Top Destinations in the Philippines that I love

In the past years, Bohol province in the Philippines have attracted no less than half a million local and foreign tourists every year and the number is increasing.

Its main attraction is "Chocolate Hills" which is located in the interior part of the province.

From other parts of the Philippines, you can take a plane flight or take a ship voyage to Tagbilaran City, the capital of Bohol province. Hotels and lodging establishments are fully booked on most parts of the year so be sure to book your stay in advance.

Bohol Beach Club is one of the best beach in Bohol. It is located at Panglao Island which is also part of Bohol Province. It is about 30 minutes ride from the capital Tagbilaran City.

The last time I have been there the entrance fee is only 250 pesos ($5 US if at 50:1 exchange rate) consumable to your meal consumption. So if your meal is worth 300 pesos, you only have to add 50 pesos more. Reasonable right! Why not go and stroll along the beach for 250 pesos plus you can have your meal too (native delicacies and seafoods).

Last year, my officemate went to Bohol with wife and kid. They stayed at Bohol Beach Club for 3 days and 2 nights. Their package cost was at around 11,000 pesos (meal and lodging plus airfare). That would only cost about 220 US dollars.

You could also hire a vehicle from registered tour operators to tour you around all the beautiful spots in Bohol province for an entire day. Tour usually cost 4,000 to 6,000 pesos (80 to 120 US dollars at 50:1 exchange rate).

Tagaytay Highlands is a members only high end resort like residential enclave. One can only go there if you are a member or knows someone who is a member who invited you to the place.

You tour around the place through a service vehicle if you or your group have been invited by a member, provided you have your lunch at the clubhouse. Lunch at the clubhouse costs about P700 per person (14 to 15 USD). There are two parts of the clubhouse, the lower part which you can go through a vehicle or a ride at the cable car where the pool is located. The other building is located at the top where a part of the golf course is located. It is also connected to the vertical train ride which will take you to another part of Tagaytay Highlands where other residential units are located. There are many group of residential compounds at Tagaytay Highlands and its cost varies, but all of them are only affordable for the rich and famous.

Cable car is one of the means by which a tourist or a guest can enjoy his/her visit. It brings you up or down the clubhouses of Tagaytay Highlands one of which is located at the upper part of the place and the other down the lower portion of the residential enclave. You can also use a vehicle to transfer between two clubhouses but you will not get to enjoy the view the the cable car ride offers.

You can view the golf course, the log cabin style houses, the Condominium at the top of the mountain and the Palace in Sky in a far away and elevated higher while on your cable car ride. During our visit, the condominium is still under going construction.  If you want to ride the cable car, be sure to be early on the line, since it takes about 10 - 15 minutes before you can take your ride if many other tourists have lined up for the ride.

If you are planning to visit Tagaytay Highlands, it is best to consider the weather. Sunny weather would be the perfect time to visit the place. You would be able to see all the views surrounding Tagaytay Highlands better if on the visit is on a sunny day. You cannot predict the weather though. When we visited the place, we arrived at about 10 A.M. and it was a perfect sunny weather, but during the afternoon there was a little rain and it was foggy. The foggy experience was nice though, because it was the first time we have experienced so much fog.

I went to Manila Ocean Park last June 2008 with a friend. It was not yet finished then, only the fish aquariums were finished and ready for viewing. The boutique malls, restaurants and other facilities were still being upgraded or under construction.

However, these days the Manila Ocean Park has become a state of the art Oceanarium with boutiques, restaurant and function facilities in one complex at the back of Quirino grandstand.

Once in the Manila Ocean Park, you buy your tickets and wait for your number to be flashed on a screen. Then when your number is called you go to an area where you ride an elevator.

After that, you will be taken to a jungle like place where you begin your exploration. This place is called "Agos".

Agos

The Agos part of the park simulates a waterfalls that goes to waterways and into the sea and open ocean. The message that Agos wants to convey is that we are all interconnected from the highest part of the world to the depths of the ocean and that water connects everything.

Bahura showcases the different fish species that thrives in coral reefs.  This is one of the most interesting part.  It has lots of small tanks that displays the fish and organisms that thrives in Philippine coral reefs in diverse color hues and sizes which shows the immense biodiversity of Philippine seas and oceans.

Laot is the next section after Bahura.  Laot features fishes from the open sea that are open utilized as food.  Fishes in the Laot aquriums are a site to behold.

Features fishes from the open ocean and is the center piece of the Oceanuarium with its underwater tunnel where you can walk in the middle and under the tunnel aquarium seeing all the fish above and beside you.

Others sea creatures you will eventually see are the stingrays and sharks. Stingrays are mixed with other fishes and sea creatures in the Karagatan section. The Sharks however are in a separate aquarium.

I definitely recommend the Manila Ocean Park for visit by the entire family.  The trip would be fun and have educational value for kids and adults alike.

Shows a particular fish from the Ocean Deep particularly the jack.