Mount Apo

Mount Apo is a large stratovolcano on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. It the highest mountain in the country and overlooks Davao City, a few kilometres to the northeast. Its name means "master" or "grandfather". Apo is flat topped, with three peaks, and is capped by a 500 m wide volcanic crater containing a small crater lake. It is a source of geothermal energy, but the date of its most recent eruption is unknown, and none are verified in historic times.

Mount Apo is one of the most popular climbing destinations in the Philippines, and the summit is easy to reach. It was first climbed on October 10, 1880 by a party led by Don Joaquin Rajal.

Mt. Apo is a popular hiking destination in the Philippines. Several trails lead to the summit, coming from North Cotabato and Davao provinces. An average hike requires 3-4 four days. Various sights include Lake Venado, one of the highest lakes in the Philippines, and the old crater of Mt. Apo near its summit. In the classification system used by local website PinoyMountaineer.com, the difficulty of the hike is 7 out of 9. The mountain may be climbed year-round.

Bayanihan

Bayanihan (pronounced as IPA: [bajanihan]) is a Filipino term taken from the word bayan, referring to a nation, town or community. The whole term bayanihan refers to a spirit of communal unity or effort to achieve a particular objective.

The origin of the term bayanihan can be traced from a common tradition in Philippine towns where community members volunteer to help a family move to a new place. The process involves literally carrying the house to its new location. This is done by putting bamboo poles forming a strong frame to lift the stilts from the ground and carrying the whole house with the men positioned at the ends of each pole. A mural by Filipino National Artist Carlos "Botong" Francisco illustrates the process. The tradition also features a small fiesta hosted by the family to express gratitude to the volunteers.

Bayanihan is taken from the root word bayani meaning "hero". Thus, bayanihan means being a hero to one another. As in the classic tradition of carrying a house, each man carries a portion of the weight of the house and in effect, becomes a hero for all the others because he lightens the load for the others. Each man thus becomes a Hero to everyone as all the others become a Hero to him.

Visit Panglao

Flushing Meadows Resort and Playground, Brgy. Dao, Dauis, Panglao Island,Bohol Philippines, (63 38) 502-2122 (info@flushingmeadows.com.ph, fax: (63 38) 502-2122 loc. 102). Flushing Meadows Resort & Playground is Bohol's most exclusive deluxe resort. Guests at this lovely Bohol resort may expect a truly pleasurable tropical paradise experience. Fishing and diving facilities, a private beach, a spectacular children's playground, and an international-standard tennis court are among the many attractions at this resort in Bohol. Accommodations here combine island decor with modern amenities; private balconies provide stunning seaviews.Best rates on official website start at US$105.

Paragayo Resort in Panglao Island, Bohol, Alona Beach, Panglao Island, Bohol Philippines, (0063) 38 502 9172, Paragayo Resort is a Modern Native inspired resort designed and ran by British national Mark Kilroy. Located 3 minutes walking distance from the world famous Alona Beach, Paragayo Resort combines the crisp island air of Bohol with its international-standard budget resort feel.

Bohol Beach Club, Bolod, Panglao, Bohol Philippines, (63 38) 411-5222 to 24 (bbclub@mozcom.com). The resort boasts of an exclusive one and half kilometer stretch of white sand, the largest shoreline in that area. Guest can also enjoy a relaxing swim in the kidney shaped pool set in lush greenery or simply laze at the outdoor jacuzzi. The club has aqua sports that include snorkeling, fun island dives, sailing, kayaking, and whale and dolphine watching.

Panglao Island Nature Resort and Spa, Bingag, Dauis, Panglao Island, Bohol Philippines, (63 38) 411-5878 / 411-5982 (metroctr@mozcom.com). Small cluster of accommodations have private spacious paties with comfortable chaise lounge, an ideal spot for room service for breakfast or leisure reading. Rooms are equipped with the state of the art amenities. The management ensures that service is impeccable and the stuff are the friendliest one will ever meet.

Panglao Tropical Villas, Panglao Island, Bohol Philippines, (reservations@panglaotropicalvillas.com). Panglao Tropical Villas is Located on the Beautiful Island of Panglao, Bohol in the Philippines ... for a peaceful Bohol beach resort setting amid swaying palm trees and white sand beaches. If you are looking for a peaceful setting amid swaying palms and white sand beaches, retreat to Panglao Tropical Villas we are directly on the beach next to the pool for a great view of the Philippines sun set. Guests can also enjoy a relaxing swim in the pool or beach. The Resort offers snorkeling, diveing, sailing, island hopping, and whale and dolphine and watching.

