The Calabarzon region of Luzon, comprising Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon, is known for its heritage and historical trails, as well as its local cuisine and crafts. The province of Laguna alone boasts a number of destinations where one can spend a long weekend filled with learning and exploration.

Although it was not my first time, I was glad to find myself en route to the town of Nagcarlan for a long weekend with a small group of lifestyle media, upon the invitation of Approche Hospitality Management (AHM), a hospitality management company overseeing the Green Nature Resort and Leisure Park in Nagcarlan. The trip was a curated weekend exploration of the town’s attractions.

Nagcarlan Discovery Day Trip

After settling into our respective rooms in the new wing of the Green Nature Resort and Leisure Park—a five-hectare property featuring a water park complete with a wave pool and water slides—we found the newer expansion to be set apart from the main water park area, offering a more private space dotted with gardens, a large T-shaped swimming pool, and several dozen rooms in a two-story structure. It is just a few steps away from a conference hall, an outdoor dining area and cafe, and the reception.

As tempting as it was to simply retreat to the bed for an afternoon nap, a tour around Nagcarlan awaited us. I was glad that, after more than a decade, I would once again be able to explore the heritage trail of this Laguna town.

Our first stop: the underground catacombs with a story to tell.

After a recent restoration, entering the Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery now feels lighter and appears brighter. Sunlight filters more gently through the chapel and descending into the crypt no longer carries the heavy gloom I sensed during earlier visits.

Built in 1845 under the supervision of Fr. Francisco Velloc, the Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery was declared a National Historical Landmark in 1981. The site bore witness to Philippine history: first as a burial place (the underground crypt for friars, while the above-ground niches were for the public), then as a refuge for Katipunan members during the 1896 Philippine revolution, and later as a hideout for guerrillas during the Japanese occupation.

Recent conservation efforts have focused on preserving the structure while making it safer and more accessible. These included cleaning the masonry walls, reinforcing them with lime and mortar, improving natural light and air circulation, installing unobtrusive lighting, and adding a small museum near the entrance.

At the back of the Underground Cemetery, past a narrow passageway beside the new museum, we meet Nanay Carmen, the founder of Amie’s Espasol.

“Amie is my daughter. This espasol business is already over 30 years old. She was still little when I started,” Nanay Carmen tells me in Tagalog.

In her extended kitchen, a trio is busy rolling espasol dough for a bulk order that arrived that morning. They offer us a few bites. After tasting a couple of pieces, I walk away with two boxes (20 pieces each), costing only 120 pesos per box.

Nearby is the St. Bartholomew the Apostle Church, which was first constructed in 1583 using light materials under the order of the Franciscans and Rev. Tomas de Miranda. A second version, built in 1752 using brick and stone, strengthened and expanded the structure, while a church loft was added in 1845 under Rev. Velloc.

Although parts of the church were destroyed in a fire in 1781, and it later endured the wear of time, a four-story bell tower was eventually added after the fire. The church underwent restoration in the 1990s, preserving much of its 18th-century structure.

This Baroque-style church continues to stand in grandeur to this day, even serving as one of the main shooting locations for the hit early-2000s television series “Kampanerang Kuba” on ABS-CBN.

Visiting Two of the Seven Lakes of San Pablo

San Pablo, Nagcarlan’s neighboring town, boasts seven lakes scattered across its landscape. Two of them, particularly Lake Yambo — the twin lake of Lake Pandin, separated only by a hill — lie almost halfway within Nagcarlan and are easily accessible via the town’s highway.

Geographically also part of Nagcarlan, it was a no-brainer to include the lake in our itinerary so we could enjoy a dose of nature-based activities, such as feasting aboard a bamboo raft, swimming, jumping into the water while clinging to a rope set up by locals on a wooden platform, and riding a giant swing tied to a towering tree.

After our fun on the water, we went on a five-minute hike up the hill that separates Lake Yambo from Lake Pandin. Almost identical in size, the same activities are also available on the other side of the lake.

This morning excursion provided a wonderful way to cap off our long weekend in Nagcarlan, as we spent the remainder of the afternoon unwinding back at Green Nature Resort and Leisure Park until dinner, enjoying good food and lively socialization.

