Bites of Asia Series: roughing it in the jungles of Bohol
1 Comment
Karen Hamilton
January 5, 2009
This post is part of the Bites of Asia series – a set of posts I wrote in December 2008 before we left for 27 days of exploring the Philippines, Macau, and Hong Kong. If you’d like updates of our trip as it happens in real time, subscribe to my Twitter feed or better yet, follow me on Twitter.
Floating Restaurant (Loboc River, Bohol), originally uploaded by hulagway.
Now for a truly South Pacific experience: hiking amid the jungles of a remote (well, not really) tropical island!
If we have a bit of time in the city that we fly into from Manila, we may check out Payag Jo’s, Bacolod Barbecue, and Miravilla: three Tagbilaran restaurants that high school buddy Meryl adores.
Before we boarded our flight from Vancouver, my grandfather had sent us a reassuring message that our desired Bohol pit stop, the eclectic Nuts Huts, should have space for us despite not taking reservations. I hope that this day finds us safely settled there. Here’s some background on this intriguing accommodation alternative.
Nuts Huts Retreat (+63 038 525 9162)
RoughGuides: “The Nuts Huts Retreat makes an excellent base for exploring the river and Bohol’s untouristy interior. The resort presides over sweeping views of the surrounding hills and is run by two charming Belgians, Rita and Chris, who seem to know what every traveller wants: great cooking, well-chosen music and the option to do nothing at all in several different locations – a shady terraces, a library, or a herb-infused sauna. The outdoor restaurant is magic, perched on a hill with views down the valley across a dense green canopy of rainforest.”
Lonely Planet: “Nuts Huts is a truly unique place ensconced in the jungle on the edge of the Loboc River 3km north of Loboc town. An exception in the Philippines, Nuts Huts is completely integrated into the environment to the point that the 16 separate cottages are difficult to spot from the river. All have balconies, sweeping views and the occasional 8-legged roommate. The friendly Belgian couple who run the place offer excellent travel advice and great food – lots of vegetarian and Euro-Asian delights (meals P40 to P130) served up in the wonderful dining room / lounge area a few hundred steps up from the cottages.”
During our stay at Nuts Huts, we plan to tour these spots in the Bohol interior:
The Chocolate Hills
??????-????(2), originally uploaded by alvin0118.
Tarsiers Visitors Centre
si Joy, nang-aasar ng tarsier, originally uploaded by mela sogono.
Loboc River Cruise
River Cruise at Loboc, originally uploaded by ericlucky290.
Sagbayan Peak
Sagbayan Peak, originally uploaded by ericlucky290.
Categories: Asia, Food, Philippines, Travel
Bites of Asia Series: dining along the edge of a volcano
2 Comments Karen HamiltonJanuary 2, 2009
This post is part of the Bites of Asia series – a set of posts I wrote in December before we left for 27 days of exploring the Philippines, Macau, and Hong Kong. If you’d like updates of our trip as it happens in real time, subscribe to my Twitter feed or better yet, follow me on Twitter.
Taal View HDR, originally uploaded by Sir Mervs
This week, Kurt and I ventured a few hours south of Metro Manila to a breathtaking ridge overlooking Taal Lake. What could be more adventuresome than 2 days touring an active volcano and its fulvous lake of sulphur?
The other reason we chose this destination was for the food. The nearby town of Tagaytay harbours many a wealthy Filipino, contributing to the region’s reputation as a culinary mecca. Here are a few of the places that books and friends have given the thumbs up:
Sonya’s Garden (+63 0917 532 9097)
RoughGuides: “Romantic cottage accommodation in a mermarkable garden nurtured by the eponymous Sonya. Rooms are wonderful and the rate includes a delicious breakfast, prepared with mostly home-grown, organic ingredients. If you’re not staying the night, drop by for lunch or dinner. Daily set menus cost P500 (P250 for children) and include delights such as home-grown organic salad with mango, pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and anchovies, and banana fritters for dessert. It’s very popular, so book ahead.”