The Podium

The Podium is an upmarket shopping mall located along ADB Avenue in the Ortigas Center, a major business and commercial district in Mandaluyong City, Philippines. It was developed in December 2001 and officially opened in August 2002 as a joint project of Singaporean company, Keppel Land and SM Prime Holdings, the parent company of the SM group of malls.

Catering to the upper class and high-income bracket shoppers, it is the first and only upscale/high-end shopping mall owned by SM. The mall attracts shoppers from luxury hotels, posh villages, office buildings and even other malls nearby. It is surrounded by the Asian Development Bank, SM Megamall, St. Francis Square, Banco De Oro and Discovery Suites.

The Podium houses over 120 shops, boutiques, restaurants and attractions. It has 2 cinemas with a snack bar and an atrium at the center of the mall used for events such as, art galleries, fashion shows, signings, performances, recitals, etc.

Notable anchors include:

SM Appliance Center
TK by Toy Kingdom
NBS Best Sellers (National Bookstore)
Watson's
Baby and Co.

Mayon Volcano

Mayon Volcano is the main landmark of Albay Province, Philippines. It is ten kilometres (6 mi) from the Gulf of Albay, in the municipalities of Legazpi City, Daraga, Camilig, Guinobatan, Ligao City, Tabaco City, Malilipot, and Santo Domingo (clockwise from Legazpi). It rises 2462 m (8,077 ft) above the gulf.

Mayon Volcano is the Philippines' most active volcano and is considered to be the world's most perfectly formed volcano for its symmetrical cone. It is a basaltic-andesitic volcano. The upper slopes of the volcano are steep averaging 35-40 degrees and are capped by a small summit crater. Its sides are layers of lava and other volcanic material.

November 30, 2006: Typhoon Durian created mudslides of volcanic ash and boulders off of Mayon Volcano, killing hundreds and covering a large portion of the village of Padang (an outer suburb of Legazpi City) in mud up to houses' roofs. The number of dead is estimated at around 1000, either equaling or surpassing the death toll of the 1814 eruption. The precise figure may never be known since many people have been buried under the lahar and entire villages have disappeared. Parts of Daraga were also devastated, including the Cagsawa area, where the ruins from the eruption of 1814 were partially buried once again. Large areas of Guinobatan were destroyed, particularly Maipon. Students from Aquinas University in Barangay Rawis of Legazpi City were among those killed as mudslides engulfed their dormitory. Central Legazpi escaped the mudslide but suffered from severe flooding and power cuts.

Bangsamoro

Bangsamoro or Moroland is the name for the "homeland" of the Moro.

The term comes from the Malay word bangsa, meaning nation or people, and the Spanish word moro, from the older Spanish word Moor, the Reconquista-period term for Arabs or Muslims.

It may also refer to the Moro people, in general. These include the Tausug, the Maranao, Maguindanaoan, and the Banguingui.

Bangsamoro covers the provinces of Basilan, Cotabato, Davao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Palawan, Sarangani, Shariff Kabunsuan, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, and Zamboanga Sibugay; and the cities of Cotabato, General Santos, Iligan, Marawi, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa, Zamboangaand the City of Isabela in Basilan.

Other interpretations may include territories that used to form North Borneo including Sabah, Labuan and the islands of Sipadan and Ligitan. This area is currently under the Sabah dispute.

Chocolate Hills

The Chocolate Hills Complex has a restaurant, hostel with swimming pool and an observation deck where one could view and even count the hills at the view deck 210 feet (64 m) above the ground. There are a total of 214 steps leading to the observation or view deck. Here one can view the landscape that is covered with more than a thousand Chocolate Hills. The Chocolate Hills Complex is composed of two hills developed into a resort. One hill being the highest, where the observation deck is located that offers the highest viewing access to view more Chocolate Hills in 360 degrees angle.

The other way to view the Chocolate Hills is at "Sagbayan Peak", a mountain resort in Sagbayan town, about 75 kilometres (47 mi) northwest of Tagbilaran City. Viewing is made from the deck of an elevated ridge that provides an unobstructed view of the Chocolate Hills as well as the sea off Cebu City. This is only 18 kilometres (11 mi) from the Chocolate Hills complex in neighboring Carmen town.

Sagbayan Peak is a 5-hectare (12-acre) mountaintop resort and recreation center. Its viewing deck offers a 360-degree perspective of the Chocolate Hills plus the blue sea that separates Bohol and Cebu. The peak now has a restaurant and a children’s park with Bugs Bunny, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and various other Toontown figures. Aside from the function hall and viewing deck, a hotel, swimming pool, driving range, a butterfly dome and even a tarsier sanctuary are now on the drawing board. In addition a full 100-hectare (250-acre) golf course is also planned.

Patria Aurora Roa, tourism director for Central Visayas, was happy to see the latest addition to Bohol's tourist attractions. This was echoed by Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado who said:

The Sagbayan Peak is a welcome note for Bohol tourism.

Mayon Volcano

Mayon Volcano is the main landmark of Albay Province, Philippines. It is ten kilometres (6 mi) from the Gulf of Albay, in the municipalities of Legazpi City, Daraga, Camilig, Guinobatan, Ligao City, Tabaco City, Malilipot, and Santo Domingo (clockwise from Legazpi). It rises 2462 m (8,077 ft) above the gulf.

Mayon Volcano is the Philippines' most active volcano and is considered to be the world's most perfectly formed volcano for its symmetrical cone. It is a basaltic-andesitic volcano. The upper slopes of the volcano are steep averaging 35-40 degrees and are capped by a small summit crater. Its sides are layers of lava and other volcanic material.

Mayon is classified by volcanologists as a stratovolcano, or composite volcano. Its symmetric cone was formed through alternate pyroclastic and lava flows. Mayon is the most active volcano in the country, having erupted over 47 times in the past 400 years.[citation needed] It is located between the Eurasian and the Philippine Plate, at a convergent plate boundary: where a continental plate meets an oceanic plate, the lighter continental plate overrides the oceanic plate, forcing it down; magma is formed where the rock melts. Like other volcanoes located around the rim of the Pacific Ocean, Mayon is a part of the "Pacific Ring of Fire". It is renowned as the "Perfect Cone" volcano because of its almost perfectly conical shape.

The Mayon Volcano is an active stratovolcano in the Philippines on the island of Luzon, in the province of Albay in the Bicol Region. The near perfectly cone shaped volcano is situated 15 kilometres northwest of Legazpi City. Mayon Volcano is one of the candidates of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located about 50 kilometers north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. The National Park is located in the Saint Paul Mountain Range on the northern coast of the island. It is bordered by St Paul Bay to the north and the Babuyan River to the east. The City Government of Puerto Princesa has managed the National Park since 1992. It is also known as St. Paul's Subterranean River National Park, or St. Paul Underground River. The entrance to the Subterranean River is located a short hike from little town of Sabang.

It features a limestone karst mountain landscape with an 8.2 km. navigable underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it winds through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. It includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and several large chambers. The lower portion of the river is subject to tidal influences. Until the 2007 discovery of an underground river in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Puerto Princesa's underground river is reputed to be the world's longest.

The area also represents a significant habitat for biodiversity conservation. The site contains a full mountain-to-the-sea ecosystem and has some of the most important forests in Asia.

It was inscribed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site on December 4, 1999.

Tubbataha Reef

Tubbataha is located in the Sulu Sea, 98 nautical miles (181 km) southeast of Puerto Princesa City in the Palawan Province. The reef is made up of two coral atolls divided by an eight-kilometer (5 miles) wide channel. The South Atoll, the smaller of the two is five kilometers in length and three kilometers in width; while the North Atoll, the larger of the two is 16 kilometers (10 miles) long and five kilometers (3 miles) wide.(Knipp 22) Each reef has a single small islet that protrudes from the water. The atolls are separated by a deep channel 8 km (5 miles) wide.

Tubbataha has become a popular site for seasoned sports divers because of its coral "walls" where the shallow coral reef abruptly ends giving way to great depths. These "walls" are not only wonderful diving spots but they are also wonderful habitats for many colonies of fish. There are giant jacks, hammerhead sharks, barracudas, manta rays, palm-sized Moorish idols, parrot fishes, and moral eels living in the sanctuary. Tubbataha is even home to the hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) which are endangered species.

There are no permanent inhabitants of the islets or reefs. Fishermen visit the area seasonally, establishing shelters on the islets. The park is visited by tourists, particularly divers. Trips to Tubbattaha from mid-March to mid-June are all vessel-based; the park is about twelve hours by boat from Puerto Princesa City. Tubbataha is considered as the best dive site in the Philippines and the diving dedicated ships that operate during the "Tubbataha Season" are usually booked years in advance especially during the Asian holidays of Easter and "Golden Week".

Malapascua

The first image Malapascua offers will stay with you for a long time: an exceedingly beautiful pristine stretch of white sand, crystal clear waters bordered by coconut trees and a dozen of scattered native style resorts. Malapascua is known to the locals as Longon and this vision of secret beach is whimsically named Bounty beach. It lays 8km off the north of Cebu, has a community of about 400 inhabitants. A walk or a tour unto the whole Island will take you about 3 hours. One way or another it's main resource is the sea: divers and fishermen work side by side with force of compromises.

Snorkeling and fishing With its spectacular underwater flora and fauna there is much to see, making snorkeling a fine experience. A resort will rent boats, alternatively locals will take you on their fishing rakie. Scuba diving Waters off the island offers some of the most exciting extreme dives in the Philippines with adrenaline pumping adventure tresher sharks and manta ray encounters. The dive shops seem mindful of the environment and has a caring attitude to their customers which is as well considering the kind of fish roaming around. They offer introductory courses to advanced scuba diving and there are a couple of wrecks to explore.

La Isla Bonita offers Philippine dishes and pizzas
Ging Ging's is a popular choice, eatery with a large array of options
Kiwi's Restaurant down a track behind Ging Ging's, a small family run eatery with great food and good prices.

Panglao

Panglao Tropical Villas, Panglao Island, Bohol Philippines. (reservations@panglaotropicalvillas.com). Panglao Tropical Villas is Located on the Beautiful Island of Panglao, Bohol in the Philippines ... for a peaceful Bohol beach resort setting amid swaying palm trees and white sand beaches. If you are looking for a peaceful setting amid swaying palms and white sand beaches, retreat to Panglao Tropical Villas we are directly on the beach next to the pool for a great view of the Philippines sun set.
Guests can also enjoy a relaxing swim in the pool or beach. The Resort offers snorkeling, diveing, sailing, island hopping, and whale and dolphine and watching edit

Bohol Beach Club, Bolod, Panglao, Bohol Philippines, (63 38) 411-5222 to 24 (bbclub@mozcom.com). The resort boasts of an exclusive one and half kilometer stretch of white sand, the largest shoreline in that area. Guest can also enjoy a relaxing swim in the kidney shaped pool set in lush greenery or simply laze at the outdoor jacuzzi. The club has aqua sports that include snorkeling, fun island dives, sailing, kayaking, and whale and dolphine watching.

Flushing Meadows Resort and Playground, Brgy. Dao, Dauis, Panglao Island,Bohol Philippines,(63 38) 502-2122 (info@flushingmeadows.com.ph, fax: (63 38) 502-2122 loc. 102). Flushing Meadows Resort & Playground is Bohol's most exclusive deluxe resort. Guests at this lovely Bohol resort may expect a truly pleasurable tropical paradise experience. Fishing and diving facilities, a private beach, a spectacular children's playground, and an international-standard tennis court are among the many attractions at this resort in Bohol. Accommodations here combine island decor with modern amenities; private balconies provide stunning seaviews. Best rates on official website start at US$105.

Panglao Island Nature Resort and Spa, Bingag, Dauis, Panglao Island, Bohol Philippines, (63 38) 411-5878 / 411-5982 (metroctr@mozcom.com). Small cluster of accommodations have private spacious paties with comfortable chaise lounge, an ideal spot for room service for breakfast or leisure reading. Rooms are equipped with the state of the art amenities. The management ensures that service is impeccable and the stuff are the friendliest one will ever meet.

Paragayo Resort in Panglao Island, Bohol, Alona Beach, Panglao Island, Bohol Philippines, (0063) 38 502 9172. Paragayo Resort is a Modern Native inspired resort designed and ran by British national Mark Kilroy. Located 3 minutes walking distance from the world famous Alona Beach, Paragayo Resort combines the crisp island air of Bohol with its international-standard budget resort feel.