I ♥ Bohol

If I had the chance to live anywhere in the Philippines, Bohol would definitely be at the top of my list. It is such an endearing province that any visitor will have a heavy heart when he leaves. Next to Singapore, it's one of those places I visited that I felt so at-home and very safe. I could go out late at night and still feel so protected by the lovely people of Bohol.

That's why my heart was bleeding when news of the magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit Bohol and its nearby province Cebu on October 15. It almost felt like a huge part of me was also buried under the rubble. I have seen those beautiful churches up close, and seeing them in their current state, severely devastated, is heartbreaking and quite unbelievable. It's true when they say you leave a part of yourself in the places you have visited. Bohol certainly left me with beautiful memories and I know it will be as warm and welcoming when I return someday soon.

For now, allow me to share some of the photos I have taken during our trip last July. Seeing them over and over only reminds me that I need to start looking for promo fares.


No caption needed. Perhaps the most recognized landmark in the Philippines.

With the smallest primate, the Tarsier of Bohol.

This python scared the hell out of me. I've never been fond of snakes. NEVER.

Lunch at the Loboc river cruise, the same river we traversed for the firely tour the night before.

Man-made forest. This spot reminds me of that small town in Washington where the Twilight movie was shot.


Boholanos take pride in their centuries-old churches. In fact, a visit to these heritage churches is part of the itinerary of any tourist coming into the island. These are the most beautiful churches I have seen. This was taken in Baclayon Church, perhaps the most well-known in the province.

Dauis Church (Our Lady of Assumption). I remember this church because of its miraculous altar well. I consider myself blessed to have seen these beautiful churches before the massive quake hit the area. The structure may have been damaged but the faith remains strong.

SPAholic

One of my life's simple pleasures is a full body massage. I try to allot a certain amount for it every month. In fact, I can forgo my other comforts such as hair and nail care and even food cravings, but I will never give up a good massage.

I discovered a new spa in town serendipitously. Dan and I were having a glass of milk tea (Citywalk, a stone's throw away from Tarlac State) when a staff gave us flyers for a newly-opened spa - Body and Sole Body Massage and Foot Spa. Their packages are quite tempting, a lot cheaper than other spas I have tried in the past. Dan also vouched for their spa services because apparently in Dagupan (where he works), it's one of the most-sought after.

When I walked in one rainy morning, I was immediately impressed by the overall appeal of the place. The minimalist design with a few Thai-inspired decor added to its cozy ambience. The receiving area was wide enough to accommodate eager clients. It has a "homey feel," a detail that every spa should list at the top of their priorities. Body and Sole opened only last June so that explains why the place is immaculately clean. Hopefully, the management can maintain this because it's a factor that will keep clients coming.

For this visit, I availed of Package 1 which included body scrub and body massage for only Php500. The hallway leading to the massage rooms was dim as expected but there was cool lighting on the floor as well as from the lamps mounted on the wall close to the shower rooms. The massage room was bigger compared to Nuat Thai's. There is a compartment under the bed where a client can put her essentials. A pair of shorts, towel, shower cap and disposable underwear were neatly placed on the bed.

The body scrub came first. It was my first time to try this spa service and good thing, I was not disappointed at all. I used to get ticklish everytime I get a massage but I have eventually gotten over it. The scrub was quite relaxing, I must say. When it was over, the grains (salt, perhaps) were all over me. I had to wash myself clean before the body massage. The shower room is very modern in its design, thus, impressive to say the least. I can't say much about the body massage though because I was asleep practically the whole time. That alone is a proof of how good the massage was. I wish I could have stayed longer!

Body and Sole is a new addition to my favorite places on earth. I will definitely come back to try their other services. Can't wait!

See you there!



Visit Body and Sole Tarlac
One Trios Building McArthur Highway
Aquino Subd., Tarlac City (right across the Philippine Rabbit terminal)

Spa hours: Monday-Sunday from 10:00AM to 12 MN

Me-time at Nuat Thai

When I started pursuing my graduate studies, my weekends changed dramatically. It worked well for me because apart from fulfilling my academic tasks and duties, I also get to spend quality time with myself, which rarely happens given the amount of workload that I have.

After my graduate school classes, I make it a point to drop by the mall to grab a quick bite or just check out what the stores have to offer. Once while I was waiting for a ride home, I noticed a spa that offers affordable massage services right across SM Tarlac. Of course, Nuat Thai is not entirely new to me. A friend once shared in her Facebook page the amazing experience that she had in one of their branches in Manila. I never knew that Nuat Thai has also invaded Tarlac!

So when I finally found the time, I didn't think twice in trying out their services. The first thing I noticed, though, was the space. The receiving area was too small. I wonder how they fit in clients during their peak hours in such a tiny space. Worth noticing are the art pieces that adorn the area. True to its name, it is distinctly Thai-inspired. Their services include: Thai Body Massage, Thai Foot Massage, Hot Oil Massage, Swedish Massage and Aromatherapy, which are all reasonably priced. Before the massage proper, the masseuse assigned to me led me to an area where she washed my feet with lukewarm water. On the corner is a locker where I placed all my belongings for safekeeping.

The lighting inside the spa was enough to put one to sleep. The soothing piped-in music also does the trick.

On my first visit, I chose the Hot Oil Massage which lasted for a little more than an hour. I loved the experience! I would have requested for a second round, if only it was allowed. I felt rejuvenated! The effect of a good massage on me is instant. Every sore limb in my body was suddenly gone. I felt lighter, younger and healthier! Since then, I have become one of their frequent clients.

