Late last year, during a casual conversation with my mom, I realized that I did not have any plans for her upcoming 75th birthday. I panicked! What quickly came to mind was a cruise since she had never been on one and had been hearing stories about this experience from family and friends. It is a bit cliché, but I went ahead and booked.  

And what we had, to celebrate her milestone year, was truly awesome.

I booked our cruise with Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas. They provided my mom and me five days and four nights of memorable seacation, starting off in Singapore and visiting two countries – Malaysia and Thailand.

Big and beautiful. Spectrum of the seas

Enjoying our cruise!

Spectrum of the Seas is Asia's largest cruise ship with 16 decks of staterooms, entertainment and leisure facilities, and different dining options. 

Our room had an ocean view balcony. What I loved about the balcony was that every time you looked outside, you were greeted with a different view. Imagine waking up to a glorious sunrise, then looking at Georgetown next, then seeing the beautiful coastlines of Thailand. We even had one morning when we spotted a pod of dolphins. 

Different views from our window - Sunrise

Different views from our window - Georgetown

Different views from our window - Thailand's coastline

The balcony also let the ocean breeze flow into the room. We only closed the doors when it was already warm inside because the air conditioning did not work when the balcony doors were open. 

The balcony was also our quiet space inside the cruise ship. While there were so many different beautiful spaces in the cruise ship to lounge around in, like the gorgeous Solarium, we always retired in our balcony. 

Dining was also good at Spectrum of the Seas. There is the Windjammer Buffet Restaurant with a very wide selection of food. This is where we usually went if we wanted variety and something quick. There were Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Italian options, pasta, pastries, desserts, and a Kids buffet. My mom loved the noodle station. I enjoyed the fruits station, and was delighted when they served jackfruits, mangoes, and longans. Also, you can hop in there almost any time of the day for quick snacks.

The Windjammer

My favorite breakfast place was the Café at Two70, which is more relaxed and has more cozy dining setups. Plus, it has floor-to-ceiling windows, which gives a good view of the ocean. Food choices are limited but very select. They had yoghurt and fruit in cups, DIY bagel station, croissants, other savory sandwiches, pastries, coffee, and juices, which were all very convenient to take out and enjoy in other areas of the ship.

Breakfast at Café at Two70

The Main Dining Room was our other option whenever we wanted a more relaxed dining experience. They serve food à la carte, but you can order as much as you can eat. My favorite there was the French delicacy Escargots à la Bourguignonne, which I ordered every time we had dinner there.

Escargots à la Bourguignonne

Like Windjammer, the Main Dining is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Café at Two70 is open for breakfast and lunch only because it converts to an event venue at night.

Service at The Main Dining and Two70 were both top notch and I was glad to have so many Filipino servers we could interact with.

Aside from these three restaurants, there are other complimentary outlets like the Seaplex Dog House for hotdog sandwiches, Sorrento for pizza, Splashaway Café for fries and hotdogs, and different stations that give out soft-served ice cream. 

These food choices were more than enough for us, so we didn’t try the ship’s specialty restaurants anymore.

Entertainment was also something at Spectrum of the Seas!

We watched the Silk Road at Two70, which combined enchanting songs, thrilling acrobatics, and multimedia installations. Two70 has impressive Roboscreens, which were maximized during the show.

The Silk Road is amazing!

We also watched Showgirl, which featured mesmerizing songs and dance routines; a magic show by Australia’s illusionist John Taylor; and Philippines’ own Monique Lualhati in her show, Goddess. Surprisingly, my favorite amongst all the shows we watched was the one we almost skipped because of scheduling – The Effectors. The superhero show brilliantly used technology in their production including LED screens, holograms, and drones.

Scene from The Effectors

Aside from these shows, Spectrum of the Seas also had other live performances. Too bad the Vybes 4 was missing their lead singer during their performance. They opened with some of my favorite reggae tunes.

Our Spectrum of the Seas cruise was capped by the Virtual Fireworks party.

