The Queen's Escape

I’ve heard and seen so much about Kalanggaman island that even after stepping foot in Tacloban city and visiting a significant historical landmark, I still considered the province of Leyte ‘unchecked’ in my Project 82 unless I see this island’s impossibly perfect hues of blue surrounding a dazzling sandbar in the flesh. Ever since I’ve learned about it, it’s been in my proverbial list of islands in my homeland I should see before I die. In March 2026, I woke up early on a random Friday, hopped on a boat and traveled two hours from Malapascua to this island on a whim. It was among my best, impulsive decisions ever.…

On the last leg of our Eastern Visayas road trip and backpacking adventure, Krystinn and I left Eastern Samar early for another cave expedition, this time in the province of Samar. I’ve heard so much about the province being a haven for spelunking because of its extensive cave systems, so if there’s one great way to spend my time there, it’s definitely by exploring a cave. Among the most famous caves in the province and in the region is Sohoton Cave, one that can conveniently be explored in a day. Since I was flying back to Manila later that afternoon, we decided to visit it. If you’re curious about what…

Philippines is an archipelago whose islands hold not just an image of an ideal tropical getaway promising a peaceful respite but also significant pieces of its history. Visiting these places as a Filipino gives me a sense of historical awe unlike when I was just looking at its black and white images and reading about it from a textbook as a clueless grade schooler. Limasawa island is among those places that I had that feeling. As a grown up who has finally learned to appreciate history, it sure felt like stepping into a chapter of Civics and Culture of the Philippines as I listened to Nanay Kathy, the guide at…

Excitement and curiosity had me skipping along the trail like someone running on a full night’s sleep. “How long is the trek?” I asked our guide. “About 15 minutes, ma’am,” he replied, chewing the last bite of a lunch we had sheepishly interrupted. Kristynn, my travel buddy on this Eastern Visayas drive-backpacking trip, had been here once before and planned to keep the experience a surprise. But the sight of my growing excitement gave her away, and she began sharing bits of what lay ahead. With every word, our pace quickened until we reached the first cave. We crossed an underground river in the dark on a makeshift bridge, nothing…

Our trip in Sambawan Island, as I would describe it was a full circle moment. We departed from Kawayan for the island one sunny morning in November with the rain clouds catching up on us from behind casting a beautiful rainbow above Maripipi with our day concluding the same way but with a sun starting to set. It was its way, we suppose, of saying hello and bidding farewell to us – as if it knew I’d write about this spectacular scene. Sambawan island had its way of showing us that whatever the season its, the experience would be lovely regardless. It rained and shine (literally multiple times) that day…

Just when we thought that we’ve seen so much of Romblon province during our adventure to Cresta de Gallo in Sibuyan Island and Romblon, Romblon, Tablas island surprised us with so much more with its unrivalled landscape to its unexplored underwater scene! It was just as marvelous yet unique as the previous islands and attractions in the province that we visited. If you’ve been eyeing it as well for a while now, here’s a detailed Tablas Island DIY travel guide for you including a sample itinerary and budget! About Tablas Island Nestled between the Sibuyan Sea and Tablas Strait is the largest of Romblon’s roughly 20 islands called Tablas. It…

Our journey to Cresta de Gallo began long before we set foot on its pristine shores. Upon our arrival at Batangas pier, we just learned that the scheduled trip to Sibuyan for that day had been canceled. Our only option was to embark on a circuitous route: from Batangas to Odiongan, then to Romblon, and finally to Sibuyan Island. This involved a grueling 17-hour trip involving sea and land travel (20 hours if you include the journey to the island itself), marked by interrupted sleep, hunger, and exhaustion. Yet, as we neared the stunning island of Cresta de Gallo, we realized that the trip was merely a small price to…