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Jomax Peak Travel Guide: A Sanctuary Found In Don Salvador Benedicto

Meghy — Sun, 13 Oct 2019 16:30:18 +0000

For this year’s celebration of my birthday, it took me a while to decide where I would be spending my few days of vacation leaves to set as my celebration of being a year older. I wanted to be in Sagada, visit my relatives in Albay or experience Bohol on my own but all those choices were all went down with the decision of booking for a plane ticket back home in Iloilo and just spend a 2-day trip in Bacolod. It was actually a good decision as I can see my family back on my hometown which is Iloilo and still visit new places in Negros Island to still keep up on my yearly tradition.

I lived in Iloilo for seven straight years but I haven’t stepped my feet on the island of Negros which is just more than an hour away from Iloilo City. So to start my series of blogs for this Bacolod/Negros trip, here’s a travel guide that you can check when visiting Jomax Peak.

Knowing Jomax Peak:

For the past few years, I’ve been seeing photos of Jomax Peak online and since then it started to get my attention. Jomax Peak is a picnic and camping ground located in the highlands of Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental. It is a perfect spot to encounter ‘sea of clouds’ during habagat or monsoon season. Imagine yourself sitting on its veranda with a mountain view and sea of clouds right in front of you. It will be definitely a must view to see. I am sure you can truly enjoy the place especially Jomax Peak doesn’t have the crowd. They limit their guests and doesn’t accept walk-ins. Everyone who wished to visit the place needs to have a reservation through their website.

How to get to Jomax Peak?

From Iloilo

Take a ferry or fast craft from Iloilo City that will take you to Bacolod. Fast craft fare will be around P275 for economy while it may cost you around P325 for tourist (aircon). Travel time may take around 1.5 hours. Upon arriving in Bacolod port, ride a tricycle going to South Terminal and fare will be P40 each. On South Terminal ride a bus bound to San Carlos via Don Salvador Benedicto. Just tell the driver that you are heading to Jomax Peak and drop you off on Brgy. Kumaliskis. Fare will be P85 and travel time is around 1.5 hours.

From Bacolod

If you will be coming from Bacolod just follow the same instruction once arrived in South Terminal.

Rates and Accommodation:

Since Jomax Peak doesn’t cater walk-in guests, all visitors must book a reservation through their official website. Here’s the website link. Check the availability of your preferred date and once booked, payment details will be provided. Payment can only be done through Palawan Express. A reservation code will be given for payment validation once payment has been done.

Here’s the rate as of October 2019:

Tuesday to Friday

Day Tour (9am-4pm)

Sun Shade- P750 (5 guests)

Veranda Shade- P1500 (10 guests)

Pavilion- P2,250 (15 guests)

Wholeday exclusive use- P8000 (guests)

Overnight camp (4pm-8am)

Overnight camp outside structures- P1000 (5 guests)

Overnight camp with exclusive camping grounds- P3,500 (15 guests)

Overnight camp exclusive use of all structure- P7000 (15 guests)

Saturday- Sunday

Day Tour (9am-4pm)

Sun Shade- P1000 (5 guests)

Veranda Shade- P1750 (10 guests)

Pavilion- P2500 (15 guests)

Whole day exclusive use- P12000 (35 guests)

Overnight camp (4pm-8am)

Overnight camp outside structures- P1000 (5 guests)

Overnight camp with exclusive camping grounds- P3,500 (15 guests)

Overnight camp exclusive use of all structure- P8000 (15 guests)

*In addition for inclusive number of guests, a fee of P150/head for day tour and P200/head for overnight camp will be required.

*Half day exclusive photo or video shoot rate is P3000 inclusive of 15 guests. (Mondays only)

Getting around Jomax Peak:

What I love about Jomax Peak is its serenity and exclusiveness. There’s no crowd that can limit you in enjoying and appreciating the beauty of the place. It’s main attraction would probably its public veranda where you can sit right across a mountain range while taking a sip of their unli native coffee. From there, you can hear the birds chirping, the heavy flow of a waterfall nearby and just reconnects you with the nature. Every side of the public veranda is effortless beautiful perfect for a travel photo. You can play around every side of the deck for a photo spot. I even sit on the railings which I don’t recommend as it can be dangerous.

When we arrived on the place, the other groups were almost leaving so we were left and had the place all by ourselves together with their few staffs. So aside from the shade we rented, we are free to go around the other shades such as the pavilion and veranda shade. We had the chance to roam around the area and took photos on our own pace.

The entrance fee that we paid for is already inclusive of unli drink of their in house native coffee and free use of their small swimming pool. Aside from being a picnic and camping ground, Jomax Peak is a flower sanctuary as well so the place is full of blooming flowers.

The place is clean and well-maintained complete with amenities. They also offer food choices that they can cook upon request for P70-P150.

Jomax Peak is located as well few meters or kilometers away from other tourist attractions such as Malantan-og falls and viewing deck, Stonepeak café and Café La Guada.

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Mt. Kalugong Travel Guide: Journey On Its Eco Park and Cafe (Updated 2022)

Meghy — Sun, 07 Jul 2019 16:46:38 +0000

It was my second time around Baguio City and I wanted to visit a place less known by tourists in order to relax and be stunned by a beauty that awaits me on this ‘hidden’ sanctuary. Mt. Kalugong Cultural Village didn’t failed me and actually go beyond my expectation. It is one of the highlight of my Baguio/Benguet trip and I can’t wait to share with you the beauty that awaits you on this place.

