The triangular-shaped island of Panay has gifted me with countless memorable travel experiences. Covering four provinces: Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan and Antique, it has taken up a large chunk of space in my memory vault. Despite that, I remain keen at the idea of returning to the island and when the Tourism Promotions Board of the Philippines (TPB) invited me to join a media tour, I immediately said "Yes".

For almost a week, I rekindled my love for Panay Island by returning to a few places I've been to before and learning about new places I've never heard of before. To sum it up, our cultural and great outdoor discovery tour of the island has given me the best of both worlds: of renewing my fondness and learning more about Panay Island.

Iloilo

Because I’ve been to the city of Iloilo several times, it was fine with me when I learn that we’re only going to spend a couple of days here (one in isolation as we await the result of our Covid-19 test) since I’ve already explored much of the city. Other reasons to visit the “City of Love” includes witnessing the Dinagyang Festival, going on a culinary adventure, doing a Visita Iglesia from the city to other towns in the province just to state a few. Here are the places we visited in Iloilo province.

Iloilo River Esplanade

Seen as a benchmark for river rehabilitation in the Philippines, Iloilo River is now long removed from its biologically dead status more than a decade ago, thanks to a rehabilitation program that went full swing in 2010.

Currently, the esplanade stretches a little over 9 kilometers with esplanade 10 undergoing construction. The morning after getting my negative RT-PCR test, I decided to go out on a short jog along the river esplanade.

Miag-ao Church

Built by the Augustinians in 1786, this Baroque church features tropical designs, Muslim, Chinese architecture, and even medieval Spanish architecture.

Declared as a National Shrine in 1973, Miag-ao Church (Santo Tomás de Villanueva Parish Church) was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (as part of the collective Baroque Churches of the Philippines) in 1993. One of its many interesting design elements is its facade's bas-relief showing St. Christopher carrying Baby Jesus on a coconut tree.

San Joaquin Church and Bandi Cooking Demo

After our brief stop at Miag-ao Church, we proceeded to the town of San Joaquin where another old church stands uniquely apart from most Spanish-built churches in the Philippines.

Built in 1869, the church's facade features an intricate sculptured relief that distinctively portrays a non-religious event — the 1860 Battle of Tetuan where the Spanish defeated the Moors. On our way here, we stopped momentarily at San Joaquin Cemetery, an 1892 burial ground highlighted by a Baroque-designed mortuary and chapel constructed as the cemetery’s centerpiece.

Outside the church, some local women showed us a demonstration of how to cook one of Iloilo's famous sweet snack which is the Bandi, a sweet made of sugar-caramelized peanuts.

Hablon Weavers of Salngan

"Hablon", which came from the Hiligaynon word "habol" meaning "to weave", is a hand-woven fabric made by the women of Panay for more than a century. However, in the town of Salngan in Oton, Iloilo, this weaving tradition skipped a few generations. It was only until in the late 2000s when this weaving practice made a renaissance after the LGU traced the problem of malnutrition in the children population to mothers spending more time trading farm produce in the market.

A cooperative was set up to encourage mothers to find a livelihood near their home. It was then they decided to resurrect their tradition of 'hablon' weaving. Thus, born the 'weave from home' livelihood of the community mothers. The initiative hit two birds with one stone; first it solved the malnourishment problem and second, it reintroduced a living tradition.

Since then, the community started fielding orders from all over the country. They used to create and supply the 'sablay' used in UP's graduation rites until it ceased during the pandemic.

The pandemic really hit the community weavers hard. Market demand went down. Today's almost 35 women hablon weavers can only pray for a future as colorful as their creations.

Balay Kape Nagpana

Balay Kape Nagpana is a seed-to-cup coffee farm and cafe run by members of the Ati community in barangay Nagpana, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo through the funding and training of an NGO group Taytay Sa Kauswagan (TSKI) and the DOST. The Ati women of Nagpana carefully handpicks the coffee beans and roast them to produce an aroma blend of Robusta coffee beans. Kape Nagpana also processes and sells Kape Miro. Miro is a Hiligaynon term for Asian Palm Civet usually found in the mountains on this part of Iloilo province. More prevalent in the lush forest surrounding Sitio Nagpana, they normally feast on coffee cherries, pulpy fruits and wild berries.

Before we tasted their coffee, several Ati women greeted us with a welcome dance and a song about the history of their community.

Gigantes Islands and Tangke Lagoon

We docked at the white powdery shore of Cabugao Gamay — the most visited island in the Islas de Gigantes chain — just before lunchtime. As soon as the table was set-up for our lunch, the sunny skies quickly disappeared, and it pulled in dark clouds that showered us with a heavy downpour. Running for cover with each of us carrying a casserole and plateful of seafood dish, the sky as if playing a trick on us, immediately cleared up revealing back the sunshine we arrived into.

