Movenpick Resort and Spa Boracay: Missing Luxury Elements

 

Pearl Farm Beach Resort: A Gem in Mindanao

 

Lucban: A Travel Guide for First-Timers

With just a few days left before the Holy week, everyone is already busy preparing to make the most out of the long holiday break. However, if reading this just reminds you that you still haven't figured out where to spend the Holy Week, there is no need to worry. The Two Juanderers recommend visiting the town of Lucban in Quezon. Aside from being close and accessible to Manila, Lucban offers many notable spots to relax and to embrace the days of Lent. 

Lucban is a popular pilgrimage destination south of Luzon

Find out more about seeing Lucban with Two Juanderer's beginner's guide for travelers to this beautiful pilgrimage destination.

The Town
Lucban is an inland town at the northwestern border of Quezon province. It is nestled at the foot of the majestic and mysterious Mount Banahaw. It stands at an elevation of 1,500 feet above sea level. The town enjoys gentle, cool mountain breeze and experiences pleasant temperatures throughout the year. As such it is sometimes dubbed as the Summer Capital of Quezon.

Villa Elma in Lucban with views of the majestic Mount Banahaw

Fraser Place Manila: Holiday Apartment Meets Hotel

Update: As of August 30, Fraser Hospitality has sold all its units across different floors in Forbes Tower Manila, the building that originally housed Fraser Place Manila. These properties will cease to operate as serviced residences.

Choosing a place to stay is usually a challenge for any city break. However, another option that can be considered aside from hotels or Airbnb is a serviced apartment. Usually geared towards business travelers, serviced apartments can be great alternatives for those traveling as a family. It gives you the extras found in hotels like toiletries, room cleaning, and 24-hour front desk while getting more space, savings, and flexibility. 

A place that fits the bill of a holiday apartment meets hotel tag is Fraser Place Manila.

Fraser Place Manila

We stayed there in February and here's what it was like. 
  

Location
Fraser Place Manila is situated in the heart of the central business district of Makati. It is along Valero, a street lined with tall office buildings and commercial establishments. But even being in the bustling downtown, the hotel blocks out the street noise to give guests a quiet space to work and a great night's sleep.

Veraneante Resort: A Good Off-the-Grid Hideaway in Panglao

Often described as one of the best island destinations, Panglao is popular with travelers who are usually looking for a beach vacation. As such, there's no shortage of beautiful beachfront resorts from which to choose. However, some people may not automatically opt for a sand-centric property. Finding a good off-the-grid hideaway and staying off the beach has its advantages. You will pay a lot less. You will avoid getting stuck in a hectic tourist area. And you will definitely get that much-needed peace and quiet. 

Veraneante Resort in Panglao Island

Veraneante Resort perfectly fits the bill for a good off-the-beaten-path hideaway. Take a look at our review and start planning your Panglao getaway.

South Palms Resort: Living Up to Expectations?

Considered one of the biggest tourist destinations in the Philippines for beach escapes, Panglao Island in Bohol continues to charm and draw sunseekers from all parts of the country and the world. Its palm-fringed beaches with crystal blue waters and soft white sand are enough to make you feel like you are in paradise, but what's even better are a myriad of fine accommodations right on its water's edge. One of these is South Palms Resort Panglao. This is where we stayed in one of our previous trips to Bohol.

The breathtaking Coast Pool of South Palms Resort

Here's our review of this sprawling beach front property.

The Manor at Camp John Hay: The Ultimate Getaway in the Mountains of Cordillera

Despite the constant laments of Baguio being highly commercialized nowadays, there is no denying that the city is still a favorite destination for a lot of Juans. And when we just want to escape and have a great time with family and friends, we tend to seek out destinations that bring peace, comfort, and warmth. The Manor, nestled in a tranquil setting at 5,000 feet above sea level, surrounded by trees and beautiful views, fits the bill and is the ultimate getaway in this regard.    

The Manor at Camp John Hay

We stayed there in August and here's what it was like. 
  

Location
The Manor is set within Camp John Hay. It has one of the best-rated locations in the city as the area has kept and maintained the beauty of the Baguio of old. Although situated within one of the most popular visitor attractions in the city, The Manor remains a quiet place. This is because the hotel sits on top of a hill surrounded by lush gardens and a serene pine forest. 

