Muelle Bay, Puerto Galera

LESS THAN 48 HOUR TRIP TO 

MUELLE BAY, PUERTO GALERA

My First Corporate Outing

Actually, this was not an official business trip, it was just a simple weekend get-away with my office mates. We have been searching for a great place to spend our weekend that is free from any pollution, toxic and stress! 

Ms. Claire suggested that we should all go to Puerto Galera, it is near and it will be the first time for some to go there. She also suggested that we should stay in Punta del Este which is in Muelle Bay, other part of Puerto Galera. ( I have another post about our staycation in Punta Del Este.) 

After settling the down payment thru bank payment, we managed to rent the Sarimanok Villa for 8,000 a night which includes personal butlers(yes, 2 butlers), swimming pool, free use of utensils, and a scenic view! Since we are a group of 10, it was a fair deal.

The plan was to commute our way to Muelle Bay. Our meeting place was in JAM Liner in Kamuning which is the terminal of buses going straight to Batangas Port. We departed in Kamuning around 4 in the morning and arrived in Batangas Port around 6:30 in the morning. The fare only costs 170 Php per way. From Batangas Port, we boarded a fast craft of Minolo Shipping Lines (Red Boat) going to Muelle Bay. The round trip ticket costs 450 Php per head plus environmental fee of 50 Php. 

Waiting for our boat

After an hour of boat travel we arrived at Muelle Port where a jeep going to Punta del Este was waiting for us which was included in our accommodation. 

When we arrived in the Villa, the overlooking view of the beach welcomed us! I officially called it as "Bakasyon Grande." 

Our home for the weekend. 

Can you say no to this place??? Bakasyon Grande it is! :) 

Since we are in a house, we opted to cook our food and just buy fresh goods in the Market. Surprisingly, the goods in the Market are overpriced. Anyway, going to the Market is quite expensive also though I still suggest that you cook and make use of the butler. They are very accommodating and friendly. 

Since Punta Del Este is in a top of a cliff, you have to go down in order to enjoy the beach. I was not fascinated with the beach mainly because it was polluted, there were trashes in the sand and in the water. Though it has a rock formation that is perfect for photo op. 

At night time, we tried to explore what Puerto Galera has to offer. We went to Sabang and White Beach, both were not so enticing because I am not a fan of crowded places. In Sabang beach, there are lots of foreigners with Pinays on their side while White Beach is a very busy place, this is where you can find different bars with different shows from sing-a-long, gay performers, people dancing to people throwing fire. We tried the Mindoro Sling but didn't like it. 

Photo Bomber si ATE!

The famous firedance with these two boys wearing briefs! HAHA

The next day, we left the Villa around 12:00 noon. The boat that transported us to Batangas Port was the worst. It was smaller compared to one who transported us going to Muelle Bay, the movement was against the waves, so the boatmen were forced to close the improvised window which almost suffocated all the passengers because of the heat. Anyway, we arrive in Manila around 5 in the afternoon.

2 thumbs up for this short Bakasyon Grande!

That was my Puerto Galera experience. How about yours? 

Ano, Tara Gumala! 

CIAO. 

--

GABRIELA

#PHThankYou

#SATURDAYSHOUTOUT

The Philippines Says Thank You

It's been months since the typhoon Haiyan or locally known as Yolanda hits my fellow countrymen in  Tacloban, Eastern Samar, Iloilo, Coron and other regions. It was November 8, 2013 to be exact. Since then, other foreign countries have been helping them hand in hand to rebuild their lives. I know that it was very devastating to all Filipinos but you can still see that they are very resilient. Admit it or not, we could not have done it without help from other countries. 

We Filipinos have this common value which is "Utang na Loob" or Debt of gratitude. We will always be thankful for the things that other countries have done for us to get back on our feet. In regard of this, the Department of Tourism came up with a video to show how thankful Filipinos are for the extended help.   

You too can join their advocacy, just visit their page http://itsmorefuninthephilippines.com/phthankyou/. I did my part and hope you do yours. 

MARAMING SALAMAT at TARA GUMALA SA PINAS! (Thank you so much and let's travel the Philippines) :) 

CIAO.

--

GABRIELA

48 Hour Baguio Trip

REVISITING BAGUIO

February is the perfect time if you want to experience the coldest temperature in Baguio and also the said month is the celebration of Panagbenga (Flower) Festival. If you are not into festivals and crowded places like me, the perfect time to go in Baguio is on the last week of February. The place is not so crowded and you can still feel the cool breeze. 

