Discover places you'll love in the Philippines

After a 6-month hiatus in hiking, I told myself that I should at least hike 4 more mountains before the year ends. Mt. Ulap has always been a choice but I couldn't find a good schedule for it. But when I checked out my go-to tour group, Kaladkarin MNL, they had one scheduled for this past Sunday -- so I quickly reserved a slot and then paid all the fees needed to join! We left QC at around 9:30PM and then arrived at Ampucao, Itogon at around 4AM. It was supposed to be a shorter drive but our driver decided to take the McArthur Highway route since that's what Waze recommended us to take. I feel like we should've taken SCTEX -> TPLEX instead. We could've avoided those inconsiderate jeepneys and trikes hogging the "fast" lane of the highway. Anyway, after preparing our bags at the jump-off and the orientation, we started our hike at around 4:45AM. The first steep parts of the entire hike involves a paved road that eventually leads to the trail. I can't remember how long it took us but we reached the first peak in a jiffy. It was still foggy when we got to the first peak so I had a hard time taking decent photos.🌫 We continued the hike so that we can reach the 2nd peak, Gungal Rock, so that we can take "crowdless" photos. I must say, that Gungal Rock looked like a flat and safe surface to stand on. But when I saw it in person, it was angled at maybe around 45 degrees. One wrong move and you'll slip! We were advised by the locals and the our guides to not do anything "buwis buhay" on the Gungal Rock. I wanted to do my jump shot but they said that the most adventurous pose that they'll allow is the one-leg standing yoga pose. I just went with the usual sit-down-and-try-not-to-slip pose. After taking more photos, we then went to the 3rd peak, Mt. Ulap. We got there at around 8 or 9AM. There were lots of cows along the way. A lot of shit too so try to not step on one. They're huge..both the cows and their shit. The Mt. Ulap summit is a plain hill of fine grass and a couple of trees. Not much shade so I highly recommend wearing sunblock or UV-protected sleeves! We then went to the so-called "7-eleven" of Mt. Ulap to eat our packed meals. The store has a lot food and drinks to offer. No wonder they call it 7-eleven. 🤣 Here's the fun part: so right after eating, I asked our guide how long it will take us to reach Sta. Fe (traverse from Ampucao). She said if we do some trail running, we can reach it in just under 30 minutes. But if we choose to just do a chill hike, it would take 1 - 2 hours. So we ran.. and we ran RIGHT AFTER eating. I loved my baon that day (SPAM + corned beef + brown rice) but the early parts of the trail running? Not so much. lol But I'm still glad that we decided to run since we got to Sta. Fe early -- which means no lines for the shower room! After showering, I rewarded myself with one of the best cheese ice creams that I've tried + a bottle of Coke lol. Will I go back? Not anytime soon. But if I do go back, I'll make sure to spend the night there. They have 2 campsites which looked really nice especially campsite #2! Notes: 1. Ginny B. was right about bringing 1L of water. I couldn't finish my 2L of water even after the climb! 2. Shower fee costs Php20 (unli timba / water). 3. The ice cream costs Php25. They also have a buko + melon ice cream at Sta. Fe which costs Php15. 4. If I remember correctly, the local guides were paid Php600 each. 1 guide = 6 hikers. 5. Place reminds me of the beautiful rolling hills of Mt. Batulao. Bring your camera! 📸 6. The terrain is very noob-friendly. No wonder A LOT of people hike this mountain. As for the difficulty, it's not as hard as Mt. Daraitan. But it's definitely not as easy as Mt. Batulao. It's almost comparable to Mt. Pulag's Ambangeg trail. Overall, I'd give it a difficulty of 2/9 or 3/9! 🏔

Been reading a lot of great reviews about Bean and Yolk and I’ve been really dying to try their sandwiches since they all look so good! Visited last Sunday for brunch and they did not disappoint. The place is quite petite – with a 15-seater capacity at the most. I would not recommend family lunches here, maybe a quiet catch up with some girl friends would be best. Interiors are easy on the eyes with subtle detail designs like the drop down lights, small plants and wooden tables. CARA’S FAVE | Php175 ️️️️️ Fried egg, mozzarella, cheddar cheese, hot honey, buttered sliced brioche Ugh! This is sooo good! I definitely get why people are drooling over this one. Despite being a regular-sized sandwich, this was quite filling. I did not feel the “umay” effect even if it was cheese. The hot honey