But if money was not an issue, I believe a lot more people will cave in to their wanderlust. Who wouldn't? Traveling is one of the best forms of therapy. People travel to clear the mind, recharge the body, soothe the soul. And then there are the lucky ones who travel - just because they can. Oh, how I envy them.
It's a good thing that a number of local budget airlines are more available now, offering cheaper rates that you can opt to choose to skip the hassle of booking promo airfares. One such airline is AirAsia Philippines, a 5-time World's Best Low Cost Airline.
Recently, AirAsia Philippines has partnered with Zest Air, another affordable low cost airline, and the tie-up is christened with a new name: AirAsia Zest.
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| Visit AirAsia Zest website by clicking on the photo |
As result, now AirAsia Zest flies from Manila (at NAIA Terminal 4) to some of most traveled terminals in the Philippines and in Asia, including Cebu, Davao, Kalibo (Boracay), Puerto Princesa, Tagbilaran, Cagayan De Oro for local destinations, and Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Shanghai, Incheon for Asian destinations. Prior to the merge, Air Asia was nestled in Clark Airport, Pampanga, discouraging most Manila and South Luzon-based travelers to fly with the airline.
AirAsia Zest, The Right Way to Fly is the slogan of this partnership, which aims to serve Filipinos better by offering more options, better value and enhanced services. With this, AirAsia Zest is poised to take you to your destination at affordable prices (AirAsia Zest dares you to compare prices!)
I haven't flown with either AirAsia or Zest Air, but with the promise of cheaper rates and better service, it's definitely something that I will consider for my next travel. And speaking of traveling, I might as well bring up my destination wish list (for next year hopefully).
1. Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
The Philippines, being a tropical archipelago, is lined with many beautiful beaches. But there's something about going to another country's beach that appeals to me. Mind you, I'm not an overly beach lover and perhaps, more than frolicking in the sand and sea, it's really being in another country that draws me in.
I first learned of Kota Kinabalu through a friend's post in Multiply (a defunct social networking site). And instantly, I fell in love with their photos and stories of the place (this is where her husband proposed, making everything even more romantic). But it's the beach, more than anything that really clinched a longing in my heart.
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| [SOURCE: Ivan Henares] |
Kota Kinabalu sounded so exotic yet after some light research, I found out it's a modern, sprawling metropolis, being the state capital of Sabah. Now, Sabah is a familiar name - a would've been part of Philippines and the recent stage of a stand-off that turned into a bloody siege. But let's not get into the details of that fateful and sad incident.
I also learned that aside from the beach, Kota Kinabalu's prime tourist attraction is the mighty Mount Kinabalu, which provides a majestic background to the city's modern landscape. It reminds me of the Mayon Volcano looming over Legaspi City and that morning when we strolled the city, with the imposing view of Mayon always visible, it felt like the mountain volcano was watching over the city as if a vigilant big brother.
Back to Mount Kinabalu, I don't fancy climbing up to the peak as my health won't probably allow me (I have a thyroid condition which makes me feel exhausted easily). But a trip to the Kinabalu National Park, which they said is an easy hike, will suffice, especially with a view like this:
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| [SOURCE: Trek Earth] |
The city also boasts of paradise islands, virgin coral reefs and tropical rainforests, which is similar to what we can find here in the Philippines. But as I said above, it's being in another country that makes the experience sound twice as exciting. The chance to immerse myself in a new culture, to treat my taste buds to different gustatory delights, to indulge in the beauty of another country. And even if I found out that our beaches are still notches better than Kota Kinabalu's - these new experiences, I'm sure, will make the trip worth it.
2. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
There was a time, not too long ago, when the PETRONAS Tower was the highest building in the world, and it was the answer to a bonus question in one of our exams. I got it correctly thanks to a quiz game show that I watched previously. Back then, I didn't care so much about the towers, nor how beautiful they are. Heck, I didn't care so much about traveling out of the country because it seemed so expensive.
But I do now. I want to see the PETRONAS Towers - the twin towers that some tourist allegorize as two lovers holding hands.
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| [SOURCE: The Chronicles of Mariane] |
Call me helpless romantic (although I'm really not), this is my only reason for wanting to go to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I know there are other must-see places that are equally charming as The PETRONAS Towers. And I will be delighted to visit them as well. But if I can go to Malaysia, feast my eyes on the magnificent view of the towers, cross the Skybridge that connects them and hold hands with my husband as we take in the beauty of the twin towers at night, then go straight back to Manila - I'd be completely satisfied.