I. How to get to Baguio.

1.By Car
If you are coming from Manila, it will take you about 3 - 4 hours of driving going there. Just be careful on your drive going there because you will be experiencing a lot of "zigzag." Anyway, there are 5 main roads that can lead you to Baguio, these are Kennon Road, Marcos Highway, Naguilian Road, Halsema Road, & Baguio - Nueva Viscaya Road.

The most convenient way coming from Manila by car is via SCTEX (Subic - Clark - Tarlac Expressway then straight to TPLEX (Tarlac - Pangasinan - La Union Expressway). Just be prepared for that expensive toll fee!

2. By Bus

Going to Baguio coming from Manila is very convenient rather than driving.  Especially now that there is an hourly trip going to Baguio. Victory Liner Inc. has the most number of trips going to Baguio. I suggest that you buy your tickets in advance to avoid being a chance passenger and you have the freedom to choose your preferred time.One way fare only costs 450 Php and 750 for the De-Luxe.


II. Things to do in Baguio

• Park Hopping (Burnham Park, Wright Park, The Mansion, Botanical Garden, Mines View Park)

Burnham Park is the most famous Park in Baguio, second is the Mines View Park, Third is the Wright Park which is connected to The Mansion and near Botanical Garden! O, I didn't ride a horse because it was too expensive. 

view @ Mines View Park

Indigenous Shop at Mines View Park

100 steps in Wright Park going to the Mansion

The infamous Lagoon and The Mansion

Swan boats at Burnham Park

• Visita Iglesia (The Grotto) 

If you are going to Baguio make sure that you visit the Grotto and take the 300 steps(?) going to the top. Even if you are not a Catholic, it is a go - to place since the view up there is fascinating. :) 

• Tam-Awan Village

Tam- Awan Village is in Pinsao, Baguio, you need to ride a cab going there. It will cost you 100 Php for the cab and 50 Php for the entrance. The Village has different indigenous huts from different indigenous groups in the Mt. Province and their awesome artworks. Also, they have a peak where you can see the clouds moving, it's like you are above the clouds, and even agree that it is a Garden in the Sky. Also, the Pine trees makes you feel like you are in the set of Twilight. HAHA.

View on top

this is very artistic! Agree?

Mother and Child

Indeed a Garden in the Sky!

• Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad

It is outside Baguio, Roughly 15 minutes away from the Public Market. The fare only costs 9.00 Php. You can do strawberry picking for 100 Php per small basket but you can buy a per kilo outside. There are lots of Vegetable vendors outside where you can buy 3 bags of Potato marbles for only 100 Php plus different kinds of fresh lettuce and french beans!

Making fun of her! 

• Food Trip

Since Ms. Olive is a great cook. This is our way of Food tripping. We bought fresh vegetables and cook it for dinner. Fresh Chopseuy and Strawberries on the house! Burp! :) 

Well, if you are not into cooking, you can try these Top 10 Yummiest Restaurants in Baguio according to GMANews. http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/340184/newstv/angpinaka/top-10-yummiest-restaurants-in-baguio.

Or if you are looking for not-so-usual dining, try 50's Diner or Oh My Gulay! 

• Ukay - Ukay at Session Road

Antok na kami ni Lilet! 

This is the busiest Ukay Ukay I have ever seen! Crazy Sale!

• Pasalubong buying

Credits to Baguiocity.net

III. Sample Itinerary

Here is our itinerary for the 48 Hour trip. We stayed in a Transient house for only 1,000 per night! Call them up Minesview Vacation House. Anyway, we only have the weekends to do this trip and we were able to maximize it and enjoy what Baguio has to offer.

My verdict is that Baguio is such a nice place but I will not keep on coming back because their landscape do not fascinate me, it is also polluted and lots of houses (didn't like the view in Mines View Park), not so cold like when I was a child, it is so crowded and has nothing new to offer though I'm looking forward to witness the Panagbenga Festival but I heard the traffic going there is terrible!

I'd rather explore Bontoc, Banaue, Battad, Sagada and other Mt. Provinces.

So, there you have it! That was my Baguio experience, how was yours?

Ano, TARA GUMALA?


CIAO.
--
GABRIELA 

#SaturdayShoutout

#SaturdayShoutOut

Hi Guys! Ever since I started my blog, I've been thinking of something that can spice up my site not just to share my experiences in traveling. Do something innovative like what entrepreneurs would say. I was inspired with Atty. Oman's #SelfieSunday and #FoodstagramFriday. So I came up with my own version and I hope he will not sue me for this. HAHA. Just kidding.

