PHILIPPINES

Have you ever tried Filipino food? I’m not surprised if you haven’t because for one reason or another, Filipino cuisine hasn’t caught on internationally as …

Nationalistic in his cooking approach, Chef Navarra is known for his playful and inventive takes on classic Filipino dishes like lugaw (rice porridge), relyenong pusit (stuffed squid), and pork bbq. His presentation may be contemporary but the dishes themselves – and ingredients used – are staunchly Filipino.

As much as Sagada has changed over the last two decades, one thing remains the same – it’s still the blissful mountain enclave that made me want to escape to it so many years ago. I still do.

It may have been my third time to share the ocean with these beautiful creatures but the experience didn’t hold any less wonder than the previous two. It’s such a privilege to swim alongside these gentle giants, an experience you can only have in select parts of the world.

To be honest, Ren and I aren’t the biggest fans of boats. Ren easily gets seasick and I find the experience to be a little confining. But throw in the promise of unlimited booze and a stunning sunset and it becomes en entirely different story.

San Juan in La Union has been making waves lately as a hip surfing destination in Northern Luzon. Its proximity to Manila makes it a popular weekend getaway, especially for people looking to do a little more than lay around on a beach.

Gallery by Chele is the newest restaurant concept of Chef Chele Gonzales and Chef Carlo Villaflor. In many ways, you can look at it as the second coming of Gallery VASK, Chef Chele’s award-winning restaurant that was ranked as high as number 35 on the list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.

San Juan is a sleepy town in La Union province that’s become famous for two things – its surfing and its food. If you’re looking to go surfing and food tripping in San Juan, then here are a few restaurants for you to visit.

The Dessert Museum isn’t really a museum but a pastel-hued attraction dedicated to candy and sweets. It boasts eight themed rooms, each inspired by a different confection like donuts, marshmallows, and gummy bears. If you like sweets and Instagram, then you’re going to love this place.

As beautiful as the Philippines is, many destinations offer mostly sand and surf. But not Bohol. Apart from its many white sand beaches and world-class dive sites, Bohol is known for unique attractions that you can’t find anywhere else in the Philippines. Curiosities like the Chocolate Hills and the Philippine Tarsier come foremost to mind.