Camarines Sur Travel Guide

December 23, 2011 by Anita  
Filed under Travel And Leisure

Allan Merin asked:




Many are still looking for a one-stop travel destination where they can get closer to nature, enjoy the sun, soak into the water, do some exercises, try extreme sports, or relax at a world-class hotel. Search no more; for you need not go any farther than Camarines Sur to squeeze all of the above-mentioned activities in one memorable vacation.

Camarines Sur, the largest among the six provinces in Bicol Region, has cemented its place in the list of top travel destinations in the Philippines, thanks to the growing number of people hooked to extreme water sports. The province was not included in most Philippine travel guides until the Camarines Sur *********** Complex opened its doors to the public in May 2006. Since then, the six-hectare active park, which has facilities for wakeboarding, wakeskating, kneeboarding, and waterskiing, has buoyed the local tourism industry.

Politically subdivided into 35 municipalities and two cities, Camarines Sur is also a haven for beach bummers. One of the famous natural attractions in the province is the beaches of Caramoan, a second-class municipality perfectly made for island hopping. Its fine white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters are ideal for kayaking, snorkeling, and scuba diving. Other interesting activities popular for tourists are rock climbing, caving, camping, trekking, and mountain biking.

Camarines Sur, which is about eight to ten hours drive from Manila or 45 minutes by plane, is also a magnet for Catholic faithfuls. The province is home to Our Lady of Peñafrancia in Naga City. Come September, religious enthusiasts flock to the city for a religious festival wherein the image of the Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia is paraded on a float. Old churches are also a staple fare in the province. Some of them are the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral, Quipayo Church, and Nabua Ladrillo Church.

Like any province in the archipelago, Camarines Sur also has its own share of colorful events and festivals. In San Jose town, local talents and young artists take center stage for the Harana Festival. The February 11-15 event aims to promote cultural awareness through singing and other forms of arts. Other popular occasions in Camarines Sur include Iriga City’s Tinagba Festival, Bato’s Karanowan Festival, Minabalac’s Tumatarok Festival, and Nabua’s Boa-Boahan Festival.

The province, which accounted for 55.2% of the1.3 million people who set foot on Bicol last year, has also something to offer to hikers and sightseers. Two potentially active volcanoes- Mt. Isarog and Mt. Iriga – are home to exotic flora and fauna. Along the climb, don’t forget to check out Nabuntulan Falls and Malabsay Falls. Meanwhile, the recommended destinations for spelunkers are Kalupnitan Caves in Ilibmanan and Adiangao Cave in Presentacion.

Tourists can choose from various accommodations ranging from the very simple to the luxurious. As a travel tip, place your reservations in advance to avoid any inconvenience. There are hotels and resorts offering affordable vacation packages for the budget-conscious travelers. The crunchy pili nuts and the spicy Bicol Express are must-tries for first-time and repeat visitors.

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Travel Philippines – Hop on to Quezon

June 13, 2011 by Anita  
Filed under Travel And Leisure

Allan Merin asked:




Located southeast of Metro Manila, Quezon is one the steadily progressing provinces in the Philippines. The province, which was named after the country’s second president, Manuel L. Quezon, is rich in agricultural lands and is blessed with natural wonders such as the Mt. Banahaw. Though the province greatly depends on farming, its tourism sector is steadily becoming a booming industry.

Best Time To Visit

Summer is the ideal time to roam around Quezon Province, which is home to the colorful Pahiyas Festival in Lucban. The weather from March to May is also conducive to climb Mt. Banahaw, one the active volcanoes in the country. However, this majestic mountain has been temporarily closed to public as part of conservation efforts in the province.

The following are some of the famous tourist attractions in Quezon.

Pahiyas Festival

Celebrated on the 15th day of May, this annual festival in Lucban is one of the famous summer events in the country. Every year, residents of the second-class municipality decorate their homes with colorful rice ornaments called kiping. Pahiyas is held in honor of St. Isidore, the patron saints of farmers, for a bountiful harvest and endless blessings. A similar festival is also held yearly in Sariaya.

Mt. Banahaw

Towering more than 7,000 feet above sea level, Mt. Banahaw is one of the favorite destinations of mountaineers in the country. Hiking activities on the “sacred” mountain peak during the Holy Week. Religious faithfuls are also a regular scene at Mt. Banahaw during the Lenten season. They usually gather in the “Kweba ng Diyos Ama” and the Kinabuhayan spring, which allegedly has curative powers.

Mayohan sa Tayabas

Another famous festival in Quezon is the Mayohan sa Tayabas. This ten-day event, which kicks off on May 6, is more than just a gastronomic treat for both local residents and tourists. Aside from the grab-all-you-can affair with suman, the festival celebrates the city’s rich historical past by holding parades, exhibits, and tiangges.