As I was browsing my Facebook wall, I stumbled upon a post of my beloved friend, Nuneng Aneng, though I call him Dade because we've been close friends since High School.

Here is his post that inspired me to this Saturday Shoutout thingy. Special credits to him. I immediately asked him if I could feature it in my blog. I quote, "Travel as much as you can, as far as you can, as long as you can, Life is not meant to lived in one place." It is very inspiring for starters like me, to travel as long as I live. Agree? Hell yeah! We should never be stuck in a safe place. Remember being adventurous is more fun than playing safe, you should come out of your comfort zones!

O, did I mention that he is a very good photographer? He won many photo contest in his university! He is just so amazing and very creative in making captions, be it in Tagalog or English. I love his artistic side,  it is simple but has impact and you can appreciate what he really wants to say.

So, there you go. This is official. Every Saturday, I will be featuring some quotes, be it in traveling, lifestyle, food, place, events as long as it has impact, I will not hesitate to post it in my blog. If you have some shout out that you want to share to the world. Here is your chance! You can send me a message by liking my Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/taragumala or simply comment on this post!

'Til next shout out! Ano, Tara Gumala.

CIAO.

--

GABRIELA

5 Steps in Getting the Cheapest Seat Sale in The Philippines

TIPS ON GETTING THE

 CHEAPEST SEAT SALE

Hey ya! My cousin, who has a girlfriend that blogs, advised me to post something new every now and then to keep my blog exciting. He is right and this will be my way of sharing my experiences with you. So, for this week, I planned to write something about getting the cheapest seat sale. 

If you are a backpacker, getting the lowest fare is what you always look for, so that you can spend more on the travel per ce. Also, getting the lowest fare is one of the sweetest prize in traveling. Can you just imagine paying 7,000+ Php for a round-trip ticket to any Philippine destination, that is the worst! Even your 5,000Php will go a long way, you can have a roundtrip fare, accommodation, food plus tours for that amount! 

 Back to my topic, here are some tips on how to bag that cheapest seat sale. 

1. Decide where you want to go.

This is the first step. Decide where you want to go. Is it local or international? 

Here are the top 3 airlines in the Philippines that usually have seat sales:

a. Air Phil Express- They have most local destinations compared to the two airlines. They have flights from Batanes to Jolo.The downside is that they have the most expensive fare among the three and they rarely go on sale.

b. Cebu Pacific Air - This airline is always on sale but the downside is that their fuel surcharge is expensive! So if you are booking with this airline, check how much it really costs before purchasing.

c. Air Asia Zest - This has the cheapest sale. You can have a round - trip ticket for as low as 1,500 Php.The downside is that, it has limited destinations compared to the 2 former airlines.

2. When do you want to go.

Another thing that you have to consider in buying seat sale is the date. Most seat sale are during weekdays. Cebu Pacific and Air Asia has a Monthly View on their site where you can decide and see the lowest seat sale for a whole month.

Also, the travel period of most seat sale is usually months away from the current date. That is okay, it will give you enough time to save money for your trip. 



3. Consider your budget.

This is a must. You should know how much will you spend on your ticket. For me, my maximum expenditure for a ticket is 2,000 (for local flights) and 5,000 (for international flights). Please note to yourself that you should never make an impulse buying and control yourself from using your credit card (if you have one). So you'll have no regrets.

These 3 airlines have other options in settling your fees besides paying thru credit card. You can now pay even at 711 nationwide! So, convenient right?  Note that Cebu Pacific and Pal Express only allow you to settle your fees before midnight while Air Asia allows you to settle your fees within 24 hours.

4. Go online more often!

If you really want to get that seat sale, you have to go online, that is the most convenient way rather than booking thru phone.O, and when I say go online, I mean you have to go on line during wee hours e.g. 12:00 midnight! Yes, it is the most lean time and most companies put up their seat sale during said hours.

Follow them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to get the latest update on their sale!

5. If you found the perfect (in terms of date, destination and budget) seat sale. Book it!

When you find the perfect seat sale for you, book it. Don't hesitate because you might not see it again. The tendency is that, you have to wait for another seat sale and hopes that it is the same date with your first reference.   

So, there you have it! Planning is really important as well as your decision making skills and getting that lowest fare is the sweetest!!!

So, Ano, TARA GUMALA?

CIAO.
--
GABRIELA