El Nido Resort, Palawan, Philippines

El Nido Resorts Palawan in the Philippines is for me the best beach. I have been there and it really is a tropical paradise (as seen in the picture) which is less commercialize compared than beaches found in Thailand and even the Boracay in the Philippines.

Palawan beach was voted by Conde Nast Traveller (US travel magazine) as the best Asian Beach in 2007. Palawan's 1,200 miles of sugary beaches wrapped around 1,780 pristine islands have attracted travelers all over the world. Plus, Palawan is the place where we can find the famous Tubbataha Reef Marine Park and St. Paul Subterranean River National Park, both listed under the UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites.

Also, El Nido Resorts in Lagen Island is featured in travel-reality show Amazing Race.

Please try visit this tropical haven and witness for yourself.

Chocolate Hills, Bohol, Philippines

Bohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Its capital is Tagbilaran City. It is the 10th largest island in the country, located in the heart of the Visayas. To the west of Bohol is Cebu, to the northeast is the island of Leyte and to the south, across the Bohol Sea is Mindanao.

Bohol is a popular tourist destination with its beaches and resorts. The Chocolate Hills, numerous mounds of limestone formation, is the most popular attraction. The island of Panglao, located just southwest of Tagbilaran City, is home to some of the finest beaches in the country. The Philippine tarsier, considered the second-smallest primate in the world, is indigenous to the island.

GEOGRAPHY

The Island of Bohol is oval-shaped mainland surrounded with 73 smaller islands, having a gently rolling terrain, ideal for commercial and industrial site development. Bohol's mountainous interior is home to rare and endangered flora and fauna. At certain points, hills drop steeply to the coast from a maximum elevation of 870 meters above sea level. The interior uplands are fit for agro-forestry and high value agricultural production. The central and northern lowlands have also fertile grounds and abundant water supply. Over a hundred caves have been identified, the biggest of which is found in the eastern part which makes Bohol ideal for spelunking adventures. The Chocolate Hills in Carmen, Bohol are considered one of Philippine's natural wonders and Bohol is often referred to as the Jewel of the Philippines.

Most beaches are of white sand. The sand is often of such high quality that it is exported to other beaches in the world. The most well known of these beaches are in Panglao Island, and there, numerous islets have similar, yet untouched and pristine beaches.

The Loboc River is the most famous, running from the southeastern coast to the center of the island. It is famous for its River Cruise going up to its water source. The largest, Inabanga River, runs in the northern part of the province.

Numerous waterfalls and caves are scattered across the island, including the beautiful Mag-Aso falls in Antequera. Mag-Aso means smoke in the native tongue. The water is cool and often creates a mist in humid mornings which can hide the falls.

HOW TO GET THERE

Bohol is located in the middle of the Philippines, and can be conveniently reached by air and boat.

Coming from abroad, you have two options, you can fly to Manila or Cebu. Cebu is the most convenient, but only a limited number of international flights will take you there. If you are coming from Europe, you'll need to stop-over in either Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Hong Kong, however, it will save you the hassle of going through Manila. Among others, the following airlines fly international routes to Cebu: Silk Air, Malaysia Airlines, and Cathay Pacific.

If you come via Manila, you'll probably want to take a connecting flight to Tagbilaran, which takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes. It is also possible to take a boat to Bohol, but will take 25 hours, and is only advisable if you have plenty of time and want enjoy a trip on sea, or have to travel on a rock-bottom budget. If you are coming from Manila, you can also get to Cebu by air, then followed by taking a boat ride. There are numerous daily flights from Manila to Cebu. The flying time is about 50 minutes. The transfer by taxi from the airport to the pier takes about 30 minutes in normal traffic conditions, and should cost 200 pesos. The following budget airlines fly from Manila to Cebu: PAL, Cebu Pacific, Air Philippines, Asian Spirit, Astro Air, and Grand Air.

If you come via Cebu, you can also take a short 25 minute flight, but you'll probably want to take the one and a half hour trip with a fast boat to Tagbilaran. The regular boat to Tagbilaran will take about four hours.  It is also possible to take a boat to Tubigon and Talibon, which may be more convenient if you want to be on the west or north coast of the island.

The most economical way to get from Cebu to Tagbilaran by boat is to catch a ferry to Tubigon, and continue by bus from Tubigon to Tagbilaran. This is sometimes both faster and cheaper than taking a boat directly to Tagbilaran.

