Category: Travel

San Juan, La Union

Urbiztondo Beach, San Juan is one of the surfing sites in La Union. La Union is 6 to 7 hours away from Manila by bus. Or 5 to 6 hours by car.


To enjoy the waves make sure to visit from July to October for the South Swell and from November to March for the North Swell. Enjoy the Urbiztondo beach during summer.

This is my getaway in the Northern Part of Luzon. I had seen the changes in the town since early 2000. Every time I visit Urbiztondo, there’s always something new.
I had been here for the nth time. Urbiztondo is also a site for a beautiful sunset. The waters of La Union are facing the West Philippine Sea.

My favorite place to stay in San Juan Surf Resort and Sebay Surf Central which is located along the National Highway. The resorts are overlooking a beautiful beachfront.

San Juan Surf Resort

San Juan Surf Resort is a resort and surfing school of the renowned Filipino-Australian surfer Luke Landrigan. I was able to see him on my second stay in the resort when the resort was still small. To date, there are new restaurants and buildings for accommodation.


The surfing camp offers lessons for locals and tourists. One of the perks of staying here is seeing the famous surfer Luke Landrigan. I saw him only once though. The restaurant serves yummy food which is called the Coast Call Kitchen and Bar.

Sebay Surf Central

Another good spot to stay in Urbiztondo is Sebay surf Central. I love this resort because of its restaurant which is on the beachfront. I love staying in the restaurant to enjoy food and to hear the waves and the tourists and locals enjoying the water.

La Trinidad Strawberry Farm

La Trinidad, Benguet is home for the strawberry farm. It is often confused that the strawberry came from Baguio City since it’s just a nearby town.

The La Trinidad Strawberry Farm was made for the cultivation of the strawberry. Tourists can also tour the harvest from the farm and buy it fresh. The farmers will help locate where to pick the strawberries ready for harvesting.

It is located in front of the Benguet State University and near Benguet Hospital

Sugba Lagoon

Sugba Lagoon is an amazing and scenic lagoon surrounded by virgin forest and mountains It is located in Del Carmen, Surigao del Note.


This was our last stop from the Siargao Island tour that we availed. From Magpupungko Rock Pool we headed to Del Carmen for our next trip.

We arrived at Del Carmen Tourism Center and went to the port. From there we were transferred to a boat which is good for 8 people.

It is half an hour ride from the port to Sugba Lagoon. What are the things to do in Sugba Lagoon?


You can rent for a paddle-board or a kayak. You can also try cliff diving from the diving board. You can also enjoy the “balsa” or the bamboo platform that will take you to the lagoon.


If you have lots to time you can also check the following places in Kawhagan Island, Pamomoan Beach. You can also enjoy the other island called Poneas Island.

Magpupungko Rock Pools

Magpupungko Rock Pools is located at Pilar, Surigao Del Norte in Siargao Island.


Our next itinerary was the Magpupungko Rock Pools and Sugba Lagoon. These places were the scheduled places to visit on our 3rd day in Siargao. We availed it from the same tour operator for our Sohoton Cove and 3 Islands Hopping.
It is a one-hour ride from Sandy Feet Siargao. You will enjoy the scenic view going to Magpupungko.
The best time to visit the Magpupungko Rock pools is during low tide as they are tidal pool. The tides dramatically changed throughout the day but you can also check the tides change.


The rock formations add beauty to the rockpool. The rocks looked like a large rock is squatting on another rock. “Pungko” is a Visayan word for squat hence it is called Magpupungko.


There are lots of small restaurants and nipa huts to stay while in Magpupungko. If the tides are high in the rock pool, you can also enjoy the stretch of the long sandbar of Magpupungko beach.

Siargao Island Hopping

There are three different islands visible from our resort. The islands are Guyam Island, Daku Island and Naked Island.
Going back from Sohoton Cove and the continuation of our island tour were three other islands. We first went to Naked Island.

Naked Island

Naked Island is locally called Pankikian. It was changed to Naked Island as tourists discovered the white sand beach in Siargao. It is naked as there are no visible plants or trees except for the shimmering white sand.


We were blessed to enjoy the island without any tourists. We were the first boat to arrive on the island and we enjoyed the seclusion for a brief moment before most of the tour boats arrived. We spent our time swimming and enjoying the sun and the crystal clear turquoise water.

Daku Island

The second island visible from the shore of General Luna is Daku Island. Daku means big. It is a big island with a wide sandy beachfront.

There are locals who are inhabitants of the island. We also enjoyed the food and swimming here.

Guyam Island

Of the three islands, Guyam is the tiniest island. The small island is shaded by coconut trees. It is also a place for events on the island.


The side of the island which is facing the Pacific Ocean has a stunning view of rock formation.

Sohoton Cove, Bucas Grande Island

General Luna in Siargao Island is a place for a cheap and expensive restaurant, hotels, and resorts. You can also avail of the surfing lessons here because it is near Cloud 9.
From Sandy Feet resort we were fetched by our tour operator using 2 tricycles. And we went to General Luna Market near the port where our boat for the tour is waiting for us. The first tour that we avail was the Bucas Grande Tour and 3 other island tours.

It was early in the morning, 6AM and we arrived at the port by 630AM. It was almost 7AM when we left. It was a 3 hours boat ride. Our group was diverse; we got a 10-year-old kid as the youngest and almost a senior citizen as the oldest. We were 10 in the group.
We tried to entertain ourselves during the boat ride. We also enjoyed the view of the surroundings while inside the boat. And sometimes we just sleep. For a while, it also rained hard before reaching the first part of the tour which is Bucas Grande.

Sohoton Cove

Sohoton Cove National Park is located in the Bucas Grande, Socorro, and Surigao Del Norte. It is the home natural wonders such as caves, lakes, cove, karst, and limestones.
The first stop was the Sohoton Cove Tourist Information, the gateway to the Sohoton Cove National Park. From here you will see the beautiful Titikan Lagoon.
We transferred to a small boat with 6 people capacity with our two tour guides and boatman. We passed by the Sohoton Cove which is called because of its meaning which is to pass through a small opening. During high tide, it is not accessible.

Horsetail

We passed by a rock formation which is called horsetail, It is one of the famous landmarks inside Sohoton Cove.

Hagukan Cave

The first activity was Hagukan Cave, a small luminous cave which is like an underground pool and accessible during low-tide. It is also called snoring cave as the sound of the snoring waves.

Magkukuob Cavern

The second stop is a diving spot in called Magkukuob Cavern. The person needs to go inside waist-level water in the cave and walk inside a dry path of rock formations. To exit the cave, you need to cliff dive and plunge to 12 feet above the water.

Jelly Fish Sanctuary

We went back to the gateway and transferred to a small boat good for 2 people and 1 boatman and went to the jellyfish sanctuary.

We went back to the Sohoton Cove Tourist Center to enjoy our lunch. There are many other places to go here like Crystal Cave, Bolitas Cave, Tundan Cave, Bubon Group of Islets, Club Tara Resort, and Bubon beach. But you need a whole day or more to explore all.

Siargao Island

Siargao is famous as a surfing site in the south of the Philippine archipelago. It is an island facing the Pacific Ocean. Siargao is located in Surigao del Norte.

Siargao flights are one of the most expensive prices for tickets. There are limited direct flights here.
Our Flight was from Cebu City and a connecting flight going to Siargao. I opted to do this since a friend of mine and her family and an officemate would be coming from the USA and it’s their first time going to an island.

The flight to Cebu was a little bit delayed and we reached Mactan International Airport, they were calling the passengers going to Siargao already so our group hurriedly went to the boarding station after we bought Zubochon.

We arrived at Sayak Airport, but due to some confusion, our transportation service arrived late. From the airport, it was a 1-hour ride going to our resort.

Sandy Feet Siargao

The resort is called Sandy Feet Siargao. It is a 4-star hotel/resort along Malinao Road from General Luna. It is peacefully located in the less busy part of General Luna along with the expensive and luxurious resorts that you can find along Malinao Road. But the downside it was hard to get transportation from the resort, but it’s a little near the crowded General Luna.
Sandy Feet has different gorgeous and spacious villas. The garden is beautifully laid out with different trees and flowers. They have a beachfront and a long stretch of white sand beach. You’ll also enjoy hanging out in the hammock or just sitting in the sand and enjoying the view of turquoise water.


We also love our villa which is located near the owner’s house and the kitchen. We are near the staff whenever we need them. We also enjoyed hanging out in our very own veranda. Two villas were occupied by our group, the villa for 8-10 people and the other was a couple villa which was near the beachfront.