After feasting on the freshest seafood catch of prawns, giant crabs, grilled fish and squid plus of course, platefuls of 1-peso scallops, I hurried myself atop this hill in Cabugao Gamay, the most popular island in Gigantes Islands, to enjoy the cool breeze and the stunning scenery.

Afterward, I plunged into the island's refreshing warm waters. Being here the second time never gets old. I spent the remaining hour of our stay here practicing my breathe hold in the crystal clear waters of Cabugao Gamay.

Tangke Lagoon is a natural saltwater pool enclosed by the towering jagged cliffs of Isla de Gigantes Sur in Carles, Iloilo. Since you must dock your boat beside a razor-sharp cliff passageway, you need a favorable wind direction, manageable current, and just enough tidal level to get inside.

On my first trip to Gigantes in 2017, we were unable to go here due to the strong waves. Fortunately, the conditions were just right this time for us to enter the lagoon.

Where to stay in Carles, Iloilo as the jump-off base for your Gigantes Islands hopping tour? check out Solina Beach.

Terra Verde Heritage Farm (Ajuy)

Taking the baton from the old Hacienda San Antonio, the modern-day Terra Verde retains the heritage vibe of this old muscovado mill by incorporating the remnants of its old form as a sugar cane plantation. Today, visitors can not only enjoy the clean breeze of air and the wide green open space, but also learn about its history.

Utilizing modern and traditional farming practices, Terra Verde serves farm to table food like cassava custard, buko pie, coconut candy balls to go along with other local Visayan dish — with ingredients sourced within the farm.

Silagon Mangrove Eco-Park

Another mangrove forest can be found in Panay approximately 150 kilometers southeast of Bakhawan Eco-park in Kalibo, in the barangay of Silagon in Ajuy, Iloilo. The Silagon Mangrove Eco-Park is a community-led project that covers 283 hectares of iMPA (Ideal Marine Protected Area) — 37 hectares of which are mangrove forest, 7 hectares are coral reefs, and 3 hectares are seagrass beds.

Visitors to this eco-park can walk on the 300-meter stretch of bamboo boardwalk that extends to the shallow seabed where they can also help plant baby mangrove trees, which our small group enjoyed.

Capiz

I've gone on two or three trips to Capiz province before which includes a long road trip, a spelunking expedition and to cover the Sinadya Festival. Another must-do in Capiz aside from gorging on fresh seafood and beach-hopping is to set out on a heritage and cultural exploration of the province.

Santa Monica Church in Pan-ay

This church was built in 1884 following a typhoon that destroyed the previous one built during the 1770s (an older church is said to have been built on the same site as early as 1698).

Atop the church's 5-storey bell tower is what locals call the "Dakong Lingganay", Asia's largest church bell. When it is sounded, the bell can be heard up to eight kilometers away.

Dakong Lingganay was cast out of 70 sacks of smelted coins donated by the town people in 1878 following the devastating typhoon of 1875.

Capiz Ecology Park and Cultural Village

Learning about the "Binukot" and other Capiznon traditions will add up to your stock knowledge at Capiz Ecology Park and Cultural Village. Our group met Mang Kune and his wife Nanay Modena who is one of the last remaining "Binukot" woman in Capiz.

A "Binukot" is a young woman raised and kept in seclusion, so she may attain a princess-like status among potential suitors (in our modern times though, it can be seen as a prison-like upbringing).

This is a traditional practice of the Panay-Bukidnon people dating back to the pre-colonial Visayas. According to Mang Kune, his wife never left the house until she reached her mid-20's when they started planning their arranged marriage.

Among their nine children, were four women they chose not to raise in a binukot tradition. "Pinag-aral na namen sila", he tells us in their Kinaray-a language.

Located in Cuartero, Capiz, this outdoor spot serves a double purpose of a nature park and cultural village. Visitors here can watch cultural performances such as courtship dances, listen to serenade songs, and study cooking demonstrations of Capiz delicacies around a lush setting dotted with replicas of different tribal houses in the country.

Aklan

As a three-time participant of the Ati-Atihan Festival, I’ve grown to love the small-town vibe of Kalibo. A gateway to many locations in Panay such as Boracay, one can also find a decent number of cultural and great outdoor settings here like the Bakhawan Mangrove Eco-Park, which is said to be among the biggest mangrove forests in Asia.

Ati-Atihan Gallery in Kalibo

Kalibo's Ati-Atihan is my favorite Philippine festival. I've experienced it thrice already (once covering for Manila Bulletin in 2016) and I would have loved to witness it again if not for the pandemic. I hope by next year the pandemic will be behind us and by that time, the Ati-Atihan can come back in its full color. I recommend you experience it as well.

