Philippines Guide

Whoever coined the term “extreme sports” must have been giving the most misleading understatement of the century.  “Extreme” simply means outrageous or radical, such as outrageous clothes and radical beliefs.  Skydiving is not an extreme sport.  It is suicidal.  And I came to this conclusion a couple of hours too late.  The wind rocked the small open plane and I barely heard the instructor shouting, “Ready?”

As I tried to avoid staring down beyond the plane, my mind kept its agitated monologue.  Skydiving was invented by people who have nothing to do.  Skydiving is done by lunatics who chose not to die by boredom.  I, on the other hand, wouldn’t mind being accompanied by boredom for the rest of my life.

Yet, it was probably boredom that drove us, me and two of my friends, towards Tanauan, which is two hours south of Manila.  Tanauan is known as the skydiving capital of the Philippines.  Its Skydiving Center has 1200 meter airstrip.  And it has several aircrafts available to skydiving enthusiasts.  I should have backed out from there. 

I never claimed to be an enthusiast.  But I let them strapped a parachute over me.  The instructor assured us that we were wearing state-of-the-art parachutes.  For the maximum safety of all their customers, all the parachutes have Cypress automatic activation devices.  Cypress?  Cypress is supposed to be a sturdy evergreen tree.  Not this contraption.

The plane is now flying over the rest of Batangas.  We were near the drop zone, an area between Mount Makiling and Taal volcano.  I closed my eyes, hoping that I was only dreaming.

“Now!” the instructor shouted again.  Somebody shoved me.  I knew that because I have every intention of staying inside the plane.  I kicked to find anything solid, translated as safe, beneath me.  But I only floated.  The gusts of air at that altitude were unbelievably powerful. 

My survival instincts kicked in and I struggled to remember the instructions given to us.  What was it?  “Relax”, I think.  I realized that I was still holding my breath.  My arms are already spread and at least I got that right. 

“Enjoy the view” was another important instruction given to us.  I slowly opened one eye, and then the other.  The Taal lake and volcano are breathtaking.  The Taal volcano is the smallest one in the whole world.  Thin fumes rose from it.  The greenish blue of the lake helped calm my nerves, but not entirely.  Yet, I thought that angels must be lucky to be seeing this view.

Then I was alarmed at the speed I’m falling.  I held on and the parachute opened, slowing me down.  After a few moments, I can see people waiting for me.  I finally landed and stayed lying down for awhile until I could feel my legs again.   Exhilaration seeped in and an inexplicable happiness swept me.  “I did it!” was all I could think of.

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I thought Dumaguete was a province in Mindanao. I was wrong. Dumaguete City is the capital of Negros Oriental which is in Region VII in Visayas.

I thought that Dumaguete was a far-fetched and uninhabited island. Wrong again! Dumaguete is just a ferry-ride away from bustling Cebu and it is even tagged as “The City of Gentle People”.

History has it that its name came from the local word “daggit” which means “to snatch”. Dumaguete has this powerful charm to attract visitors and keep them for good. Its beauty had lured pirates to frequently attack the coastal town.
 
Recently, Dumaguete was dubbed as “the most child-friendly city”. That, for me, is a major asset. It is also known as a university town because of the many colleges and universities in this city which are open even for foreign students. And yes, business is booming in this area.

The tourism department of Dumaguete claims that this beautiful city is for the weary traveler, seeker of knowledge and nature lover, and the residents can speak English well and can understand Spanish.

That’s probably why most tourists are Westerners and Europeans.
Dumaguete is for the people who long for water and land adventures.

There’s a lot of beach resorts and dive sites there where you can also go dolphin and whale watching and scuba diving. If you’re into conquering the heights and the caves, you’ll be happy to learn that you are free to do spelunking and mountain trekking also.

But if your main objective of going there is to just chill and take in the view and relax, you can never run out of hotels to stay in and restaurants to dine in. You can request a tour guide from the tourism department if you want to go around the city.

What are the places that make this city famous? Since the inhabitants are dominantly Catholic, the St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral Park is considered a century-old landmark. That gives a religious aura.

The Bell Tower is the oldest city landmark; it has remained the city’s watch tower since the Spanish times. The Siliman Veach is for the youth. It is where they unwind, especially on Sundays.

Rizal Boulevard is a seafront boulevard that has become the most popular promenade and jogging track for the health-conscious people. The rendezvous of most people there is the Quezon Park. It is lined with trees and it has a playground for kids.

With all the good things said about Dumaguete and the nice spots to visit there, it won’t take long before it becomes a favorite among tourists. So let’s go to Dumaguete!

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Josephine is a simple homemaker with a husband and children. She once worked for the beauty soap industry and retired to pursue her dream: make and sell her own soap! She enrolled in a soap-making class in Technology and Livelihood Resource Center and in no time, started selling her soaps like hotcakes.

Her core market are her friends, family, and acquaintances. Her pool of customers steadily grew through referrals until customers would just come knocking at her house looking for her popular  herbal soaps.

Add to that the fact there are certain companies who buys her soaps with no labels then sell them using their own. “I have customer, I won’t mention the name, but that person is really popular right now because of my papaya soaps. Although she uses her own label. The soaps are being sold in leading supermarkets right now.

Her own label is called Dagta (Extract) Herbal Soap which comes in papaya, tawas-papaya, squalene (which she herself concocted and which provide the same effect as the squalene capsule form), guava (for feminine hygiene), and hair-grower soaps. Ther herbal soaps cost P65 per pack of 5 pieces (P13 each).

Together with her five assistants and her husband,  Josephine can make an average of 2,000 herbal soaps everyday.

“I was glad that customers liked my herbal soaps. They said it does well for their skin. It prevents itches and eliminates discoloration and other blemishes on their skin. I could say that my products are pure herbal because I only use pure coconut oil on making them. This is what differentiates my products from the rest of the herbal soaps in the market today.”

At present, Josephine’s soap business is doing well in the market. Her income has helped them a lot especially with her children’s education. She was also able to invest some of her earnings in vehicles and land.

“TLRC helped me a lot. I think the reason why other people weren’t successful in this field was probably because it wasn’t really meant for them. In this business, your product should have the best quality and you should take good care of your customers so that they will patronize your products and hopefully gain more customers in the end.”

Truly, quality is what makes a product lasts. And for Josephine, who’s been making herbal soaps for almost 10 years now, it is no wonder how her small home business stayed this long.

And as long as there are itches, blotches, and other skin problems to deal with, Josephine’s herbal soaps will always be here to save our face.

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Mabuhay!

It’s the most common word that can be heard whenever a foreigner or a group of foreigners make their first steps in the Philippines. People from other countries are so delighted every time they will hear that, even though they do not know exactly the literal meaning of the word. But such a lively welcome will make them so at ease and pleased to stay in the country.

But the fun doesn’t end with the word “Mabuhay”. In fact that’s just the beginning!

Foreign guests are always given a class “A” treatment by the Filipinos: starting from the people in the hotels that they have rendered for temporary shelter; and even from the people they will meet in the streets, rich or poor, young or old. Filipinos are never ashamed to give their warmest and best smiles to foreigners, and even their “English Carabaos” (screwed up English grammar) just to be able to communicate with foreigners. From there, a conversation would start, primarily asking each other about their culture and experiences.

Many foreigners are somehow contented seeing and hearing things like that. At least they will see something that they don’t see everyday in their own home countries. But hey, there’s something more in store for them!

Foreigners can always have a taste of the Filipino culture, they just have to ask and not be too shy to ask or try it. In fact, Filipinos would love to include foreign people and have a taste together of Filipino culture: the food to eat, and the use of hands while eating; fiestas (festivals); joyful conversations. Everything! They will never feel like they don’t belong as a part of the group with Filipinos.

A punch line might best describe it… Hospitality like they never experienced before.

Tourists like to see different kinds of people, that’s why they went away and made a visit to a place like the Philippines in the first place, right? Many visitors love to see different kinds of people, or races, or nationalities; and there is a lot of that in these 7000 plus islands. This is a primary reason why Filipinos are extremely hospitable to foreigners. A class “A” treatment, like mentioned earlier, is always given to foreigners, guaranteed.

That’s why foreigners would always love to come back to the Philippines; mostly, because of the people. They experienced so much hospitality in their visit, and they would love to experience it again. They would be so glad to travel back to the Philippines and travel, as well, with the Filipinos.

So, have been in the Philippines lately?

If you’re planning, let us be the one to say this to you first…

Mabuhay!
 

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If mountain trekking is your kick, come to the Philippines. If it is pristine white sand beaches you are looking for, come to the Philippines. Mountains or seas, the Philippines have all the wonders of nature in one great vacation spot!

Luzon, the largest island, stretches from the Ilocos province in the north to Sorsogon in the south. It is in Luzon that you will discover the splendor of the Cordillera rice terraces, century-old rice fields fashioned by the Igorots, Ifugao and Kalinga from sides of the mountains. Today it remains one of the most beautiful sceneries in the Philippines.

Still In the northern part of the Philippines is a beach that has big waves and strong winds that is ideal for wind and wave surfing, welcome to Pagudpud.

Framing the coastline of Puerto Princesa City is Honda Bay. The clear waters permits snorkeling and the enclaves afford one to island hop.

Baler and Infanta in Quezon and Daet in Camarines Norte offer more exciting experiences for surfers seeking the extreme with the bigger waves.

In the Visayas, the largest central groups of islands between Luzon and Mindanao, have islands each distinct and interesting.

Bohol for example is famous for its intriguing Chocolate Hills that are plain green and brown depending on the season. On a small island southwest of the bigger island Bohol, is Panglao, a perfect place to dive and swim on a holiday.

Located on the northwestern tip of Panay, Western Visayas, is Boracay. Its fine sand makes it one of the finest beaches in the world.

To the extreme west of Visayas are the islands Samar and Leyte connected by the San Juanico Bridge. Both areas have portions that remain unexplored by tourists. Samar is a good destination for kayaking.

Aside from the underwater caves in Palawan, Mabinay have caves that can be visited. Most wonderfully open to tourists is Crystal Cave. Still in Mabinay are great rapids and rock climbing experiences waiting for you.

In Mindanao, dare swimming into the sunken cemetery in Camiguin islands then have a break tasting the islands’ tangy-sweet lanzones. With its waterfalls and both hot and cold springs, Camiguin keeps tourist coming back again and again.

Dakak Park Beach Resort, located on the beach facing Sulu Sea, is a place wonderfully tacked into a 15- hectare property that offers blissful stay.

Siargao, located in the province of Surigao del Norte, is known for its curling waves as high as twelve feet high which makes it one of the places sought after by surfers. Surfing can be done too in Baler, Quezon in Luzon and Tandag, Surigao del Norte in Mindanao.

The superb rapids of the Philippines lay undiscovered, try the Bubunawan/Cagayan de Oro River, in Misamis Oriental.

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Traveling to the Philippines is almost always tantamount to going to its beaches. Being an archipelago of seven thousand one hundred and seven islands and islets, it is an inevitable temptation to visit a beach resort somewhere around the country.

Here are some helpful tips to make your beach vacation the very best:

1. SET your budget.

2. Always have a checklist of what you want or expect in the place you would like to stay (price range, cleanliness, amenities, kind of food, etc.).

3. Know the location, culture and/or topography of the vacation spot.

4. Time your visit during the proper season. FYI: There are only two seasons in the Philippines, the wet/rainy and dry/summer season. The rainy season starts from June to February while summer starts before April and ends in May.

5. Beaches are very populated during summer as most tourists prefer to experience the beach while being drenched under the hot sunshine. This is during the months of April and May.

6. Always know the full details of the accommodation. There are resorts that have a cheap entrance fee but will charge you twice as much upon usage of any of its amenities while there are other resorts that charge a very high entrance fee but will allow full and unlimited usage of its amenities.

7. Weigh your options very well. Check #1 & #2.

8. Do not compromise your vacation with the cheap price of accommodation. Always compare prices with other places located in the same vacation spot. In canvassing, you might come across a resort which offers only 150pesos/night while the one adjacent to it offers 2,500++pesos/night. While the former is really affordable, it may not be the type of cottage or room you would like to end up in the night. Check #6 and compare it with #2.

9. There are different types of beaches in the Philippines depending on the color of the sand: black, brown and/or white. The black sand beaches are easy finds while the most sought after are the white sand beaches. There are also man-made white sand beaches in the Philippines, but it really has no significant difference as compared to the natural ones. Check #6.

10. In going out, always bring your sun block and umbrella with you.

11. Always apply sun block lotion each time you plan to expose your skin under the sun. In buying sun blocks, always check the expiration date of the lotion. Choose a sun block which has an SPF of at least 30.

12. If you are going to have a tan, do it before 10 am or after 3pm. Avoid exposing your skin directly under the sun, between 10am and 3pm, to avoid skin cancer or UV-damage on your skin.

13. If you are a foreigner, it is best that you bring with you a trusted friend who knows or can speak the Filipino language or the dialect of the place you plan to visit. You should also be able to familiarize yourself with the Philippine currency, its coins and bills, before deciding to visit your vacation spot.

14. Always bring with you peso coins and small bills especially if you intend to travel via public transportation.

15. Do not go island-hopping without having your dollars/foreign bills changed to Philippine currency.
Popular locations / beach vacation spots in the Philippines are the following: Boracay Island, Puerto Galera, Mindoro Island, Pagudpod, La Union, Palawan, Punta Fuego, Laia, Batangas, Caylabne, Cavite, Cebu, Bohol, Catanduanes Island, Pangasinan and the Batanes Group of Islands.

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Want to have a cozy place to rest in while you’re traveling here in the Philippines? Finding the right hotel is the answer.

Travelers want to have a nice a comfy place to stay in while traveling. Food, Entertainment, services, etc. These are all things you will want. Most tourists are looking first for the right hotel whenever they are going to travel. Wherever in the Philippines, hotels are a place to stay where you can relax, have fun and enjoy the good ambience while you are releasing your body’s tiredness in traveling. As a Traveler you should find comfort and relaxation at the doorstep of your hotel.

If you like to go around the metro, there are lots of beautiful and cozy hotels in manila. Manila Hotel, Hotel Niko, 5-star Hotel, City Garden Hotel and the list goes on

What’s in a Hotel? How will i enjoy my travel in the Philippines while staying in a hotel to have a rest? Is it affordable to stay? These questions should be first and foremost when you are deciding on what hotel to book during your vacation stay.
 
Research well as there are so many choices and the hotel you choose can make or break a vacation.

Around the Philippines you can also find some various hotels when you are going somewhere outside Manila. You could also see beautiful sites around the hotel you’re checking in. And sometimes the airport itself will take you straight to the hotel of your choice.

“The service”
Filipinos are to be known hospitable. So don’t worry about the services they give you. From the receptionist to the managers, bellboys and chamber maids, they are all there to serve. What you need is what they will give you.

“The Facilities”
You can choose from the types of the rooms. Executive, single, double, take your pick. Each rooms has own compositions. Some will have a Jacuzzi, air conditioners, spa and cable televisions. This will depend on your budget. If you want to have special services, take the executive suite. If you want to have a simple room, you could take the single or two-bed rooms.

“Food and Entertainment”
Food and Entertainment will always be the second priority for the traveler. It will be enjoyable staying in a certain hotel travelers are entertained by the various performers while dining in feisty restaurants.

Hotels are the second homes of the tourist and travelers. Hotels can be also be a venue for your events like a wedding, company meetings, parties and so on.

Now, you can experience the extraordinary life if you choose to stay at the hotels if you’re traveling here in the Philippines. Comfort and pleasure at its best!

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It’s a rather unfortunate reality that out of more than 7,000 islands in the Philippines, only a handful are being explored and appreciated by Filipinos and foreign tourists alike. We’re guilty of patronizing the same island resorts over and over again, we leave no room for new discoveries. These popular resorts, in turn, start to suffer from commercial abuse and exploitation. Take Boracay, for example. Scientists and environmentalists have been raising warning signs for quite some time now, alerting us of the island’s danger of extinction due to over-accumulation of human and industrial waste. Only a small minority heed to these calls for help while the majority still frequent “Bora” and frolic around without a care.

So how can we prevent more cases of probable island extinction? The answer lies in discovery and in exploration. Again, there are 7,107 islands in the Philippines. Surely, there are hundreds of islands that are as magnificent as Boracay, if not, more so. One of these undiscovered beauties is Quinamanukan Island.

Where in the world is it?

Aptly dubbed as the Virgin Pleasure, Quinamanukan Island and all its pristine glory is your ultimate island in the sun. Situated within the Pacific waters of San Miguel Bay, southeast of Vinzons, Camarines Norte. From Manila, the island is roughly 300 kms towards the south, 12 kms from the airstrip of Daet in Barangay Bagasbas, and only 5.5 kms away from the municipality of Vinzons. Virgin Pleasure is also visible from San Jose Beach in Talisay, especially when it’s low tide and the waves are not that rough. The island’s clear white sand gleams in the sun dotted by fields of green and surrounded by the deepest blue, the vision tempting enough to lure you towards it.

How to get there?

There are several ways to get to Quinamanukan - by land, by air, and by sea.

By land:
From Manila, you can take an 8-hour bus ride to Daet via Philtranco Bus Line, Amihan, or Superlines or a 6-hour drive by car. Head towards Bagasbas Beach, roughly 5 kms away from the town proper of Daet, rent a boat for P500/whole day, and sail away for an hour towards the island.

By air:
You can reach Virgin Pleasure by taking a 45-minute flight via charter plane from Manila to the Daet airstrip in Barangay Bagasbas, and then take an hour long boatride to the island.

By sea:
Granted you’re already in Bagasbas Beach, hire a boat and head towards the island. It only takes 45 minutes to an hour, depends on the water conditions.
If you’re in San Jose Beach in Talisay, it only takes a 30-minute boatride to reach the island of your dreams.

The island’s main entrance is by its northern shore through a natural canal of coral reefs. It boasts a rich and colorful marine life, making it not only the ultimate vacationer’s dream paradise, but of every scuba diver’s dream sanctuary as well.

Once there, you can expect a 6-hectare stretch of powder white sand and as fine as the world-famous Boracay sand which gradually slopes into the clear blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. You can explore, contemplate, and reconnect with nature without any unnecessary disturbance.

It’s a shame to miss this one-in-a-million beauty. So, for your next island getaway, make Quinamanukan Island part of your escapades. Experience firsthand all that Virgin Pleasure has to offer, before commercial-hungry forces take a hold of it.

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There are several ways to turn your day to a new one. But the best way is to travel.  Yes, going to places, meeting new people will sometimes relieve the boredom that we feel.

The beach is one of the best places to go during the summer. There is nothing on this earth that can be as rewarding and adventurous than a trip to the ocean. One can easily re-charge your batteries with a vacation to the many beaches of the Philippines. So pack your summer outfit and don’t forget to bring your suntan lotion with you.

People love to go out with the family to the beach. They get a chance to bathe in the sun, go fishing, or just enjoy the view. For many tourists in the Philippines who love the climate here, these islands are like a paradise. With 7107 islands, there are plenty of beaches you can explore.
 
With all the fun that we get to see, hear and experience, we still have to be on the lookout for those guys who feed on the ignorance of others. There are the scammers who would take advantage of the tourists’ divided attention. There are also recent reports of kidnapping among wealthy tourists who are unaware of the perils that await them. These kidnappers, scammers, and thieves prey upon the innocent like the sharks in the open water.
 
For these kinds of people, conscience is nothing compared to the hungry stomachs that they have to feed everyday. To prevent these dangerous people from preying on you, you must scout the area of interest first. Stick to the main beaches on these islands such as Puerto Gallera, Subic Bay, Boracay, Palawan, and more. These areas are more than safe and millions of tourists visit and enjoy their vacations trouble free.
 
Now that we have been warned, let’s talk about the things we need to prepare before going to the beach.
 
Money, transportation, and shelter are very important. With money, we can get to travel without the need to acquire a car of our own. Traveling by bus is usually cheaper than having to pay for your own gas.  By getting on the bus you spare yourself the trouble of mapping out where you have to go. You also get a chance to take some fancy snap pictures while on the trip.
 
Now, a place to stay should also be planned in advance, we don’t want to stay out too late at the beach and later find out we don’t have a place to take a nap right? Research the hotels and places to stay before your trip to take the guess work out of your vacation.

Enjoy life, travel once in a while, see life up close.
 

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