LAGUNA DE BAY (LAKE BAY)

LUZON, PHILIPPINES

Laguna de Bay (Lake Bay) is often erroneously called the "Laguna Lake". It is the largest lake in the Philippines. On the lake, there are an island, Talim, and two peninsulas jutting out a long way from the north coast. The lake is considered to have once been a branch of Manila Bay but later became separated from the bay by volcanic deposits and the upheaval of land. Water flows out from the northwestern end of the lake to Manila Bay. Since, the difference of water level between the lake and the sea is so small, the adverse tides occur frequently during the dry season from January to April.

Vast paddy fields, sugar cane fields and coconut plantations spread over the alluvial plain around the lake. Cash products like vegetables, fruits and poultry are also raised for consumption in neighboring big cities as Manila and Quezon City. The Laguna Lake Development Authority established in 1970 is mainly responsible for promoting development and conservation works in the lake and its drainage basin

MANILA DE BAY

MANILA CITY, PHILIPPINES

View of the famous Manila Bay Sunset from the Bay City in Pasay (near SM Mall of Asia)

The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world. It has an area of 1,994 km² (769.9 sq mi), and a coastline of 190 km (118.1 mi). The entrance is 19 km (11.8 mi) wide and expands to a width of 48 km (29.8 mi).Corregidor Island divides the entrance into two channels, about 2 miles (3.2 km) towards the North and 6.5 miles (10.5 km) wide on the South side. Mariveles, in the province of Bataan, is an anchorage just inside the northern entrance and Sangley Point is the former location ofCavite Naval Base.

On either side of the bay are volcanic peaks topped with tropical foliage: 40 km to the north is the Bataan Peninsula and to the south is the province of Cavite.

Across the entrance to Manila Bay are several islands. The largest is Corregidor, which is 3 kilometers from Bataan and, along with the island of Caballo, separates the mouth of the bay into the North and South Channels. In the south channel is El Fraile Island and outside the entrance, and to the south, is Carabao Island. El Fraile, a rocky island some 4 acres (1.6 ha) in area, supports the massive concrete and steel ruins of Fort Drum, an island fortress constructed by the United States Army to defend the southern entrance of the bay. To the immediate north and south are additional harbors.

The bay was the setting for the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898 and the siege of Corregidor Island by invading Japanese forces in 1942.

Manila Bay drains approximately 17,000 km² (6,563.7 sq mi) of watershed area, with the Pampanga River contributing about 49% of the freshwater influx. With an average depth of 17 m (55.8 ft), it is estimated to have a total volume of 28.9 billion cubic meters (28.9 cubic km). Today, Manila Bay still remains important for commerce and industry, including fishing, although rapid urban growth and industrialization are contributing to a decline in water quality and deteriorating marine habitats. It also serves a focus for recreation for Metro Manila and is a popular destination for walks and for viewing the sunset. Much of the land fronting the bay along Metro Manila is reclaimed land which now includes important sites such as the Philippine Senate and the Mall of Asia.

SIARGAO ISLAND

SURIGAO DEL NORTE, PHILIPPINES

Surigao del Norte is a medley island in the northeastern tip of Mindanao. A province that has managed to preserve its natural marvel through the years. On the eastern side of the province is Siargao Island, a hidden tropical jewel of the Pacific that hosts one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and home of wave surfing and the famous CLOUD 9, the latest sport and tourist attraction to take the country by storm It is the Surfing Capital of the Philippines. 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 every time a surfing expedition is mounted in the area, more new breaks are being discovered.

Siargao is a tear-drop shaped island situated 800 kilometers southeast of Manila in the province of Surigao del Norte. It has a land mass of approximately 437 kilometers. 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 Island's Pacific-facing reefs are situated on the edge of the Philippine Trench, and the extremely deep offshore waters guarantee the ocean swells have undiluted power when they encounter the many coral and rock reefs, giving Siargao excellent surfing conditions, particularly during the southwest "habagat" monsoon from August to November, when the prevailing wind is offshore.

 Siargao Island, faces the Pacific Ocean and the Philippine Deep, the second deepest water in the world, at more than 11 km below sea level. The area is pure tropics with the plenty activities including snorkeling, island hopping, waterfalls, swimming holes and of course awesome waves and friendly locals.

