Slow Travel Reflections

By Gil delos Santos

Today is a wind down day on the last leg of a spontaneous 40-day escape across various tourism locations in the country. 

It’s a privilege to slow travel and discover the unique characteristics of every destination we’ve visited.

More than the face of every location, we have actual experienced nature, people, systems, food, facilities, amenities, and everything in between. 

After 40 days on the road, here are some observations I’d like to share:

𝟭) 𝗜𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼𝘀.

For instance, Coron personally ranked among my least favorite destinations in terms of expectation versus reality. My reference point was the heavily promoted lagoons and white beaches. The actual experience felt different from what I had imagined. 

Send me a private message if you want the details why. 😀 

But I also recognize that every judgment depends on one's travel intention.

If diving is your purpose, Coron is a completely different story. Its dive sites are exceptional.

𝟮) 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱. 𝗕𝗼𝗵𝗼𝗹 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.

Bohol is a compelling example of how a destination can leverage its natural assets while steadily building a more mature and competitive tourism ecosystem.

What impressed me was not only the province’s extraordinary natural attractions, but also the breadth of its tourism infrastructure, quality of accommodations, accessibility, hospitality offerings, and the overall visitor experience.

Bohol has the ingredients of a world-class destination: strong natural and cultural assets, diverse tourism products, improving infrastructure, and an increasingly sophisticated hospitality sector.

There is still enormous potential to be developed—but the foundation is already there. 

𝟯) 𝗔 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁'𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱. 

There are ways to travel on a budget, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

But after moving between five-star and three-star establishments, you can clearly see—and feel—the dramatic difference in amenities, comfort, service, and overall experience.

The same is true when comparing private tours with group tours. The difference in comfort, flexibility, and pace can be significant.

Ultimately, however, it comes down to the traveler's personal intention. Not everyone travels looking for luxury.

𝟰) 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗼𝘀, 𝗞𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱. ✌️😁 

One thing you notice when traveling from one destination to another is how differently cultures occupy and experience shared spaces.

Some are naturally quiet and reserved. Others arrive with their full volume, full energy, and sometimes, full production. 😂

You notice it in restaurants, on boats, during tours, in hotel lobbies, and pretty much anywhere tourists gather. Some groups whisper; others make you feel like you’ve accidentally joined their family reunion. 😄

It’s not necessarily good or bad—it’s simply one of those amusing little cultural observations that makes travel fascinating.

𝟱) 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗲'𝘃𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱.

I wonder if they have a strong presence in Boracay these days too.

𝟲) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗱𝘀.

The weather can be unpredictable, especially with changing climate patterns. Interestingly, despite traveling through July and August, we've been fortunate to experience plenty of sunshine across the various destinations we visited.

Fewer crowds, slower experiences, and sometimes even better value.

𝟳) 𝗘𝗹 𝗡𝗶𝗱𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘀, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀.

The scenery, the formations, the lagoons, the waters, the guides, and the overall island-hopping experience make El Nido stand out.

𝟴) 𝗠𝗼𝗮𝗹𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗹'𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗳 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁.

The sardine run is an extraordinary natural phenomenon, but what impressed me even more was how accessible the reef is.

To have such an incredible marine environment so close to shore is something worth appreciating—and protecting.

After 40 days of moving around, one thing has become even clearer to me:

I believe travel is not completely captured by social media. It lies in the emotions we experience in real time, when nobody is taking photos.

The photographs show us the destination. The videos show us what it looks like.

But they rarely capture what it feels like to actually be there.

The unexpected conversations.

The smell of the sea.

The quiet mornings.

The taste of unfamiliar food.

The kindness of strangers.

The inconvenience of getting somewhere.

The waiting.

The laughter.

The moments when nothing happens at all.