nomad4ever

Boracay is without any doubt the most famous and well-known travel destination in the Philippines for international travelers. It features the whitest beach in Asia, crystal-clear blue waters, resorts and restaurants in all price ranges.

Puerto Galera is not so known outside the Philippines, but has some great beaches too, countless bays to explore, mountains and waterfalls – as well as incredible Dive Sites in close proximity to Manila.

Having visited both within just a few days recently, when passing them during our Tricycle Trip, here is a direct comparison of the status quo, now during low season of 2009:

written by Chris

Getting from Negros to Panay Island had us first use the RoRo service which connects the major islands here in the Philippines.

It’s actually an easy and straight-forward process. You arrive at the RoRo terminal, buy a ticket for your vehicle, pay departure or port tax and off you go.

Drive your car, bike, tricycle or whatever vehicle you paid for onto a RoRo ship and you are set to make it to the next big island. From Bacolod on Negros there are several routes, but the most popular one is to get to the neighboring island Panay:

written by Chris

If you chose a base in a host country you basically explore the surrounding area only in a certain radius. That means, even if you have a rented motorcycle, you always have to return to your point of origin.

Of course you can do a daytrip or even multiple daytrips, but still you are limited to an area of close proximity for exploration.

written by Chris

I first heard of Siquijor island back in 2002 from a Dive Buddy when visiting Alona Beach on Bohol. Sitting in the ‘Safety Stop Bar’ on Panglao, drinking a few San Miguel, he told me especially about the exciting Coral Gardens and abundant Marine Life – truly a paradise for divers!

The beaches were said to be of the purest and whitest sands, yet still undeveloped – surely the next Boracay in the making. At that time I was hesitating to visit, as Siquijor was something like a 2-day trip from Bohol away and I was just getting acquainted with Bohol.

written by Chris

Is there anything that isn’t said already about Manila? The Capital of the Philippines, once dubbed the “Pearl of the Orient” or “City of our Affections” (I prefer the latter, hehe!), has all the right and wrong ingredients to star in its very own city-flick thriller.

Asked anyone who’ve been there about this city and its either a hate or love affair.

It is after all just another big city bustling with activities, filled with millions of people, cars, bikes, fumes, colors, smells – almost like any other metropolis in Asia. Or isn’t it?

written by Chris

6 months here in Goa are coming to an end; wow – the time was really flying! The season is ending also, many shops and restaurants shut down already, while the temperatures are rising every day. The coming monsoon is showing its hot side.

Everyone is waiting for the rain to fall. Time for a wrap-up, as done previously before the departure from Bali.

As this was the first time in Goa (and India) for me, I could only rely on what other people described on forums and by word of mouth:

written by Chris

I regularly get e-mails from readers with questions related to my lifestyle, which I try to answer as exhaustive as possible. Some of them could be interesting for other readers as well. Here we go with a new section of this site. These are the first questions answered:

• You are a German but write in English, are you mad with your home country?
• What’s your take on LASIK Eye Surgery in Bali?
• What’s your opinion on purchasing Real Estate, Land or Villas in Bali?
• How do you do it – money-wise?

written by Chris

India has a wealth of daily newspapers, many of which are in English. I simply love sitting in a beach shack, a smooth sea breeze blowing, having my coffee shake and reading up what happened over the last couple of days.

Most newspapers in India are surprisingly well put together, having a nice mix of global and regional news, entertainment buzz or gossip and local politics as well as Bollywood snippets. Still, like in other countries, as an outsider some articles might strike you a bit odd:

written by Chris