Trends and Spots

The only difference of Boracay’s white sand is it is fine. The rest of the island is predictable. Now try the white sand beaches of Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte, Philippines. The rock formations along the South China Sea coast are also equally magnificent. If you want relaxation, sand, sun, cheap but sumptuous food, fun and good time, then Pagudpud is the best place for you. Saud White Beach is one of the many destinations in Pagudpud. You can also visit Maira-ira and Pansian. Saud is just about three-hour drive from Laoag City, the capital of Ilocos Norte. Going back to Pagudpud, the town has a booming tourism industry. With a population of about 19, 400, Pagudpud is fast becoming a top destination in the north since it has so much to offer. A $12-dollar tricycle tour around Pagudpud will bring you to Patapat Viaduct, Patapat Falls, Agua Grande, Paraiso ni San Anton, Kaibigan Falls, Bantay Abot Cave-Maira-Ira and Beach Resort-Blue Lagoon. The eateries around the town are as wonderful as

The Philippine Tarsier or Tarsius syrichta is now considered highly endangered specie. Its name is derived from the mammal’s tarsal bones which enable it to leap from tree to tree at lasteral distances up to 3 meters. Tarsiers can be traced from the Eocene era some 45 million years ago. Today, they can only be found in few places around the world and this includes the Philippines. In the country, there are said to be three races of a single specie and can be found in Samar and Leyte (T. philippensis), Bohol (T. fraterculus), and Mindanao (T. carbonarius). The other remaining species can be found in Borneo (Tarsius bancanus), Sumatra, the spectral tarsier (Tarsius spectrum), the lesser spectral tarsier or pygmy tarsier (Tarsius pumilus), and Dian's tarsier (Tarsius dianae) of Sulawesi, Indonesia. The pygmy tarsier, by the way, is considerably smaller than the Philippine tarsier. Tarsiers are primarily insectivorous and mostly weigh 70-160 grams and grows 10-15 cm excluding tail. To

(Photo from caramoanisland) Swimming, trekking, camping, mountain biking, rock climbing, snorkeling, spelunking, star gazing, island hopping and more fun under the sun! Visit the virgin islands of Caramoan, a secret paradise in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. ‘Survivor France,’ a franchise of the well-known reality show Survivor taped its 28-day show in this magnificent pool of islets by the bay near the Philippine Sea. The place has attracted more tourists since and now being seen as the next Boracay! The Caramoan Coast is very accessible and can be reached by land from the town proper.

(Photo from airportdirecttravel ) Grab your beach bag and book a flight to one of the best tropical countries in the south eastern coast of Africa! Dominantly French, the island of Mauritius is best for nature-lover, sea divers, beach buffs and bikers. Discover a large variety of tropical fruit trees, endemic and exotic flowers and simply have fun touring the island. Mauritius is a very historical place with a fusion of different cultures and religions like Hindus, Creole, Chinese, Muslims and Europeans. Flights to Mauritius are scheduled almost everyday to and from all the major cities in Europe including 15 combined flights with Air France to and from Paris. Top European airline British Airways flies to Mauritius four times a week. Mauritius is located approximately 2000 kilometres to the south eastern coast of Africa and lies east of Madagascar on 20°5, 57.5E. It has about 330 kilometer of coastline. For tourists, it is very important to have a valid passport and a homeward ticket.

(Photos from royalgardengolf) Play like a royalty! If you love nature, European architecture, arts and sports, then the Royal Garden Golf and Country Club (RGCC) is your home. Enjoy the tropical greens, cool breeze and the challenging 18-hole course located in Angeles City, Philippines. Royal Garden Golf and Country Club is a joint-venture development project of the Royal Garden Estate, represented by renowned Angeles City master craftsman and industrialist Ruperto Cruz, and South Korea’s Nam Suek Leisure Estate Corp., represented by its president Nam Suek. Greco-Roman statuary for fountains, handcrafted gazebos for tee houses and replica of the ruins of the Roman Empire are just few of the attractions spread all over the velvety golf course. The facilities are equally magnificent. The country club is a glimpse of Renaissance – frescoed ceilings, Roman arches, richly carved cornices, and walls adorned with reproductions of the works of the masters themselves. There is also a coffee-

The province of Bataan in Central Luzon, Philippines is known for its coastal towns and beaches. It is also the home to the largest white elephant structure of the Philippine government – the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant. But unknown to many this province has also abundant mangroves that can be found in the village of Mabatang in Abucay, Bataan. Lush greens along the river leading to the Bataan Bay. Hundreds of mangroves provide habitat to marine life like crabs, shrimps, and fish. Nature lovers and environmentalists will surely love this place not only for the relaxing green but also because of the people’s hospitality. Several groups in the Philippines such as the Advocacy for the Development of Central Luzon (ADCL) are working hard on promoting the propagation of mangroves to increase marine life and provide livelihood to local folk. The mangrove forest resources of the Philippines have significantly deteriorated in the last 50 years. DENR reports that the country has now less than 12

(Story and photos from the Philippine Tourism Authority) Clear blue crystal waters, breathtaking underwater paradise, coral reefs and colorful sea life! That is Balicasag Island, a 25-hectare marine haven located in Panglao Island in Bohol, Philippines. Out of the 25 hectares, 1.5 hectares was developed into a resort. This "Special Interest Resort" has been operational since October, 1989. PTA together with the Philippine Navy promote underwater sports and protects a marine life sanctuary showcasing a model for marine environmental conservation, ecological preservation and tourism. Hailed as one of the best dive spots in the world, it boasts of native-inspired 10 aircon duplex cottages (with 2 room/cottage, average size of its room is 19.64 sq.m), has a private toilet/bath and individual veranda where guests may enjoy the breathtaking view of sun, sea and surf.

White sand. Cozy blue waters. Lush green. Serenity. Magic. That is Potipot Island. Located in Candelaria, Zambales northwest of Philippines, Potipot is a private island about 250 kilometers from Manila. The Zambales coast is known for its sandy beaches and deep blue sea abundant with coral reefs but Potipot Island gives a totally new experience to those who frequent the waters of South China Sea. You can walk around the island for 30 minutes and from atop looking down, the whole place looks like a halo. An overnight stay at this paradise is truly therapeutic, especially to those who seek solace and solitude. To reach Potipot, you have to ride a boat from the mainland Barangay Uacon in the town of Candelaria. Candelaria is about 45 kilometers from the Municipality of Iba, the capital of Zambales. There are small inns in Uacon but for those who want to stay at the island, it is better to bring water, food, camping gear, first-aid kits and other useful things you might need for a beach c

In this province north of Philippines, food is life and almost everything is all about food! From the ordinary to the exotic, Kapampangan people are known for their culinary expertise and hospitality. The food is an important part of their culture. In this province, every day is a feast! To start with, meat lovers can enjoy some of the best Kapampangan dishes like sisig (spicy chopped and grilled pork with onion, lemon, pepper, garlic, liver and salt to taste), caldereta (could be pork, duck, goat or beef slightly boiled in soy sauce and lemon and sautéed in tomato sauce, garbanzos, peas, bell pepper, red pepper, spices and liver paste), and embotido (flavoured ground meat mixed with egg, carrots, onion, raisins and rolled into a foil). For those who love seafood, your can try pesang bulig, fried crablets (small crabs in flavoured flour paste and deep fried until crisp), crab in garlic sauce, steamed fish covered with onion, ground pepper and salt and sizzling pusit (stuffed squid with

I visited the Island of Siargao in Surigao del Norte, Philippines in 2005. I still remember the place. The thick forests, the endemic Bermuda grass, the giant ferns, misty palms, white sand , friendly people and most of all, of course the beautiful waves and waters! Renting a multicab, my friends and I toured the whole Island in a day! Yes, in a day. One of my favorite destinations in the island is the Magpopongko Lagoon (that’s how I remember it) and Cloud Nine (C9), which is located off Tuazon Point. C9 is considered as one of the world’s best waves. Surfers from all over the globe visit this part of the country every year during the now-famous Annual Siargao Cup, a surfing competition promoted by the provincial government and the Department of Tourism. It was reported that the 10,000-meter deep oceanic trench called the Philippine Deep can be found in the eastern part of Siargao causing the beautiful waves near the shore. The island became more known under the brilliant stewardship

If there is one spot in the world that has gained so much attraction, that would be no other than Mt. Pinatubo and its magnificent crater. Several years after its eruption in June 1991, Mt. Pinatubo became one of the most famous destinations, especially to the nature lovers and trekkers. If you are a mountaineer and haven’t yet scaled this volcano, then you are missing a lot! Pinatubo’s 2.5 kilometer crater-lake is a scene to behold. At afar, the water looks green and very calm. The walls of the mountains surrounding the crater create a feeling of nature’s mystic. The whole experience to Pinatubo is therapeutic. The adventure is priceless. For those who want to visit the crater, you can actually take several routes via Tarlac, Pampanga and Zambales provinces in Central Luzon, Philippines. The most developed and popular route is via Sta. Juliana, Capas, Tarlac. An hour ride by four-wheel drive and a two-hour trek will take you to the crater. The route passes through the riverbed of Sta

Photo by DOT, Region III Visit Clark and experience the fun at the festival where everything flies!!! The Department of Tourism Region 3 is inviting everyone to visit Clark, Philippines on February 12 to 15, 2009 and witness the exciting events at the Philippine Air Force Ramp, Clark Freeport Zone (former Clark Air Base) in Pampanga. The ballooning event is hosted by Clark Development Corporation led by its president and CEO Benigno Ricafort, Philippine Air Force, Clark International Airport Corp., and a host of private sponsors like UPS, Cirrus, ABS-CBN, among others. Some 25 balloons including seven special-shaped ones are expected to fly the friendly skies of Clark. The event was first organized by the Department of Tourism in 1994 during the incumbency of then Secretary Mina Gabor in the hope of uplifting the spirits of the Capampangan at the height of the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. It was then handled by Dir Tiotuico as the event organizer with the help of Sung Kee Paik, a Korean

If somebody will ask me where I want to retire, I can always say Aurora is not bad at all. We recently visited the place and it was as beautiful as I have expected. Aurora is a province in North Eastern Philippines along the Pacific Ocean coast. The ambience is cool and cozy. The weather is just fine, not too cold and not too hot. The water is abundant anywhere, even at the heart of the capital town of Baler. The forest and fauna is amazing matched with breathtaking beaches and rock formations. Almost everything you see is either moist green or earth brown and it soothes not only the mind and body, but one’s spirit as well. Aurora reminds me of the unspoiled island of Siargao in Surigao Del Norte. I am not quite sure if the island remained the same nowadays. But as I remember it, it has a resemblance to Aurora. The costly Bermuda grass we painfully buy to dress up our lawns here is endemic both is Siargao and Aurora. This is maybe because of their similar climate and topography. Both a