Matnog, Sorsogon: The Surprises of Subic Beach

After a while, the excitement for traveling wanes a little bit, just like anything else.

Feeling too lazy to wake up earlier than usual.
Choosing to be on Instagram rather than be out there (oh but there's free WiFi!).
Not going on certain legs of the trip for no apparent reason.

But Calintaan Island in Matnog, Sorsogon changed all that.

Where to stay in Legazpi: Mayon Backpackers Hostel

When we were searching for places to stay in Legazpi City, we really didn't know what options to expect. Average hotels would be fine anyway, just as long as they fit our P500-per-person-per-day budget and they have proper door locks. But finding a HOSTEL in this part of the country—now that was a surprise. Mayon Backpackers Hostel opened late last year and has so far received rave reviews at Tripadvisor, so we decided to give it a go.

Bicol's Mayon Volcano is stunning from any angle!

Our first agenda when we checked in for our Manila-Legazpi flight was to ask for a window seat on the left side of the plane. Why?

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Grand welcome ba kamo? CHECK!

VIDEO: Beautiful Bicol

We've just come from a six-day road trip to Bicol, arriving in Legazpi City before we headed further south to the tip of Luzon in Matnog, Sorsogon. We traveled with three of our friends, so that made us a (loud) party of five for an entire week.

Dealing with a week's worth of photos and thoughts isn't easy, so we're dishing in this video as a teaser first! ENJOY! ;)


Locations:
Legazpi City
Donsol, Sorsogon
Bulusan Lake, Bulusan, Sorsogon
Calintaan Island, Matnog, Sorsogon
Pinamuntugan Island, Bacacay, Albay

Nikka & Owen


Click here for more of our Bicol posts!

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HOT! Chili & other things in Bicol

It is easy to spot quirky food in Bicol without even trying. Random blaring signs like chili shake for sale greet you at almost every corner, so it's fairly easy to give in to curiosity. And in times like this when the summer sun is boring down on you, there's no better diversion than an ice-cold concoction—and when in Bicol, that cold concoction happens to be HOT too.

Postcards: Mayon Volcano, Albay, Philippines

Review: The North Face Alteo 35 Backpack

I got The North Face Alteo 35 backpack late last year as sort of replacement for my old TNF Jester daypack, which, although still very much in mint condition, wasn't as comfortable as before. Don't get me wrong—the TNF Jester is a fantastic bag and it's still the most comfortable daypack I've used. Let's just say what I pack in just outgrew its carrying capacity.

Postcards: Redang Island, Malaysia

Up the road to Mt. Cabuyao, Tuba, Benguet

I remember a proposition in Kidapawan City months before to build concrete steps (16,000!) up Mt. Apo, the Philippines' highest mountain. Nothing could be worse than that, except maybe if they decide to make a zipline on the way back down. Owen and I are no mountaineers but we do understand how important it is to earn anything you want to enjoy (i.e., the joy of being on top of everyone else in the entire 7,107-island archipelago). And although 16,000 steps certainly seem exhausting, who would ever attempt to do it? We wouldn't. We're quite sure nobody else, except a mountaineer, would dare scale such height, and certainly not along concrete steps.

But of course, as it turns out, we 'trekked' to Mt. Cabuyao, the nearest mountain to Baguio City, along a road so well paved that we were able to take turns kicking a stone on the way up (why? erm, why not?!).

Ultimate Cruising Essentials: What not to forget

Whether you’ve booked a trip ondeck the Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas to the Caribbean or you’ve decided to enjoy a cruise of the Nordic Fjords, one thing is true for all journeys: there’s nothing quite like creature comforts to make you feel at home.