InFlight April 2012

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Entering Travel’s New Black Hole: A Travel Trend Forecast

S p e c i a l a n n i v e r s a r y i ss u e

S p e c i a l a n n i v e r s a r y i ss u e

S p e c i a l a n n i v e r s a r y i ss u e

Inside inflight | april | 2012

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04 e ditor’s note 06 10 BEST TR AVEL PHOTOS Contributing photographers take their pick of some of InFlight’s memorable photos 12 10 FAVORITE PHILIPPINE HOTELS Real estate developer Victor Consunji and model/ TV host Bianca Araneta-Elizalde 16 10 FAVORITE RESTAUR ANTS Chef Claud Tayag 18 10 FAVORITE TR AVEL BR ANDS Fashion designer Rajo Laurel

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20 From the Archive s InFlight looks back at 10 Years of Covers 22 MY FAVORITE PL ACES IN THE PHILIPPINES SEAIR chairman Iren Dornier and SEAIR director Nick Gitsis 24 ENTERING TRAVEL’S NEW BLACK HOLE Trend forecast, from space flights to smart hotels 16

28 10 BEST BE ACHES Not all beaches are created equal. We asked our celebrated photographers and friends in travel and media their favorites

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29 INFLIGHT Guide s Destination guides to the Philippines and neighboring countries Airline Guides: All you need to know about leisure airlines South East Asian Airlines and Island Transvoyager

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1 0 Y e a r s o f I n f l I g h t • e n t e r I n g t r a V e l’ s n e W B l a C K h o l e : a t r a V e l t r e n d f o r e C a s t

A Clark Supplement

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Entering Travel’s New Black Hole: A Travel Trend Forecast

Special anniverSary iSSue

Special anniverSary iSSue

Special anniverSary iSSue

Some of InFlight’s covers spanning a 10 year period

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editor’s note

People. Places. Adventures.

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elcome to InFlight’s 10th Year Anniversary issue. To celebrate our big 10, we’ve asked our contributing writers and photographers, our friends in media, the advertising and travel industries, to help us look back at the past 10 years — picking out their favorite InFlight front covers, travel images, destinations, beaches, restaurants, and to share with us their views on the next 10 years in travel.

The result is our collage of travel images and stories on a kaleidoscope of travel favorites, from beaches to hotels and restaurants, and our cover story on “Entering Travel’s New Black Hole,” which presents some of the forecast key trends in travel in the next 10 years.

Ten years seem like the blink of an eyelid. InFlight has evolved from a 17-page onboard magazine of South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) in 2002 (see right, the first InFlight issue) to the current 64-100-page InFlight onboard magazine covering local and international travel. We’ve also gone digital with the rest of the world, with the launch of www. inflight.ph, allowing us to reach a wider audience.

The magazine is now available onboard three partner airlines, including not only SEAIR, but also SeaTiger, and International Transvoyager (ITI), the official carrier to El Nido in Palawan.

A heartfelt thank you to all our onboard passengers and readers and those who’ve supported us through the years.

giselle javison Editor, InFlight editors@inflight.ph

www.inflight.ph

e d i t o r ia l

executive Editor Editor-In-Chief managing EDITOR Art Director Writer

C o n t r ib u t i n g p h o t o g r a p h e r s

Ferdz Decena, Joel Garcia, Ken Go, Dan Harvey, Oggie Ramos, Jeffrey Sonora, Daniel Soriano, Steve Tirona, Gutsy Tuason C o n t r ib u t i n g w r i t e r s

Lei Chavez, Freida Dario, Ferdz Decena, Catherine Kirchhoff, Jan Lao, Oggie Ramos, Ces Rodriguez, Mari-an Santos, Gutsy Tuason

A d v e r t i s i n g Sa l e s a n d Ma r k e t i n g

Sales and marketing director media representative

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Margie Defensor Joyce Ann Moros

P u b l i s hi n g

publisher Publishing director

Dornier Media International Nikos Gitsis

B o a r d o f A d vi s e r s

Seair chairman Publishing director Editorial director Director Legal counsel

Iren Dornier Nikos Gitsis Giselle Javison Delza Apostol Atty. Celina Cua

Inquiries

Editorial: +632/ 553 7976; Email: editors@inflight.ph; Press releases: press@inflight.ph Advertising: +632/ 553 7978; Email: ads@inflight.ph Subscription and Archive: Email: subscribe@inflight.ph

p hi l i p p i n e C o p y r igh t © 2 0 1 2

Dornier Media International 4F, Lerose Building, 832 Edades Street corner Arnaiz Avenue, Makati City, Philippines Telefax: +632/ 840 2802 • Email: editors@inflight.ph

Like inflight.ph on Facebook

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Nikos Gitsis Giselle Javison Monica De Leon Jocas See Margarita Francisco

Follow inflight_travel on Twitter

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Taking a more aggressive stance with its bolder design, the new Innova has a striking presence that sets it apart.

Reliable and durable, the Innova’s dynamic new look gives you reasons to love it even more.

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Based on CAMPI Report as of December 2011.

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Some of the leading lights in the travel and creative industries are celebrating our 10th year anniversary with us by looking back at our history of covers, travel images, and memorable stories since our debut in 2002. Leading the list are SEAIR founders Iren Dornier and Nick Gitsis, advertising industry’s Melvin Mangada of the multi-awarded TBWA, Lonely Planet Philippines’ editor and underwater photographer Gutsy Tuason, award winning chef Claude Tayag, former contributing photographer Victor Consunji, business woman/model Bianca Araneta-Elizalde, designer Rajo Laurel, and photographers Mike Alcid, Ferdz Decena, Caloy Legaspi, Oggie Ramos and Jeffrey Sonora.

Our travel memories span the decade from 2002 to 2012, including stories on “Entering Travel’s New Blackhole,” a story on the future of travel, 10 favorite hotels, 10 favorite restaurants, 10 favorite travel brands, 10 favorite destinations, 10 best beaches, 10 best covers and 10 best travel photos.

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1 0 b e s t t r av e l p h o t o s Contributing photographers Mike Alcid, Ferdz Decena, Caloy Legaspi, Oggie Ramos, and Jeffrey Sonora take their pick of some of InFlight’s memorable photos

Davao River’s curving trail Photo by Juan Caguicla (Wild River, June-July 2008)

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Calle Crisologo Photo by Daniel Soriano (Spanish High, December 2009-January 2010) Bohol Sea at sunset Photo by Bien Bautista (Top Extreme Adventures October-November 2007) Surfing in Baler’s Cemento Reef Photo by George Tapan (Shark Tales, April-May 2008) Siquijor shaman holding a charm Photo by Che Mambong (To Dive For, OctoberNovember 2009)

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Divinubo Island, Borongan Photo by Oggie Ramos (Feel Good Holidays, December 2008-January 2009) Club Paradise Resort’s house reef Photo by Gutsy Tuason (in Search of the Perfect Beach, August-September 2009) Ifugao local, Mang Ben Photo by Joel Garcia (Green Heritage, June-July 2011) Bohol adventure suislide Photo by Ferdz Decena (Fear Factor Holidays, August-September 2010) Boracay Island sunset Photo by Harvey Tapan (Ultimate Flights, April-May 2007)

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V i c t o r C o n s u n ji 10 favorite Philippine hotels

Victor Consunji’s sexy and sometimes edgy fashion photos earned him media recognition, but these days, married life and running a construction business take center stage. For old time’s sake — Victor shot InFlight’s December 2005-January 2006 cover — he reveals his 10 favorite hotels. Travel for both work and leisure has led him to search out some of the country’s stylish hotels.

Click www.inflight.ph to learn more about Victor’s choices

Misibis Bay

Manila Hotel

Discovery Shores Boracay, Aklan “Discovery Shores is unbeatable in terms of service, affordability, and location. It’s got awesome five-star service. My wife Maggie and I find Discovery Shores as our de facto hotel in Boracay.”

Amanpulo, Palawan “In all of my travels around the world, I don’t think I’ve ever had an amazing and attentive staff as Aman’s.”

Misibis Bay, Albay “That’s where we had our wedding and the reason why I chose Misibis was because of the staff who were so attentive. Plus the place is beautiful. I think our wedding was quite memorable because of Misibis, the staff, the food, the weather, everything.

Well, it rained on our wedding day but we actually enjoyed it.”

Shangri-La Makati “For the occasional staycation spa getaway, Shangri-La is a great hotel. Plus the food is awesome.”

Mandarin Oriental Manila “I’ve always had a soft spot for the Mandarin and their deli. I’ve been going there ever since I was a kid.”

The Peninsula Manila “The Peninsula lobby is also one of my favorite places. It brings back a lot of childhood and teenage memories of events and family gatherings.

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Ananyana Beach Resort and Spa

I remember reunions in the ballroom of The Pen and midnight snacking at the lobby after a night out. It’s always been fun. And then, the deli is also great.”

It’s all enclosed. The beach is nice. They have different restaurants. It’s so big that you don’t need to get bored. You really feel relaxed and at ease.”

Ananyana Beach Resort and Spa, Bohol “You have the tropical garden; you have the private beach; and their attention to detail is fantastic. You really feel right at home.”

Zuzuni Boutique Resort, Boracay Island “Zuzuni is perfect and I like the layout and the room that’s right up in front of the beach. Beautiful view and everything.”

Shangri-La Mactan, Cebu “Shangri-La Mactan is just nice because you get to visit Cebu. It’s remote enough that you can treat it like your own real getaway but at the same time if you want to go into the city, it’s a fine [basecamp].

Manila Hotel “It’s been a while since I’ve stayed at the Manila Hotel. What I like about it is that even when they did their renovations, they kept the rooms’ traditional Filipino flair. I would definitely stay there again.” ■

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B ia n c a A r a n e t a - E l iza l d e 10 favorite Philippine hotels

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She and husband

Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa

Juan Elizalde are known as Boracay Island’s “golden couple”. Juan owns Aria restaurant and Boracay’s only shopping center, D’Mall de Boracay. Bianca Elizalde, a model and tv host, takes care of promoting her husband’s restaurants and other businesses and has also founded Little Miracles Foundation, funding educational programs for street children.

Club Balai Isabel

Shangri-La Makati “It has this grand lobby, with a floral centerpiece and fairy-tale staircase that never ceases to amaze me. The guest rooms have Asian-inspired decor and they’re all laid out well, spacious and comfortable.”

Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel, Pasay City “They have a very friendly staff, always available and willing to help you with anything. The hotel itself is beautiful. The rooms are spacious, clean and very comfortable. Their spa is paradise, giving the best massages.”

Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa, Mactan, Cebu “It has everything you’re looking for – if you want to stay in, you can just go around the hotel or sunbathe by the pool. My daughter absolutely loves it there.

They have this Kid’s Club where kids can do face painting, arts and crafts.”

The Lighthouse Marina Resort, Subic “It’s very simple but very elegant. They offer a lot of activities. The view from the suites is a beautiful, calm view of the bay.”

Discovery Country Suites, Tagaytay City “I like the subtle themes of the rooms. You have nautical, Mediterranean, Thai. But for me, what really stands out is their restaurant, Verbena. You also have a fireplace that adds to that coziness. And their staff are wonderful. They would even deliver warm milk and cookies before you settle in for the night.”

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Discovery Country Suites

Manila Hotel “The hotel is very grandiose and it still has that luxury of that era way back when. It’s like a heritage site. But you also get modern amenities when you stay there.”

Club Balai Isabel, Batangas “The resort is right on the shores of Taal Lake. They have this beautiful, picturesque view of the volcano.

They have watersports; they have the infinity pool; you can play volleyball, tennis, badminton.”

Picasso Boutique Residences, Makati “This place for me is just very unique because it’s

like staying in an art gallery. The room itself is an artwork.”

Imperial Palace Suites, Quezon City “It has a relaxing ambience; it gives me that aura of comfort when I step in the hotel. And it’s located near shopping malls and restaurants.

