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Thursday, January 24, 2013

Biri Island, Samar Island



Biri Island is in Northern Samar known as “Grand Canyon of the Philippines.”

Biri Island is known for its gorgeous rock formations. It is one of the tiny islands in San Bernardino Strait, which separates Sorsogon and Samar Island.

There are seven rock formations of different shapes and sizes, lining the seashore about 500 meters from the roadside. According to a study from the University of the Philippines’ National Institute of Geological Sciences, the rocks are sedimentary rocks from the Early Miocene Period, making them about 5 million to 23 million years old.

The formations are separated from each other by water, smaller rocks, seaweed and mini-saltwater pools. At low tide, the water is about knee-deep, but is deeper in the mini-pools, so you must avoid them. There’s a cement bridge from the roadside to the rocks, but it’s unfinished so you still have to wade the rest of the way.

The rock was shaped like a gigantic table, wide and covered with grass at the top, with a base in the middle.The other one was shaped like an obtuse triangle

The rock formations were also separated from the road by a body of water, but this time the area was planted with a mixture of green and yellowish mangroves.





Monday, January 21, 2013

Gumamela Caverock Farm Resort, Davao City



Nestled in a secluded , peaceful and tranquil farm setting 21km outside of Davao City Hall  is the historical Gumamela Caverock Farm Resort. The resort land area is part of the Tolosa Property which was formerly occupied by the Japanese Imperial Forces during World War II .  

The resort is a recreation and tourism  graded establishment and  consists of 8 traditional- Heritage Cottages situated in between fruit trees, with mini- conference facilities, a restaurant- cocktail bar,  swimming pool-spa and sports facilities on site. 

It offers a wide range of nature- based activities like hiking,  trekking, Japanese Cave Exploration and other nature- based adventure activities.


ATTRACTIONS
River/ creek, natural Waterfalls and springs, World War II Japanese Imperial Army Bunkers or caves (the resort was also occupied by the Japanese forces during World War II), well- preserved rainforests/ vegetation, paintings and Bagobo- inspired sculptures, World's tallest concrete Hibiscus or Gumamela Sculpture handcrafted by Rey Mudjahid "Kublai" Millan , Man-made and mud-painted Poolside Caverock (artificial caves and rocks) shower rooms and toilets , natural stone- heated spa- swimming pool , secured environment, traditional- heritage cottages (modern-native design), hybrid gumamela plants - centennial series, millennium series and celebrity series from the University of the Philippine Institute of Plant Breeding and other ornamental plants.

A Classy inland, riverside, mountain farm resort and restaurant   located at Purok 3 Tolosa, Barangay (Village) Matina Biao, Tugbok District, Davao City. The City Government of Davao has reclassified the land where the resort is situated as a Park and Recreation Zone under Resolution No. 0163-10 with corresponding City Ordinance No. 017- 10. With approved Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC-R11-1101-0013) issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources- Environmental Management Board under Presidential Decree 1586.






Vinapor Beach, Carmen, Agusan Del Norte



A wide sandy beach set against towering coconut palms and lush vegetation.

How to get there
One will have to hire a jeepney or a private vehicle to reach the site. Some hiking is necessary.




Word's Largest Rosary, Tagum City


WORLD records aren’t often set in Tagum City.

Maybe it’s because it doesn’t have two million bats that hide in a cave as in Island Garden City of Samal. Or a 6.17-meter-long crocodile like the one captured in the rivers of Bunawan, Agusan del Sur.

Or maybe people just have better things to do than devote time and effort to breaking the world record for hundreds of couple kissing together.

But tucked away behind the Christ the King Cathedral in Magugpo South sits a huge structure that just might be the biggest of its kind in the world.

An 85.5-meter-long rosary, made of linked beads, lines a pathway going to the giant bronze statue of the Risen Christ.

TagumeƱos, as locals from the city are called, are hoping the Guinness Book of World Records would officially recognize it as the world’s largest prayer beads.

"We are hoping that it will soon be declared as the largest Roman Catholic rosary in the whole world," said Edwin B. Lasquite, the city information officer II.

According to Lasquite, the largest rosary on the record is currently held by a school in Brazil. The 35-meter rosary is made of polished coconuts. In Cairo, Egypt, the School of St. Joseph has a 52.9-meter rosary made of over a million balls of Styrofoam.

In contrast, the beads of the giant rosary in Tagum are made from magcono (iron wood), which is native to the mountains of Davao Oriental and Surigao del Sur. Each bead weighs 35 kilograms; the total weight is 2,815 kilograms.

The giant rosary, which was originally intended as a project of the Knights of Columbus to commemorate the silver anniversary of the Catholic diocese of Tagum City in 2005, is just one of the attractions of Christ the King Cathedral.

The cathedral in itself is an attraction; it is considered the biggest basilica in Mindanao. Most tourists find it impressive due to its imposing architecture incorporating modern and traditional designs.

HOW TO GET THERE: The cathedral is located along corner Gonzales Avenue and Sobrecary Street in Magugpo, South of Tagum City. It is 53 kilometers north of Davao City. To get there, take a bus bound for Tagum City. Buses operate 24 hours a day.





Thursday, January 17, 2013

Cagwait White Beach, Tandag


This resort is the host of Kaliguan Festival held every year and is being assisted by the Department of Tourism. This is not privately operated, however, this is owned and managed by the local government unit of Cagwait.

To reach Cagwait, you need to take the Davao to Tandag route at Ecoland Bus Terminal, Davao City. There are only 2 routes scheduled and operated by Bachelor Express Inc. daily. One is every 7pm. The other one is every 1 am which is the only trip that uses air conditioned bus bound to Tandag. The cost of the travel from Davao City to Cagwait (not Aras-asan), using the aircon bus, is 465 pesos. The average travel time ranges from 8 to 9 hours. Upon arrival at Cagwait Crossing, wait for a motorized tricycle, and instruct the driver that you will go to Cagwait White Beach. There are beach resort operators in the area. To name a few (Cagwait White Beach Resort, Lolenghayaw Beach Resort, Extreme Beach Resort, and Chiara Beach Resort).







Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Maze Park and Resort, Iligan City


One beautiful and relaxing place in Iligan City is the “Maze Park”. Maze Park and Resort is known for its wide land area with animals such as Ostriches, Cows, Snakes, Monkeys, & Fishes. It has a couple of big swimming pools and small pools of different shapes. They got their water supply from the spring or “tubod (in Filipino)”.

Maze Park is a “Nature” themed Park. It has several different areas with different designs to choose from so anyone who’s been there usually has a variety of pictures taken by their cameras. It has a fishing park, but I believe they no longer allowed people to get some fish from the pond at the moment. It’s OK to feed the fishes with bread but touching the water or teasing the fishes is not allowed. There are lots of Plants and Flowers in the area such as “Santan”, “Gumamela”, “Roses”, and many more. Maze Park amenities include usage of Cottages, Grilling area, Function hall, Botanical Park, Mini Zoo, Videoke machine at P5.00 per song and a lifeguard.





Gloria's Fantasyland, Dapitan City



“Ibalik ang Pagkabata Natin”,this is the slogan of the Gloria Fantasyland. Fantasyland is a world class theme park located in Dapitan City. It is the biggest theme park outside of Metro Manila and is comparable to Luzon’s Enchanted Kingdom and Star City, and maybe even Disneyland an international theme park. The park does not look like a “perya” as others may think it is. It has a land area of almost 4 hectares with several state of the art rides that has colorful and attractive designs and lightings, and entertainment shows that both kids and adults will surely enjoy the fun and thrilling experience. Aside from rides there also souvenir shops, photo kiosks and video game arcades located inside Gloria’s Fantasyland. Food stalls and food stands are also available for your convenience. There are comfort rooms and first aid clinics inside the park. After a fun filled experience at Gloria’s Fantasyland, you can tell us about your suggestions and comments via the Guest Suggestion Forms found at the Park Relations Office.

One of the highlights of Fantasyland is the 5D cinema which is one of a kind in the Philippines and the full sized Haunted House which was designed by top production designers. Gloria’s Fantasyland is transforming Dapitan city into a top tourist destination in Mindanao and in the whole Philippines!

Gloria’s Fantasyland is located at Sunset Boulevard, Dawo, Dapitan City inside Gloria de Dapitan. It is 12 kilometers away from Dipolog airport, 6 kilometers away from pulauan seaport and 14 kilometers away from Dipolog City. Fantasyland can be best experienced during nighttime with its spectacular light effects. The Park is open from 5:30 in the afternoon until midnight. Fantasyland is very well maintained and vey clean inside and out.

It’s the perfect destination for tourists, families and friends who simply wants to enjoy and have fun!





Friday, January 4, 2013

Amandari Cove, General Santos



This resort features an outdoor pool and a kids pool, as well as a laundry service and a dry cleaning service.

Amenities at the resort include luggage storage and a terrace. Guests can stay connected with the resort's standard Wi-Fi access.

All rooms at the Amandari Cove are air conditioned and offer cable / satellite channels, a TV and a balcony. Private bathrooms provide a shower and towels.

The Amandari Cove has an on-site restaurant, perfect for guests wishing to eat in.