Unusual places to visit in the Philippines
It’s 6 in the morning when my Singapore Airlines flight lands at Heathrow terminal 2. On a cold Monday morning of the beginning of December end my first one-week-long trip to the Philippines. The daily views of stunning images of El Nido in Palawan and Bohol on Instagram influenced my desire to visit this Southeastern Asian country. For sure, I knew that I wanted to travel there when in London, I met a representative of the Philippine tourism board at the WTM, one of the leading fairs in the travel industry, at the beginning of November. And you can imagine my excitement when I received a formal invitation to join the UK media trip planned for the end of November. Thanks to them, I discovered unusual places to visit in the Philippines through an enchanting 7-day itinerary.
First-time traveler impressions of the Philippines
Sometimes there are traits of truths in the first impression you receive when arriving in a place. It is the case of what I have experienced as soon as I landed in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. Checking in the Hilton hotel, conveniently close to the airport, the commercial director Joanne Gomez, welcomes me offering some pastries. “They all contain a lot of sugar — she adds with a smile — as we are very sweet in the Philippines.” And this is a trait of Filipinos you might have experienced at least once in your life, even if you have never been to the Philippines. My tour guide, Rey Sabio Ballesca, recalls some numbers. While on the Asian country live 100 million people, there are more than 10 million abroad. there is a good chance that, at least once in your life, one Filipino has taken care of you or your kids in a hospital or at your house because they are sweet and trustworthy.
Discovering Filipino food in Pampanga
The sweetness of Filipinos or kabayan, like they call each other when abroad, is something that you find in what better represents a community: its cuisine. Contrary to other southeastern Asian countries, from Sri Lanka to Thailand known for their chili dishes, everything in the Philippines is sweet. Similarly to children, Filipinos love sugary foods, and their cooking methods reveal this strong preference. Maybe this is one of the reasons why heart diseases are, according to the Philippines Department of Health, the leading causes of mortality in the country, and diabetes is the sixth linked cause. Leaving Metro Manila for the province of Pampanga, one of the places to visit in the Philippines, I could dig into the excellence of Filipino cuisine. Considered the culinary capital of the country, the area of Pampanga originates its notoriety from the Spanish influences on the local cuisine. For the ultimate food experience, the first stop of my one-week itinerary in the Philippines is in Mexico.
Liliane Boromeo and the Saniculas Cookies
Mexico is one of the main municipalities in the province of Pampanga, 42 miles (68 km) northwest of Metro Manila. What makes this city one of the destinations to visit while in the Philippines is the kitchen of Liliane Boromeo. This lady, with a serene expression and a sweet smile, is one of the leading chefs of the country. In detail, inside the walls of her lovely house, full of antique cooking utensils, Liliane is the guardian of Saniculas Cookies’ recipe.
Dating back to the time of the Spanish domination, these cookies were believed to have a miraculous effect. From that time on, in the city of Mexico, generations of Filipinos have passed down the recipe. And now Liliane proudly shows her four generations-old family collection of wooden molds used to decorate the biscuits.
What Kusinang Matua ng Atching Lillian Borromeo | Where 2021, 174 Jose Abad Santos Avenue, Mexico, Pampanga, Philippines | When by appointment
Claude artist and chef in the city of Angels
A food trip cannot be completed without experiencing an ultimate meal at Bale Dutung. Meaning wooden house, Bale Dutung is the private residential home where the artist and chef Claude Tayag welcome prearranged guests. As his wife Mary Ann explains, the restaurant opened in 1991 and moved in the actual location, a wooden villa inside a gated area in Angeles city, in 1994. While Claude’s most famous dish is Kare-Kareng Lamang Daga, a fish-based course, Mary Ann underlines that chef’s specialty is the pork that he serves in several varieties depending on the part of the animal.
Tasting a cuisine as a vegan can be challenging, but chef Claude sapiently prepares a variation of his dishes using tofu and veggies. “I want for you to experience the flavor of my dishes,” he confesses me while serving a delicious entry. The tibo tibo, literally heartbeat, is a must-try coconut custard dessert, as well as the organic tea, served using the leaves of Pandan, a local plant.
What Bale Dutung | Where Villa Gloria Subdivision, Angeles City, Pampanga | When By reservation only
Where to go in the Philippines
The Philippines is an archipelago made up of over 7.000 islands, of which 2000 are inhabitants. So to discover places, some island hopping is mandatory. While Palawan with Puerto Princesa and its subterranean River National Park is one of the top tourist attractions of the country, along with the Batad rice terraces near Banaue listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, my seven days itinerary did not include them.
Nor during my one-week in this southeastern Asian country, I went to explore the chocolate hills in Bohol. Among the many places to visit in the Philippines, my travel itinerary focused on discovering the cultural heritage and ecotourism destinations.
Experiencing the Filipino way of living at Motag living museum
Founded in May 2014, the Motag living museum was born to preserve the knowledge of the authentic way of life of Malay. From rice cultivation and its processing techniques to palms weaving and rolling tobaccos, Motag is the best place to visit if you wish to learn more about Filipinos way of living. The elders work on the grounds of the property handmaking goods, cooking, or working in the rice field while visitors can witness the heritage of this community.
