Vianney Tumala

I was born and raised in Cebu, an island in Central Visayas. Getting into the travel industry was sort of accidental. Seven years ago, I worked as project coordinator for a German NGO operating in Cebu. After the project was completed, the project partners decided to establish a commercial travel company to sustainably continue the development efforts we started, and I was appointed general manager. I easily accepted the role as it involved my first love — travel. I was lucky to have been exposed to traveling at an early age. My grandma would bring me along whenever she went to the city to visit our relatives, and I became fascinated by what I could see, hear and experience in another place. From then on, I did not stop exploring other places. I started a "travelist" (my own version of a bucket list) within the Philippines and other countries. I can say that I have the best job, being able to work for what I am passionate about — community building and travel. The best part is advising other people who want to experience my country.

I specialize in customized tours that involve culture and heritage, adventure (both on land and water-based), glamping, island expeditions, romantic getaways, and other special activities with a touch on community development such as traditional healing in Siquijor, staying in a farm homestay or in a traditional Ifugao hut, or visiting a marine sanctuary island. Contrary to the perception that the only draw to the Philippines is nice beaches, we have many diverse scenic attractions like the ancient rice terraces in Banaue, the Chocolate Hills in Bohol, volcanoes in Taal, Pinatubo and Mayon, the Underground River in Palawan and many more!

My business partner and I were invited to stay on a 43-hectare island off the coast of Negros Occidental. We thought that is was just another beautiful island in the Visayas, but we were amazed to learn about how the local non-profit organization saved it from the proliferation of destructive activities. The once-threatened and overfished area is now a protected sanctuary for both marine and terrestrial life. The best part of the trip was we had the island for ourselves at that time. We trekked around the island to see the calm lagoon, while just 5 steps away was a small cave with a python patiently waiting for any of the bats to be its next meal. When we went back to the main reception area with our outrigger boat, the waters lit up as we were cruising! According to our guide, the light came from the bioluminescent plankton that glows brightly when disturbed. We rose early the following day to witness the stunning sunrise. After breakfast, we went kayaking and snorkeling in another lagoon and found the giant clams and corals with vibrant colors. It was so calm, so quiet, we had the island for ourselves and that made it a unique experience for me.

As one of the locals, I will be able to provide you with the best travel advice for going around the Philippines, including when to go, what to do where, what to explore and more. For the past five years, I have traveled around the Philippines extensively, not only to see what's new around the destinations we offer but also to establish good working relationships with our suppliers to ensure that our guests will be taken care of. We inspect and stay in most of the accommodations we suggest, we try out the excursions before we offer it, and we take the different ways and modes of traveling to provide accurate information to our guests. I can also offer 24 x 7 customer service support throughout the trip if any problem arises.