Travel Guide | Ten Things to Accomplish Your DIY Tour in Laguna

Laguna is located southeast of Metro Manila and it is bounded by the provinces of Cavite, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon. The province hugs the southern shores of Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the country and the town is dotted by small lakes as source of freshwater fish and the cascading and towering waterfalls. In addition, the province is surrounded by the longest mountain range, Sierra Madre in the eastern part of the province and it is the home of the mystic Mount Banahaw and the legendary Mount Makiling. As you go around the province, you can appreciate their local crafts such as woodcarvings and papier maches of Paete, kitchenware of San Pablo City, hand-embroidered barong tagalog of Lumban, slippers of Liliw and handmade shoes of Pagsanjan. You can also feel the stylish ambiance of the province by visiting the Spanish-era Baroque churches, welcome arches and monuments, ancestral stone houses and historical landmarks. Also, you can enjoy the genteel lifestyle by visiting resorts, amusement parks and eco-parks.

Don't forget to accomplish these ten things while you are enjoying your do-it-yourself tour in Laguna:

1. Enjoy the excitement in world class amusement park in the heart of Southern Luzon

Enchanted Kingdom (Source: http://www.wikipedia.org)

Enchanted Kingdom is a world-class amusement park located in the Lion City of the South, Santa Rosa. Witness the magic and fun while enjoying the rides and the classy ambiance of the park. Enchanted Kingdom is one of the best venues in having an educational trip and gimmicks with family and friends. I've visited this place when I was in high school. I hope that I will visit this place again.

2. Experience the thrill in the rapids of cascading waterfalls

Pagsanjan Falls (Source: http://www.wikipedia.org)

Pagsanjan Falls is a popular tourist destination in Laguna which gave its town a moniker "The Tourist Capital of Laguna" because of foreign tourists who visited the falls. You can feel the intense excitement while sailing in a boat meeting the rapids and you can see the stunning view of the falls. Pagsanjan Falls is located in the borders of Pagsanjan and Cavinti.

Taytay Falls in Majayjay

Aside from Pagsanjan Falls, you can visit Taytay Falls located in the lush forests of Banahaw in Majayjay, the Twin Falls in Kalayaan, the Buruwisan Falls in Siniloan, and the Bunga Falls in Nagcarlan.

3. Experience the refreshing moments in numerous lakes and resorts in the province

Sampaloc Lake, San Pablo City

Laguna Lake, Paete

Laguna came from the Spanish word which means lake because the province was located beside the largest lake in the country, Laguna de Bay. In addition, the province is dotted with more than five lakes including the seven lakes such as Sampaloc Lake and Lake Pandin in San Pablo City and the Lake Caliraya, a manmade lake in the boundaries of Cavinti and Lucban. In addition, you can enjoy the hot springs in Calamba and Los Banos as well with numerous resorts and pools in every town including Binan (Splash Island), Calauan (Hidden Valley Springs), Splash Mountain (Los Banos), Pangil (Pangil River Ecopark), Liliw (Batis ng Liliw), Nagcarlan (RGO Resort) and Daliwitan Resort and River (Majayjay) to name a few.

4. Taking a glance of our colorful past in different historical landmarks

Rizal Shrine, Calamba

Laguna is a province which is rich in history and glorious past. In fact, it is one of the eight provinces who made a revolution against the Spaniards in 1896, as representation of eight rays of the sun in the Philippine flag. This province is also the birth place of our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal where his ancestral house is located in Calamba.

Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery, Nagcarlan

Another distinct historical landmark is the Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery. This is the secret meeting place of revolutionaries in the Philippine Revolution of 1896 in Laguna. The place is also the burial site of priests, cabeza de barangays and elite Filipinos who lived in Nagcarlan.

Battle of Mabitac Shrine, Mabitac

Other historical landmarks which can be found in Laguna including the house of Paciano Rizal in Los Banos, Battle of Mabitac Shrine in Mabitac, Bahay Laguna in Magdalena, Alberto House in Binan, Plaza Rizal in Calamba and Emilio Jacinto Shrine in Santa Cruz and Magdalena.

5. Visita Iglesia in the ancient Baroque churches in the Loop

St. Gregory the Great Church, Majayjay. It was built in 1571 and one of the National Cultural Treasures in our country.

If we are talking about the Laguna's colorful and glorious past, the province is also famous for its ancient Spanish churches. Different towns starting from Santa Rosa, Cabuyao, Calamba, Los Banos, Bay, Pila, San Pablo, Santa Cruz, Magdalena, Liliw, Majayjay, Cavinti, Pagsanjan, Lumban, Kalayaan, Paete, Pakil and Mabitac have its Baroque churches which was built centuries ago. Laguna is a perfect place for having Visita Iglesia because of its stunning architecture of the church and the solemn ambiance while you are reflecting.