Knowing Mt. Kalugong:

They named the place ‘Mt. Kalugong’ because “kalugong” is a local term for ‘hat’ and the rock formations on the peak looks like a hat when you’re down the valley. The place which is located in Brgy. Tawang, La Trinidad is well-known for its rock formations on the top of the mountain with an overlooking view of La Trinidad, Benguet.

How To Get To Mt. Kalugong:

From Baguio City, ride a jeepney bound to Tomay/Camp Dangwa. Jeepney terminal is located in front of Baguio City Hall and it’s the same jeepneys going to Strawberry farm. Just ask the driver to drop you off on the road or jump off going to Mt. Kalugong. Fare is P12.00 each. (Updated fare as of November 2022 is P17.00 each)

Once dropped in Kalugong road located in Brgy. Cruz you need to hike on a very steep road before reaching the eco park. Hiking might take around 30 minutes but it depends on your pace.

Journey To Mt. Kalugong:

Since there is road that lead to the eco park you can use your car going up if hiking is not your thing but be careful as the road is so steep and narrow. From the drop off point in Kalugong road, hiking my take around 20-30 minutes before reaching the registration point of Mt. Kalugong Cultural Village. I was not on my proper hiking get up when we decided to climb that’s why it took us more time before reaching it. The rain just stopped, I was wearing pants and a pair of boots and I was forced to hike on a muddy trail just to reach the registration. Registration fee is P100 per person.

After the registration, there are two roads to take. The trail on the right will lead you to the rock formations and café while the trail on the left will lead you to the park where picnic tables and huts are located. We decided to take the trail on the right first. The trail going up is well-managed as they put tires as stairs but it can still be tricky especially during rainy days as it can be very muddy. You can reach the peak in about 15 minutes from the registration point. Upon reaching the peak you will be amazed by a lot of striking rock formations with an overlooking view of the strawberry farms and local houses of La Trinidad. It’s very risky to take pictures on top of rock formations but if you’re careful and brave enough you could have great shots with its perfect view. For my case, I didn’t took too much risky photos on the rock formations because as what I mentioned earlier I was on my boots and having a hard time walking on the muddy and rocky areas (lol).

*Updated (March 2022)

Upon reaching the entrance of Mt. Kalugong Cultural Village, take the path to the left as the right path now leads to Tayawan View Deck. You will take an ascent trail heading to the registration point. Registration is now located on the park where picnic tables and huts are located. Trekking to the rock formation may take you another 10 minutes.

After you’re done with all the picture taking and appreciating the beauty of the rock formations, you could stay on their newly-built café. It is just beside the rock formations and I highly recommend it! For me, it could be one of the highpoint of your visit on the place aside from seeing the rock formations. The cafe is so beautiful and can give you the ambiance of a traditional cabin. It is a perfect place to relax, feel the cold breeze of Benguet while taking a sip of their in-house coffee! The café has its own viewing deck as well to appreciate the beauty of La Trinidad from above.

Back on the registration point, you can take the road to the left that would take you to the park. On the park you could see picnic tables, traditional huts, swings, overnight stay accommodations and other amenities perfect for family bonding. There’s lot of pine trees as well on the area that I can compare with the view I saw in Camp John Hay. Since there are only few people visiting the place, it is suitable place to unwind and get away from the crowd of more known attractions.

Additional Information:

Kalugong Cultural Village is located in Brgy. Tawang but drop off point is on Brgy. Cruz, La Trinidad.
Kalugong Café/Kape-an is open from 7am to 6pm and no bystanders allowed.
Entrance fee is P100 and P80 for Senior and PWDs.
If you have further inquiries, you can contact them directly on their facebook pages. Here’s the link: Mt. Kalugong Cultural Village Mt. Kalugong Kape-an/ Cafe

What are you waiting for? Visit Mt. Kalugong and be stunned by the beauty that awaits you.

Additional Photos From Our Recent Visit March 2022

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Mapols Farm Guide: More Than Just A Farm In Pototan, Iloilo

Meghy — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 14:50:02 +0000

Mapols Farm is a recreational and Instagram worthy place for those who wants to experience what it feels like to have a farm life. Situated few kilometers away from Pototan proper and 30-40 minutes away from Iloilo City, it started to invite tourists who wants to relax and have a quick getaway from the city.

How To Get There?

From Iloilo City, ride a jeepney going to Tagbak Terminal then ride another jeepney bound to Pototan. Upon arriving in Pototan town proper, charter a tricycle that would take you to Mapols Farm.

Getting Around Mapols Farm:

Upon entering the farm you have to pay for a P20 entrance fee on the entrance point that serves as well as their café. On their café, they offer organic foods and beverages that’s made of ingredients fresh from their own farm goods which is a good way of supporting their “local farmers”. Getting around the vicinity is quite easy. There would be lot of places for your photos that you can choose. There are bamboo cottages, tables, farmhouse and gazebo that you can rent.

But what tourists are lining up now on the farm is the chance of getting up on what they called “Pugad” or giants nests and take pictures on it. There are four giant nests which they call accordingly; Pugad Uno, Pugad Dos, Pugad Tres and Pugad Cuatro. Each nests requires additional ticket that would cost you P10 each.

