Here’s what I learned from traveling for a year in the Philippines

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“Well, if I’m being honest, not all weekends,” begins Renan Barco, the 28-year-old user interface designer employed by Voyager Innovations. “I missed two weekends because I was sick.”

Renan dropped a message on our Facebook Page to show us a year-long adventure that he’s compiled in a video. “It’s a whole year of traveling the Philippines. I went from Babuyan Island to Onuk in South Palawan, from the summit of Mt. Pulag to the peak of Mt. Apo. The video has been viewed 14k times on YouTube already and it aims to inspire people to travel and discover the Philippines,” he says.

Of course we had to chat Renan up!   

He traveled through 50 weekends of 2014, visiting 48 local and seven international destinations. He used up all his company leaves “plus more,” he says, “but I’m really lucky that my boss bases our performance on deliverables and not old school attendance. He doesn’t mind as long as I get my job done.”

We chat Renan up:

First, what a feat! What pushed you to do such an epic adventure?
I started traveling in 2013. I really enjoyed it, but I didn’t realize I’d do it every weekend of 2014. All I knew then was I wanted to get away and escape the city. My 2012 was really messed up. It was a break-up that pushed me to travel.

But of course, a break-up. So how did you go about it?
It’s mostly planned but not all trips had an itinerary. When I started traveling in 2013, I met a lot of people who would eventually become my friends and invite me to climb mountains or go out of town, visit less-crowded beaches. What I did, I put my trips down on a calendar, which I made available to my friends. If someone wanted to come along, they can book, too. I’m also privy to my friends’ calendars, so if I see something interesting, I’d join them, too. I noticed with my other friends, especially with groups, if one can’t make it, hindi na lang itutuloy na. But going through my travels this way, maganda kasi I get to meet new people and they’ve become my travel buddies.

Did you meet anyone special, find love in your travels, or at the very least, hooked up with someone?
Ha-ha-ha, the only love I found is love for the Philippines! Love for the country!

Lame. What was your favorite destination?
The best was Calayan Island, which is part of the Babuyan Group of Islands in Appari. Batanes, Balabac in South Palawan, Aurora, Biri in Northern Samar and Mt. Apo.

And the most beautiful?
I have three in my list: The first, Kababaan Cove in Calayan Island which I call ‘love at first sight.’ Another is Candaraman Island in Balabac, Palawan. And finally, Alibijaban, in San Andres, Quezon. I’ve been there three times and after Maldives, it has the clearest and calmest water I’ve experienced. In these three places, Nag-let go lang ako. I dropped my stuff at nag pagulong-gulong lang ako sa sand.

Renan living the dream in Kababan Cove, in Calayan Island

 
Wow, how did you find these places?
Since I started traveling, I’ve met a lot of people so pasa-pasa na lang ng information.

Ok, so how do you get to Kababaan Cove in Calayan Island?
I took a bus from Manila to Appari. That’s about 14-16 hours. And then from Appari Port, I took a “Lampitaw,” which is a big boat to Calayan. That’s another 5 hours.

And then that’s a day-trip or did you stay in Calayan for longer periods of time?
I stayed in Calayan for three nights. It was really only supposed to be an overnight trip but we got stranded because the waves were too strong for the boat sail.

And to Balabac?
I flew to Puerto Princesa and then I took a six-hour bus going to Rio Tuba. From there, we rented a boat going to Balabac, which was another four hours. Also: Onuk Island in Balabac! It’s not on the Philippine map but it’s one of the best. During low tide, you can fit three football stadiums in all its white sand.

Candaraman Island in Balabac, Palawan

Wow. How did you plan for your finances?
Of course it has to be budgeted. For me, a four-day trip should only be PHP4,000. More than that, I consider expensive. The cheapest I did was Sorsogon-Samar. I spent only PHP2,000 for a 4-day trip. I went from Sorsogon to Biri Island and finally to San Antonio in Samar.

