My Travels: In and Around the Philippines

[Recon25]

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I am a simple travel photographer who loves to go around either for landscape or for festivals. For me there is no specific must do for a travel photographer but I just always do remember to capture everything and remember the details possible. May it will be a beautiful scenery, a dog, an old woman, the sours of society, degradation of the environment, a happy or sad face, people and culture, livelihood, sexy bodies, a carabao, food..... just everything worth capturing. I dont mind about my DSLR's shutter count because everything will break eventually and it can be fixed and bought but capturing a "MOMENT" is simply priceless and can never be duplicated.

If I have to quote a very good friend while we were in Bacolod... "there is no shortcut in photography" - manny l.

Travel Photography for me is simply being at the right time, at the right place, gifted by such a great frame to capture, and a camera capable of capturing that "MOMENT"... Do not wish for any camera while trying to photograph a scene while on travel because if you do so.... am sure you will be missing to capture that great moment... make do of what you have in hand in capturing that "MOMENT"... May it be a cellphone camera or the H3's because the best camera in the whole world would be the camera you are holding at that very instance... just make sure you capture that moment with a decent exposure to details and to a degree of blurred images. Let me share two facts about most Filipino photographers loves to do: 1st- loves saturated photos, 2nd: worries too much about sharpness

Along the way I will share my experiences about travelling.

I am starting this thread because its summertime and most of you might be considering places to visit and maybe I can help with this simple thread. I hope that you also share about some very interesting secluded places that is very much worth visiting.

Kindly make a simple write-up about your travel details so that I can also learn from you if ever I intend to visit the place. I learn alot of things from alot of photographers, I will credit them as I go along

Again..........
PLEASE, the AIM of this thread is to showcase the beauty of our country, encourage and somehow help local tourists and istoryans alike to travel and visit the Philippines. PLEASE, refrain from posting photos without any write-up or link or even single photos unless very much needed. I hope you do understand. There are many threads that will let you showcase your talent in photography so post it there.

Photos published in magazines are just an offshoot but the sights you see is just the ultimate high. SO, lets all have fun and enjoy the beauty of the Philippines.... TARA NA! BIYAHE TAYO!

Salamat,
db

[Recon25]

Travellers Table of Contents:
Page 1
Recon25 - Sagada, Mountain Province
Recon25 - Puerto Princessa, Palawan
Recon25 - Vigan
Recon25 - Olango, Bird Sanctuary
Recon25 - Taal
Recon25 - Bontoc, Mountain Province
Recon25 - Camotes Island, Cebu Province
Recon25 - Dolphins in the Wild, Tanon Strait
Recon25 - The Gaston Ancestral House, Silay Negros

Page 2
dbgg1979 - RP's Tallest Bridge at Agas-agas, Leyte
Uzumaki - Virgin Island... hoping he will have a writeup for us
micaijo - Kaawasan Falls, Matutinao, Badian, Cebu Province

Page 3
micaijo - Nalusuan Island, Hilotungan Strait, Lapu-Lapu, Cebu Province
Recon25 - The White Rock Formation, Bangui
Recon25 - The Bangui Windmills
Recon25 - The Avilon Zoo, Montalban, Rizal
Recon25 - Iwahig Penal Colony, Puerto Princessa
Recon25 - Mount Tapyas, Coron, Palawan
Recon25 - The Embarkadero, Legazpi, Bicol Region

Page 4
phoordoi - Tangkaan Beach, Padre Burgos So. Leyte
dbgg1979 - Miraculous Image of San Francisco Javier, Maasin City, Leyte

Page 5
phoordoi - additional photos to dbgg1979 Hanginan, Maasin Southern Leyte series
Recon25 - Boracay
Recon25 - Coron, Palawan

Page 6
Recon25 - Bantayan Island, Cebu Province
nowayL - The Q Park Cebu, Compostela, Cebu Province
Recon25 - Bangatayam Falls, Bangatayam, Sogod, Cebu Province
Recon 25 - Pandanon Island
Recon 25 - Biri Island, Northern Samar