Take it from someone who has only danced to the Clash's "Guns of Brixton" song but ended up doing a bit of the signature Ati-atihan single-forward, step-tap jiggly sequence once the Ati's drumming beats started. Until then, this gallery located inside the town plaza of Kalibo displays all the colorful costumes of past Ati-Atihan festivals.

Dela Cruz House of Piña

I first learned about the House of Piña during my first visit to Kalibo many years back. That time, they only set-up in a modest house inside a residential area. Today, the Dela Cruz House of Piña has moved into a bigger place: a minimalist mansion with ample space for a small gallery, weaving stations and even living spaces for in-house weavers — most of whom are fourth-generation Piña weavers.

Antique

Unfortunately, during our visit to Panay in January of 2022, the Covid cases nationwide shoot-up causing a number of provinces to tighten up restrictions among travelers. One of them was Antique causing us to drop the province from our itinerary.

Fortunately, I’ve explored the province a few times in the past and would recommend the islands of Seco and Mararison as must visits. Oh, and don’t skip the river tubing at Tibiao River and follow it up with a soothing hot kawa bath.

Check out the map guide below

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 of our stay before departing for the town of Bacacay shortly before sunset.

Reeling after the exhausting day that began when I woke up at 5:00 in the morning after returning from Davao to Manila the previous evening, I wished we would go straight to our lodging so I could rest up for the remainder of our 6-day trip of the Bicol region.

However, as soon as we got to our dinner location, all feelings of weariness in my body was swiftly replaced by captivation as Casa Simeon arrested my attention. Magically positioned against the dimming blue skies, my line of sight quickly focused on the wooden-structure of the second floor and the distinctive "bahay na bato" foundation of the ground floor.

As part of the #PTIPBicol2022 media familiarization tour organized by the Tourism Promotions Board of the Philippines (TPB), we arrived to a cultural performance spectacle. The instant we stepped foot inside, a group of young men and women adorned with colorful clothing greeted us before hurriedly performing a traditional dance called the "Sinakiki", a courtship dance that originated in the municipality of Rapu-Rapu in Albay.

Following the performance, we took our seat at the second-floor dining hall. The rooms located on both sides of the hallway was transformed into charming accommodations — totaling 9 rooms of Family Room, De Luxe Queen and De Luxe Twin classifications.

Apart from the restaurant and lodging features, Casa Simeon also has a library, a coffee shop and outdoor dining in the garden. Simeon and Beatrice Alparce originally owned and constructed the home in the 1920s, but it was momentarily abandoned during World War II when the Japanese blitzed through the town of Bacacay, forcing the Alparce family to flee and hide for safety.

Expecting the worst, the Alparce couple was delightfully surprised to discover the house unscathed when they returned at the end of the war. In what could be a good omen of things to come, the house then survived numerous typhoons and earthquakes. Nevertheless, as father time remains unbeatable against all living creatures, the passage of time brings the same effect to structures no matter how strong. When the new millennia rolls in, it became evident that the future Casa Simeon would need to go through some refurbishment.

In 2018, the Alparce's grandson Enrico Alparce Calleja led the restoration of his grandparent's dream house and baptized it with a new name: Casa Simeon. He then also transformed it into a specialty lodging serving heirloom recipes.

Casa Simeon co-owner and Enrico Alparce Calleja's wife Jessica Noelle Wong points out the unique experience of staying in a century-old Spanish-colonial house "You not only sense the warmth of the wood beneath your feet, you also get a feel of the culture and history of the Philippines"

After eating more than I should since we were served with a buffet menu of Cosido (Bicol's version of fish stew), Bicol Chicken Tinola, Kare-Kare and one of the most satisfying lechon kwali I've ever had, I imagined how awesome it would be if I could stay in one of Casa Simeon’s rooms afterwards.

It would be charmingly lovely waking up in an ancestral bed and breakfast the next morning. Well, that’s something to look forward to next time.

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 consider my initial journey to the city of lakes as one of those earliest moments on the road that led me to choose a life of traveling.

This is the reason why returning here ten years later also became an opportunity of retrospection — both on how the place and I had evolved or remained unchanged over time.

Gone are the presence of Cathy and Abigail, my companions when I went here in 2012, they are now replaced by a small group of travelers I’ve known since then. Travel writers and heritage advocates alike who love organizing trips to nearby provinces.

Our party of seven is composed of George who came with his wife Pura, herself a former travel writer. Known as Manilakad, he organizes walking tours in heritage districts all over Metro Manila and adjacent provinces. Joseph, our designated driver because he owns the SUV we rode on, is newly retired and is now documenting his trips through his YouTube channel Senior Biyahero. There’s also Ferdz, a fellow travel writer with whom I have traveled on numerous media trips, Stephen, a heritage advocate who travels all over the country mapping out historical landmarks, and Johann, an avid mountaineer and backpacker.

