Let me reminisce a bit about my first climb, way back in August 2013. With some friends, I climbed a mountain in Daraitan, Tanay, Rizal. It has been called Mt. Daraitan, though upon registering, we were told that it was called Mt. Samit (samit, summit, you know). I can find no reference online saying that it’s called the latter.

At 734 MASL, Mt. Daraitan sounded like an easy one to scale, judging from the excitement of my co-teachers who were my companions. Oh, how utterly wrong we were. Compound that with the fact that we hadn’t read our weather bulletins properly, and you have us getting caught in the middle of Tropical Storm Maring, which, if you recall, flooded Manila in Ondoy-like manner.

Pinoy Mountaineer rates Mt. Daraitan with a difficulty of 4/9, which might have been too much for a first timer with no sense of balance like me — especially as I had to traverse muddy and slippery slopes, and do actual rock climbing (thanks to our guide, I managed). We were also caught in wind and rain that seemed to swirl around our tent; most of that sleepless night was spent with us trying to hold our ten-person tent down to the ground. The descent was even worse. I cannot count the number of times I landed on my butt and hauled my feet and sandals from all that mud. I said these words out loud one too many times: “Why are we doing this? Bakit ba tayo nagpapakahirap?“

The view from the top was unbeatable, though: mountains as far as the eyes could see, with the Daraitan River weaving in between. Limestone formations served as our ground as we took pictures and whooped with delight after that arduous trek.

Luckily we had a week of class suspensions afterward; I couldn’t move properly for the next three days, and my limbs were full of scratches.

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It was therefore with much trepidation that I said yes to Edison, who’d seen me suffer through Mt. Daraitan, to his invitation to climb Mt. Pulag. It’s Luzon’s highest peak at 2,922 MASL. We were to go through the Ambangeg trail, which takes three hours for a beginner. This time, I did proper research; thus, I did some mad dash for warm clothing in half-price stores.

We left Pasay via Victory Liner at 11 PM sharp and arrived in Baguio early in the morning. We then took a hired jeepney (a “monster jeep”) to the ranger station in the town of Bokod, with stops at the tourist information center and an eatery in between. It was a weaving and nausea-inducing three-hour ride. Along the way, though, I enjoyed looking at the cutest kids with the ruddiest cheeks ever.

The start of the trek is at the ranger station. The Ambangeg trail from there is well-worn. I was pleasantly surprised at how relatively easy the trail was.

I took my sweet time gazing at the terraced slopes where farmers grow vegetables, at the pine trees, and, in the middle of the climb, the mossy forests.

I said it was “relatively easy” because not once did I fall on my behind. However, of course I had to stop along with the others because some parts are pretty steep and the air is thin at such a high altitude.

We camped at the extension of Camp 2, which was an hour’s climb away from the summit. We got there right at sundown.

After I posed for the happy picture above, the temperature quickly fell. (That didn’t stop us making dinner, though.) Somewhere in the middle of the night, temperatures reached below 5 degrees centigrade. My three to four layers of clothing were of little help. Sleep was difficult — I kept waking up, cold and sometimes out of breath, and feeling desperate whenever I looked at my watch and saw that daybreak was still hours away.

Earlier, at the tourist information center, we’d been told that we had to keep quiet so as not to anger the gods, who would bring rains if people were noisy. And I believed this, actually, as much as I believe that mountains and our natural surroundings have spiritual guardians of some sort. That night, though, there were people drunkenly yelling at each other (my companions reported they were guides or tour operators). And I quite expected the rains after midnight, but I didn’t expect how strong it was. I also didn’t expect how our tent interior slowly accumulated water.

In short, we weren’t able to trek to the summit that morning. Those who’d been able to reported a visibility of one meter, so there was going to be none of those sunrise-in-a-sea-of-clouds pictures.

We descended in the middle of the rain, at around 7:00 AM. We were a little disappointed, but I was just glad to have survived that  night.

On the other hand, I hate this unfinished business. I’ll probably go back for the summit — I’ll just make sure to do it during the summer months.

So, what has happened that the girl with no sense of balance suddenly wants to climb mountains again? I can think of a few things: my love of nature, my constant search for novelty, my wanderlust. Then there’s my desire to see things through a new perspective. It’s somewhat like that time I went scuba diving for the first time, when I saw things as they are from the vibrant bottom of the sea. Here in Mt. Pulag, I looked at things from near the summit of the mighty mountain and was reminded of how diminutive we humans are in such an immense world, and how we, in our pride and ego, take that truth for granted.

Some tips on climbing Mt. Pulag

1. Bring layers and layers of clothing. Bring fleece and down jackets, bonnets, scarves, thick socks, gloves, a thick blanket, a raincoat. I’m not even exaggerating — it’s f!#$* cold up there, especially in December.
2. You might get mountain sickness of varying degrees. In my case, I felt some headache while climbing, and I kept on waking up in the middle of the night with difficulty in breathing. I found the cure by accident: I sat up and took deep breaths, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, as I do when running. Easy peasy. I went back to my uneasy sleep right afterward.
3. Bring lots of plastic bags, especially large garbage bags. You could use these as a raincoat, a cover for your backpack, and lining for the groundsheet of your tent. You might run the risk of hypothermia in the cold and rain (it happened to one in my group), so best waterproof everything and make sure you’re warm!
4. Wear only a light jacket during the ascent and descent as you’d sweat and warm up on your way.
5. Wear sturdy shoes. At first, I used a pair of running shoes I barely used in the past year or so; they gave up as early as Baguio. Thankfully, I’d brought another pair.
6. Take time to appreciate the lovely surroundings during the ascent. As I’ve learned, you might not even get to the summit, but the way up is likewise gorgeous.

Related articles

• A Weekend in San Felipe and San Narciso, Zambales
• A Camiguin Day Tour, Part Three: Trekking Mt. Vulcan

“Humans are awesome,” I said, “for having invented…houses.”

My travel buddies laughed at this statement of epiphany. It was midnight, I had less than ten hours of sleep for two nights already, and we’d just come from a cold, nearly sleepless night in Mt. Pulag and a three-hour jeepney ride from Bokod to Sagada. Now, we were in the very cozy Sagada Homestay, and I was with my (former) co-teachers in the attic room. I had a warm bed and a fleece blanket; I knew I was smiling when I went to sleep, and I must have snored my way through the night.

We were going to spend two days and two nights here in Sagada. Fresh from the adventures of Mt. Pulag, we didn’t go for major trekking any longer, going around the town instead on foot (mostly). Food was mostly cooked at the kitchen in our living quarters, and every evening, we had marshmallows and wine by a bonfire.

The morning after we arrived, we were supposed to go to Kiltepan View Point for the sunrise, but, for the second time in the trip, our plans were dampened by the weather. Obviously, we took the opportunity of a long breakfast instead to take portraits among the pine trees.

Our next stop was the Rock Inn and Cafe, where there is an orange orchard. You could pick oranges here for P50 and eat as many oranges as you can; additionally, you could take home the oranges for P60/kg.

Next were the Hanging Coffins in Echo Valley. There is a path going through the side of the lovely Church of St. Mary the Virgin and the cemetery (in the aptly-named Brgy. Patay) behind it.

The path down the Echo Valley (try yelling and your voice will indeed echo) is a bit tricky and steep, but totally manageable. You might need guides, but we had travel buddies who already knew the way. It took us to the Sagada Hanging Coffins.

Sadly, though, my companions and I were underwhelmed by the hanging coffins. I was reminded of the temples in Myanmar which had all these LED lights; it seemed that they’re more of living monuments which have been allowed to be modernized and Christianized to keep up with the times.

According to the guide we overheard, the higher the coffin, the greater the honor the dead has been accorded by his people.

To wrap up the eventful morning, we went to Misty Lodge and Cafe for a sumptuous lunch of baked chicken, pizza, and red velvet crinkles. I’m not embarrassed to say that this was also my first time to see an actual fireplace. :)

The rest of the afternoon was spent walking around the town, looking at souvenir shops and eating at Yogurt House (try their banana yogurt with granola and blueberry jam).