A simple house made of bamboo is at the core of the museum. The layout and architectural technique are the same I will later see during my one-week itinerary around the Philippines. While visiting the museum, is it possible to experience hand-on activities like planting, collecting rice, or riding the cow that works in the field.
What Motag living Museum | Where Barangay Motag, Malay, Aklan | When Tue. — Sun. 9 am — 5 pm
Relax on the beach in Boracay
Known for its long powdery sandy white beaches and its pristine waters, Boracay is heaven for sunseekers and kite surfers. On this island, where neighborhoods are called stations, every year takes place, at the beginning of January, the Boracay International FunBoard cup. Drawing participants from all over Asia, the cup is the country’s biggest windsurfing event. Among the places to visit in the Philippines, Boracay is one of the best-known tourist destinations.
The first luxury resort opened in 2009, in the exclusive station 0, and the island is one of the preferred places to visit in the Philippines for a honeymoon. Since relaxation is the key to enjoying your time on this tropical island, among the best things to do in Boracay are cruising on a boat at sunset after a signature massage or enjoying the 18-hole golf course at Fairways & Bluewater.
Explore a Mangrove forest in Kalibo
Going back to the main island of Palay, there is a fascinating mangrove forest in Kalibo. Visiting this place provides insightful information about the importance of these plants in the ecosystem. The Bakhawan Eco-Park is a 220-hectare mangrove forest in Kalibo, but it is also a crab and clams nursery. Acclaimed by international organizations, the park was founded in 1990 by the local community, which transformed a mudflats land into a mangrove forest to prevent flood and storm surge. To explore the park, there is an enchanting bamboo trail that runs over the mangroves for 0.8 miles (1.3 km). The mangrove plantation is still an ongoing project, as you can see visiting this spot, considered one of the places to visit for ecotourism in the Philippines.
What Bakhawan Eco-Park | Where New Buswang, Kalibo Aklan | When Mon. — Sun. 7 am — 5 pm
Visit a Piña Weaving company in Aklan’s province
Mr. Phats dela Cruz Tambong is the Fashion designer and marketing assistant at La Herminia Piña Weaving. The company is the piña weaving industry’s pride and joy in Aklan, a province otherwise famous for its tropical island of Boracay. This family company was founded to produce and preserve the local cultural heritage of handloom weaving. Following the fair trade principles, skilled workers create bundles of pineapple leaves and to use them to weave clothes.
Differently from banana fibers, pineapples are thinners, and it is not rare that workers have to interrupt their work to knock the strands. Due to the uniqueness of this textile fiber production, final costs are high, and 30% of the production goes for export, especially for the Japanese market. For instance, it takes one working day to produce a bundle of 39 inches (1 meter) using 100 leaves of a pineapple. Moreover, realizing a Barong Tagalog, the embroidered formal shirt considered the national dress of the Philippines, takes up to 5 days.
Experience Aqua Tourism at Siguin
Among the places to visit in the Philippines during a one-week itinerary in the central area, a must-stop is in Roxas City. This town is the capital of Capiz, the seafood province of the Philippines. And in the city, is it possible to experience aqua tourism in Siguin, a unique restaurant based on the from pond to table concept. Guests can observe local fishers and eventually to emulate their mastery in catching fish. Decorated in the typical marine white and blue colors, Siguin is the ideal place to spend a late afternoon to learn about the farming production and harvest of fish and crabs. The highlight of the experience is catching live fish and cooking on the restaurant grill. But you can still enjoy a delicious meal based on local dishes, even if you don’t try these hands-on activities.
Climb 63 steps to see the heaviest bell in the Philippines
Santa Monica in Roxas City is one of the national historic landmarks in the Philippines. Built in 1774 during the Spanish domination by Agostinian friars, the church was heavily damaged by a typhoon in 1875. The actual edifice was rebuilt in 1884 and to this time, dates the realization of the noteworthy bell. Said to be the biggest in the Philippines, it measures seven feet in diameter (2.1 mt) and weighs Dakung Lingganay 10.40 tons (9434 kg). What makes this bell a top cultural destination in the Philippines is the history of devotion behind its construction. In detail, the bell was cast using the coins contained in the seventy sacks donated to the townspeople to rebuild the church.
Good to know A popular tradition says that who hears the sound of the bell will receive a blessing from God.
What Santa Monica Church also known as Pan-ay church | Where Roxas City-Panay Road, Panay, Capiz, Philippines
Explore Roxas City and its cultural heritage
The best place to discover the cultural heritage of Roxas City is by visiting the local museum. Officially named Ang Panublion Museum, meaning in local dialect “heritage,” the museum is housed in a former water tank realized in 1910. The museum consists of two rooms. One room displays objects belonged to indigenous and local populations from the prehistoric era until the post-war period. Moreover, the second room pays homage to the prominent historical figure of the area, Manuel Acuna Roxas, who served as the first President of the Philippines after the liberation in 1946. Interesting is the ongoing project of preserving healing recipes from Filipinos healers visible on one wall of the museum. Overall, this museum is one of the places to visit in the Philippines to learn about the history of this country.
What Ang Panublion Museum | Where Legaspi Hughes St. Roxas City, Capiz
Capiz and the seafood
Everything in Capiz talks about the sea and its creatures. And with enormous pride, people will repeat you, like a mantra, that this is the seafood capital of the Philippines. And probably because this reputation is one of the places you want to visit during your itinerary around the country. You can experience a unique insight about what this industry means to the locals by visiting the Dried fish market.
On the streets of a humble area of the city, a hallway of stalls sells in plastic bags dried fish. The smell is stinging, so I wouldn’t recommend strolling around for too long. From the nearby bridge, you can watch the houses facing the river. And is highly probable that you will spot kids running around to do some crab fishing.
Be delighted by the seashell crafts
Since everything in Capiz talks about fish, it must be not surprising that the local decorative industry uses seashells to realize artisanal crafts. To have an idea about what it looks like, you can visit a local manufacturer like Kapis atbp, a family-owned business specialized in producing crafts and home decor items using seashells. The raw material is stored in piles in the open courtyard.
These are then shaped using a hand grinder before the women realize with them their crafts. As seashells are rich in calcium, the cut-off parts are re-used to feed fish. At the time of my visit, in late November, women were assembling stunning hanging stars decorations for Christmas trees. Moreover, the little shops showcase other crafts like trays or lampshades made using the seashells.
What Kapis atbp | Where Banica, Roxas City, Philippines
Lunch on a floating house on Palina river
Among the places to visit in the Philippines, a must-do ecotourism experience is on the river Palina. Here you can enjoy the most wonderful lunch in a seven day itinerary in the country. In detail, at the Palina greenbelt eco-park, the association that groups local fishers serve meals on floating bamboo platforms while cruising on the river.
During the tour, you will discover how they managed to protect the area and the traditional fish pen culture. What makes unique the lunch is the possibility to end the meal with a memorable shoulder or foot massage sapiently offered by local certified therapists. Palina, a tributary of Panay river, became an operating eco-park in 2006 as a mangrove reserve. It then expended to sustain local families and their economy.
What Palina Greenbelt Ecopark | Where Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines
Discover Manila
It is always a shame to leave a country without visiting its capital. For this reason, I was more than happy to visit Manila. However, one day is not enough to understand the layout of the Philippines capital. “Differently from other cities worldwide, there is not a real downtown in Manila,” my guide Jon Zuluaga explains to me. Instead of Manila, he proceeds, we can talk about Metro Manila, a conglomerate of 16 municipalities connected by an elevated road. However, if you are still looking to visit downtown Manila, you can head to Malate, tells me, Jon. This is the old residential area of Manila, and here we go for a unique dining experience.
Eat at Purple Yam
Along the streets of Malate, behind a home gate with a car parked in the courtyard, stays Purple Yam. This restaurant, set in a family house built in 1949, opened in 2014. Belonging to Amy Besa, wife of chef Romy Dorotan, the couple still operates another namesake restaurant in Brooklyn, NYC. In the two rooms that make the Malate restaurant, family photos, and objects decorate the bookshelves. This authentic interior decor creates an intimate atmosphere. The kitchen uses organic ingredients to prepare every dish, and considers a meal, as a social gathering event. The food at Purple Yam is the occasion to bond families and friends.
What Purple Yam | Where 603 Julio Nakpil Street, Corner Bocobo, Malate, Manila | When Online or over the phone booking mandatory up to three days in advance. The restaurant can accommodate up to 20 people per meal.
Enjoy Makati and its vibrant lifestyle
What’s better than spending a Sunday morning strolling around a flea market? In the vibrant area of Makati, known as the business district of Metro Manila, every Sunday morning takes place the Legazpi market. Open till 2 pm, the market is one of the places to visit in the Philippines to get a sense of the local lifestyle. The market hosts vendors selling Asian street food as well as local crafts and vinyl. In particular Legazpi market is the ideal place to visit for breakfast and for some souvenir shopping before leaving the Philippines. The stalls sell handmade clothes realized with local cotton, weaving scarves, and wooden objects. It’s a must place to visit to explore the vibrant design and handmade Filipino crafts.
What Legazpi market | Where between Gamboa, Rada and Legazpi Streets, Makati 1229 | When Sun. 7 am — 2 pm
Discover the nightlife in Manila
To conclude your seven day itinerary in the Philippines, spend an evening in Makati. This area offers some of the best contemporary venues to hang for dinner and a cocktail. At Lampara, you can taste a delicious menu of Filipino cuisine revisited with a modern and maybe more western taste. Exceptionally presented, the dishes are served in this cozy venue with a lovely terrace ideal for an outdoor meal. In the area, you can proceed for an after-dinner drink at Alamat. This pub, with an enchanting small terrace, serves local craft beers as well as deli bites. For the ultimate cocktail experience, you can head to Agimat to try eccentric drinks prepared using local ingredients.
What Lampara | Where 5883 Enriquez Street, Poblacion, Makati, 1210 Metro Manila | What Alamat | Where 5666 Don Pedro Street, Poblacion, Makati City | What Agimat Foraging Bar and Kitchen | Where 5972 Alfonso, cor Fermina, Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines
