BORACAY: How to go around the Island by Tricycle

April 19, 2013


BORACAY: How to go around the Island by Tricycle

If you're staying at a hotel in Boracay Station 1 and have tried walking to D'mall where most of the shops and dining options are, you know that it's a 10-15 min walk via the main road. It will be shorter via the White Beach, but if you're tired already it will still be a long walk. Your best option is ride the tricycle from one station to another.

Where to Get a Tricycle

There are no specific terminal where you can ride the tricycle. You just go to the main road and flag down any tricycle plying  the main road. The main road is shown below:




Capacity of the Tricycle

We are a family of 2 adults and 4 teenagers. We were able to fit in the tricycle with 2 adults sitting in front and 4 kids sitting at the back. I think you can even fit another adult riding at the back of the driver. In the Philippines, there's no limit to the number of passengers riding a tricycle. The same thing is true with riding a tricycle around Boracay Island. The only exception is riding a tricycle from Caticlan jetty port to Caticlan airport and vice versa, where you're allowed to fit in only 3 persons  per tricycle

2 adults can sit in the front, 4 kids can sit at the back and
1 adult can ride "side saddle" behind the driver

As you can see from the rear view mirror above, the six of us fit in the tricycle with 2 adults seated in front and 4 kids seated at the back

Tricycle Rates (Special trips)

Between stations (ex. fr. Station 1 hotel to D'Mall)
1-5 persons: 50 pesos per tricycle
6-7 persons: 10 pesos per head

Station 1, 2, 3 to Cagban jetty port (and vice versa):
1-3 persons: 150 pesos per tricycle
My tip: If you are more than 3 persons in a group,it will be cheaper to rent a van at 250 pesos per van.
Disclosure:  We were charged 150 pesos from Station 1, White House resort area by the tricycle driver. Three passengers and three 10 kg luggage occupied one tricycle. The tricycle price list is shown below and taken from My Boracay Guide Map

HOWEVER, my nephew informed us that he was charged only 100 pesos TWO WEEKS AGO for a special trip from Station 2, D'Mall, Budget Mart area to Cagban port. He occupied one tricycle alone. 
My tip: Negotiate with the tricycle driver because based on my nephew's experience, price can be lower. Make sure to bring small bills so you can give an exact amount and not wait for change.

Station 1, 2, 3 to Puka beach (and vice versa):
150 pesos per tricyle

BORACAY: Caticlan Airport Guide: Facilities and Amenities



BORACAY: Caticlan Airport Guide: Facilities and Amenities

Caticlan Airport is a small airport that caters to passengers visiting the island of Boracay. As a small airport, it has few amenities. These are the facilities and amenities available at Caticlan airport:


TWO-LEVEL WAITING LOUNGE

This is the first level. The door above is the boarding gate.
In case this lounge is full, there are more seats available in the second level.



LCD TV tuned in to CNN





FREE WIFI


They have strong wifi.
You need to log in through the internet to access it.


You can find the wifi username and password posted on the food stall at the back of the lounge. 


SOUVENIR STALL SELLING LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTS


You can do your last minute souvenir shopping here



HOTDOG STAND AND SANDWICH STAND





ATM TERMINAL





CELLPHONE AND LAPTOP CHARGING STATIONS





BREASTFEEDING LOUNGE

The breastfeeding lounge can be found through the door you see on the left



CLEAN RESTROOM

What You Can Expect from the Aubergine Degustation Menu

April 9, 2013

What You Can Expect from the Aubergine Degustation Menu

It is always a delight to dine at Aubergine. It's an expensive fine dining restaurant but the superb quality of food is something that is worth the price and is worth saving for in case you don't have enough money to splurge on one meal as expensive the degustation menu of Aubergine. I'ts hard to explain how delightful the food is until you've tasted it, especially since I'm not a gourmand or even a good cook. One thing I know is that my pleasurable lunch date with my husband was enhanced by the delightful food served by Aubergine. 

