Philippines Guide
For Travelers, Expats and Pinoys
Philippines Dive Sites: A Must-See!
Coming to the Philippines offers a lot of travel and tour possibilities but there is one thing you should never miss; having a feel of one of the numerous breathtaking dive sites in the Philippines. One should never miss out on the chance of seeing the wonderful and colorful life in marine waters. To help you make it happen, here are some of the must-see dive sites in the country.
Driving north of Manila for two and a half hours brings you to a Philippine diving spot featuring a blue mountain and sea—Subic. This place was originally a naval base used by Spanish colonizers in 1885. Then it was transformed into a naval facility; but when the Americans left the country, it became a Freeport economic and tourism zone.
Let us now go south of the country’s capital. Only 140 kilometers away from Manila, Anilao, in Batangas province, is a favorite diving spot on weekends and holidays. It houses 24 diving sites which are mostly shallow gardens among sandy patches and coral slopes. Of these 24 diving sites, the Cathedral is the most popular. Imagine a roofless cavern with a blessed cross in between two huge sea mounts and don’t forget the serenity of watching schools of emperor angelfish and yellow damsel fish.
Only a boat-ride away from Anilao is another popular dive site—Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro. This diving spot harbors fine beaches, green scenery and sheltered coves. Moreover, it has diverse marine life forms that will surely paint unforgettable memories.
Further south is Busuanga, the largest in the group of Lamian Islands in Northern Palawan. Busuanga as a diving spot is considered one of a kind due to the reserve and wildlife sanctuary and wrecks around Coron Bay. There are twelve of these wrecks that can be seen at diveable depths.
Divers say that you can pay a visit to the world under water anytime but they greatly recommend doing so in Busuanga from October to May. They say that the visibility and current are best during these months.
Aside from the wrecks and the sanctuaries, limestone cliffs and tiny isolated beach coves are pleasing to the eyes. One even features hot springs that can be accessed by climbing over the limestone pinnacles. Last but not the least, we guarantee that pearl farms will fancy your eyes.
So, whenever you pay a visit to this tropical country, never forget to visit any of these dive sites in the Philippines for it will surely make your trip breathtaking, adventurous and worthwhile.
A Grand Dive Site at Anilao, Batangas
Perfect diving and snorkeling for an amazing view of the sea underworld… This is what a grand dive site in Anilao, Batangas is all about.
Anilao boasts of an azure sea teeming with fish life and coral formations along with an abundance of diving spots. A glimpse into waist-deep crystal clear waters shows a microcosm of the spectacular sea world beneath.
Anilao is a three-hour travel from Buendia, Makati (where one can take a bus to Batangas), passing through the Mabini, Bauan terminal. From there, a ride to the Mabini dock area is available, and finally another ride (special trips are available) to Anilao diving spots.
For good diving spots, a short raft trip to deeper waters is recommended. Rented rafts and small boats for this purpose are available in Anilao. As one goes farther into the bay, this dive site reveals more fish and other sea creature havens and undulating coral reefs.
Macro photography is ideal as one sinks deeper into this dive site and discovers divisions of diving spots that offer fantastic views of the Anilao deep. Crinoids of different bright colors sprawl copiously on the sea floors and coral ridges. This dive site also reveals different varieties of other sea flora and fauna, like the nudibranchs, among others.
A more adventurous diving aficionado can choose a night session in the diving spots and discover nocturnal sea animals like sea hares and goblins to take macro photo shots of. There are also plenty of catfish eels and ghost pipe fishes to feast the eyes with. Not far away from coral reefs are blue-ringed octopuses and schools of mandarin fish.
A diving spot to look for deep down the sea floor is the so-called “Cathedral.” Seen at some 50 feet below, this is marked by a strange cross flanked by two heaps of coral reefs. Lots of fish species get their food at this site. Thus, a night visit in this diving spot rewards one with a stunning show of reef formations and sea life. Another diving spot of Anilao dive site is what divers fondly call “Sombrero.” It is like a hat of coral formations where fish linger and scour for food. Nearer to shore are Beatrice and Bajura, where also fish groups abound.
Anilao waters is a dive site off Batangas offering superb underwater sceneries that will impress even professional divers. It has different diving spots perfect with massive coral reefs and abundant sea life.
When to Use What Public Transport
Travelling around cities in the Philippines can be very confusing even to locals. How many times have we heard tourists taking cabs to get to a place which turns out to be just at the next corner? Or first-timers taking tricycles or pedicabs to get to another city? So to keep traveling blunders to a limit here’s a summary of short city travels.
But often we find ourselves travelling around cities alone. In such case we need to know where we’re going. Most first-timers travelling around cities often take confidence in taking cabs. But often (not always) cab drivers would take unsuspecting passengers around the locality (or even around the city) when actually the destination is just right at the next corner. So it’s vital to get an idea where one is going. How far is it? Five kilometers? How long to get to it? An hour? One may ask around; ask a traffic police or traffic aide, go to a barangay post, or call operator service. These are safe people to ask directions from when travelling around cities and will readily lend a hand. But don’t ask just anybody.
Get a handy map, too. A city atlas will help pinpoint a street or locality and the access roads leading to it. With this, one gets a better grasp of how to get there. If it’s more than 2 or 3 kilometers, it’s probably a jeepney ride. Farther destinations may need a bus ride or a combination of jeepney, bus and tricycle. The general rule is, buses are for highways, jeepneys for main roads and inner streets, tricycles are for streets and alleys inaccessible to jeepneys. Again, as one is travelling around cities, don’t hesitate to ask directions.
A cab is only advisable when one gets familiar with travelling around cities. Blindly trusting a cab to take us places we don’t have an inkling of is a pitfall. Check a route in the map and insist on taking that path. Cab drivers are known to offer “short-cuts” that later churn up the meter like crazy—though some drivers do care for passengers to get cheaper and shorter rides travelling around cities. It’s best to sit at the back where checking the atlas would be undetected by the driver and one doesn’t appear new in the territory.
So when travelling around cities just keep cool and know first where one’s going. Then the rest of the travel ought to be smooth sailing.
What’s along EDSA?
EDSA, Philippines is a main avenue that cuts across cities in Metro Manila. A tourist lodging in this metropolis is likely to encounter vibrant highway EDSA in the course of travel. One might as well get to meet this busiest longitudinal avenue online before being face to face with it.
EDSA, or Epifanio delos Santos Avenue, is some 54 kilometers (or about 25 miles) long. It stretches from the Andres Bonifacio Monument (“Monumento”) in Caloocan to Roxas Boulevard in Manila—about three hours travel. But it is just about an hour in light traffic. EDSA used to be North and South Circumferential Road after its construction in 1940. The Americans later changed it to Highway 54 after World War II. In 1959 it was renamed EDSA.
EDSA cuts across five cities: Pasay, Makati, Mandaluyong, Quezon City, and Caloocan. Aside from public buses and private vehicles, overhead light rail transportation is also available from Taft Avenue in Pasay to North Avenue in Quezon City. Called Metro Rail Transit or MRT, commuters can now enjoy an appreciably shortened travel. From both terminal ends travel can only take some 25 to 30 minutes.
EDSA MRT stations are elevated high by two to three levels (about 6 or 10 meters high) accessible to commuters by escalators, elevators, and stairs. These EDSA MRT stations are highly commercialized with food and accessory stalls and concessions. A lot of them are even connected to major malls. North Station in Quezon City is attached to Tri Noma Mall. Cubao station also in Quezon City is linked to Farmers Plaza. Shaw station in Mandaluyong is joined to Star Mall. Ayala station in Makati is connected to SM Makati.
Maintenance and security are well managed. Exits and entries are manned by trained security personnel and K-9 sniffing dogs. A commuter check point is at these sites. Rest rooms are well kept by building maintenance.
Aside from the city skyline and intermittent show of skyscraper clusters, EDSA takes one to several historical places, luxury hotels, and malls. Aside from those already aforementioned, there’s the EDSA Revolution Monument and Shrine, EDSA Hotel, SM Mega Mall, ABS CBN Channel 2, GMA Network Channel 7, Camps Crame and Aguinaldo (sites of the world famous EDSA Revolution), Shangri La Mall, and Ayala Avenue revealing a patch of Makati business centers, among others.
EDSA is a microcosm of the whole metropolis. Once seen, one gets a good idea of how Metro Manila is.
Fast Travel Links From Manila to Quezon City
What’s the fastest travel option to get from Manila to North Quezon City, and vice versa? Take the Quezon Avenue-Roosevelt Avenue-Congressional Avenue links.
There are various travel options from Manila to Quezon City, and vice versa. There’s the Blumentritt-A.Bonifacio-Del Monte travel links, and the E. Rodriguez-Aurora Boulevard travel links. But these travel options are often breeding grounds of unwanted choke points and bottle necks countless times of the day. Heavy traffic almost suddenly builds up any time on these thoroughfares.
After extricating oneself from heavy traffic along Espana, exit the Welcome Monument (boundary of Manila and Quezon City) by taking Quezon Avenue towards Pantranco or Roces. Just travel past Welcome rotunda and it should be lots of traffic relief. Quezon Avenue should be allowing more cool wind against the face. This travel option leads to a U-turn slot at Roces to double back Quezon Avenue then turn right to Roosevelt Avenue.
Roosevelt is easy driving until the intersection at Del Monte. The traffic light there seems lethargic at times but past that is a travel option exhilaratingly smooth all the way to Del Pilar crossing. Del Pilar is haunted by some undisciplined motorized spooks that clog the intersection. Mostly are construction and delivery trucks from nearby factories. But past that, even along the busy frontage of Munoz Market, is fast and easy driving. The continuous flow that cuts off the main junction of EDSA and Roosevelt through a U-turn slot accounts for this, and vehicles end up smoothly double backing EDSA to either go straight or turn right on Congressional Avenue. We turn right.
Congressional Avenue is simply a motorist’s dream—well, except for some oblivious jeepney drivers, that is. They like lingering in the middle of the road, chatting or waiting forever for passengers. They’re stashed only at the starting point of the stretch, anyway, and past them (and some tentative road diggings) this travel option leads swiftly down Mindanao and finally Visayas Avenue. From Visayas it’s easy travel to various parts of North Quezon City.
This trek from Manila to North Quezon City, or vice versa, takes only about an hour to travel. Other travel options would take at least an hour and a half—or more in a really big traffic build-up, especially in rainy season.
A journey from Manila to North Quezon City shouldn’t take so much of one’s precious time. With clever and safe on-hands and on-road maneuvers plus the quickest travel option in town, it should be a touchdown in no time.
Philippine Cuisine Tagalog “Bachoy”
“Bachoy” is originally an Ilonggo native cuisine. But several versions were made of it, among which was the native Tagalog dish “bachoy. Most Philippine cuisines are characterized by flexibility. A native dish originally from a certain province or region will be redone in another. But the availability or lack of original ingredients in a locality will force improvisation of the native dish and later result into a different version of it.
Original Ilonggo La Paz “bachoy” is a soup noodle native cuisine with ample pieces of beef and spices. Native Tagalog dish “bachoy” on the other hand is a stew of swine organs and pork lean meat without noodles. What’s the difference? Cook and eat it to find out.
We need half kilo each of swine heart, liver, and lean meat. Some add a portion of lungs. These swine parts are often cheaper than pork meat itself, so this native cuisine is often economical to cook. Clean swine inner parts with water and soak in a basin of water for 5 minutes. Later, slice into cubes of about half an inch by half an inch. Then, prepare 5 pieces crushed and sliced garlic, three balls sliced onions, three small bundles of “kinchay” leaves, half of a whole ginger (peeled and sliced small), and 5 cups water. Then we’re ready to cook this native Tagalog dish.
Sauté garlic in oil in a medium-size pot until light brown. Put in onions and ginger until light brown. The natural ginger flavoring brings out the pungent spicy taste and aroma of this native cuisine coupled with the strong culinary features of “kinchay” leaves. “Kinchay” is known to normalize high blood pressure by its fibrous action and flashing out cholesterol. So this native Tagalog dish is also healthy,
Then put swine flesh and lean meat in. Cook while turning over continually for a minute. Pour 5 cups of water and bring to a boil. When swine flesh and lean meat are tender, put in “kinchay” leaves. Boil for another minute, put out the fire, and serve this native cuisine hot. Serves 5 persons. This native Tagalog dish is best eaten when supplemented with a dash of fish sauce or “patis.”
This native cuisine is considered a royal treat in Philippine dining and few popular restaurant know this almost secret recipe. This is mostly served in homes for special guests.
Philippine native Tagalog dish “bachoy” is a unique and tasty treat. This native cuisine is also healthy with a anti-cholesterol action.