The Manor at Camp John Hay, Baguio City “It’s located within all these tall pine trees. You can’t help but open your windows to that cool air of Baguio. It also gives you a spectacular view of the Cordillera Mountains. The food is simply amazing! I couldn’t ask for more.” ■

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C l a u d e Tayag 10 favorite restaurants

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InFlight first met Claude Tayag in 2007 when he invited InFlight to Bale Dutung, his home kitchen in Pampanga, which he opens for private dining. Kitchen Confidential author Anthony Bourdain once visited for a meal and was suitably impressed. Tayag wrote “Kulinarya: A Guidebook to Philippine Cuisine”, and “Linamnam: Eating One’s Way Around the Philippines,” which he co-authored with wife Mary Ann. Visit ww.baledutung.com.

Talisay Food Alley

Glory’s Empanadahan. “The Ilocos empanada or fried savory turnovers are the mainstay at Glory’s.

The empanada is served piping hot doused with spicy vinegar mix called sukang Iloko, infused with tanbark.”

Riverside Empanada Plaza, Batac, Ilocos Norte Tel: +63916/ 358 2597 Kusina Felicitas and Catering Services.

“Grandpa’s Inn’s Kusina Felicitas and Café Uno are known for authentic Ilocano cuisine like bagnet, pakbet, dinengdeng, baradibod.”

1 Bonifacio St. corner Quirino Blvd., Vigan, Ilocos Sur Tel: +6377/ 637 8229 or +63917/ 568 0801 Café by the Ruins. “Try local dishes chicken adobo topped with mangoes, Tita Susie’s crispy tapa (fried beef flakes served with tomato/onion relish), the Cordillera chicken soup pinikpikan with watercress, and beef mechado with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, and buttered vegetables.”

25 Chuntug St., Rizal Park (across Baguio City Hall) Tel: +6374/ 442 4010 Matutina’s Seafood Annex 3. “Just the thought of having a newly grilled fresh bangus and pakbet at Matutina’s Seafood Restaurant makes me want to drive all the way to Pangasinan.”

Along MacArthur Hi-way, Urdaneta, Pangasinan Tel: +6375/ 568 8288 Everybody’s Café. “The murcon or meatloaf of Everybody’s Café is an heirloom recipe from the present owner’s grandmother.”

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Del PIlar, MacArthur Highway, San Fernando, Pampanga Tel: +6345/ 860 1121 Breakthrough Seafood Restaurant. “They have a water cage containing live managat or mangrove jack and imbao clams. The managat is hauled as ordered, butterflied, basted with calamansi, garlic and achuete oil, and grilled.”

Villa Beach, Brgy. Sto. Niño Sur, Arevalo, Iloilo City Tel: +6333/ 337 3027 Ken-Ken’s Talabahan. “It has an open kitchen that serves talaba or mussels. Its oysters are from the clean waters of Basiao, Capiz.”

Provincial Highway, Passi, Iloilo Tel: +63907/ 712 3766 Plato D’Boracay. ”The first crab wasn’t the fatty one the vendor promised us so we sent it back.

Without any fuss a bigger, fatter one was served.

And we were charged only once for the twice

cooked crabs!”

D’Talipapa, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan Tel: +6336/ 288 3864 Aboy’s Restaurant. “What bowled us over during our last visit was the adobong taba ng pusit, squid or cuttlefish with its fat carefully squeezed out and then sautéed adobo style.”

D’Talipapa, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan Tel: +6336/ 288 3864 Talisay Food Alley. “This narrow street near the beach, with food stalls on both sides, sells roast pig, roast native chicken, assorted grilled pork, chicken and fish, pork blood stew, several kinds of seaweed ceviche. Lechon is sold by the cut. Puso or heart-shaped steamed rice wrapped in coconut fronds and roasted kamote can accompany the meal.”

Burgos corner Garces Streets, Cebu City. Open on Sundays only ■

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Raj o La u r e l 10 Favorite Travel Brands

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Rajo Laurel first burst into the fashion scene with his stylish wedding dresses and debutante gowns. He trained at the New York Fashion Institute of Technology and Central Saint Martin’s in London and heads the Rajo Laurel Enterprise.

Visit www.rajolaurel.com

Canon S95 “I have a blog (blogs.stylebible.ph/ rajosblog/) and I need a camera that really takes decent photos to share with my blog readers. I travel incessantly so I need something small and light and compact.” Available at Canon, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City Apple iPod Classic “I need music; it’s essential to me so I fill my iPod with my music. I just put it in and zone out.” Available at Power Mac Center, Greenbelt 3, Makati City

New Balance sneakers “I have a flat foot and New Balance provides me that ‘balance’. When I travel, I just walk and walk, and these are the most comfortable shoes I’ve found, and it works with anything I wear.” Available at New Balance, Glorietta 4, Makati City

Athletenique travel jacket “I always travel with black but I always carry a bright jacket just in case my partner loses me, then he can see me right away.” Available at House of Laurel, Poblacion, Makati

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Rimowa trolley “I think Rimowa is the lightest luggage out there. I like its four-wheel action; you can literally lift one finger and just move it around.”

Available at Rimowa flagship store, Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City

Yurbudz Sport Earphones “They can cancel out the noise and at the same time, you can work out with them. Basically created by triathletes, and you can just plug them in and they won’t fall off.” Available at Runnr, Bonifacio High Street, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig Ray-Ban aviators “I’ve been wearing them since I was 14. I like the classic frame and the mirror lens kind of give me that ‘international man of mystery’ appeal.” Available at Sarabia Optical, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City

Celestine crocodile tote bag or Jack Spade backpack “I have two travel bags, depending on where I’m going. If I’m going to somewhere more posh, I take my crocodile tote bag. If I’m going mountain climbing in Machu Picchu or going on a trip to Galapagos, then I’d take the other backpack, which is a little bit more rugged.” Visit www.couturelab.com or www.jackspade.com

I nterview by M argie F rancisc o

Nenuco agua de cologna “It’s what I’ve been using since I was a baby. I like feeling fresh all the time. I just put the cologne in a Muji bottle and I put it in my carry-on.” Available at Rustan’s Department Store, Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Makati City Kiehl’s facial fuel “I don’t want to dry up and I don’t want to feel that dry and icky skin so I have my favorite moisturizer with a nice SPF balance.”

Available at Kiehl’s Greenbelt 5, Makati City

pr o duct ph o t o s by D an Y usay H arvey

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Celebrated creative director Melvin Mangada of ad agency TBWA, a four-time Agency of the Year awardee of the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies in the Philippines, picked out from our archive of covers, 10 of his personal favorites. His choices span the years 2003 till 2011, showcasing some of the earlier works of InFlight

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1 A Place in the Heart: October-November 2008, photo by Parc Cruz 2 Feelgood Holidays: December-January 2009, photo by Daniel Soriano 3 Secret Places: October-November 2011, photo by Jeffrey Sonora 4 The Big Blue: June-July 2004, photo by John Walsh 5 Go South: June-July 2007, photo by Erwin Barleta 6 A Secret No More: August-September 2004, photo by Erik Liongoren 7 Catch the Wave: September-October 2002, photo by George Tapan 8 6 Great Escapes: April-May 2003, photo by George Tapan 9 Surfing Baler: June-July 2006, photo by George Tapan 10 It’s a Catch!: AugustSeptember 2005, photo by Getty Images

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Writer’s choices InFlight’s contributing photographer and writer, Gutsy Tuason, a celebrated underwater photographer and editor in chief of Lonely Planet Magazine Philippines, picked out his favorites from our archive of memorable covers. His choices span the years from 2003 to 2011

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1 Desperate Angler: June-July 2009, photo by Ferdz Decena 2 Shark Tales: April-May 2008, photo by Getty Images 3 Colors of the South: October-November 2003, photo by George Tapan 4 Ultimate Flights: April-May 2007, photo by Erik Liongoren 5 To Dive For: October-November 2009, photo by Ken Go 6 10 Wild Philippine Adventures: August-September 2011, photo by Daniel Soriano 7 Pescador Island: August-September 2006, photo by Harvey Tapan 8 Green Heritage: June-July 2011, photo by Daniel Soriano 9 Top 10 Extreme Adventures: October-November 2007, photo by Caloy Legaspi 10 Wild North: April-May 2011, photo by Daniel Soriano

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Iren Dornier My favorite places in the Philippines

“I feel that the recipe for travel is to go as unprepared as possible and whatever happens, just go and take it in.”

Secret Lagoon, El Nido, Palawan

- Iren Dornier, SEAIR chairman

I nterview by M argie F rancisc o

Mariveles, Bataan. “I found a beautiful place in Mariveles, which is 20 minutes away by helicopter and two hours by car from Clark. I fell in love with this place because it was unexpectedly beautiful. I have invested in a small lot for myself. I see myself in a nipa hut there, enjoying the beach. It’s very clean, very private. It’s also perfect for me since I build amphibious seaplanes and this area is for the plane to land on and take off from the water.”

El Nido, Palawan. “El Nido is such a magical place. It’s very remote and it’s one of the most beautiful areas in the Philippines. What appeals to me the most is its nature, which is still very intact, and leaves me with that feeling of mystery.

It reminds me of the islands in Phuket. At El Nido Resorts, there are so many things you can do. You can go trekking, kayaking, island hopping, diving.

You go swimming and see this monster sea turtle swimming in the crystal clear water.”

Camotes Island, Cebu. “One of the cleanest places I’ve ever seen. This is a very beautiful island; I would even consider having my own little place there. There is this interesting underground cave Timabu with freshwater spring and a natural pool.

When it’s high tide, the pool is incredibly clear and aqua blue.”

Samar. “Samar is a long stretch of white sand, with small islands nearby and the water’s either below or above your knee. It will take a long walk before you reach the deep part of the sea. The beach offers a nice and commanding view of the Pacific Ocean.”

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Tacloban City, Leyte. “It has a big airport and it’s very accessible. There’s Bagongbong Waterfalls that’s 30 feet high. Going there requires some easy 30-minute trekking but the view is very beautiful, very scenic. At the end of the concrete road, the trek will lead you to this downhill trail and then you cross this stream to get a grand view of the falls.

The waterfalls have strong water flowing from a canyon on lush tropical forest above it. It was absolutely stunning.”

people. Like everybody knows everybody. When I’m in the city, I see all these mountains surrounding Cagayan so you get that very provincial feel of the place despite it being such a modern city.”

Banaue Rice Terraces, Ifugao. “Another little Tibet for me. The beginning of the slope of the mountains is just amazing. The rice terraces tower up the mountain, making the panoramic view awesome. The farmers built these terraces thousands of years ago using only the simplest tools. It surprises me how the people have continued this culture of farming for so long. Seeing the rice terraces from a little town in Bagabag, it’s just very surreal for me. It’s an incredible getaway and an incredible adventure place to travel to.”

Batanes. “I like the mountainside of Batanes. It’s a very local, provincial place but also very charming.

There’s that little Spanish influence in the place. Go up to the lighthouse and you’ll see the very dramatic views of the rolling hills and the rugged mountains and the cliffs. The sunset, the hills, the quietness of it all are just overwhelming.”

Cagayan De Oro. “There’s a different feel in Cagayan De Oro and it’s probably because of the people there. They’re really a very nice group of

Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte. “Siargao is a beautiful place with lots of reefs, small points and surrounding islets plus many islands, so you don’t get bored with the place in case you get tired of surfing. The weather is always very nice too.”

Vigan, Ilocos Sur. “That’s old Spain! I like that village in Vigan that I never fail to visit when I’m there called Calle Crisologo. It’s a very precious place. Vigan’s like a little Seville for me because it is very much like that. I’ve never seen such integrity of architecture that really looks like from Spain.” ■

secret lag o o n ph o t o by ferdz decena

Nik o s G i t s i s My favorite places in the Philippines

“Normally, I’d name Boracay as one of the places in the Philippines that I love but people know a lot about it already.

Boracay’s got one of the best beaches that I’ve seen, the White Beach.

So instead I’ll give some of best off-the-beatentracks in the Philippines that I’ve been to,”

Sagada

- Nikos Gitsis, SEAIR director I nterview by M o nica D e L e o n

Palawan, south of Puerto Princesa. South Palawan has got caves, jungles, wild beaches, quaint resorts, amazing islands you can explore, wildlife, bird sanctuaries, turtles, fishes. Southern Palawan for me encapsulates everything that can be beautiful about a tourist destination. And it’s a quiet, not-overrun-type of a tourist destination.”

