PHILIPPINE TOURIST INFORMATION

PHILIPPINE TOURIST INFORMATION		mber-February is cooler, while March-May
BORACAY island top	Has forever been the most wanted place of beach goers to go in the Philippines. This is because of the enormous white sand and cool waters, Boracay is the location for people looking to party. It is even well thought-out as one of the finest beaches in the world. Boracay is located in the North West part of the Visayas area called Panay. There are about 200 resort hotels in Boracay. You may find a suitable place to stay after you arrive at White Beach. However tourists are recommended to reserve hotels before leaving for Boracay. Many hotels may be fully booked soon in a high season. Some hotels accept on-line reservations over the Internet. There are tow types of accommodations, a cottage and a resort hotel. Accommodation fee is ranged from US$4 up to US$200 per night. Hotel prices depend on a season. High season is from November until the end of May and low season is from July until October. In low season, they discount prices nearly to 50% as it is windy and not popular with tourists in this season. Some hotels will charge you extra fee around Christmas time. Cheap hotels are not recommended if you are not well experienced in staying in rural areas in the southeast Asia countries.
Camiguin island top	CAMIGUIN is believed to be one of the Philippines's most beautiful island - a virtual paradise - as the island allows visitors to experience a sample of untouched beauty in its entirety. CAMIGUIN generally has good weather with seasonal rain showers enhancing its fresh green environment. Fine weather is guaranteed from April to June, while the coolest is from November to January. Locked in the eternal embrace of the sea, CAMIGUIN continues its simple existence sheltered from and unfazed by the virulent pressures of today's accelerated lifestyles. The truth is, CAMIGUIN is best experienced than described as one gets enchanted by her mystical charm. It really has amazing natural resources and peaceful atmosphere that stir and baffle the minds of everyone.
Malapascua island, Cebu top	Malapascua Island with its white Bounty Beach, the turquoise blue water and numerous coconut palm trees comes close to the cliché of a tropical paradise. A lot of people travel here to enjoy sun, warm sea, yummy food and the friendly Philippine ambiance. Swimming and snorkeling are tremendous. Those looking for more action have the choice of a number of activities. Main attractions are island hopping and scuba diving. Shell collectors may find their paradise here. Once you have set foot on the island’s white beaches you will never stop thinking about this exotic gem.
BANTAYAN island, Cebu top	Nature lovers and beach crazies find the island an experience they can never forget, and by words of mouth not by fancy endorsement spread the news that fascinated more visitors each year making the island one of the most visited destination in the Philippines. Some professionals, including Information Technology (IT) people from Cebu and Manila find the island a perfect place to generate new concepts and develop innovative thinking. Aside from the environment of a tropical paradise, the island is fully packed with the latest needs of modern life. Communications is covered by the country's two biggest players in mobile communication. A reliable internet connection is also available with a number of internet cafes developing on the town proper. A laptop, internet, a bottle of piña colada, in the sun will do the trick..
Puraran Beach, Catanduanes island top	It is indeed Bicol’s best-kept secret. It is the first land group of the Philippine archipelago to kiss the Pacific Ocean, making it directly open to the path of tropical cyclones, thus, the Catanduanes Island has been termed, “The Land of the Howling Winds.” You will be dazzled by the provinces' rugged and various landscapes, undiscovered caves, tamed white sand beaches and colorful marine life. You will never really expect such a wonderful gift of nature exists in this part of the country. Come, experience and enjoy the richness and wonders of nature in Catanduanes Island, Philippines!
Panglao island, Bohol top	It is a small island known for its quiet beach resorts and several great wide variety of dive sites. It has everything - the reefs, several kinds of corals, walls, big and small fishes, starfishes, and other life forms under the sea. You can find good snorkeling around the northwest and southeast coasts. This area is filled with lots of sea stars, sea snakes and corals. The area has been the center of seashell trade.
Pagudpud island top	If you’re looking for a place that can be like Hawaii, Pagudpud is the place to visit. The strong winds and waves can be compared to that of Hawaii which makes this place often visited by surfers. Pagudpud` also has long continuous white sands and inviting beach waters for people looking to just swim. Compared to Boracay, this place is more secluded. Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte is about 560km by road from Manila. The long road to the extreme northern tip of Luzon is made pleasurable by the lovely, blossoming Ilocos countryside. Said to be "one of the finest stretches of sand in Luzon", Pagudpud along Bangui Bay offers camping and snorkeling.
Dakakisland top	The famous Dakak Beach is most known for its strikingly shaped bay and powdery white sand, and as a diving Mecca in Mindanao. Perfect blue waters, tremendous dive sites with great quantity of coral reefs, and a wonderful sunset scope characterize this tropical Eden. Dakak Park and Beach Resort boasts 15 hectares of wooded land, a natural reservoir for native plants and animals, and a 750-meter private white-sand beach. Nestled on the tip of Northern Zamboanga, Dakak faces the Sulu Sea in the west and is surrounded by mountains on its east side. Conveniently encircled by large island, Dakak tactfully avoids the typhoon belt, making it the ideal all-season destination.
Honda Bay island, Palawan top	Framing the rocky and fascinating coastline of the capital of Palawan, Puerto Princesa City is Honda Bay. Its blue cool waters are scattered with islands that guarantee one of a pure-pleasure experience. From snorkeling in its clear waters to the more adventurous island hopping within its districts to simply having a picnic in the fine sand of its beach areas, Honda Bay is sure to leave a lasting impression on the visitor. It is the perfect place for sun questers and loves snorkel diving is Honda Bay. It has been known to be the best dive spots in the Philippines. It has several island including Cannon Island, Bat Island and Starfish Island, with coral reefs breaking crystal clear water onto empty, fine white sand beaches. Arreceffi Island contains the luxury Dos Palmas Resort, while lesser accommodation can be found on other islands, or stay at Puerto Princesa and take a half hour boat trip to your much loved deserted beach.
El Nido island, Palawan top	Conquered by towering marble cliffs that are homes to a number of tropical birds, El Nido is the source of one of the most delicious soups specially found in Chinese restaurants – the Nido Soup. This soup consists mainly of the bird nests that abound in the area. But El Nido is more than this. It prides itself in having the most beautiful seascapes in the province of Palawan, known as the country’s last frontier. Because of its utter splendor, it has also been called the island of the gods, heaven on earth that is El Nido.El Nido is one of the nicest place in the island Philippine. There is simple living, enormous landscape & seascapes with hospitable people. It is really a wonderful and magnificent island and you will love the sea foods! It's very fresh!
earl Farm, Davao top	The waters of this island resort are appealing. Crystal clear waves splash gently on the shore and the calm surface of the rock pool washes over the edge into the sea below. Jet skiing, hobie cate sailing, scuba diving are the exciting variety of activities that awaits the water sports aficionado. There is also a fish pond stocked with extraordinary aquatic species like the “pawikan” (marine turtle) and the giant “taklobo” clams. For drier quest, there are two tennis courts set in the middle of luxuriant tropical shrubbery. For thrilling days in the Davao Gulf, sail over the calm seas on a hobie cate, or take a banca to discover the incredible coral gardens. Within these waters, different colorful marine life species of the whole Indo-Pacific region can be found. The enormous unexplored depths offer plenty opportunities for world-class scuba diving and underwater photography, either for the enthusiastic beginner or the expert diver.
Siargao island top	On the eastern side of the province is Siargao Island, a tropical jewel that hosts one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and home of wave surfing, the latest sport and tourist attraction to take the country by storm. A province that has handled to conserve its natural wonder through the years. The best known surfing smash, now with a world reputation of being in the top Surfing Waves in the world, is called "Cloud Nine". But there are factually scores of breaks down in this coast, and every time a surfing expedition is mounted in the area, more new breaks are being discovered.
Philippine VOLCANOES
Mayon Volcano, Albay top	The most active and the most beautiful volcano cone in this group of volcanoes anywhere in the world and is visible for miles around in the otherwise flat landscape of the region. - is the Mount Mayon located near Legazpi City, Albay Philippines. The shape of his almost perfect triangle or cone form stands out the scenery of the eastern landscape of the province Albay in the Bicol region. People also considered by many people to be more beautiful than Mount Fuji in Japan. Even if the Mount Mayon with his 2462 meters is not particularly high, with a scope of approximately 130 kilometres it builds himself up like a great king in front of the observer, which gets the feeling to be very small. Steeply, the dark mountain-flanks fall into green coconut forests or fertile rice-fields. Mostly a crown of steam appears at the crater-edge and normally in the late morning a white ring of clouds rises up the mountain, covering parts of the mountain. With the naked eye the viewer can see the red-black coloured ravines of deeply rinsed forty canyons. more on mount mayon
Mayon Pinatubo, Zambales top	Mount Pinatubo is one of a chain of composite volcanoes that constitute the Luzon volcanic curve. The curve parallels the west coast of Luzon and mirrors eastward-dipping subduction along the Manila channel to the west. Mount Pinatubo is among the highest peaks in west-central Luzon. Its former summit, at 1,745 meters height, may have been the crest of a lava dome that formed about 500 years ago during the most recent previous major eruptive episode. The volcano's lower flanks, intricately dissected and densely covered in tropical vegetation prior to the 1991 eruptions, were composed largely of pyroclastic (Made up of or containing rock fragments or ash from a volcanic eruption) deposits from voluminous, explosive prehistoric eruptions.
