Other
Destinations
Baguio: Summer
Capital of the
Philippines
The pine-scented air and cool climate of Baguio have earned it the name “City of Pines,” Located in the north of the country, this mountain city has unusually cool temperatures, which makes it a popular place to visit in the Summer.
Baguio is accessible through narrow highland passes that lead to the city’s main thoroughfare Session Road. This main hub is called the Baguio Central Business District, and along its 1.7 km route, you will find many banks, shops, restaurants, bakeries, hotels, newsstands, and boutiques.
- Visit the Baguio Cathedral and marvel at its distinct pink facade, rose windows, and twin square belfry that were completed in 1936.
- Rent a scenic vacation home at Camp John Hay, a former American military base that has been transformed into a golf resort.
- Explore the gardens and lake in Burnham Park, located in the center of the city.
- Culture lovers should visit the arts village called Tam-awan (Perch), the brainchild of Baguio-based artists such as National Artists Ben Cabrera and Kidlat Tahimik.
- Visit the Colors of Stobosa, a hillside home artwork that became a global icon of transformation, at La Trinidad, Benguet. The magic of colors transformed the shanties of stone hill into an artwork featuring large-patterns of sunflowers.
- Experience Panagbenga (season of blooming) Festival, a month-long flower festival celebrated every February featuring colorful floats adorned with local flowers and “Ibaloi” ethnic tribe performers.
- Eat some of the legendary Mountain Maid ube (purple yam) jam.
- Try the all-day breakfast fares like bangus, tocino, and Vigan longganisa at Choco-late De Batirol, located in Camp John Hay
- Try Strawberry Taho, a hot soft tofu mixed together with miniscule tapioca pearls, sweet caramelized brown sugar, and of course, chopped strawberries will keep you coming back for more.
HOW TO GET HERE
- The most economical way to travel to Baguio is by bus. Traveling from Manila takes 4-6 hours due to stops along the way, while a bus from nearby Clark airport takes 5 hours. Only private planes are allowed to land at Baguio’s Loakan Airport.
Bicol: Hot Spots
Located on the southern tip of the Philippine island of Luzon, Bicol’s most famous landmark is the Mayon Volcano, which is shaped almost like a perfect cone.
The local cuisine is known for its spiciness, while the local tourist attractions will amaze you with their mixture of beauty and excitement.
- Discover the wonderful world inside of the Mayon Volcano national park, a protected area
- Explore the active volcanoes of Mt. Isarog and Mt. Bulusan.
- Visit the Cagsawa Ruins and see the remains of a 16th-century Franciscan stone church that was destroyed after the explosion of Mt. Mayon in 1814.
- Make a pilgrimage to the Peñafrancia Basilica in Naga City.
- Taking part in water sports like swimming, snorkeling, diving, kayaking, and surfing can be enjoyed in the Calaguas Islands (Camarines Norte) or the Caramoan Peninsula (Camarines Sur).
- Swim with whale sharks at the Donsol Whale Shark Interaction Center.
- Enjoy the nightlife at the boardwalk along the coast of Legazpi City has some great nightlife
- Bicol’s trademark, the “sili” (chili) ice cream made “siling labuyo” (local chili) and coconut milk and first introduced by 1st Colonial Grill in 2004 restaurant in Legazpi City.
- Bicol Express or “sinilihan”, a mouthwatering, spicy delicacy made from siling labuyo (native small chili), coconut milk, and pork. A well-loved dish among Filipinos.
- Laing or Pinangat is Bicol’s spicy coconut-based delicacy with taro leaves and meat.
- Sinantol or Ginataang Santol (cotton fruit) is made of shredded santol with sili (chili) with a perfect blend of salt from the meat, sourness from the santol, creaminess from the coconut milk, and spicy flavor from sili.
- Kinunot is a flaked fish in coconut cream and horseradish.
- Pili nuts are also popular among the locals and tourists.
HOW TO GET HERE
- There are two main airports in Bicol: Naga Airport (WNP) and Legazpi Airport (LGP). The Bicol International Airport is currently under construction in Daraga.
Dumaguete – Siquijor:
Bucolic Seaside Charms
This university town of Dumaguete can be found in the Central Philippines, squeezed between the sea and the mountains of Negros Oriental. Dumaguete City offers a slow-paced lifestyle that can soothe any soul, earning it the nickname “City of Gentle People.”
Close to Dumaguete is the island of Siquijor, a magical and mythical place that is enshrined in mystery. Spanish conquistadors called it “Fire Island,” due to the eerie, incandescent light provided by its firefly population.
Today, Siquijor welcomes travelers that are looking for a place to escape the fast pace of modern life.
- Visit Silliman University, famous for its marine biology program that owes much to the rich, local biodiversity.
- Explore Dumaguete Cathedral, considered the island’s oldest church. Completed in 1776, it is the seat of the local Roman Catholic Diocese.
