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Luzon, where Metro Manila is situated,
is the largest island in the Philippines and many of the provinces are
just a few hours drive away from Manila making it easy to do day trips
or get away for the weekend. Northern Luzon is rich in panoramic views,
green landscapes and old Spanish houses.
Baguio City is unusual and unlike the rest of the country because of
its pine trees and cool temperatures which average 20 degrees centigrate
all year round. Located in the Cordillera Mountains, five hours from
Manila by land, it is the nearest thing the Philippine has to a mountain
retreat, making it easy to understand why the city was chosen as the
summer capital.
There are many tourist attractions here including numerous religious
landmarks such as Baguio Cathedral which add to the city’s charm.
There is good Shepherd Convent which sells items from wood carving to
jams. Camp John Hay was formerly a rest and recreation station for US
troops and has the best recreational facilities in Baguio. The Philippine
Military Academy puts on a spectacle every Saturday morning with a parade
of uniformed cadets. Mansion House is the official summer residence
of Philippine presidents and nearby Wright Park is popular with equestrian
riders. Baguio’s Botanical Garden has been converted into an open
air museum displaying the architectural styles of tribal dwellings of
the Cordilleras.
Recommended day trips from Baguio include strawberry picking in the
Trinidad Valley and a visit to Asin, a wood carving village located
3,000 ft bellow Baguio and 2,000 ft above sea level. Nearby Asin Hot
Springs has a swimming hole, natural streams and a relaxing steam bath.
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side trip to Sagada is recommended for it is dotted with caves, many
of which are burial sites of the Ifugao. There are also lakes and waterfalls
to visitsand swim in.
Kabayan, seven hours from Baguio is also famed for its burial caves
containing 500 year old mummies which dot the cliffs. It is best to
visit these burial caves with a local guide.
Nestled deep in the Cordilleras is Banaue, about nine hours from Baguio
by bus or 340 km from Metro Manila. The region is famous for the Banaue
rice terraces carved from the mountain ranges centuries ago by the Ifugao
tribe. They measure end to end a total lenght of 22,400 kilometers.
The region is also noted local artefacts.
Hugging the north western slopes of Luzon are the provincial towns of
Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. Nowhere is the Spanish influence more evident
in the north than in these two places. Laoagis the capital city of Ilocos
Norte and boasts a number of world class resorts. Churches worth a visit
are the Cathedral of Saint William, Paoay Church, Currimao, Batac, Dingras
and Samat are other places worth investigating in this province.
The Spanish influence is even stronger in Vigan Ilocos Sur. There are
Spanish houses built in the 16th century lining the streets of the old
section and a trip to the museums will yield a Spanish treasure trove.
Coming from or going to Baguio or Ilocos, you will pass through La Union.
This province is a favourite destination for beach lovers and is a jumping
off point for scuba diving in the Lingayen Gulf.
The provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon are close
to Metro Manila and make ideal day trips. In Cavite, Tagaytay City offers
panoramic views for it is located along a ridge and overlooks the country’s
smallest volcano, Mt Taal which has a lake within its cone, plus an
island. Laguna is noted for its volcanic hot springs and intricate woodworks
found in the towns of Paete and Pakil. Hidden Valley in Alaminos at
the foot of Mt Makiling has a series of mineral spring baths set amidst
a lush green forest filled with wild orchids and tropical ferns.
Batangas has a magnifient beach and there are dive resortssprinkled
throughout the province. Anilao is popular among windsufers, while the
outlying islands of Ligpo, Bonito, Sombrero and Maricaban are perpect
for snorkelling and diving.
Rizal has the sacred shrine for the Miraculous Image of Our Lady of
Peace and Good Voyage and plays host to a number of visitors seeking
blessings before making long voyages. May is fiesta month and thousands
of devotees form a long procession to Antipolo. In November, gigantic
paper mache figures of men and women are marched down the streets of
Angono during the Gigantes Festival.
Quezon is famous for its Pahiyas Festival celebrated in the towns of
Lucban and Sariaya. In May every year, the facades of the houses in
both towns are adorned with coloured leaf shaped rice wafers called
Kiping which are artistically arranged with fruits and vegetables. The
festivals honours San Isidro Larador, the patron saint of farmers and
is a thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest.
Palawan is known as the ‘last frontier’ and is a mini archipelago
of virgin islands situated between Mindoro Island and North Borneo.
The capital of the province is Puerto Princesa which is a jumping off
point to other islands.
The Saint Paul’s Subterranean National Park, also in this province
is an eight kilometer long underground river with caves studded with
stalactite and stalagmite formations.
Rich in wildlife and exotic African game, the island of Calauit in Nothern
Palawan was declared a sanctuary and game reserved in 1976.
Worth a visit is the Tabon Caves in Southern Palawan, nestled in the
mountainous cape of Lipuon Point. The 29 cave complex is a treasure
of archaeological artefacts and fossilised bones of the Tabon man. The
skull is carbon dated back 22,000 years. For divers the Tubbataha Reefs
offer a unique array of marine life.
West of Palawan, the Spratley Islands in the South China Sea comprises
53 tiny coral islands scattered over an area of 61,876 square miles.
Said to be rich in minerals, these islands are being claimed by several
Asian nations and the Philippines occupies eight, collectively known
as the Kalayaan Group.
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