Activities in Philippines
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DiveCal
Associated with Dive Link Resort.
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Deep-Sea Fishing
Siargao is one of the few places in the country with organised deep-sea fishing; by all accounts it’s top-notch. Reeling in a 300lb sailfish isn’t uncommon – mahi-mahi and Spanish mackerel are also on the menu. The season lasts roughly from January to May. Contact Junior Gonzalez ([tel] 0920 772 8875), who also offers accommodation at his home in Pilar.
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Ardent Hot Springs
Near the Katibawasan Falls are the lukewarm to hot Ardent Hot Springs; head out late in the afternoon when the air temperature has cooled down a bit. The big pool is emptied for cleaning on Wednesday and takes the best part of the day to refill. The springs are in a lush setting and get very busy on weekends.
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Carlos Celdran
Something of a Manila celebrity, Carlos is a hilariously eccentric one-man show of Filipino history and trivia. Highly recommended for those with a sense of humour and an open mind. His new Intramuros headquarters, an eclectic store known as La Monja Loca (The Crazy Nun), is sure to become a magnet for Manila’s creative set.
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The Spa
This is a legitimate spa chain that won’t break the bank. It has about a half-dozen locations, including Greenbelt 1 in Makati and Bonifacio High Street in the Fort.
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Red Pirates
Does private, full-moon or sunset paraw tours, and can be chartered to take you to many spots around northern Panay and Romblon.
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Diving
Diving is king in Sabang. Ever since former president Ferdinand Marcos declared the reefs around Sabang a marine reserve in 1973, word has been spreading about the great diving here. Favoured sites include the Hole in the Wall, Verde Island and the four wrecks in Sabang Bay. Diving is possible year-round, though seas can get rough from June to September.
The usual price for a single dive with all equipment included is around US$25; it's cheaper if you have your own equipment or book a number of dives. Most of the dive centres offer PADI-approved courses - typically, an open-water course will set you back around US$350. A range of courses for more experienced divers is…
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Planet Action
Active travellers should visit Jochen and Jinky at Planet Action. They offer some of the most exhilarating adventure tours in the Visayas. Trips cater for beginners through to advanced actioneers and include all equipment and meals. On Cebu there is a range of one-day excursions offering everything from canyoning to caving to mountain biking (hire a bike or bring your own). The mountain biking packages are divided into ‘easy’, ‘hardcore’ and ‘DIY’, which pretty much encapsulates Planet Action’s adventure-for-everyone philosophy. The average price range for one-day activities is P2000 to P3000 per person; groups of four or more are preferred. The most challenging of Planet…
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Pagsanjan
About 70km (44mi) southwest of Manila in the Laguna Province is a popular spot for tourists to shoot the rapids in canoes. For a fee, you are paddled upriver to a waterfall (a good place for a swim), and then go rushing down the rapids, getting a good old soaking on the way.
Many rich tourists have thrown the pesos around, so you can expect to be hassled for extra money. Some travellers have reported having an unpleasant time after refusing to pay extra to the boatmen. This part of the river was where the final scenes of Apocalypse Now were filmed, but you're more likely to have a pleasant cruise than an existential encounter with pure evil.
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Si-Kat
A convenient way to get from Manila to Puerto Galera (via Batangas) is by the combined air-con bus and boat services offered by competitors Si-Kat and Island Cruiser. Both have booking desks in Manila and at Muelle pier in the township of Puerto Galera.
Both services depart from A Mabini St in Ermita, Manila at 08:00: the Si-Kat bus from the Citystate Tower Hotel and the Island Cruiser bus from the Lotus Garden Hotel. They connect with pumpboats at Batangas at around 10:45 and arrive at Muelle pier at noon. Return trips depart from Muelle pier at 08:00 and arrive in Manila around 13:00. Si-Kat costs around P500/around P1000 one way/return.
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Diving & Snorkelling
The entire island of Boracay is surrounded by reef and there are 30-plus dive sites within a 15- to 20-minute boat ride. Boracay's pride and joy, Yapak, off the northern tip, is a sheer soft-coral-covered wall running from 30m to 65m. Big-fish lovers adore this spot, though depth, currents and surface chop restrict it to advanced divers only. There are also drift dives, cave dives, and the protected (usually west) side of the island offers calm, shallow reefs for beginners.
One such reef is Crocodile Island; you can swim out here on your own from the small beach at Tambisaan.
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Palogtoc Falls
A successful conquest of Mt Bulusan deserves a soak in the Palogtoc Falls. This grotto is accessible by a 500m walk from a trailhead off the main road between the park entrance and San Roque (it’s also on the Bulusan–Irosin jeepney route). It features a gorgeous cold-water pool fed by falls beside a shady river, with mercifully no visible concrete, just a few low-key bamboo and nipa huts. It’s a lovely spot, especially if you luck out and are there alone.
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Bohol Travel & Tours
For something even more special, you can go on a Cambuhat Village Ecotour, a cruise up the mangrove-lined Daet River from Buenavista to the village of Cambuhat, where you’ll see an oyster farm and raffia weaving, and enjoy a delicious seafood lunch. The tour takes six hours, costs P750 (less for group bookings) and includes transfers from Tagbilaran. Contact Bohol Travel & Tours in Tagbilaran.
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Kadlagan Outdoor Shop & Climbing Wall
For gear rental, guides and tips on hiking and climbing, Kadlagan Outdoor Shop & Climbing Wall is the place to go. Shop owner Jojo Villareal is a wealth of information, knows all the local rocks and routes (and won’t recommend those he thinks are overused) and is usually here in the evenings. He can organise guides for hikes up Mt Isarog and occasionally takes groups to the Caramoan Peninsula.
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Casino Filipino
If highrolling’s your thing, then Casino Filipino at the Waterfront Hotel is for you. If not, the place is still worth a look if only for the mechanical horse-racing machine, the fake night sky of the main gaming room, and the spellbinding ceiling mural in the foyer – a 50m by 30m recreation of explorer Ferdinand Magellan’s world map.
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Ivan Mandy Tours
There are two locals offering walking tours of Manila. Both are captivating and entertaining, offering a variety of walks around the city. They may be the best thing to happen to Manila tourism in decades. Ivan Mandy has a deep knowledge of Manila and its history and culture. He's an expert at ferreting out the often overlooked gems of the city.
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Queen Anne Divers
The only way to visit Tubbataha is on one of the half dozen or so liveaboards operating from Puerto Princesa. The average cost for a week-long trip is US$1000 to US$1500. Queen Anne Divers based in Puerto Princesa has received positive feedback from travellers. The season for visiting Tubbataha runs from March through June.
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Showtime Adventures
Showtime Adventures is run by the entrepreneurial Betan Pe (just ask for him around town). Trips, including fishing, overnight kayaking and even horseback riding excursions, can be arranged. Make sure everything is agreed upon in advance, including whether Betan or another English-speaking guide will be accompanying you.
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Cruise Island Adventure Inc
The only way to visit Tubbataha is on one of the half dozen or so liveaboards operating from Puerto Princesa. The average cost for a week-long trip is US$1000 to US$1500. Cruise Island Adventure Inc based in Manila received positive feedback from travellers. The season for visiting Tubbataha runs from March through June.
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Mt Isarog Hot Springs
At Panicuason, Mt Isarog Hot Springs has five natural hot-to-tepid pools. These offer a good way to relax after a trek in the Mt Isarog National Park. The springs are a 1.3km walk off the main road, just before the road to the national park, and combined with Malabsay Falls make a good day trip from Naga.
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Climbing
Although your greatest climb in Manila might just be the endless stairs to an LRT or MRT station, there are many good places to climb in the region, such as Mt Banahaw and Mt San Cristobal in South Luzon and Mt Pinatubo north of Manila.
Power Up is a group of Manila climbers that can organise big and small climbs.
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Aqualife Divers Academy
The entire island of Boracay is surrounded by reef and there are 30-plus dive sites within a 15- to 20-minute boat ride. Boracay's pride and joy, Yapak, off the northern tip, is a sheer soft-coral-covered wall running from 30m to 65m. You are spoilt for choice for dive centres, but we recommend Aqualife Divers Academy.
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Tuba Tours
Rightfully so, the most popular activity in El Nido is island-hopping in the Bacuit Archipelago. Tuba Tours, basically a hole-in-the-wall operation received good reports from travellers. A lunch of freshly grilled fish, vegies and rice is usually included; snorkelling gear may cost extra.
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RG Jar
You can visit a couple of pottery factories on Liberation Blvd, near the corner of Gomez St. The 50m-long kiln at RG Jar, which was made in 1823 and can hold nearly 1000 jars, is a wonder to behold. A resident carabao is employed as a mixer at RG Jar and periodically walks on the clay.
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Tao Philippines
Tao Philippines, an upmarket operation, at least in terms of price runs island-hopping trips, some further afield, as well as camping expeditions between El Nido and Coron. It’s probably best to contact them via email since there’s often no cell signal where they’re travelling.
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