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Philippine
travel journal
Here are some photos from some of my most
memorable trips
around the Philippines (some kababayans call the country 'Flip' for short).
In and Around Metro Manila: |
Outside Metro Manila: Boracay
Island, Aklan |
For my latest adventure, click here to go to Coron, Palawan.
Travelling in the Philippines is best done in small group of
friends -
and there are a number of good places to go specially
if you're the adventurer type. For me, a local, there's
still so much to discover and enjoy.
Here are only some of the many places to see here.
In and Around Metro Manila
Tagaytay
Tagaytay is one of the more accessible places near the
city.
The view of Taal Lake is good. Incidentally, Taal Yacht Club is a good takeoff point for
sailing.
This is a picture of me and some friends at the Tagaytay Highlands Country Club where they offer world-class amenities like golf courses, swimming pools and Jacuzzis, gourmet meals, not to mention the cable car which lets you in on the spectacular landscape of the place. Back to Top
Enchanted Kingdom, Sta.
Rosa, Laguna
This is a scene from the best theme park in the country - Enchanted Kingdom in
Sta. Rosa, Laguna. It's got rides, a museum, live shows, shops, all done in good taste.
It's like you stepped into Knott's Berry Farm in California. There's a virtual cinema
where you experience all the bumps at breakneck speed without the risk of really breaking
your neck. In the summer, there's an American high-diving team that really has a lot
of showmanship.
Food can't be brought inside though - and
they're strict about this. But the food choices inside the park aren't that bad.
If you stay up to 10:00 at night, you'll see a grand fireworks display. Don't
miss the Space Shuttle.
Back to Top
Corregidor Island, off the coast of Manila Bay
Here's me rappelling 30 feet down from a World War II
hospital ruin on Corregidor island. This historic island was were our former President
Quezon was hid from the Japanese by the Americans and where Filipino-American forces
fought side by side. The whole island is said to be inhabited by ghosts because the once
bustling town was razed to the ground through all the bombings and fighting. (But I didn't
see one though.)
Outside Metro Manila
Cebu, Visayas
Among the 7,100 islands I'm sure you'll find the kind of beach you want over here.
The one I went to in Cebu was quite enjoyable. It's called Hadsan resort. One
could do a bit of snorkeling and relaxing in the sun for very affordable rates.
Back to Top
By far the best beach for visiting which has all the conveniences of home, is Boracay. Many tourists who've visited over the years just didn't want to leave and have made this place their home.
Part of the charm of this white sands paradise is the 7 km. (a leisurely walk) stretch lined with restaurants ranging from native cuisine to French and Indian.
Scuba diving, watersports, nightlife, you name it and Boracay has it. It is also a good place to look up and count the stars at night. Back to Top
Camiguin
Island, Mindanao
It's more fun to get
around using the local transport but you have to be streetsmart. I don't really suggest
you do what some friends of mine did, riding on top of the jeep (of course, this was in
the island).
Laoag, Northern Luzon
This quaint little town is a nice place to visit as a springboard to see great sights
like the Paoay Church which is around 500 years old, or to Batac where former deposed
Pres. Marcos lies refrigerated for all to view, or to visit Fort Ilocandia (to his old
home), and also where you can get a ride to white sands Pagudpod beach. The people
are really nice, yet the town is well-equipped with ATMs and public telephones to ensure a
stress-free vacation. There are also nice beaches nearby, or you can take a trip to
Vigan to see the wonderful old buildings. In Laoag, the best bargains are the nicely
woven blankets (which I got) available in the market. To get to Laoag, take a bus
from the Maria De Leon busline (near UST Espaņa), better to make reservations ahead of
time specially for holidays.
Coron, Palawan
This is a worthwhile place to visit specially for divers and snorkeling enthusiasts.
All it took for me was 5 days. A boat to the island is only P570 (March 2000)
and an airplane ride back to Manila was worth P2,300 (19-seater plane). Coron is on
Busuanga island and the sights are basically accessible through boat/banca so if you get
seasick easily, this is not the place for you. For divers, don't miss the several
wrecks you can explore - Japanese ships sunk during World War 2. For snorkellers
like me, don't miss a chance to go to Twin Peaks, CYC Beach, and if you can swing it, Club
Paradise. You should also visit the pristine lakes (the cleanest in the country),
Lake Cayangan, and Lake Barracuda (this one needs a bit of climbing skills and a sense of
adventure to get to). The water here is Coron struck me as having a color all its
own - a deep aquamarine, hard to describe, simply breathtaking. It's a long trip to
get to by boat (approx. 4 hours) but Calauit is worth it for me. I got to feed a
giraffe in the wilds, touch a Palawan bear cat, endemic to the island, see the mouse deer,
porcupine, python, crocs, impala, zebras and of course, bring lots of mosquito repellent
for the insects here are quite aggressive. Another plus for the island is the
friendly folk who would chat with anyone anytime. I'd recommend Sea Breeze, Sea
Coral and Sea Dive as good accomodations for the trip.
Iligan, Mindanao
This is where the famous Maria Cristina Falls is located, which supplies the whole
town with its power. The best place to go to here is the "Tinago" Falls
(tinago means hidden). This is a beautiful waterfall cascading down to a deep blue
pool (meaning to say it's really really endlessly deep). You can hide behind the
falls in the little cave. The trek down can be a bit ardous for the typical couch
potato but it is worth it many times over.
Sagada, Mt. Province
Up North there is a wonderful place which tourists and locals frequent to get
away from city life. This is Sagada - a place where pollution, crowds, noise and
city hazards have not invaded (yet), and hopefully will never be. One can see many
nature trails, and breathtaking mountainside scenery. There are quaint little inns
like the one we stayed in called St. Joseph's Inn, which are simple, basic, but
clean.
The best things to do - hike, hike, and hike. See the hanging coffins and learn about the early traditions of the natives which they have preserved. Explore the caves like the Sumaging which houses interesting rock formations and crystal-lined walls. I enjoyed the Crystal cave though recently I heard it has been banned from the public due to vandalism, which is a pity.
You can also enjoy a peaceful couple of hours going to the numerous big and small waterfalls although the trek to one can be quite strenuous. The exercise though would do anyone good.
Sorsogon
Donsol, Sorsogon is known for
Whale Shark or "Butanding" watching. During the years before 1998, they
were sighted often in large numbers along its oceans. They are huge creatures, as
big as a banca, friendly to humans and best of all - vegetarian. World Wildlife
Fund, in an effort to stop their being poached put up a program to instead show them to
the world - as a means of livelihood for the small town. This was gaining
popularity in recent years so I decided to group a couple of my friends together and seek
it out.
Unhappily, the weather did not cooperate and our spotter only saw a glimpse of one and we ended up settling for a snorkeling trip instead to the not-so-nearby island of San Miguel. There, we were able to partake of the delicious seafood hosted by our bangkeros who were so sad for us not seeing a butanding.
A trip to Sorsogon, at the moment, is a risky trip to take - due to the 1)expense, 2) current lack of reasonably priced eating places, the 3) lack of things to do and the 4) decreasing possibility of seeing a Butanding or Whale Shark. But hopefully in the future, these things would change to make way for more people to visit. More photos here.
ASIA TOURS
For travel info in and around Asia, Lotus Tours asked me to link to their site.
Maybe you could look them up and see if they're okay. See http://lotusasiatours.com/