Our trip to Japan, summer 2017

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It’s currently summer vacation for all of the kids in the UAE.  It’s actually over a month already since most of the schools have closed for the school year 2017. Since classes will start on September 10, that’s about 12 weeks long of holidays!

Japan 2013

When I planned where to take the kids in summer and though our family budget is tight, I couldn’t let them just stay at home for 12 long weeks and wait for the weekends for me to take them outside. I work full time so yeah, I can only take them out on weekends because this mom is lazy to take out people and drive after work, except maybe for groceries.

The peak of UAE’s summer is these months of June-September so playing outside isn’t really an option. This is actually the challenge for families staying in the country during these months. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of entertainment options, indoors usually inside a mall but if given a choice, I would love the kids to be outside than in the malls.

Anyway, I managed to find fairly inexpensive airfare for the three of us from Dubai-Narita via Singapore on Singapore Airlines last March. It’s been four years since our last visit to Japan and it got me really excited!

The last time we traveled to Japan, Benjamin was less than two years old. Pristine was nine. This was them when we landed in Narita in 2013.

And this was them in the same spot in 2017!

p and b in japan again

I couldn’t remember their original pose but know that Pristine was carrying her little brother so we tried to replicate the shot. What difference four years make!

We took Singapore Airways and I don’t know, I felt our flight was really long this time. Seven hours from Dubai to Singapore, a couple of hours layover at the wonderful Changi Airport (probably my favorite airport in the whole world, after Dubai International) and again another seven hours from Singapore to Narita.

stormy narita

The kids were really great during the flight, as they’ve always been. No fuss even with the disturbing turbulence as we approached Narita. The captain announced bad weather and we’d have a bumpy ride. There were many kids on the flight and I heard a few vomiting sounds…I was scared Benjamin, who is prone to motion sickness would follow too but thankfully, he didn’t!

KOMBINI!

The first thing we did when we got out security? Go attack the first convenience store (kombini in Japanese colloquial) inside the airport! It was a small store but it already got our spirits high!

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combini 1

Who buys 2,000/3,000 yen worth of stuff from convenience stores?! Us, obviously. We have a love affair with with Japan’s kombini. Located on every block in urban areas, the Japanese convenience store is much more than a ubiquitous repository of junk food. Konbini food, believe it or not, is actually pretty decent. They’re more than the microwavable chimichangas you’ll find in other country’s convenience stores, konbini food is delicious and always kept fresh.

It sells the ever handy cure for mild hunger: onigiri, bento, seasonal dishes and sweets, sushi and soba, manga and medicine, alcohol and many, many more you can think of!

It was late when we arrived at the station near our Airbnb so we bought food stuff in case the kids (and I!) get hungry later in the night. Nah, we were just really excited to buy the stuffs we missed!

OUR FIRST MORNING IN JAPAN

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We arrived around 10 pm after a long flight from Dubai and Singapore and I learned a valuable lesson: our morning after itinerary should have been: SLEEP ALL DAY.

Because anyway, we had our kombini food already in case we get hungry, we don’t need to go out really. The kids were heavily jet lagged or just plain tired and showed no signs of rousing from their sleep even if it was already 10 or 11 am or even 12 noon!

(It might be because our modest Airbnb was so nice and comfy – it deserves a special blog post soon!)

Our time in Japan is very limited and I didn’t want to waste it so I had to wake them up just before 1 pm. Fair enough, no? They were fully rested and ready to tackle the day.

We were in Tokyo on the last week of June and OMG, the weather was really nice!

Japan is still in that tsuyu season (rainy season just before summer). The temps were already warm enough for the locals but coming from a place with 45C temperature in Dubai, 27C in Tokyo was HEAVEN. We were walking and would stop on the side of the road to just close our eyes and feel the cool breeze whenever it comes.

Our first order of the day? LUNCH!

I have listed the restaurants to go and food to eat while in Tokyo months back before our trip. Our every meal has been planned already, well, except for the random kombini visits where we buy snacks while we are on the move. We went to Coco Ichibanya because we missed the Japanese curry!

curry

EATING OUT IN JAPAN ON BUDGET

If you think eating out in Japan is expensive (Tokyo has this notorious reputation of being expensive generally), take note that there are several food shops where you can have a great inexpensive meal. Some of our favorite go to’s are: Coco Ichibanya and also C & C Curry (located at most train stations), and on most streets in Tokyo: Sukiya, Matsuya and Yoshinoya.

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When we finished our hearty lunch, the weather was really warming up. It’s supposed to be rainy season but we were lucky enough not to get wet – it was sunny and nice in Tokyo (although we were ok to get rained on or perhaps buy the transparent umbrella from the kombini!).

We could feel the early pangs of summer heat as we got out of the basement restaurant.

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 Our very important itinerary for that day was a visit to the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka at 4pm. I’ll write a separate blog post about that but do any of you reading this post know about Hayao Miyazaki’s wonderful animes? If you haven’t, I encourage you to start watching them. You can start with Spirited Away or Totoro or even Howl’s Moving Castle.

p and b in ikebukuro

shinjuku at night 1
shinjuku at night 2

We had yakiniku dinner with friends on our first night at Shinjuku. Some of you might have seen my Instastories on Instagram and asked, “you make your own dinner at the restaurant table?”

Yes, yakiniku – from Wikipedia: yakiniku refers to a Japanese style of cooking bite-size meat and vegetables on gridirons or griddles over flame of wood charcoals carbonized by dry distillation or gas/electric grill. At yakiniku restaurants, the meat grillers are on your table and yes, you cook your own meal (which is fun). We had 90 minutes of yakiniku tabehodai (eat all you can, including rice, salads) for 1,980 yen (US$18) per person.

It’s eat all you can for 90 minutes. Can you still say Japan is expensive?

yakiniku

We went home late tired but very satisfied with our first full day in Japan. I am so happy to be able to roam around Tokyo with my kids, now both of them walking really well (no more baby carriers! no more strollers and diaper bags to lug around!). They are also both aware now which is really nice because I get to tell them stories of the time I was a student in Japan roaming in these familiar streets. And they actually listen AND ask questions which throws me back to memory lane time and time again. Ah, those were the days!

Never in my imagination that years after that point in my life that I’d walk around Tokyo with my own kids!

It seems that our travel to Japan is following a pattern: every 4 years. The last time we flew to Japan was 4 years ago in 2013 and before that was also 4 years ago in 2009. I hope it won’t take another 4 years before we go there again.

Here’s to more fun weekends with Privilee!

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Nothing more timely than a treasure of information about Privilee flashing in front of me on a random day last week when I was scratching my head on where to take the kids for the weekend. The weather in Dubai is getting better and better and that means we’d like to go back to enjoying the outdoors! So happy with my new Privilee card – it’s more pool and beach time for us!

WHAT IS PRIVILEE?

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Privilee is an exclusive membership club giving you access to the most pristine private beaches and luxurious leisure facilities at fabulous resorts, hotels and beach clubs across Dubai.

Not only that, but also huge discounts at a wide selection of award-winning restaurants and preferential rates at the member hotels.

