El Nido, Palawan
This beach town situated in the north of
Palawan hasn't undergone any significant changes since the time of the
Spanish colonization. There are many islands for you to explore on
conducted boat tours. At some places, you'll find water so clear that
you can watch fish running among corals at the depth of fifteen meters.
The boat tours, costing not over £20/day, generally include the lunch.
You'll find an abundance of grilled sea food all over the island.
Boracay
The
infinite beaches with fine white sand, the extended happy hour and the
large number of hotels and restaurants to suit any budget make Boracay
the ideal place for partying.
Of all its beaches, the most admired
ones are the Bulabog and White Beach. You'll find a series of boat
stations that work as reference points. For instance, station one,
located in its north, is reputed for its leading resorts plus the
serenity; number two is where the party is; number three is reputed for
offering budget hotels. Local residents miss the good old days of the
70s, when the restaurants and hotels starting appearing, but the present
scene is comparable to when Phuke began growing.
Banaue, North Luzon
Philippines
have North Luzon as its largest island, with hazy mountains and palm
trees in place of pines. Do pay a visit to Batad and Banaue. You'll
admire their two thousand years old rice fields carved along the
dropping ravines. Spread over twenty thousand kilometers, these UNESCO
listed terraces continue to be a source of livelihood for different
groups of tribes who continue living in isolation in those mountains.
The Banaue Tourist Information Center organizes treks to the rice
terraces of different villages, as well as to waterfalls. You can expect
to get a guide for the entire day for about £10.
Bohol
The
most prominent attraction of Bohol, near Cebu, are the fantastic
Chocolate Hills, containing more than fifteen hundred heaps of coral
deposits shaped over thousand years. You may find these brown or green,
depending on which part of the year you visit them. The tarsier, the
smallest monkey of this world, is the most famous resident of this
island. The Philippines Tarsier Foundation has created a secluded
enclosure for them for the convenience of the visitors. In case you want
to watch them in their natural surrounding, you may hire a motorcycle
or take a tour organized by the local companies. It will cost you about
£35 including the guide, the car plus the lunch.
Siargao
Siargao,
in the north of Mindanao, is a prominent surf center of the
Philippines. This town continues to attract enthusiastic surfers to face
the challenge thrown by the renowned Cloud 9 reef break. This tiny
beach-side town gets crowded due to the numerous international surfing
competitions that it hosts during the season, but is totally deserted
thereafter. You may get initiated in the art of surfing by hiring a
trainer. They charge about £7/hour. The other option open to you is to
opt for a package, offered by one of the surf hotels, charging almost
£400/week for one person. This amount includes the transfers, the
accommodation and the individual trainer for each person.
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Boracay is based approximately 200 miles south of the Philippines
capital, Manila. It's based in the countries Aklan region and at the
tip of neighboring island, Panay. The slender isle is just 5 miles in
length and can be conquered on foot within an afternoon. It's bound by
white sandy beaches, turquoise-clear water and world-class resorts.
Perhaps
it's Boracay's location which has kept it beyond the reach of many
western tourists. Your journey to Boracay needs to be staggered in
stages. This typically includes a connecting flight via Manila and a
short boat ride from Caticlan's port, based on Panay. Tourists on a
budget travel via Kalibo, adding an additional 90 minutes to their
journey.
With the expansion of Caticlan's airport underway,
journeying here is expected to become significantly easier. Great news
for tourist chiefs, but not for residents wishing to conserve the
islands beauty, already under threat from overcrowding and over
development.
Activities abound through the island, none more so
than on White Beach. The world famous beach is divided into 3 Stations.
Station's 1 & 2 are noted for their nightclubs, shopping and world
class cuisine. Station 3 meanwhile, remains quiet and hosts a community
of American and European ex-pats.
Few tourists venture to the far
reaches of Station 3. It's populated by family bars including Kurt &
Magz, White Beach Divers and The Tree House. The Station hosts a range
of medium to long-term accommodation options and beach side villas. It
remains the location of choice for tourists wishing to prolong their
stay here.