My tips to enhance your enjoyment Aubergine's degustation menu:

1. Go with someone who will not distract you from savoring your meal.

You need some peace and quiet to focus on savoring the many distinct flavors of each course. If you're on a business lunch, you will focus on closing your deal. If you dine with kids, you will be concentrate on dealing with their needs. If you're with a friend who chatters endlessly, you will focus on conversation. 

2. Have enough time to slowly savor the meal.

I noticed that the food gets better on my subsequent bites. This means the second bite is better than the first bite. The third bite is better than the second bite and so on and so forth. My husband and I spent 2 hours dining at this restaurant, savoring each bite and as we savor each other's company.

3. Go during lunchtime on a holiday or a Sunday.

At lunchtime on the Day of Valor holiday, we arrived with only another couple in the restaurant. Halfway through our meal, the other couple left. We had the whole restaurant all to ourselves. I presume there are more diners who prefer dinnertime and more diners during weekdays.

4. If you're not a large eater, don't order the meal with wine or juice.

In my case, I was already full half-way through my meal. I almost treated the mango-sorbet as my dessert. Imagine how it will be if I ordered the degustation menu with wine.  Each course has a wine to accompany it. I would not have been able to finish the meal. To be able to finish this meal, you need to accompany it with just 1 glass of water.

5. If you plan to dine here again and order the degustation menu, make sure to do it after a week or when they change the degustation menu.

I was informed by our server that they change the degustation menu weekly, on a Thursday or a Friday.


This is the degustation menu we tried today:


Amuse Bouche
Garden greens tossed in raspberry dressing (left side)
French duck foie gras cake with Calvados (middle)
Beetroot marinated salmon with creme fraiche and salmon roe (right)
Pumpkin cream soup with orange and champagne froth
Braised beef shortrib on potato mousseline
Mandarin Lemon Sorbet
My main course:
Grilled Chilean Sea bass
on Prawn Risotto and Mushroom and Zucchini, with Green Asparagus and Bouillabaisse nage
My husband's main course
Grilled US Black Angus Striploin Steak
served with Port Wine sauce and Bernaise,
Glazed Vegetables and Rosemary Potato Gratin
(Note: My husband ordered it medium rare but they overcooked the steak and it turned out medium well)

The optional cheese course (You add 200 pesos for this)
Brie de Meaux (left)
Chevre with sliced grapes and almonds (middle)
Roquefort
This is served with your choice of bread.


Tropic Grenadine Bar (top)
Mango Ice Cream with candied strawberries underneath (left)
Marinated berries (right)

Unlimited bread with butter and pimiento


Inside Aubergine restaurant


Location:
Aubergine Restaurant
5th ave, Bonifacio Global City
Website






Suggested Pit Stops for the Sagada to Baguio Route

March 28, 2013

Suggested Pit Stops for the Sagada to Baguio Route


Sagada to Baguio (151 km)

10:00 AM: Leave Sagada

1. Head north toward Staunton Road for around 11 km until you reach Halsema highway.



View Larger Map


2. Turn right to enter Halsema highway and to continue to the Baguio-La Trinidad-Bontoc road. Continue for 26 km until you reach the fork in Sabangan.






3. Turn left to continue along the Halsema Highway for around 31 km until you reach Mt. Data Hotel.







12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
First Pit Stop:
Lunch at Mount Data Hotel

4. From Mt. Data hotel, head south along the Halsema highway toward the Gurel-Bokod-Kabayan-Buguias-Abatan Road for around 42km until you reach the Highest Point Marker along the Halsema Highway at Cattubo, Atok, Benguet.





2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Second Pit Stop
Philippine Highway Highest Point Marker
Cattubo, Atok, Benguet

5. From Philippine Highway highest point, head south along the Baguio-La Trinidad-Bontoc Road for 51 km till you reach Baguio City.



5:00 PM Arrival in Baguio

Suggested Pit Stops for the Banaue to Sagada Route

Suggested Pit Stops for the Banaue to Sagada Route

Banaue to Sagada (62 km)

Updated April 2014!!

