Singapore: Arab Street, Haji Lane, Little India, Chinatown, Singapore River, Marina Bay, Universal Studios, Jurong Bird Park & more

Singapore may be a small country, but there's definitely a lot to see and do. I spent nine days last month in Singapore, exploring its culturally significant old quarters: Little India, Arab Street and Haji Lane, Chinatown and Katong (Perenakan), took a cruise along the Singapore River and walked from Bugis to Raffles Place to marvel at the old and modern architecture, visited Universal Studios and Jurong Bird Park on the Singapore Tripper Pass and enjoyed a fantastic view of the Singapore skyline from the top of Marina Bay Sands among a lot of other things.

And expect a lot of food shots because Singapore is very known for its hawker food! And thanks to many of my local Singaporean friends, I was able to try a lot of the food only the locals know!

March 12-14 - Little India, Geylang and Marina Bay

March 15 - Bugis, City Hall, Singapore River, Merlion Park, and Lau Pa Sat

March 16-17 - Chinatown, Sentosa, Marina Bay, Arab Strret and Haji Lane 

March 18 - Chinatown and Newton Circus

March 19 - Universal Studios, Singapore River, Clarke Quay, Boat Quay, Marina Bay and Katong

March 20 - Chinatown (Ann Siang Hill) and Jurong Bird Park

Thank you to the Singapore Tourism Board, Euro RSCG Agatep PR, Santa Grand Hotel Lai Chun Yuen in Chinatown, iFly Singapore, and my local friends Ong Han Chong and Diana, Tin Pei Ling and Ng How Yue, Ian Cai, Angela Lau and Francis Lim for treating me out to really good local food! Thanks also to Ron Cruz and Lilit Reyes for meeting up with me and Gideon Lasco!

Camarines Norte: Overnight at the Calaguas Islands

The Calaguas Islands are no doubt the crown jewels of Camarines Norte. With pristine white sand beaches and almost no development, this is as pure a beach can get! Just a week after visiting Bicol, I found myself in Camarines Norte, the gateway to Bicolandia.

Thursday, March 1, 2012
I joined a chartered bus of the Photography Roadtrippers who were also on their way to Camarines Norte. We left Cubao at about 8 p.m. and found ourselves in the town of Paracale, Camarines Norte early the next morning.

Friday, March 2, 2012
Paracale is one of the three possible jump-off points for the Calaguas Group of Islands. The other two are Vinzons (most of the islands are part of Vinzons) and Daet. But I was told Paracale is the closest.

The boat ride from Paracale is usually an hour and thirty minutes. But today, the waves were a bit rough. And we also had to deal with some wind and rain on the way. As a result, the really bumpy ride took close to three hours. But that's to be expected given that Calaguas is already in the Pacific Ocean.

There are several islands which form the Calguas Group. And our destination was Mahabang Buhangin Beach in Tinaga Island, the largest of the Calaguas Islands. The view of the white sand beach and aquamarine blue water as we approached Mahabang Buhangin erased all the discomfort I had to deal with while on the boat. It was paradise!

Note that there are no accommodation facilities in Tinaga Island or anywhere in the Calaguas Islands. So you'll have to pitch your own tent or sleep on the sand. The Camarines Norte Tourism Office has available tents and they helped us set-up camp. They also prepared lunch for us. Yes, you'll also have to bring food and cook on your own. So it's really best to coordinate with the tourism office if you want someone to prepare food for you and your group.

After a sumptuous lunch, the only afternoon option was siesta time. It was too hot to get anything done (plus the weather was very unpredictable, from really hot to strong rain showers at times), and with no electricity, mobile phone signal, much less Internet access, there really nothing much to do except enjoy the scenery and be one with nature. It's been quite a while since I've spent hours doing nothing. And that was fun!

One thing I regretted though was I wasn't able to bring a comfortable sleeping bag or a small pillow at the very least. Sleeping in the tent without one was quite an ordeal and I ended up waking up several times later that night since my back hurt. So if you're not used to sleeping on a hard surface, make sure to bring a small pillow when visiting Calaguas. Or you can just ditch the tent, sleep on the softer sand and enjoy looking at the stars on a clear night. Just make sure you don't get caught by high tide.

By late afternoon, it was time again to take photos. Dinner was again prepared for us by the tourism office. If not for the flashlights some members of the group brought with them, we would have eaten dinner in total darkness. So make sure to bring a lamp or two for your group when staying overnight. It's also been quite a while since I slept early. But with no Internet connection, I really had not much of a choice.

Saturday, March 2, 2012
We were up quite early. But after breakfast, I went back to sleep as others in the group took more photos. I really enjoyed the much needed rest I had in Calaguas. We were supposed to go island-hopping to visit the other islands. But since we were running late, we had to rush back to Paracale. Thank God the water was calmer than the day before and the weather much better. So we made it back in less than two hours.

From Paracale, we proceeded to Bagasbas Beach in Daet where we were to stay for the night. But of course, we made sure to stop by the old Paracale Church for some photos.

Visit the Ivan About Town FB page for more photos of Camarines Norte. Thank you very much to Camarines Norte Governor Edgardo A. Tallado and the Camarines Norte Tourism Office for inviting me to visit their beautiful province.

Camarines Norte Tourism Office
Provincial Capitol, Daet, Camarines Norte
Tel. No. +63 (52) 7213087 / Fax No. +63 (52) 4402013

Manila: P.F. Chang's in Alabang Town Center

Ivan Man Dy and Ivan Henares with Chef Philip Chiang

This is a long overdue post on our sumptuous lunch and dinner experience at P.F. Chang's in Alabang Town Center last January. Being the Tsinoy and expert on Chinese food, Ivan Man Dy did the review.

Here is the new kid in the Chinese restaurant block!