6. Historical glance at heritage town plaza and ancestral houses

Pila Heritage Town

If we are talking about history and culture, there are some towns in Laguna which is famous for its heritage plazas and ancestral houses. During the Spanish era, the church and the town hall are adjacent to each other in the town plaza which represents the unity of Church and State. The houses living near the plaza represent the elite society during the Spanish period. Today, the heritage town of Pila is one of the National Historical Landmarks along with Vigan and Intramuros because of its ancestral houses preserved from Spanish era. You can also enjoy visiting the town plaza of Magdalena as a favorite venue of Philippine classic movies which gives its moniker as "The Little Hollywood of Laguna" as well with the century-old Pagsanjan Arch with its heriage houses surrounding the place.

7. Pinoy shopping in the town of slippers

You can enjoy shopping with our native products in Liliw. The town is famous for its colorful slippers and shoes with its very good quality at affordable price. You can experience the Pinoy marketplace scene in Liliw because you can see a lot of stalls everywhere and different products such as fruits, vegetables, bags, native sweets, baskets and other local products. You can enjoy eating in various fast food chains across the town center.

8. Appreciating the beauty of art in a woodcraft town

Paete is a town known for its wood crafts and its adept woodcarvers. Residents believed that the town has its skilled woodcarvers since the ancient times. When Spaniards discovered the town, they saw a paet (a Tagalog word for chisel), a tool used for woodcarving and they named the town Paete. Today, the town is famous for its woodcarvings and there are many customers are going to this town to buy wood ornaments from woodcarving of religious images, wood statues, papier maches and paintings.

9. Food trip, restaurant hopping and pasalubong shopping

Laguna is also a place where you can enjoy different mouth-watering native delicacies including the fluffy and smooth Puto Binan, the white and creamy kesong puti, the luscious espasol, the sweet and powdery uraro of Liliw, the roasted kinulob na itik and salty red eggs of Victoria, the savory  kaong and macapuno of Alaminos and Majayjay and the fresh carabao and goat milk. You can enjoy restaurant hopping in Laguna namely Kamayan sa Palaisdaan (Bay), Isdaan (Calauan), Cafe Arabela (Liliw), Exotik Restaurant (Kalayaan) and Dalampasigan (Los Banos) to complete your culinary travel experience. As mentioned earlier, you can enjoy shopping in the town of Liliw with their slippers and shoes and in Paete with their woodcrafts, you can do pasalubong shopping in various towns with their respective products. Some of these native products including tropical fruits and fresh vegetables of Magdalena and Majayjay, pandan bags or bayong of Luisiana, silver kitchenware of San Pablo, hand made embroidered barong Tagalog of Lumban, and handmade shoes of Pagsanjan.

10. Mountain hiking

Laguna is a province surrounded by mountains including the legendary Mount Makiling, the mystic Mount Banahaw and the longest mountain range Sierra Madre. You can discover the rich flora and fauna of the province as well with distinct geographical formations.

You can enjoy your stay in this province by accomplishing different activities where you can discover the beauty of nature, the colorful cultural heritage and the eminent history of the province   As a tourist, it is proven that "It's more fun in the Philippines" so let's visit the province in the heart of Southern Tagalog, Laguna.

You can also read my previous articles about my tour in Laguna:

• A Historical Visit at Little Hollywood
• Trekking High to Majayjay: A Highland Town in Banahaw
• From Colorful Ducks to the Heritage Plaza: Discovering the Lakeshore Towns of Victoria and Pila
• Bounties of Nature and History in Laguna Loop: Discovering Nagcarlan
• Walking Tour in the Tsinelas Town of Laguna
• Walking Tour in the Small Town of Woodcrafts

You can visit the official website of the province of Laguna: http://www.laguna.gov.ph In addition you can try to visit this website, Laguna Travel Guide.

Lawton Stopover: A Walk From City Hall to the Post Office

Park n Ride Lawton: The famous stopover of public transportation vehicles going to Manila.

If you are going to Manila from Cavite or in Alabang, the Park & Ride Station or simply called as Lawton is the final stop for passengers. From Lawton, you can ride a jeepney or taxi if you are going to other places in Metro Manila. While waiting for the jeepney, you can see a lot of distinct landmarks such as prime universities, government offices and historical buildings around the area from Taft Avenue to Padre Burgos Street.

