I recently visited Baguio City for a business trip.  I brought my son with me because I felt very guilty for being away from home for five days and four nights.  Travel experience and learning from a new place is something I believe that is also essential for his life journey and happy memory bank.  It's just as important as learning within the four corners of his classroom.

Baguio City is most popular during their month-long Panagbenga Festival which happens every February.  Apart from that, it's one of the favorite vacation spots during summer because of its cool breeze that you could feel even when you're under the sun in the afternoon.  Who wouldn't want the cold weather on a happy sunny day during summer?  At night, there's no need for an air-conditioned room, in fact, I'm sure you'll be requesting extra blankets!

I brought my son around the city, particularly the popular tourist spots there.  Let me share with you the places we visited in Baguio City which may serve as your quick reference should you also go there with your family, colleagues or friends.

Session Road
It is the busiest street in Baguio City.  There are many restaurants along the uphill street and shopping finds too.  There's one particular restaurant that caught my interest, it's Oh My Gulay and I will write about it on a separate post.
Burnham Park
It is one of the most popular Baguio City landmarks.  It's located in the middle of the city and is just a walk away from Session Road.  It's accessible to public transportation and it's near hotels, SM City, market and restaurants.  It's a place for relaxation, picnics and recreational activities such as boating, biking, skating and jogging.

The garden has improved a lot from the last time I visited.  It features different interesting garden themes.  If you're looking for a peaceful, quiet and meditation type of walk, you'd be happy to visit this place.  You could also take a picture with the Igorots, just make sure you give them generous tips.
Wright Park Riding Stables
Horseback riding is the activity which I let my son experience here for the first time.  It costs P200/30 mins.  If you're going to get a guide, which for me is important if it's your first time to ride a horse, you pay an additional P200/30 mins.
The Mansion House
You cannot really enter the mansion itself, so when you visit this historical place, you may just take some pictures.  For those of you who may not know it, The Mansion House is the official summer residence of the President of the Philippines.
Mines View Park
If you want a view overlooking mountains through its quite small viewing deck, this is a perfect place.  Shops are located within the area selling native products perfect for pasalubong.  You may also look for Coco the cute St. Bernard dog and have pictures taken with it for P50.00/three shots.
Good Shepherd Convent
The convent is known for their quality products or delicacies such as ube jam, strawberry jam, peanut brittle, lengua de leche and angel cookies.  Expect the shop to be always crowded especially in the afternoon.  But not to worry, they have a systematic queuing for their buyers.
Camp John Hay
The camp used to be a venue for rest and recreation for US Armed Forces in the Philippines as well as US Department of Defense employees and dependents.  Now it's one of tourists' favorite spots in Baguio to dine and shop.
Pink Sisters Convent
If you're looking for a solemn prayer time during your stay in Baguio, the convent chapel is a perfect place to be in.  The Pink Sisters repetitively pray for various petitions from different people at a certain time of the day.  Just write your petitions on a piece of paper provided in front with your full name and complete address, then drop in the wooden box.
Our Lady of Atonement Cathedral
You will find this grand church at the top of Session Road.  You even have to take the 105 steep steps going there.  Since we were there on a Sunday, we attended an English mass here at around 7:00 pm.

50s Diner
The small casual dining retro restaurant will never be customer-empty.  They have big servings for an affordable price that's why people line up, just like how we did.
Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto
Make sure you ate a hefty breakfast when you're going here in the morning because you will be taking around 250 stair steps to get to the top.
BenCab Museum
If you're an artist or one who appreciates both classic and contemporary paintings and sculptures, this almost-out-of-town-four-level-museum should be on your list of places to visit.  Located along Asin Road which is quite near Our Lade of Lourdes Grotto.  Pay only P100.00 entrance fee to be fed with magnificence from Ben Cabrera's and other artists' masterpieces.  Get a great view of the mountain at the garden level where you will also find Cafe Ysabel restaurant.
Bell Church
For us, the Chinese temple with its intricate architectural design, is a marvelous sight to see.  There are Buddhism artifacts and a little history about China to be found in the Church.
La Trinidad Strawberry Farm
Make sure you visit this on your last day of the trip just before heading back home to ensure that you still have your strawberries as fresh as you picked or bought them.  You may also try the strawberry taho sold in the area or buy native delicacies and products as pasalubong.  Big strawberries are priced P100/kl while P50.00/kl for bite-sized berries.
My list of places to visit in Baguio City could be toured in two days.  So on your next trip to Baguio City, make sure you visit most of the places listed on this post, if not all, to ensure a complete Baguio City experience!