Aside from these, there were other activities available at Seaplex – an indoor active space – and the Splashaway Bay, which had outdoor movies and pools. But these were not really for us.

The cruise was also a digital detox for me. I did not avail anymore of the add-on Internet package. Surprisingly, I did not have a hard time. I even loved my time away from my unhealthy habit.

Spectrum of the Seas really made the journey the destination. We definitely enjoyed the cruise more than the shore excursions, which we’d also booked via Royal Caribbean’s website.

In Penang, we went up Penang Hill via the steepest funicular railway in the world to get a view of Georgetown. I am not sure though if my mom enjoyed the supposed-to-be-scenic ride because they crammed the tram with people. We also had our photo sessions at Teddyville Museum and had Southeast Asia’s favorite dessert, which is Cendol. It is a sweet, iced dessert with green rice flour jelly, coconut milk, and palm sugar syrup.

The view from Penang Hill

In Phuket we had a shopping tour, my mom’s favorite activity. We visited a shop selling dried seafood and other delicacies; a t-shirt outlet; and a mall, where we also had lunch and where I got to do one of my favorite activities in Thailand, which is grocery shopping. Though not a tour I would recommend for Phuket first-timers, it was fun for my mom. I just wish the newcomers enjoyed in-the-route places like old Phuket Town or town markets.

My Mom. Patong Beach. Random guy sunbathing. Spectrum of the Seas.

We boarded and disembarked in Singapore. We stayed at Holiday Inn Little India before the cruise. We had a brief tour of Little India and also visited Gardens by Bay where we explored two domes – the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forrest. Both were enjoyable for my mom, who loves plants.

After the cruise, we stayed at Hotel Jen Orchardgateway, which had a little birthday treat for my mom. During our last two days in Singapore, we visited Chinatown, met up with friends at Marina Bay, and shopped at Orchard Road.

Everyone who joined thought the same thing: It feels good to be back on the trails, doing what we love doing. 

TREK San Jose was our first trek since the pandemic started. TREK stands for TRails to Empower Kids, an outreach group I co-founded with friends in 2007. For years, we have been going to the farthest and most-difficult-to-reach communities to deliver aid to kids. Each project is called a TREK. 

But since the pandemic happened, we’ve had to find other ways to help. In 2020, we partnered with local organizations to facilitate the purchase and turnover of donations to 13 chosen schools located all over the country. In 2021, we focused our donations on nine schools in Occidental Mindoro. We sourced all donations here in Metro Manila and hauled the donations to Occidental Mindoro. 

While the objective of helping kids was achieved, the project lacked the interaction we usually enjoy with fellow volunteers, kids, and inspiring teachers. We also missed traveling to beautiful places, becoming acquainted with local culture, and sharing food with each other.

So, TREK San Jose was a very much-anticipated project. 

We visited two schools – Bato-ili Elementary School (ES) and Salafay ES. Both schools are in the mountainous area of San Jose in Occidental Mindoro, specifically in Barangay Monte Claro. Both schools were part of our 2020 and 2021 projects, and it was only now that we got to see them.

The project was initiated by the Teacher in Charge of Bato-ili ES, Ma’am Regina Sarabia. She was introduced to the group by Teacher Richard Binagen, who we coordinated with for TREK Paluan. 

Bato-ili would normally not qualify for a TREK outreach because of its road access, but Ma’am Regina’s fervency inspired me. According to her, Bato-ili ES is the front-line school for IP (indigenous people) education in San Jose. Ma’am Regina is in charge of overseeing IP education in the whole of San Jose.

So, when TMF Philippines – a partner of TREK for two years now – approached our group again for a collaboration, I recommended Bato-ili ES. When they approved, we immediately set the date. We chose the second weekend of the “National Indigenous Peoples Month.”

Most students at Bato-ili and Salafay are members of the Buhid community, one of the richest cultures in the country. Aside from having its own language, the culture also has its own writing system. 

