VISITA IGLESIA: Old Churches in Rizal (Travel Guide)

I have been planning to visit the historical and century-old churches in Pasig and the province of Rizal and the plan became a reality; today is the perfect day and the perfect season. It is my Visita Iglesia 2018 in a backpacking style. My itinerary started with the oldest church in Pasig, then the oldest Marian church in Cainta, St. John the Baptist in Taytay, and the stunning Tanay Church with Baroque architecture. And to close our good Friday adventure, we visited the gigantic Pililla Wind Farm, also in Rizal.

Bunga Falls

During our Mt. Kalisungan and Mt. Mabilog hikes, Bunga Twin Falls was our side trip and post-climb destination. The ambiance in the area is cool and relaxing because it is surrounded by trees, coconuts and other plants. Its name was derived from the "bunga" plant or "beetle nut" in English; that was many years ago when the area was still abundant with this plant. Today, this twin falls is definitely one of the summer destinations in Laguna.

Romblon Tourist Spot

1. Cresta de Gallo

Let's start with Cresta de Gallo in Sibuyan, the top tourist attraction in the province and considered one of the best sandbars in the Philippines. It is amazingly stunning because of the long-curvy stretch of the fine white sand and cool crystal clear waters. The area is surrounded by coconuts and trees that create beautiful shadows on the landscape. Photo from: Jay Magracia

Manuel Uy Beach Resort, Batangas

Stunning beaches and resorts near Manila can be found in the province of Batangas in Southern Luzon; Manuel Uy Beach Resort is one of the must-visit places in the Calatagan, a 3-4 hours road travel from Manila. Travel time might be tiring but our journey to our destination was unforgettable. Our journey started after our respective shifts on a Friday. It was a bit challenging because all of us woke up early for work and passing on the roads of Tagaytay added a sleepy feeling due to its cool weather. There was a moment of silence, although most of the time, we killed that "sleepy ambiance" by talking about other people's life. If who those people are? hhmm. No comment. Aside from that, our musicality was also measured by the Whitney Houston and Celine Dion's songs played while the car window's open.

Burot Beach

The view of the golden sunset of Burot Beach.

Burot Beach is a perfect place to relax and experience adventure. Situated in the Municipality of Calatagan, Batangas—just a few hours' travel from Metro Manila—it offers fine yellowish sand and a calm ambiance while the sunset is truly magical. History: This beach was formerly known as Elizalde Beach because it was owned by a wealthy clan in the Philippines and then bought by the SM Group of Companies.

Agnaem or Agnain Cove, Zambales

Our group, group, Batang Hamog Mountaineers, is now at 8! The original plan was to celebrate in Talisayin Cove, in Zambales, however, due to inter-tropical convergence zone and a typhoon in Northern Seaboard, the Coast Guard did not allow all small motorized sea vessel to go farther. Instead, we were brought to Agnaem Cove, a secluded area which 10-15 minutes boat ride from Pundaquit.

9 DAYS SOLO-BACKPACKING: Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Maguidanao, North Cotabato, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Agusan del Sur

MY MINDANAO ACTUAL TRAVEL GUIDE AND ITINERARY:

COVERED 8 PROVINCES: SARANGANI, SOUTH COTABATO, SULTAN KUDARAT, MAGUINDANAO, NORTH COTABATO, SURIGAO DEL NORTE, DINAGAT ISLANDS, AGUSAN DEL SUR

EXPENSES WITHOUT AIRFARE: 18,486 Pesos
AIRFARE: 2,235 Pesos Back and Forth

TOTAL EXPENSES: 20,721 Pesos

Awao Falls

Awao Falls hides in the mountainous farming village in the Municipality of Monkayo. In terms of Eco-tourism, this stunning waterfall is the top destination in the province. There is no direct transportation to these majestic waterfalls, so having an hour bumpy habal-habal ride with a river crossing is necessary to see its hidden beauty. Getting here will certainly be challenging, but you will be rewarded with pristine and breathtaking waterfalls. The picturesque is perfect, the ambiance is relaxing, the water is cool, and the air is fresh.

Kaamulan Park

Kaamulan is definitely the most relaxing part of my travel in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. This government-owned park offers an outstanding and remarkable experience to all visitors. Why not? Inside the park, the wind is fresh, the temperature is cool, and the ambiance is relaxing because of the greens that surround the area. The landscape is clean and well-maintained. Thus, the entire area is picture-perfect - a perfect place to bond with your loved ones.

TRAVEL GUIDE: MATIN-AO COLD SPRING, Malaybalay, Bukidnon

Matin-ao Cold Spring is one of the public summer destinations in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon; it is a long river system where the cool and crystal waters are free flowing. The crystal clear pool lit by a natural skylight creates the picturesque more dramatic. Not only that, the area is surrounded with hardwood trees that preserve the tranquility and also serve as a perfect backdrop. And of course, the set up is not complete without the birds singing their lullabies to welcome the visitors. There are benches and has a wide open ground for family gatherings and picnic. A habal-habal is needed to visit these spots because they are located in a remote area on an adjacent location.