Punta Bulata, Cauayan: In Photos

Our family spent the New Year at Punta Bulata in Cauayan, Negros Occidental. It’s one of the popular white sand beaches in Negros. Punta Bulata is about 4 hours from Bacolod City.

Punta Bulata has good facilities. The rooms are spacious and nice looking. The swimming pool is small but the kids will love it. The beach is good. There a lot of Instagram-worthy spots.

The food is good too. The price of their meal is reasonable. It ranges from
150-300 Php and good for 1-2 servings. The drinks were very pricey. A 1L bottle of water costs 80 pesos. Fruit shakes cost 120 Php. A small bag of chips was 60 Php.

However, there is no internet signal in the area for both Globe and Smart. Punta Bulata only provides 100MB of free internet data. That’s not enough. Whenever we are desperate, we had to walk along the coast for 30 minutes just to find a strong signal. But no internet, no problem.

Hanoi, Vietnam: In Photos

Walking around Hanoi has a similar vibe as walking around Divisoria. It’s a maze of narrow and crowded streets but each turn has a pleasant surprise to those seeking for an adventure. It can be a nice cozy coffee shop in the corner or great local food at the sidewalk.

Here are the photos I took while walking around Hanoi, Vietnam. This was mostly taken around Old Quarter and near the Hoan Kiem Lake.

Halong Bay, Vietnam: In Photos

The Halong Bay cruise is the perfect race-cation. After running the 21K at the Halong Bay International Heritage Marathon, the tour package included an overnight stay in a cruise ship in Halong Bay.

I was just mesmerized by Halong Bay. The different islets are beautiful. And there is something calm and peaceful to be in the middle of the sea, aboard a quiet and slow moving vessel.

I stayed at the top deck most of the time to witness the beautiful scenery. Every angle is just Instagram-worthy.

Enough for words. Let these photos speak for themselves.

Hanoi, Vietnam: Quang’s Guide to Crossing the Street

We asked our tour guide on tips on how to navigate the traffic in Hanoi by foot. He gave us three options.

How to cross the street?

Option 1. Close your eyes. Just walk and pray.

Option 2. Wear shades and use a stick while crossing the street. The vehicles will avoid you.

Option 3. Fly if you can.

Another suggestion from one of our companions is to wait for the locals to cross the street and walk along with them.

Quang told us that when he was taught how to drive, he was given one rule: Don’t hit anybody.

That was very comforting.

No Internet, No Problem

I realized that I no longer need to turn on mobile roaming or to buy a local sim so that I can access the internet when I’m abroad.

The free internet at the hotel, coffee shops, restaurants, and public areas are enough so I can be connected.

You don’t have to be connected every time. You don’t have to post all your travel activities real time. You don’t have to give live updates or tweets.

You can do all these later when you’re back at the hotel or have a quick check during lunch or dinner if they provide free internet.

Spend the time getting lost. Take a few photos and take more time to discover instead.

Use offline maps. Ask for directions. Talk to strangers. Stop and smell the flowers… and the food.

Internet can wait.

Hanoi, Vietnam: First Impressions

Here are my first impressions of Hanoi, Vietnam. I did very little research on the place except for the running event I will be joining on Sunday. So it will be another adventure…

1. Modern infrastructures are rising. The airport is big, clean and organized. The highways are very wide. Not many skyscrapers… yet.

2. I’m staying at the Old Quarter area. The roads are smaller now. Last night, it was quiet and peaceful. But this morning, the roads are crowded with motorcycles.

3. Motorcycles rule the roads here in Old Quarter. They just zip past the intersection even if a car or a person is crossing the street. They are not that fast but you have to be alert.

4. I arrived at 2:00 in the morning and the hotel had their front door chained from the inside! No kidding. It was locked with chains! I wonder why it has to be that secured. Now, I’m having second thoughts staying late at night around Hanoi. 😛

5. I went inside a stationary store. They have nice notebooks, pens and art materials. Among the designs are references to the war. They seem to be very proud of this part of their history.

6. I love the houses here. They are narrow and tall. One house would look like blocks stacked on top of each other. Each floor would have a different design from the other floors.

7. Where are the fast foods? I haven’t seen McDonald’s or KFC yet. No Jollibee too?

8. 30+Mbps wifi!!! I think I will love it here.

A (Four) Million Dreams

It’s my first time to visit Vietnam. I’ll be running a half marathon at the Halong Bay Heritage Marathon on Sunday.

I had my Philippine Peso changed to Vietnamese Dong. With the current conversion rate, I should be getting 4 Million Dong!!!

However, the money changer only have 3.5 Million Dong.

I complained!

“All my life I dreamed of holding 4 Million in my hands and you are half a million short!”

Life is unfair.

Island Hopping in Guimaras

I had chance to have a short sightseeing in Guimaras after organizing the 1st Manggahan Festival Half Marathon. I went with my sister and her friends to Raymen Beach Resort in Alubihod where we took a boat ride to see the small islands in the area.

It was a short but fun ride. Although Guimaras is a small island, it is rich in its natural beauty. The government has been very supportive in protecting its natural wonders.

What I saw during the island hopping surprised me and I want to go back there with Quennie and Gab next year.

We saw sea turtles, caves, houses on top of the island and small beaches.