Before you embark on a far island getaway, have you ever stopped to think that paradise is just around the riverbend? I mean, the Philippines has 7,107 islands. I don't think I'll ever get to see all her wonderful tourist destinations in this lifetime, though I will try. You can bet your bottom dollar on that!

For now, let's stop and relax at nearby Macrohon, Southern Leyte. Just a 3-hour drive away from Ormoc City to Tatay Ade's Beach Resort. Don't worry. It's a pleasurable drive to the South... so unlike going to Tacloban which gives me motion sickness every time. There are no detours and the concrete roads are well-built! Dili jud substandard kay walay lubak2x! GOOD JOB! 

My two newest beach buddies, Belo SunExpert Transparent Mist SPF50 and Belo SunExpert Face Cover SPF40.

Anyway, this place is a hidden gem alright. We were there on a Saturday and there were hardly anyone else. A beach that looks this good, so secluded and so clean! I guess, it's better this way because some (irresponsible) people who do come don't just take pictures and don't just leave footprints. *rolls eyes* I don't know why it's so hard for others to consider the next generation and just ruin everything now. Ahem, look at what's happening to Canigao Island! OK, but that's a different story.

Post by Maria Cecilia Tan Velásquez-Franco.

Open beach huts are at Php 150 and the closed ones with room for changing/resting is at Php 300. There's a toilet, too. Nothing fancy, but totally functional. There's electricity also if that's your concern. You can probably stay overnight and camp out on a tent. But guys, if you do decide to go on a little beach adventure to this place, please think about the children and our children's children so that they may enjoy the same wonderful spots as we have.

I was with my family during this beach trip and of course, my two newest beach buddies. Ahem, let me introduce you to B1 (not Bananas in Pajamas!). It's my favorite summer accessory! It is an "accessory" because you wear it... on your skin! Tee hee. Say, hello to Belo SunExpert Transparent Mist SPF50.

Happy to be with a new BFF!

And yes, it's a MIST! And that could only mean it's NOT a lotion that leaves an icky feeling or leaves a white cast on your skin, thus ruining those precious summer photos. Plus it is also cool to the skin! So it's very hydrating indeed.

Spritz! Spritz! For the ultimate sun protection!

Then it also gives your skin this certain glow because it seems to be oil-based so you're never left with dry skin under the scorching heat of the sun! I didn't know I could love sunscreen this much plus it smells good, too! OMG! I remember those summer days back when there was only this one brand of sunblock available... (Yes, it was called sunblock then but now these products are officially called sunscreen because you can't really block the sun. Doh!) Anyway, you can smell that sunblock even from a mile away!!! On the other hand, Belo SunExpert Transparent Mist SPF50 just smells so refreshing! It says it's fragrance-free so maybe it's a natural scent, but I really like it!

It's so easy to use, just spritz and go! No need to wait as well. You can hit the water in no time at all. Because it was so lightweight on the skin and we were on the water during the midday sun (Ooops!), I wondered if I'd be getting enough protection and if sunburns were going to be a pain in the neck, like literally, later on.


"But it's SPF50!" screamed the back of my mind. Wait, what does that really mean?  I read that SPF 50 stands for Sun Protection Factor 50, and I also came across this info that if the normal time to get burnt is 20 minutes, you will be safe for 50 times that. Let's do the math! That's a thousand minutes which like 16+ hours! WOW. JUST. WOW. But then it was also pointed out that SPF numbers don't really refer to how long you can spend outside without getting a sunburn. As a matter of fact, they refer to the amount of UVB protection offered by the product. Thus, sunscreens with SPF 15 filter out 93 percent of UVB rays, SPF 30 filters out 97 percent, SPF 50 blocks 98 percent, and SPF 100 blocks 99 percent of UVB rays. Personally, I would still reapply sunscreen after an hour or two of swimming just to make sure. You know, better safe than sorry. :)

Next up, let me introduce to you my second beach buddy, B2. This time, I got my face covered because it's Belo SunExpert Face Cover SPF40! Dr. Vicki Belo created this specifically for the face. Based on my horrible past experience, and you know I have acne-prone skin, sunscreens break me out like mad! This particular sunblock had been formulated with that concern being addressed because it won't clog your pores. Yay!!!

Non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested!

The best thing with Belo SunExpert is that these sunscreens offer broad spectrum protection! What's that, you ask? It protects you from both UVA and UVB rays! Accordingly, UVA not only accelerates skin aging, but contributes to and may even initiate skin cancers, while UVB is the chief cause of sunburn.

We got a sneaky sun alright! Summer makes everyone happy, you can't deny that. But like a good and responsible traveler that takes nothing but pictures, leaves nothing but footprints, and kills nothing but time, please also consider that your body, the vessel which takes you to these wonderful scenic places also needs enough protection. Your skin being the most exposed part, that is.



Oh, by the way, if you did not know that sitting on the computer all day and the heat from cooking can cause melasma, well, now you do and you can be protected anywhere and anytime with sunscreen made just for the face, as well as be protected even from bright reading lights that ultimately can cause harm to your skin. :)

Now that I have my two BFFs, I will be bringing them everywhere I go! Not just to the beach but during mountain treks and waterfall exploring, too! So what about you guys? Where are you heading off to this summer?

