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…