The Plunge

E.A.T. Danao or the Danao Adventure Park has the only canyon swing in the Philippines. And it’s called the Plunge. It’s considered the main attraction of the Danao Adventure Park here in Bohol Philippines.

Bohol Extreme Thrills -- The Plunge a must see in In Danao Adventure Park. This is a canyon swing which is called the Plunge. It’s a 50-meter free fall drop from the top of the 200-meter high cliff. Then as you hit the end of the rope, you’ll be swinging over the canyon for about 5 minutes before they haul you back up.



I survived the E.A.T. Danao Plunge! Talk about wild rides!E.A.T. Danao or the Danao Adventure Park has the only canyon swing in the Philippines. And it's called the Plunge. It's can be considered the main attraction of the Danao Adventure Park.

After the visit to Kamira Cave in the morning, and a sumptuous buffet lunch (they have weekend buffets at Php250/head), we proceeded back to the cliff for even more activities. I had a second shot at the Suislide, the highest zipline in the country at 200 meters.
RELAX! :]

Then it was a challenging 60-meter rappel down the cliff. Don't worry about how to get up again since they have a motorized rope which hauls you back to the top. My arm accidentally hit the metal figure eight descender which gets really hot as you go down. So I had to contend with a minor burn. Others in the group hit the ropes which caused bigger burn marks in the stomach area, arms or neck. So you really have to be composed when rapelling down the cliff.

La Union

La Union, with its fine coastline that faces the South China Sea and its beautiful gardens, fell way behind in tourism after more popular tourist destinations like the Hundred Islands in Pangasinan, Palawan, Batangas, and Boracay gained more prominence in the past 10 years. Long before that, local tourists and American military servicemen from the nearby Wallace Air Station (which has now been converted into a business and industrial area to facilitate the economic activity in the region – with service, manufacturing, shipping, and agricultural areas spread all over La Union) trooped to the seedy beaches of Bauang for some good old rest and recreation (which is of course a euphemism for the prostitution boom) until 1991. And like the surrounding areas of the former US military bases in the Philippines like Subic and Clark – an unmistakable awkward vibe is felt in the air when discussions turn to anything that remotely mention the former American military presence in the area.

La Union

La Union, which is 6 hours north of Manila, was created by a Royal Decree issued by the Spanish Queen, Isabella, on 18 April 1854. The province was created from 9 towns of Pangasinan, 3 towns of Ilocos Sur and the villages of Eastern Pais del Igorotes that straddles the western foothills of the Cordilleras. The name of the province was, thus, derived from the union of these towns from the different provinces. Before the Spaniards came in 1572, La Union was already a bustling and important trading port, especially for gold, with Chinese and Japanese merchants present in the area.

The province made a big comeback though and literally made a big splash in the local and international surfing community as it is now one of the favored surfing sites in the Philippines after Siargao in Mindanao. The friendly swells of San Juan and Urbiztondo towns, with its equally amiable and well-established surfing community (surfing started in the ‘80s when foreigners started settling in these towns) is both best for the beginners with its beach breaks (San Juan Beach Break; Bacnotan with a right-hander) and reef breaks (a right-hander in Monaliza Point- popular among the locals, who can also be a bit territorial; Carille – features waves that can be up to 300 meters long and 15 foot high in best conditions) for the more advanced surfers and one of the most accessible surf spots if you are coming from Manila. There are two major surfing competitions – the Rimat Ti Amianan (Treasure of the North) in December, which is one of the important legs of the Philippine Surfing Federation Surf Circuit and draws top Filipino surfing talents, and the Mabuhay Longboarding Cup, an international surf event which is incidentally the longest running longboard competition in the Philippines.

San Juan Surf
Photo by tristanjohn

The Billabong Cup also has an annual surf competition here – where Luke Landrigan, the most famous amongst the bunch rules the roost and one is of the co-founders of the United Pinoy Surfers. His Dad, Brian Landrigan, actually was among those credited of piquing the interests of the locals when he was amongst the first people to start catching the waves in this area in the early ‘80s. Luke eventually settled in the area and established the San Juan Surf Resort.

