Leyte Nature Escapes: Waterfalls, Lakes, and War Memorial Paths
Leyte is where forest roads and wartime history share the same horizon. This guide curates lakes, waterfalls, and memorial paths into a gentle route—safe, respectful, and unrushed.
Author
Articles by Mika Santos
Mika Santos is a Manila-based travel and lifestyle writer who believes the best adventures begin with curiosity and a packed backpack. From hidden waterfalls in Mindoro to art cafés in Kyoto, she writes about meaningful journeys that connect culture, food, and community.
On Bakasyon.ph, Mika focuses on practical trip planning: realistic itineraries, transport choices, weather-aware backup plans, food and culture, and calmer ways to explore the Philippines and nearby destinations.
Editorial approach: Bakasyon.ph guides may combine firsthand observations contributed from family travel with independent research from official tourism, transport, weather, and local sources. The byline identifies the site author and editorial voice; it does not imply that every observation on every page came from one person. Time-sensitive details such as fares, schedules, fees, and operating rules should always be checked close to travel.
Travel Journaling Essentials: Write Your Journey with Heart
Travel journaling isn’t about perfect handwriting or documenting every stop. It’s about noticing what moved you—then saving it in a way you can return to. Here’s Mika’s simple system.
Guimaras Island Escapes: Mangoes, Beaches, and Quiet Roads
Guimaras is the kind of island that feels like an exhale—short ferry hop, gentle roads, sweet mango moments, and quiet beaches you can actually linger on. Here’s how to do it slowly and well.
Manila Airport Survival Guide: Arrivals, Transfers, and First-Night Tips
Landing in Manila for the first time can feel like a blur of terminals, lines, and ride choices. This Manila airport survival guide walks you through arrivals, transfers, transport, and a stress-free first-night plan.
Family Camping Philippines: Safe Spots and Simple Setups
A first-timer-friendly, parent-focused guide to family camping in the Philippines—how to pick safe spots, pack realistically, set up simply, and keep kids calm through rain, bugs, and “ayoko na” moments.
Visayan Comfort Kitchens: Home Kitchen Comfort Food from the Islands
A comfort-food story rooted in real Visayan home cooking—Panay to Eastern Visayas—plus pantry staples, souring agents, and honest substitutions for cooks outside the islands.
Catanduanes Travel Guide: Windswept Beaches and Green Horizons
A practical, gentle Catanduanes travel guide—how to arrive, how to move around, when weather behaves, which viewpoints and coves to prioritize, and how to travel safely and respectfully.
Lightweight Travel Habits: The Art of Traveling Light for Freedom in a Smaller Backpack
A habit-led guide to traveling light—repeatable routines, mindset shifts, and concrete packing examples that make minimalist packing feel freeing, not depriving.
Dumaguete Travel Guide: Gentle Streets and Seaside Moments
A calm, walkable Dumaguete travel guide—how to spend a gentle day on Rizal Boulevard, where to do a quiet café and dessert crawl, a heritage loop you can walk, and a realistic Apo Island plan with reef respect.
Cordillera Camping Philippines: Cool-Air Campsites in the Philippine Highlands
A practical, sensory camping guide to the Cordillera highlands—where to camp by area, how to read weather and “go/no-go” signals, what gear matters most, and how to camp respectfully in indigenous communities.