General Santos City. “We went from Cotabato to General Santos by land in 1998 escorted by about 15 armed guards. Iren Dornier and I were invited to attend the anniversary of the ARRM agreement and Nur Misuari himself gave us a special tour. In General Santos, I loved their fish market. They have a tuna fish as big as a room.”

San Vicente, Palawan. “They have maybe the most beautiful beach in the Philippines. San Vicente has wild jungles, virgin forests, is very underdeveloped, with very few hotels. The beach curves around a mountain so from one end of the beach, you could see 14km of beach. The mountain also is perfect for rock climbing.”

S agada ph o t o by E stan C abigas

Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte. “Siargao itself and the little islands around it are amazingly beautiful. There are these islands close by called Dinagat Islands with a small Robinson Crusoe like resort. It’s undiscovered, unheard of.”

Sagada. “Sagada because of caving. We went inside this cave for a four-five hour trek. I also liked the big waterfalls there, the small waterfall, the hiking around the rice terraces. The immensity of the rice terraces was amazing. And their delicacies were great too like the nice ferns, salads and special “meat stews”. We stayed at St. Joseph’s Inn ran by nuns.”

Anilao, Batangas. “There’s nothing special about Anilao until you go underwater. They have nice coral reefs. And what’s nice about Anilao is it’s close to Manila.”

Apo Reef, Mindoro. “Apo Reef is a diving site between Palawan and Mindoro. It’s an international park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and maybe the most beautiful diving site I have been to. Easy ticket to also, from San Jose, Mindoro.”

Bukidnon and Cagayan de Oro, northern Mindanao. “Bukidnon’s pineapple plantations are very nice. In fact one out of five pineapples in the world come from the Philippines. We also did a sidetrip to Cagayan de Oro where they have really great white water rafting and a canopy walk in a jungle.”

Batanes. “Batanes is more like a nature wellness island because you get out of the city and get fresh air. You have limited cell coverage here so you disconnect from the hustle and bustle of work and city living. Here, you’ll see a part of the Philippines that is very different.”

Legazpi and Donsol, Bicol. “I took a small plane once and flew to the Legazpi area and around Mt. Mayon Volcano. It’s not just one volcano but there are other extinct volcanoes so it’s like a mystical landscape from the perspective of a pilot doing low flights around that area. I flew around a steamy volcano, landed and then went to swim with the whale sharks of Donsol. That area was something you would draw as a child – volcanoes and beaches and water, something that you would discover if you were a pirate on an adventure discovery.” ■

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Entering Travel’s

New Black enter

The future of travel is just around the corner, and

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it involves trips into space and new resorts for an over-wired generation who want to tune out and log-off. Giselle Javison reports

A dditi o nal research and interviews by M o nica de L e o n and M argie F rancisc o

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E n t e r i n g T r av e l ’ s N e w B l a c k H o l e

“In barely one generation we’ve moved from exulting in the time-saving devices that have so expanded our lives to trying to 1 get away from them.... The more ways we have to connect, the more many of us seem desperate to unplug” - The Joy of Quiet, by Pico Iyer, published in New York Times

S

mart hotels, interactive travel guides, and the rise and rise of social media are just some of the things forecast for travel in the next decade. Hand-in-hand with these is the predicted growth in Black Hole Resorts — resorts you go to tune

out and log off.

In 10 years, travelers have been transported into a world where information — whether this is to get the best hotel or airline deal, or just to find out where to get the best Italian food in New York — is readily available online. Mobile devices make decision making easier even on the go.

Emails, text and Facebook, and the advent of Skype, mean we don’t always have to wait for hours at the airport and cross time zones to talk business.

On the downside, the incessant babble of the information age has blurred the line between work and personal life, making it difficult to escape. One of travel’s biggest trade fairs, the Internationale Tourismus Börse (ITB) Berlin is predicting that the next travel craze will be Black Hole Resorts. Online, there is already a list of these resorts for those wanting a real techie detox. A recent article in The Independent in the UK said, “Even Danah Boyd, Microsoft’s perpetually switched-on social media guru has recently returned from an ‘email sabbatical’ in Patagonia and Easter Island having warned his followers: ‘In order to function, I need to take time off... this means saying goodbye to email and, more importantly, not letting myself anxiously worry about all that’s waiting for me when I return.’“ “The travel industry is now waking up to the technology backlash. Independent travel expert Alastair Sawday has already identified it as growing trend this year.” As part of our InFlight celebratory 10 years, we asked some of our contributors and leaders in the travel industry to identify the emerging trends in travel.

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Social Media ITB Berlin’s travel trend report issued last year, compiled by some 50 travel trade professionals in 30 countries, said social networking is expected to play an increasing role in travel, allowing consumers to plan and share trips in a different way. The report said in future guests will be able to create their own public profiles which will be shared in a travel community, in effect creating “hotel families”.

“People with the same interests will be able to share recommendations and get services specifically designed for them by hotels, as well as meeting up and undertaking joint activities while on vacation.”

Smart Hotels There will be a growing number of smart hotels, with rooms that change their environment depending on their guest, according to ITB. Predicted innovations include robot receptionists, smart hotel rooms that know guests’ preferences and virtual postcards.

A Growing Divergence of the Mass Market and the High-End SEAIR director and co-founder Nikos Gitsis predicts “a divergence between the mass market and the high-end travel market, leaving very little in the middle. Even wealthy people will be inclined to forego comfort like inflight meals for a short trip in favor of substantial savings.” Easyjet founder Stelios HajiIoannou said 10 years ago in an article in the Guardian, that “The big innovation behind low-cost airlines is the internet. People can book flights themselves, rather than relying on costly travel agents. The other innovation is what we don’t do rather than what we do. We don’t give free meals because people are not willing to pay for them. We don’t offer business class because it’s a con on a short flight. We only do short hops and we stick to one type of aircraft, because it’s cheaper to run. It’s a very good idea — but I would say that.”

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More 3-4 star Business Hotels Closer to home, Intas Travel chairperson Tessie Henderson is predicting a growing number of affordable three- to four-star business hotels in the Philippines. These are hotels which have no frills but located in the city and in the main towns. These are the likes of Tune Hotels, Microtel, and Go Hotels.

No Hotel Check-In and Easier Security Checks at Airport.

(We live in hope) GadgetReport.Me editor Ram Mancelita is predicting a future where only very few people — or none at all — will be lining up to book tickets or check-in in hotels.

Airports are another thing. There have been kinks in the use of the iris immigration recognition system at UK airports, but it may not be too far off to think that a solution is on its way.

In some countries like the US, there is talk of streamlined screening for selected frequent fliers.

Faster check-in, security screening, and boarding may be available for business class.

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Space Tourism, The Final Frontier Space travel will soon be just as accessible as flying to Boracay. That is if you have the money. SEAIR president Avelino Zapanta said while the sci-fi movies’ “teleportation” is the ultimate in travel, space tourism will be closer to taking off with the invention of safer and commercially viable space shuttle vehicles.

By next year, Virgin Galactic’s spaceship is hoping to fly tourists to space for about US $200,000. Sir Richard Branson told the BBC that this was cheaper than 60 million pounds on a Russian space ship and that he was expecting the price to come down tremendously in a few years. In a video interview with the BBC last year, he predicted that within 10 years viable space flights may be possible, that hotels in space was likely over the next 10-20 years, that orbital space travel was likely at a cheaper price, and, even more exciting, that inter-continental space travel will be possible at a fraction of the time it takes.

Imagine, he said, travelling from London to Australia in about two and half hours, popping out of the earth’s atmosphere and back down again to Australia.

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Real Time Travel The explosion in apps, according to ITB, “will lead to new ways to get real-time data of importance to travelers.” Blogger Jayvee Fernandez (www. abuggedlife.com) said, “with roaming charges and access to the internet becoming a lot cheaper these days, traveling with a smartphone is a must... For instance, I book all my hotels via the mobile app Agoda. com and discover new places using Foursquare and Facebook check in.”

Some useful apps are Kayak for booking flights and hotels, Flight track, Lonely Planet phrasebooks with audio phrases spoken by locals, currency exchange calculators, weatherpro, and for a bit of fun, Star Walk.

Augmented Reality Simply put, the travel professionals are predicting destinations and publishers will increasingly offer interactive guides.

Hotel Families Time was when hotels identified their guest mix by nationalities and the general category of business and leisure. The future will be a little more detailed with the predicted creation of “hotel families, what ITB defines as “groups of travelers with similar preferences, connected and enabled by social media.”

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Black Hole Resorts

There will be more hotels offering travelers peace, quiet, and an internet-free environment for that much needed technology detox.

InFlight contributing writer Kristine Fonacier says “It’s really harder to get away these days. Ten years ago, I could still travel somewhere and drop off the grid.

Five years ago, hardly anyone had a smartphone. Now nearly everyone carries around a phone that is basically a pocket-sized computer with internet access. I think I’ve come to that point where I want the option to just shut it all off.”

Travel + Leisure quotes Judith Kleine Holthaus, former head of projects at the London-based Future Foundation: “The greatest luxury of the 21st century will be dropping off the grid. Black-hole resorts will be notable for the total absence of the Internet—even their walls will be impervious to wireless signals.” ■

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10 best beaches Not all beaches are created equal. We asked our celebrated photographers and friends in travel and media their favorites

Bitaug Beach, Dinagat Islands, Surigao Main draw: Bitaug is one of Dinagat islands’ eight beautiful beaches and a great site for rock climbing.

How to get there: Fly to Surigao City, Surigao del Norte from Manila. From Surigao Airport, take a 10-minute multicab ride to Claver Port to catch a boat to San Jose, Dinagat Islands, an hour’s travel.

White Island, Camiguin

Little Boracay, Davao Del Sur Main draw: Named after the famous Boracay Island in the Visayas, Little Boracay, just like its namesake, has beautiful powdery white sand beach — a shorter stretch at 2km — but without the tourist crowd.

How to get there: There are daily flights from Manila to Davao City. From Davao City, take an aircon bus bound for Malita (P80-P150 or about US $2-$3). From the town of Malita, take a tricycle (P20 per person) to Sta. Maria. From Sta. Maria’s poblacion, it’s another 15 minute tricyle ride to Little Boracay.

Maira-ira Beach, Ilocos Norte Main draw: Maira-ira Cove’s picture perfect blue waters and white sand are especially dramatic when viewed from the top of a hill near the cove.

How to get there: There are daily flights from Manila to Laoag Airport, where there are vans and buses that regularly serve Pagudpud. There are also deluxe buses that ply the Manila-Pagudpud route daily.

Nagsasa Cove, Zambales Main draw: Nagsasa Cove reminds some people of the film Brokeback Mountain. The stunning Nagsasa mountain range wraps around the unspoiled hidden cove, where you can pitch a tent for the night if you are adventurous enough.

How to get there: Take a Victory Liner bus from Manila to Iba or Sta. Cruz and get off in San Antonio.

Lakawon Island, Negros Occidental Main draw: Coconut and talisay tree-lined Lakawon Island offers a gorgeous nine-hectare white-sand beach and a panoramic view of Panay Island.

How to get there: There are daily flights from Manila to Bacolod in Negros Occidental. To reach the island from Bacolod City, take a 45-minute bus trip to Kaduha-an in Cadiz City. From Kaduha-an, take a tricycle to Cadiz Viejo where you will find small motorized boats to take you to the island.

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White Island, Camiguin Main draw: The delicate 2km sandbar with Mt. Hibok-Hibok and Mt. Vulcan in the backdrop.

How to get there: Take a flight from Manila to Cagayan de Oro (CDO). From CDO, commute to CDO seaport where you can take a two-hour fastcraft to Camiguin’s Benoni Port (departs at 8am daily). From Benoni, take a jeep or multicab or hire a van to Mambajao or ask to be dropped off at your resort destination.

Caramoan Peninsula, Camarines Sur Main draw: Dubbed the “Palawan of Bicol”, Caramoan has pristine beaches with unique, towering limestone cliffs, caves, and lagoons.

How to get there: There are daily flights and daily deluxe buses from Manila to Naga City. From Naga City, take a shuttle bus to Sabang, and from its Caramoan-Naga port, take a two hour boat to Caramoan.

San Vicente, Palawan Main draw: The 14km stretch of unspoilt beach, the longest in the country, and its abundant wildlife.

How to get there: Take a flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa City. From the city, it’s a two and half hour land travel to Port Barton, San Vicente.

From the public market in Puerto Princesa, jeepneys leave daily for Port Barton at about 8am.

Camiguin Island, Babuyan Islands Main draw: Secluded beaches and a chance to see 45-foot-long humpbacks.

How to get there: Take a flight from Manila to Tuguegarao, Cagayan. From Tuguegarao, hop on a jeep that will take you to Aparri in two hours. From Aparri, take an eight-hour ferry ride to Camiguin Island.

Hidden Beach, El Nido Main draw: Your perfect beach — extremely white sand, clear waters, stunning views of centuries old limestone cliffs.

How to get there: From Miniloc Island Resort in El Nido take a boat to Matinloc Island (less than an hour) where the Hidden Beach is located. SEAIR and ITI offer regular flights to El Nido. From El Nido’s port, there are a handful of boats offering island hopping tours and this will get you to Hidden Beach. ■

Our thanks to Aileen Clemente, Ferdz Decena, Gutsy Tuason, Caloy Legaspi, Marc Nelson, and Rhonson Ng

W hite I sland , C amiguin ph o t o by bien bautista

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Updated Every Issue

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View of Mt. Kinabalu in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

k o ta kinabalu ph o t o by wacky g o ch o c o

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Batanes

The cliffs of Viang, just 20 minutes from the airport

Owners and Drivers Association (BATODA) at +63906/ 697 0679 or +63929/ 703 8404. Rate within Basco proper is at P30. itbayat island

Where to eat

• Therese Coffee Shop serves Ivatan dishes. Try

batan island

sabtang island

Country code: +63 Area code: 78 Currency: Philippine Peso (P1 = about US $43)

From the airport • Car Hire: For car and van rentals, contact Ivatanya c/o Batanes Cultural Travel Agency (BCTA). The hire costs P2,200 per day. For more information, call BCTA at +632 635 4810 or email ccivatanya@yahoo.com.

• Tricycle: Tricycles can be found along Lizardo Street, Barangay Kayhuvukan in Basco. You can also call the 24-hour service of Basco Tricycle

their perfectly grilled cow ribs. Tel: +63916/ 114 2632 and +6921/ 404 0567.

• Brandon’s Restaurant serves sandwiches and fruit shakes and some Ivatan specialties.

Located along National Road and Abad Street.

• Casa Napoli’s Pizza or Pasta serves good homemade pizzas and pasta dishes.

Mobile: +63999/ 990 7553.

Where to stay • Batanes Resort is nestled atop a hill, facing the South China Sea. A typical cottage here has two rooms with ensuite bathroom, airconditioning, and hot water. Rates are about P1,800 a night.

Mobile: +63999/ 990 7554 • Batanes Seaside Lodge and Restaurant. This 12-room lodge is popular for celebrities. There is TV, free WiFi, aircon, and hot shower. Rates start from P1,200. Tel: +63921/ 229 0120 or +63915/ 940 4823 • Fundacion Pacita Batanes Nature Lodge is a boutique hotel perched on top of a hill and has had

good reviews. Rates start at P7.425, inclusive of set breakfast and roundtrip airport transfers. (www. fundacionpacita.ph). Tel: +6327/ 290 2402 • For more on places to stay in Batanes, visit www. inflight.ph

Boracay leading to White Beach. Tricycle fare starts from P10. Chartered rates for tricycles range between P75 (from Cagban to Station 3) to P200 (from Cagban to Yapak). Tricycles also offer island tours for up to a group of four for P300 per hour. For more information, call the Boracay Land Transport Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BLTMPC) at +6336/ 288 3090 or 288 3271.

Country code: +63 Area code: 36 Currency: Philippine Peso (P1 = about US $43)

From the airport • You can fly to Boracay via Caticlan Airport and Kalibo Airport. From Caticlan, a shuttle bus takes you to the jetty port where you ride a boat to take you to Boracay Island in five to 10 minutes. From Kalibo, it’s another two-hour land travel to Caticlan jetty port on air-conditioned shuttle bus or coasters.

• Tricycles: Though not allowed on the beach, tricycles can drop you off on Main Road with alleys

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Where to eat • For a complete list of the best Boracay restaurants, read our InFlight Guide to Boracay at www.inflight.ph • Real Coffee is a good place for breakfast and a nice cup of coffee. Try their freshly baked brownies, banana walnut and calamansi muffins, and oatmeal cookies. Tel: +6336/ 288 5340 • If you’re into Moroccan cuisine, try Kasbah’s lamb tajine, a stew slow cooked in the traditional tajine, a glazed terra cotta casserole with a funneled lid. Tel: +6336/ 288 4790 • Aria is best known for authentic Italian cuisine.

It’s a good place for pasta, salad and pizzas cooked from wood-fired oven. Tel: +6336/ 288 5573 • Zuzuni serves delectable Greek cuisine. Try their moussaka or baked layers of eggplant with ground beef and béchamel sauce, souvlaki or

skewered meat, garides saganaki pasta and the Mati chocolate sin for dessert. Tel: +6336/ 288 4477 Where to stay

• Boracay Regency Beach Resort is a

Mediterranean-style, 285-room property with excellent facilities and amenities ideal for couples, group of friends and families alike. Tel: +6336/ 288 6111 to 17 • Punta Rosa Resort is a resort in a secluded area in Station 1, with seven types of accommodation, each with its own verandah that overlooks White Beach, en suite bathroom with rain shower, and fixtures made of native materials, ideal for couples. Tel: +6336/ 288 6740 • Discovery Shores Boracay has 88 spacious guestrooms all exuding luxury, combining traditional fabrics and furniture with modern amenities. Its two-level clubhouse has the resort's restaurant, bar, function room and spa.

Nightlife

• Epic for celebrity spotting and some of the best

parties on the island. Visit www.epicboracay.com • The Sand Bar for watching fire dancers and enjoying a drink by the beach. Visit www. thesandbarboracay.com or call +6336/ 288 3161

ph o t o by o ggie ram o s

InFlight City Guides

BATAAN

Cebu

ph o t o by j o cas a . see

BULACAN

Golden Cowrie

Where to eat • Anzani is highly-rated restaurant that served affordables European food.

Tel: +6332/ 232 7375 • CNT Lechon serves the best lechon or roast pig in Cebu City.

Tel: +6332/ 254 4249 • Golden Cowrie for Filipino food and Cebuano dishes.

Tel: +6332/ 238 1206

bantayan island

cebu island

CHINA

HONG KONG

mactan island

Where to stay

• Cebu City Marriott Hotel features 301 rooms

and 23 suites equipped with aircon, cable TV, mini bar, high-speed internet access, and with luxurious beddings.

Country code: +63 Tel: +6332/ 411 5800 Area code: 32 URL: www.marriottcebu.com Currency: Philippine Peso (P1 = about US $43) • Marco Polo Plaza Cebu mixes Western comforts and Asian hospitality, comprised of 329 guest rooms (some with a view of the mountain or From the airport sea) and suites.

• Car Hire: Call any of Cebu Trip Rent-a-Car's Tel: +6332/ 253 1111 24-hour numbers +6332/ 262 4697 or +63917/ URL: www.marcopoloplazacebu.com 320 5688.

• Taxi: Metered taxis are lined up outside the • Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino has 561 MALAYSIA arrivals' terminal. Fares down town to the city rooms with two casino floors open 24 hours. proper are about P150.

Tel: +6332/ 232 6888

URL: www.waterfronthotels.com.ph Nightlife • Formo is a resto-lounge frequented by Cebu’s young professionals.

Tel: +6332/ 420 7070 or 236 7700 • Vudu is the place for after-dinner drinks and dancing.

URL: www.vudu.com.ph

SINGAPORE

MACAU

Batanes Seaside Lodge and Restaurant Email: batanesseasidelodge@yahoo.com Mobile: (+63921) 229 0120 or (+63999) 994 2313 Contact: Ms Karen Ordas

InFlight City Guides

ph o t o by erick li o ng o ren

Clark Where to eat • Pampanga's capital, San Fernando, just 20 minutes from Clark, is home to Everybody's Cafe serving local dishes.

• Angeles City is the birthplace of sisig (chopped grilled pork cheeks) and make sure you taste the original at Aling Lucing's. Call +6345/ 888 2317 or +63918/ 212 6461.

clark

Where to stay

• Mimosa Resort. Situated in a 175-hectare

pampanga

Country code: +63 Area code: 45 Currency: Philippine Peso (P1 = about US $43)

From the airport • Car Hire: MLS VIP Rent A Car has daily rates from P800. Call +6345/ 892 6216 or +63918/ 906 7265.

• Taxi: Taxi stands are located in the arrival halls of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) and the fare is metered.

• Jeep: Public jeepneys areCHINA available outside the airport. Rates start at P8.

Davao

landscaped property, Mimosa offers both standard hotel rooms and villas. Rates start at P6,600 per night. Tel.: +6345/ 599 7000 • Wild Orchid Resort A property nestled along A. Santiago in Balibago, Angeles with 55 clean, fully-equipped airconditioned rooms, and in-house dining that serves good Filipino dishes. Rates start at P3,900 per night. Tel: +632/ 892 0138 • Holiday Inn Clark. A local favorite, the Holiday Inn has air-conditioned rooms and WiFi. Private garden villas are also available for families and groups. Tel: +6345/ 599 8000 Things to do • One of the activities in Clark is horseback riding at El Kabayo Riding Stables.

• For P3,000, tourists can enjoy a dip at the

0445 or 234 1360 or 235 1784

cotabato davao city

south cotabato davao del sur

Where to eat • Jack's Ridge, located just across the Santo Nino Shrine, serves delicious Filipino cuisine in a venue that overlooks the city. Tel: 6382/ 297 8830 to 31 • Harana offers great food at reasonable prices.

Try their tuna panga or tuna belly. Tel: +6382/ 227 3937 or 227 5615 • Riverwalk Grill. Located right next to the famous Crocodile Park, Riverwalk Grill is for the adventurous eater, serving crocodile meat, ostrich meat and egg, and pangasius fish.

Where to stay

Country code: +63 Area code: 82 Currency: Philippine Peso (P1 = about US $43)

• Mictrotel Inns & Suites Davao has fully fitted

double rooms and suites, all designed to for a comfortable stay. It's right in the Damosa Gateway Complex and IT Park, Davao’s major business and commercial hub, and about a 10 minute ride From the airport away from the airport. Mamay Road, Lanang, • Car Hire: Ecotrans Car Rentals provides point to Davao City. Tel: +632/ 899 7171. Visit www. point and charter service. Car hire are on per hour,

per day, per week or pick-up and drop-off basis.

MACAU•microtelphilippines.com Rates start from P500.

Pearl Farm Beach Resort lies in a secluded cove on Samal Island off the coast of Davao City.

• Taxi: The simplest way to get around is by taxi.

It's perfect for a romantic getaway, for diving Fares start from P40. A typical trip can cost about and snorkeling. This 11-hectare resort was once P70-P95. You can call Mabuhay Taxi directly to a pearl farm, thus the name. Kaputian, Island have a cab driver pick you up. Tel: +6382/ 233

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Puning Hot Spring.

• Omni Aviation offers Mount Pinatubo Sky Tours overflying Mt. Pinatubo for P5,500 per

person in a four-seater Cessna 172 aircraft.

Tel: +6345/ 892 6664 or 599 5524 • If you're a high-roller or just looking for some fun, the Clark area has several casinos including Casino Filipino Angeles, Casino Filipino Mimosa, Fontana Casino and Hotel Stotsenberg's Casablanca Casino.

For more information, call the tourism office at +6345/ 599 2854 The cliffs of Viang, just 20 minutes from the airport

HONG KONG davao del norte

Aling Lucing's sisig

Garden City of Samal. Tel: +6382/ 221 9970 • Eden Nature Park & Resort is a mountain resort

surrounded by lush forests and overlooks the city and the gulf. Great for camping, nature hiking, bird watching, and horseback riding. Matina Town Square McArthur Highway, Matina, Davao City.

Tel: +6382/ 299 1020 or 296 0791

Things to do • Visit the Davao Crocodile Park, a breeding center for saltwater and freshwater crocodiles.