Taal Volcano Island, Batangas top	Taal Volcano, in Batangas, Philippines, has been nameed the smallest active volcano in the world. It is situated about 70-km south of Manila on an island inside a lake called Taal Lake. What makes Taal Volcano more unique is the fact that the volcano itself has a lake of its own inside its crater which is called the "Crater Lake." One can even swim inside the Crater Lake but don't stay too long because the lake's water is a much diluted form of sulfuric acid with high concentration of boron, magnesium, aluminum and sodium in salt form. The first recorded scuba dive inside the crater was made by a team led by Thomas Hargrove in 1986 to a depth of about 20 meters or 60 feet. There is even a small island in the Crater Lake which Hargrove's team also discovered.
Mayon kanlaon Crater Peak, Negros Occidental top	Mt Kanlaon is a multifaceted volcano surrounded by several craters and volcanic peaks, the highest is at 2,435 m above sea level. It is at the center of the Negros Island in Central Visayas. Mt Kanlaon geophysical features include vertical rock walls, narrow valley and cliffs, radial-patterned natural drainage system and several waterfalls. The eastern part falls under the third type of climate which is characterized by not very evident maximum rainfall with a short dry season from one to three months. The other half, falls under the first type which is characterized by a different wet and dry season. Mt Kanlaon is the home of many species of birds including the widespread hornbill, colorful parakeets, and even migratory birds from northern Asia; monitor lizards and snakes. Twelve threatened species have been recorded in the mountain. It is the only site in the world where Ptilinopus arcanus has been recorded and highly significant population of all other threatened Negros and Panay endemics are present. It is host to two groups of indigenous people, the Negritos and the Bukidnons.
Taal Crater View Batangas top	To reach the Crater Lake, one must first hire a banca (small motorized outrigger boat) from the mainland of Batangas. The boat ride will take around 40 minutes, depending on the current weather conditions. Once you have landed at the Volcano Island, you hike by foot the 2 hour journey to the summit. On the other hand, you can also ride on a horse to take you to the top. After your exhausting or horse-riding climb, there are local vendors there that can offer you a selection of refreshments from carbonated drinks to mineral water and fresh coconut juice.
Philippine LAKES
Laguna de Bay Laguna and Rizal Area (ha): 89,076 top	Today, Laguna de Bay covers almost one half of the total surface area of all existing lakes in the Philippines and ranks as one of the largest inland bodies of water in Southeast Asia. Based on the study conducted by the National Institute for Geological Sciences (NIGS) for the LLDA, the present surface area of the lake is 949 km2 and the average depth is now at 2 meters. Laguna de Bay is trilobite with three corporate bays: The West Bay, Central Bay and East Bay that converge towards the South carving out what resembles a large bird or dinosaur. The West and Central Bays are separated by Talim Island, the largest and most populated of the nine islands within the lake.
Lake Lanao, Lanao del Sur area: 34,000 top	The lake was formed by the tectonic-volcanic damming of a basin between two mountain ranges and the collapse of a large volcano. It has a maximum depth of 112 meters, and a mean depth of 60.3 meters. The basin is shallowest towards the north and gets progressively deeper towards the south. The lake is fed by four rivers. Its only outlet is the Agus River, which flows southwest into Iligan Bay via two channels, one over the Maria Cristina Falls and the other over the Linamon Falls. A hydroelectric plant installed on the Lanao Lake and Agus River system generates 70% of the electricity used by the people of Mindanao.
Taal Lake, Batangas area: 24,356 top	Collectors of goeographic miscalleny should visit Lake Taal. In the middle of it is in an island and that there is another lake with its own island. This makes the last an island within a lake within an island within a lake within an island (Luzon). It is a quirky, but completely pointless piece of geographic serendipity. Regular tours of the lake are available to tourists. After crossing the lake, visitors travel to the top of Volcano Island on horseback. During their trip up and down the mountain, visitors are treated to a stunning view of the lake and its surroundings.
Lake Mainit, Surigao del Norte-Agusan area: 17,430 top	Lake Mainit, the fourth largest lake in the Philippines, is geographically located between the Provinces of Surigao del Norte and Agusan del Norte, in the Island of Mindanao (9020.32”-9031.98” N Latitude and 125028.50” E Longitude). It is also the deepest with a maximum depth of about 223 m and a mean depth of about 128 m. It is one of the most productive lakes in the country ranking only third to Laguna de Bay (Balayut, 1983). The panoramic view of the lake can be seen through the Provincial Road, the site of which almost encircle the lake. Through Maharlika Highway in the South, It starts passing the Municipalities of Jabonga, Kitcharao then Alegria, Mainit and Tubod in the North. It takes either one (1) hour from Butuan City ans also from Surigao City.
Naujan Lake, Oriental Mindoro area: 7,899 top	Naujan Lake National Park is located at the northeastern part of Mindoro Island, Philippines (14,567 ha, 13°04'-13°15'N, 121°17'-121°26'E). It has an area of 8,125 ha of open water, 1,412 ha of marshland and 5,030 ha of terrestrial catchment. The Naujan Lake is the fifth largest lake in the country. The lake watershed bounds the protected area. More than 50% of the watershed, which used to have lush forest, is planted to citrus and only small patches of secondary forest are left. The plain areas within the watershed are intensively used for cultivation of paddy rice with irrigation water coming from the Lake. Surrounding it are 17 lakeshore communities. The local people use the lake as a communal fishing ground. The marshland adjacent to the Lake remains under grass and sedge. The dense growth of Scirpus sp. is collected and used for weaving baskets. The dense cover serves as habitat to resident and migratory waterfowls. The presence of wildlife also enhances the value of the Lake as a recreational area.
Lake Buluan, South Cotabato area: 6,134 top	The lake is under the jurisdication of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao ( ARMM). It is located in the central part of the Southern half of Mindanao in the boundary between Maguindanao Privince in the North and Sultan Kudarat in the South. It is bounded in the North by the Municipality of Buluan. East West by the Municipality of Lutayan and South by the Municipality of President Quirino. The lake is accessible by land and water through various entry points from the municipalities that encompassed the area. The most convenient entry point is from Buluan. Buluan Lake is a freshwater lake with marshes. It is shallow and over it are islands of floating vegetations. Fed by numerous rivers that arise from the hills in the east and south of the lake, it has a depth of 3-6 meters. The water is greenish brown and the bottom substrate is muddy. The floating vegetation consist of water lily, water lettuce and swamp cabbage. Agricultural plants such as rice, corn, coconuts, mangoes, bananas and other fruit-bearing trees are grown around the lake.
Philippine Cities
Baguio City top	Baguio City is home to many tourist spots and is a weekend getaway of those living in Metro Manila. Baguio City remains a prime tourist destination area in North Luzon because of its cool climate, fresh, green and peaceful environment unlike other tourists destinations in the Philippines. This makes it a favorite destination especially for those who would like to relax and stay away from the excessive heat of the lowlands and also a favorite venue of seminars and conferences. Baguio is the midway to the wonders of Northern Luzon. The calm beaches of La Union; the fabled Hundred Islands of Pangasinan; the ancient churches, Spanish influenced houses, historical and cultural relics of Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte and is also the gateway to the Cordilleras where you could find the world famous Banaue Rice Terraces in Ifugao; the Kabayan mummy caves of Benguet; and the distinct culture and colorful traditions of the tribes of Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Kalinga, Apayao and Abra.
Philippine Tourist Spot
Intramuros top	It is constructed almost completely of stone blocks and possesses the same architectural traits one can see in other Spanish defenses like the Caribbean. It has been attractively landscaped with abundant tropical flowers and plants, and it is a relief for many families looking for shade in ever hot and muggy Manila. One can walk around the paths or use the pleasingly decorated horse drawn carriages. Some of the features of this park are old gunpowder rooms used as recently as World War II, seminaries and chapels, the Manila cathedral and museums. It is recommended that if going for the first time, a driver or guide be hired from your hotel. This is a gigantic area neighboring Rizal Park, and it is not recommended to hire an amateur guide loitering near the entrance.
Banaue Rice Terraces top	Banaue rice terraces were carved in the mountains of Ifugao Philippines by our ancestors of the Batad Indigenous people. This 2000 year old Banaue rice terraces has also been recognized as one of the "Eighth Wonder of the World". It is the only man made wonder that is sculpted from earth. In 1995, Banaue Rice terraces has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This spectacular creation has been built mostly by hand and minimal only with the use of equipments which shows Ifugaos great craftsmanship and creativity. It is composed of rice fields to provide themselves a source of livelihood in the highlands.