A Brief Travel Guide to Istanbul, Turkey

June 15, 2019

Situated in between two continents—and former capital of two empires—the city of Istanbul teems with diverse cultural influence and a storied history. This alone make the city a must-visit for travelers in search of fascinating discoveries. Add on the fact that Istanbul also boasts of a robust art scene, mouthwatering cuisines and a medley of activities that tickles one's fancy and senses, there’s almost an endless list of things to do and places to see in this vibrant capital of Turkey. To help you plot your itinerary for your trip to Istanbul, here some important facts and helpful travel tips you can follow.

Photo credit: Hege from Flickr

2019 Spartan Race SEA Series in Lima Park | Batangas

June 06, 2019


Founded by adventure racer Joe DeSena in 2007, the Spartan Race has grown to become the world standard for endurance and strength races. A total of 240 races are now being held in 25 countries every year including the Philippines. The first leg of the 2019 Spartan Race Southeast Asia Regional series held in Lima Technology Center in Batangas on May 3-4, 2019 attracted more than 4,000 participants.

Kumarakom Lake Resort: A Charming Backwater Haven | Kerala, India

June 05, 2019


Fresh from spending a night in a fancy houseboat which cruised the famed backwaters of Kerala, our #KeralaBlogExpress2 crew headed to our next destination: the City of Kottayam. Set against the backdrop of Vembanad Lake—the largest lake in Kerala—the Western Ghats on the east and the lush rice fields of Kuttanad on the West, Kumarakom is also where one can find the charming backwater village of Kumarakom.

The Meandering Pool Villas of Kumarakom Lake Resort

The Raviz Resort & Spa | Kollam, Kerala | India

June 03, 2019

A cheery welcome capped by a fun banquet highlighted Kerala Blog Express' stay at this hotel

I've had many great memories of Kerala Blog Express 2 surrounding the great camaraderie formed among 30 travel bloggers from around the world, the organizers and of course—our jovial new friends from the hospitable industry. The Raviz Resort& Spa in Kollam was one of the many hotels that made us feel at home. Mirroring the glitzy setting of this palatial lakeside resort—the service, hospitality, architecture, food and over-all vibe made our brief stop here truly memorable.

Revisiting Marinduque

June 02, 2019


Whenever people ask me how I fell in love with traveling. I always tell them I got inspired by Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road” novel. An autobiographical narrative of Kerouac’s post-war road trip across the United States amidst the background of poetry, jazz and the emerging beat culture. Thinking back now, I realized the birth of my wanderlust occurred during my college years. This was a time when my friends and I journeyed to the province of Marinduque every holy week, to partake at the island’s iconic revelry---the Moriones Festival.