After ten days on the island, I began to notice that my routine was becoming monotonous. I usually start by getting some breakfast and then having a cup of coffee at a beachfront café. The rest of the day is spent working until lunch, finding a cheap place to eat, working again, and finishing the day by watching the magnificent Boracay sunset — with occasional dips in the sea thrown in for good measure.

If it weren’t for the state of the world grappling with a new Covid-19 variant unfolding during my latest return trip to Kayangan Lake, I would've said “third time’s a charm, indeed”, as I again take a dip on its crystal-clear waters. It feels like it was only yesterday — actually, year 2009 — when I first caught a sight of this magical lake. I can still vividly recount myself and my then girlfriend Marianne wearing oversized life vests pulling one another into the middle of the lake.

Traveling and going on vacation is one of the ways individuals earn memories and experiences that money can’t buy. Leisure travel is a way to break your tiring work routine and serves as a reward for your hard work. Furthermore, traveling is also a way for you to discover the world around you and discover what’s within you. Whatever your purpose is for traveling, doing so is always rewarding.

As part of our Habi (weaving), Hilom (wellness) and Halal (cuisine) discovery tour of Panay Island organized by the Tourism Promotions Board of the Philippines (TPB), we visited a small community in the province of Iloilo where more than a century ago, a thriving weaving industry once existed and became forgotten but is now seeing signs of resurgence.