The Hundred Islands National Park (Pangasinan: Kapulo-puloan or Taytay-Bakes) is in the province of Pangasinan in northern Philippines. It is located in Alaminos City, Pangasinan. The islands (124 at low tide and 123 at high tide) are scattered along Lingayen Gulf and cover an area of 1,844 hectares (4,556.62 acres). They are believed to be about two million years old. Only three of them have been developed for tourists: Governor Island, Quezon Island, and Children’s Island.

Trivia

* One of the islands was named ‘Rated K Island’ after a Philippine TV programme.
* The town Anda, located north-east of Alaminos City, is often called the “mother island” of the Hundred Islands.
* The Pinoy Big Brother had another house in Hundred Islands. It was located on Governor Island and was first used by the Teen Edition housemates.

Superstitions

* When it is your first time to visit the place, people believe that kissing the statue of Princess Urduja would protect you before riding the boat on your way to the islands

So this isn’t the usual “getaway” destination post.. While I was browsing the net looking for nice pictures and popular tourist destination, this lovely picture came up!

When I saw that photo, the first few words that came to my mouth except for the word “WOW” is “I never thought Ortigas to be like this!” Yes, call me an ignorant but I have never seen (or atleast notice) Ortigas being as lovely as shown in the picture. Or maybe because I haven’t been on that tower to have that view. But whoever took that picture, LUCKY YOU!

Pamalican is a small island in the Sulu Sea Quiniluban group of the Cuyo islands, between Palawan and Panay, in the north part of the Palawan province of the Philippines. The island is set in the middle of a 7 square-kilometer coral reef. It has a length of 2.5 kilometers, and measures only 500 meters at its widest point.

The island was originally exploited as a struggling family-owned plantation. It was then purchased to establish an exclusive resort, re-planted with natural scrub and trees, and equipped with bungalows. The island is private property and belongs in totality to the resort. It is part of the high-end Aman group of resorts, under the name Amanpulo.

The island is serviced by a Dornier 228-202K plane flying from Manila, which is used to ferry customers and to bring supplies to the resort. Each bungalow (called casitas) comes with a personal buggy for free circulation throughout the island. The atmosphere around the island is extremely tranquil and secluded.

Diving activities are available, allowing for nice coral viewing and encounters with large turtles and rays. Several windsurf boards and sails are provided at the “Windsurf hut” on the north shore. The shallow protected lagoon there allows for easy windsurfing on a flat surface, and is especially favourable during the northern monsoon season (November to May), when the wind blows onshore.

About 40% of the employees are from the neighbouring island of Manamoc.

The resort has been nominated as one of the best island resorts in the world.

Malapascua Island is situated in Daanbantayan, Cebu.
It is a recent discovery for diving afficionados being discovered only in the early 90s. It is a tiny island 8 kilometers across a shallow strait from the northernmost tip of mainland Cebu island.

Logon, an insular barangay of Daanbantayan occupies the entire Malapascua Island and has eight hamlets.

Malapascua is actually a diver’s paradise. The island was discovered for its wide white sandy “BOUNTY BEACH” and later furthermore for its beautiful coral gardens and excellent dive spots nearby. The first resort to locate in the island was not a diving facility, it was “Cocobana Bounty Beach Resort”. Later a tourist diver discovered the sunken Island “Monad Shoal” where you can watch Thresher Sharks, the only place in the world to watch Tresher Sharks! Today, the majority of the resorts offer full-service dive facilities. In fact more than half of the visitors to the island are divers and dive afficionados.

Bounty Beach is the name of a stretch of beach along the southern and eastern shore. It is the main beach of the island where most of the upscale resorts are found. Cocobana Beach Resort, the largest on the island, the pricey yet exquisite Sunsplash Resort, Hippocampus Resort and also the finest so called “hidden secret of Malapascua” the MANGROVE ORIENTAL Beach Resort are some of the popular resorts that offer excellent accommodations and dining options. Number one from the dive resorts is Dicks “Malapascua EXOTIC Dive and Beach resort”. He was the one who made Malapascua the worlds most known Thresher Shark diving place. Most passenger boats to and from Cebu land at Bounty Beach.

Most of the islanders derive their livelihood from tourism and some get their daily sustenance from the bounty of the sea.

