Are you traveling around the Philippines? Here's a collection of stunning photos, travel itineraries, backpacking ideas, & hiking guides.
We finally arrived at the Pink Beach in Sorsogon. Day 2: Backpacking in Albay, Sorsogon and Catanduanes. There is no direct route from Legaspi City to Matnog. So, from Daraga Shell gas station, we rode in a bus with “Bulan” signboard and alighted in Trece. The travel time was about 3-4 hours, passing by Sorsogon City and the nearby municipalities. In Trece, we chartered a tricycle, alighted in front of the municipal hall and met Christian, our boatman.
Apuao is a deserted island with much to offer, from the cool and crystal clear emerald waters, wealthy underwater, breathtaking landscape, tranquility, and relaxing ambiance, and, of course, the good people. I know, for beach lovers, if we're talking about the beauty in Camarines Norte, Calaguas is on top. Now, I'm bringing you to one of the unrated paradises in the entire Bicol region and one of the small islands in the Mercedes Group of Islands. Well, travel time is about 7 to 8 hours from Manila to Mercedes via private van, but I have seen and experienced remarkable beauty.
Around 11 AM when we started our adventure. From Lita's Lodge, we walked to our first destination - the historical Albay Cathedral. It is also known as the Cathedral of St. Gregory the Great situated in front of McDo and beside Legaspi City Hall. According to its historical data, this cathedral started as a chapel built in the 1580s by Spanish missionaries. The early structure was made from local products such as wood and nipa. Then, it emerged as a stone structure in 1800.
Kayangan Lake (Photo by Cheng Santos) is one of the must-visit tourist spots in Coron. This attraction is perfect for people aiming for adventure and a picture-perfect landscape. Getting on top of the viewing deck will take a 10 to 15-minute trek but will certainly be half for fun because there's a rich diversity of floras on the trails. Upon reaching the spot for viewing, you can quickly feel the tranquillity in the area and see the artistic coral stone formations dipped in the calm waters that mirror the image of the skies, which added a stunning color to the landscape.
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| A view of the White Beach, Puerto Galera. |
White Beach is an area near the crowded center of Puerto Galera, one of the island's hopeful destinations. If you just want to relax on a beach with fine white sand and cool crystal-clear water, you can find it here. The area has a gorgeous landscape because of the trees by the beach. The serenity of this island is still maintained, so you can have a relaxing day tour.
Dampalitan is one of the top destinations in Quezon Province. This stunning island (photo above) is located in Padre Burgos, an hour travel from Lucena City. It became famous to travellers because it has an untouched beauty. The island has fine white sand beaches, crystal clear waters, a gorgeous landscape, the atmosphere is cool, and has no huge concrete structures just camping by the beach. READ: DAMPALITAN ISLAND
Hiking the mountains of Laguna and chasing the waterfalls is a good option. Hiking to Romelo's campsite and the Buruwisan Falls is always challenging because the trail is usually covered with mud. After all, it is being used by the locals, with their horses and carabaos, to transport goods to the low-lying areas. The trail is covered with hardwood trees, coconuts, and fruit-bearing trees that create a cool ambiance. The water on the river and waterfalls is crystal clear and totally refreshing. If you're looking for extreme, some organizers set up ropes for wall climbing and canyoneering. READ: MOUNT ROMELO
The top tourist spots in Batangas are easy to visit, so if you're looking for gorgeous places to relax near Metro Manila, I've listed them for you. The province has a collection amazing landscape by the beach, paradise in the middle and top of the mountains, colorful bio diversity underwater, historical sites, and many more. First on the list, Manuel Uy Beach Resort which is one of the must-visit place in the Calatagan, a 3-4 hours road travel from Manila. Travel time might be tiring but the journey can be unforgettable.
The long stretch of shoreline facing the West Philippine Sea, has fine white sand, crystal clear waters, the ambiance is absolutely refreshing and more to offer. Having said that, Zambales is considered top tourist destination in the region. Magalawa Island (photo above) has fine white sand, like Boracay, and is surrounded by crystal clear waters. The horizon and the sunset are amazingly remarkable. It is really hard to explain but photos will describe it for you. READ: MAGALAWA ISLAND
The province of Tarlac is situated in Central Luzon, surrounded by the provinces of Zambales, Pangasinan, and Nueva Ecija, a 2 to 3-hour travel from Metro Manila. It is also one of the provinces that hold a huge part in Philippine history. When I visited part of this province, the wide rice fields and mountainous areas were very noticeable. The entire area, even the city, is surrounded by relaxing green colors. The photo above is the St. Michael The Archangel Parish Church, or the Camiling Parish Church.