Head to the Mountains: Winter vs Summer

The picturesque alpine resorts high above sea level, nestled in the stunning mountain ranges of Europe, aren’t just a skier’s Mecca. They can be enjoyed whatever time of year; your chosen activity is the only thing that changes.

During the summer months, as the snow melts and the lush green mountainsides emerge, head to the Austrian lakes and mountains for some unrivalled landscapes and some of the best walking, hiking trails and cyling. During the summer, Krimml Waterfalls are highly recommended due to the outstanding natural beauty that resides there or, as a family, have a go at canyoning in Mayrhofen. As winter arrives, the Austrian Alps turn into a haven for skiers and snowboarders alike, making the range a very popular spot for all winter sport enthusiasts –a skii holiday in Europe which offers one of the most sought after spots.

For such a small country, the principality of Andorra has a vast array of activities on offer, whatever your interests. In the summertime, you can choose from gentle walks around the traditional villages homing Romanesque churches, or more thrilling hikes and climbs in the Pyrenees. It is also a very popular spot for mountain biking, fishing and horseriding. With dramatic scenery, lush narrow valleys and snowcapped mountain ridges, try and make the most of the gondolas that take you to the top of the mountains during the summer months and admire the breathtaking views. As winter falls, head to Arinsal or Soldeu for some of the best all-round skiing opportunities this area has to offer. 

Equally, Switzerland is also an ideal retreat for those after winter or summer sojourns. Lovers of the great outdoors will be in their element here during the summer, with trails galore for walkers and avid hikers. Head to Interlacken for some thrillseeking delights, with canyoning, rafting and paragliding all on offer for those who dare. The Swiss Alps offer some of the most dramatic slopes for winter adventurers, as well as snowshoeing, husky rides and glacial walking for those who want a change of pace. 

Whatever season you choose, the mountains are waiting to give you a holiday of a lifetime.

-niceurdaneta-

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Visiting Mati For The First Time - Day 1

I've been hearing about the beauty of Mati since my college days and I've been always wanting to visit the place. They are saying that their beaches got very fine white sand and the entire place is completely picturesque.

Dahican Beach

One of my highschool friends KC just finished her hospital internship and she wants to have a summer vacation before she could seriously start her review for the medicine licensure exam this coming August. She wants to visit Mati so she persuaded me and our other highschool friend Dominique to accompany her. At first I planned not to join but then I realized that this would be the perfect time to fulfill my longed Mati visit.

Me and KC at the Facade of Hotel Beatrice

 Mati by the way is the only city in the province of Davao Oriental. It is also the capital. We left Davao City at around 8pm and rode the last trip of the van going to Mati. The van had limited stop-overs so we reached Mati in less than 3 hours. KC's cousin met us in the terminal and drove us to Hotel Beatrice where we stayed for the night. The supposedly rest time turned to be an infinite chit chat because one of our (Me and Dominique) college close friends, Jhepoy visited in the hotel. He's a resident in Mati and he has been inviting me since college years to visit their place. It was the second time for Dominique. 

Even though we slept late, we managed to wake up early and had our early beach hopping. Good thing KC's uncle lent us his car/s that made roaming around much easier. For those who would visit Mati without private vehicles, motorcycles are available for rent.

Inviting Waves

Our first stop is at the famous Dahican Beach. Just look at how beautiful it is. The waves are obviously huge which are great for skim boarding and surfing. Aside from the fact that I can't swim, I'm pretty sure there's no way I can learn to skim nor surf. So I just watched the kids enjoying it.

Skim Boarding

 After Dahican beach, we were looking for a place to stay for the night so we had the what so called "beach front desk hopping". We visited Masao, Gregorio and then finally Jambay. We decided to stay at Jambay and told the managing personnel to reserve one room for us.

Gregorio

Jambay

Masao

 It's almost lunch time and since your Mati visit won't be complete if you're not going to dine at Seaside, Jhepoy who happens to be the son of the owner called the resto and had our grand lunch prepared. For the detailed post of the grand lunch at seaside you may click here. 

After the sumptuous lunch, we went to Mayo, one of the baranggays of Mati and dipped into their cold lagoon. If you do not want to burn yourself to the hot sea water, better visit the Mayo lagoon. 

After several hours of enjoying the cool water, we headed to Jambay. Lucky for us because the tide is already high and the sea water is just so inviting. So we had another round of swimming while watching the beautiful sun to set. We enjoyed the rest of the night singing using the videoke machine while munching our delicious dinner from Seaside.

 That ends the first day of my first ever Mati trip. -niceurdaneta-

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