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on Sunday, June 30, 2019

It's easy to see why Taiwan is fast-growing in popularity as a travel destination. Tagged as "The Heart of Asia," Taiwan truly is a perfect destination in Asia that must not be missed. Our 4D3N adventure with my For Mindanao fambam was a whirlwind of interesting activities!

Here's a quick video of our adventure. Read on for the details.

The Itinerary

Our trip is a combination of guided tour and DIY adventure. Flight and hotel bookings plus a 1-day tour in Taichung were arranged through Ms Rhizz of Rhizz Tours and Travel (based in Bohol). Vouchers to major attractions, unlimited fun pass, and 4G sim were pre-booked via Klook. And all directions as we went around Taipei, c/o the ever reliable Google Maps and compass apps. 😂

We arranged our itinerary in a way to have a balanced experience of Taiwan and explore the beautiful attractions, nature, food, and culture and arts.

What to do upon arrival (Taoyuan International Airport):

Money changer. There are money changers in Taoyuan International Airport. [Note: You can also buy New Taiwan Dollar (NTD) before flying to Taiwan. There's a money changer in Mactan Cebu International Airport near Burger King and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.]
Pick up Taipei unlimited 1-day pass and 4G sim with unlimited data (pre-booked via Klook).
Purchase and load Easy Card. The card is 100 NTD, which we loaded with 400 NTD to be used for bus and train fares and other purchases.
Take the express train to hotel.

Travel Tip #1:

Bring your own water bottle. It's easy to find public drinking fountains for refill. You're helping the environment AND saving some money. 😉

Where to Stay When in Taipei:

📍 Diary of Taipei Hotel台北日記旅店-台北車站館 - Taipei Main Station

Conveniently located in downtown Taipei, the Diary of Taipei Hotel is a short 5- to 8-min walk from Taipei Main Station. Beds are large and comfortable. Linens are clean, and the rooms are cleaned daily. Hot and cold shower is available too... perfect for a nice hot bath for a relaxing slumber after a day of touring. I'll blog a separate blog post for a hotel review.

Travel Tip #2:

Take note of the name and address of the hotel in Chinese, just in case you need to ride a taxi at some point. Not all taxi drivers in Taiwan can converse in English. We kept the hotel's business card to show the driver when we get too tired to figure out how to commute back to the hotel.

What to Do and See When in Taiwan

Taipei Free Walking Tour

We started our Taiwan adventure by getting acquainted with the culture and interesting architecture of Taipei. We booked the Taipei Free Walking Tour Golden Age Route via Klook. Shout out to Jack, Viki, and Pei of Like It Formosa 來去福爾摩沙! They did a very great job of touring us around and helping us understand the rich history and culture of Taiwan.

Tour Details:

meetup at MRT Beimen Station Exit 2
📍 North Gate
📍 Taipei Post Office
📍 Tianma Tea House
📍 Xia Hai City God Temple
📍 Dadaocheng
5:30pm tour ends at Dihua Street

Travel Tip #3:

Book a walking tour with local guides. You'll have a deeper understanding of the culture, architecture, and people. Like it Formosa offers 3 routes in Taipei 7 days a week.

TaipeiEYE Chinese Opera

Day 1 of #TAIWANderful adventure continues with a TaipeiEYE臺北戲棚 Chinese Opera experience. We went to see an authentic (subtitled) traditional Chinese performing arts.

Photo credit: TaipeiEYE website

We bought the ticket via Klook, which included:

TaipeiEYE show ticket
Traditional costumes trying-on experience (7:00pm - 7:50pm)
Face painting experience (7:00pm - 7:50pm)
Taking photos with the dancing lion
Postcard mailing service

And then off we went to our first Taipei night market experience.

Shuangcheng Street Night Market

From TaipeiEYE, we walked for about 8 to 10 minutes to Shuangcheng St. for dinner. It's a fairly short block, but the food options are vast.

Taichung

For our trip to Taichung on day 2, we went the easier, more comfortable route and pre-booked a van. We didn't want to waste time getting lost. Haha! And of course, there's peace in knowing you can sleep while in transit and be sure that you'll arrive at your destination.

