M AG A Z I N E F O R C E B U PAC I F I C
From Boracay to Bohol, 11 hotspots that prove no one does summer like the Philippines
Qatar trek WHY DOHA IS A DESERT FLOWER IN FULL BLOOM
Deadpool and the dad RYAN REYNOLDS ON FILMS, FAME AND FAMILY
• APRIL 2016
from the chief
A WINDOW TO THE WORLD
There is a large glass wall in our Cebu Pacific headquarters that looks out to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s runway, and every day hundreds of people who work for the company — Cebu Pacific’s management and operations team, the commercial departments, the maintenance and engineering crews, the frontliners — witness hundreds of flights coming into and departing from Manila. An Airbus A330 touches down on its rear wheels first, slows down, then taxis down the runway. Mere minutes later another plane, perhaps an A320 this time, gathers speed, takes off, tucks in its wheels, gains altitude and soars into the distance. It’s a scene we witness many times over in the course of the day, but once in a while something makes us stop and consider what it truly means: with every flight, connections are reinforced, people are brought together, families and friends are reunited, relationships flourish, and worlds are made smaller. The comings and goings of planes might be a familiar, everyday scene, but it’s one we never take for granted. After all, that pretty much sums up what lies at the core of our airline. We are in the business of making these connections a daily reality, and while we are reminded of how far we have come every time a plane takes off or lands, we are likewise inspired to work on what more needs to be done. In our 20th year of operations, we at Cebu Pacific are proud to present ourselves as a global Filipino airline that brings people around the Philippines closer to each other and into the wider world, and one that welcomes guests into and around the country. We look forward to serving you in the decades to come.
Lance Gokongwei CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
ADVERTISING SMILE is published on behalf of Cebu Pacific Air by Ink Publishing Pte Ltd • 51 Changi Business Park Central 2, The Signature #04-11A/12, Singapore 486066 • tel: +65 6324 2386 • fax: +65 6491 5261 • www.ink-global.com • www.cebusmile.com MCI (P) 124/02/2016 All articles and photographs published herein are created by the authors and photographers at their own discretion and do not necessarily represent the views of the airline. All material is strictly copyrighted and all rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the prior written permission of the copyright holder. All prices and data are correct at the time of publication.
1 SMILE • APRIL 2016
Group Publisher Mohan Gopal Advertising Manager Bong Dy-Liacco Senior Brand Manager Andrew Lugtu Brand Managers Blessing Dizon, Nastassja Lacsamana Digital Sales Manager Nerisse Barcelon Commercial Director David Bloomfield Tel: +65 6324 2386 Email: smile@ink-global.com
INK Chief Finance Officer Jim Campbell Chief Executives Michael Keating and Simon Leslie
editor's note
M AG A Z I N E F O R C E B U PAC I F I C
• APRIL 2016
From Boracay to Bohol, 11 hotspots that prove no one does summer like the Philippines
Qatar trek WHY DOHA IS A DESERT FLOWER IN FULL BLOOM
Deadpool and the dad RYAN REYNOLDS ON FILMS, FAME AND FAMILY
THIS MONTH’S COVER Photographer Jorem Catilo Art Director Marlon Espino Hair and Makeup Artist Renen Bautista Stylist Ram De Vera Model Juria/Prima Stella Inc On Juria Bikini top by JP Arañador, cover-up and shorts by Here and Now, mat by Karma Roundies Producer Jack Jarilla
EDITORIAL Editor Tara F.T. Sering Art Director Marlon Espino Deputy Editor Kat Z. Mateo Photo Editor Aaron Low Digital Editor for WayToGo Delle Chan Production Manager Sally Shee Regional Production Manager Serene Wong Associate Design Director Terence Goh Chief Sub-Editor Jonathan Evans Editorial Director Alexandra Karplus
We don’t really like playing favorites with our seasons — even the monsoons bring with them a special kind of charm — but it goes without saying that summer is our favorite time to play. For all the excitement that exploring cozy corners of a built-up city inspires in us, the sandy seaside remains our spiritual home, a place of pleasure where our default pose might be lying on a hammock, soaking up the great outdoors and planning our next swim, snorkel or maybe snack. So for this classic tropical summer month of April, we share 11 of our favorite beach destinations across a whopping 17 pages. Two back-to-back features offer up a variety of beach destinations, from the obvious one in the Western Visayas that nearly everyone flocks to for a sunny good time, to secluded options that require a bit of a trek to get to. The party shores of Boracay alone present a long menu of activities and sights (page 76), but if you’re keen on decompressing somewhere remote and somewhat hidden, check out the local, low-key possibilities on page 88. Still on the subject of sand, we take you to the Qatari capital of Doha, where traditional souks thrive alongside gleaming skyscrapers, and old and new mix in a way that gives the city plenty of personality and texture (page 120). The rest of this month’s issue is quite the retro-fest: we take you to Tokyo for a different kind of dress-up party (page 100), featuring a lot of black leather, pointy boots, sky-high sculpted hair and classic rock music. Then we jet over to Shanghai, where new and secret bars offer the glamor and mysterious flavor of the city’s golden age in their interiors, and in every cocktail they serve (page 108). Whatever you end up doing this summer, we wish you all a rollicking good time.
5 SMILE • APRIL 2016
OUR CREW THIS ISSUE
Meet some of April 2016’s crew of talented contributors
Jorem Catilo
Dave Golden
Zane Ronquillo
Mark Parren Taylor
Photographer
Photographer
Writer
Writer and photographer
For this issue hopped around the latest hotspots in the classic summer beachside capital of Boracay
For this issue shares delightful photos featuring the retroloving rockabillies that frequent Tokyo’s Yoyogi Park
For this issue maps out a fun way to experience (or avoid) this year’s Songkran new year celebrations in Thailand
For this issue introduces us to the intriguing ancient and modern charms of the Qatari capital, Doha
Cherie Altea Bitanga
Celine Reyes
Edgar Alan Zeta-Yap
Dave Tacon
Illustrator
Writer
Writer
Writer and photographer
For this issue shares a creative guide to Singapore’s Joo Chiat enclave, the center of colorful Peranakan culture This summer “I’m a horribly last minute-traveler, so for now I’m staying in the shade to paint and paint and paint.”
For this issue introduces us to the amazing and lush landscape that is Masungi Georeserve This summer “I plan to explore more off-thebeaten-path places in the Philippines, all the while promoting responsible travel and sustainable tourism. A bike tour around Luzon is also starting to sound like a good idea.”
For this issue our regular contributor, who can’t seem to resist any mysterious detours he comes across, lists his favorite out-of-the-way beach destinations across the Philippines This summer “I’m really looking forward to seeing more of the Eastern Visayas. I’m joining a three-day expedition inside the Langun-Gobingob caves in Calbiga, Samar — one of the largest cave systems in Asia!”
For this issue takes us around the secret thirst-quenching spots of Shanghai This summer “I’m going to see why so many of my friends are raving about Palawan.” *We’re thrilled for you, Dave! You’re going to love it.
OUR COVER CREW
Thanks for the love, guys!
Ren Bautista Hair and makeup artist
8 SMILE • APRIL 2016
Ram De Vera Stylist
BEHIND THE SCENES
The Smile cover crew chillin’ with our local homies
Splash! The re goes the cr ew
The beauty on the balcony
The Smile cover crew ended a full day of work in Boracay with dinner at La Cozina (thanks guys, lovely meal!) and a celebratory round of drinks. Shooting great images around the island’s loveliest spots — and sneaking in a dip in the water every now and then (check out the photo at left) — might not sound like a tough assignment, but a pre-dawn call time and a long day under the hot sun deserve a big hand. Great work, everyone!
Wrap party at Spanish eatery La Cozina
Trawling the beach for t a picture-perfect sho
Jorem in action
Selfie in the sea
Spotted! A Cebu Pac ific paraw just off White Bea
ch
10 SMILE • APRIL 2016
Filipino Chow time at bo! family diner Su
TRENDING
#MYSMILESNAP Use this hashtag to show us your travel photos on Instagram. One of your snaps just might be featured in Smile! Here are a few of our favorite shots this month
Over at WayToGo…
These kids are lucky to have the sea as their playground, as captured by @archieoffduty
@santoselifer enjoys an early-morning stroll by the beach in Baler, Aurora
@jayofsp8des strikes a pose at Baphuon Temple in the Angkor complex outside Siem Reap
@yngpixels caught these men working happily at the Chinese Pier in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi
6 must-visit dive destinations in the Philippines Take the plunge at the best dive spots in the country.
How to take awesome travel photos for Instagram Step up your game with tips from four popular Filipino Instagrammers.
Sometimes, people would do anything for a photo — like this guy photographed by @ashleyyeee_
@rjcandelario was in the right spot at the right time (no crowds!) at Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto
Can’t get enough of Smile? If you want to check out past issues of Smile, head to ink-live.com/emagazines/smile. Entire issues — from 2008 onwards — are available to flip, read and download. Enjoy! 12 SMILE • APRIL 2016
TUBBATAHA PHOTO BY SAMANTHA DAVID
Visit waytogo. cebupacificair.com for more travel inspiration and tips.
flight plan THIS MONTH IN SMILE
120 Desert bloom There’s more to Doha than just sun, sea and sand
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MAIN PHOTO BY MARK PARREN TAYLOR
108 88 Shore to please
Cocktail confidential
Where to acquaint yourself with 10 off-the-grid beaches in the Philippines
Feel the vibe of Shanghai’s 1920s heyday in the city’s secret drinking holes 15 SMILE • APRIL 2016
Rock around the clock Head for Yoyogi Park and hang out with the Tokyo Rockabilly Club
flight plan Colorful accessories with a conscience, p53
21 Burst into Songkran Find out which Thai new year celebration fits you best 22 The beach is calling Seaside parties happening in the Philippines this month
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29 Eats spectacular! Join the foodies as they head to Manila for Madrid Fusión and the World Street Food Congress 61 Sage traveler Heed the travel tips of Asia’s Best Female Chef 2016, Margarita Forés
Dead funny Ryan Reynolds chats with us about Deadpool, Taiwan and fatherhood
68 First man standing Hear from the godfather of Pinoy standup comedy, Rex Navarrete
AAAND, THERE'S MORE...
129 TRIP JOURNAL Heading for any of the 30 international or 34 Philippine destinations on the Cebu Pacific network? Get recommendations from our on-the-spot correspondents.
181 AIRLINE NEWS Read the latest from Cebu Pacific, and get updates on destinations and routes.
16 SMILE • APRIL 2016
188 ONBOARD TREATS Check out the onboard menu for the latest food-and-beverage offerings.
the buzz THE LATEST NEWS, SOME COOL REVIEWS AND A FEW USEFUL TIPS FOR NAVIGATING THE NETWORK
PICTURE PERFECT Head to the Jaime Velasquez Park in Makati City on April 3 for the 10th anniversary edition of Art in the Park. Signed, limited-edition prints from 10 artists, including this one by Marina Cruz, will be available to buy. Visit facebook. com/art-in-the-park for updates.
FLORAL FABRIC ON FRAGILE FRAME, 2016 BY MARINA CRUZ
Exciting events, delicious food and things we love >
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Burst into Songkran
Oooh festival fun
IN TIME-HONORED FASHION, THAIS RING IN THE NEW YEAR FROM APRIL 13 TO 15. WANT TO JOIN THE REVELRY? TAKE THIS QUIZ TO FIND THE CELEBRATION THAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU START HERE
{NO} WILL YOU VENTURE OUT OF THE CAPITAL?
{YES} That’s the plan!
I’m making the most of Bangkok!
DO YOU WANT TO GET WET?
LOVE ANIMALS?
BY ZANE RONQUILLO
Play with the elephants in Ayutthaya. Find them in front of the local tourism office during the festival. Ayutthaya is two hours by train from Bangkok.
INTO GREENERY?
Since planting season is coming up, the festivities in Pattaya include rain-praying rituals. Pattaya is two hours by bus from Bangkok.
LOVE THE BEACH?
Get wet and go wild in Phuket. Head to Bangla Road to celebrate with the locals. Cebu Pacific flies to Phuket from Manila.
{YES}
LET’S PARTY!
I'D RATHER OBSERVE
Take part in the legendary celebrations at Khao San Road. There are DJs, dancing and bars serving alcohol.
The crowd at Silom Road can get rowdy, but there are elevated areas where you can stay (at least a little) dry and still watch over the festivities.
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{NO}
I WANT TO IMMERSE IN THE CULTURE
RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS
See the Phra Buddha Sihing at Sanam Luang.
TRADITION
A flag parade, folk dancing and singing, and floral floats are all part of the festivities in Phra Pradaeng.
Woohoo! fun times
The beach is calling SET UP YOUR OUT OF OFFICE, PACK YOUR SWIMSUITS AND HEAD TO ONE OF THESE FUN EVENTS BY THE SEA
APRIL 8 & 9 DAHICAN BEACH, MATI, DAVAO ORIENTAL On the festival’s Facebook page, you’ll find a slew of rave reviews about previous years’ editions. The words “world class” frequently come up. What’s super-cool, though, is that it’s held for the benefit of HALAD Mission Group Foundation. The secluded Dahican Beach as the setting doesn’t hurt either. facebook.com/ summerfrolicEMF
Summer Siren Festival APRIL 8 TO 10 CRYSTAL BEACH, SAN NARCISO, ZAMBALES Summer Siren is a whole weekend of camping at the beach with music, fitness, arts and crafts. Watch performances by Marc Marasigan, David Ardiente, Cheats and Ebe Dancel, among others. After partying, you can just crawl back to your tent on the festival grounds or kick back in cabins by H&M Home and Coleman. summersirenfestival. com
10th Boracay International Dragon Boat Festival APRIL 21 TO 23 WHITE BEACH, BORACAY This has become a celebrated beach tradition. When teams from the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong, and Europe descend on White Beach for the competition, spectators will be treated to a heart-stopping show of synchronized power and speed. Find “Boracay International Dragon Boat Festival” on Facebook
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Sulu Sound APRIL 22 PUNTA BULATA RESORT, CAUAYAN, NEGROS There will be no flashy pyrotechnics or ginormous stages at Sulu Sound — only incredible music and amazing local food on the grounds of Punta Bulata Resort, looking out to the Sulu Sea. Probably the most intimate beach party ever designed, the show will admit only 200 people. The line-up includes BadKiss and Manolet Dario. info@ puntabulata.com, +63 34 344 5160 or +63 908 174 9133
Midsummer Night’s Dream APRIL 29 PUERTO PRINCESA BAYWALK, PALAWAN Palawan’s first-ever outdoor electronic dance music festival is pulling all the stops to throw a beach party you’d want to join every year. There will be lots of grub, shops and activities — even a carnival. The big show itself spans three episodes beginning at 4pm, headlined by Miki Taka, The Zombettes, Orion Tamayo and Frac Attack. facebook.com/ TeamEVOPhilippines
WORDS BY KC RAMIREZ; PHOTO BY REGI VALENZUELA
Summer Frolic Music Festival of Colours
NORTH EDSA, QUEZON CITY
TIMOG, QUEZON CITY
MANILA AIRPORT ROAD
ERMITA, MANILA
CUBAO, QUEZON CITY
Aha! news you can use
Imagination wins CHECK OUT MOSH!, THE NEW DIGITAL PLAYGROUND IN SINGAPORE See doodles swim in a digital aquarium. Fold and launch a paper plane and see it fly through caves and above jungles. Jump and dance, and see your movements turn into fireworks. These are just some of the fun things the whole family can do at MOSH!, Singapore’s first immersive edutainment facility. There are five attractions at MOSH!, all of which use state-of-the-art technology from Japan to bring your and your kids’ creations to life. “Our immersive creative space
App-reciate Dapitan City
enables everyone to appreciate each other’s creativity and imagination in a shared environment,” says Ms Hitomi Komuro, director of Creative Future Park, the parent company of MOSH!. MOSH! is located on Sentosa Island. Check out facebook.com/ moshsingapore for updates.
BY KAT MATEO; MAIN PHOTOS COURTESY OF MOSH!
SLIDE THIS WAY The Printemps mall at Shanghai’s Pudong New Area has recently launched its fivestorey snaking slide. The journey through the 20m metal tube lasts only 16 seconds. If slides are your thing, here are three more to check out around the network:
THE SLIDE@T3 Hit speeds of 6m per second on the 12m-high slide at Singapore’s Changi airport.
COWABUNGA SLIDE Arrive in style at Red Dot Hotel’s 30m-long slide in Taichung City, Taiwan.
AQUALOOP Experience a 40ft vertical drop at Beijing’s Water Cube water park. 25
SMILE • APRIL 2016
Learn more about Dapitan City through the Dapitan Guide, an app released by InnoPub Media and Smart Communications. The app is part of the telco’s Digital Tourism project. Once you’ve installed it, you can use your phone to scan QR codes and tap NFC tags on markers installed at attractions such as Rizal Shrine and the José Rizal Museum. The app will then pull up information about the selected site. Aside from Rizalrelated sites, the app provides a list of other places to visit in Dapitan, including Dakak Park and Beach Resort. Users will also find places to stay, and can get in touch with the Dapitan City Tourism Office through the app. Available at the Google Play store.
Yippee!
Eats spectacular!
for the foodies
METRO MANILA IS IN FOR A FEEDING FRENZY THIS APRIL AS IT HOSTS MADRID FUSION MANILA AS WELL AS THE WORLD STREET FOOD CONGRESS. HERE’S A HANDY CHEAT SHEET ON THE TWO EVENTS Madrid Fusión Manila 2016 2
World Street Food Congress 2016
Spain
Heavy-hitting chef presenters Joan Roca of El Celler de Can Roca Restaurant in Catalonia (left), and proud Pinoys, Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan of Purple Yam in Manila and New York — just to name a few.
BY TATA MAPA; PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES (CHEF JOAN ROCA)
The highlight for anyone with a curious appetite would be the month-long Flavors of the Philippines Festival, including everything from food tours to gourmet markets, food fairs, agricultural bazaars and specialty dinners with celebrity chefs.
An International Gastronomy Congress focusing on the theme “The Manila Galleon Trade: East Meets West” will offer a deeper understanding of how the shared history of Spain and the Philippines has affected our flavors and palates.
A Trade Expo will highlight interesting ingredients, gourmet products, and regional culinary treats from the Philippines, Spain and other countries.
ORIGIN
WHO’S WHO
EAT A
LEARN
EXPLORE
Singapore
Food-culture bigwigs such as Stephen Werther, creator of the Bourdain Market in New York, and Malcolm Lee, chef/owner at Candlenut restaurant au in Singapore. ore.
The Worl World Street Food Jamboree will showc showcase 24 hawker stations from Asia and the US for a tour de force of flavor, and a chance for Manila-based foodies to savor Ma iconic street-food fare. i
With this year’s theme, “The Comforting Flavors of Home”, the WSF Dialogue aims to address issues of preservation, relevance and sustainability in order to create better opportunities for street food the world over.
Aside from presentations and demos from top Asian chefs, the WSFC will be announcing the winners of the World Street Food Awards.
THE LOWDOWN Madrid Fusión Manila is happening from April 7 to 9 at the SMX Convention Center, while the World Street Food Congress will take place at Bonifacio Global City from April 20 to 24. Visit madridfusionmanila.com and wsfcongress.com for details.
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Woah! awesome adventures
The Metro's green lung At the Masungi Georeserve (Instagram: #savemasungi), a conservation area covering more than 1,500ha south-east of Metro Manila, you can test the limits of your willpower along the Discovery Trail, a five-hour traverse across difficult terrain. A member of the Dumagat people, who are indigenous to Masungi, will guide you around the dynamic karst landscape and across one of the reserve’s most prominent features — the man-made “Sapot”, a giant spider web fashioned from industrial-grade steel. Apart from the workout, the top of the web promises another breathtaking reward: magnificent views of the Sierra Madre, the country’s longest mountain range, on one side, and its largest lake, Laguna de Bay, on the other. At the end of the course, you’ll have burned a lot of calories and gained a significant education on the ecological workings vital to our existence. It took decades of conservation work involving the entire community to restore the once-gravely deforested karst terrain, and now Masungi stands as a model of sustainable tourism, providing the local town with a livelihood, preserving the landscape along with the fascinating wildlife that thrives within the park, and giving everyone a much-needed breath of fresh air. To experience the Discovery Trail, fill out the trail-visit request form at masungigeoreserve. com; to help preserve the reserve, check “Masungi Georeserve” on Facebook. 30 SMILE • APRIL 2016
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SMILE • APRIL 2016
TEXT AND PHOTO BY CELINE REYES
Home and away
Ahhh a place to stay
HERE’S WHY YOU’LL LOVE THE FAMILIAR COMFORTS OF SOMERSET OLYMPIA MAKATI
When your work or business requires a fair amount of traveling, you miss the comforts of home. The Somerset Olympia Makati provides that muchneeded sense of balance for executives and their families who work and live away from home. Here are just a few reasons why Somerset Olympia Makati is the ideal place to live in when you’re working away from home. An ideal location Somerset Olympia Makati is close to major corporate offices, as well as the best lifestyle and entertainment establishments in Makati City. The serviced residence is just across the lush and green Ayala Triangle Gardens, and is walking distance from retail havens Greenbelt Mall and Glorietta Mall. Want to soak up some art and culture? Ayala Museum is just steps away. In short, there’s no need
i
to hire a car or taxi to get to where you want to go. Luxury of space Whether it’s a studio or two-bedroom loft unit, Somerset Olympia’s 149 serviced residences are designed with generous amounts of space and residential amenities like a wellequipped kitchen to whip up homecooked meals, a home entertainment system for family time and broadband internet connection. There are also separate work and living areas.
A healthy environment Stay fit and healthy with conveniences like the outdoor pool to do laps in, a fitness center to build your strength and a massage center that will melt away all your stress. Pets are welcome There’s no need to feel homesick for your furry friends. With Somerset’s pet-friendly policy, you can bring your beloved animal to live with you in Somerset Olympia Makati. It’s all part of their desire to make you feel at home.