Page 7
dcshoeboy - Dolphin Watching, Pamilacan Island, Bohol
kid joe - Mt. Kalatungan, Bukidnon
chipmunk888 - Manatayupan Falls, Barili, Cebu Province

Page 8
Recon 25 - Dodiongan Falls, Brgy. Bonbonon, Iligan
prove - Danao
batchoy - Bitngil
trazee - Bohol: In and Around

Page 9
Recon 25 - Tinago Waterfalls, Iligan/Linamon
Recon 25 - Maria Cristina Falls, iligan
Hat Trick - San Carlos City

Page 10
Recon 25 - Mimbalot Falls, Iligan

Page 11
Recon 25 - Gibitngil Island, Kawit, Medellin
Recon 25 - Hidden Waterfalls along the Transcentral Highway
Recon 25 - Buglasan Festival, Dumaguete

Page 12
Zubanu - Gibitngil Island, Kawit, Medellin
Recon 25 - Balinsasayaw Twinlakes, Sibulan, Negros

Page 13
Recon 25 - Tinuy-an Falls, Borboanon, Bislig, Surigao del Sur
dcshoeboy - Tinuy-an Falls, Borboanon, Bislig, Surigao del Sur

Page 14
kid joe - Pintaflores Festival, San Carlos City, Negros
Recon 25 - the Enchanted River, Talisay, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur
dcshoeboy - the Enchanted River, Talisay, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur
Recon 25 - Sian Falls, Bislig, Surigao del Sur
Recon 25 - Tayabas-Pabilao, Quezon Province

Page 15
Recon 25 - The 15th Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2011
Recon 25 - Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival of Tacloban
Recon 25 - The Mudpack Festival Of Mambukal, Murcia, Negros

Page 16
Recon 25 - The Olango Bird Sanctuary Re-visited
Recon 25 - Biri Island Re-visited 2011
monk3y - Around Leyte
monk3y - around Palawan Puerto Princessa

Page 17
Recon 25 - Tuguegarao to Aparri
Tikboyoyoy - Sogod and Borbon
monk3y - Transcentral Highway
Recon 25 - Palaui Island and Cape Engano
undercover_lover - Santander and its Tostados Festival

Page 18
Recon 25 - Barangay San Vicente, Olango...... and its Baliw-Baliw Festival
Recon 25 - The Humpback Whales of the Philippines




posting soon:
Davao
Laoag, Bangui, Pagudpud
Baguio
Bohol
Cebu
Legazpi (Bicol)
Iligan
Boracay
Tacloban
Bacolod
San Carlos
Basco
Sabtang
Itbayat

hoping to visit and hoping somebody in here can share infos and photos:
Lake Sebu, Cotabato
Sagada (again)
El Nido, Palawan
Coron (again)
Busuanga
Mt. Pulag and Pinatubo
Calbayog (the city of waterfalls)
Donsol and the Butandings
Babuyan Islands and the Humpback whales
Limasawa and its Butandings
My Pet Dolphins in the wild
Siargao
Camiguin (again)

[Recon25]

Sagada, Mountain Province

It was one of the most stupid and crazy thing I ever did in my life... Bringing along a D200/MBD200/18-200mm VR/SB-800 all attached to an Invicta sling (without any bag) and went into the caves of Sagada.

This is the Lumiang (burial cave) -- Sumaguing cave connection... I went caving/spelunking without any preparations on my side. I was willing to fall and slip rather than the camera I brought along. This was a very bad idea for me because they never told me how technical the cave connection was. Imagine you have to rapel down then up somewhere inside the cave... I spent 3.5 hours inside with a 330ml of water... the result was simply awesome..... my body was sore from in-grown to split-ends the next day























These are the different burial grounds around Sagada. There's quite a number of such burial sights around. If you notice the chairs on the pictures below, these chairs are used before the final burial by making the dead sit on the chair while final respects and offerings will be carried out. As if that the dead is watching the ceremonies unfold.















