Nagsasa & Anawangin Cove Zambales via Mt. Bira-Bira

Your beach babies, monsieur.

Okay, so this trip had cost each of us, Php1, 300.00. Transportation, food, tour guide fee, boat rental with island tour were already included. Yes!

Four months ago, in April 14, at night, me and my sister went to one of the nearest summertowns in Manila. I decided to tag my sister along as it’s summer, it’s her vacation in school and is not doing anything at home anyway.

Of course, as I had been mentioning in my blogs like the one in Magsasa Beach Cove and Mt. Ulap trail (which you can check here at meaganstravelogue.blogspot.com), Jie invited me again to this day hike and island tour. We have this shared desire for mountains and cliffs and beaches. Just like any other independent and single girl would, when they are invited by their friends and they say yes without second thoughts, their answer’s a straight ‘yes’. In Filipino language, they are “kaladkarin”. LOL

So we took a cab to Eton Centris in Quezon City where the meeting place is. They’ve let me sit beside a man who I think for God’s sake hadn’t had any girlfriend in his life. So I just went with the flow and enjoyed the trip with of course, my own playlist on spotify. As far as I remember, there were 13 of us in the van. It was a four hour trip to Zambales and we arrived at the house of the tour guides. We were guided by this little dark man who walks so fast, he’s for the fast and furious haha. Before leaving, we had our light breakfast at their place, a hotdog, egg and sandwich was enough then. Luckily, I haven’t encountered a tour guide that’s not accommodating yet.

God it was a very beautiful morning. At 4:00 am, the starlight zone was still at its brightest, big, and feels so near. They were shining as if the sun won’t substitute their glimmer and glamour anymore. And my eyes were shining so bright like they are that morning. What made me feel more native is the aura of the locals. They were kind, smiles widely and cares so much like my parents do.

MT. BIRA-BIRA (BINABALIK-BALIKAN) – You’ll keep coming back for this.

We started the trail right after we ate. I always wanted to go first when I do trekking. I want to see the view first before my co-hikers do. Even if kuya Rodel was walking fast and furious, I managed to be at his pace. So is my sister’s pace, she was tired but she had long legs so she didn’t have trouble catching up. Haha!

It was a four-hour hike. We started while it was dark. So if you come here, make sure to bring flashlights and trail foods like biscuits and of course, water. As the sun rose at 6:00am, the mountains became orange. What once was dark spot with a sky full of stars became green and orange, and a combination of it with the blue skies above. Sweat and fatigue will be well paid I said. So here I'm sharing you some of my photos from Instagram (@chasingmeagan).

Of course, the view is amazing. There’s this top of the mountain spot where you’ll see the sea extending to the other city there may be across it. It’s like you own the world here. It was very open. And it translates to you feeling open. To yourself and to the other people. This brought my mind to liberation. I have been independent for two years now. And being liberated is a part of it. Being separated and alone but not feeling lonely is something that I think highly of as a gift. Not everyone can have that positive vibe and view in life. I have been saying this in almost every blog I post.

You can refer to (@meagansmotivations.blogpot.com) where I kept talking about seeing the bright in the dark and the positive in negative. Even if your boyfriend already cheated on you, you see the advantage in it. It’s never easy to manage our own life much more than we manage other people’s emotion towards us. It’s something that I adore so much when I see women like me who live independently.

So we descended, at 8:00am, the sun’s heat was striking tremendously but we kept up with it because we’re almost at our destination.

THE ZAMBALES BEACH COVE

So I unpacked my whole wheat bread and everyone joked around, that there should not be a diet plan. We were tired and should eat more. But I still stayed with the plan as the food there was pretty expensive like one gallon costs Php200 and I’ve got bikini shoot to do with my sister!

THE PHOTOSHOOT!

Fast forward to dressing up, removing the marks of tiredness, me and my sister Jessa took a bath together in

one of the rest rooms and put on our bikinis! I wore a stripe one, color blue and transparent light brown square pants. We arrived at the hut and they were watching. We flaunted, because we can! And everyone should be able to do that, no body shaming please.