The staff where helpful in getting a tricycle for transportation. We waited for the 2 tricycles to arrive as we went to Cloud 9. It is one of the busiest places in Siargao.

Cloud 9

Cloud 9 is the gateway for surfing in Siargao. It is famous for the waves, boardwalk and the surfing tower. There are different surfing instructors along with Cloud 9.


From the entrance of the boardwalk, you can also enjoy a nearby beach. There’s also a rocky shore near the beach. Within the vicinity are different restaurants.

You can also enjoy a stunning view of the sunset from Cloud 9.

Famous Attractions in Baguio City

Baguio is known as the City of Pines and the Summer Capital of the Philippines. Baguio City is the highest city in Benguet.

What to see in Baguio? Here are the famous attractions in Baguio City.

Lion’s Head

It is one of the most famous attractions in Baguio City if you try the Kennon Road going to the city.

The Mansion

The Mansion is the official summer residence of the President of the Philippines. Inside the mansions is a mini-museum for the memorabilia and works of art collected over its year of occupancy of the former presidents.

Burnham Park

A 32.84-hectare urban park located at the heart of Baguio City. What other things to see in the park – a skating rink, Burnham lake, children playground, rose garden, Igorot garden, orchidarium, Melvin Jones Grandstand, athletic bowl, picnic grove, Japanese peace tower, Pine Trees of the World and Sunshine Park.

Mines View Park

If you want to see the breathtaking panoramic view of the mountains of Benguet and the mining town of Itogon, you should go to Mines View Park. There are stalls for pasalubong like Baguio’s native handicrafts and delicacies. You would also have the chance to have a picture with the ethnic Igorot tribes.

Session Road

It is the center of Baguio’s commercial establishment. There are hotels, restaurants, bookstores, boutiques, cafes, bazaars and bars along the stretch of the road.

Wright Park


It is located in front of The Mansion and one of the scenic parks in Baguio City. Tall pine trees and garden in the elongated body of water called “Pool of Pines” is the most famous feature of the park.

Camp John Hay

Camp John Hay used to be the recreational facility of the military of the United States until it was turnover to the Philippine Government. The complex has beautiful gardens, picnic areas, parks, amphitheater and hiking trails. A golf course is situated inside, which is said to be one of the best in the country.

Lourdes Grotto


The favorite pilgrimage site during Holy week is located on a high hill in the western part of Baguio City where you will find the image of the Lady of Lourdes. There are 252 steps going to the top.

Tam-awan Village


The village houses a number of Igorot huts and experiences the Igorot’s way of living. There’s also a Café where you can enjoy drinking coffee after checking the whole village.

Fort Del Pilar

It is one of the most visited places in Baguio City. It is open to visitors during daylight where the Philippines Military Academy is located.

And one of my favorite places in Baguio is the Our Lady of Atonement Cathedral. From the side, you can also view the city of Baguio.

Namsan Seoul Tower

Namsan Seoul Tower or N Seoul Tower or Namsan Tower is a communication and observation tower located on Namsam Mountain in the heart of Seoul.

It has an elevation of about 236 meters and marks as the second-highest point in Seoul.

The best time to go to Namsam Tower is before the sunset. You can enjoy the park, shopping and food just before the sun sets in. Then enjoy the view of the sunset and when the horizon changes to colorful and sparkling lights.

What to see in Namsan Tower

You can check on the Ssentoy museum and showroom for those who love Marvel, DC or Disney Fan. There’s the Hello Kity Island and the Bear Museum.

Love Padlock Area which actually has two sides. The one is in N Terrace and the other one is near the stairs.

Viewing in the N Terrace to enjoy the sunset and the city. This is the perfect place if you don’t want to go to the observatory.

Namsam Octagonal Pavillion is where the events take place. You can enjoy the view of the park trees and stay at the benches and enjoy the view of the N Seoul Tower.

There are also restaurants in the N Seoul Tower.

How to get to Namsam Tower

The closest subway is the Chungmuro Station. You can also try the Namsan Cable Car located near Myeongdong Station. You can also try the bus and taxi.

You can also try to walk from Namsan Public Library.

For other posts about South Korea, please check: Autumn in South Korea,  Nami Island, Petite France, South Korea,

Changdeokgong Palace, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Dongdaemun Design Plaza