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Our Lady of the Philippines Trappist Monastery
Our Lady of the Philippines Trappist Monastery , on the main road south of San Miguel, is the only men’s monastery in the Philippines under the Cistercian order. A gift shop sells pickled goods, including pineapple jam and calamansi marmalade, all made by the monks. There’s accommo
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Kabayan National Museum
This compact museum is a good introduction to indigenous culture in this part of the Cordillera. Ask the friendly curator to explain the difference between traditional rich and poor clothing, show off a backpack used to carry pigs and the female mummy, explain local death rites and
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Juan Luna Shrine
Its worth stopping in Badoc, halfway between Vigan and Laoag, for a peek inside the restored ancestral home of Juan Luna, arguably the Philippines greatest painter. The knowledgeable curator will introduce you to the history of the Luna family and tell the stories behind the painti
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Fundacion Pacita
About 500m downhill beyond Radar Tukon is the Pacita Abad Foundation, in a magnificent stone house perched on a bluff overlooking Marlboro Country. The artist Pacita Abad lived and painted here until she died in 2004. Today the house serves as a lodge as well as a destination in it
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Malacañang of the North
In a peaceful location next to the scenic Paoay Lake, the opulent former estate where the Marcos family spent their holidays is open to the public. The impressive house, with its cavernous sala, capiz-shell windows and other colonial touches, provides a glimpse into the family’s la
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UP Diliman
If you have a half-day, make the trip out to the lovely, leafy University of the Philippines Diliman campus. It has a genuine American university feel, and the 22,000-plus students fuel QC’s active nightlife. It’s a great place for a walk, bike or jog, and you’ll find pickup footba
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Philippine Institute of Volcanology & Seismology
If you want to find out about Taal Volcano, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology & Seismology , 3km west of the junction, houses the monitoring station, an interesting museum and seismographs of recent events. Many of the placards and displays were in the process of being up
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Blue Lagoon
At Blue Lagoon, Luzon’s whitest sand and deep blue water conspire majestically to compete for a place on your desktop screensaver. There’s terrific snorkelling here and despite the recent opening of a few resorts, the beach is rarely crowded. It’s 16km from Saud to the beach turn-o
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Bernardino Jalandoni Ancestral House
Known as the ‘Pink House’ (1908), this museum looks like the owner left yesterday. In the back room are old photos of beauty pageant winners from the 1940s and 50s, and a glass case filled with dozens of Ken and Barbie dolls in traditional Filipino costume, including General MacArt
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Iwahig Prison & Penal Farm
The sign for this penal colony is an incongruent sight considering the beautiful countryside and dramatic mountain skyline in the background. Visitors are welcome to enter the extensive grounds (photography is discouraged), where prisoners, wearing differently coloured T-shirts dep
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Viewpoint
It’s a 10-minute tricycle ride up to the viewpoint (return P220), which is the best place to observe Banaue’s terraces. The ‘viewpoint’ actually consists of four viewpoints lining the road to Bontoc at 200m intervals. Old, yet oddly regal, Ifugao and Bontoc women decked out in full
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Santa Cruz Island
Great Santa Cruz Island is around 7km off the Zamboanga waterfront, and is home to only a few dozen families from the Samal tribe. Visitors come to see the 2km-long pinkish beach, coloured from finely crushed red coral. You can swim here, but it’s on a busy shipping channel and cur
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Agta Beach
About 4km north of Almeria is Agta Beach, where Bilirans largest concentration of resorts is, although its a fairly mediocre beach compared with most in the Visayas and it can fill up with karaoke-loving locals on weekends. However, Agta beach is a good base for visiting Dalutan, a
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Tappia Waterfall
It’s a 40-minute hike across the terraces and a steep descent to the 21m-high Tappia Waterfall, where you can sunbathe on the rocks or swim in the chilly water. Do not attempt to swim under the falls; the waterfall has claimed several lives. To get here from the main guesthouse are
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Python Cave
About 3km out of town on the road to Tamaraw Falls, an unsignposted track winds 2km up to Python Cave. This large cavern is said to be home to a 2m-long python. Jeepney drivers are not likely to know the turn-off, so keep an eye peeled; the ride should cost around P15. A tricycle f
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Seven Falls
A motorcycle (half-day with driver P300) can take you to Hikong Alu and Hikong Bente (also known as falls #1 and #2), two of the nearby Seven Falls (admission P20); the latter is an impressive sight and at 70ft the highest of the bunch. Its a short walk from where you park to both.
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Demang
South of the centre, the small village of Demang is now a barangay of Sagada but it was the area’s original settlement and remains Sagada’s cultural and traditional heart. Most of Sagada’s dap-ay are in Demang and most begnas are held here. If you happen to be invited to one, bring
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Bahay Tsinoy
The vast Bahay Tsinoy museum showcases the important role played by the sangley, as the Spanish called the Chinese, in the growth of Manila (sangley means ‘itinerant merchant’ in the locally prevailing Hokkien dialect). There are lifelike dioramas depicting Chinese and mestizo (mix
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Lake Kayangan
Lake Kayangan is one of Coron’s primary attractions. Accessible by a steep 10-minute climb, the crystal-clear waters of Lake Kayangan are nestled into the mountain walls; underwater is like a moonscape. There’s a little wooden walkway and platform to stash your things if you go for
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Emilio Aguinaldo Museum
More of a ‘repository of stuff’ as opposed to an inquisitive museum, this is nonetheless a good spot to gain some insight into the life and times of independence leader Emilio Aguinaldo. The main event is a collection of Aguinaldo’s personal effects and the Philippines’ first natio
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