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2012 Batanes: Sabtang Island!
Batanes, Philippines
April 21, 2012
One of the main attractions of Batanes is Sabtang Island. From the main island of Batan, the trip takes 45 minutes by motorized boat through rough waters (as the boat is getting hit by waves from the open sea). At the time we went (April) the waves were quite strong but the trip was pretty smooth and uneventful. The boat they use is the bigger type (can carry 50 people and cargo) and thus safer for travel. Note to tourists: the boat is a public boat in a sense that you will be riding with plenty of other groups that are going to the Island. I actually thought it would be similar to my other island hopping experiences in other places in the Philippines where you hired a boat exclusively for your group.



The Island is relatively the same as Batan Island but more native. One of the main points of interest is visiting the Ivatan villages. We were able to go to Savidug and Chavayan (Chavayan is formerly nominated on the UNESCO World Heritage List); two of the most preserved Ivatan villages in Batanes. 





Ivatan Stone House



Aside from the more visible symbols of Ivatan culture like the Stone Houses made from stone and melted coral, it is also important to note the more intangible parts of Ivatan culture and the strong bond they keep even today. For example, our tour guide (a local) tells me that the Ivatans would not sell land to outsiders so as to keep the islands’ ownership within their community. I doubt that it is 100% true, but still most of them feel this way and quite strongly about their heritage and community. Also, the fact that there is almost 0% crime rate on the island cannot be attributed to personal goodness alone but most likely because of the strong bonds within the community. Would you steal from a good neighbor? I really think the Ivatans are a special group who are rare now in the Philippines and around the world. Their culture is still very much alive and the community is still quite strong in maintaining their heritage. 





The new and the old







Another main point of interest is the Chamantad-Tinyan Sitio Viewpoint; a beautiful viewpoint of Sabtang’s rolling hills and the beaches below. As with the other rolling hill locations we have been to, you can’t help but shoot panorama as the open space is just so wide! The trek from the road to the edge of the viewpoint was not too far and is actually worth the time and energy. Although there are at least 2 other places with similar Rolling Hills and views (Vayang and Marlboro Country), Tinyan Viewpoint has its own character and is definitely worth the trip.





Chamantad-Tinyan Sitio Viewpoint Panorama

for a larger view click here



The last stop of our tour is Nakabuang Beach; here we had lunch of fish and lobster after touring the island under the searing summer sun. The water was nice and cool but you have to look for openings between the rocks to find a nice place to dip and wade in the water. A naturally formed arch called the Nakabuang Arch can be seen on this beach… it was tough to shoot the arch without tourists under it resting from the harsh summer sun. I had to wait quite a while for the tourists to move :). (see main photo)


Lobster & Fish Lunch at Nakabuang Beach




Although a trip to Sabtang may not be necessary; it was definitely interesting and learning more about the Ivatans made it especially so. The Batanes Islands AND the Ivatans are both very special and treasures that the Philippines should be proud of.



for more photos on my flickr of Sabtang Island, Batanes click here

2012 Batanes: Sabtang Island!
Batanes, Philippines
April 21, 2012

One of the main attractions of Batanes is Sabtang Island. From the main island of Batan, the trip takes 45 minutes by motorized boat through rough waters (as the boat is getting hit by waves from the open sea). At the time we went (April) the waves were quite strong but the trip was pretty smooth and uneventful. The boat they use is the bigger type (can carry 50 people and cargo) and thus safer for travel. Note to tourists: the boat is a public boat in a sense that you will be riding with plenty of other groups that are going to the Island. I actually thought it would be similar to my other island hopping experiences in other places in the Philippines where you hired a boat exclusively for your group.

The Island is relatively the same as Batan Island but more native. One of the main points of interest is visiting the Ivatan villages. We were able to go to Savidug and Chavayan (Chavayan is formerly nominated on the UNESCO World Heritage List); two of the most preserved Ivatan villages in Batanes. 

Ivatan Stone House

Aside from the more visible symbols of Ivatan culture like the Stone Houses made from stone and melted coral, it is also important to note the more intangible parts of Ivatan culture and the strong bond they keep even today. For example, our tour guide (a local) tells me that the Ivatans would not sell land to outsiders so as to keep the islands’ ownership within their community. I doubt that it is 100% true, but still most of them feel this way and quite strongly about their heritage and community. Also, the fact that there is almost 0% crime rate on the island cannot be attributed to personal goodness alone but most likely because of the strong bonds within the community. Would you steal from a good neighbor? I really think the Ivatans are a special group who are rare now in the Philippines and around the world. Their culture is still very much alive and the community is still quite strong in maintaining their heritage. 

The new and the old


Another main point of interest is the Chamantad-Tinyan Sitio Viewpoint; a beautiful viewpoint of Sabtang’s rolling hills and the beaches below. As with the other rolling hill locations we have been to, you can’t help but shoot panorama as the open space is just so wide! The trek from the road to the edge of the viewpoint was not too far and is actually worth the time and energy. Although there are at least 2 other places with similar Rolling Hills and views (Vayang and Marlboro Country), Tinyan Viewpoint has its own character and is definitely worth the trip.

Chamantad-Tinyan Sitio Viewpoint Panorama
for a larger view click here

The last stop of our tour is Nakabuang Beach; here we had lunch of fish and lobster after touring the island under the searing summer sun. The water was nice and cool but you have to look for openings between the rocks to find a nice place to dip and wade in the water. A naturally formed arch called the Nakabuang Arch can be seen on this beach… it was tough to shoot the arch without tourists under it resting from the harsh summer sun. I had to wait quite a while for the tourists to move :). (see main photo)

Lobster & Fish Lunch at Nakabuang Beach

Although a trip to Sabtang may not be necessary; it was definitely interesting and learning more about the Ivatans made it especially so. The Batanes Islands AND the Ivatans are both very special and treasures that the Philippines should be proud of.

for more photos on my flickr of Sabtang Island, Batanes click here
2012 Batanes
Batanes, Philippines
April 20, 2012
Batanes is increasing becoming more popular as the costs and frequency of transportation to the main island’s airport of Basco has changed favorably. The flights are now more common (4 times a week) and with the new player Sky Pasada, the cost of a trip to Batanes has significantly dropped by at least 30%. 







We stayed at the Fundacion Pacita (click here for my blog entry on this); an art studio turned into a hotel/resort. The price was quite high for a night’s stay but the service and the ambience is worth it. There are plenty of places to stay in Batanes ranging from very cheap to moderately cheap. What I failed to find was a middle-priced hotel which would be comfortable yet decently priced. Eventually, Batanes would need more of the middle-priced accommodations to expand their tourism.



Traveling by van or rented vehicle is required as it would be tough to go around using public transportation. The roads were made around hills and thus inclined and sometimes with very sharp curves. BLOW UR HORN signs are often seen so that the horn would signal the oncoming traffic to giveway at certain parts of the road that are narrower or with a sharp and/or blind curve.







The roads were quite high up from the ocean and there were many view points/decks where you can get good views of the coasts and the hills. The beaches/coasts of Batanes are quite rocky and this place is a sure heaven for landscape photographers (click here for my blog entry on this). Although a heaven for photogs; it’s not the best place to enjoy the beach as the rocks are quite tedious to navigate around especially in the water. 



What is surely enjoyable in Batanes is the Rolling Hills and wide open spaces (click here for my blog entry on this). The really blue sky and really green grass combine for a beautiful scene. 



Life in Batanes is truly different than the islands found in the more inner part of the Philippine Archipelago. The Ivatans (locals) would use a special method of farming called Hedgerow Farming. The hedgerows are used as demarcation of property and for protection against the strong winds in the islands. The strong waves and typhoons have also made it necessary for a difference in their boat design and fishing methods. For example, they built and use a boat shelter in between hills to safe keep their boats during typhoon season or against strong waves. 





Hedgerow Farming





Boat Shelter Area



The Ivatans are proud of their art (see main photo); you would see them displayed in various places and groups would train and support local artists as well. The Ivatans are a close knit group and the guide tells us that they would not sell land to outsiders. Crime rate on the islands is almost zero; the only crime happening during drunken stupors (some mild drunken fighting, nothing more). This fact is proven by the one and only Honesty Coffee Shop found on Batan Island. The Honesty Coffee Shop is a self-service convenience store where you would just take what you needed and left money at the drop box as payment.









I would also like to discuss the Coconut Crab. A very interesting animal since it is a land-based crab found in the forest. They would eat fruits and even have the strength to break into coconuts that have fallen on the ground (hence it’s name). It is now banned from being taken out of Batanes and is an endangered species. You are only allowed to eat the big ones. 









A 45 minute boat trip would get you to the next most popular island in Batanes, Sabtang (click here for my blog entry on this). The ride was pretty rough as the waves were coming from the open ocean. Sabtang was a good place to see the old Ivatan settlements and their current inhabitants. The Nakabuang beach was pretty nice as well.



Batanes is truly special; something the Philippines can be proud of. I hope that we are able to promote Batanes’ tourism better to share the beauty of these islands and for the sake of our economy. The local government seems to be doing a good job and I actually found the roads around the islands well maintained despite the very few population that Batanes has (especially in comparison to other provinces in the Philippines that I have been to). What is important though is that they set the proper rules and procedures to ensure that Batanes is maintained in its natural form; much like what Puerto Princesa/Palawan is doing. Getting tourists into the islands is easy, but keeping their ecological footprint as small as possible is the challenge. 

For Blog Entries on specific topics about Batanes click belowFundacion PacitaBatan Island Churches, EtcThe Rocky Beaches/CoastsRolling Hills and Wide Open SpacesSabtang Island
for more photos on my flickr of Batan Island click here
for more photos on my flickr of Sabtang Island click here

2012 Batanes
Batanes, Philippines
April 20, 2012

Batanes is increasing becoming more popular as the costs and frequency of transportation to the main island’s airport of Basco has changed favorably. The flights are now more common (4 times a week) and with the new player Sky Pasada, the cost of a trip to Batanes has significantly dropped by at least 30%. 


We stayed at the Fundacion Pacita (click here for my blog entry on this); an art studio turned into a hotel/resort. The price was quite high for a night’s stay but the service and the ambience is worth it. There are plenty of places to stay in Batanes ranging from very cheap to moderately cheap. What I failed to find was a middle-priced hotel which would be comfortable yet decently priced. Eventually, Batanes would need more of the middle-priced accommodations to expand their tourism.

Traveling by van or rented vehicle is required as it would be tough to go around using public transportation. The roads were made around hills and thus inclined and sometimes with very sharp curves. BLOW UR HORN signs are often seen so that the horn would signal the oncoming traffic to giveway at certain parts of the road that are narrower or with a sharp and/or blind curve.


The roads were quite high up from the ocean and there were many view points/decks where you can get good views of the coasts and the hills. The beaches/coasts of Batanes are quite rocky and this place is a sure heaven for landscape photographers (click here for my blog entry on this). Although a heaven for photogs; it’s not the best place to enjoy the beach as the rocks are quite tedious to navigate around especially in the water. 

What is surely enjoyable in Batanes is the Rolling Hills and wide open spaces (click here for my blog entry on this). The really blue sky and really green grass combine for a beautiful scene. 

