Sta. Rosa, Laguna | Enchanted Kingdom : 10 Kid Friendly Activities in Enchanted Kingdom

For the past 18 years, Enchanted Kingdom (EK) in Sta. Rosa, Laguna has always been on the Filipino family's list of places to visit during the holiday season. Its proximity to metro manila and other nearby provinces make it a convenient choice for a family roadtrip. Kids, teens and even thrill-seeking moms, dads, aunts and uncles continue to love this world class themed park south of Manila. Currently, Enchanted Kingdom enjoys the reputation of being the "Disneyland" of the Philippines.

The stokedtraveler has already been to EK a couple of times. It hasn't changed much since his first visit except for some minor additions to park rides. The layout of the theme park remains the same. The park features still look like they are well maintained. Even after more than a decade, EK still looks almost the same as it was when it first gained popularity back in the 90's. A feat that is not very common for locally managed parks/tourist spots.

Cebu City, Cebu | A Food Lover's Retreat with a Touch of History

For many of his travels, the stokedtraveler would create schedules and plot out activities. Which places should he visit and what things should he do are usually on top of his itinerary for his trips. That was his only way of travel. That was until his recent Cebu trip.

Travelling without any travel plans can also be fun. Never expecting what to expect and doing what you feel doing for that day can free you of worries and keeps you amazed of things that come. This may not always be the best way to travel but for as long as you are with good company then everything is going to turn out alright.

Read through the stokedtraveler's day-to-day highlights in Cebu as he joins two of his great friends on their first time in the queen city of the south.

Day 1. Failed flight, Apt accommodation and a well-deserved authentic Filipino dinner!

Day 2. A bit of history, indulging in Cebu's lechon and some R&R
Day 3. Greatest ribs, Sky experience and Pasalubong shopping

Cebu City, Cebu | Day 3. Greatest Ribs, Sky Experience and Pasalubong Shopping

Casa verde
No doubt the best ribs in sugbu! For only P208 you get to taste Brian's ribs. (That's right, you get to taste the stokedtraveler's ribs :P)

 "If you taste me, you'll never forget me". That's what was said on the menu for Brian's Ribs. Who knew Brian's ribs tasted that good! :P

The ribs look small in the photo but the rice there is regular sized and the plate is just equally super-sized

 The serving was huge and could easily be good for 3 people on a normal diet. The stokedtraveler and his two friends had 3 orders of Brian's ribs and one salad. The marinated ribs were so flavorful and satiating that they were already too full just halfway through their meal. 

There's no question why this restaurant ranks high on tripadvisor's recommended dining experiences in Cebu . This is definitely a must-eat-at place while in Cebu. Reserve a seat in advance on their original store (not the one inside the mall) to get that authentic home cooked experience.

Cebu City, Cebu | Day 2. A bit of history, indulging in Cebu's lechon and some R&R

Magellan's cross

It was only a 6-minute walk from their hotel to the historic site were Magellan's cross was first erected. While the walk didn't take very long, it was a painful one because of the sun. Remember to bring an umbrella if you plan to walk around the city. People used to living in the northern Philippines and even in Manila may find walking under the sun in Cebu challenging.

The endless supply of candles bought for Php 100 only to be offered back to the altar. Probably only to be resold the next day :)

Magellan's cross had a lot of wooden support all around it that time. 

The aged women dancing the sinulog and offering prayers for tourists (for a fee) said that wood was to strengthen the structure and secure the cross while it was still uncertain if the aftershocks from the recent 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit cebu-bohol just a month or so ago was already over.

Chanting in the local dialect and dancing the sinulog dance

In his previous travel the stokedtraveler learned that the cross here is no longer the original cross but instead is just a replica. While the sign at the foot of the cross reads that the tindalo wooden cross encases the original cross that Magellan erected, there is no historical evidence that the original cross survived after Magellan's death. There was also no record of it ever being recovered by the succeeding spanish expeditions to the island of Cebu.

Praise!

Cebu City, Cebu | Day 1: Failed flight, Apt accommodation and a well-deserved authentic Filipino dinner!

A Failed Flight Schedule
Airasia, without notice, decided to change the departure schedule of the Stoked Traveler's MNL-CEB. The changed schedule was 1 hour later than planned yet still was delayed another hour. All these resulted to a CEB arrival time of 6 PM from an original ETA of 2pm. This was by far the worst delay the stokedtraveler had flying on a domestic airline.

The trip from the airport to Cebu city proper was already heavy with traffic around that time. The surroundings was reminiscent of night time manila. The cab driver hastily drove past traffic and into detours which made the stokedtraveler a tad uncomfortable. In the end the metered taxi only costed around P200. Atleast the cab driver was honest to give exact change.

Hotel Fortuna

Hotel Fortuna is a 3-star hotel situated on a busy section of Cebu city. Hailing taxis or jeepneys will not be difficult for city travelers. It isn't much to look at from the outside but the inside is so much better than what one would expect from a boutique hotel. They have very courteous staff and this adds to the homey feel of the place. They provide free drinking water to guests too! (An often forgotten necessity when staying in hotels). They stayed at the standard room which is more than sufficient for their stay in Cebu City. The stokedtraveler recommended this same hotel to a group of people travelling to Cebu on the same dates. They too liked how the hotel was!

Terraces, Ayala Center Cebu

On the first night of their stay, they went to the Terraces, Ayala Center to look for a place to dine at. Ayala Center in Cebu was nice but is relatively small compared to Ayala Malls in Manila. It had a wide garden space that creates a soothing ambience within the malls grounds.

Morong, Bataan | Pawikan festival | The Trip, The Beach, A few Turtles and a lot of Politicking

The two-day festival this year was scheduled from Nov.30-Dec.1. Brgy. Nagbalayong in Morong, Bataan played host to the main event because it is where the Pawikan Conservation Center can be found. Morong's beaches are used as nesting grounds by the endangered sea turtles. People who used to be poachers turned into protectors of these sea creatures through the Pawikan Conservation Center.

The stokedtraveler has always been amazed by these gentle sea creatures. Not only are they graceful swimmers but they are also one of the oldest living reptiles in the planet. One of his goals this year was to finally have a face to face encounter with one. He was also looking forward to witnessing the the majestic event when hundreds of pawikan hatchlings are released into the sea.

Boracay Island, Aklan | Self-Exiled in Boracay: 5days/4nights Trip!

Boracay Island is one of the best known tourist destinations in the Philippines. It was even ranked as the best island in the world in one international travel magazine. Most people go there to relax while others go there for the party scene. Whatever you’re up for, Boracay is ready for you.

The Stokedtraveler and a few friends hastily booked a flight to Boracay via Zest Air. It wasn’t really that rushed because it was planned atleast a month ahead. The plan was to go for a 4-day trip. By Zest Air’s doing (they cancelled both flights 2-days prior to D-day!) the group had to cram to call Zest Air’s hotline to reschedule the flights. Least to say, the process was appalling enough to swear that this will be the first and last Zest Air flight the stokedtraveler will be taking (until they fix their act). When the rescheduled flights were released, the 4-day stay had to be extended one more day. The dilemma? What to do in Boracay for 5 days and 4 nights with a limited travel budget. 

Here’s the multi-part blog series on things to do and watch out for when self-exiled in Boracay for a week!

• Top 5 Boracay Activities You Shouldn't Miss

• Boracay Activities You'll be Better Off Not Doing

Boracay Island, Aklan | Self-Exiled in Boracay: Top 5 Boracay Activities You Shouldn't Miss

There’s so many one can dream of doing in Boracay. One trip to Boracay is never going to be enough. It is very rare to find someone claiming that he/she is tired of going to Boracay. True that a lot has changed over the years but Boracay will continue to please for as long as people will continue to care for its beauty.  A lot of new stuff have come to Boracay since it began attracting hordes of foreign/local tourists.

Here’s 5 things that the stokedtraveler liked best during his 5 day stay on the island.

Boracay Island, Aklan | Self-Exiled in Boracay: Activities You'll be Better Off Not Doing

Puka Beach

There are lots of things to experience once in Boracay. Some are great, some average and some are just bad on the stokedtraveler’s fun-meter and not worthy of another try. 

 Here are a few regretful things that he did and wished he hadn’t done so in the first place.

Eagle Point Dive Resort, Mabini, Anilao | A First Timer's Weekend Dive

One Sunday morning, the Stokedtraveler and his friends head to a road trip down to Anilao, Batangas. The plan was to go to a dive resort, try diving and catch up on long missed conversations. 

Eagle Point Resort

There were a few options for the resort. Aiyanar beach resort seemed to be the best looking but also cost the most as they charge on a per head basis. Scubabro Dive resort was fairly priced but seemed to have fewer activities in store for non-divers. Others that were considered were Acacia, Vivere Azure, Seas Spring Resort and Eagle Point Dive Resort. Of this list, Eagle Point Dive Resort was chosen for the trip for its overall appeal, variety of activities and the additional room discount care of the Stokedtraveler’s Agoda booking link.

Zoobic Safari, Subic Bay | Take a Walk on the Wild Side

The stokedtraveler and his family was treated by a generous cousin to a free trip to Zoobic Safari. Last time he visited the place was about 3 years back. He still recalls the vastness of the area and how tiring it was to walk through the various attractions.

Zoobic Safari is situated in a 25-hectare forest land that was converted into a tourist attraction. It claims to offer a safari experience where guests can see "exotic" animals in a simulated living environment. The published attractions are Zoobic Park, Savannah, Serpentarium, Rodent World, Animal MuZOOeum, Close Encounter, Tiger Safari, Bird Walk, Aeta's Trail, Croco Loco, Zoobic Cave and Forbidden Cave. They also host animal shows and animal parades during the weekends and holidays.

Camayan Beach Resort, Subic Bay | Just Another Relaxing Day at the Beach

As much as the stoked traveler wanted to find a different beach venue for his niece’s birthday, Camayan Beach Resort still remains to be the best pick when choosing a beach resort near Pampanga. They have been to this resort atleast three times last year and it hasn’t failed to deliver. This time was no exception.

Cottages for day trippers

The kids still enjoyed the clear waters and the clean sands. The adults got some good rest and relaxation with the comfy accommodations while the shade of the trees provided a good place to take in the ocean breeze; a fine addition to the resorts relaxing ambiance.

The following were what the stoked traveler considered in choosing this resort again:

•           Land travel is safe and possible from Pampanga (or even Manila and other nearby areas)
•           Tried and tested quality accommodations and service
•           Luxury at a reasonable cost
•           Safety of the kids while roaming around the beach and during swimming
•           Well mannered guests that will not ruin the general atmosphere of the vacation

Pilar, Bataan | Shrine of Valor & Mt. Samat Cross Good Friday Day Trip

After getting inspiration from the 1000 PHP Bataan trip blog, the stokedtraveler takes off to the nearby province of Bataan.

Bataan is just about 2.5 hours drive from Metro Manila. It is most popular for the infamous Death March during World War II where allied forces were made to march all the way from Bataan to Tarlac - some 128 kms. The stretch of the march was characterized by the most gruesome abuses the Japanese army could inflict resulting to deaths of thousands of Filipino and American soldiers.

It was on a Good Friday and the stokedtraveler had the curious desire to visit the largest cross that could be found in the Philippines. True enough, the Mt. Samat Shrine of Valor in Brgy. Diwa, Pilar, Bataan would be the best candidate.

The plan was to drive from Pampanga to Mt. Samat. This would let him stop by other nearby attractions and historic markers along the way minus the hassle of the commute. Luckily, he googled up the drive and found out that the path leading to the top of Mt. Samat was nothing short of winding and sharp turns. His driving skills were not up to the challenge yet so he decided to take the bus and commute.

The stokedtraveler boarded the Balanga bus (Bataan Transit) in SM Pampanga. An hour and a half later, the bus arrives at an almost empty Balanga terminal. He followed another blogger’s directions and started asking for jeep going to Brgy. Diwa. There were very few people on the terminal and only a few jeepneys and tricycles. 

Pampanga | Visita Iglesia Roadtrip

The Seven Churches Visitation also known as Visita Iglesia is a pious Roman Catholic tradition observed by faithful Christians during Lent by attempting to visit 7 Christian sites or parishes.

Customarily, Visita Iglesia is done every Holy Thursday. Unfortunately for the stokedtraveler, he lives in a province where there is a large number of magdarame (penitents). For this reason, he decides to spare his car of blood from those who flagellate themselves splashing around blood in anything or anyone they get close to. He’s seen several automobiles in the past which were decorated with blood and he is just irked by the thought of having blood on his white car. He makes his church visit during Holy Tuesday when there are little to no mamalaspas walking around the roads.

It was a choice between doing Visita Iglesia (Visita Altares as his mom calls it) in his home province in Pampanga or take a longer road trip in Bataan heading to Mt. Samat. The former was the more practical choice due to the proximity, budget (gas expense) and familiarity to the location. He will still take the excursion to Mt. Samat and write about it in a separate entry.

The trip starts straight from the family house of the stokedtraveler in Angeles City. Though he planned to make an early start in the morning, his body refused to cooperate. He managed to leave home at 2pm in the afternoon.

San Juan, La Union | Starting another year of travel where the heart beacons

A great way to start another year of travelling is to go where your heart beats. To the stokedtraveler that place is the calming sight of the ocean, the stimulating view of sunset and the clashing of the waves. Another trip back to San Juan, La Union for an "overnighter" with HP surf shack may have ignited this travel bug’s passion to go places.

Photo credits to HP Surf Shack and the Photographer