The Truth About Verde Passage

Unknown July 19, 2015

The Philippines has the world's richest marine life, but the question is, for how long?

It is already fascinating to know that the Philippines is considered as the “center of marine biodiversity,” now imagine being at the center of the center. The Verde Island Passage, spanning an area of roughly 1.14 million hectares of sea surrounding the provinces of Batangas, Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, and Romblon, is recognized as the “center of the center of marine shore fish biodiversity.”

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Embracing Nature at Vythiri Resort | Kerala, India

Marky Ramone Go July 15, 2015

It took a labor strike of some sort to give us a rare downtime during the Kerala Blog Express 2. During our 2-week exploration of the state of Kerala, we traveled from one city to another after a day or two. After ten days, we kind of felt a little travel fatigued—despite enjoying every second of it—and would welcome any pause from our itinerary. Good thing, it happened in a place where we’re billeted in a resort tucked within the lush forest of Vythiri Resort in the town of Wayanad.

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Witnessing the Visual and Spiritual Spectacle of Varanasi | India

Marky Ramone Go July 12, 2015

As a travel writer armed with a camera and intent to document a place as real as possible, there are a few places that stand out and remain within my memory as crystal clear, as if it happened only yesterday. I could still hear the touts bugging me with “Hello boat?” - their way of offering their overpriced boat services along the Ganges River fronting the historic Ghats. For all the annoyance of the tourist trade in Varanasi, the place itself, a visual spectacle, which overflows with spirituality, will make anybody with a camera busy shooting at many fascinating subjects.

Young boys taking part in a morning ceremony along the Ghats

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Hiking to an Old Village in Bangaan Rice Terraces

Unknown July 08, 2015

Years ago I remember dropping my jaw in wonder when I saw the rice terraces of Banaue for the first time. A seemingly endless expanse of rice paddies formed like stairways lay out before me. Since then, I've seen similar ones like in Sapa in Northern Vietnam and smaller farm terraces in other provinces. Each opportunity, I find myself achieving a feeling of calm while engrossing the entire visual banquet it brings. Last February, a wonderful opportunity presented itself when I was invited to be a part of the launch of PHILTOA's (Philippine Tour Operator's Association) new travel program called Cordillera Heritage Caravan. In a span of five days, we visited the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Banaue, Kiangan, Mayoyao and Bangaan clusters of rice terraces.