The city may not be close to any beach, forest, mountain, or lake where you can cool off, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have summer fun. From impressive museums and relaxing spas to entertaining malls to affordable hotels with bathtub, Quezon City will give you a lot of choices that you and your family will enjoy. Come, rake in that quality time together and stay cool by bringing these summer ideas to life!

Museums: Take in a Little Culture

Seeing objects with beauty and significance that go deep into history is heaven for art-lovers. Paintings, sculptures, photographs, exhibits, and historical lectures are full of insights that please the eye and educate minds. The Quezon Memorial Circle houses a museum at its base where you can find the Presidential Car Museum. You can also find the Quezon City Experience (QCX), a social history museum with 16 interactive galleries. With all the historical information and photo opportunities they offer, you are sure to walk away with new learnings and an artsy Instagram feed. See more at: https://bit.ly/2SEJurT

Indoor Spa: Swim, Steam and Sauna

It’s not necessary to go to the beach just to get some ‘Vitamin Sea’. The Ace Water Spa located in Del Monte Ave, Quezon City, Metro Manila has indoor pools and relaxation spa ready to give you a refreshing water experience! Indulge in their unique Hydrotherapy massage, which uses ultrasonic jet systems that massage your tired and aching muscles. You can also access the spa’s spacious lap pool, hot pool, and herbal pools. And the great news is, they also have kiddie pools where your children can splash and play. Get discounts and vouchers today at: https://bit.ly/2P6ib7M

Mall hopping: Eat, Watch and Play

Are you looking for fun things to do even when the weather gets hot? Stay cool and entertained with these city malls in North Ave, Diliman, Quezon City, Metro Manila:

• SM City North EDSA
• TriNoma
• Ayala Malls Vertis North

Outdoor playgrounds heat up due to metals and rising temperatures. It is much safer to let your kids play indoors where they can also unleash energy, develop physical strength and meet new friends. Let them climb, jump, swing and play with other kids in Kidzoona, Trampoline Parks, and Candy Factory.

On the other hand, if you’re planning for a summer date with your significant other, these three malls have cinemas where you can catch your anticipated movies. Plus, go on a food tour with your whole fam and discover new plates and chefs with the various restaurants these malls have. You can easily hop from one food court to another with a short walking distance! Find discounts here: https://bit.ly/2SFps0k

Hotel Staycation: Frugal and Fun Getaway

Not all members of the family have the time and budget to book air tickets, pack bags, exchange currencies and dash to the airport for a lengthy getaway. How about unwinding in a hotel near you that has various amenities and facilities that you and your family can enjoy to the fullest? Take the Cocoon Boutique Hotel in Quezon City for example. Upon arrival, take a restful slumber in your spacious room. Next up, dip on a bathtub while watching your favorite Netflix show. And then, enjoy cocktails, delicious full meals, resort-like pools and jacuzzi, and even spa and parlor sessions. Enjoy all these relaxing and fun activities all in one place! Reserve a room and check staycation packages here: https://www.thecocoonhotel.com/

You don’t have to spend your entire savings on getaways to enjoy everything summer has to offer. With the highly-urbanized landscape that Quezon City has, you can find places such as museums, spa, malls and hotels with bathtub where you can relax and beat the summer heat. Plan with your loved ones today!

Underwater cameras are costly. GoPro video cameras have become a popular choice for Papua New Guinea divers over the last few years because it’s a lightweight camera that can be used in the deep sea. It also supports Wi-fi, Bluetooth, and even has a tagging and built-in video editing function that makes it easier to process and transfer files in different gadgets. However, not everyone can take home beautiful photos and videos of underwater moments. There are often complaints of white balance issues and lack of colors, and shots that appear moist. However, these issues only need a few GoPro accessories to make the most out of diving in Papua New Guinea. These are the following:

Underwater Dive Housing

The GoPro Hero 3 and Hero 4 are not waterproof at all. Meanwhile, the latest GoPro Hero 5, 6 and 7 are waterproof up to 33 feet. To get extra protection for your GoPro camera from any source of water, external impact, moist, or debris (such as hair, dust and sand), we recommend having a waterproof case. An underwater dive housing will also let you capture fleeting moments even beyond diving 33 feet.

