Pagudpud Beach

     Pagudpud (PAH GOOD POOD) is an enormous place to visit if you're looking for the comparatively perfect charms of the Philippines. Pagudpud is a wide and beautiful town on the northwest tip of Ilocos Norte, Luzon, bounded to the south by the town of Bangui and to the east by the Cordillera Mountain Range, the town of Adams and the province of Cagayan. The South China Sea lies to the west and north.

      It is considered the largest island in the Philippines. The hills and mountains are luxuriant, the valleys productive. It lies 45 miles north of Laoag City, the provincial capital, and about 350 miles north of Manila -- about the equal distance between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area Creeks, streams and waterfalls splash the landscape and spill into the South China Sea. All around, the ocean and sky are awash in varying shades of blue.

 

     Pagudpud Beach, 2 hours north of Laoag City, has powder-white sand, but it's hard to tell which is bluer: the sky or the sea. While you are making up your mind, you might also consider a stop in Pasuquin, where the famous biscocho (Ilocos biscuit) is a favorite take-home delicacy for local visitors. But don't forget to check your watch, for while you play in the waters of Pagudpud, you may not notice how much time you have spent on these delightful shores, which are at the very tip of Luzon Island.

http://www.philippinecountry.com/philippine_beach/pagudpud.html

Anawagin Cove, Zambales

           Anawangin Cove is a crescent shaped cove with a pristine white sand beach. What makes the place unique is the unusual riddle of tall pine trees flourishing round its vicinity. There are no roads leading to Anawangin. It is only accessible by a 30 minute boat ride from Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales or by a six-hour trek through hot, open trails thru the Pundaquit range. The cove's relative isolation has kept it free from development - as of this writing, there are no resorts on this sparkling piece of natural beauty, save for a few huts and deep wells.
Just behind the beach is the pine forest and a marsh, where one can find natural springs feeding to the sea. The area is home to a number of bird species.

http://www.waypoints.ph/detail_gen.php?wpt=anwngn

Siquijor,  Cambugahay Lazi Waterfalls

      The island of Siquijor is known for its pristine beaches and breathtaking landscape. It is infamous for its rich natural beauty as well as historic landmarks that still stood tall up to this day. There is a shroud of mysticism and tranquility within the island that people have come to visit. You can feel the fresh air rustling the leaves of the trees and the tropical weather makes it a perfect place to relax and enjoy the vacation of a lifetime.
One of the perfect spot to enjoy Siquijor is Cambugahay Falls. One of the island’s main attraction that even people within the island spend their time with their families to relax

http://siquijortour.com/blog/tourist-spots/cambugahay-falls-of-siquijor/

Puerto Galera

      Puerto Galera is the northwesternmost municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. It is located at the southwestern end of the Isla Verde Passage, about 130 kilometers (81 mi) south of Manila.

This coastal town is well known among tourists for its numerous pocket beaches and many snorkeling and Scuba diving spots. The area was designated a Man and Biosphere Reserve of UNESCO in 1973 and has some of the most diverse coral reef diving in Asia. The marine environment has benefited in recent years from the influx of tourist dollars. This has seen a huge reduction in the number of fishermen in the area, as they gain higher revenue from tourists.

Puerto Galera is a listed by the Club of the Most Beautiful Bays of the World, and is the only bay in the Philippines to be listed there.

Among the famous beaches in Puerto Galera are Sabang Beach and White Beach, which have an active nightlife with numerous bars and restaurants. Both beaches also have an array of first-class and economy-class accommodations.

Sabang beach is the main destination for foreign tourists, while White Beach remains popular with local travelers.Big La Laguna Beach and Small La Laguna Beach are considered part of Sabang with resorts lining the beaches. Big La Laguna Beach is popular for local swimmers and snorkelers. Since 2001 White beach has seen uncontrolled development. New restaurants and places to stay are rapidly encroaching on the beach itself and little remains of the once charming beach. Puerto Galera town is a pleasant but sleepy Philippine town with few attractions. It has a large central catholic church and a Pier area, with a selection of bistros and cafes.

Behind the beaches are the huge and generally unexplored mountain ranges of central Mindoro. A particular local attraction is the nine hole golf course perched on the hillside above White Beach which commands spectacular views over Puerto Galera's natural harbor and the Verde Island Passage. Mangyan tribes are scattered over the mountain sides - some of the more remote tribes have virtually no contact with the outside world. Of the eight tribes on Mindoro, the Iraya are the largest. They are based in the Puerto Galera area.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Galera

Malacanang Palace

      The Malacañan Palace, commonly known simply as Malacañang or "the Palace", is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the Philippines. It is located at 1000 José P. Laurel Street, San Miguel, Manila. The house was built in 1750 in Spanish Colonial style. It has been the residence of every Philippine head of government since Rafael de Echague y Berminghan. During the American period, Governors-General Francis Burton Harrison and Dwight F. Davis built an executive building, the Kalayaan Hall, which was later transformed into a museum.
Originally a summer house built by Spanish aristocrat Don Luís Rocha, the structure was sold to Colonel Jose Miguel Formente, and was later purchased by the state in 1825. Since then, Malacañan Palace became the temporary residence of every Governor-General. During the Spanish–American War, Malacañan Palace became the residence of the American Civil Governors, William Howard Taft being the first. During the American period, many administrative buildings were constructed and the Palace was refurbished. To date, Emilio Aguinaldo, was the only head of state who did not live in the Palace complex, instead residing in his private home, in Kawit, Cavite. The Palace was seized by rebels several times, starting from the People Power Revolution, the 1989 coup attempt, where the palace was bombed by T-28 Trojans, the 2001 Manila riots, EDSA II and the May 1 riots.
The Palace has been the residence of eighteen Spanish Governors-General, fourteen American Civil Governors and later Philippine Presidents (with the exception of Emilio Aguinaldo).
In Philippine political and common parlance, "Malacañang" and "the Palace" has become metonyms for the presidency, the executive branch and the government as a whole.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaca%C3%B1ang_Palace

Cebu, Sinulog Festival

       The Sinulog is an annual festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City, Philippines. The festival commemorates the Cebuano people's pagan origin, and their acceptance of Roman Catholicism. The features a street parade with participants in bright coloured costumes dancing to the rhythm of drums, trumpets and native gongs. Smaller versions of the festival are held in various parts of the province, also to celebrate and honor the Santo Niño. There is also a "Sinulog sa Kabataan" performed by the youths of Cebu a week before the parade. Recently, the festival has been promoted as a tourist attraction, with a contest featuring contingents from various parts of the country. The Sinulog Contest is usually held in the Cebu City Sports Complex.

       The Sinulog celebration lasts for nine days, culminating on the final day with the Sinulog Grand Parade. The day before the parade, the Fluvial Procession is held at dawn with a statue of the Santo Niño carried on a pump boat from Mandaue City to Cebu City, decked with hundreds of flowers and candles. The procession ends at the Basilica where a re-enactment of the Christianizing (that is, the acceptance of Roman Catholicism) of Cebu is performed. In the afternoon, a more solemn procession takes place along the major streets of the city, which last for hours due to large crowd participating in the event.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinulog_festival

Mactan Island

     Mactan is an island located a few kilometres from Cebu Island in the Philippines. The island is part of Cebu Province and it is divided into Lapu-Lapu City and the municipality of Cordova. The island is separated from Cebu by the Mactan Channel which is crossed by two bridges: the Marcelo Fernan Bridge and the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge. The Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the country's second busiest airport is located on Mactan island.

     The island was a Muslim settlement before it was colonized by Spain in the 16th century. Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived on the island in 1521 and became involved in tribal warfare among the tribal groups, only to be killed in battle by the warriors of Datu Lapu-Lapu, one of the chieftains in the island. By 1730, Augustinian friars established the town of Opon, that was later renamed as the city of Lapu-Lapu by means of the Republic Act 3134, signed by Pres. Carlos P. Garcia on June 17, 1961.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mactan