If you are a beginner surfer or simply want to learn the ropes of this fast-rising sport in the Philippine sporting scene – contact either Pj Valenciano (+63.9217.8607193), Yna Lozada (+63.917.8827583), Donna Valenciano (+63.917.8059011) or Gerard de Sagun (+63.927.7905149) of He’e Nalu Surfing Pinas. They organize surf camps to San Juan as well as in many other surf destinations in the Philippines like Baler in Aurora Province (Pacific Coast) and you can get taught to catch that wave by topnotch Philippine surfers themselves. Top surfers Daisy Valdes and Jefferson de la Torre had a lot of patience teaching us the basics of surfing and helping us to paddle out into the seas. Usually, you should be able to stand on the board and catch the wave in about 15 minutes (well, I guess I am a relatively fast learner – heh!). He’e Nalu Surfing Pinas is also the only surf group actively involved with the beach clean up.

If you plan to head out, please check with the group or with the Philippine Surfing Federation regarding the weather, and wave conditions. In some cases, the swells are not very reliable. San Juan Surf resort has a live cam feed, although it seems that it is not as updated as one would want and Global Surfari has a surf forecast resort (although this cannot be independently verified).

With the rise of La Union as an important surfing destination, comes the problem of waste. Good thing that Green Zinc Clean Shores spearheaded by Chris Sullivan, a non-profit organization aimed at protecting Philippine beaches, has started raising awareness not only amongst locals but with visiting surfers as well. In San Juan, a typical surf camp usually starts with a talk from one of the founders – Uffe Konig. Green Zinc also organize volunteers in beach cleanups – if you go to one of the surf camps – a beach cleanup is usually included in the itinerary – a sort of giving back to the community for every stoke that one experiences in its rolling surfs.

Aside from surfing, La Union is also known for its Botanical Gardens in San Fernando City which showcases different pavilions in its sprawling ten-hectare facility -a Fernery, Palmery, Fragrance Garden, Sunken Garden, Evergreen Garden, Arid Paradise, and a Shade Garden – with flora and fauna that are indigenous only to the Philippines. This offers a welcome respite from the humid and sometimes searing hot weather of the province.

A beautiful Taoist Temple is another important tourist attraction in the province. Ma-Cho Temple, is located on a hill 70 feet above the sea level and offers commanding views of the bay. Coming from Manila, it is situated on your right, after you basically leave the San Fernando city centre on your way to San Juan. It was constructed on 11 September 1975 through the joint efforts of the local Chinese community. Ma-Cho, a revered Chinese deity was said to be born in 960 AD during the Sung Dynasty and according to a legend, she actively participated in the rescue operations of distressed fishermen, thus earning herself the titles, “Goddess of the Sea” and “Queen of Heaven” amongst others. The eight inch wooden statue has a striking similarity meanwhile to the “Virgin of Caysasay” who is enshrined at the Basilica of San Martin in Taal, Batangas and devotees believe that the two are one and the same. From 20th to 26th of September of each year, devotees and pilgrims gather for the annual celebration of enshrinement for a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Saint Martin in Taal, Batangas and from there, the devotees together with the image of Ma-Cho will travel back to San Fernando City and then a procession follows around the city centre. Similar temples can also be found in Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore and many other countries with a sizable Chinese community (which basically goes without saying that they are everywhere).

For Catholics, La Union offers aged churches namely- Basilica of Our Lady of Charity (1578), Our Lady of Namacpacan (1600s-1800s), St. William Cathedral (1764), Sts. Peter and Paul Parish (1587), St. Michael the Archangel (1817) and St. John the Baptist (1707) and St. Christopher Parish (1696) – the only church in the Philippines with three belfries. Other attractions include the Balay Anito Falls which means House of Spirits, 4-5 kilometers from the main town of Santol. Apparently in early times, locals saw a ball of fire on this waterfall and thought these were spirits or “anitos” and “balay” means house, thus, the name. Lon-oy Springs in San Gabriel, La Union which consists of numerous natural springs, deep waterfalls and clear waters – Bakes Swimming Pool gets its water supply from these springs. Can’t make it to the rice terraces of Banawe or Sagada? The rice fields of Bolikewkew, Delles and Burgos provide a sneak peek of the big ones and serves as a hiking and trekking alternative. The Arosip Ecotrail reveals several waterfalls such as the Zim-zum-ug Twin Falls (one of the falls dried out as waters was redirected to the rice fields), Tekdag-aso Falls, and Padtok Falls.