Visit www.psdgroupph.com for schedules of crocodile shows • People's Park along Legazpi Street showcases a mini forest, interactive fountains, ponds and waterfalls, a durian dome, a shady and open plaza, a statue of a gigantic Philippine eagle and a fantasy-themed park with large sculptures made

by Mindanaon artist Kublai Millan.

• Davao Wildwater Adventure across Davao River. The three-and-a-half-hour wild water rafting starts from Barrio Tamugan in Calinan, and ends at the lowlands. Tel: +6382/ 221 7823 • The Xcelerator is the third longest zipline in Asia at 720m long, with the zipline suspended 200ft above ground. Choose to slide along the zipline either sitting down, superman style or the extreme inverted position. Tel: +6382/ 221 7823

El Nido • Bus: Two bus companies operate regularly between Puerto Princessa and El Nido, stopping in Roxas and Taytay. Departures are daily at 5am, 6am, 7am, 8am both from El Nido and Puerto Princesa. Travel time is six to eight hours with a fare of P350 per person.

Country code: +63 Area code: 48 Currency: Philippine Peso (P1 = about US $43)

From the airport • El Nido Airport serves South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) and Island Transvoyager, Inc. (ITI).

• Van Rental: From Puerto Princesa Airport, van company Fortwally Shuttle Service has daily shuttles to El Nido. Fare is P600 per head. Private tours range from P2,800 to P3,600, inclusive of food. Travel time takes about five hours.

Where to eat • The Alternative Center has an extensive menu of delicious vegan cuisine from soups to entrees plus exotic teas. Meat dishes are also available.

Tel: +63917/ 896 3408 • Artcafe for freshly-baked pastries, pizza and pasta. They are known for their pancakes, fresh muesli and homemade yoghurt. Tel: +63917/ 560 4020. Visit www.elnidoboutiqueandartcafe.com • Vista Beach Resort in Corong-corong is known for their lemon pepper tuna or Cajun maya-maya. www.elnidostunningvistas.com • An institution in itself, Balay Tubay on Real Street serves Filipino and European cuisine. Local musicians regularly perform.

Where to stay

• For a private, luxurious experience, El Nido Resorts has premiere resorts on Lagen and

Miniloc Islands. Visit www.elnidoresorts.com • Marina Garden Beach Resort at the center

of El Nido town offers native-style cottages with basic facilities for budget travelers and concrete country villa rooms with air-con and hot showers.

Visit www.marinagardenelnido.multiply.com or call +63917/ 624 7722 or +63908/ 884 3711 Things to do

• Rock climbing & walking. The western side of El Nido town lies in the shadow of an impressive sheer cliff face which is just the visible portion of an even more impressive headland. There are organized walking treks to the top of the headland.

• Bacuit Bay has islands with limestone cliffs, ideal for climbing, diving, and swimming.

• Explore the island on foot. After a 14 kilometer ride from El Nido Town proper, you can go on a one-hour trek to Nagkalit-kalit Falls in the town of Pasadena. Five kilometers from the waterfalls is the undeveloped Makinit Hotspring, open only for sightseeing. Bulalakaw Falls in Villa Paz, 15 kilometers from El Nido town, is about a two hour hike. Seven kilometers from El Nido town proper is Ille Cave with its archaeological artifacts dating back 10,000 years. The waterfalls are best visited during the rainy season by tricycle. Fares from P600-P800. For more info on El Nido contact El Nido Tourism Office at +63926/ 993 8803 or email info@elnidotourism.com or elnidotourism@yahoo.com

Bangkok Where to eat

• Bed Supperclub is Bangkok's trendiest address

thailand bangkok

laos

cambodia

Country code: +66 Currency: Thai Baht (US $.032 = THB 1)

From the airport • Bangkok Skytrain: Bangkok Skytrain (BTS) operates from 6am to 12mn everyday with two main lines – Sukhumwit and Silom lines. The fare ranges from 15 to 40 Thai Baht (THB 15-40).

• Taxi: Finding a taxi is not a hassle, especially around hotels, shopping malls and other tourist attractions. The fare starts at THB 35 for the first two kilometers, and THB 2 per kilometer thereafter.

with its contemporary, all-white, tubular design, serving modern Asian cuisine. Try the roast duck and mushroom risotto with foie gras cream and dried shallots, and the BSC Burger, wagyu beef, gorgonzola, smoked bacon and hand cut fries.

26 Soi Sukhumvit 11, Sukhumvit Road, Klongtoeynua, Wattana. Tel: +66/ 2651 3537 • Hidden in Talaat Mai in "Trok Itsaranuphap" is Hong Kong Noodles, famous for its wheat-andegg noodle soups. Come for breakfast or lunch, but prepare to wait for a seat.

136 Trok Itsaranuphap, Th Charoen Krung • You'll find Thai and Chinese street food at Soi 38 Night Market. Try the famous flame-fried phat thai and divine mango sticky rice. Soi 38, Th Sukhumvit Where to stay

• Wendy House is a good-value budget choice.

A brightly colored coffee shop and reception greet visitors. There's internet, laundry and business services. 36/2 Soi Kasemson 1, Rama1 Road, Patumwan. Tel: +66/ 2214 1149 or +66/ 2214 1150 • The Sukhothai is surrounded by lush, tropical gardens and decorative pools, close to shopping, entertainment and historical sites, and the Suvarnabhumi Airport. The hotel features 210

contemporary Thai guestrooms, three restaurants, a swimming pool, health club and spa. 13/3 South Sathorn Road Tel: +66/ 2344 8888 • The Peninsula Hotel has 370 guestrooms and 60 one-bedroom suites, each with state-of-the-art electronic system for access to features at the touch of a button, modcons, luxurious furniture, bespoke accessories, and a large balcony that overlooks the city and Chao Pharya River. 333 Charoennakorn Road, Klongsan. Tel: +66/ 2861 2888 Shopping

• Chatuchak Weekend Market is where to go

for antique pieces, beautiful plants, hand-woven textiles and ceramics. Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road, Chatuchak • Flower Market is one of the most interesting places in Bangkok. You can fill up an entire car with orchids and spend only $6 maximum. Chak Phet Street, Bangkok • Gem shops are ubiquitous in Bangkok – and many of them will rip you off. David Glickman at Lambert Holding Co. offers a cash-back guarantee with no time limit; if you change your mind about a purchase, you can return it, no questions asked. 807 Silom Road. Tel: +66/ 2236 4349

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| InFlight | 33

InFlight City Guides

Hong Kong china

hong kong

tickets that include unlimited use of the MTR for three days, which are very good value for money.

• Taxi: Upon arrival, make your way to the Taxi Station via the left-hand ramp outside the Arrivals Hall. Taxis are color-coded but red taxis will travel to most areas, including Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula. An approximate taxi fare to Central is HKD 290 and to Tsim Sha Tsui is HKD 230.

Where to eat

• Yung Kee is a local favorite and has been

Country code: +852 Currency: HK Dollar (US $1 = HKD 8)

From the airport • Train: The MTR (Mass Transit Railway)-operated Airport Expresscan get you to Kowloon in just 21 minutes and Hong Kong Island in 24 minutes.

It also operates a complimentary shuttle bus service from the stations to most major hotels. The platform is located within the terminal building, connected to the Arrivals Hall, and is clearly signed. Return fare is HKD 160 (Kowloon) or HKD 180 (Hong Kong). It is also possible to purchase

awarded a Michelin star in 2010. Famous are its roast meats, especially the goose, seafood and dim sum. Address: 32-40 Wellington St., Central Tel: +852/ 2522 1624 • Ajisen Ramen serves affordable and satisfying noodle soup and curries and bento boxes served in a traditional Japanese setting, with over 30 outlets across Hong Kong. Address: Shop 5, 4/F, Langham Place, 8 Argyle St., Mong Kok, Kowloon Tel: +852/ 3514 4396 Where to stay

• Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong. Located in Central near the major business landmarks that’s an ideal place to stay if visiting for shopping.

With 501 guestrooms, 67 of which are suites, all

overlooking Victoria Harbour and the surrounding cityscape. Operates 10 restaurants and bars, including the Michelin-starred Pierre and the threestorey Mandarin Spa. Rates start from HKD 7,600.

Address: 5 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong Tel: +852/ 2522 0111 URL: www.mandarinoriental.com/hongkong • The Peninsula Hong Kong. Hong Kong's grand old dame that features rooms with high ceilings and classical proportions, all spelling luxury. Rates start from HKD 4,160. Tel: +852/ 2920 2888 Visit www.peninsula.com/Hong_Kong • Park Lane Hong Kong offers 805 fully equipped guestrooms and suites with the view of the famed Victoria Harbour and Park ideal for business and leisure travellers alike. Rates start from HKD 2,470. Tel: +852/ 2293 8888 URL: www.parklane.com.hk • W Hong Kong has 393 rooms and specialty suites featuring interesting infusions of wood, fire, earth, metal and water and modcons in each room.

Rates start from HKD 3,300. Address: 1 Austin Road West Kowloon Station Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Tel: +852 3717 2222 URL: www.whotels.com/HongKong

MACAU

Kota Kinabalu • Car rental: A car for hire, excluding driver, costs

RM 220 for a whole day’s use if traveling within Kota Kinabalu. Call Kinabalu Heritage Tours & Car Rental at +6088/ 318 311.

kota kinabalu

Where to eat • @mosphere Restaurant (Tel: +6088/ 425 100)

mt. kinabalu

for its oven-roasted Australian beef tenderloin and a selection of sorbets and ice-creams for dessert.

• First Beach Café (Tel: +6088/ 268 546) serves Borneo favorites like curries, noodles and a Sabah sushi called hinava. macau

Country code: +6088 Currency: Malaysian Ringgit (US $1 = RM 3)

balconies with views of the Pantai Dalit Beach.

Room rates start at RM 640 per night. Call +6088/ 792 888 • Novotel Borneo is a four-star hotel with 263 rooms and suites, each with LCD satellite TV, internet access, in-room safe, coffee and tea making facilities and a flexible workplace. Rates start at RM 195 per night. Call +6088/ 529 888 Kinabalu Heritage Tours For a wide range of travel and tour packages, call +6088/ 318 311

• Kampong Nelayan Seafood Restaurant

(Tel: +6088/ 23 003) for its prawn dish, Sabah vegetable with garlic, ostrich meat with spring onions and ginger and steamed saltwater grouper in sauce.

Where to stay

• The Jesselton Hotel is a 32-room hotel with

From the airport • Taxi: A taxi costs around RM 25, and takes only 10 minutes to the city center, situated eight kilometers away.

• Bus: There is a minibus terminal outside the airport that can take you to the city center. The bus costs RM 1.50.

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| april 2012

a colonial house feel. It has a cozy lounge, and a restaurant that serves international and Asian cuisine. Room rates start at RM 160 per night. Call +6088/ 223 333 • Shangri-La Rasa Ria Resort is a five-star hotel with 420 guestrooms in soft earth tones and intricate panel carvings. All ground floor rooms have private lanais while upper rooms have private

Novotel Borneo

Singapore • Bus: A trip will cost you between 60 cents

and SG$ 1.20. Buy a copy of TransitLink Guide available at most bookstores for a comprehensive guide on bus time-tables, routes and fares, sold at SG$ 1.50.

• Taxi: A taxi stand is located outside the departure hall of the airport. A taxi from the airport to the city has a SG$ 3 surcharge but there is no surcharge when you travel from city to the airport.

A trip from Changi airport to the city costs about SG$ 13, excluding surcharge.

Where to eat

• 49 Katong Laksa. For authentic Peranakan

Country code: +65 Currency: SG Dollar (US $1 = about 1.30 SGD)

From the airport Getting around Singapore on foot is a pleasant and hassle-free way of seeing the center of the city, but when you want to venture slightly farther or dart between different districts, then a bus or train is the fastest and most economical option.

• Car Hire: San’s Tours and Car Rentals charges daily rates between SG$ 100 and SG$ 150.

Call +65/ 6734 9922.

specialty Laksa. Tel: +65/ 6344 5101 • Jumbo Seafood. Known for its black pepper beef short ribs, sweet and sour prawns, and Yangshou fried rice. Tel: +65/ 6442 3435 Where to stay • The Scarlet Hotel Singapore is an 80-room “lavish” hotel set in a four hectare property at the center of Singapore, close to the Thian Hock Keng Temple, Sri Mariamman Temple, and Raffles Place. It’s designed in modern Moulin Rouge style. Room rates start from SG$ 220.

