Patrik Lord Travel Blog

Life begins where WIFI is weak
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Breakfast before hiking

Before you go hiking you need to eat a real breakfast, right? So this morning Danica went out and bought the breakfast... I usually advised her not to buy so much food, but as usual it was more than we could finish. For just around P100 we got noodles, chicken livers, vegetables, some kind of pork meat, soup and of course the mandatory rice! 
Bohol, Breakfast, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Danica prepared the breakfast, means she went out and bought it.

Bohol, Breakfast, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Noodles, veggies, chicken liver, some pork meat, soup and all served together with rice of course

Corella, Bohol, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Now happy with a full stomach Danica was ready to go

​Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary

One of the starting points for the hike is the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary. We had decided to make a combo, first visit the Tarsier Sanctuary and then do the hike since the hiking trail starts just behind the sanctuary. As usual we were assigned a guide who took us along some narrow trails around the sanctuary. Despite the dense vegetation I was able to spot several of the shy tarsiers and I regretted deeply that I had been lazy and hadn't brought my big camera with me. Grrr... 
Corella, Bohol, Tarsier sanctuary, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

We were not allowed to talk loudly or use the flash on the camera

Corella, Bohol, Tarsier sanctuary, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Our guide showed us the way through the dense vegetation

Corella, Bohol, Tarsier sanctuary, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

The tarsier is very shy but we spotted several of them.

After tarsiers then hiking

Our main objective this day was the hiking. We easily found the beginning of the trail behind the actual sanctuary but after a couple hundred meters into the rainforest the trail wasn't that that clear to follow. We had been told it was easy to "just follow" but suddenly it didn't feel obvious. Danica was more concerned of the potential "monsters" hiding in the rainforest but I was afraid to get lost.
Corella, Bohol, Hiking, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Hmm just follow the trail...

Corella, Bohol, Hiking, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

We were relieved when we spotted the first signage but hmm... we were heading for viewing deck one and this was viewing deck two (!)

Corella, Bohol, Hiking, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

We decided to walk in the opposite direction of viewing deck two and 10 min later we finally discovered something on the ground...

Corella, Bohol, Hiking, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Yess we found the direction to viewing deck one! So yes... easy peasy just follow the signs!

Corella, Bohol, Hiking, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

The trail was slowly getting steeper and steeper...

Corella, Bohol, Hiking, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

When we approached the viewing deck the trail become even more steep

The rewarding view

Soaked in sweat with empty water bottles we finally came up to the viewing deck one. The view was breathtaking! We had almost a 360 degrees view over Bohol. It was worth all the blood sweat and tears to come here. A perfect spot to take photos from or having a romantic picnic or why not do both! Maybe even stay here overnight to experience the most awesome sunset and the sunrise... in that case I guess I have to convince Danica that there are no monsters hiding in the bushes beneath... 
Corella, Bohol, Hiking, Amazing view, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Ohh the view was really rewarding!

Corella, Bohol, Hiking, Amazing view, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Snack time! But we had ran out of water so be sure to bring some extra bottles of water

Corella, Bohol, Hiking, Amazing view, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

The mandatory picture picture time!

Corella, Bohol, Hiking, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Finally before it got dark it was time to go back!

Facts:

How to get to Corella

It's about 13 km going to Corella from Tagbilaran City.
Via public transport: From Sikatuna Jeepney Terminal, (This is right infront of Island City Mall) get into a jeepney bound to Sikatuna via Corella. This jeepney drops you off at Philippine Tarsier Foundation. Fare is P17.00. Tell the driver of the jeepney that you are headed to Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella. Upon arrival there is a huge signage and rough road, take it and walk for 300 meters to the research building. 
Going back, just take a jeepney headed to Tagbilaran. And yes it is safe to hitch hike here. Fare is P15.00 for jeepney.
If you have your own motorcycle it's very easy to go there, just follow Google maps. 

Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary and the Sikatuna Tree Park

You can start your hike either at the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary or at the Sikatuna Tree Park. There are two viewing decks to visit and the hiking trail connects the Tarsier Sanctuary with the Tree Park. Just follow the signs. Viewing deck one is closer to the Tree Park and the viewing deck two is more close the the Tarsier Sanctuary. Hiking from the Tarsier Sanctuary, visiting both viewing decks and end up at the Tree Park should take around 2-4 hours depending on your fitness level.

