The months of September and October will be busy months of traveling. Anticipating the peak of the monsoon season, I’ve intentionally set August for spending more time at home and working on my blogs. My travel spree in September will start with a week long visit to Cebu, Bohol, and Ozamis City then it’s a three-week series of trips in Luzon. I’m still brewing my masterplanned backpacking itinerary.
While backpacking may be my traveling style of choice, I also get the urge to take a break once in a while so I can relax and clear my mind especially after a long backpacking trip. Despite the thousands of tourists flocking to Boracay every summer, there’s still a lot of space for relaxation. It’s only a matter of looking for the right spots.
Puka Beach, Boracay Island
Just as I thought I would be going back home to get a long rest and start blogging about my trip to Thailand and Cambodia, Aliwan Fiesta 2010, and Banaue, a sudden turn of events came my way and a day after my flight from Manila to Iloilo, I was back on the road again, this time to spend a week in Boracay Island. I was so pumped to visit Boracay again during the summer or peak season. Last time I went there was October last year and although it was also a great trip, visiting Boracay during the summertime is still, in my opinion, the best way to experience this tropical paradise.
Station 1 in White Beach at Noontime
For travelers planning on visiting Iloilo, the islands of Concepcion in Northern Iloilo is one of the “must sees” in the Province. Even though I’ve gone there a considerable number of times already, I just can’t get enough of it! Here’s my recommended 2 days and 1 night (overnight) itinerary when in Concepcion, where you can experience white sand beaches, clear waters, long winding sandbars, island hopping tours, coral gardens, fresh seafood, simple island life, and very friendly locals.
The view from Agho Island in Concepcion, Iloilo
Dumaguete City’s beautiful coast and seaside boulevard at dusk
Here’s my itinerary during my recent trip to Dumaguete, Oriental Negros and Siquijor Province for 6 days and 5 nights:
I’m so happy to kick-off my year of traveling with my first out-of the-region trip this year to Dumaguete City and Siquijor via Kabankalan City (Negros Occidental). I was so pumped about the trip since it’s my first time to visit the genteel City of Dumaguete and the mystical island of Siquijor.
White Sand Beach in tropical San Juan, Siquijor
My whole 3rd week of January was swamped with covering the Dinagyang Festival. It got really hectic during the weekend trying to balance my time covering the various events, bonding with school friends, meeting online buddies, preparing photos and videos to be posted ASAP, and catching up on sleep.
One of my most anticipated event of the year, the Dinagyang 2010 is happening next week! As expected, I will be quite busy covering the event for Explore Iloilo. The highlights will start friday afternoon for the Fluvial Procession starting from Fort San Pedro all the way to Muelle Loney. In the evening, the day 1 of the Luces in the Sky Fireworks Competition will start.
Circumnavigating the island of Boracay by bicycle was an item in my wish list of things to do in Boracay during my last visit. Seems fairly doable since Boracay is just a small island and they already have a circumferential road (that I’ve only seen previously in maps). During my bike tour, I got to see the beautiful scenes on the “other side” Boracay … but … describing all the biking as a great exercise is an grave understatement (for me at least), I was not expecting that it would be such a “heavy” workout.
I never expected to be visiting Bacolod City so frequently last year since most of my trips were unplanned decisions. Just before the year ended, an unfortunate circumstance hit our family (father’s side). We had to go to Bacolod to attend our Granpa’s funeral.
When we arrived in Muelle Loney (Downtown, Iloilo City), jump off point of Iloilo-Bacolod fastcrafts, we learned that the boat was going to arrive 1 hour late. While waiting, we decided to have a quick snack in Roberto’s, which is just a block away from Muelle Loney. I was so happy to discover that they were serving their signature Queen Siopao that day. The Queen Siopao is a larger than usual siopao with bacon, Chinese sausage, chicken pork adobo and egg and is served at only select days for the month.
Ambot-ah is a blog about my life as a travel blogger, nurse, and freelance photographer. After my college graduation, I decided to make a living out of blogging and live out my many passions. Join me on my travels around the Philippines and South East Asia. Read my helpful backpacking journals, budget travel trips, do-it-yourself itineraries, blogging pursuits (making money online), and photography tips. 
