UK Peak: Aleosan’s natural watchtower
ALEOSAN, North Cotabato (MindaNews/21 March) -- What comes to your mind when you would hear the name of this sleepy town?
For sure, you would...
Waterfalls galore!
TRAVEL/FITNESS
ILIGAN CITY (MindaNews / 09 March) – Until recently, I’ve been to eight of Iligan’s two dozen or so waterfalls. Twice I was commissioned...
Vietnamese photographer captures coming out stories–his and theirs
HANOI, Vietnam (MindaNews/07 March) -- New York City-based photographer Kevin Truong was 26 years old when he came out as gay to his Vietnamese...
There goes Vietnam’s Flappy Bird, here comes clone Pugo from the Philippines
After Hanoi-based Vietnamese game developer Dong Nguyen took down his Flappy Bird mid-February from the Apple App Store and Google Play, a bunch of...
Vietnam and Laos are neighbors, but strangers
By Lorie Ann Cascaro and Jesse Pizarro Boga
HANOI, Vietnam to VIENTIANE, Laos (MindaNews / 5 March) – A corner in the outskirt of the...
Caving in to a bike race, but winning anyway
VIENTIANE PROVINCE, Laos (MindaNews / 22 Feb) – Perhaps his words were lost in translation before they got to me.
Last Thursday, I had a...
As Vietnam train leaves, life moves in a fleeting space
IN TRANSIT, REUNIFICATION EXPRESS -- No one heard the typical train whistle sound as the Reunification Express train at Saigon station prepared to take...
Traveling overland: musings from a 24-hour bus ride
Text and photos by Jesse Pizarro Boga
Cau Treo Border Pass – It is 3 a.m. and it is cold.
Our cramped sleeping bus en route back...
Hue: A city of “perfume and purple”
By Lorie Ann Cascaro and Jesse Pizarro Boga
HUE CITY, Vietnam (MindaNews / 13 Feb) – Our journey to Hue from nearby city Danang in...
Daday Falls: A hidden gem of Alamada
ALAMADA, North Cotabato (MindaNews/08 February) – Hidden by the rugged terrain of Barangay Dado is a towering falls whose water cascades through a river...
Hoi An: Old but alive
By Lorie Ann Cascaro and Jesse Pizarro Boga
HOI-AN, Vietnam (MindaNews / 5 Feb) – The road to Hoi An, a small city in Central...
Saigon: The city has two faces
HO CHI MINH CITY, Viet Nam (MindaNews/3 February) -- The towering buildings, bars, tour agencies, and hostels lined up like sentries can give visitors...
Discovering Pisan’s hidden wonders
KABACAN, North Cotabato (MindaNews/28 January) – It was almost 14 years ago yet when I started hearing about the caves in Pisan, a remote...
Cold Christmas away from home
VIENTIANE, Laos (MindaNews/24 Dec.) --- In a small country where majority are Buddhists, Christmas is definitely not elusive.
Back in my home the Philippines, Davao...
Lao cinema: Where to in 2015?
LUANG PRABANG, Laos (MindaNews/11 Dec.) -- Despite the lack of venues to show movies on big screens, Lao filmmakers are striving to produce features...
Lao tourists ride “Korean wave”
The Republic of Korea has become a tourist destination for Lao people who want to see and experience being in a megacity as they...
Confessions of a bus commuter
Text and photos by Jesse Pizarro Boga
HANOI, Vietnam (MindaNews/21 September)--Somewhere at the end of Hoang Quoc Viet Road and Buoi Street, bus 14 makes...
Laos kids express hope for the future through images
Through drawings, photos and role play, children from different provinces met in Vientiane to express their vision for their villages by the time they...
Getting fit in Vientiane
VIENTIANE, Laos (MindaNews / 6 Sept) – It's 5 p.m. here in the prefecture. In Vientiane Times newsroom, journalists take off work one after...
Overweight, beer bellies are ‘oddities’ for Vietnamese
TEXTS AND PHOTOS by Jesse Pizarro Boga
HANOI, Vietnam (MindaNews/05 September) -- It was 5 a.m. when my alarm went off. My lazy Filipino butt...
TRAVEL: More Koreans choose Laos
A growing number of Koreans visit the country for “healing” while some of them stay for retirement, business or volunteering
VIENTIANE, Laos (MindaNews/02 September) ---...
Has Vangvieng changed?
One year after the government closed the bars and put an end to drug outlets in Vangvieng, the village is struggling to get back...
Running around Lake Pinamaloy
BEING involved in a project in the southern part of Bukidnon and staying in the area for a few weeks, among my first concerns...
SouthCot town gets P30M for tourism development
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/02 July) -- The Department of Tourism (DOT) is investing some P30 million this year for the development of various tourism-related...
MINDANAWON ABROAD: Getting tacky is the way to beat Hanoi’s heat
HANOI, Vietnam (MindaNews/26 June)---One of the important lessons that I have learned during my first month in Hanoi is to be outright straightforward when...