HEAD HOME Somerset Olympia Makati is at 7912 Makati Ave, Makati City, +63 2 550 3200; somerset.com
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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
5 2 Adventures await NEED SOME INSPIRATION ON WHERE TO GO OR WHAT TO DO THIS MONTH? HERE ARE 10 FUN SUGGESTIONS
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Bond with the kids Singapore offers plenty of opportunities for family fun this month. Have a roaring good time with the Blue Man Group (until April 10), or see Alex, Melman, Marty and Gloria in the flesh in Madagascar Live! (April 21-24). Book your tickets at sistic. com.sg
Be full of the joys of spring Seoul is pretty in the spring, especially as azaleas, forsythias, spireas and Korean cherry trees come into bloom. The best place to see them all is at Yeouido Park by the Han River during the Spring Flower Festival from April 1 to 8. english.visitkorea.or.kr
Have breakfast with the koalas Enjoy an all-you-can-eat breakfast and meet the iconic Australian koalas at Sydney Zoo’s Koala Breakfast experience. You’ll learn more about them in an informative talk. Book at wildlifesydney. com.au
Experience a rugby game Watch as some of the world’s greatest rugby players run, pass and tackle each other in Hong Kong from April 8 to 10, or Singapore on April 16 and 17. hksevens. com; singapore7s.sg
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Dine at one of Asia’s best restaurants Wherever you find yourself in Asia, there’s surely an amazing restaurant to try. Refer to theworlds50best.com/asia/en list for inspiration. 8
Have a fun time in Paradise Paradise International Music Festival, that is. Happening at Aseana City Open Grounds, the line-up for this Manila gig includes Kanye West. Check out paradiseimf.com 3
Party with the locals Albay celebrates the Magayon Festival this month. There will be plenty of things to see, including the Parade of Higantes, the ancient fire dance ritual and lots of street dancing. See facebook.com/ daragangmagayonfestival
Take it easy in Cebu Get your dose of reggae at the Cebu Summer Reggae Fest on April 15. The festival will feature performances by top Pinoy bands, Jamaican reggae group Inner Circle and US reggae/pop band Big Mountain (pictured). Tickets available at smtickets.com
See hot air balloons fly Watch as over 40 hot air balloons take flight at the Lubao International Balloon Festival from April 14 to 17. There will be concerts, too. Visit lubaoibf.com
Eat all the mangoes you want Philippine mangoes are the best in the world, and on April 19, the town of Iba, Zambales will pay tribute to it during the Mango Festival.
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Experience these and more with BDO Credit Cards Book your flights, reserve your accommodation, buy your event or attraction tickets, shop and dine using your BDO Credit Card and avail of special promo offers exclusive to BDO Credit Cardholders. To know more about BDO Credit Cards' best deals, download the BDO Deal Finder App for free from the App Store or Google Play Store. Not yet a BDO Credit Cardholder? Apply now! Log-on to bdo.com.ph/ personal/credit-cards/right-card-for-you or call the 24-hour BDO Customer Contact Center at +63 2 631 8000 or 1 800 10 6318000 (Domestic Toll-Free) to find out how.
SINGAPORE’S JOO CHIAT OFFERS THE FINEST EXAMPLES OF STRAITS-CHINESE, OR PERANAKAN, CULTURE. ILLUSTRATOR CHERIE ALTEA BATANGA GIVES US A GUIDE TO THE ESSENTIALS WE SHOULDN’T MISS IN THE AREA. SEE HER OTHER WORKS AT JAROFSALT.COM
fun guide to Singapore
Oooh
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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
More than the usual ASIDE FROM SHOPPING, HERE ARE 10 OTHER THINGS YOU CAN EXPERIENCE AT SM SEASIDE CITY CEBU
PHOTO OPPS AT THE CUBE The Cube has the Cebu Channel at the back, making it the ideal spot for your selfies and jump shots. FEAST AT THE FOOD COURT Enjoy delectable dishes from around the world at the Food Court. The unique ceiling décor makes it very Instagrammable, too.
AMAZING VIEWS SM Seaside City Cebu is built along the South Coastal Road and faces the ocean. You’ll get to see it from various places inside the mall, as well as the Sky Park.
TIME TO PLAY Take your cranky kids to the playground at the Sky Park and allow them to let off steam. They’ll surely be happier.
TAKE THE STAIRS There are four colorcoded spiral staircases at the mall. Once you’ve seen all four, that means you’ve circled SM Seaside City.
QUIET TIME Take a breather and enjoy prayerful reflection at the Chapel of Pedro Calungsod.
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WATCH A MOVIE The cushy recliners are among the things you can look forward to at the cinemas. The colorful lobby also offers a vivid backdrop for photos.
GLIDE ON ICE Let your kids live out their Frozen fantasies at the world-class iceskating rink.
ENGAGE IN FRIENDLY COMPETITION The mall has a state-ofthe-art, 16-lane bowling center. There are also three KTV rooms, as well as billiard tables.
HEAD TO THE SEASIDE Want more amazing views? Then make your way to the view deck at the top level of SM Seaside Tower opening soon.
KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING Follow @smseasidecebu on Twitter, SM Seaside City Cebu Official on Facebook, @smseasidecitycebu on Instagram or smseasidecitycebu.com for updates and info.
Love! fab hotels
at
n st
IN BUZZY SIEM REAP, THE AVIARY LIVES UP TO ITS NAME AS AN URBAN OASIS The Aviary, a modern, 25-room boutique hotel in central Siem Reap, makes for quite the sanctuary after a full day of Angkor temple-hopping, shopping and dining. Just off Pub Street, and built into one corner of a commercial arcade, the hotel is delightfully awash in natural light, and a smart use of space gives it a surprisingly roomy and relaxing feel, much like walking into a bright, tropical spa. An avian theme is carried across the property in thoughtful touches — a feather mural above the
bed, a traditional birdcage sourced from Cambodia’s many craft villages. It’s an oasis in the truest sense: an atrium surrounded by walls of red brick is decked out in green foliage, and rooms with balconies look out on to a turquoise, ground-floor pool. Each floor is linked by wraparound balcony hallways, and all throughout the hotel, from the bedrooms to the corner
nooks, tasteful, on-trend mid-century furniture in a natural-wood finish and brightly colored upholstery prove inviting for a quiet read or lazy lounge. The hotel also houses useful outlets — you can grab a midday caffeine boost and a baked pastry at The Flock Café on the ground floor, or book a massage at the in-house Amret Spa, where trained therapists will knead and squeeze you back to top form. Insider tip: if you like a strong, deep-tissue massage, ask for Yok. After the relaxing massage, retreat to the Glide Bar on the rooftop. It has cushioned seats you can curl up on and offers irresistible half-priced cocktails for happy hour (about US$2.50 for a Mango Daiquiri!) that are perfect for a sundowner chill-out. 9, Street 168 Sivatha Rd, Krong Siem Reap, +855 63 767 876; theaviaryhotel.com
NEIGHBORHOOD HOP THE AVIARY IS A SHORT WALK TO KANDAL VILLAGE, AN UP-AND-COMING HIP ENCLAVE WITH A WORLDLY VIBE The Little Red Fox Espresso This cozy, third-wave coffee spot has all the hallmarks of those famed Melbourne-style cafés — communal table, a range of specialty coffees and super-sociable staff. Hup Guan St, +855 16 669 724
Armand’s the Bistro Of course Siem Reap has a smart French bistro. If you’re up for something light as a pre-dinner snack, the Bruschetta with Anchovies (US$6) is divine. 586 Tep Vong, Sangkat Svay Dangkum, +855 9230 5401; armandsbistro.com
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Frangipani Spa The sports massage (US$35) is sheer bliss, as is the 75-minute Gua Sha facial (US$66), which uses polished, cold jade stones to massage your face. 24 Hup Guan St, +855 12 982 062; frangipanisiemreap.com
Yum
Thrifty in Taipei
dining in the city
Soy yummy! Begin your morning with a bowl of soy milk paired with Taiwanese-styled fried fritters and clay oven rolls (known as shaobing in Chinese). Dip your fritters in the soy milk and chew away. Fu Hang Dou Jiang, or Fu Hang Soymilk, inside Huashan Market near Shando Temple MRT station Exit 5, is loved by locals and tourists alike, but expect to wait in a line for at least 30 minutes before you get to chomp on crunchy shaobing. Another favorite is Yung Ho Dou Jiang (102, Section 2, Fuxing S Rd).
Afternoon booster After lunch, it would be a great time to explore the numerous tea and coffee shops in Taipei. Minsheng Community is an unrivaled spot for an afternoon adventure, with countless independent cafés and shops. Stop by Rokucyoume, which means “Land Lot Number Six” (7, Lane 6, Xinzhong St; facebook.com/ rokucyoumecafe) when you get tired from walking. Enjoy this Japanese-style café’s mocha latte and mocha rolls. Nearby is Sometimes Bean (9, Alley 4, Lane 36, Section 5, Minsheng E Rd; facebook. com/sometimesbeans), which sells Taiwanese red-bean paste and custard pies, which are best enjoyed hot. The shop also offers its unique cheese-and-potato pie; order Taiwanese tea to go with your tiny snack.
Let’s meat For carnivores, slurping a bowl of beef noodles for lunch is as Taiwanese as you get. Lin Dong-fang (274, Section 2, Bade Rd) is a great spot for this. You can order pure beef, pure tendon, or both for your bowl of noodles. Enjoy it with their savory signature bean curd dish (or hua gan). Once the noodle is served, add the secret spicy paste into the soup to elevate the experience. Take the MRT to Zhongxiao Fuxing station and leave at Exit 5; the restaurant is about 10 minutes away on foot. 44
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Fried and trusted Once voted the best fried rice in Taipei, the Minsheng Fried Rice street stall has a limited number of seats at the entrance of Lane 27, Section 5, Minsheng E Road. Their salty fish fried rice and a bowl of veggie soup are well worth the 30-minute wait. If you can’t queue that long, just ask what the chef is cooking next and try that; you can never go wrong here, no matter what you order.
BY MARGARET GOH; PHOTOS BY DANIEL SHIH
YOU DON’T NEED TO BREAK THE BANK TO ENJOY DELICIOUS FOOD IN TAIWAN’S CAPITAL. HERE ARE AFFORDABLE PLACES TO GET YOUR FILL
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE FEATURE PROMOTIONAL
Find your place in the sun BE IN THE BEST SPOT TO ENJOY ALL THAT QUEZON CITY HAS TO OFFER AT AVIDA TOWERS SOLA IN VERTIS NORTH Quezon City is one of the booming cities in the Philippines. It offers a good environment to live in, and is poised for economic growth. You can take advantage of what this city has to offer in Vertis North, the 29-hectare master-planned, mixeduse and eco-sustainable development by Ayala Land. Everything is within reach in Vertis North. It is connected to the rest of the Metro via EDSA and North Avenue, as well as the MRT. It’s near TriNoma shopping mall, as well as prestigious universities and some of the country’s best secondary schools. Vertis North is also a short drive or ride away to places of work, including television networks, UP AyalaLand Technohub and government institutions. Want to be at the center of it all? Make Avida Towers Sola your home. It puts you in the best position to enjoy
Wake up to brighter days at Avida Towers Sola (building and pool are artists’ perspectives)
ride a bike or just hang out, is right across the towers. Avida Towers Sola provides spaces for community building as well. There’s a clubhouse with a social hall, an outdoor lounge, an indoor gym, kiddie and adult swimming pools, a playground and pocket gardens, and retail units at the ground level. With all these on your doorstep, you’ll surely start waking up to brighter days at Avida Towers Sola. HLURB TLS No. ENCRFO 15-10-028
all that Vertis North and Quezon City have to offer, while also offering a haven you can return to at the end of a productive day. The high-rise condominium has studio-type bedrooms, single-bedroom units, right-
sized two-bedroom units, and three-bedroom units so you’ll surely find the space to suit you and your needs. Avida Towers Sola provides spaces for you to relax and enjoy. For starters, Vertis North Gardens, where you can run,
EDSA, North Triangle, Quezon City
INTERESTED? For more information about Avida Land, visit their website at avidaland.com or call +63 2 848 5200 (within Metro Manila) or 1 800 10 848 5200 (outside Metro Manila).
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Ping! cool stuff
VIRTUALLY EVERYWHERE
Head into another realm
NO MATTER YOUR BUDGET, YOU CAN DIVE INTO VIRTUAL REALITIES WITH ONE OF THESE HEADSETS
Oculus Rift A Kickstarter crowd favorite, the Oculus Rift was such a hot item that the business was quickly snapped up by Facebook. Its high price is offset by the slew of games and applications already in the wings to satisfy its large and dedicated fanbase. US$599; oculus.com
Samsung Gear VR Powered by Oculus, Samsung’s VR headset seems a very affordable choice — as long as you have a Samsung phone to use with it. It’s worth considering, given the gorgeous AMOLED screens on the company’s flagship phones. US$99; samsung.com
Google Cardboard In addition to its spartan design, Google Cardboard accepts a wide variety of Android phones. It’s actually quite popular with hobbyists and makers but even for nontinkerers, it’s a cheap and affordable gateway into VR. US$15; google.com/ get/cardboard/getcardboard
Case sturdy Our luggage gets tossed and rolled a lot — that’s why it’s essential to invest in a high-quality suitcase, such as the Echolac Cloette. The hard-case trolley is made of durable polycarbonate, and four smooth-rolling Hinomoto wheels with a brake system, so you don’t have to worry about your luggage rolling away from you. Available at leading department stores in the Philippines 48 SMILE • APRIL 2016
Virtual Reality (VR) has come a very long way from science-fiction writer Stanley Weinbaum’s 1935 story, “Pygmalion’s Spectacles”. In it, one simply had to don a special pair of goggles to experience a constructed world as if it were real. If done convincingly enough, you wouldn’t be able to tell where fantasy ended and reality began. Of course, Weinbaum’s story seems quaint by today’s standards — but he was definitely on the right track. The key to making the virtual seem real is to make the technology itself, the very medium through which such constructed worlds are conveyed, all but invisible. It’s only in recent years that the technology has become powerful, lightweight and affordable enough to make virtual reality, well, an everyday reality. VR has always been touted as a gateway to new worlds — that’s why it makes sense for travel brands to jump on the bandwagon. Resort operator Club Med has launched 360° videos through its YouTube channel, offering guests a chance to snorkel in the Maldives, fly on a trapeze in Punta Cana or meet the staff in its resorts. To elevate the rollercoaster experience, US-based amusement park operator Six Flags has recently introduced virtual coasters. Through VR headsets, riders are thrust into a world where they’re face-toface with aliens, and even Lex Luthor. Welcome to a whole new world. — TJ Dimacali
Oohlala travel tech
PREVIEW YOUR TRIP If you’re tired of reading through reviews from TripAdvisor, use Instagram to check real-time updates from real people. Enter the hashtag for your specific destination and scroll through the feed to know where to go. You’ll also see what people are wearing — helpful if you’re not sure what to pack. Free on Google Play and the App Store
FIND YOUR WAY I’ve found the routes from City Mapper to be more accurate than Google Maps. Trying to navigate the old laneways of Beijing? Give it a shot. If you’re heading off the beaten track but then get hungry and need to find that hole-in-the-wall restaurant ASAP, this app will save the day. Free on Google Play and the App Store
Get agpop! and
NY ER JEN HER L E V A R NED T PS FOR SEASO ELIES ON AP E OF HER R IV PEÑAS . HERE ARE F LS ES TRAVE HONE STAPL P SMART
KNOW THE WEATHER Its developers call Swackett “a Different Kind of Weather App”, and it’s true. The iOS app uses cartoons dressed up in the appropriate outfit for the day’s weather. Swackett also tells you to carry an umbrella on a rainy day, while on hot days it reminds you to apply sunscreen and bring a water bottle. Free on the App Store
REMEMBER YOUR TRIP Day One is a multi-platform journaling iOS app. Take note of your ideas while on the road and review them later from your iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. It lets you integrate photos, current location, weather data and more into your journal entries. You can keep your memories to yourself, or choose to publish and share them. US$4.99 on the App Store
UNDERSTAND THE LINGO Konnichiwa! Hola! Ni hao! Say “hello” and more in the local language with Google Translate. One of the app’s best updates is a remarkable feature whereby you can point your camera to any sign, menu or text and it will magically translate the words into English. Free on Google Play and the App Store
Doin’ it old-school Note-taking and journaling can both be done conveniently on smartphones these days, but I still love feeling my pen glide on paper. When story or trip ideas come, I always whip out my Quest Journal. Aside from the buttery-soft leather cover, I love that it comes with grid and lined notepads. I use the former for never-ending to-do lists, and the latter for jotting down ideas. The vinyl pocket is also useful — it’s where I keep my receipts when we’re out of town doing cover shoots. Visit ilovebdj.com to get your own. – Kat Mateo 50 SMILE • APRIL 2016
Wow love these
Clutch on to your conscience
TEXT AND STYLING BY TATA MAPA; PHOTO BY VIC GUERRERO
THESE BOLD, BEAUTIFUL BAGS FROM TALI HANDMADE COME WITH AN AWESOME BACKSTORY
Take your outfit from drab to fab with one of these gorgeous accessories from Tali Handmade. Tali means “to tie” in Tagalog, and each bag is handcrafted from unconventional raw materials, such as plastic straws, using traditional crochet techniques. This combination of creativity and innovation is easy to spot in Tali Handmade’s exquisite design details, where vibrant patterns, premium hardware and luxe embellishments all make for oh-so-chic carry-all totes,
Left to right: Monowara Random Clutch, US$205; Soleil Diamon Clutch, US$205; Gina Bag Chevron, US$230
statement clutches and striking slings. But these luxury bags also stand out for another reason: their stunning designs help empower impoverished women on a grass-roots level. In 2013 founders Liza Morales Crespo and Marielle de Leon Lazaro paid a visit to the female inmates of a Philippine city jail. Liza and Marielle, who are both working moms, were inspired to help
change the lives of these women for the better. They first taught them to make simple crochet patterns, then moved on to more advanced skills. Today, the Tali Handmade social enterprise uplifts the lives and living conditions of women in rural areas by honing their skills and allowing them to earn decent wages — opportunities that have helped to turn their lives around.
GET YOUR HANDS ON IT Tali Handmade items are available at seektheuniq.com, and at Rustan’s Shangri-La, Rustan’s Makati, El Nido Resorts, Amanpulo, Makati Shangri-La boutique and Cura V Rockwell.
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Woot! good reads
She writes of passage
GRAPHIC FANTASY
In Blood: Collected Stories, Singapore-based Filipina author Noelle de Jesus writes about what’s closest to her heart: women who’ve journeyed away from their homeland, and the raw emotions that stir within them. Here she shares fun insights about her writing process and real-life stories that birthed the poignant tales in her latest book. What inspired some of the stories in your new book? Passport came about because I happened to have my passport disappear exactly the way it did in the story. Merienda came from a friend in graduate school who had learned Tagalog as a Peace Corps volunteer. He insisted there was no word more beautiful than the word ‘merienda’, and promised me he would name his daughter that.
Where’s the craziest place you’ve written? I’ve written on an airplane, on the back blank pages of a book because I had no notebook or laptop. I’ve written at restaurants while eating alone. But the funniest place I write is in my sleep. I can no longer count the number of gifts my dreams have given me — entire plots rendered whole, crystalized in a dream. For First Love, the final scene came to me in a dream. The best writing advice you’ve received? Professor Michael Mott, one of my professors in graduate school at Bowling Green State University, said you must write what you fear most. Meet the material head on and write it. Don’t shirk it because that is what’s going to be most true. Maybe that’s why many of my stories are somehow sad. I guess you can say I fear sadness.
GET A COPY Blood: Collected Stories is available in Singapore bookstores, with a Manila release coming soon. ethosbooks.com.sg
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VERSES OF LOVE Whether it’s about love found, lost or overlooked, Pierra Calasanz-Labrador writes each of the 40 poems in The Heartbreak Diaries with tenderness and eloquence. But Pierra’s not mired in heartbreak. She says it best in those last lines of Resilient: “Like skin, you can grow back a heart.” Available at Hey Kessy, Common Room and National Book Store.
BY MAYA CALICA
SMILE CHATS WITH AUTHOR NOELLE DE JESUS ABOUT HER NEW BOOK, BLOOD: COLLECTED STORIES
Mythopolis, Comic Book Lab’s first graphic novel series, is the brainchild of co-creators Marco Mañalac and JV Tanjuatco (who also wrote it), illustrator Jim Jimenez and letterer Gener Pedriña. In this first instalment, femme fatale heroine Cindy and rogue “peacemaker” Ashby meet in a strange bar, and break all three of Mythopolis’ rules (1. Don’t draw attention to yourself; 2. Don’t get caught; 3. Keep the peace), kicking off a fantasy crime-noir adventure for comic fans. The print edition of Mythopolis #1 (PG Edition) is available in all Comic Odyssey branches in Manila, and you can go to gumroad.com to download the digital edition.
THESE AWESOME PEOPLE REALLY KNOW THEIR STUFF — HEAR IT STRAIGHT FROM THEM
HOME FOR A HOLIDAY
PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES
“Home is a great spot right now,” said Ryan Reynolds when we asked what his favorite vacation spot is. He lives in a village a few hours away from New York City with his wife, Blake Lively, and their daughter, James. “I love going home. That feels like a vacation spot to me. But if I am going to pick one place in the world where I could go, it’s probably Africa. I have been there a few times. It’s stunning.” Flip the page for more from Ryan
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Hot topic
Dead funny SMILE FINDS RYAN REYNOLDS JUST AS QUICK-WITTED AND LIKABLE IN REAL LIFE AS THE CHARACTERS HE PROJECTS ON SCREEN When we asked Ryan Reynolds if Deadpool’s assertive nature came easily to him, the answer was a resounding, “Big time!” The actor also shares a few other things with the popular new breed of superhero — a funny, wisecracking and sassy attitude, a penchant for bawdy language and humor, and an undeniable sex appeal. In case you haven’t heard, US entertainment magazine People, which named Ryan as 2010’s Sexiest Man Alive, also declared him Sexiest Dad Alive in February 2016 (he’s married to actress Blake Lively, with whom he has a daughter, James, born just over a
year ago). Ryan is the first to make fun of himself and those “sexy” titles, but then his Canadian quick wit is ready and eager to make fun of anything. Read on for Exhibit A. You just came back from a promotional trip to Taiwan for Deadpool. How was it? I love Taiwan. I loved being there. Taipei is not a place where I am used to doing an international screening or premiere. The movie we showed the Taiwanese audience was not even finished — it was still a rough cut — but we are so proud and confident of the 58 SMILE • APRIL 2016
movie that we were happy to show it like that. But it was so special. That is probably the greatest part of my job — I get to travel around the world and get to go to places I wouldn’t normally go. This movie and character are so popular around the world that I have been invited to all these places that normally, Hugh Jackman just tells me about. So it’s been fun. In what ways are you like Deadpool? I have a tendency to be able to turn this thing on that’s like a non-stop meme machine. On the other end of the spectrum, it could be this corrosive, acerbic wit. I was lucky because I grew up in a family with three older brothers. I had to rely on my mouth more than I could rely on my fists. So I cultivated these aspects of
BY RUBEN V NEPALES; PHOTOS BY 20TH CENTURY FOX, FOX & GETTY IMAGES
chatfest with Hollywood stars
Clockwise from opposite page: At a Deadpool fan event in New York City; a scene from Deadpool; Ryan with wife Blake Lively; on set with director Tim Miller
my personality that I can turn on and off. And in interviews like this, I try to keep it contained and answer questions normally, but when I put the big, red body condom [his Deadpool suit] on, it’s go time. How did fatherhood change you? And if Deadpool became a dad, how would that change him? You change everything when you become a dad. I never imagined that I would be doing the things that I am doing now. The other day, I changed a diaper that was so bad, I thought we would have to move to another town. I just opened the diaper and there were gang signs in there. So obviously, there are things that changed. But I love being a dad and having a baby. I always knew I would love that part of it, but I love everything — the tough stuff, the easy
“I love being a dad and having a baby. I love everything — the tough stuff, the easy stuff”
stuff. My wife and I are pretty handson with it all. We wouldn’t have it any other way. As for Deadpool being a dad, that would make for a f**k hell of a movie. He would have to watch his language. Yeah, but he wouldn’t. So you would have this little cussing infant, whose first words are like [unprintable — Ed]. Deadpool loves his compound swear words, as we have learned. How did Blake react when she saw you in the Deadpool suit for the first time? Did she think it was too tight? Oh, my wife is not going to complain 59 SMILE • APRIL 2016
about the costume being too tight [laughs]. She is fine with that. She loved it. She knew it was an 11-year dream of mine to bring this to the screen and to do it the right way. My baby didn’t. Every time my daughter saw the scar makeup, she cried. One of the film’s themes is time, especially time spent with the people you love. What does time mean to you, especially now that you have a kid? Time flickers by in a weird way when you have a kid. Because you think, if we are lucky enough, we live 85 years, right? That’s a good long life. And then suddenly, a year goes by with your kid and you think: My kid will have 84 more of these if she is lucky. You suddenly get a different perspective and you start to really appreciate the little moments.