This quick trip also serves as a reminder that one doesn’t have to board a plane or embark on a half-day road trip from Metro Manila just to enjoy nature. Just a couple of hours away in the province of Laguna, travelers can already find a variety of destinations where they can immerse themselves in nature while also learning about local culture and history. Nagcarlan and San Pablo City alone offer plenty to explore, and if you have extra time, nearby towns such as Liliw — the country’s tsinelas capital — make for a great side trip for café hopping and footwear shopping before heading home.

This article first appeared on BusinessMirror.

A week on the Amalfi Coast in July costs more than $800 a night for a decent room. The same room in September falls to around $400. That gap, repeated across flights, hotels, and meals, is the entire difference between a trip that drains a savings account and one that does not. Luxury travel has a real price, but most of it is paid by people who book at the worst possible time. The travelers who plan around the numbers stay in the same hotels for half the money.

The Real Cost of Peak Season

Peak season exists because most people can only travel when schools are out and the weather is reliable. Demand spikes in July and August and around the winter holidays, and prices climb to match. The penalty is steep in more than money. A traveler who insists on the first two weeks of August pays top rates for sold-out restaurants, long lines at every attraction, and the most crowded version of a place. Luxury hotels charge their highest rates precisely when the crowds are worst, which means peak-season travelers pay the most for the least pleasant version of the trip. The high-season version of a destination is often the one worth avoiding. Booking on autopilot, at the same time everyone else does, is what makes luxury travel feel out of reach.

Luxury on an Ordinary Budget

The central misconception about luxury travel is that it requires luxury income. It does not. You don't have to be a sugar daddy to stay in a five-star hotel or turn left when boarding a plane. The gap between a first-class trip and a budget one is mostly a gap in planning, loyalty programs, and timing. A salaried professional who books deliberately can travel better than a wealthy one who books late and pays the rack rate for everything.

The Boutique Hotel Advantage

Hotel choice is a lever on its own. Boutique and independent properties often deliver more personal service than the global chains at a fraction of the nightly rate. Small Luxury Hotels of the World lists member properties from around $100 a night, and design-forward independents in second-tier cities routinely undercut the famous names while offering a better stay. Chain loyalty points are worth holding for free nights, but for paid stays a boutique hotel usually buys more comfort per dollar. Reading recent guest photos and reviews, rather than trusting a star rating alone, separates the genuine finds from the merely cheap.

Timing the Trip

The single largest lever is timing. Traveling in shoulder season, the windows of April to June and September to November, can cut the cost of a luxury trip by 20% to 40% on hotels alone. Airfare to Europe in those months is roughly 37% below peak summer, and international fares overall fall about 33%. The Amalfi example holds across destinations, with boutique hotels charging close to half their August rate in May or September. The weather is usually still good and the crowds thin out, so the savings buy a longer stay or a nicer room. A domestic round-trip that averages $297 in summer can fall to under $200 in the fall. Shoulder season is the one adjustment that lowers the bill and improves the trip at the same time.

Booking the Flight Right

Patience and flexibility pay off on flights. A 2026 Expedia analysis named Friday the best day to book both domestic and international flights, 14% and 8% below Sunday, the most expensive day. The deeper savings come from when a person flies. Shifting a departure by a day or two, or choosing a Tuesday over a Sunday, can cut hundreds off an international fare. Booking 31 to 45 days ahead for domestic trips, and a few months out for international ones, puts most travelers near the bottom of the price curve. Anyone willing to stay flexible about dates can capture these savings without insider access.

Points and Miles as Leverage

Loyalty programs are where the largest premium-cabin savings hide. The fastest way to bank travel reward points is a credit card sign-up bonus, which can deliver 60,000 to 100,000 points for meeting a spending target a careful budgeter would reach anyway. The second skill is knowing the sweet spots, the routes where points buy outsized value. Booking ANA first class through Virgin Atlantic's program, for instance, costs far fewer miles than the same seat through a US carrier. A traveler can also buy an economy ticket with miles and apply an upgrade, cutting 60% to 70% off the cost of a premium cabin bought outright. The rule that makes it work is paying the card in full every month, since interest erases any reward. Most major airlines and hotels run loyalty programs that credit each stay or flight, and transferring points to partners can speed the path to a premium seat.