Manila City Hall

First, we have the Manila City Hall. It was established in 1939 and the city hall was designed and planned by Antonio Toledo. The trees around the city hall was planted by Mayor Ramon Bagatsing during his administration in the early seventies. The clock tower is the trademark for Manila and its city hall. The architecture is also striking because of its hexagonal tower with red-faced clock and the building floor plan is similar to the shield of the Knight's Templar. Beside the City Hall, there is an underpass road called Lagusnilad. You cannot pass on this tunnel during the rainy days because it was extremely flooded.

Bonifacio Memorial Shrine

Adjacent to the City Hall is the Bonifacio Memorial Shrine. It was designed by Eduardo Castrillo and the monument depicts the highlights of the 1896 Philippine Revolution. In addition, the flags of the Philippine Revolution was surrounded the monument. From the monument, I decided to walk to the hustling yet smooth streets of Lawton to another landmark which is an old theater.

Metropolitan Theater

The Metropolitan Theater is an old theater in Manila which was built in 1931 and closed in 1996. It has an Art Deco design and planned by Juan M. Arellano. It has a capacity of 1670 (846 in orchestra, 116 in loge, 708 in balcony). It was destroyed during the liberation in Manila in 1945 but restored in 1978. Aside from Metropolitan Theater, there are other theaters which was very popular during the Spanish and American period but it was closed as the years passed.

Manila Post Office facing the Liwasang Bonifacio.

From Metropolitan Theater, I walked to Liwasang Bonifacio to visit the iconic Manila Central Post Office Building. Built in 1926 and designed by architect Juan M. Arellano. It is one of the beautiful places in the area because of the wide space, the verdant trees and the gushing bliss of the fountain in front of the post office.

Therefore, these buildings reflect the colorful past of our country. Although the urbanization is growing fast, the historical landmarks in Manila will serve as an identity of being Filipinos in some aspects. These places are actually located in the borders of two districts, Ermita and Intramuros. After I visited these historical buildings in a walking tour along the streets of Lawton, I am ready to go to the next place, the Walled City of Intramuros.

You can read also A Walk in the Historical Fortress, a blog entry that tells about my visit in Fort Santiago.

Date of Travel: February 12, 2012

Perspectives for 2013: Resolutions and Guidelines for Travel

Source: www.facebook.com

MY TOP TEN TRAVEL QUOTES FOR 2013

(Guidelines for Better Traveling)

Source: The 50 Most Inspiring Travel Quotes of All Time

1. Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent in the ideas of living. - Miriam Beard

2. A journey of the thousand miles begins with a single step. - Lao Tzu

3. Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less traveled by. - Robert Frost

4. Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but it is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey. - Pat Conroy

5. A wise traveler never despises his own country. - Carlo Goldoni

6. Travel does what good novelists also do to the life of everyday, placing it like a picture in a frame or a gem in its setting so that the intrinsic qualities are made more clear. Travel does this with the very stuff that everyday life is made of, giving to it the sharp contour and meaning of art. - Freya Stark

7. We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open. - Jawarhaial Nehru 

8. Mas masarap maging turista sa sariling bayan. (It is better to become a tourist in your own country) - Filipino saying

9. There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign. - Robert Louis Stevenson

10. I just travel the world with my backpack and my cameras and a bunch of Clif bars. - Henry Rollins

Once again I'm looking forward for a travel-filled 2013 in order to post more travelogues and photos in my official travel blog. 

Memorable Travels of 2012

A PILGRIMAGE IN THE LOOP *

It was one of the most memorable travels I had in Laguna. I was able to do my Visita Iglesia in the Laguna Loop visiting the churches of Pila, Santa Cruz, Magdalena, Liliw, Nagcarlan, Majayjay, Luisiana, Cavinti, Pagsanjan, Kalayaan, Paete and Pakil. I appreciated the Baroque architecture of the Spanish era churches which was built centuries ago.

GRAND GALA IN THE LOOP

I am always posting this year about my commuting tour in Laguna Loop. It was started last year where I visited some of the landmarks in the said area which reflected the history of the province. In Victoria, I saw the colorful duck statues as well with the poultry industry in the town. In Pila, I took a glimpse of history with the heritage plaza with its ancestral houses. In Nagcarlan, I went to the Underground Cemetery and climbed to the belfry of Saint Bartholomew Church to see the view of the town. I also had a chance to take the canopy walk to Taytay Falls in Majayjay plus the thrilling adventure in the zigzag roads of the place. I saw the beautiful turquoise waters of Sampaloc Lake and take a glimpse of history in Magdalena. I also appreciated the art in Paete and Pakil and took the one hundred twenty-six steps to the hilltop church of Mabitac during the rainy weather.