Kamay ni Hesus Healing Center

The construction of the Kamay ni Hesus Healing Center in Lucban in 2004 gave birth to the pilgrimage tourism in Quezon. This place of worship is frequented by pilgrims from various parts of the country and abroad in hopes of getting their ailments cured. A side attraction at the centre is a grotto built of top of a hill where a 50-foot statue of Jesus Christ is mounted.

Sariaya Beach

Quezon also has its share of the finest beach resorts in the Philippines. In Sariaya, a first-class municipality on the southeastern side of the provincial capital Lucena, is home to the province’s famous beaches. A number of accommodations have scattered near the seaside, providing affordable and quality vacation packages for tourists. Sariaya is also famous for its heritage houses.

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Travel the Philippines – Say Hello to Iloilo

January 1, 2011 by Anita  
Filed under Travel And Leisure

Allan Merin asked:




Got enough of the Philippines? If not head down to Iloilo to explore more astonishing tourist attractions in the archipelago of 7,107 islands.

With an area of 4,829.1 square kilometers, this beautiful province is the commercial, industrial, financial, and cultural center of the Western Visayas region. Iloilo, which is also considered the cradle of early Philippine civilization, is subdivided into 42 municipalities, one component city, and one highly urbanized city. The province is bordered by Antique to the west and Capiz and the Jintotolo Channel to the north.

Like Boracay and Palawan, Iloilo’s beaches are worth exploring. Its beaches are known for its white sand and gentle waves. Tourists can also select from a wide array of resorts and vacation packages that suit their interest and budget. Here is a sampling of the premier tourist attractions in Iloilo.

Miag-ao Church

Recognized for its fortress-like design, Miag-ao Church is deemed as one of the country’s architectural and religious masterpieces. Located in the first-class municipality of Miag-ao, the church was built in 1786 by Augustinian priests, making it one of the oldest in the Philippines. In 1993, Miag-ao Church, which is also known as Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva, was included in the UNESCO Word Heritage List.

Agho Beach

Agho Beach is a perfect weekend destination for travelers looking for a serene atmosphere. Its white sand and crystal-clear water are comparable to some of the world’s finest. Agho Beach also caters to the needs of the adventurous. Diving, boating, and snorkeling are some of the water recreations visitors can enjoy here. There are also cottages and picnic sheds for the whole family near the beach. Beautiful and pristine beaches can also be found in the towns of Concepcion, Carles, San Joaquin, and Ajuy.

Dinagyang Festival

Dinagyang Festival is the pride of Iloilo. Celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday of January, this colorful event in Iloilo City is a way of honoring the Santo Niño. It is also held to commemorate the arrival of Malay settlers in Panay. During the festival, street dancers dressed in vibrant costumes shout the thundering words “Hala Bira” (Hit them).

Iloilo Museum

To know more about the province and its culture, you should visit the Iloilo Museum. Located beside the provincial capitol, the museum houses various artifacts such as fossil collections, Chinese potteries, and war relics. It also showcases new and Spanish-era masterpieces made by local artists and craftsmen.

Ilonggo Delicacies

Aside from fascinating man-made and natural attractions, Iloilo is also famous for its food. Thus an ultimate Iloilo adventure is never complete without tasting dozens of mouth-watering Ilonggo delicacies such as Cabanatuan’s tinuom, Pototan’s aripahol, Alimodia’s sinakol, and Passi City’s dried pineapple. But two of most famous among Ilonggo dishes are the La Paz batchoy and inasal (grilled chicken).

Local Philippines is your travel buddy. We have information about the destinations, how to get there, what to do while in the area and more! Destinations in the beaches or in the mountains, destinations under water, destinations right at the middle of the urban hub, name it and Local Philippines will most likely feature it.

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Top Philippine Destination and Paradise Spots

December 17, 2009 by Anita  
Filed under News

Ruel Hinaloc asked:


Explore Paradise Philippines. Take a peek at Filipino’s culture and history as mirrored in century-old churches, ancient forts and modern museums. Paradise Philippines have the top of nature’s paradise pictured thru white-sand beaches and three-layered virgin forests.

Paradise Philippines is blessed with an extensive coastline, ringed with unspoiled beaches and first-class resort facilities. Paradise Philippines’ deep-blue, crystal-clear waters offers about 40,000 square kilometers of coastal reefs teeming with a variety of marine life.

Top Philippine Destination and Paradise Spots

Paradise Philippines is endowed amid a tropical climate offering perfect paradise treat to enjoy the sunlight. Lying in Southeast Asia and surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Paradise Philippines boasts of unsullied beaches, spectacular sunsets, luxuriant pastoral lands, cool mountain weather, brilliant man-made paradise resorts, and dazzling 7,000+ islands.

