Cebu's artists, local vocal and proud, recorded a new song titled Matahum nga Cebu...it means Beautiful Cebu! Proud to be Cebuano!
Showing posts with label the Philippines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the Philippines. Show all posts
Friday, August 19, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
The Philippines: BANTAYAN IS., Cebu Summer Fun
Cebu is an island in the Central Visayas. It is dubbed as the "Queen City of the South", being in the southern part of the archipelago. But why queen? See for yourself...
Cebu Summer Fun Part 3: Tabuelan
Cebu Summer Fun Part 4: Barili and Mantayupan Falls
Cebu Summer Fun Part 5: Moalboal
Cebu Summer Fun Part 4: Barili and Mantayupan Falls
Cebu Summer Fun Part 5: Moalboal
Bantayan Island
Northern Cebu
Bantayan Island is Cebu's beach paradise in the north. The island is very picturesque, from sunrise to sunsets, sea, sand and island life.
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| map courtesy of philippinemaps.ph |
The island has three towns: Bantayan, Madridejos and Santa Fe.
Part of Madridejos faces the west and has the best sunset. It is 20-30 minutes away from the resorts in Sta. Fe.
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Perfect sunset at Madridejos, Bantayan, Cebu
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Bantayan town is the trading place of the island, it is where the famous dried fish and squid can be bought at low prices. It is also where the island's cathedral and local government centers are.
The beaches in Sta. Fe boast of fine sandy shorelines, peaceful and simple life. If you want quiet, peace, relaxed nightlife, this place is the best respite away from the city. If Madridejos has the sunset, Sta. Fe has the sunrise... beautiful sight that greets you in the morning! It's breathtaking and something you don't see in the city.
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| Breathtaking sunrise in Sta. Fe, Bantayan |
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| that's the sand i'm talking about! |
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| What can I say? They love the SUN! |
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| It's a holiday! Sun, sand and sea! |
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| Pearly shells |
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| Sugar Beach - so called because of its powdery white sands Bantayan, Cebu |
And to cap off our day (or night!), the moon rose out of the horizon...amazing! How cool is that! You don't get to see the moon rise that often...
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| "MOONRISE" Photo courtesy of good friend H.Port |
To make the most of your vacation, catch the earliest bus out from Cebu City at 530am to Hagnaya Wharf, sail out at 830am on board the ferry boat from Hagnaya to Bantayan Island, and you'll be in paradise at 10am!
Relax in Cebu's Bantayan Island... it's like a muted Boracay.
Relax in Cebu's Bantayan Island... it's like a muted Boracay.
How much does an affordable Bantayan Island get-away cost? A two-day vacation will cost only around USD130 (no airfare, all land trips).
1. Plane fare to Cebu - depends on place of origin
2. Land transportation (USD11 one-way or USD22 round trip)
a. Taxi from airport to North Bus Terminal near SM (USD5)
b. Aircon (comfortable) bus from terminal to Hagnaya wharf in Daanbantayan (USD2.50) runs every
hour starting 530am until 230pm (except 930am)
c. Hagnaya to Bantayan island, onboard ferry boat (USD3.50) sails starting 5am
3. Hotel/resort accommodation (aircon) - USD30- USD50/night
4. Meals - an average meal would cost USD4.5 so a full day's meal will be around USD13.50
5. Land transportation within the island - motorcyle/motorcycle with sidecar/public transportation (USD10/day); however most resorts have their own service vans for guests, which may be arranged.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
The Philippines: CEBU Summer Fun
The Philippines is composed of three major islands: Luzon (on the north), Visayas (in the center), and Mindanao (on the south).
Cebu is an island in the Central Visayas. It is dubbed as the "Queen City of the South", being in the southern part of the archipelago. But why queen? See for yourself...
Cebu is an island in the Central Visayas. It is dubbed as the "Queen City of the South", being in the southern part of the archipelago. But why queen? See for yourself...
