Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Dakak

The Dakak Park and Beach Resort in Zamboanga del Norte is wll known and popular because of its powdery white sand beach and prestine rystal clear blue waters. This world class beach resort of Dakak is also known because of its beautifully shaped cove white sand beach. Dakak beach resort is also a diving mecca in Mindanao.

Dakak Park and Beach Resort in Zamboanga is a perfect vacation getaway for local and foreign tourist. Picture out yourself in a beautifl tropical island strolling on a magnificent pristine crystal turquoise blue waters in a powdery white sand beach, with a landscape of a beautiful shaped island cove out to deeper blue waters. Lay yourself in a hammock and looking at the sunset horizon under lush native trees and hear the waves that clash quietly against the shore. This is the kind of relaxing moment that you are looking for. And this is one of the pleasures that Dakak Beach Resort in Zamboanga offers to local and foreign tourist.

Dakak Park and Beach Resort boast of 15 heactares of wooden land, a natural reservoir for native plants and animals, providing the ideal setting for a 750 meter private beach blanketed with powdery white sand. This beatiful beach resort is situated on the tip of Nothern Zamboanga in Mindanao where it faces the Sulu Sea in the west and is surrounded by mountains on its east side. This is why it has a beautiful landscape that is so inviting. Dumaguete in Negros, Cebu and Bohol can be found on the north side of Dakak. To its south side is the Mindanao Mainland with Borneo and Sarawak beond the Celebes Sea.

Local and foreign tourist can visit or have their vacation getaway all season in Dakak because it of the large islands that conveniently encircled around and evades the typhoon belt. In this, Dakak makes one of the perfect all-season vacation destination here in the Philippines.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Puerto Galera

This coastal town is well known among tourists for its numerous pocket beaches and many snorkeling and diving spots. The area was designated a Man and Biosphere Reserve of UNESCO in 1973 and has some of the most diverse coral reef diving in Asia. The marine environment has benefited in recent years from the influx of tourist dollars. This has seen a huge reduction in the number of fishermen in the area, as they gain higher revenue from tourists.

Among the famous beaches in Puerto Galera are Sabang Beach and White Beach. Both have extensive beaches with first-class or economy-class accommodations and an active night life with their numerous beach-side bars and restaurants. Sabang beach is the main destination for foreign tourists, while White Beach remains popular with local travelers. Since 2001 White beach has seen uncontrolled development. New restaurants and places to stay are rapidly encroaching on the beach itself and little remains of the once charming beach. Puerto Galera town is a pleasant but sleepy Philippine town with few attractions. It has a large central catholic church and a Pier area, with a selection of bistros and cafes.

Behind the beaches are the huge and generally unexplored mountain ranges of central Mindoro. A particular local attraction is the nine hole golf course perched on the hillside above White Beach which commands spectacular views over Puerto Galera's natural harbor and the Verde Island Passage. Mangyan tribes are scattered over the mountains sides - some of the more remote tribes have no contact with the outside world. Of the eight tribes on Mindoro, the Iraya are the largest. They are based in the Puerto Galera area.

Puerto Galera has become the top diving destination in the Philippines. Excellent diving is found less than 5 minutes from the Sabang area. The diving generally focuses around the areas either side of Escarceo Point which is famous for its current rips. Strong currents are a feature of the diving in Puerto Galera and it is good advice to employ the services of an experienced local guide or dive centre. There are upwards of thirty dive sites all within a 5-10 minute banca ride from Sabang Beach. Marine life is highly diverse. 180+ species of nudibranchs are found in the area and most species of fish can be seen A variety of wrecks have been sunk over the years in addition to the one genuine wreck of an engine of a WWII Japanese patrol boat.

Puerto Galera is also one of the main [technical diving]destinations in Asia. Technical Diving International - [TDI] has many dive centers in the area, offering the full range of TDI courses from Basic [nitrox] to advanced [trimix].

