From the fair winds of the self-proclaimed True North, Ilocos Norte boasts of graceful, historic churches, deep aquamarine-colored seas, panoramic vistas of rugged mountains, hidden waterfalls and a multihued history that whispers of gold mines, bloody revolts and an interesting window to Philippine national politics.
One of the major cultural hubs of the Philippines, the genteel Old World charm and opulent history of Ilocos Sur reflects the hundreds and hundreds of years of being at the crossroads of European and Asian trade and commerce- a trip to Ilocos Sur is definitely a step back in time.
Cavite is the historical capital of the Philippines and the closest province south of Manila. With its balanced mix of urbanity, natural beauty and history it is considered as the most accessible vacation getaway and refuge for those seeking a quiet life far from the bustling Manila metropolis.
Marinduque is an island province at the geographical center of the Philippines touted as an accessible and affordable alternative to Boracay. Find yourself embracing nature’s innate beauty and basking in the island’s rich and colorful history and cultural heritage without the hassle of distance and cost.
Usually, this island province is associated with the Moriones Festival, the trademark revelry and tourist magnet of the island.
A paradise in peril because of unregulated and unsustainable tourism, Zambales challenges the traveler to uncover its secrets buried in its seas and deep in its jungles – before the ravages of man fully destroy its fragile but inconspicuous beauty.
With jarring landscapes, dramatic canyons, and snaking rivers, formerly nondescript Mt. Pinatubo, is a sight to behold, its scenery much magnified taking into account its fairly recent turbulent history.
The Philippines is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region where large numbers of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur along the entire Pacific Coast. Pinatubo, is part of a chain of volcanoes on the western edge of Luzon and is part of the so-called subduction volcanoes- formed by the Philippine Plate sliding under the Eurasian Plate with the Manila Trench to the west. It goes without saying that the volcano lies on a very destructive plate boundary. The mountain is an active stratovolcano and is located about 3 hours north of Manila and sits on the Cabusilan Mountain Range on the intersecting borders of Zambales, Pampanga and Tarlac.
A classic Tagalog quiet farming town that sits on the foothills of the sacred mountain of Banahaw, Lucban literally explodes with a kaleidoscope of colors, gastronomic feasts and religious fervor during the annual Pahiyas Festival, perhaps one of the most festive, most significant and most colorful of all the festivals in the world.
Celebrated every third weekend of January (Ati-atihan peaks on the last three days but people start dancing on the streets as soon as the New Year’s Day hangover is finished), one can hear the echoes of the drums in the distance the moment one steps on the tarmac of the Kalibo Airport. The entire town center erupts in frenzied, non-choreographed dancing and shouting “Hala Bira! Puwera Pasma!” to the beats of snare drums, bass drums, trumpets, xylophones and a cacophony of other instruments seemingly playing from all the corners of this sleepy little boomtown of Kalibo.
The Ifugao Rice Terraces which is also known as the “Eight wonder of the world”, are rice terraces craved into the Ifulgao mountains by ancestors of the Batad indigenous people (the oldest mountain tribe in this area) using primitve tools more than 2,000 years ago.
IN 1995, The Ifulgao Rice Terrances was was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in recognition of the living organically-evolved cultural landscape shaped by sacred traditions and the ingenuity of the Ifugao people – an outstanding model of sustainable use of limited land resources, using traditional knowledge-based technology that has evolved over the last two millennia.
Bus Terminal Bus – Manila, Luzon Bus Types Safety Tips Onboard Entertainment Estimated Bus Fares Bus Terminals, Manila Bus Companies Index Due to the large network of roads and highways in the Philippines, bus travel has become a preferred mode of exploring the country, especially for those on a budget. There are different kinds of [...]