How to Enjoy Philippine Cuisines Better
Philippine native cuisines are natural taste bud ticklers that induce appetite like fatty oil is to grill fire. But there are certain culinary secrets that enhance the subtle taste of native dishes, especially where marinating and sauces are concerned. Here are some secret tips for a more enjoyable Philippine native cuisine.
Most fried native dishes, like fried fish and pork chops, are rubbed with a dash of salt and flour a minute before frying. This results in a super crispy and juicy fred native cuisine, with all the food flavors intact and succulently oozing at a bite. For a much tastier native dish flavor, fish, pork or beef is marinated with soy sauce and vinegar, or better, soy sauce and natural “kalaminsi” or lemon juice. This marinating procedure is done 30 to 45 minutes before cooking, either by frying or grilling. Grilled pork liver is also thus marinated for a mouth-watering aroma and taste.
Native cuisine fried or steamed fish are often stuffed with sliced native tomatoes, garlic, ginger, “kinchay” leaves, a little powdered pepper, and onions. At times this native dish is mixed with cooked ground beef or pork. The fish’s abdomen is sliced open, gull and gills removed while leaving the liver and intestines intact, and the spices are stuffed inside. Then the abdomen is stitched closed with a clean white thread. The fish is then wetted enough with a soy sauce and “kalamansi” or lemon juice concoction for some 15 minutes, and then fried or grilled.
With grilling native cuisines, the usual method is to wrap the fish or pork with aluminum foil. This cooking method evens up cooking all sides of a native dish fish, pork, or beef but it’s unhealthy because of the lead content of the foil. The best alternative—and one of the native cuisine culinary secrets of cooking grandmas in the country—is to wrap food in banana leaves while being grilled. This saves the native dish from too much burning and boosts natural food and spice flavor enhancement.
Finally, native cuisines usually go with a specific dip sauce. Dip sauces of mixed vinegar, soy, or preserved fish for a specific native dish may heighten taste bud stimulation. Native cuisine Kare-Kare’s true gourmet potential lies on how good the preserved shrimp or “bagoong” sauce is cooked.
Philippine native cuisines are enjoyed more when the secret ingredients are in and the right sauce concoction for a native dish is in place.
Milkfish in Black Beans and Spiced Tofu
Here’s a super healthy and super yummy Philippine native recipe. This native dish’s loaded with protein, omega 3 and calcium. It’s a mighty combination of the tasty features of fresh water fish and the subtle zesty goodness of Chinese black beans and spiced tofu.
For a kilo of milkfish here’s the list of ingredients for this native recipe: a small plastic pack of Chinese black beans or “tawsi,” a small pack of spiced tofu or “tawre,” 4 pieces sliced tomatoes, 2 pieces sliced onions, 5 pieces minced garlic, non cholesterol cooking oil, a cup of water, and salt to taste. With this list ready, we’re ready to cook this very tasty native dish.
After washing and cleaning the fish, slice them in 3 pieces. Fry them in cooking oil in a pan till brown. To avoid fish from sticking on the pan, make sure the pan and the oil are heated enough before putting in the fish. Another technique of this native recipe is to rub flour on the fish pieces before putting them in the hot cooking oil. When brown, put away in a plate. Don’t over fry the fish of this native dish. Fry just enough to keep the fish’s juiciness intact.
Sauté the garlic pieces, onions, and tomatoes in a new batch of cooking oil in a different pan. Keep steering till the tomatoes are melted. Put in the fish pieces and sauté for some 2 minutes. Put in the black beans and spiced tofu and sauté for a minute. Pour in water and cover pan. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until boiling. Put out fire and serve. This native serves 5 to 6 people.
A word of caution: make sure the milkfish of this native dish is thoroughly cleaned. Avoid getting the fish gull ruptured. This embitters the fish and spoils the whole native recipe. Also, make sure the gills of the milkfish are taken out. Some versions of this native recipe still have the gills in the fish. This results to a rancid taste in the native dish.
This native recipe is simple and easy enough to cook. The key here is in the food preparation, especially on the handling and cleaning of the milkfish.
Philippine native recipe for milkfish with black beans and spiced tofu is a healthy native dish that will surely stimulate the taste buds and rouse the appetite for more servings.
Philippine “Pochero”
The heavy-weight nutrients of beef, vegetables, and fruit; or, the delicate taste of tender beef, crunchiness of vegetables, and the sweet flavor of fruit—these are mouth-watering features of the native cuisine Philippine “pochero.” It is considered a luxury native dish served mostly only to the elite or in very special occasions.
Pochero dates back to Spanish times, a time when native dishes cooked were sure to be nothing less than top quality. Spanish landlords were mostly very discriminating in taste and preferences. They were often very strict masters. So this native cuisine was birthed at such a time when everything was made “primera clase” or first class.
This native cuisine, pochero, is cooked in this manner. For a kilo of pork or beef (or a mix) these are the ingredients: a small ball of cabbage sliced in big pieces, 5 pieces sweet potatoes sliced into 4 each, 7 pieces pared native “saba” bananas sliced into halves, a bundle of Baguio beans cut into halves, a bundle of pechay leaves sliced into halves, a can of pork and beans, a teaspoon of salt, and 5 cups of water. Make sure all the veggies have been kept in the fridge the night before for a crunchy quality. Now we’re ready to cook this native dish.
Simmer the meat and sweet potatoes in 5 cups of water for one to two hours for a super tender native cuisine of pochero. If the water has dwindled too much, add enough to soak meat in it. When the meat of this native cuisine gets tender enough the sweet potato should have become very soft and thickened the beef stew. Pour in all the others (cabbage, pechay, bananas, salt, and Baguio beans) except the pork and beans. Put to medium fire for half a minute, pour in pork and beans, and cook for another half a minute, then the native dish is ready to serve. Make sure not to over do the vegetables to keep their crunchiness.
Native cuisine, Pochero, has an aroma and taste that blends the pungent qualities of meaty richness and fruity sweetness. Its thick stew captures in all the abundant goodness of beef, vegetables, root crop, and fruit for a tangy native dish flavor unmistakably Filipino-Spanish in orientation.
A super balanced native cuisine complete with meat, veggies, root crop, and fruit is the Philipine pochero. Balanced meals seldom come as delicious and nutritious as this native dish does—not to mention its rich and thick stew.
Tinola: A Favorite Philippine Cuisine
Worried about having guests for dinner? Thinking of what delicious food to serve that would also be economical to serve? Thinking of having food delivered or eating out? Hold one’s horses! Here’s a favorite Philippine cuisine that is super tangy and super cost-effective—yet is a common native dish in classy restaurants. And here’s the best part, the bonus. This Philippine cuisine can be served with some hot supplements to really work out sweat in its devourer.
Introducing the Philippine cuisine “Tinola.” It is not only delicious and inexpensive; it is also a healthy balanced food for your guests and family. This Philippine cuisine can be cooked with various main ingredients: chicken, milkfish, shellfish, or even edible, cultured frogs. But in most cases chicken is used in this native dish, especially the native chicken. So for a kilo of chicken, one needs an average size ginger, onions, native “sili” (chili) leaves, a small green papaya, eight garlic pieces, about four cups of water, and some 4 spoons of fish sauce (“patis”) to taste.
Cooking this Philippine cuisine is quick and easy. Just sauté chicken in right amount of cooking oil with sliced ginger, garlic and onions. Make sure the spices (especially the ginger) turn light brown first before joining in the chicken pieces—and the fish sauce. After a minute of sautéing, pour in water and sliced papaya and boil until everything is tender. Finally, put in the “sili” leaves, simmer for another minute, and there we have it. Now here’s to give it some delectable kick: serve hot with a separate fish sauce with ground raw “sili” in a small saucer.
A really old style of cooking this native dish is using a live chicken. After slaughtering, the chicken’s blood is mixed with raw rice and put in the pot when everything is tender.
Now, if native chicken is used, the cooking gets yummier flavors. But more time will be devoted to tenderize the chicken flesh. Native chicken are often tough (so get younger ones). But they’re also known for bringing out pungent chicken flavor.
So we use the same procedure with sautéing and all, but when water is poured with the papaya, more time is needed to simmer everything. Hold the “sili” leaves awhile. When the flesh gets tender enough (How do you know it’s tender? Sample it) the leaves go in next. Simmer a minute and serve.
Tinola has been a Filipino solution to affordable but classy and tasty native dish. This Philippine cuisine easily impresses guests of any nationality with regards to taste, aroma, appeal, and balance.
