Luzon, where Metro Manila is situated, is the largest island in the Philippines and many of the provinces are just a few hours' drive away from Manila, making it easy to do day trips or get away for the weekend.
Northern
Luzon is rich in panoramic views, green landscapes and old Spanish houses.
Baguio City is unusual and unlike the rest of the country because of its pine trees and cool temperatures which average 20ºC all year round. Located in the Cordillera Mountains, five hours from Manila by land, it is the nearest thing the Philippines has to a mountain retreat, making it easy to understand why the city was chosen as the summer capital.
There are many tourist attractions here including numerous religious landmarks, such as Baguio Cathedral, which add to the city's charm. There is good shopping for handicrafts and souvenirs at Baguio City Market and the Good Shepherd Convent, which sells items from wood carvings to jams.
Camp John Hay was formerly a rest-and-recreation station for US troops and has the best recreational facilities in Baguio. The Philippine Military Academy puts on a spectacle every Saturday morning with a parade of uniformed cadets. Mansion House is the official summer residence of the Philippine president and nearby Wright Park is popular with equestrian riders. Baguio's Botanical Garden has been converted into an open-air museum displaying the architectural styles of tribal dwellings of the Cordilleras.
Recommended day trips from Baguio include strawberry picking in the Trinidad Valley and a visit to Asin, a wood carving village located 3,000 feet below Baguio and 2,000 feet above sea level. Nearby Asin Hot Springs has a swimming hole, natural streams and a relaxing steam bath.
A
side trip to Sagada is recommended for it is dotted with caves, many of
which are burial sites of the Ifugao. There are also lakes and waterfalls
to visit and swim in. Kabayan, seven hours from Baguio, is also famed for
its burial caves containing 500-year-old mummies which dot the cliffs. It
is best to visit these burial caves with a local guide.
Nestled deep in the Cordilleras is Banaue, about nine hours from Baguio by bus or 340 kilometres from Metro Manila. The region is famous for the Banaue rice terraces carved from the mountain ranges centuries ago by the Ifugao tribe. They measure end-to-end a total length of 22,400 kilometres. The region is also noted for its wood carvers and craftsmen selling local artefacts.
Hugging the north-western slopes of Luzon are the provincial towns of Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. Nowhere is the Spanish influence more evident in the north than in these two places. Laoag is the capital city of Ilocos Norte and boasts a number of world-class resorts. Churches worth a visit are the Cathedral of Saint William, Paoay Church and the Church of Santa Monica, Paoay, Currimao, Batac, Dingras and Samat are other places worth investigating in this province.
The Spanish influence is even stronger in Vigan Ilocos Sur. There are Spanish houses built in the 16th century lining the streets of the old section and a trip to the museums will yield a Spanish treasure-trove.
Coming from or going to Baguio or Ilocos, you will pass through La Union. This province is a favourite destination for beach lovers and is a jumping-off point for scuba diving in the Lingayen Gulf.
The
provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon are close to Metro
Manila and make ideal day trips.
In
Cavite, Tagaytay City offers panoramic views as it is located along a
ridge and overlooks the country's smallest volcano, Mount Taal which has a
lake within its cone and an island. Laguna is noted for its volcanic hot
springs and intricate woodwork found in the towns of Paete and Pakil.
Hidden Valley in Alaminos, at the foot of Mount Makiling has a series of
mineral spring baths set amidst a lush green forest filled with wild
orchids and tropical ferns.
Batangas
has a magnificent beach and there are dive resorts sprinkled throughout
the province. Anilao is popular among windsurfers, while the outlying
islands of Ligpo, Bonito, Sombrero and Maricaban are perfect for
snorkelling and diving.
Rizal
has the sacred shrine for the Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Peace and
Good Voyage and plays host to a number of visitors seeking blessings
before making long voyages. May is fiesta month and thousands of devotees
form a long procession to Antipolo. In November, gigantic papier mache
figures of men and women are marched down the streets of Angono during the
Gigantes Festival.
Quezon is famous for its Pahiyas Festival celebrated in the towns of Lucban and Sariaya. In May every year, the facades of the houses in both towns are adorned with coloured, leaf-shaped rice wafers called kiping which are artistically arranged with fruits and vegetables. The festival honours San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers, and is a thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest.
Palawan
Palawan
is known as the 'last frontier' and is a mini-archipelago of virgin
islands situated between Mindoro Island and north Borneo. The capital of
the province is Puerto Princesa which is a jumping-off point to other
islands.
The
St Paul's Subterranean National Park, also in this province, is an
eight-kilometre-long underground river with caves studded with stalactite
and stalagmite formations.
Rich
in wildlife and exotic African game, the island of Calauit in northern
Palawan was declared a sanctuary and game reserve in 1976.
Worth a visit are the Tabon Caves in southern Palawan, nestled in the mountainous cape of Lipuon Point. The 29-cave complex is a treasure of archaeological artefacts and fossilised bones of the Tabon man. The skull is carbon-dated back 22,000 years. For divers, the Tubbataha Reefs offer a unique array of marine life.
Spratley
Islands