Bicol Region Philippines Travel Guide, Destinations and Attractions

Bicol Travel and Destinations - Mayon VolcanoThe Bicol Region, Also known as Region V, is located at the southeastern most peninsula of Luzon in the Philippines. Bicol Region has 6 provinces namely Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate and Sorsogon. Bicol is one of the famous tourist destinations in the Philippines. Bicol has a lot of beautiful scenic view to offer to visitors and tourist. The world famous Mt. Mayon Volcano in which has a perfectly shaped cone. Bicol is also known for its exotic and beautiful white sand beaches magnificent world-class diving spots. You can also find in Bicol the tiniest fish in the world. Well of course you have to dive to the lake to see it.

Bicol is also rich in cultural and architectural heritage. The structure of the buildings like churches are dated back from the the Spanish Period. For nature lovers, Bicol has much to offer. There are many beautiful natural scenery around Bicol like mountains, volcanoes, lakes, hot springs, rivers, caves and waterfalls. Bicol Region has many landmarks that are also tourist attractions that this Region can offer to visitors.

Bicol is a mixture of dynamic culture, resilient and religious people, and literate workforce. Today, Bicol Region is identified in the map as a tourism and maritime zone due to its accessibility to Manila and Visayan Provinces. It is very accessible to Manila and the rest of the places in Luzon by land, air, rail and sea.

Bicol Region Tourist Attraction

Bicol Travel WaterfallsMayon Volcano: Mt. Mayon is one of the famous tourist attraction in Philippine and Asia. The volcano is world's famous because of it's nearly perfect cone. Mayon Volcano is located north of Legaspi City. Mt. Mayon is one of the most visited tourist destination because of its enchating scenic view. The volcano stands majestically at 7,946 ft. and the base is 10 km in radius. From atop, you can see tha magnificent view of the Albay gulf and the other nearby towns.

Puraran Beach: The white sand beach is internationally known as "Majestic" in which this is the site for surfboard surfing. The beach is so magnificent and makes it so inviting. Pururan has been improve and develop that it has beautiful cottages, dining hall and a surfing area for sports enthusiasts. The season for surfing is from October to January.

Busay Falls: Busay Falls has a seven-tiered cascading white foam that it is considered as one of the highest waterfalls in the country. It is 800 ft from the top. Busay falls is accessible only by foot.

Hoyop-Hoyopan Cave: It is believed that this cave is the home of the native in the area a long time ago. The cave is a natural tunnel like structure. Hoyop-Hoyopan Cave is one of the natural tourist attraction in Albay.

Calabidongan Caves: The grotto-like formation inside is so enchanting in which it amazes visitors and tourist. The cave is also known as the "Caves of the Bats". The cave is good for trekking inside.

Daraga Catholic Church: It is an 18th century church in which was built by Franciscan missionaries in 1773. The church is highly regarded by art enthusiast and considered above standard because of it's rich baroque architecture and the structure is huge.

Camalig Catholic Church: A missionary church which was built out of volcanic rocks. Tourist and visitors come here to see the relics from the Hoyop-hoyopan caves. The archeological findings amazes the visitors and tourist because it depicts the historical origins of the people. The relic shows the early Malaysian influence through the burial jars excavated. One of the famous tourist attractions.

Barcelona Church: The church was beautiful built coral reefs were used to form the walls. The enchanting carvings on the coral reef fa�ade makes the church a priceless relic. The church was built in 1874.

Bulusan Lake: Also known as the "Switzerland of the Orient" Located at the center of the Bulusan National Park.


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Fantastic! Mayon Volcano has a perfect cone and it's terrific! They have lots of tourist destinations you can visit and enjoy. Asia's Pearl of the Orient, Philippines, is very fortunate to have these exquisite sceneries.