- Do scuba diving, snorkeling, and island hopping.
- Explore Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park, which is 1000 meter above sea level.
- Experience its vibrant local markets.
- Budbud kabog is a coconut-based sweet made with kabog miller and cooked in banana leaf.
- Sylvana is a cookie-sized version of Sans Rivals, a Filipino cake. They’re made with buttercream and dacquoise, they are rolled in ground roasted cashew.
HOW TO GET HERE
- Dumaguete can be reached by air, land, and sea. There are daily flights to and from Cebu and Manila to Dumaguete City Airport and Seaport.
- From Bohol or Siquijor you can catch a ferry to the seaport.
Bacolod – Iloilo –
Guimaras: Central
Philippine Islands
Loop
Bacolod is the capital city of the province of Negros Occidental in the Philippines. It’s known as the “Land of Sweet People,” thanks to a culinary heritage that incorporates plenty of sweet, dessert treats.
It is also referred to as the “City of Smiles,” with a local language that is equal parts mellifluous, musical, and mesmerizing. The gentle residents are a mix of landowners and peasants that live and share hardship and luxuries as they work with the area’s agriculture.
Iloilo is located across a sea lane, is a re-energized regional socio-economic stronghold which successfully hosted the ASEAN summit, winning the Most Liveable Cities Design Challenge in 2014 organized by the USAID, World Wildlife Fund, Asia Society, and the Philippine Competitiveness Council.
Guimaras is an island province that is known for two things. It has a monastery and an abundance of the sweetest and most luscious mangoes in the world.
- Take part in the MassKara Festival, a local Mardi Gras-style festival, spectacularly combines dance, color, and music. Similar to Brazil’s Rio Carnival, MassKara which means “many faces” is celebrated every fourth Sunday of October in Bacolod City known as the City of Smiles.
- Do island hopping at Gigante Island in Iloilo and Guimaras Island.
- Napoleones (puffy cream tarts) and piyaya (crusty round pastry filled with molasses).
- Grilled oysters at the beaches, ancit molo soup at the Molo District.
- Fresh mangoes and mango tarts in Guimaras.
- Chicken Inasal is a Filipino barbecue chicken dish marinated in vinegar, calamansi juice, lemongrass, and achiote oil.
HOW TO GET HERE
- There are two airports that you can use to fly in: Silay – Bacolod City Airport and Iloilo City Airport.
Camiguin: Island of
Fire
Camiguin may only be an island, but it has five towns, seven volcanoes, and an abundance of natural beauty like hot springs, waterfalls, lakes, white-sand beaches, dive sites, and lagoons.
There are church ruins that hark back to a volcanic eruption several centuries ago, and there’s a cemetery that sank into the sea years ago, whose giant cross still sticks out among the waves.
- Visit Mount Hibok-Hibok, a very active volcano that is a popular hiking destination.
- Enjoy a relaxing, medicinal sulfuric dip in the Ardent Hot Spring.
- Katibawasan Falls is the perfect spot to capture Instagram-perfect photos.
- Santo Niño Cold Spring is a place where you can treat yourself and your friends to ice-cold beer by refrigerating your case in the pool.
- Eat freshly caught sea urchins on White Island.
- Have your fill of freshly caught fish, crabs, clams, and shellfish.
HOW TO GET HERE
- Camiguin Airport serves the general area of the province of Mambajao and is the only one in the province.
Sorsogon
Sorsogon is a province located at the southernmost tip of Luzon, with the third-largest population in the Bicol Region.
This quiet province is a haven of biodiversity and adventure, filled with lush forests for hiking and exploring.
- Experience the excitement of swimming with whale sharks in Donsol, a protected area for this majestic species.
- Check out the Astillero, one of the biggest shipyards in this part of the country during the time of the Spaniards.
- Visit the Bulusan Volcano, one of the most active in the Philippines that rises 1,565 meters above sea level
- Explore the 25,100-hectare Bacon-Manito (BacMan) Geothermal Plant Eco-Park, a forest reserve, waterfalls, small lakes, springs, and sheer rock faces.
- Go and see the 19-century Barcelona Church, which is made up of corals and dark-colored stones.
- Laing is a Filipino dish made with taro leaves filled with meat or seafood and cooked in thick coconut milk with tagged spices.
- Timitim is a local delicacy that can only be found in Gubat, Sorsogon. It’s made with grated cassava, coconut milk, sugar, vanilla, and pili nuts.
- The malunggay pandesal in Sorsogon is soft, sweet, and chewy bread that you don’t even need butter.
- Pili nuts are Sorsogon’s most famous delicacy in Sorsogon, the most common of which are sold roasted or as pili nut brittle.
HOW TO GET HERE
- Fly from Manila Airport (MNL) to Legaspi Airport. It’s a 4-hour flight, followed by a 1-hour bus ride to Sorsogon City.
Puerto Galera
Puerto Galera is one of the most beautiful and developed beach resort communities in the Philippines. Recognized by UNESCO as a Man and Biosphere Reserve, it’s famous for its white beaches, popular diving sites, and amazing marine life.
You will find many resorts on the island that cater to every kind of budget.
- Follow the trail from the village of Talipanan to the nearby forest where you can swim in the Talipanan Falls and catch a glimpse of monkeys.
- Explore the waters of Sabang Beach and discover its rich marine life and corals, which has the world’s richest fish biodiversity.
- Enjoy yourself at the famous White Beach, which offers sun, sand, and suf during the day and a lively nightlife with bars and clubs.
- Water sport enthusiasts will love exploring the waters around the island, with kayaking and windsurfing among the most popular activities.
- Water buffalo steak, Filipino favas, and assorted seafood dishes can be found at Tamarind restaurant.
- Try the three daily fresh fish specials at Rumulus, a small place located on White Beach and named after its owner and chef.
- Enjoy sunset drinks, barbecue, and all-you-can-eat curry at the Puerto Galera Yacht Club.
- Eat pizza, deli sandwiches, and dessert at Robby’s Cafeteria
HOW TO GET HERE
- Take the bus from Manila to Batangas, which takes between 2 to 3 hours. You can also take the ferry boat from Batangas pier to Puerto Galera Ferry Terminal, which takes about 1 hour.
Bukidnon
Bukidnon is the third largest province in the Philippines and is located in the Northern Mindanao region.
Its most famous landmark is Mount Capistrano, a 793-meter mountain that provides an amazing panoramic view of Central Mindanao.
- Enjoy the many fun activities that the Dahilayan Forest Park Resort has to offer. It’s located at the foot of Mount Kitanglad.
- Visit the Abbey of the Transfiguration, a pyramidal church and Benedictine monastery in Malaybalay City.
- Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park is one of the few remaining rainforests in the Philippines and home to diverse wildlife like the Philippine Eagle.
- Explore the grassland and jungle in the forests of Mount Dulang-Dulang, the second-highest mountain in the Philippines
- Experience the Taglucop Strawberry Hills nestled in Marilog District, Kitaotao, a famous strawberry plantation in Bukidnon that offers glamping in a luxurious dome tent with a picturesque view of nature and a cool foggy weather.
- Enjoy the Kaamulan Festival, an ethnic cultural festival, held every February or March in Malaybalay City featuring cultural performers, local agricultural produce, and rodeo.
- Binaki is a type of steamed cake made with corn, powdered milk, baking powder, and sugar, and served wrapped in a corn husk.
- Agkud is a local wine made from a mixture of cassava, sorghum, corn, and tikap (rice mixed with rice yeast).
- Bukidnon is the pineapple capital of Asia, so try some pineapple pie, tart, jam, and other baked products.
- Monks’ Blend Arabica Robusta premium coffee is a Transfiguration Monastery product, a Catholic Benedictine Monastery situated on the hills of San Jose, Malaybalay City. The monks pray seven times a day while operating a farm and receiving guests who want to experience monastic life.
HOW TO GET HERE
- You can fly directly from Manila to Laguindingan Airport, which serves Cagayan de Oro and other nearby cities. The flight is approximately 90 minutes long. Plus a two-hour drive to Malaybalay City.
Cagayan De Oro
Serving as the capital of the province of Misamis Oriental, it’s got a reputation for its friendly locals, earning it the name “City of Golden Friendship.”
Its most famous landmark is Mount Capistrano, a 793-meter mountain that provides an amazing panoramic view of Central Mindanao.
- Fans of extreme outdoor adventure sports will enjoy white water rafting down the 90 kilometers of the Cagayan de Oro River Rapids.
- Enjoy one of the many festivals in the city, including Chinese New Year; Himugso Festival (Cityhood and Heritage); Pasko de Oro (a Christmas celebration), and Higalaay (Friendship).
- Go shopping at Centrio Mall, SM City, Limketkai Center, Robinson’s, and CityMall Bulua.
- Go paragliding at the Hugo Sky Lounge and experience the adrenaline rush of flying
- Sinuglaw is a unique local dish made of roasted pork and fresh raw fish in vinegar. It’s a mix of sinugba (grilled belly pork) and kinilaw (ceviche-style fish)
- Puto Maya is a popular snack made with rice and fresh coconut milk. It includes ginger and sugar and is often served while wrapped in banana leaves.
- Try some ostrich meat cuisine, served at places like Cucina de Oro and Kagay-anon Restaurant where the meat is used in various recipes.
HOW TO GET HERE
- You can fly directly from Manila to Laguindingan Airport, which serves Cagayan de Oro and other nearby cities. The flight is approximately 90 minutes long.
Recognized by the World Travel Awards as Asia’s leading beach destination in 2020 and Asia’s leading dive destination in 2019 and 2020
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