Life in Batanes is truly different than the islands found in the more inner part of the Philippine Archipelago. The Ivatans (locals) would use a special method of farming called Hedgerow Farming. The hedgerows are used as demarcation of property and for protection against the strong winds in the islands. The strong waves and typhoons have also made it necessary for a difference in their boat design and fishing methods. For example, they built and use a boat shelter in between hills to safe keep their boats during typhoon season or against strong waves. 

Hedgerow Farming

Boat Shelter Area

The Ivatans are proud of their art (see main photo); you would see them displayed in various places and groups would train and support local artists as well. The Ivatans are a close knit group and the guide tells us that they would not sell land to outsiders. Crime rate on the islands is almost zero; the only crime happening during drunken stupors (some mild drunken fighting, nothing more). This fact is proven by the one and only Honesty Coffee Shop found on Batan Island. The Honesty Coffee Shop is a self-service convenience store where you would just take what you needed and left money at the drop box as payment.



I would also like to discuss the Coconut Crab. A very interesting animal since it is a land-based crab found in the forest. They would eat fruits and even have the strength to break into coconuts that have fallen on the ground (hence it’s name). It is now banned from being taken out of Batanes and is an endangered species. You are only allowed to eat the big ones. 



A 45 minute boat trip would get you to the next most popular island in Batanes, Sabtang (click here for my blog entry on this). The ride was pretty rough as the waves were coming from the open ocean. Sabtang was a good place to see the old Ivatan settlements and their current inhabitants. The Nakabuang beach was pretty nice as well.

Batanes is truly special; something the Philippines can be proud of. I hope that we are able to promote Batanes’ tourism better to share the beauty of these islands and for the sake of our economy. The local government seems to be doing a good job and I actually found the roads around the islands well maintained despite the very few population that Batanes has (especially in comparison to other provinces in the Philippines that I have been to). What is important though is that they set the proper rules and procedures to ensure that Batanes is maintained in its natural form; much like what Puerto Princesa/Palawan is doing. Getting tourists into the islands is easy, but keeping their ecological footprint as small as possible is the challenge. 

For Blog Entries on specific topics about Batanes click below
Fundacion Pacita
Batan Island Churches, Etc
The Rocky Beaches/Coasts
Rolling Hills and Wide Open Spaces
Sabtang Island

for more photos on my flickr of Batan Island click here
for more photos on my flickr of Sabtang Island click here
2012 Batanes: Rolling Hills & Wide Open SpacesBatanes, PhilippinesApril 20, 2012
Batanes is best known for the green green grass and the blue blue sky most seen in Microsoft Windows wallpapers (XP in particular). The rolling hills can be seen clearly from adjacent hills as few trees or forests cover the view. Cows can also be seen (one at a time or sometimes in groups) eating the almost unlimited grass. 











sign going to Marlboro Country



The hills are quite deceiving as they roll over each other; it is very hard to see where one hill ends and the next hill starts. Walking on the slopes while looking for good spots to shoot took us quite far from our starting point! It was pretty tough going back as the trek back was more uphill-ish. Actually it was tough distinguishing the angles of uphill and downhill because of the rolling characteristic of the hills but apparently we did downhill first as the trek back was much tougher! 









On Batan Island, we were able to visit both the Vayang Rolling Hills and the Marlboro Country. Vayang Rolling Hills had more of the hills but Marlboro Country was the more beautiful as the grass was just so green and almost none of the brown/no grass areas that can be seen in Vayang. 



A great feeling was being in such a wide open space! The metro where I live in offers no space of any kind that would come near to the wide open spaces of Batanes’ rolling hills. As a photographer, I felt that my wide lens was simply not enough; I was just compelled to shoot panorama after panorama.





Vayang Rolling Hills Panorama

for bigger view click here





Marlboro Country Panorama 

for bigger view click here



After the second day of our trip, I honestly got a bit bored of the nature and the wide open spaces (being used to the metro). But now that I’m back in cramped Metro Manila, I remember the rolling hills with pleasant thoughts. How I wish we could teleport to such beautiful places with the wonderful breeze and beautiful open space… just for a short moment to freshen up the daily grind. 



for more flickr photos of Batan Island click here

2012 Batanes: Rolling Hills & Wide Open Spaces
Batanes, Philippines
April 20, 2012

Batanes is best known for the green green grass and the blue blue sky most seen in Microsoft Windows wallpapers (XP in particular). The rolling hills can be seen clearly from adjacent hills as few trees or forests cover the view. Cows can also be seen (one at a time or sometimes in groups) eating the almost unlimited grass. 




sign going to Marlboro Country

The hills are quite deceiving as they roll over each other; it is very hard to see where one hill ends and the next hill starts. Walking on the slopes while looking for good spots to shoot took us quite far from our starting point! It was pretty tough going back as the trek back was more uphill-ish. Actually it was tough distinguishing the angles of uphill and downhill because of the rolling characteristic of the hills but apparently we did downhill first as the trek back was much tougher! 



On Batan Island, we were able to visit both the Vayang Rolling Hills and the Marlboro Country. Vayang Rolling Hills had more of the hills but Marlboro Country was the more beautiful as the grass was just so green and almost none of the brown/no grass areas that can be seen in Vayang. 

A great feeling was being in such a wide open space! The metro where I live in offers no space of any kind that would come near to the wide open spaces of Batanes’ rolling hills. As a photographer, I felt that my wide lens was simply not enough; I was just compelled to shoot panorama after panorama.

Vayang Rolling Hills Panorama
for bigger view click here

Marlboro Country Panorama 
for bigger view click here

After the second day of our trip, I honestly got a bit bored of the nature and the wide open spaces (being used to the metro). But now that I’m back in cramped Metro Manila, I remember the rolling hills with pleasant thoughts. How I wish we could teleport to such beautiful places with the wonderful breeze and beautiful open space… just for a short moment to freshen up the daily grind. 

for more flickr photos of Batan Island click here
2012 Batanes: The Rocky BeachesBatanes, PhilippinesApril 20, 2012PHOTO: Batanes: Alapad Rock Formation
Batanes is a dream come true for landscape photographers not just because of the blue skies, green fauna and rolling hills but also because of the rocky coasts/beaches of the islands. The coasts/beaches of the islands are definitely rocky; in fact one of the beaches is called pebble beach (filled almost wholly with pebbles) and another is called Boulder Beach (giant pebbles!). 





Pebble Beach





Boulder Beach



These Rocky beaches can be found all around the island! Whenever I would look down from the road (while traveling in our tour van) I would see a beach or coastal area one after the other; each one with interesting rock formations and/or trapped water that would make for very good foreground element/s. 





Alapad Rock Formation: Perfect for coastal landscapes!

for a bigger photo of this panorama click here



The real challenge for landscape photogs would be how to get down to the beach/coastal area from the road. The Islands are hilly and the roads are quite high up from most of the beaches. For example, we had to go down (and back up) at least 30 stories high to get to Pebble Beach from our hotel. Even with the cemented trail/path/stairs, the trek was quite tiring! Many of the beautiful coasts I saw had no clear trail down from the road and the path down is quite steep. 





A cove my cousin found in pebble beach. beautiful. you need to navigate on some rocks to get to it.



Batanes is not the best place to take a swim mainly because of the rocky beaches and the strong waves. But still, you can work around the rocks and find some spots to relax from the strong summer sun; the water feels cool and even a short dip can freshen up you day! Anyway, where else can you find blue skies, green fauna, rolling hills AND a beach to take a short swim in?  A perfectly awesome combination that can be found only in Batanes! (well maybe not, but quite rare right? :P)



for more photos of batan island in batanes click here

2012 Batanes: The Rocky Beaches
Batanes, Philippines
April 20, 2012
PHOTO: Batanes: Alapad Rock Formation

Batanes is a dream come true for landscape photographers not just because of the blue skies, green fauna and rolling hills but also because of the rocky coasts/beaches of the islands. The coasts/beaches of the islands are definitely rocky; in fact one of the beaches is called pebble beach (filled almost wholly with pebbles) and another is called Boulder Beach (giant pebbles!). 

Pebble Beach

Boulder Beach

These Rocky beaches can be found all around the island! Whenever I would look down from the road (while traveling in our tour van) I would see a beach or coastal area one after the other; each one with interesting rock formations and/or trapped water that would make for very good foreground element/s. 

Alapad Rock Formation: Perfect for coastal landscapes!
for a bigger photo of this panorama click here

The real challenge for landscape photogs would be how to get down to the beach/coastal area from the road. The Islands are hilly and the roads are quite high up from most of the beaches. For example, we had to go down (and back up) at least 30 stories high to get to Pebble Beach from our hotel. Even with the cemented trail/path/stairs, the trek was quite tiring! Many of the beautiful coasts I saw had no clear trail down from the road and the path down is quite steep. 

A cove my cousin found in pebble beach. beautiful. you need to navigate on some rocks to get to it.

Batanes is not the best place to take a swim mainly because of the rocky beaches and the strong waves. But still, you can work around the rocks and find some spots to relax from the strong summer sun; the water feels cool and even a short dip can freshen up you day! Anyway, where else can you find blue skies, green fauna, rolling hills AND a beach to take a short swim in? A perfectly awesome combination that can be found only in Batanes! (well maybe not, but quite rare right? :P)


for more photos of batan island in batanes click here
2012 Batanes: Batan Island Churches, etc

Batanes, Philippines

April 20, 2012



BATAN ISLAND CHURCHES



There are a lot of churches in Batan Island; much similar to many other parts of the Philippines. 500 years of Spanish rule and Catholic indoctrination is really a very big influence on our culture. The most interesting one from the few I saw was Mt. Carmel Church (see cover photo). Though very new (relatively compared to some of the 400 year old churches in the Philippines), the church used stones as walling reminding me of how the Ivatans (Batanes locals) would use coral and rock to make their homes. 





Bamboo Ceiling of San Carlos Borromeo Church



Important to note is how the churches we went to had pretty much no security at all! I think anyone could easily enter and steal a statue or two without being caught. This I think is good evidence for Batanes’ claim of almost 0% crime in their islands. According to our guide, the only crimes are those of drunken stupor. 



BASCO LIGHTHOUSE & BUNKER CAFE



We had a chance to see the Basco Lighthouse during the afternoon with the sun up and at night. The lighthouses in Batanes were numerous as well and pretty much made in a similar design. Lighthouses are always interesting as you rarely see them even in other islands in the Philippines. 





Basco Lighthouse





Bunker Cafe Restaurant beside the Basco Lighthouse



We want back the 3rd night of our trip to have some dinner outside the hotel. Bunker Cafe is a restaurant that opens at night beside the lighthouse and serves Ivatan food. We had dinner outside under the night sky and the cool night breeze was very refreshing especially after a long day under the sun. 



DAKAY’S HOUSE / THE SPANISH BRIDGE / JAPANESE TUNNEL



We had a chance to pass by Dakay’s House which is the oldest standing Ivatan Stone House since 1887. The house is still inhabited by its owners and is very well maintained. We also saw the Spanish Bridge as they call it, a bridge that was built by the Spaniards during their time here. The bridge had no steel reinforcements yet could handle the modern day traffic crossing it.





