“Revenge travel,” also known as traveling to make up for lost time, is predicted to be in full swing this year as more destinations here and abroad have lifted restrictions and now welcome all tourists. With summer just a few months away, this is the perfect time to plan a trip to a local destination where you can have fun and try out the regional cuisine.
If you’re looking for destinations where you can have good food and memories, we listed down affordable recommendations that you and your loved ones will enjoy. Just make sure you have all your essentials ready, like a bottle of Goodday cultured milk drink to prepare your immunity before and during your trips.
Ilocos Sur
Vigan City in Ilocos Sur is well-known for being a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its maintained roads and architecture from the Spanish colonial era. You can explore the city through walking tours or while riding a kalesa. After that, you can grab authentic Vigan longganisa, empanada, and crispy bagnet, which can be found in various restaurants.
Pampanga
For the ultimate food crawl, Pampanga has a lot of exotic dishes that you can try, like betute tagak (stuffed frog), pindang kalabaw (carabao tapa), adobong kamaru (stir-fried mole crickets), and more. The province is just an hour’s drive from Manila, so you can go for a day trip or stay for a few days to check out tourist attractions, such as Mt. Pinatubo and Nayong Pilipino.
Batangas
Just a one to two-hour drive from Metro Manila, Batangas is known for tourist spots such as the Taal Volcano and relaxing beach resorts. When it comes to food, travelers often go to San Juan to hunt for traditional lomi, a hot noodle soup made with chicharon, and kapeng barako — both of which are perfect for the province’s cool climate.
Bicol
With flights that can be as low as P4,000 from Manila, Bicol is worth the trip as it’s home to famous tourist spots such as the Cagsawa Ruins in Albay, where you have the best view of Mayon Volcano. You should also prepare for spicy local dishes, like traditional Bicol express and laing. Some restaurants also serve sili ice cream that has a great sweet and spicy combo.
Bacolod
Located in Western Visayas, Bacolod or the “City of Smiles” has a rich local cuisine, with the most popular dish being chicken inasal. The marinated roasted chicken dish is often dipped in sinamak, or spicy vinegar that’s local to Bacolod, and chicken oil for that savory and tangy flavor. Tourists can find chicken inasal in any restaurant and food stall in the area, but if you want to try different variations of it, Manokan County has stalls that serve various inasal dishes and other grilled meats.
Davao
Davao is known as both the Durian Capital and Chocolate Capital of the Philippines. Here, you can check out the Malagos Chocolate Museum, where you can learn about cacao production and sample yummy chocolates. Exotic fruit lovers can also dive into some fresh durian. The Mindanaoan city is also known for its seafood, like tuna, prawns, and crabs, which are great choices for lunch and dinner. If you’re planning to fly to Davao, you can book a ticket for as low as P2,000.