So we got another company, my sister’s other half at that time who became our photographer. We achieved part of the bloggers Vern and Verniece Enciso’s H&M bikini posts, hi girls! Except that it was not photographed by a professional one and we didn’t have too sexy bodies yet. LOL.

Guys, you will be able to have a lot of time to spend here, you can stay until 4:00pm, take some dip in the sea, take a deep breath of the fresh air because you don’t encounter this everyday when you are living in the metro, drink alcohol, talk about life in the island, play some cool music, do a cartwheel by the shore because there are no pebbles to pick. The sand was a bit dark. Of course Zambales is not a place for white beaches like Palawan. But it’s a place where the sea is surrounded by beautiful mountains.

A small bridge going to the camp site.

Afterwhich, we were picked by the boat and did the island hopping. From NAGSASA COVE we headed to ANAWANGIN COVE. We were about to go to the island where they let tourists do cliff jump but my friends at the time were too drunk and our boat almost got wrecked at the sea. So we got help from the other sailing boats and stayed at Anawangin cove where there’s bridge, where you can camp, no entrance fees.

There was even a big pond there. It is very Instagram photo friendly. In this area, only few people stay as it is for those who wants to spend the night by camping in a mini forest.

After getting our boat fixed, we went on a roller coaster ride at the beach. The sea was not so calm and the fun was more on the journey to our destination. Again, another realization, the challenge most of the time contains more of the excitement when you are still on your way to your dreams than when you already reached it. It’s amazing how you will look back and smile as you imagine how tough ad rough it has been for you all along. But you still thank God for your life. That you are able to do things you want to.

And dream requires every sacrifice you will ever be able to give. Every mistake you will be committing is waiting for you right there. Time, effort, commitment, strength, bravery, determination, courage, money, everything will cost you for your dream. It’s risky, but it’s going to be worthwhile. Of course, there’s reality and expectation. Know what you are able to do and do it. Action and dream is not too far from each other. Remember that when you start moving, you start moving. Slowly as may seem, but you’re on your way.

So going back!

We went home at 7:00pm after we took a bath at one of the houses at the main port which offer their comfort rooms and extension for charging for public use at a minimal payment, around Php20.00, and arrived in Manila at 11:00pm as it was traffic at SLEX. It was a day to remember. Another memory to cherish.

If you have questions, ask me and leave your comments here.

Thank you so much!

‘Til next time! ;)

Some cute sized guitar keychains are everywhere! (Php 30.00)

Sunset at Anawangin Cove.

Middle of the day at Nagsasa Cove.

A small lake at Anawangin Cove.

MT. ULAP, BENGUET, PHILIPPINES

You can actually see these photos on my instagram @chasingmeagan.

It has been three years since I went to Baguio. I stayed here for two months, through the summer of my third year in college. I rendered my on the job training here, one month for a publishing firm for the writing field, the Luzon Morning Sun and ABS-CBN for my production experience. It was fun, nevertheless, it was so much more fun when I went here using my own money for the first time. My friend Jie invited me to this adventure (as she always do). LOL. I remember, we occupied the same place when we were rendering our OJT here in Baguio. Who knew that after three years, we’ll be scheduled to do an adventure here?

But this time, it was in Benguet in what they call Mt. Ulap. Ulap is an Ilokano word, it means clouds. So we’re free to call it the mountain of sea of clouds. We went up as early as 5:00am and was able to reach the peak at around 10am. It was a mind-blowing 5-hour trek, and that’s been my longest trail so far.

Climbing down the hills took us 1 and a half hour. And there was a station where you could buy souvenirs and shirts. On the way up, since it was dark and the light of the sun was slightly showing up, it looked like sunset more than that of a sunrise. It’s cold and you can see the skies are really just right in front of your face and up your head. We did not feel the heat until it was 8:00am, there’s also a pool of people, sea of people wandering, and people soul-searching. But me, I have one thing in mind, it’s to capture the grandeur a natural scene has to offer. I wanted to take my jackets off and show off to the nature, but it was not appropriate. What’s appropriate was that I conquered the trail and I survived the way up with the group.

If you’re asking how we went there, it was an organized trip by a travel partners Christian Anievas and Kaezen Lagrimas. We rented 2 vans, met at the Greenfield district in Pasig City. The travel time was no more than 5 hours.