Mana Mana means Thank you!

Buhid, which literally means “mountain dwellers,” is one of the six Mangyan groups in Mindanao.

Initially, we planned to just give backpacks filled with school supplies and hygiene kits to the 250 students at both schools. But as we continued coordinating with Ma’am Regina, the project got bigger.

First, they requested funding for a makeshift classroom for Bato-ili’s Grade 2 students, who currently just use the stage during their lessons. They also share this stage with Grade 5 students.

Second, we were told we would be introduced to educators from Quianay, Taganop, Lagnas, and Yabat ES. These schools are farther and more difficult to reach; it would take at least eight hours of hiking to access them. 

Despite the pandemic and the rising prices of gas and basic commodities, it was a good thing we were still able to gather enough monetary donations, not just to provide the budget for all the construction materials for Bato-ili’s classroom, but also school supplies for the four additional schools. 

We have been saying this since we started TREK: there is no dearth of individuals, even organizations, who are willing to help.

With all these donations packed in our volunteers’ vehicles, most of us left Manila at 6:00 PM. By 8:00 AM the following day, we were already at a view deck, admiring the majestic Devil’s Mountain of San Jose and taking our souvenir shots.

We proceeded to Bato-ili immediately after. We were tired and without much sleep after more than 12 hours of travel. Good thing the teachers at Bato-ili helped us sort the donations for the six schools. 

After that, the school presented a short program that included cultural presentations by the students, which I think is the best part of any TREK activity. Ma’am Regina, Monte Claro Barangay Captain Von Joseph Ortelano, and Sitio Bato-ili Purok Leader Michael de Jesus gave their speeches. As co-founder of TREK, I also spoke.

Photo with the volunteers and teachers

I also got a thank you gift from Ma'am Regina and Barangay Monte Claro

After the program, we had lunch, which was also prepared by the teachers, and then proceeded to trek to Salafay.

Unloading of donations

I must admit, I was pretty scared of that hike. Aside from being stuck at home without much exercise during the pandemic, I also got infected with COVID, and one of its effects on me was persistent fatigue. Plus, there was a prediction of bad weather and dark clouds at the jump-off point.

But we were blessed with good weather, the walk was shorter than I expected, and the view along the way was awesome. We went through a thicket, walked beside fields, and beheld Devil’s Mountain up close.

The students were already waiting when we got there. And since we were observing safety protocols, we didn’t have a hand over of donations to individual students, like in Bato-ili. 

After taking group pictures, talking to the teachers a bit, and resting a while, we walked back to the jump-off point with lighter loads and happier hearts. 

Did you know that Phuket is not just famous for its beaches but is also a UNESCO city of gastronomy? With a multitude of tempting options, there’s a lot for everyone. For those looking for food that is not just flavorful but also good for our health and our planet, Jaras is a great option.

I visited Jaras recently with media members from the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand, invited by Delivering Asia. We were in Phuket to attend the 2022 edition of PHIST (Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism), held in Angsana Laguna Phuket.

During the summit, one of the topics advocated was food traceability. And that is one of the areas Jaras champions. 

Jaras is a 2022 Michelin Guide, fine dining restaurant located beachside in Intercontinental Phuket Resort. It serves Thai food prepared using the finest, sustainably sourced ingredients from local farmers and fishers in Phuket. This not only guarantees freshness but also supports farming communities.

Jaras sources its herbs and vegetables from Toltec Farm in Phuket; its organic chicken from The Tan Khun Farm in Nakhon Pathom; lobsters from Sarasin Farm in Phuket; goat from nearby Bang Tao Farm; organic palm sugar from a village in Songkhla; bor hua haad salt from Bueng Kan province; and fragrant hom dok hung rice from Sakhon Nakhon province.