Another attraction is their giant swing that would cost another fee of P50. They also have Century-old Mango tree that has a tree house at the top, a “papag” that can be rented, a man-made kiddie pool, a fish pond, a sari-sari store and a lot of playing area perfect for the kids!

Additional Information To Know:

· The farm is located in Brgy. Bagacay, Pototan, Iloilo.

· Mapols Farm is open from 9am-6pm during weekdays and 9am-7pm during weekends.

· Entrance fee for sightseeing is P20 and additional fees can be charged for other attractions.

· For other questions you can directly contact them through their Facebook page here.

Have you been to Mapols Farm before? Share your thoughts below!

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Siem Reap Travel Guide: Things To Do + Sample Itinerary

Meghy — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 17:08:42 +0000

Siem Reap is the most visited city in Cambodia aside from its capital city, Phnom Penh. It houses hundreds of century-old temples made out of strong spiritual devotion of its people. When you heard about Cambodia or Siem Reap, visiting Angkor Wat will probably first come to your mind but in reality the place has so much things to offer. For most travelers, spending few days in Siem Reap could be a highlight of their Southeast Asia trip.

So here’s a first timer’s guide in Siem Reap that you can read on.

Things To Know Before Going:

Cambodia has two seasons- wet and dry season. The dry season is from November-April while wet season is from May-November. Going during the dry season could give you a very hot weather and some of the tourist attractions could not be on their best state like Floating Villages and Kbal Spean due to limited water flow. Going during wet season on the other hand, can be inconvenient due to flashfloods. It is said that the best time to go in Cambodia is from November- February since it’s the driest and coolest month of the year.

Most money transactions around Cambodia are being done using USD (US Dollar). So if you are coming to Cambodia make sure that you exchange your money to USD and not KHR (Cambodian Riel). They only use KHR for small transactions on the streets or when providing small amount of change. Rate would be 1 USD is equivalent to about 4,100 KHR.
Widely used mode of transportation around the province is tuktuk. Price range of transport fare varies depending on the place you are heading to. If you wish to take a day tour around the city, tuktuks are the most convenient and cheapest way of transport. A day tour can cost you 10USD- 30 USD depending on your desired itinerary. One tuktuk can fit up to four people.
Cambodians are very fluent in speaking English so if you wish to have and hire a tour guide around the Angkor temples, language wouldn’t be an issue. Aside from English language, they actually have Cambodian tour guides who can speak Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish, Korean and many more fluently! Wow!

Where to Stay?

We stayed in Villa Sweet Central Angkor owned by Japanese Yuki and Jumpei. They offer accommodations for a very affordable price. Their place is a small villa with a swimming pool at the center. Since it is located within Siem Reap Central area, it is very convenient for us to go around the Siem Reap center. They have free airport pick-up, nice tuktuk drivers and even let us stay beyond our 12 noon check out time since our flight is still in the evening. We only paid 22.49 USD or more than 1,100 PHP per night for 4 pax. The room is air-conditioned with two queen beds, private toilet, mini ref and toiletries.

Accommodation: Villa Sweet Central Angkor

Address: Rose Apple Rd. Siem Reap Center, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Facebook: Villa Sweet Central Angkor

What To Do In Siem Reap?

1. Visit Angkor Temples

There a many temples to visit in Siem Reap aside from the most famous of all which is Angkor Wat. In order for you to enter these temples you need to avail their Angkor pass. The ticket price varies depending on how many days you will visit the temples.

1 day- 37 USD

3 days- 62 USD

7 days- 72 USD

On our case we availed the 3-day pass to suffice our temple itinerary. I wrote a more detailed blog regarding the temples to visit in Siem Reap and here’s the link.

Small circuit temple tour

This tour includes visiting the temples inside Angkor Archeological Park located on what they called “small circuit” which is usually being started by dropping by to the most known temple, Angkor Wat. Here’s the list of the temple included on this circuit:

Angkor Wat- The most visited Angkor temple and declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. It is said to be the largest religious site in the world.
Angkor Thom- It is actually a complex within Angkor Archeological Park that has 20-meter gates with four faces.
Bayon Temple- It is a temple known for its four-faced towers. The tower’s faces are said to be the face of King Jayavarman VII.
Ta Keo- It is a temple mountain that has 5 temples on the uppermost part of step pyramid.
Ta Prohm- It is one of the most popular temple aside from Angkor Wat due to its appearance in the famed movie of Angelina Jolie, Tomb Raider.
Banteay Kdei- It means “Citadel of Chambers” and said to be a smaller version of Ta Prohm.

Big circuit temple tour

Unlike small circuit tour, temples included on this tour are situated farther from each other taking a longer route to reach the next one. Here’s the list of the temple we visited for this tour:

Preah Khan- It has huge trees that grows out of the ruins and walls carved with Garudas.
Neak Pean- It is an island temple originally designed to be a “hospital”.
East Mebon- It is a temple that stands in the middle od now dry reservoir.
Pre Rup- Cambodian’s believed that this temple was used for funeral ceremonies.

2. Party at Pub Street

It is a long stretch of streets where restaurants, bars, fish spas, massage places and fried ice cream stalls flock. It becomes alive during late afternoon until late night and stands as the center of night life in Siem Reap.

