The island province of Marinduque is underrated. It deserves so much love for the variety of natural, cultural, and historical treasures it harbors. Located between the Tayabas Bay and the Sibuyan Sea, the place enjoys a host of beautiful beaches and stunning ocean vistas. It’s also where the Luzon Datum – the reference for all geodetic surveys in the country – can be found. Marinduque: The Heart of the Philippines – sounds about right. 

With more connectivity, exploring Marinduque has never been easier. If you’re traveling to the province anytime soon, I’ve compiled a list of places to check out in each of its six towns. 

The last time I’ve been to Marinduque – which was, what, five years ago? – it felt like a family vacation. I went with a grad school classmate of mine and stayed at their place so I wasn’t able to check out the accommodations on offer. On my return, aboard Cebu Pacific’s thrice-weekly flight to this island province, I was able to stay and see some of its prime hotels and lodgings.

If you’re visiting the Heart of the Philippines soon, here are some of the places you can stay at.

Storytime is a series of  stories about my most memorable travel experiences. Read more here.

“I want to look my best,” I announced to my roommates, a bit defensively. “I’m going up the mountains.”

My right elbow was up. My hand on the side of my head, supporting the handle of the curling wand, which was setting a section of my hair into a coil.

“Okay,” said Kara, in that judgmental drawling way of her that I was already familiar with. She was kneeling on the mattress on the floor in the middle of the bamboo room, fixing her things. 

An arm’s length from me, sitting on Astrid’s bed, Mujee snickered, which startled me a bit. I'd forgotten he was there.

“Looks great,” chimed Astrid, smiling reassuringly.

After spending almost a week combing through Antique’s offerings, from tracing historical sites to spending my birthday at Seco Island, I decided I have had too much water and not enough ground. And so, on the 7th day, when I had the chance, I escaped to the mountains.

I went on my own and DIY’ed my way to get me my dose of hike. It was absolutely worth it.

Storytime is a series of  stories about my most memorable travel experiences. Read more here.

To be still when all is in flux, to not move when all there is is motion, is a pleasure not everyone deigns to suffer. But that day, in the secret hours before dawn, as the fishing vessel sliced through the temperamental waters of the Sulu Sea, I let myself savor the calm.

It was dark. The steady drone of the boat’s engine and the messy splashes of the waves came together like needle and thread through cloth. There I was – on a frayed tarpaulin out on deck, tucked in the warmth of my friends’s bodies – a year older.

I don’t know what exactly happened down the road but I’ve always associated Antique with aswang, tiktik, and manananggal. For some reason, and I take it I’m not alone in this, I remember feeling a slight shiver upon hearing the name “Antique” when I was younger. And perhaps, it’s not wrong. Perhaps there are supernatural entities dwelling in the mostly unexplored folds of this province, but proving its truth (or otherwise) will require more time and a bottle (or three) of Gold Eagle, so let’s save that for later and instead focus on something less metaphysical: history. 

Scattered across Antique’s terrain are vestiges of a storied past, impressive reminders of its well-deserved place in the country’s overall historical landscape. Like trail markers from yesteryear, check out these slew of destinations and trace Antique’s vibrant origins. 

It has been five years since I’ve first been to Marinduque. The island province has been one of the first places I’ve traveled to, and one of the spots I got to check out back then was Gaspar Island.

The first time, I tagged along with my MBA classmate Ate May and she took care of everything, so, basically, I knew nothing. This time, I went with my husband, and Myong of Marinduque News, and DIY’ed our way to the island.

Getting to Marinduque has never been easier thanks to Cebu Pacific’s thrice-per-week flights from Manila. The flight cuts the almost 6-hour land/sea trip to just under an hour – you’ll spend more time in the airport than on the plane! This makes the Heart of the Philippines more accessible to intrepid travelers.

My recent trip to Marinduque was not only hassle-free (thanks to Cebu Pacific’s thrice-per-week flights to the island) but also eye-opening. I knew the Heart of the Philippines has a lot to offer, but, it turns out, I had no idea just how much.

I knew of its beaches and islands. I knew of Mt. Malindig. But I haven’t heard of its subterranean offerings. And Bagumbungan Cave was a pleasant surprise.

A few days ago, I saw this trailer of a local movie called “Banal”. It’s about a group of friends who decided to go up a mountain. In the movie, there are claims that once you reach the mountain’s peak, you could ask for a miracle and it would be granted – and this was apparently the motivation of one of the characters. However, what was supposed to be an adventure turned into some Blair Witch Project kind of wild. There was a lot of weird stuff going on in that trailer. There was some hacking and slicing of bodies. Lots of blood. Really unnerving. Check it out for yourself:

If you are to ask me right now what my top destinations are, Camiguin would be right up there along with Batanes, Catanduanes, and Apayao. I don’t know what it is about islands and motorcycles but three out of four involved exactly those. 

It’s been almost five months since my husband and I spent our first wedding anniversary in the outdoors. Teaming up with Earth Explorers Travel and Tours, we hiked through two of Bukidnon’s many mountains: Mt. Kitanglad, and Mt. Dulang-dulang.