The next morning, while carrying our pasalubong (I bought blueberry jam for baking), Jordan decided to take us to Lumiang Cave, which is the starting point of the arduous Cave Connection spelunking activity. Lumiang Cave is a leisurely 30-minute walk from the town proper, going downhill.

On the way, we saw coffins hung on the limestone formations in the valley to our left. They looked more legitimate, I think.

The many hanging coffins at the entrance to Lumiang Cave were likewise astounding.

That afternoon, we began our six-hour trip to Baguio, from where we’d take a bus back to Manila. The winding road to the city offered views of the verdant Cordilleras and the rice terraces, plus an almost opaque-looking rainbow up close. I want to go back already. :)

Related articles

• Climbing Mt. Pulag (with a prelude on Mt. Daraitan)
• A Camiguin Day Tour, Part Three: Trekking Mt. Vulcan

When you’re a budding traveler and you’re thinking of traveling locally, Bohol is probably one of the first things you’d put in your bucket list. It’s in everyone’s radar, travel is relatively easy and affordable, and yet, there are so many sights and activities packed in a small area. I’d always wanted to go to Bohol, but it took me three years after writing my 30 before 30 list before I actually got the chance.

Also, it sounded like a place where my family could go! I am all for walking all day, but this time around, I just wanted my parents to rest and enjoy, even if it meant being in an aircon van between attractions. Boring and too touristy? Well, I certainly wasn’t complaining. :) So we waited for an AirAsia seat sale and booked us a tour package at Bohol Rent a Car (P3000/head — more on this later). Since we were not going to do heavy physical activities, we packed in small, light backpacks, which we filled with lots of Peanut Kisses later on. :) My trusty five-year-old Jansport went with me. (I found a good collection of Jansport backpacks in nice colors and prints at Zalora!)

When I went to Bohol in December 2014, the province was still recovering from the effects of the 2013 earthquake.  We saw how the Baclayon and Loboc churches were being rebuilt. My mother, who had been to Bohol before, also saw a Panglao shoreline that is steeper than before. Still, I should say that Bohol was worth visiting in spite of these damages. You might even find the restoration quite fascinating.

Here’s our itinerary:

Bohol and Panglao for Three Days and Two Nights

Day 1: day tour of Bohol

• met our driver at the Tagbilaran Airport
• Blood Compact site
• Baclayon Church
• Loboc Church
• Loboc River Cruise and Floating Restaurant
• Tarsier Conservation Area in Loboc
• Man-Made Forest in Bilar
• Butterfly Garden
• Chocolate Hills

• Hanging Bridge
• pasalubong shopping at Aproniana Souvenir Shop
• Travel to Panglao, rest at Alona Grove Resort
• Dinner along Alona Beach

Day 2: Island Hopping around Panglao

• Dolphin watching (but there were no dolphins that morning :( )
• Balicasag Island
• Naked Island
• Dinner along Alona Beach

Day 3: Panglao Land Tour

• Bohol Bee Farm
• Hinagdanan Cave

Going Around

Before you balk at Bohol Rent a Car‘s P3000/head tour package, let me show you the inclusions:

• accommodations — our family of five had a room with TV and aircon at Alona Groove Resort
• daily breakfast
• land transfers from airport to resort and back
• transportation with driver/tour guide
• Bohol land tour (see Day 1 of our itinerary)
• entrance fees
• buffet at the floating restaurant during the Loboc River Cruise
• Island hopping tour

I should also say — and this is not an ad — that I highly recommend them. I was in contact with Sir Ramil Palileo, who was able to find us a car to accommodate us for a short Panglao land tour. Sir Nilo, our driver for the countryside tour, was also very entertaining! Check out their packages here. You may contact them at (0917)6689074.

More stories about Bohol to come later!

The temporary title of this blog post was, “How to take pictures of your Bohol day tour with a 50mm 1.8f manual focus lens,” because I may have destroyed my go-to 18-55mm zoom lens for good when I went to Sagada before Christmas. It’s really hard to shoot with a fast lens when traveling, but, as I was forced to capture details, I’m quite happy with some of the results.

Our tour began at the airport where we were fetched by our tour guide from Bohol Rent a Car. (We didn’t actually rent a car, though you can take that option.) We immediately headed out to the  crowded Blood Compact site.  We then went to the Baclayon Church, where there were blessedly fewer people lingering on to see the restoration work and its small museum.

Lovely woodworking on church pews

From Baclayon, we headed off to Loboc to view the church and to begin our river cruise.

We had our lunch on the boat that traversed the Loboc River. While the food was just okay, the sights were fantastic.

After the boat ride, we went to one of my most favorite places in Bohol — the Tarsier Conservation Center.

About a decade ago, and much to my envy then, I kept on seeing pictures of my friends holding and posing with tarsiers. This practice has been discontinued in recent years due to some tourists who, for reasons incomprehensible to me, got to shaking the tiny cutiepies to death. Now we can see them only on tree branches where these nocturnals are half asleep.

On the way to our next stop was the man-made forest in the town of Bilar. For two kilometers, the winding road is walled by towering mahogany trees which provides the area with shade and cool air. You can stop anywhere in this stretch to take pictures.

The man-made forest is a reforestration project that started in 1947 and addressed the deforestation of the Loboc watershed due to kaingin. More than 50 years later, our generation can bear witness to fully-grown trees. It is quite unfortunate, though, that mahogany is not endemic to the Philippines  and thus has serious implications to the biodiversity of the area. (Read the linked post for a really good read.)

After a brief tour of the butterfly farm, we went to Carmen where the Chocolate Hills can be viewed. And they’re way more awesome in reality than in my grade school textbooks!

The viewdeck was still under repair, but it didn’t stop the hordes of tourists who flocked there to see these limestone wonders. In December, they do not look particularly like mounds of chocolate. Nonetheless, they are a spectacular sight because there are just so many of them — there are at least 1,268 — and they are pretty unique geological formations, too. They are karsts — natural landforms  formed from the dissolution of limestone and other soluble rock. Other karst features in the Philippines include the ones found in Puerto Princesa and El Nido in Palawan, and in the Caramoan Peninsula. These ones are rugged and are more obviously products of rock erosion — which is why the evenly conical Chocolate Hills, in which you can find marine fossils, are so special.

Our final stop, before we went to our resort in Panglao, was the Tigbao hanging bridge, apparently one of the best footbridges in the world as per CNN. It is made of bamboo and metal. Down below is the murky Loboc River. Crossing it means bouncing up and down with every step.

I did not find it terribly exciting, even when the other tourists started jumping up and down to rile up their companions. (This is just me; people have varying opinions on how scary it is.) On the other side are more souvenir shops, which basically shows you how much Bohol relies on its tourism industry.

Related articles

• Bohol and Panglao

I hereby dub Panglao as Boracay lite, and in the best way. The powder-white sand of Alona Beach is perfect for barefoot walking in the day. In the evening, restaurants bring out chairs and tables, and you can have the freshest seafood for dinner under the moonlit sky.

It is not the deserted white sand beach of your dreams, but it’s not the wild party place that Boracay has become, either. It’s a place where my brothers and I could walk amid the crowds and banter over drinks without the bothersome presence of booming bass lines and half-drunk dancing teenagers. (Geez, I’m getting old.)

The day after our Bohol land tour, we went to an island-hopping tour to Balicasag and Virgin Islands arranged by Bohol Rent a Car. It was supposed to include a dolphin sighting tour, but there was none to be found that morning — either that, or we’d just overslept.

We went snorkeling near Balicasag Island. My parents were on shallow waters, while we ventured to the underwater cliff just a few meters away. The corals on shallower waters are sadly already bleached. It was, however, pretty nice to see my parents enjoy seeing underwater life — it was their first time to go snorkeling, and my mom was positively high-pitched giggling.

We stayed on the island for grilled lunch. It was unfortunate, however, that one of the meals on the menu was a parrotfish. :( It was not a particularly appetizing lunch.

We went to Virgin Island afterward. It is, well, naked — just a sandbar with a few mangroves and couple of coconut stalls shaded by tarps on bamboo stilts. Here we found a lot of starfish, also to the glee of my parents. (Mama and I had a somber moment back in Panglao when she saw shells and dead starfish being sold in one of the stalls along Alona Beach. I do wish local DOT offices are more aware of these things happening!)

