Jump to: About Marinduque | How to Get There | Top Things to Do | Sample Itinerary | Budget and Expenses | Where to Stay | Travel Tips
Marinduque, located in the heart of the Philippines, is known as the “Heart of the Philippines” both for its shape and warm hospitality. This island province is famous for its Moriones Festival, untouched beaches, historic churches, waterfalls, caves, and offshore islands like Maniwaya and Tres Reyes.
Now, I'll bring you to one of the unrated paradises in the entire Bicol region - the Apuao Island - one of the Mercedes Group of Islands small islands. This deserted island has a lot to offer, from the cool and crystal clear emerald waters, wealthy underwater, breathtaking landscape, tranquility and relaxing ambiance, and, of course, the good people. Travel time is about 7 to 8 hours from Manila to Mercedes via private van, but I was able to see and experience that remarkable beauty.
It is another top tourist attraction in Sagada. Inside Sumaguing Cave, you can find a sparkling work of art carved by nature. Although trekking is not easy because you need to hop on and off the slippery boulders, in the end, you will be rewarded with a world-class beauty with a big picture of stunning stalactites and stalagmites. Also, you will not stop using your imagination because the boulders and shadows create unique images, making its wall a natural grandeur.
The Hanging Coffins of Sagada is definitely the top tourist attractions in Mountain Province. It captured the world's attention because it is one of the unique burial sites. Also, the photo above says, "It's not easy, to send someone to the next life," so their way of sending their loved ones to the final resting place is phenomenal. Archeologists cannot identify the age of the coffins, but one thing for sure is that they are from centuries ago.
It is the most iconic tourist spot in Mountain Province. The photo above shows a unique way of putting the local's loved ones to their final resting place. Their way of saying "Goodbye" is challenging, agree? How do they prepare? The elderly would carve their own coffin out of a log but if they are ill or too weak, their families prepare it instead. Not only that, they place the body in a fetal position as they believe that the spirit would leave the world in the same position as they were born. The coffins are also small, so they would break the bones to fit the body into the coffin. Lastly, they tucked them into crevices or stacked them inside the caves. The height at which coffins are placed also symbolizes their social status.
