Best Travel Blog in the Philippines

Mission: Sirang Lente, one of the Best Travel Blogs in the Philippines

Meym Dharzie, thirty-ish, Romblon! Previous part-time movie extra and full-time in BPO. I love historical sites, nature and outdoor activities like hiking and camping. At home, watching documentaries and Korean Dramas are my interests.

Why Sirang Lente?

Sirang Lente is a Filipino word which means “a defective lens,” pertaining to my camera lens. I know you’re thinking why I'm writing and proud having such a defective lens, correct? Here’s the reason: it was in 2012 when I started hiking and backpacking. That time, I don’t have anything expensive, like DSLR cameras, to capture high quality photos or even a knowledge in photo editing. What I have were old 5 megapixel Digital camera and a smart phone with 3.2 megapixel camera. They both have cracks on the LCD so I was thinking that they have defective lenses, but upon transferring the photographs to my laptop, images were beautiful. That's when I realized that there could be beauty in defects, it all depends in perspective.

 

I created this blog to list down the beautiful tourist attractions, tourist spots, tourist destinations in all the provinces I visited, upload great photos (must be raw and may not be in high quality) and tell my stories. I may not have perfect grammar but I do believe that: “learning is constant and practice makes permanent!”

For travelers, like me, Social Media is now considered as one of the must haves. Social media platforms, such as twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Google Plus and many other social media sites and apps are best and simplest way to share your stories, travel itinerary and gorgeous photos to others. They are also being used to promote and inspire others to do the same.

CLICK HERE TO HOMEPAGE: LIST OF ALL PROVINCES

World's Most Unique Jose Rizal Statue

The most unique Jose Rizal Statue in the world. 

READ: My Solo-Backpacking in Samar Province

CLICK HERE TO HOMEPAGE: LIST OF ALL PROVINCES

ABOUT ME: SIRANGLENTE

Hoyop-hoyopan Cave

Its name was derived from their local dialect "Hoyop-hoyopan," which translates to "blow or blowing." The wind enters the cave opening, blows through the cave's cavern, and exits to the other side. That blowing wind is the reason why the ambiance inside the is cool and relaxing. Aside from that, there are a lot of artistic stalactites, stalagmites, and columns inside the cave. What's different than the other cave? There's a round concrete dance floor inside this cave. According to our guide, the locals created the dance floor to hide their party and gimmicks, which were not allowed before. After Cagsawa Ruins, Kuya Lijong brought us to this gorgeous cave. READ: BACKPACKING ALBAY, SORSOGON, CATANDUANES

CLICK HERE TO HOMEPAGE: LIST OF ALL PROVINCES

ABOUT ME: SIRANGLENTE

Mt. Mayon

Mt. Mayon is prominent worldwide because of its shape - a perfect cone; having said that, it's definitely the top tourist spot in Albay. According to its historical plate: "The spiritual administration of Cagsawa from 1587 to 1595 was under the Parish of Camalig. An early church was burned on 25 July 1636 by the Dutch, who ransacked the towns bordering Legaspi Bay. This church was built after 1724 by Fray Francisco Blanco. D.F.M. was buried by rocks and lava during the eruption of Mayon Volcano on 1 February 1814. The authorities of Cagsawa, meeting at Ligao, on 6 July 1814, decided to incorporate their town as part of Daraga. The first centenary of the destructions of the church was commemorated 1 February 1914, with a huge pilgrimage to the ruins where high mass was celebrated."

Mt. Samat

It is a historical mountain in Bataan where the Shrine of Valor or Dambana ng Kagitingan was built on its summit. This shrine has a huge cross with a memorial shrine and museum built to honor the gallantry of the Filipino American soldiers who fought during World War 2. The shrine complex on Mount Samat includes a war museum with different memorabilia, paintings, and weapons used by the Filipino, American, and Japanese forces during the Battle of Bataan. These structures were commissioned by former President Ferdinand Marcos in 1966 for the 25th Anniversary of the Second World War. Also, please note that the province holds the record of the Battle of Bataan, including the controversial Death March.

Sunken Cemetery

Sunken Cemetery is a historical landmark and the top tourist spots in Camiguin. Before, it was a resting place and today, it is a tourist attraction that gives money to the government and jobs to the locals. This spot has a huge cross perched into the water. Tourists can cross and step on the base of the cross using boats, of course NOT for free. Souvenir shops and stores are available by the entrance. READ: Backpacking in Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, and Camiguin.

Rizal Park and Shrine, Dapitan

The Rizal Shrine in Dapitan (José Rizal Memorial Protected Landscape) was the place where our National Hero was exiled by the Spaniards in 1892. Today, this historical place shows his life while working as a doctor, sculptor, farmer, teacher and many others. He purchased this land after winning a lottery in 1892. Later, his mother, sisters and relatives transferred here from Calamba, Laguna. However, on January 15, 1897, the Spanish authorities confiscated all of his property. These were converted into a park and were declared a National Park in 1940 by President Manuel L. Quezon.

Callao Cave

It is a seven-chamber cave where scientists and experts discovered 67,000-year-old fossilized remains of a Callao man in 2007, that's a thousand years older than the Tabon Man in Palawan. Callao Cave is definitely the top tourist attraction in Peñablanca, Cagayan. This cave is situated on the Northern foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains. By the way, Peñablanca, the name of the municipality, is a Spanish word that means white rocks because of the limestone present in the area. 

Aguinaldo Shrine and Museum

Ang mansyon ng mga Aguinaldo o Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine sa Kawit, Cavite ay isa sa mga lumang istruktura na aking gustong maabot at ngayong araw, naabot ko rin ito sa wakas. Galing ng Baclaran, ang probinsya ng Cavite ay halos isang oras lamang  na biyahe dahil sa Cavitex na nagpagaan ng trapiko sa lugar. Sa post ko kahapon, ipinakita ko sa inyo ang maaliwalas na bakuran ng mansyon. Ngayon, loob naman ng mansyon ang aking ibabahagi.

The Ruins, Bacolod

The Ruins, in Talisay City, was the largest residential mansion built then. This mansion belongs to sugar baron Don Mariano “Anoy” Ledesma Lacson (1865-1948.) Built after the death of his wife Maria Braga (1911) and served as the residence of their unmarried children. But, in the early part of World War II, USAFEE and then guerrilla fighters built this mansion to prevent the Japanese forces from making this structure their headquarters. It was burning for three days, leaving no traces of its glorious past, but still, the effort of the workers paid off because its gorgeous RUINS are still standing and part of our today.

Colon Street

Colon Street is the oldest street and shortest road in the Philippines. It was named after Christopher Columbus, who bears different names (Spanish: Cristobal Colon, Italian: Cristoforo Colombo, Portuguese: Cristovao Colombo.) It was established by the Spanish, arrived in Cebu in 1565, and was led by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi (a Spanish conquistador.) The local government erected the Colon Monument at the intersection of the street.

Negros Occidental Tourist Spot

1. The Ruins, Talisay

Negros Occidental holds most historical sites of the region. The first attraction you should visit is a mansion that was owned by the sugar baron Don Mariano “Anoy” Ledesma Lacson (1865-1948). The construction of this mansion was non-stop until the entire structure was completed. It was the largest mansion built during that time, however, was burnt to prevent the Japanese forces from making it their headquarters during World War II. Because of the A-grade mixture of concrete that was used, its ruins remain today. Click here to read more.

My first Solo-Backpacking, A Walking Tour in Cebu City

Cebu City is the capital city of the Province of Cebu. It is one of the largest islands in the Philippine Archipelago. It is considered the "Queen City of the South" because of its economic stability and other factors. Of course, in Philippine history, the province has a gigantic contribution in terms of religion. And with that, my curiosity was activated. This was my first flight and solo backpacking, so everything was remarkable.

Biak na Bato National Park

It is situated in San Miguel, Bulacan, and is one of the top travel destinations in the province because of its historical contribution to the Philippine Republic. Biak na Bato or "split of the boulder" in English, is where Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo signed the Malolos Republic (the first Constitution of the country). Aside from its historical background, tourists and students visit this park to relax, breathe some fresh air, and witness the beauty inside the caves, especially the stunning Bahay Paniki Cave, the highlight of the area. By the way, it was declared a national park in 1937 by the former president Manuel L. Quezon.

Inside the Walls of Intramuros

You might be thinking about the location where this photo taken from; I have no money to travel abroad so it's not from the ancient Greece or Rome. It is one of the tourist spots and must visit attractions in Manila. Okay, it is from Intramuros or the "Walled City" one of the sites that has significance in Philippine history. I was captivated by the Intramuros Open House in Celebration of World Tourism Day. Entrance fees are for free on three of the must visit spots inside the walled city; these are Fort Santiago, Baluarte de San Diego, and Casa Manila. Not only that, there are free bicycle tour at Plaza Roma, and picnic with performance grounds, food and art at Baluarte de San Diego.

Featuring Tawi-Tawi - Solo-Backpacking in Mindanao

For me, the Province of Tawi-Tawi is the hardest province to penetrate because of its geographical location. Not only that, it is always associated with "war" and, most of the time, being judged and considered as "unsafe" for travelers, which I disagree with! Bongao, its capital, is the busiest municipality in the province but has a lot of stunning tourist spots and destinations that are just waiting to be recognized.

Camiguin Itinerary, Backpacking in Mindanao

A photo of the stunning Katibawasan Falls.

Every time I hear the word Camiguin, I usually think of the best lanzones in the Philippines and the Sunken Cemetery. But during our visit, we saw how wealthy the top tourist spots and destinations in the province are in terms of natural beauty, making the province one of the best tourist attractions in the Philippines. Backpacking is not a big problem here because at the port of Camiguin, multi-cab, with a driver, can be chartered for the whole day tour (and that’s what we did).

Capul Island

Introduction:

This island is one of the must-visit gems of Northern Samar. This island municipality can bring you back because of the famous century-old lighthouse and church. If you’re into outdoors, you can explore the hidden and majestic caves or hop on and off the rock formations by the shore; it’s your choice. If you just want to relax, no worries. The island is surrounded by crystal clear waters and the continuously blowing cool fresh air. The coconut and other trees create an amazing backdrop by the shore, which is highlighted by the white sand beaches.

Featuring Leyte Province - Solo-Backpacking in Region 8

The McArthur Landing Memorial Park in Palo, Leyte, is one of the most visited landmarks in the Province or even in the Philippines; this is to commemorate the historical landing of General Douglas MacArthur. The actual landing in October of 1944 was the start of the liberation of the Philippines from the Japanese occupation – the Second World War. The statues were created by Anastacio Caedo. The significance of this park can be read on the historical markers placed in front of the park.

My Solo-Backpacking in Guimaras

Guimaras will definitely be brought up on the topic when we talk about mangoes because they are said to have the “Sweetest Mango in the Philippines.” With that, their local delicacies, with mango, are just mouth-watering. The residents must be proud of their breathtaking and stunning beaches, historical sites, and other activities. They also have the Manggahan Festival, an annual festivity to thank for their bountiful mango harvest. It is a small island province that can be visited for the whole day, but they can offer a lot to visitors.