We went to the launch and opening of the latest franchise to land in the Metro: P.F. Chang's China Bistro at the Alabang Town Center.

Shrimp with Candied Walnuts

Northern Style Spare Ribs

Truth be told, to consider P.F. Chang's as another Chinese restaurant is inaccurate. This place is as Chinese as the San Francisco fortune cookie as it serves mainly Chinese food for the American palate. The decor is decidedly Hollywood with its super-high ceiling, mood lighting and cocktail bar atmosphere. Think Friday's with a Chinese-themed presentation and menu. Definitely not your traditional Chinese round-table atmosphere.

And the like the American chop suey, the food is a hodgepodge of Chinese-inspired regional types such as Pekingese (Northern Chinese), Mongolian, Shanghainese, Cantonese, Sichuan and Hunan. For appetizer, we had the Chicken Lettuce Wrap which was an interesting twist from the ground pork original that we are accustomed too. We noted how ergonomically shaped the round cuts of the lettuce that turned into mini 'leaf saucers' for easy wrapping of the chicken.

Dynamite Shrimp

Chang's Spare Ribs

Another popular favorite is the Dynamite Shrimp that's served in cocktail glass and packs a spicy punch. The Barbecue Spareribs is not quite Chinese but is tasty and of good quality nonetheless with the meat falling off the bones immediately as you sink your teeth in it.

Oolong Marinated Chilean Sea Bass

Then there's the Oolong Marinated Sea Bass over a bed of kay lan leaves. I've always loved gindara (sea bass) and the fish itself is a winner for me. The kay lan provided for a nice crunchy and leafy touch to the dish. We also sampled the other house specialties that included Wonton Soup, Kung Pao Chicken, Shrimp Honey Dew and Chicken Noodle Soup.

Chang's Chicken Noodle Soup

Kung Pao Shrimp

Our dinner at P.F. Chang's was definitely something new especially from the perspective of our home-grown Tsinoy taste bud. If you're hankering for a new interpretation of your usual Chinese fare, then P.F. Chang's is a place worth trying.

With Chef Philip Chiang and Michael Welborn

The men behind P.F. Chang's in Alabang Town Center: Genaro Perez Diaz (Director of International Marketing), Michael Welborn (President of Global Brand Development), Chef Philip Chiang and Archie Rodriguez (President & CEO, Global Restaurant Concepts)

For more photos of the P.F. Chang's opening last January 17, 2012 and the sumptuous dishes we got to try for lunch and dinner, please visit the Ivan About Town FB page.

P.F. Chang’s
Alabang Town Center
Tel. No. +63 (927) 5333445
http://pfchangs.com.ph/

Camarines Sur: Wakeboarding at CamSur Watersports Complex (CWC)

Wakeboarding at the CamSur Watersports Complex (CWC) has long been a popular watersports activity in the Bicol Region. From Donsol, Sorsogon, we drove all the way to Pili, Camarines Sur, where CWC is located, right in the compound of the Camarines Sur Provincial Capitol.

As soon as we got there, we checked-in at the Villa del Rey Cabanas.

Villa del Rey Dwell Homes at CWC

Villa del Rey Containers at CWC

There are several options for accommodation at CWC, from the high end Villa del Rey Villas (Php6250) and Mansion Suites (from Php2700 to Php5000), to Wood Cabins (from Php2750 to Php3750), Dwell Homes (Php3750) and Cabanas (Php1700), to the lower end Containers (Php1500), Tiki Huts (Php1100) and EcoVillage (as low as Php350).

Since it was getting dark, we went straight to CWC Cable Park to start wakeboarding. There are several options for everyone's wakeboarding capabilities, including a beginners cable for first timers, and a cable where many pros from around the world train, owing the the great facilities and very affordable rates.

Rates begin at Php125 for the hourly rate during the day, and Php175 at night. There is also a half day rate of Php370 (8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 1 to 5 p.m.), whole day rate of Php610 (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.), and night rate of Php500 (5 to 9 p.m.). Equipment rental (lifevest and helmet) is Php40 per hour, Php90 half day or Php140 whole day with a Php500 deposit.

I tried wakeboarding at the beginner's cable. And after an hour trying, I'm definitely sure I'll the leave the pro cables to the pros for now!

How to get to CWC
Take a flight to Naga Airport which is actually in Pili, Camarines Sur and take public transportation from them. Or you can take a bus to Pili and get off right at the gate of the Camarines Sur Provincial Capitol.

More photos of Albay, Sorsogon and Camarines Sur in the Ivan About Town FB page.

Thank you to Director Verna Buensuceso and Christie Navarro of the Department of Tourism Team Europe for arranging the trip of Nellie Huang and Alberto Molero of WildJunket.com to Bicol! Thank you also to Director Maria Ravanilla and Amy Detera of Department of Tourism Bicol Region, and Donsol EcoTour for their valuable assistance and warm hospitality!

Camsur Watersports Complex
Provincial Capitol Complex
Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur
Contact Number: (054) 477 3344 / (054) 477 3349
Fax Number: +63(54) 477-3347
Mobile number: +(63) 917 8954156 or +(63) 999 8893697
E-mail: villadelreyreservation@gmail.com

Camarines Norte: Calaguas Islands, Bagasbas Beach & Apuao Islands

Camarines Norte, in particular the Calaguas Group of Islands, is becoming a popular destination for those who are looking for pristine beaches. With no facilities, you can spend the night in Calaguas under the stars, on the sand or in a tent. I got to visit Mahabang Buhangin Beach on Tinaga Island recently where we stayed overnight.

During the same trip, I got to visit Bagasbas Beach in Daet, and the different islands off the coast of Mercedes, particularly the Apuao Islands. I'll share more information in detail in the next posts. But in the meantime, here are photos of Camarines Norte in the Ivan About Town Facebook page.