Iloilo and Guimaras are probably two of the provinces you have never visited yet. Or even worse not even heard of. Well this two twin provinces are definitely one of the jewels of the Visayas region.  These two provinces are equally rich in cultural heritage to begin with and splendid beaches to enjoy with.

Miag-ao Church of Iloilo

Iloilo is a province in the Western Visayas region in the Southeast portion of Panay Island. And just off Iloilo’s Southeast portion is the Guimaras island that used to be part of Iloilo.  One cannot just enjoy Iloilo without passing to Guimaras.  And across Guimaras Strait and Panay Gulf is Negros Occidental.  Hiligaynon or Ilonggo is the language spoken in this area.

Things to see and do

Iloilo is rich in Spanish architecture evident in the old buildings of downtown Iloilo.

As a leading province during the Spanish Colonial Era, the province of Iloilo is widely known for its beautiful old world architecture similar to that of Latin American Countries. Spanish colonial Churches are amongst the well knowned tourist sites in the province.

Miagao Church. is a World Heritage Site. This is an  Aztec-Baroque inspired church with Filipino botanicals used to carved on the facade. It is known for its intricate facade and pyramidal bell towers. The church was used as a fortress during the olden days. It is a massive structure built of yellowish Limestones.

Molo Church. The Gothic Renaissance Church of Molo was used as a watch tower to warn the people if there are any attackers on the shore of Iloilo City. It is a fine coral stone church with Classical and Gothic details. It is also known as the feminist church because of the beautiful female saints lining inside the church.

Cabatuan Church. This Neoclassic Church, known to be the most massive Hispanic structure in Iloilo is built of red bricks. It is believed to be the largest red brick structure in the Visayas and it was given the title “Model of Temples” by the ‘El Eco de Panay’. The Cabatuan Church is known to be the only extant Spanish colonial church with three facades.

San Jose Church. The beautiful church in front of plaza Libertad is considered the most historic amongst the churches in Iloilo City. It is a Byzantine-Neoclassic Church planned to look like the Spanish Church of Valencia del Cid. The Church is known for its collection of priceless Catholic treasures.

The Historic province of Iloilo is also known for ‘Calle Real’; a street of old buildings with their classical designs. During January, the city heats up for Dinagyang, the festival dubbed as “The best tourism event in the Philippines” It is a collection of tribe warriors dancing in honor of the Child Jesus.

Guimaras on the other hand is known for its agricultural crops.  Be sure not to miss the Manggahan festival (Mango Festival), where the city boasts of its world renowned delicious mangoes.  The celebration normally last for a few days and various activities are organized.  Date changes yearly decided by the Fiesta committee.  To enjoy the beaches in Guimaras you can check out the following resorts; Isla Naburot, Costa Aguada resort.  You can also visit the Mambukal resort and Trapist Monastery.

Getting There

The fastest and the easiest way is getting to Iloilo is via an airplane from Manila.  Flight takes about an hour.  There are various affordable domestic plane servicing this route so finding a seat is always easy.  The other option is through “roro”, buses that crosses Luzon and ends up at ferry boat to reach Visayas.  This normally takes long about a day, but if you love beautiful scenery and does not mind being seated for a long time in a bus this is for you. From Iloilo you can go to Guimaras via ferry boat that brings you there, travel last for about an hour.

Things to taste and buy

Iloilo is famous for its Lapaz Batchoy.  This is a noodle soup specialty of Lapaz Iloilo.  Go to the market in the morning to enjoy this province specialty.  In guimaras do not fail to taste their mangoes and different products out of mangoes; dried mangos, fruit juice and candies.

Mambukal resort

Pasalubong

Sagada is one of the municipalities of Mountain Province.  It is adjacent to Bontoc, another interesting place to visit in Mountain Province.  You can’t go to Sagada without dropping by at Bontoc.  Sagada is located 275 Km north of Manila and 140 Km from Baguio.  Sagada is popular for its hanging coffins, an old tradition that is no longer practice nowadays.  Traditionally not anyone has the privillege to be buried this way, one has to be married, have children among others.

