Saturday, July 11, 2009

Reasons to Not Visit Philippines

I saw this website asking to post the reasons why NOT to visit Philippines...

See what people said...


Maricris
Reasons NOT to visit Philippines
San Francisco - California - USA 2008-04-24 13:38:36

Here are the reasons NOT to visit Philippines:

If you are...

1. Not used to seeing white sand beaches
2. Not interested in eating fruits that are yummy and tasty
3. Not interested in meeting hospitable people
4. Not used to kind and humble people
5. Not into big malls, great bars, yummy food
6. Not interested in swimming in clear lakes and waterfalls
7. a hermit
8. closed-minded and don-t how to appreciate other culture
9. one of those people whose sole purpose is to destroy a nation
10. not smart enough to survive in a different place
11. not adventurous

I can go on but I think the main point here is that one should not visit Philippines if they want to remain in their own tiny bubble.



dean mckenzie
reason for not visiting the philippines
Chicago - IL - US 2006-10-26 17:37:11

Guys,

Everytime our company would ask who would want to be assigned in the philippines for a site visit everyone, including our CEO volunteers. People are warm and friendly. Its also a great place to shop, its so cheap.

So if you want to be a loser, a guess you already have a valid reason for not visiting the philippines.

Dean


source: http://www.hobotraveler.com/re2reasonstonotvisitphilippines.php

Saturday, March 08, 2008

VOTE Tubbataha Reef

VOTE Tubbataha Reef and Mt. Mayon for the New 7 Wonders of the world.

Go to this link >>> http://www.new7wonders.com/nature/en/liveranking

NOTE: You need to vote for 7 entries. Vote Tubbataha and Mayon as vote 1 and 2, respectively. For vote 3 - 7 choose the lowest ranking entries. (I hope you get why.)

To know more about Tubbataha Reef check this site >>> http://www.tubbatahareef.org

VOTE NOW!!!!!!!!

MABUHAY ang LAHING PILIPNO!!!!

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Top World Travel Destinations

Yahoo! Travel rank Philippines as top 10 of the World's best travel destination. So why wait visit Philippines now!

Top World Travel Destinations
1. Paris, France
2. Cancun, Mexico
3. Montego Bay, Jamaica
4. San Juan, Puerto Rico
5. Rome, Italy
6. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
7. Lisbon, Portugal
8. Phuket, Thailand
9. Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
10. Manila, Philippines

Check this link for more info.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Top Asian Beaches By John Borthwick

AUSTRALIANS are royally spoiled when it comes to world-class coastlines. Yet still we travel, chasing sandier or sunnier shores. Here are 10 of the best beaches in Asia.

1. SAUD BEACH, PHILIPPINES


On the northwest coast of Luzon, little-known Saud Beach at Pagudpud is a 2km arc of blindingly pure sand bordered by the blue of the South China Sea. It's like an uncluttered version of that famous Philippines shore, White Beach, on Boracay Island. Beat the developers, the hair-braiders and sarong-floggers - head to Pagudpud now.


2. KO ADANG, THAILAND
Thailand's far south Andaman Sea coast has clusters of islands that are still off the radar for tour group invaders and full-moon ravers. The towering rock formations and crystal waters of Ko Tarutao National Marine Park, a 51-island group about 30km off the mainland, are a reminder of how islands such as Phuket, Samui and Phi Phi once were. Here you'll find Ko Adang, a jungle island with pristine shores, empty beaches and not a beer bar in sight.

3. BENTOTA, SRI LANKA
At Bentota Beach, 60km south of Colombo, grand arcs of beach sweep north and south from a rocky promontory. The Indian Ocean massages this coast of granite headlands and uncrowded beaches that surfers and European sun-seekers discovered long ago. There is a choice of three, four and five-star resorts from which you can simultaneously contemplate Bentota's fiery sunset and your of sundowner.

4. YALONG BAY, CHINA
At the same latitude as Hawaii, Hainan is where mainland Chinese come to get that Waikiki feeling without leaving home. While Yalong Bay, near Sanya on Hainan's southern tip, may lack Polynesia's heaving surf and swaying skirts, its broad white beaches are better than many in Hawaii. Fishing villages and rice farms once rimmed Yalong Bay's 7km strand. In their place, quality resorts harvest the disposable incomes of China's leisure class.
5. CHINA BEACH, VIETNAM
China Beach, on Vietnam's central coast near Da Nang, is 30km long and has numerous resorts and restaurants, especially around Bai Non Nuoc. The specific section of the China Beach of Vietnam War and television series fame is known locally as Bai Tam My Khe. Here, you can see fishermen paddle out through its breaking waves in flimsy wicker coracles and then, after fishing, surf right back in again.

6. CALANGUTE, INDIA
"Christmas in Goa" was the mantra for heliotropic (and psychotropic) hippies on the 1970s "Overland Trail". Calangute's palm-fringed shoreline was annually invaded by some of the most upbeat and beat-up minds of their generation; today it is simply built-up. Over-development hasn't been kind to Calangute's little fishing hamlets, but its Arabian Sea full moons are as spellbinding as ever.

7. DUNGUN, MALAYSIA
The east coast of Malaysia is a sleeping secret. Macaque monkeys swing like tiny Tarzans through a tree canopy that borders the South China Sea. Beyond the trees, Dungun, an empty swoop of beach, is one of Malaysia's least-exploited shores. Offshore is Tenggol Island, part of Terengganu Marine Park, where you can snorkel and scuba dive amid gin-and-tonic clear waters alive with turtles, grouper, wrasse and jacks.


8. OCCHEUTEAL, CAMBODIA
Sihanoukville (aka Kompong Som) on Cambodia's pretty south coast is home to five fine beaches, even though the best one, Sokha, is reserved for a private hotel's guests. Sokha's neighbour, Occheuteal Beach, comes a close second with its long stretch of white sand lined with pine trees. Popular with Cambodians and travellers alike, Occheuteal's far northern end has become a backpacker hangout.

9. MAE NAM, THAILAND
Ko Samui's east coast strands are almost too well known. Head up to the north coast to snoozy Mae Nam, where the sands may be narrower, but you're not sharing them with the crowds. The water is clear and calm, the palm trees shady. In the distance you can see a flotilla of blue-grey islands that drifts just north of Samui, including Ko Phangan and Ang Thong Marine Park, where the beaches are truly empty.
10. KENTING, TAIWAN
The semi-tropical landscape of southern Taiwan is a surprise until you remember that the island's earlier Portuguese name, Formosa, means "beautiful". The name still fits. Unhurried and warm, Kenting, at the rugged southernmost tip of the island, has reasonable beaches for swimming, diving and surfing, plus an 18,000-ha national park. There is ample accommodation here, the seafood is excellent and, surprisingly, you're well inside the Tropic of Cancer.

Saturday, June 02, 2007

CamSur Watersports Complex by Cathy Paras



When I received a text saying that I was being invited to take a look at the Camsur Watersports Complex in Camarines Sur, I turned to the nearest person at the office and asked, ‘where is Camarines Sur again?’ Forgive my ignorance, but I had yet to find out that Camarines Sur is in fact located in the Bicol Region, with its world-renowned product, the pili, as its defacto ambassador – the very same Bicol Region that was ravaged by typhoon Milenyo.
Related Links
View the CWC Photo Gallery
Viewfinder - CamSur Watersports Complex
So after a (two hours delayed) Air Philippines flight to Naga airport, I had arrived! But not after what I consider to be one of the most nausea-inducing plane trips I’ve had in my sojourning life. The sporadic turbulence and the bumpy 45 minute ride was bearable; it was the landing that had me spouting every prayer that came to mind. Since the Naga airport runway is shorter than ideal, the pilot has to slam on the breaks for each landing to ensure that the plane stops within the tarmac, otherwise, passengers are in for another take-off and another attempt at landing. I was short of doing a celebratory dance as I stepped off the plane and was greeted by an afternoon drizzle. The Camsur Watersports Complex, (CWC, as it is more popularly known) is just a 5-7 minute car ride from the Naga airport and is located within the Provincial Capitol Complex. You can take a tricycle or taxi to CWC; if you’re staying at one of its lodging facilities, airport transfers are free (call to pre-arrange). The first thing that you’ll notice at CWC is the presence of foreigners, which always makes me wonder, how come they know about these places before we (Pinoys) do? Once you get past the slew of Germans, Brits, Australians, and Japanese, you realize (happily so) that there are also a lot of Bikolanos milling about the place and enjoying the facilities on the six hectare complex. CABLE SKIING Cable skiing is the main event at CWC. As its name implies, the skier is pulled by an overhead cable, and she has the option of being on a wakeboard, waterski, or kneeboard while hooked-up to the cable on the move. World champion wakeboarders and beginners (who usually start-off on the kneeboard before getting up on both feet) alike fall in line to have a go. The great part about it is the park’s jovial and non-competitive atmosphere, an appeal that’s likely been imparted by the equally laidback Luis Raymund (aka ‘L-Ray,’ aka ‘Gov’) Villafuerte Jr., CWC’s head honcho and provincial Governor of Camarines Sur, one who’s hell-bent on promoting tourism to his province, which he feels is at par and sometimes even surpasses other better-known destinations within our Philippine archipelago. CWC is the brainchild of Gov. L-Ray (himself a wakeboarder, and a darn good one, so we’ve heard), and if you talk to any wakeboarder on the premises, they have nothing but praise for the young politician, who has created a world-class facility that is both affordable, accessible, and more important, complies with safety standards to ensure that novices and experts alike enjoy their time at the park. OTHER FACILITIES If the cable park isn’t your thing and you just want to lazily spend your days tanning, you can do just that as CWC also has a pool, clubhouse, restaurant, pro shop (where you can get wakeboards, life vests, helmets, board shorts, and crocs, to name a few items), and an area for beach volleyball.




BMX riders can delight in the sand dunes that were built with their extreme needs in mind; coupled with the skate park and the already thriving cable park, CWC is set to be known in the world-stage as an Extreme sports haven. FUTURE PLANS “We want this place to be the Extreme Sports Disneyland of the world!” says Ruben Buchanan, one of the resident managers at CWC. “Gov (L-Ray) also has plans to build a 9-hole golf course, ATV park, a foam pit (where riders can try out their tricks and still have a soft landing), and a boat lake,” he confirmed.WHERE TO STAY You have a choice of lodging at CWC. There’s the Mansion Suites, a hotel that’s popular with the wakeboarders and foreigners (P2,200-4,000 for 2-4 pax/room depending on size and room choice). If you don’t want to stay within the standard hotel then the cabanas may be more your thing (P2,800/night, good for 2 people); or perhaps the unconventional containers or 'trailers', where you can pick from one that houses two people, or a family-sized one with two bedrooms and a kitchenette that can accommodate four to five people (rates start at P2,800/night). What’s yet to open are the Balinese Villas (P5,000/villa, good for 2 people), which is about a ten minute walk from the cable park, but is worth the mild exercise. When the villas are finished and are open to the public, you can look forward to an on-site spa, luxe pool, and of course, your own private home away from home. The great part about it is that all of the room rates come with breakfast, and you can avail of the cable park and the CWC facilities for free throughout the day.



SIDE TRIPSYou can have a day trip (pre-arranged) to the picturesque Caramoan Peninsula (P2,310/person for at least 5-7 people, inclusive of RT land and boat transfer, island hopping boat, meals, and a tour guide), or if you’re not up for the 3 hour trip to Caramoan, opt for the shorter Aguirangan Island Day Tour (P1,6550/person for 5-10 people and P3,660/person for 2-4 people; inclusive of RT land and boat transfer, lunch, cottage rental, tour guide, snorkeling gear). If you’re a nature lover, try the Mt. Isarog Climbing Tour (P4,300/person for 2-4 people, and P2,100/person for 5-8 people, inclusive of RT land transfer, meals, tour guide, tent rental, entrance fee), where your guide will take you through waterfalls, a dip through cool waters, animal and bird-watching, among other things, that are home to the majestic Mt. Isarog.



MARKET! Just 15-20 minutes away (by jeepney, tricycle or car ride) from CWC is the Naga town proper. Make sure you take a walk through the Naga palengke as you’re sure to find pili savories (P30-220), native bags (P50-450, depending on size), and lots of other souvenir items to bring back as pasalubong. All in all, there was never a dull moment at CWC for me. Sure, service needs a bit of work, specially at the on-site restaurant, as it takes awhile for orders to come to the table. Also, there are times when they may run out of several items (like, say, pizza dough, key for making the much coveted Four Cheese Pizza, which is definitely a must-try). Whether you’re an extreme sports enthusiast, a nature-lover, a 'lazy reading by the pool' person, or simply am ‘I’ll stay in my Balinese villa all day and veg’ kind of guy, there’s definitely something for you at CWC. As the saying goes over there, ‘Come South, CamSur!’ HOW TO GET THERE:Air Philippines flies daily to Naga Airport in Pili and to Legaspi City. Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Air also has daily flights via Legaspi City. Ordinary and Air-conditioned buses travel the Manila-Camarines Sur Route daily. For detailed information on flight and bus schedules, click here. Image 1 taken by Jay Lara; Images 2-4 taken by the writer.


Thursday, February 22, 2007

More than the usual rain forest

Mount Makiling

The mystical Mt. Makiling is an inactive volcano, rising to about 1,109 meter above sea level. The vegetation consists of approximately 2,048 different species of plants. The lower slope is a tall dipterocarp forest while the summit is a dwarf mossy forest. According to legends, the slopes of Mt. Makiling are shaped like that of a woman reclining down. Some say that it is the profile of the sleeping Mariang Makiling, a legendary goddess. Still others say that Mariang Makiling dwells in this mountain and protects it from harm. Mt. Makiling is ideal for all types of nature tripping –from trekking to bird and butterfly watching, and even camping. The Pook ni Mariang Makiling Resort offers an olympic-sized pool, cottages, tree houses, huts and a panoramic view of the Laguna de Bay.




Mount Apo is the highest mountain in the Philippines and overlooks Davao City, a few kilometres to the northeast. Mt. Apo was first climbed on October 10, 1880 by a party led by Don Joaquin Rajal. Mount Apo is one of the most popular climbing destinations in the Philippines. The summit is easy to reach. On May 9, 1936, Mount Apo was declared a national park by President Manuel L. Quezon. The mountain is home to over 270 bird species, with more than a hundred that are endemic. A stratovolcano, Apo is flat topped, with three peaks. A source of geothermal energy, the time of its most recent eruption is unknown, and none are verified in historic times.



Mt. Pulag is considered the 2nd highest mountain in the Philippines, next to Mt. Apo of Mindanao with only a few meters difference. It is considered as one of the most beautiful National Parks in the Cordillera Area. Mt. Pulag is typically different from the rainforest mountains in the Philippines because of its open area (no trees mountain). It also has its distinct characteristics of changing color on different occasions and season. During the dry season, Mt. Pulag is brown similar to the chocolate Hills of Bohol. During the Rainy Monsoon season, it will vary from light green to rich dark green rolling plains, almost similar to a well maintained golf course. Local People believed that is was, and is a play ground of the gods.

More than the usual beach

Amanpulo was created for travelers seeking the idyllic beauty of an exclusive tropical island. Situated on the private island of Pamalican, 200 km east of Palawan in the Philippines, the 220 acre isle is surrounded by white sand, crystal clear sea and well preserved coral reefs (50-300 m. offshore). Guests arrive from Manila by chartered plane which lands directly on Pamalican. The surrounding waters yield a wide variety of marine life and dive sites. The average temperature is 26 deg. C with underwater visibility ranging between 15-30 m., superb for all water activities: swimming, sailing (hobiecats, lasers and windsurfers), rowing, fishing, boat trips, snorkeling and scuba diving, ranging fro introductory to advanced, are also available (some with certification). In addition to watersports, Amanpulo offers guided eco-walks, cycling, tennis, picnicing, and massage in the privacy of one's casita. The resort's main building, The Clubhouse, contains The Restaurant and its terrace, The Lobby and Bar, The Library, Art Gallery and Boutique. The Beach Club is a short walk away. All watersport facilities, except scuba diving, are available from the Beach Club. The Dive Shop is a five-minute golf cart ride from The clubhouse.



El Nido really is a magical place. From its ageless towering marble cliffs to its white sandy beaches with crystal clear water, many refer to it as paradise. There are over 50 beaches to discover, so many in fact that sometimes you feel as if you are on your own secluded private beach. You will also find enchanting lagoons with tranquil turquoise-green water, caves that can take you to hidden beaches, and a very diverse variety of wildlife. El Nido is a top destination for island hopping, book your boat, take some food, some drinks in a cool box and disappear into the heavenly marine reserve that is Bacuit Bay. It is a truly relaxing and inspiring place; Alex Garland wrote "The Beach" while living here. Scuba diving is also a popular activity here with over 30 dive sites for varying levels and skills; from taking the plunge and learning to dive for the first time, to perfecting your expertise and advancing your qualifications. Yet El Nido has so many different treasures to offer beyond the obvious. Further activities available include cliff climbing, waterfalls, kayaking, cave exploration, windsurfing, plus you can also hire a motorbike and discover the surrounding north of Palawan.