We paid 900 pesos for the transpo and travel guide fee then we had to pay environmental fee at the barangay hall of Itogon, Benguet before we were assigned to 2 guides. Ours was nanay Susan. She was 55 years old and still had the guts to climb up there!

But if you go on your own, you can ride a bus like Victory Liner and Genesis that can be found in Cubao. The fare is around 400 for every way and upon reaching the city of Baguio, you can ride a jeepneu bound to Itogon, stop at their barangay hall and look for a group or a vacant guide who could take you up there. I was not able to ask how much it eas for every guide though as ut was already covered on our trip.

A good thing about going on a hike with a large group is that you laugh together and get tired together. I even encountered one of ABS-CBN’s staff, a familiar face from my OJT days, Armand Yaccib, now a photographer. We talked and took a photo, until my friends were looking for me already. LOL.

Going off the cliffs was easier as it only took one and a half hour. But it was a different ache, that was more of a squeeze at the back feet and back.
The vast space, the greenery, the best view I have ever seen out of the mountains I climbed, the sea of clouds playing at the top of the mountains and the biggest rocks which can be climbed any time to see how high we have been since we started climbing. That’s the definition of luxury and relaxation for most of the travelers. It’s how your clothes have been soaked from your sweat.

It’s the rest you feel in tiredness that comes with hiking here. It’s the perfect view that comes with the falling sweat on your face. It’s the laughter with the people you’re with that comes with the darkening of your face because of being near to the sun. It’s every second that you go up, it’s every meter that you walk and run that brings you closer to the peak. It’s the courage that you have when you tell yourself you can’t anymore.

They say travelling lets you see more of yourself, lets you realize more of your goals, and make you dream more. And to me, it feels like these adventure I’ve been doing had done more to me. I feel more vibrant, motivated, more positive, more forgiving, patient, beautiful, worthwhile and dreamt bigger.

After an hour of trip from the foggy mountainous from Benguet, we stopped over Good Taste in Baguio City. It was the most famous eatery in the city as it is near the mainstream destinations like the Burnham park, Baguio church, Oh My Gulay restau at the Azotea building at session road and the place for bus and jeep terminals going to the mountain province. The plce was quite big and the food tastes good enough for a restaurant that serves a large number of crowd. Moreover, its cheap! For a hundred and twenty pesos, it shall satisfy your stomach for bout 5-6 hours!

So after that good food experience, we went back to Manila at 6pm, because we were too tired, we were not able to buy local goods anymore and slept inside the van instead. You can call that part of adulting. LOL.

It was 10pm when we arrived in Manila. And the rest was sleep story and fatigue story in the morning.

Until next time! By the way, you can visit my IG @chasingmeagan and @meagan_streetphotography guys.
Thank you so much!

Tagaytay's Beautiful Hidden Place - Bi Kyeong Hotel and Restaurant

BI KYEONG HOTEL AND RESTAURANT
“A Hidden Beautiful Place” in English

Bikini Tale #3

It was early January of 2018 when I started its first weekend with a summer vibe and exploration. So while I was on my way to Manila after my New Year’s eve celebration at my hometown in Ilocos Norte, I agreed on going for a staycation at Tagaytay. Very accessible and near to Manila, and it’s still January, the coldness is still there in the highlands! It was as well foggy when the night comes.

I booked the trip with booking.com using my credit card as a way to reserve the place. I didn’t pay anything yet because it was payment to be made at the property so I reserved a room for two with the Taal Lake view. This was a new property so I wanted to check on it. It was a Greek style inspired property owned by a Korean, the hotel splashed with the colors white and blue and the area was high you can see mountains, roads down, the slopes and the famous Taal Volcano.

HOW TO GET THERE BY PUBLIC TRANSPO?

We rode a Nasugbu Batangas bound DLTB Co. Bus found at LRT 1 Buendia, Pasay City. It was almost 2 hours of ride. Funny part is, since there's no stop over, I almost peed on my shorts, but thank God I was able to endure it, after holding tight to my hands.