Things to do

Popular activities in Sagada includes trekking, exploring both caves and waterfalls, spelunking, bonfires, picnics, rappelling, visiting historical sites, nature hikes, and participating in tribal celebrations.  Upon arrival at Sagada, head on at the Tourism Office for registration at the Sagada Municipal Hall.  They have a complete listing of the things that you can do.  You can also hire a tourist guide, fee varies according to the activitiy you wish to do.  You can also arrange for transportation with the tourism office. Do not miss to check out these places:

Hanging Coffins

You can see near the entrance going to the famous Sumaging cave.  You can either see them from a far or walk closer and take some pictures.

Echo Valley

Kiltepan tower

Rice Terraces

Sumaguing and Lumiang Caves

Bomod-ok and Bokong Falls

Do not miss dropping by at Bontoc Museum, they have a magnificent collection of Bontoc’s traditional houses, clothes and utensils.  The mini-community displayed on the exterior of the Museum is also very impressive.

Getting there

You can go to Sagada by land from Baguio.  From Manila you can take air-conditioned buses plying to Baguio daily.  Once in Baguio, you can take regular buses going to Bontoc- Sagada.  Another option is to take a domestic flight from Manila to Baguio and arrange for a private vans going to Sagada.

Do not miss

Sagada Coffee

Sagada Blueberryjam

Sagada native bags

Getting there

The trip going to Capones Island takes about 4 to five hours drive from Manila passing through city of Olongapo and heading towards north to San Antonio following directions to Barangay Pundaquit.

Things to do

Upon arrival at the village you will notice the magnificent scenery of beach behind a mountain, perfect to watch the sun set. The island is accessible for day picnics, swimming and even over-night swimming just be sure to pre-arrange with your boatmen for them to pick you up. Snorkelling and kayaking are also possible on the beach so be sure to bring all your necessary equipments.

Surfing Capones Island

Capones Island is popular for its easy and manageable surfing waves. During the best season the beach offers well formed breaks for advanced surfers. During the season beginners can enjoy 3-9 feet waves perfect practicing. It is advisable to come from July to December to enjoy such adventure but the best one is just right after a storm when water is still agitated.

Whale shark watching Season

Butanding season starts around November and goes on through month of May. The best month to see them is February through April. It is advisable to go in the morning, as the waters are clearer and it easier to spot the Whale Sharks. According to the locals, the Whale Sharks are also more abundant before noon. On peak season, it is very common for each visitor to see more than a dozen different Butanding.

Getting there

If you are coming from Manila there are two options in getting there. First is by airplane, about 45-50 minutes a short ride from Manila to Legaspi (your entry point in Bicol region). There are various airlines servicing this route with varied prices too. You can check on Philippines Airlines, Cebu Pacific or Zest Air. Upon arrival at Legaspi airport, there are Van drivers waiting for passengers there. The hotel you will be staying can book the transportation for you in advance. Or if not you can just find one there for sure. The trip is about an hour from Legaspi to Donsol, prices also varies. From Legaspi, you can make a short stop-over to marvel at the majestic Mayon Volcano either on your arrival or on you way back to Manila. Often in the Legaspi airport But if you are not press with time, would love to see the beautiful scenery of Luzon vegetation and is willing to take that long bus ride (about 15-18 hours depends on bus company), there are buses plying from Manila (EDSA, Pasay, Cubao) directly to Donsol,Sorsogon.

Registration at Donsol Tourism Office

Upon arrival at Donsol you must register that day (if you wish to do whale shark watching the next day) at the Donsol Tourism Office. You can take a tricycle going there or walk by the beach or along the road depending where your hotel is located. At the Tourism Office, you will be required to register and attend a brief orientation session prior to heading out to see the Whale Sharks. You will also be required to pay the fee for: Boat Rental and Crew, Registration, and snorkeling equipment rental (if needed). The maximum number of registrants per boat is 7 people. If you are travelling alone it is recommended that you find other visitors that can come with you on the boat to help you lessen the bill. There are always backpackers travelling alone so it won’t be such a hard task to do.