The Best-Value Destinations

Geography is the last lever. The same budget buys far more in some countries than others, and the affordable luxury destinations of 2026 cluster in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and southern Portugal. Vietnam remains the standout, where a traveler can live well on $25 to $35 a day and a Ha Long Bay cruise costs $45 to $75 a person. Portugal's Algarve offers cliff-top resorts and world-class golf at rates far below the French Riviera or the Amalfi Coast. Thailand, Hungary, and Poland deliver five-star service for half to a third of Western European prices. A traveler willing to look past the obvious capitals finds five-star comfort at three-star prices. Choosing the destination by value stretches the same budget from a weekend of luxury into a full week.

A Smarter Approach to Luxury Travel

Every one of these moves runs on planning, lead time, and a willingness to travel in May instead of July. Stack a few of them together and a trip that looks like $10,000 can be done for a fraction of that. The people who travel in genuine comfort on a normal income are simply organized, and the organization is learnable. The savings account stays intact, and the photos look exactly the same.

One thing I have learned from years of traveling is that the accommodation I choose often aligns with my introverted personality. While some travelers enjoy sprawling resorts with hundreds of rooms, multiple wings, and endless hallways, I have always found forming a bias toward smaller properties.

A new chapter in China–Philippines tourism cooperation is unfolding as Hubei Tourism, in partnership with Philippine travel agency Penvill Travel and Tours Corp., launches a familiarization (FAM) trip aimed box-showcasing the central Chinese province’s cultural and natural attractions to Filipino travelers and content creators.

The initiative, led by Penvill Travel and Tours Corp. president Pen Villanueva, brings together travel industry stakeholders and digital content creators for an immersive journey through Wuhan and the mountainous Shennongjia region in Hubei Province.

Villanueva, a veteran figure in the Philippine travel industry known for her role in expanding Cebu Pacific’s airline connectivity from Singapore and the Philippines in the 1990s and early 2000s, described the project as a “new challenge” in her four-decade career.

“In many ways, this is about building bridges again, this time through tourism and cultural exchange,” Villanueva said. “We hope to replicate the same success we once saw in airline travel growth but now focused on people-to-people connection between China and the Philippines.”

She added that the long-term vision is to increase travel frequency and volume between the two countries through strategic tourism marketing, storytelling, and product development that highlights shared cultural understanding.

Send-off at NAIA Terminal 3

The delegation was formally sent off at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, where they departed aboard China Southern Airlines. Representing the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Philippines was Zhu Bei, Third Secretary for Cultural Services, who underscored the importance of cultural exchange programs in strengthening bilateral relations.

The embassy’s participation highlighted the growing emphasis on tourism as a soft power bridge between the two nations, with Hubei positioned as one of China’s emerging destinations for international travelers.

Discovering Wuhan and Shennongjia

The itinerary, based on a curated travel program featuring Wuhan and Shennongjia, offers participants a contrast between urban modernity and untouched natural landscapes.

In Wuhan, the group explored East Lake Scenic Area, one of the city’s largest urban freshwater lakes and park systems, alongside historical and cultural sites that reflect the city’s evolution as a transportation and economic hub in central China.

From there, the journey moves to Shennongjia, a UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserve known for its dense forests, alpine landscapes, and seasonal snowfall, an increasingly rare experience for many tropical travelers.

The itinerary also includes curated cultural experiences such as local culinary showcases, performances inspired by historical themes like the Three Kingdoms era, and immersive community interactions designed to highlight everyday life in Hubei.

Testimonials from the journey

For Filipino content creators on the trip, the experience offers both personal discovery and professional storytelling opportunities. Video content creator Bob Fabayos described the duality of the destinations:

“Both Wuhan and Shennongjia are beautiful. As a nature person, I enjoyed Shennongjia. Despite the cold, the snow made it extra special,” he said. “Wuhan vibe: chill city, mix of modern and nature. My favorite is the East Lake because of its vast size perfect for a day of chilling with nature.”

Fabayos also highlighted the local cuisine and cultural performance as standout experiences. My favorites were the egg and tomato dish and the spareribs with lotus root. The Banquet of the Three Kingdoms was also really great, the performances while dining were excellent!”