Lonely Planet: “The restaurant at the famous B&B serves up exquisite vegetarian dishes and other fare using ingredients from the eponymous gardens.”
Our visit on Dec 30: Saying this place is “a little out of the way” is an understatement. It’s situated deep within the town of Alfonso, Cavite, which neighbours Tagaytay to its west. If you plan to visit Taal, make sure to arrange transport (taxi if you can afford it; a private driver is best) in advance through your hotel.
It’s worth the visit, but I wouldn’t call it a must-see. The estate is lush with the fragrance of flowers and freshly baked bread from their in-house panderia. The main restaurant is an enormous greenhouse that has been converted into a dining area that looks fit for an upper-classman’s wedding. We didn’t get a menu; all tables are served the same 3-course lunch, consisting of whatever is in season and usually showcasing whatever is growing well in their gardens. Our particular dining experience included freshly squeezed dalandan juice, a salad with umpteen fruits and local vegetables as toppings, house-made bread with 6 types of spreads, linguini with a half-dozen bowls of ingredients and sauces, and for dessert, chocolate ube cake, mini-turon, and caramelized camote. We washed the last bit down with refreshing tarragon tea.
Dining at Sonya’s is expensive by local standards: P610 a head inclusive of taxes and gratuity. For us, that equated to about $50 for a table of 3.
If you’ve been eating Filipino food non-stop like we have in the past week, Sonya’s would be a lovely change of pace. Otherwise, do try Leslie’s Restaurant on the main highway in Tagaytay. From our quick stop to pick up postcards, it was beautifully adorned, spacious, with wonderfully smelling Filipino dishes and *spectacular* views of the volcano and lake in the underlying valley. (see futher guide book details on Leslie’s below).
Antonio’s (+63 0917 899 2866)
Lonely Planet: “This upscale continental resturant offers the chance to rub elbows with politicians and oligarchs over full-course seafood meals – if you can get a reservation. Book months ahead for weekends. The decor is a mix of Filipino and Mexican, and seating areas include some lovely tables overlooking lotus ponds.”
Leslie’s (+63 413 4271)
Lonely Planet: “This Tagaytay institution is known for fried tawili (small fish), kare-kare (oxtail with peanut sauce), sinigang (tamarind soup) and other Philippine delicacies. Its large outdoor dining area overlooks the lake and is dotted with folksy open-air huts for a private dining.”
Josephine Restaurant & Resort (+63 2842 9851)
RoughGuides: “200m east of the Taal Vista Lodge Hotel, on the main road that runs along the ridge to Tagaytay, is Josephine’s an institution among Filipinos, serving good home-style Filipino dishes with mounds of steamed rice.”
Categories: Asia, Beyond Vancouver, Food, Philippines, Restaurants, Travel
Bites of Asia Series: memories of Pagsanjan
1 Comment Karen HamiltonDecember 30, 2008
This post is part of the Bites of Asia series – a set of posts I wrote in December 2008 before we left for 27 days of exploring the Philippines, Macau, and Hong Kong. If you’d like updates of our trip as it happens in real time, subscribe to my Twitter feed or better yet, follow me on Twitter.
Since I left Manila as a 4-year-old, I haven’t been back much. The last visit before this one was when I was eight, and the highlight of that trip for me was Pagsanjan Falls.
This is where I hope we are headed to today.
I was surprised that my husband recognized the name when I suggested Pagsanjan. Apparently, this was where the river scenes of Apocalypse Now were filmed. Can you see the similarity between art and life?
I’ll try to obtain photos of this beautiful landscape, but with my SLR packed away from all that nasty water, you may have to accept humble images from my point-and-shoot. That is, if it survives the pressure of passing through a massive waterfall and all the splashing it’ll see as we descend the rapids…
Categories: Asia, Beyond Vancouver, Food, Philippines, Restaurants, Travel
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