Discovering the Jewels of Northern Mindanao
Posted in travels, travel mindanao, mindanao tourism, mindanao tourist spots, iligan city tourism, cagayan de oro city tourism, nrthern mindanao tourism, travel iligan on January 28, 2012 by abigstesoroA Glimpse of Negros Occidental
Posted in negros occidental with tags bonista beach resort, bonista beach resort esacalante, chapel of cartwheels manapla, church of the angry christ, escalante city, escalante city tourist spots, manapla negros occidental, manapla tourist spots, negros occidental, negros occiental tourist spots, victorias city, victorias city tourist spots on July 5, 2009 by abigstesoroKnown as the sugar capital of the Philippines, Negros Occidental is a blend of the cosmopolitan and the rustic lifestyle… the modern architecture and the stately Spanish-Era mansions and haciendas. The people of Negros Occidental are regarded as affectionate, friendly and fun-loving people who enjoys the finer things in life. Everywhere you go you see vast sugarcane plantations… a marvelous sight to see as the swaying green blades of the sugar canes touch the azure skies.
Negros Occidental occupies the northwestern half of the island of Negros and is made up of many provinces with Bacolod City as the Capital.
Victorias City, Negros Occidental
Church of the Angry Christ, Victorias


the altar of the Church of the Angry Christ…. this church is located inside the Victorias Milling Company compound.
Manapla, Negros Occidental
Chapel of Cartwheels, Manapla
this chapel in a secluded area of Manapla is constructed of old carabao cartwheels and other farm implements



i instantly fell in love with this simple, rustic chapel in Manapla… i was wondering where we were heading when we suddenly turned into a dirt road and passed by fruit orchards… but when we reached a little clearing with this rustic, lonesome structure under a shady tree… nothing compares to this fine, ingenuous artistry and craftsmanship of the Negrenese…
Escalante City, Negros Occidental
the sugarcane plantations as one travels the rustic roads of Escalante


Bonista Beach Resort….. an environmental friendly resort in a sun-drenched tropical setting where the waters is cool, the air is fresh and traffic noise is almost non-existent… located in rural, unspoiled Escalante…



the beach at Bonista at low tide

a private cove

the resort’s pool area



the rooms at Bonista


a natural mini lake along the road going to Bonista Beach Resort
Talisay City, Negros Occidental
The Ruins, Talisay City, Negros Occidental
The Ruins in Talisay City is such a breath-taking place… a grandiose mansion built in the 1900′s by sugar cane baron, Don Mariano Lacson. The edifice is best viewed during dusk when the rustic mansion turns into glowing gold as the setting sun’s rays changes the mansion into a magical spectacle.
Bacolod City
Bacolod City Hall
Panaad Park, Brgy. Mansilingan, Bacolod City
Silay City, Negros Occidental
The Heritage House at Silay City
Murcia, Negros Occidental
Mambukal Mountain Resort, Murcia
Stepping into the Sunshine @ Moalboal
Posted in moalboal cebu with tags bas dako moalboal, cebu beaches, cebu tourism, cebu tourist spots, moalboal beaches, moalboal cebu, moalboal tourism, travel cebu, travel Philippines, visayas beaches on May 8, 2009 by abigstesoroAlong the western coast of Cebu is a long stretch of pristine white sand beach comparable to that of Boracay… Moalboal’s very own Bas Dako… where the powdery white sand meets the lapping waves of the crystal clear sea… rich in marine life… ideal for swimming, snorkeling and even diving… many enjoy various water and beach sports. The only complain I have with Bas Dako is that it gets too crowded during summer weekends… azure sky… warm sunshine… cool, clear sea… Bas Dako… a perfect summer escapade in the west coast…

















sunset at Bas Dako
Sidetrip at Manila Ocean Park
Posted in manila ocean park with tags manila ocean park, travel luzon, travel manila, travel Philippines on May 7, 2009 by abigstesoroI have always wanted to go scuba-diving and explore the underwater paradise… a totally different world yet a truly beautiful and magical place… but the only hindrance for me to experience this life-long dream is that I don’t even know how to swim or float! good thing that an oceanarium or underwater park was constructed in Manila… Ocean Park Manila… a state-of teh art Oceanarium…



The Bahura
the first part of the Oceanarium where numerous tanks display the country’s colorful underwater rainforests…. beautiful, colorful corals and coral reef fishes…






baby sharks at the lower right … shark eggs on the upper portion… an awesome sight
The Laot
or the Fishing Ground… here, huge aquariums display different deep sea fishes in all sizes and colors



Spider Crab

Buhay na Karagatan
or the Living Ocean…. a 25-meter walk along an underwater tunnel… a one of a kind experience for ocean lovers where you get to witness how underwater creatures interact with one another in their natural habitat… a truly awesome experience…. i just could’t get enough of this part of the Oceanarium… i culd stay here the whole day….





fell in love with these sea creatures….




Pating
or Sharks…. a very huge tank from floor to ceiling where numerous predators of the sea are on display… be esmerized as you come face-to-face with these fierce sea creatures… one of the displays in the Oceanarium i find fascinating…. the tank holds black-tipped reef sharks and angel sharks…



Exploring Mactan’s Island Destinations
Posted in caohagan island, mactan island hopping, pandanon island with tags caohagan isalnd, cebu beaches, cebu tourism, cebu tourist spots, mactan island, mactan island hopping, mactan tourist spots, pandanon island, travel cebu on April 29, 2009 by abigstesoroMactan has a lot of neighboring islands ideal for island hopping, beach bumming, snorkeling and scuba-diving. The most famous is Olango Island or the Olango Wildlife Sanctuary, where many migratory birds flock during winter season from neighboring countries like Siberia, Northern China and Japan. Based on data gathered from studying these birds in Olango, these birds use Olango as their refueling station as well as their wintering ground. Many foreign as well as local tourists visit Olango to enjoy bird-watching as well as swimming and the island’s bountiful seafood.
Another famous island destination is Pandanon Island. The powdery white sand and the warm turquoise water makes this island the perfect get-away for those who are looking for a perfect day of fun under the sun. This island actually is a sandbar, part of a tiny, inhabited island of Getafe, Bohol…. thus not a part of Mactan, Cebu. But many local and foreign tourists include Pandanon Island as one of their island destinations when they are planning on enjoying an Island-Hopping Tour of Mactan Islands. The one-hectare stretch of white sand is carved by a lagoon ideal for swimming and snorkeling.
Other island destinations that are equally famous are Hilutungan Island and Nalusuan Island where one can enjoy luxury accomodations and amenities for daytime or ovenight stays. These two island resorts are Protected Marine Sanctuaries ideal for scuba-diving and snorkeling.
PANDANON ISLAND



Pandanon Island from afar




















group picture after a great time at Pandanon Island
CAOHAGAN ISLAND



the bounty of the sea at Caohagan Island



































