The hottest days of summer have been registered in the last few days but the season for the coolest activities is far from over. With only a few weeks left to enjoy summer, there are numerous ways to have fun in the water. Aside from white sand beaches, the Philippines is also home to numerous water sports waiting to be discovered.
2010 05 15
The best place to learn about the culture of a country is in … the dining table! This is most especially true in Guam, a United States territory in the Micronesia Islands that is like a twin to the Philippines separated at birth by the Pacific Ocean.
Internationally published photojournalist, author, lecturer, environmentalist, and a Women Divers Hall of Famer Lynn Funkhouser represented the Philippines in the Chicago Tribune Travel & Adventure Show. Her seminar entitled “The Philippines—Simply the Best!” gave the audience a glimpse of some of the above-land and underwater attractions in the Philippines.
Taking to heart the notion that pictures paint a thousand words, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has found a perfect way to educate the public about the preserving the beauty of the Earth’s Coral Triangle – through photographs.
San Juan is known as the “Town of Philippine Presidents” because four of the presidents of the country were official residents of this historic town: the late President Diosdado Macapagal, the incumbent President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the late President Ferdinand Marcos, and former President Joseph Estrada.
Named after St. John the Baptist, who is the city’s patron saint, the city has been written about in Philippine history because San Juan was the site of the first battle of the Philippine revolution against the Spanish invaders in 1898.
The area of Libis in Quezon City has progressively gained a reputation as the yuppie ghetto frequented by corporate and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) employees spilling out of the nearby offices and skyscrapers in Eastwood City. With a string of fashionable bars and nightspots lining the streets, the area’s nightlife is also enormously popular with expats and residents living in the eastern side of the Metro.
"An indication of confidence in the economy of tourism can be seen in investments and expansions from the local private sector. If we add this to the overseas investments that are coming in, we have these dual engines of growth to continue the progress of the industry,” said Tourism Secretary Ace Durano as he lauded the ground-breaking ceremony of the Panglao Bluewater Resort in Panglao, Bohol.
Lost amid varying terrain, the view obstructed by tall pines and an overgrowth of ferns and bushes, dust clouds were the remnants of those who’ve gone past, while footprints marked the trail that goes even deeper into the woods. A sharp pinch tingles as the thin cold air fills up the chest, a sign of ascent into higher altitude.
There are simply non-stop festivities in Hong Kong this year, which has been themed “Festive Hong Kong 2010” by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB). The highlights of this month are a series of cultural celebrations centred upon four colourful traditional Chinese festivals, showcasing the vibrant living culture of Hong Kong, which is probably the best place in Asia for experiencing traditional Chinese festivals in a cosmopolitan setting.
Along time ago when I worked on the other side of the world in England in the old days, I was very proud when I worked my way up to the important position of manager. I thought it was pure talent, though I have to admit that I was rather a favourite of the big boss of the time. I was really insulted when one day a young colleague, after one drink too many, called me a “yes-man”.
The Philippines received the New Frontiers Award at the recently held Arabian Travel Mart (ATM) at the Dubai Exhibition and Convention Center in Dubai. The award is given to destinations with outstanding contributions to tourism development in the face of overwhelming adversity. Besting fellow nominees Australia and Italy, the Philippines was cited for the quick recovery of its tourism destinations in the wake of the destruction caused by typhoon Ondoy in September last year.
2010 05 12
Approaching the once quiet municipality of Mati is like leisurely snaking your way into its heart, as you deftly maneuver through eight kilometers of a scenic zigzag road (we locals call it “Badas”) winding up a precipice that affords a breathtaking view of the Sleeping Dinosaur island. It is the first recognizable shape you notice nestled in the waters upon your arrival. It also signals the first of many tourist attractions that makes this newly installed city a must-see tourist destination in Mindanao.