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Welcome to Anya Tagaytay Resort! When you're a property brandishing your inclusion in the exclusive  Small Luxury Hotels of the World , which of course you should be proud of, you better live up to your own hype. Anya Resort Tagaytay is one of only three such properties from the Philippines that have been accepted into the brand, which entails approval by SLH's board of directors and an annual visit from its team of mystery inspectors "to ensure consistently high standards of quality." We tried Anya Resort Tagaytay for two nights and came in with fairly high expectations. Here's a rundown of our experience.

All sorts of touches along one of the hallways of Flotsam & Jetsam. Surfing or not, La Union has been steadily figuring out as a go-to destination for quick vacations, particularly the town of San Juan . Several establishments have of course mushroomed in the wake of this boom. Now where to stay in San Juan? We've tried Flotsam & Jetsam Artist Beach Hostel , which, by all accounts is no longer just a humble hostel because it now has a dozen accommodation options. Business must be good. Now here's a rundown of our experience.

La Beaute de Hanoi's deluxe room. So we're already halfway through the first month of the new year. Got any travel plans yet? While I'm already looking forward to summer, wouldn't it be nice to go someplace while the weather's cold? In that regard,  Hanoi  in Vietnam would be great since they have winter there--sans all the discomfort that snow brings. Despite all the perceived chaos brought by swarms of motorbikes, Hanoi is a nice city, especially its Old Quarter area. When we were there last year we stayed at this lovely and inexpensive little hotel called La Beaute de Hanoi . Here's a rundown of our experience.

Continued from: Our Ha Long Bay cruise experience (Part 2 of 3) Thien Canh Son Cave all lit up. Thien Canh Son Beach and Cave We approached an island with a small patch of white sand, one of the very few throughout the bay. This was Thien Canh Son Beach and here we were treated to a barbecue lunch by the beach. It was another great multi-course meal with turnip salad, a host of different grilled stuff, some rice dish wrapped and cooked in tin foil, and fruit.

Continued from: Our Ha Long Bay cruise experience (Part 1 of 3) Endless variations of these limestone rock islets along Ha Long Bay. Bai Tu Long Bay And so it began: the seemingly endless sight of limestone islets jutting out of Ha Long 's placid, emerald green waters. Yes, it was surreal and I couldn't stop myself from snapping photos, like I had this urge to immortalize them in pictures I most likely would rarely look at again. Eventually I grew tired but every now and then there's an outcrop or formation that I found intriguing enough to photograph.

Though of course different, somehow this reminds me of that vantage point going to Kayangan Lake in Coron, Palawan . It was an unplanned trip but in less than a week we found ourselves aboard a Chinese junk-style boat, cruising along Vietnam's famed Ha Long Bay . With 2,000 or so mostly limestone islets spread across more than 1,500 square kilometers, Ha Long is a surreal experience. Yet with such a vast number of islets there is hardly any beach here and the best way to explore the bay is aboard a cruise. The sheer number of cruise options alone can be overwhelming, with each operator offering something different. Your choice depends on what you want. Is it comfort and luxury or are you on a budget? Do you want a bigger boat with more amenities, but which means you'll have to share it with more guests, or do prefer something more intimate with fewer people aboard? Are you in for a lesser known route or are you more comfortable with what's tried and tested, but which...

Still beautiful in its own right. I first learned of Hinulugang Taktak from Araling Panlipunan (Social Studies) textbooks back in grade school. From what I remember it was a popular place where people can actually bathe and swim. There's even a folk song called Tayo na sa Antipolo (Let's Go to Antipolo) where this waterfall is prominently featured in its lyrics. Too bad I've never seen Hinulugang Taktak during its glory days because as urbanization spread, houses and establishments gradually inched closer towards the waterfall and the waterways that feed it, dumping sewage and garbage in the process. Sad, I know, considering the place is declared a national park.

Our bedroom during our stay at St Moritz Swiss Inn. When I think of bed and breakfasts, it's Tagaytay and Laguna that usually come to mind. Personally I wouldn't think of Antipolo at all. I know the place has pool resorts the likes of Pansol and Los Baños in Laguna but a B&B would never cross my mind. However, when we chanced upon Vieux Chalet Swiss Restaurant , we learned that they have a B&B. Perfect, I thought, because Antipolo is an out of town destination for me and I've long wanted to visit Pinto Art Museum and Hinulugang Taktak . St Mortiz Swiss Inn is a small 3-bedroom B&B right next to Vieux Chalet. Here's a rundown of our experience.

The roof deck of one of Pinto Art Museum's several buildings. Everyone's probably been to Pinto Art Museum already, or heard of it at least. But because I'm such a lazy driver and I dread the traffic going to Antipolo, it took me forever to finally decide on making that trip. Pinto , (pronounced pin-TÔ , as in door) of course, is primarily intended to be a venue for showcasing art. But its idyllic setting along an expansive, tree-covered, hilly terrain, coupled with its white arched buildings, landscaping, and layout in general, has made it more than just about art. It has now become a destination for the Instagram and selfie-loving lot.

So close to Metro Manila, this wind farm. Everybody knows about the coastal wind farm of Bangui, Ilocos Norte , which through the years has turned into a tourist attraction and is now practically a requisite stop for anyone traveling to Laoag or Pagudpud. But did you know that there's now such a wind farm that's so close to Metro Manila? Although it's really no secret, a lot of people probably still haven't heard of the Pililia Wind Farm . Located on the hills of Brgy. Halayhayin in the town of Pililia, Rizal, the place is steadily becoming a tourist attraction of sorts, though most likely as a brief stopover on the way back to Metro Manila.