3. Learn Khmer History by Visiting Angkor National Museum

Angkor National Museum exhibits the glorious ancient Khmer Kingdoms. The museum is divided to series of galleries such as 1,000 Buddha Images, Khmer Civilization and galleries that showcases the origin of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. It is a good place for people who loves history. Entrance fee is 12 USD.

4. See the War Relics in War Museum

This War museum highlights the ruthless Khmer Rouge and the recent civil war in Cambodia. The museum exhibits unique collection of old weapons, vehicles, landmines and equipments which were used in nearly three decades of the country’s civil war.

5. Watch Sunset in Phnom Krom

Don’t miss watching the famous Cambodia sunset which is more beautiful to witness on a less crowded area. Phnom Krom is a temple located on the top of a hill 10 km southwest of Siem Reap center so a little trek is required to reach it. You will see a view of Chong Kneas floating village from above as you walk towards the hilltop. It is a popular place for sunset viewing as you can witness it over a flooded plain during the wet season or over a rice fields in dry season.

6. Take a Look on Banteay Srei

It is a revitalizing temple to see far from Angkor Archeological Park. Banteay Srei which means “Citadel of Beauty”, is located about 30 km away from Siem Reap center. The temple’s walls and structures are meticulously carved made of pink sandstones.

7. Taste Khmer Cuisines

Cuisines found in Cambodia are usually being compared to those found in neighboring country of Thailand and Vietnam but it is simply delicious once tried. There are a lot of food choices on each restaurants making someone hard to decide which of which to get. My most recommended dish to try are pineapple fried rice, loklak and amok.

I wrote a more detailed blog for dishes to try in Siem Reap, if you wish to read it here’s the link.

8. Visit a Floating Village in Tonle Sap Lake

It can be a refreshing scene to experience once you get tired of all the temple hopping that you did. The village highlights stilt houses that seems to float in water during wet season. It is a floating community that has their own school, hospital and even restaurants. There are four floating villages that you can visit namely: Chong Kneas, Mechrey, Kampong Phluk and Kampong Khleang. One boat ride can cost 18-20 USD depending on which village you will visit.

9. Buy Souvenirs in Night Market

There are series of night markets that can be found in Siem Reap area. Those night markets sell goods, clothes, home decor, slogan t-shirts, sculptures, textile and many more. You are in need of your haggling skills to get reasonable discounts and spend less on your shopping here. The vendors would even initiate the haggling first and ask for how much you can pay but make sure you weigh things out first before haggling too much since vendors are in need as well of an income.

10. Appreciate and Buy Khmer Art

What I notice about Cambodia is their love for art. Almost anywhere you go, you will get a chance to see sculptures and paintings being sold. Even on the corners of the Angkor temples you will see artists expressing themselves through drawing and painting. You will see a lot of them as well on the streets of the night markets and you can’t take yourself from admiring these art pieces.

11. Trek to Kbal Spean with 1000 lingas

Kbal Spean, located in west of Kulen Mountains, is a riverbed with series of stone rock carvings and sandstones. It is commonly known as “The river of a Thousand Lingas”. You need to trek about 1.5 km uphill within Phnom Kulen National Park to reach it. The site showcases a small waterfall-like view where water flows over the carved sculptures. Since we came during dry season, there’s no flowing water on the site but visiting Kbal Spean during dry season is a good way of experiencing the beauty of the country’s mountain area. You need an Angkor pass to get into this site. We didn’t get a guide and just follow the signs along the way. A mountain trek would be a good adventure especially on a foreign land.

Sample 4-Day Itinerary In Siem Reap:

Travel itinerary was created through Tripit. You can create yours on this website https://www.tripit.com/web.

Have you been to Siem Reap before? Share your thoughts below!

The post Siem Reap Travel Guide: Things To Do + Sample Itinerary appeared first on Meghy Was Here.

Cambodia Food Guide: Cuisines To Try In Siem Reap

Meghy — Sun, 14 Apr 2019 06:21:13 +0000

Siem Reap is more than just their century-old temples. It is a good place as well to fill your hungry tummy with their exceptional cuisines. Khmer cuisines are usually being compared to those gastronomies found in neighboring land of Thailand and Vietnam but it is simply delicious once tried.

Rice is Cambodia’s staple food and is part of almost every meal. Their dishes are usually served with plenty of herbs, fresh vegetables, fruits and sauces. There are a lot of food houses along the streets of Siem Reap that serves plenty of food choices making you hard to decide which of which to choose.

So I listed some of the foods we tried during our stay in Siem Reap.

Loklak

It is one of the most popular traditional Khmer dishes made with thin strips of beef or pork with fresh lettuce and sliced tomatoes on the side. They usually have it with brown sauce made of lime and pepper and fried egg on the top.

Khmer Curry

Khmer curry is a dish that is less spicy compare to those curries usually cooked in Thailand and India. It is commonly served with a meat of your choice (beef, chicken or fish), diced potatoes, coconut milk and herbs.

Fried Pineapple with meat

During those days I spent in Siem Reap, what I noticed was they have plenty of dishes that has fruits or vegetables as main dish ingredient. On this dish, they serve stir-fried pineapple slices with meat (pork, beef or chicken). It is a sweet savory stir-fried meal typically served with rice.

Cambodian Rice Noodle Soup

It is a traditional noodle soup served with rice noodles, pork stock and vegetable toppings. It is a popular breakfast meal in Cambodia and even on parts of Thailand and Vietnam.