When we got back to Panglao, my parents went to the market and cooked our dinner at the Alona Grove Resort. This was supposed to be our last night in Bohol.

The next day, we decided on the fly to tour Panglao by land. We arranged it with our tour operator. The first stop was at the lovely Bohol Bee Farm to look at their herb and vegetable garden and their (box of) bees. We didn’t have time to sample their flower salad, but we did join the tour and bought some of their goods.

Different herbs in Bohol Bee Farm

After Bohol Bee Farm, we went to Hinagdanan Cave. It was a very easy climb down as they had put up concrete steps. There is a pool where you can swim for a fee; for us, we were content to look around.

And now, a crazy ending to our otherwise peaceful trip —

At this point, we were told by our driver that an AirAsia Zest plane was grounded in Tagbilaran Airport because of a busted wheel. This was the day when Indonesia AirAsia 8501 crashed into the Java Sea. It was a creepy coincidence. The problem with the airport, though, is that none of the other planes could depart because of runway restrictions, and the plane is stuck in the runway, and no one can fly to/from the airport at night.   We hurried to the airport to see whether we were going to fly home that day. The airport personnel said yes, the aircraft was going to be fixed before sunset.

What ensued was a long afternoon of waiting and staring at the AirAsia plane…

Come on, @AirAsiaPH, I’m rooting for ya! But please get our tire fixed asap. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/XJrFg42mxI

— Fil Alcaraz (@filofthefuture) December 28, 2014

And finally…

Flights cancelled due to stalled AirAsia aircraft at Tagbilaran, Bohol. Today I learned that airplanes don’t carry spare tires and tools…

— Fil Alcaraz (@filofthefuture) December 28, 2014

Also, typhoon Seniang was about to arrive, and there was a threat of eventual flight cancellations!

Tagbilaran Airport seriously needs to train its staff because there was no organization whatsoever in getting us accommodations for the night. There was lots of pushing in line and really stressful stressed people. It was actually a foreigner who got us all to organize two lines — those who wanted to get accommodations, or those who instead wanted to get P500  per passenger while we choose our own accommodations. We opted to just get the money. And I didn’t get a copy of their waiver, though I demanded it. Sigh.

We were also told that there would be no flights till 7 AM of the next day, but I should call them in any case. So, early the next morning, in our dingy accommodations, I called the airport — this was at around 6:30 AM. And the lady on the line said, “Ma’am punta na po kayo dito, aalis na po ang flight niyo ng 7.”

So we hurriedly checked out and ran across the Tagbilaran rain, told our tricycle drivers to rush like mad, checked in in a record less than five minutes, and we sure as hell caught that 6:57 AM flight to sunny Manila.

Some later flights were cancelled due to the typhoon. We were very, very lucky.

Related articles

• Bohol Island in a Day Tour
• Bohol and Panglao

Batanes had always been the dream. I’ve been to quite a few places here in the Philippines and around Asia, but Batanes always remained elusive — it’s either too expensive, and the only time when airfares to Basco are cheap is during the rainy season.

Meanwhile, I consider marriage as a confluence of dreams. It is, among other things, about two people making a vow to help each other fulfill their aspirations. So before I started booking any of our wedding vendors, my ex-boyfriend-now-husband and I went to a travel fair and — because I not-really-but-demurely-totally asked — booked tickets to Basco for a little discount.

(Yes — for the months I neglected to post anything in this blog, I was busy planning my wedding and gettting married, and working for moolah in between! I half-jokingly told friends that I was more excited for the honeymoon than the wedding, wink, but both turned out awesome.)

In the next few posts, I’ll be telling you about a wish finally fulfilled with a person I’m to spend a lifetime traveling with. :)

About Batanes

Batanes is the Philippines’ smallest province in terms of both land area (219.01 sq. km.) and population. It comprises 10 islands, three of which — Batan, Sabtang, and Itbayat — are inhabited. The capital, Basco, is on Batan.

Batanes has six municipalities: Basco, Itbayat, Sabtang, Uyugan, Mahatao, and Ivana. Its population remains at only 16,000 to 17,000 — for the whole province. (In comparison, there were almost 56,752 people in Barangay Alabang, Muntinlupa in 2010. That’s in a land area of 8.064 sq. km.!) We were told that part of the reason for this, aside from the province’s small land area, is that there are only two colleges with limited course offerings. As a result, very few of the youth stay after high school and instead opt to go to Pangasinan or Manila for college and, eventually, work.

Most travelers see only Batan and Sabtang islands, as Itbayat is a tortuous three-hour boat ride away. (I looked at Google Maps and saw that a few hours more on the boat and one would be in Taiwan!) We were told of travelers who went to Itbayat only to be stranded there for more than a week! However, if that is your thing (as well as caving and lots of hiking), do go.

Batanes in Six Days: Our itinerary as it happened

Day 1
Arrival in Basco
Settled in at Marfel’s Lodge
12:00 noon: North Batan Tour

• Mt. Carmel Chapel
• PAGASA Tukon Radar Station
• Basco Idjang viewing
• WWII Japanese Hideout/Tunnel
• Valugan Boulder Beach
• Basco town proper
• Vayang Rolling Hills
• Naidi Hills Lighthouse

Day 2
6:00 AM: Sabtang Tour

• faluwa ride to/from Sabtang Island
• Sinakan stone houses
• St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel
• Savidug idjang viewing
• lime kiln
• Chamantad-Tinyan Viewpoint
• Brgy. Savidug Stone Houses
• Brgy. Chavayan stone houses
• Brgy. Savidug stone houses and Sabtang Weavers Association
• Nakabuang Cave and Ahaw on Morong Beach

Day 3
9 AM: South Batan Tour

• Paderes Point and Cliff Road
• Mahatao Boat Shelter Port
• Mahatao Town Tour
• San Carlos Borromeo Church
• Blank Book Archive
• Mahatao Lighthouse
• Racuh a Payaman (Marlboro Hills)
• Alapad Hills
• San Lorenzo Ruiz Chapel in Imnajbu
• San Antonino de Florencia Church in Uyugan
• Honesty Coffee Shop
• House of Dakay
• Old Spanish Bridge
• White Beach
• Hohmoron Lagoon

Day 4
waited out typhoon Dodong
walked around Basco town proper

Day 5
Racuh a Payaman and Vayang Rolling Hills via tricycle

Day 6
departure fom Basco

Accommodations

We stayed in Marfel Lodge in Brgy. Kayvaluganan, Basco. You need only to turn a couple of corners from the airport and you’re there! Its ubiquity in backpacker blogs is almost legendary, and so it is almost always fully booked. Recently they had an extension and annex built to deal with the many inquiries. Its reputation is well-earned. The extension, where we stayed, has only five rooms — a good thing if you’re seeking something homey. We had long chats during the day with the staff, and even into the night with the other guests. (The staff actually leaves us on our own in the evening. I can’t get over how important trust is in Batanes!) There’s a kitchen where we could cook our own meals and an “honesty store” where we simply leave money to buy food they have in stock. This kitchen turned out to be our savior during the typhoon when almost all the restaurants around were closed.

We were lucky to get the air-conditioned room with a private toilet and bath. When power was down, the staff was kind enough to deduct from the original cost of the room for those nights when we didn’t get to use the air-con. Ate Fe, Jay-ann and Jimlan will also tell you stories — you’ll really appreciate how lovely it is that people in this small town seem to know each other!

Touring the Island

We got the services of BISUMI Tours and Services, which is managed by Ryan Cardona (also a popular name in blogs). We were quoted a total of P5,200 per person for a three-day tour of North and South Batan and Sabtang. This includes all registration and entrance fees, sea and land transfers, and lunch for three days. You’ll also get valuable information from their tour guides.

Too steep? (I was okay with steep because this was a honeymoon, after all.) Another thing you could consider, especially if you’re a couple, would be to take a tricycle to tour you around. It would cost you P1,000 for a North Batan tour and P1,500 for South Batan. It would be very convenient, though, to get tour services for Sabtang Island. BISUMI quotes P2,000 per person for a Sabtang tour, including transfers, fees, and lunch.