The Manor sits on top of a hill

The hotel is approximately 2.5 kilometers from Session Road, 2.6 kilometers from Mines View Park, and 2.8 kilometers from Burnham Park. 

Baguio: A Travel Guide for First-Timers

During the summertime from March to May, the heat in the Philippines becomes unbearable. No wonder the American colonizers in the early 1900s, who weren't used to this kind of heat, looked for a mountain town with a cool climate to develop as a refuge from the tropical fatigue in the lowlands. It was through this that Baguio was developed and declared as the summer capital of the country.  

Baguio is a refuge from the tropical heat of the lowlands

With continuous development, Baguio has become a bustling metropolis and one of the most popular destinations for those who are looking to escape the heat and noise of the lowland cities. Surprisingly, even during the height of the wet season from July to September, the city remains to be a great destination.

If you are planning to visit Baguio, it's best to know a few of the basics. Here's our beginner's guide for travelers to this cool city.

The City
Baguio is situated within the province of Benguet in the Cordillera Administrative Region. It is approximately 57 square kilometers in size and is bounded by the towns of Itogon, Tuba, Sablan, and La Trinidad. Based on census, the city has a population of around 350,000. Common languages spoken are Ibaloi, Kankana-ey, Ifugao, Ilokano, Tagalog, and English. 

Beyond Seoul: Visiting the Garden of Morning Calm

The Moonlight Garden was made after the beauty
of moonlight and is surrounded by white flowers
to give it a bright and delicate atmosphere

For those looking to escape Seoul in search of wide expanses of manicured green grass, stunning trees, blooming flowers, and scenic walkways, the Garden of Morning Calm is the perfect place to have that nature fix. 

The 3,000 square meter garden was inspired by "The Land of the Morning Calm", a nickname coined by the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore to describe Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. 

Over the years, the garden has become more popular as a result of making frequent appearances in Korean TV shows including the recent hits Love in the Moonlight and Ruler: Master of the Mask. It now attracts more than 600,000 visitors annually.

Most tourists like to visit the garden during the Spring Flower Festival where they can walk among thousands of spring flowers in full bloom like tulips, rhododendron, and daffodils. But even during summer, autumn, or winter, a trip to the Garden of Morning Calm will not be unremarkable as there are annual events to look out for. There is the Hydrangea Exhibition during summer, the Maple Festival and Chrysanthemum Exhibition during autumn, and the Starlight Garden Festival during the snowy winter months. 

We made a visit to the Garden of Morning Calm towards the end of Spring and we loved wandering through the beautiful gardens and indulging in some photo opportunities.

So skip along with us as we take a look at the vibrant colors of spring in this garden.

Seoul: A Travel Guide for First Timers

South Korea has become one of the top travel picks for Juans, thanks to the Korean wave that has swept across Asia in the past few years. Korean mobile phones, beauty products, pop music, movies, and television dramas have become so popular that travelling to this country is now a hip thing. 

Seoul, being the capital city, is probably the easiest and most ideal destination for first time travelers to South Korea. So if you are planning to visit Seoul, it's best to know a few of the basics. Here's our beginner's guide for travelers to this vibrant city. 

Seoul as seen from the top of N Seoul Tower,
distance to Manila is printed on the glass 

The City
Seoul has long been the political and economic capital of South Korea. It has a history of two thousand years through the period of the Three Kingdoms, Goryeo, and Joseon. As an ancient city, Seoul is where history and traditions live on. 

Today, Seoul is the country's world city and one of East Asia's financial and cultural centers. As a modern city, it offers cutting-edge technology, vast nightlife districts, trendsetting culture, and extraordinary architecture. 

Seoul is truly a fascinating blend of the old and the new. 

A fascinating blend of the old and the new

Travel Requirements
Any foreign visitor in South Korea must have a valid passport and a visa. There are two types of entry visas - single entry visa that allows one-time entry and multiple entry visa that allows entry to Korea two or more times. Only citizens of a country under the visa exemption agreement with Korea are permitted to enter without a visa. Unfortunately, Filipinos are still required to get a valid visa prior to entering the country.

Read our guide: How to Apply for a South Korea Tourist Visa for Filipinos

For more details, visit the website of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines here.

Time Zone
Korea Standard Time is nine hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +9). This means that the time in Seoul is 1 hour ahead of the time in the Philippines. Make sure to adjust your watch to ensure you do not miss your scheduled tours and return flight.

Finding A Quaint, Peaceful, and Charming Place in Moon Garden Tagaytay

Moon Garden Tagaytay, also called Lily's Pond or Private Garden, is neither a hotel nor a resort. It is actually a company's private retreat place but one or two of its cottages are being offered for vacation rentals for outsiders.

A moon in a garden

It will be disappointing to expect that it will offer the same amenities and facilities as a hotel. What it offers however, is a unique and tranquil overnight experience specifically designed for the weary city souls yearning for that "escape".

So where is this Moon Garden located? Looking at the pictures, a lot may think it's a long way from the center of Tagaytay but it's really not far from the main road to be walked and where public transportation is always available. It is located just off Calamba Road along SVD Road opposite Estancia Hotel and Starbucks. Just one thing though, the street sign to the place is small and easy to miss that we walked past it the first time, so make sure to look out for the sign and a narrow gravel track leading into the garden on the left side.

The track leading to the garden

The entrance of Moon Garden

Since this isn't a hotel, there’s no liveried doorman, no reception desk, and no lobby. Instead, there's an open-air common lounge area overlooking a pond and a garden where guests will be received. Checking in is a straightforward process with no forms to fill out. The staff will just get the cash payment, take the breakfast orders for the next morning, provide the keys, and lead the guests to the private casitas.

Common lounge where check in is processed

The moment you set your eyes on the casitas you'll feel like you have been transported to the Shire. That is because the casitas are nestled within a lush tropical garden with round structures and flat roofs similar to the Hobbit houses. Moreover, these casitas offer unique eco-friendly overnight accommodations.

Pathway to the casitas

The flat roofed "hobbit houses" of Moon Garden

Our casita

Our casita, both its outside and inside, is made predominantly of stone material. It provides generous space with a large bed, beautiful wooden furnishings, bamboo slats ceiling, and a window that spans the width of the casita. The window design allows the cool and fresh Tagaytay breeze inside the room eliminating the need for air conditioning.

Screen covered window

The bathroom is located just behind the bed with openings on both sides separated only by curtains. It has double vanity areas, hot shower and bidet. Bathroom amenities are limited only to soap and shampoo so make sure to bring toothbrush, toothpaste, lotion, and the likes.

The bathroom

As for the facilities of the property, there is a common lounge and dining area with couches and chairs overlooking the beautiful pond and garden. Within the ponds are cabanas where romantic meals can be set up. There is also a multi-purpose pavilion that can host a variety of intimate events like small weddings and birthdays.

Soft and comfy couches with reading materials

Dining area

The garden at dusk

The Bali-style lounge

The property has its own kitchen so food can be prepared for the guests. The room reservation already includes breakfast for two. Upon arrival, the staff will walk you through the menu so you can place your orders of plated breakfast for the next morning. But we were told that they also serve meals for lunch and dinner. 

The kitchen

Since we were only staying for one night, we decided to just eat there for dinner. We ordered Paksiw na Cochinillo and Crispy Binagoongan. Both were served freshly cooked and nicely seasoned with greens on the side. Note: They only serve dinner until 7:00 PM with last orders at 6:40 PM so place your orders in advance.

In the morning we had sumptuous Homemade Corned Beef and Crispy Adobo Flakes. The meal was served with tea, juice of the day (guyabano) and fresh fruit slices.

Summer breakfast in the garden

Tea facilities

The beautiful Moon Garden in pictures:

The refreshing breeze, the delicious food, the peace and quiet, the unequalled charm and beauty of the garden, the magical and romantic ambiance make Moon Garden an enchanting and a must destination in Tagaytay.

Happy Moon

For reservations contact +63 939 913 9097. Moon Garden Tagaytay is also listed in Airbnb.com. Room rate with breakfast is Php2,900 for two persons.