Wander lust travel like a pro
Sage traveler RECENTLY VOTED ASIA’S BEST FEMALE CHEF, THE MULTI-TASKING MARGARITA FORÉS IS A BUSY LADY. BUT SHE STILL KNOWS HOW TO MAKE EVERY TRIP FEEL LIKE A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE Winning the title of Asia’s Best Female Chef 2016 at the recent Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards is an accolade Margarita Forés deserves, but it doesn’t change the way she views herself or her work ethic. It does, though, give her a chance to look back and see how far she’s come — and she has a lot that she feels thankful for. “The very first Cibo restaurant was situated in a walkway connecting Glorietta to The Landmark department store,” she recalls fondly. “The success of that store gave birth to what Cibo is today, with 12 stores in its 19th year. We still go back there every August 22 to say a prayer and give thanks, even if it’s now just a passageway, with the marks of our old kitchen counter still on the marble floor.” Aside from these 12 branches, chef Forés has two other restaurants (Lusso and Grace Park) and a catering
Top to bottom: Margarita Forés, Asia’s Best Female Chef 2016; with a dalandan farmer in Mindoro; her restaurant in Makati, Lusso
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company, Cibo di M, to run and care for. And when you count her other activities — she helped establish the culinary school Casa Artusi Philippines and co-wrote Kulinarya, a book about Philippine regional recipes — you’ll see that Margarita has a lot on her plate, both literally and figuratively. Yet she still makes the time to travel — it’s essential for her, as it gets her creative juices flowing. “Traveling is my best source of inspiration. It’s also a chance to rest, relax and bond with the family,” Margarita says. “Every occasion to travel is a chance to enrich my knowledge of, and exposure to, food and produce; it continues to enrich my work to no end.” You could say traveling reveals another side to her as well. If working in a restaurant kitchen requires quick thinking, being time-conscious, and a talent for organization and order,
Wander lust
Clockwise from above left: Margarita’s trip to Batanas was eye-opening for her; the chef in front of her old apartment in Florence, Italy; with her Best Female Chef 2016 trophy at the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2016 awards
Explore on your own It was in Florence, where I went to learn Italian cuisine and culture by myself the first time. The city is relatively small; it was easy for me to get to know it and feel at home very quickly. I still feel like a homing pigeon whenever I go back.
sugar, and the memories of living beside the sugar mill, which are still very fresh in my mind. That’s where I learned how to cook rice, in a palayok clay pot underneath my house. Discover new territory Visiting Batanes, the northernmost tip of the Philippines, was an eyeopener, especially in terms of cuisine. Ivatan cuisine and culture are so unique, I believe I barely scratched the surface. The mountainous terrain against the big surf, dotted with a stone house, is a sight I won’t ever tire of.
Revisit old haunts — and make them feel like home The city of New York brings back a lot of family memories, since we moved there in self-exile in 1972. We stayed for 15 years and re-created our Cubao living space within eight blocks of the Upper East Side. Learn from the locals My family is from Bago City in Negros Occidental, and I spent summers in Bacolod as a child until we moved to New York. I can still remember the aroma of bagasse, the product of milling
@
Be a “tourist” sometimes It was at the Trevi Fountain in Rome where I first threw coins and made a wish as a wide-eyed 11-yearold girl traveling to Italy for the first time with my mother and two siblings. I’ve been back countless times, so I guess that first wish did come true. I never leave home without… My Filofax camouflages as a wallet, because people won’t mistake it for what it really is. Plus it has a calculator, pockets for credit cards and a diary where I can save all my memories. I also take a pair of canvas travel slip-ons that come in a zipper case on trips that last for six hours or more, and wear them with travel pajamas. My own cashmere scarf keeps me warm without having to use the airline blanket. My Susanne Kaufmann hydrating lotion, which is made with purely organic ingredients and spring water from Austria’s mountains, is light but effective. Then I have my black zippered case containing all my religious paraphernalia, to keep me safe in all my travels.
WHAT’S COOKING? Find out at @margaritafores on Instagram and margaritafores.com
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INTERVIEW BY CHARMAINE BAYLON; PHOTOS COURTESY OF @MARGARITAFORES
Margarita prefers more spontaneity while on the road. “I was never a planner,” she admits. “I try to live every minute, because it’s usually very hectic.” Still, like commemorating her first Cibo outlet, she loves to reminisce about the lessons she’s learned and the unforgettable spots she’s visited through the years. Here are a few to help you create even more special memories and journeys.
In the workshop with Atoy Llave
Atoy's story
PHOTO BY VIC GUERRERO
WITH HIS COMPANY’S AMPHIBIOUS H2O SALAMANDER VEHICLE, DESIGNER ATOY LLAVE HOPES TO BRING URGENT ASSISTANCE TO FILIPINOS STRICKEN BY FLOODS
Every year in the Philippines we see scenes of people braving the floods, and the damage these deluges cause. Such images deeply affect Atoy Llave, chief designer of H2O Technologies — which is why he and his team created the H2O Salamander, an amphibious vehicle that operates effectively on both land and water, and can accommodate up to six people.
The company, which invents socially driven transportation and technology, launched the Salamander in January 2015, though it’s not yet available for the mass market. There are currently two models: one is electric, while the other runs on gas. Inventing and product design come naturally to Atoy, who is also 65 65 SSMMI ILLEE •• AAPPRRI ILL 22001166
the founder of Atoy Customs — an outfit that customizes cars and trucks for marketing and events. The company portfolio includes food trucks, music vans and product display vehicles. But whatever project Atoy dreams up and takes on, you can be sure he’d like it to make an impact on his clients and a difference in the community.
In the workshop
We asked Atoy more about his work, what he hopes the Salamander can achieve and what drives him forward.
How do you imagine it being received here and internationally? The fact that it’s a Philippine invention will draw attention and recognition. We feel that the product will be accepted, and that it’ll be successful — because it will help save people’s lives, and not just in Manila. Right now we’re waiting for investors; it’s not easy to fund this and make the Salamander fully operational. You need money to buy and import the machinery, engine and parts, and assemble them. Some will find the Salamander expensive, but it’s not why we made it. At the end of the day, we want it to work with the government’s budget and help save lives. And Filipinos created it! Do you think its range of uses will expand beyond helping people in flood-prone areas in the Philippines? Yes, the Salamander won’t only be
Atoy lets actress Anne Curtis try out the Salamander
“I never say die… We are constantly evolving. And I don’t see failure as something negative, but a lesson”
for floods. The objective is to save lives, but in our minds it could work for island hopping, family bonding, father-son fishing or even a Pasig River taxi. It’s like a tricycle — you can use it for different things on a regular day. Have you always loved inventing? Yes. When I couldn’t buy certain things, like a pair of shoes or a bike, I would buy brands and parts that were cheaper, and create my own version. I would paint it and make my own graphic design, and it would look unique and expensive.
How does being the founder of Atoy Customs and chief designer of H2O Technologies influence the way you look at and tackle things? As a designer, I never say die. We make mistakes sometimes; we had a lot of trials with our motorhomes and food trucks at first before we were able to perfect them. We are constantly evolving. And I don’t see failure as something negative, but a lesson. A positive outlook and mindset are also important, and big things for me. And I don’t take challenges personally. What’s your next dream invention or design? Since 2001, I’ve been dreaming of a Philippine car designed for the people. But since we can’t get the support, it’s not sustainable — that’s why it’s still my dream. I wish we had one like Tata Motors, which provided solutions in India and benefited many people.
COME ALONG FOR THE RIDE Check out Atoy’s projects at facebook.com/h2osalamander, h2o-ph.com and atoycustoms.com
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MORE FROM ATOY Read our complete interview at waytogo.cebupacificair.com
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BY CHARMAINE BAYLON; PHOTO COURTESY OF H2O TECHNOLOGIES
We first heard and read about the H2O Salamander last year. What changes and developments have occurred since then? There have been many. Since we launched the original design at the end of January 2015, we’ve fixed the specifications based on people’s comments. For the second model, we changed the body and doors, the propeller and overall weight. We think the issues — like water possibly coming in to the Salamander — have been solved, and everything has worked out.
Backstage with Rex Navarrete
Fi rst man standing SMILE CHATS WITH PIONEERING COMEDIAN REX NAVARRETE TO FIND OUT HIS THOUGHTS ON BEING A COMEDY GODFATHER — AND WHAT HE THINKS OF STANDUP TODAY IN THE PHILIPPINES
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How have things changed since you first started doing standup in the Philippines? First of all, there’s real comedy happening here now — real standup, which is the craft that I practice. That’s a big change. When I started doing standup here from 2002 all the way to 2007, it was really hard. No one was doing it. Do you feel like you’re the father of standup comedy in the country? I feel like I’m the ninong [godfather]. I’m glad I had a part in that — introducing the format, and letting them see it live like how it’s done from abroad. The local comedy scene here was not like how it was abroad; they used to have their own style. And then I introduced a new way of doing it. But I also let them handle it. It’s now run by the indigenous tribes. I just tell them what not to do.
BY NOWIE POTENCIANO
Are audiences different here compared to the US? Well, there’s obviously the Pinoy flavor. And trying to calibrate the audience to this kind of format — what to expect at a comedy show, and how to behave at one. At a music club, you don’t have to pay attention so much. At a comedy show, we ask you to pay attention and be part of it. That’s a new thing that this audience is learning. The great thing with Filipino audiences is that once they’re into it, they love it. Do you have to adjust to the local audience in any way? Maybe the material, but the delivery is mostly the same. Delivering to Boracay is a little different to playing in Manila. It’s a little more casual here, a little more kicked back. It’s crazy, because people just want to party — you’re not going to get their attention, and you’ve got to expect that to happen. But otherwise, it works out. People just want to have a good time.
Is it difficult to psych yourself up to start a set? It can be. You really need to prepare however you can for shows. Each show is totally different: the vibe, the layout, the people, yourself, your mood. Tell me about your first time doing standup in front of an audience. It was a long time ago. I was just a college kid and I made a lot of mistakes. But I wanted to try it and then it just became easier. I got better at it, then people wanted to see me more. Then suddenly I’m five years in and it’s the real deal — I’m getting paid for it, I’m traveling. It was weird. It just sucked me in. Which is your favorite audience that you have played to? I never have a favorite audience. It’s always the one I’ve just played for. That audience that has been waiting for me, waiting to connect with my material. They’ve seen me on YouTube and now they’re going to see the real live show. I want to make it their night. Have you seen any great new talent in the country? Man, there’s a lot, like the whole crew of Comedy Manila. They have a kickass line-up of great local comics. And
“I feel like the godfather of standup comedy in the Philippines. I’m glad I had a part in that”
@
Where wit’s at MANILA’S COMEDY SCENE IS ALIVE AND KICKING COMEDY MANILA Headliners from Comedy Manila will be tickling those funny bones all through April, including Alex Calleja, G.B. Labrador, James Caraan, Victor Anastacio and Red Ollero. Head to facebook.com/comedymanila to check out the where and when. OPEN MIC Join the Pinoy standup comedy revolution. Open-mic nights allow you to take your material on a test run as you shed those performance jitters. You can open for standups every Wednesday at Sev’s Café, P. Ocampo St, Manila (starting at 7.30pm), and every Thursday at Uno Morato, Tomas Morato cor. E. Rodriguez Ave., Quezon City (starting at 9pm). Go to comedymanila.com/open-mic for more details and registration.
they’re inspiring a lot of other comics from other cities like Olongapo and Cebu, and getting them to adopt the format. The guys of Comedy Manila are really holding it strong. What’s next for you? [I will] just keep working anywhere, and that’s it. I still perform a lot in the United States and Canada, and I’ll also come out to the Philippines, where comedy is growing. Wherever the work is and you get called to do it, you’ve got to go. Playing in Boracay was a nice experience, and I’ll be back. It was a nice experiment, setting up a new club and starting the very first comedy club in Boracay. That’s a big deal.
LAUGH SOME MORE Follow @rexnavarrete on Twitter, and facebook.com/rexnavarretecomedy for updates on his gigs.
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High f lyer traveling for business
ABBA NAPA Occupation: RESTAURATEUR Company: THE MOMENT GROUP Based in: MANILA
BY CHARMAINE BAYLON; PHOTO BY VIC GUERRERO
How often do you travel for work? Quite a bit. It seems that I travel more for work than for pleasure nowadays! But I love to travel, so whether it’s for work or play, I always find the time to enjoy it. What’s your preferred flight time? Early afternoons are great for me, because I can still get things done in the morning. But whatever the case, I try to time my flight so that I get to the city with time left in the day to still have a meal or two. The more meals that can be had, the merrier. What’s the first thing you do once you’re on board the plane? Message my family that I’ve boarded,
and either ask for a glass of wine or download all emails into my laptop so I can answer them while up in the air. It’s the best time to do so with no interruptions. Which seat do you prefer — window or aisle? Aisle, definitely. But a window that is also the aisle [like in first class] is just great, isn’t it? What’s your preferred accommodation — chain hotel, boutique or Airbnb? It really depends on where I am headed, and if I’m traveling for business or pleasure. For the most part, I do appreciate the convenience of a hotel and the services it provides. They make your stay that much more 71 SMILE • APRIL 2016
pleasurable and/or efficient. What’s your preferred transport — taxi, Uber or rental car? Uber is great, especially in cities where I don’t speak the language and can’t decipher the addresses of where I need to get to. It has saved me a lot of time that I used to spend on being lost. Which app do you use most on your travels, and what do you use it for? I use a lot of apps. Weather is one. Flight+, Instagram, Snapchat and Evernote too. When and where did you take your last holiday? I spent Christmas in the Maldives to get in some good diving, and to finally spot a manta ray.
How to... travel sustainably
Eco explorer CUT YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT WHILE TRAVELING WITH THESE TIPS FROM CORDILLERA CONSERVATION TRUST’S CHIEF FOREST BUILDER, JP ALIPIO
TRAVEL THE GREEN WAY
FLY DIRECT
Taking public transport is the most environmentally friendly way to travel, next to walking or riding a bike. The average carbon footprint when you’re driving a car is
Take-offs and landings burn a lot of jet fuel, so try to fly directly to your destination where possible.
1.87kg, 0.13kg
PACK
compared to
LIGHTLY
if you ride the train.
According to research, every additional 10lbs per airplane passenger requires
MILLION 350 GALLONS
of jet fuel per year. That amount of fuel can keep a 747 flying for 10 years!
HIRE RESPONSIBLE
GUIDES & OUTFITTERS Be sure to conduct background checks on guide services and outfitters when you travel. Are their practices ethical and environmentally sustainable? If they claim to help the local community, are their business practices fair? These are questions you need to ask before you engage service providers.
BRING YOUR OWN WATER BOTTLE to help reduce the amount of plastic waste. You’ll also help save the energy that’s needed for processing bottled water. Consider buying a portable filter, which you can use on taps in any country.
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That’s another reason to stick with carry-on. The lighter the plane, the less fuel it burns and the less impact it has on the environment.
MINIMIZE YOUR WASTE You can continue the environmentfriendly habits you practice at home when you travel, too. This includes bringing reusable shopping bags, leaving disposable utensils when dining out or choosing biodegradable packaging when you need to take food away.
features WE’VE GATHERED STORIES FROM ACROSS THE NETWORK TO INSPIRE YOUR NEXT TRIP
MAKE A SPLASH Can you tell we’re falling-overourselves thrilled that summer is in full swing? We can think of one place we want to be (make a wild guess where), and hundreds of options to choose from. This month, we bring you 17 pages of beachside bliss, kicking off the tour with the classic choice for a sizzling holiday.
PHOTO BY JOREM CATILO
Have you been to Boracay lately? >
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BACK TO THE BEACH
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BACK TO THE BEACH
NO ONE SHOULD NEED ANY PERSUADING TO RUSH TO BORACAY THIS SUMMER — BUT JUST IN CASE YOU’RE STILL LOOKING FOR A REASON TO GO, WE GIVE YOU EIGHT. FREIDA DARIO-SANTIAGO REPORTS
W
PHOTO BY JOREM CATILO; BIKINI BY A PIECE OF GREEN
hen the sun comes out, the country’s summer capital sparkles. And when the sun sets, the entire island pulses with a nightlife few beach destinations in the region can match. Boracay’s phenomenal transformation from secret paradise to global hotspot has changed the island, but for better or worse, this dog boneshaped island still delivers on the promise of an unforgettable beach holiday.
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BACK TO THE BEACH
y l f o G a ki te
If getting a surge of adrenaline is high on your summer checklist, try one of Boracay’s specialty sports: kiteboarding. Windsurfing champion Nenette Aguirre-Graf introduced the island to the sport 15 years ago, and Bulabog Beach on the eastern side is considered among the top kiteboarding beaches in Asia. The school she pioneered, Hangin Greenyard, offers lessons for all levels — whether you’ve never held a kite or have tried once or twice before — and courses are taught on a one-on-one basis, usually spread over three to
four days, by internationally certified instructors. If you invest enough time, energy and focus, you can go from fumbling with your harnesses and being dragged across the sand to a master of wind and kite in just one trip to Boracay. If you’re keen on kiteboarding, pre-book lessons with Hangin (there’s also a second branch called Hangin Kiteboard Center North) through
their websites and get a 10% discount on fees. The sport is wind and weather dependent, so check online to make sure conditions are ripe and that your lesson is scheduled during low tide, when the lagoon is nice and shallow. As an added attraction, the kite school’s beachfront location offers a front-row seat to the amazing and colorful spectacle of kiteboarders and kitesurfers zipping across the horizon.
Go to Hangin Greenyard Funboard Center is located right in front of the famous Bulabog Beach landmark “Boracay Rock”; +63 36 288 3663; hanginkite.com; ilovekite.com; kiteboarding boracay.com
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PHOTOS BY JOREM CATILO (BOTTOM) AND JACK JARILLA (TOP)
Watching that blazing red ball of fire sink into the horizon is a Boracay classic that never gets cheesy or old, but you can still jazz up the whole sundowner experience by dipping into Aplaya Beach Bar, halfway between Boat Station 1 and D’Mall. The restaurant and bar specialists host special concept sunset parties every week, on top of productions by MVP Shanghai, an international event company whose founder, Mattia Visconti, has staged parties in Milan, Ibiza and Shanghai. Happy hour is set to live music (from 5pm to 8pm), then you can stay for dinner and wait for the resident DJ to top off your evening under the stars (on Fridays and Saturdays).
You’ve not really partied in Boracay until you’ve taken a cruise aboard Boracay SunCruiser’s 65ft outrigger fiberglass boat, customized to accommodate up to 80 passengers in full party mode. Company founder Richie Ley, who dreamed up the party boat company after a trip to the Maldives, says, “The design of this boat is very unique. If you look at it from afar, the impression is that it’s just a simple bangka or native outrigger boat. We designed it in such as way that there is no room for boredom.” Giant slide, anyone? The boat offers private charters, and comes with a full crew and
Call Aplaya Beach Bar, +63 36 288 2851; find them at facebook.com/ aplayaboracay
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deck stewards. It’s also equipped with a giant, inflatable slide that’s two storeys high and launches you straight into the deep, crystalline waters. But if you’d rather relax with a chilled drink courtesy of the full-bar service, there are sun beds and bean bags on spacious decks — perfect for watching the sun go down on another day in paradise. Rock the Boat Bikini Cruise Parties (monthly from 3pm until sunset) and SunStoked Boat Parties (daily from 3pm until sunset, except during private charters), featuring special guest DJs, are the hottest tickets on Boracay. For fees and schedules, check out their website; registration and pickup is at Boat Station 1 on the beachfront, by Sea Gaia.
Go to Willy’s Beach Hotel, Main Road, Station 1, Balabag District, +63 36 288 9079; boracaysuncruiser.com
BACK BACKTO TOTHE THEBEACH BEACH
Boracay is a social beach that loves a good party, round the clock, but even the most enthusiastic revelers will need some time off to recharge. In the mornings, the summer crowd will likely be toasting under the sun and sprawled almost shoulder to knee on White Beach. Skip all that and escape on the Hinugtan Beach Getaway Tour to Hinugtan Beach on the pristine coast of Panay island, just a 45-minute boat ride from Boracay. The kilometer-long stretch of private beach is run by friends and Boracay old-timers Otik Macavinta and Paolo Occhionero, who, after countless sailing trips in the area found a perfect spot for dropping anchor, chilling and cooking on dry land. Tours to Hinugtan require a minimum head count (usually 10), and include the boat charter plus a meal of authentic Filipino fare,
served on a garden that overlooks the sea. Hinugtan has absolutely no WiFi, making it the perfect spot for enjoying beach time the way we used to, before mobile technology made our downtime a hectic urry of taking snapshots and updating social media. Snorkel, doze off on a
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hammock, or just soak up the sun and enjoy a good book. Here you can really feel time slow down. Go to Hinugtan Beach, Buruanga, +63 36 288 3288; hinugtanbeach.com
BACK TO THE BEACH
gi ve back The Philippine Mermaid Swimming Academy, the brainchild of scuba instructor and co-founder Normeth PregloParzhuber, offers the ultimate water baby fantasy: learning to swim like a mythical creature of the deep. Normeth stumbled upon an online mermaid community while hunting for a Halloween costume, and that has since sparked serious inspiration. Now the school teaches mermaid wannabes everything from swimming strokes to tailflipping tricks. It’s the first in the
Philippines (and possibly the world) to introduce mermaidswimming in a school-like setting, and it’s one of the things you shouldn’t miss in Boracay. If you’re only half sold on the idea, there’s an option for wading for half an hour in shallow waters, tail and all, to have your photo taken. If you’ve always envied Ariel’s underwater deftness, the Scuba Mermaid course, which lasts four to five hours, is an option open for licensed scuba divers.