Check out my post The Road from Banaue to Sagada!!

10:00 AM: Leave Banaue hotel

1. Head north via the Nueva Vizcaya-Ifugao-Mountain Province Road. Travel around 36 km until you reach a forked road. Do not turn right because it leads to the town of Talubin


View Larger Map

2. Turn left to stay on the Nueva Vizcaya-Ifugao-Mountain Province Road. Travel around 10 km until you reach Halsema highway. You are now in Bontoc.


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11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Pit stop: 
Lunch at Cable Cafe and Restaurant   

1:00 PM -3:00 PM
Visit Bontoc Museum 
 C 
Museum Hours:
Monday to Saturday: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM 
Sunday: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM1:00 PM to 3:30 PM

3. Head south along Halsema Highway towards Dalican Road. Travel around 7 km till you reach the u-turn to Stanton Road before Dantay Primary School. Make a sharp u-turn to the right to go to Staunton Road.





4. Travel along Staunton Road for around 11 km until you reach St. Joseph's Inn.

View Larger Map



4:00 PM
Arrival at Sagada

Suggested Pit Stops for the Manila to Banaue Route

March 18, 2013

Suggested Pit Stops for the Manila to Banaue Route

Manila to Banaue is a very long drive that ranges from 9-12 hours depending on the speed of the vehicle. If you're bringing your own vehicle, I suggest the following pit stops for this route.  Making these pit stops will make the long drive less tiring for everyone, especially when you have restless kids with you. 

The pit stops are spaced every two (2) hours. It's designed with kids in mind. You can, however, choose not to make the pit stops as frequently as every two (2) hours. But knowing where the next pit stop may be will help you decide whether you need to make the current stop


The Manila to Banaue route is actually a very simple road to take. You can divide it in several major roads to make it easier to remember.


Manila to Banaue (367 km via SCTEX)

1. First, from Manila, you need to reach the Balintawak toll plaza.



2. After passing through the Balintawak toll plaza, you are now at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).

3. Continue along the North Luzon Expressway till you reach the SCTEX exit (Exit 85) (73km from the Balintawak toll plaza)

Balintawak Toll Plaza to San Fernando Exit. (53km)
San Fernando Exit to Petron Lake Shore Gas Station (5km)

7:00 AM:
First pit stop: Petron Lakeshore Gas Station (57 km until the 2nd Pit Stop)
  • this is the last pit stop before you enter the SCTEX. The SCTEX is approximately 35 km long and there are no pit stops along that length so you need to make a stop at this station.


4. After exiting at the SCTEX exit of the NLEX, go straight ahead (around 3 km until you reach the  Mabalacat interchange. At the Mabalacat interchange, turn right to go to Tarlac. (If you turn left, you will reach Subic and Clark airport)

UPDATED ROUTE BECAUSE OF THE OPENING OF THE TPLEX!!!: 

5. Continue along the whole SCTEX till you reach Tarlac Exit/Toll Plaza (Exit 228) (35 km)


6. When you reach the Tarlac Exit, turn right to go towards La Paz town proper and to Nueva Ecija.

8:00 AM:
Second pit stop: La Paz, Tarlac (59 km till the 3rd pit stop)
A.  Park and Grill Traveller's  Complex, where the Five Star bus company stops
  •  this pit stop is 5.5 km from the SCTEX Tarlac Terminal Toll Plaza

B. Gas Stations along the Santa Rosa-Tarlac Road

7. Continue along the Santa Rosa-Tarlac Road until you reach the Zaragosa Municipal Cemetery to your right (13km from entering the Santa-Rosa Tarlac Road). About 260 meters from the cemetery is a forked road. Take the left fork and pass by Zaragosa Central School. Then turn left to reach the Zaragosa-Aliaga Road.

7. Continue along the Zaragosa-Aliaga Road (for around 7km) until you reach a fork. Turn left at the fork to enter the Aliaga-Guimba Road


8. Traverse the Aliaga-Guimba Road (for around 7.6 km) until you reach the Sto. Domingo-Licab Road. Turn right at the Sto. Domingo-Licab Road.


9. Continue along the the Sto. Domingo-Licab Road (for around 8.1 km) until you reach the Shell Station at the corner of the Sicsican-Sto. Domingo Road. Turn left toward the Nueva-Ecija Pangasinan Road


10. Continue along the Nueva Ecija-Pangasinan Road (for around 6 km) until you reach the Maharlika Highway.


Check out this post: My Banaue and Sagada Itinerary with Kids (Day 1: Manila to Kiangan) for the updated route using the TPLEX.


11. Continue along the Maharlika Highway for 144 km until you reach the fork at Tuao, Bagabag. Turn left to continue along the Nueva Vizcaya-Ifugao-Mountain Province Road.

You pass by the following towns and provinces and landmarks along the stretch of 144 km:
  • Science City of Munoz
  • Central Luzon State University
  • San Jose City
  • Dalton Pass (the zigzag road that connects Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya)
  • Sta. Fe
  • Aritao
  • Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Hospital at Bambang
  • Bayombong
  • Solano
  • Welcome to Bagabag Arch
  • Tuao

10:00 AM:
Third pit stop: San Jose City, Nueva Ecija (113 km till the 4th pit stop)
A. Shell Gas Station at Bonifacio St., San Jose City , Nueva Ecija
B. Jollibee at Maharlika Highway corner Bonifacio St., San Jose City, Nueva Ecija 
C. Chowking along Maharlika Highway, San Jose City, Nueva Ecija
1:00 PM-2:00 PM: LUNCH
Fourth pit stop: Solano town (69 km till Banaue)
A. McDonald's at Total Gas Station at Maharlika Highway, Solano
B. Mang Inasal at Maharlika Highway, Solano
C. Jollibee at Maharlika Highway corner Gaddang St., Solano
D. Greenwich at Centro Mall, Maharlika Highway corner Gaddang St., Solano
E. Chowking at Maharlika Highway corner A. Luna St., Solano

12. Continue along the Nueva Vizcaya-Ifugao-Mountain Province Road for 32 km until you reach a fork. Turn right to continue along the Nueva Vizcaya-Ifugao-Mountain Province Road.

You pass by the following towns and provinces and landmarks along the stretch of 58 km:
  • Lamut
  • Kiangan
Our accommodations in Kiangan: Ibulao Ibulao Bed and Breakfast at Kiangan, Ifugao: The Best Accommodations near the Banaue Rice Terraces
12. Continue along the Nueva Vizcaya-Ifugao-Mountain Province Road for 22 km until you reach Banaue.

You pass by the following towns and provinces and landmarks along the stretch of 22 km:
  • Ifugao Provincial Capitol at Lagawe
  • Ifugao Provincial Hospital
Our pitstop: The Gazebo Restaurant in Lagawe: A Great Meal Stop on the way to the Banaue Rice Terraces

4:00 PM:
arrival at Banaue


MAP



View Larger Map

   A    Balintawak Toll Barrier

   B    Petron Lakeshore

   C    SCTEX Exit

   D    SCTEX Mabalacat Interchange

   E   SCTEX Tarlac Terminal Toll Plaza

   F   Traveller's Complex, Santa-Rosa Tarlac Road

   G   San Jose City

   H   Solano town

   I   Banaue





Impressions Sunday Brunch Buffet: My Dining Guide

March 12, 2013




Impressions Sunday Brunch Buffet: My Dining Guide


These are my simple tips on the best way to enjoy this buffet. A lot has been said already about the gourmet food they serve. The price of Php 2100 net per head is definitely worth it. Every meal they serve is sourced from the freshest ingredients, cooked well and plated  beautifully. For those of you who frequent fine dining restaurants which serve degustation menus and priced the same, this will be value for money. For the same price, you get unlimited food with superior quality and the quality of service of a fine dining restaurant. You can expect the same quality of food as in the degustation menus of fine dining restaurants.