We got off at the restaurant called Antonio's Breakfast near the hotel as the bus will pass by the place. Then we had to go down by stairs to their reception area and restaurant. We got the best room with the best view! It’s just that the room had no TV, where you really will need to connect and communicate with whoever you are with.

There was wifi, but wine was better. 

We grabbed our afternoon meal at the restaurant as promised to me by my old friend. Then grabbed some groceries at their town, where we bought meal in Ministop and bought some wine at SM Hypermarket. It was just a one jeepney ride going there at the town.

@nitsujig's shot and edit.

The place was not crowded. It was really new, the pool has not been finished yet, the workers still working on the landscape. But nevertheless, the place was serene and quiet. There's just few people checked in. Exactly what we were  looking for! So the night was perfect indeed with the cold breeze.

In the morning, I woke up early, because I love sunrise and the sun and the view outside, I slid out of bed, took photos and forgot to leave the card that generated the electricity inside our room. The reason why my friend woke up is because of the heat. LOL. So I just paid him with a sweet morning!

 We ate a good breakfast with Chris Lane’s song ‘For Her’ playing on the phone. You might want to listen to his songs guys, for your girls while eating. It’s sweet. Believe me. One tip down!

Or you may want to play her favorite song from her favorite artist.

And while enjoying the heat of the sun in a cold place, we were surprised when we were given a rice cake for their 100th day Anniversary! It was January 7. The rice cakes had a heart shape on it colored pink. Sweet!

By the way, the room was for Php3, 900.00 inclusive of breakfast. I realized we did not just pay for the hotel's service and room, but the view that comes with the place.

In the morning, I went to the rooftop to see a wider, bigger view of the Taal volcano and the mountains that surround Tagaytay after breakfast. Also, you can use their mini golf set inside the reception area. Very cute for couples!

This is a view from the rooftop.

For more photos, please check my Instagram @chasingmeagan for my red bikini tale.

In this place, we were only able to do pictorial wearing my red bra and denim shorts. I wasn’t able to swim unfortunately because they're still working on the pool.

I hope one day, when I go back, the pool is ready for party. I suggest they should have a pool party maybe every Friday-Sunday. Because the pool area is open and a good music around is best. It’s like playing as one of the Gatsby movie superstars!

Travel tips:

Well, upon going home, buses bound to Manila or Olivarez Terminal are passing by the highway just outside the hotel. So you don’t need to worry, Tagaytay is a very accessible place to those who are having limited time looking for a place that does not count time, but count moments.

‘Til next time!

Batangas Highlights - TALES OF THE RED BIKINI #2

Mabini Batangas and Masasa Beach with Sombrero Island

In Batangas, everything is accessible. From bus to jeepney to tricycle and ‘Batanguenos’ who are approachable enough to guide you which way to go. The first time I went here was when I celebrated my 21st birthday. The next was after 3 months wherein I was invited by a colleague to join him on a 6/10 trek adventure. And since I was vulnerable at that time, I went off to the cliffs and was able to sniff the smell of a legit ‘green’ environment and take a photograph of slopes again.

The last time I went trekking before this was in January 2017, and it was already December 2017 when I climbed again. But I can imagine how my endurance stayed strong. Maybe because I continued jogging.

Mabini, Batangas, PH on a stormy December

So here’s how my trip to Batangas went. I just agreed going there about 3 hours before my night shift ended. At 8:00am, we headed to the JAM Liner bus terminal at Buendia, Pasay. The fare was around Php100.00. and from Batangas grand terminal, we rode the Mabini Batangas bound jeep, the jeep terminal is adjacent to the bud terminal. There are even a lot of stores nearby where you can stop for a quick grocery or buy Batangas products. Wwell, for Batangas goods, it is advisable to buy them instead on your way home.

When we arrived at the Mabini Batangas, there’s a booth to pay for environemntal fee, Php50.00 each. Then you can already clim up and get sore, be astounded with what Philippines has to offer!

Down below are islands, coconut trees, very primitive, very natural. The slopes, the ups and downs, the trees that stood there still through years are still there looking old and beautiful. The boats on travelling to the islands are very visible, the mark it creates from the machine that runs the boat (looking like the smoke a jet makes above the skies) is seen, and it’s on the opposite side from the skies.