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| map courtesy of philippinemaps.ph |
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| Perfect sunset at Madridejos, Bantayan, Cebu (northernmost part of Cebu) |
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| Sugar Beach - so called because of its powdery white sands Bantayan, Cebu
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| Sunset in Poro, Camotes Island (see the arrow pointing to a group of islands east of Cebu) |
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| Lake Danao, Camotes Island |
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| Mantayupan Falls, Barili (see the first arrow pointing to southwest of Cebu) |
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| Alegria, Cebu (see the second arrow pointing to southwest of Cebu) |
Friday, February 4, 2011
The Philippines: TARLAC, gateway to MT. PINATUBO
"The adventures on board
the 4x4 vehicle, through lahar lands and lahar-covered mountains, the trek to
the crater lake is an adventure by itself. It brings about a realization
of how small we are in this world, how much powerful nature is and how God is bringing
all things into place and into proper balance. I can truly and proudly
say this is THE highlight of my travels, so far, in or outside the
Philippines. We appreciate a lot of things we see abroad but this
is one work of nature I am really blessed to see in my lifetime, and in
my own land at that!"
Who would have thought
that two decades ago, in 1991, Mt. Pinatubo destroyed people, crops,
and properties?
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| Photos of the eruption in 1991 (web photos) |
Who would have thought
that a thing of natural beauty caused so much destruction? Or on the other
hand, who would have thought such destruction could turn into this serene,
peaceful and breathtaking mysterious beauty?
This is the view from
the crater of Mt. Pinatubo, an active volcano taking its majestic place in the
borders of the provinces of Tarlac, Pampanga and Zambales.
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| map courtesy of http://www.camperspoint.com |
Mount Pinatubo is most
accessible from Tarlac. Our trip started at the Sta. Juliana Tourism
Office in Tarlac, crossed town borders and ended up in Zambales where the
volcano is nature at its best while asleep.
From the tourism office,
we rode a 4x4 vehicle across lahar land and steep mountain climbs up to the
point where the trek to the crater lake starts. The bumpy ride would have
been for a little more than an hour had our vehicle not stalled...on an uphill
steep climb at that! But our very efficient driver remained calm and our
rescue vehicle arrived in less than 30minutes. These things happen and
our vehicle, driver and guide were all capable and ready for such incidents.
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| Sights going to the foot of the volcano |
There's a space on the
way to the trek that is called the "skyway". This was cleared
for vehicles to pass through and therefore shortened the way to the volcano.
Before the skyway, trekkers had to spend overnight in the mountains
before they reach Mt. Pinatubo.
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We reached the foot of
the volcano, where the trek starts. The trek takes 15-45minutes,
depending on one's fitness, stamina and physical capability.. this is where I appreciated the tourist guide so much. The tourist guide waited for me, brought my things, and made me feel at ease with the silence of the
nature around me. It is advisable to pick a walking stick along the way;
it is very useful going to and coming back so don't leave your stick until you
come back to the start of the trek.
I was last in our group
to reach the crater lake, after a lot of panting and heavy breathing! On
the way to the top, I really thought of going back but was glad I didn't coz
the view of the crater lake is one you see only once in a lifetime (well at
least for me, coz I don't think I can make the trek again!), a trip that I won't ever regret making, one that I'll always remember, one that I will
never tire of telling about....
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When we arrived at the
crater lake, we took some photos, breathe in the natural air, and ate the
sumptuous lunch we brought with us. This is one place you feel very
peaceful and far from the worries of day-to-day living. The water in this
side of the volcano is cool and can be bathe in. Kids can have a swim but
just don't allow them to go towards the middle - even the guides don't know how
deep the water is! One can ride a banca to the other end of the crater -
that side is hot enough to boil an egg in! Wow!
After three hours of
communing with nature, we decided it was time to head back down. Going
back down to the start of the trek, the way is more familiar therefore easier,
though harder on the knees. Along the way, we passed by a spring... the
water from the spring is cold and so refreshing and of course, natural...it's
the best water I've ever tasted!
Again I say "The adventures on board
the 4x4 vehicle, through lahar lands and lahar-covered mountains, the trek to
the crater lake is an adventure by itself. It brings about a realization
of how small we are in this world, how much powerful nature is and how God is
bringing all things into place and into proper balance. I can truly and
proudly say this is THE highlight of my travels, so far, in or outside the Philippines.
We appreciate a lot of things we see abroad but this is one work of nature I am
really blessed to see in my lifetime, and in my own land at that!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
How to get to Mt.
Pinatubo and how much will it cost?
1. From Manila,
ride the bus going to Capas, Tarlac. This will take around 2-3 hours and
will cost USD3 per person.
2. From the
intersection in Capas, Tarlac, the ride to the tourism office takes almost an
hour and cost us an additional USD22 for one service vehicle carrying six of
us. We paid the additional to the tour package we got in #3.
