Staycation at Paniman Beach - Ternate, Cavite Philippines

 

Oh how we have all missed traveling!

Although the pandemic is still upon us, at least it still is here in the Philippines, we are able to move around more freely, of course still following by the Covid-19 guidelines from the government. 

After my daughter Penelope's birthday last month, we decided to go out to Paniman Beach, a hidden gem in Ternate, Cavite Philippines. We chose this place because it is pretty secluded, and not very many people are there at any given time. There is plenty of room for us to roam around, so keeping distant from others would be easy. Actually, when we arrived, there was only one other family there, and so we had the beach all to ourselves, which we really, really liked. 

This was actually the first time that Arlene and Baby Pippa was able to go out and explore since the pandemic started, so it was nice to be able to take them there, if only for a day. Arlene's friend also joined us, and we had a great time. 

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Ending the day with a trip to Mountain Coffee in Ternate, Cavite was also great. With strict Covid-19 rules, we surprisingly felt very safe there. We only stayed for about 15 minutes, and decided to just enjoy our coffee and snacks on the way home. 

It was a nice day =) 

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The CARAMOAN ISLANDS

I've heard so much about the Caramoan Islands, so I finally had the opportunity to visit, and it was just as expected...totally amazing!

WATCH OUR CARAMOAN HIGHLIGHT BELOW

My goal for this post is to simply share the details from our recent trip to Caramoan with my family. If you are new to my blog and videos, I just wanted to let you know that most of my trips are family excursions, so if you are looking for solo party travel, this is not for you. Although I am geared more towards family travel, we are also budget travelers, so getting information on how to save money when traveling to these places might be of interest to you, family or solo travel.

If you would like to skip the details and just watch our highlight video, just scroll down to the video =) The details posted below may not be the best options for you, but this is how my family and I did this trip, and we really enjoyed it.

HOW TO GET TO CARAMOAN:

If you want the fastest way from Manila, you might want to fly from MNL to Naga City. From Naga, you can take a bus or van to Caramoan. You can also fly into Virac, which is closer but also a smaller airport and may cost a bit more, just do your research based on your travel dates.

You can take a ferry from Sabang Port or Condon Port. We did not do this option but what I've heard is that the boat ride is a little less than two hours. Most people who do this option is looking for the fastest way to Caramoan, so they fly from MNL to Naga or Virac, and then use public transport to the ports before they take the boat ride to Caramoan.

Driving is long and may not be for everyone. We drove from Buhi Camarines Sur. Wherever you come from, you will start from Naga and can make it to Caramoan in about 3-4 hours. Although the roads are paved, they are not smooth by any means. If you do not have a 4X4 and you are not comfortable driving in the Philippines, I do not recommend this option. If your car is strong with some torque, then you should be fine, but if your car struggles up the hills, then don't bother. We saw a couple cars that didn't make it on the side of the road, so if you're not sure, just take public transport or rent a 4X4. Driving to Caramoan is an adventure, and although it was long and bumpy, my family and I had a great time.

I think that one of the main reasons why Caramoan Islands is still a hidden gem is because of the difficulty factor in getting there. If you are adventurous, then this trip is for you.

WHERE TO STAY IN CARAMOAN:

For me, the best place is to stay right on the beach away from the Town Proper. I did see some Inns along the road before the beach, but to come to Caramoan, and not stay on the beach defeats the purpose of coming to Caramoan, but that's just me.

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Once you're in Barangay Paniman, just keep going until you hit the beach, and then turn right (the road before the beach). You'll see all the beach resorts there and plenty of places that will cater to your budget. We saw some pretty nice places, but opted to stay at a budget and family friendly place called RMTM Beachfront Resort. The RMTM is nothing like the Four Seasons at all, it's more like camping indoors, so don't expect anything special. It's very simple with a TV, A/C, beds, private bathrooms, and a 24hr Sari Sari Store. They do have internet, but it's not very strong unless you are near the Sari Sari store where the router may be.

With Romy the Property Manager/Owner of RMTM

The best thing about RMTM Beachfront Resort is the hospitality and the location, it's right on the beach, what more can you ask! There were people just a couple resorts down who spent maybe double or triple what we paid, and we had the same view, doesn't make any sense to me ha ha. If you want to know how much we spent, you'll crap on yourself, we spent about $26.50 USD per night (for two queen beds with a couch), and again, that's right on the beach. Keep in mind, it was off-season, so the rates will be much higher during peak season.

WHERE TO EAT:

You won't find any big franchised establishments in Caramoan, only local restaurants. There are some small bar and restaurants along the beach, but we didn't go to any of them. We opted to stay at our hotel and order from the catering menu that they provided. Just think Grab Food or Uber Eats, but in Caramoan. Most of the resorts along the beach use the same or similar catering company, but it's really convenient. You order from the menu just like you would at a restaurant, and the food is delivered within 30min to an hour in food containers to keep the food hot or cold. The delivery service hours are from 7am to 10pm daily.

WHAT TO DO IN CARAMOAN:

Of course the most popular thing to do is Island Hopping. The boat tours are either short (half day visiting 4 islands) or long (full day and more islands). We ended up doing the short tour and we were totally satisfied. Keep in mind that we also had our one year old baby, so we didn't want to do anything too long.

The boat tours are not as expensive as Palawan where you pay per person. In Caramoan, you pay per boat rental. We paid 1500php for our half day tour which is about $30 USD for 4 adults and one child. We liked it because it was just our group, and we didn't have to share the boat with anyone. I believe the full day tour is around 2500-2700php ($50 USD), still super cheap compared to Palawan. Plus its not as touristy, which I liked a lot!

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For the boat tours, a tricycle picked us up and took us to our boat that our hotel arranged for us, and the fare was included in the price, also super cool! Please also keep in mind, although it isn't required, I recommend tipping the tour guides, they do a lot for you. We tipped 500php or $10 USD, but do what you can =).

Other things to do:
- Take a photo of the "I Love Caramoan" sign at the town proper
- Visit the 400 year old church, St. Michael Archangel Church, also known as the Red Church
- Hike up the mountain to the Holy Mother of Peace. Epic views!
- Hit up the souvenir shops at the town proper
- Guinahoan Lighthouse
- Tayak Lagoon
- Caving and Kayaking

WHEN TO GO:

The peak season is from March to May, this is when the rates are the highest, but the weather is the best. If you go on the off season like we did, everything is much cheaper, but you also don't have the best weather. You can of course wait until the perfect weather comes, but most people don't have the privilege of taking long trips like Digital Nomads.

Also going to the Caramoan Islands during November /Decemeber like we did, yes you get the best rates, but it's also typhoon season. We actually left Caramoan one week before Typhoon Tsoy hit, so we got super lucky. And yes, the Caramoan Islands are prone to Typhoons, so keep that in mind when making your plans. It might be best for you to go during the peak season =).

NEED AN ATM?

There is only a couple ATM's in Caramoan, and they are located in the Town Proper, so make sure that you get some cash before you arrive because the ATM machines tend to go offline a lot, this happened to us. Be prepared.

WHAT ELSE?

"The Caramoan Islands is where Survivor is filmed"

If you are looking for an alternative beach destination instead of the tourist traps of Palawan and Boracay, then the Caramoan Islands is for you. If you can get past the difficulty factor of getting there, you won't be disappointed once you arrive. Don't expect all the touristy things that you see at the other places, this place is about getting off the beaten path.

A Taste of the Caramoan Islands - Our Trip Highlights

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ITBOG FALLS // Buhi Camarines Sur, Philippines

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A HIDDEN GEM in Buhi, Camarines Sur, Bicol Philippines. Itbog Falls is a place you must see! Away from tourists and off the beaten path, this is the type of places that I like to see! And if you are like me, read on!

Just like my video from the Pongol Pool in Buhi, this is another place that you must see if you ever visit the Buhi area in Camarines Sur, Bicol Region.

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FIRST THINGS FIRST, how do you get to Itbog Falls? 

From wherever you are coming from in the Philippines, you can simply "google" Buhi Municipal Hall. Once you get there, it's just a short walk behind the BMH to Lake Buhi and the Buhi Market. 

***The nearest airport to Buhi is in Naga City, so if you are flying in, you can fly direct to Naga and then take public transport to Buhi. I recommend taking the UV Express (or FX) Van Service direct from Naga to the Buhi Bus Terminal (about 105-120 php or $2-2.50 USD). From the Buhi Bus Terminal, you can take a tricycle to Buhi Centro where the BMH and Buhi Market is located. (about 10 php or $.20-25 cents)

Right behind the Buhi Market you will see Lake Buhi, and a number of long boats docked and ready to take passengers to various areas around the lake.  To make it easier for you, here is the contact details of the guy who took us across the lake to Itbog Falls:

Contact

Name: Jonard

Cell: 0948-750-6463

When we took the boat across the lake to Itbog Falls, it costs us 400php ($8 USD) for 4 people, which is like 100php ($2 USD) per person round trip. The boat ride takes about 10-12 minutes. Once the boat is docked, it's another 2 kilometer easy hike (mostly concrete path with steps closer to the falls).

