Mayon Volcano

posted under Philippine Natural Wonders by Philippine Destination

Mayon Volcano is an active volcano in the Philippines on the island of Luzon, in the province of Albay in the Bicol Region. Its almost perfectly-shaped cone is considered by some to be the Philippine equivalent of Mount Fuji in Japan.The volcano is situated 15 kilometres northwest of Legazpi City.

Mayon is classified by volcanologists as a stratovolcano. Its symmetric cone was formed through alternate pyroclastic and lava flows. Mayon is the most active volcano in the country, having erupted over 50 times in the past 400 years.

It is located between the Eurasian and the Philippine Plate, at a convergent plate boundary: where a continental plate meets an oceanic plate, the lighter continental plate overrides the oceanic plate, forcing it down; magma is formed where the rock melts. Like other volcanoes located around the rim of the Pacific Ocean, Mayon is a part of the "Pacific Ring of Fire".

Source: wikipedia, flickr & byahilo.com

Banaue Rice Terraces

posted under Philippine Natural Wonders by Philippine Destination

Dubbed as the "Eight Wonder of the World," the Banaue Rice Terraces start from the base of the mountain range and reach up to several thousand feet high. It is said that their length, put end to end, would encircle half of the globe.

Made 2,000 years ago, these rice terraces manifest the engineering skill and ingenuity of the sturdy Ifugaos. Streams and springs found in the mountains were tapped and channeled into irrigation canals that run downhill through the rice terraces.

source: WOW Philippines & Flickr

Hundred Islands

posted under Philippine Natural Wonders by Philippine Destination

Sparkling like diamonds, the waters glisten as the sun’s golden rays touch the pristine sea. Delightful in one’s eyes is the powdery blue sky casting a bright gleam beneath. The spread of white sand shimmers against the stream that changes hue—from emerald green to turquoise and azure—as the briny deep goes unfathomable.A stroll along the beach ends up with a dip into the soothing warm waters. Colorful tropical fish glide in somewhat orchestrated manner among a many coral gardens. Out of the water, discovery envelopes that it is not only one isle but a throng of numerous islands ambling along each other.

The count, even greater (actually 124 at low tide and 123 at high tide), sums up the grouping of isles scattered incidentally along Lingayen Gulf, many of which are still unexplored.Covering an area of 1,844 hectares, the islands are believed to be some two million years old. According to certain folklore, the islands were tears of a primeval giant who lost his ladylove. Others tell of tall-tale of mermaids that once inhabited its seas.

source: alaminoscity.gov.ph

Christmas Symbols Capital

posted under Philippine Festivals by Philippine Destination

Christmas time in Tangub is always celebrated with the one-of-a-kind display of indigenous and low-cost giant Christmas Symbols at the city plaza and highway barangays for competition. Thus, Tangub City has gained another tagline as the "Christmas Symbols Capital of Mindanao."

A contributing factor to the influx of the tourists are these unique interpretations and presentations of different Christmas symbols lavishly displayed at the plaza and barangays, a truly breath-taking sight to behold.

Giant Lantern Festival

posted under Philippine Festivals by Philippine Destination

The Giant Lantern Festival is an annual festival held in December (Saturday before Christmas Eve) in the City of San Fernando in the Philippines. The festival features a competition of giant lanterns. Because of the popularity of the festival, the city has been nicknamed the "Christmas Capital of the Philippines".

The first lantern festival was held to honor President Manuel L. Quezon. At that time, Quezon made Arayat his rest area and converted Mount Arayat into a tourist resort. As a show of gratitude to Quezon, the people of San Fernando held a Christmas lantern contest to honor the first family. Quezon himself donated the prize for his lantern contest, which was personally awarded to the winner by First Lady Aurora Aragon Quezon.

In the years that followed, more innovations were introduced to the giant lanterns. Colored plastics replaced traditional papel de hapon. Large steel barrels called rotors also substituted the hand-controlled switches to manipulate the lights. And lanterns have grown in size, approximately 20-feet today, and illuminated by about 3,500 to 5,000 light bulbs.