Tel: +65 6511 3333

New Majestic Hotel

URL: www.scarlethotelsingapore.com • New Majestic Hotel offers 30 exclusive and unique rooms that incorporate the 1920's style with being state of the art, with modern luxurious amenities. Rates start at SG$ 260.

Address: 31-37 Bukit Pasoh Road, Chinatown Tel: +65/ 6511 4700 URL: www.newmajestichotel.com • Wanderlust is a left-field and totally experimental boutique hotel set to draw madcap voyagers and curious travellers to its doorstep. Located in Little India, the hotel has four thematic levels with 29 rooms created by award winning Singapore designers. Rates start at SG$ 235.

Address: 2 Dickson Road Tel: +65 6396 3322 URL: www.wanderlusthotel.com

AirlineGuide Airbus 319

SEAIR (Low Cost) Destinations • Clark • Kalibo • Singapore • Hong Kong • Kota Kinabalu • Bangkok (Thailand)

Fleet • 2 Airbus A-319

Booking and Ticketing • Book online at www.flyseair.com or www.tigerairways.com • Clark: Unit 166, SM City CSEZ, Clarkfield, Pampanga Tel: +6343/ 499 0258-59 • Makati: Unit 202 La O' Center Building, 1000 Arnaiz Avenue (formerly Pasay Road) corner Makati Avenue, Makati City Tel: +632/ 849 0111

Dornier 328

South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR Domestic Islands) Southeast Asian Airlines (SEAIR), a premier leisure airline, is the second oldest airline in the Philippines.

SEAIR was founded in 1995 by Capt. Iren Dornier, Capt. Nikos Gitsis, and Tomas Lopez, starting operations from Manila to Rodriguez and Busuanga, Palawan. In 1996, it started the Caticlan route, servicing Boracay bound passengers.

To date, SEAIR has the longest history of flights to Caticlan for 16 years. The airline also helped develop Batanes into a major tourist destination.

SEAIR now flies to prime tourist destinations such as Caticlan (Boracay), Clark, Batanes, El Nido (Palawan) and Tablas (Romblon), as well as to regional routes Singapore, Hongkong, Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia and Bangkok in Thailand.

Destinations • Clark • Caticlan (Boracay) • Kalibo (Aklan) • Manila • Basco (Batanes) • Tablas (Romblon) • El Nido (Palawan) • Singapore • Hong Kong • Kota Kinabalu • Bangkok (Thailand)

Fleet • 4 Dornier 328 • 1 LET 410 UVP-E • 2 Airbus A-319

Booking and Ticketing • Book online at www.flyseair.com • Makati: Unit 202 La O' Center Building, 1000 Arnaiz Avenue (formerly Pasay Road) corner Makati Avenue, Makati City Tel: +632/ 849 0100 • Cebu: SEAIR Cebu Office, YMCA Building, Jones Avenue, Cebu City Tel: +6332/ 341 4879

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Dornier 228

Island Transvoyager (ITI) Island Transvoyager, Inc. (ITI) is the airline that operates to prime tourist destinations El Nido and Taytay, both in Palawan, offering as much as daily flights from Manila.

ITI is the official carrier of the upmarket El Nido Resorts that operates three resorts in El Nido and one in Taytay. Both El Nido and Taytay are known for having stunning limestone cliffs, white sandy beaches, and highly diverse eco systems.

ITI is also engaged in air taxi services and air charter operations using the 19-seater Dornier 228-212 aircraft. It is committed to protecting the environment and conserving the natural resources and beauty of El Nido, and is the first airline to establish a program to offset carbon emissions in 2008.

Destinations • El Nido (Palawan) • Taytay (Palawan)

Fleet • 3 Dornier 228

Booking and Ticketing • ITI Hangar No. 5-03-127, Andrews Avenue (near PAL Medical Center), Domestic Airport, Pasay City Tel: +632/ 851 5664, 851 5674, 851 5667 Email: info@itiair.com URL: www.itiair.com

CHINA

PAL

REPUBLIC OF KOREA

BHUTAN

CHINA

SEAIR (Low Cost)

JA

REPUBLIC OF KOREA REPUBLIC OF TAIWAN

HONG KONG

BANGLADESH

MACAU

MYANMAR LAOS PHILIPPINE SEA

LUZON

CLARK, ANGELES

SOUTH CHINA SEA

THAILAND

PHILIPPINES

MANILA

VIETNAM BANGKOK

KALIBO

CAMBODIA SULU SEA

ANKA KOTA KINABALU

TAIWAN

HONG KONG

TAIWAN

MALAYSIA SINGAPORE

HONG KONG

AR

NEI

CELEBES SEA

Basco

SEAIR Route Map

ITI Route Map

BATANES

LAOS

INDONESIA PHILIPPINE SEA

PHILIPPINE SEA

SOUTH CHINA SEA

PHILIPPINES

LUZON

Clark, Angeles

SOUTH CHINA SEA

PHILIPPINES EAST TIMOR

LUZON

MANILA

MANILA

THAILAND Tablas Island

VIETNAM VISAYAS

ROMBLON Caticlan

VISAYAS

AKLAN El Nido

El Nido

CAMBODIA

Taytay

PALAWAN

PALAWAN

SULU SEA

SULU SEA

MINDANAO

MINDANAO

AUSTRA CELEBES SEA

CELEBES SEA

BRUNEI

april 2012

| InFlight | 37

i n f l igh t p r o m o t i o n s

Suite Deals: P2,050 a night at BSA

Rayban Goes Retro Ray Ban celebrates summer with the La Boca collection featuring pop-art candy color patterns in four festive designs.

The stylish eyewear is inspired by the colorfully painted houses on the festive streets of Caminito, Argentina. The Rare Prints Design Wayfarer was conceptualized by La Boca, a West London-based design group that specializes in '80s retro styles.

For just 2,050 a night, you can book a studio room for two at BSA Tower or BSA Suites in Makati. The offer is valid from March 15 to May 31. Walk-in guests get 50 per cent off the rate including breakfast, unlimited WiFi, free use of the gym and swimming pool.

BSA Tower and BSA Suites are located in Legaspi Village, Makati City. For inquiries, call Quantum Hotels and Resorts at +632/ 884 1463 or 887 0147 or visit www.quantumsuites.com.

Boracay Regency Chair Receives Award Boracay Regency Group 's chairman Henry Chusuey recently bagged Rotary Club Manila's 2012 Tourism Personality of the Year Award- resort category.

The award was given during the 8th Annual Tourism Awards at the Manila Polo Club.

Chusuey is chairman of the Board of Trustees of Boracay Foundation Inc., an association of hotel and business owners in Boracay Island in Aklan, and a board member of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Boracay Regency Group has the most number of rooms in Boracay, with a total of 606. The group also has a 12-villa resort on Alona Beach, Panglao Island in Bohol.

The resort group owns and manages Boracay Regency Beach Resort and Spa, Regency Lagoon Resort, Boracay Garden Resort, and Henann Resort, Alona Beach.

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| InFlight | april 2012

The Farm at San Benito Wins Best Medical Wellness Resort Award in Berlin The Farm at San Benito in Lipa, Batangas recently received the SENSES Wellness Award for “Best Medical Wellness Resort� from the International Tourism fair in Berlin. The Senses Wellness Award is an international barometer of excellence in the wellness industry. In celebration of this honor The Farm at San Benito is treating its clients to a 40% discount for all 6 Night Specialized Healing Retreats.

Call +632/ 884 8074 to 75, +63918/ 884 8080, +63918/ 884 8078; visit: www.thefarm.com.ph or email info@thefarm.com.ph.

A Guide for visiting Pinoys

Bringing Italy to Manila Chef Cocoy Ignacio on building A Veneto’s chain of restaurants

Budget Family Holidays Top 5 value-for-money hotspots

Filipino Food

Food critic’s top 5 restaurants

P l u s : T h e l at e s t n e w s f o r v i s i t i n g P i n o y s Photo by Lee Santiago

Contents

ap r i l 2 0 1 2

46

52

50 42 Editor’s Note NEWS

44 TESDA: Food business is best for OFWs;

caregiving and other top TESDA courses; and K+12 to go in full swing in 2012-2013

food special

46 Where to get the best Filipino food

Food writer Micky Fenix’s top 5 restaurants for Filipino food, from crispy pata to pancit palabok

40

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54 TRAVEL & LEISURE

48 Top 5 budget shopping in Manila

Fashion blogger Christine Dychiao reveals her favorite budget shops for clothes and accessories

COVER STORY

50 Bringing Italy to Manila Chef Cocoy Ignacio on how he started life in the culinary world

52 Backpacker holidays See Sagada, Banaue, or Ilocos from P6,000, says travel blogger Oggie Ramos

54 Family holiday deals Shroff Travel’s Arjun Shroff lists 5 hotspots for budget-conscious families

Banawe Viewpoint photo by Joel Garcia

BACOOR, CAVITE

Editor’s Note Our first edition Bakasyon, aimed at visiting Pinoys or rags to riches Filipinos, received quite a warm response when we launched it last December 2011 (see right) that we've decided to make it part of InFlight.

The idea of Bakasyon — holiday in Filipino — is to present travel and lifestyle features targeted at visiting Filipinos and overseas Filipino workers (OFW) — those on holiday in the Philippines, taking a much-needed break from their jobs abroad. This segment of our passenger mix has been increasing with the launch of SEAIR’s international flights (www.flyseair. com) and we thought it was about time we present content specially tailored to it.

Bakasyon content will regularly include travel and lifestyle features, covering such topics as personal finance, shopping, destination and travel advice stories, and some inspiring success stories of OFWs, the brave few who've started out with humble jobs abroad, worked hard and earned the money to return back home to the Philippines to pursue and live their dreams. Expect more of your typical boy/girl-done-good story, which we all take inspiration from.

To all our balikbayans and OFWs, hope you enjoy our new section and here's wishing you a happy time back home with family and friends!

P1 Pinoy Pride

P4 Mag-invest

P8 Bakasyunan

A Guide For VisitiNG PiNoYs

Pinoy Pride

reagan rada started out as caregiver and housemaid and now heads technical jewelry design in a leading New York company

Filipino reagan rada, age 31, is the technical jewelry designer of Piranesi in New York, the largest Italian jewelry company in the US, with a client list including royalties and heads of states.

Before Piranesi he was in an enviable job, hobnobbing with British-American actress Dame Elizabeth Taylor as director of design at the House of Taylor jewelry, a company owned by the late actress.

This is all rather impressive but even more so placed in the context of Rada’s humble beginnings. It’s a kitchen floor to the jewelry corporate world story, the stuff rags-to-riches fables are made of.

11 years ago, Rada left the Philippines

giselle javison Editor 42

B akas y o n | ap r i l 2 0 1 2

for the United States with only $1,500 in his pocket, hoping for work to send money back home to help out his family.

“I didn’t have any plans at all of going to the US, but my mom begged me... So I told my mom, this will be a one-time application. Fortunately, I got the visa. A week later, I was in Los Angeles.”