was able to compliment the sharp flavor of the cheese turning it to something really fun to eat. It’s so simple – cheese, egg, honey and toast – yet so perfectly delivered. Cara’s fave may as well be my fave. Two thumbs up! MISSUS Php185 ️️️️ Soft scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, sriracha mayo, arugula, caramelized onions, brioche bun That sriracha mayo does pack quite a punch. That was the first thing I noticed as I bit into it. Fan of eggs? This is the sandwich for you. The soft scrambled eggs definitely stand out and the caramelized onions gave it a nice subtle sweetness. SMORES HOT COCOA Php155 ️️️️ 65 percent Malagos dark chocolate, frosted fresh milk, burnt marshmallows I’m not sure how I feel about this one. Their chocolate milk is not your usual sweet hot cocoa. I personally believe that it’s an acquired taste. I disliked it at first but as I reached the bottom of the glass, the flavors improved. Tip is to drink the cocoa together with the marshmallow. Overall, it was a great visit. For all those near the area, or even those fairly close, this is a must try café. All their dishes were very photogenic as well. Will be back!! #loolooDroneGiveaway

My siblings and I have tried to invade Hogs and Cattle last December 31, 2016. We failed in that conquest. It was almost impossible to try it without a reservation. We were disappointed, but we never stopped longing for their unli wagyu promo, so we booked a table again last June. The place isn't really that huge, so while the restaurant accepts walk-in customers (upon availability of tables), making a reservation is still highly encouraged. You wouldn't want to miss your chance now, would you? Hogs and Cattle is popular for their unli wagyu promo for P899 per person. This comes with a bowl of bread, creamy mushroom soup, buttered corn and carrots, and a choice between mashed potatoes or rice. Everything is refillable. They also offer ala carte items from pork chops, salmon, and more steaks. Obviously we went for the wagyu all you can! We loved the experience. The first serving of the steak was glorious. You can see its surface glisten. Well cooked on the outside, but juicy and medium well (as requested) on the inside. The next servings were also good, although it slightly differed from the first one. It tasted a little bit more buttery. Nevertheless, I was able to order 2 more refills, bringing the total count to 3 plates of steak. For the price of P899 (plus service charge), I can say that it was worth it. First of all, we can't really get a single serving of steak like that in the metro for that price. I'm not going to argue about the quality of the meat since I'm no expert in that, but the "wagyu" not being chewy is enough for me to enjoy it. I'm looking forward to my return to Hogs & Cattle, but this time, I'll be trying their wagyu and prawn all you can promo, because let's admit, those prawns really are tempting. Visit www.hogsandcattle.com to book now!

My sisters were really craving for ramen and Ramen Nagi just happened to be around the corner. We went directly to the order slip wherein you can customize your ramen or go for the chef’s recommendation. I went ahead and customized my own since that was how I liked it. ORIGINAL KING Php390 Tonkotsu pok-broth prepared in the traditional method. Mouth-wateringly rich, fresh and aromatic; special handcrafted noodles and classic Nagi pork chashu. You can never go wrong with a classic ramen. I can almost taste the fat in the broth – indicating that the pork was cooked in it for that very rich and flavorful broth. For first timers, I'd recommend this one. RED KING | Php410 A striking blend of garlic, chili oil, and cayenne pepper in a velvety broth; topped by a tempting ball of miso-infused minced pork and special Nagi spices with tender chashu. For those who love that kick of spice in their ramen, I can definitely recommend this one. It’s feiry and delicious! Half-way through the bowl, my face was dripping with sweat but all of that was worth it. Chashu was very tender as well. Forget knives and forks, chopsticks can rip it apart easily. GREEN KING Php410 A fusion of fresh basil and olive oil with delectable tonkotsu broth in a truly unique combination; lavishly garnished with grated parmesan cheese and richly marbled chasu The green king is quite unique. It’s like marrying Japan and Italy together. It’s practically Italian pasta but in ramen version. I only had a taste of this so I wasn’t really sure about how I felt about it but my sister quite enjoyed herself. Service was quick too and staff were attentive. Overall, a great visit. Thanks Nagi!