The Island of Malapascua is one of the many places in Daanbantayan that is famous for swimming — snorkeling — diving – fishing – sailing – boating — exploring – and just relaxing.

Local boats that can be rented in the Malapascua / Daanbantayan area, can take visitors to other nearby islands which generally remain unspoilt, such as Carnassa, Kalangaman/Calanggaman, Kanatarken(?), Gato, Chocolate Island — and others

Getting to Malapascua Island is a 4-hour bus trip from the Cebu North Bus Terminal passing through picturesque northern towns of Cebu to Maya, Daanbantayan, the northernmost point of Cebu mainland. Upon arrival at the Maya wharf, motorized outrigger boats will take visitors to the Malapascua island across the narrow channel in 30 minutes or so, depending on the weather condition. The trip frequency to the island takes every 30 minutes for 24 hours, starting 9:00 am for the first boat and 4:00 pm for the last boat. But the trip back to the mainland usually stops at 3:00/4:00 in the afternoon. It can happen that no boat goes back to Maya in the afternoon, cause boats go only if enough passengers are available. In this case one has to try to rent a boat by a so called special trip that costs you about 600-800 Php!!

Bantayan Island is an island in the Philippines located at the western portion of the northern tip of Cebu. The island can be reached by ferry from Hagnaya Wharf in San Remigio, Cebu, or from Cebu City, or from Cadiz City in Negros Occidental.

The town is composed of three municipalities:

* Bantayan, Cebu
* Madridejos, Cebu
* Santa Fe, Cebu

As of the 2000 census, the island has a total population of 120,101.

Tingko Beach is a popular getaway located in Daan Lungsod, Alcoy in Cebu, Philippines. It is situated in a small but deep lagoon across a coral island, called Mabad-on Reef, which is completely submerged during high tide and exposed during low tide. It is separated only by a very narrow channel from the mainland. Tingko Beach is characterised as an extensive stretch of arcing shoreline, approximately more than a mile long with very white sand and crystal clear water fringed with coconut palm grooves and limestone cliffs. A few feet from the shore the sea floor gradually plunges down to a depth of several feet below the surface.

The beach can be crowded during weekends where locals and city folks, and occasionally, foreigners, flock to enjoy the beautiful sand, sea and sun. Due to its unique location, being an arcing shoreline on a lagoon, the sand in the southernmost end of the beach would shift northward during the northeast winter monsoon season, sometime between late September and early December, thereby emptying the sand completely out exposing the rocky bed of the shore. The sand would return quickly starting in late December. The beach is conspicuously hidden out of sight when viewed from the road as it is situated down below a low limestone cliff. The KM 95 marker indicates the distance of the beach from the city. Most of the beach front property is owned by Roslyn Maria Roy a native of car-car, cebu and her husband Andrew and their 2 daughters Noelle and Danielle Roy.

A few meters beyond the northern reach of Tingko Beach stands the centuries-old Spanish-built Bantayan sa Hari (watch tower) on a promontory. Nearby are charming white houses, a row of beautiful white-washed houses over craggy shores, specially built for out-of-towners who want to stay in town temporarily for a short vacation with minimal fee. The beach also has crude huts with running water and toilet facilities. Camping is also possible on the beach where you can bring along tents for more fun and enjoyment.

Puerto Galera is blessed with one of the world’s most beautiful natural harbors. Known as the Pearl of Mindoro, it is world-famous for splendid beaches, coral reefs, and exquisite dive sites for new and experienced divers alike.

There are shallow coral gardens, interesting rock formations, and colorful species to watch, like crabs, shrimps, sea anemones, moray, and trumpet fishes. Puerto Galera is known among tourists for its numerous pocket beaches and many snorkeling and diving spots. The beaches have an active night life with their numerous beachside bars and restaurants.Puerto Galera is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines.
According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 21,925 people in 4,424 households. It is the northwesternmost municipality in Oriental Mindoro.

Puerto Galera is only three and a half hours away from Manila first by bus to the port at Batangas City and then by boat. Tourists can also take the high-speed ferry service (popularly known as the Supercat) from the Batangas City port to Calapan, Mindoro and then by jeepney to Puerto Galera.

THE BEACHES :
La Laguna Beach
This an ideal place for swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving. There are a number of resorts that offer accommodation and other travel and aqua sports facilities to both domestic and international tourists. It is located in La Laguna, Puerto Galera, and can be reached in 30 minutes from the town proper of Puerto Galera by taking a jeepney bound for La Laguna.

Sabang Beach
This area is ideal for swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving. A cluster of nightspots abound in this area, which make it popular for evening socials. Cottages with entertainment facilities stand close to each other. Low-budget accommodations are available. It is located east of Puerto Galera, and can be reached in 15 minutes from the Puerto Galera pier by taking a jeepney or an outrigger banca.

Small La Laguna
Contrary to its name, Small La Laguna is bigger than La Laguna, and has more facilities. It has coral reefs, and its water is ideal for snorkeling and scuba diving. There are diving equipment for rent at nearby dive shops. It is located beside Sabang Beach, and can be reached in 20 minutes from the pier by taking a jeepney bound for Sabang.

Talipanan Beach
This area is not as busy as the other beaches in Puerto Galera. Thus, it is an ideal site for private swimming. It is located in Puerto Galera, and can be reached in 40 minutes by taking a jeepney or an outrigger boat from the town pier.

White Sand Beach
The white sandy strips of this beach offer excellent opportunities for swimming. Resorts in this area provide entertainment facilities for tourists’ greater amusement and leisure. It is located in Barangay San Isidro, Puerto Galera, and is accessible in 30 minutes from the town proper by a jeepney or a boat.

Punta Guarda Beach
This beach is far from the busy areas of Puerto Galera; thus, it is ideal for those who seek privacy and retreat. It is located in Puerto Galera, Occidental Mindoro, and can be reached by taking a 10 minutes’ jeepney ride from the town proper, to about one kilometer on the beach mark. The distance left will have to be covered on foot.

Adventure
Mountain Trail
The recently established Puerto Galera ‘Mountain Trail’ also called the Tabinay-Talipanan Trail, is a fairly easy introduction to the mountainous interior of Mindoro Island. The two-to-three-day walk begins in Tabinay, southeast of Puerto Galera and winds past three mountains - none of which are major summits - before emerging on the white sands of Talipanan beach, on the northwest side of town.

Diving
Underwater, Puerto Galera is a feast for the eyes. Having enjoyed the protection afforded by its marine sanctuary status for years, the coral reefs are alive and vibrant. Spear fishing is banned, and local dive operators forbid the taking of anything except pictures on the dive sites. Most of the deeper dives are along walls and drop-offs and currents can be strong. It is best to dive with an experienced divemaster or instructor to avoid problems. At least 16 dive centers are located along the beaches of Sabang, Small Lalaguna, Big Lalaguna, Coco Beach and Encenada Beach resort in Varadero Bay on the south coast of the isthmus. Local operators boast there are at least 25 dive sites within 20mins of any dive center.

Mountain biking
Puerto Galera is best known as a diving destination, but other action sports are starting to sprout up - mountain biking being one of the most enjoyable. In Calapan, there’s a keen group of local enthusiasts, bike shops, plenty of trails and amazing views. The sport seems set to blossom in this area.

Described as the last frontier, Palawan is dedicated to eco-tourism with stunning subterranean caves, unexplored dive sites, unspoiled beaches and verdant tropical jungles for trekkers.

Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas Region. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City and it is the largest province in terms of land area. The islands of Palawan stretches from Mindoro to Borneo in the southwest. It lies between the South China Sea in the northwest and Sulu Sea in the southeast. The province is named after its largest island, Palawan Island.

Opened in 1980, Puerto Azul is one of the country’s tourism showcases. It has an impressive resort, and country club complex sprawling along seven coves with gray sand beaches. The resort also has a Gary Player championship golf course. Jet-skis and sailboats are just a few of the seacrafts that litter the seas of Palikpikan Beach.

Located in Ternate, Cavite this pleasant fivestar resort is just a few hours from Manila, thus making an excellent weekend getaway. Nestled between the beach and forested hills on 5,500 hectares (13,750acres) it features facilities for surf and turf sports, including a championship golf course, and many other activities. Sunshine run operates daily shuttle services between Manila and Puerto Azul.

Boracay Is Famous For…

Beaches / White Beach

Boracay boasts of a sugary white sand beach and azure blue waters. The best part of the island is the four-kilometer White Beach known to be the “finest beach in the world.” The surrounding water is shallow and the sand is finer and brighter than most beaches in the archipelago. White Beach is so, soooo fine, it feels like treading on miles of baby powder!

Aquasports
The island paradise of Boracay is a perfect place for watersports. Here, you can partake in a smorgasbord of exhilirating aqua action - from swimming and snorkeling to scuba diving, windsurfing, sailboating, kayaking, boardsailing, and boating.

Nature Tripping / Eco-Adventure
World-renowned Boracay is an adventure island ideal for island hopping, hiking, trekking, caving, mountain climbing, biking, and horseback riding. Trekking and mountain biking can bring even the intrepid to the island’s quaint interior villages and to the edges’ scenic rocky cliffs, discovering along the way many hidden coves with isolated beaches far from the tourist crowd.

Boardsailing at Bulabog Beach
On the eastern side of Boracay Island is Bulabog Beach. It is a boardsailor’s mecca that draws enthusiasts from all over the world, especially during the peak season from November to March. In January, it is the site of an International Funboard Cup.

Paraw Regatta
Sailboating and kayaking are popular sporting activities, with Boracay playing host to the annual Paraw Regatta, an international sailboat race that makes use of the native outrigger.

Diving
Dive sites surround the island and are learning venues to both novice and professional divers, guided by competent instructors of the many dive shops that operate in the area. For trueblue scuba diving enthusiasts, Yapak in Boracay is a great deep dive.

Recreational Sports
Laid-back Boracay is the perfect venue for golf, tennis, bowling, even beach volleyball. Top-of-class amenities for these activities are available in the island. For golf bugs, Fairways and Bluewater Resort Golf and Countryclub has an 18-hole championship course.

Partyhopping
The code in Boracay is strictly informal. Walking barefoot than shod is the rule rather than the exception. Swinging discos have the beach for a floor, giving dance a new twist. From dusk to dawn, the island turns into one big party place where everyone is welcome to join in.

Mambo Number 5
For the adventure-driven, “Mambo Number 5? is a little bit of boating and wind surfing, a little bit of scuba diving, a little bit of trekking, a little bit of mountain biking, and a little bit of golf.

Shopping
Bargain shopping is a joy of a diversion while in Boracay. Souvenir pieces provide endless possibilities, from trinkets and native accessories made of shells and semi-precious stones to exotic or contemporary beach wear and fashion artworks.

Dining
The taste of the 6th Region, to which Boracay belongs, is quite simple. Charbroiled chicken is common fare. Another favorite dish is raw fish marinated in spicy vinegar. Dining is no problem in Boracay, with most resorts having their own restaurants that serve both Filipino and international cuisines. Small snack bars line the island.

Relaxation
Diversions are not a problem in Boracay, with leisure activities calendared throughout the year and amenities offered by some 350 tourist establishments. The island is ideal for beachbumming, relaxing, and simply lazing around. At the end of the day, unwind with a relaxing massage. The island never runs out skilled masseurs offering massage services by the beach. For a more luxurious treat, visit the new Mandala Spa.

Boracay Boardsailing
The picture-perfect tropical island of Boracay offers flat-water speed sailing, wave jumping, and longboard cruising. White Beach, shielded from the amihan, or northeast monsoon, is for beginners. Bulabog Beach, on the other side of the island, has ideal conditions for speed, slalom, and high-wind shortboard sailing. It is also the site of the annual Boracay International Funboard Cup. Tabon Strait has superb high-performance sailing, but there is a real risk of being swept away, so this site is for skilled sailors only.

Tibiao Whitewater River
Rising near the peak of Mt. Madja-as, the Tibiao River descends almost 2000m on its short but tumultuous journey to the sea. The lower section of the river, known as the “Chicken Run”, is grade 3; the more difficult upper section reaches grade 4. The Tibiao has all the classic features of a tropical whitewater river, with rich vegetation hemming the banks, views of rice terraces, spectacular falls and clear water. The river is close to Boracay and easily accessible.