We booked the chartered car service through Rhizz Travel and Tours. Fee is Php 2000 per head. The van was comfortable, air-conditioned, and with free wi-fi. Yey! Our driver/tour guide is Alex. He can speak English well, so we didn't have trouble conversing with him. Plus his playlist in the van includes OPM songs. My OPM heart is happy. Haha!

Here's Alex's contact details:

Travel Tip #4:

If you want a day tour outside Taipei, it is best to book a chartered car service. It may be a little pricier than fully DIYing, but the peace of mind you'll have is priceless. ;)

Our Taichung itinerary:

📍 Rainbow Village, Taichung
📍 Taichung World Flora Exposition
📍 Zhongshe Flower Market

Rainbow Village

Rainbow Village is a colorful settlement in Taichung famous for its vibrantly painted houses and streets.

The village also has an interesting and inspiring history behind it. It was created by Huang Yong Fu ('Rainbow Grandpa') in an effort to save his village from demolition.

Taichung World Flora Exposition

Taichung World Flora Exposition is an international horticultural expo, featuring the best of the best. Most information are written in Chinese/Taiwanese though. So... there's that. But it was a feast to the eyes nonetheless.

Zhongshe Flower Market

We finished our short Taichung adventure with a visit to Zhongshe Flower Market (or Chungshe), which features beautifully landscaped gardens with colorful flowers.

The vibrant hues make excellent backgrounds for 'em Instagram posts.

Shilin Night Market

After Taichung, we went back to Taipei. We asked Alex to drop us off at Shilin Night Market instead of back to the hotel. We just couldn't miss the largest and most famous night market in Taiwan.

After having our dinner, we roamed around Shilin Market to buy some pasalubong. And of course, what better way to spend in a foreign country than disappear into the crowd and have an impromptu photoshoot session. Haha!

Taipei Fun Pass

Now on to day 3. We pre-purchased 1-day Taipei Unlimited Fun Pass through Klook, which we picked up in the airport.

The pass combines attractions and transportation for one great value, with access to 12 different attractions, unlimited rides to the Taipei MRT, Taipei and New Taipei City bus, and 4 Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Routes. Check here for more details.

We didn't want to cram the day with so much activities, so we limited our itinerary to:

📍 National Palace Museum
📍 Former Official Residence of Chiang Kai Shek & Madam Chiang
📍 Taipei 101 Observatory

National Palace Museum

The National Palace Museum is a must-visit in Taiwan. It is a world-famous museum that houses a huge collection of classic cultural relics of the Chinese imperial court dating back thousands of years.

Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence

After a quick lunch, we then proceeded to our next destination, which is a short bus ride away. We visited the former residence of Chiang Kai-shek and his wife Soong Mei-ling. It is a designated historical site that celebrates their accomplishments and huge contributions to the growth of Taiwan in the modern era.

Taipei 101 Observatory

We also made sure to visit the tallest building towering above the city like the gigantic bamboo stalk to appreciate an overlooking view of the beautiful city. Tickets and entrance are on the 5th floor of the Taipei 101 Shopping Mall. The pressure-controlled elevator ride up was an experience itself, taking you to the 89th floor in 40 seconds. Observation decks are on the 88th and 89th floors, and there is an outdoor deck on the 91st floor opened on some occasions, weather permitting.

Taipei 101 from afar

View from the top

Linjiang (Tonghua) Night Market

To cap off the day, we opted to have one more night market experience on our last night in Taipei. We went to Linjiang (Tonghua) Night Market because of its proximity to Taipei 101. We had dinner and strolled around for more souvenir shopping. This one is pretty low-key but still very lively. It is also rarely visited by tourists, so it feels more local.

National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

On the last day of our #TAIWANderful adventure, we wanted a fairly easy day. We only had one attraction to visit -- the National CKS Memorial Hall. This historical landmark in Taiwan was erected in honor of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, the former President of the Republic of China.

We took lots of pictures and made sure to witness the changing of guards.

And then we went back to the hotel to pick up our things and headed back to the airport.

