Philippines Guide
For Travelers, Expats and Pinoys
Legazpi Travel Guide
The city of Legazpi in the province of Albay is well-known as the site where Mayon Volcano, the most perfect cone in the world, is located. Rizal Street, its lone thoroughfare, connects it to the Albay district which is the commercial center. This Legazpi Travel Guide provides a glimpse of tourism in this part of the Philippines.
There are few tourist attractions in Legazpi but one place that demands a visit is the Cagsawa Ruins, the remains of a church that was buried during Mayon Volcano’s eruption in 1814. It is recommended that tourists visit the place at dawn before vendors and hawkers arrive and clouds block the view of the volcano. To reach the site, one would have to take a jeepney going to Guinobatan.
The Cagsawa National Museum provides exhibits about Mayon Volcano as well as other Philippine volcanoes. The museum operates from 8:00 – 11:30 am & 1:00 – 4:30 pm from Mondays to Saturdays. Kapuntukan Hill likewise provides a god view of Mayon Volcano. Victory Village, located behind the fish market, is an old bamboo village built on stilts.
Legazpi Travel Guide likewise provides an overview of the various modes of transportation available in the city. Legazpi Airport is located Washington Drive, 3 kilometers northwest from the heart of the city. There are various bus terminals found in the city as well. The BLTB bus company has a terminal on Penaranda Street. The station of JB Bicol Express is found in Mabini Street while Philtranco has its station in Imperial Street.
The Tourist Information Office, located at the Third Floor of RCBC Building in Rizal Street, arranges Mayon climbs. They arrange transportation, guides, and equipments for interested individuals. There are several banks on Quezon Avenue where tourists can change their cash.
According to Legazpi Travel Guide, there are affordable accommodations in the city as well. The Legazpi Tourist Inn is the most popular accommodation venue. It is found on Lapu Lapu Street across the post office. The room rates at Legazpi Tourist Inn ranges from $10 – $15.
Another venue where tourists can stay is the Casablanca Hotel in Penaranda Street. At $15 – $20, all rooms in the hotel have double air-conditioning. There are some rooms that has a balcony. The coffee shop is open twenty four hours.
For those who are looking for a good dining venue, this Legazpi Travel Guide recommends the Old Albay Café of Hotel Victoria. It is a popular venue for conducting meetings. The place serves standard breakfast, Filipino dishes, sandwiches and snacks.
Paayahayan Beer Garden serves fresh seafood and a bottle of San Miguel Beer for PHP 15 per bottle. For vegetarians, the Waway Restaurant is the best place to go. It likewise serves local delicacies like Bicol Express.
This Legazpi Travel Guide provides travelers with helpful information in order to have a worthwhile vacation in Legazpi.
Legazpi Hotel Guide
Legazpi is the home of the majestic Mayon volcano. This attracts more tourists every year. To have an enjoyable stay in this city you must stay in a good hotel which the city has several.
1. Alicia Hotel – This hotel is closest to the city airport. It is one of the best choices for your accommodations. This hotel has many amenities. The stay in this hotel is always comfortable. They have thirty rooms which have air-con, bathroom and cable for the televisions. The rooms offer a good view of the volcano. They can also provide a shuttle for you for the airport. This hotel is at the F. Aguende Drive. You may reach them at 63-52-481-08-01 and 63-52-481-48-08.
2. Casablanca Hotel – This is a hotel offering accommodations for the guests exuding elegance. This hotel has twenty seven rooms which have the standard amenities and more. Their rooms include the standard, deluxe, junior and executive rooms. They also offer room service and massage for the guests. They also have a broadband access for the Internet. Many locals celebrate big celebrations in this hotel. It is located at the Penaranda Street. You can reach them at 63-52-480-8334 for your booking. The accommodation can begin at four thousand pesos.
3.Hotel Venezia – This is a hotel which have rooms that resemble villas. They have a wide reception area. The price of accommodation here can start for three thousand eight hundred pesos. They also offer buffet breakfast meals for all the guests. They offer suites, junior suites and standard rooms. Each room has a television with table, air-con and coffee maker. This place is one of the choices of most businessmen. This is situated at the Renaissance on Washington Street. You can reach them at 63-02-910-4203.
4.Hotel Villa Angelina – You might prefer this hotel because this
is situated in the center of the city. It gives a good view of Mount Mayon.
The rooms are executive suites, celebrity deluxe, condo suites and presidential
suites. Their rooms have air-con, television and Internet. The accomodation is priced at one thousand five hundred pesos up to three thousand five hundred pesos. They also have their own pool and restaurant for the convenience of the guests. It is at Rosario Street in the city. You may call them at 63-52-435-2855.
5. Legazpi Tourist Inn – This hotel can be found in the center of Legazpi. This is a good place for many people on a tight budget. They have rooms which costs nine hundred pesos up to one thousand two hundred pesos. This inn is near the malls of the city. It is situated on Quezon Avenue in Legazpi city.
Legazpi Sightseeing Guide
One of the wonderful places to visit in the Philippines is Legazpi City. Not only does the Mayon Volcano serve as backdrop, the skyline and gulf make the place very picturesque. What we have below is a concise Legazpi sightseeing guide for visiting this part of the Philippines. We’ll go over the many sights and activities, places to dine, and what to buy.
The first part of our Legazpi sightseeing guide will concern some of the places and activities that highlight any visit to this city. One of the very first questions that will usually pop up every now and then will be if a visitor or tourist can get a chance to climb up the Mayon Volcano. Those who want to scale her heights should be aware that there is a permanent danger zone of six kilometers from the volcano’s summit.
A healthy respect for nature in the Philippines would prompt one to say that Mayon is a dangerous beauty to scale. Those who dare the climb should first check with the local tourism office and look for available guides. One could either take the Buyuan or the Mayon Skyline observatory trail.
If you’re not into the adventure tripping, then you might settle for a quiet picnic in the Albay Park and Wildlife. Other quieter places to see include several historical sites like the Cagsawa Ruins, Battle of Legazpi Monument, the Freedom Park, and the Japanese tunnel.
However, if you’re looking for a bit of water fun, then you can either go skim boarding with the locals at the beach area or take a dip in Vera Falls with its cool and clear natural pool. To top off this part of our Legazpi sightseeing guide, the other places you might like to check out include Kapuntukan Hill, Lignon Hill that offers a panoramic view of the entire city and its surroundings, and Plaza Rizal for a bit of R&R, snacks, and drinks.
A Legazpi sightseeing guide won’t be complete without pointing you to places to eat. Fast food here and other parts of the Philippines will usually just cost less $5. You’ll find most of the fast food stores in the malls, which include LCC Mall and the Pacific Mall. However, if you’re looking for that distinct Legazpi taste then you can choose from various restaurants like Waway’s, Peking House, and Bigg’s Diner.
Finding souvenir shops, the final part of our Legazpi sightseeing guide, won’t be hard to find. Going around the downtown area in Legazpi City brings a lot of options. If you’re looking for great bargain items in Legazpi, or any major city of the Philippines for that matter, then you should consider checking the public market, where they sell stuff at lower prices.
This is concludes our Legazpi sightseeing guide. The scenic views in this part of the Philippines and the easy urban life make the place something worth exploring.
Legazpi Beach Guide
Whenever we talk about spending time at the beach in the Philippines, one place comes to mind and that’s Boracay. The good news is, Boracay is not the only place that one can go to for a day or two at the beach. In fact, there are less costly alternatives to Boracay and these beaches are found in Legazpi, Philippines.
First up in our Legazpi Beach Guide are the black sand beaches. We have Mayon Volcano to thank for, for these beautiful beaches because the black sand is caused by erosions of volcanic rock from the volcano combined with lava. Black beaches are rare aside from being spectacular and the other famous black sand beach can be found in Hawaii.
Another stop in our beach hunt in this Legazpi Beach Guide is Santo Domingo which is a 6 mile away place from Legazpi where one can enjoy the scenic Albay Gulf and several beaches. The view in these beaches in Santo Domingo is spectacular at night especially with a full moon and a clear, cloudless sky dotted with stars. From the shore, one can see the glimmer of city lights which is a perfect match to the moon and stars. Santo Domingo also has several resorts fronting the beach side.
Then of course there’s the Boracay Beach found in Legazpi and is included in this Legazpi Beach Guide. Boracay Beach in the Philippines is found in two spots and the one that is being discussed here is half an hour away from Legazpi. The black sand in this part of the Philippines is mingled with volcanic rock and there are several resorts where one can stay to maximize one’s experience.
We will also include in this Legazpi Beach Guide the beaches that are found in Tiwi, which is a good 40 kilometers away from the city of Legazpi. The best place to go swimming in the Philippines is near the Joroan Shore because one not only gets to enjoy the great view of Lagonoy Gulf but there are also several small islands that can be visited near Camarines Sur.
Since we’re talking about Boracay town in Legazpi in this Legazpi Beach Guide, let’s move on to Sogoy Beach which is also in the same area. Sogod Beach Philippines enjoys the most number of visitors especially during summer because of the presence of palm trees among ebony sand that provide shade during the intense summer heat. Indeed the Legazpi Beach Guide would be incomplete without this.
Legazpi Restaurant Guide
There are a lot of places to wine and dine at Legazpi City to please even the most disconcerting connoisseur. The City is rich is its gourmet Bicol Cuisine and you will also find the words best dishes right here. Finding these establishments will not be hard because the locals will be very pleased to give you directions. The following are the best restaurants we found in Lagazpi.
1.Graceland: This place is famous for its pastries. You will see a lot of the locals come here for lunch. Graceland is basically a fast food restaurant and bakery shop all in one. Their lunch menu consists of burgers and fries. Their Tapa food is highly recommended. Meals here cost on average $5. Their store is very near to near Saint Raphael Church, which is hard to miss when you’re touring this amazing city.
2.Cres Restaurant: This is a Chinese owned restaurant. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that u will not only find Chinese food here, but also the best Filipino style home cooking. The friendly staff and manager will make you feel you are part of the family. A favorite dish here is the ever fiery Bicol Express, a dish primarily made from chili peppers in coconut milk. Meals in Cres Restaurant will average around $5, which is really cheap by local standards.
3.Smoke & Grill: If you find a hotel near the airport, then this is a great place to have a quick meal. This place is a short walk from the airport, so if your hotel is nearby you should be in the same neighbourhood as this place. Recommended dish here would be the sizzlers and crispy pata. It’s a real party atmosphere here especially at night. Try the cocktails here.
4.Bigg’s Diner: This diner themed restaurant is a home grown one in the Bicol region. This place has a retro 1950s to 1970s feel to it. It has lots of collectibles from that era. This place has a branch that’s always open 24 hours 7 days a week right in the middle of the city. This is a boon for foodies who want great food at the middle of night. Meals cost between $5-$10 depending on what you eat and how much you eat. They have a delicious menu of typical Filipino menu and western cuisine.
5.Waway’s Restaurant: if you are in the mood for some great hot chili pepper-based Bicolano cuisine, then this is the place to come. As you already know this place serves very spicy food and that can be your warning label. On the other hand, the coconut milk base gravy balances out everything. You should try the crabs and squids, a true sea food delight. Waway’s is on Penaranda Street, that has a large section of busy hotels in the area.
Lake Buhi – A Small Town’s Pride
The Bicol Region is a place that is rich in natural resources and beauty. One of its famous lakes is Lake Buhi. Lake Buhi is located in Buhi, Camarines Sur. The depth of this lake is estimated to be about eight meters average. Lake Buhi itself covers an area that is about 4,447.9 acres. There are two theories of how Lake Buhi was formed.
The first is when Mt. Iriga’s side collapsed due to an earthquake in 1641. A landslide resulted creating a natural dam in which Lake Buhi came about. The second theory is when Mt. Asog erupted thus resulting to the beautiful Lake Buhi.
Lake Buhi is rich with marine life. Sinarapan (Mistichthys luzonensis) is one of the fish species that can be found in Lake Buhi. This is the world’s smallest fish. The famous Tilapia is commercially harvested in Lake Buhi. You can even buy these fresh and alive. Other fish species are also found in Lake Buhi.
Aside from marine life, the surrounding forest of Lake Buhi is also a home to different bird species. No less than 25 bird species live here. Black-naped Monarch, Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker, White-eared Brown Dove, Elegant Tit, and the Philippine Hanging Parrot can be found here. The Philippine Cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fasicularis) also makes its abode in the forests surrounding Lake Buhi.
Today, Lake Buhi is the main source of livelihood for the residents in Buhi, Camarines Sur. The fishing industry thrives lively in Buhi. A Hydroelectric Plant gets its water supply from Lake Buhi. The National Irrigation Administration also uses the water from Lake Buhi to irrigate farms and rice fields in the Rinconada towns including Iriga City.
How do you get to Lake Buhi? From Manila, you can have a 12 to 14-hour ride on a bus to Iriga City, Camarines Sur. From Iriga City, a jeep will take you to Buhi town for about 15 minutes.
And right there, in the middle of the town, you can view the crystal waters of Lake Buhi. Aside from getting on a bus from Manila, you can also fly to Pili Airport for about 45 minutes. And from there, you can travel from Pili, Camarines Sur to Iriga City.
Buhi, Camarines Sur, the town where Lake Buhi is located is a peaceful place. Prepare to be greeted by fresh air and friendly people. The clear water of Lake Buhi reflects sunlight that gives peace to the soul. Visiting Lake Buhi can be considered as a great experience.
