Lambanog (Poor man's drink)

Lambanog (coined as the poor man’s drink) is a popular wine in the Philippines that is made from coconut. It is popular because of its potency level that is 80-90 proof. It is like drinking a wine of the demon that marks in your throat. The commercially available Lambanog has a lower proof content that has only a potency level of 40-60 percent proof and has different flavor to attract young adults.


Before it is popular in the town of Quezon Province, Philippines but became popular nationwide as the days went by.   The knowledge of Lambanog making has been passed from generation to generation by the Filipino coconut planters.  Usually a group of people sit in circular position called tagayan. One member is playing the guitar and the others may sing song. A table is in the center with the bottle of Lambanog and a glass that is being passed from person to person to drink the wine.


It is made out of coconut sap, cooked and fermented resulting in Tuba. Tube is then distilled to make a Lambanog.


Lambanog is a symbol of Philippine as this is only available here in the Philippines.  

Bagiuo City (Summer Capital of the Philippines)

The chilly weather, the smell of pine trees and the overall feeling of spirituality define Baguio’s appeal. 

Bagiuo City (with 250,000 population ) is located in the northern part of Luzon. It is called the summer capital of the Philippines because of low temperature; even in summer it seems not affected by the temperature. Also called the City of Pines. 

Indigenous people like Igorot can be found here, they live in mountain part of Benguet but because of modernization, some of them went down the mountain to entertain what modern city can offer. Some visitors would take photographs of Igorot while in the area. They also make useful handcrafts. 

The city is the site of the Philippine Military Academy, the University of Baguio (1948), and Saint Louis University (1911). 

Baguio was designed in 1905 by the American architect Daniel H. Burnham. To honor him, a famous park is named after him the Burnham Park.

Adobo

Adobo is a popular Filipino dish that involves meat (chicken/ pork) or seafood (squid/ fish) or even vegetables (kangkong/ orka/ eggplant). It is usually marinated for 24 fours in soy sauce and vinegar together with garlic and some other ingredients. And simmered in a small cooking oil until it turns brown.

The name is originally from the Spanish colonizer of the Philippines. Abodo which means seasoning or marinade in Spanish. Although this dish is similar with the other dish abroad still it has the unique flavor that makes it original in the Philippines.

This food is common in all classes of people in the country, from the poor to the elite are eating this food. A stop at the carinderia or a big time restaurant you can easily find Adobo in their menu. There are also variations in cooking this food. A good feature of this dish is that it has a long shelf life and does not need refrigeration as the primary ingredient (vinegar) stops the growing of bacteria in the food.

TULAY MOSQUE

Tulay Mosque (Masjid Tulay in Tausug) – is a place for all Muslim worshippers in the Jolo, Sulu. Located at the heart of the town, its magnificence is clear as it greets every people passing by. This building remains after a vast fire in Jolo in the past, destroying all other building it touches. But due to Allah’s miracle, this place was the one last standing.

In May 2009, a new mosque was open to the public as the oldest building in Jolo was renovated. Cost millions of pesos originally its budget came from donations of Muslims all around the world. But during its construction they were people speculating of the possible corruption happening because its stoppage many times. 

The mosque can accumulate more than a thousand of Muslims who come to praise Allah. Usually this mosque is full of people every Friday as Muslims come to clean themselves from all the sins they committed during the week. 

This mosque also houses a Madrasa (Islam School) where children and adults learn to read, write and speak Islam.

The Giant Lantern Festival

Every December one place in the Philippines shines the brightest. In the City of San Fernando in Pampanga is a sight to catch because of the big lanterns being displayed. Few of these are in for competition as they compete with one other on which lantern is the best.

The origin of Giant Lantern Festival is simple, before during the 9 nine days simbang gabi (December 16-24), residents of every barangay in San Fernando bring small lanterns on their way to the church to light their way. Few years later, the small lanterns evolved to big lanterns as the people from the barangay tend to compete with each other.

Pampanga resident’s creativity in lantern making gradually developed. The mix of colored plastic, bulbs, and metals produced many lanterns. These lanterns exhibit interplay of bright colors in different designs.

Tips for short distance travel.