Transportation

We went to Batanes via Skyjet. Right on time, too, because CAAP suspended its services after a week! Philippine Airlines and Sky Pasada are other airlines with flights to Basco.

You can rent bicycles for as low as P200 per day in many areas in Basco. You can also rent motorcycles.

There are exactly eight jeeps plying the roads of Batan island, and only four of them can be found in any given day. Waiting for one could take hours.

Tricycles are mostly used by travelers. They are not cheap — after all, a certain oil company has monopoly on the province. For instance, a return trip to Marlboro Hills from Basco is P200/passenger. For uphill places, only two passengers are allowed in a tricycle.

I invite you to look at the unique tricycles on Sabtang island:

Tricycles in Sabtang

Food

Let’s begin with pizza, because pizza is awesome, even more so in the northernmost province of the Philippines. You have a choice between Casa Napoli, with its juicy tomato quarters and soft mozzarella, and Jino’s Pizzeria, with its crunchy  thin crust and spice-topped pepperoni. Gosh, I’m salivating right now. Both deliver anywhere in Basco — just ask the front desk.

The coconut crab, or tatus, has a lot of meat under its huge exoskeleton. Alive, they have bluish parts, and they reside in the forests (!) of Mt. Iraya. Are they good? Well, yes — the way crab is always good, in my opinion.

A couple of dishes that you should try are vunes — dried gabi stalks, which can get your carnivorous husband to eat vegetables — and luñiz, or the Ivatan liempo.  Have them with their yellow rice, rice cooked with turmeric. Pension Ivatan, just a five-minute walk from Marfel’s Lodge, serves all these and more.

For snacks, eat their camote chips and fries, and Sabtang’s ube served in little cups. Wash it all down with young coconut water — and eat some more by asking kuya or ate to halve the coconut and make you a makeshift spoon so you could scrape off the juicy white meat.

I dieted for months before my wedding, so eating a lot in Batanes was so damn liberating, like a huge tasty middle finger to whoever first said that brides should look good in their white dresses. As you can see, I have no pictures of food because I devoured them before I could even think of taking pictures.

Why you should go

Because it isn’t really that expensive if you’re willing to make some adjustments in accommodations and transportation.

Because it’s peaceful and safe, and the people are lovely. (If you get drunk and fall asleep on the sidewalk, your wallet and cellphone would still be with you along with your hangover the next morning.)

Because the Ivatans are a lovely, strong, and proud people. Did you know that no one from another province can purchase land on Batanes? And never mind a signal no. 4 typhoon — their houses are strong, and a half day later, their backyards would be cleared of branches and other debris.

Because its rugged landscape is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen in my whole life — so beautiful that I had tears in my eyes when I first saw Vayang Rolling Hills.

Batan is considered to be the main island of the Batanes group. It has the most population, for it has the largest habitable and arable land area. The municipality of Basco is in north Batan. Our first day in Batanes was a tour of the northern part of Batan Island through BISUMI Travel and Tours. The trip packs several destinations in a small land area. We were fetched from our hotel, Marfel’s Lodge, at noontime. We had lunch first in an open-air restaurant where the pako salad was served after the main course, and the calamares after the salad. (Thankfully, the seafood was fresh and good.) Next, we went upland to see the pretty Mt. Carmel Chapel, where you can hold the destination wedding of your dreams.

The chapel is designed after the traditional Ivatan houses. Flowering vines crawl thickly on its door and window frames. There were so many tourists when we came, so we spent a while inside, where the atmosphere was quiet and intimate. Light spilled through windows which overlooked the sea on both sides. The ceilings, I learned, are painted with the patron saints of each Batanes municipality — in the likeness of important people in the province. (At this point, I decided to go out again.)

Further up, in Tukon, we went to see the PAGASA Radar Station. It has a Doppler radar here which has made weather forecasting in northern Philippines much more accurate.

Of course, aside from sophisticated equipment, the station still uses traditional weather forecasting equipment like precipitation gauges and a sunshine recorder.

From this area, you have a view of Fundacion Pacita, the most high-end lodgings one can have in Batanes. However, unless you have a room or dining reservation there, you cannot explore the place. (We were lucky to be able to have a look inside a couple of days later, but that’s for another blog post!)

In general, Tukon really had great views.

You’d get sweeping views of farms bordered by hedges all over Batan, as in the picture below. The hedges are boundaries between property, and merely sway with strong winds in the event of a typhoon. They are a beautiful sight, and they are everywhere.

Related articles

• Dios Mamajes, Batanes!

A little story: My fears about meeting an accident right before my wedding came to a head when, to the surprise of everyone except me and my close friends, I fell into the gutter of a crowded but dimly-lit street — and sprained my foot. Now I like to run and hike, and I have done muay thai and some dancing, but I sprained my foot while walking in the city streets, just because I’m clumsy. Story of my life.

(Doesn’t it annoy you when you fall down and strangers around you just stare at you and make tsk tsk noises? Even if you have a huge backpack and a heavy shopping bag?)

As it turned out, I had an avulsion fracture. My foot should have been placed in a cast, but I said, eh, it’s expensive, I’ll just wait it out a few weeks (with a promise to my mother that I will rest my foot). In reality, I would be really annoyed if I had to explore Batanes in a cast. I guess I was so insistent on getting healed that my body somehow conspired to allow me to walk down the aisle in my awesome maroon high heels.

So yes — the point of the rambling story above is that a beginner-friendly tour of Batanes was quite a challenge for me and my bandaged foot. But I was in Batanes, and there was no stopping a girl from exploring the place.

After Tukon, we went to see the Basco Idjang from afar. The idjang is a fortress built from natural landforms, and was where Ivatans of old hid against invaders or enemies.

It’s an archaeological treasure that, sadly, few Filipinos know about. I certainly did not know about them till we visited. (Here’s an interesting blog post that discusses Batanes’ prehistoric past. I wish I’d read this post before going to Batanes!)

Next, we went and crawled through a tunnel built during World War II by Ivatans under the command and threats of Japanese soldiers. You could see holes where the builders used rock picks to carve the tunnel. “Did people die here?” I asked the question with the most obvious answer.

We came out of another entrance which overlooked some beautiful Batanes scenery.

Valugan Boulder Beach was a special kind of challenge. No, actually, it wasn’t — it’s just that I insisted on walking on the rocks even with a sprained foot.

There were pumice stones that we could use as panghilod (I was really keen on bringing one home), but there were also huge ones that could crush a human being. These stones were spewed by Mt. Iraya during an ancient eruption — its last eruption was in 1454 — and were shaped into these round boulders by the Pacific Ocean. You can hear the rocks banging against each other with every wave. (And this is why Magellan should not have named it Pacifico.)

We went back to the Basco town proper for refreshments and to visit the town church. Next to the church is the St. Dominic College, the only private college in the province.

Our next to the last stop was the Vayang Rolling Hills, the highlight of our day trip. Bathed in the golden late afternoon light, the hills appeared like sharp green waves undulating toward the West Philippine Sea.

I’ve  had my fill of gorgeous places in the Philippines, but Batanes truly is something else. It is a beautiful thing to still be in awe of my own country.

Finally, we headed to the lighthouse on Naidi Hills. Here, we ended the day by climbing up the winding staircase (not without effort on my part) and seeing sweeping views of Basco town and the sun dipping toward the sea.

And this was only our first day there. :)

Related articles

• Dios Mamajes, Batanes!
• A Tour of North Batan (Part 1)

According to rumor (and the great thing about guesthouses is that everyone makes chika there), a famous Filipina actress who went to Batanes alone decided not to push through with her Sabtang tour because, uh, she was disappointed that no one had gone to her feeding program the previous day.

There are two lessons to be learned from this rumor: one, that if you want to do a feeding program, you must coordinate with local authorities; and two, you can never not go to Sabtang.

A tour of Sabtang goes for a little over half a day, the same as the North Batan tour. You have to get to the port of the town of Ivana before 7 AM (6:30 AM is ideal), and Ivana is about half an hour from Basco. Your tour operator will go to your guesthouse as early as 6 AM to take you to the port. It is thus best that you wake up early.

