Lapu-Lapu City is a one-stop tourist destination for all seasons of the year. With its strategic location, it is definitely the most-visited city in Cebu. The island is a haven of five-star hotels, luxurious resorts, sizzling party events, delectable international cuisine, exotic delicacies, and a whole lot more. 

The hottest summer party featuring the best of international DJs has hit the island this summer. Over the weekend, Jpark Island Resort and Waterpark hosted one of the most exciting beach parties happening this year. The event happened at Jpark's newest party destination called the Havana by the Sea - a  grand floating club with lofty designs and exquisite lounges.

Pretty sight!

Drinks served!

House-Kissed Summer Land 2017 - Havana Ultra Beach | Pool Party is a nonstop shindig of the best house and all other mixes of electronic dance music by the best international DJs. While the music was really impressively ear-piercing, there were also other awesome presentations that highlighted the event.

The party crowd just couldn't resist to get wet and giddy with the foam party. With the striking shifting colors of the background lights that tend to keep up with the beat, everyone just can't stop dancing and stomping while getting soaked.

From the wet sand and the misty bodies, there came a total temperature outbreak when the fire dancers stepped in with their fiery moves that literally put the dance floor on fire. The girl in flaming hula-hoop absolutely brought down the house.

courtesy of AldrinLesPhotos | AldrinVids | It's Me Aldrin

Watch full video here!

The night skies were also lit with the fireworks display.

Steaming beach bods also lit the dance floor inside the Havana. The party mood intensified as they made their way to the party area and started shaking their booties.

*wink - abs everywhere- woah-mode*

Fun. Wild. Crazy.  Epic. 

Havana Ultra Beach Party that is!

XOXO,

Travelsome Chic

Cebu province has been abundantly blessed with the most astounding tourist spots that are not only locally known but also sought after by foreign visitors. Despite a number of environmental issues and natural catastrophes that disturbed the raw wonders of the province, the tourism industry of Cebu continues to boom along with recent discoveries of potential tourist spots. Additionally, more hotels and resorts are being launched both in the metropolis and in the provinces. No city or town in Cebu that does not offer great vacation destinations fit for whatever time of the year. You will surely be amazed with the overwhelming choices you have but let's start with this quiet town of the South - BOLJOON! 

Boljoon lies 102 km away from Cebu South Bus Terminal in Cebu City. It is approximately a three-hour drive from the city depending on the traffic. Buses bound to Bato / Oslob will pass by this town as it is situated between Alcoy and Oslob. You'll know that you have already reached the town once you see the iconic gigantic boulders with a cliff that's really close to the beach. Fun, adventure, and history start here. 

Let me give you 6 places you shouldn't miss in your Boljoon escapade. 

1. Iconic - ELI ROCK

View from the top

2. Amazing - PALANAS by The Sea

3. Mystical wonder - PALANAS FARM AND RESORT

One of the two large swimming pools

4. Soul-soothing - DAYHAG FALLS

5. Breathtaking - ABLAYAN PEAK

6. Historical - BOLJOON HERITAGE

Oldest school in town

If you'd really want to relish the beauty of each of the sites, two days may not be enough but if you're willing, you could visit all these places in ONE AWESOME DAY! How? Read on.

1. Jumpstart at dawn!
You start driving or traveling at around 2 AM to get to the 1st stop - the Eli Rock - before sunrise.  Eli Rock is known to be the best part for the morning sun. Shout out to Little Lai  for the travel tips.

After 30 minutes to an hour of sightseeing, you may take a walk to Boljoon's Heritage site which includes the century-old church, watchtower, and the oldest Catholic school in town. 

FIRST STOP: ELI ROCK (ILIHAN)

2. Breakfast on-the-go. 
Since you're travelling at dawn, it's next to impossible to get a decent meal for breakfast while you're on a trip especially for those who are taking public transpo. Unlike Northern Cebu trips, buses going south do not have pit stops so hold your pee (LOL). You can either buy something to nibble while at the terminal or wait until you reach Boljoon.

In our case, we felt lucky that we found a karinderia (small restaurant) right after we exited the heritage site. It looked like a house with an open dining area. The food they served were affordable and savory which reminded me so much of Filipino lutong-bahay.  The owners were really accommodating and courteous. (Thank you nanay & ate!)

SECOND STOP: BOLJOON HERITAGE SITE

3. Meet traysikad  and habal-habal. 
Take advantage of the local rides in Boljoon. From Boljoon church, you may take a tricycle ride to the public market to save time. Fare is at P 10 / person. One tricycle/e-bike ride can accommodate 2-3 people so enjoy the ride!

Habal-habal is another local motorcycle ride which can take you to Ablayan Peak and Dayhag Falls for only P500 (to and fro). Just add P 200 for Palanas Mountain Resort. The ride can accommodate 3 other people excluding the driver; however, you have to note that one of you needs to take the front seat - that's right in front of the driver's seat which can be awkward for some but definitely exciting for us.