The Sagada Municipal Hall guard dog


The sight at Echo Valley


Sagada is a very interesting place. For photographers its best to visit the place around summer because the weather here changes very often. It is reachable by bus from Manila-Sagada or via Baguio. The best route would be Manila-Banaue-Bontoc-Sagada-Baguio or you may drop Baguio because there is simply not much left there and go straight back to Manila. The 12-hour bus that will take you to Sagada would be Cable Tours located somewhere in E. Rodriguez and the fare is around 600. Cable tours will pass by Banaue and you may stop by Banaue then arrange Cable Tours for a pickup the next day for Bontoc and the fare is still the same. Sagada is minus 4 degrees to that of Baguio's temperature... Sagada also boasts of two great waterfalls and its own rice terraces

[Recon25]

Puerto Princessa, Palawan

PPS Port... taking the 12 hour journey to Coron


Around Honda Bay, Puerto Princessa
















The Puerto Princessa Crocodile Farm... this is one of the best croc farm that I have visited... far better than that of Davao and our very own here in Cebu. Baby Crocs are just a touching distance



me and a croc.... sus, kung pwede palang masulod sa bag

not just crocs but the farm also features some Palawan wildlife



Puerto Princessa (PPS) is a very big city... Sabang wherein the Subterranean River is situated and 80+ kilometers away is part of PPS. You may reached PPS by plane if you are coming from Cebu. If lucky you can get a promo fare for only 488 pesos. Decent budget rooms can be found around PPS with prices ranging from 600-1500 a/c rooms and as low as 300 for fan rooms. Main city transportation is a tricycle. Going to Iwahig Penal Farm and dropping by the Mitra Farm, butterfly garden, and the crocodile farm would cost 300-500Php

[Recon25]

Vigan: Calle Crisologo and nearby scenes

Vigan Cathedral


Calle Crisologo

[Recon25]

Olango: The Bird Sanctuary

The best time to visit the sanctuary would be October-November and February. the first trip towards Olango starts at 6am and the last bangka is at 4pm while the ferry leaves Olango at 7pm. The Boatfare is very minimal but the tricycle ride towards the sanctuary is around 200Php.

[Recon25]

Taal: Taal Volcano and its Inner Crater
















this is what the people over at Taal Lake is doing.... fishpens just about everywhere... destroying the view as well as the lake

[Recon25]

Bontoc, Mountain Province

Different sites and views of Bontoc, Mountain Province. Sagada is only a 45-minutes 50-peso jeepney ride from Bontoc. Here you can find two teller machines from LandBank and PNB. Bontoc offers great scenery like their own version of the terraces of Banaue but the difference is that the terraces around Bontoc uses rocks as their walls. But they too have dirt-walled terraces which is a bumpy 30-1hr jeepney ride. They also boast of their Mainit Hot Spring. Featured in this set are the scenery around the town proper of Bontoc. My stay here cost 700Php with fans only because it has also a decent temperature. Bontoc is a 12-hour bus ride towards Manila and a decent 2.5-3hrs away from the famed Banaue Rice Terraces. You can catch the Cable Tours bus service that plows the Bontoc-Banaue-Manila (E.Rodrigues) and vice versa at only 650 pesos with 2-3 stops.

[Recon25]

Camotes Island, Cebu Province

this is my last photography trip of the year 2009. I still travelled north so recently inorder for me to relax and recharge my aching and sored body..... but still I managed to take some decent shots that I will post later. This island or should I say paradise is just 3 hours away from the City of Cebu.... Camotes, a treasure of the Province of Cebu and of the Philippines. It is reachable thru a bangka ride either from Danao Port or at Ouano Wharf in Mandaue. The fare at Ouano Wharf is at 200Php and departs at around 5:30am... If you wish to bring your car along you have to take the ferry at Danao Port which leaves at around 7am... on this journey I was with batchoyc also of istorya... I clicked at around 20gig of photos






batchoy enjoying the ray of light inside Bukilat cave








another cave in Camotes

[godCode]

wow! grabeha nimo na pagka adventurer bay recon. from apare to julo na gyud ni among tavels da hehehehe. impressive shots by the way.