The faluwa is a large boat with a U-shaped body and no outrigger (katig). The faluwa ride to Sabtang Island is another half hour. We had a pleasant ride.

The Sabtang Lighthouse stands on an outcrop on the coast of Sabtang, as though welcoming you.

Our first stop was the village in Sinakan, which is near the sea, where we could look at Ivatan stone houses. (But first, I made a beeline to the lady who sold ube and buko pandan juice in little cups.)

Many Filipinos already have an image in their heads of the stone houses in Batanes: compact, with walls made of cobblestones or coral rocks and limestone, and roofs made of cogon. Contrary to what one might think, though, this is actually a living, breathing village. While a few of the houses are ruined, the rest are the homes of Sabtang’s small population. The houses, unique to Batanes, are small but obviously very sturdy. The roofs are made of layers upon layers of cogon grass.

The sign above is an invitation for everyone to help out in the cemetery on the stated date. People do go in the spirit of bayanihan. This is also how they were able to build their houses — just through cooperation, with the implicit expectation that you will also get everyone’s help when your time of need comes.

“Dios mamajes,” of course, is the expression of gratitude in the Ivatan language. It literally means “God bless you” — I thank you for what you have done for me, and may God provide you with what you need in return.

(Of all things I could say to Batanes, what could be more apt than “Dios mamajes”? I thank you, Batanes, for showing me your beauty; I could do nothing more than take pictures of you and write about you, so may God bless you with abundance and the care that your own people provide you.)

Related articles

• Dios Mamajes, Batanes!
• A Tour of North Batan (Part 1)
• A Tour of North Batan (Part 2)

When you tour Sabtang Island, you actually only see the eastern side of the island, one that is near the coast.

After visiting the Stone houses of Sinakan, we took a long road to our next destination. Along the way, we stopped by a limestone kiln — essentially a hole in a limestone-rich ground. They light the makeshift kiln up and “cook” the limestone for days until it can be used as a binder for the walls of the stone houses.

On the same long road, we were able to see an idjang, which — as mentioned in a previous entry — is a fortress used for habitation, but was also a fortification where Ivatans hid against enemies or invaders.

The idjang in Savidug not too difficult to find as it is greatly modified, as opposed to simply carved onto a landform like the Basco idjang.

The Savidug idjang has been a subject of archaeological investigations. Burial jars, Chinese ceramics, and foundations of stone houses have been excavated from here. (You can read about such an excavation here.)

Our eventual destination was the Chamantad-Tinyan viewpoint for some rugged, breathtaking views of the beach.

At some point, your fellow tourists will spread out. It is a huge place. You are urged to go as far out as you can for the grandest views.

And here, in Batanes, you will realize again and again what breathtaking views really mean.

And while we were at it, why not a post-nuptial picture? :)

We also got to try the vakul, or the headgear of the Ivatan females, while I sipped on fresh coconut juice and ate its soft, juicy meat.

I urge you to buy your pasalubongs here, particularly the tubho tea. We were able to buy one pack for P35, whereas other stores would sell them for P50. I also bought a couple of ref magnets that look like stone houses for P70 — they’re a bit steep, but they look nicer compared to the others I have seen.

Related articles

• Dios Mamajes, Batanes!
• A Tour of North Batan (Part 1)
• A Tour of North Batan (Part 2)
• Sabtang Island, Part 1: The Sinakan stone houses

Perilous roads make for grand views. It’s true for the Cordilleras; it’s also true for Sabtang.

The southernmost part of Sabtang that we were able to reach during our tour was Brgy. Chavayan. Like Brgy. Savidug, it has traditional stone houses nestled between Sabtang’s green slopes and rugged coastline.

Here, we were able to have a look inside the Sabtang Weavers Association, where we learned more about the vakul, or the headgear of the Ivatan women. See below again for reference:

The vakul is made from the leaves of the Philippine date palm, locally known as voyavoy. They are then shredded using a device that looks like a hair brush, but with nails as teeth. Afterwards, they are dried and bound together.

The vakul shields its user from sun, wind, and rain.

From here, we went back northward, further from the pier, to the white sands of Morong Beach.

We had great lunch at the Paypanapanayan Canteen just meters away from the beach. You could order lobsters in advance. As for us, we were content with their fish and tapa, and ate heartily.

One goes to Morong Beach especially to see this natural limestone arch locally known as Ahaw.

If you have time, take a swim, because this might be the only time in your Batanes trip when you’ll truly enjoy a dip in the sea!

We had to catch the 1 PM boat back to Batan Island, lest we get caught in low tide, when our faluwa would be unable to leave the docks. It was a rougher ride this time around. When we got back, we found out that typhoon Noul/Dodong was already nearing northeast Luzon, and PAGASA had raised Signal No. 2 over the province. It sounded unreal — we had just come from a trip beneath bright blue skies. This was to change in the next two days.

Related articles

• Dios Mamajes, Batanes!
• Sabtang Island, Part 1: The Savidug stone houses
• Sabtang Island, Part 2: On the way to the Chamantad-Tinyan Viewpoint
• A Tour of North Batan, Part 1

Unlike the previous two days, when the sky had been as blue as any Philippine summer sky could be, our third day in Batanes foreboded rain. Signal no. 2 had been forecast the day before as typhoon Noul/Dodong was about to make landfall in northeastern Luzon. It was quite the perfect day, though, for touring: the overcast sky provided us cover as we went around the southern portion of Batan Island.

Our first few destinations were all in the town of Mahatao. We began at the Chawa View Deck, which has a winding staircase leading down to rock formations that looked perilously too close to the sea. It overlooks the West Philippine Sea. Here, I snacked on taho here (P20 for a small cup).

There’s a nice view of the Boat Shelter Port on the road above it. This is where boats are docked in the event of a typhoon. Indeed, it was slowly filling up with boats preparing for a strong typhoon.

Next, we went to the Tayid Lighthouse, which is quite unique for its hexagonal tower.

This lighthouse was built in the early 2000s and is still functioning.

We headed next to the town proper of Mahatao, the center of which is, of course, the church. It has a very interesting ceiling:

I spent a few inspired minutes writing in the nearby Blank Book Archive.

It is a room with shelves of books with blank pages, and anyone who happens to visit may choose a book at random and write on it. If you want, you can also just read whatever is in there, which are mostly words by travelers who have been captivated by Batanes.

We had a good meal at Paulvana’s Canteen, a restaurant near the church. Here, we tasted vunes, a vegetable viand made of dried gabi. We even took with us their tasty camote fries, which were just the right amount of sweet.

Our next destination was the famed Marlboro Hills. Its proper name is Racuh a Payaman. According to locals, it got its moniker when the Ivatans saw those old Marlboro commercials in the ’80s and thought that the hills there looked like the ones here in Batanes.

It was high noon and really windy when we got there. We stood on Marlboro Hills’ verdant hills, the wind whipping around our clothes that we felt like we were teetering on our feet all the time, as we took in the views of the Pacific Ocean, the cloud-covered Mt. Iraya, and the rest of Batan Island’s eastern coast.

Batanes just kept on taking my breath away with its beauty.  It had been a while since I last felt like being under such a neverending expanse of land and sea and sky.

Climb every mountain — er, hill. See the Tayid Lighthouse in the background.

Related articles

• Dios Mamajes, Batanes!
• A Tour of North Batan, Part 1
• A Tour of North Batan, Part 2
• Sabtang Island, Part 1: The Sinakan stone houses

Brgy. Imnajbu (pronounced im-nah-boo) in the municipality of Uyugan has a very cool name and one of the smallest populations in the Philippines — just over 100 people! Its rugged landscape is captivating, especially more so the day we went there, what with a signal no. 4 typhoon coming.

Imnajbu has a lot of claims to fame for such a small barangay. It is where the first Catholic mass and baptism in Batanes was held. A pretty chapel, dedicated to San Lorenzo Ruiz, now marks the spot where the first mass was held.

Imnajbu also has its wide shores to be proud of.

There are interesting rock formations. This one is cut through by the winding road. I suppose that once upon a time, the half section of the rock eventually fell toward the sea.

