Top 10 Travel Moments of 2024

2024 has been my most well-traveled year yet, filled with a beautiful mosaic of adventures woven together by spontaneity and delightful surprises. Even though some of my trips had a work aspect, they all provided wonderful opportunities to explore off-the-beaten paths, turning side trips into the beautiful highlights of my journeys. In this blog, I’m excited to share the vivid moments that made these travels so special—the unexpected encounters, the stunning views, and the delightful meals that linger on the palate long after the journey concludes. I’ll skip over the not-so-glamorous parts, though: the long airport layovers, the immigration lines, the traffic jams, and those frantic dashes to catch nearly missed flights. While these moments were part of the adventure, they didn’t overshadow the joy of creating beautiful memories. So, let’s dive in together!

Return to Camiguin: A Journey Through Memory and Timeless Beauty

There are places in this world that refuse to change, where time seems to rest its weary head. Camiguin is one of them. Fourteen years ago, I set foot on this small island in the Bohol Sea during a college field trip for an Art and Society class. It was a pilgrimage back then, a young student’s journey to find beauty in simplicity and art in nature. This year, I returned—not as a student, but with office friends, drawn by the promise of nostalgia and the bountiful Lanzones harvest, an irresistible lure for anyone familiar with Camiguin’s golden reputation.

Autumn in Geneva, Switzerland

When my friends learned I was doing a side trip to Geneva after Madrid, they all said it would be costly. To my defense, I’d always reply, “Why not?”. The truth is Geneva has been on my bucket list since high school. Geneva was a great start to my Switzerland adventure from CERN to the famous Jet d’Eau and the home of Swiss Knife and Patek Philippe. For four days, I explored Geneva and the nearby towns around the lake and got enamored by its beauty, grandeur, and quiet luxury.

Exploring Fukuoka: Japan's Underrated City

What cities first come to your mind when you hear Japan? Perhaps Tokyo tops the list, followed by Osaka, Kyoto, and Sapporo. Okay, maybe let’s add Nagoya because of Legoland. But Fukuoka was never under the radar for most travelers, and they’re missing a lot. This laidback city on the island of Kyushu seems unassuming, but it has a lot to offer. Today, I am here for five days to explore what Fukuoka has to offer and to discover its charm and uniqueness.

Exploring Puerto Princesa, Palawan For The First Time!

The plane descended, and as the clouds parted, I caught my first glimpse of Puerto Princesa, Palawan—an island I had heard about in passing, yet never visited. I had traveled far and wide, from bustling cities in Europe, Australia, and North America, to tranquil temples in Japan and Korea, yet somehow, I had never set foot in this part of my homeland. The irony wasn’t lost on me as the plane landed; this was my first time in Palawan, despite having been to places half a world away.

First Time in Europe: Barcelona, Spain

When I was in my junior year in high school, we discussed the history of Europe. The fifteen-year-old me was so engrossed in the history and culture of this continent that I vowed to visit this part of the world one day. Spain was definitely on top of my list. First, I thought traveling to this country wouldn’t be that hard since we have similar cultures, languages, and food. Today, almost nineteen years later, I embarked on a journey to the other side of the world. Join me as I explore Barcelona, Spain.

The Night When We Ditched our Hotel Room in Hong Kong

We touched down at Hong Kong International Airport minutes before midnight. I was so happy after hearing the pilot's announcement that it was only 11 degrees outside. But because it took me an hour to figure out how to install the local SIM card on my phone, it wasn't until 1:30 when we finally got out of the airport. Thank God for Uber.

As the skyline of Hong Kong grew, my friends and I were looking forward to a good night's sleep. Before anything else, here's a backstory on how we got our hotel: A month before our trip, Kat found a hotel for the four of us. The price was only Php 23,000 for four nights, and it's centrally located along Nathan Road, Kowloon. The reviews from a booking website look legit, so I didn't bother.