Must-see attractions in Bicol

  • Ligñon Hill Nature Park

    For one of the best panoramic views of brooding Mt Mayon and the city, head up Ligñon Hill. It’s a steep, but paved, 20-minute walk up the hill; tricycles…

  • Daraga Church

    Set on a hill splendidly overlooking Mt Mayon is the baroque-style Nuestra Senora de la Porteria church in Daraga, constructed completely from volcanic…

  • Hoyop-Hoyopan Cave

    Pottery dating from 200 BC to AD 900 has been found in this easily accessed limestone cave, set on a quiet hillside above a pretty rural valley. Guides…

  • Bulusan Volcano National Park

    About 16km southwest of Barcelona is Bulusan Volcano National Park. Just inside the park, Bulusan Lake is a popular picnic spot, and there’s a 1.8km…

  • Sleeping Lion Hill

    The view that holds everyone’s attention in Legazpi is of Mt Mayon, but there’s another beautiful panorama many visitors miss: the pretty port of Legazpi…

  • Cagsawa Church & Ruins

    A couple of kilometres northwest of Daraga is the most classic of Bicol's panoramas: the stand-alone greenery-topped belfry of the sunken Cagsawa Church…

  • Mt Isarog National Park

    From Panicuason (pan-ee-kwa-sone), a steep, half-hour walk along a rough road (passable by some vehicles if it’s very dry) leads to the entrance of Mt…

  • Naga Cathedral

    The 19th-century Naga Cathedral, with its imposing Romanesque facade, is a major city landmark. It's fronted by the equally imposing Porta Mariae, a…

  • Calabidongan Cave

    Located around 3km from Hoyop-Hoyopan Cave, the more challenging Calabidongan Cave (literally, Cave of the Bats) is for more adventurous, confident…

  • Embarcadero

    Legazpi's ambitious waterfront mall and entertainment complex is already looking a bit tired, with empty shops and a forlorn feel. The location is…

  • Holy Rosary Minor Seminary Museum

    If you can’t make the Peñafrancia Festival, this little museum may be the next best thing. Located adjacent to the city-dominating cathedral, the exhibits…

  • Church of San Juan Bautista

    The lovely 19th-century facade of the Church of San Juan Bautista, with greenery growing out of the cracks in the mighty masonry, is a must for colonial…

  • Naga City Museum

    This small museum, located on the 3rd floor of the campus of the University of Nueva Caceras, is ethnographic in focus, filled with crafts, tools and…

  • San Gregorio Cathedral

    This handsome stone cathedral is a useful central landmark in Albay. It was built in 1839 after the original was destroyed in the 1814 Mayon eruption.