Go to Fisheye Divers, Station 1, White Beach (beside Starbucks) and Victory Divers, Station 3, White Beach, +63 917 324 3947; mermaidphilippines@gmail.com
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World Wildlife Fund ambassador Rovilson Fernandez is a serious advocate for coral rehabilitation. “[It’s] undoubtedly the most gratifying and fulfilling thing I’ve done on the activity-rich island — and trust me, I’ve done them all,” he says. “I’ve been taking so much from this island for years, it feels incredible to give back.” Most of us have reaped plenty of fun from this gem of an island, and one of the easiest and most interesting ways of giving it some love is by signing up for the Boracay Foundation Inc’s Coral Transplantation program, a campaign to raise awareness of the damage inflicted by both human-induced and natural destruction to the island’s marine resources. Coral transplantation is regularly done during summer season, when sea conditions at White Beach are calm, and volunteers need to be certified scuba divers. The dive comes with a fee (which includes dive gear, boat rental, a certificate and a token of thanks), and a minimum required number of five divers.
Contact BFI on +63 36 288 6299 or +63 920 951 6321; boracayisland.org
As you might expect on an island that draws over 1.5 million tourists from around the world annually, Boracay’s culinary scene has always been an interesting mix of regional and international cuisines. A few new standout establishments are worth a visit (or six), so brace your belly — this beachy hotspot is not for the faint of appetite. Up for some authentic Filipino
food with an updated twist? Head over to Subo Boracay, a restaurant that’s also a cultural and historical showcase. It’s designed as a heritage home and built from materials upcycled from a 115-year-old house. Here you can up the fancy factor and dine al fresco in the landscaped courtyard, under the stars. We recommend the kare-kare (beef shanks in peanut butter sauce with bone marrow); chicken paruparo (butterflied grilled chicken with a special ginger sauce); buko puso salad (a refreshing dish of heart of banana and coconut, mixed with Angus beef and a very light dressing); bagnet pinakbet (famous combination of deep-fried pork with a mix of native vegetables and signature fish paste), and the kinilaw sa gata (ceviche cooked in vinegar and coconut milk that gives the fish its light yet creamy texture). Sign up for chef Sunny de Ocampo’s cooking classes and learn how to recreate these memorable dishes long after your holiday is over. SpiceBird, on the other hand, brings the piri-piri craze to these white-sand shores, offering piri-piri boards served with a choice of pork, chicken or shrimp, which come with spicy rice, a side salad, veggie chips and a milky roll. The Piri-Piri Pulled Pork Sandwich, slow-cooked for more than 24 hours, is served in a freshly baked brioche bun from sister restaurant The Sunny Side Café, and is already a favorite among regulars. An array of homemade piri-piri sauces (piri-piri, Hotbird, garlic & lime and salsa verde) are arranged on every table, making it all the easier to spice up your dish. Hot tip: you can also buy and bring home bottles of their specialty sauces. This summer, they turn up the heat with three new dishes: Stuffed Pepper Board (grilled bell peppers stuffed with pork, mushroom 84 SMILE • APRIL 2016
and corn, then dressed with the signature piri-piri sauce), Pulpo Salad (a fresh octopus salad with cucumbers, tomatoes and light vinaigrette), and Piri-Piri Chicken Livers (a tasty starter cooked with red wine, onions and finished with piri-piri sauce). The restaurant is rather small and fills up in no time, so head over early for lunch (11am) or dinner (be there by 6pm). Another newcomer is Hoy, Panga!, described by one of its owners, comedian Marco Ho (better known as Bogart the Explorer, the Filipino Crocodile Dundee from Davao), as “the Andok’s and Max’s of grilled tuna. If Andok’s [grilled chicken experts] and Max’s [fried chicken specialists] had a baby, and that baby grew up and rebelled and decided to sell fish instead of chicken, that baby would be Hoy, Panga!” A bit of a roundabout description, but you’ve got to sink your teeth into it to catch his drift. Hoy, Panga!’s best bets are its grilled dishes, panga (tuna jaw) and tuna belly, but their menu includes traditional and very fiesta-style Filipino food like sinigang, grilled
PHOTOS BY JOREM CATILO; KIMONO COVER-UP AND PRINTED SHORTS BY HERE AND NOW; DAYDREAMER MAXI CAFTAN; LUMAGO MAY NECKLACE
BACK TO THE BEACH
BACK TO THE BEACH
Go to Subo Boracay Calle Remedios (right across from Dos Mestizos), Station 3, +63 36 288 2849; suboboracay.com SpiceBird Unit 108 D’Mall Plaza, behind the Ferris wheel, +63 36 288 1002; spicebirdgrill.com Hoy, Panga! Beachfront, Station 2 (by Uptown), +63 36 288 9039
The casual dining hall at Hoy, Panga! on the main road. Opposite page, from top: Filipino flavors at Subo Boracay; learning to make classic Pinoy dishes; the super sauce selection at SpiceBird
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pork belly, tuna kinilaw and grilled pork barbecue. If you’ve got a big squad looking for something fresh and filling, this would be the place to park yourselves. The tuna-specialist chain that started out in Davao City three years ago has two locations on the island — a giant open-air bamboo structure along the Boracay Main Road, and the beachfront on Boat Station 2, just by Uptown, which can accommodate up to 350 people, with part of the seating set up on the sand. The beachfront branch also stages monthly shows featuring a range of comedians they usually fly in — last month’s main act, for instance, was FilAm funnyman Rex Navarrete. Check out their Facebook and Instagram accounts (@ hoypangaboracay) to see who’s scheduled to perform.
Boracay might have most of the trappings of a major city (you’ll be surprised at the varieties of cheese available on the island), but its surrounding areas are still largely rural. The drive from Kalibo to the port town of Caticlan offers glimpses of how we used to live as an agricultural society — a carabao pulling a plough through muddy farmland, farmers planting rice, a solitary hut in the distance. The Motag Living Museum on the Aklan mainland offers visitors a taste of quintessential Philippine countryside living — for a fee, the whole family can enjoy a day of learning how to thresh and pound rice the old-fashioned way, make toys from coconut shells and play traditional Philippine games.
Go to Barangay Motag, Mainland, Malay, Aklan, +63 920 951 6321; motaglivingmuseum.com
Cebu Pacific flies to Boracay (Caticlan) from Manila and Cebu, and to Kalibo from Manila, Cebu, Clark and Hong Kong. cebupacificair.com
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PHOTOS BY JOREM CATILO (LEFT) AND MOTAG LIVING MUSEUM
BACK TO THE BEACH
SAND CRAWLERS, UNITE!
Shore to please LIFE ON OUR 7,107 ISLANDS IS AN UNCROWDED BEACH, IF YOU KNOW HOW TO GET TO IT. VETERAN ARCHIPELAGO WANDERER EDGAR ALAN ZETA-YAP LISTS 10 OF HIS FAVORITE SEASIDE STRETCHES
D
id anyone say beach? With a total length of 36,289km, the Philippines has the fourth-longest coastline in the world, so it’s no surprise that the country has all you sea-and-sand lovers spoiled for choice. Here, travel journalist Edgar Alan Zeta-Yap, who’s been to all 81 provinces spanning the entire archipelago, demonstrates how a little detour — or a big one involving a boat trip and a motorcycle run — can turn a great trip to the beach into an epic journey to a secret paradise. If you’re up for it this summer, check out these idyllic off-the-grid havens.
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PHOTO BY EDGAR ALAN ZETA-YAP
SAND CRAWLERS, UNITE!
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Anguib
Brgy Sa Beach n Ana, Ca Vicente, Santa g a ya n C Carved d along l g a th thumb-shaped b h d peninsula on the north-eastern corner of Luzon island, Anguib Beach is a deserted crescent of white sand with pine-like casuarina trees and glorious sunsets over the Babuyan Channel. After the long drive from Tuguegarao City, it’s a perfect spot for making like a willing castaway, setting up camp on soft sands and falling asleep under the sparkling night sky. Palaui Island is a protected nature reserve nearby that offers a lot of great hiking and birdwatching.
Santa Ana is three to four hours by van or bus from Tuguegarao City. From the town proper, charter a 20-minute tricycle ride to Anguib Beach.
SAND CRAWLERS, UNITE!
an Beach DicotcoItsidro, Brgy San abela s Palanan , I
Sandwiched by the Sierra Madre mountain range and the rough fringes of the Pacific Ocean, coastal Isabela is cut off from the rest of Luzon, making it one of the last frontiers of the archipelago. The Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park contains not only the country’s largest rainforest but extends to virgin shorelines like the 3km Dicotcotan Beach, which rewards the intrepid travelers who make the long and arduous journey to get there.
PHOTOS BY EDGAR ALAN ZETA-YAP
From Manila, travel by bus to Dingalan, Aurora via Cabanatuan City in five hours. From Dingalan, a ferry journey to Palanan takes roughly seven hours.
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SAND CRAWLERS, UNITE!
Nagtabon
Brgy Bacun Beach g Princesa C an , Puerto ity, Palawa n Looking for a peaceful seaside retreat in Palawan’s capital? Veer away from the droves of tourists that flock to Honda Bay and take a motorbike instead to Nagtabon Beach along the western coast of Puerto Princesa City. Set against lush mountain ranges, this broad stretch of creamcolored sand offers dramatic sunsets over the West Philippine Sea, skimboarding along its shallows, and even surfing on moderate swells between the months of October and February.
PHOTOS BY JOSIAH SICAD (MAIN) AND EDGAR ALAN ZETA-YAP
From Puerto Princesa, take a northbound van or bus to Brgy Bacungan, where you can hire a tricycle or habal-habal (motorbike) to Nagtabon Beach. The total travel time is roughly an hour.
Flanked by limestone headlands, Hermit’s Cove is a hidden crescent of coralline beach in the littleknown town of Aloguinsan along the mid-western coast of Cebu island. The beach was named after a hermit who had lived on this once-isolated beach. Now Hermit’s Cove can be reached via a wooden stairway built along the southern cliff. With the tranquil ve atmosphere of a Hermit’s Coon Cove) sleepy fishing (Kantabog gon, Aloguinsan, Cebu village, it’s a Brgy Kantabo perfect place for 93 SMILE • APRIL 2016
pitching a tent, and the tidal flats that stretch away to the depths of the Tañon Strait offer great snorkeling along its coral walls.
From the Cebu South Bus Terminal in Cebu City, take a bus to Aloguinsan, where a habal-habal can transfer you to Hermit’s Cove. The total travel time is around three hours.
SAND CRAWLERS, UNITE!
ach dak BeNuevo, n a y a T s darat umanga
PHOTOS BY EDGAR ALAN ZETA-YAP (MAIN) AND ARNOLD CORDERO
Brgy D sig, Sultan Ku n Kalama
Besides its geographical isolation, a history of ethnic unrest has prevented travelers from discovering the pristine coastline of Kalamansig in southern Mindanao. That’s likely to change now that peace has recently been restored in the area. Of the series of mainland beach coves facing the Celebes Sea, Tayandak Beach is the most beautiful with its fine white sand and palm trees. This west-facing coast also has as spectacular sunsets and servess as a jump-off point to even moree stunning beaches and snorkelingg sites on Balet Island.
From Cotabato City, take a twohour van ride to Lebak. From town, ride 20 minutes on a habalhabal to Poral Beach, where you can hire a bangka (outrigger boat) for the final 10-minute hop to Tayandak Beach.
Balinghai Beach and, Brgy Yapak, Boracay Isl Malay, Aklan Boracay? A “secret beach” in Bora Located just south of ShangriLa Boracay Resort & Spa is the small turquoise cove of Balinghai Beach Resort, sheltered from the rest of this touristy island by limestone rocks. Accessed by a steep path down a limestone wall, this hidden corner has pockets of white sand that offer that soughtafter privacy and tranquility away from the crowded shores of the island’s more popular beaches.
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Balinghai Beach Resort (balinghai. com) is 15 minutes away by tricycle from White Beach on Boracay Island, which is linked to Caticlan by frequent ferries.
SAND CRAWLERS, UNITE!
ach Sugar Bbe Beach) (Langu ang, Sipalay
h Brgy Nau s Occidental ro City, Neg
The five-hour bus ride alone from either Bacolod or Dumaguete keeps most tourists away from Sugar Beach, along the “heel” of the boot-shaped island of Negros. Low-key resorts line this cream-colored coastline, but an unpretentious village atmosphere still prevails. Gorgeous sunsets over the Sulu Sea, short hikes to nearby caves and hilltops, and snorkeling at a nearby sunken cargo ship called Julien’s Wreck make this paradise such a sweet escape.
PHOTOS BY EDGAR ALAN ZETA-YAP
Sipalay is five hours by bus from Bacolod or Dumaguete. From the city proper, outrigger boats can be chartered to Sugar Beach in 15 minutes.
Cagwait B
Brgy Poblac each io Surigao del n , Cagwait, Sur
In the 1970s this horseshoeshaped beach caught the eye of American aviator Charles Lindbergh, who, while flying over Surigao del Sur’s coastline on a wildlife expedition, compared it to Hawaii’s Waikiki Beach. Though it might seem T h far-fetched, the rolling Pacific surf and dense row of palm trees justify the comparison. While locals flock the broad 97 SMILE • APRIL 2016
shorelines of Cagwait Beach during the town’s Kaliguan Festival in late June, it remains pretty laid-back for most of the year.
Cagwait is an hour by bus or van from Tandag City. From the town proper, take a 10-minute habal-habal ride to the beach.
SAND CRAWLERS, UNITE!
Quinale B
Brgy Pobla
each
cion , Anda
, Bohol
Beach-loving travelers gravitate to the south-western coast when visiting Bohol, but little do most people know that the municipality of Anda, on the eastern side, harbors one of the province’s best-kept secrets. Fronting the town church and plaza, Quinale Beach is a 3km stretch of bone-white powder that melts into shallow turquoise waters, delighting even the most discerning of beach aficionados. Plus, nearby coral reefs offer spectacular diving with marine turtles, multicolored nudibranchs and pygmy seahorses.
Anda is two to three hours by van or bus from Tagbilaran City.
Brgy Caluway ar Marabut, Sam
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offshore islands that are reminiscent of northern Palawan.
Caluwayan Beach is one to two hours by van or bus from Tacloban City.
Cebu Pacific flies to 34 destinations in the Philippines. cebupacificair.com
PHOTOS BY EDGAR ALAN ZETA-YAP
Beach Caluwayan an ,
Despite being the third-largest island in the country, Samar still remains off the radar for most travelers. The town of Marabut in Samar province has recovered its rugged beauty three years after the wrath of Typhoon Haiyan. While its sand may not be as white as the country’s premier beaches, Caluwayan Beach still wows visitors with its karst landscape and jagged
PHOTO ESSAY
TALK ABOUT A THROWBACK. THE TOKYO ROCKABILLY CLUB IS ALL ABOUT EXUDING THE ATTITUDE AND THE SLICK STYLE — WITH MOVES TO MATCH — THAT DEFINED THE NASCENT DAYS OF ROCK AND ROLL PHOTOS BY DAVE GOLDEN
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PHOTO ESSAY
O
n any given Sunday at Yoyogi Park, the 134-acre green spot in Tokyo’s Harajuku district, several men turn up in leather jackets or vests, along with women sporting some of the most seriously sculpted coiffures you’ve ever seen, to show off fancy footwork that would make Elvis proud. They are the men and women of the Tokyo Rockabilly Club, inspired by the aesthetic and culture of classic rock and roll, and they make some of the most photogenic highlights in an area of the Japanese capital known for weekend gatherings of wildly costumed cosplayers. Rockabilly — a blend of rock, country and R&B — exploded on the American music scene in the 1950s, and in many of the countries to which postwar American pop culture was heavily exported, including Japan. It was a movement spearheaded by poster boys like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and, in cinema, James Dean. Photographer Dave Golden captured the style and swagger of this special Sunday at the park as the throwback team busted out dance moves, some bordering on the acrobatic, with not a hair out of place.
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PHOTO ESSAY
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PHOTO ESSAY
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PHOTO ESSAY
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PHOTO ESSAY
Cebu Pacific flies to Tokyo (Narita) from Manila and Cebu. cebupacificair.com
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DRINKS CULTURE The Underground River became one of the New7 Wonders of Nature
l i a t k c o C dent i al i f n o c ON THE GLOBAL GLAMOR METER, HIDDEN BARS KNOWN ONLY TO A HANDFUL OF INSIDERS RANK HIGHLY. WE SOUGHT OUT SEVEN SPEAKEASIES IN SHANGHAI THAT EXEMPLIFY THE FAD FOR SECRET DRINKING HOLES STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAVE TACON
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DRINKS CULTURE
T
he speakeasy phenomenon was born in the Depression-era United States of the 1920s as a direct result of the prohibition of alcohol in the country. At a time when enjoying a drink was a criminal offense, American bar owners had to come up with increasingly ingenious methods to hide their illegal operations. While speakeasies were unknown in Shanghai until recently, today’s proliferation of hidden bars connects directly to a nostalgia for the Roaring Twenties, when the Chinese megalopolis cemented its reputation as Asia’s most hedonistic city. There’s no better way to get a sense of Shanghai’s decadent 1920s heyday than to enjoy a cocktail in a speakeasy, where fabulous personalities were likely to meet for a drink or eight, and maybe a love affair sealed or a deal signed before the end of the night. Finding these discreet and stylish watering holes is only the start of the fun.
Speak Low After wowing Manhattan with Angel’s Share, a speakeasy in NYC’s East Village, award-winning Japanese mixologist Shingo Gokan, 32, expanded into Shanghai in 2014 with Speak Low. Hidden behind a bookshelf in a bartending supplies store, the bar has four bars over four levels. “The first level is inspired by pubs in Prague,” says Gokan. “The second has a Brooklyn feel, and the Sideboard Bar takes its inspiration from London.” Uniquely among
Shanghai bars, Speak Low has nonsmoking areas. The Sideboard Bar is accessed by pressing a hidden button on an antique map midway up a staircase. Put your finger on Shanghai and the sideboard slides back to reveal an intimate bar, with its own menu prepared either by Gokan himself or his protégé Atsushi Suzuki, 31. Further up the stairs, behind an “Employees Only” sign, is another bar where “Friends and Family” can enjoy a quiet drink. 109 SMILE • APRIL 2016
Signature cocktail: Taxi Colada (CNY85). “It’s a piña colada you can drink in a taxi,” says Suzuki of the frozen rum, lime and coconut concoction served in a takeaway coffee cup with a straw. Its sister cocktail for winter nights is Baby, It’s Cold Outside: a delicious mix of hot buttered rum and warm cider in a takeaway cup. 579 Fuxing Zhong Lu, nr Ruijin Number 2 Rd, Huangpu district, +86 21 6416 0133
DRINKS CULTURE
Taste Buds Cocktail Palace The only clue to this cozy bar’s location is a discreet bronze plaque at the entrance to 368 Wukang Road. On the second floor is a dimly lit bar with a Qing dynasty-meets-Parisian Belle Epoque bordello décor: scarlet red chests with ornate brass handles, purple walls, plush couches and red velvet drapes. The head bartender and owner is Daniel An, 29, the Chinese representative in last year’s World Diplomático Tournament held by the Venezuelan rum brand. An finished
fourth in the world, and also has a couple of Best Shanghai Mixologist awards in his trophy cabinet. “My bar is small, but I know almost everybody here,” says An, who grew up in Henan Province and was trained in Shanghai by Italian bartenders. When he left the highly regarded Starling last summer to open Taste Buds, many of his loyal customers followed him. And once you get to taste one of his concoctions from the extensive cocktail menu here, you will understand exactly why. 110 SMILE • APRIL 2016
Signature cocktail: Taste of Mulata (CNY98) is a bold affair with chilli-infused aged rum, chocolate syrup, chocolate bitters, lime, basil and Sichuan pepper. It is richly complex with a long, spicy finish. 2F, 368 Wukang Lu, Xuhui District, +86 138 1802 1597
DRINKS CULTURE
Flask Beyond the door of a vintage Coca-Cola vending machine in the corner of an unassuming South Shaanxi Road burger joint, you will find Flask, the brainchild of two Taiwanese transplants, Kevin Yu and Jackson Heng (both 28). The pair met in Shanghai and bonded over a love of speakeasy-style bars and American whiskey from time spent in New York City. “The concept is modern speakeasy,” says Yu of Flask, which boasts a polished copper bar, long leather couches and a soundtrack of electronic dance music. Flask boasts one of China’s most comprehensive stocks of bourbon and rye whiskies: more than 100, some of which were hand-carried from the US.
Signature cocktail: Taiwanese Winter Melon Tea (CNY95) is a sweet and salty ode to the island once known as Formosa. It features premium tequila, pandan leafinfused vodka, coconut water, lavender bitters, elderflower syrup and rose salt. Each serving is presented in a chilled steel flask inside an antique book (in your correspondent’s case, The Fall of Pompeii). 432 Shaanxi Nan Rd, near Yongjia Rd, Xuhui district, +86 21 3368 6108
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DRINKS CULTURE
el Cóctel Now in its sixth year, el Cóctel is Shanghai’s longest-running and most awarded speakeasy. Its entrance by an alleyway is distinguished by a small, illuminated cocktail shaker. Ascend the blue neon-lit stairs to a cosy bar with leather couches, bay windows, exposed bricks and floral wallpaper on the ceiling. The atmosphere is somewhere between Barcelona and Shanghai. This bar is co-run by Catalonian owner/restaurateur Willy Trullas, 38, manager Carolina Garcia, 39, and locally raised manager Daniel Li, 33. “You instantly feel at home here,” says Garcia. “If I went on a first date, I would like to be taken to a place like this.”
Signature cocktail: Sobrino Pepe (CNY96) was Li’s winning entry in last year’s Sherry Apprentice competition in Shanghai. It is a refreshing, slightly tart long drink of dry sherry, house-made green-apple and cinnamon syrup, and Spanish sparkling wine served over crushed ice, with a garnish of apple rolled in cinnamon sugar. In other words, it’s perfect for a hot summer evening. 47 Yongfu Lu, 2F, Xuhui district, +86 21 6433 6511
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DRINKS CULTURE
el Ocho & Oji In 2014, the team behind el Cóctel opened a sister venue in a heritage building off West Nanjing Road with a bonus hidden bar, Oji, added at the end of 2015. Enter through a flower shop and head up three flights of stairs to a large room with a triangular ceiling and painted wooden beams: Oji is at the end of a corridor to the left upon entering, and is accessed by dialing zero on a
vintage telephone. “I’d describe the vibe as funky log house,” says Kohei Yamamoto, 38, managing partner of both el Cóctel and el Ocho. “At el Ocho we emphasize the base spirit, but at el Cóctel we conceal it.” Expect bold cocktails with a Japanese attention to detail from star barmen Kaoru “TK” Takii, 30, and Noaji Oji, 33. The crowd is a mixture of 80% Chinese and 20% expatriates. 115 SMILE • APRIL 2016
Signature cocktail: What Should I Do in Tokyo? (CNY110) features Japanese singlemalt whiskey, Lillet Blanc, Chartreuse, fresh mint and oak smoke. It’s strong, smoky and semisweet. At Oji, splash out on a 12-year single-malt Yamazaki whiskey poured over handchiseled ice (CNY168). 99 Taixing Rd, 3F, Jing’an district, +86 21 6256 3587
DRINKS CULTURE
The Tailor Bar As the name suggests, this bar tailors drinks to your tastes. Located in downtown Jing’an, it is accessed via an unmarked elevator on a street corner next to a Chinese medicine shop. Hit the button for the fourth floor and you will arrive to find a “fixie” bike adorning a wall, a long marble bar, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a soundtrack of 1950s jazz and swing. Weekends are busy and on my visit on a Saturday night, the crowd is approximately 90% Chinese, with almost twice as many women as men. “Chinese women like spending money more than Chinese men do,” head bartender David Hong, 25, shrugs by way of explanation. Tailor presents an excellent opportunity to burn through bundles of yuan while enjoying some of the best cocktails in town; prices start at around CNY90.
Signature cocktail: When I ask for something with a tequila base and say, “Surprise me”, I am soon presented with a pewter tankard of aged tequila, agave syrup, lemon juice and mint topped with Kentucky IPA beer over crushed ice. It’s an intriguing julep hybrid that’s both sweet and sour, with a long, hoppy finish and a price tag of CNY120. 4F, 2 Huashan Rd, near Yuyuan Rd, Jing’an district, +86 183 0197 7360
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DRINKS CULTURE
Whisper In a city where guanxi (“connections”) are all-important, this bar is so exclusive that entrance is by “invitation only”. You will find it behind a pair of ornate doors with narrow, oval-shaped windows by a corridor leading to POP, a Miami-inspired bar and restaurant on the top floor of Three on the Bund, on Shanghai’s historic riverfront. Inside is a long, narrow room that continues POP’s American theme with a taste of New Orleans’ French Quarter. “Our membership list is curated,” says general manager Ahmed Ameziane, 32, with his distinctly Gallic accent. “At the moment we have 700 members, but we’re aiming for 2,000.”
Whisper, which can accommodate a few hundred patrons at most, is a venue designed for dancing as much as drinking, with couches, armchairs and tables on either side of an intricately parqueted timber floor. The crowd is split between (mainly French) expatriates and local women, and the disco soundtrack approaches nightclub volume. No membership? Dress to the nines, dine or drink at POP, inquire politely and you might just get an invitation.
Cebu Pacific flies to Shanghai from Manila. cebupacificair.com
ALL THAT JAZZ Sticking to the theme? Then check out the Fairmont Peace Hotel, an Art Deco icon straight out of Shanghai’s golden age. Non-guests can still admire the beautiful lobby, indulge in high tea or enjoy the famous Peace Hotel Old Jazz Band (whose members are on average 80 years old). Reservations are recommended. 20 Nanjing East Rd, +86 21 6321 6888 118 SMILE • APRIL 2016
Signature cocktail: The Classic Champagne (Champagne, Cognac, sugar, bitters) gets the party started and carries a CNY158 price tag. Three on the Bund, 7F, 3 Zhongshan East Number 1 Rd, +86 6321 0909
MIDDLE EASTERN PROMISE
Traditional dovecotes in the cultural village of Katara on the eastern coast of Doha, Qatar
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MIDDLE EASTERN PROMISE
Desert bloom
OFTEN DISMISSED AS MONEYED IF MUNDANE, DOHA HAS FAR MORE TO OFFER THAN SUN, SEA, SAND AND… MORE SAND. GET READY TO BE BOWLED OVER BY THE CITY’S SPECTACULAR BUILDINGS AND OPEN EMBRACE OF THE ANCIENT AND MODERN
TEXT AND PHOTOS BY MARK PARREN TAYLOR
F
rom out at sea — or from inland, across the sunbaked desert — Doha sparkles like a bejeweled crown. Glinting and vivid, the Qatari capital resembles the tiara of a heavenly princess, dropped perhaps from the sapphire-blue sky onto this sandy, stony peninsula in the Persian Gulf. In the haze the city appears dreamlike, as if an oasis, imagined yet real, floating somewhere between the sea and dry land, the past and the future. The word Doha means “rounded bays” to locals, a name referring to the shallow anchorages around which the city lies, which have been a shelter for people on this sometimes unearthly peninsula for a millennium. It’s hard to imagine
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the daily struggles faced by the Bedouin families that settled here in centuries past, especially when bottled water, exotic fruit, ice cream and other familiar fare is so readily available in the city’s shopping malls, international hotels and shiny highrise towers. Doha’s skyscrapers retain their shine thanks to the unending elbow grease of what are known locally as “spidermen” — workers who scale the towers, polishing, dusting and rinsing the desert sand away. From a distance they look as though they are suspended on ropes as fragile as gossamer, but far more fragile is the line between the city and the desert. Nonetheless, however hard nature tries to repossess it, Doha stands its ground.
MIDDLE EASTERN PROMISE
A new future Before I had ever set foot there, when I was asked about Qatar my offhand response was typically “red hot, rich and unremarkable”. And then I walked into its Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), and the “unremarkable” was instantly thrown out the window. This mesmerizing structure was designed by Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei, who was probably chosen thanks to his zigzagging Bank of China tower which stands heroically in the jam-packed Hong Kong Island skyline and has become an icon — if not the icon — of the Fragrant Harbor. The MIA, which stands on the bayside boulevard known as the Corniche, is equally surprising and compelling. Like an origami fortune-teller game, its geometric exterior conceals an interior of such unexpected beauty — somewhere between a great, ancient mosque and the complicated workings of a giant watch. And that’s just the lobby — the exhibition galleries reveal even more astounding displays. In the 2000s, Qatar set about reinventing itself for a new future — one that needn’t depend on income from fossil fuel — as a destination for culture and sports. The MIA was one of the country’s first steps towards that goal. Unsurprisingly perhaps, the museum is located around the harbor from Doha’s central business district, or “West Bay”, but archways and vast picture windows afford splendid views of the high-rise downtown area, which has an unmistakable Miami vibe. The restaurant, bars and lobby at one of West Bay’s nightlife hubs, the W Hotel, buzz into the early hours — all week long, it seems. This is where the young and hip head for
Clockwise from top left: The atrium in the Museum of Islamic Art; the museum’s stunning façade; old-fashioned desert transport; South-East Asian flavors at the W Doha Hotel and Residence’s Spice Market; the property’s fancy interiors; making baklawa at Al Sufra Restaurant, Marsa Malaz Kempinski; the finished product; Friday evening at Souq Waqif’s Souq Alley
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MIDDLE EASTERN PROMISE
chic, sensuous bedrooms and an on-trend bite to eat — at JeanGeorges Vongerichten’s Spice Market especially, where the French-born chef ’s take on SouthEast Asian street food is a nightly crowd-pleaser.
The sands of time Like most of Doha’s hotels, the W rocks on Friday and Saturday nights with overseas tourists and Qatari families enjoying a minibreak, as do other quarters in the city. But the W is a late-night partying destination; earlier in the evening, the hangout of choice is Souq Waqif. Though this traditional-looking bazaar was constructed just a decade ago, at about the same time as MIA, its roots are firmly entrenched in another era, deep in the sands of time. Traders and hawkers have gathered here, at this very locale, for centuries, since the days of a fishing settlement called Al Bidda. The souq is relaxed and friendly,
Check these out THE MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART Opening times vary, closed Tuesday Free admission; mia.org.qa SOUQ WAQIF souq-waqif-doha.com AL ZUBARAH FORT qm.org.qa/en/project/ al-zubarah
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MIDDLE EASTERN PROMISE
and credit goes to the designers who imbued it with the kind of moreish muddle that market-goers crave. The maze-like alleys and streets are shoulder-to-shoulder with shops selling fabrics and kitchenware, leather goods and trinkets. There are shisha cafés, cozy eateries and spice shops clouded with the earthy perfume of the Orient. And running between them all are porters-forhire, wheeling barrows piled high with cooking pots, bags of cinnamon and armfuls of fabric. Specialist stores to look out for include pearl dealers — one of the most interesting is run by sometime pearl-diver Saad Ismail Al Jassim (nicknamed Pahalwan), at the northern end of the walking street, or Souq Alley. There are gold merchants, traditional instrument dealers and garment makers, such as Bisht Alsalem on a lane by the gold market just off Souq Alley, where hushed teams of tailors embroider bisht, the Arabic man’s traditional cloak, with the finest golden threads. These elegant gowns can sell for anything up to QAR10,000 (PHP128,000).
The desert flower The souq is the kind of place to lose yourself in and work up an appetite along the way. When you do start feeling peckish, just down a back lane near the bird market you’ll find a popular little bakery that turns out oven-fresh Iranian breads — you can watch them being kneaded and rolled — and just around the corner, Qatari Sweets uses a colossal cooking pot to make halwa, a fragrant, jam-like jelly jumbled with chopped pistachios. It’s an enticing treat that makes passers-by stop in their tracks. At night, when the walking street is crammed with shoppers and
Clockwise from top left: Views of the West Bay CBD from the Museum of Islamic Art; Fanar Mosque at night; a 4x4 sand dune basher in the desert of Doha; making bisht or traditional cloaks at Bisht Alsalem tailors in Souq Waqif; “spidermen” clean the Balance Tower in the West Bay; Shams Al Qassabi with an order of rogag at Shay Al Shoumous restaurant
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MIDDLE EASTERN PROMISE
DOHA! For a full listing of restaurants to try, hotels to check in at, and cultural spots you shouldn’t miss in Doha, visit waytogo. cebupacificair.com/doha
strollers, The Village restaurant’s first-floor veranda is a plum spot to watch the bustling scene. This Turkish-Persian-Indian eatery (upstairs it’s known as The Grill) occupies an imposing arabesque building on the souq’s main street. Don’t be sceptical of its multi-cuisine menu — executive chef Ertan Afacan’s kitchen sends out excellent biryani, freshly baked bread or hosgeldin ekmegi, and velvety hummus and baba ganoush. Early risers start the day at Shay Al Shoumous, where Shams Al Qassabi prepares satisfying, local-style breakfast dishes. She’s an attentive, gentle-humored lady who busies herself in the kitchen, ensuring that her customers are well fed and her neighboring shop is well stocked with jars of pickles and spice blends. She has a job on her hands: on Friday mornings the shelves can be emptied, and the dining room full to capacity. Her shop adjoins the Al Bidda, one of the group of nine boutique hotels that punctuate Souq Waqif. Each hotel has its own personality, with comfortable, stylish rooms and worthwhile eateries. Al Jomrok, for example, is a go-to spot when the sun goes down — its rooftop Al Shuffra café has fine 125 SMILE • APRIL 2016
MIDDLE EASTERN PROMISE
Swank it up SOUQ WAQIF BOUTIQUE HOTELS In the heart of the city’s best market. avanihotels.com/ souq-waqif W DOHA HOTEL The swanky trendsetter in the CBD. whoteldoha.com THE TORCH DOHA The tallest hotel in the city, and one of the most stylish, adjacent to world-class sports facilities. thetorchdoha.com MARSA MALAZ KEMPINSKI In The Pearl, a new residential and entertainment district by the beach in the north. kempinski. com/marsamalaz
views — while Argan, the Al Jasra’s Moroccan restaurant, offers elegant cooking by chef de cuisine Zahira Bouazi. The dishes originate from her motherland, and she makes pastillas, couscous and tagines with impeccable ease. There is always something new to find in the Qatari capital. In the same way that The Museum of Islamic Art opens to reveal its personality, Doha opens up for its visitors like a flowering qataf plant: from the desert’s bone-dry earth, it brings color, abundance and energy.
Cebu Pacific flies to Doha from Manila. cebupacificair.com
From top: Zubarah Fort on the north-west coast of Qatar; Turkish treat at The Village restaurant; The Torch Doha occupies the 300m-tall Aspire Tower; Zahira Bouazi, chef de cuisine, Argan restaurant
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trip journal GUIDES TO CEBU PACIFIC DESTINATIONS
The Blue Mountains are just a drive away from Sydney
DOMESTIC
INTERNATIONAL
Our local guides offer some handy ideas on how to enjoy each of Cebu Pacific’s 34 destinations within the Philippines
Check out what to do, what to see, what to eat and where to go in Cebu Pacific’s 30 international destinations
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INTERNATIONAL TRIP JOURNAL
AUSTRALIA
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
Sydney
Bandar Seri Begawan
Beverly D. Medenilla
Ej Suarez Chef/culinary expert
“If having the Opera House and Harbour Bridge as your backdrop is not enough, Sydney is also home to the world-famous Bondi Beach. This city has something for everyone.” Visit Mary’s in Newton (instagram. com/marysnewtown) for their amazing burgers (AU$15) and fried chicken (AU$18 for half a bird). For dessert, artisan gelato shop Gelato Messina is a must-try for ice cream lovers, young and old (AU$5 per scoop). Head out to Taronga Zoo (AU$46 per person) or Featherdale Wildlife Park (AU$29.50 per person) for a close encounter with the local wildlife. After all, it isn’t an Aussie experience without the koalas and kangaroos!
AREA CODE +61 (2) TOUCHDOWN KINGSFORD SMITH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRAIN, TAXI, BUS
IT sales professional
“If you need to slow things down a notch, Bandar Seri Begawan offers a pleasant respite from the hustle and bustle of neighboring international cities.” Hail a water taxi by the Brunei River and head to the water village (BN$1 one-way), then take a leisurely stroll to appreciate Kampong Ayer with its stilt houses. For chicken lovers, take your pick from Ayamku Restaurant’s (+673 878 1296) affordable meals that range from BN$3.20-4.50. Whether it’s day or night, you’ll be mesmerized by the majestic Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque and the Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque.
AREA CODE +673 TOUCHDOWN BRUNEI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, BUS, CAR RENTAL
Did you know? KAMPONG AYER, OR THE WATER VILLAGE, IN BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN IS HOME TO AROUND 39,000 PEOPLE.
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INTERNATIONAL TRIP JOURNAL
CAMBODIA
CHINA
Siem Reap
Beijing
Gio Milanez
Japol Orona
Applied medical sciences lecturer
“At night, my wife and I enjoyed walking along the colorful Pub Street. During the day, we felt drawn back in time when we saw the temples of Angkor.” Get a taste of French-Khmer cuisine at Le Malraux (le-malraux-siem-reap. com). The wok-sautéed beef lok lak (cubed beef with onions, US$9) is delicious. Marvel at the Angkor World Heritage Site. You can save up by buying a day pass at 5pm, explore until 7pm then still use the pass the next day. Since it is a very large complex of temples, bring bottled water to fight dehydration. Shop at the Pub Street Night Market to get the best deals.
AREA CODE +855 (63) TOUCHDOWN SIEM REAP INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI (US$35), TUK TUK (US$25), HOTEL SHUTTLE, HIRED VAN
Fraud analyst
“It’s great to visit a place with several remarkable monuments and wellpreserved historic culture, where you’ll get a glimpse of the past life of the ancient Chinese.” I found the best jiaozi or steamed dumplings at Taste — The Delights of Yunnan Flavor in Beijing Workers’ Sports Complex. Want more than a souvenir shot at the Great Wall of China? Attempt to climb this UNESCO World Heritage Site and get a “Heroes of the Great Wall” certificate. It’s a great souvenir and proof of your climb. Also visit The Summer Palace, which is said to be the bestpreserved imperial garden in the world, as well as the largest. AREA CODE +86 (10) TOUCHDOWN BEIJING CAPITAL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, BUS, SUBWAY
Did you know? THE MOST COMMON SURNAME IN BEIJING IS WANG, A NAME SHARED BY ALMOST 100 MILLION PEOPLE. DON’T BE SURPRISED IF YOU MEET A LOT OF MISTER OR MISS WANGS IN THE CITY. 133 SMILE • APRIL 2016
INTERNATIONAL TRIP JOURNAL
CHINA
CHINA
CHINA
Guangzhou
Hong Kong
Macau
Vale Chang IT consultant
Rachel King Online marketing manager
Joelle Ortiz Software developer
“For an authentic Cantonese food trip, I go to the source — Guangzhou. It’s the only place to eat plain-looking veggies that taste heavenly.”
“Hong Kong has some real hidden gems. Take yourself off the beaten path and explore the fabulous outlying islands with beaches, great places to eat and mountains.”
“Seeing the historic ruins in Macau took me to another time. It was such a beautiful scene! I would love to come back and enjoy the sights and food.”
Indulge in yum cha (morning/ afternoon tea, dim sum) at a picturesque garden-style restaurant called Nan Yuan Jiu Jia in Qianjin Road. It’s a favorite among locals. Be adventurous as there are no English menus or pictures. My favorite is the custard bun with oozing salty yolk. See exotic animals and feed elephants and giraffes in Chimelong Safari Park (int. chimelong.com/GZ/safari). Adult entrance fee is CNY300, while a self-driven vehicle is CNY250 per car.
Take a double decker bus (number 6 from Exchange Square) and sit on the top deck to take in the view. It travels a very scenic route via Wan Chai and Stubbs Road, then climbs high up through Wong Nai Chung Gap and skirts the Tai Tam Country Park with some spectacular views before descending to Repulse Bay and following the coastal road to Stanley. Smugglers Inn (+852 2813 8852) is a cool little English pub that’s been around for decades. Grab a cider (HK$40 per pint) or two.
Drop by Choi Heong Yuen Bakery at the Venetian Macao and have the best egg tarts you will taste in your life (MOP8)! The uphill climb to the Ruins of St. Paul’s is totally worth it. The Ruins’ baroque design at the end of the road is a picturesque view you wouldn’t want to miss. The free casino shuttle buses will be your best friends in Macau, as they can take you to the Cotai Strip (where you can marvel at the beautiful buildings) and back to the Macau Peninsula.
AREA CODE +86 (20) TOUCHDOWN GUANGZHOU BAIYUN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, BUS, AIRPORT EXPRESS
AREA CODE +852 TOUCHDOWN HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN SHUTTLE (INCLUDED IN PACKAGE), MRT, BUS
AREA CODE +853 TOUCHDOWN MACAU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, HOTEL SHUTTLE BUS (FREE, WHEN AVAILABLE)
Did you know? AN OCTOPUS CARD (OCTOPUS.COM.HK) WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU TO PAY FOR TRANSPORT AROUND HONG KONG, AS WELL AS IN SELECTED RETAIL SHOPS, CONVENIENCE STORES, SUPERMARKETS AND OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS. 134 SMILE • APRIL 2016
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INTERNATIONAL TRIP JOURNAL
CHINA
CHINA
INDONESIA
Shanghai
Xiamen
Bali
Jennifer Tesado English teacher, freelance multimedia artist, singer-songwriter
“Whether I’m strolling along the former French Concession, or sampling international cuisine while getting amazing city views from skyscrapers, Shanghai is definitely a place to explore.”
Desiree Wong
Avis Teo
Student in Xiamen
Key accounts executive
“Going to Gulangyu was like traveling back in time. The unique and diverse architecture made me feel like I was going to different places within the day.”
“My personal favorite is walking along the streets of Ubud’s town center, where Balinese culture is showcased through art displays in various shops and restaurants.”
For affordable, American comfort food, visit Munchies (munchies.cn) either at Jing’an or Huangpu. I like their Nate’s Phatty Back Burger (RMB59) and Beef Burrito (RMB48). If you love artsy places and shopping for unique crafts in quaint alleyways, Tianzifang is definitely something you shouldn’t miss. Hop onto Metro Line 9, get off at Dapuqiao Exit 1 and make it your goal to get lost in Tianzifang’s artisan shops.
Drop by World Trade Mall and visit Hai Di Lao (haidilao.com), a chain of hot-pot restaurants famous for its fresh food and superb service. The queue tends to be long, but worry not; while waiting for your turn you can enjoy massages, a nails service and eat snacks, all for free. Visit Gulangyu, which translates as “Drum Wave Island”. Take a 20-minute ferry ride from the city to check out its scenery, beaches, architecture and numerous attractions such as Sunlight Rock, the highest part of Gulangyu (approx. CNY100 for all attractions).
I like the mi goreng (fried noodles, IDR95,000), the signature dish at Rai Pasti Warung in Jalan Monkey Forest, Ubud. It’s best to dine indoors, which overlooks the rice terraces and the countryside. Take a trip to Mount Batur, an active volcano, to witness the best sunrise in Bali. It takes around three hours to trek up from the base. Have breakfast at the summit, where everybody — including playful wild monkeys — waits for the sun to rise!
AREA CODE +86 (21) TOUCHDOWN SHANGHAI PUDONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, MAGLEV TRAIN, BUS
AREA CODE +86 (592) TOUCHDOWN XIAMEN GAOQI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, AIRPORT SHUTTLE BUS, PUBLIC BUS
AREA CODE +62 (36) TOUCHDOWN NGURAH RAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN BLUE BIRD TAXI (APPROX. IDR100,000), BUS, HIRED VAN
Did you know? IN THE COUNTRYSIDE OF BALI, THE HILLS AND MOUNTAINS YOU SEE MAY ACTUALLY BE VOLCANOES — SOME OF WHICH ARE COMPLETELY DORMANT, WHILE OTHERS ARE ACTIVE. THERE ARE FOUR KNOWN ACTIVE VOLCANOES IN BALI. 137 SMILE • APRIL 2016
INTERNATIONAL TRIP JOURNAL
INDONESIA
JAPAN
JAPAN
Jakarta
Fukuoka
Nagoya
John Hernandez
Joanna Isabelle Te
Student
Businesswoman
“Jakarta is where culture and city life meet. During the day, admire Dutch architecture in Kota Tua, and when the sun is gone, have a fantastic night out at upscale clubs downtown.” Koi Restaurant Bar & Gallery (koiindonesia.com) has a variety of lunch, brunch and dinner choices. Lovers of Asian-fusion fare will definitely feel at home. Prepare IDR40,000-60,000 for a satisfying meal. Taman Mini “Indonesia Indah” (IDR10,000 entrance fee; tamanmini.com) offers a cultural immersion that everyone should experience. It displays many of the traditional houses and practices of their rich culture. AREA CODE +62 (21) TOUCHDOWN JAKARTA (SOEKARNO-HATTA) INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, BUS, SHUTTLE CAR
Jordan Mitchell-Love Wellness consultant/ entertainer/travel series host
“Longing to visit Japan but on a budget? Visit Fukuoka. I find the vibe in the city more laid-back than Tokyo, plus food and accommodations are relatively cheaper.”
“Nagoya is one of my favorite cities. It beautifully blends the old with the new, preserving the past while also exemplifying the modernity of Japan.”