Since having seen the Rainbow Crepe Cake, I've been wanting to try Le Miel, and just last night (a very busy night at the crowded Greenfield District, because it was payday Friday), I finally visited the place along with my date. The place was quite small but fortunately, it wasn't so crowded compared to nearby establishments at the time. Before going there, it seemed that he was craving for halo-halo because he kept asking me if I was going to eat it at Chowking (favorite niya kasi ang halo-halo dun eh hahaha). But I wanted to try something different since I was in the city na rin, and I thought of Le Miel. Fortunately, they also offer bingsu's (which he had not tried before). So what we had: Rainbow Crepe Cake (₱200) - At long laaasst... Time to satisfy my curiosity! The parti-colored layers were not just for apperance's sake, but each of the layers was actually flavored. I couldn't make out the flavor of the blue layer though. This visually appealing mille crepe cake was not too sweet. For its price, it was OK naman-- it was actually big that I even cut it in two so that my date and I could have them apiece. Matcha Latte (₱140) - It tasted exactly like the instant matcha lattes such as Goldkili and Max Tea... While I like my matcha latte deep and earthy, OK rin naman to. To those who prefer milkier and sweeter matcha lattes, you can get them at Le Miel. Matcha Bingsu (₱140) - it was first time for my date to try bingsu. He was not that impressed, saying it was too "avant garde" for him hahahaha . In particular, he was not too keen about the matcha powder sticking in his throat. I tried it, it was OK... It was not really bingsu (to me at least) because of the texture, parang halo-halo lang din. Despite the name, the red beans dominated the overall flavor rather than the matcha. The service seemed slow. Took me awhile before I got my bill. But the servers were nice and smiling naman.

A few weeks ago, Jaey, Ray and I went to one of the best tourist destination in the Philippines, the Island Boracay. Boracay is a small island located in the Western Visayas Region of the Philippines. The island is known for its emerald-colored shore, fine and white sand with luscious pine trees that line up along with hotels and bars near at the shoreline. Our team stayed at Coast Boracay for three (3) days. Coast Boracay is located on the Beach Front of Station Two (2), Boracay Island, Philippines. Coast opened their doors to their guests around April of 2016. Amidst being new in the island, Coast Boracay is tagged as “Number 1 Resort in Boracay Island.” WHY STAY IN COAST BORACAY? · Hassle Free Transfer We received the warmest greetings from the crew of Coast upon arriving at the airport. They assisted us with our belongings, made us feel comfortable and ensure that our trip from the airport to the island will be worry free. We rode a van going to the port and from the port, we rode a speedboat. Travel time from the airport to the port is less than thirty minutes. To freshen up before arriving on the island, one of the crew handed us some wet towels and bottled water. Every member of their transfer team is approachable and accommodating. We received the same treatment before leaving Boracay. With Coast, everything that deals with their guest’s transfer is organized and well planned. · Beach Front Location As a beach enthusiast, I love to wake up early morning to walk along the shore, wait for the sun to rise and set, and just sit and relax while watching and listening to the waves of the sea. This is the more reasons why for me staying in beach front resort is an advantage. At the same time, doing so means easy access to every attraction and happening on the island. There’s no need to ride a van or tricycles just to stroll along the shore, dine at a restaurant and go to parties at night. · Excellent Service Coast Boracay is known for their excellent service and this is one of the reasons why they are on top of every resort in Boracay. We were welcomed with refreshing welcome drinks, big smiles, and utmost hospitality upon arriving at Coast Boracay. They assisted and gave us a quick tour of what’s inside our respective rooms. What I noticed upon entering my room are the two (2) personalized welcome greetings that they made. The first one is flashing on the television and the other one is inserted in the welcome amenities. Their housekeeping team makes sure that our room is tidy. They clean twice a day and leave some snacks with a personalized message every night, which is kind a sweet. Their staff is always ready to help and assist the needs of their guests with big smiles on their face and I haven’t seen any negative reaction or gesture from them. Most of all, I also love how their staff interacts with their guests, they always make sure to connect and give the best Boracay vacation experience to every person who stayed in their resort. · Comfortable and Spacious Room One thing that Coast Boracay is proud of is their luxurious rooms. Coast Boracay has 71 rooms divided into 5 types -Deluxe, Premier, One Bed Deluxe, Loft and rooms located at Blue Marina Boracay. During our vacation, I had a chance to stay at one of the premier rooms of the resort. The room that I stayed is located on the ground floor of the resort facing the pool side. The first thing that I notice is the tropical vibe of the room. The room has white washed walls with earth tone colors and minimalistic interior design. The room is spacious, neatly arranged and vibrant. A king size bed is placed in the middle of the room. The bed has five-star bedding that is being used by known hotels and resorts in the world. It is very comfortable and honestly leaving it is hard to do! The bathroom area is also spacious and has a minimalist design. It has whitewashed walls with shelves made of wood and earth-tone-colored accessories. Toiletries are neatly placed near the sink and shower area. The room is fully air conditioned with Flat-screen Smart TV, telephone, minibar, work desk, sitting area, closet and security box. · Amenities Coast Boracay has two (2) swimming pools inside the resort. The first one is located near the cafe and the other is near the resort rooms. Guests who want to relax, read books and sip some cocktails while catching up with family and friends usually stay in the pool lounges near the cafe. While those who play with their kids usually swim and have fun in the pool near their rooms. Aside from the pool area, the resort also has a fitness area where guests can do their daily exercise and a massage room where they can have a soothing massage after a day full of activities on the island. Coast Boracay can also cater events in their function rooms. For souvenirs and pasalubong or Filipinos tradition of bringing gifts from the destination that they visit to the people back home, guests can drop by The General Store. The General Store sells products made by Filipinos. These products came from different parts of the Philippines and showcase the rich culture, artistry, and heritage of the country. · Delectable Dishes at Cha Cha’s Beach Café Coast Boracay cradles Cha Cha's Beach Cafe. Like Coast, Cha Cha's Beach Cafe is one of the best Café in the island of Boracay. Cha Cha’s Beach Café may still be young but is now well known for providing its guests a sumptuous dining experience that includes warm greetings from the breakfast buffet to a la carte lunch and dinner. They also have sunset sessions where they showcase their cocktail and beer collection, plus they serve all day meryenda and unique desserts! Cha Cha's offer different dishes that can satisfy anyone’s palate from the different sides of the world. Dishes on their menu are meticulously chosen to provide their guests the best cuisine that compliments the tropical vibe in Boracay. My personal favorite in Cha Cha's Beach Cafe is Ube Champorado, Kansi or Ilonggo's version Bulalo and Sinigang in one dish, Poke Bowl, Halo-Halo Crumble and their mouthwatering cakes and pastries. · Netflix I am an avid fan of Netflix, who wouldn't right? Netflix can be accessed through Coast Boracay's Smart TV 24 hours a day. This means continuous movie and series marathon whenever you're not in the mood to go out of your room and just want to relax in your comfy bed. · Animal-Friendly Coast Boracay is an animal-friendly resort. You can bring your beloved pets in the island and conveniently stay with you in the resort. Coast Boracay indeed gave us a comfortable, relaxing and stress-free vacation with their superb service and utmost hospitality. The location of the resort is also ideal. We can easily stroll along the shoreline every morning and watch the sunrise and sunset in the outdoor beach beds located in front of the resort. Food at Cha Cha's Beach Resort is exquisite! Each dish that was served to us is flavorful and mouthwatering. Staying in this resort while in Boracay is highly recommendable! #loolooDroneGiveaway