Source: Wikipedia

Whitewater Rafting

posted under Philippine Adventures by Philippine Destination

Feel the rush of whitewater rafting in the beautiful and spectacular Cagayan de Oro River, and discover the thrill of nature at its wildest!

Whitewater rafting trip should be just the thing to get your blood going. From the moment you cast off from the banks, to your first rapids, up to the end of your rafting expedition, the entire whitewater rafting vacation is sure to refresh you for another take on everyday life.

Now, if you’re going for a river rafting escapade, you’ll have to prepare yourself really well. One thing people tend to think about whitewater rafting is that it’s a dangerous sport.

Source: Kagay

Sinulog festival

posted under Philippine Festivals by Philippine Destination

The Sinulog festival is one of the grandest and most colorful festivals in the Philippines. The main festival is held each year on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City to honor the Santo Niño, or the child Jesus, who used to be the patron saint of the whole province of Cebu (since in the Catholic faith Jesus is not a saint, but God). It is essentially a dance ritual which remembers the Filipino people's pagan past and their acceptance of Christianity.

The festival features some the country's most colorful displays of pomp and pageantry: participants garbed in bright-colored costumes dance to the rhythm of drums, trumpets, and native gongs. The streets are usually lined with vendors and pedestrians all wanting to witness the street-dancing. Smaller versions of the festival are also held in various parts of the province, also to celebrate and honor the Santo Niño. There is also a Sinulog sa Kabataan, which is performed by the youths of Cebu a week before the Grand Parade.

Recently, the cultural event has been commercialized as a tourist attraction and instead of traditional street-dancing from locals, Sinulog also came to mean a contest featuring contingents from various parts of the country. The Sinulog Contest is traditionally held in the Cebu City Sports Complex, where most of Cebu's major provincial events are held.

Source: Wikipedia and flickr Sinulog_Festival's

Surfing Siargao

posted under Philippine Adventures by Philippine Destination

Surigao del Norte is a mosaic island in the northeastern tip of Mindanao. A province that has managed to preserve its natural marvel through the years. A tropical jewel that hosts one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and home of wave surfing, the latest sport and tourist attraction to take the country by storm.

Siargao is a tear-drop shaped island situated 800 kilometers southeast of Manila. It has a land mass of approximately 437 kilometers. The east coast is relatively straight with one deep inlet-Port Pilar with a coastline marked by a succession of reefs, small points and white sandy beaches. There are similar neighboring islands and islets with similar landforms. The reefs and points are excellent for picking up any swell that comes along turning into clean, fast waves.

The best known surfing break now with a world reputation of being in the top Surfing Waves in the world, is nick-named "Cloud Nine". But there are literally scores of breaks down this coast, and everytime a surfing expedition is mounted in the area, more new breaks are being discovered.

Pagudpud

posted under Philippine Beaches by Philippine Destination

Pagudpud (PAH GOOD POOD) is an enormous place to visit if you're looking for the comparatively perfect charms of the Philippines. Pagudpud is a wide and beautiful town on the northwest tip of Ilocos Norte, Luzon, bounded to the south by the town of Bangui and to the east by the Cordillera Mountain Range, the town of Adams and the province of Cagayan. The South China Sea lies to the west and north.

It is considered the largest island in the Philippines. The hills and mountains are luxuriant, the valleys productive. It lies 45 miles north of Laoag City, the provincial capital, and about 350 miles north of Manila -- about the equal distance between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. Creeks, streams and waterfalls splash the landscape and spill into the South China Sea. All around, the ocean and sky are awash in varying shades of blue.

Pagudpud Beach, 2 hours north of Laoag City, has powder-white sand, but it's hard to tell which is bluer: the sky or the sea. While you are making up your mind, you might also consider a stop in Pasuquin, where the famous biscocho (Ilocos biscuit) is a favorite take-home delicacy for local visitors. But don't forget to check your watch, for while you play in the waters of Pagudpud, you may not notice how much time you have spent on these delightful shores, which are at the very tip of Luzon Island.