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WHAT TO BRING: 

This all depends on you, how long you plan to stay etc. I would recommend mosquito spray, sun lotion, water, snacks, comfortable shoes/sandals, extra clothes and a towel if you plan to get wet around the falls, a dry bag for your phone, camera, money etc. 

If you need any of this stuff, you can most likely find it at the Buhi Market right before you go on the boat. Not sure if they have the dry bags, so just make sure that you get one beforehand. The weather in and around Buhi is unpredictable, it can rain anytime no matter how beautiful it looks, so be prepared. 

WHERE TO STAY:

At the time of this post, there is only one hotel near Buhi Centro, and that is the Villa Florencia. This is where my family and I stayed. We paid $40 USD per night for a family room which included 2 queen beds, fridge, A/C, shower with hot water, TV, and free gated parking. There is NO WIFI at this hotel, so bring your pocket wifi to stay connected. There are other rooms available with budget friendly rates, and the lady who runs it is super nice! 

WHAT TO EAT:

There are no big franchise eateries in Buhi. It's all local. A place that we really enjoyed was Dwinox Bar. It is located near the the St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Buhi Centro. There are other places around the area, so you can walk around from there. There is also a small LCC Supermarket (like 7-Eleven) just down the street from the church. 

Here's a quick video from our trip to Itbog Falls. If you would like to ask me anything about the area, feel free to message me! Have fun =) 

Itbog Falls - Buhi, Camarines Sur

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Ways I Earn Income - How Much Do I Make?

I always get a lot of questions about what I do, and the easiest thing to tell people is that I am an Entrepreneur.

With that comes questions about how I make money.

Firstly, this post is not about bragging or making myself look good. "I'm No Rockefeller" =) Just ask any of my friends or people who know me, and they will tell you that money is the LAST THING of importance to me. So why become an Entrepreneur you ask? Well, because I love to create experiences with my life and if I can make enough to support my family, travel, and give back to the community through charity projects, I'm happy with that. At the time is the post, I am happy to say that I give back more than half of what I make.

So let's get into the why you may be reading this post, how many ways do I earn? As an entrepreneur, it's about creating multiple streams of income. Not every stream will make you millions! Some gigs may be just enough to help you buy groceries or put a tank of gas in your car, and some may bless you enough to pay for amazing vacations and maybe your kids college tuition! If you're lucky, you may have a stream that even pays residuals.

Here are some ways that I earn and a ball park figure on what I can potentially make:

1.  Youtube - I currently have 3 channels, but only one channel is earning google paychecks every month or two. I can make about $100-500+ per month. My main channel. Family Channel

2.  Stock Video Footage - I have a small digital library that I've been working on and I am working with a platform that distributes my work to about 5 stock imagery websites. I can make up to $100 per video clip sold.

3.  Video Production (Videographer) - I have a small video media production outfit where I create videos for extreme sports, weddings, restaurants, corporations, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and just about anyone who needs a video. I can earn up to $2,000+ per video project.

4.  Fiverr - This is a freelance website where I host some of my video projects. This is still new to me and I can earn $5-$100 per video gig. My Fiverr Gigs

5.  Patreon - This is for people who support my OCRTUBE media project where I film obstacle course racing events to benefit charities around the world. I can earn $1-$500 per patron. This isn't really an income as 100% of the donations get funneled back into the project to do good in the world. Become a Patron.

6.  Cryptocurrency - I am a crypto enthusiast and still learning and having fun with it. I can earn 1-1000% commissions per crypto trade, and $50 per referral affiliate commissions. Contact me about how I trade crypto.

7.  Social Media Fitness Influencer - I work with a California based health and fitness company and share my organic active lifestyle through my networks. I can currently earn up to $2,000+ per week. Contact me to learn how to become a Fitness Influencer

8.  Blog - I have a general blog where I have affiliate links. My blog is about health/fitness, travel, family, and entrepreneurship, pretty much the story of my life as it happens. I can earn pennies to thousands per year via google ads and affiliate commissions. My Blog

UPCOMING PROJECTS:
-  Restaurant/Cafe
- Gaming Internet Cafe
- Airbnb Experiences, I once managed my family's airbnb business. I may delve into experiences soon.

So this gives you an idea of what I do on the daily basis and how I juggle work and family life. Now I cannot give you an exact number of how much i really make and that would not be something that I would share anyways, but from this, you can get an idea of how much I hustle day in and day out just to ensure and build a better future for my family.

If you have any questions, or if you are interested in any of these side hustles, feel free to message me and I can help you to the best of my ability. I love to see people succeed in life, so if you are looking for something more, maybe I can help share what I've learned and we can make a better life together! =).