3. Puerto Princesa, Palawan
I remember being younger and wishing to go to Palawan. Back then, when traveling by plane (even to local destinations) was a luxury that only the privileged can enjoy, Palawan was my dream local destination. The Philippine's last frontier, it is called and I had imagined it as an ultimate haven for nature lovers: pristine white beaches, coral blue waters, lush green forests. I promised myself I would go there, that it would be the first thing I'd fly to when I can afford plane tickets already.
And when we finally visited Puerto Princesa, Palawan last year, I realized it was so much more.
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| Palawan from above |
The Food. After sorting out our airfares, accommodations and tour packages, where and what to eat was next on the to-do list. Fortunately for me, who's always the designated trip planner, Puerto Princesa is a cornucopia of many good restaurants. Choosing rather than finding where to eat is the real task. But the best part is, and this we found out to be true whether eating in a posh restaurant or paluto style by the beach, the seafoods in Palawan is the among the best in the country. They're the freshest, most reasonably priced, and most enjoyable seafoods I've ever had.
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| Sweet Chili Crab at Badjao Seafront Restaurant |
But what I love most about them is their love for their city and their commitment to preserve their natural treasures. To successfully implement a No Littering City Ordinance amongst themselves and their visitors. To take pride and responsibility in maintaining their tourist attractions. To ensure that they give back, as much as they take in from their environment. These are the qualities that make Palawuenos truly admirable and endearing.
The Places. The Underground River - one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World. The Ugong Rock Cave. The Hunda Bay Islands (Cowrie Island, LuLi Island, Pandan Island). The City Attractions (Baker's Hill, Mitra's Ranch, Crocodile Farm). These places speak for themselves. Puerto Princesa, Palawan is a wonder among wonders and going back to this slice of heaven on earth is something I'd do in a heart beat (as long as I have the funds, of course).
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| Karst Mountain |
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| Pandan Island |
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| LuLi Island |
4. Tagbilaran, Bohol
If the hills are alive with the sound of music, then the famous Chocolate Hills in Bohol must be alive with the sound of chocolates - which if you ask me, is just as pleasant to the ears, more so to the taste buds.
Ever since gradeschool, when I was just starting to learn about the main tourist attractions in the Philippines, I have always marveled at the Chocolate Hills. Sure, perfect-cone volcano, tallest falls, rice terraces are beautiful in their own right. But to my young mind, these almost uniformed mounds of dirt and rocks that turn the color of chocolate are simply amazing.
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| [SOURCE: Pinoy Backpackers] |
*Although not exactly in Tagbilaran, the famed Chocolate Hills can be easily accessed from this city.
5. Boracay via Kalibo, Aklan
I broke my promise to myself that Palawan will be the first destination I'd go to once I can afford to fly - but for good reason. The first ticket I bought was for a plane bound for Boracay - the world-renowned beach in Aklan. But it wasn't just Boracay that reeled us in, we were also visiting my husband's relatives in Nabas, Aklan - my mother-in-law's mother and sister, who she hasn't seen in years.
When airline companies started rolling our their Piso Sale and other airfare promos, Boracay was among, if not the fastest flight to be sold out. Upon setting my feet on the conspicuous powdery white sand and dipping into the cold azure water, it's not hard to see why. Boracay Island is a paradise. The sprawling resorts, restaurants, and shops may have robbed it of its rustic charm, but it still remains one of the most beautiful shorelines in the Philippines.
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| White Beach, Boracay near Station 2 |
To be honest, one of the good things that I - and maybe some of you as well - really like about Boracay is having both the convenience and the beach at your doorstep. The lines of beachfront hotels, shops and restaurants allow you to go back and forth to your room, eat and dine, do a bit of shopping and hit the beach without having to flag a tricycle or hire service vehicles. Almost everything is here, most likely just a few steps away from where you are staying. Unless of course, if what you're looking for are tranquility and remoteness, you won't find it here.
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| The Grotto at Station 1 |
For some people, it's the vibrant nightlife that adds cherry to the top, although it's not the case for us as we're not really into partying. We'd rather curl up in bed, watch some TV and sleep early (early is 10 pm) so we can wake up early the next morning and take a stroll on the beach before the sun rises; that's the time when the water is most peaceful and the beach is most beautiful.
Regardless of the reason and the season, Boracay is indeed, and still is, a place to be. And it's a place that I'd like to go back to whenever I have the chance.
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Wanderlust, traveling, dream destinations. Ahh, the world is truly a better place when you travel. And it's more fun if you travel in the Philippines (and in Asia). How about you, what's your destination wish list?
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