How long are your trips usually?
Weekends and then if the trip is longer than three days, I will have to take a leave from work.

Would you say that the Philippines is a safe place to travel?
Yes, because Filipinos are very friendly and hospitable. Of course like any other country, there could be incidents. But you just have to be careful.

Like what incidents?
I wasn’t mugged but my wallet was stolen from my bag. I was on my way to Bohol and it got stolen in Baclaran, on my way to the airport. In Mindanao, we got to a place where 30 minutes before, an encounter was happening.
 
Wow. Scary!
For me, if it’s your time, its your time. So make the most out of it. I do not want to live in constant worry or agony. Besides, you learn from the locals. In Cotabato, the locals taught us that people get mugged even in the day time. They also taught us not to trust the police, that if we run into problems or situations, to seek help from the military.  

What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever encountered?
At the top of my head, in Balabac. We went to the island near Mangsi, which is the last island before Malaysia. We were riding a big boat but it couldn’t dock on the island so a smaller fisherman’s boat offered us a ride to the island. Our boatman told us they didn’t know those fishermen so it could be rebel forces. But we went on anyway. Nothing happened. By nightfall, some coast guards and the mayor’s bodyguards actually chased those fishermen away. Something to do with illegal fishing.

How nice of them to try and help out.
I’ve met a lot of accommodating people during my travels, especially Filipinos. It’s really funny how accommodating we are. All you have to do is go to a sari-sari store, hang out, and you will meet another person who will tell you a different thing. Later on, you will meet another person who will tell you yet another different thing. And then someone will come and offer you a ride to go to where you’re going.

I’ve realized there are a lot of good Filipinos out there. They’d take us for a night, let us sleep in their own home and on their beds. They’d offer dinner and treat us like family, even with what little they have. My trips actually have made me hate the government because Filipinos are such good people. And here you will see, na parang the government is not providing us with what we need. Parang the government is only cheating us pa nga eh.

How do you get them to host a stranger like you?
You have to be polite. Greet them. Ask them what you need to know, but don’t just leave immediately. Make friends with them. Ask them where they are from, and they may just invite you for dinner at their place.

More importantly, how do you know who to trust?
It’s easy to sense if they’re on to something, like if they ask for fees almost immediately. You have to remember you can never completely trust anyone and you have to trust your instinct. May ‘gaan ng loob’ kang mararamdaman. And you can tell din pag madali mo silang mapatawa.

What’s the one thing you learned during your travel?
I’ve learned that this kind of travel is NOT for everyone. There are kinds of travelers. I try to avoid the comfort travelers. Those who can’t sleep unless they are inside an air-conditioned room, those who wouldn’t take an ordinary bus ride. I learned how to eat vegetables, how to ride a motorcycle, and how to talk to people.

Did you arm yourself during travel?
Just my monopod for my GoPro. That could be a weapon.

Renan with his dual purpose monopod

What’s the strangest thing you did or encountered in your travels?
I did smoke weed in Sagada…I went skinny dipping in Marinque. I was with one friend that time and we met a bigger group and joined them.

And you say you didn’t meet anyone?
That night, we had a drink and had too much. It was all boys. The most amazing part is that there were white bioluminescence planktons, so when you move, the water glows.

So you didn’t meet anyone special?
I have a travel partner. Her name is Ron and we’ve been labeled ‘Katipan’ because in all our trips, we’re always mistaken as a couple. But really, we’re not. We’re just good friends and we mesh well.

Where did you meet her?
I met her in 2013 in Camarines Norte. I joined a group going to Calaguas and she happened to be there. A few months later, she invited me to her Camiguin trip, and then we went to Cebu, just the two of us. That’s where I learned how to run a motorcycle.

Renan’s travel buddy, Ron, at Onuk island

Batanes

Renan at the sulfur vents of Mt. Apo. It is one of the most dreaded parts of the climb because the fumes smell really bad

Lake Venado at Mt. Apo

Black island in Busuanga