He arrived in West Hollywood and stayed with his sister-in-law. “We were seven people in a small one-bedroom apartment. It was tough starting out in LA but it was also exciting,” he said. “I was jobless for two months before I got hired as a reliever caregiver and housemaid. I Continued on next page

A Guide for visiting Pinoys

editorial Editor Managing editor Art director Writer

Giselle Javison Monica De Leon Jocas See Margarita Francisco

Rada showing off jewelry Elizabeth Taylor wore for her Larry King TV interview

Contributing photographers Ferdz Decena, Joel Garcia, Ken Go, Dan Harvey, Oggie Ramos, Jeffrey Sonora, Daniel Soriano, Steve Tirona, Gutsy Tuason Contributing writers Lei Chavez, Freida Dario, Ferdz Decena, Catherine Kirchhoff, Jan Lao, Oggie Ramos, Ces Rodriguez, Mari-an Santos, Gutsy Tuason

Advertising Sales and Marketing Sales and marketing director

Margie Defensor

Media representative

Joyce Ann Moros

Publishing Publisher Publishing director

Dornier Media Nikos Gitsis

Board of Advisers Seair chairman

Iren Dornier

Publishing director

Nikos Gitsis

Editorial director

Giselle Javison

Director

Delza Apostol

Legal counsel

Atty. Celina Cua

Inquiries Editorial: +632/ 553 7976; Email: editors@inflight.ph; Advertising: +632/ 553 7978; Email: ads@inflight.ph

philippine Copyright © 2012

Dornier Media International 4F, Lerose Building, 832 Edades Street corner Arnaiz Avenue, Makati City, Philippines Telefax: +632/ 840 2802 • Email: editors@inflight.ph

News

TESDA: Food Business Best for OFWs Returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) planning to start up their own businesses will most likely succeed in the food business, according to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

“The food cart franchise is one of the most popular franchises today and is very easy to manage and start,” TESDA director general Joel Villanueva said. “For as low as P30,000, you can have your own food cart or kiosk franchise business. It’s great for OFWs with little to no experience in the business. The food sector is really where best to start.”

According to Villanueva, food cart franchises are easy to manage, with over 400 different kinds of food cart varieties sprouting all over Manila in just one year. And best of all, you don’t need a huge amount to start up. ■ For more information on the different franchises, call the Department and Trade Industry’s Bureau of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development at +632/ 897 1693 or visit www.dti.gov.ph

Caregiving and Other Top TESDA Courses Caregiving, culinary arts, hotel and restaurant services and information technology are the most popular courses at the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

As of the first quarter of 2012, 1.2 million have already enrolled in various TESDA training centers, with about 30% of the enrollees taking up the caregiving program, 21% in culinary arts, eight percent in the hotel and restaurant services sector, and five percent in information technology.

Caregiving is a six-month program that costs P30,000; culinary arts is a 10day course at P5,000; while information technology package, done via the CATIA Foundation, is a 14-day course and costs P15,000. For those enrolled in the hotel and restaurant services sector, TESDA offers a three-month course for P18,000. ■ For more information, call the TESDA hotline at +632/ 887 7777 or visit www.tesda.gov.ph

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K+12 To Go in Full Swing by 2012-2013 The K+12 education reform, adding two years of senior high school to the current setup, will start in Philippine public schools this coming school year.

The two additional years will serve as a specialization period for high school students, giving them the choice of specializing in vocational skills. This will give high school graduates the option to pursue jobs with a basic education diploma or proceed to college. The program places Philippine public education at par with the global standard of 12-year basic education.

The additional two will be offered free in public schools. The K+12 is already being implemented in private schools. ■ Report by Lei Chavez

Café Via Mare’s Pancit palabok

Villa Café’s boneless crispy pata kare kare

Food special

Where To Get the Best Filipino Food

Food writer Micky Fenix lists her top 5 restaurants for Filipino food, from crispy pata to pancit palabok Interview by Lei Chavez

photos by jocas see

Abe Restaurant The ode to the late Larry Cruz still remains one of the best places to sample Filipino cuisine. The food is Kapampamgan-inspired but with a twist.

Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City Tel: +632/ 856 0526

Barrio Fiesta This old joint had a recent change in management and an interior redesign, but the food has remained the same. The crispy

46

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Villa Café Kampampangan Resto Good Kapampangan food that tries to reach out to the younger crowd is the specialty of this restaurant owned by Chefs Sau del Rosario and Jam Melchor. “This is the way to go if you want to connect to the younger market, but the older market will find the food not that jarring or non-traditional,” says Micky.

7427 Glory Building, Yakal St., San Antonio Village, Makati Tel: +632/ 478 2659

Café Via Mare pata or deep fried pork thigh here is still the best.

205 EDSA cor. Rochester St., Mandaluyong City Tel: +632/ 571 9842

Max’s Restaurant The traditional home for fried chicken still hasn’t lost its touch. Its crispy fried chicken is still commendable. Order it with the traditional pancit or noodles and lumpia (spring rolls). www.maxschicken.com

There are modern touches in the menu like the bagnet salad which is putting bagnet (crisp-fried pork), and greens together. “Via Mare did make the Bacolod invention of lumpiang ubod (fresh spring rolls) bigger than the original.” Must-tries are the bibingka (rice cake), guinumis (tapioca with pinipig, milk and crushed ice), and the pancit palabok (noodles topped with shrimp and boiled egg).

Paseo de Roxas cor. Legaspi St., Ayala Center, Makati City; tel: +632/ 7574020 ■

Travel & Leisure

Top 5 Budget Shopping in Manila

Bangui Windmills

Fashion blogger Christine Dychiao reveals her favorite budget shops for clothes and accessories (manilafashionobserver.com) Interview by Lei Chavez

Tiangge stalls at Greenhills Shopping Center This place sells clothes and accessories for men, women, and kids. “Look out for export overruns and imported clothing from Bangkok and China, but beware of reproduction or fake designer/luxury bags and footwear,” says Christine. You can get a fashionable top for P150 (about US $3) and a complete outfit for P1,200.

Ortigas Avenue, San Juan City www.greenhills.com.ph

The Landmark and SM Department Stores Shopping at department stores is relatively more comfortable but goods are pricier.

The upside? There are more choices, from clothing, footwear, formal wear, cosmetics, toiletries, home goods and electronics.

Landmark and SM are also good places to check out made in the Philippines handicraft and homeware.

• The Landmark: Makati Avenue, Makati City; www.landmark.com.ph • SM Makati: Ayala Center, Makati City; www.smdeptstore.com

The Ramp Crossings at Shangri-La, Glorietta and Trinoma malls The go-to place for stylish designs from up and coming local designers. You can find unique tops, bottoms and dresses for less than P1,000.

Shangri-La Plaza, Edsa corner Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City; www.therampcrossings.blogspot.com

Divisoria The mecca for budget shoppers. Divisoria market has malls like Tutuban, 168, 999 and Meisic Mall for both retail and wholesale 48

B akas y o n | ap r i l 2 0 1 2

Greenhills (top) has export overruns and imported clothing, while Landmark sells good value

goods. Divisoria is crowded and not the safest place to shop, but people frequent it for the best deals on clothing, fabrics, accessories, toys, sewing supplies, paper goods, party favors and many other things.

Claro M. Recto Avenue, Manila

Outlet stores at Paseo de Sta. Rosa and Solenad in Nuvali If you prefer buying branded clothes for less, then outlet stores are for you. Paseo de Sta. Rosa and Solenad in Nuvali are outlet stores for brands like Zara, ALDO, Gap, Nike and Puma. Paseo de Sta. Rosa houses 158

Designer’s Boulevard, which is the outlet store of Store Specialists (SSI) brands and Bench Depot, which carries brands like La Senza, Charles & Keith, Pedro & Celio.

You can get up to 80% off at certain times.

Solenad 2 is home to ALDO Liquidation and Payless Shoe Source, a place where you can get branded shoes at P1,000.

• Paseo de Sta. Rosa, Greenfield City, Sta. Rosa, Laguna • Nuvali, Sta. Rosa and Calamba, Laguna; www.nuvalievoliving.com/webinternal/ retailcenter/retailCenter.asp ■

Chef Cocoy Ignacio: Bringing Italy to Manila It’s never too late to change careers, says Ignacio, who quit his job as engineer to kickstart life in the culinary world Interview by Margie Francisco

C

photo by lee santiago

ocoy Ignacio took a rather long route to the culinary world. After eight years of working as an engineer, he quit his job to study culinary arts in LA, California, and armed with new skills, landed a job in the kitchen. He’s now back in Manila, running five successful restaurants.

Sounds quite an easy trick, but Ignacio did not wait for his luck. He went to find it.

It was sometime in the year 2000 that Ignacio took the brave move of quitting his job, and starting a new career. It was also during this year, while on holiday in LA with his family, visiting relatives, that the thought of opening up a restaurant struck a serious chord. “I’ve always had this dream of starting my own restaurant,” he said.

“I come from a small family with two kids. I’m the eldest. Our dad was a military doctor, mom’s a housewife. She was a really good cook, so I would often watch her cook and learn from her. I was always fascinated by both cooking and numbers.

At that time, I liked maths better. Cooking was a hobby. So I went to study civil engineering. But I’ve always held on to this idea of opening a restaurant,” he said.

The trip to LA, he said, was timely. “I practically dragged my family along to all the restaurants in the area. Balik kami sa Manila after the trip; inayos ko papers ko ulit; naghanap ako ng school sa LA; inayos ko visa ko so I can study and work in the US. September that year, I enrolled in the Art Institute, Los Angeles Culinary Arts and Design. I figured it would be easier for me to

apply for work after completing a culinary course in the city,” Ignacio recalled.

Ignacio, being a line cook, required him to work long hours in the kitchen and sacrificing lots of chances to catch up on the phone with his parents. Luckily, even his parents were off the radar, he still felt right at home in LA since he was staying with some relatives. “Can you just imagine if you don’t have a support system there? I would probably have had a very difficult time adjusting.”

After four years of culinary school, he knocked on all the restaurant doors in LA. “Most of the restaurants then didn’t really have openings but I still tried my luck,” he said. “French, Japanese, Indian, lahat

In 2007, after working in the restaurant for three years, he resigned to go back to the Philippines.

In September on that same year, he opened A Veneto Napoli Pizzeria Ristorante in Visayas Avenue, Quezon City.

“We didn’t start out that strong,” he said.

“In the first few months of operation, I was overjoyed whenever a car would park and people would come in to buy pizza.

We also had a few problems in the kitchen.

The room would get very hot during bulk cooking. It was like a sauna everyday. I had to fix several things.”

The slow and not-so-smooth start-up soon gave way to an increase in business.

Ignacio said that at the beginning people came to the restaurant not because of the food, but “to see a Filipino running an Italian restaurant. People wanted to see the big-time chef make the pizza and pasta more than to eat what we had to offer.”

“I started A Veneto because I wanted my own spin on food. I wanted to find a way to pair my passion for Italian cooking with Asian food. I began experimenting with different cooking methods, what ingredients to use. Naging result noon was the menu in the restaurant.” Some of the dishes were the buffalo wings, deep fried chicken wings in sweet and spicy sauce, flavored for the Pinoy palette with “tamis-anghang” taste, and the carbonara with chicken.

Restaurant bestsellers include carbonara with chicken, the New York pizza, a thickcrust pizza with toppings of ham, pepperoni, beef, onions and bell peppers, seafood parmigiana, linguini in red sauce laden with peeled mussels, shrimps and fish chunks, and eggplant parmigiana, linguini in white sauce served with crunchy eggplant fritters.

A Veneto attracted loyal patrons, including executives of Ayala Center who offered Ignacio the chance to open a branch at Glorietta in Makati. The Glorietta branch opened in November 2008, followed by branches at Trinoma, in BF homes, and Pasig. Ignacio never looked back.

What’s next? A pub, a project he is planning with his wife Mia. His message to OFWs: “If you have the passion for it, if you put your mind to it, you know that everything’s worth the hard work.” ■

“I started A Veneto because I wanted my own spin on food. I wanted to find a way to pair my passion for Italian cooking with Asian food“

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ng makita kong restaurants pinag-applyan ko. Until finally, I was hired by this Italian restaurant. It’s called Pasta Roma. It was a well established restaurant in LA. It’s been there since the 90s.”

Ignacio’s first job in the kitchen was working as a line cook under Pasta Roma’s chef Alex Becerra. Two years later he was promoted to sous chef.

“Chef Becerra reminded me a lot of my boss in the construction management.

He was a very strict boss, which was understandable. During the early months, I wanted to quit because I felt, maybe I’ve got all the experience I needed. I stayed on for a few more years. I wanted to learn more.

After three months on the job, things were smoother.”

A Veneto bestsellers: Meatball parmigiana and A Veneto Classic pizza

TRAVEL & LEISURE

Backpacker Holidays

See Sagada, Banaue, or Ilocos from P6,000, says travel blogger Oggie Ramos (lagalog.com) Interview by Monica De Leon

Sagada

Sagada

Day 1: Leave Manila at Budget: about 8:30pm and arrive in Sagada at about 9:30am For two (via Bontoc); see Lake Danum; grab dinner at Log Cabin Day 2: Witness Kiltepan’s sunrise; go to Bomod-ok or Big Falls; have lunch at Yogurt House; go caving at Sumaguing Day 3: Have a leisurely breakfast at St. Joseph’s Inn; explore Echo Valley before noon; and leave for Manila or Baguio after lunch Bunk in. Budget inns/hostels average P200-P300 (about US $5-$7) per day per person. Sagada Homestay and Traveler’s Inn charge about P250-P350 per person for a room with private toilet and bath. Try one night in an affordable inn, and another at the pricier but really nice Rock Inn (from P1,200 per room/night) or St. Joseph’s Inn (from P1,000 per room/night). Rock Inn has an orange orchard and if you happen to be staying during harvest season, you’re free to pick oranges on site.

Filling stations. Meals will cost you P300-P500 per day. Go to Log Cabin for pasta, Yogurt House for homemade yogurt

P6,000

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and yummy vegetarian dishes, Lemon Pie House for lemon pie and nothing else, Masferre Restaurant for delicious dinner fare, and Kimchi House for good pork stew.

Transportation. Most likely you’ll spend about P1,400-P1,600 for transportation.

To save money, you can hike most of the way to the sites but a guide is needed for your own safety.

Banaue with trips to Sagada or Batad

Budget:

P8,000

The itinerary: The rice terraces changes For two colors with the season.

Around May to June, the terraces are green and during the harvest season, turn golden. Banaue is home to the magnificent Banaue Rice Terraces — mountains that have been carved by hand by the indigenous tribe of Ifugao hundreds of years ago.

Batad’s highlight is the rice terraces amphitheater. See Batad at first light of day or walk in the middle of the amphitheater on the way to town or Tappia falls.

Bunk in. Simon’s View Inn & Restaurant in Batad offers only basic rooms, with shared toilet and bath, and no hot water. In the town proper of Banaue, cheap rooms cost P150-P250 per person per night.

[Uyami’s Greenview Lodge is a family-run lodge in the main Poblacion offering comfortable, clean rooms and decent meals.

It makes for a good base camp for exploring Ifugao villages.

Tel: +6374/ 386 4021; +63920/ 540 4225; Url: www.ugreenview.com ] Filling stations. The food in Batad is okay but the drinks are more expensive since everything has to be transported by foot from the junction.

Transportation. From Manila, it’s about P1,400 to P1,600 plus jeep fare from

Tappia Falls

Batac’s empanada

Banaue’s poblacion. [Wait for other passengers so you can split the total cost of the jeepney fare to Batad’s jump off point]

Ilocos with sidetrip to Claveria

Budget:

P10,000

The itinerary: Most visitors choose to go to Vigan for For two the “cultural experience”, mostly a chance to explore well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture and heritage streets. Paoay offers 4x4 rides and sand dune surfing. Go all the way to Burgos where you’ll find windmills and then spend the night in Maira-ira past Saud Beach in Pagudpud.

Cap the trip with a sidetrip to Claveria.

The seafood is fresh and cheap at the Taggat Lagoon since it’s located within a fishing town. Check out the falls in Claveria.

Filling stations: Food is a strong draw — the empanada in Batac is even better than that in Vigan; eat tinubong in Magsingal; try the sinanglaw and bagnet in Vigan; and don’t miss the biscocho in Pasuquin.

Bunk in. In Burgos, there are budget accommodation near the windmills.

Casa Grand Inn in Claveria has rooms for P800-P1,000 a day for three to four people.

Transportation. This is the biggest single expense at about P700-P800 per person, one way for a bus ride from Manila to Laoag, plus fare for the van plying the route Laoag to Pagudpud to Sanchez Mira. ■

Sagada photo by Oggie Ramos; Tappia Falls photo by Joel Garcia; empanada photo by Jocas See

Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte

Bangui Windmills, Ilocos Norte

Travel & Leisure

Family Holiday Deals

Shroff Travel’s Arjun Shroff lists 5 hotspots for budget-conscious families seeking time off Story by Margie Francisco

Ilocos Norte

Why go. “That is where you can visit one of the most ancient churches, Paoay Church, from the Spanish era. I think a lot of people go there, specifically to see that spot of the town which is one of the oldest Spanish cities in the Philippines.”

Sidetrip. “When you mention Ilocos Norte, what comes to mind is the image of Bangui Windmills, Cape Bojeador, Patapat Viaduct, and the white sand beaches of Pagudpud. It’s very nice to visit these places with your family.

You get to appreciate history; you get to see nature; and you can enjoy the beach there.”

Bunk in. Fort Ilocandia (www.fortilocandia. com.ph) offers plenty of time to spend with the family. At the hotel, everything is big:

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the rooms, the meal servings, even the swimming pool. The beach sand dunes stretch endlessly and make for the perfect family playground. The only thing small here is their mini zoo, but still that has an extensive bird collection. A roundtrip airfare to Laoag, Ilocos Norte starts at P3,256 per person. Fort Ilocandia offers a promo package of P5,350 (about US $124) per room good for two persons, for three days and two nights. Children age 12 years old and below are free of charge. For bookings and reservations, call +632/ 478 6506.

Cebu

Why go. “Everyone calls it the “Queen City in the South.” It’s a miniature of Metro Manila and provinces put together and the

life pace is more relaxed.”

Sidetrip. “You can do things in a slower pace plus it has beaches and some modern facilities like the Skywalk at the Crown Tower.

Families can also go to Malapascua and have a very relaxing, affordable vacation.

Transportation is not a local problem at all within Cebu. Everything’s very accessible.”

Bunk in. The Crown Regency Hotel and Towers is a favorite among families and thrill seekers alike as it features the Edge Coaster and the Skywalk Extreme. Some of the hotel facilities include a restaurant, nightclub, 24hour room service, game room, 4D Cinema, gym, and outdoor pool. For bookings and reservations, call +6332/ 418 8888. A roundtrip airfare to Cebu starts at P2,300 per person.

Bohol

Why go. “Bohol is famous for the Chocolate Hills and the famous little primate, the tarsier. It’s a very unique experience to see a primate in that miniature form, which is not so common in Asia. In the Philippines, it’s the only place where you get this opportunity to experience the Chocolate Hills, made of limestone, basically coral

Pagudpud and Bangui Windmills photos by Jocas See

Pamilacan Island, Bohol

and other sea fossils, that have dried up and turned chocolate brown after millions of years. During summer, they become like chocolate because of the heat that burns off the grass and it becomes brown.”

Sidetrip. “Bohol is a haven for nature lovers.

You can visit the countryside and see the man-made forest and the Loboc River. You and your kids can go dolphin and whale watching in Pamilacan Island. Or you can enjoy the beach in Panglao.”

Bunk in. Stay at the Bohol Bee Farm for P2,500 per night, good for three persons.

The resort also has delicious meals from organically-grown vegetables on the farm — from squash muffins, vegetable lasagna to specially-brewed coffee from roasted corn and wild berries. The owner also rents her chalet-styled home to guests who want to enjoy the peace and serenity of having the entire farm to themselves. For bookings and reservations, call +6338/ 510 1822. A roundtrip airfare to Bohol starts at P2,962 per person.

Skywalk at the Crown Tower, Cebu

Palawan

Main attraction. “Palawan is the favorite destination of everyone now.” The

Pamilacan Island photo by Ferdz Decena

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Puerto Princesa Subterranean River

Underground River in Puerto Princesa, after making it to the New 7 Wonders of Nature, has been so popular that you should book months in advance to be able to see the site.

Visit www.puerto-undergroundriver.com for booking details.

Sidetrip. “Families can enjoy watching little monkeys in the Monkey Trail, or bathing in the waterfalls, or cruising the dark undergound river onboard a speedboat and then watching fireflies after sundown. And then, they can go to the city’s dining spots or go shopping.”

Bunk in. Book the family room at the Duchess Pension Inn (www. duchesspensionpalawan.com). The threestorey building has 24 hours water supply, package tours, transportation assistance, telephone, stand-by generator, budget rooms, aircon rooms and a cafeteria.

Their family room, good for four persons, rates at P1,100 per night. For bookings and reservations, call +6348/ 433 2873. A roundtrip airfare to Puerto Princesa, Palawan starts at P3,200 per person.

Boracay

Main attraction. “Boracay has become a yearround destination. It’s tropical climate year round. And all the hotels are doing just too good.”

Sidetrip. “Families can enjoy a leisurely walk in the white sand in the island, take a dip in the warm sea water in early morning and late afternoon — kids love this. Shop for souvenirs at D’Mall; indulge in a good meal; have ice cream or refreshments al fresco style.”

Bunk in. Families can book at The Orchids Boracay in their airconditioned cottage for P2,350 per room night good for three persons. For big families, they can book the family villas at P4,875 per night, good for 10 people. For bookings and reservations, call +6336/ 288 3313. A roundtrip airfare to Caticlan starts as low as P4,040 per person during the peak season. ■

White Beach, Boracay Island

About Arjun Shroff Shroff Travel managing director Arjun Shroff has has worked in the travel industry as tour operator for 30 years, 18 of which were spent running Shroff Travel, one of the country’s established tour agencies.

Visit www.shrofftravel.com

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Boracay Island photo by Wacky Gochoco

CityEscape A Clark Supplement

featuring:

Wild Orchid Resorts

Widus Resort and Casino

In this part of town for leisure or business or both?

Either way, Clark is teeming with hideaways that will enable you to do what you gotta do and spend relaxing time too

c l a r k s p e e d way p h oto b y j o c a s s e e

april 2012

| InFlight | 57

On the spot

Wild Orchid Resorts

W

here it lies. The Wild Orchid Resorts are a 10 minute taxi ride from the DMIA (Clark) airport. It’s right at the center of the entertainment district, about five minutes away from the SM Clark Mall, and 10 minutes from the Marquee Mall.

The resort experience. From the moment you enter the Wild Orchid Resort, personalized friendly service awaits. Guests will be led to lush tropical gardens surrounding the two largest pools in town. They can either relax by the

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poolside or enjoy a lovely beverage at either of Wild Orchid’s two swim up bars.

Indulgence. The Tradewinds Bar and Restaurant located at the poolside is open 24/7. Its menu features a wide and exciting mix of international dishes and local cuisine. Tradewinds is famous for its mango fruit shakes, which can be enjoyed in the restaurant or at either of the bars.

Spending the night. All Wild Orchid and Lagoon rooms are equipped with American King box spring and box spring mattresses, split unit air conditioning, a fully stocked refrigerator, flat screen TV with International

cable programming, domestic and international direct dialing, laptop size in-room safe and internet access, with 24 hour room service. There are also nonsmoking rooms.

Massage and laundry are available.

Keep tab.

Url: www.wildorchidresort.com Inquiries and reservations: info@ wildresortresort.com Tel: +63 (045) 892 0134 / 892 0138 / 892 0316 Fax: +63 (045) 625 6267 Pick up from Manila by a car or van can be arranged via the resort. ■

april 2012

| InFlight | 59

On the spot

Widus Resort and Casino

W

here it lies. Widus Resort and Casino (formerly Hotel Vida) is situated along Manuel Roxas Highway inside Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga, about five minutes away from the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, and three minutes away from Dutyfree shops and local establishments.

The resort experience. Widus Resort's pond and a waterfall near the lobby entrance welcome guests. Its facade has a modern tropical flair with its earth

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tones, water features, and lush landscaping adorned by acacia and palm trees.

Indulgence. Widus Resort’s Salt Coffee Shop features a wide variety of Asian, Western and local cuisine; Malt Bar, located inside Casino Widus, is a leisure break from the games; Verandah Bar, which overlooks the swimming pool, is a fine place to relax at the end of the day; while the V Patisserie serves cakes, pastries, breads, coffee and tea.

Spending the night. Widus Resort’s 119 rooms and suites have floor to ceiling windows with balcony, warm lighting and

rich plush furniture. Room features include a luxurious bed, 24-hour room service, concierge service, safety deposit box, cable TV, internet access and mini bar.

Keep tab.

Url: www.widus.com Email reservations: rsvn@hotelvidaclark.co Facebook: www.facebook.com/ widusresortcasino Twitter: @WidusRC Tel: +63 (045) 499 1000 / +63 (02) 584 4091 Fax: +63 (045) 499 0979 ■