Mactan Island

posted under Philippine Beaches by Philippine Destination

Lying in the heart of Cebu is the island of Mactan. This tropical-island getaway endowed with a variety of colors – from its beach, hotels, resorts, nightlife, music, food, drinks – will guarantee to spice up every tourist.

Panglao

posted under Philippine Beaches by Philippine Destination

Panglao is a perfect for a great dive and beach holiday. It is a small island on the Philippines southwest of the bigger island, Bohol. On the southern beach of Panglao there are several resorts that line up on the beach.

It is a small island known for its quiet beach resorts and several great wide variety of dive sites. It has everything - the reefs, several kinds of corals, walls, big and small fishes, starfishes, and other life forms under the sea. You can find good snorkeling around the northwest and southeast coasts. This area is filled with lots of sea stars, sea snakes and corals. The area has been the center of seashell trade.

The beauty of Panglao Island Nature Resort is an ideal vacation spot from the mess of the metropolitan environment. Starting with the white sand beach, built around the natural curve of the premises and dotted the resort with high-ceiling, thatched roof huts. Each guest room has a balcony with drying rack, coffee table & chairs and is equipped with individually remote controlled air-conditioning, satellite cabled TV, IDD/NDD telephone facility, refrigerator, in-room coffee & tea, private bathroom with hot & cold shower, personal cafe, 220-volt electrical points, key-card security lock system, gym facilities, spa treatment and the innovative "wi-fi" technology for internet gurus. Business conventions, extended vacations, weekend stays, and day-long sunbathing are just few of the events best spent in this lovely beach resort.

The perfect getaway from the clutter of the urban jungle. Business conventions, extended vacations, weekend stays, and day-long sunbathing at the beach are just few of the activities best spent in the beauty of Panglao Island Nature Resort.

Superb service and exquisite cuisine aer natural complements to the paradise that is Panglao Island. Starting with a priestine white sand beach, we built around the natural contour of the premises and dotted the resort with high-ceiling, thatched roof huts.
Panglao Island is a fifteen-minute trip by land from downtown Tagbilaran, and an hour and a half by fast ferry from Cebu City.

Camiguin

posted under Philippine Beaches by Philippine Destination

Camiguin, which rhymes with “come again,” has been regarded as the most beautiful island in the country. As such, it is also referred to as the Philippines’ “Garden of Eden.” The presence of a number of majestic waterfalls that create both hot and cold springs is only one of the many attractions of this island-paradise. The topography is unmistakably tropical but the ambience is uniquely occidental. A study in contrast, Camiguin is sure to mesmerize anyone who visits with the itch to be back again soon.

Siargao

posted under Philippine Beaches by Philippine Destination

Surigao del Norte is a mosaic island in the northeastern tip of Mindanao. A province that has managed to preserve its natural marvel through the years.

A tropical jewel that hosts one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and home of wave surfing, the latest sport and tourist attraction to take the country by storm. Siargao is a tear-drop shaped island situated 800 kilometers southeast of Manila. It has a land mass of approximately 437 kilometers.

The east coast is relatively straight with one deep inlet-Port Pilar with a coastline marked by a succession of reefs, small points and white sandy beaches. There are similar neighboring islands and islets with similar landforms.

The reefs and points are excellent for picking up any swell that comes along turning into clean, fast waves. The best known surfing break now with a world reputation of being in the top Surfing Waves in the world, is nick-named "Cloud Nine". But there are literally scores of breaks down this coast, and everytime a surfing expedition is mounted in the area, more new breaks are being discovered.

El Nido

posted under Philippine Beaches by Philippine Destination

Dominated by towering marble cliffs that are homes to a number of tropical birds, El Nido is the source of one of the most delectable soups specially found in Chinese restaurants – the Nido Soup. This soup consists mainly of the birdnests that abound in the area. But El Nido is more than this. It prides itself in having the most beautiful seascapes in the province of Palawan, known as the country’s last frontier. Because of its utter splendor, it has also been called the island of the gods – heaven on earth, that is El Nido.