A membership with Privilee lets you enjoy unlimited access to beach clubs, spas, gyms and sports facilities at the following Dubai hotels and resorts (current list, many to be added in the future):

  • Conrad
  • Double Tree by Hilton
  • Dubai Polo Club
  • Fairmont The Palm
  • Habtoor Grand
  • Grand Hyatt
  • Waldorf Astoria
  • Kempinski HotelPalm Jumeirah
  • The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi
  • Le Meridien Dubai Mina Seyahi
  • Shangrila SZR
  • Sofitel
  • Riva Beach Club
  • The Address Dubai Marina

Newly added, in Abu Dhabi:

  • Saadiyat Beach Club 
  • St. Regis Abu Dhabi
  • Ritz Carlton Grand Canal

I think whoever thought of this brilliant idea is a genius! And so perfect for those who want to enjoy Dubai’s luxurious offers and not sacrifice family or personal budget.

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We first used our Privilee card at the Grand Hyatt last weekend and the kids enjoyed the massive pool area with dedicated pool for kids, complete with mini slides and lots of facilities for fun water play (even I enjoyed it a little too much).

Considering that the access to enter the pool area on a weekend/public holiday is AED200/day for adults and AED100/day for each child (x 2 kids for me), we could’ve spent AED400 but got free access thanks to our Privilee card.

And that is only by visiting one of the hotels in one weekend! Another visit to a beach club next weekend and the card pays off by itself.

Didn’t I tell you this membership is awesome? In case you are wondering:

Are there any limitations on how often I can use my Privilee card?

No, you can visit the beach clubs, spas and gyms at all partner hotels all day, every day, on weekdays and weekends. Now you do the Math on how this gives value for money for your weekend getaways! Oh, and you can also go to the beach clubs, pools or gyms EVERYDAY if your schedule allows you to!

COST

A Privilee membership is a single membership that starts at AED599. Each membership covers for one adult member and depending on the hotel, up to 2 children under the age of 15. You can contact Privilee directly to inquire about other membership plans that suits you (you’ll be surprised the prices are too good to be true).

There’s no affiliate link here – I just really want to spread information about this wonderful membership and together make our weekends a little luxurious!

TIPS TO MAKE THE MOST OUT YOUR PRIVILEE MEMBERSHIP

  • Call first to check availability (the hotel can’t take reservations)
  • Come very early to get sun beds at the exact location you want to
  • Spots are limited for Privilee members in some resorts, so you might think of going early if it is the weekend or public holiday

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Parting words about Privilee: I wish I’d known this sooner! But better late than never. I can’t wait to hang out at all these awesome and cool luxury places with the kids using our Privilee membership.

ALSO – Since Privilee gives you not only access to the beach clubs and pools at resorts but also gym access, I would recommend Privilee instead of a gym membership if you are not the type of person that commits to one gym – plus on top of that you get pool/beach access! How’s that for motivation?

So here’s to more cool hang-outs for lazy days in the sun, fine dining options and a rejuvenating break from the hustle and bustle of the city thanks to Privilee!

If you have any questions about how to be a member, you can contact them by email at info@privilee.ae or use the contact form at their website. You can also shoot me an email and I’ll try to answer as much as I can based on my experience being a Privilee member.

Bohol Countryside Tour in one day

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After our tour of Panglao island and our wonderful time at one of Bohol’s finest resorts, The Bellevue Bohol, next up on our itinerary is the not to be missed “countryside tour” of the island. We moved to Bohol island’s capital city of Tagbilaran after checking out from our Panglao island accommodation, staying at a simple, boutique hotel near the city center, had lunch and rested the whole afternoon.

It was pouring that afternoon, which is totally normal since July is the start of the monsoon season in the Philippines. Thankfully, we did not have anything planned out that day, maybe just to go out to a mall to buy souvenirs and Bohol’s famous delicacy, the Kalamay.

To be honest, I was a bit anxious – will it rain like this the next day when we do the countryside tour? I surely hope not!

When morning came, luckily, the sun was out and prayers do help – it did not rain the whole day!

The van from the travel and tours company recommended by the Bohol Tourism office and guide, (she’s licensed by Philippine Department of Tourism) arrived on time just before 9 am. We’re ready for our countryside tour!

Related post: Bohol Travel Guide

Here are the places we visited. The Bohol countryside tour can be covered in one full day, however, if you would like to see and experience much more like the zip lines at Loboc or the hanging bridges at various parts of the island, you might need an extra day.

1. Tarsier Sanctuary at Corella

tarsier santuary

When you say “Bohol”, the tarsier automatically comes to mind. The Philippine tarsier, the world’s smallest primate is endemic to Bohol island (though there are some sighting in the islands of Samar and Mindanao). Tarsiers are small with very large eyes, elongated hind legs and feet, a thin tail and long fingers.

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Tarsiers are arboreal (tree living) and jump through the trees to catch their food, which is mainly insect based, although can include lizards, snakes and birds. They are nocturnal (active at night) although some species may move around in the daytime.

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Photo:outcast85/Shutterstock

Oh my God, how cute is this? Or am I weird for thinking Tarsiers are cute?

Before, tours at the Tarsier Sanctuary included touching these animals but not any more. Tarsiers are very shy creatures and do not like human contact. Our guide says, you can’t keep them in a cage as they’ll commit suicide. They’d rather die than be captured and kept. So intense.

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The most noticeable thing about tarsiers are their eyes. They have the largest eyes relative to body size of any mammal. And their heads can turn to almost 360 degrees just like owls.

The Tarsier Sanctuary is a “sanctuary” for a reason. The majority of Tarsier species are now endangered or threatened, and some are designated critically endangered. They only breed once a year and gestation period lasts up to six months and a female can only bear one young every birth.

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When we entered the sanctuary, which is a mini forest, there are guides who, in whispers, show us the way where a tarsier is resting (it’s daytime, they’re either sleeping or just chilling out). Guests are not supposed to make any noise and camera flash is a total no no.

In the above photo, Benjamin (almost 5 years old) looks extremely excited. He is, but we’ve been instructed to be quiet as not to scare the animals in their natural habitat. Tarsiers are very shy animals that prefer to stay away from human contact. Heck they are so solitary, they don’t even get close to other tarsiers. It is said that territory wise, it’s one Tarsier per hectare* of land.

*1 hectare = 2.5 acres = 10,000 square meters

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The specific needs for tarsiers in both habitat and prey make captive breeding programs essentially impossible, and only around 50 percent of tarsiers put in captivity are able to survive. Habitat conservation is their only hope.

2. Chocolate Hills, Carmen

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The Chocolate Hills of Bohol is nothing like any other geographical wonder you’ll see. Conical mounds, almost identical, rising from the Earth, sprawled across a lush green landscape 50 square kilometers wide. It is located in the middle of Bohol island.

HOW TO GET THERE

From the Tagbilaran port, you ride a tricycle to the bus terminal in Dao. At the terminal, you ride a bus/van headed to Carmen. The travel time is 45 minutes to one hour. The bus will stop at the Chocolate Hills. (Or you can also hire a van from travel and tours companies for a private tour)

The hills are not huge; the highest one barely reaches 120 meters in height. Even so, most hills are between 30 and 50 meters. There is one main hill with an observation deck at the top. Be prepared to climb 200+ steps. We were there around 11 am and it was hot and humid. The climb was exhausting but the view from the top made it all worth it.

