Philippines

The Poblacion area is trendy. It’s becoming increasingly popular as a food and arts hub in Makati. Cultured but unpolished, hip but a little seedy, it reminds me of what Malate in Manila used to be.

A boodle fight is a Philippine military tradition where a central mound of food – typically consisting of white rice and a variety of viands, fruits, and vegetables – would be piled high on banana leaves for soldiers to share. Gathered around the table, diners are meant to eat while standing without the use of cutlery.

Ren and I prefer boutique hotels over large chains which is why I was instantly drawn to La Casita Mercedes. It’s exactly the type of place we look for on our travels.

Near and dear to every Filipino’s heart, adobo is the one dish that transcends top 10 lists. Don’t even think of writing a “Best Adobo in Manila” list because you’ll have everyone’s mother to contend with.

Batad is a remote village of around 1,500 people in Ifugao province. It’s said to be home to the best and most well-preserved rice terraces in the Cordillera region. These terraces are between 2,000-6,000 years old and have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995.

If you’re familiar with our blog, then you already know how much we love eating local food when we travel. A lot of that traveleating involves street food, which in many countries, has a reputation for being less than sanitary. The Philippines is one of those countries.

Davao is a model city. It’s one of the most progressive cities in the Philippines and one of the safest in Southeast Asia. We got to experience this first-hand on our trip to Davao and with this guide, we hope you do too.

Like a jolt of caffeine, it reminded us why we had gotten up so damn early to begin with. It reminded us that we were here to see dolphins. And that was something to get really excited about.

Tthe idea of sustainable agriculture is appealing to more and more people these days which is why places like Bohol Bee Farm are becoming so in vogue.

Saving the best for last. This was to be our last meal in Bohol so I made the reservation several days in advance to make sure we got a table. They gave us the best one, right on the beach with an unobstructed view of the sunset.