Snapshot: Pandan Grande Island of Sablayan

Our supposed fourth visit to Apo Reef turned into a search for a great detour as the huge waves and strong westerly winds made the trip safely impossible. We ended up exploring the town of Sablayan and the nearby Pandan Grande Island. While our minds were set for a great island rendezvous at Apo Reef, the warm sun, blue sky and white sand of Pandan Grande Island provided a perfect substitute. Not to mention the vivid marine life and the huge sea turtles that we spotted in the... Read More

Snapshot: Sablayan’s Poignant Twilight

A Weekend in Sablayan Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro February 16, 2013 The shore of Sablayan, a quiet town in Occidental Mindoro, has two sides, one that faces the roaring waves of Mindoro Strait and the other that portrays a calm and placid scene. This is the image of the latter at twilight. Sablayan is endowed with amazing natural wonders. It is consider as the heart of Occidental Mindoro and it guarantees an unforgettable rendezvous with its warm people, rich culture and diverse... Read More

2012 in Retrospect: ‘Twas a Blast

And just like that, it is almost February. But before I continue blogging the whats of my 2013, I guess it is only fitting to give closure to 2012 by looking back to the highlights of last year. To say that the previous year is good is an understatement. Let’s just say that it was a blast, if it is the right term for it! Honestly, it may not be as busy as the earlier years but it was certainly one of my best years. The experiences, adventures, misadventures and everything... Read More

Weekend Bliss: Return to Apo Reef

It was a last minute decision and it seemed like a coincidence that Gael’s feature on Apo Reef was just published in Yahoo!Travel. Reading her piece along with some of my photos made me missed Apo Reef even more. Perhaps it was the sign. After all, if there are places worth coming back over and over again, Apo Reef is surely one of them. So for third year in a row I went to this paradise off the coast of Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro and once again had a great time in this... Read More

Three Amazing Dives in a Paradise Called Apo Reef

“Woooooooh!!!”, we shouted as we surfaced after our third and last dive, it was almost dark. We descended a few minutes before sunset. If it was not because we were in this magical place, we could have cancel the third dive. But we were in Apo Reef and we had to make the most of our day to explore its underwater paradise. We proceeded with sunset dive without any hint of hesitation, even if the darkness was already enveloping the surroundings and we only had two torches,... Read More

Apo Reef and Pandan Island on a Budget (A DIY guide)

The weather that night was the same when we went to Culebra Island in Pangasinan on the last week of May – rainy with thunderstorms and there were no stars at sight. The government weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration (PAGASA) already announced the official start of summer a few days ago, but  still there were no hesitations. Apo Reef trip pushed through as planned. Our last hurray for summer of 2010, our final bid to... Read More