Travel Delirium

by Ralph Mckenzie

There are so many places to go to in the Philippines and if you are a Filipino, exploring your own country before visiting other tourist spots in Asia or in other parts of the world is a must. The three main islands in the Philippines include Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Luzon is where the capital is located. Metropolitan Manila may be one of the biggest attractions because the megacity hosts the biggest malls and best bazaars but if you really want to enjoy being in the tropics, going to its beaches is always a great idea. There are many beaches to explore and lots of mountainous regions too. In fact, when a Filipino thinks about the beautiful places in the Philippines, he will not be able to enumerate all of them because for each region or province –there is always a tourist spot –either because of its idyllic beaches, its countryside or its social, cultural and political relevance.

Up north just a 12-hour bus ride away from the capital is Ilocos Norte –one of the most beautiful places in the country. You can go to RCJ situated on España and board the 8 pm or 9 pm bus. You will arrive in Batac or Laoag City at around 8 in the morning (traffic in the Metro upon leaving is included). Well it’s not really a 12-hour bus ride, it could be more because they’d be dropping people off at Paoay and in other places too. The great thing about boarding RCJ is that you would get to get a great view of the countryside early in the morning. You will also have a view of the sea and maybe even a glimpse of the infamous 300-year-old church in Paoay. Alright, you will see the back of it but this should work as an appetizer for you because Ilocos Norte is rich when it comes to tourist spots. White beaches are of course available further north and if you feel like travelling to Cagayan Valley and explore the most verdant of fields and visit Callao Caves, that should also be a great idea.

Another great stop before your Ilocos Norte trip is Baguio City and Sagada. During the summertime, lots of Filipinos go to Baguio City to cool off because this is one of the coolest parts of the country and the most urban of the coolest spots too. Baguio City has malls as well but it still has its share of beautiful spots. There are a lot of pine trees in this region but they are not the same as the pines we see in the Western hemisphere. Ilocos Norte also has its share of pines –very much the same as that of Baguio.

From Cagayan Valley, you can travel either to Isabella or Abra. Abra has a lot to offer when it comes to Northern traditions. They have caves and mummies. In fact, if you live amongst the locals, you will still be able to see the process of mummification. These are of course in the more remote areas of Abra and not in the major towns. It’s worth a look though because the place is a hub for many Philippine anthropologists. Another wonderful choice is to go to Batanes and experience Ivatan living. Batanes is a beautiful place and it looks like one of the sets of LOTR (Lord of the Rings, for the non-geek).

These are only a few of the places you can go to while in the Philippines. Just a few hours from Metro Manila is Alaminos, Pangasinan -a wonderful place to visit especially if you fancy some island hopping –this place has 100 islands 3 of which are tourist ready and the others you can rent for a night, if you wish to have some privacy. While you are in the northern part of the country, you might as well visit La Union’s beaches and spend some time surfing. The locals can teach you how to surf. Most of the time they won’t let you pay since they surf for fun and are not instructors per se but it’s always advised that you ask how much they charge per hour in case you may be talking to a professional.

Subic is also a nice place to visit especially if you want to see the American Air Base and how different the area is from the rest of the country. The Philippines does not have very nice roads thanks to rampant corruption in the government but traversing these roads sure is worth it.

Other places to see include the beaches of Batangas, the island destination Puerto Galera just a 45-minute boat ride away from the Batangas Pier, Coron, Palawan, the Bicol Region where the Mayon Volcano is and lots of other place such as Taal Volcano, Tagaytay and the historic town of Angono. You would be dizzy with your map if you follow these as I have enumerated them but I will write other hubs as a guide to these places.

In the Visayas Region, you will find a lot of beautiful beaches as well. Going to Cebu is a must because this historic city has a lot to offer i.e. beautiful historical sites. Cebu is the oldest city in the Philippines and it used to have a bid to be the capital of country –it is still however a very strong commercial and financial hub. Its growing population is likened to the growth of Metro Manila. Bohol is also a great place to visit especially if you want to see a tarsier and enjoy the beauty of the limestone formation called Chocolate Hills.

In Mindanao, one can go to Zamboanga City or Davao City. For mountain climbers, Mt. Apo is the place to go –this is the highest peak in the country and definitely worth a visit or a climb rather. You may board a plane from Metro Manila going to Davao City for this experience. It would be best however to do your research and look for reputable travel agencies that can guide you on where to go. This will also prevent you from getting ripped off. This is just a precaution and does not necessarily happen to all tourists but as with going to a land you have never been to and where you do not speak the language, it would be best to make sure that you are safe.