Note that security regulations on domestic flights in the Philippines no longer allow bringing liquids (such as perfumes and bottles of wine) as carry-on items into the cabin. Even if you had those liquids sealed by duty-free shops on the airport of origin, you may be forced to throw them away if you are not able to place them in your checked-in luggage.

For more info on how to get there, you can log on to www.travelph.com

WHERE TO STAY

Bohol has a large number of hotels, resorts, and other facilities for tourists. Most of these are concentrated in Tagbilaran and around Alona Beach, with a few more scattered around the island. There are expensive hotels that are worth every penny and yet there are cheap accomodations that offer great value for money.

To help you make your choice we have listed most hotels here:

Bohol Beach Club Hotel
Address: 6340 Bolod, Panglao Island, Bohol, Philippines
Website: www.boholbeachclub.com.ph

Description:
Situated on Pangloa island, the hotel is surrounded by the natural splendor of a stretch of white sand bordering the azure waters of the ocean. Nearby tours, which can be arranged by the hotel, include Loboc river, Chocolate hills, Bacalyon church and Hinagdanan cave visits. The Bohol Beach club hotel boasts 3 large swimming pools, an outdoor Jacuzzi, massage service and shopping boutiques. The hotel is associated with Club AquaSports Inc., which arranges an array of water activities including scuba diving, snorkeling and glass-bottom boat tours.

Flushing Meadows Hotel
Address: Dauis, Panglao Island, Bohol, Philippines
Website: www.flushingmeadows.com.ph

Description:
Residing along the pristine white sands of Panglao Island, the hotel exudes a tropical island ambience mixed in with city conveniences. The 51 rooms feature private balconies and terraces with garden and sea views - a great setting to enjoy a romantic meal if the numerous other dining options don’t tickle your fancy. The international size tennis courts, children’s fishing area, water sports and diving spots are sure to keep guests busy. For a little pampering, guests can get massages down by the pool or in the comfort of the luxurious guestrooms. With a beautiful location and numerous facilities, the hotel is an ideal getaway location for leisure travelers and families.

Anda White Beach Resort
Address: Brgy Bacong Sitio Dagohoy, Anda, Bohol
Website: www.andabeachresort.com

Description:
Anda White Beach Resort is a small and tranquil island getaway that offers you a white sand beach, crystal clear tropical waters and endless sun. This is an authentic tropical paradise with well-manicured grounds and breathtaking views all around, either from the comfort of your room or from the seaside swimming pool as well as spectacular dining. The hotel resort has air-conditioned, restful accommodation in traditional Filipino design with all the essentials to make your stay relaxing and enjoyable.

Eskaya Beach Resort Spa
Address: Barangay Tawala Panglao Island Bohol, Bohol
Website: www.eskayabeach.com

Description:
An exclusive and serene beach hideaway where spoiling and pampering is the norm, Eskaya Beach Resort & Spa nestles amid 16 hectares of lush tropical gardens on Panglao Island, Bohol, Philippines. The resort is made up of 15 private villas and a superb spa, which is why it is the place for indulgent privacy and seclusion.
Architecture of the buildings is decidedly Filipino with a splash of modern amenities. The thatched villas, or “balai” in the dialect, are single-detached. These are built with sturdy construction materials, but the ample use of indigenous materials like bamboo, cogon, and wood for finishing is highly evident.

Alona Kew White Beach Resort
Address: Tawala panglao Island, Bohol, Philippines
Website: www.alona-kew.com

Description:
Delight in the tropical comfort that Alona Kew White Beach Resort provides. Savor the relaxing ambience and friendly service as soon as you step inside its doors.  Inexpensive yet cozy, this beachside property invites you to indulge in simple pleasures like a hot bath and sleep undisturbed on your comfy bed. Get ready for rounds of fun in Panglao Island, Bohol with a rejuvenating spa treatment or refreshing workout at the gym. Then cap each day off by lounging by the pool or sinking your feet in the powdery white sands fronting the resort.  Alona Kew White Beach Resort's prime location on Panglao Island, Bohol makes our beach haven an ideal place to stay. And with the police station just 200 m away, our resort is a safe place for all travelers.

