Longest Christmas Season

Longest Christmas Season

Filipinos celebrate the Christmas season from the first day of September up until the Feast of the Three Kings (January 6). As soon as the “-Ber months” start, people start counting down to Christmas, decorating their homes and offices with anything that relates to Christmas.

Simbang Gabi

Simbang Gabi/ Misa de Gallo/ Rooster’s Mass refers to 9 early morning (or evening) masses leading to Christmas Day. It starts on the 16th of December and ends on the 25th of December. People believe that the wishes of anyone who completes all 9 nights will come true.

Carolling

Following the start of Simbang Gabi, children also start going from one house to another, singing classic Filipino and foreign Christmas Carols such as “Ang Pasko ay Sumapit,” “Silent Night,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” and “Pasko na Naman.” Homeowners would give any amount they wish to the carollers. If they don’t, they may say “Patawad,” but they should also be ready to the song these kids will sing for them in response.

Gift-Giving Tradition

Since Christmas is also the season of giving, there are also various activities related to this monito/monita, 

exchange gifts, and for those with godchildren – the giving of aguinaldos and pamasko. If you still don’t know what to get them for the Holidays, here are gift-giving tips for your Filipino co-workers, friends, or godchildren.

Christmas Parties

No holiday celebration will be complete without Christmas parties – may it be in offices, schools, or organizations. These parties are usually that one day of the year where people get to de-stress and unleash their talents. One thing that is most anticipated during these kinds of events? Food, food, and more food.

Christmas songs

Christmas songs play everywhere, may it be in malls, restaurants, basically in every place where there are people. There would always be a mix of tunes – local and foreign, old and new – but there would always be staples that you would hear wherever you go. The list of songs would be endless, but it would always include Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You and Jose Mari Chan’s Christmas in Our Hears. No matter how much you say you hate these tunes, you can’t help but sing along to them as soon as you hear its intro play.

Holiday dishes

December is that time of the year where everyone simply forgets about their diet and consider everyday a “cheat day.” As soon as the month starts, everyone starts looking forward and saving up for the yearly Noche Buena – the traditional family dinner held at midnight, December 25 – and the family gatherings which wouldn’t be complete without the overflowing amount of food. Filipinos also boast their Christmas delicacies – puto bumbong (purple rice roll steamed in a bamboo tube topped with grated coconut and sugar) and bibingka (rice cake cooked in clay pots) – which they could usually munch on after the nightly Simbang Gabi.

Christmas Attractions

The places in the country, especially in the metro, transforms into a festive and colourful attraction people visit to feel the Christmas spirit. Ayala Triangle, Nuvali, Greenhills Shopping Center, Mall of Asia, and Policarpio Street are just some of the areas that light up in celebration of the holiday season. Star City also has its Snow World attraction, where visitors get to know what it’s like to experience a “White Christmas” whilst in the Philippines.

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City of Pines, Baguio City

City of Pines, Baguio City

Baguio City has been called a lot of things, the City of Pines, the Summer Capital of the Philippines, but what it is, really, is my favorite city in the Philippines. 

It is arguably the hub of tourism in Luzon, especially during the month-long festivities of the Panagbenga Festival. It has the best thrift shopping places with its ukay-ukay stores. A food trip paradise with its numerous restaurants. And a weekend-getaway haven, with its numerous tourist spots and general accessibility from Metro Manila. Its year-round cool and temperate weather only adds to its charm as a tourist destination.

► WHERE TO STAY IN BAGUIO CITY

There are uncountable number of lodgings and accommodations in Baguio City. They range from cheap backpacker types to really posh hotels. It would take a dedicated website to list each and every inns, hostels, motels, dorms, homestays and hotels in Baguio City, so I’ll simply list down those where I’ve stayed in. Although it’s usually very easy to get a lodging as you arrive in Baguio City, I advise that you book ahead, especially during the busy Panagbenga and Christmas seasons.