You can definitely hike from the public market to the next destinations but it will take 5-6 hours hours while with a motorcycle, it will only take 30 - 40 minutes. There's not much hiking needed here since the motorcycle can reach until the peak and the falls.

THIRD STOP: ABLAYAN PEAK

FOURTH STOP: DAYHAG FALLS

4. Be friendly!

Although the locals of Boljoon are naturally friendly and approachable, you have to be more proactive in kicking off a conversation with them. They love to help and they will absolutely help you with directions which will save you time. Smile and never hesitate to ask if you need to.  Share you travel stories about their place and what you think about it. You'll be surprised!

FIFTH STOP: PALANAS FARM AND RESORT

5. Don't linger. 
As much as you want to take your time enjoying the view while taking a deep breath and plunging into the cool water of the spring or the pool,  you have to be quite time-conscious. An hour or two can be sufficient for sightseeing or swimming. If you linger so much in one place you might miss the greater stuff.

SIXTH STOP: PALANAS BY THE SEA

6. Multitask.
If you can chat with a friend through Facebook while reading this or watch TV while you eat, there's not much difference with taking photos while swimming (water-resistant cam, of course)  or vlogging while taking your meals (just be careful not to choke. lol!) This will absolutely save your time.

Now, we're going home! Let's call it a day - a tremendously jam-packed day!

Price Tag

• Bus One-way Fare  -   Php 130 - 150 (Cebu - Boljoon)  
• Motorcycle Package Trip  - Php 700 (good for 3 people / to and fro 3 destinations: Ablayan Peak, Dayhag Falls, and Palanas Farm & Resort)
• E-bike/Tricycle Ride - Php 10 per person

Entrance Fees:

• Dayhag Falls - Php 20 
• Palanas Farm & Resort - Php 350 (sightseeing only - P100)
• Palanas by the Sea - Php 350 (sightseeing only - P100)
• Heritage Site - none
• Eli Rock - none
• Ablayan Peak - none

Photo credits: Aldrin Floyd 
facebook.com/AldrinLesPhotos  - You take the best photos! :D Thank you.

The 10,000 (white) Roses Cafe recently made a fuzz in the local online community.  Aside from it is the first in Cebu, it became an instant hit because it was absolutely budget-friendly! Just a month later, Cordova Home Village made an intriguing marketing strategy when they launched Liza's Little Garden with 2,000 red LED roses sprouting from the stony ground along the resort's entrance. Because of the existing 10k white roses cafe, many people think that the red roses were made to compete with the former; however it seems more of a marketing stunt for the resort. 

Cordova Home Village has been there for years and this new attraction within the place is basically driving people to visit or come back. Since this little artificial garden is part of the home village, visitors have to pay Php 100 which is the standard rate for day use / adult entrance fee. This means that you could go ahead use their amenities such as the swimming pool. Gazebos / open tables and food bought outside are charged differently. 

In my case, I only went there (with Aldrin) to see the red roses but we were still asked to pay for the regular entrance fee. We were able to get inside and tour around the pool area. 

The place is quite easy to locate since it has been there for years now. There are two possible routes in getting there. One, turn right as soon as you reach Gaisano Cordova or turn right at Cordova Park, a famous landmark alongside Sr. San Roque Parish Church. Upon reaching the main entrance of the home village, the security personnel may ask few questions before you could park or enter. 

As you draw near the next entrance, you could immediately see the red roses growing under 'real' trees. Indeed, there was a touch of authenticity amid the artificiality. The pathway is a bit craggy and really uneven so you have to be careful in treading it especially at night. Liza's Little Garden is obviously a work in progress as there are still corners or spaces not filled with the led roses yet. 

Contrary to what was seen on Facebook, there were  only 2,000 red LED roses and not 51,000. I admit, the overwhelming wrong info urged me and probably others to visit. 

It was short and sweet but if I had to choose between the White and the Red, I would suggest you read my next blog;  10K White Roses vs 2k Red Roses

Watch this video to see the real glow of these fabulous red roses!
Courtesy of AldrinVids

Till our next laag!

We can't help but compare these two recently opened attractions in Cordova, Cebu. Both basically have the same feature except for its colors. I am talking about the 10,000 White Roses Cafe and Liza's Little Garden with the red LED roses. Due to its identical characteristic, people can't help but compare or probably wonder which one is better or worth the visit? The following are my personal thoughts based on three criteria so comments, differing opinions and violent reactions (lol) are perfectly fine and welcomed.

Liza's Little Garden - 2k Red Roses

ORIGINALITY

The 10k Roses Cafe was the first to launch and it is in fact, the first in the entire Cebu. Approximately after two months, Cordova Home Village also lighted their 2k red LED roses alongside its main entrance but the roses are only a part of a bigger resort and villa. It is somewhat a marketing strategy for the home village which has been there for a few years now. On the other hand, the white rose garden is the ultimate charm of the 10k Roses Cafe. The idea of using LED flowers is not originally Pinoy (Filipino) since this was brought by a Korean businessman who is currently residing in Cebu. Similar LED flower garden has also been lit in Seoul, Korea and another in Hongkong.