For starters we had thod man poo, or donut-shaped, deep-fried crab meat and chicken mixed with breadcrumbs, served with chili jam made in-house. 

thod man poo

Next up, we had yum soom O tubtim goong yang, or grilled Andaman tiger prawn with a refreshing combination of pomegranate, pomelo, coconut milk, roasted coconut, fried shallot, cashew nut and red onion.

yum soom O tubtim goong yang

We also had pad cha scallop pumpkins bok choy, which is flavored with oyster sauce and has scallop, pumpkin, bok choy, fresh pepper, finger root and basil. 

pad cha scallop pumpkins bok choy

As a seafood fan, I was delighted knowing I could eat these seafood dishes and not feel a tinge of guilt.

The words of Maggie Lee, one of the PHIST speakers, were ringing in my mind while I was eating. Her statement was something like if you want to counter depletion of our seafood, you can either avoid seafood or find out where your food is from.

Returning to the starters set, we were served gai yang takrai, or organic chicken skewers with crispy lemongrass, lemon jelly, fresh coriander and chili. This one was not only packed with flavor but also presented well. Very Instagrammable.

gai yang takrai

Our soup was pla krapong tom som, which is like the tom yum sour soup. Pla krapong tom som is a clear soup with snapper, shallot, lemongrass, turmeric and spring onion.

pla krapong tom som

At this point, I was already very full, but the dishes served were too hard to resist. Good thing I was able to walk a little inside the restaurant to watch Chef Chalermwut Srivolalkul or Chef Nui, Jaras’ Chef de Cuisine, in action. I was also able to look at the different pickled and fermented produce displayed at the restaurant. To make sure ingredients are always available, the team at Jaras ferments, cures and pickles produce, which also creates new flavors and textures.

Chef Nui

Four main dishes were served. These were organic Phuket pad pak miang goong seab, look chok southern yellow curry, pla nueng ma nao and grilled pork neck. 

The organic Phuket pad pak miang goong seab was one of my favorites. The flavors of the slightly bitter and sweet pak miang balanced well with that of the Phuket fried shrimp and crispy garlic. It was the first time I tasted pak miang, known as the queen of southern local vegetables.

organic Phuket pad pak miang goong seab

The two sea bass dishes were equally good.

Look chok southern yellow curry had lotus root, bitter leaf, potato, shallot, look chook, and chili oil. The steam sea bass dish, pla nueng ma nao, was spiced with lemongrass, galangal and a spicy lime dressing.

Look chok southern yellow curry

pla nueng ma nao

You can’t go wrong with either one of these delicious dishes. And if you are not in the mood for fish, there is grilled pork neck.

grilled pork neck

Lastly, for dessert, we had mango sticky rice. It was the best mango sticky rice I ever had and was very colorful and beautifully presented. I’m not a dessert fan but I cleared my plate.

mango sticky rice

This was a truly divine night of food and wine. The company was fun, the service was good, and of course, the food was amazing. Every plate served was so impressive and, true to its promise, the entire night was a memorable culinary experience. It felt good!

Wishing Jaras gets elevated to a Michelin star because they truly are deserving.

Who would have ever thought that an abandoned, uninhabitable tin mine that is “too environmentally damaged to have any development potential,” as declared by the United Nations Development Program, could become an idyllic tropical destination?

We know that humans have created enormous messes in the world. And travel and tourism have greatly contributed. But this triumph by Laguna Phuket shows that sometimes, tourism can be the solution.

Laguna Phuket is Asia’s first integrated resort, located on the northwestern coast of Phuket. It spans 1,000 acres with 7 hotels, a golf course, luxury spas, a wide range of dining options, and apartments and villas.

Photo from lagunaphuket.com

So how did this happen? When the owners acquired the property, they did not do their due diligence in researching it. It was only after purchasing that they discovered the place was entirely uninhabitable and toxic.

But the good thing is, they managed to bring it back to life.

Together with members of the media from Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon cruising what was once an ecological wasteland and now a thriving community.

