As a spectator many times over of numerous Philippine festivals in the past, I still overflowed with enthusiasm each time I witnessed a new one. After experiencing the Ati-Atihan three times and the Sinulog twice already, I had had a more than enough dose of fun from those twin festivals honoring the Santo Niño. However, I was always game to immerse in the different vibe of other lesser-known festivals in the country. Camarines Norte’s Busig-On Festival was not just previously unknown to me, it also had an interesting backstory involving a widely retold local story. Therefore, during my eight-hour bus ride to the province, I already visualized the kind of frenzy atmosphere that awaited me.

I remembered being envious of my then-girlfriend years ago when she went on a solo backpacking trip to Tawi-Tawi and hiked Bud Bongao. Not only was the mountain located in the southernmost province of the Philippines, it was also considered a sacred peak. Two preachers mentored by Karim ul-Makhdum—the Arab missionary who brought Islam to the Philippines in 1380—were said to be buried on Mount Bud Bongao in a location called the Tampat Rocks.

The future of traveling faced uncertainties brought on by the “new normal” or, as aptly put, the "temporary abnormal," until global medical health frameworks stabilized. Until then, travelers expected travel to become heavily reliant on strategic precautionary measures such as social distancing. Overcrowded tourist destinations would—for the meantime—be out of travel plans. This, however, challenged travelers to be extra creative in exploring alternative locations. Great news, though: beachgoers did not need to worry. Because in a country blessed with more than 7,000 islands, there were a lot of beach choices that perfectly met the criteria for wide-open spaces. Here were some of them.