travel planning Archives > Bon-Bon Voyage

A tiny Island of two nations – St. Marteen/ St. Martin

BonBon June 24, 2017 17 Comments

St. Marteen/ St. Martin is a unique island in the Netherlands Antilles in the Caribbean. The island is shared with the Dutch side in the South and the French side in the North. We got a last minute opportunity to stay on this beautiful island for a week recently. My hubby got given short notice of a business trip to the island and the rest of us jumped at the chance of going too. It was one of those trips where you have nothing planned and no agenda but have an amazing time and get to see a lot of new things. You know, sometimes unplanned adventures can be some of the best ones.

The island is no doubt a perfect place for families with kids. We love destinations that have gorgeous resorts but also have tons of things to see and do outside the resort. We travel to see new things/ places but bottom line we wanted to introduce the kids to a new culture, try new food, make new friends and experience a different way of life. So, we decided to stay 3 nights on the Dutch side and 3 nights on the French side to see what both sides can offer.

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Puerto Rico, Your All-Star Island

BonBon March 29, 2017 35 Comments

It took 11 years since we moved to the US for my husband and me to visit this island. It used to be on the top of our US places to visit list but since there are so many islands in the Caribbean to visit we thought… Puerto Rico can wait. Oh boy… little did we know that we were missing so much and if we had known better then we have flown there the moment we had the chance.

I am from the Philippines, a beautiful tropical island while my husband originates from Cape Town, one of the most charming cities on earth so you should figure out that yes, we would know what a perfect travel destination looks like. In that regard, we have to say that yes… Puerto Rico definitely counts as one…

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Scenic Drive on the French Riviera

BonBon June 14, 2016 27 Comments

One of the most scenic drives in the world is in the South of France. I knew my husband would love this drive but I wasn’t so sure if it was a good idea since I know what it can be like to drive in a foreign country without knowing the local roads and traffic. So, I didn’t bother to book a car nor book any tours in advance. This recent trip we took was with just me and my husband; the first time we’ve spend time away from the kids in their lives. My idea was to be spontaneous; aside from being busy the past months before the trip, I was also thinking to take this vacation slow – no schedules, no planned itinerary, and no tours.

We spent the first 3 days of our trip in Cannes for the Film Festival and see a little bit of Nice. We then decided to take a drive through the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region. It has a lot of similarity with the scenery in Madeira, Portugal and Cape Town, South Africa where my husband is from. He enjoyed cruising around in a convertible with the top down 🙂 Indeed, a must-do if you visit this corner of the world.

Here are few of the photos we took along the way. Hope this will inspire you to visit the French Riviera. Buzz me to help you plan your adventure. xoxo

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African Safari with Children

BonBon February 23, 2016 19 Comments

You might be one of those parents who really want go on an African Safari but you have young kids and wonder if it’s the right time to tag them along for many reasons. Well, here’s my take on this issue.

An African Safari is probably on your bucket list and it SHOULD be because it is a very thrilling and exciting journey. Most parents concerns are over the safety of their children and yes, it should be any parent’s priority but honestly, the biggest threat is not brute force injury from the big animals or violent people… it’s the diseases spread by the likes of mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks. So, gear yourself up with knowledge on to how to protect your family. Talk to your doctor or pediatrician about your travel plan to help you determine what vaccines or medications you need before your trip and call a travel professional for latest updates and travel advisories on the issue. For now, my suggestion is to go to a safer region like the South Africa’s Eastern Cape (www.healthmap.orgwww.healthmap.org which is a good source to see the alerts for any disease).

Cape Town is your best option.

The most iconic land mark in South Africa, Table Mountain — **The most iconic landmark in South Africa, Table Mountain**

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Reflecting on 2015

BonBon January 13, 2016 8 Comments

2015 was an awesome year for my family. We accomplished so many things as a family together and individually. As the year ended, we all tend to reflect on those precious moments we’ve had either by ourselves or with family, friends and even strangers.

To me, 2015 was a long personal journey; much of the focus was on self-improvement and self-development. As many people know, I have been a stay at home mom for 7 years and by far it has been the best decision I have ever took as a mother. But time has passed by so quick and my kids are growing up and they are starting to love going to school more than staying home with me. Well… it’s time to let go of them …. just a little bit:) I finally found some free time and made 2015 pretty much about ME and my goals 🙂

But before I even mentioned those personal “aha!” moments and those self-accomplishments; I wanted to give a special shout out to my dear husband, Paul. I couldn’t have done all the things I have accomplished without his support. He was there cheering me on every step of the way. Thank you, Babe, I promise 2016 will be another awesome year… even better than the last.

My husband showing the kids the view... Main Tower, Frankfurt Germany — **My husband showing the kids the view… Main Tower, Frankfurt Germany**

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End of Summer Vacation

BonBon September 8, 2015 16 Comments

One peaceful morning at Sonestra Resort — **One peaceful morning at Sonesta Resort**

There is no secret on when is the best time to travel; timing and information are the keys. We all know peak season is the summer months. Most families with school-going kids are planning getaways in summer and all are looking at the same destinations. Many families in this situation will feel their choices are limited and the best advice is try book your vacation far in advance and hope everyone will have a great time.

The beach is a popular destination during summer and as expected you will be looking at crowded beaches, theme parks, restaurants with unfortunately costly accommodation, plane tickets, transfers and tours. However, if you have the option to delay the vacation to the shoulder seasons (typically when school is out in your state but other states not) you might be in for a good treat. We did!!!

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