Fried Flat Noodles

It is a stir fried flat rice noodles served with a meat of your choice (chicken, pork or beef) and green vegetables. Fried noodles can be found across the country in different varieties.

Stir Fried Ginger with Meat

This is an oriental dish made of thinly sliced fresh gingers and beef strips. What I love about this dish is they actually have crispy ginger “shoestrings” that results to good texture and flavorful taste.

Pineapple Fried Rice

It is one of my personal favorite dish I tried during my whole stay in Siem Reap. It is a mixture of fresh pineapple chunks, meat, roasted cashew nuts, carrots and peas that compliments well with the rice grains. It is actually served in a carved-out pineapple as its bowl making the dish more fun to eat!

Khmer Fried Chicken and Fried Rice

It is not your normal crispy fast food fried chicken. They use a native chicken which meat is tender and full of Asian flavor. This chicken is best paired with their own version of fried rice with soy sauce and oyster sauce.

Other Dishes We Tried During Our Whole Stay:

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Cambodia Travel Guide: Temples To Visit In Siem Reap

Meghy — Sat, 06 Apr 2019 05:29:43 +0000

Visiting Kingdom of Cambodia wouldn’t be complete without visiting its iconic temples. It is a home of hundreds of century-old architectures made by strong spiritual devotions and great Khmer empire culture. Angkor Archeological Park, a complex located in Siem Reap, is where most of its beautiful temples are located and it attracts millions of visitors each year!

So if you wish to visit this country and do temple hopping, I listed some of the temples you shouldn’t missed seeing.

Angkor Wat

No question, Angkor Wat is Cambodia’s most iconic and most visited temple. It was built during 12^th century to worship God Vishnu and said to be one of the largest religious site in the world. Be overwhelmed stepping on its massive ruins as Angkor Wat was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is 1992. The temple structure is even included on Cambodia’s national flag so you shouldn’t miss seeing this pride.

Angkor Thom

Angkor Thom is a complex in Angkor Archeological Park and the last capital city of the Khmer empire. The complex has five 20-meter high gates with four faces and two rows of seven-headed Naga carrying figures.

Bayon Temple

Bayon Temple is located at the heart of Angkor Thom complex and known for its four-smiling faces stone towers. It was built late 12^th century as official temple of King Jayavarman VII. The faces carved on the towers are said to be the face of King Jayavarman VII.

Ta Keo

Ta Keo is a temple-mountain in Angkor or should I say a “pyramid-like” temple. It has five towers on the uppermost part of steep pyramid. The stairs going up is so steep that I was too afraid to go on the uppermost level.

Ta Prohm

Ta Prohm is one of the popular temples in Siem Reap since it was featured in the movie and game Tomb Raider. One distinct feature of this temple are the huge trees that grows and shrouded the century-old ruins. Due to its jungle-like structure and atmosphere, it became popular to tourists.

Banteay Kdei

Banteay Kdei means “Citadel of Chambers” and believed to be the smaller version of Ta Prohm and Preah Khan. The temple said to be occupied by monks over the centuries until 1960s.

Banteay Srei

Banteay Srei which means “Citadel of Beauty” is located about 30 km away from Siem Reap center. Be amazed of its meticulously carved structures made by pink sandstones making it worth your visit. You will appreciate its beauty especially in the early morning where the color of its ruins tend to be somewhat orange, golden brown or pinkish which is far different from those found in Angkor complex.

Preah Khan

Preah Khan is actually one of my personal favorites. It is built in 12^th century for King Jayavarman VII to honor his father. Like Ta Prohm, it has huge trees that grows out on the ruins but with lesser tourists and has walls carved with Garudas. Big part of the temple is still destroyed and left unrestored but for me that what makes it more special, seeing the beauty of the untouched past.

Neak Pean

Neak Pean is an island temple on the middle of a man-made lake. You can reach it by passing through a wooden bridge. It was originally designed to be “hospital” since ancients believed that going to those pools will cure diseases.

East Mebon

East Mebon is a 10^th century temple dedicated to Hindu God Shiva that stand on an artificial island at the mid of now dry reservoir.

Pre Rup

The temple’s name means “turn the body” which Cambodians believed that this temple has been used for funeral ceremonies. Pre Rup is much like a smaller version of East Mebon. We passed through this temple early in the morning and it is a must-view to see!

Phnom Krom

It is a temple at the top of hill located about 10 km southwest of Siem Reap dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. The temple has three towers built during the 9^th century. It is one of the best spot to watch sunset with the view of Tonle Sap Lake during wet season or fields during dry season.

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Mt. Talamitam: Day Hike On Its New Trail

Meghy — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 10:32:11 +0000

Most people probably heard and experienced the beauty ranges of Mt. Batulao but most people do not know as well the charm of its “younger sister”, Mt. Talamitam, has to offer. Mt. Talamitam is located on the other side of Mt. Batulao in Nasugbu, Batangas. The mountain got its name from the “Talamitam trees” that used to grow on its slopes but sad to say the tree no longer exists on the highland.

Though Mt. Talamitam does not have the mountain range landscapes as grand as those found in Mt. Batulao, it has a huge grassland next to the summit that will makes you feel stepping on the rolling hills of Batanes or New Zealand!

How to get there?