This right-breaking reef wave is the site of the annual Siargao Cup, a domestic and international surfing competition sponsored by the provincial government of Surigao del Norte. The wave was discovered by travelling surfers in the late 1980's, and named and made well-known by American photographer John S Callahan, who published the first major feature on Siargao Island in the US based SURFER Magazine in March 1993, and hundreds of photos in many other books and magazines since. Callahan has returned to the island many times since his first visit in 1992, and his efforts to photograph and publish surfing related and general location material from Siargao islandin books and magazines around the world has put the island on the international map and drawn thousands of surfers and tourists to Siargao island.

 There are several other excellence waves on Siargao and nearby islands, but Cloud 9 has received more publicity than any other wave in the area, indeed in the Philippines as a whole. It is the only wave in the area easy to get to without a boat, leading to overcrowding and the nickname of "Crowd 9" among surfers worldwide as keen foreign and locally owned accommodation and tourist facilities attempt to profit from the magazine publicity and the annual arrival of visitors drawn by the Siargao Cup competition in September.

Siargao Islands contain the biggest mangrove forest reserves in Mindanao on the opposite coastline. Long stretches of wetlands equally indicate potentials for commercial seaweed propagation. Siargao Island is greatly influenced by the winds and currents coming uninterrupted from the Pacific Ocean, intensified by the Mindanao current running westward through the Siargao Strait.

Offshore, a classic tropical island lay secluded within its surrounding coral reef and the dozen coconut palms dressed in the center circle of the island crackle gently in the morning breeze. Off to the right, well within the massive coastal reef, lay a shining white sand bar some 200 meters long, maintained by a group of some forty black-headed terns that stood chattering among themselves at the waters edge. The tide of Siargao is diurnal with tidal curves typically present especially on the east coast of the island.

Siargao Island

The newly discovered island boasts of white-sand beaches and surfing waves compared to that of Hawaii. Lying 800 km southeast of Manila, the ear-shaped Siargao island is a perfect haven for sun, seas and surf buffs. It lies on the eastern portion of Surigao del Norte and on the southeastern tip of Mindanao. The island is a mass of tropical land and scores of reefs, points and white-sand beaches.

100 ISLANDS

PANGASINAN, PHILIPPINES

The Philippines Hundred Islands Park is composed of big and small islands surrounded by fresh and salty water. Over 123 islands with an area of 1,1884 hectares. The hundred islands is located in Pangasinan one of Philippines provinces in North Luzon. It is one of the Philippines beautiful spots for tourism. 

 This is one of the visited places in the country when it comes to beaches and resorts. The islands are really amazing. It looks like they cast down purposely. The other perfect place to relax and enjoy the vacation. "The Top 10 most beautiful place to go" declared by the Manila Bulletin one of the leading news papers in the country.

It was December 23rd when I and my friends decided to go there. I was very excited because it would be my first time to go there.  When we got there, I really surprised. I exhaled and absorb the cold air coming around.

Everyone is excited. After the day, we were all exhausted. By the way, I'm just sharing our experience being there.

You can rent boats to hang around real amazing nature. You can stay there and enjoy the vacation without spending a lot of money. All accommodations are very affordable. So nothing to worry about.

BAGUIO AND BANAUE RICE TERRACES

IFUGAO, BAGUIO, BENGUET, PHILIPPINES

The Banaue Rice Terraces of the Philippines have been said to be like the 8th wonder of the world. They were carved from the hillside by the tribes people of Ifugao about 2,000-3,000 years ago. The tribes people did this with their bare hands and crude implements, without using machinery to level the steps where they plant their rice, which is what makes this wonder so attractive, aside from the fact that the rice terraces are still used today.

This is considered to be one of the greatest engineering feats of mankind, because if each one were connected end to end, then they would reach halfway across the globe or be 10 times as long as the Great Wall of China. It was not until only 13 years ago (1995) that the Banaue Rice Terraces were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The rice terraces are like stepping stones stretching towards the sky, where some of them reach almost 5,000 feet in altitude and cover about 4,000 square miles of land. They are now beginning to show signs that they are eroding, and some of them need maintenance, while the Ifugaos’ new generation is migrating to nearby cities in search of better opportunities.

Even though it is about 8 or 9 hours from Manila in a car, the Banaue rice terraces are known to be one of the most spectacular places to see in the Philippines. They have transformed the Cordillera mountains of barren stone into ledges that are fit to grow rice.


Baguio City and Rice Terraces

Rising 1,500 meters above the sea, Baguio City enjoys a relatively cool weather throughout the year. Baguio City is at least eight degrees cooler than any place in the lowlands. Not surprisingly, Baguio City has become the “summer capital of the country.”

It is endowed with a variety of cultural, historical and scenic attractions that make it an important and interesting destination. As early as March, tourists and locals take the six-hour trek up the zigzagging Kennon Road. Within the city, the sweet scent of pine trees and flowers already permeate the air.

Designed by Daniel Burnham during the American occupation, Baguio City is situated in the midst of pine-covered hills.

Having visited Baguio City, a tourist should not miss the historic and breathtaking Banaue Rice Terraces that is also known as one of the wonders of the world. The terraces planted to rice remains to be a wonder among local and foreign tourists. 

THE CHOCOLATE HILLS

BOHOL, PHILIPPINES

The Chocolate Hills, maybe Bohol's most famous tourist destinations. They look like giant mole hills, or as some say, women's breasts, and remind us of the hills in a small child's drawing. Most people who first see pictures of this landscape can hardly believe that these hills are not a man-made artifact.

However, this idea is quickly abandoned, as the effort would surely surpass the construction of the pyramids in Egypt. The chocolate hills consist of are no less than 1268 hills (some claim this to be the exact number).

They are very uniform in shape and mostly between 30 and 50 meters high. They are covered with grass, which, at the end of the dry season, turns chocolate brown. From this color, the hills derive their name. At other times, the hills are green, and the association may be a bit difficult to make.

SAN JUANICO BRIDGE

TACLOBAN CITY LEYTE, PHILIPPINES

Asia's Longest Bridge - Leyte and Samar: Eastern Visayas, Philippines

Tacloban City link Sta. Rita, Samar

Built over the narrow San Juanico street, the San Juanico Bridge–which is 2.16 kilometerslong–still holds the record as the longest bridge in the Philippines.
The bridge connects Tacloban City on the Leyte side and the town of Sta. Rita on the Samar side. It crosses the San Juanico strait, reportedly the world’s narrowest since it’s only two kilometers wide at its most narrow point. Constructed in 1973 during the administration of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, the bridge is supported by 43 spans that rise 41 meters above the sea. The views from the bridge are fantastic and include the islets near the bridge as well as the strait’s thousand whirlpools.
The 34-year-old steel structure is just 10 minutes away from the Tacloban City center. It is accessible by jeepney, bus, motorcycle, or private vehicle. There are daily flights from Manila to Tacloban City. From Cebu, the best way to get to Tacloban would be to ride on a fast boat, such as the Supercat fast craft, to Ormoc City and then take a van for hire from Ormoc to Tacloban, which is about two to three hours away.

The San Juanico Bridge, formerly the Marcos Bridge, is a Compression arch bridge in the Philippines stretching from Samar to Leyte crossing theSan Juanico Strait. It is part of the Pan-Philippine Highway. It is the longest bridge in the Philippines with a length of 2.16 kilometers (1.34 mi) ^[1] and is considered one of the most beautifully-designed bridges in Philippines.^[2] The bridge is supported by 43 spans rising 41 meters above the sea.^[1] It has a large arch beneath which allows boats to pass. Connecting Tacloban City on the Leyte side and Santa Rita town on the Samar side, it offers many picturesque views, especially of the San Juanico Street with its thousand whirlpools as well as the islets of the province. It is approximately 10 minutes from downtown Tacloban City and is accessible by passenger jeepney, bus, motorcab or private vehicle. Construction on the 21.9 million-dollar bridge began in 1969 and was completed in 1973, during the presidency ofFerdinand Marcos.^[3] The Construction and Development Corporation of the Philippines (now the Philippine National Construction Corporation) was contracted to construct the actual bridge, and together with Japanese engineers, conducted studies and designed the actual project.^[4] The Leyte & Samar Links by means of Trading and Transportation...

 

SURF CAMP CALICOAN ISLAND

SAMAR, PHILIPPINES


Guiuan, Eastern Samar
An idyllic tropical get away situated in ABCD Beach - Calicoan Island’s prime surfing area with landscape of virgin tropicalforests, unspoiled white sand - crystal clear water. Resort features an infinity pool fronting Pacific Ocean and 
luxurious cottages
fully equip with amenities needed by travelling public.

