Off the beaten path (Five destinations for the adventurous traveler)
by Jennifer G. Castro
For Estan Cabigas, the Philippines has more than just tourist traps for the adventurous traveler. “I want to discover the real Philippines where there are real and hospitable people, amazing culture and wondrous heritage,” he says. “In a way, it’s also discovering myself as a Pinoy.”
Estan is an avid traveler, photographer, and most famously, multi-awarded blogger. In the Philippine Blog Awards 2009, his sites, www.langyaw.com and www.estancabigas.com, won Best Travel Blog and Best Photoblog, respectively.
For him, traveling is a sensory experience. “The sights, the sounds, [and] the taste,” he says. “[The Philippines] is one beautiful country that has to be explored.”
Here is a list of places and activities Estan recommends, should you go to Batanes, Quezon, Camarines Sur, Bohol or Davao.
Batanes
Located at the very edge of northern Luzon, Batanes is almost like a whole, new world in itself. The rolling hills, steep cliffs and boulder-lined shores make it unique from other provinces. “Its isolation adds to that mystery and learning about how the people there live and endure is inspiring,” he says.
After going to local attractions like the white sand beaches at Sabtang Island, fishing villages, the House of Dakay—a UNESCO heritage building—and historic churches, Estan recommends tatus (coconut crabs) hunting with the locals up Mount Iraya.
It’s a three-hour trek up the volcano, and the view on the top overlooks the whole island. The crabs, once caught, are a native delicacy. Boiled until it has a bold coral hue, the crab has a fatty soup that is sweet and tasty. Just be careful while hunting; tatus can crack open coconuts with their claws.
Quezon
About a four-hour drive away from Manila, Quezon is a charming vacation spot with its unique cuisine, Spanish-style architecture, and nearby beaches. Every street is lined with exciting food stalls selling everything from lambanog (coconut wine), banana donuts, pancit habhab (sautéed noodles topped with chopped pork, shrimps and vegetables) to Quezon’s famous longganisa.
The towns of Lucena and Lucban boast of their own distinctive character. Lucban is a must visit during Semana Santa (Holy Week). The town is a festive mix of green palms swaying, families chanting the Pabasa with modern rhythms from the karaoke, and water bombs during Easter Sunday.
Estan recommends a hike following the trail of Katipuneros up Pinagbanderahan in Quezon National Park with a side visit to Cueva Santa. Pinagbanderahan was an outpost during the war. From the peak, you can see Lopez and Pagbilao Bay. It’s a breathtaking view. You can marvel at hornbills and other rare birds and butterflies along its trails.
Camarines Sur
Known as one of the top spots for water sports in the world, Camarines Sur has become popular as a haven for wakeboarding enthusiasts. The CamSur Watersports Complex is specially designed for wakeboarding, wakeskating and waterskiing.
Other places include its unexplored coastlines, impressive waterfalls and historic churches. Estan says, “[You should practice] Visita Iglesia as well as visiting the ruins of an 18th century church in Lagonoy where there is an interesting belfry inscribed with the names of the different continents.”
Davao
Davao is a cosmopolitan city with a combination of outdoor and nature activities, history and culture, and entertainment and amusement sites.
Davao is the best place to find cheap and fresh durian. The unusual flavor and odor of durian has always polarized people; they either love it or hate it. Estan recommends harvesting durians and other fruit trees in one of the farms. For the durian enthusiast, a day’s harvest will be complete only with a bite of the tasty fruit in the end.
Aside from eating durian, some fun things to do in Davao include visiting the Davao Museum, the Eden Nature Park, the Japanese Tunnel or Pearl Farm.
Bohol
In the mysterious countryside of Bohol, home to the tarsier and the breathtakingly prehistoric Chocolate Hills, one can almost hear the hypnotic sound of ancient, tribal chants and dilapidated churches speaking to you in incomprehensible tongues.
Estan recommends exploring the heritage churches, Albuquerque and Baclayon. As one of the oldest stone churches, the walls of the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception church in Baclayon witnessed many of the legendary clashes between the early Christians and the Muslims.
After visiting the churches, Estan recommends, “Instead of going to Loboc for the tarsier, I would suggest going the extra mile to visit the tarsier reservation in Corella as well as do some trekking.”
Other activities include visiting the Bohol Bee Farm for a guilt-free feast by the blue-green seaside and tasting authentic brosas with Spanish chocolate, and taking the Firefly Tour.
Photos courtesy of Estan Cabigas. You can find more of his work at www.estancabigas.com
[...] of the Ateneo de Manila University’s The Guidon website which just featured me. Entitled Off the Beaten Path (Five Destinations for the Adventurous Traveler), it lists the places around the country specifically Davao, Batanes, Quezon, Camarines Sur and [...]
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