3. Our tour
package was from Wendell Mercado (contact numbers +639196084313
and +639323616249), at these rates (1USD=Php45): USD83 for one 4x4 vehicle,
USD11 for one guide per vehicle, USD11 for skyway toll fee per vehicle and USD1
per person for conservation fee.
The 4x4 vehicle seats
4-5 persons. If you are in a group of 5, you need to spend only USD22 for
an exciting, exhilarating and rewarding experience!
(Computation of
USD22: vehicle rental USD83+guide USD11+toll fee USD11= USD105 divided by
persons = USD21 + conservation fee USD1 = USD22 per person.)
Foreigners pay an
additional USD11 per person.
How many hours do you
need to get to Mt. Pinatubo and back?
3 hours from Manila to
Tarlac
1 hour from Capas,
Tarlac to the Sta. Juliana Tourism Office, where all tourists have to register
(tour starts)
1 hour from the tourism
office to the trek (give 30minutes allowance for photo-ops)
15-45minutes trek to the
crater
2-3 hours Nature trip at
the crater lake
30 minutes going back
down
1 hour going back to the
tourism office
(tour ends)
On your next vacation,
include Mt. Pinatubo in your itinerary... you will not regret doing so!
Next stop is the
Pinatubo Spa Town, where all our body aches were given a royal treatment!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
The Philippines: ILOCOS SUR, Heritage City of Vigan (Part 2)
Our three of four stops in Vigan City were Bantay Bell Tower, Baluarte and Grandpa's Inn.
Vigan is the hometown of the 6th Philippine president, Elpidio Quirino, born in 1890 (and if the calesa or horse-drawn-carriage driver is to be believed) inside the provincial jail where his father was working as a warden.
Vigan is also home to Fr. Jose Burgos, one of three priests martyred during the Spanish era, due to charges of mutiny in 1872. The three priests were collectively known as GOMBURZA: Gomez, Burgos and Zamora.
The main church in Vigan is St. Paul's Metropolitan Cathedral: above the church doorway is an alcove depicting the conversion of St. Paul. Unfortunately, due to politics, the church is tainted with the blood of a politician who was gunned down inside the cathedral.
Historic Town of Vigan (Destination 4 of 4)
UNESCO World Heritage Site
"Established in the 16th century, Vigan is the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia. Its architecture reflects the coming together of cultural elements from elsewhere in the Philippines, from China and from Europe, resulting in a culture and townscape that have no parallel anywhere in East and South-East Asia." (UNESCO)
This "town" is reminiscent of Spanish times and is perfect for time travel adventures. The streets have brick tiles, structures are made of wood and antique shops, selling antique wares and souvenirs, line the streets. Some parts are still well-preserved, while maintenance in other parts are somewhat lacking and will have to be improved to continue the preservation of a heritage. There is no other part of the country like this...old, peaceful, simple, quaint, inspiring and charming.
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| Calle Crisologo |
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| Antique Shop |
Part 1 of the Ilocos Sur trip can be read here.
COSTS TO VISIT VIGAN
In Vigan City, the tourist spots are free of charge. One only needs to spend for transportation, food and accommodation.
For transportation, one can go around the tourist places on calesas or horse-drawn carriages for USD3.50 per hour or ride any public vehicle like tricycles or ride a rented van.
For sumptuous Ilocano food, average cost of meals range from USD10-20 per person.
For accommodation, a night would cost around USD50 a night for double occupancy.
Fall in love with Vigan...
Monday, January 24, 2011
The Philippines: ILOCOS SUR, Heritage City of Vigan (Part 1)
Ilocos Sur ("sur" means south) is located south of Ilocos Norte. The main tourist attraction is the heritage city of Ilocos Sur which can be toured in one day.
Getting around. A calesa (horse-driven carriage) can take one around the heritage city for USD3.5 per hour IF and ONLY IF you did not rent a van for the trip. The calesa will take one around the heritage city - Baluarte, bell tower, clay making, etc. But again, if you rented a van, the van can take you around these same places.
Bantay Bell Tower (Destination 1 of 4)
An old structure in the St. Augustine's Parish Church compound...one can see Ilocos Sur skyline from the bellfry.
Chavit Singson's BALUARTE (Destination 2 of 4)
Open 7am-6pm
"Where animals graze freely and wander around with the humans" - this is one rare sight in the Philippines. A zoo, by itself is a rare thing in this country, much more a zoo with animals that roam together with humans! And what's more, entrance and rides are free! Of course there's a donation box, but nobody is watching if you put in donation or not. In the Philippines, this is impressive.