A good massage is truly the best stress-reliever!

PROS:
1. Satisfaction guaranteed
2. Friendly and accommodating staff
3. Reasonable price
4. Well-kept cubicles and restroom

CONS:
1. Tip hinting by the masseuse (stands by the door before the client leaves)
2. Noisy clients during the massage session
3. Claustrophobic space


Nuat Thai – Tarlac
Unit 1, LC Bldg., McArthur Highway, 2300 Tarlac, Philippines
Operating Hours: Monday – Sunday, 12:00pm – 12:00am
Phone: 045-4934116
Email: nuatthai.tarlac@gmail.com

Glow in the Dark Experience : I ♥ Bohol

Aside from the usual networking site bumming that I do on a daily basis, another staple in my computer monitor is the windows allotted for budget airline websites. I get giddy everytime I see the words "PROMO FARES" flashing incessantly on the screen, as if trying to lure me to book another flight to a place I have never been before. Needless to say, there's a certain kind of euphoria in knowing that I can get a cheap flight to a destination of my choice. However, getting that deal is sometimes likened to a commuter who races to the MRT during rush hours. You have to compete with everyone else in order to get a comfortable seat. Well, that is, if you have a lot of patience in tow.

Good thing, I was patient enough to search for the best possible deal for our Bohol trip a few weeks ago. We were lucky to find a very accommodating tour guide (Mr. Bert Gacerra and his son Kim) who made our first visit to Bohol a truly memorable one.

For this trip, we flew via Air Asia to Tagbilaran City. The service was not so bad, except for the one-hour delay which was pretty much expected of some airlines.

It took us almost 20 minutes to get to Bohol Regents Park Hotel from the Tagbilaran Airport. The hotel was located a few minutes away from Alona Beach in Panglao Island. Since it was almost dark, right after checking in and getting all our stuff in, we headed to the beach for dinner. Alona is much like the white beach of Boracay, except that it was more peaceful and serene, and surprisingly not too crowded. It doesn't have the party-like atmosphere that Boracay is known for. If you want a quiet beach that can still offer the right amount of fun and pleasure, Alona is the place to be.



Immediately after dinner, we headed to our first stop, the Firefly Tour along Loboc River. This was Dan's special request. I wanted him to turn his childhood dream into reality. We had a private boat all to ourselves. Our boatman, Kuya Joseph, was very passionate about fireflies. Incidentally, he was the pioneer of this tour in Bohol. We traversed the placid and eeriely dark waters of Loboc. I wasn't too excited for this itinerary because when faced with total darkness, my rich imagination gets the better of me. Just when I was about to have a panic attack, our boatman brought us closer to a tree adorned with numerous fireflies. It seemed like having stars in the sky just within your reach. All too suddenly, the disturbing images that were playing in my head vanished. It was truly a sight to behold!

Sea, Sand, Sun

Summer won't be fun without water! And since my better half loves the beach, I gave in to his plea that we spend one weekend in, you guessed it, Boracay. I nearly declined because admittedly, I'm not a beach person. But since I made a pact with myself to try to do something different and go out of my comfort zone once in a while, I said YES!

I've heard so much about Boracay. I can only count with my ten fingers the few people who haven't been in the island. It has become overrated, so to speak. However, I wanted to see firsthand what the fuss is about. I wonder why people keep coming back to this "paradise."



We opted to stay in the island for 3 nights and 4 days. That way, we can spend more time checking out the "watering holes" in Bora. It was my first time (definitely, not my last) so I wanted to play the "tourist" for a few days. My better half had been in this beach twice, I think. So he had no other choice but to show me around.

The flight going there was hassle-free. Thanks to the very efficient crew of SEAIR. We departed way ahead of schedule, and we arrived in Kalibo 10 minutes earlier than what was printed in our ticket.



After touchdown, the van ride going to Caticlan took 2 hours. We basically slept through the entire trip. When we reached Caticlan jetty port, it was almost 6PM. By the time we reached the island, we were starving to death but we still had to look for the hotel where we were booked. For this particular trip, we have come to the mutual decision to spend less on hotel accommodation. I'm not ashamed to say that I am a budget traveler. It's not practical to spend so much on a sleeping quarters that we'd only get to see in the morning and at night. We could spend the money for more worthwhile activities or better, on food!!!

Here's a photo of our hotel, Victory Beach Resort, which is located along Station 2. It's a stone's throw away from where the action is. It has a homey feel, and you won't even notice that you are so far away from your real home.



Any traveler going to Boracay will never have the time to get bored as there are a whole lot of activities in store for everyone. If you're the adventurous type, you can try the water activities such as parasailing, zorb, banana boat ride, jet ski, etc. If you simply want to see the beauty of the nearby islands, you can sign up for a three-hour or six-hour island hopping adventure. If you're a certified foodie, you will never run out of restaurants to satisfy your gastronomic cravings. You can go from an ultimate budget fare to the super pricey ones, depending on how much you want to spend. If you love to party, Boracay has the best bars and clubs. Plus, it's a bonus that the crowd is there for one thing --- party all night! But more than all these, the best thing about the place is the beach itself. Its beauty is beyond words, especially when you catch the sunset in its full glory. Allow me to share with you some of our photos during the trip.


BASKING IN THE SUN



FOOD SATISFACTION GUARANTEED



THE VIEW

I need to be back! Piso Fare, asan ka?