Manila to Mt. Talamitam

From Manila ride a Nasugbu bound bus (DLTB or BSC) and asked the driver to drop you off in Mt. Talamitam drop off point (that is before Sitio Bayabasan Basketball court). Then you have to charter a tricycle that will take you to the registration point in Brgy. Kayrilaw.

Laguna to Mt. Talamitam

If you will be coming from Laguna, you can ride a Nasugbu bound van from Balibago Complex (Fare is P150) and asked the driver to drop you off in Mt. Talamitam drop off point (that is before Sitio Bayabasan Basketball court). Then you have to charter a tricycle that will take you to the registration point in Brgy. Kayrilaw.

The Climb

Mt. Talamitam has now a new trail that passes through Brgy. Kayrilaw. After the bus drop off in Nasugbu hiway, you actually need to ride a tricycle going to the registration point in Brgy. Kayrilaw but we didn’t take the drivers advice. We decided to start our trek from the hiway and it took as an hour to reach the registration area. We already got tired of the 3 km walk before starting the real trek (haha!).

The old trail actually passes through Sitio Bayabasan in Brgy. Aga. According to the person in charge in registration point, one part of the old trail passes through a private property and the owner no longer allows any hiker to pass through the property. The registration is P50/person and tour guide is required to reach the summit. Tour guide fee is P500/group. We were 14 in the group and they required us to have 2 tour guides for this journey.

According to the locals, the new trail is actually longer but easier compared to the old trail. At first, you will pass through the forest like trail, the way is manageable until you reach the first jump off point where series of stores are situated selling variant of foods like hotdogs, barbeque, fishballs and even banana cake! As per the locals, horses are the their means of transporting goods to the mountain top. Imagine how strong their horses are?

After taking a rest on the first drop off, we walked through the woodland again. By this time the way is becoming steeper and challenging. There are moderate slopes and many trail disparities until you reach the wide grassland where the Talamitam peak lies. The scene is picturesque that it takes us time to capture its beauty. This part will give you a “Batanes feels” so you can get as many worthy pictures as you want. This part of the trail is an open green field without any trees or shade so the trek can be very exhausting due to the direct heat of the sun. There is another store on this point where you can quench your thirst with their cold drinks and where you can rest for a while before you can start your trek again on the last assault before reaching the summit. I already felt the exhaustion at this point of the trek that takes me time in reaching the peak. Since the last assault is really steep, I literally took a rest every minute before finally reaching its mesmeric summit.

At the peak, you can reward yourself with a Halo-Halo being sold by the only store on the peak. The view from the summit is mesmerizing making your trek a worthy one. The view is so dreamy and makes you feel happy and fulfilled that you did something you never thought you could. The green plateau and the summit for me is the most scenic view I had on the whole trail. We rest for a while and when we got enough photos and rest, we decided to start our descend at 4PM.

How long did it take?

As per the locals, the trek should only take 2 hours per way or a total of 4 hours but on our case it took us almost 8 hours to finish the whole trail. The trek time is acceptable since the walking from the hiway that started about 10:30 AM already consumed our time and energy which can be saved if we ride a tricycle. Since we are 14 in the group with few first timers, we took a lot of rest time and talk with the locals on both ascend and descend. We reached the registration point of Brgy, Kayrilaw at 6:30 PM and ate Batangas Lomi and Arrozcaldo near the Baranggay outpost.

What Realizations I Got?

I am not used to physical activities that requires strength and stamina or for short, I am not your sporty gal. When I am in grade school, my teacher would always let me stay beside or sit during our PE class since I have this allergy that comes out every time I sweat or stay under the heat of the sun (I already overcome that allergy now!). So each time I decided to go up to the mountains, I always tell myself that “I won’t be doing it again!”. I can easily judge myself based on my known capabilities without knowing that there’s still more of myself that I can give. But after all the struggles that I have every hike and telling myself that this won’t happen again, I always eat my words and do it again next time. Maybe it’s the irony of life like how we still decided to love even how many times we got hurt or how we still decided to forgive someone regardless how painful the mistakes they given us. Because at the end of the day, we need to focus on the beauty that we can get from love and forgiveness that we decided to give like how we focus on the beauty that awaits us in the mountain summit. I think we just need not to let our pain and struggles hinder us from getting the greatness we deserve and always remember that somewhere between the lowest ground and the mountain top is the journey that makes you believe that you CAN.

Have you ever been to Mt. Talamitam before? Share your experience below.

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Gingerbread House PH: A Must See Spot in Alfonso, Cavite

Meghy — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 08:04:13 +0000

Let’s get back on the pages of our bedtime storybooks and live through again our childhood fantasies by visiting Gingerbread House PH in Alfonso, Cavite. The place was conceptualized by the famous story of the siblings, Hansel and Gretel, who lost in the middle of the woods and found a gingerbread house full of sweet pastries without knowing it is owned by a witch.

It is a sweet oasis in the middle of Alfonso, Cavite every kid and kid at heart will surely delight in. Though it is located in Alfonso, Cavite it is just few minutes away from Tagaytay City so it is a perfect side trip on your Tagaytay itinerary.

How to get there?

From Tagaytay Olivarez, ride a Nasugbu-bound jeepney or bus and ask the driver to drop you off in Brgy. Upli (right beside the Shell gasoline station). Upon reaching Brgy. Upli, chartered a tricycle that will take you to Gingerbread house (fare will be P70 one way).