Meanwhile, travel creator Marco Dennis Esplana emphasized how the trip reshaped his perception of China as a travel destination. “Visiting Wuhan and Shennongjia gave me a different perspective on China. It’s clean, modern, and filled with amazing and unique tourist attractions,” he said. “I’m excited to explore more cities and provinces in China.”

For fellow creator Frances Cabatuando, the trip also highlighted the social aspect of group travel organized through established agencies.

“I joined a group tour to Shennongjia China not knowing a single soul, but now I’ve found friends from all over the Philippines, from Pangasinan to Cebu to General Santos City,” she said. “We shared barbecue over bonfire, foggy mornings, and even braved a snowstorm atop the mountains.”

Cabatuando described the experience as an example of “slow, bespoke travel” that fosters deeper connections. “This is the beauty of slow, bespoke travels. Less shallow trips, more soulful retreats. I wish more people would experience this,” she added.

Partnership formalized in Hubei

A key highlight of the familiarization trip is the signing of a memorandum of agreement between Penvill Travel and Tours Corp. and Hubei Tourism officials. The agreement aims to strengthen tourism flows between Hubei and the Philippine market through joint marketing efforts and curated travel programs.

Villanueva explained that the partnership is anchored on the concept of “Zhiyin,” a Chinese term describing deep understanding and emotional connection between people.

“Zhiyin speaks of people who understand and connect with one another, even across borders,” she said. “In many ways, it reflects the enduring relationship between the Philippines and China. Through this partnership, we will bring ‘Zhiyin Hubei’ closer to Filipino travelers.”

The agreement also outlines initiatives such as destination promotion campaigns, travel product development, visual storytelling, and targeted engagement strategies aimed at making Hubei more accessible to the Philippine outbound market.

Opening new travel pathways

For Hubei Tourism, the collaboration represents an opportunity to tap into a growing Southeast Asian travel market, while for Philippine stakeholders, it expands the range of international destinations available to Filipino travelers seeking cultural, culinary, and nature-based experiences.

As the familiarization trip unfolds, both sides are banking on tourism not just as an economic driver, but as a platform for long-term cultural exchange: one that brings Wuhan’s urban energy and Shennongjia’s wilderness closer to Filipino travelers.

For China tour packages, please contact Penvill Travel and Tours Corporation for a more affordable tour package since they work directly with tourism suppliers in Hubei. Use my code "Penvill Marky" for a discount rate.

Living out of a backpack sounds pretty romantic, right? Sunsets in Bali, coworking in Lisbon, weekend trains through the Alps. Oh yes, but what most people don't see about the glamorous nomad lifestyle is... A financial setup that seamlessly works in 12 countries without completely falling apart.

The reality is most travellers don't realise this until it's too late. You get your card blocked. A transfer gets lost. Your bank flags your account for "suspicious activity" at 11pm when you're trying to book a hostel.

The best news? Assembling a solid financial toolkit is simple. You just need some helpful tools and a fundamental knowledge of keeping your money secure while you travel.

Here's the rundown:

• Why nomads need a different financial setup
• The core tools every backpacker should pack
• Why regulatory compliance matters for your money
• How to avoid common financial mistakes abroad

Why Nomads Need a Different Financial Setup

The financing plan that sufficed at home... won't suffice when you are relocating internationally.

Why? Because old-school banks were designed for stationary humans. When you start jumping borders, you'll rapidly encounter:

• Foreign transaction fees that eat into your budget
• Cards getting blocked for "unusual activity"
• Bad exchange rates that quietly drain your account
• Limits on how much you can withdraw or transfer

And the trend is growing. Today there are 50 million digital nomads worldwide. That number is increasing every year. Imagine all those people trying to move money internationally without proper infrastructure.

Wait, there's more: Travel scams are increasing as well. Research has found that fraud increases by 28% during peak times for holiday destinations frequented by tourists.

Having the right toolkit doesn't just make things easier. It actually ensures your money stays in your account. So pick providers who prioritize safe money transfers and compliance over pretty UI designs.

The Core Tools Every Backpacker Should Pack

Before you book that one-way flight, sort these out:

A Multi-Currency Account

The cornerstone to any solid nomad setup is having a multi-currency account. Allows you to hold balances and spend in multiple currencies without getting crushed by conversion fees whenever you use your card.

Look for an account that offers:

• Real exchange rates (not marked-up ones)
• Low or zero foreign transaction fees
• A debit card that works globally
• Quick top-ups from your home bank

Use a provider who is licensed in the areas you will be visiting. That license is your assurance.

A Backup Card

Never rely on a single card. Ever. In case your primary card is lost, stolen or blocked, you should have an alternate one. Store your alternate card COMPLETELY separately from your primary card. In another bag.

Two-Factor Authentication on Everything

This is non-negotiable. Set up 2FA on:

• Your main bank account
• Your nomad-friendly account
• Your email (because that's how account recovery works)
• Any crypto wallets

Prefer authenticator apps over SMS when available. SMS text messages can be intercepted, particularly if you live in a country where SIM swap attacks are prevalent.

Why Regulatory Compliance Matters for Your Money

Here's something most travellers ignore until it's too late... Not all money apps are created equal. Some apps appear legitimate but exist in legal grey areas with little regulation.

Why does this matter?

If you're sending money internationally, regulations are there for your protection. Regulated providers should:

• Verify customer identities (KYC checks)
• Hold customer funds in segregated accounts
• Follow anti-money laundering rules
• Report to financial authorities in each country they operate in

That last point is huge. Someone besides yourself has the authority to help if something goes sideways. Contrast that to a non-regulated app. If your funds get lost, you essentially have no recourse.

It's also very real. Synthetic identity fraud is expected to cost $23 billion by 2030. And that's just one form of fraud. There are many more. Regulatory compliance is your first line of defense.

When you're picking a provider, check:

• Are they licensed in your home country?
• Do they verify ID (this is a positive thing)?
• Do they have a clear address and customer support?

When a service seems too good to be true or requires no form of verification... Think scam, not FEATURE.

How To Avoid Common Financial Mistakes Abroad

Even with the right tools, travellers still trip up. Here are the most common mistakes and how to dodge them:

Mistake 1: Using Public Wi-Fi For Banking

Airport Wi-Fi is free. It's also one of the simplest ways for someone to steal your login information. Whenever you're doing anything financial, make sure you're connected to mobile data or a VPN. Research indicates that travelers who aren't mobile connected are 3x more likely to be scammed. Get a local sim or eSIM before you arrive.

Mistake 2: Not Telling Your Bank You're Travelling

It seems simple but people often overlook. Banks will typically freeze your card upon first use in another country if they receive no notice. A 30-second notification through your banking app can save you hours of stress.

Mistake 3: Carrying Too Much Cash

Large sums of cash attract attention. They are also irreplaceable if lost or stolen. Bring enough cash for a day or two, then use reputable ATMs to refill. Skip currency exchange booths at airports -- they charge awful rates.

Mistake 4: Skipping Travel Insurance

Travel insurance feels like a waste of money... Right up until you need it. A good policy includes theft, fraud, medical emergencies and trip cancellation. With about 20% of international travellers getting scammed once or more per trip, it's one cost you really don't want to cut corners on.

Tying It All Up

Creating a financial toolbox for life from your backpack doesn't mean you have to have the coolest apps... Access to software and resources that work where you are. Availability when you need it. The ideal combination of both is:

• A multi-currency account from a regulated provider
• A backup card stored separately
• Strong 2FA on every account
• Travel insurance you can actually claim on
• A bit of common sense around Wi-Fi, cash, and sketchy services

The road is full of surprises. Your money setup shouldn't be one of them. Prepare your toolkit in advance, verify compliance with every provider and you'll be enjoying the view a lot more -- and talking on your phone to the bank a lot less.

Ordinarily, I’m not the kind of traveler who circles back to a place. Like many, I’d rather put the cost of airfare flying abroad toward discovering a new city or country. But something about Hoi An’s Old Town lingered with me, an appeal that made the idea of returning feel less like repetition and more like certainty.

I first spent five days there, ringing in the New Year of 2018 during a two-week journey across Vietnam that took me from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat, Hoi An and Da Nang. A month ago, I finally returned, urged on to accompany a friend from Europe who had never been to Vietnam, and guided, in my own mind, by the lingering pull of the old town.

