LUZON

LUZON FESTIVALS

• The Pahiyas Festival (Lucban Quezon)- Held on May 15 of every year, the Pahiyas Festival is carried out to give thanks to San Isidro Labrador for the good harvest. . It is the farmer’s thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest with a grand display of colorful rice wafers, fruits, vegetables and handicrafts adorning every house in the town. It is one of the country’s oldest festivals tracing its origin way back to the 16th century.

• Panagbenga Festival in Baguio

• PANGABENGA FESTIVAL is an annual festival celebrated every February which takes place in Baguio City, Philippines. The term “Panagbenga” comes from a Kankanaey term meaning “season of blooming”. this festival reflects the history, traditions and values of Baguio and the Cordilleras. Its lasts a month long and flourishes through community spirit involvement.

• HIGANTES FESTIVAL ( Angono, Rizal)

Higantes Festival is a secular celebration initiated by the Municipality of Angono to express gratitude to its patron Saint Clement, in which the parade of giants is held on Sunday before the town feast on November 23. This is the major festival in honor of San Clemente, the patron saint of fisherman.

• BANGUS FESTIVAL ( DAGUPAN CITY)

The Bangus Festival is an annual celebration in Dagupan to promote the city’s milkfish aquaculture industry. Dagupan is known as the Bangus Capital of the Philippines, and the City lays its claim to this by holding the Bangus Festival for 19 days in April, culminating on April 28. The bangus, or milkfish, festival pays tribute to the City’s biggest industry and features various activities that center on the fish. From deboning to eating, from the longest to the heaviest and even to the most beautiful, each year attempts to put out a record with its bangus competitions.

• FERTILITY DANCE FESTIVAL ( Obando, Bulacan)

Couples who wish to have a child flock to Obando, Bulacan, and every May 17 to 19 to join the street dance in Honor of Santa Clara. Fertility dance is said to be a prayer made by the couple. They believe that by doing this dance would be effective as some have been miraculously blessed with an offspring soon after they joined the dancing.

ATTRACTIONS IN LUZON

Minesview Park – Mines View Park is an overlook park on the northeastern outskirts of Baguio in the Philippines. It is five kilometers away from the Heart of Baguio, passing through the Botanical Garden, the Mansion House, Wright Park, and the Pacdal Circle.

Anawangin Cove – is a crescent shaped cove with a pristine white sand beach. What makes the place unique is the unusual riddle of tall pine trees flourishing around its vicinity. The cove’s relative isolation has kept it free from development, save for a few huts and deep wells. Anawangin Cove is just one of the many ash-filled nooks and crannies of San Antonio, but it’s the one that started the tourism wave in the area mainly because it’s the nearest and the most accessible.

Anawangin is not an island; it is part of mainland Luzon. However, it is tucked away behind the mountains that getting there by land requires hours of trekking over an almost bare landscape. The easiest way to reach it is by boat, and the closest major settlement is Brgy. Pundaquit.

Nacpan beach is said to be the most beautiful beach around El Nido town. With Calitang Beach, they are known as El Nido’s Twin Beaches. Nacpan Beach is one of the most beautiful stretches of sand in the Philippines with swaying coconut palms, and clear aqua water.

To get to Nacpan Beach via El Nido Tour E, by renting a motorbike or hiring a tricycle. It will take you from 45 minutes to 1 hour to get there. You can also organise and book a round trip from El Nido to Nacpan Beach thanks to the Nacpan Beach Shuttle Service.

Tinipak River in Tanay Rizal

River flowing through mountainous terrain with rapids & a cave with a natural swimming pool.

Tinipak River is located at Mt. Daraitan in Tanay, Rizal, around 2-3 hours drive from Manila. There is so much diversity with beautiful waterfalls like Batlag Falls, caves such as Calinawan Cave, unusual rock formations such as Nagpatong Rock and of course beautiful rivers such as Tinipak River, the subject of this post.

To get to Tinipak River is quite an adventure. After about a 2-3 hour drive from Manila, you end up in Barangay Daraitan and the Barangay Hall. There is ample signage on the main highway and the locals are quite helpful in helping you find the Barangay Hall. Once at the Barangay Hall, you need to register and you are then assigned a guide. From there you are provided with some essentials that are needed such as a headlamp for when you go caving. You are also able to buy other accessories such as gloves, which I do recommend due to the rough nature of the rocks.

Hidden Beach –

The Hidden Beach hides behind tall natural stone walls, with only a tiny break from which to enter and exit. It’s perfect for swimming, chillaxing, and picture-taking! If these are not enough to convince you it’s amazing, we don’t know what else will. If you’re looking for a beach, this is the best tourist spot in Luzon to see.

Big Lagoon is the second stop of El Nido Island Hopping Tour A, right after Small Lagoon. Just like any other lagoons in Palawan, Big Lagoon is dotted with dark limestone cliffs. Enjoy the view! Don’t miss the Big and Small Lagoons as these are the best tourist spots in El Nido.

Kayangan Lake is the ancestral domain of the indigenous people, Tagbanua, who are referred to as the guardians of Coron. The Tagbanua believe in panyain or spirits that dwell in nature, including the lakes, trees and the seas, like Kayangan Island. Kayangan Lake, dubbed the ‘cleanest lake in the Philippines’, is surrounded by a karst scenery of limestone cliffs and guarded maintained by Tagbanua tribesmen. Kayangan Lake is 70% freshwater and 30% salt water. One may choose to swim or snorkel in the lake, or simply float around in a life jacket.

The Banaue Rice Terraces are terraces that were carved into the mountains of Banaue, Ifugao, in the Philippines, by the ancestors of the indigenous people. The terraces are occasionally called the “Eighth Wonder of the World”. It is commonly thought that the terraces were built with minimal equipment, largely by hand. The terraces are located approximately 1,500 metres above sea level.

The Manila Ocean Park is an oceanarium in Manila, Philippines. It is owned by China Oceanis Philippines Inc., a subsidiary of China Oceanis Inc., a Singaporean-registered firm. It is located behind the Quirino Grandstand at Rizal Park.

The Cagsawa Ruins are the remnants of a 16th-century Franciscan church, the Cagsawa church. It was originally built in the town of Cagsawa in 1587 but was burned down and destroyed by Dutch pirates in 1636.The ruins are currently located in Barangay Busay, Cagsawa, in the municipality of Daraga, Albay, Philippines.

The People’s Park in the Sky, often simply called People’s Park and originally named Palace in the Sky, is a historical urban park in Tagaytay, Cavite, Philippines. The park was converted from an incomplete mansion, known as the palace in the sky.

Enchanted Kingdom, often abbreviated EK, is a theme park in the Philippines. It is located in Santa Rosa, Laguna. It has a land area of 25 hectares. The park is managed and operated by Enchanted Kingdom Inc. Enchanted Kingdom is a member of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.

THE LUMIANG CAVE IS HOME to 100 ancient coffins. Stacked one on top of the other, these coffins form an eye-catching wall at the entrance of the cave that rises nine layers high. It has been estimated that the oldest coffins are around 500 years old.

The Lumiang Burial Cave is probably the most visited burial site in Sagada primarily because it is usually bundled with the Sumaguing Cave Tour. Sumaguing Cave is arguably the town’s most popular tourist attraction and those who avail of the tour are given a free side trip to the Lumiang Cave. It is also the start point for the Cave Connection, the more challenging of the spelunking options you may choose from.