Why Not Go

If you are looking for picture-perfect white sand beaches like Boracay (although there is a decent beach in San Juan and at Poro Point) or the rugged, misty mountain town of Sagada, then better pack your bags to those destinations – La Union does not have that.

Why Go

Need a surfing fix close to Manila? La Union is one of the best choices for you. The laidback and friendly surfing communities in these parts are some of the most chilled and relaxed weekend sports getaways in this part of Luzon Island.

Best Time to Visit

If you plan to go to surf – the North Swell usually starts around October until March (although beware as well, because this time is also notorious as being the jellyfish season and a lot of surfers get stung); while the South Swell arrives around late May to June until August. To catch better waves, check out the Philippine weather forecast by Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical & Astronomical Services Administration – and for seasoned surfers, best time to ride the waves is when there are typhoons around the area. For other sites in La Union, it is best enjoyed during the dry season.

The beautiful city of Davao is surrounded by picture-perfect landscapes. Also known as Dabaw, it is the biggest metropolis in the Philippines in terms of land area. It is also among the country’s most progressive places, yet living there would still afford you the luxury of living in the countryside; thus it is dubbed as the “city of two worlds.”

Davao is in the southern part of Mindanao and is in the same island as Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and Bukidnon.

“Durian, the king of fruits, has a special place in the hearts of Davaoenos. It is, after all, one of the greatest attractions of Davao City, luring thousands of visitors to come see these shores to experience the fruit that, some say, “tastes like heaven but smells like hell.” But more than just an attraction, the durian is a delight to the Davaoenos, especially to the lumad community who were surely the first to enjoy it. It is also a “thorny” reminder that there is much to be thankful for in this land. The abundance of nature is never more obvious than during durian season, when the streets overflow with the fruit and locals can be found squatting on the sidewalk to enjoy a simple — truly incomparable — feast.”

Durian

These words are etched on a tablet, underneath the Durian Eaters Statue, which is found in a favorite hang-out overlooking Davao City. Durian is closely associated with Davao (unfortunately, we didn’t have the chance to eat Durian while in Davao), although it’s not  confined in Davao alone — the first time I ate Durian, I was somewhere between Iligan City and Marawi City. We simply parked beside the road, bought one Durian each, then ate with bare hands. No one noticed, or said a thing, about the alleged smell on our way back to the hotel. It tastes good, I must say. But then again, that’s just my opinion. (Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)Why Not Go

If you want to experience all night fun in street parties, this might not be the perfect place for you to visit. Although there are a number of nice bars in Davao, night life is not a big thing in this city as people prefer to go to parks and farms instead.

Why Go

Pearl Farm @ Samal Island – A coastal paradise located at the heart of Davao Gulf. A haven to those seeking solace in an unspoiled and natural ambience and to those who are in quest for great adventure and extreme challenges with nature. It’s white and pristine beaches and diverse natural attractions combined with the warmth and hospitality of its people spell out its potential to be a world class ecotourism destination in this part of Southern Mindanao.
Photo by Jokojun

Davao is one of the must-see places in the Philippines because it has so much to offer its visitors. From the island treasure known as Pearl Farm in Samal island to the nature trips in its vast collection of farms, mountains, volcanoes and plantations, Davao makes for one very interesting city. It is also noteworthy to know that up to this day, you will still find a very diverse community here, with ethnic tribes and modern people coexisting harmoniously. Thus, you will often find a wide array of arts and crafts such as hand-woven cloths and ethnic beads being sold in market stands.

Best Time to Visit

The Kadayawan is a celebration of thanksgiving for the gifts of nature, the wealth of culture, the bounties of harvest and serenity of living. The festival pays tribute to Davao’s artistic, cultural and historical heritage. Exciting events include the search for the “Hiyas sa Kadayawan”, the festival symbol who represents the tribal communities of Davao City, showcase of Mindanawon fashion and floral arts, river festival, indigenous music exhibition, dance competitions, trade fair, food and music parties, street dancing, and floral float parade..
Date: Every 3rd week of August
Photo by Belarminoed

Summer time is among the best period to head to Davao. It is said to be “typhoon-free” but it cannot escape rainfalls though they are not really as bad as the rest of the regions. It is advisable to visit the city during cold seasons if you prefer the cool breeze over sweaty sightseeing. Moreover, if you would like to experience how Dabawenyos celebrate their festivals, you might want to go there around the 3rd week of August as this is when they have a week-long celebration for the Kadayawan Festival.

