Tsokolate Café

Posted on by gninavalerie

Looking for an artsy and “instagrammable” cafe with delicious and budget-friendly prices? Then this cafe is perfect for you!

The Tsokolate Cafe, located right beside the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Saint Mary Magdalene in Pililla, Rizal, is established last 2015.

This cafe is known for its affordable food and cozy environment. Every part of the cafe is instagram worthy, there are a lot of calligraphies and artworks surrounding the cafe that are perfect for art enthusiasts like us!

Their menu is very artsy too. And just like I mentioned, their prices are very budget-friendly. We tried a lot of food and all of them are delicious. We strongly recommend you to try!

The Bacon Sandwich, Carbonara, Strawberry-Banana Smoothie, Hot Chocolate and Cucumber Lemonade are our top picks.

You can also like their Facebook page for inquiries: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tsokolate-Cafe-Pililla-Rizal/121481208206561

Zambales — A Hidden Gem

Posted on by gninavalerie

By: Angela Valerie G. Gallardo

Zambales is a province that is located in the Luzon region. It is the second largest province in this area, and it takes about 3 – 4 hours to get there from Manila.

This province might seem like an average island, but if you explore it well enough, you will be able to see numerous picturesque views and discover many natural and historical tourist destination. It is also a place with a rich culture that will surely thrill the tourists.

Here are my Top 5 Best Places to Visit in Zambales:

1. Ramon Magsaysay’s Ancestral House

Ramon Magsaysay is the 7th President of the Republic of the Philippines. He was born and raised in Castillejos, Zambales and this house witnessed the growth of the young Ramon.

If you are interested in learning a partial part of the Philippine history and visiting museums, this place is suited for you. You can learn and at the same time travel back in the 1908’s.

Entrance fee: Free, but they accept donations

Open hours: Tuesdays to Saturdays (8:00 AM – 4:00 PM)

2. Capones Lighthouse

If you are visiting Zambales, you should not forget to include the Capones Lighthouse in your itenerary.

Capones Island Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse located in Capones Island off the coast of Brgy. Pundaquit, San Antonio, in the province of Zambales. Built in 1890, this lighthouse serves as a guide to ships arriving and leaving Subic Bay.

This destination is the perfect place to reconnect with nature because it is elevated and the view will refresh you mind and soul.

3. Subic Bay

A former amajor United States Navy facility, known as U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay, the Subic Bay we know today is an industrial and commercial area known as Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Subic Bay is known for its deep and protected waters, as well as its collection of shipwrecks, which date back to the Spanish American War, in 1898.

It is currently home to many popular tourist spots in Zambales such as Ocean Adventure, Zoobic Safari, Treetop, Magaul Bird Park and more.

This is the perfect itenerary for family bondings.

Fees:

• Ocean Adventure

(Admission is inclusive of all Featured Shows and Aquarium Exhibits)

Adult – PHP 788.00

Senior Citizen – PHP 628.00

Children 12 yrs old and below – PHP 628.00

Children under 30 inches – Free

4. Beach Resorts

Zambales is known for its beautiful beaches, so if you are looking for a place to relax and enjoy the waves, you can visit the numerous beach resorts in Zambales such as Mangrove Resort, ACEA Subic Bay, The Lighthouse Marina Resort, and more!

5. Botolan Ressetlement Site

The village includes three communities including Baquilan, Taugtug, Loob-bunga.

You can interact with the Aeta community, who were moved from their original homes when Mt. Pinatubo erupted on 1991. You can hike to Baquilan and see the amazing view of Mount Pinatubo’s crater.

Top 5 best places in Samar Island

Posted on by gninavalerie

by: Arvie Jezwell O. Bermejo

Rugged and largely undiscovered, Samar Island is a destination that will appeal to those who love the great outdoors. It’s the third largest island in the Philippines composed of three provinces: Samar (Western Samar), Northern Samar and Eastern Samar.

From caves, waterfalls, and rock formations, there’s a lot to see and discover in these three provinces. If you’re planning a trip to the Eastern Visayas Region, here are five natural attractions you may want to include in your itinerary.

Lulugayan Falls in Calbiga, Samar is neither the widest nor the highest waterfall in the Philippines. It is also not the most famous. But it is certainly one of the prettiest cascades you wouldn’t want to miss in your travels around the country.

Biri Rock Formation

Aside from Biri Island, you can also marvel at impressive rock formations in other coastal areas of Samar Island. In Marabut near the boundary of Western and Eastern Samar, rock formations jut out of the ocean like tall towers on the sea.

Mapanas on the Eastern coast of Samar facing the Pacific Ocean also boasts of its own stunning rock formations. It’s here where you can find Pinusilan Natural Lagoon, a natural swimming hole where seawater is drawn in.2

One of the most popular eco-tourism cave attractions that’s been developed for tourists is the Sohoton Natural Bridge National Park (SNBNP) located in the town of Basey. The park gets its name for the local term “sohot” which means to pass through because guests ride a boat along a stream that flows under a natural stone bridge connecting two mountains. The site takes visitors to several cathedral-like caves, rivers and waterfalls with clear waters.

Calbiga Cave Samar

Those who want to experience a more extreme caving adventure should head to the town of Calbiga and explore Langun-Gobingob Caves, said to be the largest cave system in the Philippines. The cave is located within the Samar Island National Park or SINP, a 333,000-hectare protected natural eco-tourism system spanning the whole island of Samar.

With massive chambers as large as coliseums and spectacular karst formations, exploring all the chambers of Langun-Gobingob Cave can take several days. For hassle-free spelunking trips (including day hikes and multi-day tours with cave camping), get in touch with tour operator Trexplore from Catbalogan City. Read more about Langun-Gobingob Cave in Calbiga, Samar

Ulot River in Samar

The Ulot River Torpedo Extreme Boat Adventure picks up guests from the jump-off point in Barangay Tenani in Paranas and takes them through a 10-kilometer long winding route along the river’s whitewater rapids. In a rocky area known as Deni’s Point, guests can jump into the water and get swept along by the current until they reach the point where the water is calmer.

The Torpedo boat (which is actually an acronym that stands for Tour Guides & Boat Operators for River Protection & Environmental Development Organization) is a six-seater wooden boat without outriggers that is maneuvered by guides using wooden oars. On the way back, there are shallow portions where boatmen need to get down and push the boat on the rocky riverbed against the current and rapids

Baybay Beach, Borongan, Eastern Samar

The town of Guiuan located at the southernmost tip of Samar Island is surrounded by numerous islands and islets such as Manicani, Calicoan Island, and the historical island of Homonhon which also have their own secluded beaches worth visiting. The whole area is protected as part of the marine reserve known as the Guiuan Protected Landscape and Seascape.