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Kumusta ka? I’m Claudia Rodríguez, co-founder of Travel Around the Philippines and Viajar por Filipinas.
I’ve been part of the “old school” travel blogging world for years. Back in 2010, when there was still very little information online about the country, I launched my first blog, Mabuhay Filipinas, where I shared my stories about living in the Philippines.
After a few years working in an office in Madrid, where I put my degrees in Business Administration and Law to use, I decided to follow my real passion: travel. In 2014, I bought a one-way ticket and created another travel blog, Solo Ida, a project that helped shape the path I still follow today.
I started travelling the world on my own and soon realised that the one year I had planned was not going to be enough. So I found a way to make it sustainable by working online while I travelled. That’s how I became a professional travel blogger and SEO specialist, working for companies such as Skyscanner, LATAM Airlines and IATI Seguros.
Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to travel independently through more than 70 countries, but, as you can probably guess, the Philippines is my favourite. I’ve lived in one of Manila’s typical condominiums, explored the country from north to south on my own, with friends and with family, and it was also here that I met the man who is now my husband and the other half of Travel Around the Philippines.
The idea of creating an independent, honest, easy-to-read and up-to-date website about the archipelago came shortly after our paths crossed. Today, after many seasons spent travelling around the country, I can say that I’m a Philippines travel specialist.
We work every day to offer you the best possible content about the Philippines, not only about the places that are already popular with travellers, but also about lesser-known corners we explore ourselves. We constantly update our guides and love helping travellers plan better trips, whether by sharing practical advice, route ideas or trusted local contacts.
I love diving — I actually started diving in the Philippines — I’m obsessed with Google Maps, especially when looking for good food, and I can travel with just 3 or 4 kilos of clothes.
Expertise: Philippines, Independent Travel, SEO, Travel Content, Social Media.
How to get to La Unión? As we tell you in Things to do in La Union, this is one of the surf meccas in the Philippines. This province located north of Manila, on the island of Luzon, is one of the typical weekend getaways for Manila residents, as it is accessible by...
Things to do in La Union? That’s exactly what we asked ourselves when we found this little spot on the archipelago’s map. La Unión wasn’t the goal in many of our first trips around the Philippines. However, when we saw more and more intrepid travelers heading to this...
As we told you in Where to swim with whale sharks in the Philippines, Pintuyan is our favorite place to do it. Selfishly, it’s the one that gives you a more incredible experience, since it’s very likely you’ll be alone with it in the water, but also swimming with the...
Surfing in the Philippines? Anywhere and anytime! The archipelago is washed by the Pacific Ocean to the east and the South China Sea to the west, making the possibilities of practicing this sport almost endless. The islands are affected by monsoon winds and typhoons,...
Where to stay in Coron? The number of hotels ihere has been growing in line with the number of travelers who decide to visit this paradise in the Philippines. There are many things to do in Coron! Therefore, you won’t have trouble finding all kinds of places to stay...
Many trips to the Philippines start at Manila airport. It has plenty of international flights at good prices, so most travelers pass through at some point. On arrival, you’ll likely be a bit tired and have some jet lag, so it won’t be unusual to want to get to the...
What are the best dives in the Philippines? As you know, we’re absolutely in love with scuba diving. In fact, we actually cut our teeth in the diving world right here in this archipelago. In Diving in the Philippines we give you a detailed rundown of the best bases to...
Accommodation is an important part of any journey around the Philippines, but—believe us—where to stay in Batad is one of the key factors in enjoying this trip through the mountains of Luzon. People come to Batad to gaze at that natural amphitheater of rice terraces...
You might be wondering what are the best things do in Sibaltan because, despite being just under an hour from one of the most touristy places in the Philippines (El Nido), the truth is you hardly hear about this destination. However, we fell head over heels for its...