Then there’s the fact that a part of the Filipino version of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights — Carlos Siguion-Reyna’s Hihintayin Kita sa Langit (starring Dawn Zulueta, Richard Gomez and Michael de Mesa) — was filmed in Imnajbu’s Alapad Hills. Learning about this made me giddy because this was the first film to make me feel things as a child. (Why I’d been able to watch it then, I’ll never know.)

The white-tipped waves were positively roaring here as they crashed to the rugged shores.

It got me thinking that if Wuthering Heights is set in moors, which symbolize a dark, forbidden, all-consuming sort of love, Hihintayin Kita sa Langit uses a Filipino backdrop that perfectly reflects its own idea of romance: strong, impassioned, even self-destructive.

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• Dios Mamajes, Batanes!
• A Tour of North Batan, Part 1
• Sabtang Island, Part 1: The Sinakan stone houses
• A Tour of South Batan, Part 1: Mahatao

I just love how unique place names in Batanes are and how they make you pout your lips as they create sounds and stresses you never realized existed in a Filipino language: Kayvaluganan. Mahatao. Imnajbu. Ivana. The last place, which you pronounce with the stress in the first syllable (EE-va-na), is the last of the five (out of six) towns we visited in Batanes.

We finally saw the famous Honesty Coffee Shop along the main road. As featured in countless blogs and TV shows, no one mans the store; it relies on human decency. It used to be (and, in a way, continues to be) a store that catered to fishermen who just wanted a warm drink after an arduous journey. You buy coffee or snacks and put money in a drop box — so you either give the exact amount or leave the rest as tip.

On the way north, toward Basco, we dropped by the San Jose de Ivana Church, a national landmark.

Next, we dropped by the House of Dakay and the Old Spanish Bridge.

We went to the White Beach next, and then entered a cave and came out at the Hohmoron Lagoon. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay for long because the rain began in earnest. In the comfort of our van, as we headed up north, we saw the boats that dared go to Sabtang undulate with the strong waves.

The family that we were traveling with were staying the night at Fundacion Pacita, and that’s where we ended the day.

Fundacion Pacita facade

The family even persuaded us to have a peek at their cozy room overlooking the sea — which didn’t look too good, given the weather.

That concluded our tour. We still had two days left in Batanes, but it looked like we were going to spend the next day in the middle of a storm.

Related articles

• Dios Mamajes, Batanes!
• A Tour of South Batan, Part 1: Mahatao
• A Tour of South Batan, Part 2: Uyugan
• A Tour of North Batan (Part 1)

It was three in the morning. Power was out, and the air inside our room was getting suffocating. I, however, dared not open the window. I’d been up awake for more than a couple of hours, watching the branches of a mango tree in the yard get whipped in all directions by Typhoon Noul/Dodong’s signal no. 4 winds.

Whether in Batanes or in Manila, I have a hard time sleeping through a storm. I am a light sleeper in general — water slowly dripping into my bedroom can actually wake me. Add to this the fact that previous encounters with storms had been slightly traumatic. In Batanes, I took a slight comfort in the fact that I believed the Ivatans know best how to build houses. It may have been that thought that eventually brought me back to Dreamland, until the rain stopped pouring for good.

In the afternoon of May 11, I left our guesthouse alone and ventured to the center of Basco on foot. Basco has a layout that makes it quite easy to navigate. People are friendly, except for the stranger who will creepily tell you “I love you” and prove that catcalling is well and alive in every part of the Philippines.

In truth, the storm was actually welcomed by Batanes and other provinces in Luzon after a prolonged dry period. People were calmly cleaning up the streets of leaves and fallen branches. I walked toward the shore near the town plaza and found that the waves were still very strong.

I walked around the plaza, and I was also able to drop by the Yaru Gallery and Art Shop of the Yaru nu Artes Ivatan, an artists’ association. They painted the ceiling of Mt. Carmel Chapel.

*

We had a whole day to kill the next day. I wanted to go to my favorite places in Batan Island, so we hired a tricycle to go to Marlboro Hills and Vayang Rolling Hills.

It was a pleasantly sunny day; save for the occasional destroyed banana tree, nothing seemed to indicate that there had been a storm a couple of nights before.

Husband and I were alone in Marlboro Hills. We could have egg-rolled downhill if we wanted to.

We headed to Vayang Rolling Hills next. Again, we were alone for a long while.

For sure, it all got me wondering if and when I was ever going to see Batanes again. I tried memorizing what I was seeing, hearing and breathing — the fresh, grassy air, for instance, and how there was no sound save for our voices and the breeze going past my ears, and how the rolling hills looked like green and brown waves leading to the actual sea in the bluest of blues — though I knew doing so was futile. We were going back to the city and leaving behind a province we fell in love with in only a matter of days.

As it often happens when I recall a place I’d gone to, I recall a quote in Les Miserables on the loneliness of traveling: “What is more melancholy and more profound than to see a thousand objects for the first and the last time? To travel is to be born and to die at every instant.” I went to Batanes to see a thousand objects, and till I come back (if ever I do), I have a few pixels artfully arranged on my computer to look at: the most beautiful pictures, but mere shadows of the actual things. I will continue on to the next destination — literal or metaphorical — and the next, and the next, till I am sans everything.

This brings me to a thought: if traveling is to be born and to die at every instant, why, how many lives have I lived?

Related articles

• Dios Mamajes, Batanes!
• A Tour of North Batan, Part 1
• Sabtang Island, Part 1: The Sinakan stone houses
• A Tour of South Batan, Part 1: Mahatao

My students were on semestral break, and so it was the perfect time for their teacher to go frolicking among the trees bursting with autumn foliage in South Korea.

The truth, though, was that I’d planned our trip to Seoul almost a year in advance (thank you, AirAsia sales) because that was around the time I got into the Korean wave. K-dramas took so many hours of my time, I swear. I understand that it kind of makes me a stereotype — like someone you’d find in a “Five Types of Tourists You’d Meet in Seoul” list — but I did have about eleven months to do my research about the country and, in effect, have a greater appreciation for its culture — whether it be pop, Joseon dynasty-era, or that of the last century.

Six Days in Seoul: Our Itinerary as it Happened

(I will write a more detailed itinerary of each day as I write each post!)

Day 1

• departed from NAIA-3 with no incidents; flew via AirAsia to Incheon International Airport
• studied hangul and hangukmal during the four-hour flight (it’s pretty easy!)
• took the train and checked in at Insa Hostel
• looked for restaurants which were still open at 11 PM; found one and had my first taste of legit spicy Korean food

Day 2

Do note that this was a haphazardly planned day, where we went to the south of the Han River in the morning, then back up north in the afternoon and evening. 

• was late for the DMZ train :( took the train to Gangnam instead
• spent the morning at the Seongjeongneung — part of the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty (₩1000, but free that day)
• walked to Bongeunsa Temple
• had lunch at COEX
• took the train to Ewha Womans University
• ate and shopped on the roads to Ewha
• took the train to the Seoul World Cup Stadium
• took the shuttle to the Haneul Park (₩3000 for roundtrip shuttle)

• took the train back to the hostel

Day 3

• woke up very early to take the ITX – Chuncheon to Gapyeong
• took the ferry to Nami Island (₩8000 including roundtrip ferry ride and “VISA”)
• walked, took pictures, collected fallen maple and gingko leaves on Nami Island
• took the shuttle bus (₩5000) to Petite France
• walked around Petite France (₩6000 with discount)
• took the shuttle bus to the Garden of Morning Calm (₩8000 on weekdays)

• took the shuttle bus and train back home
• ordered chicken and beer; ate while watching the Korean Series

Day 4

• walked to Gwanghwamun Square
• visited the royal palaces: Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung (₩10000 for a combination ticket, including entrance to Jongmyo Shrine and Deoksugung)
• watched the palace guard changing in Gyeongbokgung at 10 AM

• looked around at the National Folk Museum (free entrance in Gyeongbokgung)
• walked to Changdeokgung via Samcheong-dong
• joined a tour of the Huwon (Secret Garden) of Changdeokgung (entrance fee is included in the combination ticket if reserved online)
• bought souvenirs on Insa-dong; had dumplings for dinner
• walked to the Cheonggyecheon stream
• walked back home