Getting Around Gingerbread House:

Upon reaching the entrance of Gingerbread house you have to pay a P50 entrance fee. The bakeshop in left front where fresh breads and pasalubongs were being sold serves as the main entrance as well.

After the main entrance you have to pass through a mini forest-like tunnel with hanging vines. At the end of the trail, you will be greeted by a wishing well where you can bid your wishes.

The main structure of the place which is the Gingerbread house itself charmingly stands at the middle of the area. It will make you a happy kid wanting to taste its sweetened façade. It has candy canes on the staircase, artificial snow at the entrance and sweet pasties design on the walls making the building like a gigantic cake ready to be eaten! The main Gingerbread house is actually a Christmas-themed restaurant that offers mouth-watering pastries such as muffins, cakes, brownies, milkshakes, gingerbread (of course!) and even serves all day breakfast.

Right beside the gingerbread house is a fish spa that you can try for P50 per 15 minutes.

They also have as well a Candy Village where a lot of gingerbread house miniatures and playhouses perfect for picture taking.

You can also buy a dream board where you can write down your dreams and tie it on their dream wall. It’s fascinating how many dream boards are tied up on their wall! It’s like a wall of thousand dreams waiting to be fulfilled.

The place also has a small man-made waterfall, open air bed, swings, souvenir shop and even offers s’mores making session.

Gingerbread House PH also has their own Gingerbread Hall where various activities can be done and have their own museum where a lot of gingerbread houses are being displayed.

Contact details

Address: Brgy. Palumlum, Alfonso, Cavite

Operating hours: 8:00 AM-6:00 PM

Facebook Page: Click here

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Cebu Travel Guide: Places To Visit In Cebu City

Meghy — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 13:39:42 +0000

Cebu City is now the most developed and busiest city in the Visayas Region. It became as progressive as Manila where a lot of businesses and commercial establishments rises on the metropolitan city. But despite the busy lifestyle the city has to offer, it is still a worthy place where culture and beautiful attractions meet the modern city.

So here’s some of the tourist attractions within Cebu City vicinity that you can pay a visit.

Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño

It is considered as one of the most famous landmark of the Cebu Island. The church was founded in 1565 and said to be the oldest Catholic Church of our country.

Magellan’s Cross

It is just located few steps away from the entrance of Sto. Niño Church. Magellan’s Cross is a Christian cross planted by the Spanish explorers headed by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 that patent the natal of Christianity on our land.

Cebu Taoist Temple

It is a Taoist temple built in 1972 located in Beverly Hills, Cebu City. It has one of a kind architectural structure and a great spot to have a good view of Cebu City from above. It is open to the public (even non-worshippers) and a perfect venue for your morning jog.

Tops Lookout

Tops lookout gives tourists a chance of seeing the striking Cebu City skyline. The perfect time to visit this place is during the early morning and late afternoon to prevent exposing yourself on too much sun during noon and early afternoon. The place provides a panoramic view of the whole Cebu City and Mactan Island. During the night, the view makes more captivating as you can see the city lit up and bright up through the dark.

Temple of Leah

It is being tagged as the “Taj Mahal” of the Philippines. It was built by Teodorico Soriano Adarna in 2012 as a symbol of his undying love for his wife Leah Villa Adarna. It has Greek and Roman inspired architecture that makes the temple more fascinating.

Sirao Garden – Little Amsterdam

This flower garden will give you a taste of Europe! The garden is fmous for its Celosia flowers that has a combination of red, yellow, pink and orange and being used as the official flower of Sinulog Festival. There are other flowers aside from Celosia and they put up a windmill making the place more Europe-ish. There’s so much beauty and colors on the garden that you can’t stop looking on this breathtaking place.

Sirao Pictorial Garden and Camping Site

Yes, you read it right! There is another Sirao Garden and it is located just beside the Sirao Garden – Little Amsterdam (It will actually comes first). It is as picturesque as the little Amsterdam so you can take as many creative pictures as you can.

10 000 Roses

Though it is located in Mactan Island, this place is just an hour away from the Cebu main Island. This is where led-powered roses attraction started that eventually became famous across the country. It has 10,000 artificial flowers where a café stands at the center. Perfect time to visit this is during the late afternoon to witness the sunset and watch how beautifully the led-roses lit up at night.

Cebu Downtown (Colon Street)

I really loved how a province downtown highlights the old commercial history of the place. The busy streets of Cebu downtown were once the heart of Cebu City’s shopping and commercial activities before bigger known malls came to the picture. While visiting the Colon Street you will see how the past meets the present era. The place is a portrait of a busy and crowded street during the day and night.

Fort San Pedro

It is located in Plaza Independencia near the Pier area and was built as a military defense structure under the command of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. Fort San Pedro is said to be the oldest and smallest fort in the Philippines. You can pay a visit to learn more about the rich history of the province.

I’ve been in Cebu thrice and even live there for three months but the province still never failed to leave me in awe everytime I visit. Have you ever been to Cebu? Share your experience below!

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Sunshine Farm Philippines: A Sunflower Farm To Visit In Tiaong, Quezon

Meghy — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 08:22:03 +0000

For me, sunflowers are more than just flowers. With its bright yellow color, it brings so much happiness, positivity that reminds us to look on the brighter side of everything. Sunflower farms are now starting to emerge as one of the known tourist attractions around the country. One of them can be found just 2-3 hours away from Manila! You can now visit the Sunshine Farm PH located in Tiaong, Quezon to get a chance to see these happy flowers.