Harmony Hotel
Address: Danao Panglao Island, Bohol
Website: www.harmonyhotelsite.com

Description:
Harmony Hotel is a new high class hotel, built with Scandinavian design, located 150 meters from the amazing white Alona Beach on Panglao Island in the Philippines.  The hotel is located in a safe and secluded area and it is surrounded by beautiful nature. We offer 18 large rooms designed with the guests comfort in mind. All rooms have hot&cold freshwater, air conditioner and beds with supreme comfort. Enjoy the 140 square meters large swimming pool with kiddie pool and jacuzzi and our cozy poolside restaurant. We offers high class accommodation at reasonable prices.

For more information on where to stay, you can log on to www.bohol.com.

Club Punta Fuego, a serene getaway south of Manila

Is a residential resort located in Nasubu, Batangas in the Philippines. This exclusive club resort is inspired by the Fisher Island in Miami developed in 1995. Club Punta Fuego’s world-class facilities are classified under three destinations:

The Main Club at Peninsula de Punta Fuego boasts of an executive golf course designed by Nelson Haworth, 33 spacious casitas, restaurants, function rooms, a mini-theater, the Ylang Ylang Spa, and various types of recreational amenities including the signature double infinity pool.

Top View of the Peninsula

The Punta Fuego Yacht Club can accommodate 30 boats in its floating berths and 100 boats in dry dock. A clubhouse with locker rooms, a bar and a view deck provide sailors with much needed haven while others have a pick of different water sports activities available.

Berth Layout

A few minutes drive away from the peninsula is Terrazzas de Punta Fuego with 28 Balinese-inspired cabanas, an 800 meter stretch of white-sand beach, a multi-level pool and a restaurant offering classic Filipino fares.

For more information on Club Punta Fuego log on to http://www.clubpuntafuego.com.ph/

Featured City: Kuala Lumpur

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Kuala Lumpur or KL, the capital of Malaysia, is a fascinating city that is constantly on the move.  It is the youngest Southeast Asian Capital yet one of the wealthiest and most appealing cities in the region.  It offers stunning architecture, a bustling blend of charming colonial buildings and modern skyscrapers.  It has the newest airports in Asia, the modern KLIA which offers daily direct flights from all over the world.  It also offers an amazing array of cuisines, a broad variety of shopping and an exciting and varied nightlife.  The million plus residents of KL are mostly Malays, Chinese and Indians.  The ethnic mix is evident in the various dialects, unique cuisines and diverse cultural offerings.  Attractions in the city abound.  Here are some of the things a tourist can do in the city.

1. Tour of Merdeka

Merdeka Square is a historical site to behold right in the heart of old colonial Kuala Lumpur, the country’s first prime minister declared independence from Britain in 1957. Here, surrounded by elegant Moorish-inspired buildings that used to house colonial administrative offices, you can get a good feel of life under British rule. The largest, the Sultan Abdul Samad building, is now the Malaysian High Court. Across the road from the Sultan Abdul Samad Building is the Tudor-style Royal Selangor Club, which was set up in the late 1800s for British civil servants to relax and enjoy cricket matches on the adjacent lawn.  A short walk from Merdeka Square takes you to the confluence of two rivers, where Chinese entrepreneurs first arrived to seek their fortunes in tin mining. Here stands the oldest and most beautiful mosque in the city, Masjid Jamek. A few blocks away is the art deco Central Market, once a bustling vegetable and meat market, now a great stop for souvenirs and traditional crafts.  Within walking distance from Central Market, tucked away in the heart of Chinatown, is the oldest Hindu temple in the country, the Sri Mahamariaman temple. Built in 1873, it is an elaborate construction embellished with ornate sculptures of Hindu deities. A few blocks away, also nestled among old Chinese shops is the Sze-ya Taoist temple, built about 140 years ago by one of the founding fathers of Kuala Lumpur.

2. Petronas Towers

The Petronas Towers, designed by Cesar Pelli and completed in 1998, was, until recently, the tallest building in the world and is the country’s pride and joy. While you can’t go right to the top of the towers, you can buy a ticket for the observation bridge which connects the towers. Closer to the ground, one of the towers also houses a a shopping center with designer boutiques, restaurants and a petroleum museum (with interactive exhibits for children). Outdoors, in the grounds of what is called KLCC (Kuala Lumpur City Center), are beautifully landscaped gardens complete with a children’s playground, wading pool and fountains.

3. Bird Park

Kuala Lumpur has the largest free flight aviary in the world–a massive site spanning 20 acres right in the middle of the city that takes hours to walk through. It houses an impressive collection of tropical and temperate-region birds. Especially interesting are the different varieties of hornbills and other indigenous bird species.