Dakay’s House



We were also able to enter the Japanese Tunnels. The Japanese setup a tunnel in the hilly Batan Island during the Second World War. The tunnel was dug and built by the locals under forced labor by the Japanese.





inside the Japanese Tunnel



for more photos of Batan Island, Batanes click here

2012 Batanes: Batan Island Churches, etc

Batanes, Philippines
April 20, 2012

BATAN ISLAND CHURCHES

There are a lot of churches in Batan Island; much similar to many other parts of the Philippines. 500 years of Spanish rule and Catholic indoctrination is really a very big influence on our culture. The most interesting one from the few I saw was Mt. Carmel Church (see cover photo). Though very new (relatively compared to some of the 400 year old churches in the Philippines), the church used stones as walling reminding me of how the Ivatans (Batanes locals) would use coral and rock to make their homes. 

Bamboo Ceiling of San Carlos Borromeo Church

Important to note is how the churches we went to had pretty much no security at all! I think anyone could easily enter and steal a statue or two without being caught. This I think is good evidence for Batanes’ claim of almost 0% crime in their islands. According to our guide, the only crimes are those of drunken stupor. 

BASCO LIGHTHOUSE & BUNKER CAFE

We had a chance to see the Basco Lighthouse during the afternoon with the sun up and at night. The lighthouses in Batanes were numerous as well and pretty much made in a similar design. Lighthouses are always interesting as you rarely see them even in other islands in the Philippines. 

Basco Lighthouse

Bunker Cafe Restaurant beside the Basco Lighthouse

We want back the 3rd night of our trip to have some dinner outside the hotel. Bunker Cafe is a restaurant that opens at night beside the lighthouse and serves Ivatan food. We had dinner outside under the night sky and the cool night breeze was very refreshing especially after a long day under the sun. 

DAKAY’S HOUSE / THE SPANISH BRIDGE / JAPANESE TUNNEL

We had a chance to pass by Dakay’s House which is the oldest standing Ivatan Stone House since 1887. The house is still inhabited by its owners and is very well maintained. We also saw the Spanish Bridge as they call it, a bridge that was built by the Spaniards during their time here. The bridge had no steel reinforcements yet could handle the modern day traffic crossing it.

Dakay’s House

We were also able to enter the Japanese Tunnels. The Japanese setup a tunnel in the hilly Batan Island during the Second World War. The tunnel was dug and built by the locals under forced labor by the Japanese.

inside the Japanese Tunnel

for more photos of Batan Island, Batanes click here
2012 Batanes: Fundacion Pacita!Batanes, PhilippinesApril 20, 2012
Fundacion Pacita Batanes Nature Lodge is one of the best places to stay in at Batanes. The place is well decorated and designed to suite the natural feel of Batanes. I was hesitant at first to the pricey booking but eventually agreed as I remembered my other recent vacations in budget rooms that were not restful at all!



After some readings at the Fundacion’s main house, I found out that the place was formerly the home studio of the internationally successful Filipino Artist Pacita Abad. Renovated and now converted into a hotel, many of the profits of the Fundacion goes to young Ivatan (Batanes locals) artists and conservation projects in Batanes.









Situated on top of rolling hills, we felt the very nice breeze outside our rooms despite the very warm summer weather. The nighttimes need getting used to though as there were literally thousands of insects! Though 99% are most likely harmless, it took a while to get used to as we never have so much nature around us here in the metro!





situated on rolling hills



The service was excellent with the very high class and mannered attitude of the staff. The rooms were very cozy and well decorated as well. I dislike the layout of the two bedroom suites though as there was no shared hallway/bathroom. Only one room had the bathroom and the other room had the exit. So if you need to exit the suite or go to the bathroom, you disturb the other room.











I highly recommend staying at the Fundacion Pacita. Though pricey, there is really no better place to stay in Batanes. Visiting Batanes is a rare experience as the place is a bit out of the way and their tourist season is only 3 months in a year, so might as well make the most of it right?  :)
http://www.fundacionpacita.ph/for more photos on my flickr of fundacion pacita click here

2012 Batanes: Fundacion Pacita!
Batanes, Philippines
April 20, 2012

Fundacion Pacita Batanes Nature Lodge is one of the best places to stay in at Batanes. The place is well decorated and designed to suite the natural feel of Batanes. I was hesitant at first to the pricey booking but eventually agreed as I remembered my other recent vacations in budget rooms that were not restful at all!

After some readings at the Fundacion’s main house, I found out that the place was formerly the home studio of the internationally successful Filipino Artist Pacita Abad. Renovated and now converted into a hotel, many of the profits of the Fundacion goes to young Ivatan (Batanes locals) artists and conservation projects in Batanes.



Situated on top of rolling hills, we felt the very nice breeze outside our rooms despite the very warm summer weather. The nighttimes need getting used to though as there were literally thousands of insects! Though 99% are most likely harmless, it took a while to get used to as we never have so much nature around us here in the metro!

situated on rolling hills

The service was excellent with the very high class and mannered attitude of the staff. The rooms were very cozy and well decorated as well. I dislike the layout of the two bedroom suites though as there was no shared hallway/bathroom. Only one room had the bathroom and the other room had the exit. So if you need to exit the suite or go to the bathroom, you disturb the other room.



I highly recommend staying at the Fundacion Pacita. Though pricey, there is really no better place to stay in Batanes. Visiting Batanes is a rare experience as the place is a bit out of the way and their tourist season is only 3 months in a year, so might as well make the most of it right? :)

http://www.fundacionpacita.ph/

for more photos on my flickr of fundacion pacita click here
Pipho: 7 Lakes of San Pablo
San Pablo, Laguna, Philippines
March 17, 2012
Pinoy Photography Organization with support from Olympus embarked on its first official photo trip of 2012 to the 7 Lakes of San Pablo! Leaving early (3am) from the metro, the 37 Piphols in the convoy of 5 vans/cars reached Sampaloc Lake before sunrise. Sampaloc Lake is the most commercial of all the lakes with establishments and infrastructure around it. Just after sunrise, joggers, bikers and people just enjoying the view and fresh air could be seen trickling into the area.


Sampaloc Lake




After some breakfast at a nearby Jollibee, we went off to the next lake, Mohicap Lake. To reach the edge of this lake, the group had to go down a steep trail which ended in a small lakeside strip. This is one of the toughest lakes to shoot as although there were plenty of things of interest, the strip was tough to maneuver in especially with at least 20 other photographers shooting. This is where we first encountered the people who live at the edge of these lakes. They are quite friendly and you can enter their bamboo lake homes and platforms by just asking for their permission (with a smile ofcourse!).


Mohicap Lake




A brief downpour delayed the trip for about 20 minutes. We were quite lucky that the rain stopped and luckier still since the rain brought with it cleaner and brighter photos! After Palakpakin and Bunot Lake, we went to Kalibato Lake which required a 15 minute hike from the dirt road.


Palakpakin Lake





Bunot Lake





Kalibato Lake




We then stopped for some lunch at the Clyde Josh Restaurant back at Sampaloc Lake. We were able to try some Tilapia/Milk Fish (harvested from the lakes) and they were definitely fresh and tasted sweet!


Tilapia in Gata




After lunch, we went on to Pandin Lake, the best lake for swimming! After a 5 minute easy hike from the dirt road, we reached the Pandin Lakeside managed by the local Barangay. They charge a cheap Php 150.00 for some time on the wide balsa/rafts (upto 10 people) paddled to the middle of the lake. There you can enjoy some buko juice or go swimming in the fresh and clean lake! The wind and water was very refreshing and is definitely a great activity after all the sweat from the photography and traveling.


Mga Balsa / Rafts for rent





Yup that’s me, definitely having fun swimming at the lake!





Rafts pulled / paddled to the middle


The 7th lake, Yambo Lake, was accessible by a short but steep trail from the other side of Pandin Lake. The Balsa/Raft could bring you to the path and after the brief climb, you could see the Yambo Lake below.


Yambo Lake




After the swimming and some dinner, we finally went back home to the metro arriving at around 10pm. A productive and successful 19 hour photo trip! Although tired from the trip, the Piphols all enjoyed the nature trip and the group bonding as well.


Pipho Group Hug! photo courtesy of Regie Fernando




The Piphols also enjoyed the Olympus PEN cameras that were very kindly loaned to us. The various in-camera effects were the most talked about feature of the PEN cameras producing excellent photos on the spot! The shoot definitely convinced quite a few of the strength of the Olympus 4/3 system. 



See you at the next Pinoy Photography photo trip! More power to Pipho and to Olympus!


Enjoying the Lake Wind at Bunot Lake




For more photos of the 7 Lakes on my flickr click here

Pipho: 7 Lakes of San Pablo
San Pablo, Laguna, Philippines
March 17, 2012

Pinoy Photography Organization with support from Olympus embarked on its first official photo trip of 2012 to the 7 Lakes of San Pablo! Leaving early (3am) from the metro, the 37 Piphols in the convoy of 5 vans/cars reached Sampaloc Lake before sunrise. Sampaloc Lake is the most commercial of all the lakes with establishments and infrastructure around it. Just after sunrise, joggers, bikers and people just enjoying the view and fresh air could be seen trickling into the area.

Sampaloc Lake

After some breakfast at a nearby Jollibee, we went off to the next lake, Mohicap Lake. To reach the edge of this lake, the group had to go down a steep trail which ended in a small lakeside strip. This is one of the toughest lakes to shoot as although there were plenty of things of interest, the strip was tough to maneuver in especially with at least 20 other photographers shooting. This is where we first encountered the people who live at the edge of these lakes. They are quite friendly and you can enter their bamboo lake homes and platforms by just asking for their permission (with a smile ofcourse!).

Mohicap Lake

A brief downpour delayed the trip for about 20 minutes. We were quite lucky that the rain stopped and luckier still since the rain brought with it cleaner and brighter photos! After Palakpakin and Bunot Lake, we went to Kalibato Lake which required a 15 minute hike from the dirt road.

Palakpakin Lake

Bunot Lake

Kalibato Lake

We then stopped for some lunch at the Clyde Josh Restaurant back at Sampaloc Lake. We were able to try some Tilapia/Milk Fish (harvested from the lakes) and they were definitely fresh and tasted sweet!

Tilapia in Gata

After lunch, we went on to Pandin Lake, the best lake for swimming! After a 5 minute easy hike from the dirt road, we reached the Pandin Lakeside managed by the local Barangay. They charge a cheap Php 150.00 for some time on the wide balsa/rafts (upto 10 people) paddled to the middle of the lake. There you can enjoy some buko juice or go swimming in the fresh and clean lake! The wind and water was very refreshing and is definitely a great activity after all the sweat from the photography and traveling.

Mga Balsa / Rafts for rent

Yup that’s me, definitely having fun swimming at the lake!

Rafts pulled / paddled to the middle

The 7th lake, Yambo Lake, was accessible by a short but steep trail from the other side of Pandin Lake. The Balsa/Raft could bring you to the path and after the brief climb, you could see the Yambo Lake below.

Yambo Lake

After the swimming and some dinner, we finally went back home to the metro arriving at around 10pm. A productive and successful 19 hour photo trip! Although tired from the trip, the Piphols all enjoyed the nature trip and the group bonding as well.

Pipho Group Hug! photo courtesy of Regie Fernando

The Piphols also enjoyed the Olympus PEN cameras that were very kindly loaned to us. The various in-camera effects were the most talked about feature of the PEN cameras producing excellent photos on the spot! The shoot definitely convinced quite a few of the strength of the Olympus 4/3 system. 

See you at the next Pinoy Photography photo trip! More power to Pipho and to Olympus!

Enjoying the Lake Wind at Bunot Lake

For more photos of the 7 Lakes on my flickr click here

Universal Studios Singapore
Sentosa, Singapore
March 2012
We never miss a chance to visit theme parks whenever we are out of the country. The theme parks in here the Philippines are just not good at all and are not even 5% as good compared to the big ones like Disney and Universal Studios. 



We had a short trip to Singapore with the baby in March 2012 and we took a day off our quick trip to visit Universal Studios Singapore at Sentosa. We rode the MRT to Vivo City and took the Sentosa Express (SGD 3.00/ticket back and forth) to Universal Studios. We booked our tickets in advance online so we saved a bunch of time not having to buy tickets at the ticketing booths. 







After initially seeing the map of the park online, I immediately thought to myself, “This seems even smaller than Disney Hong Kong”. And indeed it was… well at least it felt like it. They had 7 sections of the park similar to Disney HK but the areas were so small and the activities in each one quite few.



We went around the park clockwise, first to Madagascar and the last was New York. We had dinner and end of day shopping at Hollywood (the main avenue to the various areas). We went clockwise (we often do) and it seems that if you are with a family (kids/baby), clockwise is the right way to go. If you are a group of teenagers or friends though, maybe going counter clockwise would be smarter. Counter clockwise gets you to the more popular thrill and adult rides faster (in Sci-Fi City and Ancient Egypt). 





me at Ancient Egypt



The areas were quite small; Madagascar for example was actually just a restaurant, snack bar, ride and a show. Ancient Egypt had a nice setup but actually only had two rides. New York in fact has almost nothing in it (an attraction and two restaurants?). I really think the whole park can be finished in one day easily. We had a baby with us and despite having to do the baby stuff (feed, change, etc), we were still able to finish almost everything by 5:30pm. Granted we missed some of the attractions (baby not allowed) but we also spent so much time taking photos with almost all of the mascots! I’m pretty sure the whole park is a piece of cake especially for a group of friends/teens. No need to buy an Express Pass, that’s for sure. 



Sci-Fi City is probably the most popular area with the impressive Battlestar Galactica Rollercoaster. There are actually two roller coasters, the Cylon: suspended roller coaster and the Human: seated roller coaster. What’s interesting is both roller coasters loop around each other and it seems like you almost meet each other at one of the loops. Sci-Fi City also has the Transformers Ride and Autobots can be seen hanging around who you can have your picture taken with. 









Autobots hanging around (person in stilts is inside the costume!)





Cylon: blue track / Human: red track



I found Disney Parks to be more fun… at Disney I feel like I’m in a different world and city. Here, the different areas are not related to each other at all and so the park seems divided into many smaller parks. Disney has a more coherent, “I am at Disney” feeling that I really love.



We went on a Friday to see the fireworks but we decided eventually to go home early (around 530pm). We were done with everything (even done with our early dinner) and didn’t have the patience or energy to wait until 7pm for the fireworks show.



I really was a bit disappointed as this park came after Disney HK and I would think they would have done it bigger and better.  But all in all, the Universal Studios Singapore was good enough. A really big bonus is that the park is located in Singapore. Singapore is very accessible from anywhere in the world, the food there is affordable, the people there are courteous (unlike in Disney HK, fellow tourists were cutthroat) and the whole country is very convenient and safe to go around in even for strollers and kids. 





Charlie Chaplin in New York



Universal Studios Singapore… Check! Waiting for Disney Shanghai to complete and hopefully a trip to Japan for Disney Tokyo to remove more things to do in the Theme Park To Do List :).



click here for more photos of USS on my flickr

Universal Studios Singapore
Sentosa, Singapore
March 2012

We never miss a chance to visit theme parks whenever we are out of the country. The theme parks in here the Philippines are just not good at all and are not even 5% as good compared to the big ones like Disney and Universal Studios. 

We had a short trip to Singapore with the baby in March 2012 and we took a day off our quick trip to visit Universal Studios Singapore at Sentosa. We rode the MRT to Vivo City and took the Sentosa Express (SGD 3.00/ticket back and forth) to Universal Studios. We booked our tickets in advance online so we saved a bunch of time not having to buy tickets at the ticketing booths. 


After initially seeing the map of the park online, I immediately thought to myself, “This seems even smaller than Disney Hong Kong”. And indeed it was… well at least it felt like it. They had 7 sections of the park similar to Disney HK but the areas were so small and the activities in each one quite few.

We went around the park clockwise, first to Madagascar and the last was New York. We had dinner and end of day shopping at Hollywood (the main avenue to the various areas). We went clockwise (we often do) and it seems that if you are with a family (kids/baby), clockwise is the right way to go. If you are a group of teenagers or friends though, maybe going counter clockwise would be smarter. Counter clockwise gets you to the more popular thrill and adult rides faster (in Sci-Fi City and Ancient Egypt). 

me at Ancient Egypt

The areas were quite small; Madagascar for example was actually just a restaurant, snack bar, ride and a show. Ancient Egypt had a nice setup but actually only had two rides. New York in fact has almost nothing in it (an attraction and two restaurants?). I really think the whole park can be finished in one day easily. We had a baby with us and despite having to do the baby stuff (feed, change, etc), we were still able to finish almost everything by 5:30pm. Granted we missed some of the attractions (baby not allowed) but we also spent so much time taking photos with almost all of the mascots! I’m pretty sure the whole park is a piece of cake especially for a group of friends/teens. No need to buy an Express Pass, that’s for sure. 

Sci-Fi City is probably the most popular area with the impressive Battlestar Galactica Rollercoaster. There are actually two roller coasters, the Cylon: suspended roller coaster and the Human: seated roller coaster. What’s interesting is both roller coasters loop around each other and it seems like you almost meet each other at one of the loops. Sci-Fi City also has the Transformers Ride and Autobots can be seen hanging around who you can have your picture taken with. 


Autobots hanging around (person in stilts is inside the costume!)

Cylon: blue track / Human: red track

I found Disney Parks to be more fun… at Disney I feel like I’m in a different world and city. Here, the different areas are not related to each other at all and so the park seems divided into many smaller parks. Disney has a more coherent, “I am at Disney” feeling that I really love.

We went on a Friday to see the fireworks but we decided eventually to go home early (around 530pm). We were done with everything (even done with our early dinner) and didn’t have the patience or energy to wait until 7pm for the fireworks show.

I really was a bit disappointed as this park came after Disney HK and I would think they would have done it bigger and better. But all in all, the Universal Studios Singapore was good enough. A really big bonus is that the park is located in Singapore. Singapore is very accessible from anywhere in the world, the food there is affordable, the people there are courteous (unlike in Disney HK, fellow tourists were cutthroat) and the whole country is very convenient and safe to go around in even for strollers and kids. 

Charlie Chaplin in New York

Universal Studios Singapore… Check! Waiting for Disney Shanghai to complete and hopefully a trip to Japan for Disney Tokyo to remove more things to do in the Theme Park To Do List :).

click here for more photos of USS on my flickr

The Truly Posh Marina Bay Sands

Singapore

March 2012



We muscled through our schedule (things to do, people to meet, etc) and made sure that we took some time to visit the much talked about Marina Bay. We arrived quite late at around 8pm but better late than later, I always say. :P









We first entered the very posh hotel and the architecture and art inside the hotel was really top notch. I’m no art guy but I can say that the hotel was not only posh because of the luxurious look but because of the beautiful architecture and art as well. 









After asking around, we were able to navigate ourselves to the top of the three towers of the hotel. The top was designed to look like a big ship/boat seemingly balanced on top of the three towers. The pool side was restricted to guests only but the SkyPark observation deck and the resto bar on the other side was accessible for a fee (SGD 20/head).



The view from the top was beautiful! Marina Bay Sands Hotel is the tallest building in Singapore at this time and the view from the top is just spectacular. Unlike in Hong Kong where I also went to the Sky100’s observation deck, the Singapore skyline was very clear with no smog or fog blocking your view. 







We then went down to the mall/casino side (in front of the Hotel, nearer the bay). We weren’t able to enter the Casino (we had a baby with us) but the mall was truly luxurious and quite extravagant. I have been to plenty of malls selling only very expensive designer items but this one adds a man-made river in the middle of the mall! Aside from this, there is a truly spectacular light and fog show at certain times of the night for free at the bay! I have never seen anything like it; the fog was in place so that the audience could see the various lasers and projections that are seemingly all dancing around on top of the water!





river inside mall






watch in vimeo click here for HD


We then looked for the very popular (at least in photographs) Helix Bridge. The bridge is truly a sight to behold and an engineering masterpiece (for me at least). The Helix Bridge creates a pedestrian route between the Marina Centre and the Marina South. 









Singapore really knows how to make a city look beautiful. Their bridges, malls, hotels, etc are all designed not only for use but also to add beauty to the country. Kudos to Singapore for a making a beautiful and well managed country that other Southeast Asian countries should try to emulate. Singapore is a place that Southeast Asians can truly be proud of!



for more photos of marina bay sands on my flickr click here

The Truly Posh Marina Bay Sands
Singapore
March 2012

We muscled through our schedule (things to do, people to meet, etc) and made sure that we took some time to visit the much talked about Marina Bay. We arrived quite late at around 8pm but better late than later, I always say. :P



We first entered the very posh hotel and the architecture and art inside the hotel was really top notch. I’m no art guy but I can say that the hotel was not only posh because of the luxurious look but because of the beautiful architecture and art as well. 





After asking around, we were able to navigate ourselves to the top of the three towers of the hotel. The top was designed to look like a big ship/boat seemingly balanced on top of the three towers. The pool side was restricted to guests only but the SkyPark observation deck and the resto bar on the other side was accessible for a fee (SGD 20/head).



The view from the top was beautiful! Marina Bay Sands Hotel is the tallest building in Singapore at this time and the view from the top is just spectacular. Unlike in Hong Kong where I also went to the Sky100’s observation deck, the Singapore skyline was very clear with no smog or fog blocking your view. 




We then went down to the mall/casino side (in front of the Hotel, nearer the bay). We weren’t able to enter the Casino (we had a baby with us) but the mall was truly luxurious and quite extravagant. I have been to plenty of malls selling only very expensive designer items but this one adds a man-made river in the middle of the mall! Aside from this, there is a truly spectacular light and fog show at certain times of the night for free at the bay! I have never seen anything like it; the fog was in place so that the audience could see the various lasers and projections that are seemingly all dancing around on top of the water!


river inside mall


watch in vimeo click here for HD

We then looked for the very popular (at least in photographs) Helix Bridge. The bridge is truly a sight to behold and an engineering masterpiece (for me at least). The Helix Bridge creates a pedestrian route between the Marina Centre and the Marina South. 