About Sunshine Farm Philippines

Sunshine Farm is more than just a farm. It is a farm with higher cause and advocacy. The farm ,that hires PWDs as workers, aims to provide a sustainable livelihood to PWDs (Persons with Disability), uplift their drive and break the stigma that they can’t do anything. Sunshine Farm gives hope, inspiration and equal chances to persons with exceptionalities making your visit more worthy and meaningful.

It is being owned by Rhodora Palomar-Fresnedi, a PWD advocate. Located in Brgy. Lalig, Tiaong, Quezon with a P100 entrance fee, you can enjoy yourself with its IG-worthy sunflowers and be part of the farm’s advocacy.

How to go to Sunshine Farm PH?

Manila to Sunshine Farm

Ride a bus from Manila (Cubao, Buendia, Alabang) bound to Lucena. Tell the driver to drop you off in Brgy. Lalig, Tiaong or simply tell the driver to drop you on Sunshine Farm.

Lucena to Sunshine Farm

Ride a Manila-bound bus and tell the driver to drop you off in Sunshine Farm in Brgy. Lalig.

Getting Around Sunshine Farm

The farm has sunflower mazes that serves as its main attraction. The flowers in full bloom will invite you to be ready and take pictures as many as you can. During the day it can be too hot so better bring sunglasses and hats.

The place has its own food house that offers food for affordable prices. You can enjoy a meal for P120 that includes one rice and a choice of viand packed on a bottle jar. What an idea! They also served natural fruit juices. We tried their Dalandan juice for P25 and their natural Pandan juice for P20.

There is a souvenir shop as well on the farm that sells sunflower products. There are sunflower seeds, pins, ref magnets, key chains, purse, soap, shampoo etc. that you can buy.

Aside from the sunflowers itself, there are other variety flowers that blooms on the place and there are other farm attractions that you can enjoy. This recreational place is perfect for relaxation and leisure. See photos below for other attractions.

Other Things To Know Before Going:

Entrance Fee is P100. It can be pricey compared to other sunflower farms but the benefit it can provide is more than enough reason to pay a visit.

At times, they sell sunflowers from P150-P200 depending on the variety.
For Pre-nup and Pre-debut photoshoots rate, you can directly contact them on their facebook page here.
The farm is open from 8am-7pm (Monday to Friday) and 7am-7pm (Saturday, Sunday and Holidays).

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travelguide Archives | Meghy Was Here

Jomax Peak Travel Guide: A Sanctuary Found In Don Salvador Benedicto

Knowing Jomax Peak:

How to get to Jomax Peak?

Rates and Accommodation:

Getting around Jomax Peak:

Mt. Kalugong Travel Guide: Journey On Its Eco Park and Cafe (Updated 2022)

Knowing Mt. Kalugong:

How To Get To Mt. Kalugong:

Journey To Mt. Kalugong:

Additional Information:

Additional Photos From Our Recent Visit March 2022

Mapols Farm Guide: More Than Just A Farm In Pototan, Iloilo

How To Get There?

Getting Around Mapols Farm:

Additional Information To Know:

Siem Reap Travel Guide: Things To Do + Sample Itinerary

Things To Know Before Going:

Where to Stay?

What To Do In Siem Reap?

1. Visit Angkor Temples

2. Party at Pub Street

3. Learn Khmer History by Visiting Angkor National Museum

4. See the War Relics in War Museum

5. Watch Sunset in Phnom Krom

6. Take a Look on Banteay Srei

7. Taste Khmer Cuisines

8. Visit a Floating Village in Tonle Sap Lake

9. Buy Souvenirs in Night Market

10. Appreciate and Buy Khmer Art

11. Trek to Kbal Spean with 1000 lingas

Sample 4-Day Itinerary In Siem Reap:

Cambodia Food Guide: Cuisines To Try In Siem Reap

Loklak

Khmer Curry

Fried Pineapple with meat

Cambodian Rice Noodle Soup

Fried Flat Noodles

Stir Fried Ginger with Meat

Pineapple Fried Rice

Khmer Fried Chicken and Fried Rice

Cambodia Travel Guide: Temples To Visit In Siem Reap

Angkor Wat

Angkor Thom

Bayon Temple

Ta Keo

Ta Prohm

Banteay Kdei

Banteay Srei

Preah Khan

Neak Pean

East Mebon

Pre Rup

Phnom Krom

Mt. Talamitam: Day Hike On Its New Trail

How to get there?

The Climb

How long did it take?

What Realizations I Got?

Gingerbread House PH: A Must See Spot in Alfonso, Cavite

How to get there?

Getting Around Gingerbread House:

Cebu Travel Guide: Places To Visit In Cebu City

Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño

Magellan’s Cross

Cebu Taoist Temple

Tops Lookout

Temple of Leah

Sirao Garden – Little Amsterdam

Sirao Pictorial Garden and Camping Site

10 000 Roses

Cebu Downtown (Colon Street)

Fort San Pedro

Sunshine Farm Philippines: A Sunflower Farm To Visit In Tiaong, Quezon

About Sunshine Farm Philippines

How to go to Sunshine Farm PH?

Getting Around Sunshine Farm

Other Things To Know Before Going: