The summit of Mount Arayat in Pampanga.

Mount Arayat is a dormant volcano with an area of 3, 715.28 hectares situated in Pampanga. Legend says it is the home of Mariang Sinukwan, a fairy who safeguard the mountain’s foliage and wildlife. At the foot of the mountain is Mt. Arayat National Park, a picnic site with lush foliage, natural waterfalls, two swimming pools, and a countless variety of unique and interesting flora and fauna. One would be delighted to experience the cool breeze, natural spring water that fall from the mountains. At this point, even without any infrastructure, busloads of foreign and local tourists regularly flock to several private resorts in Arayat, as well as the government-operated Mount Arayat National Park in Barangay Bano.

How to get to Mount Arayat.

From San Fernando, ride a jeep going to Arayat, Pampanga. The fare would be approximately Php 20.00/person. From Arayat town proper, hire a tricycle going to the resort, fare is only Php 40.00. Resort and park entrance fee is Php 30.00 for adults, Php20.00 for children. The swimming pools have an entrance fee of Php10.00/pool. Cottages can be rented for as low as Php60.00.

Davao’s finest hotel, Marco Polo.

The Marco Polo is a true world-class hotel that stands for classiness and warm Filipino hospitality. The hotel, with 18 floors is the tallest hotel in Mindanao and the city’s new landmark and has an excellent location with prime views from all rooms and a favorable exposure from point of view of visibility and accessibility of Davao city. The hotel provides the finest Cantonese cuisine, highlighted by a bountiful array of fresh quality seafood, is served in the casually elegant setting of the Lotus Court. Located on the 3rd floor of the hotel, the restaurant has a total seating capacity of 228 persons. There are four private rooms that are ideal for meetings, private parties or social gatherings. The hotel’s recreational facilities include a 25-meter outdoor lap pool with stunning views and a two-story Fitness Center, featuring a state-of-the-art gymnasium - the perfect place to work up a healthy sweat.

How to get to Marco Polo.

The Marco Polo in Davao is located in the heart of the city at the junction of Claro M. Recto Street and Manuel Roxas Avenue. The 6,687sqm lot on which the 18 storey, 5 star, city hotel is approzimately 14kms or 20 minutes from the airport.

The “majestic waves” of Puraran Beach.

Puraran was discovered more than 20 years ago as a surfing spot because of the powerful waves that break into the corals 100 to 200 meters from the beach. Because the beach is public, there are no luxurious accommodations; but only cottages with the basic facilities. A Japanese group had invested in improving the site. They built cottages of single occupancy, a dining hall and a surfing area for sports enthusiasts. Puting Baybay and Majestic are the only resorts here. Puraran has apparently received the name “Majestic” from appreciative local and international tourists. The beach is white and seen from afar the panoramic view is simply superb.

Where is it anyway?

It is a public beach just like the other beaches in the province located just an hour and a half from Virac, the capital of the Catanduanes.

Malapascua Island in Cebu

Malapascua Island is well-known for watersports leisure, and scuba diving in the Visayas Region. The main scuba dive sites are, Shark Point where tresher sharks can be seen almost every morning. Seldom there are also hammerheads and manta rays spotted. Lapus Lapus dive location is rock formation down to 20 meters and there are also beautiful soft corals with small reef fish and also forgfishes, lionfishes, scorpionfishes and nudibranches. The Malapascua Lighthouse is a good dive site for night dives. There are also many sponges, scorpionfishes, seahorses, lionfishes and frogfishes to see too. Gato Island is 40 minutes by boat. There are many dive spots around the island; one includes a cave to dive through.

Malapascua also called Logon is located about 8 km. north-east of Cebu mainland and 25 km. west of Leyte.

How to get to Malapascua.

Malapascua is located only 8 km off the north coast of Cebu, in the Philippine Visayas. Tourists must endure a dusty, bumpy three-hour bus ride from Cebu City to Maya, followed by a 45-minute banca trip.

You can get there with buses like “Cebu Autobus”, D´Rough Riders”, “Air-Con” from Cebu to Maya. D´Rough Riders”, “Air-Con” buses leave from Cebu City´s Northern bus terminal for Maya at 5 and 6 am. If possible take a direct bus to Maya, because buses that make a detour to Hagnaya allow for 30 minutes extra. The last D´Rough Riders and Cebu Autobus ordinary leave at noon for 4 1/2 hours ride.

Likewise, you can hire a cab or private car from Cebu City to Maya for about Php 3,000. It’s a bit expensive but the 3 or 4 hours of travel will be more enjoyable and you can always make a pit stop to take some pictures along the way.

Honda Bay, Palawan island

Palawan has about 1,770 islands yet one of the least developed holiday destinations in Southeast Asia (Philippines). So far the lack of commercialism has made Palawan very elite, but it is becoming more popular particularly for international divers, as well as voyagers. The ideal place for sun seekers and snorkellers is Honda Bay, which has several islets including Cannon Island, Bat Island and Starfish Island, with coral reefs breaking crystal clear water onto empty, fine white sand beaches. The best months to visit the place are from December to May.

Load up on the summer’s splashiest beach.

The bay is to be found in Sta. Lourdes Tagbanua, Puerto Princesa City. About 12 kilometers east of Puerto Princesa City is Sta. Lourdes dockside where pumpboats could be hired to take tourists to the island of their choice. Some islands require an entrance fee; others are privately owned, thus, permits from the owners are necessary. Sta. Lourdes dockside is 25 minutes away by hired tricycle or jeepney. A pumpboat ride from the dockside to the different islands is from 15 to 50 minutes.

Balinghai Beach in Boracay.

A tiny bay at the northern point of the island, Balinghai is best approached from White Beach on a paraw -wooden sailboat with outriggers. Particularly at sunset, the beach gives you the wonderful sensation of being lost on a tropical isle. There are steps leading up to the resort, but the only people you are likely to run into are your fellow visitors. Adding to the mystery, you may request food and drink by putting your order in a basket. Ring the bell and the basket gets pulled up, later to return with your order. Bungalows with stunning views, privacy and all conveniences await you here. They all over-look a secluded beach, with some bungalows at the top of the steep cliffs surrounding the cove, while others cling to the side of the cliffs. Balinghai Beach is also perfect for snorkelling, as further out in the sea there is a coral garden. A resort on the cliff above the beach offers drinks and food in a funny way.The atmosphere is friendly at this small Boracay Resort, making it ideal for a Boracay vacation.

Here’s all you need to know about Pinjalo Resort.

Situated in the middle of the action of Boracay’s Calypso Beach Resort’s portico is a large and popular dive shop. The resort itself is a six-room villa behind the dive shop and bar, and, since it’s at the rear of the property, it is insulated from much of the noise and activity of the beachfront restaurant. Fairly new, the hotel structure is mostly white walls and terracotta tiles fashioned along modern lines. All rooms have air-conditioning, ensuite bathrooms with hot/cold water, a mini-bar and cable TV. Beds are king-size, and the sofas in the rooms can double as extra beds. Standard rooms come with a private sundeck rooftop overlooking the white beach.

Itenerary.

Asian Spirit and SeAir are the two domestic airlines which fly up to 5 times a day to Caticlan. Once at Caticlan there are many tricycle drivers waiting to bring you to Caticlan Port, this is only a 5 minute ride. The 20 minute ferry boat ride then brings you over to Boracay Island. If you are traveling to Kalibo, Philippine Airlines flies up to 3 times a day to Kalibo Airport. Once in Kalibo there are mini-buses waiting to take you to Caticlan Port. This journey takes approximately one and a half hours. Once in Caticlan you then take the 20 minute ferry boat ride over to Boracay Island.

The Boracay Regency

The Boracay Regency is the leading, most modern hotel on this small island, and certainly the most commercial, being an imposing-looking structure with two wings that encompass a large property. It boasts of its Mediterranean and ethnically-inspired rooms and experience warm and excellent service from our highly trained and friendly staff. The hotel’s 75 rooms are spacious, clean, and nicely decorated, and the staffs are friendly and knowledgeable. It is fairly up-market, but worth it for the facilities and amenities it offers. With a disco and KTV, a gym and salon, a food square with popular food franchises, a souvenir shop, a restaurant, a pool and a bank, it feels like a modern big city tourist hotel which may seem somewhat odd with the laid-back beachfront. So while it probably won’t do for travelers looking for the ambience of island life, it is admittedly a good choice all around, especially for city folk used to creature comforts.

Where is it anyway?

The hotel is 100 meters from Boat Station 2. You can reach boat station 2 via a motorized outrigger from Caticlan Jetty Port. Caticlan Port is a 5 minute van or tricycle ride from the Caticlan Airport, or a 2 hour coach ride from Kalibo Airport. Transfers can also be arranged through the hotel.

A tropical island to lose yourself in.

Amanpulo sits on Pamalican Island in the Philippines surrounded by turquoise waters and a coral reef three hundred meters from the shore. The island is surrounded by 5.5 km of white sand beach and coral reefs located 50-300 meters from the shore. The turquoise sea is crystal clear and excellent for swimming snorkelling, scuba diving, fishing and sailing. Amanpulo’s main building is the Clubhouse. The restaurant, located at one end of the Clubhouse, spills out into a poolside terrace for alfresco dining. Enjoy sea views from the Bar. The walls of the Clubhouse lounge are graced with panalongs, the roof-top wood sculptures favored by Mindanao Muslims. The rattan chairs, from Cebu, mix with inlaid coconut tables. The island’s weather is tropical with a dry season running from November to May and scattered rain showers from June to October.

For a trip advisor to Amanpulo Island…

Amanpulo is accessed by scheduled charter flight from Manila, which has flights to several major international destinations. Guests are met at Manila’s international airport and taken by complimentary transfer to the Amanpulo lounge, adjacent to the departure point. Transfers and flight vouchers are all arranged by Amanpulo staff. Guests fly directly to Pamalican Island in a 19-seat, twin-engine turboprop, landing at the resort’s private airstrip. The cost of the roundtrip air transfer, Manila-Amanpulo-Manila, is US$300 per adult. The fare for children under seven is 50 percent of the adult fare, while children under two years are charged ten percent. Baggage is limited to 20kg per adult, including carry-on luggage.

The Camp John Hay Manor Hotel.

An exquisite hotel situated in a former recreational facility for the American military. The site was an exclusive enclave off limits to most Filipinos until it was turned over to the local government in the 1990s, when the last of the US forces left their bases in the Philippines. The Manor Hotel, opened two years ago, a four-storey deluxe hotel offering conveniences similar to those found in most hotels and even serviced apartments in Metro Manila. It has mini bar, in-room safe and spacious rooms with kitchenette and suites with living and dining areas. This four-storey structure, designed to blend neatly with towering pine trees, provides a magnificent view of the Cordillera mountain range. Here, one can literally open windows to cool, fresh air. For a distinct touch, a Baguio stone exterior finish, shingled roofing and tinted glass windows add warm accents to Camp John Hay Manor’s cozy, relaxed and luxurious ambiance. As it is the best hotel so far in the area, it is pricey yet expect Manor Hotel to be fully booked with both locals and tourists during long weekends or holidays.

How to get there.

Camp John Hay Manor is located in Loakan Road which is a 10 minute-drive from the city center. The Philippine Military Academy is 15 minutes further up. Airport is 2 to 3 minutes drive.

To get to Baguio, it is reachable by land and air thru daily airconditioned buses from Manila and commercial flights in Loakan Airport.