You would agree for sure when I say there's nothing more joyous in the hearts of both parents than knowing that they've made their children happy and that they've created wonderful memories for them during their childhood.  That's exactly how we were overwhelmingly feeling at the time we were celebrating the children's birthdays.

In my previous travel posts over here, here and here, I shared that we celebrated their birthdays (they are both September-born babies) this year by vacationing to the beautiful island of Boracay.  Our flights were booked as early as June (Piso Fare Promo by Cebu Pacific during Independence Day) while the hotel accommodation was decided upon a month before the actual flight.

Being a practical mom, I love it when I scout for the best deals around to ensure we get the best value of the service or product we're availing, which should work with our budget but at the same time without sacrificing quality.  For me that's the essence of practicality (bow, echause!)  That being said, it took some time before Daddy Practicality and I decided on our hotel accommodation.

I'm sure you've heard of La Carmela de Boracay Hotel which is being endorsed by a number of celebrities, including Mr. Boy Abunda.  That's where we decided to stay for four days and three nights.

Why We Chose La Carmela de Boracay
I turned snob to the negative reviews about the hotel given in TripAdvisor because I've stayed there already in the past and I was happy with their service.  Yes, there were some parts in the resort that need to be renovated, but for me, it was okay.  You get what you paid for, so one shouldn't complain too much, unless of course if it would already involve food poisoning, accidents due to poor maintenance or robbery.  

1. Cleanliness - Cleanliness is one of the very first things I look for in a hotel or any place for that matter.  Being clean means the establishment has high regards for hygeine and concern for their guests.  When we arrived at our hotel room, I instantly inspected every corner of our standard room and I'm glad it passed my mommy standards for cleanliness.
2. Complete Standard Facilities - We booked a standard room for our stay because for me it's practical to do so since we will be out all day and just go back to bathe, change clothes and sleep in the room at night.  Even if we stayed at a standard room, the facilities were complete such as:
• Air-conditioned room
• Cable TV
• Telephone
• Mini-refrigerator
• Private bath with hot & cold shower (soap, shampoo, towels, rugs and bathroom tissue)
• Safety deposit box
• 2 double beds with fleece blankets
• 4 fluffy pillows
3. Reliable Safety Regulations - It was raining at night when we were there.  Non-slip mats/rugs were available all the time at the walk path coming from the beach, starting from the dining area up to the entrance to the room corridor.  I also appreciated the strictness of their lifeguards.  They do not allow children to swim without a guardian nor go to the adult pool without supervision.  They only allow guests to swim in proper swimming attire.

Proper swimming attires required in the pools of La Carmela de Boracay.  Kids without adult supervision may not swim in the pool.  Lifeguard is present everyday, all day!

4. Welcome Drinks and Breakfast - Upon arrival, welcome drinks were served to us.  Breakfast coupons were also handed out.  Two set breakfast coupons were provided per room per day.  Additional set costs P150.00 per plate.  Additional P100.00 will be charged should you want to upgrade to buffet breakfast.  We're actually okay with set breakfast.  It's actually filling and besides we usually eat heavily for lunch than breakfast.  

Set breakfast comes with the following: Meat (Ham and Egg/ Chicken and Egg/ Hotdog and Egg) Garlic Rice, Juice and Coffee

5. Beach Front Hotel - No need to walk that far to get to the beach because this very affordable hotel is already beach-front situated.  I appreciate that when going out of our room and hotel, the beach is just there!  No hassles of riding a tricycles or walking along narrow and unlit alley going to and from the beach.