AKAP DORMITEL
Room Rates: Starts at Php 300.00 (1pax)
Address: 11 Artiaga st., Quezon Hill Road 2., Baguio City
Contact Number: (0926) 165-0980, (074) 443-4769 

HOTEL 45
Room Rates: Starts at Php 1,000.00 (1pax)
Address: Bagong Bayan St., Brgy. Salud Mitra, Baguio City
Contact Number: (074) 446-6306, (0917) 588-2759

HOW TO GET TO BAGUIO CITY

Baguio City is located some 250 kilometers from Metro Manila and is elevated 1,450 meters above sea level. Buses are the usual transportation of choice when going to the city and travel time usually clocks in at six hours (from Manila). There used to be flights in and out of the city in years past, but is has been discontinued indefinitely. The city can also be accessed through the Ilocos Region and other parts of Luzon through various provincial bus lines and vans.

VIA METRO MANILA ○ 5-6 HOURS TRAVEL TIME ○ FARE PHP 445.00 +/- 

● DAGUPAN BUS - Cubao | Aircon | (02) 727-2330 | No Wi-Fi 

● GENESIS - Manila, Cubao | Aircon | (02) 709-0803 | With Wi-Fi 

● JOY BUS - Manila, Cubao, Pasay | Aircon | (02) 733-8622 | (02) 421-1413 | (02) 853-3115 | With Wi-Fi 

● PHILIPPINE RABBIT - Manila | Aircon | (02) 734-9836 | No Wi-Fi 

● VIRON TRANSIT - Manila, Cubao | Aircon | (02) 741-6588  

● VICTORY LINER - Pasay, Caloocan, Cubao, Manila | Aircon | (02) 727-4688 | With Wi-Fi

VIA AURORA ○ 8 HOURS TRAVEL TIME ○ FARE PHP 300.00 +/- 

● D LINER BUS - Maria Aurora | Non-Aircon | (0919) 622-1649 | No Wi-Fi 

● LIZARDO TRANS - Baler | Non-Aircon | No Wi-Fi 

● VICTORY LINER  - Non-Aircon | No Wi-Fi 

● FRED & CATHY TRANS - Bangued | Non- Aircon 

● GENESIS - Bangued | Aircon | (047) 237-3310 

 

VIA MARIVELES ○ 7 HOURS TRAVEL TIME ○ FARE PHP 522.00 +/- 

● GENESIS - Mariveles | Aircon | (047) 237-3310 

● DALIN BUS LINE - Tuguegaro, Aparri | Aircon | (074) 424 4301 | With Wi-Fi 

● GABRIEL TRANS - Aparri | Aircon | (0927) 515-0170 

● VAN - Tuguegarao | Aircon | (0947) 148-2544, (0936)

Nature Lover? Experience this awesome getaway with the ever greeny Noah’s Park!

Entrance fee ranges from Php 150- Php 250.

This place is just 1 ride away from the city, you can booked your vacation here for a hassle-free relaxation.

Noah’s Park is a holiday retreat ideal for families, group of friends and even business-related activities. It is located in Rodriguez, right at the foot of the Sierra Madre mountains and overlooking the country landscape of Rizal.

You can opt to stay for the day in one of our cabanas and enjoy the park’s facilities. Noah’s Park also offer pavilions for bigger groups should our guests want to celebrate a momentous occasion. 

If you’re looking for a quick getaway very close to Metro Manila, Rizal resorts and hotels are good options.

Noah’s Leisure Park is a nature-themed resort and hotel with facilities for  family, group (barkada) outings and even business or organizational meetings/conferences/events. It’s an hour or two drive from Quezon City or Pasig City and definitely close to Marikina. It is located at Bgy. San Isidro, Rodriguez (formerly Montalban), Rizal, beside Avilon Zoo.

The resort was featured at PopTalk of GMA News TV Channel 11 hosted by Tonipet. The blogger made an ocular inspection of the resort as a potential venue for a seminar she’s organizing.

Credits: Noah’s Park

The Hundred Islands National Park is situated in Alaminos City, Pangasinan. Also known as “Kapulo-puloan” or “Taytay-Bakes,” these little Islands are one of the most magnificent natural geological formations in the Philippines. The islands are dispersed along the Lingayen Gulf and have a total land area of 1,844 hectares or 18.44 square kilometers. There are 124 islands here but one gets submerged in water during high tide.

