2014 travel list

CEBU, Philippines - The world is starting to become a smaller place and air fares are starting to become more within reach.  Gone are the days when only the wealthiest kids in school are given the chance to set foot on Disneyland, thanks to big-earner parents. These days, the rest of East and Southeast Asia are a weekend's vacation even among those who are on the verge of starting their careers. 

Today, there is absolutely no reason for you not to travel, so consider 2014 your year to bag that e-passport, pack your bags, and drift towards the sunset in some remote locale.  Forget the usual tourist traps as you plot your itinerary this 2014. I'd like to present to you a fearless forecast of what destinations will be hotter than summer as we make our way well into a stunning new year.

Batanes

The mystery surrounding the land of the Ivatans slowly dissipated when fares going to Batanes went down on a record low, thanks to the presence of competing budget airlines.  With more tours available and even more photos offering us a glimpse of stone houses and windswept plains, pebbly beaches and raging seas, cozying up on a beach basket on an overlooking cliff with a hot cup of coffee in hand should be number one in your list. (Photo by Omar)

Samar

Although widely accessible, thanks to direct flights to Calbayog, for instance, Samar is one of those places only a few travellers dared to venture.  Consider it the Myanmar of the Philippines in the sense that people know it exists but are only left to wondering what's really there.  From spelunking to catching picture perfect shots of the surreal rock formations of Biri Island, Samar could be 2014's adventure of a lifetime.

Southern Palawan

People flock to Palawan for the familiar sights-the Subterranean River in Puerto Princesa, the blue lagoons of El Nido and Coron, the karst rock formations, the sea, the sand, the island life.  But that's only "the tip of the ice berg" if you're talking about Palawan.  Next year will see a surge of interest for pre-colonial encounters that can only be had down south.  Whether you begin your journey from Narra or Quezon, prepare to only be armed with the bare essentials as you explore Tabon Cave and rub elbows with the Tagbanua.  Southern Palawan is all about raw adventure and it is not for the faint of heart. South Palawan Tabon Cave

Western Visayas

Exploring Western Visayas (Negros Occidental and Panay) will be as much as a feast for the eyes as it will be for the stomach.  Spotlight goes on the latter as Region 6 will be the official place to feast in come 2014.  Get to know every municipality in Western Visayas through their native cuisine from Mandurriao's version of Kalamay Hati to Hinigaran's cansi to Cabatuan's chicken tinu-om.  Of course, getting your noodle on around Ilo-ilo (think pancit molo and la paz batchoy) are staples in this culinary excursion.

Mindanao

Don't let the news scare you off and deprive you of what there is to see and explore down south.  Mindanao's ruggedly beautiful terrain is postcard perfect granted you already have an idea of what you want to see.  Do not limit yourself to Davao and Camiguin, as the Dinagat Islands off the coast of Surigao, for example, will make you feel as if you are gazing at the precariously balanced rocks of Palawan or Phuket.

South Cotabato

Travelling is more than just sight-seeing.  The essence of travelling lies in getting to know the people who are native to the place.  While most of us may have gone to rub elbows with the Ifugaos and Igorots of Northern Luzon, fewer than few have had the chance and the honor to get to know the Manobo tribe living along the scenic lily-pad strewn surface of Lake Sebu.  Drift in frail row boats carved from the trunks of ancient trees, feast on tilapia, listen to native epics recited over firelight.  Travelling should also be about connecting with people and cultures.

Mabinay

Twenty-fourteen will most likely be a year of adventure and we're seeing more than just mountain biking and zip-lining, in this case.  Spelunking will be one of the sports more and more people will indulge in.  For an underworld adventure, Mabinay's cave systems are on top of my list.  Some caves are long enough to require two full days of exploration and this is really not just your spur of the moment adventure. (FREEMAN)