While God’s boundless Love and Salvation continues to unfold, the season of traveling begins in the Pearl of the Orient Seas. The period of March to May are the best months to undertake a deeper meaning of “extraordinary adventures” in the Philippines.
Experience this best 7 invigorating activities which will enrich your typical traveling style while around the Philippine archipelago (my personal choices):
This is my top pick as it is a perfect form of regenerating our physical, mental and spiritual states. The Farm at San Benito is known as the alternative healing center and is considered one of the world’s authentic medical spas among a few.
The farm puts together a spa resort and medical facility to cater to customers who seek a more meaningful relief and relaxation. It specializes in non-western types of therapy and in treating acute, degenerative and chronic diseases. It offers an overnight wellness program with medical consultation, a medical vacation program (detoxification, exercise, skin and bowel cleansing for 5 days), a tailored healing program (for those with more serious health conditions including diabetes, psoriasis and asthma for a max of 3 week-stay) and a typical hours spa treatment program (reflexology, body massages, foot and facial scrubs).
Other notable services include a popular Tibetan exercise, meditation, yoga, breathing and walking exercises.
Nurture your sanity in this privately unassuming yet finest spa services you rarely get to experience in a city life. Reconnect your mind, body and soul in this completely serene environment.
San Benito Farm is situated at the foothills of Mount Malarayat in Lipa City, Batangas which is a 2-hour drive from Manila.
Conquer and uncover a meditational trek to this third highest peak mountain in the Philippines. Who would refuse to see the other worldly scenery with the phenomenon of a majestic Sea of Clouds and view of Milky Way Galaxy (best viewed at dawn) at the highest peak of the mountain.
Due to its high elevation, Mt. Pulag’s climate dips into sub-freezing temperatures making it the coldest place in the Philippines all year round. The meeting of the borders of the provinces of Benguet, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya is an oozing appeal.
The thought of a productive silent dialogue with Mother Nature can happen very meaningfully while being one with and on top of Mount Pulag.
Trekking the mountain is through five known trails but the easiest and most common is via Ambangeg trail in Kabayan, Benguet. From Baguio City (4 to 5 hours away from Manila), trekkers can hire a jeepney or take a public bus at the terminal of Magsaysay avenue in Baguio which is bound for Kabayan, Benguet where the trek begins.
Wake up to the best premium native Arabica coffee found in the exquisite Cordillera Mountains from the 3 northern-most provinces of Luzon – Ifugao, Kalinga and Mt. Province.
You may choose to fancy the famous American and European brews all your life. I crave for it too. But did you know that the finest grades of native coffee beans originated from the very heart of indigenous tribes in the Philippines who carefully crafted our local beans by hand with much passion and dedication?
I have personally tried the local brew at Banaue Rice Terraces in the province of Ifugao and sipping its awakening aroma while gazing at the captivating view of the rice terraces right in front of me. No amount of money can equal that ever precious moment.
Our native coffee may not be popular and sought after in the world but it will never go unnoticed. And whoever has tasted it will realize the rewarding values of simplicity and humility but quality at its finest which our local farmers and brewers chose to preserve over the years. The Philippine Brew is surely a “Taste to Remember” characterized by varied stories of authentic hand craftsmanship, uniqueness, hard work, service and love worth cherishing.
You can choose from anywhere in the 3 northern provinces of Luzon to savor your local brew experience. It will take 8 to 10-hour drive from Manila by bus or lesser hours by private vehicle. Accommodations are easy to find around the areas within these provinces.
Pamper yourself to a stress-free journey and a complete diversion from physical, mental and spiritual activity to a souvenir escapade in the “Native Slippers Capital of the Philippines” (export quality).
The town of Liliw in the province of Laguna is ever famous for producing varieties of top quality footwear apart from being known for its cold water spring resorts and native homemade sweets.
At times, it is more relaxing to learn in-depth about how native products are manually produced and why they are still considered prime in quality and free from hazardous effects.
If you happen to visit San Benito Farm from Lipa City, Batangas, why not stop over for hours of pampered shopping in Liliw which is just an hour and 20-minute drive via Pan-Philippine Hi Way, Nagcarlan-Rizal Road or Batangas-Quezon Road.
Or just purposely hop over to Liliw if you have a spare time while in Manila for just a 2-hour drive via South Luzon Expressway and get locally educated while shopping.
from the 3 major islands:
Luzon:
Try Philippines' very own and popular cold dessert branded as “Halo-Halo” with its authentic recipe originated from the Culinary Capital of the Philippines, “Pampanga” and taste it together with the other native delicacies which are best served at Razon's Restaurant in Guagua, Pampanga.
The freshness of Cebu Province’s rich marine life can be tasted in its specialty dish - "Fish Tinola", a simple sour broth flavored with onions, tomatoes and sambag (tamarind) and cooked over coco-lumber firewood for hours.
You can get a genuine taste of this healthy local menu from A-One Food Shop at Rd. North 6, North Reclamation, Cebu City. A-One is cooking up to 200 kilos of fish daily.
The provinces of General Santos and Davao are known for their numerous ways of cooking tuna fish.
The Inihaw na Panga ng Tuna (Grilled Tuna Jaw) is a must-try when you visit these provinces. Tuna jaw is often grilled over coals and dipped in soy sauce, vinegar, chili and calamansi (local lemon).
This menu is best served in Marina Tuna Seafood Market & Restaurant at Kilometer 8, National Highway, Barrio Pampanga, Sasa, Davao City.
Take a relaxing day cruise and get historically well-informed about the Japanese colonization in the Philippines. Traveling is best defined when it is accompanied by cultural and historical learnings.
Corregidor is a tiny and rocky island fortress depicting a memorial for the valiant and patriotic Filipino defenders with the aid of American forces during World War II. A number of well-preserved memorial sites can be explored within the island starting from the topside, middleside, bottomside and tailside areas.
Corregidor Island is situated 48 kilometers from Manila and is continuously safeguarded with several coastal artillery and ammunition depots to defend the entrance of Manila Bay from enemy warship attacks in the event of war.
From the ferry terminal in Manila Bay near the Cultural Center of the Philippines along Roxas Boulevard, a ferry service cruises daily for an hour to Corregidor Island departing at 8.00 am.
Embrace serenity and healing by watching whales and dolphins along Tañon Strait in the province of Negros Oriental.
If you don’t feel like getting physically hyper on a trip but still need a momentary change of environment amidst tranquility, then dolphin and whale watching is the most spectacular ecotourism adventure and thus, a regenerating journey.
The quietude of dolphin and whale watching is best appreciated in this mystifying place called Tañon Strait Cetacean Playground which is around 5 to 27 kilometers wide and where the order of aquatic mammals such as whales, dolphins and porpoises belong.
It is easier to book a domestic flight to Dumaguete City from Manila which is just an hour or so travel. There are vans with drivers for hire while in Dumaguete airport or if you choose to settle in nearby resorts, they offer pick-ups from pier and airport to the resort and/or all the way to Bais which is the well-known route towards Tañon Strait, about an hour or two from Dumaguete City.
To travel is a blessing from God while we continue to preserve, meditate and boast the natural beauty of HIS Creations. These are the purposes of travel. Do it smartly, safely and soon.