The Best Beach I have ever seen in my life The Province of Aurora is know for its Surfing Town in Sabang beach Baler. Being at the edge of the country we got curious what's beyond the famous surfing town and what other beaches the province has to offer. We found a lot of blogs about Dipaculao so we included it in our Itinerary. But on our way there, we passed by the town of Dinadiawan. We saw a glimpse of a white beach and we noticed that there are some resort signs, we stopped immediately to check it out. The rest is history We didn't expect to find a perfect, peaceful, and empty white beach. Its like we were in paradise and I cant stop saying "ang gandaaa " Plus there is a mini waterfalls 5-10 min away from the beach so you can also get that quick fresh water nature trip. ️ Its a complete package I must say. Too bad we were not able to spend the night here since we checked in at sabang beach baler. It would've been a perfect place for sunset or sunrise I will definitely go back here for an overnight stay or more

Looking for asian-y rice meals? Famry's got you, fam! During one of my recent visits to HITW, decided to check out one of the newest places there! The food reminded me of Taiwanese fare. I got the: Bunpling (220 PHP) - six pieces of fried buns with soup inside (allegedly) hahaha. I had half of them and didn't get one filled with soup, which was kind of sad. Although it was quite hefty and the filling was flavorful. Regular-sized Minced Pork Rice (140 PHP) - good for one. The pork juices seeped into the rice below and the result is this very flavorful rice bowl. Although, if you're not a fan of stuff like star anise, I don't think you'd like this. That flavor was the dominant one in this dish. Crispy Duck Rice (390 PHP) - good for two. The duck was not too tough, which was good, and the serving came with pickled veggies. Also crispy duck skin yassss! By the way, you could add a soy egg for +50 PHP, which I did for one of the dishes. The egg was cooked just how I like it! I was supposed to try some of their flavored soy milks but eventually decided against it. Overall, pretty solid place with a few items on their menu that's sure to satisfy you if you're craving some rice and solid flavors. #loolooDroneGiveaway

Siargao? Siar-WOW! A visit to the surfing capital of the Philippines 🏼‍♀️🏼 Siargao is such a lovely place specially for surfers. But, no worries to us non-surfers, there are lots of things we can do even we don't know how to surf. 🏽Meeting the Siargao locals. The locals of Siargao are VERY friendly. I have not met one local who didn't smile to whoever passes by. They are all friendly and helpful specially when you need to ask for directions or where to eat or where to go. Most of the locals know how to speak in english because of the diversity of tourists that visit the island. 🛏Sleeping in Siargao There are lots of cheap accommodations in Siargao and most of them are IG-worthy. Searching through airbnb, you can find accommodations as cheap as Php 500 per night (which is a very good deal if you're on a budget). If you're travelling with your 'barkada', you can definitely find a hostel that could accommodate all of you. During peak season (summer and September), please book ahead for your accommodations as they tend to have fully booked resorts, hostels, inns, and the like. 🛵Going around Siargao Have a problem going to General Luna or Cloud 9 from Sayak Airport? You can rent a van (Php 300/person) that will take you to Gen. Luna or a habal-habal (Php 400/person) that will take you to Cloud 9. No worries about that, bc as soon you step outside the airport, there are lots of vans and drivers offering you a ride to Gen. Luna. Upon arrival in Gen. Luna or Cloud 9, you can rent a motorcycle, bike, or simply go around by hiring a habal-habal. It's cheaper if you rent a motorcycle/bike since you can use it for 24 hours for about Php 350-400 only. 🏝 What to see in Siargao That can't be missed! Here is a list of tourist spots you can visit whether you're a surfer or non-surfer * Sugba Lagoon 🏼‍♀️ * Magpupungko Rock Pool * Naked Island 🏼🏼‍♀️ * Daku Island 🏼‍♀️🏼 * Guyam Island 🏼🏼‍♀️ * Fish/Coral Sanctuary 🏼‍♀️ * Sohoton Cove 🏼 * Cloud 9 Surfing Tower 🏼🏼‍♀️ * Tak-tak Falls * Tayangban Cave Pool 🏼‍♀️ There are also lots of locals (souvenir shops) who sell island hopping for group tours or you can ask your resort accommodation if they have a scheduled island hopping tour. 🍽 Where to eat at Siargao Siargao offers a variety of food from Indian to Mexican to Italian, name it and they might have it! Need not to worry about the price range of the food because most of them fits your budget! Maybe around Php 70-350 per meal, it would highly depend on which restaurant you're eating at. Also, if you're a vegan or health-conscious, they also have lots of café choices that offers your kind of food ️ * Kawayan Gourmand * Mama's Grill * Kermit Surf and Dive Resort * Café Loka 🤔 What to do in Siargao The island offers a lot of activities for surfers and non-surfers, some of them are: * Island Hopping * Swimming with stingless jellyfish (Sohoton Cove) * Swimming at a rock pool (Magpupungko Tidal Flats) * Partying the night away * Surfing at Cloud 9 (they also offer surfing lessons) * Chill by the beach * Stand-up paddle boarding * Wind-surfing or Kite-surfing * Snorkeling * Stargazing * Spelunking (Tayangban Cave) Night life in Siargao Done with all the daytime activities? Each restaurant in Siargao hosts night-time activities like singing in the big screen karaoke bar or dancing through the night where you meet locals and foreigners all in one place. You may also ask the locals where's the party at a certain day. Everything in Siargao is instagram-worthy 🏼️ #loolooDroneGiveaway

This visit to Stilts was only for a day trip. I think my aunt got it on promo or something. Anyway, I have seen Stilts on my friends’ posts and its cottages are very picturesque. But since our reservation was only for a day trip, we were ‘assigned’ to the other side of Stilts - not the one with the cottages but the one where people camp. The shore was wide and despite having campers on one spot of the beach, the whole area was still generally quiet. There are also swings in different areas if you want to relax and be alone for a while. Despite being on a day trip booking, we were allowed to swim in the pool near their signature cottages. There were only a few cottages and tree houses in the area but they were spacious and can accommodate a huge group. If you’ll go here for the same purpose, bring your car up to the cottage area. There are a few parking spaces so it’ll be easier for you to pack up later. Their bathrooms and shower areas were okay. For our lunch, we ordered food from their restaurant and it was delivered to our cottage. Their menu has a wide range of dishes to choose from and their meals range from 200 to 400 pesos each which is already good for sharing. We ordered their grilled meat (barbecue, liempo, etc.) and seafood platter (squid, mussels, etc.) and they were all good. We also ordered sizzling sisig and Batangas bulalo. The sisig was so-so for me because I prefer my sisig to be crunchy and Stilts’ version wasn’t. The bulalo was flavorful. I’m satisfied with the broth alone. There were some beef cuts that were a bit hard to slice though.

My first ever encounter with this brand wasn’t exactly pleasant. Today it was different as I found joy in their freshness and flavors. Welcome to Burger and Brewskies, BGC branch. I started with savory sweet potato fries, it was not greasy and was seasoned well with their combination of secret spices. This works well with ketchup and mustard too. Next I loved was their version of Taco Salad. It was filled with ripped plump red tomatoes and really tasty ground beef. For Php 200 this was a steal offering. For burger, I got Chicken Salamanca for a change. It’s a spicy chicken patty combined with salsa, cheese, nacho strips and Jalapeño cream. The meat alone was alive, its other components making it even more satisfying. And I appreciate the additional crunch too. I am glad I stopped over here today, giving them another chance. Check them out too, maybe you’ll love them just the same.