Paradise Philippines boasts of one or two of the best beaches and scuba diving waters in the world. Witness the vast expanse of nature’s paradise Philippines’ splendor underneath the spell of cool paradise Philippines mountain breeze.

Here are some featured destinations and paradise regions that is living proof of Paradise Philippines reputation of being referred to as Paradise Philippines.

Alona Beach, Paradise Philippines

Panglao Island, Bohol (May 6, 2007) – The Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano has inaugurated the first age of a P600-million upscale resort complex that is riding on the tourism boom in this province. Durano said, referring to the 16-hectare Eskaya Beach Resort & Spa, which is making 70 luxurious villas catering to the rich Filipino tourists and visitors from Europe, the United States, Australia, Japan and Korea.

Donsol, Whale Shark Capital, Paradise Philippines

Once a sleepy coastal village located at the northwestern tip of Sorsogon province, this town now eyes to be a first-class municipality, thanks to giant sea creatures that are now attracting hordes of foreign and local tourists who infuse millions of pesos to the local economy.

Boracay Paradise, Paradise Philippines

Widely known as one of the best swimming destinations in the world, Boracay is blessed with unsullied fine talcum powder-sand beaches. Its tranquil crystal simple waters are best for swimming, sailing, fishing and sunbathing. Boracay in addition boasts of sapphire seas and spectacular sunsets. Countless hidden coves dot the island and tall coconut trees line up along the beaches. Boracay lies at the northwest tip of Panay, in the west Visayas region, off the Sibuyan Sea.

Captivating Guimaras, Paradise Philippines

Nueva Valencia, Guimaras – An Italian couple on a two-month holiday in the Philippines chose to include the present paradise in this itinerary and stayed at the Raymen Beach Resort in December 2006, unperturbed by to know about the oil spill that brought the island province to world attention in August of the same year. “We are just here to see good beaches,” said the Boldo couple, who are just among the hundreds of intercontinental guests who kept coming to Guimaras even in the aftermath of the infamous oil spill.

Wonderful Palawan, Paradise Philippines

The exotic beauty of Palawan remains undefiled. Branded as the country’s survive frontier, Palawan is a sanctuary to an amazing variety of exotic flora and fauna which are found nowhere else. With more as opposed to a thousand islands and islets, Palawan boasts of white-sand beaches, scenic rock formations, underwater rivers and magnificent caves. Palawan is additionally structure to Tubbataha Reef, the only nationwide marine park that made it to the World Heritage List and whose grandeur is comparable to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia.

Banaue Rice Terraces, Paradise Philippines

Traversing the rugged terrains of Cordillera highlands in a duration of one week is an adventure in itself and could be an immense learning experience for someone who has the guts to be on the look down to the depths of mountain cliffs to get a good view of the rice terraces. With tall rice terraces at the backdrop and cool breeze shuttling between mountain peaks, a journey across the Cordillera heap ranges exposes one to an atmosphere strangely different from the daily offering of Manila and its suburbs.

Amazing Coron, Paradise Philippines

Coron, a town in the Busuanga Island in Northern Palawan, can charm much the most insensitive amongst men. Its natural beauty can only be described as seductive, giving first-time visitors and repeaters alike a sense of wonder so is hard to shake off.

Cebu City, Paradise Philippines

Cebu City drew 403,326 worldwide visitors in 2005, making the “queen city of the south” the top provincial destination of worldwide travelers. Data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) also showed such a Cebu City attracted 1,813 distant Filipinos and 712,938 domestic travelers.

Pagudpud, Paradise Philippines

If Aklan has Boracay, Ilocos has Pagudpud, its northernmost town bordering the South China Sea. The coastal town of Pagudpud is the perfect setting for panoramic movies and photoshoot for travel magazines cover. The town’s main attractions are Saud Beach, famous for its fine white sand stretching for hundreds of meters and Maira-Ira Point, which hides a secluded beach called Blue Lagoon. Other breathtaking landscapes in Pagudpud include Bantay Abot-abot, a natural sculpture carved by the wind and sea, the Mabogabog Falls and the Patapat viaduct that treats motorists to a scenic view of red lushes and green waters of South China Sea.

Bohol, Paradise Philippines

Bohol is one of the loveliest islands in southern Philippines. It is situated at the heart of Visayas and with coastline skimmed by gentle coves and white-sand beaches. Many highways snake along sparkling beaches or leafy rivers where one can stop at any point and jump in. With its rolling hills and plateaus, crystal springs and beaches, the province of Bohol is a picturesque province replete amidst ancestral structures and centuries-old churches.