#PhilippinesFirst Friday: Palawan is the Best Island in the World (Yet Again!)

23 October, 2015 by Gem Muzones

As part of our #PhilippinesFirst advocacy, we’re launching a weekly blog series called #PhilippinesFirst Friday where we round up articles published in the recent week that prove just how beautiful the Philippines is. This is our own little way of helping our fellow Filipinos realize how lucky we are to live in this country, feel proud of our roots, and bring inspiration to travel the Philippines first before the rest of the world.

1. Palawan is the Best Island in the World (Yet Again!)

Probably the best Philippines travel news for this week is that Palawan is once again hailed as the best island in the world in the Readers’ Choice Awards 2015 of award-winning US travel magazine, Conde Nast Traveler (CNT). This is the second straight year that Palawan has gotten this recognition. You go, Palawan!

Book a plane ticket to Palawan now! Find the best airfare deals to the best island in the world here.

Why I Keep Coming Back to El Nido, Palawan (and Why Every Filipino Should, Too)

20 October, 2015 by Gem Muzones

Why I Love El Nido Palawan

Two days before my birthday back in the year 2011, I had one of my fainting episodes at home. I don’t suffer from any serious illness but once in a while I faint whenever I have dysmenorrhea (I’m telling you, it was brutal). While my Mom would usually brush it off like my previous episodes, she brought me to a clinic to have me checked up by a doctor, just in case I need medications. The doctor had a better idea though, he had me confined in a hospital to run some tests on me because he thought that I might be epileptic. I ended up spending my birthday in the hospital with negative results for the tests, proving that I’m not epileptic and that I needed a better doctor.

Budget Trip in Coron? Stay at Patrik & Tezz Guesthouse

8 June, 2015 by Gem Muzones

When you’re traveling backpacker style (with a very limited budget), a luxurious hotel is definitely out of the question. Why stay in rooms with 21-inch flat screen TVs when you’re just going out the entire day anyway? You’re traveling to enjoy a place you’ve never been to before (or some place you like going back to again and again), not to watch TV just like your usual lazy weekends in your own home.

How We Traveled to El Nido, Palawan for 5 Days for Only Php 6,730.66 All-In [Expenses]

22 May, 2015 by Gem Muzones

el nido palawan DIY budget travel

Last week, we asked people if they think we can successfully pull off a 5-day El Nido trip for just Php 7,000 all-in per person (we’re 5 in the group). A lot of people couldn’t even begin to imagine how we’re going to do it but they wanted to see if we could really come back to Manila without empty wallets or maxed out credit cards. And so yesterday morning, when our plane landed precisely at 10:30 AM at NAIA Terminal 4, we concluded our 7k El Nido Challenge. The final computation?

Php 6,730.66 ($149.57)

Congrats team! *virtual high-five*

7k El Nido Challenge: Mechanics and The Plan

12 January, 2014 by Gem Muzones

Is 7k enough for 5 days in El Nido? ()

If we told you that you can spend 5 days in paradise on Earth that is El Nido, Palawan for only Php 7,000 all-in, would you believe us? This coming week, Travels with a Hobo’s Gem and Beep (and friends) will take on the 7k El Nido Challenge. Game on!

How You Can Travel More Without Going Broke

2 January, 2014 by Gem Muzones

travel more without going broke

Don’t you ever wonder how some people can afford to travel constantly despite not being CEOs or millionaires? Traveling is considered as a luxury. A mere day on paradise, getting a relaxing massage by the beach or soaking up the sun to get a tan with a pink lemonade in hand can cost a fortune. That is why most people only go on vacations a few number of times each year (or in their entire lifetime). I was one of those people too, before I started traveling with Beep who is known for being a cheapskate traveler.

Is it really possible to go on a vacation every weekend or every chance you get without breaking the bank? And the answer to that is… a big resounding yes!