The tourist season on the island begins in November and
continues through June. Demand for accommodation in Boracay soars at
Christmas and abides until the Habagat, or 'Monsoon Season' begins. As
the fair weather tourists depart, 15 ft windbreakers are erected along
the beach as an army of adrenaline junkies prepare to invade the island
and devour the surf.
Bulabog Beach is typically the venue for surf
and kite surfing enthusiasts. White Beach, meanwhile, focuses the
attention of divers. An army of vendors are at the ready to sell Island
Hopping tours and Para Sailing. As with your choice of accommodation,
choose wisely and shop around. Prices vary significantly.
As it
continues to top various travel polls, Boracay's status as a world-class
tourist destination grows unabated. Those wishing to enjoy the island
at its best are advised to book their tickets now, before development
and over-crowding diminish its allure forever.
We hope you've enjoyed this brief overview of Boracay Island.
Traveling here requires preparation and research. If you're curious
about how to get to Boracay read our latest articles to learn more.
From White Beach to inland options in Manoc Manoc, Yapak and Balabag our bloggers will assist you in finding cheap Boracay accommodation to suit your needs.
We'll help you make the very best of your stay on the island.
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Located right in the heart of the Philippines, Boracay with its
famous powdery white sand and pristine sea has been a darling of
tourists for many decades. It has received several international
recognitions such as: "The top destinations for traveling Russians for
2010" by Travel.ru awards and by Travel + Leisure magazine's 2011
World's Best Islands, placing 4th.
The island's name came from a
local word "borac" which means cotton, attributed to the cotton-white
sand of its coast while some argue that it came from two native words:
"bora" meaning bubble and "bokay" which is another word for white. Once
regarded as a secret get-away for families from Panay in the 70's, it is
now known as a hot destination in South East Asia. For the first
timers, it is better to familiarize yourself about the most common
tourist spots around the island.
White Beach
Awarded
in 2007 by Yahoo Travel as the most beautiful beach in the world. It is
the longest (3.5 km) and the most famous part of Boracay. White beach
sits on the western part of the island and the most accessible for
tourists. The beach is notably known for its azure water, tropical
weather and scenic sunset. It houses most of the restaurants, caf,
stores, bars and amenities like ATM's and markets. It has 3 stations
namely: Station 1, Station 2 and Station 3. Each station houses
different hotels and inns that suites everyone's budget. If you want to
splurge and enjoy a royalty-like weekend, you may want to check out the
first class hotels in Station1. For families and backpackers who are on a
budget but still want to have a great time, Station 2 is the best place
to look out for.
It also houses most of the restaurants and stores
found in White Beach including D'Mall-- Boracay's commercial hub.
Station3 offers fewer hotels and the farthest of the three. It houses
the most affordable hotels with rates going as low as Php500 ($11.00)
per night. If you are a kind of lay-back person who does not like huge
crowds and loud music, this station will suit your personality. There
are lots of activities you may try to spice up your stay aside from
swimming; you may try scuba diving, snorkeling, paraw (a local sailboat)
sailing and skimboarding.
Bulabog Beach
Bulabog
Beach is a 2.5 kilometer long coastline of pure adrenaline rush and
excitement. It is just a 5 minute walk away across the more famous White
Beach. An offshore reef protects the beach; making its water shallow,
warm and smooth. Being on the eastern side of the island, the winds
brought around the area by the northeast monsoon picks up around
November until April. Winds may vary from 12 to 20 knots making it an
ideal destination for amateur and professional kite and windsurfers.
Regarded as the number 1 kiteboarding beach in Asia, casual and
competitive tourists will be in for a treat as annual sporting events
are always held and broad casted through major sports channels. Some of
the events held in Bulabog beach include: Asian Windsurfing Tour and The
International Kiteboarding Competition.
Willy's Rock
Towering
along the coastline of White Beach and 90 meters from the shore north
of Station 1 is a group of peculiar rock formation which attracted many
photographers -- amateurs and professionals alike. The unassuming rock
formation serves as backdrop to the already picturesque view of its
surroundings while dominating the seascape along White Beach. The
formation, which was aptly called "Willy's Rock" is found opposite of
Willy's Club Resort and is the iconic landmark that represents Boracay.
It has a dark-grayish color which starkly contrasts to the blue and
green hue of the surrounding sea.
Climb up Willy's Rock and enjoy a
commanding view of the beach with a great glimpse of Nassog point to the
north. Perched atop of The Rock is a small grotto dedicated to the
Blessed Virgin Mary and different varieties of plants and trees. It has
adorned countless postcards and websites because of its iconic beauty;
making it the most photographed landmark in Boracay. Truly a magnificent
work of art only nature can produce.
Puka Beach
A
quiet stretch of tropical paradise up north of Boracay. A place that
might as well be from the page of a classic pirate movie -- a remote
island, lush with rich vegetation, inhabited by kind and smiling
natives, forgotten by civilization and enclosed in towering and craggy
cliffs; an exact opposite of the busy and commercialized appeal of White
Beach. Better rent a motorboat to witness stunning views leading to the
beach instead of A.T.V.'s, bikes or tricylces. Spare some 30 minutes of
boat ride to reach it. Because of its geography, rough waves and heavy
winds might occasionally greet you. However, these are just prologue to
the magnificent experience that awaits you; peaceful ambiance, warm
crystalline water and mild rhythmic gush of seawater touching its silica
rich sand.
CNN's travel site, CNNGo ranked Puka Beach 41st on its list
of "World's 50 Best Beaches." It is a great haven for people who plan to
enjoy nature and get away from the hustle and bustle down south.There
are no music, no partying and only a handful of vendors will greet your
arrival. It is perfect for sunbathing and bonding due to its privacy.
The beach got its name from the rare Puka shells abound its white and
warm coast which the locals traditionally gather for their livelihood by
turning them into bracelets, necklaces and other accessories and
selling them to tourists. There are only a handful of restaurants that
may serve you so better visit the place after you had your meal;
bringing along your own snack is also advisable.
While Boracay
offers a lot of modern stuffs one can found on a typical bar --
intoxicating tequila shots, pumped up music and dizzying flashes of
party lights; it is rejuvenating to know that after the glitz and
glamor, nature is waiting for you to explore and enjoy what it has to
offer. These are just five of the most spectacular places you might
visit and enjoy.
The rest of the island's best kept secrets are out
there for you to discover.
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Explore Paradise Philippines. Take a peek at Filipino's culture
and history as mirrored in century-old churches, ancient forts and
modern museums. Paradise Philippines have the best of nature's paradise
pictured through white-sand beaches and three-layered virgin forests.
Paradise
Philippines is blessed with an extensive coastline, ringed with
unspoiled beaches and first-class resort facilities. Paradise
Philippines' deep-blue, crystal-clear waters offers about 40,000 square
kilometers of coastal reefs teeming with a variety of marine life.
Paradise
Philippines is endowed with a tropical climate offering perfect
paradise treat to enjoy the sunlight. Lying in Southeast Asia and
surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Paradise Philippines boasts of
unsullied beaches, spectacular sunsets, luxuriant pastoral lands, cool
mountain weather, brilliant man-made paradise resorts, and dazzling
7,000+ islands.
Paradise Philippines boasts of some of the best
beaches and scuba diving waters in the world. Witness the vast expanse
of nature's paradise Philippines' splendor under the spell of cool
paradise Philippines mountain breeze.
Here are some featured
destinations and paradise spots that is living proof of Paradise
Philippines reputation of being called Paradise Philippines.
Alona Beach, Paradise Philippines
Panglao
Island, Bohol (May 6, 2007) - The Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano
has inaugurated the first phase of a P600-million upscale resort complex
that is riding on the tourism boom in this province. Durano said,
referring to the 16-hectare Eskaya Beach Resort & Spa, which is
building 70 luxurious villas catering to the rich Filipino tourists and
visitors from Europe, the United States, Australia, Japan and Korea.
Donsol, Whale Shark Capital, Paradise Philippines
Once
a sleepy coastal village located at the northwestern tip of Sorsogon
province, this town now eyes to be a first-class municipality, thanks to
giant sea creatures that are now attracting hordes of foreign and local
tourists who infuse millions of pesos into the local economy.
Boracay Paradise, Paradise Philippines
Widely
known as one of the finest swimming destinations in the world, Boracay
is blessed with unsullied fine talcum powder-sand beaches. Its tranquil
crystal clear waters are perfect for swimming, sailing, fishing and
sunbathing. Boracay also boasts of sapphire seas and spectacular
sunsets. Countless hidden coves dot the island and tall coconut trees
line up along the beaches. Boracay lies at the northwest tip of Panay,
in the west Visayas region, off the Sibuyan Sea.
Captivating Guimaras, Paradise Philippines
Nueva
Valencia, Guimaras - An Italian couple on a two-month holiday in the
Philippines chose to include this paradise in their itinerary and stayed
at the Raymen Beach Resort in December 2006, unperturbed by news about
the oil spill that brought the island province to world attention in
August of the same year. "We are just here to see good beaches," said
the Boldo couple, who are just among the hundreds of foreign guests who
kept coming to Guimaras even in the aftermath of the infamous oil spill.
Wonderful Palawan, Paradise Philippines
The
exotic beauty of Palawan remains undefiled. Branded as the country's
last frontier, Palawan is a sanctuary to an amazing variety of exotic
flora and fauna that are found nowhere else. With more than a thousand
islands and islets, Palawan boasts of white-sand beaches, scenic rock
formations, underwater rivers and magnificent caves. Palawan is also
home to Tubbataha Reef, the only national marine park that made it to
the World Heritage List and whose grandeur is comparable to the Great
Barrier Reef of Australia.
Banaue Rice Terraces, Paradise Philippines
Traversing
the rugged terrains of Cordillera highlands in a span of one week is an
adventure in itself and could be an immense learning experience for
someone who has the guts to look down into the depths of mountain cliffs
to get a good view of the rice terraces. With tall rice terraces at the
backdrop and cool breeze shuttling between mountain peaks, a journey
across the Cordillera mountain ranges exposes one to an atmosphere
strangely different from the daily offering of Manila and its suburbs.
Amazing Coron, Paradise Philippines
Coron,
a town in the Busuanga Island in Northern Palawan, can charm even the
most insensitive among men. Its natural beauty can only be described as
seductive, giving first-time visitors and repeaters alike a sense of
wonder that is hard to shake off.
Cebu City, Paradise Philippines
Cebu
City drew 403,326 international visitors in 2005, making the "queen
city of the south" the top provincial destination of foreign travelers.
Data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) also showed that Cebu City
attracted 1,813 overseas Filipinos and 712,938 domestic travelers.
Pagudpud, Paradise Philippines
If
Aklan has Boracay, Ilocos has Pagudpud, its northernmost town bordering
the South China Sea. The coastal town of Pagudpud is the perfect
setting for panoramic movies and photoshoot for travel magazines cover.
The town's main attractions are Saud Beach, known for its fine white
sand stretching for hundreds of meters and Maira-Ira Point, which hides a
secluded beach called Blue Lagoon. Other breathtaking landscapes in
Pagudpud include Bantay Abot-abot, a natural sculpture carved by the
wind and sea, the Mabogabog Falls and the Patapat viaduct that treats
motorists to a scenic view of green lushes and blue waters of South
China Sea.
Bohol, Paradise Philippines
Bohol
is one of the loveliest islands in southern Philippines. It is situated
at the heart of Visayas and with coastline skimmed by gentle coves and
white-sand beaches. Many highways snake along sparkling beaches or leafy
rivers where one can stop at any point and jump in. With its rolling
hills and plateaus, crystal springs and beaches, the province of Bohol
is a picturesque province replete with ancestral homes and centuries-old
churches.
Eligio Tapiador Jr is a freelance webmaster, web developer, SEO
Specialist, and a Web Designer base in Manila, Philippines. Visit
Philippines Travel [http://www.wowparadisephilippines.com] and Travel Directory
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