Caramoan

Caramoan Peninsula National Park is located in the town of Caramoan, a sleepy and remote town of Camarines Sur. The peninsula barely received any attention outside of Camarines Sur until it was used as a setting for an edition of Survivor France, a franchise of that wildly popular reality TV show Survivor based in the United States. Since then, Survivor Israel, Bulgaria and Serbia followed suit and used the same location for their own Survivor franchises. The media then turned their sights on this erstwhile forgotten corner of Bicol and coupled with an aggressive tourism marketing campaign by the provincial government of Camarines Sur – Caramoan Peninsula is now high on many Filipino travelers’ lists of must go destinations.

Caramoan Peninsula National Park
Photo by YTK23

In 1867, Franciscan Missionary Fray Francisco dela Cruz y Oropesa penetrated the dense forests of Caramoan Peninsula and probably liked what he saw there as he founded a Christian settlement in a place called Balwarte. This settlement was turned over to the Sagrada Mitra in 1696 for administration and a chapel was built out of nipa, bamboos and wood. The settlement grew into a bigger community which is now called as Caramoan which was apparently derived from a sea turtle abounding in the area at the time and which the local inhabitants called “Carahan.”

The chapel underwent several repairs and renovations and after almost 200 years, a permanent building was finally constructed made out of adobe, local stones and clay. The church was basically constructed out of slave labor under the direction of well-known artisans and masons. The current building withstood the ravages of time, as well as natural calamities such as typhoons and earthquakes as well as the challenges of the last World War.

Caramoan Church

Fast forward to present day Caramoan reveals a town still trying to adjust to the sudden deluge of tourists and travelers to the area trying to get to the much-vaunted islands off the coast. There are two main island groups off the Peninsula. The south islands (nearer to the province of Catanduanes) are composed, amongst others, of the most popular Matukad Island (with the islet lake on top with a rumored huge fish living in its waters), Lajos/Lahus Island, Hunungan Island, Gota Island (different from Gota Beach which is across it), and of course further away is Tinago (a cove with three small white sand beaches) and whose topography is strongly reminiscent of Coron Island in Palawan. The triangular shaped cream-colored sandy beach of Sabitang Laya Island (and the coral beach of Tagas Island) meanwhile, is just about a third of the way to another set islands in the north which include Cotivas, Lahuy, Pitogo, and Minalahos Islands amongst others. However, some of these islands are closed off to the public whenever there is ongoing filming of any of the Survivor franchises. We were lucky to have met some of the eliminated contestants of the Survivor Serbia edition and even had the chance to share a few bites of a Serbian dish made by one of the contestants.

Rock Formations at Sabitang Laya Island
Photo by Dave Ryan

Sea kayaking, island hopping, rock-climbing, trekking, spelunking, snorkeling and camping are some of the most popular activities in the peninsula. However, challenges remain for the traveler and the local community as well. When we went there, Caramoan town had the feel of a shell-shocked town and whilst they were extremely helpful and friendly, you can definitely sense a reluctant vibe with the sudden rush of tourists to this peninsula. And we can fully understand why, mass tourism is an ugly and destructive form of tourism with travel agencies trying to cash in with this sudden interest in the area by sending heaps of tourists to Caramoan.

Having said that, tourism infrastructure in Caramoan is minimal to almost nonexistent. The roads are mostly dirt and gravel with some areas paved. Houses were hastily turned into inns and there seems to be no close coordination with the provincial government and the local government of Caramoan in anticipating the massive influx of tourists in the peninsula. From our sources in Bicol, the people of Caramoan were not too happy with this tourism phenomenon, considering it as a threat to their culture and laid back lifestyle as well as the local environment. Already we were seeing the reality of these threats – we saw vandalism on the surface of what would have been beautiful rock formations on Matukad Island, and we saw broken glass and pieces of garbage at Hunungan and Sabitang Laya. While what we found was largely manageable, we noticed that there were no sentries guarding or maintaining the national park. This problem should be addressed as soon as possible while it is still small and manageable.

You can also go spelunking at the national park in Omang Cave, Manipis Cave and Culapnitan Cave.

At Tinago
Photo by Dave Ryan

One of the quirky looking formations in Caramoan
Photo by Dave Ryan

Why Not Go

Skip Caramoan Peninsula when there is another Survivor filming as some of the islands will be closed off to the public. We heard from locals that the Survivor has a four year franchise set to end around next year at the earliest with Survivor USA apparently filming there..

