Hiking to the Mist-Veiled Peak of Mount Pha Daeng | Nong Khiaw, Laos

Marky Ramone Go July 05, 2019

At the foot of Mount Pha Daeng, a sign reads “Unexploded Bombs, Still in this Area. Dangerous!” remains a chilling reminder of the horrors of the Vietnam War. Collectively unmindful of the warning, we reckoned every bomb ordnance buried along the trail stretching to a radius of a few kilometers, were all swept clean already. Laos—by the way—is a vastly different nation now compared to what I first read in history books.

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Dipping (sans Brooke Shields) in the Blue Lagoon of Datu Odin Sinsuat | Maguindanao

Marky Ramone Go July 04, 2019

Despite expecting Maguindanao's blue lagoon to be concealed deep in the forest reachable by at least an hour or two of trekking, I still expected a good ole surprise. When I stepped out of our van and saw a few kids dripping wet, I simply figured they came frolicking from a nearby stream. Our friend Jeff told us “I think these kids came from the lagoon”. I was already standing at the mouth of a wide trail on the elbow of the Shariff Aguak Road when I heard him. “You mean, the lagoon is just nearby?” Claire asked. Jeff’s reply sounded like music to my ears—as I was in no mood for a lengthy hiking activity that day— “just less than 200 meters ahead”.

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Calayan Island | A Sweet Hereafter Return

Marky Ramone Go July 02, 2019

Not missing the blustery 7-hour lampitaw ride of my first journey here, I stepped out of the plane—moments after it made a historic first landing on the island—buoyed by a feeling akin to rekindling a tryst with a former lover. Calayan Island has that effect on me. It could be because last time, the place served as a background to my memorable hilltop and beachside frolics with my then girlfriend.

The long stretch of Cibang Cove in Calayan Island

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Exploring Poblacion in a Sober Mood | Makati

Marky Ramone Go July 01, 2019

Despite witnessing Poblacion's transformation from a seedy quarter to an exciting neighborhood, I mostly visit to get drunk and dine with friends. So when I heard that Meaningful Travels PH is organising a Poblacion Makati Discovery Tour, I jumped at the chance to discover the neighborhood's other hidden gems without the constraints of inebriation.