Pearl Farm

posted under Philippine Beaches by Philippine Destination

Pearl Farm is located in the Samal Island off the coast of Davao City, Southern Philippines. The premier beach resort, which lies in the pristine island of Samal, used to be a pearl farm. There thousands of white-lipped oysters, transported form the Sulu Sea, were once cultivated for their pink, white, and gold pearls. Today, beach lovers all over the world visit this world-class beach resort for its white sand and panoramic landscape and seascape, bringing with them the memory of a lifetime – a relaxing private retreat in a tropical paradise.

Dakak Beach

posted under Philippine Beaches by Philippine Destination

The very popular Dakak Beach is most known for its beautfiully shaped cove and powdery white sand, and as a diving mecca in Mindanao. Pristine blue waters, excellent dive sites with an abundance of coral reefs, and a magnificent sunset horizon characterize this tropical eden. Dakak Park and Beach Resort boasts 15 hectares of wooded land, a natural reservoir for native plants and animals, and a 750-meter private white-sand beach.

Boracay Philippines

posted under Philippine Beaches by Philippine Destination

It is seven km long and one km width at its narrowest point, is situated off the northwest corner of the island of Panay, and lies in the Western Visayas island-group, or Region 6, of the Philippines. In Boracay, there are three villages or barangays, Yapak, Balabag and Manoc-Manoc.Yapak is generally hilly but there are roughly beautiful beaches such as Ilig-Iligan, Pukashell and Balinhai beach.Balabag is the central part of the island and the virtually popular place is White Beach. Half of the residents live in a quiet place Manoc-Manoc.

Boracay is a beautiful small island surrounded by coral reefs and located one km north-west of Panay island in Visayas of the Philippines. It is the most popular beach in the country as the most visited tourist spot in the Philippines. Before the middle of 1980s, it was a famous hidden resort but known to limited numbers of sea lovers. Now many tourists visit there from all over the world, America, Europe, korea, Taiwan and so on. The climate from March to June are the summer months in Boracay, with temperatures ranging from 28 to 38 degrees Celsius. November to February bring enjoyable winds, cooler temperatures, and occasional rain showers. July to October are the rainy months.

High season is from November to the end of May and low season from June to October. Acommodation fee depends on the seasons and facilities of hotels. Boracay is windy in whole seasons and especially in the low season. There is no coral off White Beach, though plenty of dive boats will take you to good dive sites. Windsurfing months are Nov-April, best Dec-Feb. The best months are Jan-May, OK June- Sept [with some rain], but April and May are Philippine school holidays and the place gets noisy and crowded then. Don't consider Oct-Nov because it is windy, possibly grey and wet.Languages used other than Tagalog/Filipino and other local dialects, English is generally spoken in Boracay. Aklanon is mostly spoken in Aklan Province (island of Panay), wherein Boracay is part.

They report 160,000 tourists visited or stayed in Boracay in 1997 and Koreans are major in numbers. In Visayas there are many marine sport spots with coral reefs and white beach. Among them four km long white beach of Boracay is beyond contrast. There are a lot of restaurants and hotels along the white beach though they are hidden behind coconut trees planted.

A peaceful atmosphere - though' fairly busy - and friendly locals. The sand is remarkably white, soft, in no way gets hot and extends for 3 miles. There is a massive diversity of small hotels, restaurants and bars offering international cuisine just off the beach, comparatively cheap and relaxed. Although rated as one of the top ten beaches in the world, current tourism expansion has lead to some environmental concerns.The code in Boracay is precisely casual. Walking barefoot than shoes is the law rather than the exclusion. Wavering discos have the beach for a floor, giving dance a new twist. From sundown to sunrise, the island turns into one big party place where everyone is welcome to join in.Boracay is the ideal site for golf, tennis, bowling, even beach volleyball. Top-of-class facilities for these activities are available in the island. For golf bugs, Fairways and Bluewater Resort Golf and Countryclub has an 18-hole championship course.

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