The day I became a mermaid

It all started with a conversation. Me: I’m so excited. I think I’ll be able to get my Open Water certification soon. Friend: Why are you excited? I mean, I get the Open Water thing, but is it difficult to get? Me: No, I don’t think so. But now, I can finally afford it. Friend: Just now? Haven’t you …

The Singles Dive

I'm not very fond of Valentine's Day. I've never had a boyfriend (I know, I'm a loser), so I've never had a particularly "happy" Valentine's Day. However, my friend, who left her city job to be the manager of a newly opened dive resort called Casa Escondida, decided to be benevolent and put together a mini …

The (Late) Year-End Reflection

I submitted this article on a whim to ThoughtCatalog, and surprisingly, it was published. I guess travel really does have that big of an impact on anyone brave enough to try. I've been very busy with work lately, and I haven't gotten around to writing more about Philippine waters, so I thought I would just repost …

The clear waters of Batok Reef

Anilao, in my opinion, is one of the best places to go to for diving for several reasons. Especially now that I've discovered the colorful underwater world of Batok Reef. Why Dive in Anilao, Batangas First, it's the nearest dive site from Manila. During very busy periods at work, I can squeeze in a day trip to …

Dive with the Whale Sharks of Oslob

For years,  I've avoided getting caught in the tourist trap that is Oslob. I've heard horrible stories about this place when it comes to whale shark watching. The whale sharks are fed to keep them coming back to the area, and hoards of people plague the waters to swim, touch, and take photos with the …

Diving in the Philippines on a Budget

Whenever I tell people I go SCUBA diving, the automatic assumption is I must be filthy rich to have chosen an expensive hobby. I am not. I'm a middle-class millennial working at a start-up company and paid with a Filipino salary. How rich do you think can I get? Diving in the Philipines on a …

The Thresher Sharks of Malapascua

It was 3:00 AM on June 26, 2015, and I was awake. Not just rolling in bed, yawning and dreaming kind of awake, but AWAKE awake. I hate waking up before 9AM, but this was a very special day. It's the day I finally get to see a thresher shark at Malapascua. Freshly certified as …

The Turtles of Apo Island

Oh, Dumaguete. How I love you so. And everything gets better when you get to swim with the turtles of Apo Island. A Bit About Dumaguete Dumaguete is a very unassuming province in Negros Occidental, which is approximately an hour flight from Manila. The city has a lot of claims - retirement capital of the world, …