"Mighty Aphrodite" in Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia, November 2013 issue

NOTE: This is a late post, and I apologize to my editors for not promoting the November 2013 issue of T+L Southeast Asia early enough. But between dealing with the aftermath of supertyphoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) plus all the traveling we did in November, there hasn’t been much time to catch our breath! Mighty Aphrodite A young woman in the Philippines has made it her personal mission to save the seas. By Niña Terol-Zialcita (Published in the November 2013 issue of Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia) Many little…Continue Reading “Mighty Aphrodite (Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia)”

AMANPULO. Paradise in the Sulu Sea. Screen shot from http://www.amanresorts.com/

(First published on November 4, 2013) in Rappler.com) [See the original image here] MANILA, Philippines – Amanpulo, the ultra-exclusive resort located in Pamalican Island in the Sulu Sea, has once again made it to Condé Nast Traveller’s list of Top 100 resorts, hotels and spas in the Readers’ Travel Awards 2013. The resort was cited among the Top 20 in the Asia & India category, with a numeric rating of 77.88 over 100. Amanpulo is the only Philippine resort to make it to this year’s Top 100. According…Continue Reading “Amanpulo, Visayas Islands among the best of Conde Nast (Rappler.com)”

DINIWID PARADISE. Heaven's painting. All photos by Niña Terol-Zialcita

(First published on November 3, 2013 in Rappler.com) I kicked off my flip-flops and dug my feet into the cool, soft sand. It was the first sunny morning in a week of stormy skies and sudden rainshowers, and I wanted to make the most of it. I sipped the warm, sweet taho that I bought from a roving vendor, then I settled my glass snugly into the sand before finding my own sweet spot. In front of me, the high tide was carrying strong waves in a…Continue Reading “Diniwid beach: The quiet side of Boracay (Rappler.com)”

The Paris must-sees | Photos by Niña Terol-Zialcita | View more travel photos at @ninaterol on Instagram

(First published in asianTraveler Magazine in October 2010) Note: A colleague of mine is traveling to Paris in a couple of weeks, which made me fish out my old Paris booklets and re-open this old published piece. I share it here in case anyone needs tips for getting to know Paris in just 24 short but sweet hours. I have to admit: it was a rather foolish decision to make Paris only a short pit stop between my trip to Prague, Czech Republic, where I had spent…Continue Reading “#ThrowbackThursday: Paris in a Hurry (asianTraveler Magazine)”

10 Ways to Enjoy Russia by Niña Terol-Zialcita, in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Photo of the Moscow Kremlin courtesy of the Russian Embassy

(Published on October 19, 2013 in the Philippine Daily Inquirer) To the intrepid traveler in search of exotic sites and adventures, Russia is the perfect starting point for the trip of a lifetime. Aside from being the largest country in the world, spanning two continents and covering 1/7 of the earth’s total land area, Russia is also home to some of the most awe-inspiring natural and manmade wonders on the planet. (Some of the most widely televised events in the world will be held there, such…Continue Reading “10 Ways to Enjoy Russia (Philippine Daily Inquirer)”

A portion of the Baclayon Church which, according to locals, shows a miraculous image of Padre Pio... Do you see it? (Bohol, Philippines) | Photo by Niña Terol-Zialcita

The beautiful Philippine province of Bohol was struck this morning, 15 October 2013, by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake that left scores dead and badly damaged a number of government, historical, and tourism structures. One of the most badly hit was Baclayon Church, completed in 1727 and considered one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. Another popular landmark that was destroyed is the viewing deck of the world-famous Chocolate Hills in Carmen, the epicenter of the Bohol quake. It was heartbreaking to see the state of…Continue Reading “In remembrance: 10 Ways Bohol Feeds Your Heart and Soul (Click the City)”

I’m writing about my recent trip to Boracay for the conference called Geeks on a Beach, which I maximized by spending some post-anniversary quality time with my husband, Paul. While the articles themselves are awaiting release, I’m sharing with you here a home video featuring my mostly-Instagrammed photos of Diniwid Beach, the quiet side of Boracay Island. To see more of my photos from that trip, let’s connect at @ninaterol on Instagram! 🙂

"Technology, travel and 'tweet tourism' by Niña Terol-Zialcita, published in Rappler.com

(Published on October 7, 2013 in Rappler.com) MANILA, Philippines – Technology has drastically changed the way people travel. The ubiquity of smartphones and 24/7 connectivity, for instance, has allowed frequent fliers to use websites and mobile apps to book flights and accommodations, keep track of mileage points and other perks, share recommendations and reviews, and post photos in real time. A new conference, the Asia Pacific Tourism, Hospitality and Technology [APTHAT] Conference, aims to shed light on the impact of technology on tourism and hospitality, the…Continue Reading “Technology, travel and ‘tweet tourism’ (Rappler.com)”

Do you live in (or have you recently been to) any of these cities? Reykjavik, Iceland San Francisco, California Malmö, Sweden Vancouver, Canada Portland, Oregon Curitiba, Brazil Copenhagen, Denmark Stockholm, Sweden Hamburg, Germany Bogotá, Colombia In March 2012, a group called the Mother Nature Network named these cities the 10 greenest cities in the world. The cities were chosen for “encompassing all of the positive qualities that make urban living more healthy, pleasant and sensitive to nearby ecosystems.” They were also chosen “based on their use of…Continue Reading “Have you been to any of the World’s 10 Greenest Cities? Tell me more!”

Almost a month ago (and fresh after the grueling campaign!), I and my “writing sisters” from Writer’s Block Philippines joined Lonely Planet guidebook author Greg Bloom in giving a travel writing seminar to guests of Fully Booked Bonifacio High Street . It was great fun sharing our insights from two of the things we love most–writing and traveling–and to be joined by no less than an authority in the field. Here, I’ll share an excerpt of what Fully Booked published in its blog, but for more meaty…Continue Reading “In the News: Top 5 Take-Home Tidbits from the Lonely Planet No More Seminar (Fully Booked)”