Butanding Interaction

Whale shark watching trips are often organized in the morning. They will advise you that the best time to leave is between 6-7 am. You can arrange to have a small breakfast by the beach in the hotel you are staying as you wait for your boat to arrive. It is normally your BIO (Butanding Information Officer) that will welcome you on board the 12m (40 ft) boat. He will further explain you the rules and regulations and how the interaction normally occurs. There will be a spotter, the guy who is usually on the highest point of the boat to spot where the whale sharks are, and the rest of the crew. For a guaranteed safe and enjoyable trip it is advise to listen carefully your BIO. When a spotter sees one, he tells the BIO where it is, the BIO gives the signal position, and tells you to jump. The BIO will swim and guide you to this once in a life time experience of whale shark watching. Generally, you do not need to be out in deep waters in order to interact with the Whale Sharks. Your BIO will point them out and educate you on how to spot them, as well as provide additional information you need to know during the experience. The BIO’s are quite knowledgeable and friendly, and are willing to answer your questions. When the BIO feels that the situation is ideal, he will instruct the crew on the boat’s approach to the whale shark, and take the lead in getting you ready for the experience. Seeing the Butanding for the first time is an extremely exciting experience. It is very important to keep the safety procedures in mind, and always follow the lead and instructions of your BIO.

Places to stay

There are a lot of interesting places to stay in Donsol. There is Amor Farm Beach Resort, a great place with a beautiful garden and a great restaurant. There is also Vitton Beach, Woodland Resort and Casa Bianca. You can also do some homestaying in Donsol.

Contact Numbers

Woodland Resort
Contact Marichu (09219699544) / Mel (09182315420)
Rates: Big Cottages AC (10 pax) P2,700.00
AC Rooms (2 pax) P1,500.00
Non AC Cottages P 800.00

Amor Farm Beach Resort
Contact Agnes (0917-6941687)/ 0917-9682733/ 0910-4586140/ 0910-4762176/ rasyl_r_amor@yahoo.com
Rates: Fan Room w/Bathroom (2 single size bed, 2 fan) P1,000
Fan Room w/Bathroom (1 double size bed) P 700
Fan Room (2 double size bed, common bathroom) P 600

Vitton Beach Resort
Contact Nora (0927-9126313)
Rates: AC Rooms (2-4 pax) P1,500.00 Extra Person: P200 per head
AC Rooms w/ Hot & Cold (2-4 pax) P1,700.00

Casa Bianca
Contact Hazel (0921-3687066)/Jun Balmonte (0906-3099372)/ Jun (fireflies) (0906-9320457)
Rates: Fan Room P800
AC Room P1,500

Q & A

How many whale sharks we can see in a trip?

If you are lucky you can see as much as 12 Butanding in a day. But there is really no guarantee on how many you can see.

How long the trip last?

The trip normally lasts three hours.

Do I need to be a good swimmer to do this activity?

No. If you are a good swimmer it’s great but if you are not so comfortable in the water you can take some life jacket and your BIO will even assist you.

What other activities we can do in Donsol?

Aside from Butanding interaction you can also organize a “Firefly watching” with the tourism office. It is a night activity.

]]> http://www.in-the-philippines.com/travel-guide-donsol-whaleshark-watching/feed 5 http://www.in-the-philippines.com/butanding-of-sorsogon-whale-sharks http://www.in-the-philippines.com/butanding-of-sorsogon-whale-sharks#comments Thu, 21 May 2009 10:18:06 +0000 admin http://www.in-the-philippines.com/?p=194 Donsol, is a small fishing town, 600Km away from Manila located on the southwest coast of Luzon. For a long time this area in Philippines is frequented by Whale Sharks, called “Butanding” in local Filipino dialect. Local fishermen were aware of them but it was like a best kept secret. Some fishermen used to eat their meat. It was only in 1998 that a team of foreign divers publicized their existence.After this, hunters swarmed this area to chase them, luckily the Filipino government stepped in quickly and declared this variety of fish as a protected species.

Butandings, although called as Whales are not mammals like other whales but they are actually fish and belong to group of sharks. However, this type of shark is not a predator like other varieties of sharks and just feeds on the plankton and small fish. Thus, in a sense a giant vegetarian fish. The seawater of Donsol have just the right temperature and are rich in plankton that attracts them. Butanding actually means “Gentle Giant” in the local dialect and this represents their true nature. This is the largest fish in the world and grows up to the length of 60 feet and weight up to 15 metric tons. We have never heard of them hurting humans intentionally although sometimes collisions with fishing boats are common. After declaring it a protected species and after knowing its behavior, the Filipino government was quick to spot the opportunity for “Eco-tourism” in Donsol. Butandings are found in this region from February to June when they migrate looking for the right water temperature and food.

Visiting Donsol: how to go, where to stay, what to do.