I have never climbed up a mountain, ever. I don’t think trekking Mt. Pinatubo counts because it wasn’t climbing up, it was more of a long walk. So when my friend asked me if I wanted to join her in climbing Mt. Daraitan in Rizal, I said, sure why not? I wished I hadn’t said yes when I was climbing up and when I was going down the mountain... We went on a package tour which included a van transport and a guide which seems like a more convenient plan rather than driving on your own. The roads to Barangay Daraitan is a rough one so if you consider driving, make sure your car is equipped for rough terrain. The downside of being in a tour is you don’t get to choose who you’re with so people can be late and you won’t be able to reach the peak with the sea of clouds present. If you want to see the sea of clouds at the summit, you have to start your climb really really early, like 3AM, to get there by 7AM. TIP # 1: DO NOT CLIMB THIS MOUNTAIN IF IT’S YOUR FIRST Although Mt. Daraitan is considered as a beginner’s trail, it’s not really the easiest mountain to climb. Especially if it rained or is raining. Any trail, I think, would exponentially increase in difficulty if it’s wet… But with Daraitan, the trail is quite steep so it’s really tough to climb from one step to another. The paved street that leads to the start of the trail is steep and when you start climbing, it gets even steeper!!! If you’re not ready, I really suggest you choose another mountain as your first. TIP # 2: PREPARE YOUR BODY If you’re not physically active by nature, make sure you prepare beforehand. Start training your body to walk and climb stairs. Stairs! Yes, this would definitely help! I personally do not like stairs but during our climb, we were with two doctors-in-training and they went up pretty fast! How did they get to have so much stamina despite being in the hospital everyday? Well, whenever they would get “Code Red”s or whatever it’s called in the hospitals, they have to run to wherever they’re needed. It also means running up stairs because elevators take forever. So stairs! Don’t think they’re annoying because they will save you when you climb mountains! TIP # 3: WRAP YOURSELF WELL! WEAR GLOVES! Since the trail is quite steep, you would need to grab on to branches and rocks wherever you can. Gloves really come in handy to avoid getting scratched and getting your hands really dirty while climbing. There’s a lot of mud, moss and also insects so you don’t want to risk getting cut or something. Gloves are not the only thing you would need. Wear clothes that cover you well. Despite the heat or what-not, it’s better to wear long tights and long sleeved tops. Shoes too! Very important. Wear something that has more grip. Good climbing shoes are an investment when you plan to climb a lot. TIP # 4: PACK LIGHT - BUT PACK WELL The hike is a whole day thing. Our pick up time was at around 3-4AM and the drive was about an hour or more. The one way trek is supposed to be 4 hours or more - depending on how often you stop and how long. So imagine carrying a backpack while going up really steep stairs for hours… It will get heavy. If you’re going on a tour group, it may be possible to leave some stuff in the van. But make sure to bring the following: * Trail food - Jelly-ace and sweets are good! Sugar is important * Water - Lots of it! You need to stay well hydrated all throughout the hike. * Insect repellent * Sunblock - Even if it’s raining, you need some! Cameras are good to bring, but keep your gear light. Phones are good - GoPro too for wide shots. But keep in mind you can’t really take photos while hiking cos it’s very hard and you don’t want your cameras/phones to get scratched and dirty. Besides, your hands will be busy grabbing onto the branches and rocks anyway. TIP # 5: PACE YOURSELF Do not push yourself if you cannot follow others in the group. Let your guide know. Every group is guided by the local guides in Daraitan. They help whoever’s having a difficult time and they also make sure you’re not left behind. You will reach the top eventually, so just do it on your own pace. If everyone’s faster, don’t let that intimidate you because you will only burn yourself out. “Slow and steady wins the race.” Breathe, drink water, breathe. Rest stations are pretty far apart from each other so make sure to pace yourself well. Also do not rest too long in one station because your body will start to cool down and it would be hard to start it up again to continue the climb. TIP # 6: HAVE FUN!!! ENJOY!!! Very important. Don’t let the difficulty discourage you. When you reach the summit, it’s a very worthwhile moment. Be proud of yourself for reaching the top! Take the view in! It’s a beautiful view! You can see how nature is such a wonderful thing! When you finish the whole climb - meaning you got down safely, pat yourself at the back! It’s a huge achievement!