The islands are shaped like giant umbrellas or mushrooms. The islands are about two million years of age; it was theorized that they are part of the seabed a long long time ago. Among the islands, only three have been developed for travelers and vacationists, namely: Governor Island, Quezon Island, and Children's Island. Not all the islands have names. These islands are made of limestone roofed with think shrubbery and other flora.

Check some of the Cheap Hotel accommodations below:

http://www.visitilocandia.com/where-to-stay-in-alaminos-pangasinan-list-of-cheap-and-affordable-hotels/

Mayon is a classic stratovolcano with a small central summit crater. The cone is considered the world's most perfectly formed volcano for its symmetry, which was formed through layers of lava flows and pyroclastic surges from past eruptions and erosion. 

Its steep slopes form a perfect symmetrical classic volcano. Mayon is active and eruptions are frequent. In 2013 in May the volcano spit ash and rock, forming a cloud 500 meters (1640 ft) above the peak. It killed five climbers, who were on their way to the summit.

The Filipino hospitality is best exemplified in regard to foreign guests, who are treated with the utmost respect. Filipinos enjoy the company of foreign visitors, and most foreigners who have visited the country can testify to the warmth and friendliness of the locals. 

Filipino Community in Legazpi, Albay offers a cheap but worth and well-creative designed rooms for backpackers that is good for a family vacation or group of friends escapade. 

Being surrounded by old houses, Calle Crisologo is also called   The Heritage Village. It was considered a UNESCO Heritage Site in order to save the cultural past of the Ilocos region. 

Famous in its cobblestone streets, old houses and calesas, Calle Crisologo is indeed a place of old times. Some of the houses surrounding the village or the street, were converted into inns or a place to stay overnight. So one can really enjoy living in the house of our ancestors way back from the Spanish time.

Calle Crisologo is most especially beautiful at night as the dimly lit cobblestone streets are brightened up by aesthetic lamps in the area, perfect for those who want to stay the night.

The length of Calle Crisologo is not passable by a vehicle which is why you’d see tourists freely taking photos along the street. You can park your cars just a few meters away from the street, or better yet park it in your hotel’s parking lot.

Puerto Princesa

Underground River 

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Located on the northern coast of the island of Palawan, Puerto Princesa is a nature lover’s paradise. Home to unspoiled landscapes rich in wildlife, this lovely town also lays claim to one of the world’s most unique natural phenomena, an underground river known as the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River. Protected within a national park, this natural wonder is the world’s longest navigable underground river. Guided paddle boat tours show intriguing rock formations and fluttering bats.

Banaue Rice Terraces

No trip to the Philippines could be complete without seeing the spectacular Banaue Rice Terraces. Carved from the mountain ranges about 2,000 years ago without modern tools by the Ifugao tribes, these magnificent farm terraces resemble giant steps reaching up to the sky. Locals to this day still plant rice and vegetables on the terraces, although more and more younger Ifugaos do not find farming appealing and emigrate to the cities.

God Lives Here!

Santa Fe, Philippines, Asia

Sante Fe is a small fishing village located on the southeast coast of Bantayan Island, a place time seemed to have momentarily forgotten. The beaches are beautiful and unspoilt, and perhaps because it was low season, the only other life on the shores were fisher folk and stray dogs. The beach at dusk was surreal. Everything turned a deep blue, you could barely make out the horizon. One evening, as we walked the stretch of the beach, there was a dark rain cloud moving towards us which only added drama to the sky.

Giant Clams, Giant Statement!

Camiguin Island, Philippines, Asia 

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Ecotourism is an exotic word in the Philippines, and it is a slow conversion for someone to give up a livelihood of spearing fish and instead take tourists to look at the very same fish and to let them slip away into the coral.

It is even more difficult to convince people to stop eating giant clams and using their giant shells as baptismal fonts.

Best Place for Island Hopping: Zambales, Philippines

Camp at Anawangin Cove 

If you’re the adventurous type and are willing to camp in a place that’s far from any sort of technology, Anawangin Cove is perfect. Mostly untouched by modern commercialism, there are no stores or restaurants in the vicinity, and there’s also no electricity. Campers will need to cook their own food, eat them on banana leaves, and enjoy the beach in its least-adorned form. To get to the cove, get to the jump off point in Barangay Pundaquit and take a 45-minute boat ride to the shores of Anawangin Cove.

Surf in San Felipe, San Narciso, and San Antonio

Zambales is the nearest surf beach to Manila and it’s the ideal place for beginners to ease into the waves and learn how to surf. It’s also great for advanced surfers, as the swell size has been known to hit way over one’s head. The famed “Magic Left” can be located in Pundaquit Beach, San Antonio and is considered a local favorite due to its smooth long ride. Hit up Crystal Beach in San Narciso Town for waves that break both left and right; perfect for both regular and goofy surfers.

Finally, Liw-Liwa beach, located in the quiet town of San Felipe, is a great spot to ride modest waves. When the waves aren’t breaking, Liw-Liwa also has a vibrant nightlife as a lot of tourists and regulars frequent the area.

Island Hopping

Zambales is well-known for island hopping. There are many islands you can visit in Zambales that will give you a chance to explore untouched forests, waterfalls, and view majestic landscapes. Get to the jump-off point in Barangay Pundaquit to start your journey.

There are several packages offered but you could also negotiate with a boatman to visit the islands of your choice. Check out the lakes and waterfalls that Nagsasa Cove has to offer; go to the Capones Islands to visit an abandoned Spanish lighthouse that offers a fantastic view of the Zambales Coast; and don’t forget to pass by Zambales’ own version of Boracay in Potipot Island, which offers pristine white sand and clear blue waters.

Finally, get in the ocean and snorkel in the coral reefs of Magalawa Island. All these islands and more are accessible via boat so be sure to plan your trip well so you can get the most out of everything.

Kayak the Mangroves in Subic

Check out Camayan Beach Resort and avail of their kayaking package. This package includes kayaking to the mangroves where wild monkeys and ducks reside. Kayaking will take a fair bit of stamina so it’s good to be well rested. The whole activity takes about an hour and half but it’s definitely worth the sweat.

VIA: ABS-CBN

Bohol Escapade

The homestays are with Filipino families located around Bohol and other islands in the Visayas. They cost 600P/night and aim to spread tourism dollars into smaller communities, while giving travelers a more authentic taste of what life is like in these areas.

Testimonials

"I've travelled all around the world, but staying with this wonderful family was by far one of the best experiences of my adventures. Jevie, daisy and their children took us in like family, it felt like we were home! Daisy is an amazing cook, I'm constantly missing her delicious feasts since we departed. The family are very friendly and fun to be around, the surrounding neighbours are also very kind and welcoming. Being exceptionally hospitable, the family even showed us the island highlights. We had an absolute blast! I highly recommend this family, I know ill be back to visit again as soon as I can."--Chantelle, Australia. �

"I just got back to Korea from my stay with Carmela and Abundio. They were excellent hosts and I couldn�t have asked for a better experience!!! I'm so glad I was able to do the homestay. Thank you for rearranging plans last-minute for me."

                                                ---Elizabeth, South Korea.

Vacation Experience

We travelled to Sabang especially to do this tour of the underground river. There are several traders along the Sabang beach offering tours of the underground river. We paid 750 Php per person (there was 2 of us) through one of these small huts.

All they offer is really the opportunity to go buy the Environment Fee, Boat fee etc for you. I say this because we didn't really have our own tour guide as such. And you don't need one for this tour because when you enter the river each person is given an electronic recorder and head piece so that facts and information is played to you through this audio devise is whatever language you speak.

The boat ride from the Sabang port to the National Park was rough as it was windy that day. When we got to the National Park, we were rushed to the area were small canoes are parked. We were given the audio device and canoed for 30 minutes inside the cave. Naturally spectacular the rock formations, bats and river. We were back at Sabang port by 10:45am.

Overall I would say that it was a wonderful and amazing experience to see one of the 7 wonders of the world. Tho you'll wait a couple of minutes to explore the underground river because of the lines of people/ tourist waiting for their tern. But once you see it inside you're its very satisfying you'll feel refreshened.