Summer? More Fun in the Philippines!

Definitely! With a lot of bodies of water surrounding our islands, it's a must to spend summer here in our country. For the past 2 summers, I was out of the country and missed the fun of soaking in water and sun. But this year, I got the chance to see local beaches for the first time. Here are 3 places I have been this season. :)

Cebu (with SMART friends)

We spent most of our time in the city to EAT. Haha! Probably the most memorable thing about this trip was that night when we devoured on 1.5 kilos of Rico's lechon. Ugh. Forget diet. It's worth it!

The infamous humongous ribs at Casa Verde

Cholesterol on a plate but it was worth it

Tried Skywalk and Edge Coaster

Also had lunch with a friend from the Glee Club, Chloe! :)

But one thing I love about the trip was our stay at Bantayan Island. This pristine and isolated island is
the perfect place to have peace and quiet time. Though the sand is not as fine as Boracay, it's still an amazing beach for a getaway with just a few people around and a bottle to drink.

Nothing beats this! (photo by JC)

We stayed at Anika Beach Resort (highly recommended) that served us fresh seafood, most were caught that day. Also, you are assured of a good stay because their spacious rooms come with a balcony to feel the ocean breeze (do get the ocean view).

Obligatory tourist photo :p

Bicol (with Wanderlust buddies)

My next summer trip was in Bicol and fortunately, my friend John Cas who has Bicolano roots created the itinerary for us. As usual, we can't miss tourist spots in Legazpi. Oh, and I remember eating that sili ice cream. Quite interesting actually.

Outside Daraga church (observe the unintentional color palette of our outfits)

Jump shot to make the photo more interesting since Mayon was covered with thick clouds

View from the Mayon (parang Tagaytay lang)

Colonial Grill's sili ice cream!

After that, we went straight to Sorsogon to stay at Cas' place for the night. His relatives were so accommodating that they even cooked my requested crabs in coconut milk. Gah! All the food they served were yummy on my tummy. Since we're in Sorsogon, we also had the chance to do firefly and whale shark (aka butanding) watching. Donsol is indeed rich in biodiversity. Sadly, no butanding for us.

While searching for the elusive butanding

Ended up seeing this (nice play Cas) LOL

Another highlight of this trip is our stay in Misibis Bay where it was all about relaxing. Since this is a private resort, we just enjoyed the superb service and the facilities.

 Inside the Eco-Energy Park. Look at that view!

***All photos by John Cas

Potipot (with SMART Street Dance Crew)

Finally, my last trip for summer was in Potipot, Zambales. Since we only had the weekend to spend, we decided to go somewhere near. We stayed at Potipot Gateway Resort (5 minute boat ride to Potipot Island) cause we're not ready to do camping. Potipot is another gorgeous beach but because it's relatively a small island, I think that it's better to go there during off-peak season to avoid the crowd.

Finally, lunch after that 6-hour road trip

With the gorgeous ladies of SSDC

Jump shot...never gets old

Before leaving the island and heading back to the resort

***All photos by Janna Millena

We all love sunsets at the beach, don't we? :)

I love the fact that I spent my summer in places I've never been. And yes, the list is still long. There's still so much to see in our country and I can't wait to discover it. :)

Where have you been this summer?