La Carmela de Boracay is a beach-front hotel located at Station 2, near Station 3.

6. Efficient Staff - The receptionist during our check-in and check-out transactions were quick to check our reservation, processed our deposits and explained thoroughly their rules and regulations.  There were instances during our stay that we complained about the coolness of the air-conditioning unit.  With just one call, the AC was replaced with another unit.  We called several times for housekeeping and we didn't have to wait that long for their service.  They are quick to respond to requests and they serve you with a smile on their faces.  

Friendly receptionists greeted us upon arrival and quickly accommodated our check in transaction.

7. Reasonable Room Rate - One of my most important of all considerations in choosing a hotel accommodation is the affordability.  La Carmela de Boracay is relatively cheaper than most of the beach front hotels in Boracay.  It is cheaper but didn't fall short on the completeness of their facilities and services.  It truly is a value for money and I have no regrets staying here.  They say when you pay for a cheaper commodity, you get a cheap and less happy experience.  We didn't experience it at La Carmela de Boracay.  All I know is we got quality services and amenities and a hassle-free and enjoyable stay.  To know more about their room rates, check their website here.

For your next travel to very beautiful islands of Boracay, you may want to consider staying at La Carmela de Boracay Hotel.  It's practical hotel accommodation but without sacrificing quality service and amenities.  Ours was a memorable and stress-free stay.  Hope you will enjoy your stay too!

For more information about La Carmela de Boracay Hotel, like them on Facebook or visit their website here.

Disclosure: There is nothing to disclose.  We paid our hotel accommodation during our vacation.  

Recommended For You:

• Travel Tipid Tips: Vactioning on A Budget
• Travel Must-Haves When Vacationing with Kids
• What to Pack When Swimming With Kids
• 8 Waves Waterpark & Hotel Review
• Quest Hotel Cebu Review

Travelling with kids in tow could be really taxing and stressful at times, for some, if not for all, parents.  I remember posting a photo in my Instagram account showing how messy our room was while I was packing the clothes and all the other items we need to bring with us to our vacation in Boracay.
Now, what will lessen your anxiety is making sure you include in your packing list all the travel must-haves when vacationing with kids.  Bringing the essentials should not mean you should bring your whole house with you.  Remember you should also pack light to avoid paying extra for excess baggage.  To help you with that, I've compiled my packing list must-haves.  I actually have written a post in the past about what to pack when swimming with kids, but this new list will include more items which you will need when spending several nights away from home.

1. Dry and Wet Clothes - This accounts for swimwear, clothes for going out, clothes for changing and clothes for going home.  Plan your daily outfit if you can so you don't need to bring extra baggage.  But bringing a toddler with you spells the difference.   A toddler requires more clothes for changing for possible wetting of his pants/shorts.  His outfit changes should be planned as well.
• TIP#1: Bring powder detergent for emergency staining and should you fall short on clothes you brought for the trip or for extended days.
• TIP #2: Bring 3 Laundry Bags:
• For Dry Used Clothes (Colored)
• For Dry Used Clothes (White/Light colored)
• For Wet Used Clothes 
• Bring a shawl or jacket for unexpected cold nights/weather.
• Bring lightweight clothes to avoid heavy baggage.
2. Toiletries - Bath, after-bath and total hygiene toiletries shouldn't be left behind.  But make sure you bring sachets (for shampoos or toothpastes) or fill smaller containers/automizers instead of bringing the big bottles for your lotions or colognes.
• As much as possible put all the toiletries in one hanging kit.
• Bring Zip Lock bags- It's where I put used soap/wet containers when packing back home.
3. Milk/Bottles/Diapers - If you breastfeed, pack your breast pump with you and the milk bottles. If you don't, bring the milk in boxes or cans then emptied bottles.  Since I still have a toddler and to make the travel and sleeping time convenient and fuss-free I bring diapers with me.
• Don't fill all the packed milk bottles with water.  Just fill enough bottles for in-flight/day demand then fill the rest of the bottles when you reach your hotel. 
• Better bring your handy milk container for whole day pasyalan.
• Bring bottle cleaner brush and solution as well.
4. Inflatables/Beach Toys/Book - To keep the children entertained especially when there are waiting times (boarding the plane, dining at a restaurant, etc) bringing a couple or more pieces of toys in your handbag magically prevents tantrums or crankiness of your toddler.  Inflatables are important (especially the vests) for your toddler's safety when swimming in the pool.  Sand toys are also important to bring when going to the beach to encourage our children's creativity and motor skills.  Like what my Wessie kept on saying when we were playing by the shore, "It's so much fun Mommy!  It's so much fun Daddy!  It's so much fun Kuya Dandre!" 
• Safety Tip: Never ever leave children in the pool by themselves to avoid untoward events.  
• Wash the sand toys immediately after use to avoid bringing the sand with you in the hotel.
  
