Hitting the ground running within moments of our arrival at Bicol International Airport, we headed to the picturesque Sumlang Lake where a filling grub was made more memorable by the beautiful backdrop of Mayon Volcano. A demonstration of preparing the native cuisine Pinangat and the process of stripping and weaving abaca, followed by a scenic bamboo raft ride rounded off our stay before departing for the town of Bacacay shortly before sunset.

In the decade that passed since I first explored the seven lakes of San Pablo City in Laguna, my wanderlust expanded beyond the Philippines and to several countries in Asia. I considered my initial journey to the city of lakes as one of those earliest moments on the road that had led me to choose a life of traveling.

Just when the bustling activities in Davao mirrored other big cities in the Philippines, the towering presence of Mount Apo instantly loomed and reminded visitors of the duality of Davao as an urban and countryside setting.