01.  Bring bag that is comfortable like a backpack that is easy to carry and light. It can keep your all important items intact. Bring only those necessary to you. 
02.  T-shirts and short pants are the best in your rugged lifestyle.  They are comfortable and not hot when used. Consider using light color for your shirts because it does not absorb heat.
03.   Basic gadgets like cell phone for easily communication, camera for capturing nice views, watch to tell time and other gaming device that will entertain you are bored during your travel.
04.  Rubber shoes for easy navigation of the roads and hat provide heat protection.
05.  Books and other reading materials make you ponder on things to be done or provide suggestions on how to live a good life. Books also help you consume time especially if it takes long hours to get to your destinations.
06.  Don’t flood yourself with junk food. This will make you sick. Some junk foods are high in cholesterol or salt. So if you don’t want to feel sick, eat only one to two packs.
07.  Tablet like bonamine (generic name - Meclizine) helps you prevent motion sickness. Drink this tablet one hour before you travel and you’re good to go.
08.  A Jug or container use for water or any soft drinks or coffee will help you dehydrate during your trip. 
09.  If it’s your first time going to this place it is best to bring map. Print a copy of a map in the internet or you can buy in a nearby store. This will give quick information regarding the place and the road you should take.
10.  Don’t forget to bring cash, and ATM card. 

Why one should travel to the Philippines?

I will list some of the interesting reasons for you to travel here in my home country.

01.  Philippines has lot of things to offer, from its most adorable natural landscapes to modern buildings are all located here. When you say natural landscape it means god creations without the need of human intervention.  The Philippines is in deed blessed with many god creations that are not only nice to look at, but can only be found here in Philippines.

02.  It is the hometown of famous people like Manny Pacquiao- the only boxer with eight divisions world title, Charice- a cast of Glee, Apl de ap- a member of Black eye Peas, Arnel Pineda- the lead singer of the Band Journey and several others.

03.   Famous of its beaches, the leading example is the Island of Boracay, it is the foreigners and Filipinos favorite destination in the country. Aside from its white sand beach, you can also enjoy other sports activities like Jet Ski, scuba diving and many others.

04.   Tarsier- is the smallest monkey in the world, can only be found in the Province of Bohol. It just the size of your palm, but is cute and adorable because of its shy type personality. 

05.  The entire towns in the Philippines have fiestas commemorating their own Saints. So every month you can except to be invited by the people in your neighboring town to eat. Maskara (Mask) festival is one the famous, celebrated in Bacolod City in Visayas.

06.  The food is awesome. Try to taste Adobo- a favorite dish by Filipinos. Adobo taste like the mixture of soy sauce and vinegar with other ingredients. Some other dishes are Pinakbet, Tinola, and others. 

07.   Filipinos are known for their hospitality, so when you are a foreigner here, you can expect that every person you meet will be smiling at you and always willing to help you when you are troubled.

08.  Mangoes, Durian, Mangosteen are some of the fruits that can only be found here. Next time you visit. Try to taste one of these fruits. Like durian, it has a strong smell but very delicious.

09.   Don’t you know that we have many surfing sites here mainly because Philippines is facing the Pacific ocean. Like Siargao, Aurora in Luzon, and many others.

10.  Philippines is the only Catholic in South-east Asia. You can even witness dramatization of the life of Jesus, where men who portray Jesus are being crucified in reality.

Zamboanga City

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Known as the Melting pot of Southern Philippines, Zamboanga City is the capital of Zamboanga del Sur. The name Zamboanga is derived from the Malay word jambangan, which means “place of flowers”—a reference to the orchids and other exotic plant life proliferating in the area. The white-sand beaches and moderate climate of Zamboanga make it a popular tourist destination.  This city is a home to some people speaking Chavacano, a local dialect mixed with Spanish language. They say that when Spanish explorers came, some of them married locals in Zamboanga making the locals very knowledgeable of the Spanish language.

The city’s Spanish heritage can be seen in its many fine examples of architecture, including Fort Pilar, built in the 17th century to guard the Christian populace against attacks by the Moros. 


