Antipolo: The Pilgrimage City

by John on June 9, 2010 in Philippine Destinations · 0 Comments

If you’re looking for a place of history, festivities and culinary delight just outside Metro Manila then you have to look no further than the City of Antipolo home of the Antipolo Cathedral, great restaurants, the Tipulo festival, Hinulugang Taktak eco park, and a view of the Manila Skyline. Located in the Province of Rizal to the East of Metro Manila, it is literally on the periphery of the Metropolis and is an amazing mixture of urban and rural lifestyles and is always welcoming of visitors and tourists.

Getting to Antipolo
Short of taking a taxi for P500.00 or renting a car, the easiest way to get to the city would be get on the Light Rail Transit 2 (LRT 2). Go to any station of the LRT2, the ones with a purple trains (you’ll know it’s the LRT2 station because it looks new), and get a ticket to the Santollan station, it’s the last station away from Manila. The ticket should cost about 18.00 Pesos and the trip should take no more than 20 minutes. Once you go down at the Santollan Station, go out and you’ll immediately see a number of jeepneys waiting at the entrance.

Look for the jeepneys with signs that say: Antipolo Simbahan, pay the fare which is roughly around 21-25 Pesos and after an exciting 45 minute jeep ride up the mountain, you’ll find yourself at the outskirts and once you disembark, you’ll be met by a number of tricycle drivers, they’ll charge you about 30 pesos for a one way trip to the Cathedral but you can also opt to walk. I suggest just walking to the main street and you’ll see the Cathedral in the distance.

Where to Stay in Antipolo
If you’re thinking of staying overnight in Antipolo to fully experience what the City has to offer then the city has a number of small and large hotels and resorts to accommodate you and your companions.

One of the newest and probably the best hotel in Antipolo is the Seven Suites Hotel Observatory. The first hotel observatory in the country, it has a powerful telescope and an unobstructed view of the skies to ensure that stargazers get a perfect view of the heavens while staying in luxuriously appointed rooms. Of course all this comfort comes at a price: the Deluxe Rooms are P5,040.00, the Silver Rooms are P6,160.00, and the Suites Range from P7,840.00 to P12,320.00.

If you’re looking for a resort with rooms then Overlook Resort and Conference Center is your best candidate. Priding itself as the expat’s choice and conference venue in Antipolo, Overlook has a swimming pool, game room, and function rooms for guests. The accommodations are reasonably priced, the Standard rooms are P1,500.00, Executive Rooms are 2,500.00, Group rooms good for 5-10 people are P4,500.00.

Another quaint place to stay at in Antipolo is Bougainville Suites and Resort. It’s got a swimming pool, whirlpool, Videoke Rooms, Meeting and Function Rooms as well as an in-house restaurant to cater to the needs of guests. The rooms are P2,200.00 for Standard, P3,000.00 for Deluxe and P3,500.00 for the Family Suite.

Alay Lakad: Our Lady of Antipolo
One of the primary attractions of Antipolo as a pilgrimage city is the image of the Virgin Mary called Our Lady of Antipolo. During the evening of Holy Thursday, thousands of devotees would flock to the Quiapo Church to make the 25 kilometer journey to Antipolo on foot in the hope that their prayers will be granted.

The Antipolo Cathedral
As a pilgrimage City, the very first thing you’ll see when you get to the heart of Antipolo is the Cathedral. The cathedral is surrounded by the famous Tipolo trees and although the Cathedral has been renovated a number of times, the grandeur of old Spanish architecture still remains intact.

Recreation venues
Now don’t think that Antipolo is just about religion, the City has a number of other treats for visitors. Located on the mountains of Rizal, the City affords visitors a breathtaking view of Manila. The Vieux Chalet one of the best kept secrets for dinner and drinks in the City, being around for more almost 30 years, this Swiss Restaurant with amazing European Cuisine, you can dine with a view of Metro Manila’s Skyline.

Try checking out the Crescent Moon Café in the heart of the city for a unique dining experience, no menus just get called to the table and expect a pleasant surprise.

If you’re looking for more drinking and less dining with a view then you’ve got a choice between Padi’s Point in Antipolo, Cloud 9 and the newest addition to the group is Grilla. While these are usually some distance from the City Center, the panoramic view of the Manila Skyline and the stars from the viewing deck and the drinks and food companions will make it well worth the travel.

Other things to do in the city include visiting the eco-park and waterfalls known as “Hinulugang Taktak”. These waterfalls have been a picnic and swimming destination for families since the 1980s and the area around the eco-park has hotels and food establishments to cater to the needs of visitors.

The City’s Festival
The Tipulo Festival every May 1 is a celebration of the history of City’s humble beginnings and its traditions. During the festival, many of the old families cook up their special dishes and lay them out for everyone to taste, for a price that is. So if you happen to be there during that time be sure to taste everything that you see. But its just one of many festivities in the City. For more information and schedules check

As a city at the fringe of Metro Manila still possessing many of its natural beauty Antipolo is fast become a tourism getaway for many urbanites. I suggest that when you travel to the Philippines and you find yourself in Manila, just take a day trip to this historic city, its only about an hour and a half by car or taxi but the pictures and the memories of the hospitality of the residents will last you a lifetime.

Tagged as: alay lakad, Antipolo, Antipolo church, hinulugang taktak, manila skyline, Our Lady of Antipolo, peace and good voyage, Tipulo

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Bacolod: The City of Smiles

by John on May 31, 2010 in Miscellaneous · 0 Comments

Bacolod is on the island of Negros in the Visayas region (south of Manila). It is known as the City of Smiles because of the accommodating and friendly nature of its people. It is also an apt description of how people look once they’ve tasted native Bacolod cuisine.

Bacolod was once known for its vast sugar industry which created many rich families with sprawling plantation and Haciendas, today the sugar industry has decreased substantially but has already left its mark in the development of the City as a domestic and international trading center in Visayas.

Why Visit Bacolod
The title of “City of Smiles” is not one given lightly in a country known for its hospitality. Bacolod has certainly earned this reputation not only because of its resident’s innate hospitality or the local dialect’s tone and inflections but also because of its reputation in satisfying one’s sweet tooth. Going to Bacolod isn’t merely about seeing the sights and sounds but also tasting the variety of cakes and sweet delicacies which the city is known for. The Maskara Festival is also an excellent reason to visit the city. The Maskara Festival gives residents and visitors a perfect excuse to eat and drink to their heart’s content for the duration of the festivities ensuring that you’ll leave the city of smiles with a smile of your own

How to Get to Bacolod
Getting to Bacolod is easy as there are a number of daily flights from Manila to the City of Smiles. Just remember that during The Maskara Festival in October, most flights going to the City are full. You can choose from the two carriers, Philippine Airlines or Cebu Pacific Airlines.

Philippine Airlines has 5 flights to Bacolod, starting from 4am until 6pm, and fares range from roughly 3,000 Pesos for Economy and 6,000 for Business one way, so found trip cost anywhere between 6,000 – 12,000 Pesos. If you’re taking PAL, you’d have to go the NAIA Terminal Three. The fares can vary according to the seasons.

Cebu Pacific also has a number of flights to Bacolod daily also uses Terminal 3 and their airfares are about 2,500 Pesos for one way and about 5,000 Pesos for a roundtrip. But just to be sure you can check the latest rates, promos and up-to-date schedules on their website.

Accommodations in the City of Smiles
There are a number of really good hotels in Bacolod, but I’ll just name three which are most recommended.

The O-Hotel in Bacolod is one reputed to be one of the best in the City, the service and staff are excellent and quickly cater to the needs of the guests. O-Hotel has 53 rooms and you can choose from the Superior Room (P1,400), the Executive Rooms (P1,600), and the Suites (P3,500/P4,000//P5,000). The Best Suite in the hotel, the Natalia Suite has a Jacuzzi, just in case you’d want to unwind after a long day of walking around and eating. The rooms are all air conditioned and have hot and cold showers, cable TV, a safety deposit box, a refrigerator and come with one free breakfast buffet.

The Business Inn is another recommended place for travelers to stay. It has all the modern amenities of a hotel including Wireless Internet. The rooms are also reasonably priced, with room ranging from regular rooms (P1,200), Jr. and Sr. Executive rooms (P1,350/P1,550), corporate rooms to share for 3 people (P1,950.00) and the suite rooms (P3,800).