Day 5

• walked to Unhyeongung; unknowingly gate-crashed a wedding
• walked to the Jongmyo Royal Shrine
• took the train to the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan
• ate Korean barbecue
• took the train to the Dongdaemun Design Plaza
• took pics of the LED flowers at DDM
• took the train to Myeongdong
• shopped and ate at Myeongdong
• took the train back home

Day 6

• checked out of Insa Hostel
• visited the Bukchon Hanok Village
• took the train to Deoksugung; also look around at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
• watched an K-pop idol performance at the plaza of City Hall (not planned, haha)
• went back to Insa-dong, collected our bags, took the train to Incheon, and flew back home

Budget

Do note that I did not include below our airfare and my personal shopping. :)

Attractions You can Visit for Free

• Bongeunsa Temple
• War Memorial of Korea
• Gwanghwamun Square
• Bukchon Hanok Village
• Unhyeongung
• Dongdaemun Design Plaza
• Cheonggyecheon stream

Preparations

Visa

Except when you have arranged a trip direct to Jeju Island, Filipinos need a visa to get to South Korea. The process is quite easy if you have the requirements; you can check what they are in the embassy website.

A few notes: Since I was going with my husband, we had to file our visas together and give a copy of our marriage contract (original/true copy; it was not returned to us). I was able to file it on my own at the Korean embassy.

On the other hand, he was able to get a multiple-entry visa without even trying! Yes, for free! I guess it’s because he’s a teacher and government employee; either that, or it’s because his finances are, well, way better than mine. This, in spite of the fact that I was the one who showed my Japan visa (Japan is an OECD country) from a previous passport. Ah, well.

Weather and Climate

It was peak autumn when we arrived, and we had the loveliest views of Seoul. Imagine avenues lined with bright yellow (and smelly) ginkgo trees! We could not have gone at a better time.

Do your research on the weather, and — if you hail from a tropical country like me — don’t underestimate temperatures below 10 degrees C! A week before going to Seoul, I saw on weather forecasts that it was going to be chillier than the annual average temperature, so I was well-prepared with my winter coat. True enough, the temperature barely went above 12 degrees Celsius. I would’ve been so miserable otherwise.

Transportation

I am always Very Envious of cities with better transportation system than mine, and I could nearly cry with happiness (and sadness, at one point, when the DMZ train left at exactly the right time and we were still getting our tickets) at how efficient the train system is in Seoul. It’s also pretty easy to plan along the train lines because the local trains are simply named from Line 1 to Line 9.

You will likely fly in to Incheon International Airport. From here, you could either take a shuttle bus (₩10000 to Seoul) or take the Airport Express (AREX) train, and then transfer to a local subway. The cheapest option is to take the All-Stop Train — travel time is longer by about 13 minutes than the non-stop Express Train, but for almost half the price.

If you’re taking the all-stop train to Seoul, then you’ll have to buy the T-money card (₩2500) from any convenience store at the airport, and recharge it there. From Incheon to Anguk, we spent only ₩4050.

This page shows you all your options about getting in to Seoul from Incheon.

Plan your subway route using this website. In addition, download an app of the Seoul subway system to your phone.

You’ll be walking most of the time, so I would obviously recommend that you wear your most comfortable shoes.

Accommodation

I booked us a double room with private T/B in Insa Hostel, also known in some places as the Insadong Hostel. I chose to stay at the Insadong area instead of Myeongdong because I wanted a relatively more peaceful area than Myeongdong. Anyway, I think Insadong is in a more central location if you’re looking into visiting the sights more than partying or shopping for cosmetics. You could walk from here to all the palaces/gungs (except Deoksugung), Jongmyo Shrine, and Cheonggyecheon Stream. Plus, Insadong is an art street; walking around and looking at art and wares is a pretty nice experience. If you need the train, the Anguk Station (Line 3) is less than a five-minute walk from Insa Hostel.

Insa Hostel is affordable for its standards, and very homey. We got a clean room with hot water and daily cleaning. There’s free breakfast, too, though it’s pretty much self-service and you’d have to fry your own eggs. It’s quite relaxing. You’d likely share the dining table with other guests, and it’s going to make for an interesting conversation.

The staff was very helpful, too. They offered to order dinner for us, and gave great suggestions on where to go. You could also ask them random questions, like the name of that boy band group we saw at City Hall. (They didn’t know, but they searched for their name — it’s Boys Republic. Mystery solved!)

And they have a cat. Which sleeps in a suitcase. Deal sealed, yes?

Food

Oh my gosh, where to begin. Spicy pork over rice. Dakgalbi (chicken barbecue). Bulgogi (beef barbecue). Chimaek (chicken and beer), especially the just-slightly-spicy fried honey chicken. Fried mandu (dumplings) at one of the alleys in Insadong. I’m salivating just at the thought of those fried dumplings.

And the street food. Oh boy. That honey-nut hotteok (pancakes with fillings) somewhere near Samcheong-dong. Spiral potatoes rolled in sour cream powder in Myeongdong. A cup of fried honey chicken nuggets, cubes of hash browns, and tteok (rice cakes) near Ewha Womans University. Custard-filled fish-shaped cakes at the southern end of Insadong and outside Deoksugung.

Point is, even if you don’t like food slathered with gochijang (their ubiquitous spicy red paste), you can never go hungry in Seoul.

Shopping, Sales, and Tax Refunds

I bought so many skincare products in Insadong and Myeongdong because Korean brands seem to work on this poor face of mine. I would even say that if you are visiting Korea during the colder months, you should make skincare shopping a Day 1 priority. Stock up on moisturizers, BB/CC cream, and lip balm — your skin is surely going to dry up. Once you pay for your purchases, the store staff would put a lot of samples into your shopping bag.

Shopping for clothes is cheapest in university areas — I was able to check out Edae, the area near Ewha Womans University. The stores sell local clothing brands, and they’re quite nice and of good quality.

Do check out whether your stay in Korea coincides with the Korean Grand Sale! You’ll find that a lot of companies, including cosmetic shops, accommodations, and attractions offer discounts if you have the coupon. You can print out individual coupons from the website, or just get a brochure at the airport. Also print out coupons from the Visit Korea Committee website; I was able to get a 25% discount to Petite France from here.

If you make a purchase worth  ₩30000 and above, ask for a tax refund form from the clerk. You can exchange all of these at the airport — details can be found here. I was able to refund only $4, about the equivalent of ₩5000… but it could actually be useful if you want to buy coffee or snacks while waiting for your boarding!

Why You Should Go

Apart from the obvious — the K-drama locations, for example — I wanted to experience the seasons. South Korea is the most affordable place to go if you’re from Southeast Asia and are looking for an affordable way to see autumn, winter, or spring. I went to experience my first autumn. I know someone who went to Seoul because his family wanted to see snow. I would do this too. Probably.

You should also go for the very reason why we travel — to soak up history and culture. I’ve interacted with quite a few Korean students here, and some of my most unforgettable moments with them involved food — specifically, of them offering me something to eat and laughing/apologizing when I raced to the nearest drinking fountain to cool my tongue. It didn’t occur to me until just a year ago to read about Korean history beyond the ongoing cold war with the North —  and that’s only because I got to watching historical K-dramas. Even in Seoul, when we went to the War Memorial, I kept on realizing just how little I knew about the Koreans.

Finally, if you want a taste of efficiency and a sort of institutionalized respect toward nature and national monuments, you should go to Korea. Perhaps it would inspire you to do something about the country you’re going to come home to.

