One of the firsts in my list of things to do and accomplish this year is to visit new places and go on new adventures—on my own, together with friends and loved ones, and hopefully with family, too. There will be the usual several days of travel to a new place, probably the beach or somewhere quiet. These will mostly be DIY travels, planned in advance with considerable research done (I will try my very best to triumph over my OC self and free up time for random things to do).
In addition to the usual, I’d like to try and do more of the following this year:
Mini Travels
In one of the talks at The Feast a few years back, Bro. Bo Sanchez advised the audience to try going on more frequent mini travels in place of the long travels that we usually take every few months—for the purpose of more frequent relaxation to combat daily stress.
People’s Park in the Sky, Tagaytay
A mini travel may be a day tour to a nearby destination, a short visit to a popular attraction done on a Saturday or Sunday. I’d like to try and start going on one mini travel a month, perhaps with a budget of a few hundred pesos, just to break the monotony of my daily routine and get a chance to refresh and recharge more often.
Here are some top-of-mind destinations:
- A day trip to Tagaytay—food trip, sightseeing, and simply enjoying the cool weather
- A tour of Nuvali, Laguna—feed the fishes, ride a bike, and more
- An outdoor adventure in Sandbox, Pampanga
Staycation
In essence, a staycation may also be considered a mini travel. The idea is to visit new places for a day or two without staying in a hotel, but heading back home for the night after spending a day someplace.
Gaia by Daniel Delacruz, Pinto Art Museum
Some ideas to try:
- Spending the Chinese New Year weekend in Binondo (Jan. 28-29, 2017)
- Exploring Intramuros, Luneta Park, and nearby attractions one weekend
- Museum weekend—National Museum, Pinto Art Museum, Museo Pambata, etc.
Random Roadtrips
I did this once before, and the trip brought me and C to Nueva Ecija. It was a wonderful experience, and I’d love to try it again this year. Our initial plan was simply go to a random bus station, ride any available bus at the time, and then enjoy the rest of the journey. Based on our first experience, although the idea is very appealing, it is not as easy in reality. But then again, that’s where the fun is supposed to be.
Somewhere in Nueva Ecija
We’ll try again this year (fingers crossed).
Festival Travels
Have you ever visited a city to participate in the city’s festival? I tried this once in the past, a failed attempt that made for a fun story and a whole new adventure. My first solo travel (to Kalibo, Aklan) was initially planned around the Ati Atihan Festival. However, I mistakenly booked the weekend prior to the Ati Atihan weekend. The result was a great adventure, nevertheless, and many firsts for me.
Kalibo, Aklan
There are so many festivals all year round all over the Philippines, so it’s easy to find a place to visit based on the festivals being celebrated in various cities and localities throughout the year. Here are some ideas:
- Penagbenga Festival of Baguio City, February 2017 – it’s just one drive or bus ride away, so planning the trip is easy!
- Pahiyas Festival of Lucban Quezon, May 2017 – another roadtrip, and it perfectly coincides with summer!
- Ibalong Festival of Legazpi City, October 2017 – although this is celebrated in my hometown, I hadn’t been home in time for the celebration during the past years; would love to revisit and experience this again.
Do you have additional ideas you can suggest? Feel free to post in the comment. And let’s all have wonderful travels this year!
In the Footsteps of the Sun 