Why Go

Caramoan Peninsula does give island hopping a new meaning and coming there gives a feeling of being away from it all. This beautiful National Park offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and its many islands seem to duplicate the equally gorgeous Calamianes in Northern Palawan (although we do think that Coron is still more beautiful).

Best Time to Visit

Head out to Caramoan Peninsula during weekdays. Never ever go there during long weekends or holidays as in some popular islands – there are a lot of people trying to do that annoying and kitschy travel photography fad called the group jump shot.

Lanao Del Norte

The word Lanao came from the Maranao word “Ranao” which means a body of water and this instance- the second largest lake in the Philippines (Lake Lanao/Ranaw) which is while located in Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte shares a huge affinity through the indigenous people living around the lake which is considered as one of the world’s foremost ancient lakes (An ancient lake is a lake that carried water without any interruptions for more than 1 million years. Aside from Lake Lanao- other lakes that fit this category are Lake Baikal in Siberia, Lake Titicaca in South America, and Lake Tanganyika in East Africa).

Children playing at Dodiongan Falls
Photo by Ace Reston

Before the separation of the province into Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte, the area was only known as Lanao. After the division, the northern part became Lanao del Norte and the southern part became part of Lanao del Sur. Unlike what most people would think, Lanao del Norte is actually predominantly Christian with the people a mix of Maranaos and Cebuanos who along with the many other Christians from all parts of the country settled in the area with a marginal number of Higaunons settling in the hinterlands of Iligan.
Through the hundreds of years of attempting to subdue Lanao and the Maranaos, the region south of Iligan remained unconquered despite the establishment of a garrison in the city of Marawi. However, it was on July 4, 1959 that the province was finally divided into two through Republic Act No. 2228 with Iligan City as Lanao del Norte’s capital.
In 1977, however, the late Philippine strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos, under a bill sponsored by then Assemblyman Abdullah D. Dimaporo which transferred the provincial capital from Iligan City to the municipality of Tubod which still currently stands as the provincial capital.
While the province, along with the rest of Mindanao, grapples with image issues associated with terrorism – though unfairly, has largely overshadowed the fact that with the rest of the region, Lanao del Norte has so much to offer to the intrepid traveler.

Maria Cristina Falls
Photo by Ace Reston

Starting off with Iligan City, a city which melds industrial muscle and roaring and gorgeous waterfalls of which Maria Cristina is the most famous. The city alone has over 20 waterfalls – no wonder, it is nicknamed the City of Majestic Waterfalls. Maria Cristina is 320 feet high and spills 130 cubic meters per second of water, its raging magnificence is harnessed to provide electricity (although we have heard locals grumble of the apparent frequent outages in the province- we have not experienced such while we were there). This beautiful waterfall is located at the borders of Barangay Maria Cristina, Ditucalan and Buru-un about 9.3 kilometers away from the city. The waterfall is located inside a property of the power plant and one has to sign one’s name before being let in at the viewing area. Near Maria Cristina is the ancestral house of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who spent part of her childhood in the now National Historical Institute declared Heritage House – The Macapagal -Macaraeg Ancestral House. The house is a modest two-story affair; with fairly sized rooms with pictures of the President present everywhere as well as a painting of her in a very sultry green dress – cleavage and all. Of course, some in our group tried hard to stifle a snicker especially when Philippine media was all agog about the President’s breast implants during our visit.

Tinago Falls
Photo by Ace Reston

Aside from Maria Cristina, another Lanao del Norte pride is the Tinago Falls, which is accessible through a 300-step staircase that is located in the upper part of Barangay Buru-un. The waterfalls feature a curtain-like cascade which falls into a basin-like pool of icy-cold water. Tinago Falls (elevation- 420 feet), like what it names say (Tinago is hidden in local dialect), is literally hidden in a deep ravine about 13.8 kilometers away from Iligan City proper. Access is through the Iligan Tinago Mountain Resort which is managed by the City Tourism Office, and comes with a minimal entrance fee. Other noteworthy waterfalls in Iligan are the Mimbalut Falls (small waterfalls of about 18 feer), Abaga Falls, and Dodiongan Falls. 20 kilometers away from the city proper is a 40 foot high two tiered waterfalls called Hindang Falls and its 6-8 cave clusters with narrow entrances and deep chambers.

Limunsudan Falls
Photo by Ace Reston

Limunsudan Falls which is about 35 kilometers away from the city proper is a breathtaking two-tiered falls with a total height of 870 feet and is close to the boundaries of Iligan, Bukidnon and Lanao del Sur. To reach the waterfalls, a trek of two days is required from Kamalamalahan, Rogongon, Iligan City. While some Iligan locals claim that Limunsudin Falls are the tallest in the Philippines, it is actually the second tallest. The current title is held by Aliwagwag Falls in Davao Oriental which is also Southeast Asia’s 2nd tallest. Aliwagwag Falls is 1,101 feet, but this record is going to be contested soon with many waterfalls still undiscovered deep in the lush tropical jungles of the Philippines. In other parts of Lanao del Norte, one may frolic in the Pasayanon Falls (Matungao), Munai Falls (Munai), and the Fairy Falls (Linamon).

Timoga Spring
Photo by Ace Reston

Aside from the waterfalls, Iligan is also known for Timoga Springs (also in Buru-un) meanwhile is well known for its crystal-clear water which flows into many numerous swimming pools of each of the resorts around the area. Likewise, cold and pure spring water gushes out in Kalilangan in the capital town of Tubod, at the Pili Hot and Cold Springs at the foot of Mount Karkum, at Cabongbongan and Inasagan Spring in Salvador, at the Kawa-kawa Spring in Munai, and the Pioray and Babuyan Lake in Pantao Ragat. Lake Nunungan meanwhile is actually composed of three lakes of varying sizes and teeming with fish bred by local farmers.
Lanao del Norte also has its own version of the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River albeit in a much more modest scale. Check out Lidpa Subterranean River in Munai where the river bores into a hill and then runs underground for about 100 meters. If you want just chill out, and laze around, go for a Balo-I River cruise whose entry point is at the riverbank by Poblacion, Balo-i.
Thoroughly understated and unassuming, the shores of Lanao del Norte are dotted with beaches, while not as popular and as drop dead gorgeous as many other more famous beaches in the country, they compensate with their genteel simplicity. Check out the many beaches in Linamon, a favorite destination for many in Lanao del Norte.
For those who love mountains, there is the 1600 feet high Mount Agad-Agad, the highest in Iligan City and safe for mountain climbing, camping and trekking and is just 5.5 kilometers away. It has a hanging bridge which connects the main road and the jump-off point to the foot of this mountain. In Nunungan, there is also Mount Inayawan with its rainforest resplendent with rich biodiversity and cultural rhythms set by the Maranao settlers in the area.
Festivals are a way of life in the Philippines, and Lanao del Norte is very much like any other Philippine province. During the Sagayan Festival, a Maranao dance is performed during the Araw ng Lanao del Norte Celebration (Lanao del Norte Day). Sagayan portrays a war dance among the Maranaos complemented by women in very colorful costumes gracefully doing the Kasiduratan, a pronounced movement of their arms. Hudyaka Festival is a thanksgiving celebration in the towns of Bacolod (every January 18) and Linamon (every January 23). There is also the Saguingan Festival (October 17) in Tubod, the Guini-akan Festival (January 21) in Baroy, Niyogan Festival (May 15) in Magsaysay, Alimango Festival in Lala, and the Coconut Festival (January 23) in Linamon.
During Iligan’s city fiesta, the Diyandi (a ritual dance) is performed during the Feast of Michael the Archangel, the city’s patron saint where a dance simulating the battle between Saint Michael and his enemies (Yawa-yawa, literally Devil-devil).