Of course, photo opportunities are not skipped. Looking so well and wet. I wore a dry-fit shirt, a cap, leggings not to be burned by the sun too mush and a hiking bag!

So way up we go, until we reached the “Mt. Gulugod Baboy” painted in a plain wood and hanging in the tree. It was perfect for a night and a camp with new friends.

Bad part of the trek is that a storm came at night, it was so cold and it became foggy in the afternoon we had to wear double jackets. Our tents were moistened until it was wet and we slept with a flood inside our tent! It was my first time to go hiking overnight and wash up using only one liter of water, how is that? Because going down was treacherous so we didn’t bother getting another gallon of water. It was hassle, at the same time, fun and challenging. We slept in what feels like a mud.

When we ate for dinner, there was my favorite garlic longganisa, homemade and chopsuey with salted egg! So we still slept with a warm stomach in a cold breezy night, thanks to Emperador light. LOL.

Morning came... Foggy and cold.

And I still was greeted by a good morning by people around. By the beautiful creatures. By that violet jacket I wore. By the coffee made for me. And by a photograph and video of me taken by my old friend. (

When we went off the cliffs, at 9:00 or 10:00am, we hired a tricycle which cost us Php300.00 to go downtown. We ate our lunch by the shore of Mabini Batangas, this is very near to the Masasa Beach already, just ne ride of a boat, wherein you can even get a ride for five for 1500, so Php300.00 each! And going home, we just needed to ride a jeepney going to the Batangas Grand Terminal and ride a bus bound to Manila.

Masasa Beach with Sombrero Island on a very hot summer day of May

It’s my new friend, Monica’s 23rd birthday. We originally planned to go to La Union (the surfing capital of the North) yet it was a peak season and all rooms were already booked. So we went to the nearest area in Manila. Batangas, for a beach still since it was just a ride for 3 hours to reach the Masasa beach. It was in May 19, 2018. We were five in the group, but since I went to work on a night shift, on a Friday, I got out of the office at 6:00am (Saturday) and by 7:00am, the girls are already at the terminal where I was not able to catch their trip so I went to the Batangas Grand terminal alone. I saw them buying what we need at the jeepney terminal, good thing there are small stores there. So it was almost an hour of riding in the jeepney, the funny thing is, these girls with me are drunk from last night’s party to welcome Monica’s day. LOL.

When we finally arrived at Tingloy port, we asked where the boat is that’s routed to Masasa beach port, we had a ticket with a number on it, it was Php80.00 each. Upon arrival at the port, we rode a tricycle and told the driver to drop us at the house were we booked our overnight stay. I can’t remember the name of the owner though but one thing I’m sure of, it was near the barangay captain’s house. LOL. Moreover, the owner was the sibling of the captain. Yea, I remember those details!

Upon arriving at the house, we were already offered an island tour which we dd not plan as well but since it’ll just cost us Php300.00 eac for five islands, why not?

We headed off to the port at 2:30pm, finished by 5:30 pm, the owner’s son was our boatman. Everyone;s gotta love sailing in a regular ‘bangka’ (boat) because it’s a water version of a roller coaster ride. Sombrero Island was one of the highlights of the boat trip. One secret I’ll tell you, I had a period and since the myth of having it stopped by taking a dip in the water is real, I didn’t care about my menstruation and stroke a pose at the beach.

In the morning, after the karaoke and drinking session, we went off to the Masasa beach, this is the crowded place. Me and my dear friend Jieza waited for the others when they went to the cove near the beach. Not really near, because we were tired and did not want to get dark any further, we just talked about life instead. Of friends lost, frinds gaoned, pieces of advice to each other and what we think our life will be.

The advantage of being with “just girls” in a trip is that you learn to be by yourself and be surrounded with, not oonly people of the same gender as yours but people with he same humor, wgiving you best support, and who think merely the same and insane!

I love these girls and the moment we were done with our trip, i posted “love these girls” captioned phto on my instagram @chasingmeagan.

Travel thoughts?