Day 2 Itinerary Notes

• Train from Anguk Sta. (Line 3), transfer at Seoul Natl Univ. of Education (Line 2) to Seolleung Sta., exit 8
• walk for some five minutes along Seolleung-ro to the entrance to Seonjeongneung, the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty
• see the burial mounds of the Joseon kings and queen
• take a long walk along Bongeunsa-ro to Bongeunsa Temple
• rest for a bit inside one of the
• cross the street and go into COEX Mall
• lunch at COEX
• go to Samseong Sta. using the connecting passageway
• take the train from Samseong Sta. (Line 2) to Ewha Womans University Sta., exit 2
• take pictures of the autumn colors at Ewha Womans University
• eat street food and buy clothes as you go back to Ewha Womans University Sta.
• take the train from Ewha Womans University Sta., transfer at Hapjeong Sta. (Line 6) to World Cup Stadium Sta., exit 1
• walk around the stadium and cross the street to Haneul (Sky) Park
• take the roundtrip shuttle to the park
• take the train from World Cup Stadium Sta. (Line 6), transfer at Bulgwang Sta. (Line 3) to Anguk Sta.

1. If you’re anyone like me, you’re probably going to get lost, so it’s always best to leave early if you have something scheduled.
2. Reserve early. I decided to reserve again a DMZ train a day before our last full day in Seoul, but seats were all already taken. And the DMZ train was the most affordable way to get to DMZ, so we just decided to put off a trip there till our next visit. ;)

…and by this, I don’t mean getting a brochure on course requirements or inquiring on enrollment for foreign nationals (although of course, you can totally do that). I mean, go to a university and sightsee, and envy the students a bit because they’re young and their school is lovely.

As for us, we (I) decided to visit Ewha Womans (sic) University, where I heard the autumn colors are nice.

To get there, we took Line 2 to Ewha WU Station and followed the people through a street lined with food stalls. I bought a tall piece of heaven in a cup: fried chicken glazed in something sweet, hash browns, and tteokbokki. While devouring the snacks, we went straight to the university grounds.

The thing about university areas, though, is that there are shops which sell cheap clothes to the college crowd — and so this is where we (I) headed.

The clothes are actually of good quality and design. You can get a good sweater for ₩10,000 (around ₱400).

While I shopped around, my husband sampled snacks around. See, in university areas in Seoul, there’s something for everyone.

To get to Ewha Womans University, take Line 2 of Seoul Metro to Ewha Womans University Station. Leave the station via Exit 2. Walk a bit through an alley of food stalls and skin care shops till you reach the entrance.

So — we had spent the morning in Gangnam and a couple of hours in Ewha Womans University, and in the later afternoon I was dragging my husband to our last stop for the day — the Seoul World Cup Park.

The Haneul Park stands on what used to be a landfill up to the early 90s. Massive amounts of soil had to be transported to cover the garbage and to eventually turn it into a park. Now, the park is home to hundreds of plant and animal species, and the methane and carbon dioxide that is still being produced by the garbage down below are collected as an energy source for the residents nearby.

At its highest, the garbage heap went as high as 98 meters up — and this is what you now need to either climb up or take an electric shuttle (₩5000, two-way two-person trip) to. In the evening when the air is chilly, they cover the shuttle with transparent sheets so you won’t freeze.

The sun was setting fast and (more importantly) our legs were already killing us, so we obviously took the shuttle.

The World Cup Park can be reached via a long walk from the World Cup Stadium Station (Line 6, exit 1). You need to go around the stadium counterclockwise and cross the street (more like the highway, actually) to get to the World Cup Park.

Notes on visiting Nami Island, Petite France, and the Garden of Morning Calm in one day from Seoul:

Preparations

1. Reserve your ITX-Cheongchun tickets here. Print out your reservation form. This is not your ticket; more on this later.
2. Print out a discount coupon (1 for each person) for Petite France here. This gives international tourists a 25% discount (only until Feb. 29).

On the day of your trip:

1. Go to Cheongnyangni Station.
2. Purchase ITX-Cheongchun tickets. Go to the Tourist Information desk or, if it’s too early, to the ticketing machines.
3. Take the train from Cheongnyangni Sta. to Gapyeong Sta. Go as early as possible to avoid large crowds (and in autumn, I tell you, there are so. many. people). We took the #2003 train at 7:16 AM.
4. Upon arrival at Gapyeong Sta., take a taxi to the Gapyeong wharf. Just tell the taxi that you’re going to Nami Island. The ride will not cost over ₩4000.
5. Buy your tickets to Nami Island (₩8000 entrance fee/visa, inclusive of ferry rides).
6. Get on the ferry and get off at Nami Island.
7. Roam around Nami Island for 2-3 hours.
8. Go back to Gapyeong wharf. Have lunch.
9. Go to 7-11 and wait for the Gapyeong tour bus (₩5000, unlimited rides; pay the driver) to Petite France. Grab a leaflet to know the bus schedule.
10. Spend about an hour or two in Petite France (₩6000, discounted).
11. Take the Gapyeong tour bus to the Garden of Morning Calm.
12. Spend about two hours in the Garden of Morning Calm (₩8000, discounted entrance fee on weekdays).
13. Take the Gapyeong tour bus to Cheongpyeong train station. From here, either take the regular train (in which you may have to stand for an hour), or wait for the ITX-Cheongchun, back to Seoul.

* * *

I should say, right off the bat, that the places here in the Gapyeong area are totally, unabashedly tourist traps — for good reason. Nami Island and the Garden of Morning Calm are gorgeous in autumn, and Petite France is a sort of pilgrimage for many a You Who Came From the Stars fan (like me).

Speaking of K-Dramas, Nami Island’s claim to fame is Winter Sonata, which I, as a college student, was kind of obsessed with in spite of all its improbable cheesiness. Nami Island is especially beautiful in autumn, though, just simply exploding in color — and in the sheer number of tourists. That’s why the best time to go there would be really early.

And now, an interlude featuring explanations that got lost in translation —

Husband and I took the 7:16 train from the Cheongnyangni Sta. It’s so early that the information booth, where we were supposed to exchange our train reservations for actual tickets, was still closed. Because of this, and seeing that there were no other offices open, we went straight to the platform.

This was a mistake. See, if you’re riding the ITX, and you came to Cheongnyangni Sta. via the local train, you have to tap out of the local line first. Then, you have to buy the ITX-Cheongchun tickets from the vending machine.

So because of this, we got on the ITX and stood almost all the way. Thankfully, the ride took less than an hour. We asked a couple of ticket inspectors if there might be any problem, and they just said “It’s okay.”

Now when we got to Gapyeong Station, we went through the ITX gates — but since the non-tapping out might cause us some problems, we decided to approach the guards. I explained to them the problem — there was no one in the information booth, we weren’t able to tap out, etc. They did not know much English but they seemed to have understood our problem, and they ushered us into their office.

And there, everything started to become confusing. The guards and officers spoke to each other in Korean, and to explain the problem to us, they used Google Translate. You can probably tell how well that worked. The guard who spoke to us tried different permutations of “finished after the situation” — which we didn’t get at all — till he landed on “posthumously released.”

Husband and I stared at each other, wide-eyed, mentally telepathing Are we in North Korea?! and we said, “Oh no, that means dead” — cue slashing motions across our necks. Somehow, Husband was able to figure out that the guards meant our reservations were cancelled when we didn’t seem to buy our tickets. “Yes, yes, cancel,” said the guards, and they let us pay the rest of the amount of the tickets (actual price minus the reservation fee) and tapped our tickets out.

Actually, we never really felt like we were in any mortal danger because the guards were just calm throughout. And in spite of instructions getting lost in translation, everything else was so convenient, and everyone was honest. Sadly, it would have turned out differently had we been in, uh, more familiar ground, without any language barrier.

** End interlude **

Upon exiting Gapyeong Station, we took a taxi to the wharf and paid our tickets. We went to the next ferry and marveled at the water that looked as though it was steaming in the cold morning air. For most of the short ferry ride, we remained inside the ferry, keeping warm.

If you’re into it, you can even go to Nami Island via a zipline!

There were only about fifty of us on the first trip to Nami Island, and even then, we took the less trodden path through the grove of Japanese maple trees. We shared the path with just a couple of other tourists and  several squirrels.

Then we found ourselves in a lane of sequoias.

Now there is a lane of ginkgo trees that’s a staple of Nami Island brochures, and where many went to take pictures.

We escaped just as the hoards of tourists started arriving. In fact there were already a lot of us on the trip back. Nami Island isn’t exactly South Korea’s best-kept secret, but for about an hour, it felt like it was our own.