Zambales

Stretching 173 Kilometers on the Central West Coast of Luzon Island fronting the South China Sea, Zambales is the second-largest province of Central Luzon and has a one of the less densely populated areas in the Philippines – quite a surprise since the province is just 3-4 hours northwest of Manila. Most of its inhabitants are crammed in the lowland plains toward the coast – the indigenous Aetas (the earliest inhabitants) and the superstitious Sambals (an Austronesian group of people who displaced the Aetas and from whom the Zambales were named after) live in its mountain ranges.
Zambales has great wreck diving spots and it is actually considered as the wreck diving capital of the Philippines – with most of it concentrated in the Subic area, the former site of one of the biggest naval bases of the Americans in the area. During World War 2, at least 25 Japanese ships were sunk off the Zambales coast – some of which were probably salvaged immediately during the immediate postwar period to open up Subic Bay for shipping. Rumors have it that there are at least 10 large ships or more that lie in its waters. Aside from World War 2 wrecks, the remains of the San Quentin (sunk in 1898), a wooden gunboat, lies nearby Grande Island. San Quentin is the oldest known wreck in the Subic area. Other wrecks include the USS New York (between Alava Pier and Cubi Point), El Capitan (Ilanin Bay), LST (near Grande Island), Oruku Maru (near Alava Pier), Patrol Boat (Triboa Bay) and LCU Landing Vessel (Triboa Bay).

Capones Island
Photo by madtrap

When Mt. Pinatubo erupted in 1991, to say that Zambales was hard-hit would be a gross understatement. Not only did the ashes destroy a large portion of the reefs in the area, it buried entire towns in a thick layer of ash at least 1 meter deep – some of them basically wiped off the map. In recent years, the visibility on beaches is slowly returning, and the corals are slowly recovering with a few turtles nesting in some areas, a great majority of sharks and dolphins that used to call the coast home never returned. Hopeful signs are on the way though with a number of sharks in the area seeming to go up.
Zambales was first explored and settled by the Spanish in 1572 and founded the towns of Masinloc (1607), Iba (1611 and the current capital) and Santa Cruz (1612). As I mentioned earlier, Zambales came from the word Zambal, a Hispanicized term for Sambali. Zambal or Sambal, also referred to the language spoken by the Sambals. One of the versions says that the name’s etymology was derived from the word Samba which meant worship as the Spaniards thought to have found the natives in the area highly superstitious and engaged in ancestor-worship.

Anawangin Landscape
Photo by Xave Ignacio

The eruption of Mt. Pinatubo changed entire landscapes in Zambales. A famous destination amongst campers is the Anawangin Cove near the coastal village of Pundaquit in the town of San Antonio. Anawangin Cove is a curious aberration, it has rough, ash-colored beach (it is not white sand as a lot of people claim it to be) lined with Agoho Trees (Casuarina equisetifolia l.) – a large, evergreen, straight and tall tree resembling a pine tree. These trees stretch inland and the seeds of the trees were said to be brought by ash expelled by Pinatubo. We wanted to go further inland but our local guide said that wild buffaloes usually come down the mountains after a rain and they DO attack people. There is a river a few meters away from the beach and this connects to the sea.
Anawangin is perfect for campers and it does look like a miniature tent city during weekends when hordes of people spend their weekends here. The best time to come to Anawangin is during weekdays at the beginning of the summer months – February-March. The problem with Anawangin was basically it did not live up to its hype. There were no lifeguards (swim at your own risk- I would not recommend the beach for children as there are immediate steep drops, the waves were extremely rough during the rainy season and the rough sandy bottom is too shifty); we were disgusted to see that there was garbage everywhere (the cove has no system of proper garbage disposal at all) which came as a shock for us, as we initially thought that the cove was a clean and peaceful area. We were dead wrong. There was barbed wire and rope fences as well. After the spectacle of having Agoho trees lining up the beach instead of the usual coconut trees (as it is for most tropical countries) wore out, we were ready to leave Anawangin.
Similar coves exist further south of Anawangin like the Nagsasa Cove which hardly ever gets tourists. If wave conditions are tolerable, head to Nagsasa instead of Anawangin. We spied a better beach, around the bend of Pundaquit, just before you turn towards Anawangin. The beach is of course of the same sand quality as Anawangin minus the Agoho trees and the crowds (and hopefully garbage). The main feature of the unnamed beach was that it has the massive mountains close to the shore with two very tall waterfalls (must be at least 100-400 meters high) that then meet somewhere two-thirds down. According to our boatman, you can take a dip in its waterfalls.
Visible from Pundaquit are the islands of Capones and Camara. Capones is a 2 kilometer long bone-shaped island and famed for its lighthouse which is one of the oldest in the country. The lighthouse is inaccessible during the rainy season due to rough seas. During the rainy months, the boatman would usually drop you off around the middle and possibly the narrowest point of this island. The middle has a multi-story abandoned skeletal building that looks like it will collapse anytime. The island is volcanic in origin and possibly remnants of an enormous eruption thousands, if not millions of years ago. It has beautiful cliffs and short stretches of white sand beaches- the island is romantically referred to the Ko Phi Phi Leh and Jeju Island of the Philippines – through its cliffs, beautiful rock formations, and patches of green shrubbery strewn with volcanic rocks – (reminded me of a scene from Easter Island minus the statues). I guess the sweeping vista encouraged some couples in my tour group to sneak in a quick nookie by the cliffs. Now that is some scene that I do not ever want to see on my vacation. Like Anawangin, Capones Island suffers from a lack of environmental concern from the visitors, the locals and the local government – we were greeted by trash on a short trek up the middle of the island – flip-flops are everywhere. The locals told me that the trash came from nearby Subic and washed into the area by big waves. WHATEVER. The trash is in your backyard now, do something about it and clean it up.

Camara Island
Photo by Dave Ryan A. Buaron

The neighboring Camara Island has the better beach in the Pundaquit area. It is composed of two islets, one smaller than the other and connected by a sandbar (okay well, mostly it was corals and stones) during low tide. The smaller of the two has a quirky looking form, on its side it looked pretty much like a huge stone piranha. The waves come from both sides and crash on the sandbar, which was quite entertaining for a bit. Some people camp out here during the day – pretty much noticeable with the amount of trash lying in the area and some people grilling in one corner under the shade of the low-lying trees that cover the island. We also noticed that there were big chunks of broken corals in the island leading us to think that either the waves were exceptionally strong or these were remnants of dynamite fishing in the area.
Most of the boats going to these areas are small and can only properly seat 3 people – and most don’t have a cover to protect you from sun nor rain nor the waves that are usually twice to thrice as big as the boat during the rainy season. And yes they charge heaps and a tad overpriced –Pundaquit boats are generally a big rip-off. A boat to Camara would usually cost you PhP600 pesos (we haggled and settled for PhP500), If there are four of you, a trip to Capones and Anawangin would cost you about PhP300 per person. Camara plus the unnamed beach I mentioned earlier would set you back PhP1000. If you want to arrange for a boat ride, talk to the boatman directly and avoid the additional fees latched on by the crappy resorts in the area. Demand a working life vest. The waves can get pretty freaky.

Pundaquit Waterfalls
Photo by Dave Ryan A. Buaron

Unknown to many, Pundaquit (with all of its trash-strewn beaches) has some noteworthy waterfalls that are often overlooked by people who are mostly excited about going to Anawangin. A short 15-minute trek from the main resorts of Pundaquit reveals unnamed, refreshing waterfalls. There is significantly less trash in this area and an eccentric American was damming some parts of the waterfall (he asked me for some weed too – too bad for him, I am a good boy, hehe) – he put up a sign asking visitors not to throw trash in the area – although I saw one guy pissing in one downstream part of the waterfall – seriously dude, that’s not even close to competition! Warts and all, we were really grateful that our Tour Coordinator Chris from Discover Asia International Travel and Tours suggested the waterfall-hopping on our second day, we really enjoyed the dip and were really happy to be away from the garbage dumps of Anawangin, Capones and Camara.

Cagayan De Oro

Cagayan de Oro is considered as a tourist spot in the Philippines. It is also a favorite among nature lovers and adventurers because of its famous whitewater rafting and kayaking. Whitewater rafting has been one of the tourism activities being promoted in the Cagayan de Oro River.[24] The city government and the Department of Tourism made it as the banner tourism activity in Cagayan de Oro.[25]

Due to the national government's aggressive tourism campaign, local and foreign tourist arrivals in the city is on the rise. In 2004, the city registered a tourist arrival of 307,820, an increase from a previous of 232,257 in 2003.^[9]

Monigue Cave is located in Barangay Mambuaya this city; the cave entrance is flowing water from underground stream. The cave has a small opening that seems too narrow to be passable, it has a six-inch airspace between ceiling and water where one can submerge, equipped with a helmet and a water-proof cap lamp. It contains a beautiful sparkling formation, which is called the Calcium Carbonates (CaCO3) or Calcites. These stalactites and stalagmites, white and brown, are sign of oxidized materials that take 50–60 years to form an inch the cave. They are definitely spellbinding. There were formations of flowstone, gurpool-resembling, rice terraces, transparent crystals and picturesque speleothems, such as cathedral drapes and icons