There is so much to see and explore in the beautiful city of Baguio. Located in northern Philippines, it is one of the most favorite travel destinations in the country attracting tourists from different parts of the world.
Hailed as the Summer Capital of the Philippines, Baguio boasts of a year-round cool climate and nature-clad landscape. Also called The City of Flowers and The City of Pines, a diversity of flora and fauna can be found here as well.
Situated amid pine-covered hills with an expanse of scenic parks, enthralling mountain views and refreshing pine-scented air, it is an excellent place for relaxation as well as exciting discoveries.
What to Explore
Burnham Park – Located in the heart of the city, it has a promenade, a man-made lake ideal for boat rides, a biking area, a skating rink, an athletic field, a grandstand for concerts, a children’s park, and a plant and flower market (the Orchidarium).
Botanical Garden – Also known as Igorot Village, it has Igorot houses amid a garden of plants and flowers where Igorot tribesmen can be seen dressed in their traditional costumes.
Mines View Park – Gives a spectacular view of the valley and the mountains, and Baguio’s old mines.
Maryknoll Ecological Sanctuary – Offers an eco-tour of nature through Baguio’s cool climate.
Wright Park – Provides a pony ride around the park.
Baguio Flower Festival (Panagbenga) – Showcases nature’s feast of local flowers in a parade of lovely flower floats, exciting street dancing and exhibits.
Camp John Hay – Formerly the American military personnel’s rest and recreation station, it maintains the best recreation facilities in Baguio, including an 18-hole golf course and a hiking trail; it is also the city’s biggest pine tree conservation area.
The Mansion - The summer residence of the Philippine president, visitors can stroll around its lovely garden.
Philippine Military Academy – A military training institution, hailed as the country’s “West Point,” that has beautiful and green school grounds.
Tam-Awan Village – Has native huts, an art gallery and uphill forest trails ideal for hiking and trekking.
Itogon Wood Carver’s Village – Features the works of independent indigenous wood carvers.
Asin Hot Springs – Has a natural hot spring where swimming pools have been built for the enjoyment of visitors.
Baguio Cathedral – A majestic rose-colored Catholic church built on top of a hill in the heart of the city.
Lourdes Grotto – A shrine located on a hill that has the image of the Lady of Lourdes and can be reached by climbing 252 steps or driving on a narrow, winding road.
Session Road – The main avenue and commercial center of Baguio where numerous shops and restaurants are located.
City Market – One of the country’s best, heaving with fresh vegetables, strawberries, flowers, fruit preserves, peanut brittle and handicrafts, including beautifully woven sweaters and clothing; bargain shopping (ukay-ukay) can also be enjoyed here.
Strawberry Farm – A strawberry plantation where fresh strawberries can be picked/harvested and bought right from the fields.
Six hours away from Manila by bus, Baguio can be reached via three routes: Kennon Road –the fastest route but most dangerous due to frequent landslides during the rainy season, Marcos Highway or Naguilian Road. It can also be accessed via a fifty-minute airplane ride from Manila.
Whichever route is taken, Baguio is a cool and great travel destination to spend summer in when in the Philippines. It is a beautiful gateway to the wonders of nature --the next best thing to a mountain retreat, and an enthralling experience that may even make you want to keep coming back.
[Tags]Philippines, Baguio, Session Road, Flower Festival, Camp John Hay, Burnham Park[/Tags]
Manila transportation takes you not only to the major thoroughfares of the city but also to anywhere in the country. Land, air, or sea, one would surely find a mode of transportation that would take them to their target destination. Here we will look at the various transportation options that are available in Manila.
As one of the major cities in the Philippines, Manila has several modes of transportation to boast of. One of the most popular public transportation in the city is the jeepney. Used since after the post-World War II years, jeepneys showcase the artistry and creativity of Filipinos. The minimum fare is P7.00 for the first 4 kilometers and an additional 50 centavos for the succeeding kilometers.
Taxi cabs are also regular fixtures in Manila transportation. This mode of transport has two kinds, the regular metered cab and FX taxis. The former will take you anywhere in the city while the latter has a limited route just like buses and jeepneys. Aside from that, regular cabs have a flag down rate of 25 pesos while FX cabs have a minimum fare of 30 pesos and can take up to 12 passengers, including the driver.
If you are looking for a really quick means to get to your destination, the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) is the best option. The LRT plies two routes – Monumento to Baclaran and Divisoria to Cainta. The MRT, on the other hand, traverses EDSA from North Avenue to Taft Avenue bypassing two important commercial centers in Ortigas and Ayala Avenue. The trains are suspended 20 – 25 feet above the major roads ensuring a traffic-free trip. However, things could get messy during the rush hours.
In some districts in Manila, one could still see horse-drawn carts plying the interiors of the city. In the old city of Intramuros, for instance, calesas can take passengers to a trip to some of the country's historical places for a minimum of P100. Another mode of transportation used in traveling to inner roads or streets is the tricycle, a motorcycle with sidecar capable of carrying up to 3 passengers. A fourth passenger can sit in the driver's seat.
Aside from public modes of transport, Manila transportation likewise offers air and sea options going to other cities and provinces. The Ninoy Aquino International Airport serves as the main entry and exit point going to domestic as well as international locations. The North and South Harbor provides maritime transportation to other parts of the archipelago.
Manila transportation is very convenient with all these options available at your disposal.
Sorsogon, like most provinces in the Philippines, have its own customs and traditions that are influenced by the nearby provinces. Many of the Sorsogon festivals and events are offshoots of Christian religious traditions and are given a local distinct variation.
The Kasanggayahan Festival, perhaps, is the largest celebration for the whole province of Sorsogon. Celebrated during the month of October every year, this festival is the commemoration of the declaration of Sorsogon as a province. Before Sorsogon became a province in the Bicol region, it used to be part of Albay, which is another province in the region.
This festival is included in the Department of Tourism’s list of festivals and celebrations in the Philippines. With the term “kasanggayahan” meaning prosperity, the festival showcases the local products including products from the pili tree and other agricultural products.
The Pantomina sa Tinampo is one of the features of the Kasanggayahan Festival that makes it different from the other thanksgiving festivals in the country. Pantomina sa Tinampo is a native regional dance, which is the dance of the doves. This pantomime (pantomina) dance of love and courtship is done on the streets (tinampo), because of which it was termed “Pantomina sa Tinampo.”
Because pili products are bountiful in Sorsogon and in the rest of the Bicol region, it is easy to understand that the people of Sorsogon have devoted a festival that features this valuable nut. The Pili Festival is held every June 28-29, which are also the feast days of their patrons St. Peter and St. Paul.
Different dance groups composed of young men and women follows the beats of the percussion instruments as they show the different products that are made from the pili tree. These groups certainly prepares for this celebration as they have appropriate costumes and props to make their presentation more appealing, relevant and lively.
The most well known pili product is its nut, which is known to compete with macadamia nuts and almonds in terms of quality and distinct taste.
In addition to Christmas and the New Year, the commemoration of the Passion of Jesus Christ is also one of the most anticipated celebrations in the country. Although Christianity was brought to the Philippines by the Spanish colonizers, the Filipinos were able to make the Holy Week Celebration a local tradition through the incorporation of native practices and materials.
In Sorsogon, the locals come to the Cathedral of St. Peter and Saint Paul from which they start a barefoot procession as they take the statue of Jesus to the crucifixion.
Apart from these festivals, each municipality and town in Sorsogon celebrates their fiestas depending on the feast days of their patron saints. This is another way to showcase the culture and the products of the place and to thank God for their blessings.
Mayon boasts of the world’s most perfect cone-shaped volcano crater. How did this came to be? This myth on Mayon Volcano tells us how.
The myth on Mayon is composed of three epic stories. The story of Batlog, Handiong, and Bantong; all fierce epic warriors battling evil mystical creatures out to grab the whole of Bicol. This is how the stories go.
The first warrior, Batlog, accidentally stumbled upon a vast area of land rich with vegetation and forest because of its fertile soil. Batlog, according to this myth, fell in love with the land and decided to settle there. He moved his people from Batavara to this new found land called Ibalon. His kingdom greatly prospered in Ibalon, but it was far from living happily ever after. Soon, evil mystical creatures attacked them to grab Ibalon from their possession. The myth says, a giant man-eating wild boar was the first to try out Batlog’s mettle.
The myth says the monstrous wild boar ravaged the land, destroying much of the crops and killing so many people. But eventually, the myth says Batlog easily wrestled the giant wild boar to death. Some years of peace and prosperity reigned again, but not for long. Soon huge wild water buffalos or carabaos, winged sharks, and giant crocodiles and other crazy-loking creatures lined up the siege of Ibalon. Batlog could manage the fights a while, but the myth says age eventually caught up with him.
Then entered Handiong. The myth says Handiong and company came to rescue old Batlog. According to the myth, Handiong proved a violent warrior, fiercely defeating the huge creatures. Soon, the myth continues, Ibalon enjoyed years of peace and prosperity again under Handiong’s leadership.
But being mere mortal, Handiong soon grew old. And a new batch of rampaging creatures was soon on the scene again, wreaking tremendous havoc on Ibalon. But Handiong could do nothing except watch helplessly. But Bantong came to his rescue, wiped out all “halimaws” or evil creatures, and this time, a volcano with a perfect cone appeared on the scene. It was to be symbolic of the heroic exploits of the chieftains and a perpetual guardian over the vast land of Ibalon, which is now Bicol.
This myth on Bicol and Mayon Volcano teaches us that humans are mortal, and no matter their achievements, they will someday leave the scene of greatness and pass away. But monuments and symbols will see to it that they will be remembered by posterity, especially the heroism of Bicolanos.
Leyte is one of the industrializing provinces in the Visayan region of the Philippines that feature inviting medical facilities. Leyte hospitals and health care institutions always provide good quality services to the residents and tourists in the province. Most of the medical establishments in the area have private rooms, wards and laboratory facilities. In addition to these, the institutes employ registered medical doctors as well as professional health care assistants. Below are some of the most popular and accessible health care establishments in the province.
One of the public health care facilities in the area that offer efficient services is Leyte Provincial Hospital. To improve the quality of services that the establishment provides to patients, the provincial government initiated improvements in the facilities of the institute, which include the addition of new medical equipment like an ultrasound, a CT scan and several X-ray machines. Aside from these, the government also added 25 beds and 10 rooms. Consultation fees at this establishment are free and the costs of medicines and other treatments are cheaper than in other Leyte hospitals and health care facilities.
Another health care facility that provides affordable medical services to the residents in the province is Dr. Jose Silao Memorial Hospital. This establishment employs medical doctors and health care professionals who have sufficient knowledge on the different areas of medicine like surgery, general medicine, pediatrics as well as obstetrics. To provide comfortable stays to patients who are admitted to the place, the administration of this health care institution decided to renovate and improve the facilities, rooms and wards of this establishment.
Individuals who want to seek medical help in private health care establishments can always go to Bethany Hospital, which is situated in the City of Tacloban. It provides enough space for patients who need to be admitted because it has 125 beds. To make sure that all the patients will receive immediate treatments, this medical care establishment employs 175 medical staff and physicians. This facility is operated by the United Church of Christ in the Philippines. Even if this is a private hospital, the medical costs are not as high as in other tertiary health care establishments in the province.
Situated along Avenida Veteranos Street in Tacloban City, the Divine Word Hospital offers good quality medical and dental services to residents in the area. It also specializes in pediatrics, family medicine, surgery and emergency medicine. Since it is considered as a teaching hospital, some medical students enroll their internship at this health care facility.
Do you want to experience a different kind of travel adventure?
Pagudpud is approximately 500 kilometers from Manila, which is 12 hours straight drive by car, or about 15-18 hours with three major stop overs and some minor picture takings along the way.
On your way there you will surely enjoy the travel passing through Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac (Take the first stop-over here, there are lots of restaurants outside the Luisita gate). Be careful driving along the highway in the town of San Manuel, about 10-15 km after Luisita gate it is accident prone area.
After 5 hours drive from Manila, you will find yourself entering the province of Pangasinan via towns of Carmen-Urdaneta, and then you will pass by the town of Sison Pangasinan.
During the first half of the travel, we suggest you enjoy the famous House made of Narra in Agoo la Union (just right before reaching Marcos Hi-Way going Baguio.)
When you are in Agoo, you are half way on your trip to Pagudpud.
Cherish every old church in La-Union, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. It is good to take pictures of every church facade. Make sure to check out some old churches in Vigan and Paoay Ilocos Norte. Mind you there are a lot to enjoy while on the way there.
When you are in Vigan you are about 80% the travel to the breath taking views of Pagudpud "a Boracay 25 years ago" where one can marvel at the deep blue sea on your left while driving in the highway, see a forest-like hectares of coconut tree plantation (planted just feet away and side by side ) and of course the world famous white beaches.
Here are some tips on going there:
1. Take at least three 45 minute major stop-overs; Luisita in Tarlac, Agoo in La Union and Vigan in Ilocos Sur.
2. Take pictures of the old churches.
3. an alternate driver every 2 or 3 hours drive will prevent driving fatigue.