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I’m so lucky to be travelling with my brother who helped me with Benjamin so I can take photos without worrying he’d fall or something. And Uncle Jay also carried him at some point, especially when we climbed up.

chocolate hills with uncle jay

This extraordinary landscape is unique to this small island. It is said that there are 1,776 of these hills sprawled in 50 square kilometers.

MORE THAN A THOUSAND OF THESE HILLS. Let that sink in in your system for a while.

What a wonderful, mysterious planet we live in. The hills looked almost artificial with the uncanny symmetry that it’s hard to believe they are a product of erosion and time.

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The observation deck at the top is still undergoing lots of construction/restoration after the devastating earthquake that struck the island a couple of years ago.

Mystery still surrounds how the Chocolate Hills were formed. One of the more popular local legends is that long ago, two giants fought for days, hurling earth and stones at one another, until they fell exhausted, friends once more, into each other’s arms.

What it really is: The Chocolate Hills are thought to have been formed as uplifted marine limestone was cracked by tectonic movements and then weathered away by water and wind.

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At the climb down, Benjamin wanted to see the other side. The hills are not too visible from here but I guess if you live and grew up in the desert, the massive greenery right in front of your eyes could get you a little excited, yes?chocolate hills with uncle jay 2

It was hot and humid at the top, alright but I spent the next few minutes in silent awe, watching the rolling white clouds against the mounds of earth. Here’s an aerial view of the area. (Photo not mine.)

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Photo credit

By the way, the name “Chocolate Hills” comes from the brown color the sun-burnt cogon grass transforms during the summer months.

3. Bilar man-made forest

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The plan was to have lunch at Loboc river aboard one of those floating restaurants. To get there, we passed by Bilar man-made forest.

This spot is a favourite stop for tourists going to and/or from the Chocolate Hills in Carmen town. You’ll see a lot of cars parked on the road side and people taking photos or just stop and breathe in fresh mountain air. You can also see tourists taking risky shots, like in the middle of the highway. It’s extremely dangerous as so many buses, trucks and private vehicles appear out of nowhere with ample speed. Don’t do it if you’re there!

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This man-made forest is a forest with mahogany trees planted by the government in order to restore green spaces damaged by excessive logging. This 2 kilometer stretch of densely planted Mahogany trees is located in the border of Loboc and Bilar towns.

That’s my father, by the way, in the picture.

4. River cruise + lunch, Loboc

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We arrived at Loboc just in time for lunch at midday and our guide led us through the docking area whre the Village Floating Resto & Cruises boat awaits. There are a lot of floating restaurants available but this was the one we used.

The river cruise with buffet lunch was priced at PHP450 per person, as of this writing.

When the cruise started, the views were nothing short of enchanting. I fell for it. Hard. Because, who wouldn’t? I thanked God the weather was clear and good, making the cruise so much more wonderful and everywhere you look is just lush green trees and the blue sky.

Loboc river cruise 2

Buffet lunch is served on these floating restaurants but I tell you, when you go on Loboc river cruise, you do not go for the food (me, at least, that what I feel). Imagine having lunch while cruising slowly down a this calm, scenic river.

Loboc river cruise 1

That said, food aboard the floating restaurant we were in was great. We loved it. I wasn’t expecting very much from the buffet at all but actually was good – plenty of choice and delicious.  There were several boats cruising along the river but ours was full, which meant it is better than the others.

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Loboc river cruise 6

The cruise will last for an hour and will make a few stops along the way. First stop is at the river choir station where the locals serenade the guest with traditional Visayan songs. They will also perform a “Tinikling” dance, a traditional dance in the Philippines. There is no fee to watch the show but, it’s very much appreciated to give a tip.

loboc river

What a gorgeous, verdant river! The unspoiled greenery meant one thing; there is a very healthy ecosystem that is preserved in this part of Loboc River. Also, our guide said there are absolutely NO factories of any kind in Bohol island. The fresh air will vouch for that.

The Loboc River Cruise was my favorite part of the countryside tour that I am going to write a separate post why.

5. Blood compact site, Tagbilaran

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On our way back to Tagbilaran City, we stopped at the Sandugo or Blood Compact Shrine monument, a landmark at the site of the first international treaty of friendship between Spaniards and Filipinos.

This site will be meaningful to those who recognize the significance of this historical event. I remember my history class – the ruler of the native people of Bohol, Datu Sikatuna, and the Spanish explorer, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, sealed their peace treaty in the tradition of the native people – sandugo, or blood compact in March 16, 1565.

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I explained to my kids that these people, when they were alive hundreds of years ago, poured some of their blood into a cup filled with liquor and drank it to seal a friendship or treaty. “Sandugo” is a Visayan word which means “one blood”

There wasn’t much to see. It’s just a really a monument, my daughter said but I told her: imagine standing on the same ground where the blood compact happened.

Then she thought they were suddenly cool for standing on such a historical site!

The monument, with the bronze statues of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, Rajah Sikatuna and several other witnesses, was a masterpiece of the Boholano sculptor and National Artist for Sculpture, Napoleon Abueva.

Behind the monument is a magnificent view of Bohol Sea.

Blood compact shrine

That concludes our Bohol countryside tour. We still had plenty of time to catch the ship leaving at 7 pm from Tagbilaran port to take us home to Mindanao island.

There are several travel and tours offering this countryside tour and it’s not really easy to say which one is good. It requires research and scouring the internet and weighing so many factors: price, inclusions, positive reviews, etc. We did the safest way – by contacting the Bohol Tourism office. They recommended Travel Village and Tours who picked us up at our hotel in Tagbilaran. This travel and tours company was fab and made our tour of Bohol memorable and worry-free with a very professional local guide, very cautious driver, clean van. Ms. Cecille, our guide was jolly, warm and all knowing about everything in the tour and had interesting stories to tell. She can even speak a little Japanese!

If you’re going to visit Bohol island in the Philippines for the beaches (mainly that’s what most tourists do), please spare at least a day to do the countryside tour before you go back to your concrete jungle in the big city. You won’t regret it. And there’s one thing I can guarantee you: you would be dreaming about this unspoiled piece of land for days.

What to see in Panglao island, Philippines

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Despite the months of July and August being the rainy months in the Philippines, the kids and I traveled to see my family again. This year, my parents celebrate forty years of being married to each other so I thought it was a great reason to convince them to get out of the house. These two people do not travel much, especially on the rainy season but I assured them, the first two weeks of July is still ok, weather wise.

We got on a boat and crossed to Bohol island and stayed at the wonderful resort called The Bellevue Bohol Resort in Panglao island. Once we were there, with the help of Bohol Tourism, we spent half day to see some guide-recommended places in the small island.

LOCATION

Panglao island is a very small island and though there aren’t much to see really, there were still a few we squeezed in our itinerary.

1. Bohol Bee Farm

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The Bohol Bee Farm is an eco-friendly village that promote healthy lifestyle with its organic food which they grow in their premises and products they manufacture within the property. Given the name, we were with the impression that honey is actually produced here, however, we were wrong. The guide told us they buy honey from Mindanao and manufacture it to by-products here. Here, the guide is holding cultured bees (I cannot recall the reason why they kept these there when it’s not producing honey). He explained the bees’ behavior and everyone loved the piece of education.