SHOPPING CHALLENGE IN LILIW

I challenge myself if I can make a budget for one day shopping for only five hundred pesos. Well, it was all happened in Liliw where I bought a lot of native products from slippers, fruits, native sweets and even bayong. I bought it for affordable prize plus it has a good quality. I also experienced to eat at cozy restaurant in the town and it was a great delicious food offered in the place.

HISTORICAL TOUR

 Intramuros, Manila (Fort Santiago to Luneta Park)

Taal, Batangas (Saint Martin de Tours Basilica, Taal Heritage Town, Our Lady of Caysasay Church)

Calamba, Laguna (Rizal Shrine and Rizal Statue) *

Kawit, Cavite (Aguinaldo Shrine and Kawit Church) *

Maragondon, Cavite (Bonifacio Trial House) *

Trece Martires City, Cavite (Thirteen Martyrs) *

* These memorable travels are soon to be posted this 2013

Looking forward this 2013 to have more travels around the Philippines.

A Walk in the Small Town of Woodcrafts

In a lakeshore town located in the foothills of Sierra Madre, there is a place popular for its artistic and embellished woodcrafts and colorful papier maches and it is considered as the "Art Capital of Laguna" and "The Woodcarving Capital of the Philippines." The town that I referring to is Paete, which is one of the lakeshore towns in Laguna de Bay surrounded by the towns of Pakil and Kalayaan.

The lush and verdant mountains of Sierra Madre in Paete. It also covered most of the
neighboring towns in Eastern Laguna.

The clean turquoise waters of Laguna de Bay with old wooden boats near the shore.

The busy scenario in the small town of Paete.

I made a visit in Paete just to complete the journey in the Laguna Loop and to have a glimpse of culture in this town. I had a twenty to thirty minute travel from Santa Cruz to this small town passing the busy streets and ascending slopes that offer a panoramic view of Laguna de Bay from the foothills of Sierra Madre. Then, when I came to the town proper, there are lots of woodcarving shops and woodcrafts stores everywhere. The town is also surrounded with the verdant and stunning mountains of Sierra Madre and the clear and aquamarine waters of Laguna de Bay. Therefore, Paete is a town where you can enjoy the art and nature.

Paete is the home of skilled woodcarvers. It is already part of their culture since the pre-Hispanic times.

The ornamented and artistic woodcrafts of Paete.

Paete came from the Tagalog word "paet" meaning chisel, a tool used for woodcarving. The town is also the home of skilled craftsmen and woodcarvers and it is the town where you can see plenty of artworks such as wooden statues, papier maches, pulpits, murals and bas reliefs. Most of these artworks were used in churches and cathedrals in different parts of the world such as the Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. In 2005, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared Paete as "The Woodcarving Capital of the Philippines."

Mariano Madrinan, the town hero of Paete because he brought honor to the country with his masterpiece.

Paete is also unique because of its town hero. In some places, the hero is a soldier or diplomat but here in Paete, the town's hero is a woodcarver named Mariano Madrinan. He created the masterpiece "Mater Dolorosa" who honored the King of Spain and won a major award in an exposition in Amsterdam in 1882.

An unfinished woodcarving but it is beautiful.

Religious images made of wood.

The colorful papier maches of Paete.

St. James the Apostle Church, Paete

Colorful paintings and murals are also popular in Paete which can be found in Islaw Art Gallery.

Today, the town is still famous for its ornamented woodcarvings and colorful papier maches, murals and paintings. There are many tourists who visited this town because they want to buy woodcarvings and witness the commemoration of Holy Week in this town. Paete is also known for its Spanish era Baroque church called St. James the Apostle Church.

Therefore, my experience in Paete is such a worthwhile visit because I appreciate the gifted talent in sculpture and painting of the natives as well with the fact that this is the town where you can appreciate the Filipino art and the observance of religious tradition during Holy Week in our country.

Activities: You can buy woodcarvings, paintings and papier maches in stores within the town proper. In addition, you can witness the Holy Week in this town and visit the Three Crosses in the top of Sierra Madre mountains.

How to Get There: From Santa Cruz, Laguna, you can ride a jeepney or drive through National Highway passing the towns of Pagsanjan, Lumban and Kalayaan. Then, turn right to J.P. Rizal Street in order to make it to the town proper of Paete.