True to its by-line in their website, Baluarte is "Not just a zoo, Baluarte is an interactive wildlife sanctuary and facility". There are shows scheduled all throughout the day and if one is lucky or can wait for the schedule, one can also watch them for free.
One can ride the "tiburin", a small-horse-drawn carriage and camel for free.
One can take pictures with these white and colorful birds for free! Better try this out in Baluarte...in Jurong Bird Park in Singapore, posing with even smaller birds costs $5!
The deers in the place are allowed to roam around like dogs. Imagine yourself in the streets along with some stray dog, that's the scene in Baluarte, really cute! A deer would come near you and check you out by sniffing, like dogs do!
Modesty aside, we've been to zoos in Singapore, Bangkok and Hongkong with an impressive number of animals in custody but it was only in Baluarte that the experience was "interactive" and for free. If only for this, Baluarte is worth the trip!
Grandpa's Inn (Destination 3 of 4)
We had our lunch at Grandpa's Inn, one of the many old brick houses within the heritage city, that is both an inn and a restaurant. The furnitures and fixtures are really antique and with a little imagination, one can be transported back centuries ago.
In the next post is our visit to the UNESCO World Heritage site in Vigan...
Getting around. A calesa (horse-driven carriage) can take one around the heritage city for USD3.5 per hour IF and ONLY IF you did not rent a van for the trip. The calesa will take one around the heritage city - Baluarte, bell tower, clay making, etc. But again, if you rented a van, the van can take you around these same places.
Bantay Bell Tower (Destination 1 of 4)
An old structure in the St. Augustine's Parish Church compound...one can see Ilocos Sur skyline from the bellfry.
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| Bantay bell tower in the background |
Chavit Singson's BALUARTE (Destination 2 of 4)
Open 7am-6pm
"Where animals graze freely and wander around with the humans" - this is one rare sight in the Philippines. A zoo, by itself is a rare thing in this country, much more a zoo with animals that roam together with humans! And what's more, entrance and rides are free! Of course there's a donation box, but nobody is watching if you put in donation or not. In the Philippines, this is impressive.
True to its by-line in their website, Baluarte is "Not just a zoo, Baluarte is an interactive wildlife sanctuary and facility". There are shows scheduled all throughout the day and if one is lucky or can wait for the schedule, one can also watch them for free.
One can ride the "tiburin", a small-horse-drawn carriage and camel for free.
One can take pictures with these white and colorful birds for free! Better try this out in Baluarte...in Jurong Bird Park in Singapore, posing with even smaller birds costs $5!
The deers in the place are allowed to roam around like dogs. Imagine yourself in the streets along with some stray dog, that's the scene in Baluarte, really cute! A deer would come near you and check you out by sniffing, like dogs do!
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| ostriches, tiburins and deers graze freely |
Grandpa's Inn (Destination 3 of 4)
We had our lunch at Grandpa's Inn, one of the many old brick houses within the heritage city, that is both an inn and a restaurant. The furnitures and fixtures are really antique and with a little imagination, one can be transported back centuries ago.
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| upstairs receiving area |
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| room accommodation |
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| restaurant |
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
The Philippines: 15 regular and special holidays in 2011
To help you plan your vacation in 2011, here are the holidays in the Philippines for the year 2011, per Proclamation No. 84, signed by President Aquino.
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| Skimboarding in Argao, Cebu, Philippines |
The following regular holidays and special holidays for 2011 shall be observed in the Philippines:
Regular Holidays
- New Year’s Day – January 1 (Saturday)
- Araw ng Kagitingan – April 9 (Saturday)
- Maundy Thursday – April 21
- Good Friday – April 22
- Labor Day – May 1 (Sunday)
- Independence Day – June 12 (Sunday)
- National Heroes Day – August 29 (Last Monday of August)
- Bonifacio Day – November 30 (Wednesday)
- Christmas Day – December 25 (Sunday)
- Rizal Day – December 30 (Friday)
Special (Non-Working) Days
- Ninoy Aquino Day – August 21 (Sunday)
- All Saints Day – November 1 (Tuesday)
- Last Day of the Year – December 31 (Saturday)
Special Holiday (for all schools)
- EDSA Revolution Anniversary – February 25 (Friday)
In addition to above, Islamic holidays Eid’l Fitr and Eidul Adha shall be observed according to Islamic or lunar calendar.
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