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There were lots of different native crafts done at the bee farm and these products are sold at their souvenir shops.

bee farm craft

We had our breakfast here and while the service was ultra slow and breakfast menu was not that impressive, the view from our breakfast table was!

Bohol bee farm beach view

Only after visiting this place that I learned their ice creams were to die for! How does salted honey ice cream sound like?

Entrance fee: PHP30/person

Tips when visiting Bohol  Bee Farm:

  • Try the ice cream.
  • Maybe try the food for lunch (we were only there for breakfast)

2. Stroll along Alona Beach

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Alona Beach is a small stretch of tropical paradise on Panglao Island, Bohol in the Philippines. There were so many tourists but mainly Koreans and Chinese. It is quickly becoming one of the top travel destinations in the Philippines because of it’s wonderful white sand beach, (reportedly) world class diving and beautiful blue waters.

We loved our stroll at Alona Beach though I feel that the restaurants and hotels were placed really close to the shore. If they pushed them back a few meters away, that would have been better. Place is overly crowded with restaurants and people and peddlers.

There are so many inns and resorts, hotels big and small along Alona Beach. They say the night life is vibrant. To me, the place was too crowded and I am so grateful the resort where we stayed in Panglao island was located at the other side of the island, away from this. The water looked absolutely wonderful to swim in: very clean and clear but it’s quite crowded with boats from the diving centers.

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Tips when visiting Alona Beach:

  • Find some place to eat farther away from the shore since the restaurants near/along the beach tend to charge more for the same type of food you can get from other restaurants.
  • If you want to swim, swim at a later time when the boats for island hopping have departed. (They depart early mornings)

3. Hinagdanan Cave

hinagdanan cave entrance

Hinagdanan cave is probably the most interesting place in Panglao Island for us. Stalactites and stalagmites surround a purest underground lake inside the cave. It was our first time going inside a cave and I did not know what to expect (I prayed there would be no bats!!). The kids didn’t say anything,  just went with the flow…brave kids. They truly go wherever I go, no questions asked!

The first entrance to the main area is a man-made stone gate where visitors need to pay a PHP50 (US$1.2) entrance fee (as of this writing) to get inside. The Hinagdanan Cave’s entrance is merely one meter wide in diameter, and the descent to the cave is steep.

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I expected it to be cool down there but it wasn’t! It was hot and humid, the water looked so inviting! The holes above the cave provided natural light to the cave below. The scene look out of this world, yes?

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History says that during the 16th century, early settlers of Panglao had begun removing thick vegetation around the island to make way for their homes. In Bingag, one of the locals was clearing his land of old trunks of trees and decaying branches when he discovered two holes on the ground situated right next to each other. He was curious about the holes in his land so he dropped a few rocks on it and heard a water splash. The locals eventually explored the unknown area below the ground using a ladder, discovering a cavern with a deep catch basin at the center.

Here’s a high resolution photo of the underground lake inside the cave.

Hinagdanan cave lake

Photo credit

This is a beautiful cave, and the guides are hilarious. He also offered to take our photos and I am thankful he was so adept enough and did not drop my SLR camera!

Tips when visiting Hinagdanan Cave:

  • Wear durable and non-slip footwear. The path is slippery and there are many people who got out with worn out flip flops.
  • Bring extra clothes in case you get wet! You can also use the extra shirt when you’re soaked in sweat. It was hot and humid when we were there and we got out wishing we had an extra dry shirt!
  • Bring a bottle of water to hydrate yourself, especially if you plan to stay there for a bit longer.
  • Protecting your equipment, cameras and cellphones with a trusty all weather, waterproof casing would be a wise move, just in case!
  • Bring cash for entrance fee.

hinagdanan cave souvenir shops

Souvenir shops line outside the cave which sells everything from colorful hats, shirts and dresses. The price is fair and not overly inflated.

Panglao International Airport underway 2

There’s something big happening in little, humble Panglao island: construction of an international airport! The above photo is the clearing of the huge space to construct Bohol’s first international airport. It is intended to support its tourism industry, especially on Panglao Island which is being promoted as an alternative destination for Boracay Island.

We concluded our short tour of Panglao island by having lunch at a restaurant just outside Alona beach and went back to our resort to enjoy the rest of our stay.  There are other places to see in Panglao island. You can even rent a motorbike and drive around yourself.

panglao island church

There are old churches and traditional houses, farms and small markets. It’s a rural area and if you live in a big city like me, I am sure you will appreciate this small town’s charm and of course, the fresh, clean air.

Things to see in Camiguin island, Philippines (Part 2)

camiguin boats to white island

This is Part 2 of our travel experience in Camiguin island in the Philippines. You can read about Part 1 here.

We left our accommodation at Villa Paraiso in Mambajao and moved closer to the pick up point where boats depart for White Island. We did not have any prior reservations for our next inn for the night but there are lots of smaller inns around the area as well as Camiguin’s major one – Paras Beach Resort.

Additional read: Travel Guide to Camiguin Island, Philippines

We found a single detached bungalow type of room at Pabua’s cottages. One room was enough to accommodate all of us: 4 adults and 2 children. We paid PHP1,400 (US$30) for one night.

pabuas cottage

What was the main purpose of settling in this part of town, away from the center? White Island! Yes, that famous sandbar a few meters aware from the shore of Camiguin.

This.

white-island

Two kilometers off the coast of Agoho, Mambajao is Camiguin’s popular uninhabited island called White Island. Sometimes it is in the shape of the letter C, sometimes the letter I, depending on the ocean tide. It has a picturesque Mt. Hibok Hibok and Old Vulcan as its backdrop.

Unfortunately, a strong tropical typhoon was entering the Philippine area of responsibility and intensified monsoon windds. The sea became a little rough and since typhoon paths sometimes become unpredictable, all boat operations to White island were halted.

white island 1

We can’t believe that we’re actually in Camiguin and cannot go to White island! It’s like going to New York without ever seeing the Statue of Liberty! So what do we do now? We just stood there looking out at sea and we took jump shots. white island 2

I love my travel companions, they didn’t ever let one negative situation ruin anything on the trip. We all made the best of what we had at that moment and decided to rent a multicab instead for PHP1,400 (US$30) which included driver services and fuel cost. The driver promised to take us to 7 tourist spots for the whole day, with random history lessons thrown in. We never bothered to haggle; it was a good bargain for us and these drivers I bet are tired for tourists who haggle even if they can pay the meager amount. Here’s the list of places the driver/local guide took us:

1. Cliffside

cliffside 1

I call this “almost Hawaii”, no explanations needed. I wish you could also feel what I felt while I was standing here, with the sea breeze on my face. I regret not bringing my proper SLR camera with wide angle that day.

cliffside 4

cliffside 3

~ with 2, out of 4 brothers Jay and Michael who accompanied me and the kids on this trip ~

Sorry, we’re a family of jump shot fanatics.

cliffside 2

2. Walkway to the Old Volcano and stations of the cross

walkway to the old volcano

The walkway is an 8 kilometer path with 14 human-sized station situated at Mr. Vulcan in Barangay Bonbon, Catarman. The spot is actually one of the famous tourist destination in the island especially during the Lenten season as it serves as a pilgrimage site to Roman Catholic devotees.

buying lanzones

While there, we bought the island’s most famous produce: the lanzones! It wasn’t the season for it yet so it was a little expensive at PHP80 per kilo. We finished it like we’re eating peanuts!

lanzones

We did not climb up the stairs to the top because we wanted to save our time and energy. Our guide said it would take at least 2 hours to go up and then go down again.

