I am originally from the Philippines and my younger year were spent traveling to the different beaches and sites in the archipelago consisting of around archipelagic of 7,641 islands in Southeast Asia. It’s a tropical country in the western Pacific Ocean. The country is split into three main geographical divisions from north to south: Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao.
- 3 Luxe Beach Vacations I Dream of *I’ve done 2 out of 3 YAY!
- Things to do while posted in Manila, Philippines
- What Activity in the Philippines Made it to My Asia Hitlist
- The Sweetest Mango in the World
- #ItsMoreFunInThesPhilippines Video
- 25 Things to do in the Philippines
- The Philippines is the 8th friendliest country in the world for expats 2012
Contents
GENERAL TRAVEL TIPS
- Anti-Nausea bands for kids & adults medicine free & effective
- Safe Sanitizer to Bring While Traveling non-toxic & wont dry your skin
- Something to Bring While Traveling the Tropics hate bugs & mosquitos? This is for you.
- How to choose a safer sunscreen A Tropical Travel Must-have

MANILA
Manila is capital of the Philippines in Luzon and is the densest city in the world.
ROADTRIP FROM MANILA
There are many places in Luzon that are just a couple of hours’ drive from Metro Manila. If you do a road trip in Luzon, I recommend traveling it during work hours to avoid the rush hour because that can make a 1-hour drive into a 3-hour one.

TAGAYTAY
Tagaytay is a popular place to go an hour south of Manila known for its cooler climate. It sits on a ridge above Taal Volcano surrounded by Taal Lake. It’s around 65km or a 1.5-3 hr drive from Metro Manila depending on which part of Manila & the traffic conditions. Rush hour can make it much longer so we always go during off peak times.
- Stylish Design Inspiration from Dondi’s Way Tagaytay AirBnB
- Aozora Japanese Restaurant Tagaytay
- Deli de San Honore Tagaytay
- Containers by Eco Hotel Tagaytay
- Overnight Detox in Kasa Luntian, Tagaytay
- Fine Dining at Antonio’s

MORONG, BATAAN
We drove up 187 km north of Manila to do a quick weekend beach getaway with our friends to celebrate Alejandro’s bestie M’s birthday. It’s a beautiful 3hr drive, especially on the SCTEX highway.
- Anvaya Cove Beach & Nature Club Accommodations
- Anvaya Cove Beach & Nature Club Food
- Anvaya Cove Beach & Pool

BAGUIO
Baguio is up in the mountains in the north of Luzon. It is called the “City of Pines” & “the Summer Capital of the Philippines” because its cooler temperatures make it popular in the summer. It’s a 3-4 hr drive of 245km via Kennon Road from Metro Manila depending on where you are coming from & the traffic conditions.
- The Manor Camp at John Hay Baguio room review & why we upgraded
- Le Chef at The Manor review of our hotel dinner & free breakfast buffet
- Horseback Riding near the hotel & a core memory for DiploBaby
- Butterfly Sanctuary is another cute & super interesting activity for toddlers
- Go Karting in Camp John Hay
- Chocolate de Batirol this is a Baguio institution for hot chocolate
- Lemon & Olives Greek Taverna so good, we ate there 2x!
- Strawberry Picking in Benguet another fun memory with DiploBaby + yummy strawberry ice cream
FLYING FROM MANILA
Because the Philippines is an archipelago most of the islands in Visayas & Mindanao can be accessed by plane & boat. I recommend flying because the boats take too long.

EL NIDO
Known for its ancient 250 million-year-old limestone cliff islands, Palawan is an archipelago of 1,780 islands in the western part of the Philippines. It has the most concentration of islands but is the most sparsely populated region in the country. Because of its scenic landscapes and high bio-diversity, Palawan is known as “The Last Ecological Frontier of the Philippines”.
– EL NIDO RESORTS
- Swab Testing for the El Nido Trip
- Traveling To Miniloc in a Travel Bubble Jan 2020
- Our Family Water Cottage in Miniloc
- DAY 1: Jack Fish Feeding, Pool & Beach Time
- DAY 2: Island Hopping & Small Lagoon
- DAY 3: Swimming with Jacks, Big Lagoon, DiploBaby Snorkeling & Paddle Board
- DAY 4: Guided Family Snorkeling, Secret Lagoon, Travel Back to Manila

BORACAY
If you ask any Filipino where to go in the Philippines if you can only visit once, more likely than not they will recommend Boracay because of its beaches that are so clear they make you think you are in a natural swimming pool. In Station 1 you can find the famous POWDER-FINE SAND that never gets hot even under the midday sun.
Staying in DISCOVERY SHORES December 2019
If you want to enjoy famous powder fine sand & treat yourselve to an unforgettable pampering experience, Discovery Shores is the best place to stay.
- Traveling To & From Discovery Shores Boracay
- Discovery Shores Boracay Suites
- Why Discover Shores Boracay is the Best on White Beach
- Food in Discovery Shores Boracay
- Yummy Fish & Chips at Los Indios Bravos
- Two Seasons Boracay Cheese Pizza
- Terra Wellness Spa in Discovery Shores Boracay
Staying in SHANGRI-LA BORACAY December 2017
Shangri-la might not have the same sand, but it’s a private beach which means less competition & more privacy. The Villa with butler is one of the best travel experiences we’ve ever had. Definitely worth a year of saving up for.
- Getting to Shangri-la Boracay from Manila
- Our Room and how they handled us getting sick
- Food & Entertainment
- Beach & Pools
- Exploring Shangri-la Boracay
- Two Seasons Boracay Cheese Pizza
- Upgrading to a Villa
Other Boracay Posts

BICOL
Bicol is famous for the Mayon volcano & its perfectly symmetrical cone shape. You can take a picture with the church tower of the church that was buried in the last eruption. There were many breathtaking vistas as we went around, but our hotel alone was already very nice to relax in. Bring nausea medication or SeaBands to avoid getting nauseus while going around.
- Flying from Manila to Bicol + going from the airport to the hotel
- Misibis Bay Hotel
- Sightseeing around Bicol
- Upgrading to a Villa in Misibis Bay
- Flying home from Bicol

ILIGAN
My province is Iligan located in Mindanao or the southernmost part of the Philippines. It is the home of Sunburts, Sukang Pinakurat, Chedengs Peanuts & the best Lechon in the country.
- Sunburst, the KFC of Southern Philippines
- Home of the Famous Spicy Vinegar: Pinakurat
- The Best Lechon for me: Totongs Lechon

BUKIDNON
I’ve visit Bukidnon a few times with my family in Iligan or Cagayan De Oro. It is 2hrs 30mins by car from CDO or 3hrs 30mins from Iligan. It’s a higher elevation so it’s a lot cooler. The drive can be super bumpy so I recommend that you bring proper transport.