Singapore really knows how to make a city look beautiful. Their bridges, malls, hotels, etc are all designed not only for use but also to add beauty to the country. Kudos to Singapore for a making a beautiful and well managed country that other Southeast Asian countries should try to emulate. Singapore is a place that Southeast Asians can truly be proud of!

for more photos of marina bay sands on my flickr click here

2012 Batanes: Sabtang Island!
Batanes, Philippines
April 21, 2012
One of the main attractions of Batanes is Sabtang Island. From the main island of Batan, the trip takes 45 minutes by motorized boat through rough waters (as the boat is getting hit by waves from the open sea). At the time we went (April) the waves were quite strong but the trip was pretty smooth and uneventful. The boat they use is the bigger type (can carry 50 people and cargo) and thus safer for travel. Note to tourists: the boat is a public boat in a sense that you will be riding with plenty of other groups that are going to the Island. I actually thought it would be similar to my other island hopping experiences in other places in the Philippines where you hired a boat exclusively for your group.



The Island is relatively the same as Batan Island but more native. One of the main points of interest is visiting the Ivatan villages. We were able to go to Savidug and Chavayan (Chavayan is formerly nominated on the UNESCO World Heritage List); two of the most preserved Ivatan villages in Batanes. 





Ivatan Stone House



Aside from the more visible symbols of Ivatan culture like the Stone Houses made from stone and melted coral, it is also important to note the more intangible parts of Ivatan culture and the strong bond they keep even today. For example, our tour guide (a local) tells me that the Ivatans would not sell land to outsiders so as to keep the islands’ ownership within their community. I doubt that it is 100% true, but still most of them feel this way and quite strongly about their heritage and community. Also, the fact that there is almost 0% crime rate on the island cannot be attributed to personal goodness alone but most likely because of the strong bonds within the community. Would you steal from a good neighbor? I really think the Ivatans are a special group who are rare now in the Philippines and around the world. Their culture is still very much alive and the community is still quite strong in maintaining their heritage. 





The new and the old







Another main point of interest is the Chamantad-Tinyan Sitio Viewpoint; a beautiful viewpoint of Sabtang’s rolling hills and the beaches below. As with the other rolling hill locations we have been to, you can’t help but shoot panorama as the open space is just so wide! The trek from the road to the edge of the viewpoint was not too far and is actually worth the time and energy. Although there are at least 2 other places with similar Rolling Hills and views (Vayang and Marlboro Country), Tinyan Viewpoint has its own character and is definitely worth the trip.





Chamantad-Tinyan Sitio Viewpoint Panorama

for a larger view click here



The last stop of our tour is Nakabuang Beach; here we had lunch of fish and lobster after touring the island under the searing summer sun. The water was nice and cool but you have to look for openings between the rocks to find a nice place to dip and wade in the water. A naturally formed arch called the Nakabuang Arch can be seen on this beach… it was tough to shoot the arch without tourists under it resting from the harsh summer sun. I had to wait quite a while for the tourists to move :). (see main photo)


Lobster & Fish Lunch at Nakabuang Beach




Although a trip to Sabtang may not be necessary; it was definitely interesting and learning more about the Ivatans made it especially so. The Batanes Islands AND the Ivatans are both very special and treasures that the Philippines should be proud of.



for more photos on my flickr of Sabtang Island, Batanes click here

2012 Batanes: Sabtang Island!
Batanes, Philippines
April 21, 2012

One of the main attractions of Batanes is Sabtang Island. From the main island of Batan, the trip takes 45 minutes by motorized boat through rough waters (as the boat is getting hit by waves from the open sea). At the time we went (April) the waves were quite strong but the trip was pretty smooth and uneventful. The boat they use is the bigger type (can carry 50 people and cargo) and thus safer for travel. Note to tourists: the boat is a public boat in a sense that you will be riding with plenty of other groups that are going to the Island. I actually thought it would be similar to my other island hopping experiences in other places in the Philippines where you hired a boat exclusively for your group.

The Island is relatively the same as Batan Island but more native. One of the main points of interest is visiting the Ivatan villages. We were able to go to Savidug and Chavayan (Chavayan is formerly nominated on the UNESCO World Heritage List); two of the most preserved Ivatan villages in Batanes. 

Ivatan Stone House

Aside from the more visible symbols of Ivatan culture like the Stone Houses made from stone and melted coral, it is also important to note the more intangible parts of Ivatan culture and the strong bond they keep even today. For example, our tour guide (a local) tells me that the Ivatans would not sell land to outsiders so as to keep the islands’ ownership within their community. I doubt that it is 100% true, but still most of them feel this way and quite strongly about their heritage and community. Also, the fact that there is almost 0% crime rate on the island cannot be attributed to personal goodness alone but most likely because of the strong bonds within the community. Would you steal from a good neighbor? I really think the Ivatans are a special group who are rare now in the Philippines and around the world. Their culture is still very much alive and the community is still quite strong in maintaining their heritage. 

The new and the old


Another main point of interest is the Chamantad-Tinyan Sitio Viewpoint; a beautiful viewpoint of Sabtang’s rolling hills and the beaches below. As with the other rolling hill locations we have been to, you can’t help but shoot panorama as the open space is just so wide! The trek from the road to the edge of the viewpoint was not too far and is actually worth the time and energy. Although there are at least 2 other places with similar Rolling Hills and views (Vayang and Marlboro Country), Tinyan Viewpoint has its own character and is definitely worth the trip.

Chamantad-Tinyan Sitio Viewpoint Panorama
for a larger view click here

The last stop of our tour is Nakabuang Beach; here we had lunch of fish and lobster after touring the island under the searing summer sun. The water was nice and cool but you have to look for openings between the rocks to find a nice place to dip and wade in the water. A naturally formed arch called the Nakabuang Arch can be seen on this beach… it was tough to shoot the arch without tourists under it resting from the harsh summer sun. I had to wait quite a while for the tourists to move :). (see main photo)

Lobster & Fish Lunch at Nakabuang Beach

Although a trip to Sabtang may not be necessary; it was definitely interesting and learning more about the Ivatans made it especially so. The Batanes Islands AND the Ivatans are both very special and treasures that the Philippines should be proud of.

for more photos on my flickr of Sabtang Island, Batanes click here
2012 Batanes
Batanes, Philippines
April 20, 2012
Batanes is increasing becoming more popular as the costs and frequency of transportation to the main island’s airport of Basco has changed favorably. The flights are now more common (4 times a week) and with the new player Sky Pasada, the cost of a trip to Batanes has significantly dropped by at least 30%. 







We stayed at the Fundacion Pacita (click here for my blog entry on this); an art studio turned into a hotel/resort. The price was quite high for a night’s stay but the service and the ambience is worth it. There are plenty of places to stay in Batanes ranging from very cheap to moderately cheap. What I failed to find was a middle-priced hotel which would be comfortable yet decently priced. Eventually, Batanes would need more of the middle-priced accommodations to expand their tourism.



Traveling by van or rented vehicle is required as it would be tough to go around using public transportation. The roads were made around hills and thus inclined and sometimes with very sharp curves. BLOW UR HORN signs are often seen so that the horn would signal the oncoming traffic to giveway at certain parts of the road that are narrower or with a sharp and/or blind curve.







The roads were quite high up from the ocean and there were many view points/decks where you can get good views of the coasts and the hills. The beaches/coasts of Batanes are quite rocky and this place is a sure heaven for landscape photographers (click here for my blog entry on this). Although a heaven for photogs; it’s not the best place to enjoy the beach as the rocks are quite tedious to navigate around especially in the water. 



What is surely enjoyable in Batanes is the Rolling Hills and wide open spaces (click here for my blog entry on this). The really blue sky and really green grass combine for a beautiful scene. 



Life in Batanes is truly different than the islands found in the more inner part of the Philippine Archipelago. The Ivatans (locals) would use a special method of farming called Hedgerow Farming. The hedgerows are used as demarcation of property and for protection against the strong winds in the islands. The strong waves and typhoons have also made it necessary for a difference in their boat design and fishing methods. For example, they built and use a boat shelter in between hills to safe keep their boats during typhoon season or against strong waves. 





Hedgerow Farming





Boat Shelter Area



The Ivatans are proud of their art (see main photo); you would see them displayed in various places and groups would train and support local artists as well. The Ivatans are a close knit group and the guide tells us that they would not sell land to outsiders. Crime rate on the islands is almost zero; the only crime happening during drunken stupors (some mild drunken fighting, nothing more). This fact is proven by the one and only Honesty Coffee Shop found on Batan Island. The Honesty Coffee Shop is a self-service convenience store where you would just take what you needed and left money at the drop box as payment.









I would also like to discuss the Coconut Crab. A very interesting animal since it is a land-based crab found in the forest. They would eat fruits and even have the strength to break into coconuts that have fallen on the ground (hence it’s name). It is now banned from being taken out of Batanes and is an endangered species. You are only allowed to eat the big ones. 









A 45 minute boat trip would get you to the next most popular island in Batanes, Sabtang (click here for my blog entry on this). The ride was pretty rough as the waves were coming from the open ocean. Sabtang was a good place to see the old Ivatan settlements and their current inhabitants. The Nakabuang beach was pretty nice as well.



Batanes is truly special; something the Philippines can be proud of. I hope that we are able to promote Batanes’ tourism better to share the beauty of these islands and for the sake of our economy. The local government seems to be doing a good job and I actually found the roads around the islands well maintained despite the very few population that Batanes has (especially in comparison to other provinces in the Philippines that I have been to). What is important though is that they set the proper rules and procedures to ensure that Batanes is maintained in its natural form; much like what Puerto Princesa/Palawan is doing. Getting tourists into the islands is easy, but keeping their ecological footprint as small as possible is the challenge. 

For Blog Entries on specific topics about Batanes click belowFundacion PacitaBatan Island Churches, EtcThe Rocky Beaches/CoastsRolling Hills and Wide Open SpacesSabtang Island
for more photos on my flickr of Batan Island click here
for more photos on my flickr of Sabtang Island click here

2012 Batanes
Batanes, Philippines
April 20, 2012

Batanes is increasing becoming more popular as the costs and frequency of transportation to the main island’s airport of Basco has changed favorably. The flights are now more common (4 times a week) and with the new player Sky Pasada, the cost of a trip to Batanes has significantly dropped by at least 30%. 


We stayed at the Fundacion Pacita (click here for my blog entry on this); an art studio turned into a hotel/resort. The price was quite high for a night’s stay but the service and the ambience is worth it. There are plenty of places to stay in Batanes ranging from very cheap to moderately cheap. What I failed to find was a middle-priced hotel which would be comfortable yet decently priced. Eventually, Batanes would need more of the middle-priced accommodations to expand their tourism.

Traveling by van or rented vehicle is required as it would be tough to go around using public transportation. The roads were made around hills and thus inclined and sometimes with very sharp curves. BLOW UR HORN signs are often seen so that the horn would signal the oncoming traffic to giveway at certain parts of the road that are narrower or with a sharp and/or blind curve.


The roads were quite high up from the ocean and there were many view points/decks where you can get good views of the coasts and the hills. The beaches/coasts of Batanes are quite rocky and this place is a sure heaven for landscape photographers (click here for my blog entry on this). Although a heaven for photogs; it’s not the best place to enjoy the beach as the rocks are quite tedious to navigate around especially in the water. 

What is surely enjoyable in Batanes is the Rolling Hills and wide open spaces (click here for my blog entry on this). The really blue sky and really green grass combine for a beautiful scene. 

