april-2012

trip journal
PHILIPPINES
SAN JOSE
AREA CODE (43)
CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02)
TOUCHDOWN You can take a tricycle from right
outside the airport to the town center for about
PHP50, inclusive of tip. To get around town, you
either walk or take tricycles, which are cheap and
easy to fi nd.
BY DAY Snorkel or dive in Puerto Galera. If
you’re not certifi ed, go for an intro dive in Galera;
the underwater life there is pretty spectacular.
It’ll help you make memories and cherish an
unforgettable experience.
BY NIGHT Check out the nightlife in Puerto
Galera. Relax and have a drink at The Point
Bar, which is at the corner of La Laguna Beach.
Because it is elevated, it gives you a great view
of the waters.
SLEEP Stay at the Coco Beach Resort. Rooms
start at about PHP1,286 per day and can get
higher during peak season. There is a surcharge
for single occupancy. www.cocobeach.com
{ 156 }
Clars
Guerrero
marketing
manager
BEST DINNER Have some tasty
meat; the ribs at Tamarind Grill in
Sabang are über delish.
INSIDER TIP The very rich marine
life of Puerto Galera is not to be missed.
Make time to explore it.
MUST-TRY Check out Tamaraw
Falls, ranked number one in the “38
things to do in Puerto Galera” by
Lonely Planet.
GEORGE CABIG
PHILIPPINES
CEBU
AREA CODE (32)
CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02)
TOUCHDOWN It’s pretty easy to hire a taxi or
even a private car to take you to the city center
from the Mactan Airport. If you’re staying for more
than a few days, you can hire a car. There are
metered cabs by the terminal too.
BY DAY Take a heritage walk of downtown Cebu.
Start at Magellan’s Cross then pay homage to Sto.
Niño at the Basilica. Visit the Cebu Cathedral and
the Heritage of Cebu monument. Your last stop
will be the San Diego ancestral house.
BY NIGHT Head on over to Tops, a 30-minute
drive on top of a mountain, for the best view of
the city. On your way down, have a few drinks
at Bellini’s, where you can fi nd the best mojitos.
Then dance the night away at Alcohology.
WWW.DANISHCONNECTION.COM
SLEEP Look at the properties available on
Roomorama; it is a great alternative to cookiecutter
hotels. You can stay at a local’s home for
half the price you pay for a hotel. roomorama.com
Chichi
Bacolod
marketing
manager
BEST DINNER Casa Verde’s huge
slab of baby back ribs for less than
PHP200.
LOCAL SPEAK “Istoryahee!” Say
this when you’ve just heard a jawdropping
or crazy story.
MUST-TRY Gobble up some tasty
(and sometimes weird) grilled goodies
at Larsian, which is near the Fuente
Osmeña Circle.