In the midst of the Philippine central plains looms an anomaly that seemingly sprouted out of nowhere. Where one expects to see vast stretches of plain and green rice fields, Mt. Arayat stands tall. As one plies the Northern Luzon expressway, the prominence of this towering and freestanding structure is the object of many a […]
Tag: Mountains

Travel Portfolio # 2: 2018 Local Travels in Pictures
January is about to end but here I am, still scrambling to complete these pieces pertaining to the previous year. As part of my 2018 throwback, I have rounded up some of the most memorable pictures of my local travels. 2018 wasn’t as productive, travel-wise, compared to previous years but still I had fun. Here […]

2018 Travel Recap: A Year of Firsts and Reflections (Part I)
Lately I have been publishing mostly bookworm related stuff so today I am going to break the monotony by looking back at the year that was in terms of travelling, exploration and adventures. Although it is already midway through the month but I believe it is never too late to write a new piece about […]

The Great Cordilleran Traverse Series: Mt. Purgatory, the Mossy Gateway
Following our successful traverse of Malipunyo mountain range, I set on a course to change the complexion of my year. After many stalled climbs, I am gaining momentum, so I decided to follow up my first climb of the year with a traverse of Mt. Purgatory. I was a little apprehensive on doing so because […]

Hiker Board: Mt. Napulauan
Mountain Profile Major jump-offs: Poblacion and Barangay Hapao, Hungduan Alternative jump-off: Balentimol Falls, Hungduan Elevation: 2,642 MASL Difficulty: 7/9, Major Climb Trail Class: 3 Days Required: 1-2 days Hours to Summit: 9 hours Source: Pinoy Mountaineer A Bloody Trail (Balentimol Falls to Poblacion Traverse) Nestled in the Cordilleran mountain range are some of the country’s most mystical and haunting […]

Hungduan Travel Guide
Hungduan, Blessed by Nature The Cordilleras, my home region, has, for years, been an enigma to the outside traveler. In its towering peaks resonate voices that one can barely hear through the conundrum. But like a lengthy book, it took a long time to truly unravel its true beauty. The mystical Cordilleras began taking shape […]

Glimpses: The Hungduan Rice Terraces, A UNESCO Heritage Site
The Philippines, undoubtedly, is a blessed country that never runs out of amazing sights and landmarks. A mecca for the traveler, Philippines offers a wide range of exciting activities and destinations. Among these amazing destinations are the countless rice terraces that can be found all over the country. Rice terraces are very common amongst agricultural […]

The Great Cordilleran Traverse: Mt. Napulauan, A Bloody Climb
This is my version of the climb. For Saul’s version of our climb, you may visit his site: Great Cordillera Traverse: Mt. Napulawan Edition. Day 1: A Small World of Bloody Coincidences When I started taking climbing seriously, the thought of doing an overnight climb barely crossed my mind. The idea of spending a night […]

Traversing the Verdant Forest of Malipunyo Mountain Range
Following a very successful climbing year in 2017 which helped me get back in shape, I was looking forward to climbing more mountains in 2018. I planned to climb at least one mountain per month. My first climbing assignment for 2018 was supposed to be Zambales’ newly discovered Mt. Pimmayong. I had to back up […]

2017 Year End Climb: Sailing Towards a Better Year
December 3, 2017 It’s been a month since I’ve climbed a mountain. My last was at South Korea’s Ulsan Bawi Rock, my first international hike. Sadly, after that Korean excursion, I have fallen into a spell of sedentary lifestyle. My procrastination made me long for a new adventure. Then I came across a hiking group’s […]