No Doubt’s cover of the Vandals’ original song “Oi to the World” looped in my head, not only because it conveniently rhymes with Hoi An, but because it captured that holiday-bright feeling of returning to a place in Southeast Asia that, after all these years, still ranks among my favorites.

When my friend and I arrived at our hotel, we slipped easily into a spacious room with a bathtub and a balcony overlooking the Thu Bồn River. River Suites Hoi An Hotel sat just 200 meters from the Old Town, close enough to view the lantern-lit boats cruising over it every night. At 1,200,000 VND, or about 2,600 pesos, the deal felt almost too good to be true (when compared to hotel prices in the Philippines). With free breakfast buffet on a riverside corner, an indoor pool, and that view stretching out toward Hoi An’s historic center, by all measures, it was a steal.

We wasted no time, even with four full days in Hoi An, quickly unpacking, changing into comfortable clothes, and setting out for a walk through the Old Town.

Beyond the familiar iced milk coffee or a black brew, Hoi An offers a world of coffee to sip. There’s coconut coffee, egg coffee, even salt coffee, each made from beans ranging from Arabica and Robusta to the elusive civet variety.

Paired with local delicacies: white rose dumplings, fresh spring rolls, Bánh mì, or sweet treats like tapioca pudding and assorted cakes, the ritual becomes a slow pleasure. Sitting on to a low chair, cup in hand, and just people watching, especially observing the rhythm of cyclos passing by—those three-wheeled rickshaws with a passenger seat upfront and the driver pedaling behind—feels like the perfect way to spend an hour or two.

Hoi An’s Old Town is a treasure trove of cafés, restaurants, galleries, and boutique shops with about hundreds of them, winding along narrow streets and alleys. For foodies, it’s less of a question of “what to eat” but of “how many days will it take” to sample the best, discover hidden gems, and stumble upon the random surprises that appear around every corner.

Cao Lau Ba Le, tucked deep in a narrow alley, rewards the determined with its signature noodles and tender barbecued pork. Madam Khanh, known as the Bánh Mì Queen, has been serving the Old Town since 1975, and under the guidance of the founding couple’s daughter, offers six variations from pork and sausage to egg and chicken. Across the town, from street-side stalls to small eateries, Bánh Mì appears at every turn, each one as good as the next.

For lighter fare, Hoi An boasts White Rose Restaurant for its delicate dumplings, and a string of cafés: U Café, Mót Hoi An, Poison Café, Hoi An Roastery, The Espresso Station, Rosie’s Café, and Reaching Out Tea House invite leisurely pauses. Whether it’s a cold Bia Hơi or a hot cup of coffee, getting a seat with a riverside view makes the Old Town unfold like cinema in real life.

I found myself constantly converting Vietnamese Dong to Philippine Pesos, tempted by souvenirs from T-shirts and fridge magnets to small artworks, but each time, I decided to spend most of our money on food and coffee instead.

The appeal extends beyond cuisine; history is woven into every street. Among dozens of century-old heritage structures are sites like the Hoi An Museum of History and Culture, the Cao Dai Temple, the Hoi An Museum of Trade Ceramics, and Precious Heritage by Réhahn. One such residence, the Tan Ky House, bears a stark reminder of the town’s relationship with the Thu Bồn River: markers on its wall indicate floodwaters that have previously exceeded seven feet.

What makes strolling through Hoi An’s Old Town after sunset particularly captivating is the explosion of colors from countless lanterns, their varied shapes casting a warm, romantic glow across every street. The back-and-forth glow of yellow and neon lights highlights the patterns of the heritage architecture, making every detail come alive.

Once a bustling port, Hoi An welcomed traders from across China and Asia, later absorbing influences from Japanese settlers and French colonizers. The result is an intriguing patchwork: yellow-washed facades, narrow winding alleys, Indochina aesthetics, and Chinese-style merchant houses.

The effect is both timeless and modern: for Gen Z travelers armed with cameras, it’s a dreamlike Instagram backdrop; for the culturally curious, it becomes a living classroom. Every carved door, tiled roof, and lantern-lit corner offers lessons in history, trade, and design. It’s a tangible narrative that still appeals to me. And yes, a third visit is not too far in the future.

My first time in mainland China, my FIRST time experiencing snow. Don't stop chasing your many firsts.

Hep, hep, Hubei.