3. The Sunken Cemetery

sunken cemetery 1

The Sunken Cemetery of Camiguin island marks the swept remains of the island’s rested locals. The entire town cemetery was driven underwater when Mt. Vulcan Daan erupted in 1870’s and the large cross has served the town’s people, as well as tourists, a scenic spot to memorialize the departed buried here.

sunken cemetery 2

Years ago, gravestones were visible during low tide. There are small wooden boats that take tourists up to that cross but we did not opt as the weather forecast said the seas might get rough and during monsoon season, weather changes very fast so we did not risk.

4. Old Church ruins of Bonbon, Catarman

church ruins 1

The old church ruins of Bonbon or the Guiob church ruins is one of the oldest and unique structures of the island. Old because it was built sometime in the 16th century and unique because it is made from coral stones. It was later turned to ruins by the 1871 Mt. Vulcan eruption.

church ruins 2

~ in the above photo, Pristine and Benjamin are facing the main altar of the church or what remained of it ~

When the volcano erupted, earthquake shook the town mercilessly until houses and other structures were down to rubble. But that was not the end of it. That evening, Mr. Vulcan unleashed its most devastating power and destroyed what was left of the town.

church ruins 6

church ruins 7

The old Guiob church ruins was one of the structures that remained standing after the disastrous eruption. Although the church has lost its roof, its sturdy walls and columns still stand today.

church ruins 3

~ Pristine and Benjamin with Uncle Jay ~

We went around the area to the back, on the cliff side. The sea is getting rougher by now as the typhoon nears. The wind was strong and it felt so refreshing.

church ruins 5

church ruins 4

5. Sto. Nino Cold Springs

st nino spring 1

Located in Catarman, the Sto. Nino Cold Spring has a pool measuring 25 meters by 40 meters, It is 2 meters deep of cold spring water sprouting from the sandy bottom. Judging from Pristine’s screams and the look on my brother’s face, the water was very, very cold!

st nino spring 2

The area has a restaurant, native cottages, cookout facilities and restrooms for visitors. Outside, several local vendors offer order-to-cook services for chicken, pork or fish dishes. We ordered 1 kilo of pork (roasted), 1 kilo of fish (vinaigrette) and 1 kilo of free range, organic chicken (soup), 1 kilo of boiled rice and coconuts! What a sumptuous lunch that costed us very less. Ah, I love life in the province!

st nino falls food

I only dipped my ankles in the cold water and firmly decided never to get in! Benjamin won’t be able to bear the cold, I imagined and Pristine was feeling so cold and got out of the water. I think this place would be so good during the scorching summer months in the Philippines, from March-May.

st nino spring 3

6. Tuasan Falls

tuasan falls 1

I was amazed at its high drop and the flash of white against the dark green of the forest made it more beautiful to look at. Unlike Katibawasan falls, the first water falls we visited, the drop is more forceful and the water is colder too.

tuasan falls 2

Our guide said it was difficult to reach Tuasan falls before the concrete roads were built. Tuasan wasn’t very much visited because it was far and involved an hour long trek with a steep uphill climb back.

7. Ardent hot springs

ardent 2

It was starting to rain when we left Tuasan falls. We still have another tourist stop: Ardent hot springs. The driver also took us to the soda water pool but because it was raining so hard and we were still shivering from the cold swim at Sto, Nino Cold springs, we opted to go straight to the hot springs. I could use a soak on a natural hot spring and was pretty excited!

The local hot spa is a natural pool of about 40 degrees centigrade springing from the depths of Mt. Hibok Hibok.

ardent 1

The rain continued to pour that afternoon and had no plans of stopping. It was a unique experience – the feel of the cold rain on our faces while our bodies were soaked in the subtly warm (volcanic) hot spring water. The hot spring water temperature dropped because of the cold rain. I would have enjoyed it more if it were warmer.

Ardent hot spring has picnic huts, cookout facilities and restrooms for visitors.It is ideal for night swimming, a place to rejuvenate both mind and body.

Entrance fee is P30.

It was becoming difficult as monsoon rains continued to shower us. Benjamin felt very uneasy with the pouring rain on his face. We didn’t want to get out from soaking in the hot spring as it got so cold once we’re out! But we had to as our driver was waiting and soon the sun will set.

We stayed for the night at the cottage we rented and slept very early. The monsoon winds have now become stronger so we didn’t venture out for dinner and instead had pizza we bought on our way home. We slept at 8pm from exhaustion from our day trip and food coma from pizza flour ingestion. Evil gluten!

Around 11 pm, I woke up from the loud noises of things flying outside, some onto our glass panel windows. The typhoon was miles and miles away north but it felt like it was above us! Imagine if a typhoon actually hit the island!

The next morning, we called the port and learned that ferry operations back to Mindanao island has stopped operating until further notice. We have ran out of clean clothes to wear! My brother and his wife brought less clothes than I did so they had to buy shirts and shorts from the nearby souvenir shops at Paras Beach Resort.

We took our breakfast at Paras Beach Resort and called the port again by 9:30 am. Luckily, we were told that a ferry will depart Benoni port to Balingoan at 1pm. We packed our bags and got on our friend’s car. Chris was so kind to offer to take us to the port!

going back to cdo 1

The weather was clearing up so I sent photos to my mother who was very worried back in Cagayan de Oro. The ferry departed at around 1:30 pm and everything was ok, or so I thought..midway, the waves and winds became stronger. Mind you it is a very short ferry ride, less than 2 hours but I prayed so hard we’ll arrive safely.

bye camiguin

Never travel again by sea during the monsoon season! The shore might be calm but it’s a different story in the middle of the ocean. I was so scared. But did that make me swear not to visit Camiguin again? Of course not! Maybe just not in July or August!

camiguin souvenir

Our trip to Camiguin island was epic, despite the typhoon scare, not being able to go to White Island and risk of being stranded for another day or two in the island. I am still glad we made that trip (although I am not sure how many prayers my mother made until we appeared at the front door!)

loving uncles

It was also extra memorable as it was the first the time I travelled with my siblings, as adults. I’ve been separated from them for years when I left to study in Japan. They were only grade school children that time and though I would visit every year or two, I feel that I am not too familiar with them at all, especially now as adults. And you know what I found out? They are awesome siblings, a great support for me and my kids especially my husband was not with us during this trip and…they are great travel buddies.

We promised to go back to Camiguin again and I can’t wait for that to happen. Soon!

A travel guide to Camiguin island, Philippines

born of fire

One of the highlights of my recent vacation to the Philippines is finally stepping on Camiguin island! I finally decided I should go to Camiguin because I would want to look at pics of this wonderful island in Google images and blogs of the lucky people who had been there and point, “I’ve been there too!”

