Category: Destinations

Captivating Guimaras

Nueva Valencia, Guimaras – An Italian couple on a two-month holiday in the Philippines chose to include this paradise in their itinerary and stayed at the Raymen Beach Resort in December 2006, unperturbed by news about the oil spill that brought the island province to world attention in August of the same year. "We are just here to see good beaches," said the Boldo couple, who are just among the hundreds of foreign guests who kept coming to Guimaras even in the aftermath of the infamous oil spill. Guimaras has 238.3-kilometer coastline, with long stretches of white, powdery sand considered among the finest in the world.

Flowers of the Philippines

Commercial growers and hobbyists have cited the great potential of the Philippines as a major exporter of ornamental horticulture products. At the opening ceremony of the Flora Filipina Expo in February 2006, the Philippine Horticultural Society Inc. and the Philippine Orchid Society have committed to join together in putting the local industry at par with those of Thailand and Singapore. "The right time to do it is now," orchid society president Kelvin Manubay said. "The Philippines' potential to be an exporter of orchids and ornamental plants is very, very high." more…

Dive sites in the Philippines

Dive sites PhilippinesCentury old wrecks, mating mandarin fish, threatening thresher sharks, meter-long giant clams. These are just some of the reasons why professional divers from the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) are getting more and more drawn to the Philippine’s underwater paradise.

“With over 60 registered sites spread out in our islands, the country has one of the most diverse highlights for diving,” said Tourism Secretary Ace Durano.

Coffee town of Amadeo, Cavite

Pablo Angcaya, a 66-year-old farmer who in the past four decades has been taking care of a three-hectare plot planted to coffee, is excited to hear that prices of the world's second-most traded commodity continues to go up since hitting bottom at P27 a kilo in the middle of 2002.

As of the third week of January this year, prices of coffee reportedly reached P40 a kilo, providing relief to thousands of coffee farmers in this idyllic Cavite municipality, which prides itself as the "coffee town of the Philippines."

Ecotourism sites

Water rafting in the PhilippinesForeign travel agencies that attended the recently concluded Phitex Philippine Travel Exchange or Phitex 2009 have agreed to promote the Philippines as an ecotourism destination.

Xpert Holidays, a dynamic travel company from Hong Kong which provides personal & professional services to people who are looking for adventurous, exotic and unique holidays, said it will include the Philippines in the promotion of ecotourism to their segment. 

“The Hong Kong market is high on eco-travels, and we respond to this by offering one-of-a-kind tours.  We have found that the Philippines appealed to a wide range of clients,” said Chi Ping Phoebe Tang, assistant operations manager.

Boracay attracts more guests

The number of tourists in Boracay rose 12.15 percent year-on-year in the first five months of 2010.  Foreign visitors staying at hotels and resorts on the world-famous resort island grew faster at 26 percent, compared to the 6 percent increase among domestic tourists.
Taiwanese and Chinese tourists in Boracay continued to expand with the increase in charter flight operations between Taipei and Kaohsiung in Taiwan and Shanghai to Kalibo.

Fort Bonifacio Global City hotels

Ayala Land Inc. has started the construction of the first of its chain of boutique businessmen’s hotels in Fort Bonifacio Global City. Company president Antonino Aquino said the first boutique hotel will be built near the company's upscale West Tower Project at One Serendra. The hotel, with an estimated cost of about PhP1 billion, will have 175 rooms priced under US$100 a night.

Luneta Flower clock

National Parks Development Committee has restored the giant Luneta Flower Clock at Rizal Park in time for the celebration of the Philippines’ 113th Independence Day.  National Parks Development Committee executive director Juliet Villegas said the flower clock was renovated with the help of the Department of Tourism and Hyundai Asia Resources Inc.