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.

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Lignon Hill, Albay

After Daraga Church, we headed to our last destination in Albay - Lignon Hill. Kuya Lijong dropped us by the entrance, we settled the payment and he left. Instead of a continuous ascent, we had a buko break first. Relaxed and regained the fluid we lost. The road to the summit is concrete and surrounded by hardwood trees, so the ambiance, while we were walking, was relaxing, with the cold wind blowing. And after 30 minutes, we finally reached the summit. Beautiful landscape and a 360 degrees view of Legaspi City and the hiding Mt. Mayon. Commercial establishments such as souvenir shops and food stalls are available. By the way, restrooms are also available. READ: BACKPACKING ALBAY, SORSOGON, CATANDUANES

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Mt. Mayon

Mt. Mayon is definitely the top tourist spot in Albay and it was hiding in the clouds during our 2 attempts to visit Cagsawa Ruins. According to the metal plate: "The spiritual administration of Cagsawa from 1587 to 1595 was under the Parish of Camalig. An early church was burned, 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, 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. KASAHINGAN, NUEVA ECIJA

Mt. Kasahingan is the newest hiking destination in Nueva Ecija. It became popular because of its breathtaking beauty, relaxing ambiance, easy-to-moderate trails, gorgeous waterfalls, and pretty much accessible from Manila and other points in Luzon. Hiking this mountain can give you a rewarding experience and instagrammable spots.

Mt. Samat, Bataan

Mt. Samat is a mountain in Bataan, Philippines and on its summit, the Shrine of Valor or Dambana ng Kagitingan was built because of its huge historical contribution during World War II. Also, the province holds the record of Battle of Bataan including the controversial Death March. Anyways, from Bagac, we traveled to Pilar to discover and to know more about the significance of the Cross on top of the mountain.

Mararison Island

Malalison or Mararison is an Island in Culasi, Antique. It can be considered a fishermen island because most of the residents are fishing as their livelihood. A few years back, its breathtaking beauty captured the attention of travelers after Typhoon Yolanda. It is Panay's next frontier because of its fine white sand beaches, and crystal clear waters with a diversity of aquatic flora and fauna – it is truly a perfect diving paradise.

Mt. Batulao, Batangas

I consider Mt. Batulao as one of the most climbed mountains in Southern Luzon because of the following: proximity from Manila, beautiful landscape, and cool and relaxing ambiance.  A two to three hours land travel from Manila, this mountain can reward you with a breathtaking and wide view of its green mountain slopes. You trek can be tiring but your tired muscles will be relaxed as the cool and refreshing wind blows. Since it's in Batangas, you can have a side trip in Tagaytay and have a sumptuous bulalo break.

Mt. Tarak, Bataan

Mt. Tarak is one of the top destinations in Bataan for hikers. This mountain has a good combination of breathtaking beauty, an elegant skyline, cool and temperate weather, and abundant flora and fauna. By the way, it was my first major hike and after five years, I am here again. Our journey is totally different because last time, it was the wet season and this time it was super dry.

Mt. Ulap, Benguet

Mt. Ulap is situated in Brgy. Ampucao, Itogon Benguet. It is one of the highest peaks in the Cordillera region with amazing flora and fauna. Because of its temperature, the trees, grass and flowers look so healthy making the mountain look gorgeous.

Location, How to Get Here, Our Travel to Itogon: Instead of a public vehicle, we chartered a van for our transportation to the North. 13 of us met at Crossing, including Rio, our Chinese visitor. From Manila to Baguio City took us six hours of travel so instead of getting bored, while on the road and the rains are dropping, it was filled with stories of our previous hikes.

Mt. Banahaw, Quezon

Mt. Banahaw is an active complex volcano located in Quezon Province. To plant more trees, that's our main purpose of our hike. We chose this mountain because we want to preserve its hidden and majestic beauty. Though it is hard to trek due to its terrain which is a rainforest, it is one of the must hiked mountains because it has healthy biodiversity, both plants and animals. Dubbed as the "Holy Mountain," this giant bears a trail with a very calm ambiance. Reaching the summit and heading back to the jump-off can give you a lifetime and unforgettable experience.

Mt. Apo - Our journey to the highest peak

Mt. Apo is a dormant stratovolcano in Davao Region, Mindanao and it measures 2,954 meters above sea level. It is dubbed as the "bubong ng Pilipinas" because it is the highest and the father of all the mountains in the Philippines. Its circumference stretches to two provinces in the southern Mindanao region, the provinces of North Cotabato and Davao del Sur. Though this mountain is considered active, trekking on its terrain is safe and can provide a package of remarkable experiences and photos to be shared. Below are the list of Things to Remember: Description, Height (MASL), Trails, Campsite, and Difficulty:

Mt. Hamiguitan, Davao Oriental

Mount Hamiguitan is one of the most beautiful mountains in the Philippines because it is the home of thousands of flora and fauna. Some are endemic or can only be found on the terrains of this mountain. Not just the richness of its bio-diversity, its mountain range showcases the spectacular and breathtaking natural beauty at its finest. Because of that, it was declared as a sanctuary by virtue of R.A. 9303. With its natural wonders, it was also included as one of the ASEAN Heritage Parks. In 2014, this mountain was added to UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites.

Mt. Halcon, Mindoro

So far, hiking Mt. Halcon (2582 MASL) in Oriental Mindoro is the toughest. Though this mountain garnered a nine over nine rating in terms of difficulty, it is part of my "list of the must hiked mountains" because of its hidden and majestic beauty. It has a combination of long and difficult terrains, a wealthy rain forest, vast diversity of plants and animals, spooky stories, and unpredictable weather conditions which can bring a remarkable hiking experience (the reason why it's my hardest).

Mt. Pulag, Benguet - hike guide via Ambangeg Trail

Mt. Pulag is one of the highest peaks in the Philippines, measures 2,922 MASL. It is also one of the most beautiful mountains in the Philippines, therefore, you should include this on your list. On the other hand, on its summit, hikers can witness the famous “sea of clouds," a majestic phenomenon where visitors are literally above the clouds.

Things to Remember: The Weather, Trails, Campsite, and Difficulty: Pulag has three main trails: Ambangeg, Ambaguio and Tawangan. Most of the tourists love are hiking on Ambangeg because it is simple and the terrain is really good, highly recommended for first timer. The terrain is ascending, passing on the sides of cabbage plantations and walking the trail covered with bonsai, flowering plants and trees. The mountain slopes are covered with brown and greens are absolutely stunning.

The Gorgeous View on the Summit of Mt. Pulag. Before hiking, you should consider the climate. This mountain has unpredictable weather condition, that even it’s summer, there will be rains. From October to February, expect for a super cold weather, sometimes it 's zero degrees. On the summit, there's a 360 degrees view of the mountain ranges in the North. If there's clearing, expect for an amazing slopes, mountains are covered with mixed green and brown grasses and of course, let's not forget the gorgeous sea of clouds, with the golden sun rise.

LIST OF MOUNTAINS IN THE PHILIPPINES

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Mt. Mantalingahan, Palawan

Mt. Mantalingajan or Mantalingahan is situated in Rizal, Palawan, more than 4 hours travel from Puerto Princesa City. Since Manta (another name given) is located on a secluded municipality, its beauty remains hidden to many hikers, thus, its richness is well preserved. A few hikers I met said that it is a combination of Mt. Halcon in Mindoro and Mt. Guiting-Guiting in Romblon.

TOP 5 BEST MOUNTAINS FOR BEGINNERS NEAR MANILA

Here are Five of the mountains near Manila recommended for beginners. First, Mount Batulao is one of the famous destinations for hikers and adventurer seekers. This mountain lies in Southern Luzon and is 2-3 hours' travel from Manila; very accessible to both private and public vehicles.  Batulao has gorgeous ranges and slopes; its amazing shape is covered with luscious green grasses and trees making it so relaxing in the eyes. Its trail is simple to moderate. READ: MOUNT BATULAO HIKING GUIDE

TOP 10 BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN THE PHILIPPINES IN 2024

Today, just noticed that the weather is changing from cool to a warm humid air - a proof that summer is almost here. To help you, I listed 14 best and must visit and destinations in the Philippines. First, the world famous Boracay Island. It is listed as one of the best beaches in the world according to the travel agencies, websites, blogs, magazines and other people’s reviews. The shoreline has fine white sand, the waters are crystal clear, cool and fresh air and there's a lot of activities to choose from. READ: BORACAY ISLAND GUIDE | 

Mt. Binacayan

Another famous mountain in Rodriguez, Rizal is Mt. Binacayan, a small but tiring to hike because of its terrain. Though, separated by Wawa River from Mt. Pamitinan, they almost have the same features in terms of the difficulty and trails types. There are fruit bearing trees, shrubs that bloom like ornaments, and the lullabies from birds can be heard. You will be certified as a "revel in trekking" because of the rock climbing and scrambling on the boulders and limestone cliffs with sharp edges.

Mt. Marami

Mt. Marami is one of the hiking destinations in Southern Luzon because of its proximity from Manila. Not only that, it is also one of the most visited mountains in the province because of its simple and gradual trails. Walking on its terrain can give you relaxation because everything is surrounded by green while the mountain slopes from afar are picture-perfect. You can't stop yourself from a death-defying pose on the rock formation called "silyang bato." Fruit-bearing trees, coconuts, bananas and other crops can give you a farmville feeling while the birds are singing their lullabies.

Mt. Talamitam, Batangas

Though, no trees are dancing and birds singing, the nude shape of Mt. Talamitam makes it one of the hiking destinations in the Province of Batangas. Considered as a friendly mountain for beginners, this Talamitam can still bring a remarkable hiking experience to those seasoned in this field because of its soil type which is slippery and muddy during the wet season and hot during summer. As you can see on the photo above, this mountain is covered with green which brings a relaxing aura to the eyes.