Plus, it’s really a bit shameful that I’ve been to the Maldives but never been to that little island worthy to be called “paradise” on the tip of Northern Mindanao, just a ‘few’ hours from where I live in the Philippines.

WHERE IS CAMIGUIN ISLAND?

Camiguin is an island province located in northern Mindanao. It is situated 10 km north of Misamis Oriental and 54 km southeast of Bohol.

Barely 240 square kilometers in land area, Camiguin is the second smallest island of the Philippines in both area and population. It is just 23 kilometers at its longest and just a bit more than 14 kilometers at its widest. Within this small area lie seven volcanoes. Because of this, little Camiguin is the island “born of fire.”

HOW TO GET THERE

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There is an airport in Mambajao, the capital of Camiguin province but the flights are limited and only from major cities in the Philippines like Manila or Cebu.

Otherwise, take a flight to Cagayan de Oro City. From Cagayan de Oro, take a bus from Agora Bus Terminal going to Balingoan. Buses going to Butuan will pass by Balingoan. Bus fare (airconditioned bus) was PHP140 for adults. Travel from Agora bus terminal to Balingoan is about 2-3 hours, depending on traffic in Cagayan de Oro. Our travel time was about 2 hours and 20 minutes.

at balingoan

TIP: If you are prone to motion sickness, you should take medication just to be on the safe side. The road to Balingoan wasn’t rough or winding. But about 10 minutes before reaching Balingoan, the road tends to be bendy and my 3 year old son threw up. He was ok after that but I wish I was more cautious and gave him something before boarding the bus.

From Balingoan Bus Terminal, you can either walk to Balingoan port or take pedicabs if you have luggage. We took a pedicab because we were in a hurry to get into the 9am ferry. Fare was PHP10 each.

super shuttle ferry

We arrived at Balingoan port after a short pedicab ride but the 9am ferry was already closed for boarding though there was still a few minutes left before its departure time. We didn’t have a choice but wait for another hour for the next ferry.

at balingoan 2

~ at the waiting area for ferry passengers ~

From Balingoan Port, buy ferry tickets from the stands just outside the port entrance. Regular ferry fare is PHP170 and for children is half fare at PHP85.

balingoan port 2

* Daily ferry schedules from Balingoan Port leaves every hour from 5 am. Unfortunately, I could not find any website with reliable and accurate ferry schedules.

* There is a ferry called Ocean Jet from Cagayan de Oro to Benoni Port in Camiguin but more expensive, like double the fare than the bus + ferry combined.

inside the ferry Collage

The ferry ride was a smooth one with minor waves. Camiguin isn’t very far from the mainland of Mindanao. We can actually see the island from Balingoan port! The kids slept through the trip which lasted about an hour and a half. (We did not travel with my husband this time but thankfully, I have two brothers with me who helped me take care of the kiddos!)

GETTING AROUND AND TOURING CAMIGUIN

welcome to camiguin

We arrived in Camiguin around noon. A friend of ours was there to pick us up at Benoni port! We were lucky even if our trip was short notice, our friend accommodated us in his schedule! Camiguin is a small island and the you can tour it by:

1. Using your own car

If you have a car you want to take to the island, that’s possible by paying extra on your ferry ride from Balingoan port. The ferries are ro-ro type (Roll on/ roll off). Ro-ro ships are specially types of ships that are designed to carry cars, trains, and even smaller ships. Your car will be “rolled on” the vessel at the port of loading and “rolled off” the vessel at the destination.

2. Hiring

There are several vans and multicabs that can accommodate large groups available just outside the port. Price depends on your negotiation skills. Your accommodation can also arrange for tours around the island as they have vans for hire. You can hire a single motorcycle, a motorela or a multicab within the city.

We hired a multicab with driver promising to take us to 7 tourist spots for PHP1400. I know people would usually negoticate but it was already cheap and I found out that the price of gasoline in Camiguin is at least PHP10 more expensive than in Cagayan de Oro City so we paid what the driver initially asked for!

road in the island

Camiguin island’s main road is a beach side circumferential road so you get the view of the sea when you tour the island from the main road. If that instantly make you feel you’re in paradise, I don’t know what will!

WHAT’S IN CAMIGUIN?

camiguin map

In a nutshell, 7 active volcanoes! That means very diverse natural attractions like cold springs, hot springs, hike trails, falls, soda water spring, ruins from the last volcanic eruption and of course the beautiful beaches.

approaching camiguin 2

The wonderful places we went to around the island needs to have a post of its own, so stay tuned!

WHERE TO STAY IN CAMIGUIN

Unless you’ll be staying with friends or family in Camiguin, you will need a place to stay. There are a few hotels/inns you can find at hotel booking sites and you might want to book ahead before going, to be safe, especially when you go on peak season. But, there are several smaller and more affordable accommodation options which are not advertised online!

villa paraiso

We booked our first night at Villa Paraiso Resort and Apartelle, located in Mambajao, a 20 minute car ride away from Benoni port. “Paraiso” means “paradise” and look at the sky! Don’t you think they aptly named this apartelle? There are rooms in the main building (look at their website for details) and there are also rooms at the back of the main building, in lined up cottage style. We stayed here.

villa paraiso 2

hammock

A word in booking for accommodation: we did not book days ahead. Actually, I called Villa Paraiso while our bus was leaving Cagayan de Oro at 7 am. July is not peak season at all so that’s why this is possible however, during peak season, it might be safer to book days before you arrive.

My brother and his wife stayed in one room and me and another brother + my 2 kids stayed in another. We paid PHP2,400 total for two rooms inclusive of breakfast. There is a restaurant inside Villa Paraiso that offered good food at reasonable price, however, service was slow. Our stay was ok. The rooms were basic but there was no hot water and the way to this inn was an uphill ride from the main street. We heard no pedicab would climb up and with the lack of taxis in Camiguin, we were lucky that our friend who lives on the island picked us up at the port in his trusty 4×4 and brought us here.

The next day, we wanted to stay near the beach, so we ventured out to the other side of Mambajao. We did not have reservation anywhere but we do know there are a lot of smaller inns owned by locals. Nearby is also the very famous Paras Beach Resort, one of Camiguin’s first fancy accommodation options.

pabuas

We opted to stay at Pabua’s Cottages for our second and final night at Camiguin. We negotiated for PHP1,200 for one cottage that could accommodate all of us (4 adults + 2 kids). I say that’s a real bargain from our previous one at Villa Paraiso. However, the room rate did not include breakfast. We took our breakfast at the restaurant inside Paras Beach Resort which was just across the street. Not a big deal.

coconut trees

We had a great time in Camiguin. It was an impromptu getaway with two of my siblings and my kids. Unlike my previous travels where I get OCD with planning and preparation, we had the “just swing it” travel style and it was ok. Next up: checking out this mystical island and an unexpected storm that sent me in semi-panic mode.

If you are living in the Philippines and have not been to Camiguin island, I highly recommend you pay a visit. It’s one of the Philippines’ less touristy, less hyped up places you can relax and just soak in life, as it happens, in slow motion. I love life in the rural areas.

And if you are a foreigner reading this, you can still visit the Philippines’ most popular spots like Cebu, Boracay or Palawan but Camiguin is a must see too and you’ll thank me later.

July and August is rainy season in the Philippines

storm clouds

The months of July-August (our scheduled vacation to the Philippines) is rainy season. We could have chosen better time like the peak of summer from March-May  though the weather is hot but at least plans won’t be squashed by torrential rains and thunderstorms but oh well, we can only travel once school is out so it’s only July-August for us.

If you plan to travel during these months, (big) chances are that you’re going to get wet. True enough, when we arrived on 11th July, it was raining in Manila. But rainy season as it is, it won’t rain the whole day, every day. Monsoon will bring rain mostly during afternoons and early evenings. So if you’re going to venture out later in the day, better bring your umbrellas, unless you really love to be soaked in the rain (yes, there are people who really like to do this…more on them later)

rain in lim ket kai

Up until July 20th, it was only slightly drizzling in the afternoons/evening in Cagayan de Oro City. However, after that, it has been raining EVERY DAY. And it’s not the typical rain that we see and experience in Dubai – it’s like a bucket has been poured over your head kind of rain.

But these little people clearly don’t mind.

rain collage

Many adults don’t like when it’s raining but kids absolutely love it. Tell me you didn’t attempt to get wet in the rain when you were younger?

rain ben 1

rain ben 2

Apparently, when you grow up or live in a very dry place like Dubai where the sun shines 330 times a year, you get excited when the skies turn dark. And you keep looking up when big, fat drops of rain start to fall from the sky.

rain ben 3

rain ben 4

I used to hate it when it rains, especially when I don’t carry an umbrella with me, and then the parts of the city gets flooded and I’m stuck somewhere waiting for public transport when I was still a student here.

rain ben 5

But now, I realize, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was right: 

“The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain.”

Nuwara Eliya in July

hot water

..in July – because you might still be wondering where to go for summer vacation in July and I highly recommend flying to Sri Lanka from the UAE. It’s near, it’s cheap and it’s wonderful.

We visited Sri Lanka last summer and I’ve not quite gotten to writing more about it. My bad. We stayed in Colombo with a dear friend but I’ve always wanted to go to Nuwara Eliya, that mountain region famous for its scenic tea plantations and cool weather. Cool weather, in Sri Lanka? I know, that’s why I have to go and experience it myself!

The train ride from Colombo to Nuwara Eliya lasted for seven whole hours. We have lived to tell the tale!

train to Nuwara Eliya

When you hear the word Sri Lanka, you’d think of warm weather all year long, every where. But the truth is, Sri Lanka’s weather and climate is rather complicated for such a small country. Sri Lanka’s position close to the Equator means that temperatures remain fairly constant year-round.

But temperatures decrease with altitude – a pleasantly mild 14–17°C in Nuwara Eliya where nights in the hills can be quite chilly, with temperatures sometimes falling close to freezing.

jackets for sale

It was almost the end of July when we were there, yet these jackets were on display for sale at the market. Obviously, there was still a need for it. I was tempted to buy one.

St Andrews grounds

While in Nuwara Eliya, we stayed at Jetwing St. Andrews, a nice historical building that offers modern comfort. It’s more than a hundred years old! We left the hotel after breakfast to explore the small town. Jetwing St. Andrews is centrally located and the town is a walking distance.

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The fish market at Nuwara Eliya – just because there’s no shore nearby doesn’t mean the locals would be deprived of fish, a staple food in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is easily accessible by land through Ramboda Pass towards Nuwara Eliya along Gampola – Nuwara Eliya road.

fish market

rambutan

In earlier times, Nuwara Eliya (meaning ‘City of Light’) was the favoured cool-climate escape for the hard-working and hard-drinking English and Scottish pioneers of Sri Lanka’s tea industry. This classic Victorian style brick building (this is a post office) is evidence of this town’s English influence.

post office

Look at the mountains blanketed in fog – in July!

nuwara eliya post

QUEEN VICTORIA PARK

In Sri Lanka, the town of Nuwara Eliya is known as “Little England”. Apparently much of it was built by the British to remind them of home whilst they managed their tea estates. The Queen Victoria Park is a sprawling 27 acres of beautifully manicured gardens. The kids loved strolling around these lush, verdant gardens.

victoria park

p and b at victoria park 1

Queen Victoria park is a great place to relax and enjoy the natural sights and clean mountain air. Something we don’t have in Dubai!

p and b at victoria park 2

p and b at victoria park 4

p and b at victoria park 3

Unfortunately, the children’s playground is not well maintained with play things rusting, it’s almost dangerous for kids. I hope they repair those soon.

nuwara eliya lodges

Surrounded by hills and tea plantations, the town of Nuwara Eliya enjoys spring-like weather throughout the year. A favourite retreat of the British during colonial times, the town is dotted with English country style houses and half-timbered bungalows, with names like Sunhill Cottage or Windsor Hotel. No surprise it’s earned the name “Little England”.

victoria park 2

Tip when visiting Nuwara Eliya at anytime of the year: bring warm clothing.

We were there in July yet it was chilly. I am sure during other times of the year, it’s safe to bring jackets, etc. We were in Maldives first before going to Sri Lanka and I didn’t bring any closed shoes nor woolly things to wear. My feet was freezing.

Benjamin at the entrance of Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in Sri Lanka

Benjamin at the entrance of Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Showing the kids animals in the wild whenever possible has always been my plan in our trips, whether they’re small birds or butterflies – it doesn’t matter. They don’t get to experience it in Dubai.  Our trip to Sri Lanka was a perfect chance to see one of the magnificent animals – the elephants in the wild. I have only been able to see elephants in a zoo type environment so I was also looking forward to this trip.

The very helpful agent from Jetwing Travels suggested we go to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage which is an orphanage, nursery and captive breeding ground for wild Asian elephants located at Pinnawala village, 13 km northwest of Kegalle town in Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka on our way from hill county of Nuwara Eliya back to the capital city.

Related read: Road trip from Nuwara Eliya to Kandy

Today’s photo essay takes you with us to the elephant orphanage we visited where elephants roamed chain-less.  Visitors from all over the world come to see this sanctuary for over 80 retired, abused or orphaned elephants.

I have not seen this many elephants in one place ever in my whole life. And this close? It’s overwhelming.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

You can find all types of elephants at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage – male, female, old , young and even calves, abandoned or lost in jungle living free and breeding in this 25 acre land. A project launched by the Wildlife Department about four decades back is now managed by the National Zoological Gardens.

It’s an understatement to say that our kids Pristine and Benjamin had a lovely time. Pristine was very eager to get close to the elephant at the fruit feeding station. Benjamin stepped back and wouldn’t go near just yet. Here you can see Pristine touching one elephant.

P with elephant

At some parts of the orphanage, I have read over at Trip Advisor that mahouts (elephant caretakers) ask for money in exchange for touching the elephants of taking photos of them up close. At this particular feeding station, we weren’t charged for anything. There were trays of fruits for sale to feed the elephant. I took these photos without being charged or anything.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

The elephant caretakers at the feeding hut were fascinated by Benjamin and kept calling him “little white elephant”.