Eating raw vegetables: a ‘healing’ experience
VIENTIANE, Laos (MindaNews/11 June) -- A plateful of raw mint, basil leaves, cabbage, sliced string beans and lime was served on my table ahead...
Boun Bang Fai: An undying tradition
Seven men were chanting while carrying a homemade rocket up to the makeshift launch pad at a remote village in Vientiane province last Saturday....
FEATURE: The unspoiled and enchanting Balut Island of Kalamansig
KALAMANSIG, Sultan Kudarat (MindaNews / 2 May) – One of the best-kept secrets in Mindanao beach lovers ought to explore this summer or anytime...
Bigger crowd seen this year in Mindanao’s biggest beach party
GUMASA, Sarangani (April 22, 2013) – The growing crowd each year flocking into the white sand beaches here in Glan never fails to hype...
FSUU paddlers gear for Bohol race
BUTUAN CITY (MindaNews/06 April) – Members of the Father Saturnino Urios University dragon boat team are upbeat on their chances in the 2nd Cobra-Philippine...
GenSan’s biggest hotel nears completion
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/07 March) — A consortium of Chinese-Filipino businessman is eyeing to open a P250 million six-story, 111-room high-end hotel in this...
UNA senatorial bets coming to Malaybalay for Kaamulan 2013 celebration
MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/01 March)- -Senatorial candidates of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) are set to hold a campaign sortie here during the Kaamulan 2013...
Bukidnon’s annual Kaamulan fest starts
MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/22 February)- The provincial government of Bukidnon opened Friday its annual Kaamulan festival dedicated to the province’s seven hill tribes with a...
2 caves primed to become part of Region 12’s ecotourism circuit
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/7 February)-- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 12 is pushing for the development of two unique...
More tourism investments for Sarangani pushed
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/03 February) -- The Department of Tourism (DOT) is pushing for the entry of more investments on tourism infrastructure and related...
Bukidnon’s Kaamulan fest the same; foundation now in September
MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/24 January)---The Bukidnon provincial government clarified that the Kaamulan Festival 2013 will proceed as scheduled from February to March amidst speculations it...
Siargao hailed among top island destinations in the world
BUTUAN CITY (MindaNews/10 January) -- No less than three major international travel magazines and online publications in Europe, Asia and USA have hailed Siargao...
Surfing in Lanuza: The kids are flying
LANUZA, Surigao del Sur (MindaNews/14 November) -- A few years ago, I interviewed the first Filipino surfing champion in Siargao and he said he...
LGU wants to make Cantilan a surfing destination
CANTILAN (MindaNews/11 Nov) – For the first time in five years, the local government unit here will spearhead the 5th Cantilan National Surfing Competition...
Lanuza holds Surfing Festival Nov. 12-17
BUTUAN CITY (MindaNews / 7 Nov) – All is set for the Lanuza Surfing Festival and Agri-Aqua Tourism Trade Fair in the town of...
Fundraising on for eco-lodges in Kitanglad, bird watchers’ destination
MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/28 Oct.) -- The Jeepney Projects Worldwide and the Birding Adventure Philippines (BAP) are raising funds to build new eco lodges in...
TIEZA allots P15-M for Bukidnon eco-cultural tourism park
MALAYBALAY CITY – The Tourism Infrastructure Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) has earmarked P15 million for the establishment of the Bukidnon eco-cultural tourism park in...
Tigbawan Resort: From fishponds to a weekend getaway
PIGCAWAYAN, North Cotabato (MindaNews/24 October) – During our elementary years, going to the beach was one of the most precious escapades that we enjoyed....
DOT positioning Lake Lahit as another tourism magnet in South Cotabato
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/ 19 October)-- The Department of Tourism (DOT) has allocated an initial P12.5 million for the development of Lake Lahit in...
University of the Waves
MATI CITY (MindaNews/7 Oct) – It was five o'clock in the morning on a fine weather Sunday when players of Team Amihan, a Filipino...
Surigao eyes becoming top destination in Caraga
SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews/04 September) ---Dubbed the “City of Island Adventures” Surigao aims to become the choice destination city by year 2020 in the entire...
TRAVEL. Vinta sailing now a regular feature in Zambo’s Paseo del Mar
ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanews/23 July) – The Department of Tourism (DOT) in partnership with the local government has introduced vinta sailing as an additional attraction...
TRAVEL: Guyam here I come
GENERAL LUNA, Siargao Island (MindaNews/11 June) – It’s really tantalizing when you come close to this island. This tiny place located in front of...
The shifting sands of Initao
TUBIGON, Initao, Misamis Oriental (MindaNews/10 June) -- Sixteen years have passed since the last time I set foot on this place together with six...
Tofu delights
MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/30 April) – Cooking is fun. And yes, it can be more fun if you try something that's quite new to your...