Take my advice: Wherever you go, do pick up a new BFF or better yet, stop by www.sampleroom.ph to grab your beach buddies, the Belo SunExpert Transparent Mist SPF50 or Belo SunExpert Body Shield SPF60 and Belo SunExpert Face Cover SPF40 and don't be afraid of Mr. Sun anymore! Now you can truly have fun in the sun!!!


Enjoy the summer, fight skin aging with Belo SunExpert and stay young in the sun!




 
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Goin' South?

It's Road Trip Monday and we are headed to Southern Leyte. It's been more than a year since we've taken a trip anywhere else in Leyte (outside Ormoc City that is) and I must admit I've never been to some places especially on the eastern side of the island. Nevertheless, our journey this time took us to a place called Hindang. We've passed by it on our way to Padre Burgos way back in 2007 for a super cheap (think P350!) summer getaway.

En route to our destination, we stopped by VSU (Visayas State University) where you can find huge statues of Filipino mythical characters Malakas and Maganda. I've taken a lot of pics of this place over the years, from field trips and excursions with visitors and guests. We went around the old dormitories that screamed of "Noli Me Tangere" and "El Filibusterismo". It was there that a student yelled at Noodle Boy, "Hey, American!" when we passed by. We laughed our heads off. American, huh? Whatever happened to, "HEY, JOE!"?

Then we had lunch at Baybay City where we found out that the Boulevard where several of all these really good BAR-B-Q stations were located is GONE! And I mean, *POOF!* No more. So we had to ask around where we can get some BBQs and were led to a place just adjacent to the pier where it was before. Apparently, they just transferred to the new location 2 months ago in May. It was a good thing that it was the same management who run the place so the food tasted exactly the same. I especially love their kinilaw and chicken BBQ.

Pic of me at the old location by the pier back in 2007.

 The place is actually named J&E Bar-B-Q Haus, whereas before we just simply referred to it as the "FIRST STATION" in reference to it occupying the first "stall" in a line of many BBQ houses. It lost its appeal if you ask me since you're no longer literally on top of the water anymore (like in one of those houses on stilts) because now it looks like a proper restaurant. Perhaps because of sanitation reasons, they relocated or something. But I don't know. I was too hungry to ask anyone there why.

Newly opened J&E bar-B-Q Haus

We drove to Brgy. San Vicente in Hindang for another couple of minutes and found the sign to the Hindang Caves easily.

The road up is pretty narrow and I can't really grasp how two vehicles could fit in it.

We headed straight up and it almost felt like we were driving in a scary movie film ala Blairwitch Project with all the woods and forest feel. Honestly, I didn't expect to be climbing up a mountain on foot in the first place so I wore my FitFlops! Had I known, I would have worn rubber shoes or something.

Minimal Fee for Entrance to Hindang Caves

Again, I really did not expect climbing up steps to the Hindang Caves but since they were ingenuously designed to provide traction, my FitFlops were still pretty comfortable to wear. I brought a bottle of mineral water as I already anticipated getting short of breath a lot during this whole adventure.

Innumerable steps I tell you! Just countless... So yeah!

Seriously I was in no shape at all to be walking so much so we had to take rest breaks every 10-15 steps. HAHAHA! Good thing they had seats to let you catch your breath once in a while.


And now the Hindang Caves. Take note it's plural. CAVES. With an s. I can't stress it enough. There's just too many to mention so here are some of the ones we got to check out.

Oh, look! It's covered in BAT SHIT! :P

Oh wait, I almost forgot to mention the bats... oh, the beautiful baby bats! And the mosquitoes... and all those other insects that bit me. LOL! I should have brought some OFF lotion but hey, this was a road trip that was indeed full of surprises! Next time though, insect repellent will be on my list. Okay, moving on with the glorious caves of wonder...

I think we found the BAT CAVE! :)

Aside from bats and monkeys, we found a BAYAWAK! Okay, that's HAW/HAO in our vernacular. I think it's called a monitor lizard officially. We weren't able to take a pic as it was a wild one and even if it was the edible sort, we had the sane mind to avoid being bitten instead by a carnivorous animal. And oh yeah, we found a cobra (snake), too! But the guys already killed it so it was no threat anymore.

Small but deadly Philippine cobra.

Breathtaking view of Hindang, Leyte.

A couple more steps up and we arrive at our ultimate doom destination. I could barely see the landing site as it was 600 meters in distance. They said it would take about 40 seconds to get to the other side. My mathematically-challenged brain was trying to distract my fear by trying to compute the average speed I'll be traveling when I do the zipline. Umm, so 15 meters per second? My head was spinning already.

View from the other end of the zipline.

Noodle Boy went first (according to age!) and because he had the camera so he could take pictures of us when we get to the other end. A moment later, I was shouting my Facebook password in case anything happens to me and told them to update my status. LOL!

YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE!!!!!

YOLO!!!!!!!!! I did it!!! It was the best 40 seconds of my life. I had no idea I would be doing this until I got there at the top (thanks to peer pressure!) and the adrenalin rush was ahhhmaaaaaaaaahhzzziiiinnnnggg! The scenery was even more beautiful going down the zipline with the wind in my face and my adrenalin pumping!

☑ Do the zipline before turning 30 years old! ✔ DONE and DONE! 

The Hindang Zipline is probably the most affordable one I know at only PHP180!!! I heard ziplines can go as high as 500 bucks. Well, this was nothing short of a cheap thrill if you ask me. I had a major major blast!!! So how about you guys? What are your zipline experiences?



P.S. Our road trip to Hindang, Leyte was made possible big thanks to Viaje International.