4. Butterfly Park

The Butterfly Park is a favorite spot for tourists and locals to bring their children. It is located near the Bird Park and is as beautifully landscaped with lush, jungle-like vegetation, fountains and fish ponds. The park also has an impressive display of forest bugs.

5. Lunch at the Coliseum

The Coliseum is another relic of the colonial era. The hotel was built during British rule and was a reputed hang out of writer Somerset Maugham. Not much has changed over the past 90 years, including the restaurant menu, and visitors can still tuck into steaks, chops and boiled vegetables much as they did all those years ago. It’s more of a must-feel than a must-see–every inch of the Coliseum exudes the ambiance of an era long gone.

6. Chinatown at night

A trip to Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown, is a must for every visitor. Here, at the night market, you can hone your skills in haggling with vendors who offer everything from dodgy-looking knock-off designer watches to equally dubious herbal remedies for impotence. It’s a great place to sample local fruits and the food stalls are very popular with tourists.

7. Shopping

Kuala Lumpur is a great place to spend your tourist dollar because it goes far. The city has a number of shopping centers all of which seem to have sales most of the time. Good buys are apparel (high-end and moderately priced) cameras and traditional crafts.

8. Craft Center

The Craft Center in downtown Kuala Lumpur is a one-stop cultural center where visitors can watch artisans at work and buy their crafts. Here, you can also learn a traditional skill like batik printing from the experts themselves. The center also holds special arts events periodically throughout the year.

9. Jungle walk

Kuala Lumpur may be a bustling metropolis, but you don't have to go far to commune with nature. If you want to experience the rainforest, the Forestry Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) is less than an hour’s drive away. Here, you can take numerous jungle treks of varying levels of difficulty. The highlight of a visit to FRIM is the forest canopy walk–a 20-minute walk on a sturdy rope bridge skirting over the very tops of the trees. It’s a steep uphill trek to get to the canopy walk but well worth it.

10. Batu Caves

About half an hour’s drive from the city center are the Batu Caves, a magnificent grouping of several caves formed out of limestone 400 million years ago. The caves were discovered about 100 years ago and the largest was made into a Hindu temple. This temple plays a very important role in Hindu religious ceremonies in Malaysia. It is quite a feat to climb the 272 steps to the temple cave which has a 300ft high ceiling and is filled with religious sculptures and artifacts.  Before you start off on your Kuala Lumpur visit, it’s best to get an up-to-date street map and information brochure. The Malaysian Tourism Board prints some good ones and you can get these from any hotel, tourist booth or at the airport. A good map is essential to navigating the streets of this ever-growing city.

Amanpulo Palawan, a Paradise in the Earth

Amanpulo Palawan is best known as a completely luxurious, exclusive tropical haven and an expensive island getaway.  It truly deserves every possible adjective for a perfect get away experience and a fabulous resort.  This tropical paradise is situated on a private island called Pamalican in the province of Palawan, Philippines.

Getting to the island is only possible by taking a private plane which exclusively services the resort, a perfect way to arrive at this secluded haven.

Accommodations at Amanpulo consist mainly of casitas. The beach casitas provide easy access to the beach by way of private paths, which will take you through some lush greenery before you reach the white sands. The treetop casitas are situated just above the tree-line of the island, while the hillside casitas offer fantastic views of the sea. Each casita also comes with its own golf cart which would allow you to drive around the island. Bigger groups can also stay at the four-bedroom villas.

Amanpulo is a popular choice for celebrities who wish to step away from the limelight for a short while as well as people who just want to make their vacation dreams come true or do a little soul-searching. The island provides a perfect place for everyone to soak in luxury and experience some peace and quiet for a change.

Visitors can expect to experience the real treat of a tropical beach like powdery white sand, pristine turquoise waters and well preserved polychromatic coral reefs.  Plus, guests can obtain PADI certification here as well as enjoy snorkeling, fishing, windsurfing, and even take a dip in the swimming pool.

If you are dreaming of going on the ultimate tropical vacation with every intention of experiencing a real relaxation and a feel of paradise of lush greeneries, perfect underwater wonders and luxurious warmth comfort, then Amanpulo is the place for you.  Just make sure this is indeed the holiday you've been saving up for for quite a period of time, because you'll paying quite an amount for a stay in this resort.  But fact is the entire island is worth every penny.

Awards:

Gallivanter's Guide
The 2009 Awards for Excellence
Best Resorts in South East Asia - No. 4
UK 2010