Food in Taiwan

One of the highlights of Taiwan is the food scene. It really is a gastronomic adventure! The rich culture of Taiwan, with both western (European) and eastern (Chinese and Japanese) influences well translates into a rich collection of food items to try. So, I'm just dumping food shots here.

Travel Tip #5:

Serving size generally is huge for an average Filipino appetite. If you're traveling with a group, best to just share. Otherwise, you may bring your own container to pack the excess for your next meal.

So there you go. That wraps up our Taiwan adventure. If you want details, including budget and link, you can view our itinerary spreadsheet here. (Yep, because we're kind of OC like that. Haha!) Please note that this budget excludes flights and accommodation.

It's easy to see why Taiwan is fast-growing in popularity as a travel destination. Tagged as "The Heart of Asia," Taiwan tru...

on Monday, January 28, 2019

When traveling to Mindanao, do yourself a favor: don't forget Lanao del Norte. During a recent trip to the province with the Iligan Bloggers Society fambam, it was easy to see why Lanao del Norte is growing in popularity for foodie spots, culture, sports venues, and adventure. Our two days in LDN were a whirlwind of activities with fragments of insights and reflections.

provincial capitol, tubod, lanao del norte | traveljams.com

Where to Stay

We stayed in Mindanao Civic Center Hotel, a government-owned accommodation in the provincial capital. Located along the National Highway, it's a few minutes' ride from Tubod Bus Terminal and just a short walk away from Mindanao Civic Center Sports Complex. Please check back here soon for a more detailed hotel review.

mcc hotel, tubod lanao del norte | traveljams.com

In the meantime, here's a short video of MCC Hotel's amenities and facilities:

Where to Eat

If you are up for a gastronomic adventure, Lanao del Norte will not disappoint. It is home to many homegrown restaurants and cafes. We were able to try a few foodie spots.

Andrew's Pizza

This homegrown pizzeria started in the municipality of Tubod. They are known for their simple, fresh, heart-warming pizza. It's no surprise that they soon branched out to Maranding and then recently in Iligan City. They also have Andrew's Casual Fine Dining and Brew Bros. Coffee within the complex.

📍 Dela Cruz Bldg., Cabili Ave., Tubod, Lanao del Norte

💻 https://www.facebook.com/AndrewsPizzaChain

Soy Cafe and Diner

soy cafe & diner, maranding, lala, lanao del norte | traveljams.com

Another homegrown cafe in Lanao del Norte is Soy Cafe and Diner in the municipality of Lala. It is known for their modern Filipino and fusion cuisine.

We got to try their bestsellers: Baby back ribs (Php 199), shrimp pasta (Php170), and halo-halo (Php 95). Great value for money!

Bonus points for the instagrammable portions of this quaint shop. 😊

📍 Maranding, Lala, Lanao del Norte

💻 https://www.facebook.com/soycafeanddiner

Campilan Bakery and Barbecue

Campilan Bakery has been in the food industry since the 1960s.

Fun fact: They still use a traditional brick oven, locally known as pugon, that has been built way back when they started. It just needed repair after Typhoon Vinta last year.

The bakery is popular for their ensaymada, a soft, sweet bread covered with butter and sugar topped with lots of grated cheese. Unfortunately, it was sold out when we got there – definitely a good reason to come back.

We were able to try the grilled food for dinner though. What struck me was the distinct taste of each of the menu items. They don’t use generic marinade; neither do they use uniform marinades. The meat is tender and rich in flavor with fresh garlic and spices.

📍 National Highway, Maranding, Lala, Lanao Del Norte

Other Foodstuff to Try

Being home to people of diverse culture, Lanao del Norte is also a melting pot of delicious cuisine. People from different backgrounds settle in the province, bringing and sharing their native culture's flavors and foods. There were so many other food that we wanted to try but unfortunately, 2 days is not enough to fully experience the gastronomic adventure the province has to offer. We wanted to try the crabs from Lala, the seafood in Mukas, the lechon of Lanao, and the Meranao dishes from the predominantly Muslim municipalities. So perhaps for our future visits…

What to do and see

Lanao del Norte is blessed with natural and man-made wonders. Here are some places of interest to visit:

Pikalawag Beach, Sultan Naga Dimaporo

Sultan Naga Dimaporo is gaining popularity recently for its inflatable waterpark. It also offers water adventures like banana boat, kayak, and flying fish to satisfy your need for adrenaline rush.