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Batangas: Laiya Beach, San Juan

At the southeastern tip of Batangas lies a seven kilometer strip of white sand beach situated along the stretching coast of Sigayan Bay and Verde Island passage. The place is nestled behind the peaks of Mt. Daguldol and home to several hiking destinations, such as Naambon falls and Mainit Pulang Bato. Because of its proximity to cities of Manila, Batangas and Quezon, this beach called Laiya became a popular destination for weekend retreats and corporate excursions.

Numerous resorts from upscale to budget accomodation which are mainly known to local tourists are visibly located along the wide strip of Laiya beach. They all come to life during holidays and weekends when tourists from the wide metropolis come to reatreat from their frenzied daily life. It does not take away its appeal, but, for people who may want to witness this hidden beauty must visit Laiya during low season, when the beach is calmer and much more silent. And on peak season (December to June), it is highly advised to call for accomodation few weeks in advance to avoid losing chances on room reservations.

Aside from swimming, snorkeling, boating, and kayaking, not much water activities are available in Laiya. Diving and other hi-tech water activities are not yet facilitated unless interested tourists request to be chartered to Anilao, a diving sanctuary at the other side of the coast, or to the famous diving destination- Verde Island. Although Laiya’s main attraction is its long strip of white beach, other sportif options can be found in its interiors, such as its hidden coves, falls and thick forested mountains where trails have been appreciated best for mountainbiking and trekking.

If you come to stay for a few days, don’t expect “a la carte” in your resort’s restaurant. Dining is mostly buffet. A few foreign dishes is served but the majority of eating pleasure in most resorts is Filipino. Options such as bringing a picnic basket and renting an open shed is enough for day trippers. Those who don’t have time to prepare, however, may avail some of the resorts’ lunch packages which are already inclusive of shed and entrance fee.

To retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city and to enjoy the fresh breeze and warm blue water of the sea, coming to Laiya is a perfect idea for weekend retreats. The beach is wide, all covered with white sand, and the water is warm; wonderful enough even for a short refreshing trip.

To get there, take South Luzon Tollway, and exit at Batangas Lucena exit. Drive along the national road until you see a board “Star Tollway” turn right at Star Tollway (Batangas Expressway) up to Lipa Exit. Then head towards Lipa.

Few meters from the Star Tollway exit, you will see De La Salle University Lipa on the left side of the road. Several meters from De La Salle, watch out for “Y” junction (where McDonalds is at the center). Take the road at the right that heads to Lipa town proper. Then follow the road as it merges with another road at the right (where monument is) and watch out for Mercury Drug. Turn right at this street then straightly take this road towards Rosario and Padre Garcia.

About 8.5km from Lipa, there will be a junction that leads to Padre Garcia. From Padre Garcia, Turn left towards Rosario. From the town center of Rosario, Turn left (where South Star Drug Store is) then follow this road until San Juan. Once in san Juan, turn right at the street where municipal hall is (just accross basketall court), and upon entering the road, you will see billboards indicating beach resorts of Laiya. Follow this road until you reach the unconcreted part. This means you are in the vicinity. From this point and the succeeding distance, you will see a lot of resort signboards along the road. All of them lead to resorts along the beaches of Aplaya, Laiya, and Hugom.


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What a nice beach! It's very relaxing and the white beach is so amazing. There are lots of things you can do in Laiya Beach in San Juan, Batangas. The Asia's Pearl of the Orient is really a blessing to have such wonderful and beautiful tourist spots.

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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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Chocolate Hills

The famed Chocolate Hills of Bohol are not only two but more than 1,268 cone-shaped hills – a very strange geological formation that has baffled a lot of geologists. The hills are spread over an area of 50 square kilometers or more and vary in size from 30 meters to 120 meters in height.

The hills appear to be seemingly endless when viewed atop the hill in Carmen town. The viewing deck there gives you a 360° view of the hills “as far as the eyes can see”. It is more majestic when viewed from a plane – them appearing to be thousands of mole hills dotting out from verdant surroundings.

What’s unique with these limestone hills is that they are only covered in grass and the cone shape is more or less common to all although differing in size. The hills look chocolaty only during dry season when the grass withers and turns into brown and looks like giant chocolate kisses.

Grass species found to thrive on the hills are Imperata cylindrical and Saccharum spontaneum and several Compositae and ferns. Trees grow on the base of the hills and are lush and verdant rings around the almost bare cone-shaped hills resulting in its awesome natural beauty.

Likewise, the flatlands surrounding the hills are given to rice and corn farming and results in a beautiful green backdrop for the hills. Elevation ranges from 100 meters to 500 meters above sea level. Higher hills can be found but almost uniform cone-shaped hills are found in Carmen town.

The most acceptable geological theory of the hills is that the hills were the result of thousands of years of weathering of marine limestone. Others say that the hills were formed ages ago by the uplift of coral deposits or that they erupted from the sea in a massive geologic shift, and the action of rain water and erosion for the past thousand years put in the finishing touches.

Considered sometimes as the “Eight Wonder of the World”, the Chocolate Hills has been declared as the country’s 3rd National Geological Monument by the National Committee on Geological Sciences on June 18, 1988 in recognition of its special characteristics, scientific importance, uniqueness, and high scenic value; and as such is among the country’s protected areas.

Proclamation No. 1037 was signed to this effect on July 1, 1997 declaring the hills as a natural monument and that they are now covered under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as the lead implementing agency for its protection.

Furthermore, the Philippine House of Representatives introduced House Bill No. 01147 on July 6, 2004 wherein it was reiterated that the hills are a national patrimony and geological monuments, penalizing their plunder, destruction or defacement, and for other purposes.

Finally, on May 16, 2006, the DENR submitted the Chocolate Hills to the UNESCO World Heritage for inclusion in the list of Natural Monuments because of its outstanding universal value, superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty. The area is now in the Philippine Tourism Authority’s list of tourist destinations in the Philippines.

A tourist destination way before the white sand beaches of Panglao came to be known, it is now featured in the provincial flag and seal of Bohol to symbolize the abundance of natural attractions in the province.

Location

The Chocolate Hills are spread over an area covering the towns of Sagbayan, Batuan, Carmen, Bilar, Sierra Bullones and Valencia. Most of the hills though are found in Sagbayan, Batuan and Carmen, the later having the most uniform cone-shaped hills.

Two resorts have been developed: one in Carmen town called the Chocolate Hills Complex, and one in Sagbayan and known as Sagbayan Peak. The oldest resort of the two is the Carmen complex and is located in Barangay Buenos Aires about 5 kilometers from the town. Carmen town is 55 kilometers from Tagbilaran City.

The Chocolate Hills Complex is a government-owned and operated resort. The Carmen-LGU and the provincial government presently own the complex with the former managing the operation anchored on a 70/30 sharing of its net income. The complex has a restaurant, souvenir shops, hotel with swimming pool, and a viewing deck.

The newly developed “Sagbayan Peak” is a5-hectare mountaintop resort and recreation center which also has a viewing deck that offers a 360° view of the hills and the blue sea beyond. It is 18 kilometers from the Complex in Carmen town.

How to Get There

Buses bound for Carmen town or Sagbayan are available at the Dao Terminal in Tagbilaran City. Just ask the bus drivers to drop you off at the junctions leading to the resorts. In Carmen town, the road leading to the resort from the junction is only a 10-minute walk along a winding uphill road.

Vans are the most common means of transportation though, especially when traveling with a group. Aside from convenience and comfort, visitors can visit more places in a short span of time. Waiting for buses or public rides is time consuming.

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Amazing! They're just hills but it really looks like chocolates. In bohol, Chocolate is one of their tourist spot because of the numerous hills you'll see and the 360 degrees view in the deck. Explore it now! So you won't miss every single destination in Asia's Pearl of the Orient, Philippines!

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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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