We had an absolute blast during our 2016 Asian Tour which saw us go to three locations in the Philippines archipelago including Liliw Laguna, Boracay Island and La Union. BikiniTeam models Tyler Suess, Pashence Marie, Heather Widle and Jenise Lebron enjoyed non-stop action as you can see in this video highlight reel from the trip.

We cannot overstate it enough, the 2016 Asian Tour was one of the best events we have had in recent years. Our main purpose for the tour was to showcase amazing models and have them published, not only on our own websites and social media channels but in a variety of other publications. Mission accomplished.

The tour began with the arrival of the models and crew into Manila. Photographer and BikiniTeam Co-Founder John Neyrot along with Chuck Owens were the first to arrive. Models Jenise Lebron, Pashence Marie, Heather Widle and BikiniTeamTV host Tyler Suess all came a few days later. Being that it was the first time in the Philippines for them, they were in for quite a treat. BikiniTeam Co-Founder Tommy Abrahamsen has been living there for some time now and became the host and tour guide while the group was there. First thing on the agenda was to convince everyone to try a local favorite treat, balut. Kudos to John for being the only one brave enough to try it.

First stop on the tour would be Liliw Laguna. It’s a secluded provincial location a few hours outside of Manila with some awesome scenery. The group stayed at a Balinese villa that was perfect in every way. The traditional architecture and interior decorations of this place was just right for creating magic. Local Filipino photographer Jay Tablante and his producer Carlo Ocampo were along for this leg of the tour. Jay brought his unique flair and use of natural lighting to photograph the girls. The end result was nothing short of spectacular. Each day started out with hair and makeup provided by model Heather Widle, owner of Doll Faced Makeup by Heather. Next, the girls selected their swimwear and accessories provided by our awesome sponsors. John and Jay used every inch of the property to capture some memorable looks for each of the girls. At the end of the day, the group dined together enjoying some traditional Filipino foods and sharing some great conversation and laughs along the way.

The next stop took us to Boracay Island. This spot is a popular tourist location for travelers from around the world primarily due to its white sand beach being named one of the best in the world. We couldn’t agree more. After checking in to the 3-story villa over looking the bay, it was time to explore the island. No taxis here. Only the traditional colorful motorcycle with a side car. What better way to experience the island? The group made their way to White Sand beach in the heart of Boracay. The powder white sand and cool blue water made for a perfect place to capture the ladies in a way that only photographer John Neyrot could. Not only did the girls get to play and work on this amazing beach, but the group also got the opportunity to scuba dive thanks to our friends at New Wave Divers. Lynette owns the best dive shop on the island! Taking a break from from the modeling, the girls jumped at the opportunity for some free time to go up, up and away with some parasailing. Once again the group enjoyed an evening on the beach dining al fresco sharing food, drinks and stories about the day’s events. Only a few hours rest then off to the other side of the island to shoot some really cool looks at the rocky cliffs along the shoreline.

The final leg of the tour ended on the beach in La Union where the group stayed at a local resort. Jay recruited a few Filipina models to come along and join in on the fun. Elaine De Los Santos and Cherry Kubota added some local flavor to group. The beach was filled with locals wanting to watch the models at work since it was such a rare event there. There were a few of the traditional Jeepneys at the resort. These colorful vehicles made for a unique backdrop for some photos that you can only get in the Philippines. After a day of capturing the models at their best it was time to wind down and enjoy some great food and cold drinks at the local restaurant. While the group spent a short time at this location, it provided some really cool video footage and awesome images of the girls and even more memorable experiences.

Once the tour ended for the models, the work began for the crew to start the editing process. Many hours were spent going through thousands of images and hours of video footage to find the best the models had to offer. A job well worth the effort. After all, in addition to creating a memorable experience for everyone, the goal is to submit the models for publication around the world.

We would not have the opportunity to create these amazing and memorable experiences without the help of our awesome sponsors. They provided everything including swimwear, jewelry, accessories and sunglasses. All of which were gifted to the models and crew.

A very special “Thank You” from everyone at BikiniTeam to each of the amazing Asian Tour 2016 sponsors:

Asian Tour 2016 Sponsors

Heather Widle Photographed by John Neyrot Published in Kandy Magazine

Jenise Lebron Photographed by John Neyrot Published in Kandy Magazine

Tyler Suess Photographed by Jay Tablante Published in UNO Guam Magazine