The beach is a little more than an hour away south bound from Capital town Tubod, Lanao del Norte.

La Libertad Lake Adventure, Kapatagan

For those looking for a rather laid-back type of adventure, there’s La Libertad Lake Adventure in Kapatagan. At Php 75 per hour (Php 50 / head for 30 minutes), you can try the swan pedal boat or kayak boat and roam around the lake.

Cathedral Falls, Kapatagan

Cathedral Falls, located in Brgy. Waterfalls, Kapatagan, is one of the most accessible waterfalls in the country. It is along the access road. No trekking involved! It got its name from its unique rock wall that resembles a pipe organ often found in cathedrals.

Mindanao Civic Center, Tubod

Mindanao Civic Center (MCC) in Tubod is a 71-hectare integrated complex which houses a hotel, cafeteria, gym, swimming pool, oval, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, baseball field, and other sports facilities. MCC also hosts several motocross events, giving the province its moniker of “Motocross Capital of the Philippines.”

Dapit Alim, Tubod

Dapit Alim is a Cebuano word which has a triple meaning of place, invitation, and nearness. "Alim" translates to heal, the word "Alima" meaning to care. Dapit Alim is therefore a place, invitation, and nearness to healing. This shrine in Tubod is a perfect place for prayer, contemplation, meditation, and for retreats.

Pagayawan Falls, Bacolod

Pagayawan Falls in Bacolod is a sight to behold. It is located about 10- to 15 minutes’ drive from the town proper. There is already a paved access road to the viewing deck. This is also the proposed power source of a hydroelectric power plant to be constructed soon in the area, a project initiated by the LGU through the assistance of an international organization.

Boardwalk, Kauswagan

Another tourist spot in Lanao del Norte is the longest boardwalk marine ecotourism park in Kauswagan. It’s perfect for sunset watching.

When to Go

The Land of Beauty and Bounty celebrates several festivals in different municipalities all year round. The locals, however, highly suggest visiting in July in time for Sagayan Festival and the celebration of Araw ng Lanao del Norte. It is highlighted by a world-class fireworks display, aptly called “Ilaw ng Lanao del Norte.”

festivals in lanao del norte | traveljams.com

The People of Lanao del Norte

After going about the province, I realized that the strength of Lanao del Norte is its people. Lanao del Norte may not have towering skyscrapers or humongous amusement parks, but they certainly have the warmest and most welcoming people here. Like my hometown, Iligan City (which used to be part of the province), Lanao del Norte is home to people of rich and diverse culture. Christians and Muslims here live a harmonious and peaceful life. They are bounded by mutual respect for differences in culture and religious beliefs.

Culture and Arts

While the population of the province is predominantly Christian, the influence of Meranao is evident in their arts and crafts. While Lanao del Norte is known for excelling in festivals such as Sinulog (Christian), they don’t forget to highlight the Meranao culture in their furniture and decorations.

Stewards of Unity and Peace

The people here all work together to safeguard peace. After all of the struggles and challenges, Lanao del Norte remains strong and united. We chanced upon a gathering of locals to discuss issues that will potentially affect everyone in the province. I appreciated that everyone, regardless of culture and religious belief, went out to participate in the discussion.

Community Resilience

Our quick visit also made us appreciate the incredible resilience of the people. Last year may have been one of the worst times for Lanao del Norte. Marawi Siege happened in their closest neighbor, Lanao del Sur. And in late 2017, a few municipalities in the province were severely devastated by Typhoon Vinta. Barely a year after, the province is now back to its feet, with everyone helping each other to move forward. It’s inspiring and enlightening to see the people, regardless of culture and religious belief, caring and looking out for each other.

Trust me, there’s so much more to Lanao del Norte than this single blog post. The rest is for you to explore.

When traveling to Mindanao, do yourself a favor: don't forget Lanao del Norte. During a recent trip to the province with the ...

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