In Transit: From Baguio to Sagada through the Amazing Halsema Highway

The Halsema Highway is one of the Philippine’s engineering feats. Its 130kms road stretching from La Trinidad Benguet to the Bontoc Mountain Province has an elevation of up to 7400 feet. It is the highest highway in the Philippines and is one of the most scenic drives you can experience in the country. Whenever I embark on a 6 hour journey from Baguio to Sagada via public transportation, I’ve always wished I could somehow stop for a while on some points of the road. That came into a realization when I became the local guide and assistant photography mentor for Jim Cline’s first Philippine’s Photo Tour led by Humanitarian Photojournalist Karl Grobl. With our own mini-bus at our disposal, the group made a few interesting stops along the Halsema Highway.

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In Transit: Passing Through Claveria and an Overnight at Kapuluan Vista Pagudpud

Buguey’s seafood buffet was more than enough to fill us during the two hour journey to Claveria, the last town in Cagayan next to Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. I was enjoying the view from my window despite the rain while sliding sideways from our seats as we traverse the twisting highroads to the town of Claveria. A coastal town where the river flows, numerous blue boats parked on the shore and people in their blue rain coats were tending their nets were seen. It was really interesting.

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Transit: From Hong Kong International Airport to my first Street Food in Central

Hong Kong Airport

It’s my first trip to Hong Kong. And it’s funny because I’ve been to other parts of Asia but not in Hong Kong. It’s one of those countries visited by Filipinos when they first go out of country much like Singapore and the Filipino community is strong there. Probably because I’m not much enamored with a city full of sky scrapers that’s why it’s not on top of my list. But I was given a chance to visit the place so I kept an open mind as always when visiting a place for the first time. I didn’t have any specific itinerary for our free time but just allowed myself to see where my feet would take me this time.

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Puerto Princesa: Nagtabon Beach Detour and Sabang Beach Jump-off

Palawan Sabang Beach

Our third and final day at Puerto Princesa found us waking up real early to prepare for a visit to the famous UNESCO Heritage site, Puerto Princesa’s St Paul Subterranean National park. It’s around 2 hours away from the city and since we have a flight in the afternoon, I asked PASYAR Tours to book us the earliest tour to the site. They got to our hotel in time around 7am just when we were about to finish our breakfast.

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Transit: From Manila to Macau

Night at the streets of Macau

My journey to Southwest and Mainland China a few years ago made my fascination for this country grow. Everything seems to be a large spectacle from ancient to modern as seen through their engineering feats. When I learned I’ll be visiting Macau (or Macao), a Special Administrative Region of China, I got curious on the extent of how the lavish world of mainland China would spill over into this small region not much larger than the city of Makati Philippines. It’s also a region with a perfect blend of the east and west and goes through my quest to visit Asia’s Heritage Trails.

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Transit: Flying from Manila to El Nido Palawan via Seair

Flying Seair from Manila to El Nido

El Nido Palawan seems so far away. An elusive paradise tucked at the north western side of Palawan. It’s one of my local dream destinations so when I was given the chance to go there I didn’t pass the opportunity. South East Asian Airlines (Seair) is one of the two airlines (the other being Island Transvoyager Inc’s (ITI) using their 19-seater Dornier 228) who operate the Manila to El Nido route. Last week 24th of February, we flew Seair’s 19-seater LET-410 plane en route to El Nido Palawan.

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Transit: Manila to Banaue & Batad

A fully loaded Jeep in Banaue

Let me say this first, that this trip to Batad is already my 4th time and that says something. It’s one of those places that I don’t regret going back to. It’s both good and bad on my part. The good is, I get to see how the place have changed since the first time I went there and second is seeing how bad things may have changed since then. It’s my fourth time there but it’s going to be the first time I’ll be writing about here in length along with Banaue.

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