   
5. Vitamins/Important Medicines - Not because we're vacationing, our wellness should also take a break.  Bring the vitamins or medicines with you!  If in capsules or tablets, put them in a pill box or zip-lock bags.  If in syrup, bring the bottle with you but make sure you pack them neatly/tightly and in a protective case or wrap some clothes around it to avoid spillage and bottle breakage.
6. Sunblock Lotion for the face and body - I know there's nothing more fun than swimming in the beach or in the pool but going out there (the whole day pa!) without sun protection is a huge no-no!  We know how harmful the rays of the sun could be to our skin.  So make sure it's in your carry-all bag the whole day and apply on all parts of the body generously.  
• SUNBLOCK TIPS: You usually read SPF 30 or 50.  What does that mean?  Add Zero to the number and that's how many minutes you are protected.  For example, SPF 30 means 300 minutes of sun protection.
• Liquid/Spray Sunblocks is better for the face.
• While we use Sunblock lotion for the body.
7. Insect Repellent - My kids never go out without insect repellent.  Prevention is still better than cure.  You'll never know what these mosquitoes/other insects bring right.  Apply on yourself too to avoid scary Dengue or Malaria.           
8. First Aid Kit - I bring a small bottle of the following: alcohol, Agua Oxigenada, Providone Iodine for accidental cuts or wounds.  I also bring cotton and band-aids as well.
9. Extra Shopping/Eco-bags - In my carry-all handbag, I bring a piece or two foldable and re-usable eco-bags for those unexpected pasalubong shopping trips.
10. Foldable fans - You'll never know when it could get too hot, so always bring a fan with you to keep the children and your hubby/partner cool.
11. Umbrellas - Some find bringing umbrellas a hassle.  For me, it never will be a hassle especially if it will mean protection against the rain and even from the scorching heat of the sun.  When we were in Boracay, we experienced unexpected rainy nights.  We were out for dinner that time, good thing, I brought umbrellas with me and we didn't get stuck in one place waiting for the rain to stop unlike others.
12. Zip lock bags - When out for swimming and you can't help bring your phones and other gadgets with you, protect them by putting them in zip lock bags!  It's not practical to buy those fancy water resistant pouches sold on the streets, they are over-priced.  
    
13. Gadgets/chargers - Mobile phones are already a necessity for faster communication.  So don't forget to bring them and their chargers too.  If it's a must for you to bring other gadgets such as tablets or other game consoles, then pack it with you and their chargers.
• Safekeeping Tip: When in the hotel room, make use of safety deposit boxes (make sure you change the pin) to keep these gadgets when leaving them in your room.  We've heard a lot of horror stories about missing valuables in hotel rooms.
14. Cookies for Kids and Gum for You - Kids could get bored waiting and could get hungry too!  Pack cookies or their favorite snacks to nibble on anytime inside your carry-all bag.  Don't forget to also bring a gum for yourself and other adults.  Sometimes we're out all day, so pop a gum in your mouth after meals for that instant freshness of the breath.  Also, gums help in comforting stuffed ears during plane's take-off. 
15. Documents (plane tickets, IDs a notebook) -  As a mom, our role is to be the organizer, the keeper, the go-to-person when things are needed.  So documents such as plane tickets, IDs and a notebook should stay with you and never be forgotten at home or elsewhere.  To avoid getting it wet, I put ours in a zip lock bag too.  
• I bring a notebook to note the daily expenses to keep track of our spending.  
• Collect all the IDs with you prior to leaving the house for a smooth check-in for your flight and to avoid scrambling and searching your bag while in queue.
  

These are just basic travel tips.  You could always add what you think is necessary for you and your family.  For a safe travel, as a general rule, communicating with your family, especially your children, the ground rules and the to-do's in case something happens, before leaving home, is the key.

Travel safe and enjoy your trip! :)

Who loves travelling?  I do!  Who loves budgeting?  I do too!   Having a family of my own means, I now do more of the latter, than the former.  But since I have the burning desire (lalim ng desire!) to conquer the Philippines and hopefully the rest of the world, I still do travel once in awhile, but this time, I travel on a budget.  I used to search on travel tipid tips online from moms like myself and I find just a few.  So I want to share with you my Mommy-Budget-Travel-Tips because I know that most moms want to have a family vacation but are worried about its price right?

As I write this, I'm still having a wonderful hangover from our recent family vacation to the island of Boracay where there were more Koreans than Filipinos at the time.  Not that I have anything against Koreans please, but it just felt awkward to be surrounded by more tourists than your kababayans.  It felt like we were the foreigners.  There was even a time when we ate at a restaurant, we were the only Filipino customers, all the rest were Koreans.

Anyway, going back to the subject, my Travel Tipid Tips, alam niyo po ba that apart from my slashie-roles, I also love travelling?!  Isa po akong Lakwatsera.  Layas. Kaladkarin.  Hihihi!  I love experiencing new places and meeting new people.  I love learning about different cultures from other cities or provinces.  I love the beach.  I get an overwhelming feeling whenever I step on a new town or a new country.  I love it more when I get to travel without spending too much!

Yes Muthers!  You can travel with your family and actually enjoy even when you have a right purse.
You just need a perfectly planned itinerary and the discipline to stick to your set budget.  To be more concrete on this, here are my travel tipid tips for you.
Travel Tipid Tips:

1. Book flights from Airfare Seat Sales. - Heard of the tagline Now Every-Juan Can Fly from Cebu Pacific?  They made budget airfares possible so we could be tour of our own country.  There's so much to explore in the Philippines my dears!  This was followed by PAL, Air Asia (formerly Zest Air), and SEAir too.  Watch for PISO or ZERO seat sales during holidays like Independence Day, Araw ng Kagitingan, etc.  From let's say P7,000.00 one way ticket price down to P1,000.00 per person, I guess that's a great deal right?
2. Travel Off-Season - Best time to travel when going to the beach like Boracay is during off-peak season.  You could save a lot on your hotel accommodation.  Most of the hotels there charge almost half their peak season's rates.
3. Travel light - Avoid paying for excess baggages.  Make sure you pack smartly and of course lightly.  Remember on your way home, you will still be bringing more baggages due to your pasalubongs.  If you can just handcarry your luggage or backpack, the better.  Saves time in waiting for your baggages to come out from the airplane too.
4. Scout for best hotel packages/compare prices - Since most of the budget fares become available few months before your actual travel, you still have more than enough time to search for the best hotel packages.  I suggest if bringing children with you, choose a hotel with swimming pool so they have something else to do in case they don't want to hit the beach.  Remember to compare prices of hotels.  You could get great deals if you're patient enough to do your research.  Go by the per night charging rather than per person charging.  Read rates carefully.  When booking, better to call their reservation office for clarifications.
5. Read and abide by hotel rules and regulations.  Almost all hotels charge for stained mattresses, pillows, towels and broken or lost items.  Take note of the check-in and check-out times.  You might pay additional if you checked-out late.
6. Plan activities ahead of time. - Research on what activities you could do in your travel destination.  Is it island hopping?  City tour?  Zip line, banana boat, Zorb, Paraw-sailing or anything?  Decide what you want to do or not want to do.  Know their approximate rates.  Ask yourself as well, are they worth it? Will you or your kids enjoy them?  Are they safe to do?  Do you have extra budget to do them?  If most of your answers to those are NO, then better not pay for these extras.  Sometimes it's also nice to take a quiet stroll on the beach, sit and read a book or just simply enjoy the water and commune with nature.
7. List down daily expenses to monitor your budget - Ever since I started travelling, I always bring a small notepad and a pen with me.  I list down ALL, as in to the very minute spending, expenses for the day.  This way, I would be conscious of my spending, how well I do in managing my budget, how much budget left, if there will be an extra, and in which expense type should I tame my spending.  I know OC noh?  But it really helps to track your expenses. 
8. Learn to haggle/negotiate - For item #6, should you opt to try any activities and talk to boat owners for island hopping or other agencies for the other activities, you should learn to haggle to get the best deal.  Sometimes they overprice their rates.  If you show them that you ask others for their rates, they compete with each other and so could get the best rate among them.  Just make sure, there are no hidden charges anymore.  When buying pasalubong from a local store, you can always haggle.  Pababaan na ng presyo to!  Tip, when they say P100 for a piece of shirt, haggle up to half its price!  OA lang diba?  They will still be able to give you a price lower than P100.  Nakatipid ka pa rin. 
9. Learn to commute around - If you really want to save, ride the tricycle or jeepney rather than a private multi-cab or van.  The former transpo modes are a lot cheaper.  Don't negotiate for airport transfers through a middleman, ask around, know how to get where you want to, so you don't have to pay for extra service or for convenience.  Pambili na rin ng 1 - 2 meals yun! :)
10. Research on inexpensive restaurants - In Boracay, I planned a day or two to eat at inexpensive restaurants such as Andok's, Mang Inasal's, McDonalds and nearby carinderia.  A special day or two (depending on your length of stay) at D'Talipapa where we market the meat and have it cooked by the "paluto" restaurant.  This way, you could stretch your budget wisely.
11. Refill your Water Bottle with hotel's supply. - It's important to hydrate yourself and your kids throughout the day.  Buying bottled water may be quite expensive in some stores, so why not bring a water container and refill it with the hotel's drinking water supply.  You save a lot of money just by doing that.
12. Ask friends for tips about your destination.- When in doubt, it's also best to ask friends for tips on where to go and what to do and also how to save on your trip.  Of course ask a reliable budget traveler friend, so you not only save on money but also on time.

Hello Muthers!  We're back from our first family vacation with the little one!  I've waited for this for fou rlong years (including the time I was conceiving my Wessie.)  Yes, ganun katagal!  I really wanted to bring the little one with us to travel (eerr, budget travel, hehe!) and I thought he could very well appreciate and enjoy a trip when he's three.  What perfect timing it was to go out of town than my children's birthday month right?

Touchdown Caticlan!  The renovated Caticlan/Boracay airport

I also just realized that aside from Wes' first plane ride, it was also his first beach trip!  The motherhood feeling was overwhelming, a lot of milestones happening!  It was my Dandre's first snorkeling experience too.  I'm sure by now you could sense how elated I am while writing this "Welcome Back" blog post.

Wes' very first plane ride!  On our way, he just slept all throughout the trip.  These shots were Manila-bound flight.

Wes' first beach trip at three years old.  He can already appreciate all the new experiences and enjoy them.

I chose a hotel with a swimming pool so when they get tired from the beach, they could more safely play in the pool

I have so much to share with you muthers such as the following (need to list it baka magka-senior moment tayo):

• Budget Trip Tips and How To Enjoy It
• What To Pack When Going on a Family Trip
• Activities For Children In Boracay
• La Carmela de Boracay Resort Hotel
• D' Talipapa Boracay - Plato D' Boracay Resto and Pasalubong Area