MACARTHUR PARK

PALO, PHILIPPINES

MacArthur Landing Memorial is situated in Red Beach, Palo, Leyte. The monument marks the spot where General Douglas MacArthur landed with the American Liberation Forces in October, 1944 starting the Battle of Leyte.

The Battle of Leyte in the Pacific campaign of World War II was the invasion and conquest of Leyte in the Philippines by American and Filipino guerrillas forces under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, who fought against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Philippines led by General Tomoyuki Yamashita from 17 October 1944 to 31 December 1944. The battle launched the Philippines campaign of 1944-45 for the recapture and liberation of the entire Philippine Archipelago and to end of almost three years of Japanese occupation.

BORACAY ISLAND

BORACAY, MALAY, AKLAN,  PHILIPPINES

Accommodation in Boracay 

Plan your vacation withBudget hotels and guest houses for inexpensiveaccommodation in Boracay. Mid-Range Hotels offer extra facilities and services for a more pampered vacation, with reasonable rates. In the Top End, you will find special places whereluxury and location combine to provide a truly memorable experience. You will find a variety of Boracay resorts and hotels to choose from native island style hideaways, to more exclusive high class vacation retreats. 
Boracay Tours and Activities

Tourists from all over the world are attracted to Boracay by the renowned white sand beaches and their underwater marine splendour. Of late, marine sports on the island have become a popular pasttime, and as the resorts and hotels in Boracay have become much more of an international standard.

The island is a wonderful respite from a busy metropolitan pace. In the following sections, we have attempted to give you a brief synopsis of Boracay's attractions and the many fabulous Boracay tours that can be enjoyed, including windsurfing and kitesurfing.

Restaurants in Boracay

Boracay is a great place to experience a smorgasbord of dining choices. The island has a wide variety of food to offer, even to the traveler with a discerning palate. There are four miles of beachfront restaurants in Boracay, offering every kind of food you can imagine from Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Italian, Spanish, Mexican, French, German and Korean, to the local Filipino fare.

Food and Cuisine in Boracay

Drinks & Party Scene in Boracay

Boracay has a thriving nightlife, with lots of bars and restaurants to choose from. The more noisy bars are located around boat stations 1 and 2, where you can spend the whole night partying away. Boat station 3 is quieter and more relaxed and is quite popular with Boracay regulars and longstayers. It has small local eateries and bars dotting the area, offering a laidback alternative to the hectic pace of the former locations.

Transportation in Boracay: Boracay is located in the Aklan province, easily reachable from Caticlan by ‘banca' (or pump boat). You can fly directly into Caticlan from either Cebu or Manila but flights can becheaper into Kalibo, from there you can transfer to Caticlan by taxi or bus.

By Air

Fly to Caticlan, which is the nearest airport. From Caticlan Airport, most hotels usually provide transfer services all the way to the resort for a fee, although some are included. This would include the short ride from the airport to the seaport aswell as the ride on the outrigger boat to the island itself. If you don't have such an arrangement, you can take a tricyle or walk the short distance from the airport to the seaport and catch an outrigger boat ride from there.

Airline Carriers from Manila to Caticlan

Asian Spirit/Corporate Air/Interisland Airlines/South East Asian Airlines (SEAir)

Cebu pacific /Philippine Airlines

Airline Carriers from Manila to Kalibo:

Cebu Pacific/Philippine Airlines

Air Philippines/Asian Spirit

By Boat

MBRS shipping lines (Nature Adventure Travel and Tours Hotline number 053-321-6333 operates a ferry between Manila and Caticlan. Call for the latest schedules and fares.

By Bus (or RORO)

The RORO (Roll-On Roll-Off) a combination of bus and ferry for one fee) Philtranco and Bachelor Express run bus routes on the Strong Republic Nautical Highway. From Cubao or Pasay in Metro Manila, buses run to Batangas Port about 2 hours south of Metro Manila. Ferries take the buses across to the Calapan Port on Mindoro.

Boracay Island

Widely-known as one of the finest swimming destinations in the world, Boracay is blessed with unsullied fine talcum powder-sand beaches. Its tranquil crystal clear waters are perfect for swimming, sailing, fishing and sunbathing. Boracay also boasts sapphire seas and spectacular sunsets. Countless 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. The island is made up of little communities: Yapak in the north, Balabag in the middle, and Manocmanoc in the south. Hilly elevations up to 100 meters above sea level characterize Yapak and Manocmanoc. Intertwining trails link the small villages together but many sometimes lead to lush tropical jungles.

SOHOTON CAVE

BASEY, SAMAR, PHILIPPINES

The Natural Bridge

Eco-Tourism ExperienceSohoton Cave,Basey, Samar

Eight hundred forty hectares nature reserve beckons with an endless array of subterranean

delights, caves, natural bridge of limestone boulders, underground rivers, and weathered formation rocks like Banaue Terraces – Great wall of China – Harem Pavilion – Amphitheater withnatural built in acoustical system and Seductive Courtesan’s Boudoir, a 30 ft. waterfalls to experience at the middle part of the forest, and a non-polluted man-made swimming poolstructure below the falls. Regular trips: 6:00 to 10:00 AM daily, soon a River Cruise provides totaladventure to SOHOTON NATURAL BRIDGE NATIONAL PARK open to everyone whowants to reach nature by experience...

The flight attendant is announcing that the airplane is landing at the airport of Tacloban City.The aircraft brings you to the coastal airport, which is mysteriously quiet. Walking to the arrival area, your mind filled with images of unexplored mountains and caves, exotic wildlife, cloud-hidden lakes, islets sculpted by harsh weather conditions, all those things you see in glossy tourism flyers, you wonder whether it will be worth the trouble getting there.
Even before adventure travel fever hit the country, the islands of Samar and Leyte, collectively known as Eastern Visayas or Region 8, were already popular destinations for people interested in Philippine history. Nowadays, these islands exude a wonderful combination of history and mystery, its tourism potential spelled out in the words ‘adventure’ and ‘fun’, for the thrill-seeking traveler. From the airport, you take a Tamaraw FX to Basey. You pay P15 for the 30-minute trip across the 2.16 kilometer San Juanico Bridge that connects Tacloban City in Leyte with Basey in Samar.

Basey is a third-class municipality (now at first class municipality thru the effort of Hon. Mayor Wilfredo "Didi" Estorninos) whose glory days date back to colonial times when it was the population and trading center of the island. It now lags behind its former sitio, Tacloban City, which is the regional capital. But the local government of Basey is trying to catch up with its more developed neighbors by offering visitors what it has in abundance: its rich natural resources.Basey is home to the grand Sohoton National Park (SNP), an 840-hectare natural park, made up of high and broken ridges of hilly-to-moderate rolling terrain. It has a maximum elevation of 107 meters above sea level. Three main geologically-defined land types exist in the area: an upland plateau, an intermediate karst-limestone block, and lowland areas.

___The park offers a great deal of natural wonders. There’s the Sohoton Natural Bridge, a magnificent stone bridge connecting two mountain ridges from which the park got its name. Sohoton" is a Waray word, which means "to pass through." Underneath the bridge is the Sohoton Natural Swimming Pool. " Inside the park is an exciting array of caves, waterfalls, and rare flora and fauna.

Panhulugan Cave I is the largest and most spectacular cave found in the park, with an estimated floor area of 546 square meters. This cave is geologically active, as evidenced by the constant dripping of water from stalactites and the large accumulation of material beneath its chimney holes.

Panhulugan Cave II is a long scar, about 50 meters high, that cuts into the face of the Panhulugan Cliff, a steep rock formation. 

Sohoton Cave is a very large cave situated in the eastern portion of the natural bridge. It has a high cathedral-like dome with a parabolic arch-type entrance about 15 meters high. Inside are spectacular limestone formations that approximate the shapes of a eagle’s claw, an image of the Sto. Niño and the Virgin Mary, the Banaue Rice Terraces, and musical instruments, among others.

To ensure its protection and management, the park was placed under the NationalProtected Integrated Areas (NIPA) in 1989. According to the local NIPA representatives, visits to the park have not increased significantly since then .A visit to the Sotohon Park involves taking a native outrigger for an hour and 45 minutes on the Basey Golden River, passing through small, picturesque villages. Rawis, a riverside barrio, houses the still unexplored Rawis Cave, which, according to the locals, is even better than Sohoton.