Everyone should realize their real life goals. You want to put up a business and learn something new to build business from it, like cooking or learning new language? Then go with it! Just know that there are people, who are always willing to support you, your family, friends, yourself most importantly, support yourself girl. You gotta be independent and self-contented making you more confident and firm with every decision you make, because the weakness that everybody has, is making a big decision.

It’s not going to be easy, your dream? No. But it’ll be worth it if you work on it.

Just. Be. The. Artist. Of. Your. Own. Life.

LA PRESA - CONFESSIONS OF A YOUNG TRAVELLER

I never thought I'd be interested with buses and planes when I was little, when I was seven or nine. I would be even more interested with socializing and playing, just across the neighborhood.

Because I vomit just after two hours riding in a bus, I never swore to myself I’d be this far, that I will one day be thinking of just traveling and making money and fortune, learning new things, having acquaintances and connections all over the world.

I was growing and my interests were changing. At thirteen, I decided to give music a chance to be given attention. Idolatry pushed me, Taylor Swift was the image behind all my liking to music. She was young and so I was, that's why, I have had to go with her life story as she lit me up.

Now I smell my Buddha Beads, I smell summer when I take a sniff at it. I was in Benguet Philippines then, the summer of '15 is unforgettable. And I was 18.

I was in a training for academic requirements for the whole summer of the year. It was about to end then, our internship at the Luzon Morning Sun in Baguio City, a newspaper publisher. I worked there as their feature writer. Our last day ended like this, we were given a treat by our editor-in-chief. We went to MT. KABUYAO AKA LA PRESA, where the slopes were treacherous but very very beautiful.

 Hi sir Sam Bautista! Hope you'll be reading this one day :)

He was kind enough to do that, it's like we were his kids and he did pay for all that had cost us.

In front of me were big mountains, a revelation of the boundaries of the earth. I wasn't in the Philippines for a while, I was daydreaming that I was completely out of the world.

The Sulfur Spring

I remember when we went to "Badekbek Sulfur Spring." If my buddha beads smelled like oldies' perfume, the spring smelled like egg that has been boiling for 3 days. The color was gray, boiling, ready to gobble me up, all the time I have been imagining myself in it. Oh-em-geee.

We stopped for few minutes, put the scenic spot of hot spring in our eyes, then made our way back to Baguio. That's when I vomited at the car. Just because every way back to the city was curvaceous!

Let's go back to "La Presa," originally Mt. Kabuyao. It was called La Presa after the hit PH Teleserye "Forevermore". Now try to imagine a gliding camera effect where you get to see, in a motion of slow and momentuous event, picture perfect mountains, like you're roaming around, sitting there, and smelling the green leaves of the pine trees, cool, fresh, and clean.

You couldn't wait for a moment where you see yourself in a photograph, and each night you ask yourself, all these beautiful creations stay there, naturally wild and attractive.

At least, that's what I experienced. You can't just make a film here, but you can make memory like a film and it's all movie. 

I have been trying to put story in everything I do, and in every time, I always try to make it a fairy tale, without a curse, I'm letting myself grow and mind bloom just blinking in the foggy morning at Benguet province. I said, "I want to have a place here."

The fire has been burning in my heart, the pleasure, overwhelmed by the monstrous cliffs of the mountains, I smile and realize I also am standing in a cliff viewed by an innocent child on the other side.

Sometimes, the blank area in the view is a full view of my dreams, I feel it with exciting dramas, extra different people, my passion in achieving a life that's happy and successful can never be left behind.

The people here are busy merchants. They are already rich, they live in an area that shows the slopes of the world, treacherous but not dangerous. Together, they take leap into advertising their products, I like what they do.

I could be careless and carefree, but art surrounds me, meaning, I will always see the bright side of what others might not understand.

Now I want to tell my readers, they could explore all they want, the world has so much to offer and the beauty is being held in our own eyes. How we see them is even more important than the actual picture our eyes see, it's how we see them from the heart. 

Please follow me on my IG, from @meaganmangoma to @chasingmeagan.

Thank you!

Add caption It's a road up there.

Add caption

 So near I can almost touch them!

 Foggy Pechay Plantation!

Me on a yellow shirt. Such a messy get up! LOL.