Waterproof GoPro Selfie Stick

In scuba, muck and wreck diving in Papua New Guinea, there are areas that your camera can’t reach because you may disturb the marine ecosystem, shy away critters, or harass and stress out the animals. Thus, to get a better angle to your photos without harming the animals, an adjustable waterproof selfie stick can do the job. With this, you can get wide coverage and stable shots. Plus, you can take candid-looking pictures (or even selfies) with the transparent stick appearing invisible in your photos!

Red Filter

The usual complaint of divers is photos coming out dull. There’s a lack of color and contrast in the images and the water appears greenish instead of blue. To solve this, a red filter can be attached to your GoPro. This will balance the lights and block the reds to bring out brighter but natural-looking shots.

Note: GoPro Hero 6 and 7 don’t need a red filter anymore due to their automatic color correction.

Diving Light

When diving deeper, a red filter may not be enough especially if there is low light. Photos and videos may appear darker. Fortunately, there are diving lights that you can attach to help you capture better photos even in night diving. The diving light will bring out the best possible colors and contrasts in underwater environments and enhance the shots. Remember, any light is better than no light at all in diving.

Camera Tray

There’s a lot of movement underwater. Hence, most shots are shaky and blurry. To make it stable, a camera tray would be convenient. A lightweight and durable two-handed tray will help you take quality photos and videos from your GoPro like a professional. It will also give you more control to fix your camera and lets you attach a diving light.

Protect your GoPro camera, fix bad coloring, get extra light, and take pro-quality pictures with these accessories. Take these with you on your next diving session to Papua New Guinea!

Ola guys and gals!

The back-to-school jitters are now setting in. We hope that you and your barkada have made the most out of your vacations before meeting your school teachers, lessons and examinations. But if not, better yet seize the remaining time and have a quick, fun and refreshing barkada staycation! You can still have a last minute trip with your barkada while dodging expensive tickets, long flights and heavy traffic. How? Just book a hotel near your hometown online!

Hotels in the Philippines have a lot of amenities for you and your barkada. You can dive in their resort-quality pools, watch unlimited movies, workout in their fitness gym, play sports in spacious indoor courts, relax at the spa, and celebrate in party rooms. And can you believe it? You can experience all these world-class facilities and 5-star hotel service without breaking the bank. Yes, many budget-friendly deals are posted online and all you have to do is browse and choose. Once you’ve got everything settled, slip your essentials in your bags. Plus, don’t forget to include the following must-haves for a safer and cheery staycation.

1 Skin Care Products

Don’t get too caught up on packing your OOTDs. Make sure to save some space for your cleanser, toner,  moisturizer, exfoliator and sunscreen, too! Remember, we are already on the half of the year and yet the sun is still still peaking with a vengeance. Protect your skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays and pamper yourselves with your relaxing skin care products. It is vital to keep moisture-balanced skin to prevent issues such as irritating rashes, painful burns and other harmful skin conditions. Wherever you go, it is a must to practice your daily skincare routine.

2 First Aid Kit

We never know when emergencies might happen. It’s better to be prepared than to deal with the unpleasant consequences later. Your primary health kit must include:

• Antiseptic – Easily disinfect your hands to keep bacteria and viruses at bay.
• Medicine – Bring medication for pre-existing conditions. Include painkillers, anti-histamines and anti-diarrhea medications to be sure.
• Sterile dressings or Bandages – In case of wounds and mild scratches, these pads will help with healing and help you get back to enjoying your staycation.
• Scissors and Tweezers – Easily cut out materials and quickly remove annoying splinters.
• Insect Repellent – Whether you’re staying indoors or playing outdoors, opportunistic insects may come your way. Avoid bites and itchy rashes with a handy repellent.

3 Portable Karaoke

The best staycation for your barkada is when you’re in a room, jumping on downed beds, having pillow fights, and singing your hearts out to a breakup or party playlist! Plug and play your karaoke and get ready to jive in music like you are a part of the Glee cast. In case you don’t have one, search on online shopping sites for a karaoke set that fits your budget.

4 Cards/Board Games

Planning to stay up all night in a hotel room with your barkada? Avoid dull moments and feel the night with fun as you play cards and board games. One of the best things about staycations is that there is no baggage limit. Hence, you can bring all the games, and other stuff you want. Put on your game face on, playmate!

Staycations are a great way to bond with your barkada without the hassle of budgeting, exhausting travels and mapping your itinerary.  So, what are you waiting for? Plan for your trip, pack your bags and have fun before the hectic school schedule starts!