Life in Batanes is truly different than the islands found in the more inner part of the Philippine Archipelago. The Ivatans (locals) would use a special method of farming called Hedgerow Farming. The hedgerows are used as demarcation of property and for protection against the strong winds in the islands. The strong waves and typhoons have also made it necessary for a difference in their boat design and fishing methods. For example, they built and use a boat shelter in between hills to safe keep their boats during typhoon season or against strong waves. 

Hedgerow Farming

Boat Shelter Area

The Ivatans are proud of their art (see main photo); you would see them displayed in various places and groups would train and support local artists as well. The Ivatans are a close knit group and the guide tells us that they would not sell land to outsiders. Crime rate on the islands is almost zero; the only crime happening during drunken stupors (some mild drunken fighting, nothing more). This fact is proven by the one and only Honesty Coffee Shop found on Batan Island. The Honesty Coffee Shop is a self-service convenience store where you would just take what you needed and left money at the drop box as payment.



I would also like to discuss the Coconut Crab. A very interesting animal since it is a land-based crab found in the forest. They would eat fruits and even have the strength to break into coconuts that have fallen on the ground (hence it’s name). It is now banned from being taken out of Batanes and is an endangered species. You are only allowed to eat the big ones. 



A 45 minute boat trip would get you to the next most popular island in Batanes, Sabtang (click here for my blog entry on this). The ride was pretty rough as the waves were coming from the open ocean. Sabtang was a good place to see the old Ivatan settlements and their current inhabitants. The Nakabuang beach was pretty nice as well.

Batanes is truly special; something the Philippines can be proud of. I hope that we are able to promote Batanes’ tourism better to share the beauty of these islands and for the sake of our economy. The local government seems to be doing a good job and I actually found the roads around the islands well maintained despite the very few population that Batanes has (especially in comparison to other provinces in the Philippines that I have been to). What is important though is that they set the proper rules and procedures to ensure that Batanes is maintained in its natural form; much like what Puerto Princesa/Palawan is doing. Getting tourists into the islands is easy, but keeping their ecological footprint as small as possible is the challenge. 

For Blog Entries on specific topics about Batanes click below
Fundacion Pacita
Batan Island Churches, Etc
The Rocky Beaches/Coasts
Rolling Hills and Wide Open Spaces
Sabtang Island

for more photos on my flickr of Batan Island click here
for more photos on my flickr of Sabtang Island click here
2012 Batanes: Rolling Hills & Wide Open SpacesBatanes, PhilippinesApril 20, 2012
Batanes is best known for the green green grass and the blue blue sky most seen in Microsoft Windows wallpapers (XP in particular). The rolling hills can be seen clearly from adjacent hills as few trees or forests cover the view. Cows can also be seen (one at a time or sometimes in groups) eating the almost unlimited grass. 











sign going to Marlboro Country



The hills are quite deceiving as they roll over each other; it is very hard to see where one hill ends and the next hill starts. Walking on the slopes while looking for good spots to shoot took us quite far from our starting point! It was pretty tough going back as the trek back was more uphill-ish. Actually it was tough distinguishing the angles of uphill and downhill because of the rolling characteristic of the hills but apparently we did downhill first as the trek back was much tougher! 









On Batan Island, we were able to visit both the Vayang Rolling Hills and the Marlboro Country. Vayang Rolling Hills had more of the hills but Marlboro Country was the more beautiful as the grass was just so green and almost none of the brown/no grass areas that can be seen in Vayang. 



A great feeling was being in such a wide open space! The metro where I live in offers no space of any kind that would come near to the wide open spaces of Batanes’ rolling hills. As a photographer, I felt that my wide lens was simply not enough; I was just compelled to shoot panorama after panorama.





Vayang Rolling Hills Panorama

for bigger view click here





Marlboro Country Panorama 

for bigger view click here



After the second day of our trip, I honestly got a bit bored of the nature and the wide open spaces (being used to the metro). But now that I’m back in cramped Metro Manila, I remember the rolling hills with pleasant thoughts. How I wish we could teleport to such beautiful places with the wonderful breeze and beautiful open space… just for a short moment to freshen up the daily grind. 



for more flickr photos of Batan Island click here

2012 Batanes: Rolling Hills & Wide Open Spaces
Batanes, Philippines
April 20, 2012

Batanes is best known for the green green grass and the blue blue sky most seen in Microsoft Windows wallpapers (XP in particular). The rolling hills can be seen clearly from adjacent hills as few trees or forests cover the view. Cows can also be seen (one at a time or sometimes in groups) eating the almost unlimited grass. 




sign going to Marlboro Country

The hills are quite deceiving as they roll over each other; it is very hard to see where one hill ends and the next hill starts. Walking on the slopes while looking for good spots to shoot took us quite far from our starting point! It was pretty tough going back as the trek back was more uphill-ish. Actually it was tough distinguishing the angles of uphill and downhill because of the rolling characteristic of the hills but apparently we did downhill first as the trek back was much tougher! 



On Batan Island, we were able to visit both the Vayang Rolling Hills and the Marlboro Country. Vayang Rolling Hills had more of the hills but Marlboro Country was the more beautiful as the grass was just so green and almost none of the brown/no grass areas that can be seen in Vayang. 

A great feeling was being in such a wide open space! The metro where I live in offers no space of any kind that would come near to the wide open spaces of Batanes’ rolling hills. As a photographer, I felt that my wide lens was simply not enough; I was just compelled to shoot panorama after panorama.

Vayang Rolling Hills Panorama
for bigger view click here

Marlboro Country Panorama 
for bigger view click here

After the second day of our trip, I honestly got a bit bored of the nature and the wide open spaces (being used to the metro). But now that I’m back in cramped Metro Manila, I remember the rolling hills with pleasant thoughts. How I wish we could teleport to such beautiful places with the wonderful breeze and beautiful open space… just for a short moment to freshen up the daily grind. 

for more flickr photos of Batan Island click here
2012 Batanes: The Rocky BeachesBatanes, PhilippinesApril 20, 2012PHOTO: Batanes: Alapad Rock Formation
Batanes is a dream come true for landscape photographers not just because of the blue skies, green fauna and rolling hills but also because of the rocky coasts/beaches of the islands. The coasts/beaches of the islands are definitely rocky; in fact one of the beaches is called pebble beach (filled almost wholly with pebbles) and another is called Boulder Beach (giant pebbles!). 





Pebble Beach





Boulder Beach



These Rocky beaches can be found all around the island! Whenever I would look down from the road (while traveling in our tour van) I would see a beach or coastal area one after the other; each one with interesting rock formations and/or trapped water that would make for very good foreground element/s. 





Alapad Rock Formation: Perfect for coastal landscapes!

for a bigger photo of this panorama click here



The real challenge for landscape photogs would be how to get down to the beach/coastal area from the road. The Islands are hilly and the roads are quite high up from most of the beaches. For example, we had to go down (and back up) at least 30 stories high to get to Pebble Beach from our hotel. Even with the cemented trail/path/stairs, the trek was quite tiring! Many of the beautiful coasts I saw had no clear trail down from the road and the path down is quite steep. 





A cove my cousin found in pebble beach. beautiful. you need to navigate on some rocks to get to it.



Batanes is not the best place to take a swim mainly because of the rocky beaches and the strong waves. But still, you can work around the rocks and find some spots to relax from the strong summer sun; the water feels cool and even a short dip can freshen up you day! Anyway, where else can you find blue skies, green fauna, rolling hills AND a beach to take a short swim in?  A perfectly awesome combination that can be found only in Batanes! (well maybe not, but quite rare right? :P)



for more photos of batan island in batanes click here

2012 Batanes: The Rocky Beaches
Batanes, Philippines
April 20, 2012
PHOTO: Batanes: Alapad Rock Formation

Batanes is a dream come true for landscape photographers not just because of the blue skies, green fauna and rolling hills but also because of the rocky coasts/beaches of the islands. The coasts/beaches of the islands are definitely rocky; in fact one of the beaches is called pebble beach (filled almost wholly with pebbles) and another is called Boulder Beach (giant pebbles!). 

Pebble Beach

Boulder Beach

These Rocky beaches can be found all around the island! Whenever I would look down from the road (while traveling in our tour van) I would see a beach or coastal area one after the other; each one with interesting rock formations and/or trapped water that would make for very good foreground element/s. 

Alapad Rock Formation: Perfect for coastal landscapes!
for a bigger photo of this panorama click here

The real challenge for landscape photogs would be how to get down to the beach/coastal area from the road. The Islands are hilly and the roads are quite high up from most of the beaches. For example, we had to go down (and back up) at least 30 stories high to get to Pebble Beach from our hotel. Even with the cemented trail/path/stairs, the trek was quite tiring! Many of the beautiful coasts I saw had no clear trail down from the road and the path down is quite steep. 

A cove my cousin found in pebble beach. beautiful. you need to navigate on some rocks to get to it.

Batanes is not the best place to take a swim mainly because of the rocky beaches and the strong waves. But still, you can work around the rocks and find some spots to relax from the strong summer sun; the water feels cool and even a short dip can freshen up you day! Anyway, where else can you find blue skies, green fauna, rolling hills AND a beach to take a short swim in? A perfectly awesome combination that can be found only in Batanes! (well maybe not, but quite rare right? :P)


for more photos of batan island in batanes click here
2012 Batanes: Batan Island Churches, etc

Batanes, Philippines

April 20, 2012



BATAN ISLAND CHURCHES



There are a lot of churches in Batan Island; much similar to many other parts of the Philippines. 500 years of Spanish rule and Catholic indoctrination is really a very big influence on our culture. The most interesting one from the few I saw was Mt. Carmel Church (see cover photo). Though very new (relatively compared to some of the 400 year old churches in the Philippines), the church used stones as walling reminding me of how the Ivatans (Batanes locals) would use coral and rock to make their homes. 





Bamboo Ceiling of San Carlos Borromeo Church



Important to note is how the churches we went to had pretty much no security at all! I think anyone could easily enter and steal a statue or two without being caught. This I think is good evidence for Batanes’ claim of almost 0% crime in their islands. According to our guide, the only crimes are those of drunken stupor. 



BASCO LIGHTHOUSE & BUNKER CAFE



We had a chance to see the Basco Lighthouse during the afternoon with the sun up and at night. The lighthouses in Batanes were numerous as well and pretty much made in a similar design. Lighthouses are always interesting as you rarely see them even in other islands in the Philippines. 





Basco Lighthouse





Bunker Cafe Restaurant beside the Basco Lighthouse



We want back the 3rd night of our trip to have some dinner outside the hotel. Bunker Cafe is a restaurant that opens at night beside the lighthouse and serves Ivatan food. We had dinner outside under the night sky and the cool night breeze was very refreshing especially after a long day under the sun. 



DAKAY’S HOUSE / THE SPANISH BRIDGE / JAPANESE TUNNEL



We had a chance to pass by Dakay’s House which is the oldest standing Ivatan Stone House since 1887. The house is still inhabited by its owners and is very well maintained. We also saw the Spanish Bridge as they call it, a bridge that was built by the Spaniards during their time here. The bridge had no steel reinforcements yet could handle the modern day traffic crossing it.





Dakay’s House



We were also able to enter the Japanese Tunnels. The Japanese setup a tunnel in the hilly Batan Island during the Second World War. The tunnel was dug and built by the locals under forced labor by the Japanese.





inside the Japanese Tunnel



for more photos of Batan Island, Batanes click here

2012 Batanes: Batan Island Churches, etc

Batanes, Philippines
April 20, 2012

BATAN ISLAND CHURCHES

There are a lot of churches in Batan Island; much similar to many other parts of the Philippines. 500 years of Spanish rule and Catholic indoctrination is really a very big influence on our culture. The most interesting one from the few I saw was Mt. Carmel Church (see cover photo). Though very new (relatively compared to some of the 400 year old churches in the Philippines), the church used stones as walling reminding me of how the Ivatans (Batanes locals) would use coral and rock to make their homes. 

Bamboo Ceiling of San Carlos Borromeo Church

Important to note is how the churches we went to had pretty much no security at all! I think anyone could easily enter and steal a statue or two without being caught. This I think is good evidence for Batanes’ claim of almost 0% crime in their islands. According to our guide, the only crimes are those of drunken stupor. 

BASCO LIGHTHOUSE & BUNKER CAFE

We had a chance to see the Basco Lighthouse during the afternoon with the sun up and at night. The lighthouses in Batanes were numerous as well and pretty much made in a similar design. Lighthouses are always interesting as you rarely see them even in other islands in the Philippines. 

Basco Lighthouse

Bunker Cafe Restaurant beside the Basco Lighthouse

We want back the 3rd night of our trip to have some dinner outside the hotel. Bunker Cafe is a restaurant that opens at night beside the lighthouse and serves Ivatan food. We had dinner outside under the night sky and the cool night breeze was very refreshing especially after a long day under the sun. 

DAKAY’S HOUSE / THE SPANISH BRIDGE / JAPANESE TUNNEL

We had a chance to pass by Dakay’s House which is the oldest standing Ivatan Stone House since 1887. The house is still inhabited by its owners and is very well maintained. We also saw the Spanish Bridge as they call it, a bridge that was built by the Spaniards during their time here. The bridge had no steel reinforcements yet could handle the modern day traffic crossing it.

Dakay’s House

We were also able to enter the Japanese Tunnels. The Japanese setup a tunnel in the hilly Batan Island during the Second World War. The tunnel was dug and built by the locals under forced labor by the Japanese.

inside the Japanese Tunnel

for more photos of Batan Island, Batanes click here
2012 Batanes: Fundacion Pacita!Batanes, PhilippinesApril 20, 2012
Fundacion Pacita Batanes Nature Lodge is one of the best places to stay in at Batanes. The place is well decorated and designed to suite the natural feel of Batanes. I was hesitant at first to the pricey booking but eventually agreed as I remembered my other recent vacations in budget rooms that were not restful at all!



After some readings at the Fundacion’s main house, I found out that the place was formerly the home studio of the internationally successful Filipino Artist Pacita Abad. Renovated and now converted into a hotel, many of the profits of the Fundacion goes to young Ivatan (Batanes locals) artists and conservation projects in Batanes.









Situated on top of rolling hills, we felt the very nice breeze outside our rooms despite the very warm summer weather. The nighttimes need getting used to though as there were literally thousands of insects! Though 99% are most likely harmless, it took a while to get used to as we never have so much nature around us here in the metro!





situated on rolling hills



The service was excellent with the very high class and mannered attitude of the staff. The rooms were very cozy and well decorated as well. I dislike the layout of the two bedroom suites though as there was no shared hallway/bathroom. Only one room had the bathroom and the other room had the exit. So if you need to exit the suite or go to the bathroom, you disturb the other room.











I highly recommend staying at the Fundacion Pacita. Though pricey, there is really no better place to stay in Batanes. Visiting Batanes is a rare experience as the place is a bit out of the way and their tourist season is only 3 months in a year, so might as well make the most of it right?  :)
http://www.fundacionpacita.ph/for more photos on my flickr of fundacion pacita click here

2012 Batanes: Fundacion Pacita!
Batanes, Philippines
April 20, 2012

Fundacion Pacita Batanes Nature Lodge is one of the best places to stay in at Batanes. The place is well decorated and designed to suite the natural feel of Batanes. I was hesitant at first to the pricey booking but eventually agreed as I remembered my other recent vacations in budget rooms that were not restful at all!

After some readings at the Fundacion’s main house, I found out that the place was formerly the home studio of the internationally successful Filipino Artist Pacita Abad. Renovated and now converted into a hotel, many of the profits of the Fundacion goes to young Ivatan (Batanes locals) artists and conservation projects in Batanes.



Situated on top of rolling hills, we felt the very nice breeze outside our rooms despite the very warm summer weather. The nighttimes need getting used to though as there were literally thousands of insects! Though 99% are most likely harmless, it took a while to get used to as we never have so much nature around us here in the metro!

situated on rolling hills

The service was excellent with the very high class and mannered attitude of the staff. The rooms were very cozy and well decorated as well. I dislike the layout of the two bedroom suites though as there was no shared hallway/bathroom. Only one room had the bathroom and the other room had the exit. So if you need to exit the suite or go to the bathroom, you disturb the other room.



I highly recommend staying at the Fundacion Pacita. Though pricey, there is really no better place to stay in Batanes. Visiting Batanes is a rare experience as the place is a bit out of the way and their tourist season is only 3 months in a year, so might as well make the most of it right? :)

http://www.fundacionpacita.ph/

for more photos on my flickr of fundacion pacita click here
Pipho: 7 Lakes of San Pablo
San Pablo, Laguna, Philippines
March 17, 2012
Pinoy Photography Organization with support from Olympus embarked on its first official photo trip of 2012 to the 7 Lakes of San Pablo! Leaving early (3am) from the metro, the 37 Piphols in the convoy of 5 vans/cars reached Sampaloc Lake before sunrise. Sampaloc Lake is the most commercial of all the lakes with establishments and infrastructure around it. Just after sunrise, joggers, bikers and people just enjoying the view and fresh air could be seen trickling into the area.


Sampaloc Lake




After some breakfast at a nearby Jollibee, we went off to the next lake, Mohicap Lake. To reach the edge of this lake, the group had to go down a steep trail which ended in a small lakeside strip. This is one of the toughest lakes to shoot as although there were plenty of things of interest, the strip was tough to maneuver in especially with at least 20 other photographers shooting. This is where we first encountered the people who live at the edge of these lakes. They are quite friendly and you can enter their bamboo lake homes and platforms by just asking for their permission (with a smile ofcourse!).


Mohicap Lake




A brief downpour delayed the trip for about 20 minutes. We were quite lucky that the rain stopped and luckier still since the rain brought with it cleaner and brighter photos! After Palakpakin and Bunot Lake, we went to Kalibato Lake which required a 15 minute hike from the dirt road.


Palakpakin Lake





Bunot Lake





Kalibato Lake




We then stopped for some lunch at the Clyde Josh Restaurant back at Sampaloc Lake. We were able to try some Tilapia/Milk Fish (harvested from the lakes) and they were definitely fresh and tasted sweet!


Tilapia in Gata




After lunch, we went on to Pandin Lake, the best lake for swimming! After a 5 minute easy hike from the dirt road, we reached the Pandin Lakeside managed by the local Barangay. They charge a cheap Php 150.00 for some time on the wide balsa/rafts (upto 10 people) paddled to the middle of the lake. There you can enjoy some buko juice or go swimming in the fresh and clean lake! The wind and water was very refreshing and is definitely a great activity after all the sweat from the photography and traveling.


Mga Balsa / Rafts for rent





Yup that’s me, definitely having fun swimming at the lake!





Rafts pulled / paddled to the middle


The 7th lake, Yambo Lake, was accessible by a short but steep trail from the other side of Pandin Lake. The Balsa/Raft could bring you to the path and after the brief climb, you could see the Yambo Lake below.


Yambo Lake




After the swimming and some dinner, we finally went back home to the metro arriving at around 10pm. A productive and successful 19 hour photo trip! Although tired from the trip, the Piphols all enjoyed the nature trip and the group bonding as well.


Pipho Group Hug! photo courtesy of Regie Fernando




The Piphols also enjoyed the Olympus PEN cameras that were very kindly loaned to us. The various in-camera effects were the most talked about feature of the PEN cameras producing excellent photos on the spot! The shoot definitely convinced quite a few of the strength of the Olympus 4/3 system. 



See you at the next Pinoy Photography photo trip! More power to Pipho and to Olympus!


Enjoying the Lake Wind at Bunot Lake




For more photos of the 7 Lakes on my flickr click here

Pipho: 7 Lakes of San Pablo
San Pablo, Laguna, Philippines
March 17, 2012

Pinoy Photography Organization with support from Olympus embarked on its first official photo trip of 2012 to the 7 Lakes of San Pablo! Leaving early (3am) from the metro, the 37 Piphols in the convoy of 5 vans/cars reached Sampaloc Lake before sunrise. Sampaloc Lake is the most commercial of all the lakes with establishments and infrastructure around it. Just after sunrise, joggers, bikers and people just enjoying the view and fresh air could be seen trickling into the area.

Sampaloc Lake

After some breakfast at a nearby Jollibee, we went off to the next lake, Mohicap Lake. To reach the edge of this lake, the group had to go down a steep trail which ended in a small lakeside strip. This is one of the toughest lakes to shoot as although there were plenty of things of interest, the strip was tough to maneuver in especially with at least 20 other photographers shooting. This is where we first encountered the people who live at the edge of these lakes. They are quite friendly and you can enter their bamboo lake homes and platforms by just asking for their permission (with a smile ofcourse!).

Mohicap Lake

A brief downpour delayed the trip for about 20 minutes. We were quite lucky that the rain stopped and luckier still since the rain brought with it cleaner and brighter photos! After Palakpakin and Bunot Lake, we went to Kalibato Lake which required a 15 minute hike from the dirt road.

Palakpakin Lake

Bunot Lake

Kalibato Lake

We then stopped for some lunch at the Clyde Josh Restaurant back at Sampaloc Lake. We were able to try some Tilapia/Milk Fish (harvested from the lakes) and they were definitely fresh and tasted sweet!

Tilapia in Gata

After lunch, we went on to Pandin Lake, the best lake for swimming! After a 5 minute easy hike from the dirt road, we reached the Pandin Lakeside managed by the local Barangay. They charge a cheap Php 150.00 for some time on the wide balsa/rafts (upto 10 people) paddled to the middle of the lake. There you can enjoy some buko juice or go swimming in the fresh and clean lake! The wind and water was very refreshing and is definitely a great activity after all the sweat from the photography and traveling.

Mga Balsa / Rafts for rent

Yup that’s me, definitely having fun swimming at the lake!

Rafts pulled / paddled to the middle

The 7th lake, Yambo Lake, was accessible by a short but steep trail from the other side of Pandin Lake. The Balsa/Raft could bring you to the path and after the brief climb, you could see the Yambo Lake below.

Yambo Lake

After the swimming and some dinner, we finally went back home to the metro arriving at around 10pm. A productive and successful 19 hour photo trip! Although tired from the trip, the Piphols all enjoyed the nature trip and the group bonding as well.

Pipho Group Hug! photo courtesy of Regie Fernando

The Piphols also enjoyed the Olympus PEN cameras that were very kindly loaned to us. The various in-camera effects were the most talked about feature of the PEN cameras producing excellent photos on the spot! The shoot definitely convinced quite a few of the strength of the Olympus 4/3 system. 