It was our second day in Phuket, and we were there to attend PHIST (Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism) 2022, an annual conference rallying the hotel industry and its stakeholders to discuss environmental sustainability and community benefit. Part of the itinerary given to us was this sustainability tour of Laguna Phuket.

Mr. Anthony Lao, Vice President of Laguna Phuket, led the tour of what is considered the heart and soul of Laguna — the lagoon.

Mr. Lao proudly shared that the tree-lined lagoon and its surrounding areas are now home to different tropical birds and monitor lizards that grow up to 3 meters long. “No crocodiles!” he said. “We have lizards. They are the GM’s pets,” he joked.

During our cruise, we spotted some guests kayaking on the lagoon. Mr. Lao said that non-motorized sports are allowed, like stand-up paddle boarding, sailing and kayaking. They also allow fishing.

One of the canals with guests kayaking

The cruise was a good way to see the resort complex’s different hotels. These included Cassia, which is suited for the younger crowd; Banyan Tree, the flagship hotel; and Angsana, which caters to families and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions). 

Cassia Phuket

Banyan Tree Phuket

Angsana Laguna Phuket

Guests of the different hotels are welcome to visit and enjoy facilities at all the resorts, using the destination’s complimentary shuttle bus and boat services. And wherever they are in the complex, they can charge it to their room. 

We were also showed the Canal Village, a community mall; the Atoll, a floating restaurant on a recycled platform; and a charming white chapel. 

It is really laudable how Laguna Phuket transformed the polluted area not just into a transport route for inter-hotel activities but also into a watersports and intimate dining venue. Aside from The Atoll, there are other floating dining areas for more intimate gatherings. 

We boarded and got off the ferry at Angsana, where we were billeted. On our first day, I already had the time to go around the huge resort, which has a very serene atmosphere and relaxing vibe. It was a significant contrast to my recollection of Phuket. My first visit to Phuket was spent mostly on the vibrant Patong Beach.

This beach is known as an “Island within an Island” because of the lagoons that surround the resort. It has six dining establishments, a day spa, gym, conference and meeting spaces, and a white-sand beach. 

On our first day, we had a late lunch at Xana Beach Club, which was also the venue for PHIST 2022’s welcome reception. I had a mozzarella salad, a really refreshing combination of mozzarella cheese, heirloom tomatoes, and balsamic pearls. I paired the dish with fresh coconut. Why is Thailand’s coconut so sweet? 

We had dinner at Loy Krathong Bar, the best place to unwind after a long day. The bar had a food cart set up where guests had two different options for their noodle soup base, plus lots of different choices for noodles and meat. I had a very filling and comforting chicken soup, which I paired with glass noodles, chicken meat and chicken balls. 

Loy Krathong Bar during daytime

Buffet breakfasts were served at Market Place, where a wide range of choices were available. What I loved was the fruit section. Just like their coconuts, Thailand’s fruits are sweet.

Our briefing for the Sustainability Tour was held at the Bodega and Grill. There, we had a traditional Greek salad, white snapper for the main course, and mixed fruit for dessert.

PHIST’s main event was held at ACES (Angsana Convention and Exhibition Space). It was there where I was able to watch my first Muay Thai, Thailand’s high-energy, culturally-rich sport of Thai boxing. It was the theme for this year’s summit. The space was big enough to hold an exhibit of eco-friendly products and a boxing ring, along with enough space for conference goers and Muay Thai fans.

Imagine the speakers in their casual business attire, spewing statistics, strategies, and successes of sustainability earlier that day during the workshops. Then in the afternoon, they’re stepping in the ring in their Muay Thai shorts with their battle faces on, defending their stance on certain topics assigned to them.

One of the topics was growth and impact, presented by Jesper Palmqvist, Area Director Asia Pacific, STR, and his daughter, Maylea. 

I think the topic of growth and impact is one we don’t have to fight on anymore, because Laguna Phuket is proof that tourism can both support local economies and also be a champion for sustainable development. There is always a win-win situation!