Jelmar Resort which is often called the Maldives of Dinagat for the stunning colors of its crystalline waters and Punta Buena Suerte for its remarkable marine life including sea turtles. And on the eastern side of the island lies the town of Cagdianao with more beaches including the sprawling, powdery white-sand Hinabyan Beach and beautiful Sayaw Island.

Our tour of the province was restricted to its western coastal areas and only later did we learn about a worrisome reality that has hovered over Dinagat for some time now. The province, as previously mentioned, is rich in nickel and chromite. Consequently there is widespread mining in the province resulting in environmental damage involving wide swaths of formerly green areas. Some of the mining operations were ordered closed 3 years ago but using Goggle Maps’ satellite view one could easily see scarred surfaces on the northern and southern sections of the island province as well as in the town of Cagdianao on the east coast. The situation at the northern portion of Dinagat is particularly alarming since it holds several environmental gems including a bat sanctuary and the largest bonsai forest in the country. We could only hope and pray that the province would be able to limit the environmental destruction already inflicted and preserve the beauty of its natural wonders for generations to come.

(At the time of this writing the Philippines remain closed to most foreign travelers. Filipino nationals, spouses or children of nationals, and residents returning from abroad are exempt from the ban, and may be subject to quarantine for a maximum of 14 days or COVID-19 testing upon arrival.)

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