Comfortable shoes and water

Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, it can be very slippery. Bring lot's of water. Plan ahead so you will be out from the rainforest before it gets dark, unless you intend to spend the night there. When it's dark it will be very hard to negotiate the trail.

​Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary is worth a visit

If you begin your hike at the Tarsier Sanctuary you should take the opportunity to visit the sanctuary itself. The entrance fee to the sanctuary is P60. If you just go for the hike, it's free of charge whether you start from the Tarsier Sanctuary or the Tree Park.

Click this link to see other posts about Bohol:

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A real Filipino breakfast is never wrong!

What can be better than salty bangus (fish) fried to crispy perfection, scrambled eggs, rice together with spicy sawsawan sauce? Did I hear crispy bacon and eggs?? Well, I guess ​nothing excludes the other, right?
Bangus breakfast, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Salty bangus (fish) fried to crispy perfection, scrambled eggs, rice together with spicy sawsawan sauce

Why are mangroves so important?

Fully loaded with protein, good healthy omega 3 fats, carbohydrates and caffeine we headed for Oboob Mangrove Garden. Maybe you have heard that mangroves are important...? So why are mangrove habitats so important? Basically ​Shoreline protection. Mangroves protect shorelines from damaging storm and hurricane winds, waves, and floods. Mangroves also help prevent erosion by stabilizing sediments with their tangled root systems. They maintain water quality and clarity, filtering pollutants and trapping sediments originating from land.
Oboob Mangrove Garden, The Entrance, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Welcome to the Oboob Mangrove Eco Park

Oboob Mangrove Garden, Walkaway, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

The Eco park has a bamboo walkway through the mangroves which makes for a refreshing stroll with good photo opportunities

​​Oboob Mangrove Garden/Eco Park

It was easy peasy for us to go there with our beloved scooter. We paid the entrance and then attended a short lecture about the Eco park. In my opinion they are doing a great job preserving this sensitive habitat. We were assigned a guide who told us more about the Eco park and of course she even helped us to take some pictures according to Danica's directives.
Oboob Mangrove Garden, Lecture, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

We had a short briefing about the Eco park

Oboob Mangrove Garden, The Guide, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Our guide who showed us around and helped us with some picture picture!

Oboob Mangrove Garden, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Along the walkaways there were spots suitable for picnics, not visible on this pic though

Oboob Mangrove Garden, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

The Eco park is relatively big and this is the utermost tip towards the ocean

Oboob Mangrove Garden, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Dannica is pointing a finger... hmm

Oboob Mangrove Garden, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

A walkaway back to land

Park Entry Fees:

How to get there:

Adults – 50 pesos
Students and Children – 20 pesos
Kayaking – 150 pesos
Boating – 350 pesos
From Sta Fe: travel west on Bantayan Sta Fe road. After roughly 7 km turn left on Obo-ob Road. There are a couple of signs there that mention the eco park.
After additional 2 km ​The Mangrove Eco Park will be down on your right.

Tropical storm Basyang

This morning at breakfast it had been quite windy. So later when we came back to our resort we heard about the tropical storm Basyang. There were rumors that the ferry would be cancelled for going back to Cebu Island. So of course we became a little bit worried. It was not the first time we had been stranded on an island. We had already been away for two weeks and it was time to go back to Dumaguete.​ In the evening we clearly noticed that the wind gained strength. Me: What's the problem it's romantic to be stranded on an island, right? But Danica: I am longing for my daughter huhu...
Picture
Tropical storm Basyang, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

In the afternoon we really felt the weather was changing

Tropical storm Basyang, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Later on in the evening the wind increased in strength

Stranded

The typhoon luckily became degraded to a tropical storm but still with hard winds and lot's of rain. The result was that the ferry going back to Cebu island was cancelled. We decided to move from the somewhat remote Bantayan Nature Park and Resort in to the more central located Adelaida Pensionne. We were lucky, we got the last room! There were many other guests with the same strategy, staying near the ferry terminal and wait for the ferry to resume.
Adelaida Pensionne, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

In Bantayan Nature Park and Resort we had no tv... but here at Adelaida Pensionne we had so someone was very happy for that!

Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

After a few days the tropical storm faded in strength and the sea became calm again

The ferry was resumed

After a couple of days the ferry was resumed. That day we had a quick breakfast at the Boulangerie Francaise and off we went. We reached Cebu Island at lunch time and then we had roughly 300 km to travel from north to south to our second ferry over to Negros. We had our dinner break at McDonalds in Toledo. I was beginning to be stressed. Time was already 5 pm and in one hour it would be dark.
Boulangerie Francaise, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

It was like a meeting point at the Boulangerie Francaise for the french speaking guys on the island... I wanted to join but my french was too bad

The driving went awkward

Around Barili the the driving really went awkward. The tricky road crosses the mountains and the traffic was horrendous. Big trucks and buses speeding and overtaking each others and not to mention it was pitch black! We took a short break at a little sari sari store and I swept two Coca Colas to regain some energy. We still had roughly 60 km to Alegria where we had booked a room at Lucci Pension House for the night. Slowly I realized my mistake, 60 km is very far when driving in the Philippines specially when it's dark and you are drop dead tired. Lesson learned, be sure to plan ahead so you can avoid to drive long stretches in the dark.
Lucci Pension House, Cebu Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

After Barili we soon reached the coast again and the road got straighter with less traffic. Around 11 pm we arrived at Lucci Pension house where we spent the night.

Coffee with creamer, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

A quick coffee in the morning before saddling up on our scooter again.

Dulot Eatery, Cebu Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

We had our lunch break at Dulot, an eatery with true Filipino food. No fancy Jollibees or McDonald's in sight here... Hey we were still in the province after all!

Fish soup, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Nutritious and healthy fish soup, full of good Omega 3 fats!

Back to Dumaguete

From our lunch stop at Dulot we just had a couple of hours more to go before we came to the ferry over to Negros and back home. We had been away for roughly 2 weeks. We drove 600 km back and forth and maybe at least 200 km on Bantayan Island. 

Road trips are fantastic!

Making a road trip is really a fantastic way to experience the true Philippines. You see a lot and have full flexibility to go and stay wherever you want. But beware of that the traffic might be very different from what you are used to from back home. In my experience you need to adjust yourself to the Filipino way of driving otherwise it might be difficult. Always bear in mind that there are many accidents daily in the traffic so driving a scooter in the Philippines is certainly a high risk activity. Use your common sense and follow some basic guidelines and you will be less likely to get in serious trouble.

The guidelines:

1) Be sure you rent a scooter in good condition and with all paper works in order
2) Don't drink and drive and always wear helmet
3) Don't drive fast and furious, better to be safe than sorry

3) Avoid driving in the dark. You don't want to collide with a stray dog...
4) Plan ahead, out in the province it can be far between the nice places you want to stay at
5) Don't bring too much stuff, travel light and easy is part of the freedom!
 ​​

Related links

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Dauin Marine Sanctuary, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

A day at the beach

Get the girls on the motor, don't forget the snorkel and the mask. Leave the bustling city and drive for 30 minutes. Once there, rent a table and buy some snacks and then enjoy the day. 

Below the surface

The beach might look a little bit dull with its brownish sand. But wait until you plunge in the sea fully equipped with a mask and snorkel.

Facts:

​Marine Sanctuary in Dauin, is about 15-30 minutes travel from Dumaguete City. For those taking the public transport, you can find jeepneys to Dauin at the bell tower in Dumaguete City or near the Robinson's Mall. Fare is PHP 13.00. Inform the driver you are getting off at the corner leading to the Marine Sanctuary. It’s a couple of blocks away or a good 4-5 minutes brisk walk. The entrance fee for the sanctuary is PHP 150 with a table included. Without table it will be less.
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Madridejos, Bantayan Island

One beautiful morning we decided to explore the north side of the island. We were heading for the very north tip, the Kota Park in Madridejos. So off we went with our scooter. As usual I kept one eye on the road and the other eye on Google maps. There were basically two main roads going north so that shouldn't be complicated, right? But crazy as it sounds we ended up going south instead of north... oh my gosh! Anyway after a big roundabout I got the bearings right.
Madridejos, Kota Park, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Parking among the big guys

Old Kota Fort

Finally we reached our destination, the Kota Park. We found a parking spot just near the Old Kota Fort. Obviously there had been some kind of meeting among the big guys equipped leather vests, tattoos and bigger bikes than our cute little scooter! But they left at the same time we arrived.
​The Kota Fort is just adjacent to the parking. When we reached there and read the signage outside the Fort you could really feel that this was a historical ground. I could lively imagine the dramatic scenes which have been taken place here over the years.
Madridejos, Kota Park, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

The Old Kota Fort

Madridejos, Kota Fort, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

My thoughts went to those soldiers who were executed here during the Second World War...

