The summer months are the best time for your #TravelGoals and if you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind experience, these local and international destinations may be worth checking out.
Jeonju, South Korea
There is a lot that could be said about the beautiful city of Jeonju. Located in the western side of South Korea, Jeonju is the perfect mix of urban and rural, of the old and the young.
Jeonju offers an experience to traditional Korea in the most scenic, peaceful way.
To make the experience more authentic, book a room at one of the hanok houses (Korean traditional homes) turned into guesthouses for travellers.
Sleeping on the floor, with a tiny pillow and kept warm by silky and brightly colored traditional sleeping mats, would definitely make you feel like you have been transported to a historical Korean drama.
Temperature in hanok houses are controlled by an ondol, a sub-floor heating device common in traditional Korean houses and which makes the floor warm in winter and cold in summer.
Gyeonggijeon Palace in Jeonju
In the morning, as soon as you step outside your guesthouse, you will be surrounded with views of clear skies and mountains. One of the main attractions of Jeonju is the Hanok Village where rows and rows of hanoks are preserved and tourists, both locals and foreigners, can rent hanboks (traditional Korean attire) that they can wear while touring the village and the palaces.
Many of the hanoks leading to the palaces are transformed into coffee shops, restaurants, and souvenir shops that tourists will not lose the traditional experience even when they are eating churros or ice cream.
Near the vicinity of the Hanok Village is the Omokdae, a small hill people can climb to see the view of the hanoks from the top. The view is beautiful and worth the climb and there are traditional structures waiting for you at the top where you can rest and pass time.
Entrance to a Hanok Guesthouse
Jeonju is also known as the land of best bibimbap, a popular Korean dish of rice topped with vegetables, and makgeolli, a Korean traditional rice wine.
Make sure to taste both while visiting Jeonju as they are the pride of the city.
To get there: Travel to Jeonju from Seoul using the KTX train or through buses en route Jeonju. Travel time usually takes almost two hours and even the view from the train or the bus will definitely be memorable too.
Negros-Siquijor
If you’re looking for adventure, great food, and unspoiled beaches, a packed five-day trip to Negros and Siquijor will satisfy your wanderlust.
The first stop is Bacolod. And don’t leave the city without eating the chicken inasal and cakes from Calea. In the next city of Talisay, you can spend the afternoon lazing around at The Ruins or brave the sky bike and zip line rides at Campuestohan Highland Resort.
The next day, take an early bus trip to Cauayan, the jumpoff point to Danjugan Island, a marine reserve and wildlife sanctuary. Spend the day in the island trekking, snorkeling, bird watching or kayaking.
Leave Cauyan before the sun fall to catch a bus to Kabankalan City where you can find an overnight bus going to your next destination—Dumaguete.
When in Dumaguete, you can join a tour to the internationally renowned diving site Apo Island, or go around Silliman University, a must-see with its American-era architecture.
Siquijor is a ferry away from Dumaguete. Travel time is about an hour. Siquijor’s magic lies in its pristine beaches. But other points of interest around the small island are the Larena Church and Belltower, Cambughay Falls and Cang-isok ancestral house.
To get there: Local airlines have several daily flights to and from Bacolod and Dumaguete.
Cambughay Falls in Siquijor
Central Vietnam
With direct flights from Manila, Vietnam’s capital Hanoi and its bustling city Ho Chi Minh (formerly Saigon) are more accessible destinations. But the geographic heart of the country—Central Vietnam—is worth the extra travel time.
The sleepy city of Hue, the former royal capital of Vietnam, gives you a glimpse of the glories of imperial Vietnam. Located in and around the city, is the Complex of Hue Monuments, classed as a Unesco world heritage site. The complex’s central structure, the Hue Citadel area, immediately brings to mind Manila’s Intramuros.
From Hue, head to the ancient city of Hoi An, which is another Unesco-declared world heritage site. You can take the bus or spend the whole day on a motorbike tour with Le Family Riders, passing by a fishing village, the scenic Hai Van Pass and Marble Mountain. When in Hoi An, walk around the old town at night and marvel at the colorful lanterns that light up the streets.
To get there: Take the overnight bus or train to Hue, or for a shorter trip, take a flight to the airport in Da Nang.