Fukuoka is known for its yatai (mobile street-food stalls) scattered around the city during dinner time. Find yakitori, ramen and other authentic Japanese eats (approx. ¥1,000 per meal). Be early to avoid long lines! Visit Fukuoka Tower (fukuokatower.co.jp/english) and enjoy the 360-degree panoramic view of the sea. While there, check out Robosquare and interact with the robots (free entrance). Go on a shopping frenzy for branded goods at Tosu Premium Outlets, just a 45-minute bus ride from Tenjin station.
Sekai No Yama-chan (yamachan.co.jp) is a great chain restaurant throughout Nagoya that offers an incredible tebasaki, chicken wings that are dipped in soy sauce and sugar, salted, peppered and then deep-fried twice (around ¥400 for five wings). Renovated in 2011, Nagoya City Science Museum (ncsm.city.nagoya. jp/en) is a great place for kids, adults and families. For ¥400, you can experience a tornado or feel the Arctic cold. For ¥800, you can see the planetarium as well.
AREA CODE +81 (92) TOUCHDOWN FUKUOKA AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, BUS, SUBWAY
AREA CODE +81 (52) TOUCHDOWN CHUBU CENTRAIR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, BUS, TRAIN (MEITETSU AIRPORT LINE AND SKY)
Did you know? UMEGAE-MOCHI (RICE CAKE WITH SWEET RED-BEAN PASTE) IS A POPULAR SNACK IN DAZAIFU CITY IN FUKUOKA PREFECTURE. BUY IT FROM THE STALLS NEAR THE DAZAIFU TENMANGU SHRINE. IT IS PERFECT DURING COLD WEATHER. 138 SMILE • APRIL 2016
INTERNATIONAL TRIP JOURNAL
JAPAN
JAPAN
SOUTH KOREA
Tokyo
Osaka
Busan
Jeri Martinez
Abby Garcia
Dearly Rivero
Senior manager
Graphic designer
IT manager
“It’s the best place to experience the fusion of the old and the new. I love their rich culture and beautiful temples, plus the cool innovation in the most hightech city in the world.”
“Osaka is the ideal home base for traveling around Kansai. You’ll get to experience the city, but you’re just a short train ride away from the historic temples and shrines of Kyoto and Nara.”
My favorite place to eat is at Kamukura in Shibuya. Order the Oishii Noodles combo (¥930) that comes with onigiri (rice ball) and gyoza (dumpling). The ramen’s broth is extremely tasty without feeling heavy and oily, and is topped with cabbage and chasu (braised pork). Have an onsen (public bath) experience. It may be quite awkward at first, since you have to be naked, but it’s liberating and also very relaxing. It’s a great way to pamper yourself after a tiring day.
You would want to eat everything you see at Kuromon Ichiba Market (kuromon. com/en.php). There’s fresh sushi and sashimi (approx. ¥700), takoyaki (¥600), kobe beef (¥2,000) and more. Make sure to come hungry! Do a day trip to Kyoto on the JR Special Rapid Service. While there, rent a kimono before heading out to the temples. Book online (approx. ¥3,500; yumeyakata.com) for that unique experience!
AREA CODE +81 (3) TOUCHDOWN NARITA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN NARITA EXPRESS, AIRPORT LIMOUSINE BUS
AREA CODE +81 (6) TOUCHDOWN KANSAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRAIN, BUS, TAXI
“Busan is laid-back indeed, but nothing short of awesome. Food trip, shopping, sightseeing — name what you want and you can’t go wrong.” I found a lot of street food in the area of Nampo-dong. There’s barbecue, hot dog on a stick, potato on a stick and fishcakes, but my favorite is hotteok (Korean-style pancake, KRW1,000). Anyone with a sweet tooth like me would love this! In the evening, visit Gwangalli Beach to get a gorgeous view of the city, especially the suspension bridge that lights up at nightfall. You can buy and light up fireworks to make the trip more fun. Just bargain with street vendors so you can get them for only KRW5,000.
AREA CODE +82 (51) TOUCHDOWN GIMHAE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRAIN, AIRPORT LIMOUSINE BUS, TAXI
Did you know? BUSAN IS HOME TO KOREA’S LARGEST SEAFOOD MARKET, JAGALCHI MARKET. YOU CAN SAMPLE RAW FISH RIGHT THERE OR FIND NEARBY RESTAURANTS THAT CAN COOK THE SEAFOOD FOR YOU. 139 SMILE • APRIL 2016
INTERNATIONAL TRIP JOURNAL
SOUTH KOREA
KUWAIT
MALAYSIA
Seoul
Kuwait
Kota Kinabalu
Joseph Daniel Batino Wedding photographer
“Seoul is one of the few places I know with a perfect blend of fashion, technology and culture. I absolutely love doing photoshoots here. And don’t get me started on the food!” Hongdae is Seoul’s own college town. Drop by at night to see the city’s young and talented musicians performing on the streets, as well as various food stalls. Go to Jopok Topokki and order their topokki (spicy rice cake, KRW3,000) and Busan odeng (fishcake, KRW2,000). Samcheong-dong is where you’ll find traditional Korean houses, along with nice cafés and shops, while Ikseon-dong is its less commercial counterpart. AREA CODE +82 (2) TOUCHDOWN INCHEON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN LIMOUSINE BUS, TAXI, AREX TRAIN
Jocelyn Barola HR officer
“I like how Kuwait offers an authentic experience of Arab culture and hospitality with its mixture of modern and old buildings.”
Jhugrae MayosBuswilan Internal auditor
“I loved whitewater rafting on the Kiulu River! It was like riding a mini-roller coaster, but instead of doing it in a theme park, you’re riding with nature.”
Head to Freej Suwaileh (+965 2573 7030) in Salmiya and try authentic and delicious Arab dishes like kebab, tikka, lamb chops and traditional salads. It is quite popular and easy to find. Take an hour-long boat ride and head to Failaka Island, where you can experience a combination of natural beauty and historical value. Its remnants from the Iraqi invasion will remind you of Kuwait’s fight for freedom. Haggle for Arab goods, souvenirs and even gold at the souk (marketplace).
Dine at Sushi Tei (+60 88 485 595) for affordable, Japanese food yumminess. Order their delicious Scallop Wafuu Carpaccio (Japanese-style raw scallop, MYR11.80). Or drop by the Filipino Market and get budget-friendly treats like milk tea (MYR1) and chicken wings (MYR3). Visit the unique Rumah Terbalik Upside-Down House (upsidedownhouse.com.my). Entrance fee is MYR19.10. For shopping, Labuan terminal is a great place, especially for dutyfree items (MYR10-100 price range).
AREA CODE +965 TOUCHDOWN KUWAIT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN AIRPORT TAXI (KWD10 PER TRIP, REGARDLESS OF DISTANCE)
AREA CODE +60 (88) TOUCHDOWN KOTA KINABALU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, HOTEL SHUTTLE, AIRPORT BUS
Did you know? RUMAH TERBALIK IS MALAYSIA’S FIRST UPSIDE-DOWN HOUSE. IT ALSO HAS ITS OWN GIFT SHOP AND A RESTAURANT WHERE YOU CAN SAMPLE AUTHENTIC SABAHAN CUISINE.
140 SMILE • APRIL 2016
INTERNATIONAL TRIP JOURNAL
MALAYSIA
QATAR
SAUDI ARABIA
Kuala Lumpur
Doha
Riyadh
Dr. Lissie Buenaseda
Tangerine Trubiano
Physician
Blogger
Lee Martinez Civil engineer
“I like how Kuala Lumpur is a mix of different cultures and exquisite architecture. Wander around the city at night and you will be amazed by Petronas Towers’ height and lights.”
“If you are looking for a desert escapade, Doha offers a true Middle Eastern vibe. Plus, this tiny country boasts vibrant souks, great shopping malls and diverse dining options.”
“I felt the security, calmness and peace when I was in Riyadh. With its remarkable architecture and engineering, the city has become a friendly destination for travelers.”
True to its name, the nasi lemak (rice cooked in coconut milk, served with chicken, peanuts and chilli) at Nasi Lemak Famous in Bangsar Selera Food Court is really good and authentic. Menara KL Tower (menarakl.com.my) lets you get a bird’s-eye view of the city at 276m above ground level. The view at night is spectacular! A single general admission ticket costs MYR52 for one adult.
Al-Naurah Pastry is one of my favorite places to grab breakfast and eat flatbread with halloumi cheese and za’atar (herbs-and-spice paste), while the shawarma joints in Al Nasr Street are a good go-to spot for late-night eats. Don’t miss Souq Waqif in Al Jasra, which will give you a taste of Middle Eastern culture. The colorful Arabic spices, traditional garments, carpets and handicrafts will catch your attention while shopping.
Dine at Al Faisaliah Hotel’s The Globe (+966 11 273 2222), a glasssphere restaurant. Situated 240m above the hotel, it offers a breathtaking full view of the city. Indulge in the most flavorful of steaks from their Arabic and modern European cuisine (SAR150220). In the outskirts of Riyadh, you will see fine red sand dunes of different heights. Go on an all-terrain vehicle adventure (SAR35-60/hour rental).
AREA CODE +60 (3) TOUCHDOWN KUALA LUMPUR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN KLIA EXPRESS TRAIN (MYR35 ADULT, MYR15 CHILD/ONE WAY), TAXI, BUS
AREA CODE +974 TOUCHDOWN HAMAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI
AREA CODE +966 (11) TOUCHDOWN KING KHALID INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI (SAR50-100), BUS, CAR RENTAL (SAR100-200)
142 SMILE • APRIL 2016
INTERNATIONAL TRIP JOURNAL
SINGAPORE
TAIWAN
Singapore
Taipei
we love to make coffee for the city that loves to drink it Clarenze Saliba Receptionist Evan Yap at Yiaco
Dream Roxas Operations and leasing associate manager
Apollo Medical Center, Beer brewer Kuwait
“Singapore is a potpourri for travelers. Its allure comes from an eclectic but harmonious fusion of multicultural influences that promises endless possibilities for adventure.”
“In Taipei, I felt that I had a grand vacation at little cost. The extraordinary street food, thrift shopping and the liberating bike ride around the city were good breaks from my usual Manila struggle.”
There are few things more rejuvenating after a day around Singapore than a steaming bowl of that creamy, thick and spicy orange noodle soup called laksa. 363 Katong Laksa (+65 6464 9303) serves delicious laksa for less than SG$5. Curious about how beer is made? Take the Tiger Brewery Tour, a two-hour walk through the brewery that makes Singapore’s Tiger Beer lagers (SG$18).
Tian Wai Tian Hot Pot in Wanhua District has extremely yummy hot-pot choices (seafood and fish balls) and unlimited Häagen-Dazs ice cream for dessert (NT$500-550/head). Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall (free entrance) is the best place to appreciate Taiwanese culture. Aside from the architecture, you can observe the locals doing activities like meditating and walking their dogs. Experience the streets of Taipei by renting a bike (NT$10 for 30 minutes).
AREA CODE +65 TOUCHDOWN SINGAPORE CHANGI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI (BELOW SG$30), MRT, BUS
AREA CODE +886 (2) TOUCHDOWN TAIWAN TAOYUAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, BUS, TAIWAN HIGH-SPEED RAILWAY (THSR)
Did you know? AFTER RIDING THE TRAIN, MOST TAIWANESE WORKERS RENT A BIKE AND RIDE TO THEIR OFFICE IN CORPORATE ATTIRE — HEELS INCLUDED! 143 SMILE • APRIL 2016
Address: G/F Level Extension Area. Robinson’s Place Puerto Princesa City, Puerto Princesa Philippines. Telephone #: (048) 434-0763 Fb page: palawancafe@yahoo.com
INTERNATIONAL TRIP JOURNAL
THAILAND
THAILAND
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Bangkok
Phuket
Dubai
Bea Angeles Pre-school teacher
“Thai mangoes are to die for — then there are the warm and friendly locals. And don’t miss Chatuchak Market — street food and shopping all in one place.”
Karly Tardiff Recent college graduate
“Everything is at your fingertips in Phuket — dining, shopping and entertainment destinations, plus of course the beaches. It makes for an eclectic and exciting holiday.”
Make your way to Sukhumvit Soi 38, where you’ll find a variety of street-food stalls. I tasted the best mango sticky rice there for only THB70. If you’re game for some physical activity, try Bounce Thailand (bounceinc.co.th) in The Street Ratchada Shopping Complex. It features unique climbing structures that offer a variety of challenges. A general access ticket costs THB390. Most places in Bangkok are accessible via MRT, Skytrain and tuk tuk. Always bring change for the ticket machines with you when commuting.
Splurge at Sea Hag Restaurant (+66 76 341 111) in Patong Beach. The mixed seafood platter (THB1,900) and grilled squid (THB320) are worth trying. For budget eats, try any street food! If it looks and smells good, chances are it is good — and cheap! Do a boat tour of Koh Phi Phi and go snorkeling there. Get one that includes Bamboo Beach (gorgeous white sand that is incredibly soft) and Maya Bay, made famous by the movie The Beach.
AREA CODE +66 (2) TOUCHDOWN SUVARNABHUMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, AIRPORT RAIL LINK, BUS
AREA CODE +66 (76) TOUCHDOWN PHUKET INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN MINIBUS, TAXI
Ria Resurreccion IT consultant
“Dubai is the city of the future. It’s a bustling cosmopolitan city with amazing, large-scale manmade attractions unlike anything else in the world.” Enjoy authentic Lebanese cuisine at Café Blanc (+971 4 434 0828) in Dubai Mall. I like their hummus (AED27) and fajita beef shawarma (AED68). Make sure to catch the dancing fountain show just outside the restaurant. Charter a yacht at the Marina Yacht Club, which takes you on a three-hour cruise to view the Burj Al Arab, Palm Jumeirah and Atlantis. Also, get a chance to swim in the Arabian Gulf and cap off the trip with a breathtaking view of the sunset against the Dubai skyline. AREA CODE +971 TOUCHDOWN DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI (STARTS AT AED20), DUBAI METRO (APPROX. AED5-7), HOTEL SHUTTLE, BUS
Did you know? INSTEAD OF TAKING THE HOP-ON, HOP-OFF BUS TOUR, YOU CAN GET A ONE-DAY PASS FOR THE DUBAI METRO, WHICH CONNECTS YOU TO MAIN ATTRACTIONS AND IS FAIRLY EASY TO NAVIGATE. 144 SMILE • APRIL 2016
INTERNATIONAL TRIP JOURNAL
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
VIETNAM
VIETNAM
Guam
Hanoi
Ho Chi Minh City
Jay Alim, MD, MBA Doctor/traveler
Ehrin Macksey
Raisa Rejano
Commercial and travel photographer/filmmaker
Stockbroker
“In Guam, spending the afternoon snorkeling in crystal-clear waters, and resurfacing to see the sunset turning the sky to all shades of orange, pink and purple, leaves me in awe.”
“Hanoi combines a romantic aura with colonial-inspired architecture and affordable luxuries. Strolling along Hoan Kiem Lake, I felt like I was in a scene from a movie.”
PROA Restaurant in Tumon serves a dressed-up version of local Chamorro barbecue. Try the Hibachi-style short ribs (US$15.95), which are best paired with red rice and finandene (soy sauce-chilli-onion dipping sauce). Looking for a potential wedding location? Overlooking Tumon Bay is the picturesque Two Lovers Point, a lookout point on the edge of the cliff with a spectacular view of the Philippine Sea. If you’re planning to visit Guam, theguamguide. com will be of great help.
Quan An Ngon (ngonhanoi.com. vn/index.php/en) has the greatest selection of authentic Vietnamese street food in just one restaurant. Try their yummy crispy pancake (VND85,000). If you’re a coffee lover, go to Giang Café (giangcafehanoi.com) and order the egg coffee (VND20,000). Do an excursion in Halong Bay, which is two hours away from the city. Take a bus tour that usually includes transportation, boat ride and lunch.
Have a leisurely stroll along Nguyen Hue walking street. It’s ideal to go during weekends, as all kinds of vehicles are banned then. Go sit on a local plastic stool on the sidewalk with the locals, and order a ca phe sua da or iced milk coffee — it’s the Vietnamese version of a milkshake, and it tastes delicious. Go to one of the many rooftop bars in the city, have a local 333 Beer and watch the chaos ensue in the streets below.
AREA CODE +1 (671) TOUCHDOWN ANTONIO B. WON PAT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI (TO TUMON), HOTEL SHUTTLE
AREA CODE +84 (4) TOUCHDOWN NOI BAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, HOTEL CAR SERVICE
AREA CODE +84 (8) TOUCHDOWN TAN SON NHAT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI
“It’s a really hip and lively city that clashes just right with the old traditions. You can go to amazing rooftop bars and try trendy drinks. Or sit on a plastic stool by the street and eat the most amazing local food.”
Did you know? HANOI HAS FOUR SEASONS. WINTER IS THE BEST TIME TO EXPLORE THIS CITY; THE COLD WEATHER RUNS FROM DECEMBER UNTIL LATE FEBRUARY.
146 SMILE • APRIL 2016
PHILIPPINES TRIP JOURNAL
Bacolod
Busuanga
Pia Peña
Regine Dennis
“Bacolod is always a good choice for a food trip. You will never run out of restaurant choices that serve mouthwatering food at very affordable prices.”
“It was love at first sight — nature in all its wonderful glory! Coron’s real and unadulterated beauty captivated me. I was in awe every moment I was there.”
For a more high-end dining experience, try Terrasse Bistro (+34 707 7002), where you can indulge in some Kitayama Wagyu Prime Rib (PHP1,5002,000) and Squid Carbonara (PHP200300). Or go for casual eats at Aida’s in Manokan Country. The pecho (chicken breast) or paa (chicken leg) with garlic rice is just PHP100! Visit The Ruins in Talisay, the well-known remains of a sugar baron’s mansion. Take pictures and wait for the sun to set while there.
You must try the tasty Asian crackling pork with kimchi rice at Hunt Restaurant in The Funny Lion boutique resort. Apart from the good food, I also like the cool hipster vibe of the place. Need a dose of caffeine? Coffee Kong serves uncomplicated coffee at a friendly price and they have reliable and free WiFi connection. Arrange island tours with your hotel so you can conveniently explore Coron. See sights like Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon and more.
AREA CODE +34 TOUCHDOWN BACOLOD-SILAY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI (APPROX. PHP500), SHUTTLE VAN/BUS (APPROX. PHP200)
AREA CODE +48 TOUCHDOWN FRANCISCO B. REYES AIRPORT GET TO TOWN SHUTTLE VAN, HOTEL SHUTTLE
Did you know? THE MANSION THAT IS NOW KNOWN AS THE RUINS IN BACOLOD WAS BUILT IN THE EARLY 1900S, AND WAS THE CITY'S LARGEST RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE AT THAT TIME. 148 SMILE • APRIL 2016
PHOTOS: LESTER LEDESMA
Marketing and events supervisor
Project manager
CEBU AIR TRAVEL & TOURS PTE LTD
304 Orchard Road #03-65 Lucky Plaza, Singapore 238863 Mrt Station: Orchard Station
Tel # +65 6235 2328 / Fax # +65 6235 6768 / +65 9235 2328 Open Daily 10Am To 7:30Pm. Closed On Public Holidays.
PHILIPPINES TRIP JOURNAL
Butuan
Cagayan de Oro
Eariel Tolentino
Pam Magbitang Retail marketing and events person
Government employee
“Despite being a highly urbanized city, the natural environment is preserved well. I like how Butuan is close to beaches, mountains and trails.”
“CdO was a surprise package. I came without an itinerary and left with a long list of recommendations and 1,000 words for the best accounts of adventure.”
The appetizing grilled tuna and shrimp in garlic sauce are must-tries at Baron’s (+63 917 322 1315) in JC Aquino Avenue. The restaurant may not look much, but its delectable seafood dishes might just surprise you. Trek to Tagnote Falls in Remedios T. Romualdez (RTR to locals), just a few minutes away from downtown Butuan. After sweating it out, take a well-deserved selfie atop Mount HilongHilong. Hop on and off the tricycles or multicabs to get around town.
Thank goodness for seafood at Redtail Shrimps & More (+88 880 3950)! It is fresh and you can eat it like a true warm-blooded mammal — with your hands. Get their seafood mix to satisfy that hunger (approx. PHP200 per head). Do not leave CDO without doing whitewater rafting. Contact CDO Bugsay River Rafting (+88 850 1580). Pay PHP1,200 per person for four hours of rafting, inclusive of pick-up and drop-off (rate depends on number of people/groups).
PHOTOS: LESTER LEDESMA
AREA CODE +85 TOUCHDOWN BANCASI AIRPORT GET TO TOWN JEEPNEY, MULTICAB, HOTEL SHUTTLE
AREA CODE +88 TOUCHDOWN LAGUINDINGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, JEEPNEY, MOTORELA, SHUTTLE
Did you know? MOUNT HILONG-HILONG, WHICH HAS AN ELEVATION OF 2,102M, IS THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN IN THE CARAGA REGION.
151 SMILE • APRIL 2016
For inquiries, email sales@manosa-properties.com or visit www.tago.com.ph
PHILIPPINES TRIP JOURNAL
Camiguin
Caticlan (Boracay)
Pam Ortiz
Laurice B. de la Cruz
Electronics and communications engineering student
Physical therapist
“If there is a ‘one-man show’, Camiguin should be called the ‘one-island show’. Hot springs, cold springs, waterfalls, white-sand beaches, volcanoes — you name it, Camiguin has it.” For a worry-free group tour, rent a multicab (PHP1,000-1,500) and try to haggle the cost. Visit the breathtaking White Island with Mount Hibok-Hibok and Mount Vulcan in the background. Get a selfie while there! You can’t miss the Sunken Cemetery with its huge cross. Other must-visit spots are Ardent Hot Springs, Katibawasan Falls and Sto. Niño Cold Spring. Buy sweet pastel from Vjandep Pastel in Mambajao at PHP120 for a box of 12.
PHOTOS: LESTER LEDESMA
AREA CODE +88 TOUCHDOWN CAMIGUIN AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRICYCLE
“Watching the sunset by the famous white beach made me feel like I was in paradise. The way the colors of the sun and the ocean blend is absolutely perfect.” Don't leave Boracay without dining at The Sunny Side Café (thesunnysideboracay. com). Indulge in their Bacon & Mango Grilled Cheese Sandwich (PHP390), with its unique yet flavorful taste. Go helmet diving (PHP800 per person) where you’ll spend almost half an hour underwater with different types of fish swimming around you. It’s something you shouldn’t miss! Spend your night in Boracay watching fire dancers, chilling out to live music and partying in clubs at Station 2.
AREA CODE +36 TOUCHDOWN GODOFREDO P. RAMOS AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRICYCLE (10 MINS TO CATICLAN TABON BOAT TERMINAL) THEN BOAT (10 MINS TO BORACAY ISLAND); TRANSFER TICKETS (PHP200) AVAILABLE IN AIRPORT ARRIVAL AREA
Did you know? THE WHOLE STRETCH OF THE FAMOUS WHITE BEACH OF BORACAY ISLAND IS 7KM LONG.