P and B with elephant

There’s a milk feeding station too but we didn’t have any photos of any of us bottle feeding the baby elephants because, we didn’t. First, there is a separate fee for that. Next, we didn’t like how it became so touristy with so many people hovering around the poor baby elephant. The animal must be too overwhelmed or even stressed. We left and went to see the elephants who were roaming freely in the field instead.

So while waiting for the river bathing time, we explored the back side of the orphanage and we’re pleased to see that the animals generally seemed very well cared for with large expanses to roam.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Here, the elephants are roaming free but they are closely watched. We never felt unsafe standing this close to these animals.

Pinnawala elephant orphanage

When it was 2 pm, we heard the signal – it was time to take the herd for their daily bath at the nearby Maha Oya river. We followed the herd after a while – not too close as it is dusty to be following them behind closely!

bath 4

The Maha Oya river is about 500 meters away from the orphanage.  It was a lovely sight to see! The elephants had a lovely time in the river, with some lying in the deeper water and others just hanging about.

Maha Oya river

A few elephants were still lingering in the river when we left.

Maha Oya river

TIPS IN VISITING THE PINNAWALA ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE

1. Prepare cash as they don’t accept credit cards for the entrance fees, at least when we went there in July 2014.

We have ran out of cash and had to withdraw from an ATM machine outside the premises. Sometimes, depending too much on plastic money can be an inconvenience.

2. Bring food, especially if you’re taking kids along. The shops inside selling food are limited.

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Benjamin was very hungry when we arrived there and I forgot the small bag with food inside the car, parked outside. My husband went to get the bag and for the meantime, the caretakers at the fruit feeding station gave us pieces of watermelon and bananas. These food were meant for feeding the elephants for a small amount of money per tray but they were kind and said “for your little white elephant madame!” (they didn’t ask us to pay for the fruits)

3. Be careful of the lure to get close to the elephants to touch them or take photos of them up close as this is not free, especially at the river!

maha Oya river

4. When the elephants head to the river for bathing, secure a table at a restaurant at the Elephant Bay Hotel. The hotel is located at the left side when you’re facing the river from the road.

I didn’t know this but my every resourceful husband found us a good vantage point while we enjoyed a late lunch on the balcony, overlooking the river while watching the elephants enjoying their water time.

View from the balcony of the hotel

5.  Aim to arrive at the orphanage before the scheduled bathing time at the river scheduled at 10am to 12 noon and 2 pm to 4 pm.

Maha Oya river

We had a fantastic time at this place and glad we took this side trip with the children. Benjamin still remember this trip when we look at the photos and say, “we go there again, mama”. I was a bit worried reading some reviews that some mahouts beat the elephants and don’t treat them right. I didn’t want my children to see such maltreatment. The handler’s did have sticks, but they were only used to coax the elephants. I told the children that elephants, even the babies are heavy and need to be kept controlled for the safety of all.

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is situated between Kandy and Colombo, accessible via Kegalle-Rambukkana road. Entrance is 2,500 Sri Lankan Rupees or about ($20).

Pristine and tea plantation

Road trip from Nuwara Eliya to Kandy

Pristine and tea plantation

I’ve been meaning to write about Nuwara Eliya, that charming town located in a mountainous area in Sri Lanka right after we came back from our trip last July (wow, that really sounds like a long time ago) but somehow postponed and postponed it until now. Well, better late than never!

The town of Nuwara Eliya is home to the famous Ceylon tea and the rolling mountains are carpeted of velvety green tea plantations. Since the town is about 1,800 meters above sea level, it’s cool up there and hard to imagine that it is only 180 kilometers away from the hot and humid Colombo.

mackwoods tea factory

The town is also popular for being called “Little England” with beautifully cultured gardens and cottage style buildings like this tea cafe at the Mackwoods Tea Factory along the way to Kandy.

In order to see the breathtaking views in Nuwara Eliya, we had to go on a 7 hour train ride from the capital city of Colombo to Nanu Oya station.

It’s hard to think of going back to Colombo by train again so we hired a private van via Jetwing Travels who was so helpful in arranging everything for us. There was a specific Jetwing Travels advisor with whom I was in touch by email. The communication exchanges, willingness to create the perfect trip (at a price to suit my budget) and attention to detail were excellent. The trip back to the capital ran smoothly and the driver/guide was excellent.

We left our charming Tudor style hotel Jetwing St. Andrews very early at 7 am as we needed to be at our next destination, the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage before 2 pm to catch the bathing of the herd at a nearby river – that is one scene we really didn’t like to miss!

We asked the driver is we could make a quick stop at places he think is interesting. Our first stop is the tea factory called Mackwoods. The vast tea plantation is owned privately and called “estates”. This is the Mackwoods Estate. There is a huge sign in the mountains, obviously mimicking the famous Hollywood sign.

fam at mackwoods

We were treated with sights and smell of nature at its best. There was a waterfall down the hill and the husband and Benjamin went down to see it.

maki at mackwoods

waterfalls 1

Pristine and I, together with our guide went inside the cottage for tea sampling.

tea at mackwoods

The tea was a very timely as we are feeling cold early that morning. I made a blunder by forgetting my jacket as we got down from the van and thought I’d just suck it up rather than waste time going back to the parking.

I bought boxes of fresh Ceylon Tea to take home. It’s actually a great souvenir/gift since it’s very light and it was very cheap at the tea factory.

As we traveled further down steep mountain passes snake down to Kandy, I felt a wave of motion sickness. We didn’t know it would be like this and we’re certainly weren’t ready. And we thought traveling by train was worse! I had to ask the driver to stop as I felt I needed some fresh air, immediately!

monkey edge 1

The driver stopped at one bend of the road where other cars have stopped as well. They were all looking to the cliff and we knew why. A group of mountain monkeys were hanging out at the edge of the rock in the cliff.

A closer look at the monkey.

monkey edge 3

Benjamin was fascinated seeing these animals in the wild, in person otherwise, he only saw them in National Geographic episode!

We continued our journey and as the van zigzagged through the mountains, I just kept on breathing deeply and closed my eyes. Benjamin on the other hand was becoming restless. He is very resilient with the challenges we had for this travel, including international flights and 2 seaplane trips but I could feel something’s not right.

benjamin at mackwoods

All of a sudden, the little boy threw up. It was so sudden that my first instinct was to catch the vomit with my hands – I am sure any parent could relate?! I did not want to ruin the rented van’s carpet! Poor little boy!! I cleaned up the mess while battling with severe motion sickness myself.

And the driver said, ONE MORE HOUR of the zigzag roads, Madame…

I had to ask for another ‘fresh air’ break.

We saw the Bathalegala in the horizon. The rock stands as a colossus dwarfing the surrounding landscape. The Colonialists called it ‘The Bible Rock’, as it resembles an open book.

bible rock

The scenes along the way from Nuwara Eliya to Kandy when going by car was as spectacular as the scenes from the train from Colombo to Nuwara Eliya by train.

pristine taking photo of waterwall

The winding road descending from the hill country passed through tea plantations, beside the waterfalls that cascade down the hills, and into misty valleys. It was a very memorable experience despite the motion sickness!

You can checkout my Instagram posts about our trip to Sri Lanka with the hashtag #GraceInSriLanka.

Next up: Visiting the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage