✈️ Davao City • Davao Oriental (Mati City, Cateel, Baganga, Caraga, San Isidro) • South Cotabato (Lake Sebu) • Sarangani (Glan, Sarangani) • General Santos City
Who says business can’t mix with a little lakwatsa, learning, and hugot sa tanawin?
This trip wasn't just a vacation — it was an immersion into the vibrant culture, stunning landscapes, and soulful heritage of Mindanao. Together with our ProPrime Admin Team (with little Sofia in tow), we ventured south to represent our company at the 12th National Tour Guides Convention and General Assembly and extended the trip into a once-in-a-lifetime expedition.
π June 15: Davao to Mati City
Fresh from our Manila flight, we drove straight to Mati City, Davao Oriental and checked in at YKG Hotel. This was just the calm before the real adventure. Little did we know what magic Day 2 would bring.
π June 16: Cultural Surprises in Cateel
We woke up before sunrise (3:00 AM!) and began our journey to Aliwagwag Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in the Philippines. As we arrived, we were greeted by cultural performances and warm smiles from Cateel's tourism team — they even prepared breakfast for us!
From there, we headed to Langoyon Beach Resort & Mangrove Park for lunch, before visiting the historic San Salvador del Mundo Church, one of the oldest churches in Mindanao.
Then came Pusan Point — known as the easternmost point of the Philippines, it's where the first sunrise touches the country each day. π Symbolic? Yes. Beautiful? Absolutely. There, we received the warmest welcome with 3 kilometers of students waving white flags! This place is filled with energy and stories — a true gem!
But the most unforgettable part? I met National Living Treasure Samporonia Madanlo — yes, I had a selfie with her! She's a Mandaya master weaver who preserves her people's textile traditions. Meeting her was humbling, like brushing hands with history.
We capped off the day with a boodle fight dinner and more Mandaya dances. What a welcome!
π¦ June 17: Heritage Trails
The next day, we stopped by the Sleeping Dinosaur viewpoint (yes, it really looks like a dinosaur!), then made our way to Mount Hamiguitan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its pygmy forest and rare endemic species. The team served us hot tsokolate and puto — what a treat!
After a delicious buffet lunch in Mati, we visited Subangan Museum, then headed to Dahican Beach to release baby pawikans (sea turtles) — Sofia was thrilled! We also donated school supplies to nearby students. This day was all about connection — to nature and to community.
At night, we glammed up in Hawaiian outfits for the convention's closing dinner. A busy day, but our hearts were full.
π June 18: From Mountains to Lakes
We left Mati at 3:00 AM and journeyed to Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. Tired but excited, we arrived at Punta Isla Resort and were welcomed by our T’boli and DOT-accredited guide, Ms. Amie. We boarded a cruise on the lake while enjoying local T’boli cuisine and cultural performances onboard — what a dreamy lunch!
Next stop: the Lang Dulay Weaving Center, where we met the legacy of another GAMABA awardee, the late Lang Dulay. Her great-grandchildren performed traditional dances while her grandson passionately explained the sacred art of T’nalak weaving.
We ended the day at Dolores Lake Resort, where Sofia swam in the pool (which I could watch safely from our balcony!) while I unpacked our bags.
π June 19: Of Lotuses and Leap of Faith
After an early breakfast, we returned to Punta Isla Resort’s Lotus Garden, dressed in colorful T’boli attire for a morning photoshoot. Imagine blooming lotuses, lake reflections, and cultural elegance — perfect for the 'gram!
Then came one of the highlights: 7 Falls Zipline — the highest zipline in Southeast Asia! It was Sofia’s first time! π The rush, the view, the scream — it was sulit!
Later, we drove to Coco Beach Resort in Glan, Sarangani. Peaceful waves, a glowing sunset, and bonding over seafood by the beach — it felt like our souls took a deep breath.
π€ June 20: Last Hurrah in GenSan
We spent the morning soaking up the beach one last time before heading to General Santos City. We visited a Tuna Pasalubong Center and had a hearty lunch at Sarangani Highlands — fresh shrimps for Sofia (her fave!) and sashimi-grade tuna for us all.
And just like that… our flight called us home. Bitin? Oo. Fulfilled? Sobra!
π Final Thoughts
This trip was more than a travel itinerary. It was a cultural immersion, a bonding time for the ProPrime family, and a personal journey for me and Sofia. Every stop had a story, every tribe a lesson, and every meal a shared memory. π
To Mindanao — your beauty, culture, and people are truly unforgettable. Thank you for the warmest welcome. Balik kami, promise! Salamatay!
π Don’t forget to bookmark this if you're planning a Mindanao trip with your team or family.
✅ TIP: Hire local DOT-accredited guides — they enrich every experience.
π‘ Hugot of the Trip: “Hindi lang puso ang bumabagsak sa zipline… pati takot mo.” π
Jeju City, on Jejudo Island, is the capital of South Korea's Jeju Province. One of the New Seven (7) Wonders of Nature. Jejudo Island(μ μ£Όλ) is a volcanic island, 130 km from the southern coast of Korea. The largest island and smallest province in Korea, the island has a surface area of 1,846 sqkm. A central feature of Jeju is Hallasan Mountain, the tallest mountain in South Korea and a dormant volcano, which rises 1,950 m above sea level. 360 satellite volcanoes are around the main volcano.
Day 1
April 24, 2019/ Wednesday
NAIA 2 Departure
Original Departure Schedule: 09:30 AM
Boarded: 10:00 AM
Plane Took Off: 11:26 AM
Arrived at Jeju International Airport: 03:28 PM
Delayed because of Philippine Airport Runway Traffic
Chilseongro Shopping Street
This is the Myeongdong of Jeju, the number one place for fashion. Chilseong-ro is a traditional shopping mall and road with a long history. Nearby there is Sanjicheon Plaza, Black Pork Street, Sanjicheon, Dongmun Street Market, Jungang Underground Shopping Mall, and Topdong Plaza.
Jungang Underground Shopping Mall
Just a few steps from Chilseongro Shopping Street there is a commercial center built underground. Starting at Jungang-ro, this arcade connects Seomun-ro and Dongmun-ro and has about 300 shops. This is the only shopping center located underground, and is a crowded and active shopping site.
First Meal in Jeju at Da Hae Jeong Restaurant, a Family Style Dinner with various Banchan and Main dish is Grilled Mackerel and Steamed Black Pork.
Hotel Sirius 4*
133 Doryeong-Ro, Jeju, Kr, Jeju, South Korea
Open in 2018, Hotel Sirius features a noble building design inspired by Jeju's Jusangjeolli Cliff, a spectacular volcanic rock formation
Day 2April 25, 2019/ Thursday
Wake Up Call at 07:00 AM
Breakfast at Hotel
09:00 AM Off to Jeju Tour
Charm and Charm Cosmetic Shop
Jeju Charm & Charm is a duty-free store specializing in cosmetic products. As everyone knows that South Korea is the epicenter of new beauty technology. From skincare to makeup, the sales ladies explained the products that suited for us. But taking pictures is not allowed inside and I am quite satisfied with my current skincare product so we decided to take pictures outside :)
Korean Black Ginseng ShopBefore going to the shop, there is a small gallery or museum of Ginseng explaining the history, uses and benefits of it. And the highlight of it is of course the Korean Black Ginseng also known as the Premium Ginseng, as they emphasize that it responds perfectly to all those who want to quickly enhance their intellectual performance, especially good memory and a bright mind.
Big Market Souvenir ShoppingDidn't got a chance to take picture, hahaha lost track..
LunchSquid & Black Pork Bulgogi
Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak [UNESCO World Heritage] (μ±μ°μΌμΆλ΄ [μ λ€μ€μ½ μΈκ³λ¬Ένμ μ°])Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak rose from under the sea in a volcanic eruption over 100,000 years ago. Located on the eastern end of Jejudo Island, there is a huge crater at the top of Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak. The crater is about 600m in diameter and 90m high. With the 99 sharp rocks surrounding the crater, it looks like a gigantic crown.
Bought Hallabong Juice for 4000 Won because Jeju is famous for it’s tangy tangerines. They are called hallabong νλΌλ΄ named after Hallasan the mountain. Since they are not on season during spring, bottled hallabong juice is the closest thing for me to try thier famous tangerine.
Jeju Maze LandMaze Land is a themed park boasting the world’s longest stone maze, measuring roughly 5.3km in total length. The maze is made mainly using stone and wood found on Jeju and is created to reflect the Jeju's three principle items or "Samda," which describes the things abundant on Jeju Island: rocks, wind, and women.
In addition to the mazes made of trees and stones, visitors are encouraged to check out the maze museum detailing the history of mazes starting from their origin in the 14th century.
DinnerMarinated Black Pork
Here is my Day 1 & 2 Vlog at my You Tube Channel
Day 3 My Birthday
April 26, 2019/ Friday
We had a long day, so we got an earlier wake up call which is 06:30 AM and leave hotel at 08:20 AM.. missed to take a snap of my breakfast. We were advised that it will be a colder day so we have to bring our thick jackets.
so 1st Stop
Jeju Canola Flower FieldThe Jeju Canola Flower Festival is one of the most famous festivals in Jeju, signaling the start of spring with fields upon fields of bright yellow flowers. Large numbers of visitors come to the festival every year to take in this beauty. Canola fields can be found not just in Jeju but also in Japan, China, Canada etc.
What is Canola?
Canola is Canada’s oil. The name ‘Canola’ was registered as a trademark in Canada in 1970. The name comes from Can as in Canada and ola as in oil!
Canola is a plant that is a member of a large family of plants called crucifers. Crucifers are easy to identify because the four yellow flower petals form the shape of a cross. The canola plants grow to a height of one to two metres. The yellow flower produces seed pods that are about 5 centimetres in length. There is an average of 60 to 100 pods per plant. Each seed pod contains 20 to 30 tiny, round seeds which are 1 mm. in diameter. When it is ready to harvest, the plant changes colour from green to light yellow. These tiny seeds are crushed to extrude canola oil.
Jeju Glass CastleJeju Glass Castle is a glass art theme park featuring an exhibition hall, garden and models all made entirely out of glass. There are six themed model parks, in which over two hundred and fifty models are exhibited. These include the world’s very first all-glass labyrinth, the world’s largest glass ball and largest glass diamond, a glass stonewall, a mirror lake, and a glass bridge. There are also glass art masterpieces by internationally famous artists from Italy, the Czech Republic, Japan, and more.
Visitors to ‘Jeju Glass Castle’ can even experience making glass artwork. In the main hall of the Glass Castle they can try making glass ornaments, glass balloons, and glass bottles.
There are a lot of IG worthy areas here, definitely worth to visit..
After a lot of walking and taking selfies our next stop is LUNCH at a Korean Buffet Restaurant.
Hello Kitty Island and Cafe at Jeju
Hello Kitty Island is a special exhibition hall, themed around Hello Kitty, beloved by many people all over the world.
Exhibition Hall Information 1st FloorGift shop, Kitty History Hall, Kitty House, Art Education Hall, Music Education Hall, Art Gallery 1
2nd FloorWorld Gallery hall, Around the World Gallery Hall, Constellation Education Hall, Art Gallery 2 (Special exhibit), Art Gallery 3 (Fixed Exhibition), Kitty Room, Hello Kitty Cafe, Playtime for toddlers.
3rd Floor3D theater, Outdoor exhibition and Hello Kitty Maze
Shinhwa Theme Park is a wonderful attraction for children as well as adults developed by TUBAn, a Korea-based, global 3D animation studio that made this lovely animated ‘Larva’ character which is now popular all over the world.
The Theme Park is comprised of three zones. Rotary Park is a steampunk-themed area that shows all the great characters TUBAn has developed, Oscar’s New World is a mysterious jungle that offers Inca and Maya Civilization-themed rides and Larva Adventure Village is a place where you can meet all the greatest characters in myths and children’s stories.
There are 15 amazing rides and various attractions for you to enjoy at Shinhwa Theme Park. TUBAn’s design team and a world-renowned theme park design team worked together for 3 years to create an amazing entrance, rides and wonderful amenities that will make you feel like you’re diving into the world of animated films
It was a cold afternoon at the park with a little drizzle, I was able to walk through Oscar's New World and take pictures then we went to the 4D Theater Show for an 8 minute show theen went to Pizzeria to get some hot tea.
Painters Hero ShowThe Painters Hero is an innovative nonverbal performance that stages the entire process of painting, combined with incredible visual effects and a witty blend of miming, dance and comedy.
We did enjoyed the play, its an art show, and a musical in a single performance that creates about 10 art pieces live on stage through an exciting 80-minute show. We were impressed as the cast members share the joy and awe-inspiring journey of creating works of art with the audience fill with laugher and surprise.
We had a sumptous Stir Fried Chicken and the Chef made a Mt. Halla Fried Rice with Egg right in front of us..
And went back to the hotel but before we went to our rooms, Tita Nini and I decided to checkout the Pool amenities at the 10th floor to take some pictures again..
And thats conclude my birthday at Jeju Island!
Here is my Jeju Island Day 3 Vlog
Day 4April 27, 2019/ Saturday
Wake up time at 07:00 AM
Call time at Lobby is at 09:20 AM
By that time we should had breakfast already and surrendered our card keys for checkout..
Shilla Duty Free ShopWe line up in queue since they open at 09:30 AM for those last minute shopping. As for us, we just took some pictures, window shopped and wait outside.
Luxury brands with heritages like Hermes, Chanel and more can found The Shilla Duty Free Jeju Downtown store a right place to be. For Korean Brands go straight to 4th Floor.
Jeju Mysterious RoadAlso known as Dokkaebi Road, lies on a hill on foot of a mountain and connects two major highways on Jejudo Island. It has earned its name, as objects and liquids appear to toll and flows up the hill instead of down. When on fact, such image of gravity defiance is an optical illusion rendered by the seemingly high surroundings.
Right on the side of the street are small stores selling few Korean Streetfood.. I finally tried their Eomuk Fish Cake and i loved it!!!! I wanted to try everything else but I am still full.
Jeju 3D Trick Art and Ice MuseumOn the first floor, we went inside Ice Museum with a lot and some enormous ice carvings and of course I didn't pass on a chance to try thier Ice Slide.. will post the video soon!
The 3D Trick Art Museum is located on the 3rd floor on the same building as Ice Museum. So we took a lot of pictures here and bought a Chocolate Bubble Tea for 5000 Won!
Lunch is our last meal in Jeju Island which is Beef Bulgogi! Yumyum!
Teseum Safari is a teddy bear museum located in the Aewol-eup region of Jeju Island. It is one of the first museums in the world to exhibit all sorts of teddy bears and stitched dolls including ones shaped like wildlife animals, marine animals, flowers, birds, and more. The museum is spread over two large floors and features teddy bears arranged in adorable poses.
You can discover your favourite teddy or safari animal here. With 3 floors of huggable and adorable animals there is much posing, hugging and choosing. You can even get a teddy to propose marriage to you.
I really had fun here that we are the last one to came out of the museum hahaha π
After Teseum, we were dropped off at the Jeju International Musuem for our 05:30 PM Flight back to Manila.
The plane landed at exactly 08:00 PM but took me a long time to get out of the airport because of the long queues at the immigration.
Thank you Jeju, it was indeed an amazing and enjoyable journey...
Here is my Jeju Island Day 4 Vlog
I am truly grateful that I got to experience the Jeju Island Spring Family Getaway. It is actually my first ever out of the country travel. I really consider myself as lucky, I wanted to thank 12Trip.Ph Family cause I won it as Raffle on their Launching and New Zealand Product Update last February.
Also to my ever supporting boss Ate Juliet, thank you sa travel tips and of course dahil pinayagan mo ako mag absent ng ilang araw. And to think, siya talaga dapat ang aattend sa launching na yun hahaha π tsaka dun sa unang nabunot, buti na lang umalis ka na kaya nabunot ang pangalan ko.
To all the exceptional and amazing people I met during the tour, in 4 days time we became a big family. Everybody is ready to give their sincere smile and care. Our Tour Coordinator Ms. Khaye and our Bus 1 Korean Tour Guide Ms. Janice, super thank you.
To my Nanay, partner and photographer all through out duration of the tour Tita Nini Socorro, thank you for taking care of me and always checking up on me. Also to Tita Edna and Tito Renato, best loveteam at seat mates talaga kayo hehehe... basta lahat ng nasa bus 1, sayang didn't get your fbs pati na rin mga nasa bus 2 and 3 na friendly naman silang lahat.
Being a solo traveller tapos 1st time lumabas ng bansa, super talaga kaba ko lalo na sa immigration. It is all worth it, Jeju is an amazing island with amazing people. Especially the women, grabe most of the workers there are women. "Girl Power" talaga! and the weather, in fairness ang ganda ng skin ko dun. Naenjoy ko ang malamig na weather. Jeju Island, still has a lot to offer imagine they have about 100 museums pa.. It is bitin, babalik ba ako? Yes na yes, sana libre ulet hahaha π
It is also my first try to Vlog that will be publish in my YouTube Channel, nakakabilib yung mga vloggers natin ha hehehe ako kasi medyo nahihiya pa mag vlog at magsalita sa harap ng camera with all those people around me.. lalo na sa airport hahaha..
I fell in-love with Boracay, the first time i saw and set foot in this beautiful island. So in-love that it became a yearly destination for me. There was a time that I planned to move and look for a job there hahaha! My first ever plane ride was actually a very Quick Boracay Getaway to celebrate my cousin's birthday Mei with my dear Tita Lolit & cousin Lhen back in December 2010.
Things I Remember and Love About Boracay
The powdery white sand, it was so fine that feeling ko pumapasok sa skin pores ko ahaha :)
Shallow water and calm waves that is safe for swimming even for little kids. I promised my self before that I will bring my child to Boracay someday.
The Party Scene & Bars of course, oh my gosh.. super daming memories ang bumabalik hehe.. well i tried Nigi nigi Nu Noos Bar (Great Cocktails), Epic Bar, Cocomangas Bar (super sandali dito) , Paraw Club, Summer Place and Chillout Bar. Don't judge, kalakasan ko yan noon.. haha past tense!
People Watching! Promise solid mag people watching dito, different kind of people from different walks of life is here.
Island Activities: Helmet Diving- tried it 3 times, Sky Cycling, ATV Adventure- super fun, Island hopping, Paraw Sunset Sailing and walking from Station 3 to Station 1
Food: Calamansi Muffin and Breakfast at Real Coffee Tea & Cafe (My Boracay trip is never complete without having breakfast here!), Seafood Paluto, Jonah's Fruitshake and Chori Burger!
And of course the special people that I am with, to all the Boracay trip i had. Those memories will always be in my heart. Boracay will be closed starting April 26, 2018 (My birthday) for rehabilitation for 6 months. For me, it is sad but it is for the best. The island needs to heal and this is for the future generation, so that someday i will bring Sofia to the island that is close to my heart. I will see you soon, My Boracay! #SaveBoracay
Mar 6, 2015
Repertory Philippines "4,000 Miles" Preview
March 5, 2015 08:00 PM
As REP's Audience Representative, we had a meeting earlier yesterday around 3pm for the Sales Info of the coming Children's Theater presenting "Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs". Anyway, we were also invited to watch the 1st Show of 4,000 Miles.
4,000 Miles is the universally-acclaimed and award-winning stage play by Amy Herzog. A dramatic comedy play that ran Off-Broadway in 2011, 2012 and was a finalist for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama now open its door for the Filipino audience though the play is set in the US, the values espoused in the story is a universal one.When 21 year-old Leo suffers a major loss while he was on a cross-country bike trip, he seeks solace from his feisty 91 year-old grandmother Vera in her West Village apartment. Over the course of a single month, these roommates infuriate, bewilder, and ultimately reach each other. Herzog used her grandmother's "words, habits and history to fashion the character of Vera Joseph which was amazingly played by no other than Theater Veteran Baby Barredo (on which she nailed it! as always.. sorry am a fan). Jeff Flores played as Leo, Cai Barredo played as Bec and Cara Barredo as Amanda (Super galing ni Ms. Cara dito!)
It will remind your own #LolaMoments, the play will definitely take you there! and of course the lessons in life about someone who is at that point in her life that her body has given up on her and all that she is at this point is a fountain of wisdom. At the other end of the spectrum is a man who is about to begin his life, who is lost in so many ways. Between them, there are 4,000 miles of experience and wisdom. Directed by renowned theater actor Bart Guigona, He said that the play veers away from unnecessary histrionics and high-drama and instead focuses on a more quiet approach to push its message across to the audience.
My Favorite Scene.. #stoned
4,000 Miles will be staged from March 6 to 29 at Onstage Theater in Greenbelt 1, Makati City. Ticket prices ranges from P400 to P600. For more details regarding 4,000 Miles, call the Repertory Philippines at 843-3570 and book tickets through TicketWorld at 891-9999 or visit their website at www.ticketworld.com.ph ---the best is yet to come
It took me a while to finally try their online shop, i used to do it with Multiply ages ago ahahaha for a few small items like makeup and earrings, i always keep it small para di masakit in case fraud yung seller hehehe. In fairness with Lazada, their ads has been all over so i tried it last friday (12/07/2012) with a very minimal order, said to myself not to splurge more than a thousand bucks in case i would have a problem with my orders but Lazada proved me wrong. My orders came this morning, talk about fast service :) I thought it would take 10 days pa since i live outside Metro Manila. They shipped it via LBC, my items were carefully bubble wrapped, now i have a new 8gig flash drive and a wireless mouse plus a Zalora Gift Certificate. Thanks Lazada! It really made my day!
I have always been experimental when it comes to food (well it shows π), i have always been on a lookout to try something new. Heard about this small thai resto in Marikina from joy and francis, just in the Marikina Public Market so for those who have their cars, parking would be so tricky though.
My boyfie is fried chicken and grilled meat thingy kind of guy, he doesn't eat veggies and isn't a fan of food he hasn't heard before so when i asked him if we could have thai food, he's not really excited about it and came up with a lot excuses.. hahaha well, i won! and started looking for it..
The restaurant is quite small and in a corner, good thing motorcycle parking is so close to it and there were quite a few families dining already as we came about 8pm. I am so glad that the price is so reasonable, it will be another debate about it.
We ordered Thai Spring Rolls P129.00; Pad Thai P159.00; Krung Thai Fried Chicken P129.00; Thai Jasmine Rice P39.00; Thai Iced Tea P79.00. The servings were really big, we haven't really consumed everything and we just brought it home. I super enjoyed the Pad Thai and the Thai Iced Tea, boyfie liked the Krung Thai Fried Chicken. About the spring rolls, nothing really fancy bout it taste like the usual spring rolls but i would definitely go back for the Pad Thai and the Thai Iced Tea πππ
After the hearty Thai Foodtrip with babe, we looked for a tiangge around Marikina. Our foot rather our motorcycle led us to Parang Tiangge, so many people out there, well i hate crowded places so as soon we bought what we wanted we soon headed home and decided to just spend our late saturday night watching the DVD's that we bought.. It was of course a fun night, made it more special spending time with people you love. ❤❤❤ I had a very crazy and busy week last week, i definitely deserve this hehe πππ
:)