Madridejos, Kota Park, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

The pier down the beach

The beach

Where there is a sea there is a beach or at least a shoreline. So we went down to the pier and walked along the beach. The water was really seductive, clean and clear. Farther down they were playing music as loud as they only can do in the Philippines. Though it was my kind of music I can only hope that the neighbors in the hood liked it too, otherwise it would be impossible for them to live there...

We made lot's of friends

As always in the Philippines the kids are very curious. They came and asked us where we came from, what we were doing there etc etc and Danica did her best to keep up with all their questions. We saw some kids playing in the water and they had such a nice model of a fishing boat.
Madridejos, Kota Park, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

We soon got company from the kids in the hood. They were curiously asking all sorts of questions about us.

Madridejos, Kota Park, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

At first the boys were shy but Danica made them feel comfortable for picture picture!

Madridejos, Kota Park, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Look at that beautiful model of a fishing boat!

Madridejos, Kota Park, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

As always Danica is popular among the guys!

The two fishermen

We also met two fishermen which just had come back from the sea. They had a really nice catch of big squids. If it hadn't been for our poor cooking facilities at our place I had bought one squid. Mmm... super fresh squid directly from the ocean cooked in it's own ink, so yummylicious! 
Madridejos, Kota Park, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Two fishermen just arrived from the sea with a fresh catch

Madridejos, Kota Park, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Super fresh directly from the ocean

Madridejos, Kota Park, Bantayan Island, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

A friendly hug is never wrong!

The buko stand

I use to say, buko juice is the travelers best friend, at least in the Philippines where it's available almost everywhere. With that being said, so just before we started our trip back to our hotel we refueled ourselves with fresh healthy buko juice (coconut juice). Danica was hungry as usual so she even scraped the coconut meat out from the shell and ate it.

Related links:

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Review of Allegre Bar and Restaurant

Allegre Bar and Restaurant is nicely located on Rizal Bouleward and comes with sea view. The competition is fierce in this end of the Bouleward, since Allegre is located just beside Honeycomb and Why Not and they all attract many customers specially in the evenings. 
Allegre Bar, Interior, Dumaguete, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

View over the Bouleward and the sea in the background

Allegre Bar, Interior, Dumaguete, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

The bar was fully loaded

Allegre Bar, Menu, Dumaguete, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

The menu was loaded with goodies to reasonably prices!

Fully recommended!

Aside from beer and drinks in the bar, Allegre serves tapas, steaks, pasta and pizza. We ordered chicken fried with onions and squid cooked in its own ink. The food was delicious and the staff was friendly and helpful. More good things, the prices were reasonably, they had WiFi and the comfort room was clean. So Allegre Bar and Restaurant is fully recommended!
Allegre Bar, Chicken, Dumaguete, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Fried chicken with onions

Allegre Bar, Squid, Dumaguete, Philippines, © travelblogonline.com

Squid cooked in its own ink, highly recommendable

Rating:
​1-5 where 1 is terrible and 5 is excellent
4 Food 
4 Service
4 Value
4 Atmosphere
Allegre Bar and Restaurant
Rizal Boulevard, Dumaguete
Negros Oriental, Philippines
​Phone +63 917 709 1752
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Paradise Beach, Bantayan Philippines © Travel Blog Online

Nothing wrong with the view!

Paradise Beach

Paradise Beach is for sure one of the best beaches on Bantayan Island, ideal for swimming and sunbathing. It comes with nice crystal clear water and clean white sand. It’s a perfect setting to work on your tan because you are away from any foot traffic passing through. With that said, you should know it's really lack of shadow along the beach. So if you don't like to be burned by the unforgiving sun you need to be there relatively early in the day to find a spot with some shadow.
Paradise Beach, Bantayan Philippines © Travel Blog Online