See you at the next Pinoy Photography photo trip! More power to Pipho and to Olympus!

Enjoying the Lake Wind at Bunot Lake

For more photos of the 7 Lakes on my flickr click here

Universal Studios Singapore
Sentosa, Singapore
March 2012
We never miss a chance to visit theme parks whenever we are out of the country. The theme parks in here the Philippines are just not good at all and are not even 5% as good compared to the big ones like Disney and Universal Studios. 



We had a short trip to Singapore with the baby in March 2012 and we took a day off our quick trip to visit Universal Studios Singapore at Sentosa. We rode the MRT to Vivo City and took the Sentosa Express (SGD 3.00/ticket back and forth) to Universal Studios. We booked our tickets in advance online so we saved a bunch of time not having to buy tickets at the ticketing booths. 







After initially seeing the map of the park online, I immediately thought to myself, “This seems even smaller than Disney Hong Kong”. And indeed it was… well at least it felt like it. They had 7 sections of the park similar to Disney HK but the areas were so small and the activities in each one quite few.



We went around the park clockwise, first to Madagascar and the last was New York. We had dinner and end of day shopping at Hollywood (the main avenue to the various areas). We went clockwise (we often do) and it seems that if you are with a family (kids/baby), clockwise is the right way to go. If you are a group of teenagers or friends though, maybe going counter clockwise would be smarter. Counter clockwise gets you to the more popular thrill and adult rides faster (in Sci-Fi City and Ancient Egypt). 





me at Ancient Egypt



The areas were quite small; Madagascar for example was actually just a restaurant, snack bar, ride and a show. Ancient Egypt had a nice setup but actually only had two rides. New York in fact has almost nothing in it (an attraction and two restaurants?). I really think the whole park can be finished in one day easily. We had a baby with us and despite having to do the baby stuff (feed, change, etc), we were still able to finish almost everything by 5:30pm. Granted we missed some of the attractions (baby not allowed) but we also spent so much time taking photos with almost all of the mascots! I’m pretty sure the whole park is a piece of cake especially for a group of friends/teens. No need to buy an Express Pass, that’s for sure. 



Sci-Fi City is probably the most popular area with the impressive Battlestar Galactica Rollercoaster. There are actually two roller coasters, the Cylon: suspended roller coaster and the Human: seated roller coaster. What’s interesting is both roller coasters loop around each other and it seems like you almost meet each other at one of the loops. Sci-Fi City also has the Transformers Ride and Autobots can be seen hanging around who you can have your picture taken with. 









Autobots hanging around (person in stilts is inside the costume!)





Cylon: blue track / Human: red track



I found Disney Parks to be more fun… at Disney I feel like I’m in a different world and city. Here, the different areas are not related to each other at all and so the park seems divided into many smaller parks. Disney has a more coherent, “I am at Disney” feeling that I really love.



We went on a Friday to see the fireworks but we decided eventually to go home early (around 530pm). We were done with everything (even done with our early dinner) and didn’t have the patience or energy to wait until 7pm for the fireworks show.



I really was a bit disappointed as this park came after Disney HK and I would think they would have done it bigger and better.  But all in all, the Universal Studios Singapore was good enough. A really big bonus is that the park is located in Singapore. Singapore is very accessible from anywhere in the world, the food there is affordable, the people there are courteous (unlike in Disney HK, fellow tourists were cutthroat) and the whole country is very convenient and safe to go around in even for strollers and kids. 





Charlie Chaplin in New York



Universal Studios Singapore… Check! Waiting for Disney Shanghai to complete and hopefully a trip to Japan for Disney Tokyo to remove more things to do in the Theme Park To Do List :).



click here for more photos of USS on my flickr

Universal Studios Singapore
Sentosa, Singapore
March 2012

We never miss a chance to visit theme parks whenever we are out of the country. The theme parks in here the Philippines are just not good at all and are not even 5% as good compared to the big ones like Disney and Universal Studios. 

We had a short trip to Singapore with the baby in March 2012 and we took a day off our quick trip to visit Universal Studios Singapore at Sentosa. We rode the MRT to Vivo City and took the Sentosa Express (SGD 3.00/ticket back and forth) to Universal Studios. We booked our tickets in advance online so we saved a bunch of time not having to buy tickets at the ticketing booths. 


After initially seeing the map of the park online, I immediately thought to myself, “This seems even smaller than Disney Hong Kong”. And indeed it was… well at least it felt like it. They had 7 sections of the park similar to Disney HK but the areas were so small and the activities in each one quite few.

We went around the park clockwise, first to Madagascar and the last was New York. We had dinner and end of day shopping at Hollywood (the main avenue to the various areas). We went clockwise (we often do) and it seems that if you are with a family (kids/baby), clockwise is the right way to go. If you are a group of teenagers or friends though, maybe going counter clockwise would be smarter. Counter clockwise gets you to the more popular thrill and adult rides faster (in Sci-Fi City and Ancient Egypt). 

me at Ancient Egypt

The areas were quite small; Madagascar for example was actually just a restaurant, snack bar, ride and a show. Ancient Egypt had a nice setup but actually only had two rides. New York in fact has almost nothing in it (an attraction and two restaurants?). I really think the whole park can be finished in one day easily. We had a baby with us and despite having to do the baby stuff (feed, change, etc), we were still able to finish almost everything by 5:30pm. Granted we missed some of the attractions (baby not allowed) but we also spent so much time taking photos with almost all of the mascots! I’m pretty sure the whole park is a piece of cake especially for a group of friends/teens. No need to buy an Express Pass, that’s for sure. 

Sci-Fi City is probably the most popular area with the impressive Battlestar Galactica Rollercoaster. There are actually two roller coasters, the Cylon: suspended roller coaster and the Human: seated roller coaster. What’s interesting is both roller coasters loop around each other and it seems like you almost meet each other at one of the loops. Sci-Fi City also has the Transformers Ride and Autobots can be seen hanging around who you can have your picture taken with. 


Autobots hanging around (person in stilts is inside the costume!)

Cylon: blue track / Human: red track

I found Disney Parks to be more fun… at Disney I feel like I’m in a different world and city. Here, the different areas are not related to each other at all and so the park seems divided into many smaller parks. Disney has a more coherent, “I am at Disney” feeling that I really love.

We went on a Friday to see the fireworks but we decided eventually to go home early (around 530pm). We were done with everything (even done with our early dinner) and didn’t have the patience or energy to wait until 7pm for the fireworks show.

I really was a bit disappointed as this park came after Disney HK and I would think they would have done it bigger and better. But all in all, the Universal Studios Singapore was good enough. A really big bonus is that the park is located in Singapore. Singapore is very accessible from anywhere in the world, the food there is affordable, the people there are courteous (unlike in Disney HK, fellow tourists were cutthroat) and the whole country is very convenient and safe to go around in even for strollers and kids. 

Charlie Chaplin in New York

Universal Studios Singapore… Check! Waiting for Disney Shanghai to complete and hopefully a trip to Japan for Disney Tokyo to remove more things to do in the Theme Park To Do List :).

click here for more photos of USS on my flickr

The Truly Posh Marina Bay Sands

Singapore

March 2012



We muscled through our schedule (things to do, people to meet, etc) and made sure that we took some time to visit the much talked about Marina Bay. We arrived quite late at around 8pm but better late than later, I always say. :P









We first entered the very posh hotel and the architecture and art inside the hotel was really top notch. I’m no art guy but I can say that the hotel was not only posh because of the luxurious look but because of the beautiful architecture and art as well. 









After asking around, we were able to navigate ourselves to the top of the three towers of the hotel. The top was designed to look like a big ship/boat seemingly balanced on top of the three towers. The pool side was restricted to guests only but the SkyPark observation deck and the resto bar on the other side was accessible for a fee (SGD 20/head).



The view from the top was beautiful! Marina Bay Sands Hotel is the tallest building in Singapore at this time and the view from the top is just spectacular. Unlike in Hong Kong where I also went to the Sky100’s observation deck, the Singapore skyline was very clear with no smog or fog blocking your view. 







We then went down to the mall/casino side (in front of the Hotel, nearer the bay). We weren’t able to enter the Casino (we had a baby with us) but the mall was truly luxurious and quite extravagant. I have been to plenty of malls selling only very expensive designer items but this one adds a man-made river in the middle of the mall! Aside from this, there is a truly spectacular light and fog show at certain times of the night for free at the bay! I have never seen anything like it; the fog was in place so that the audience could see the various lasers and projections that are seemingly all dancing around on top of the water!





river inside mall






watch in vimeo click here for HD


We then looked for the very popular (at least in photographs) Helix Bridge. The bridge is truly a sight to behold and an engineering masterpiece (for me at least). The Helix Bridge creates a pedestrian route between the Marina Centre and the Marina South. 









Singapore really knows how to make a city look beautiful. Their bridges, malls, hotels, etc are all designed not only for use but also to add beauty to the country. Kudos to Singapore for a making a beautiful and well managed country that other Southeast Asian countries should try to emulate. Singapore is a place that Southeast Asians can truly be proud of!



for more photos of marina bay sands on my flickr click here

The Truly Posh Marina Bay Sands
Singapore
March 2012

We muscled through our schedule (things to do, people to meet, etc) and made sure that we took some time to visit the much talked about Marina Bay. We arrived quite late at around 8pm but better late than later, I always say. :P



We first entered the very posh hotel and the architecture and art inside the hotel was really top notch. I’m no art guy but I can say that the hotel was not only posh because of the luxurious look but because of the beautiful architecture and art as well. 





After asking around, we were able to navigate ourselves to the top of the three towers of the hotel. The top was designed to look like a big ship/boat seemingly balanced on top of the three towers. The pool side was restricted to guests only but the SkyPark observation deck and the resto bar on the other side was accessible for a fee (SGD 20/head).



The view from the top was beautiful! Marina Bay Sands Hotel is the tallest building in Singapore at this time and the view from the top is just spectacular. Unlike in Hong Kong where I also went to the Sky100’s observation deck, the Singapore skyline was very clear with no smog or fog blocking your view. 




We then went down to the mall/casino side (in front of the Hotel, nearer the bay). We weren’t able to enter the Casino (we had a baby with us) but the mall was truly luxurious and quite extravagant. I have been to plenty of malls selling only very expensive designer items but this one adds a man-made river in the middle of the mall! Aside from this, there is a truly spectacular light and fog show at certain times of the night for free at the bay! I have never seen anything like it; the fog was in place so that the audience could see the various lasers and projections that are seemingly all dancing around on top of the water!


river inside mall


watch in vimeo click here for HD

We then looked for the very popular (at least in photographs) Helix Bridge. The bridge is truly a sight to behold and an engineering masterpiece (for me at least). The Helix Bridge creates a pedestrian route between the Marina Centre and the Marina South. 





Singapore really knows how to make a city look beautiful. Their bridges, malls, hotels, etc are all designed not only for use but also to add beauty to the country. Kudos to Singapore for a making a beautiful and well managed country that other Southeast Asian countries should try to emulate. Singapore is a place that Southeast Asians can truly be proud of!

for more photos of marina bay sands on my flickr click here

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