Tagaytay: Taal Lake and Volcano

Tagaytay is located south of Manila just about 2 to 3 hours drive. This city is famous not only for Taal Lake and Volcano but also for sweet tropical fruits. Taal volcano is one of the smallest volcanoes in the world. However, this volcano is different because it sits in a lake and there is also a small body of water in the crater which looks like a small lake too. Further, everyone seems to appreciate the view and beauty of Taal because the city of Tagaytay is located just above it which is like a huge viewing deck. I've visited this city many years ago and I am very excited to see it once again. First stop was Taal Vista Hotel. This hotel is famous not only for its accommodations but also for its viewing deck. Although we do not intend to check-in, they allow non-hotel guests to get inside the viewing deck as long as you pay their parking fee. I've noticed some major changes in the hotel amenities and it is now more spacious and guest friendly. The view of Taal lake and volcano from this hotel deck is breathtaking. This is one of the best spots for a painter if he wishes to paint the spectacular scenery of Taal. We took snapshots and souvenir photos here. Then we just enjoy and appreciate the view. We then went to the Park in the Sky. This park on the other side of the city was once very famous because it was built by Imelda Marcos to entertain her guests. It has a very nice view of the lake and volcano as well although it is more elevated. Just under the mountain park, I noticed that there are new subdivisions and villages built sorrounded with lots of trees. There are also several souvenir shops. It is noticeable though that the park is less maintained and needs more work.

For lunch, we drove back to the touristy area where lots of restaurants, cafes, and bars are located. We found a nice japanese restaurant with a nice view of Taal. After the meal, we all agreed we went to the right place. We had good food and great view. Just a few steps away is Starbucks where we had our coffee.

We had wanted to cross the lake and go to the volcano. However, we were told we need more
time to do that. Instead, we drove down to the lake side town of Talisay, a 45 minute drive from Tagaytay to see the lake up close. As we got closer to the lake side, lots of people met our car showing their rates for a boat ride to the volcano. Although we have not visited the volcano itself, getting into the lake side and seeing the volcano closer was worth it.


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I love tagaytay! The weather is cold, the sceneries are the best, you'll feel very relax. Most Filipinos go to Tagaytay when they wanted to relieve stress after working and to bond with their families, because Tagaytay is very near in Manila and you can go there in the morning and leave on the afternoon. Very accessible. I just love looking at the lake and the volcano. It's so beautiful. Philippines is truly Asia's Pearl of the Orient!

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Boracay Philippines - Island Beach Resort

Boracay Resort is one of the hottest travel destinations in the Philippines attracting thousands of foreign travelers every season. The world famous Boracay Island is located in Aklan province 345 kms. South of Manila.Boracay Philippines is a beautiful small island surrounded by coral reefs and located one kilometer north-west of Panay in the island Visayas. It is 7 kilometer long and 1 kilometer width at its narrowest point.

Boracay is made up of three little communities: Yapak in the north, Balabag in the middle, and Manoc-manoc in the south. Hilly elevations up to 100 meters above sea level characterize Yapak and Manoc-manoc. Intertwining trails link the small three villages together but sometimes may lead to a lush tropical jungles.Boracay Island is accessible by air from Manila or Cebu through the two principal air gateways: the Caticlan Airport and the Kalibo Airport. Public transportation and Electricity are remain relatively scarce.

Once on the island, you will find out that getting around is easy and simple. There are three categories of transportion: motorized tricycles and pedicabs shared with other passengers, individually rented motorbikes and bicycles, and shuttle service offered by some hotel owners. Taxi's are not available however, since everything in
Boracay is more or less within walking distance, you will find most likely to join the majority of visitors moving around Boracay Island on foot.

The best part of Boracay is its 4 kilometer "White Sand Beach", also known as the Long Beach by its residents. It is located at the West Coast between the villages of Balabag and Angol, and some experienced travelers claim it to be the "Finest Beach of all Asia". The water is shallow, sand is finer and more brighter than any most beaches in the archipelago. There are about 350 beach hotel resorts with more than 2000 rooms to suit virtually everyone's taste.

Getting to Boracay Island Travel Boracay Philippines

From Manila’s domestic airport, take flights to Boracay either via Kalibo (1 hour and 45 minutes away) or via Caticlan (10-20 minutes by boat). From Kalibo airport, air-conditioned bus and vans for hire will take you to the Caticlan Jetty Port, where boats are stationed to take you to boracay island. Motorized tricyles and pedicabs will take you from Caticlan Airport to the jetty port, 3 minutes away.While from dumaguete, the cheapest route is to take a bus to bacolod (approximately 6 hrs). Then a boat ride to Iloilo, and a bus again for Caticlan.

Most visitors prefer to fly via Caticlan because of the much shorter travel time to Boracay itself: land transfer from Kalibo takes up to three hours, while it could be as short as 40 minutes from Caticlan including the brief banca(boat) ride. Even if you are nervous about flying in small aircraft, the shorter travel time may be a clincher. Flight fares range from 5,000 to 6,000 Philippine pesos (US$1=P49.64).

Boracay has been known by Filipinos as the "Number One Tourist Spot In The Philippines". While a British publication known as TV Quick, awarded
Boracay Island as the Number One Tropical Beach In The World!

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Boracay Island is fantastic! I've been there and I really enjoy the white sand beach, the food, their water and land sports, the view is awesome. Visit Boracay and you'll be in paradise.

Boracay Philippines

ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES

The Philippine archipelago consist of 7,107 islands with a total land area of 300,000 square kilometers or 115,830.60 square miles (about the same size as Italy). The 11 largest islands contain 94% of the total land area. The largest of these islands is Luzon at about 105,000 km². It is where the capital city of Manila is located. The next largest island is Mindanao at about 94,600 km². The Philippines is around 800 km from the Asian mainland and is located between Taiwan and Borneo.

The Philippine islands are divided into three groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The Luzon islands include Luzon itself, Mindoro, Palawan, Masbate, and other smaller islands. The Visayas is a group of several small islands, the largest of which are: Panay, Bohol, Negros, Cebu, Leyte, and Samar. Mindanao island includes Mindanao island itself and the Sulu Archipelago, composed of Tawi-Tawi, Basilan and Sulu. Each island group has a Philippine destination worth visiting.

Climate in the Philippines is hot, humid, and tropical. The average yearly temperature is around 26.5° Celsius. Filipinos generally recognize three seasons:

Summer: March to May
Rainy Season: June to November
Cold Season: December to February (moderate to folks from temperate countries)
Philippine Population: 86,000,000 / Per Capita Income: $4,700
Literacy: 93%
HIV-AIDS Prevalence: >0.1%
Electricity: 220V (110V is available, mostly in major hotels)

The islands of the Philippine archipelago are volcanic in origin and are mountainous. The islands are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Mt. Apo (2,954 meters above sea level) in Mindanao is the highest peak, while the second highest peak is Mt. Pulog in Luzon. It rises 2,842 meters above sea level. The Philippines have numerous rivers, volcanoes, streams, narrow coastal plains and beautiful sandy beaches which foreign and local tourist enjoy. The country has a total of 36,289 kilometers of coastline.


Philippine Jeepney

Travel within the Philippines not difficult, if you don't mind riding the sometimes rickety public transportation. There are all kinds of vehicles available to tourist and locals: Ferries for inter-island transfers, buses & taxis ply in major cities all over the Philippines and the ubiquitous jeepney can be found everywhere. In Metro Manila, light rail transit is available on main roads. In tertiary roads & small rural towns the tricycle is the transport of choice.

The official languages in the Philippines are Filipino and English. Filipino which is based on the Tagalog dialect (the dialect of national capital region), is the national language. English is also widely used and is the medium of instruction in higher education in the Philippines. There are also 76 major local languages and more than 500 different minor dialects throughout the archipelago. 83% of Filipinos are Roman Catholic. The rest are made up of smaller Christian denominations, Moslems and Buddhist.

This guide previews the more popular tourist spots in the Philippines beginning with the City of Manila, then Baguio City, Banaue Rice Terraces, Batanes Group of Islands, Batangas, Boracay Island, Cebu City, Corregidor, Davao City, Iloilo, Palawan Island, Pangasinan's Hundred Islands, Puerto Galera Beach, Bohol Islands and the World Heritage City of Vigan in Ilocos Sur. Mabuhay!

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I really love riding the jeepney, hope you'll try it! It's fun! This travel blog will help you learn more about the island Philippines.

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