Paradise Beach heading west

Paradise Beach, Bantayan Philippines © Travel Blog Online

Paradise Beach heading east

Not what it looked at first

When we came there the first time we thought the beach was located just near the camping site. It wasn't much to be called a beach to be honest! Just a small tiny strip of sand. But luckily we discovered that we could walk along the shore and when we turned around some cliffs we suddenly came to the actual Paradise Beach. And by the way, the sunsets here are amazing so just stay and enjoy the sunset before heading back to Santa Fe. The video clip shows our confusion at first, before we found the actual Paradise Beach.
Paradise Beach, Bantayan Philippines © Travel Blog Online

Small fishing boats

Paradise Beach, Bantayan Philippines © Travel Blog Online

Many came here more or less for the sunset

Facts

You can easily get here on motorbike, just a 15-20 minutes ride from Santa Fe. There is safe parking at the camping site where you also can buy snacks, sodas and water. You have showers and comfort rooms there as well. From the parking you need to walk for about 10 minutes. The entrance fee is 50 pesos for adults and 25 pesos for children and the beach is open from 9 am to 5 pm daily. We always left the beach after the sunset and it was no problem more than that the reception at the camping site was closed.
Paradise Beach, Bantayan Philippines © Travel Blog Online

Another evening at Paradise Beach

Related links:

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Bo's Coffee, Caffe Latte, Dumaguete, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog

A review of Bo's Coffee in Dumaguete

When I came to Dumaguete for the first time it was Bo's Coffee shop which greeted me when I left the pier. Bo's Coffee has a very good location just outside the port on Rizal Boulevard. Under my stay in Dumaguete it almost became my second living room. Good coffee together with something chewable and a reasonable good WiFi, what else can you ask for? 
Bo's Coffee, Outside, Dumaguete, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog

Bo's Coffee in Dumaguete

The coffee made me smile

I wrote in my previous post, the review of UCC Vienna Coffee Shop in Manila, that good coffee makes me smile. It really did specially here at Bo's Coffee! It must have been some artistic soul with the urge to express her (or his) creativity when doing my Lattes. Who wouldn't be smiling when a little bear peers at you from the coffee cup? I appreciated their efforts a lot. 
Bo's Coffee, Caffe Latte, Dumaguete, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog

A cute little bear

Bo's Coffee, Caffe Latte, Dumaguete, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog

Looks like a logo of some other coffee chain...

Bo's Coffee, Caffe Latte, Dumaguete, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog

Maybe me, I have a long nose too...

Bo's Coffee, Caffe Latte, Dumaguete, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog

Meaoowww...

Bo's Coffee, Caffe Latte, Dumaguete, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog

The WiFi could have been better

The staff was always friendly and helpful. The WiFi was reasonable good, but it could have been much better. You couldn't really rely on it. If I had important work to be done I usually went somewhere else where I could be more sure that the WiFi really would work. 
Bo's Coffee, Big breakfast, Dumaguete, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog

Bo's Big Breakfast Club Plate for the hungry ones

All in with the Bo's Big Breakfast Club Plate

Bo's Coffee shop offered breakfasts, pastas, sandwiches, omelettes, and a variety of sweet pastries. Sometimes when I was really hungry and I knew I wasn't going to eat for a while I took the Bo's Big Breakfast Club Plate. Nothing for the one who is on diet and thinking about the cholesterol. Sausages, crispy bacon, home made corned beef, scrambled egg and toast. Everything with a perfect taste. After the Big Breakfast Club I stayed more than full the whole day!
Bo's Coffee, Oatmeal and Rasin Cookie, Dumaguete, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog

Caffee Latte and an Oatmeal and Raisin Cookie

Less hungry

If I was less hungry I went for the Bacon Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich as breakfast. It always came with crispy bacon and French toast, which is more tasty than the regular toast. They also had vegetarian alternatives like for example the Three Cheese Omelette or the Grilled Italian Veggie Sandwich. When it came to the sugar doping, one of my favorites was the Oatmeal and Raisin Cookie or some of the delicious cheesecakes they had, for example the Blue Berry Cheesecake.
Bo's Coffee, BLT sandwich, Dumaguete, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog

Bacon Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich

Bo's Coffee, Chicken sandwich, Dumaguete, Philippines © Patrik Lord Travel Blog

Chicken Sandwich with pesto

A new competitor the next door

I really like Bo's. They make one of the best Cafe Latte in Dumaguete and have many delicious options to eat. I felt at home there, almost like my second living room. But now there is a new coffee shop actually next door to Bo's. Tom N Toms coffee shop is already open. Unfortunately it was still under construction when I was there but next time I come to Dumaguete I am excited to try Tom N Toms for the first time. I guess the competition will be fierce since they are located door to door to each others.
Rating:
​1-5 where 1 is terrible and 5 is excellent
5 Food 
5 Service
5 Value
4 Atmosphere
Bo's Coffee
Rizal Boulevard
Negros Oriental, Philippines
​Phone +63 35 422 2119
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A visit to ​UCC Vienna Cafe in Mall of Asia

Yes, good coffee smile, at least good coffee makes me smile! In my hunt for good coffee and cravings for something sweet I ended up at UCC Vienna Cafe in Mall of Asia. They offered a wide variety of dishes not only coffee and pastries. They had breakfasts in different styles, soups, salads, burgers, pastas, pastries etc and even Japanese dishes. But for me, I had cravings for something sweet and a cafe latte. 
UCC Vienna Cafe, interior, Mall of Asia, Manila © Patrik Lord Travel Blog

UCC Vienna Cafe has a nice relaxed ambience

UCC Vienna Cafe, cafe latte, Mall of Asia, Manila © Patrik Lord Travel Blog

My cafe latte at UCC

Cafe Latte and pancakes with ice cream

I ordered a Cafe Latte and pancakes with ice cream and whipped cream. The Cafe Latte had a quite strong coffee taste which is good for some but I myself prefer a little bit more mild taste. The pancakes was to my full satisfaction. At a previous visit I tried their Blue Berry Cheese Cake, good for two, which was among the best I ever tried. 
UCC Vienna Cafe, pancake, Mall of Asia, Manila © Patrik Lord Travel Blog

This was good!

Conclusion

Vienna Cafe in Mall of Asia has a ​nice ambience, offer good quality but they are a bit pricey compared to other coffee chains. 
Rating:
​1-5 where 1 is terrible and 5 is excellent
5 Food 
4 Service
4 Value
4 Atmosphere
UCC Vienna Cafe
SM MALL OF ASIA, PASAY
​Manila, Philippines
Phone: (+63 2) 556-0175
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Bringing the girls to Red Rock Hot Spring

Going to Red Rock Hot Spring is a perfect getaway for a day, specially if it's cold weather since the water in the pools are nice and warm. The water is volcanic and comes naturally from the mountain. There are now two pools, they added a kids pool since last year. Well I know everything is relative, but some days can actually be colder than others even in the Philippines and then it's really cozy to slide down in the warm water. 
Picture

It's easy to get here, just around 30 min from downtown Dumaguete if you have your own motorbike.

Picture

If you don't have your own transportation the option is to take a Habal Habal (motorcycle taxi) from Valencia proper.

Clean and well maintained

We paid 25 PHP per person to get in and 150 PHP for a table with chairs. They had a kiosk where they sold crisps, biscuits, soft drinks etc and they also had a menu with some simple dishes. We ordered Pancit Canton (noodles), and deep fried fish with fries. Everything was clean and well maintained. 
Picture

The entrance

Picture

The main pool with nice warm volcanic water. The new kids pool is behind this one.

Picture

When I was in the water I didn't want to get up...

Picture

After being in the water it felt almost cold in the air

A great time!

To bath and swim in the warm pool was really enjoyable specially for the little one, she had a great time. She behaved almost the whole time... so check the video!

For more info, visit their Facebook page:

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Visiting La Verna Resort in Valencia (late post)

Picture

Both were excited when we were going to visit La Verna Resort.

Picture

The pool with the big fish

Many pools, some with fish!

La Verna Resort is located 20-30 min with tricycle from Dumaguete in Valencia. The resort had several pools in different sizes. The special thing here was that some pools were with fish, one with bigger fish where you were not allowed to swim and one with smaller fish where you could swim. The water in the pools with the fish looked a little bit dirty so we preferred without fish where the water was clean.
Hey, don't forget to watch the video at the end!
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There was a pool for everyone here

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On exploration among the many pools

Kids friendly

La Verna Resort seemed to be well maintained and was kids friendly. There were a pool for everyone, young, old or adventurous if you like to swim with the fish. There was a little kiosk where they had basic stuff like coffee sticks, crisps and sodas. But if you like to eat real food then bring your own picnic.
Our visit concentrated as a 1 minute video clip