Date of Travel: November 5, 2011 and December 18, 2011

From the Colorful Ducks to the Heritage Plaza: Discovering the Lakeshore Towns of Victoria and Pila

When I am going to travel in the Laguna Loop, I always made a stopover to Calamba in order to ride a jeepney, passing the towns of Los Banos and Bay via National Highway to Sta. Cruz. The travel offers a stunning view of the legendary Mount Makiling in the highways of Calamba and Los Banos up to the golden rice fields as well with the verdant trees and lush ornamental plants and trees in the corners of the streets in Bay and Calauan. In addition, you can see the mountains of San Cristobal and Banahaw as you drive in the National Highway to Santa Cruz. It is always the usual route to pass the first two towns in the loop which became popular with ducks and poultry industry as well with the century-old houses and the heritage plaza in the town proper. 

The Duck Junction in Victoria-Calauan Highway.

As you enter the loop, the first thing that welcomes you is the monumental and colorful duck statues in the town of Victoria. It is one of the lakeshore towns in Laguna de Bay, bordered by the towns of Bay in the west, Pila in the northeast, Calauan in the southwest, and Nagcarlan in the southeast. The town was formerly a barangay of Pila and became a town in 1949 as the youngest municipality in the province. 

The colorful and huge duck statues in the Victoria-Calauan Highway representing the abundance of poultry industry in the town.

As you enter the town, the huge and colorful duck statues in the junction of Victoria-Calauan road known as the Duck Junction welcomes the travelers. This landmark symbolizes the poultry industry through numerous duck farms and poultry products such as balut (boiled fertilized duck egg), itlog na maalat (salted duck egg) and kinulob na itik (deep-fried duck). In addition, the town became one of the locations of the Detour task in the fifth season of U.S. reality show "The Amazing Race" where the teams accomplished flocking ducks to the cages and plowing the rice fields with the use of carabao. Lastly, Itik Festival was also celebrated in Victoria, along with its founding anniversary, to commemorate the abundance and richness of poultry industry in Victoria, earning its moniker, "The Duck Raising Capital of the Philippines".

The golden rice fields of Victoria in harvest.

When I visited the town, I noticed the golden green rice fields of Victoria that teemed with the view of the mountains of San Cristobal and Banahaw from faraway. The people were friendly as well with the fact that every corner you can see duck farms and duck products store. Therefore, Victoria is a town which can competed with the Pateros in terms of the progressing duck industry in the town and you can enjoy the visit to this simple town because of the friendly people and the rural ambiance.

The view of the Shrine of Saint Anthony of Padua from the municipal hall.

Five to ten minutes away from the town of Victoria, you can reach the town proper of Pila where you can see the heritage houses built from the Spanish era. In addition, the plaza is very extensive, and the church and the town hall were adjacent to each other which reminds me of the Spanish period society. Therefore, the houses located in the plaza represent the families who belong to the elite society.

Shrine of Saint Anthony of Padua or simply called as Pila Church.

Pila Municipal Hall which was built in 1939.

The facade of Pila Municipal Hall.

Before the Spaniards arrive in the Philippines, Pila and other lake shore towns in the Laguna de Bay are the oldest settlements in the area where archaeologists gathered artifacts which was dated during the Tang Dynasty. Then, the Franciscan friars evangelized the people of Pila in 1578 and they built a church dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua. In addition, the Philippines' oldest dictionary was published in this town in 1613. At the beginning of the 19th century, the church was transferred from Pagalangan to its present site because of frequent flooding in the area. Recently, the National Historical Institute declared the town plaza and the surrounding ancestral houses as a National Historical Landmark. In 2002, the Diocese of San Pablo, proclaimed the parish church of San Antonio de Padua de Pila declared as the Diocesan Shrine of Saint Anthony of Padua.

The heritage houses along with the progress and urbanization of the town.

The century-old houses in the town plaza.

One example of old ancestral house in Pila Heritage Town.

Pila Delights and Plaza Delights are two of the old convenience stores in town.

Another ancestral house in the town center.

As I walked in the town plaza, I noticed the old houses which was built in the Spanish era was still standing and also, I had a chance to visit the Pila Museum where I saw artifacts from the pre-historic era as well with the town pictures from the Spanish period. According to Filipino historian Luciano Santiago, it is the only town in the Philippines which was formally recognized as a historical site by both the church and the state.

Therefore, my visit here in Pila is all worth it because of the historical time travel by taking a glimpse on the plaza which reminds me of the elite society during the Spanish colonization. In fact, the town reminds us to preserve our culture and heritage despite of the modernization and urbanization happening in our country in order to look back in our ancestral roots. After Pila, you may go ahead to the provincial capital of Santa Cruz.

How To Get There: From Calamba, you can take the National Highway passing the towns of Los Banos, Bay and Calauan which lead you to the town of Victoria and Pila.

Date of Travel: October 29, 2011