4. Visit the remains of Former president Marcos in the town of Batac ilocs norte. That is right before Laoag City. Also, do not fail to drop by Fort Ilocandia, the only five-star hotel in the northern part of the Philippines.
5. Enjoy the small restaurants in Laoag, Ilocos Sur. Cherish the Ilocano Longganisa both in Vigan and Laoag.
6. To fully enjoy your vacation, spend some 3-5 days or a 2-4 overnight stay from Vigan to laoag to Pagudpud.
PAGUDPUD! The future famous tourist destination. Make it a memorable, once in a lifetime escapade.
White Beach in Puerto Galera, Mindoro Island in the Philippines is a place that can make your vacation very memorable.
American, European, Korean, Japanese and Chinese tourists can be found not only on weekends but on weekdays as well.
The reason? It is only around 200 kms by bus and boat ride away from the capital, Manila. If you leave your hotel in Makati at around 6 am, by lunchtime you could be splashing in the clear waters of White Beach in Barangay San Isidro, Puerto Galera. The boat docks right on the beach.
Accommodation is not a problem. Once you hit the beach the crew or their representatives will help you find a room for the night at no extra cost. The price is reasonable as well. An air-conditioned room at Dona Trinidad Villas on twin sharing basis costs about $30.
You can take your lunch or dinner at the several restaurants that line the beachfront at White Beach or you can look for the kiosk owned by Shirley del Mundo for al fresco dining. A big fresh squid could be yours for only a dollar a piece. Borgs, her husband, will charcoal-broil it, either medium rare or fully broiled. A big tilapia or bangus fish can also be yours at almost the same price. A bottle of San Miguel beer costs less than a dollar.
Or if you are looking for real pasta or pizza, you can walk about 200 meters away from the beach going to the municipal road to a pizzeria corner owned by an Italian married to a Filipina.
Of course, you will not sleep all your nights. You may walk along the beach and on the western end of the beach front you can sip your beer al fresco at Coco Aroma music bar.
You could hear American songs or local tunes from Turtle Club, a local reggae band managed by the owner. The band also plays in a Makati music lounge during weekdays.
You don't need your travel guide to accompany you. If your are traveling alone or with a partner, you can take a bus on EDSA going to Batangas City pier. At the city pier you can take an oversized motorized outrigger that seats 100 passengers bound to White Beach, Puerto Galera. Boat fare is about $4.
If you want to go scuba diving you may take a smaller motorized banca that docks at Poblacion pier in Muelle Bay, also in Puerto Galera town.
The bay was declared by Unesco in 1995 as one of the most beautiful bays in the world. But if you want some privacy on a Sunday morning, you can walk about a kilometer away climbing on the foot of big boulders at the end of the beachfront to Ninuan Beach.
The foreshore area there is best for snorkeling and the beach for lazing around for your desired tan.
You may encounter local kids spear fishing with the use of locally made spears and swimming fins from junk boards and rubber slippers. You can also use the beach area as your jumping-off point for your trail hiking or mountain climbing on Mount Malasimbo. There you can view the waterfalls after hiking several kilometers from the beach. It serves as source of household water in the area.
But what makes White Beach in Puerto Galera memorable is that it has a unique sunset where the sun sets between mountain ridges unlike in Manila Bay where the sun sets into the sea or horizon.
Angeles City or the City of Angels has more than just warmth and hospitality to offer visitors. Aside from the interesting tourist sites that one can visit, Angeles City has one-of-a-kind festivals that visitors look forward to and enjoy.
The people of Pampanga have always been known to be able to turn an ordinary meal into a sumptuous one and an Angeles City festival depicts this clearly. The Sisig Festival, a dish that originated from Pampanga, is a tribute to the food that because of how wonderful it tastes, has spread all over the Philippines and in several parts of the world. The Sisig Festival showcases the many different ways to cook Sisig, a Filipino pork dish and its many variants. Truth be told, during the Sisig Festival, it's not only pork that plays an important role in the event. Pork is now substituted with fish, chicken or squid and now the term 'sisig' really pertains to how the dish is cooked. During this Angeles City festival, one can learn the different ways to prepare sisig and the many other means of serving it. During the Sisig Festival, the dish is usually served on a sizzling plate to make the pork crispy. The best part of the Angeles City festival is the taste test at the end of it. The participants of the Sisig Festival range from stay at home moms to large restaurants aspiring to get the title of Best Sisig.
One will not find another destination in the Philippines that has a Hot Air Balloon Festival. This Angeles City festival is an event that even other countries participate in and each year that it is held, the balloons are bigger and better than that of the previous year. Last year, a total of 19 balloons, 13 of which represented other nations were flown during the Hot Air Balloon Festival. The popularity of this Angeles City festival lies in how well this event is organized and because of the activities that one can do during this event. One can ride a hot air balloon during the Hot Air Balloon Festival for a nominal fee and experience what it's like to be in one and get a bird's eye view of Angeles City. Although this Angeles City festival is fairly new, it has a done a great deal in promoting tourism in the City of Angels. In addition to the balloons that are flown during the Hot Air Balloon Festival, there are also aircraft demonstrations and other exhibits that are very enjoyable to watch. The Hot Air Balloon Festival is truly an event for the entire family.
The Dumaguete shopping scene does not exactly cater to the upscale designer clientele but at least this charming city offers unique bargains and finds. Since the city is not exactly big, you will be able to find majority of shopping havens right in the downtown area in which you can walk from one store to another without even breaking a sweat. Let us introduce you to the highlights you would want to see in the Dumaguete shopping scene.
Probably the oldest and the biggest mall that you can find in the Dumaguete shopping scene is Lee Super Plaza located right in the heart of the city. You cannot miss this mall since majority of public transportation drives through and around this place. Within you will find everything from food and groceries to fashionable and affordable clothes, toiletries and furniture. This is the only place where you will find Adidas, Nike and Mossimo outlets.
Since there is but one big mall in the city, the rest of the Dumaguete shopping scene is confined to little boutiques and stores. An interesting hang out that has just recently been opened is Portal West. This building houses fashionable boutiques for both men and women and even kids. You can enjoy your spare time in one of the restaurants or ice cream bars. The Portal West building also houses Philippines famous bookstore called the National Bookstore where bookworms will truly find whatever their looking for.
There are also several other boutiques and specialty shops in the Dumaguete shopping scene such as the Gift Shop. The Gift Shop specializes in handmade jewelry and arts and crafts for an affordable price. The owner of this store (whose name is Gift) makes each and every item herself to put the extra love into an item. You can even order or specialize an item to your every wish. You can also check out Handumanan where you will find hand-made and hand-woven tribal jewelry at a great price.
If you are more of a tech savvy person and if you are looking for your perfect tech accessory then you might head to Octagon or to AAC Tech where you can find the latest gadgets and gismos waiting for you. If you don't find what you are looking for then you can simply order your desired product in one of those stores and enjoy your item a few days later of course straight from the Dumaguete shopping scene.
Even though the Dumaguete shopping scene is small, it comes with and charming and intimate flair that attracts people to buy and buy. Maybe the next time you get to enjoy this city, you will probably also enjoy the Dumaguete shopping scene.
Philippine native turnips are white crunchy, and watery tubers that are planted after the rainy season and harvested usually in summer. They are among the other watery produce of the land that seem too welcome and supply provisions for a hot, humid Philippine summer time. So how did the term turnip in Filipino start out in the country? This Philippine myth tells us how.
A long time ago, according to this myth, when the islands were newly conquered by Spain, a top-ranking Spanish official in a remote place in the country wanted to know more about the locality. Excited about what the province, under his jurisdiction, was all about he assigned five soldiers with the task of exploring the vast land. The myth says he told them to go up every mountain and hill and go down every ravine and valley. Cross every the rivers and search every nook and cranny of the land. Then the soldiers were to go back and report to him what the land can offer them.
The 5 soldiers went far and wide. The myth says they crossed rivers and climb every high mountain and low hill. Finally, exasperated from the long travel, they sat down to rest. They found themselves amid some kind of a field. A curious-looking shrub was all over it. Not far away were local farmers uprooting the strange shrub. The myth says the soldiers approached the natives and asked for water. Naturally, the natives didn’t understand Spanish. The myth says they just shrugged their shoulders and looked at each other.
The soldiers noted that the shrubs and asked the natives what they were. Not understanding a word, they just handed them a tuber. According to the myth, the soldiers peeled and sliced it in pieces and tasted it. It was crunchy and watery, cool, and a bit sweet. Just what they needed to quench thirst and recharge. So they asked for five more, so each of them could have a whole piece. They told the natives “Cinco mas” and held out their hands. The natives thought the 5 soldiers were telling them the name of the tuber. So they nodded their heads and returned, “Ah, singkamas.”
The myth says that since then, the tuber has been called “Singkamas” or turnip in English.
The Philippine myth on the origin of the Filipino term for a “turnip” may sound funny, but lots of misunderstandings in real life end up just like it.