Our 2-day itinerary aims to cover all seven lakes in San Pablo City before heading to Dolores, Quezon to spend a night at Bangkong Kahoy Valley and capping it off by witnessing the Pahiyas Festival in Lucena.

Twin Lakes of Yambo and Pandin

The road leading to Lake Pandin has undergone massive changes. The lake's once-calm appearance was marred by new concrete structures. Ten years ago, the area around the lake was nearly barren, but this is no longer the case. We decided to drive to its sister lake, Yambo, because the way leading there seemed more enticing.

The two along with Sampaloc are the most popular among the seven lakes of San Pablo. Guests can board a bamboo raft and even enjoy a lunch in the middle of the lake. One can simply hike over to the opposite lake, which is separated by a round hill.

Structures appeared more regulated in Yambo. The nipa huts mix in nicely with the lush surroundings, which are highlighted by a large lawn that leads to the lake. We rented one bamboo raft, that was around 8-10 by 5-7 meters in size and could accommodate a long table and wooden seats for a dozen people, for a morning cruise.

We stopped by some rock formations and took turns on a tall swing tied to a branch of a giant tree before hiking on the trail leading to Lake Pandin.

Our group stayed here for a couple of hours discussing other fascinating places in Laguna and planning for our next group trip. Afterwards, we drove to the other lakes stopping in each of them.

We witnessed children playing in the rain jump off a bridge into Lake Palakpakin, hiked a hundred steps down to Lake Mohicap — to which we referred to as the “Last of the Mohicap” —, hid from the rain under the canopy of Lake Calibato's trees, and gorged on street fare by the banks of Lake Sampaloc.

Last Stage of Grieving: Nature Tripping

Since our trip happened a few days after the May 9 elections, I considered it as my last stage of grieving from the result. It was also assuring to learn that we were all heartbroken by the Presidential poll’s conclusion. In a way, going on a nature trip with old and new friends became the final stage of being anguished.

While I mourn for my country, I know that I have no right to be angry with the rest of the world so long as I am able to live in and explore the land I call home with complete freedom.

A lot has happened sandwiching my pair of journeys to San Pablo City. From a newbie traveler being in awe just by dipping in the waters of Lake Pandin to a travel writer who had gone to many places since then. In the end, despite the time in between, nothing much has changed in my sense of wonder and zest for wander.

As we drove towards a pitch-black road to Bangkong Kahoy in Quezon, I realized that coming back to the seven lakes of San Pablo City made me more absorbed by it. From the lake's beginnings as ancient volcanic craters to the present day, it continue to foster the growth of native flora and fauna and stimulate the economies of the people in its immediate vicinity. Ten years after, the seven lakes of San Pablo City remains as picturesque as ever, most especially when stared upon on a beautiful sunny day.

Just when the bustling activities in Davao mirrors other big cities in the Philippines, the towering presence of Mt. Apo instantly looms and reminds visitors of the duality of Davao as an urban and countryside setting.

As many travelers before us would attest after exploring every nook and cranny peeling off the layers of the city one by one. They have discovered that apart from the booming offices, gigantic malls, suburban spaces and rush hour traffic, unearthing Davao’s rich tasting culinary scene, vibrant culture, historical gems, jovial festivals (like the Kadayawan) and spectacular outdoor destinations, are easier than downing a mouthful of the city’s most notable fruit, the Durian.

This is by no means a knack to the Durian fruit, which is an acquired taste, as evidenced by those who have assimilated to its savor (and strong odor) and ended up embracing it as the city’s soul fruit. The same goes for Davao City. As each visitor notices and gains fascination on the city’s many captivating gifts, Davao becomes a very likeable place enough for one to visit it again and again.

Being the largest city in the country in terms of land area doesn't bottle up visitors from seeing more of Davao. A short drive or a boat ride here and there, will take you into a thrilling journey to the forested slopes of rugged mountain ranges where Philippine Eagles dare fly, on to where long white sandy shores meets the azure-colored sea waters, on to the mighty Davao river for some wild rafting ride, on to satisfying one’s sense of taste in a maze of street side gastronomic finds, and the list goes on.

It seems like in Davao City, every wanderer can effortlessly please all their senses. No wonder locals proudly claim, “Life is Here”.

All that plus being the gateway to the cultural wonders of the rest of Mindanao, makes Davao City a must inclusion to every curious traveler’s itinerary.

Known to many as the hometown of our outgoing Philippine President, Davao should also be known among many things highlighted by its culture, heritage, cuisine, wellness, nature and so on.

So yeah, take a bow, Davao.