Palawan

The island province of Palawan has been declared as a nature sanctuary of the world, and for good reason. It is wrapped in a mantel of rainforests, outstanding dive sites, majestic mountains, primeval caves, and pristine beaches. It is surrounded by a coral shelf that abounds with varied and colorful marine life. It boasts of exotic flora and fauna, like the mousedeer and the scaly anteater, that are found nowhere else.

Palawan waters are among the best in the world, not only for diving but also for fishing. A diver's paradise, it has miles of sub-surface coral and rainbow reef walls which surround the coasts and coves teeming with rich marine life.

The El Nido Marine Reserve in Miniloc, El Nido, occupying an area of 96,000 hectares, is a popular nature spot in the province. It boasts of diverse ecosystems, such as rainforests, mangroves, white sand beaches, coral reefs, and limestone reefs as well as a variety of fishes, like manta ray and the sea cow or ""dugong,"" known as the world's rarest marine mammal. It is now one of the country's premier destinations, blessed with amazing natural scenery, and considered as a sanctuary for various forms of wildlife.

Sta. Lourdes Tagbanua, Puerto Princesa City is where the Honda Bay can be seen. The bay consists of several islets with shallow reefs, bordering fabulous beaches and small resorts which have become the favorite water sports destination of local and foreign tourists alike.

The province boasts of extraordinary scenic wonders. African animals from Kenya in Africa - giraffes and elands, zebras and gazelles – co-exist with endemic Philippine animals, like the Palawan bearcat, mousedeer and peacock (pheasant), in the Calauit Island Wildlife Sanctuary in Busuanga, considered one of the province’s most amazing sites. Another sanctuary found in Rio Tuba Village, Bataraza is the Ursula Island Game Refuge and Bird Sanctuary. This island is a haven for birds that rest and converge two hours before sunset, after a day's flight.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Bohol

Another gem of the Visayas, Bohol’s historical significance extends way back to the blood compact between Boholano Chieftain Sikatuna and the Spanish conquistador, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, in 1565.

Scenic Bohol casts an enigmatic charm drawn from the many archaic mementos spread throughout the oval-shaped island: from the Chocolate Hills and the tarsier to 16th century watchtowers and Jesuit Baroque mission churches. The Chocolate Hills, all of 1,268 perfectly cone-shaped hills, are undoubtedly the most famous tourist attraction in the province. Among these hills that abound in Central Bohol, two have been developed into top-class resorts.

One of the rare faunas found in the Philippine archipelago, the Tarsier is the smallest primate in the world. It is a nocturnal primate measuring from four to five inches, with a tail that is longer than its body. Those interested in tarsier watching are always welcomed by the Boholanos to see the famous primate in its natural abode up the hills in the town of Corella.

A tropical haven of natural beauty, the coastline of the province is skimmed by gentle coves and white sand beaches. You can find some of the country’s great dive sights here. Balicasag in Bohol is one of the very best and most popular dives in the Visayas. A black coral forest is among its main attractions but virtually anywhere you drop in is sure to be rewarding. Another major attraction, Cabilao is renowned for the hammerhead sharks that shoal around the clear waters. Large pelagics are very common here, and if you are really lucky, you can find yourself swimming with a passing school of dolphins.

Legend has it that when giants live with mortals, a gentle giant fell in love with a beautiful village girl. Agoro , the giant was handsome and though a favorite among female giants, was also a loner. When everything and everybody sleeps, Arogo would sit by his favorite spot near the river to ponder or just watch the night pass by.
One night while Arogo was by his spot, he noticed a beautiful native girl with hair as black as the night by the river bank. He instantly fell in love with Aluya. After that night. Arogo would always wait by his place to take a glimpse at his beloved Aluya.
A rumor reached Arogo that Aluya would soon marry a man her parents chose for her.
The night before Aluya's wedding, Agoro kidnapped Aluya. Seeing a giant, Aluya screamed, kicked and cried, but to no avail. Arogo was successful in abducting Aluya.
In the giant's cave, Arogo tried to give Aluya food and water but the girl kept on crying. Her sadness reached her heart that she died with tears in her eyes. Arogo buried her and kept his vigil. He cried for days and months. Giant tears fell to the ground. He cried a thousand years for the loss of his love.
After sometime, Arogo's tears hardened and became what we know today as Chocolate hills. The Hills were witnesses of an unrequited love of the years go by.
Chocolate Hills dot the plains of Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan. There are at least 1,776 uniform hills that leave visitors no wonder how they came to be.
One could view and even count the hills its 210 feet above the ground view deck, Climbing the 214 steps of the view deck to the top is a rewarding exercise.
Chocolate Hills is also cited as a Geological Movement of the country and is also known as the Eight Wonder of the World.
spacer

Friday, September 19, 2008

Boracay

Boracay is an awesome tropical island about an hour's flight from Manila in the Philippines. Its long white sand beaches rival the best beaches of more popular destinations such as the Caribbean, the South Pacific as well as neighbouring Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Facilities are available to suit different levels of activity. For those wanting to just lounge around and take in some rays, beach-front hotels usually have lounge chairs set up just a few steps away from the hotel entrances. Facilities for the usual water sports activities such as wind surfing, snorkeling, diving and jet skiing are also widely available for those in search of more active pursuits.

The fun in Boracay also doesn't end when the sun sets. Boracay nightlife is pulsating with many bars and restaurants serving food, drink and fun until the very late evening.

The palm-studded island of Boracay – with its white, talcum-fine beach, balmy weather, and warm, crystalline waters – is like a hypnotic magnet. In this tiny, butterfly-shaped island at the northwestern tip of Panay in Western Visayas, days can be spent simply lazing on the beach while nights are for indulging in the tropical party lifestyle.

The best part of the island is the four-kilometer White Beach hailed as the “finest beach in the world.” The surrounding water is shallow and the sand is finer and brighter than most beaches in the archipelago. White Beach is so, soooo fine, it feels like treading on miles of baby powder!

The code in Boracay is strictly informal. There is an undeniably easy atmosphere in the island, where walking barefoot than shod is the rule rather than the exception. Even swinging discos have the beach for a floor, giving dance a new twist. There are no hang-ups here. During the day, tourists having a soothing massage under the shade of a coconut tree beside the shoreline is a common sight. And from dusk to dawn, Boracay turns into one big party place where everyone is welcome to join in. But first, let’s toast that sunset cocktail!

Diversions are not a problem, with leisure activities calendared throughout the year and amenities offered by some 350 tourist establishments. There is plenty to do other than beachbumming and partyhopping. For the adventure-driven, there is ""Mambo Number 5"" – a little bit of boating and wind surfing, a little bit of scuba diving, a little bit of trekking, a little bit of mountain biking, and a little bit of golf. On the eastern side of the island is Bulabog Beach, a boardsailor’s mecca that draws enthusiasts from all over the world, especially during the peak season from November to March. In January, it is the site of an International Funboard Cup.

Sailboating and kayaking are popular sporting activities, with Boracay playing host to the annual Paraw Regatta, an international sailboat race that makes use of the native outrigger. Dive sites surround the island and are learning venues to both novice and professional divers, guided by competent instructors of the many dive shops that operate in the area.

Trekking and mountain biking can also bring the intrepid to the island's quaint interior villages and to the edges' scenic rocky cliffs, discovering along the way many hidden coves with isolated beaches far from the tourist crowd. And for golf bugs, Fairways and Bluewater Resort Golf and Countryclub has an 18-hole championship course.
spacer spacerGeography
Boracay Island belongs to the Western Visayas island-group, Region 6 of the Philippines, along with the western part of the province of Negros, the island of Panay, and many smaller islands. The westernmost island in Western Visayas, Boracay borders the provinces of Mindoro to the northwest and Romblon to the north.