As in any buffet, you can only eat so much. Below are some of my tips on how to make the most out of your experience dining at this restaurant.

1. Make sure to make advance reservations.

The restaurant can seat only 70 people so I encourage you to make advanced reservations. Since I do not want to be disappointed at not being able to get a seat after going all the way to Resorts World, I made sure to make advanced reservations. Two days before the date of your reservation, an Impressions staff calls to confirm the reservation.

While we were dining, a lot of customers wanted to walk-in and dine at the restaurant but they were turned away because the restaurant is full. If you plan to walk-in and wait for a table to free up, prepare for a long wait. A lot of customers already in their tables prefer to leisurely enjoy their meal, especially since the price per head is very expensive. Considering the price, expect the turnover of customers to be almost nil. In our case, we arrived early at 11:30 AM for our 12:00 PM reservation. We ended our meal at 1:30 PM. The buffet runs from 11:00 AM till 3:00 PM. I don't think you can leisurely enjoy your meal and pace yourself if you arrive midway and after the first batch of customers have left already. There won't be enough time to taste all the must-taste food in the menu and make the most of your dining experience.



2. Limit your intake of liquids.

The buffet includes freshly made fruit juices and coffee. I personally don't do well in buffets because I can't take in a lot of food. But a technique I discovered is to drink your liquids after you've tasted everything you want to taste and ended your meal. If there's  soup, just have a small cup, only enough to be able to taste and enjoy it. If you need to drink water, limit it to one (1) glass all throughout the meal, making small sips just to wash away some of the taste of the previous meal. At the end of the meal, order your fresh fruit juice and coffee. I personally like the carrot juice because it cleanses the palate and removes all the taste of the food you've eaten. It refreshes you.

3. My recommendations of must-taste meals, their location, and how it's presented

Panoramic view of Impressions restaurant 
(Click the photo to zoom on the image)


 3 stationsCold StationHot StationDessert Station
(Click the photo to zoom on the image)

The restaurant is divided into 3 stations: Cold Station, Hot Station, Dessert Station. Not all the items are already available and spread out in each station. Some of it are only cooked when ordered, unlike the usual buffet presentation where everything is laid out and ready to be taken by the customer. 

Take note: The list below is not everything they offered. There are so many more choices. These are the food I was able to taste. I loved all that I tasted.


Cold station:
Feta cheese (which you should dip in honey)
Baba ganoush and Hummus (order freshly made pita bread to go with it)
Melt-in-your mouth French oysters (order freshly baked and topped with cheese)
Large melt-in-your mouth imported scallops (order it freshly baked and topped with cheese)
Tuna and salmon sashimi (guaranteed fresh)
Foie gras (cooked only when you order)

Hot Station:
Onion soup 
Baked potato soup
Prime rib cooked according to your preference (medium rare, if you want), and served with vegetable sidings

Dessert station:
Salted chocolate cake
Coffee jelly
Carrot cake
Macaroons

Pistachio souffle (made when ordered)
Cinnamon churros (made when ordered)
Chocolate churros (made when ordered)

Pistachio gelato

  • I can't remember the names of all the desserts I've tasted in the dessert station. What I remembered is that each one is of superior quality. Make sure to leave space for the dessert.

Drinks: carrot juice, coffee

4. FINALLY, MAKE SURE TO GO WITH SOMEONE WHO APPRECIATES FINE FOOD, WHO WILL GO FOR QUALITY RATHER THAN QUANTITY.

This buffet is more suited to couples who are on a date or adults who enjoy and appreciate great food and fine dining. This buffet is not kid-friendly, especially since the selection of food appeals to more adult taste. The manner of service and the fact that the best food in the buffet needs to be ordered (like the foie gras and the prime rib) and the manner of cooking be specified (like in the oysters and scallops) shows this is more suited to adults and less attractive and a bit intimidating to kids.




View Larger Map

Location: 3rd floor, Maxim's Tower, Resorts World Manila (across Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Terminal 3.

Tel. No. +632-9088883

Price: Php 2,100 net per person