The Backpack Adventures

Located in the Atimonan part of the Quezon National Forest Park in the province of Quezon, Cueva Santa is one of the highlights of the Mt. Mirador/ Pinagbanderahan hiking tour.
If you'd Google it, little is only said about Cueva Santa except that it is one of the caves found near the route to Pinagbanderahan. However, it is actually the first of the two caves that you'd see if you're from the jump-off point (the other one is the Cueva Grande).



Its name is obviously derived from the Filipino words cueva which means cave and santa which means a female saint. I honestly don't know why the cave was given such a name (even our guide can't give an origin story). I have a theory though, that somewhere inside the cave is a rock formation that looks like an image of a saint. However, I was not able to prove this theory. There was, however, an altar-like area in the cave and a statue-like stalactite formation in it too. 

Anyway, going back to the cave, its entrance can be found…

Located in Frontera Verde in Pasig City, Ark Avilon Zoo is an interactive indoor zoo that is famously known for its Noah's Ark themed facade.

Ark Avilon Zoo boasts its "star-studded" line up of friendly animals. These animal celebrities are: Ayla the Palawan bearcat, Alex and Nardo the cockatoos, Andy and Mercy the penguins, Busty the pony, Krusty the donkey, Tyson the Burmese python and last but definitely not the least Jenny the Bornean orangutan. Visitors could interact and have a picture taken with these "celebrities" at a given price though. These animals are spread out in the different parts of the two-storey zoo.


Aside from the said animals you could also see other animals in the zoo. They however can't be interacted with and is only for viewing purposes. These animals are; the tortoise, lion, tiger, marmoset, lemurs and some different species of birds. 
Visitors would also enjoy the Farmland Feeding Station where visitors could feed farm animals like r…

Located in 2130 F.B. Harrison Street Pasay City, Our Lady of Sorrows Parish Church is a religious structure with a modern design.
If you would notice, most of the churches that I feature in my Visita Iglesia articles are century-old churches. To date, I have featured only two modern day churches - Nature's Church and St. Therese of the Child Jesus. I blogged those churches because of their unique structural designs. (You can click on the links to check them out.)
That is not the case for this church. Our Lady of Sorrows Parish Church has but a humble typical modern-day structural design. It doesn't have a majestic looking facade, a towering bell tower, and an ornately designed retabolo. So what makes the church stand out?
For the history buffs, the answer to that question is but an FYI trivia. For 8/10 Filipinos however, this church never existed. (not up until now that they have read this article.) For your information, Our Lady of Sorrows Parish Church played a very important r…

Located in El Nido in the Province of Palawan, Helicopter Island is one of the destinations of Tour C of the El Nido Island Hopping Tours. 

Also known to locals as Dilumacad Island, Helicopter Island probably got its name from how it looks from a distance. Well true enough, as you can see in the picture above, it resembles a Eurocopter EC-665 Tiger HAD-E aircraft minus the rotors. 

Upon closer inspection, the island boasts a beautiful  white sand beach that stretches up to some 300-400 meters. There is also an underwater tunnel at its northern side and a reef on its southern side which you would be able to see if you snorkel. Aside from being a great place to snorkel (and sunbathe), Helicopter Island is also an ideal place for the family to have their picnic due to the fact that there are plenty of trees that offer shade for the visitors. Aside from that, the island offers a beautiful panoramic view of the nearby islands and also parts of El Nido's limestone cliffs. 

During our visit…