153 SMILE • APRIL 2016
YOUR HOME
PHILIPPINES TRIP JOURNAL
Cauayan
Cebu
BY THE UNDERGROUND RIVER. DALUYON BEACH AND MOUNTAIN RESORT SABANG BEACH, BRGY. CABAYUGAN, PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, PALAWAN
Lou Mariz M. Balmaceda
Kate Uy Events director
Office clerk
PHOTOS: SAMUEL DE LEON (CAUAYAN); LESTER LEDESMA (CEBU)
“Cauayan City truly is the place to be when it comes to full entertainment. It’s nice to explore new tourist spots like Hacienda San Luis and D’Spot Rail Park.”
dl y n e i r F Eco ar Resort 4 St
“Drive up to the mountains and enjoy the cool breeze; or go fish feeding in Mactan. Go further north or south, enjoy the white sand beaches and waterfalls. Cebu is the full package!”
Try the satisfying shabu-shabu (PHP898) at Marco Paulo Café and Restaurant (+63 917 867 8479). It’s a delicious meal that’s good for two people. Another place I like is Centrale Bar and Café (+78 652 1991), which serves affordable chicken curry with pita bread. If you’re the sporty type, you should try wakeboarding at D’Spot Rail Park (facebook.com/Dspotrailpark) in Brgy San Fermin. A one-hour pass (PHP250) includes free rental of board, vest and helmet, but requires a PHP500 deposit.
Kairos by The Lazy Chef (facebook. com/kairosbythelazychef) is a plant-based rooftop restaurant that is by reservation only. The prix fixe menu (PHP500) is a three-course dinner that features fresh produce. It’s BYOB, so guests are free to bring their own wine. Go canyoneering! The jump-off point is in Badian (south-west of Cebu) and ends in Kawasan Falls. Then spend the night in Moalboal, where you can do sardine run, swim with turtles and maybe see dolphins.
AREA CODE +78 TOUCHDOWN CAUAYAN AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRICYCLE, PRIVATE VAN
AREA CODE +32 TOUCHDOWN MACTANCEBU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, MULTICAB, HOTEL SHUTTLE
T: +63.48.433.6379 F: +63.48.434.1174 M:+63.917.826.9989
Did you know? CAUAYAN HAS ITS OWN MOBILE APP — CAUAYAN CITY CONNECT. IT’S THE FASTEST AND MOST CONVENIENT WAY TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE CITY, WHEREVER YOU ARE. 155 SMILE • APRIL 2016
www.daluyonbeachandmountainresort.com inquire@daluyonresort.com
PHILIPPINES TRIP JOURNAL
LOCATION Fairways and Bluewater, Boracay Island
Clark
Cotabato
Tel. No.: (036) 288-5587 Loc. 2312
Fairways Beach Tour Markus Schindler
Dr. Gerts Inocentes
Mt. Luho Tour
“Pampanga has become known as a food capital because of its distinctive cuisine. There are so many awesome restaurants both in Clark and Angeles City.”
“The vibrant heart of Islamic and indigenous culture in the Philippines, Cotabato City offered me a glimpse of a very different facet of this culture-rich country.”
If you like buffet dining, Mequeni Holiday Inn Clark is a good option for those with big appetites. I especially like their velvety cheesecakes. Burn calories and go jogging or biking at the Parade Grounds in Clark. Entrance is free and there are lots of parking spaces. The running track is now rubberized. Plus, you can bring your pets, too! Buy pasalubong such as pastries, famous Pampanga tocino and tibok-tibok (carabao milk pudding) from Susie’s Cuisine in SM City Clark.
Check out Pagana Kutawato Native Restaurant (+64 552 0592) at Rufo Manara Street and get to eat local raw tuna dish for less than PHP200. If you’re on a budget, you can visit Manong’s at Sinsuat Avenue and have their Bistek Tagalog (approx. PHP40). Don’t leave the city without viewing the Grand Mosque of Cotabato, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Masjid, the largest mosque in the country with gold-plated domes, towering minarets and spacious areas for worship.
AREA CODE +45 TOUCHDOWN CLARK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, SHUTTLE, CAR RENTAL, JEEPNEY
AREA CODE +64 TOUCHDOWN AWANG AIRPORT GET TO TOWN JEEPNEY, MOTORCYCLE, CHARTERED VAN
Tel. No.: (0998) 556-6412 Location: Zetro Adventures, Boracay Island
Did you know?
Promo period: APRIL 2016 Email: segwayphil@gmail.com Tel. No.: +639 77 839-6005
BOOKING.SEGWAY.COM.PH
THE MASJID DIMAUKOM IN DATU SAUDI-AMPATUAN, MAGUINDANAO IS ALSO CALLED THE PINK MOSQUE.
156 SMILE • APRIL 2016
PHOTOS: LESTER LEDESMA (CLARK); SAMUEL DE LEON (COTABATO)
International NGO technical advisor
Dentist
Ang Pintura Ko. Reliability and beauty. Wanting nothing but the best, one of the country’s most talented actress, Heart Evangelista-Escudero, opt for her brand of choice: The A-PLUS PAINTS. The A-PLUS All Weather, the A-PLUS Fresh & Green, and the A-PLUS PowerRoof will make every house, the perfect home.
PHILIPPINES TRIP JOURNAL
Charmaine V. Pecson School nurse/blogger
“Davao City is a true depiction of its city slogan, ‘Life is Here’. It’s a great place to live, work and play. The city is peaceful, and its citizens are hospitable, trustworthy and responsible.” Don’t miss Lachi’s Sans Rival in Ruby Street (+82 224 5552) for its fine desserts. Or if you’re adventurous when it comes to food, dine like a local at the Roxas Night Market in Roxas Avenue, where you can find food stalls that sell grilled meats and even all-you-can-eat durian. Take a dive course at Pro Dive Davao (prodivedavao.com), which also offers affordable diving and island-hopping packages. An introductory dive costs as little as PHP1,000, a fee which includes food and transportation. AREA CODE +82 TOUCHDOWN FRANCISCO BANGOY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN PUBLIC UTILITY JEEPNEY, TAXIS
Dipolog
Christian Jose Reports analyst
“Dipolog must be the most relaxing and calm city that I’ve ever been to. Walking on the beach along Sunset Boulevard during sundown is amazing.” Craving for seafood? Kamayan ni Manay (+65 213 6985) in Sunset Boulevard serves delicious sinigang na hipon (shrimp in sour broth) and ginataang alimango (crabs in coconut milk sauce). Spend around PHP500 per person. Head to Dakak Park Beach Resort (dakakresort.com), if you want some R&R by its white-sand beach. The resort offers a day tour for PHP1,000, which is consumable at their restaurant and some of their activities. Take a short trip to nearby Dapitan to see the Rizal Shrine and Rizal Landing Site.
AREA CODE +65 TOUCHDOWN DIPOLOG AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRICYCLE (TO DOWNTOWN AREA, PHP20 FOR 2 PEOPLE)
Dumaguete
Blooey Singson Public relations manager/book blogger
“I believe that Dumaguete perfectly encapsulates the Visayan concept of hayahay. With its laid-back vibe and charming, smalltown feel, it offers countless ways to while away time.” If you’re a pizza lover, make a stop at Neva’s Pizza (+35 226 2580) in Piapi. Order their 11-inch roasted garlic and cheese pizza (PHP140). Dumaguete is a great jump-off point for island hopping. Head to Siquijor via ferry from Dumaguete port (PHP175 one-way; PHP1,000 for a whole-day coastal tour via tricycle) for pristine beaches, heritage sites, waterfalls, cliff diving and a visit to Tulapos Marine Sanctuary. It is home to a mangrove forest and many wonderful species of plants and animals. AREA CODE +35 TOUCHDOWN SIBULAN AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRICYCLE (TO TOWN, PHP100 ON AVERAGE), JEEPNEY
Did you know? MUCH OF DUMAGUETE IS DOMINATED BY SILLIMAN UNIVERSITY, MAKING IT A UNIVERSITY TOWN WITH A LARGE STUDENT POPULATION, SO THE PRICE OF GOODS IS GENERALLY LOWER. THIS MAKES THE CITY A GREAT PLACE FOR SHOPPING, FROM FRESH PRODUCE TO INCREDIBLE FOOD FINDS. 158 SMILE • APRIL 2016
PHOTOS: LESTER LEDESMA (DAVAO); SAMUEL DE LEON (DIPOLOG); HERSLEY VEN CASERO (DUMAGUETE)
Davao
PHILIPPINES TRIP JOURNAL
Iloilo
General Santos
Michael John Sabido
Isay M. Roque Writer
Web developer
“Iloilo is a perfect blend of laid-back and busy working lifestyles. Awe-inspiring century-old churches and heritage sites, pristine beaches, delicious food… You name it, Iloilo has it!”
Go on a seafood feast! For lunch, try the delicious fish roll (ground mackerel wrapped in tuna) and imbaw (clam soup) at Nikolai Grill and Seafood House in Naranjita Street. For dinner, take your pick from the various establishments at Tiongson Arcade in Tiongson Street. It’s like most paluto restaurants, where you can have seafood cooked the way you want. Best to eat with a group. Experience paragliding at SAFI Ranch (+63 917 327 0113) in Saranggani Province, about 20 minutes away from the city. An introductory ride costs PHP3,000.
The popular Breakthrough Restaurant (+33 337 3027) serves a variety of dishes — mostly seafood. Don’t forget to have a bowl or two of their yummy aligue (crabfat) rice (PHP50/single serving). Kanin pa lang, ulam na! Iloilo takes pride in its history and culture, so don’t be surprised to see restored and repurposed centuryold buildings. It’s best to visit Calle Real on a Sunday afternoon from 3pm onwards, since it’s closed to vehicular traffic.
AREA CODE +83 TOUCHDOWN GENERAL SANTOS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, TRICYCLE, HOTEL SHUTTLE
AREA CODE +33 TOUCHDOWN ILOILO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, VAN
Did you know? VERANZA MALL IN GENERAL SANTOS CITY FEATURES THE TALLEST MAN-MADE WATERFALLS IN THE PHILIPPINES.
160 SMILE • APRIL 2016
PHOTOS: LESTER LEDESMA
“GenSan isn’t called the ‘Tuna Capital of the Philippines’ for nothing! You won’t get fresher and cheaper tuna anywhere else. They even have a Tuna Festival every September!”
PHILIPPINES TRIP JOURNAL
Aia Arce Medical student
Laoag
Julienne Refuerzo Research scientist
Legazpi
Ches Estacio Technical writer and project development officer
“In Kalibo you can experience the best of both worlds — the laid-back life of the province and the buzz of the city with crazy, fun street partying!”
“Whether you like a cultural trip, an adventure trip or a beach experience for some peace and quiet, you’ll be able to find your type of vacation up north.”
“I like the city’s rustic charm and friendly people. Legazpi is scenic — old houses, fewer traffic jams and lower buildings that allow people to see the beauty of Mount Mayon.”
Latte Café Restaurant (+36 268 9026) in Quezon Avenue. Extension is my favorite restaurant in Kalibo; their food and coffee are so good. I especially like the sizzling bulalo and baby back ribs. Budget around PHP300-500 per person. Discover more about the province’s colorful history by visiting Museo it Akean in Martelino Street. Entrance fee is only PHP15. Learn some local lingo such as “Tagpila?” (“How much?”) and “Mayad nga adlaw” (“Good day”).
Looking for some excitement? Try sandboarding and riding a 4x4 vehicle in the sand dunes of Laoag. I recommend standing at the back of the 4x4 so you’ll really see each ascent and descent. Also, you’re really able to take in the beautiful, panoramic views of the rolling dunes mixed with white-knuckle thrills — so much so that they even ask you to sign a waiver before you take a ride. Got more time? Drive to Pagudpud and enjoy its fine beaches. It’s about an hour-and-a-half away from Laoag City.
Try the famous sili (chilli) ice cream at 1st Colonial Grill (+52 481 1213), where you can choose its level of spiciness. Or go for its bestselling tripartite serving of sili, pili nut, and toasted-rice ice cream flavors. The tall and majestic Mount Mayon will capture your attention upon arrival at the airport. Head to the Legazpi Boulevard, where you can take pictures by the large “Legazpi” sign with the volcano as its backdrop. Bicolandia is known for its abaca products. Shop for tote bags (approx. PHP200) or slippers (PHP6080) at any souvenir shop.
AREA CODE +36 TOUCHDOWN KALIBO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, TRICYCLE, JEEPNEY, BUS, VAN
AREA CODE +77 TOUCHDOWN LAOAG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN SIRIB BUS, JEEPNEY, TRICYCLE, PRE-ARRANGED RENTAL VAN
AREA CODE +52 TOUCHDOWN LEGAZPI AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, TRICYCLE, RENTAL VAN
Did you know? ILOCOS NORTE HELD ITS FIRST GAY-THEMED PAGEANT, MISS ILOCOSLOVAKLA, IN FEBRUARY TO SHOWCASE THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT’S SUPPORT FOR GENDER EMPOWERMENT.
162 SMILE • APRIL 2016
PHOTOS: LESTER LEDESMA
Kalibo
PHILIPPINES TRIP JOURNAL
Manila
Naga
Bia FernandezFamularcano
Nico Dino Video producer and editor
Creative director
PHOTOS: LESTER LEDESMA (MANILA); RAYMOND CALACDAY (NAGA)
“There is no place like home, and Manila goes out of its way to make you feel at home. It is a city eager to adopt you and love you.” For Filipino cuisine, Locavore (locavore.ph) in Pasig is both popular and delicious. It’s known for its sizzling sinigang made with beef short ribs. Come early to avoid the lunch/dinner lines. Rural Kitchen of Liliw, Laguna (+2 779 8073) in Rada Street, Makati is also amazing, especially if you like your deep-fried pork. For only PHP300-400 per person, expect to leave both restaurants with a very happy belly. Check out Saguijo Café + Bar (saguijo. com) and Pineapple Lab (pineapplelab.ph) for music, art and indie performances.
AREA CODE +2 TOUCHDOWN NINOY AQUINO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI
“For me, Naga is the perfect place to seek tranquillity and infuse life with history, food and adventures. All in one place for you and your family— it’s metro living redefined.” If you’re a veggie lover, you should treat your taste buds with Red Platter’s (redplatter.ph) Laing Pizza that is topped with chilli and laing (PHP319), or Bicol’s Best Platter (PHP230). You can never go wrong with these treats and will surely leave with delicious memories. For pasalubong, they offer frozen laing, pinangat and Bicol express (PHP210-235). If you’re a nature adventure seeker, climb Mount Isarog. It is furnished by nature, with natural waterfalls and springs. The best time to visit is during the dry months of January to April. AREA CODE +54 TOUCHDOWN NAGA AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRICYCLE, TAXI, JEEPNEY
Did you know? BICOL CUISINE IS KNOWN FOR BEING SPICY. A LOT OF LOCAL DISHES USE SILING LABUYO (CHILLI PEPPERS) AND GATA (COCONUT MILK).
163 SMILE • APRIL 2016
PHILIPPINES TRIP JOURNAL
Ozamiz
Pagadian
Althea Oaminal
Nikko Galarrita Undergraduate student
PHOTOS: LESTER LEDESMA (OZAMIZ); EDGAR ALAN ZETA YAP (PAGADIAN)
Lawyer
“Ozamiz City is where I can climb mountains before sunrise, take a swim at the beach during sunset and eat delicious food in between — all in the same day!”
“It’s a city enmeshed with three cultures: Christian, Muslim and Lumad. A city built atop a hilly terrain, I like how it is adorned with a view of verdant mountains.”
If you’re looking for a place to chill at night, visit the city’s newest restaurant and bar, Banyan Resto (+63 920 915 7501). Its crispy pata (crispy pork knuckle, PHP275) and sizzling pochero (meat stew with plantains, PHP165) will remind you of your mother’s cooking and your favorite hangout. Hike up to Bukagan Hill and get a panoramic view of the city on your way. You’ll see four big bells on top, which are named St. Peter, St. Marien, St. Joseph and St. Michael.
Head to the dried fish market near the port area and buy some dried fish or squid, pair it with pinakurat vinegar and rice, and eat it with your bare hands! The Rotonda is a subtle site for photography and good for topographical thrills due to its steep roads. It also provides the spectators a magnificent view of the city proper and the alluring Illana Bay. Try all the possible places you can ride inside the motorela — upper seat, lower seat or behind the driver. The inclined tricycles will give you quite a ride!
AREA CODE +88 TOUCHDOWN LABO AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRICYCLE
AREA CODE +62 TOUCHDOWN PAGADIAN DOMESTIC AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRICYCLE, JEEPNEY
Did you know? LUMAD REFERS TO THE GROUP OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE LIVING IN SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES.
165 SMILE • APRIL 2016
PHILIPPINES TRIP JOURNAL
Puerto Princesa
Roxas
DR. MARLON O. LAJO Plastic surgeon
www.marlonlajo.com www.plasticsurgeononline.net www.noselift.info
Joanna Sison
R.A. Librando
Freelancer
Assistant sales manager
“It’s a city within a paradise. You’ll experience the usual hustle and bustle of city life, yet you’ll find a unique feeling of calmness as you walk along the beaches of Honda Bay.” La Terrasse (laterrassepalawan. com) offers meals made with organic ingredients but at affordable prices. Bring home the Palawan nougat made with wild honey and whole cashew nuts. It is advisable to travel with a big group so you can share expenses, particularly in transportation and tour packages. Bring your own rash guard and aqua shoes when you take the Underground River tour so that you don’t have to rent these items. AREA CODE +48 TOUCHDOWN PUERTO PRINCESA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN VAN, TRICYCLE (PHP50), MULTICAB
“It’s more than just the Seafood Capital of the Philippines. Its charm lies in its silent reclamation of their pristine beaches and restored historical structures.” For a historical and architectural treat, you should walk around the Capiz Provincial Capitol. In that area, you’ll see the Immaculate Concepcion Metropolitan Cathedral, mini-parks dedicated to the national hero José Rizal and former president Manuel Roxas, and the Panubli-on Museum. While there, seek out the local tourism office if you are looking at volunteering, or wanting to venture off to other places in Panay Island. They have contacts that they can share with you. AREA CODE +36 TOUCHDOWN ROXAS CITY AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRICYCLE
Did you know?
SMS, Viber or WhatsApp
+63 917 885 0337 Email
marlonlajomd@hotmail.com
JUST 30 MINUTES FROM ROXAS CITY IS THE TOWN OF PANAY, WHERE YOU’LL FIND THE BIGGEST CHURCH BELL IN ASIA AT THE SANTA MONICA PARISH CHURCH. 166 SMILE • APRIL 2016
PHOTOS: LESTER LEDESMA
Dr. Marlon O. Lajo, a board certified aesthetic plastic surgeon and who is based at St. Luke’s Medical Center has made his frequent travel more convenient and more fun by browsing and reading the inflight magazine. In his years as a Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Marlon Lajo has been able to do what he wants to do, traveling from Gensan to Manila, vice versa and from Puerto Princess to Manila and vice versa. He can still actively attend to several aesthetic centers in Metro Manila as the plastic surgeon without the inconvenience of the air transportation. Dr. Lajo has found particular interest in rhinoplasty (noselift), one of the leading procedures which has dominated his practice around the country. Moreso, blepharoplasty (upper eyelid deepset /eyebag removal) is another sought after procedure which has made him very busy, followed by abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), liposuction, breast augmentation.
PHILIPPINES TRIP JOURNAL
San Jose
Siargao
Summer Puertollano
Gizelle Anne D. Abela
Part-time bartender/ visual artist
Restaurant manager
If you’re on a tight budget, go to the Acacia Park food court in San Jose Town Plaza to satisfy your hunger. Different stalls offer banana cue (fried plantain with brown sugar), grilled meats and even affordable rice meals. Experience cave swimming at Sitio Ansiray in Iling Island, south of Occidental Mindoro. Immerse yourself in clear and cold freshwater, but watch out for stalactites. Make sure to bring life jackets, inflatable devices and flashlights.
AREA CODE +43 TOUCHDOWN SAN JOSE AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRICYCLE
“If you’re looking for the island life where you can walk barefoot and wear your bikini all day, then Siargao is the destination for you.” Siargao is mostly known for the consistency and quality of surfable waves. Aside from this water sport, there are other activities that may interest you — free diving (Palaka Siargao Dive Center, +63 918 626 2303), carabao riding while drinking (Drunken Carabao; facebook.com/drunken. carabao), game fishing, or simply renting a motorbike and driving around the beautiful landscape. Surf n’ Dine (+63 920 627 1524) in Poblacion, General Luna has really good burgers (starting at PHP100). Try to take on the Legendary Island Beast Burger challenge. AREA CODE +86 TOUCHDOWN SAYAK AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRICYCLE (APPROX. PHP200 TO CLOUD 9), HABALHABAL, SHUTTLE VAN=
Did you know? THE BEST MONTHS FOR SURFING IN SIARGAO ARE FROM JULY TO NOVEMBER, WHILE THE MONTHS OF MARCH TO MAY ARE GOOD FOR ISLAND HOPPING AND SIGHTSEEING. 168 SMILE • APRIL 2016
PHOTOS: GEORGE CABIG (SAN JOSE); EDSEL OCHOA (SIARGAO)
“Staying in San Jose gives me a tranquil feeling of being close to nature. I can go island hopping or enjoy Inasakan Beach with its peaceful ambience.”
PHILIPPINES TRIP JOURNAL
Surigao
Tacloban
Christian Edward Z. Bagamano
David Mabalcon Communication arts student
“Visiting Tacloban is like going back to the past because of MacArthur’s Landing Site. To get near the bronze statues, you must get your feet wet since these are standing on water.”
Indulge in parrotfish, crab and other seafood recipes at Islands Resto and Seafood Restaurant (+63 920 909 9777). Prices range from PHP200-1,300. Or head to the local market to buy fresh seafood and have it cooked in the nearby restaurants. Cooking costs PHP100-200 per kilo. Explore the natural wonders of the island by renting a van that will take you to Magpupungko Beach and Tidal Pools, Tayangban Cave Pool, Taktak Falls and other breathtaking sights. Also check out the Hinatuan Enchanted River and Tinuy-an Falls.
Ocho Seafood and Grill (+53 325 4171) serves very fresh seafood (PHP400-500 per meal). If bread is more of your thing, check out Café Umberto in Rizal Street for their mouthwatering cheesy burger (PHP150-250 per meal). Have a moment of silence in front of the M/V Eva Jocelyn Memorial Marker in Anibong. It is a must-see site that reminds us of Typhoon Haiyan, a tragedy that claimed thousands of lives in 2013. Contact Vagabond Pinas (vagabondpinas@gmail.com) to arrange a seamless experience in the city.
AREA CODE +86 TOUCHDOWN SURIGAO AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRICYCLE, MULTICAB, HOTEL SHUTTLE
AREA CODE +53 TOUCHDOWN DANIEL Z. ROMUALDEZ AIRPORT GET TO TOWN JEEPNEY, TAXI, TRICYCLE, HIRED VAN
Did you know? THE M/V EVA JOCELYN MEMORIAL MARKER WAS UNVEILED LAST NOVEMBER 2015. IT FEATURES THE ACTUAL BOW OF THE SHIP THAT WAS SWEPT ASHORE BY TYPHOON HAIYAN IN 2013. 170 SMILE • APRIL 2016
PHOTOS: LESTER LEDESMA (SURIGAO)
“There is more than enough adventure to experience in Surigao. You can go island hopping, surfing and caving. You’ll want to keep coming back.”
Restaurant owner
PHILIPPINES TRIP JOURNAL
Tagbilaran
Mina Loyola
PHOTOS: LESTER LEDESMA (TAGBILARAN & TANDAG); EDGAR ALAN ZETA YAP (TAWI-TAWI)
Digital marketing practitioner
Tandag
Jean Therese B. Mandap Medical technologist
“I like how it is a cultural, culinary, adventure and vacation destination rolled into one. There’s something for everyone in Bohol.”
“Tandag can give you both the buzz of a city and the calmness of a province. I liked how it offered me the best of both worlds.”
Don’t leave Bohol without trying Payag Restaurant’s (+63 909 799 2463) version of grilled chicken, chicken inato (PHP120-150). It is home to the famous Jo’s Chicken Inato in Tagbilaran, and tricycle drivers are familiar with the place. Check out Hinagdanan Cave in Dauis, Panglao Island (PHP25 entrance fee). It features striking limestone formations and crystal-clear waters that are now open for swimming. Entertaining tour guides are also present to help.
Cortesanon Grill and Restaurant located in Bongtud offers a variety of items from fresh kilawín (Filipino version of ceviche) to grilled seafood meals. You can eat for as little as PHP100 per meal while enjoying the view of the river. Don’t leave without visiting Tandag Boulevard. You can jog here in the morning, and since it faces the Pacific Ocean, you get a fantastic view of the sunrise. At night, you can take Instagram-worthy pictures of the colorful lamp posts.
AREA CODE +38 TOUCHDOWN TAGBILARAN AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRICYCLE/MOTORELA, TAXI, HOTEL SHUTTLE
AREA CODE +86 TOUCHDOWN TANDAG CITY AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRICYCLE, HABAL-HABAL
Tawi-Tawi
Darryl Anthony M. Valino University research assistant/marine biologist
“From a wide variety of seafood to secluded white beaches, Tawi-Tawi has a lot to offer. It has a unique vibe that triggered my sense of adventure.” Head to Beachside Inn and order their beef iya itum, a stew-like dish full of roasted coconut and spices that give it its black color (PHP220-300). Call in advance because it takes two hours to cook it, but don’t worry, every minute of waiting is worth it. If you are a diver, contact the Tawi-Tawi Divers Club (facebook.com/ tawitawidiversclub). You can rent gear, a tank, a boat and a dive master who can take you wreck diving to visit sunken World War II vessels and planes.
AREA CODE +68 TOUCHDOWN SANGASANGA AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRICYCLE (PHP20-25 TO TOWN PROPER), JEEPNEY (PHP800 A DAY FOR A LARGE GROUP)
Did you know? THERE ARE MORE THAN 300 ISLANDS IN TAWI-TAWI. SEVERAL OF THEM HAVE FINE WHITE-SAND BEACHES THAT ARE COMPARABLE TO BORACAY, SUCH AS PANAMPANGAN ISLAND IN SUSULAN.
173 SMILE • APRIL 2016
PHILIPPINES TRIP JOURNAL
Tuguegarao
Ronnel Gacula
PHOTOS: LESTER LEDESMA (TUGUEGARAO & ZAMBOANGA)
Senior operations analyst
Virac
Kristine Rodulfo Tolod PhD student/ chemical engineer
“Mabbalo kamu! I used not to believe in paradise, but when I crossed the Golden Gate of Cagayan Valley, I changed my mind. My imagination was brought to life.”
“Casually charming with a dash of boldness, I will always remember Virac’s relaxing beaches and delicious food with a smile on my face. Always.”
If you’re looking for a big meal near the airport, go no further than Kusina Cagayana (+63 917 585 9288), which serves the best Cagayan dishes plus other Filipino food (PHP300 buffet lunch per person). The Buntun Bridge is the longest river bridge in the Philippines. Just 10 minutes from the city center via tricycle, it is a great place to take photos with the Cagayan River as the backdrop. For nature lovers, take a two-hour bus ride from Tuguegarao to Lagum so you can check out the beautiful Lapi Falls.
Dine by the ocean at Sea Breeze Restaurant (+52 811 0664) in the pier area. Enjoy delectable favorites like the king crab (PHP170 per kilo), lobsters (PHP1000), and blue marlin (PHP180-250). Don’t leave the province of Catanduanes without surfing at Puraran Surf Beach Resort (puraransurf.com). It is known for its majestic waves, and attracts both rookie and professional surfers. For a hasslefree vacation, Mayleine of weekendinbicol. com can whip up an organized travel experience for you.
AREA CODE +78 TOUCHDOWN TUGUEGARAO AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRICYCLE
AREA CODE +52 TOUCHDOWN VIRAC AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TRICYCLE (LESS THAN PHP10 TO TOWN CENTER), TAXI, JEEPNEY
Zamboanga
Pauline Suaybaguio Banker/blogger
“Zamboanga City’s architecture sends you back centuries to Spanish-era Philippines. While being a feast for the eyes, the city’s sheer array of food ensures that your gastronomic needs are attended to.” Have a hearty lunch at Hacienda de Palmeras Hotel and Restaurant (+62 991 3284) and feast on seafood canton, sizzling gambas and bacalao rice. End your meal with the famous knickerbocker (similar to halohalo dessert)! Pass by Zamboanga City Hall on your way to Paseo del Mar to catch a glimpse of the city’s well-preserved heritage and culture. Enjoy an afternoon stroll in Fort Pilar and then head over to Paseo del Mar.
AREA CODE +62 TOUCHDOWN ZAMBOANGA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GET TO TOWN TAXI, JEEPNEY, TRICYCLE
Did you know? CATANDUANES LIES ALONG THE EASTERNMOST FRINGE OF LUZON, PRACTICALLY WIDE OPEN TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN. IT IS KNOWN AS THE “LAND OF HOWLING WINDS” AS IT IS FREQUENTED BY TYPHOONS. HOWEVER, LOCALS AFFECTIONATELY REFER TO IT AS THE “HAPPY ISLAND”. 175 SMILE • APRIL 2016
DIRECTORY
The District Boracay goes green The District Boracay has finally realized its goal of becoming a green establishment. The boutique beachfront resort installed more than 100 solar panels on its rooftops in February — an investment that is expected to generate enough electricity to power the whole property. On peak sunlit days, management intends to run the resort purely on solar power. The project, part of The District Boracay’s commitment to sustainable tourism, will greatly reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, and is a great way to offset the resort’s carbon footprint. Avail of The District’s Best Rate Guarantee. If you book directly with The District Boracay’s website or reservations team, you get the best available rate online. Here’s how to do it: first, use the code SmileMagTDB on their online reservations system to get the best available rate (for advance reservations). Then, take a photo of this ad and show a copy to the front desk to avail of the Best Rate Guarantee (plus a free premium item at the resort). thedistrictboracay.com
Escape to Palawan
Moving words
Need to get away from it all? Fly to Palawan, the Philippines’ last frontier. Upon touching down in Puerto Princesa international airport, all it takes to get you to Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa is a five-minute drive. The 4ha oceanfront property boasts amazing views of crystalline blue waters and powdery white sand, its 10 water villas and 68 rooms and suites designed with a classy Asian-meets-native aesthetic. Here you can unplug from work, and give you and your family a much-needed break from it all. princesagardenisland.com
Whether you’re relocating into a new home or simply upgrading your space, Abenson’s One Day Move In has a personalized solution for you. Their move-in specialists are ready to guide you every step of the way — from layout consultations and appliance selection to delivery and installation — to guarantee a hasslefree moving day. For more information, visit abenson.com. ph/OneDayMoveIn or get in touch with Abenson Customer Service by emailing customerservice@abenson.com or by calling +63 2 921 0888. 177
SMILE • APRIL 2016
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
Love your nation WEAR YOUR FILIPINO PRIDE — AND LOVE — ON YOUR SLEEVES WITH MY PHILIPPINES’ COUPLES COLLECTION My Philippines has come a long way. The souvenir T-shirt business founded by Brian Dy (above) in 2003 has grown from a dream into a flourishing business in 39 outlets around the nation (mostly SM Department Store and Kultura). The secret of his success? Brian
sewing techniques (rubber embossed, high density, plastisol-printed or flocked), and awesome product designs that stand the test of time. My Philippines was the first brand to emblazon the front of a T-shirt and jacket with the country’s map; since then the brand’s map- and
had a vision for every Filipino youth to flaunt their pride in their country, as well as a desire to make worldclass products. Brian insists on only the best: long-life, high-quality fabrics (he sources his raw materials overseas), durable printing and
flag-inspired designs have become a big hit. And now, My Philippines has the Couples Collection — a selection of his-andhers T-shirts and jackets. It’s just another stylish way for women and men to share and wear their Filipino pride on their sleeves.
GET YOUR OWN Check out facebook.com/myphilippineslifestyle and follow @myphilippineslifestyle on Instagram to know the latest with the Original Pinoy Lifestyle Brand.
@
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© Elephant Parade®
PAINT AN ELEPHANT & CREATE YOUR OWN WORK OF ART! At the 2016 Affordable Art Fair in Singapore, Elephant Parade® is offering visitors free workshops* where you can paint your very own Elephant Parade replica. Let your creativity run wild and be part of it! *Please note that there is a limit for free workshops per day.
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR 22 - 24 APRIL 2016 F1 pit Building, Singapore
LET’S PAINT A BRIGHTER FUTURE! We believe in the power of a global movement to make a happier world. Our worldwide art exhibitions and products create millions of smiles and raise awareness of the need for elephant conservation. Be part of it.
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elephantparade.com
airline news UPDATES FROM CEBU PACIFIC AIR
KOREA OPPORTUNITIES Korea comes alive this month with the scents and colors of spring, so take advantage of the sights and excellent weather while they last. There’s the Yeongdeungpo Yeouido Spring Flower Festival in Seoul; the Taean Tulip Festival at Nature World in Taean; and the Icheon Baeksa Sansuyu Flower Festival in Icheon-si, Gyeonggido, just to name a few. Check out the cultural performances, games and exhibits too. Cebu Pacific flies to Busan from Manila, and to Seoul from Manila and Cebu. cebupacificair.com; english.visitkorea.or.kr
More news from Cebu Pacific on the next page >
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COMPANY UPDATES
CEBU PACIFIC ON A HIGH THE AIRLINE POSTS RECORD NUMBERS IN EARLY 2016
Though it’s only April, Cebu Pacific (CEB) already has lots of reasons to celebrate its year so far. In January alone, the Philippines’ leading carrier saw over 1.6 million passengers on domestic and international flights — a growth of nearly 13% over the same month last year — and had an 86% seat load factor as well. What’s more, CEB accommodated
62,947 travelers on January 3 — its highest ever passenger volume in a day. February was even better. From the first to the 21st of the month, CEB flew 1.1 million customers — a 19% increase compared to the same period in 2015. The airline’s strong performance can be attributed to its expanding international network and exceptional domestic sales, which resulted in an estimated 58%
domestic market share in January. “We thank our valued guests for allowing CEB to bring them and their loved ones closer together,” says Atty. JR Mantaring, CEB Vice President for Corporate Affairs. “We will continue to expand our network and flight frequency to meet the growing demand for air travel.”
For a different experience of Davao, you can’t go wrong with the International Mount Apo Boulder Face Challenge. Now in its ninth year, the 24hour endurance event on April 24 features water tubing (5km), mountain biking (36.6km) and trail running (53.5km). Categories include the Individual Open Elite
and the All-Male and All-Women Relays, which carry total prize money of up to PHP400,000. Participants will come from all over the world. Runners can also head to the competition early for the 32k and 70k Sky and Vertical Race on the 23rd. Aside from promoting Mount Apo and the Davao region, the Challenge aims to raise awareness on
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environmental conservation, bring people together, and encourage teamwork and sportsmanship. Go to visitdavaofunsale.com for more information.
AIRCRAFT PHOTO BY AJIG IBASCO
Test your limits on Mount Apo
COMPANY UPDATES
Visit Bangkok via CEB
How to search, book and check in for flights
ONLINE Cebupacificair.com
More CEB flights to come Good news for passengers: the Philippine government has recently ratified the ASEAN Open Skies agreement — an arrangement that grants carriers in ASEAN nations the right to operate unlimited flights from their home base to other capital cities in the region. This means that CEB can offer more trips, as well as better options and services to a growing number of travelers. CEB currently has 11 stops in seven ASEAN countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. An interline partnership with Tigerair
Singapore also gets CEB customers to Myanmar (Yangon) from Singapore. Passengers arriving from these international destinations will be able to avail of CEB’s year-round affordable fares and promos — and visit the many islands in its domestic network — in the near future. “The Philippine aviation industry has reached a milestone that will ultimately benefit the traveling public, as we open our airspace to vast travel opportunities and operational efficiencies between and among ASEAN carriers,” says Atty. JR Mantaring, CEB Vice President for Corporate Affairs.
LIVE THE LIFE WITH GETGO GetGo, CEB’s lifestyle rewards program, gives you more chances to earn points and enjoy big discounts. Here are a few: • Every PHP100 you spend at Go Hotels, and Summit Hotels and Resorts, gains you two GetGo points. You just need your GetGo card and valid ID upon check-in, so your points get credited seven days after you check out. • On a budget? Bellevue Resort Bohol and H2O Hotel Manila present GetGo cardholders with as much as 65% off accommodations. Bellevue’s showcard promotion ends on December 22, 2016. • Rooms are also almost half the price at Buri Resort & Spa in Puerto Galera, Busuanga Bay Lodge in Palawan, Harbor Town Hotel in Iloilo, Tugawe Cove Resort in Camarines Sur and The Oasis Paco Park Hotel in Metro Manila. Simply show your GetGo card upon booking. • Or choose your lodgings at Kaligo.com – and pick up 50 GetGo points for every PHP100 spent. The first booking may even win you 2,000 bonus points (valid for a limited period only). GetGo.com.ph
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ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE Download the Cebu Pacific mobile app from the App Store or Google Play. Book tickets and check in for your flights in just a few quick taps. You can also select baggage, meals and seat options, then pay by credit card. ON THE PHONE Need to speak to an operator? Call the following numbers: • Manila: +63 2 7020 888 • Cebu: +63 32 2308 888 • Hong Kong: +852 3973 3800 • Singapore: +65 3158 0808 • Australia: +61 2 9119 2956
It’s fun to be social Connect with us and be among the first to know about our promos and other updates. Like @CebuPacificAir on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
GOOD TO KNOW
Airport of the month
If you’re flying in or out of…
DAVAO CITY FRANCISCO BANGOY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT It’s been described as bright and airy — and one of the most efficient airports in the world, according to the Airport Council International (ACI). A hub that services local and international airlines, it sees around two million travelers every year. Here are other things about Davao international airport that passengers can appreciate, and are good to know: • Aside from Manila, you can book a ticket to Cebu, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod and Iloilo. There are direct flights to Singapore too. Cebu Pacific travels there every Thursday and Sunday. • At PHP380, you can relax or
catch up on work with comfortable seats, light snacks and drinks, and WiFi at the Miascor Elite Lounge Davao. Check their Facebook page for more information. • Fourteen domestic and 14 international counters make checking in smoother and easier. • Metered taxis are readily available, but you can also opt for shuttles, hotel pick-ups and car rentals. If you don’t have a place to stay yet, try the hotel reservation counters. A visitors’ information center can also answer your questions and point you in the right direction. • For a unique souvenir or takeaway, sample an array of durian treats or buy local crafts from the pasalubong shops.
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Stay healthy
KEEP FIT WHILE ON THE ROAD • Walk instead of using public transportation. • Squeeze in a jog at a nearby park or at the hotel gym before you start exploring for the day. • Rent a bike or go on bike tours. • Do a few laps in the hotel pool. • Pack a resistance band or jump rope.
Where to next
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Onboard treats
Hot meals Available only on international flights
FILIPINO CLASSICS
NON-HALAL
For more meal options, pre-order now at cebupacificair.com!
PHP350 each
Beef Caldereta
Chicken Adobo
Filipino-style beef stew in a rich tomato sauce, with carrots and potatoes.
A Filipino staple simmered in a balanced mix of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and peppercorns.
Bistek Tagalog
Chicken Barbecue
Beef strips cooked in a medley of soy sauce, calamansi and onions.
Chicken chunks cooked in a savory barbecue sauce.
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SAVORY snacks Ham & Cheese Croissant PHP100 Our light, flaky croissant with slices of ham and cheese is sure to satisfy your cravings!
Tuna Roll PHP100 Creamy tuna enveloped in soft bread and topped with chopped parsley.
Pizza Supreme Roll PHP100 Soft bun filled with bacon, mushroom, cream cheese and pepperoni sauce and topped with toasted sesame seeds.
SWEET treats
QUICK bites
Cheese Roll PHP100
Jagabee Potato Fries PHP70 (classic salted)
Mini Choco Chip Cookies PHP100 Chewy Macaroons (Box of 5) PHP100 Piña Colada Muffin PHP100
Nova PHP60 NEW
NEW
Chippy PHP60 Piattos PHP60
HEARTY meals Soon Veggie Ramyun PHP120 Made of 100% vegan ingredients. No MSG added and contains zero trans fat. Nissin Cup Noodles PHP100 (seafood/beef/chicken) Shin/Shrimp Big Bowl PHP150
!
Caution: Our cup noodles are served with piping hot water. Please be extra careful when having them.
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Onboard treats
Drinks COLD drinks
HOT drinks
Double Choco Dinosaur PHP100 NEW Mocha Mudslide PHP100 NEW
Twinings Hot Teas PHP70 (English breakfast/jasmine green tea/chamomile & spearmint)
Mineral Water PHP50
Café Mocha PHP100
Cloud 9 Chocolate PHP60 NEW Milk Drink C500 Juice Drink PHP50 NEW (Lemon, Orange) C2 Flavored Green Tea (apple/lemon)
PHP50
PHP40
Creamy Dark Chocolate PHP100 Brewed Coffee PHP100 Great Taste White Coffee PHP50 Hot Calamansi Tea PHP80 NEW
Canned Soda PHP60 (Pepsi/7-Up/Mountain Dew) Mogu Mogu Lychee PHP60 Gatorade PHP60 (red/blue)
ALCOHOLIC drinks
Vita Coco PHP70
Yellow Tail Wines PHP200 (chardonnay/shiraz/merlot)
B’lue Flavored Water PHP70 (lychee/calamansi)
San Miguel Beer PHP130 (pale pilsen/light)
PLEASE NOTE: • Items may vary depending on the route • Subject to available stock • Goods sold are not refundable • We accept foreign currency — please ask the cabin crew.
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Travel essentials
Onboard merchandise
New Year Treats NEW
NEW Adult Shirt PHP280
Parachute Insulated Lunch Bag PHP250
3-in-1 Clip-on Lens PHP250
With FREE Sharpie Pen
Kids’ Shirt PHP200
Mini Messenger Bag PHP220
USB Pocket Cable PHP220
Wanderskye Luggage Covers PHP1,195/1,295 NEW DESIGNS Other designs available; international flights only
Hoodie Neck Pillow PHP490
Airplane Backpack PHP550 NEW
Lagu Beach Blanket PHP999 Sand repellent *NEW COLORS*
Lagu Beach Bag PHP499 Sand repellent
World Map Tote Bag PHP300
On the Go Luggage Scale PHP490 Available on domestic flights only
Cebu Pacific & Smart Bro Fun Data SIM PHP500
Bluetooth Speaker PHP550
NEW Wind-up Plane & Puzzle Set PHP280
CEB Fun Blanket PHP350
CEB Siesta Kit PHP280
CEB Stuffed Toy PHP350
A320 Die-Cast Plane PHP550
*Every pair comes with a soft case
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next stop
Tell us the right answer and stand a chance to win one Quest Journal in talc pink and one Forget-me-not Journal from Viviamo (ilovebdj.com). Follow @smilemag on Instagram, then take a picture of this page (selfies are welcome). Post your photo, tell us your guess and tag @smilemag. Add these hashtags, too: #smilemag and #nextstopsmile. Good luck!
Contest time
PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES
IN WHICH CITY WAS THIS PHOTO TAKEN?
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IN T ER NAT I ONA L H OT EL LI V ING NOW YO UR S F O R T HE TA K ING
Century Properties embarks on its first hotel project in partnership with one of the world’s most renowned hotel chains – AccorHotels.
Soaring 41 storeys into the sky, Novotel Suites Manila brings an international branded hotel experience with exceptional service, world-class amenities, and beautifully designed living spaces. Rising as the final tower within the immensely successful Acqua Private Residences, it is the culmination of this magnificent waterfront masterplanned development located just a bridge away from the Makati Central Business District and its many attractions. In addition to preferred shares through the Century Fractional Ownership Program, you can now take ownership of your very own home at the tower’s most premium floors. The Residences at Novotel Suites Manila becomes a blank canvas for bespoke interior design and your personalized aesthetic. Residents are also granted the esteemed privilege of exclusive access to Novotel’s marvelous array of hotel amenities, use of the The Pebble, Acqua’s iconic central amenity, as well as hotel privileges such as room service, laundry and cleaning, concierge, valet parking and more. This is true international hotel living now yours for the taking at Novotel Suites Manila.
Photos are artists’ illustration only.
Authorized to sell by HLURB LS No. 030967
Century Limitless Corporation is a subsidiary of Century Properties Group, Inc.
HLURB ENCR AA-2016/03-1171. Novotel Suites Manila is the sixth and final tower rising in Acqua Private Residences located at Coronado St., Bgy. Hulo, Mandaluyong City, Philippines. Owned and developed by Century Limitless Corporation. Completion date: September 2019. Fractional Ownership represents a percentage share in the company that owns the asset. Novotel Suites Manila and its related products are not owned,developed, sold nor endorsed by S&P Inc. or its affiliates (“Accor”). Accor makes no representations or warranties and accepts no liability in connection with Novotel Suites Manila and its related products. The developer uses the trademarks and tradenames of Accor under a hotel management agreement which may be terminated by Accor in various circumstances including if the developer defaults in the performance of its obligations under the agreement.
www.novotelsuitesmanila.com ask@century-properties.com (+63) 917-5555-274 (CPI)