STRUCTURE / DESIGN

There is nothing much to compare with in terms of structure of the artificial flowers since they are identical except for its colors. Red roses would surely melt your heart when set in a bouquet; even a single stem of real rose could make someone blush; only if it is real. The lit roses in red LED is not as flattering as the white ones. The reddish lights somehow gave me a horrific aura instead of a romantic mood. The red glare is similar to that of the Halloween 'feels' and the gruesome trees in the dark background do not compliment with the red glow. Maybe it could look better on broad daylight; however, the banana trees are quite distracting and the pathway and ground need paving so it won't look rough and uneven. The place may potentially be impressive since the flowers seem to grow in a natural environment with all those trees and shrubs. 

WORTH

It all boils down to the question, "Is it worth it?" Its worth may be gauged by its ability to impress people with a reasonable price. The entrance fee for the red roses is more expensive given that  it includes the use of the amenities in the villa. On the other hand, the 10k white roses cafe has free admission. The Php 20 collected at the tourism building is a mandate of the barangay or the town and not coming from the management. Considering all these, which would you prefer, a frappe with the white roses or a summer staycation with the red roses? 

And the winner is...

Getting a dose of caffeine is somehow imperative for people who identify themselves as hardworking adults wanting to stay awake until the wee hours of the night; however, the coffee drinking population is getting younger each year. Coffee has become more than an anti-sleeping decoction but a sidekick in your leisure time or in conversations with friends. With this, the industry is cleverly devising new set-up and even quirky ideas in making sure costumers will not just come back for the good-tasting coffee but also for that fun and unique experience. 

In Cebu, there are several coffee shops that are already considered as the Coffee Authority. They are the giants in the industry. You bet, Starbucks and Bo's Coffee are deemed the topnotch but in the recent years, Korean themed coffee shops and now the pet cafes have boomed like mushrooms in the metropolis. Cafe Namoo, Cafe Talk, Gentlemen, Coffee Prince, among others became an instant hit among teens and adults alike. These shops provide a perfect backdrop and props for selfies but there is this  coffee shop just within the city that provides an 'organically real backdrop' for your selfies. 

Terrazas de Flores is more than just a coffee shop; it is a garden built out of love. You will reach Terrazas in just 10 - 15 minutes from JY Square, Lahug. The place has been structured for almost a decade and it has only been opened to the public in 2016. Each floral blossom is a labor of patience and passion. The management opted not to use heavy equipment and artificial ways for growing the plants and in landscaping. They mainly rely on the gardeners and their green thumb. For just 75 pesos, you get a chance to be in this paradise. 

As you make an entrance through the tall wooden gate, a grandiose flora tiered on a mountain slope will instantly create the impression. *Check out the video here!

The cafe is almost concealed at the background of the rich diversity. You'd have to take several steps before reaching the cafe but every step is a mystery unveiled. The steps alternately lead to some sort of a hidden patio with narrow pathways where you could take a walk or simply take a seat on the wooden benches. 

You'd also pass along dainty cottages which they call 'the cabana'. For 100 pesos, one or a group may stay inside the cabana while enjoying the refreshments. 

The garden arch which served as the lobby to the cafe is as impressive as the fairy tale setting perfect for photo shoots and just about anything you could think of. 

More seats are also available in the midst of the garden. While snacking on your cake or rice toppings, you could get a crash course in biology through the signage with the scientific name of every plant variety. Interesting, isn't it?

Check out the video here

The cafe may not have the best coffee in Cebu but they got the best close-to-nature feels.. of course, while getting a dose of caffeine. 

Till our next laag!

ARGAO. Does it even ring a bell? You have probably heard of the town in one of your visits to the public beach in Alcoy, your whale shark adventures in Oslob or perhaps that one summer in the resorts of Dalaguete. While most of us think that Argao is just a stopover for some exotic-tasting torta (a native cupcake) for pasalubong (souvenir/gift), it nestles some unheard-of natural bounty.

Admittedly, Argao does not have attractive shorelines compared to some beaches in the nearby towns of Southern Cebu so most of the time we skip this name in our wanderlust bucket-list but there's so much to discover in this place.

Let's start with the Coal Mountain Resort. It has been there for years but some of the residents in Argao are not even familiar of the place. (Oh, made me puzzled)




Why Coal Mountain Resort? A friend recommended this destination to chill out as a sort of a perfect side trip after a planned visit to Simala-Lindogon Church with colleagues. 

The place is in the far-flung barangay called Linut-od. It is remotely situated in the mountain areas of Argao that you'd feel lost along the way. **Really, we got lost but we found the way - the road not 'usually' taken. LOL. 


How did we get lost?

What do they have at Coal Mountain Resort?