OUR AWESOME PLANET

A Tourist's View of Things To Do in Manila :) @MildaRatkelyte

(I'm interested to see how tourists see Manila so I asked Travel Blogger Milda of Asia Rooms to do a guest post in OAP about "A Tourist's View of Things To Do in Manila" - Anton)

(Photo by Ric_K)

Previously seen as nothing more than a sprawling "concrete jungle", Manila was typically regarded as a layover stop for tourists before they moved on to other Philippine destinations. However, in recent years Manila has grown popularity as a destination in its own right.  Manila city, which is located in the metropolitan region of the same name, has bloomed into a colourful and vibrant holiday location, now attracting backpackers and holidaymakers from far and wide.  This is partly due to the city’s vast and unique districts, each with its own history, culture and cuisine. 

Whether you've just booked your first trip to Manila, or you're researching fun and exotic Asian destinations for your next vacation, this guide will explain what there is to do during your stay in the Philippines' capital city.  

Here are four fabulous things to do in Manila during your stay: 

BIG FAMILY TRAVEL: Tips in Planning your Next Awesome Family Adventure!

Our boys are growing up so fast, so each adventure we have with them is precious. Usually, one adventure fuels creative ideas for the next awesome adventure. It gets very addicting.

When you have kids that are more than 2 years old already, you have to be creative in managing your budget for the trip because:

• You already have to pay full fare for flights;
  
• You usually need to have a bigger room or have options for extra bed/s; and
• They already have growing appetites.

Big Family Travel (with kids of 3 or more) continues to be a challenge in terms of costs and the logistics of organizing it. There are no travel packages, deals or incentives catering to the needs and wants of this travel segment.

I'm still learning how to do it efficiently, and I'm sure there are OAP readers out there who would have smart tips on how to go on a big family travel creatively.

I'll start first. Here are my Tips & Tricks for a Big Family Travel Adventure:

Our Favorite Philippine Vacation Photos!

1. Diaz 360 Diaz Family Portrait in Bluewater Panglao, Bohol, Philippines

We love to travel and we love to collect souvenir family photos during our trips.

One of our best family travel photos is a 360 photo in the family suite of Bluewater Panglao resort. The 360 was created by Milo Timbol of 360philippines.com :) 

Here are our favorite Philippine travel photos with the family...

It's More Fun in the Philippines, Indeed!

(Watch First for Background about this Campaign: DOT's "fun" slogan becomes online hit)

The more I chew on the idea, the more that I like it, and the more that I want to contribute to it.

It's brilliant and I believe it would work because...

1. It's a Social Media "Campaignable" Idea.

I like thinking about it this way -- the Philippines' Social Media Citizens are members of one of the biggest orchestras ever assembled online, giving us the title "The Social Media Capital of the World".

The DOT is the conductor that synchronizes different tunes, styles, and instruments into one single beat, or in this case, a campaign that we can all participate in.  The more that we "jam", the more that we'll love playing together, the more that the campaign will be sustainable.

2. Simple but Insightful to Our Very Core.

Unlike previous DOT campaigns where the slogan is the product, the product in this campaign is the desire to provide awesome experiences -- ingrained in every Filipino -- to every visitor that we encounter.

We want to make our visitors laugh, we want them to have a good time, and we want them to remember the experience as long as they live.

We somehow inherently feel that it is our mandate as Filipinos to enjoy in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, offline and online, with all the people that we meet.

Pilipinas, Tara Na, Biyahe Tayo!

You might be interested to read this first: My Awesome Life in 2011 (a Travel Log Planner)

(Photo: Awesome Travel Planner 2012 Cover)

The Department of Tourism (DOT) just released the third and final version of “Pilipinas, Tara Na!” song and music video, which culminates the three-part music marketing campaign. It showcases the many tourist attractions the Philippines has to offer, as well as the delicacies, festivals and activities that can be found around the country.

While I was listening to the first version, I was inspired to dedicate the 2012 Awesome Travel Planner to traveling around the Philippines with the theme:

"12 Awesome Foodie Road Trips in 2012"

It is the definitive food and travel guide for my favorite foodie destinations in the Philippines, which include:  

Iloilo, Bacolod, Cebu, Boracay, Bicol, Pagudpud, Pangasinan, Batanes, Tagaytay, Dakak, Osamis, Iligan, Cagayan de Oro, Palawan, Baler, Bohol and Pampanga.  

I'm excited for you to see it. :) Thank you, DOT, for the inspiration!

Here are the three versions of the “Pilipinas, Tara Na!” song and music video (with lyrics):

30 Awesome Food Experiences around the Philippines (by Pinoy Travel Bloggers)!

Food is an integral part of the Filipino culture. To understand why, you need to travel and experience it. We asked the most passionate Pinoy Travel Bloggers this question:  "What is Your Most Awesome Food Experience while Traveling in the Philippines?"

 The answers pleasantly surprised us. We have only tried 16 (✔) out of 30.  Our favorite posts are marked with a ★ symbol because we recommend it as a must-try food experience or we want to taste the food in our future travels. Travel the Philippines First!

LUZON AWESOME FOOD EXPERIENCES:

I'm inspired by the post of Kara Santos on experiencing what Aeta food really is. Hopefully, I can go to the 2nd Aeta Forest Food Festival. For balikbayans out there, Graciel Cecilio created a great guide on how to have an awesome food experience.

Ivan Briñas Cultura's Best Bibingka and Strangest Bibingka posts were very interesting. Every Filipino should try Alagao in Antipolo as blogged by Tita Lili. If you want something more exotic, there's Frog Legs in the Estero by Brenna Bustamante. We aim to try the Pakaskas, featured by Josiah Sicad, one of these days.

1. ★ AETA FOREST FOOD by Kara Santos | CAPAS, TARLAC

"In terms of forest food, we learned that Aetas primarily plant mountain rice, wild bananas, corn, and root crops like ube (a form of taro), kamoteng kahoy (cassava) and kamoteng baging (mountain yams). Wild bananas called amukaw have lots of tiny black seeds, which are strained before the edible part of the banana is made into a refreshing juice. The extract is believed to cure 'pasma' (trembling hands and sweaty palms that occur after hard labor)."

READ MORE: Travel Up  | First Aeta Forest Food Festival

Philippine Currency: The New Generation

Read First:
BSP | The New Generation Philippine Banknotes
KAAKBAY | Another look at the New Philippine Banknotes
The POC | BSP defends 'errors' on new peso bills

I'm proud of our new Philippine currency despite the criticisms, which can be easily corrected in the next print run.  It is about time that we launch the new Peso bills, which symbolize new hope and a stronger economy in 2011 and beyond.

I'm proud of it because...

WOW! Only in the Philippines!

 

Here is a #HelpDOT Suggestion. I endorse this tourism marketing concept from mentor Willy which builds on the WOW Philippines campaign and highlights the uniqueness of our country!
Let me know what you think about the concept and how we can build it further.

  

Where else can you find a land as beautiful as its people, a people as warm as its climate? 

Where else can you find a nation as rich as its history, a culture as colorful as her transport (vintas and jeepneys)? 

Where else can you find a workforce as talented as her artists, an economy as vibrant as her freedoms? 

Where else can you find dining as delightful as her shopping, fairways as tranquil as her spas?   

Where else can you find fruits as delicious as her hillsides (Bohol Chocolate Hills), a nightlife as breathtaking as her sunset?  

Finally, where else can you find a people with pride in her past, a passion for her present, and faith in her future? 

All these and more . . .