Vast sea located in this place makes it very abundant to sea foods like crabs, squids, lobsters, shrimps, mantas, sea urchins and others are just some of the examples.

pilipinas kay ganda

The recent controversy involving Department of Tourism of the Philippines was launching of its slogan. The slogan’s main purpose is to promote Philippines as a tourist destination.
Before the slogan was WOW Philippines as conceptualize by Sen. Dick Gordon. Now under the new administration of President Noynoy Aquino, they launch “Pilipinas kay ganda”, or Philippines so beautiful in Filipino. Many people reacted to this slogan, they said why they pick a Filipino slogan when the target are foreigners, the foreigners will not understand even one word of the slogan and later on found out that it was copied from the slogan of Poland. The Philippine government spent 8 Million in launching the slogan, which is very unacceptable to many Filipinos because of little budget allocation to the different departments. This controversy caused the resignation of the under secretary of DOT because he said he is the one who made it.
There are many projects that government should do, and making this fault is unacceptable because of the small budget that government has in providing the people’s need. They should have thought of it first before spending that big amount for nothing. 

Cebu City

Known as the Queen City of the South, Cebu City is one of the most visited in the Philippines. 

Travel here is just easy and comfortable especially to those who want to get cheap rate. A bus (Ceres) can take you anywhere you want to go in the province. Roads connect the city to some beautiful places like beaches located near the city and dive spots. To go on island hopping, a pump boat can take you to all the small islands in the province. 

Modern civilization is much appreciated here, big malls like SM Cebu, Ayala Mall, Robinsons and Metro Gaisano are just some of the recommended places where one can relax and enjoy. It is also home to some hotels from the inexpensive to the most expensive five star hotels.

Malapascua Island

Although Malapascua is probably most famous for thresher sharks, which are the general attraction to the island, upon arriving most divers are amazed at the variety of other things that can be seen in the surrounding reefs.  Divers leave promising to come back to capture the pygmy sea horse or witness another mandarin fish mating. The waters are full of surprises some expected, some not.

Malapascua is known for some of the best shark diving in the Philippines, famous for the thresher sharks, which can be seen at any time of year at Monad Shoal. This is reputedly the only place in the world where these sharks can be seen within recreational diver limits on a regular basis. The owners Dik and Cora de Boer and staff of Exotic carried out the first encounters with the thresher sharks in 1997. Later,  film crews and dive magazines from all over the world came to visit our resort just to see this phenomenon.


At other times of the year it is also possible to encounter schooling hammerheads and giant manta rays that also frequent the cleaning stations at Monad Shoal. If you would like to learn more about cleaning stations and thresher sharks check out our distinctive thresher shark specialty course. Gato Island is another famous shark site where it is practically guaranteed that you will see white tip sharks sleeping within the caves and crevasses and if you have a good eye, bamboo sharks nestling in the cracks. source: malapascua.net

Panglao Island

Escape to a slice of paradise and experience Bohol’s celebrated sights and sounds in the island’s most luxurious beach resort. 

Invigorate your senses amidst lush tropical landscapes embraced by clear, turquoise waters and dazzling white-sand beaches. Indulge yourself and relax in world-class amenities while we pamper you with warmth that is classic Boholano.

From sun-kissed hills to underwater wonders to exotic wildlife, Bohol is a tropical sanctuary of natural beauty. Feel its festive charm pulsating through Panglao Island Nature Resort. Here you can experience all the beauty that Bohol has to offer. We’ll make your stay in Bohol the perfect island getaway.

Amanpulo, Pamalican Island

Pamalican Island is a small island of the Cuyo Islands in the Sulu Sea, between Palawan and Panay, in the north part of the Palawan Province of the Philippines. The island is set in the middle of a 7 square-kilometer coral reef. It has a length of 2.5 kilometers, and measures only 500 meters at its widest point.

The island was originally exploited as a struggling family-owned plantation. It was then purchased by Andres Soriano Jr., a successful businessman. His children then decided to build a resort on the island and leased the management responsibility to establish an exclusive resort. The island is private property and belongs in totality to 7 Seas Resort (owned by the Sorianos). It is part of the high-end resort group, Amanresorts, under the name Amanpulo.

The island is serviced by a Dornier 228-202K plane flying from Manila, which is used to ferry customers and to bring supplies to the resort. Each bungalow (casita) comes with a personalbuggy for free circulation throughout the island. The atmosphere around the island is extremely tranquil and secluded.

Diving activities are available, allowing for nice coral viewing and encounters with large turtles and rays. Several windsurf boards and sails are provided at the "Windsurf hut" on the north shore. The shallow protected lagoon there allows for easy windsurfing on a flat surface, and is especially favorable during the northern monsoon season (November to May), when the wind blows onshore.

About 40% of the employees are from the neighboring Manamoc Island.

The resort has been nominated as one of the best island resorts in the world.

Source: Wiki.com

Eastern Samar

Samar surfing is located along the eastern shoreline which is exposed to the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is the critical element in determining the waves.
The Samar surfing season is generally accepted as being from September to March, the larger and more consistent waves arrive during the North East Monsoon or if there is a typhoon off the coast it will really push the swell up.
If you want to explore and surf some locations that perhaps have never been surfed before, then Samar surfing is the place for you. All you need to bring with you is a bit of time and adventure and you may find your very own idyllic break with no one to drop in on you and annoy you. Why don’t you try and find your own paradise by the surf. source: philippines-travel-guide.com

Diving in the Philippines.

Philippines - Experience the 7107 Islands

Take me to the Philippines

Moalboal

One of Cebu’s treasured jewels is Moalboal—made famous by its magnificent white sand beaches, diving spots, and other adventures. A peninsula—almost entirely engulfed with water—Moalboal is an ideal outdoor destination since it is endowed by the gifts of nature. The beaches are world class and diving spots are certainly one of the best in Asia, if not, the world. The people of Moalboal get their means of livelihood from fishing and farming since the place is also gifted with mountain sites. So whether one loves the beach or looks for adventure in the high mountains, Moalboal is the place. Moreover, the place has been a tourism industry since the 1970s and over the years the place has continued to attract both local and foreign tourists.


Meanwhile, diving is considered as one of the main activities in Moalboal and ever since this sport has become popular, many diving enthusiasts flank Moalboal from time to time. A number of people love the diving spots in Moalboal and its rich marine sanctuaries. To cater the needs of the tourists, a number of diving resorts are now fully operational. Also some of the native Cebuano delicacies are proudly offered in the restaurants or stores in Moalboal. Meanwhile, to make the tourists’ stay in the place convenient and comfortable, a number of services are conceptualized. These services aim to cater the needs of the tourists and some of these services include boat and diving equipment rentals, tours, etc. Source: Moalboal-travel-guide.com

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is home to some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world. Rising from the volcanic depths of the Sulu Sea in the western Philippines, these magnificent atolls encompass an astonishing diversity of marine life.The park is an underwater sanctuary where nature thrives. 


Tubbataha is the Philippines' first national marine park and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a place of global importance being preserved for future generations of humankind.Tubbataha supports an unparalleled variety of marine creatures. Colorful reef fish crowd corals growing in the shallows while sharks and pelagics haunt the steep drop offs to the open sea. Source: tubbatahareef.org

Malamawi

ISABELA CITY, BASILAN — This province has had more than enough bad press thanks to kidnappings of foreign tourists. A visit to Malamawi Island should be more than enough to forget about this unwanted reputation.

Malamawi Island is often mentioned as the gateway to Basilan, where tourists get to appreciate the beauty of the South. The island has been described as a warm, hospitable place; its beaches even superior to more famous Boracay Island.
Source: loqal.ph

La Union

Located along the coast of La Union, San Fernando and its neighboring coastal towns are ideal for weekend surfing escapades. Unlike Siargao, the famous surfing capital of the south, it is easily accessible and resorts are suited for budget travelers.

This surfing hip actually begun in early 60’s when American servicemen from nearby base station started riding their boards along with the local kids on the shore. They started this craze and captured the interest of other surfing enthusiasts from nearby towns. Seeing it a potential source of revenue local officials soon introduced La Union as the nearest surfing capital from Manila. Nowadays, San Fernando is pulling up more visitors and progressively establishing its image in tourism industry. Source: camperspoint.com

Puerto Galera

Water is certainly the main attraction of the island. Crystal clear and shimmering especially during the hot summer months, the sea framing Puerto Galera is ideal for swimming, sailing, surfing, snorkeling and scuba diving. In fact one doesn't have to go by boat to get to a dive site. Within a kilometer from the coast, schools of Moorish idols, trumpet fish, frog fish, lion fish and leaf fish weave in and out of thriving corals and sea anemones while species of starfish - from the speckled red-and-white to the neon-blue Pacific-rest on the sandy floor. source: puertogalera.org