Formerly known as Lion’s Beach, the Queen Tuna Park in General Santos is probably one of the less-maintained parks in the Philippines. Though, it is regularly visited by locals and domestic tourists because of the large waves coming from the Celebes Sea and the nice breeze and cool air which can be experienced in the place. Queen Tuna Park is located in Barangay Dadiangas South, nearby the Old Mosque and Public Market. The authorities invested a lot of money to [...]
General Santos International Airport | read this item
Serving the greater area of SOCCSKSARGEN (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City), the General Santos City Airport is officially classified as an International Airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), a government bureau which is responsible in the management and operations of General Santos International Airport and all other airports in the country except regular international airports. Today, it’s still known by locals as the General Santos City Airport because it only caters [...]
Are you planning of having a vacation with your family outside the bustling city? Then Virgin Beach Resort is the perfect place to be. It is situate in the northern part of Cebu, Philippines, specifically in Malbago, Daanbantayan. It is about 17 kilometers from the City of Bogo and about 120 kilometers from Cebu City. Peaceful, quite, private, relaxing and secluded are among the best things that describe Virgin Beach Resort. It is an affordable resort with world class amenities [...]
Popularly known by Legazpiños (people of Legazpi City) as the Sleeping Lion Hill, the Kapuntukan Hill is one of the best places to see a panoramic view of Legazpi City in Albay, Philippines and the towering Mayon Volcano. It is located about 500 meters from the Port of Legazpi and it is adjacent to Embarcadero de Legazpi, a lifestyle hub and shopping center in the heart of the city. The Kapuntukan Hill is fondly named as the Sleeping Lion Hill [...]
Ever wonder where to unwind, relax and have fun with friends and family in Legazpi City, Albay? Embarcadero de Legazpi is the perfect place to be. It is one of the many things the people of Legazpi is proud of because of its uniqueness and innovations. It is the premier waterfront lifestyle hub located in the heart of the city of Legazpi, adjacent to Kapuntukan Hill (Sleeping Lion Hill) with a picturesque view of the majestic Mayon Volcano. Situated in [...]
St. Raphael Church from Plaza Rizal | read this item
Located in the busy Peñaranda Street, in front of Plaza Rizal, in Legazpi City, the St. Raphael Church stands as one of the historical sites found in the province of Albay in the Philippines. Also known as the Church of Legazpi, the St. Raphael Church is probably one of the less antique-looking old churches found in the country. For some, the current church that stands today looks like a modern church without any historical value unless they thoroughly research about [...]
One of the most significant landmarks of Dumaguete, also known as the “University Town”, is the Dumaguete Belfy. It is the city’s most popular marker. It was built in 1760s and developed in the 1870s to warn townfolks of attacks by marauding pirates. The Dumaguete Belfry is also known as the Campanario de Dumaguete (a direct Spanish translation). It was built upon one of the four original massive watchtowers that Parish Priest Don Jose Manuel Fernandez de Septien built in [...]
Because of the influence of Dumaguete in the Negros Oriental province, the Sibulan Airport is widely recognized by locals as the Dumaguete Airport. The Dumaguete Airport is situated in Barangay Boloc-Boloc, Municipality of Sibulan because there are no more spaces available for a domestic airport in the “University City”. It is located near the border of Sibulan and Dumaguete, about 3-4 kilometers from the city center. The Dumaguete Airport is classified as a Class 1 principal (major domestic) airport by [...]
I’ve been travelling to the different parts of the Philippines for almost 2 years now and I don’t see any reason why I should stop doing this in the next 5 years or so – not only because I love to travel but because I bring along my wife Lisa and son Sam with me most of the time. After my tour in Bohol & Panglao over a year ago (my first and only tour package availed), I decided to [...]
The Cathedral of St. Joseph is considered as one of the main churches in the historic city of Butuan in the Philippines; the other one is Sto. Niño Shrine located in Libertad. On May 19, 2009, Rev. Father Siegfred Dosdos read the Decree of Establishment of St. Joseph Cathedral as a Diocesan Shrine during Pontifical Fiesta Mass. The declaration of the Saint Joseph Cathedral was approved by His Excellency Juan de Dios Mataflorida Pueblos, Catholic Bishop of Butuan and Parish [...]
What makes the Philippines more than a usual holiday destination?
Some say, when the Gods created the Philippine island, they liked it so much, they decided to create seven thousand more. That meant having over seven thousand different views of the sun, and many different beaches like Boracay, which is probably unlike anywhere you’ve ever been.
They say that Gods took their time when they made this paradise. Having thousand of islands also meant that our wildlife and marine life are among the most diverse in the world.
Even our history comes in many chapters, each one with the different theme. Our colors come in infinite forms and our melting pot of cultures contain more than the usual ingredients, so you can expect more than the usual festivals every year.
We’re oriental, and were western too! That’s why no matter where you're from, the Philippines will feel like home.
Many come here to learn... and play. We just love taking the usual things further like honeymooning , relaxing, partying, and shopping. You haven’t seen a real bargain unless you shop here.
And if we like to over do things here in the Philippines just imagine what it’s like, to be our guest!
Accommodation in the Philippines is not a problem in highly urbanized cities such as Manila, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro. Tourism spots such as Boracay, Panglao and Palawan also offers great prices for overnight stays. In most cities, the price ranges from P800-P1500 for economy, P1500-P3000 for midrange and over P3000 for high end. Prices usually go up during Peak season such as Christmas and summer. Prices will double or even triple in "Super Peak" seasons such as New Year and Holy Week. In most cities of the Philippines, prices stay the same throughout the year except during fiestas and festivals. Be sure to book ahead of time to avoid any hassles. Hotels usually get fully booked even before the month of the festival.
Internet Access
In most part of the Philippines, even in small towns, have one internet café. But in more populated towns and cities, internet cafés can be seen in every corner. Prices are normally at P20 per hour in more decent places. Internet connection is relatively fast at 1mbps and most computers in urbanized cities are on the higher end. Some internet cafes are open 24 hours and offer a promo rate of P10 per hour from late evening until dawn but will tend to be very noisy as this will be the time most adults play their favorite online games. Browsing, chatting, playing games and encoding are just some of the things you can do in most cafés. Free WI-FI connection is available in most coffee shops and some fast foods and malls. Plenty of hotels and resorts in the Philippines offer free computer use and WI-FI to the guests.
Climate
The Philippines has a tropical marine climate dominated by a rainy season and a dry season. It is relatively predictable and similar in most parts of the region. The hottest climate is experienced during the summer in the months of March to May at a maximum of 38° C (100° F). During this time, El Niño is usually felt in most part of the Philippines making large amount of damages to agriculture. Temperature starts to drop in June and rainfalls are gradually experienced until October. La Niña the counterpart of El Niño is sensed during this season. The best time of the year in the Philippines is around November to February where humidity is pleasant and rainfall is not too much.
Business Hours
Different businesses in the Philippines open in different time of the day. Shopping Malls usually open at 10am to 9pm. Supermarkets are open at 9am to 8pm and wet markets are open early morning until 6pm. Most banks operate from 9am to 4pm but banks inside shopping malls, such as Banco de Oro, opens until 7pm. ATM machines are found in most populated area and are accessible 24 hours. Bars are open from 6am until dawn and restaurants open from 8am to 11pm. Government offices such as SSS, Pag-ibig, Philhealth, Post office and BIR among many others opens at 8am to 5pm with most of them having lunch breaks at 12nn to 1am. Embassies and consulates open at 9am to 1pm during weekdays. Most private companies operate at 8am to 5pm but with the growth of the outsourcing industry in the Philippines, some companies are open 24 hours and are on employee shifting scheme.
Transportation
The Philippines offers a wide range of transportation. Urbanized cities usually have an airport and seaport for both international and domestic travels. In most cities, jeepneys are the main land transportation. Jeepney fare starts at P7.00 and goes up depending on the distance of your destination. Buses are found in most part of the country traveling from the City to the different provinces of the island. Railway transits are found in Manila that offers fast travel experience. Tricycles and “pedicabs” (or cycle rickshaw) are found in most parts of the country with fares ranging from P5 up to P50 or even higher. Taxis are all over major cities. Just be sure to tell them to turn on their meter or you’re going to pay P200 for a 10 km ride.
Telecommunications
The Philippines has a good telecommunications from ham radios to cellphones. Ham radios are still being used by police, military, reporters and some non-government organizations in communicating. As of 1997, there are 7.3 million telephone mainlines in use which makes it easier to communicate locally and internationally. There are also radio broadcasting stations (both AM and FM) in every part of the country as well as television broadcasting stations. The Philippines has 3 giant mobile companies namely: Globe Telecom, Smart Communications and Sun Cellular with over a thousand cellular sites all over the archipelago. Since the advancement of SMS, it has been an important part to the Filipino lifestyle. This makes the Philippines as the SMS capital of the world. Without a doubt, text messaging and mobile calls are not a problem in the country. The country is also equipped with broadband internet which makes it easy to communicate anywhere in the world.
Queen Tuna Park | 
General Santos International Airport | 
Virgin Beach Resort | 
Kapuntukan Hill | 
Embarcadero de Legazpi | 
St. Raphael Church from Plaza Rizal | 
Dumaguete Belfry | 
Dumaguete Airport | 
Green Earth Travel and Tours | 
Altar of St. Joseph Cathedral | 