Bonfire pit, cottages in the background. When we called Sta. Cruz our base for a not-so-recent getaway to Laguna, we were met with questions like: "why Sta. Cruz?" "what's in Sta. Cruz?" or "what are you gonna do in Sta. Cruz?" Admittedly the town has little to offer--at least that I know of--but we just needed a place to stay from where we could drive to other places of interest like the Hulugan Falls in Luisiana, Laguna . Suffice it to say that we found in Sta. Cruz a bed and breakfast that looks just like our kind of place: small, nice, and quiet. Here's a rundown of our experience at Ted's Bed and Breakfast in Sta. Cruz, Laguna .

Read:  [Part 1: Talay Falls and Hidden Falls] This is the last of two parts. A closeup of the upper part of Hulugan Falls. After sweating it out to get to Talay Falls and Hidden Falls , we were ready to see the pride of San Salvador, Luisiana--the more than 200-foot high Hulugan Falls . The trek We traced our way back to about a quarter of the trail to the first two waterfalls and came back to a clearing before diverting to a different route. The clearing is said to be a camping ground for those who wish to stay overnight. According to the barangay captain, they purposely designated a campsite that was far enough from the falls to prevent littering as well as for safety reasons. The trail took us through gigantic pandan  (screwpine) plants that are several feet tall. Or should I call them trees already because of their height? The pandan I know are much smaller, so seeing this variety was a pleasant surprise. Pandan, by the way, is one of Luisiana's agricultura...

The beauteous Hidden Falls in San Salvador, Luisiana, Laguna. I've been to at least two waterfalls in South Cebu this summer: the crowded but really beautiful Kawasan Falls in Badian and the super fun, multi-tier Aguinid Falls in Samboan . Those two trips were really calculated for fear that I might end up with another "episode" as a result of too much physical activity and dehydration. But after making it through with no fever at all, we geared up for yet another waterfall trip, this time in nearby Laguna. The more than 200-feet high  Hulugan Falls was our prime target, which was, based on what we've read, accessible via a relatively short (around 30 minutes) but very steep and difficult downhill trek. And then you have to go back up. But there was another option, a longer but supposedly much easier trail that will take you through two more waterfalls-- Talay Falls and Hidden Falls --before getting to the big one. Banking on "easier," we chose t...

Frosty hand. Samboan in South Cebu is blessed with a number of waterfalls. I wanted to see them all, or two of them at least, but concerns over my medical condition forced us to pick just one. And we ended up with the town's most popular and most accessible, Aguinid Falls .

The Samboan church facade. Samboan is arguably known best for its multiple waterfalls but this small town in South Cebu also has its share of well-preserved heritage structures  from the Spanish colonial era. Three of them are clustered within short walking distance from each other, with the parish church as focal point. St Michael the Archangel Church Made primarily of coral stone, this 19th century church saw some restoration efforts in recent years after it was partially damaged by the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck the provinces of Cebu and Bohol back in October 2013. As a result, the stones look new although it's encouraging to see moss growth in some spots already. This, along with the ferns and other plants sprouting from crevices in the church's facade, should help bring back the structure's old, weathered look soon. Just a few years ago, even the walls inside the church have moss growing on them . Now they're squeaky clean.

Mornings be like... Yes, that view from our room is definitely the selling point of this resort for me. This is Jaynet Ocean View Resort in Boljoon, Cebu, which was our home for three nights while we checked out the Boljoon Church and surrounding heritage structures , toured neighboring towns, and simply enjoyed some Vitamin Sea. How was it? Here's a rundown of our experience.

The full moon (well, almost) rising early over the Boljoon church. It was Palm Sunday, in Roman Catholic tradition the start of the Holy Week. We missed the last mass and the church doors were already closed, but the plaza outside was still pulsating with life--kids playing, people strolling, a couple of others on either bicycles or motorcycles, and food vendors attending to customers. What a lovely scene, I thought. Envious of photos Kwittiegirl had shown me before from her past trip to Boljoon , I've been meaning to visit this town in South Cebu for about three years now. Darkness was just around the corner, so we proceeded to at least go around the old church and save the interiors for another day.

"Walang forever," which translates to "There's no forever," a popular Filipino expression on failed romantic relationships, often said in jest and usually by those who aren't in any relationship. Parks are seldom a big thing in the Philippines, and it's quite sad that we don't have much of these green public spaces around. People instead go to malls or play on the streets--basketball, badminton, and all sorts of games, you name it--disrupting traffic and posing a lot of dangers in the process. So it was a pleasure for us when we were in Aloguinsan , Cebu to walk amid a landscaped, hilly spot right next to the sea, and with really tall trees towering over us. Built around the ruins of a baluarte , or fortress, that was used as defense against marauding Moro pirates during Spanish colonial times,  Baluarte Park  is something to be appreciated.

A native hut for lounging at Les Maisons d'Itac. Sometime last year I came across Les Maisons d'Itac on the web. It's a beach resort located in Ronda , a town in Southern Cebu that I've never heard of before. Apart from being a promising vacation spot, I was intrigued at what or who Itac is since Les Maisons d'Itac translates to--correct me if I'm wrong---"The houses of Itac." So last month when we did a little South Cebu trip, we made Les Maisons our home for two nights after spending time in Aloguinsan . Here's a rundown of our experience.

Top view of Kawasan Falls and its majestic pool. I've spent my college years in Cebu City and it's a shame that I've never been to Kawasan Falls . One of Cebu province's better known and most visited tourist attractions, Kawasan is a three-tiered waterfall located in Badian , some 130 km southwest of Cebu City, or about 3 hours by bus. I've always been meaning to visit the place, and finally I've made that trip last month--nearly 20 years after. The trek to the falls starts right next to a church by the highway where dozens of vehicles shuttling visitors are parked. The trail is very well-established that you really won't need a guide, although there will always be someone or a small group who will offer you their services.