While the rainy season is often overlooked when it comes to seeking an adventure, this time of the year also offers plenty of other ways to have fun. Here are some suggestions on embracing heaven's downpour.
1. Travel
According to PAGASA, the Philippines' weather bureau, areas in Western Luzon, which includes Metro Manila and the Visayas will experience wet season (hello rainy days!) from May to October (Source: Rappler). As you know, the country has a 3rd major island, Mindanao which means other parts of the country still offer plenty of sunshine. If you've not yet traveled to this side, for a start, consider visiting Davao City, Siargao, Bukidnon (can be combined with a trip to Cagayan de Oro, where the closest airport is) and Camiguin. These places see plenty of local and foreign tourists, offer plenty of activities for food trip and wide range of accommodation to fit your budget.
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| at Daluyan beach resort in Siargao |
Weather can be unpredictable so it's still best to check before proceeding with your trip. PAGASA expects 11-14 tropical cyclones to enter or form in the country from June to November.
If you enjoy the rain, activities like surfing is best during the rainy season. In Siargao, surfing season is October to May.
2. Play online games
If you prefer to relish the comfort of being indoors and enjoy online games, check out solitaire.org to indulge in their wide offering of ad-free online games. Experience nostalgia by playing Classic Solitaire, a card game, the first one I learned to play as a kid. It's configured with a shuffling card sound that sounds more like clucking but still nice to hear. Similar to the physical game, you can draw by 3 cards or a single card. While browsing the site, I noticed there are other variations of Solitaire too such as Klondike, Spider, Free cell and more!
Apart than Solitaire, there are plenty of others games to try. Just go to the header or scroll further down the main page. Other games I've tried and enjoyed playing is The Palace Hotel, an easy hidden objects game. The background music is relaxing and the difficulty is suited for someone who wants to unwind and not overthink. For an exciting vocabulary challenge, check Online Letter Scramble.
3. Visit a Food Hub
Within Metro Manila, there are plenty of food hubs that offers indoor seating, making it convenient for those who want to savor comfort food on a rainy day.
Gyud Food is a recently opened food hub across the Fine Arts building in UP Diliman, Quezon City. The space both offer indoor and outdoor dining. The space is huge with tables set far apart. The food stalls have a wide variety of offerings from local to international, snacks to filling dishes.
Other options include The Alley by Vikings BGC and Greenfield District which has plenty of restaurants clustered together so it won't be hard to go around even when it's raining.
4. Go to a Museum
Located in Manila, you can find a cluster of government museums that houses important artifacts and works related to the arts and sciences.
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| Inside National Museum of Fine Arts |
The National Museum of Fine Arts, National Museum of Anthropology, and National Museum of Natural History are open Tuesdays to Sundays (except religious holidays) from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with the last entry at 30 minutes before closing. Entrance is free for both local and foreign visitors. Do note that business hours can be cut short due to special events so I recommend getting in touch with them through inquiry@nationalmuseum.gov.ph/ (+632) 8298-1100 or follow them on Instagram, @natmuseumph where they put up their notice.
In case you want to spend the night, there are several accommodations nearby which you can book by getting in touch with the hotel directly or via booking sites.
Other museums include Yuchengco and Ayala Museum in Makati and Art in the Island in Cubao.
5. Read a Book
If you're a book hoarder, take this an opportunity to finish at least one from your pile. For those who are looking for recommendations, there are plenty of lists or online or you can ask for recos through your social media accounts. My recent favorite reads are Almond by Sohn Won-Pyung, The Battle of Marawi by Criselda Yabes and Gideon Lasco's, The Philippines is Not a Small Country.