Discovering Baler - a mapping expedition

April 17-20, 2013
Part 1 of the Baler Series

In modern times, Baler is known as the place in the Philippines where surfing was first introduced as the waves in this town is always favorable for surfing. Sabang beach, the town's longest beach, is on a strategic location. With its concave shape and facing the Pacific Ocean, its topography supplies a continuous opportunity for surfers to enjoy the sea. Aside from the beach and its waves, Baler offers even much more: with stunning rock formations, waterfalls, and a vivid history. Schadow1 Expeditions went there during a long summer weekend to enjoy it and map it.

Travel Essentials Guide for the Philippines

There are two prominent travel seasons in the Philippines. First is during the time when the Catholic majority of the Philippines commemorate the Holy Week which happens sometime between mid-March to mid-April depending on the Roman Catholic calendar and secondly during first week of November in observance of another event from the same religion. Aside from professing their faith, most of these dates are non-working holidays which gives an ample time for the country's busy workforce to travel longer distances. Here is a one-stop, comprehensive guide to help Philippine travelers on their adventure trips on having a stress-free wandering vacation.

The Search for Serenity - Seven Unspoilt Beaches in the Philippines

Last year, the Philippines reached 38 degrees Celsius. So far it was one of the hottest temperature ever recorded in the country. It is a bad idea to stay at home. Even worse if you would get suffocated to populated areas. Good thing, the Philippines has over 33,000 kilometers of shoreline. Choose a few kilometers of it to relax and meditate. Soothe yourselves with turquoise seas, the smell of sea water brought along by the wind and have your feet touch the powdery unspoilt sand, whether it be white, gold, pink, gray, and black. You name it. Here are few of the remote beaches in the Philippines we have been to. The farther you get, the better. And the adventure to get to it is as rewarding as reaching it!

20 years of Philippine Internet and The Birth of Crowdsourcing

The Philippines celebrates the 20th year of the existence of internet in the country. It has revolutionized communications in the country and opened up the minds of our countrymen that a foreign country is not totally heaven after all; and our country has much more to offer. It also has opened up virtual societies which literally turned the world small and much information is accessible with just a click of a button right inside your home. As for myself, the essence of the internet is when it led to the birth of crowdsourcing.

New Elevation Contour Map of the Philippines

Schadow1 Expeditions has recently rolled out the newest elevation contour map of the Philippines to which the data is based on two recent missions. One is from NASA's Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) last 2000 and the joint NASA and METI Aster Global Digital Elevation Map mission last 2011. Using both data has further improved the existing GroundTruth map based on SRTM data; therefore fixing even the artifacts and blanks which is present on most peaks and mountainous regions in the Philippines.