Probably one of the most famous hotels in the City is the L’Fisher Hotel, its stylish exterior and its restaurants and cafes are the haunts of the Bacolod’s elite. L’Fisher Hotel has 2 buildings, the rooms at the hotel proper or Tower I are a bit pricey compared to the other hotels in Bacolod with De Luxe Rooms at P3,500, Matrimonial Rooms at P5,000 and Suites at P12,200. The rooms are all well apportioned with all the amenities of a modern hotel and include a buffet breakfast. The L’Fisher Chalet has more affordable rooms, the budget room is P995, and the grand superior rooms are P5,000. The rooms at the Chalet include a plated breakfast.

Gastronomic Delights
One of the first things you should do when you get to the City is try local cuisine, not only is it exceptionally good but also unbelievably affordable. Bacolod’s sugar industry has made it a haven for people with a sweet tooth so you’ll find amazing cakes, pastries, and snacks almost around every corner.

There is also the famous Chicken Inasal, one of Bacolod’s most famous and tasty exports. The formula is basically marinating chicken in a mixture of soy sauce, calamansi (a local version of lemon) and ginger for hours. Then once the marinade has sunk in, the chicken is cooked over hot coals while more of the marinade is applied to make sure that the outside and the inside are moist and soft. A trip to Bacolod would not be complete if you didn’t taste the Chicken Inasal, and once you try it I’m sure you’ll come back for more.

Recommended Restaurants
If you’re looking for good places to dine in the people I’ve met highly recommend Imelda’s Cuisine, Aboy’s Restaurant, LFisher, and Mei Wei Seafood Restaurant. Imelda’s is known for its American and European cuisine such as fillet mignon, buffalo wings, and southern fried shrimp while still offering a number tasty local delicacies. Meanwhile Aboy’s restaurant focuses exclusively on Filipino cuisine from appetizers to main course to dessert such as lechon, Bicol express (a truly spicy dish, be prepared), inasal, puto bumbong and yema. Aboy’s Restaurant also has a website if you’d want to see what else they have to offer.

If you’re craving for Chinese food then you’ll find a number of Chinese restaurants in the city, one of the most famous is Mei Wei seafood restaurant, with its traditional Chinese delicacies such as dimsum, noodles, asado pork,  century eggs, and extensive seafood options cooked in a dozen ways.

L’Fisher is another notable restaurant which features local and foreign cuisine including a swiss cheese fondue as an appetizer and local Filipino favorites such as kare-kare, lechon kawali, boneless bangus just to name a few.

Walking around
Well eating is one of the best things to do in the City but it isn’t the only thing, there are Spanish colonial houses, churches and cathedrals which you can visit. There are also smaller stalls and markets around the city which sell local handicrafts and souvenirs. If you tire of the city, then go to the countryside and visit Mt Kanlaon, an active volcano, and take a stroll around the national park. The park features hot springs and waterfall of sulfur so be careful where you choose to dive.

The Maskara Festival
Every October, the City celebrates the Maskara festival, one of the biggest festivities in the Visayas. The festival lasts for 9 days and features a myriad of events such as costumed parades, sports competitions, concerts, cultural performances, and most especially cheap food and drink. Yes you read correctly, food and drinks. A glass of beer during the festival can cost only P5.00, and you can pretty much get it around every corner. The merry making and drinking usually start when the sun goes down and often last till just before sunrise. The popularity of the Maskara Festival has been growing in recent years as more and more local and foreign visitors are visitng Bacolod to both see the colorful masks and participate in the street parties.

Bacolod’s sights and sounds are guaranteed to give you a lasting memory but I think the food and the welcoming attitude of the people will be the primary reasons for you to come back. I guarantee that after a few hours of eating and walking around the city, you’ll also be wearing a smile of your own.

Tagged as: bacolod, bacolod city, cebu pacific, chinese foods, cities, cities in the philippines, city, Filipino cuisine, food, geography of asia, maskara festival, negros occidental, philippine airlines, philippines, smile, smiles, sweet tooth, taste buds, the city, the philippines, visit

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Boracay: Island Paradise of the Philippines

by John on May 6, 2010 in Philippine Destinations · 0 Comments

Among the 7,100 islands of the Philippine archipelago, you’d figure there be at least 7,100 beaches to visit, and truth be told there are probably more. But what sets Boracay, once a quiet and sleepy island, apart from other beaches in the Philippines is its fine white sand beaches, lively bars, and exclusive resorts which are located around this virtual tropical paradise

How to Get to Boracay
Boracay is located off the island of Aklan, accessible by 45min boat-ride from the port of Caticlan. Now to get to this port from Manila you’d have to catch a plane to Caticlan, then another shuttle or bus to the port. The plane ride will take less than 45mins and the shuttle ride about 30 to 45 mins. If you’re not in a hurry you can also ride a ferry from the port of Manila to Aklan, this will take about 16-18 hours, then a shuttle of about an hour to the port. The plane ride is faster but the ferry ride is more fun.

Where to Stay in Boracay
During the off peak season of about June to September, you can go to Boracay without a reservation and choose from the myriad of places to stay at, you’ve got a 5-star hotel like the Shangri-La Boracay, the 5-star resorts like Mandala Spa or you could choose among the numerous smaller and cheaper hotels. Be sure to get off at what they call Station One, it’s got places which front the beach and are closer to the bars and party places. For the smaller hotels you can even probably try to haggle the price of your stay, so long as you plan to haunt the beaches for more than 3 days.

This all changes during the peak season which is basically the rest of the year. During the months of March to May, the island fills up with local visitors usually from Manila or Cebu who take the time off from work or school to soak up the rays and enjoy the sands. For the other months, most of the visitors are foreigners looking to escape the colder climates of their home countries. During the peak season, it would be wise to go online before hand and get a reservation from a hotel, some even offer pick up and transfer services to and from the island the airport.

What to Do in Boracay
Once you’re there, there are just too many things to do that it’s difficult to know where to start. Well, you can just sit by the white sand beach and grab a gigantic ice cold fruit shake from one of many food establishments and watch the waves and people. If you get bored, you can join an island hopping trip around the island and see the snorkeling sites.

White sand beach on Boracay island

White sand beach on Boracay island

If you’d prefer to go even deeper underwater, there are dives shops and instructors and guides whose services you can hire to show you to the dive spots around the island. The island is a nature preserve so the corals and aquatic life remain unpolluted and undisturbed except by the occasional divers. If you’re with a large group of friends or family and you’re looking for something exciting to do, you can hire a ride on the banana boats or those “flying fish” rubber rides and hold on while the operators pull you across the waters of the island.

If you get hungry, there are a number of food establishments which cater to every budget and craving, from the small grill shops where you can just point out what you want and they’ll cook it for you, these are known as turo-turo. There are restaurants which serve different local and international cuisines from Japanese sushi to thick American style steaks. Just wander around and see what captures your fancy.

If you’re looking to put some ink on your skin you can visit the many henna and permanent tattoo shops on the beach side, for a price of about 400 pesos you can get a medium sized henna (non permanent) tattoo which will last for a few days. But if you really want to keep a permanent reminder of your trip to the island, you can get a permanent tattoo from the skilled artists on the island.

When the sun goes down, Boracay changes as the action moves from the waters to the beachside bars and bistros. Go in wearing just your swim wear and you won’t look out of place. These bars play the latest music, feature guest local and international DJs to make sure that the party lasts till dawn. The drinks are cheap, not just beer but the various other mixes and concoctions formulated to fuel the party till the sun comes up.

If you’re looking for a quiet evening, walk around the shore and walk into the pubs in the more quiet parts of the beach, just go counter the flow of people and you’ll find many of the smaller bars with acoustic and reggae bands. Just sit back and enjoy your drink while the music relaxes your tired spirit.

And that’s just for the first day, think of what else you can do for the others? You can shop for everything from clothes to souvenirs in the market, get a massage on the beach or at the more exclusive spas with a view from the top of the hills around the island or just simply walk around the find a piece of beach to call your own. I’d advise staying in the areas around station 1 and 2, as these are where the most activity is.

Boracay is a premier destination for tourists for the primary reason that it has everything that people would want in a beach vacation. I hope I’ve helped shed some light on what to do if you decide to travel to the Philippines and visit the island paradise of Boracay.

Tagged as: aklan, beach, beaches, bora, boracay, boracay island, cheap hotels, geography, island, malay, Manila, paradise, sand beach, sanding, the philippines, tropical paradise, visayan islands, white sand beach

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Vigan: Cobblestone Streets, Old Spanish Houses, and Fine Food

by John on May 1, 2010 in Philippine Destinations · 0 Comments

All across the Philippines, there are the indelible traces of its history with Spain. In many places, the churches and houses built during the Spanish colonization survive to this day and offer a glimpse of the way of life of people in the olden days. No other place can make one feel so thrown back in time as a visit to the historic city of Vigan.

Vigan is located in the province of Ilocos Sur on the Island of Luzon, roughly 8 hours northern drive from Metro Manila and is one of the oldest and most well preserved examples of Spanish colonials urban planning and architecture. Although completely modern, the city has managed to preserve a section that is a throwback to the Spanish colonization.

Old Spanish houses lining a cobblestone street in Vigan

Old Spanish houses lining a cobblestone street in Vigan

How to Get to Vigan
You can get to Vigan two ways, either get a drive or get a bus from Manila or to get a plane from Manila’s domestic airport to Laoag (a 30 minute plane ride), then a bus from Laoag to the city which will only take roughly an hour. When taking the bus, a number of bus companies can be trusted to get you there quickly and safely, these include the Philippine Rabbit Bus Company and Partas Bus Company. The plane trip to Laog will have to be undertaken via Philippine Airlines.

Where to Go in Vigan
Along cobblestone streets of Calle Crisologo stands hundreds of Spanish colonial houses, beautifully preserved or restored and open to visitors. When you enter, it’s like going into a different place and time of gentlemen and ladies and horse drawn carriages. The historical and cultural nature of Calle Crisologo and the ancestral houses along its streets have led it be declared a UNESCO Heritage Site.

Walking around the city, you can visit St. Paul’s Cathedral, a Baroque cathedral built in 1790 by the Augustinian priests; the Burgos Museum, which is the ancestral house of Padre Jose Burgos, a Filipino priest who supported equal rights for native clergy and who was tried and executed for alleged involvement in a failed uprising. His home now houses, his personal manuscripts, antiques and even paintings of the Basi Revolt of 1807.

Tip: If you want to explore Vigan with a very knowledgeable tour guide, look for Damaso King (known locally as Manong Masing). He’s a local historian who gave me and my wife a very detailed, informative, and fun tour a couple of years ago. I don’t have his phone number, but he’s well known in Vigan. If you can’t find anyone who knows him (though unlikely), go to the Church or a Government office and ask there.

Best Time to Go to Vigan
One of the best times to visit Vigan is during the City’s fiesta on January 21 which celebrates the conversion of St. Paul the apostle to Christianity. During the fiesta the usually quiet streets are alive with parades, beauty contests and other forms of entertainment and contests. Also being religious folks, the people of Vigan hold religious processions of Saints on wagons called carrozas and bring these around the streets of the city.

What to Eat in Vigan
Once you’ve roamed the city streets, the next thing to enjoy in Vigan is the food. Vigan is famous for its snacks and delicacies, my personal favorite is the ilocos empanada. Ilocos Empanada is a mixture of vegetables, an egg and native sausages deep fried in a special dough. If you’re there then you should really give this one a try. Apart from the empanada, try looking for bagnet which is deepfried pork and chichacorn corn kernels dried and then fried with lots of salt and garlic.

A trip to Vigan isn’t just about history or culture, its also about the food and the long bus ride through the Philippine countryside to get there. If you get tired of walking and eating, then just ask around and somebody will surely be able point you to the beach which is only a few minutes away from this historic city.

Tagged as: asia, cities in the philippines, cobblestone, cobblestone street, fine food, fine foods, geography, houses, ilocos region, ilocos sur, laoag city, olden days, partas, philippine airlines, philippine rabbit, philippines, spanish colonial, spanish colonization, spanish houses, streets, transportation in the philippines, vigan, vigan city

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Corregidor Island: A Historic Philippine Destination

by John on April 28, 2010 in Philippine Destinations · 1 Comment

For centuries, the island of Corregidor has stood watch over Manila bay and the capital of the Philippines. During the Spanish colonization the island was used as a lookout point and fortress to protect the city of Manila from pirates and invaders. It also served as a correction facility or penal colony notorious for its hard labor and its virtually inescapable nature. It is said that Corregidor got its name from the Spanish word corregir, which means ‘to correct’.

Satellite image of Corregidor

Satellite image of Corregidor Island (center)

After the American government took over the Philippines, the US Military recognized the Corregidor’s strategic value and further transformed the island into a military base, complete with barracks, offices, gun emplacements, docks, and an underground tunnel to serve as a bunker is case of war. The base was named Fort Mills in honor of Brigadier General Samuel Meyers Mills, Jr., Chief of Artillery of the U.S. Army from 1905 to 1906.

Little did the builders at the time know just how crucial the island would be in the coming years for when the Japanese Imperial Army invaded the Philippines in 1941, General Douglas McArthur transferred most of the Filipino and American forces from the cities to Corregidor island at serve as a point of resistance against the Japanese invasion. Along with the Military, the Philippine Commonwealth government under President Manuel Quezon was also evacuated to Corregidor.

On May 6 1942, the island fortress of Corregidor fell to the Japanese army and signaled the surrender of the Philippines to the Japan. Regardless of the origin of its name, the island will always be remembered as one of the last bastions of Philippine and American resistance to Japanese invasion.

Today, the island is a premier tourist attraction, and if you’re travelling to the Philippines and staying for a bit in Manila, then a trip to Corregidor is something that should be on your to do list.

How to Get to Corregidor
To get to the island, you can take a fast water craft from the Sun Cruises port located at the CCP Complex along Roxas Boulevard. Most taxi drivers in Manila know this area so just jump into a cab and tell them you want to go to CCP and the boat going to Corregidor. The ship for the day trip to the island leaves at 8am. If you’re wondering why it starts so early, it’s because there are just too many things to see and do in Corregidor.

What to Do When You Get There
The day trip to the island includes a guided tour and one of the first things you’ll encounter on your journey are the ruined and bombed out buildings which were never really repaired or torn down. The foremost of these which you will see are the ruins of the barracks and NCO quarters. After these, you can visit the remains of the massive gun batteries which protected Manila Bay, all unusable, but still an amazing sight.

After the trip to the ruins you can go and visit the Pacific War memorial dedicated to the Filipinos and American soldiers who perished in the defense of the fortress. Similarly, there is also a separate memorial for the Japanese service men who perished when the island was retaken at the end of the war. Tours for Japanese visitors are separate from those of American visitors as, understandably; these stir emotions within veterans of the war. The Pacific war memorial also features an altar which, on the noon of May 6 of every year, visitors are required to observe a minute of silence to commemorate the fall of Corregidor.

A tour of Corregidor is not complete without a visit to the famous Malinta Tunnel, a bunker built by the Americans as a bomb shelter and base of operations on the island. Malinta Tunnel was the headquarters for American and Filipinos forces and housed the command center of General Mac Arthur and the office of the President of the Philippine Commonwealth. The tunnel was transformed into a venue for a walking tour with audio-visual presentation of the history of the battle for the island. The presentation featured recorded messages, radio communications and other sound bites from the war.

Entrance to the Malinta Tunnel on Corregidor Island

Entrance to the Malinta Tunnel on Corregidor Island

Of Course, There’s Food
If you think that’s all Corregidor has to offer then you’ve just seen the tip of the iceberg. The island also features a number of hotels, and restaurants, theme parks and beaches. There are also dive spots for those who wish to see the ruining which lie beneath the surface of the island’s clear waters. So staying overnight on the island is a good idea if you’ve got the time to spare as there are just so many things to do and see on former battlefield.

So remember when you travel to the Philippines, take a trip to Corregidor as the whole day tour of this 702 hectare island is just full of sights and activities guaranteed to intrigue and amaze you so bring your camera and be ready to take lots of pictures to bring home.

Tagged as: asia, battle of corregidor, cavite, corregidor, destination, fort mills, fortress of corregidor, historic, island, malinta tunnel, Manila, manila bay, military, military base, military history of the philippines during world war ii, philippine, philippine island, philippines, south west pacific theatre of world war ii, stand watch

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