Category Archives: ACTIVITIES

Beryl’s Chocolate Kingdom (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

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From Merdeka Square, our Indian tourist guide brought us to the Crafts Village where we visited Beryl’s Chocolate Kingdom, the largest chocolate showroom in Malaysia and a Malaysian manufacturer of quality chocolates with a regional expansion. Located just opposite the Dorsett Hotel (where we were staying), this outlet, opened in 2006, is housed in a converted bungalow.

Beryl's Chocolate Kingdom

Heaven for a chocolate lover like me here, they offer taste tests inside for their many selections which included chocolate with chili, green tea or durian flavor; chocolate with your favorite fruit flavor, or chocolate with tiramisu and almonds (introduced in 2003), all dark chocolates.  The choco milk version is also available. You name it they have it. Bar chocolate (raisins, almond, coconut, etc), camior bar chocolate, Ghana chocolate, tiramisu chocolate and gift packs are the popular buys.  I bought some boxes of tiramisu chocolates.

The Showroom

The company, formerly called Real Chocolate Industry,was incorporated in 1995, starting out with 3 products – the Triangle Bar Chocolate (replaced by Camior in 1998), Popcorn Chocolate and tinned Almond & Assorted Nuts Milk Chocolate.

In 2000, new varieties of chocolate were developed and introduced and the company changed her name to Beryl’s Chocolate & Confectionery Sdn Bhd. In 2001, Beryl’s introduced her new and improved Camior chocolate bar that included a new shape and packaging. In addition to that, Beryl’s introduced the Black Bitter Chocolate and 500 g Jar Panned selection to the Malaysian market. In 2004, the Black Bitter line of chocolates was refreshed with new and improved offerings.

Beryl’s Chocolate Kingdom: 38 Jalan Utara, Off Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: 603-21458211. Fax: 603-21459211. Email : lausanne@berylschocolate.com. Website: www.berylschocolate.com.my.

KL Tower (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

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After our visit to Petronas Towers, we next walked some distance to the KL Tower, locally called Menara Kuala Lumpur, until we reached the verdant and green Bukit Nanas Forest, the only gazetted forest reserve in the country.  Before anything else, we opted first to have lunch at Bangkok Expresso, which serves Asian, Indochinese as well as Thai cuisine.  We tried the pandan chicken among other dishes. Here, as in many areas in the city, we met up with Filipinos employed in the restaurant. Once done, we walked up to the gate at the base of 94 m. high Bukit Nanas (Pineapple Hill), where the tower stands.  Here, we availed of the free shuttle service, up the hill, to the tower entrance at the upper ground level.

KL Tower

At this level are 9 shops, a fastfood restaurant, a 222-pax, open-air amphitheater, souvenir shops and a mini-theater that shows a documentary, every 15 mins., of the construction of the tower. After paying the entrance fee, we proceeded to the fast speed elevator that brought us up the 335-m. high observation deck.

KL Tower Observation Deck

At its observation deck, we finally manage to get a panoramic, 360° bird’s eye view of the city, better than at its sister landmark as it is actually taller (at 515 m. above sea level) than the Petronas Towers, being built on a hill.  At the deck, we were given hand-held devices with Sony headsets that guided us through each of the windows and explain each of the attractions.  Around the deck are some souvenir shops and some Nikon 30×80 II coin-operated binoculars.

Getting a Better View via a Nikon 30×80 II Coin-operated Binocular

The KL Tower, locally called Menara Kuala Lumpur, was designed to withstand wind pressures of up to 90 mph.  It was built, with 45,000 cu. m. of concrete, over a period of 4 years and was completed on May 1996. Used for communication purposes, its antenna reaches 421 m. (1,381 ft.), currently making it the tallest in Southeast Asia, the second tallest freestanding tower in the world and also ranking it fourth amongst the tallest telecommunications towers in the world (after 553 m. high CN Tower in Canada, the 537 m. high Ostankino Tower in Russia and the 468 m. high Shanghai Tower in China). Here, we clearly saw the Genting Highlands, the Klang Valley and other buildings of Kuala Lumpur, including the Petronas Towers.

A Spectacular View of the City (including Petronas Towers)

The tower’s Islamic tiles, classic Islamic floral and abstract motifs and soothing color combinations reflects the country’s Islamic heritage. Designed with vertical ribs on its external surface, the tower weighs 100,000 tons and was built on freestanding land with no piles.

Bangkok Expresso: The Weld Shopping Center, 76 Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Menara Kuala Lumpur: Jalan Puncak, Off Jalan P. Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: 603-2020 5444. Fax: 603-2034 2609.  Email: menara@menarakl.com.my. Website: www.menarakl.com.my. Open daily, 9 AM–10 PM.

A Historical Tour of Corregidor (Cavite)

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Battery Hearns

Come morning, prior to breakfast, Lee and Mark opted to do some fishing as South Dock.  The fish that early morning weren’t biting and the only thing they had to show for their unsuccessful effort was a lost fish hook.   After a hearty and filling breakfast, Mark and I, with other hotel and day tour guests, joined the regular tour via tranvia.  Its itinerary included Batteries Hearns, Geary, Way and Crockett, plus the Pacific War Memorial (and its museum), Lorcha Dock and the Spanish Lighthouse.

A tranvia

Battery Hearns, a 12-inch seacoast gun, was built from 1918 to 1921 at a cost of US$148,105. One of the last major additions to Corregidor’s defense system, it had a maximum range of 29,000 yards and was capable of firing in all directions. Intended to defend the island against enemy naval threat from the South China Sea, Battery Hearns had been in action firing towards Cavite from February 1942 and, on April 8 and 9, 1942, towards Bataan. When Corregidor fell, this gun emplacement was captured nearly intact by the Japanese.  It was subsequently repaired and put back into action.  However, in January and February of 1945, it was completely neutralized by American aerial bombardment.

Battery Way

Battery Way, built from 1904 to 1913 at a cost of US$112,969, was named after 2nd Lt. Henry N. Way of the 4th U.S. Artillery who was killed in 1900 during the Philippine-American War.  It was armed with four 12-inch mortars capable of firing a 1,000-lb. deck piercing of 700-lb. high explosive shell in any direction with a maximum range of 14,610 yards at the rate of one round per minute per mortar.  Three of the serviceable mortars opened fire on April 28, 1942 and on May 2, two of these were hit.  After more than 12 hours of continuous firing, the remaining mortar finally froze tight on May 6, the last to cease firing before the surrender.

Battery Geary

Battery Geary was built from 1907 to 1911 at a cost of US$145,198. It was named in honor of Capt. Woodbridge Geary of the 13th U.S. Infantry who died in 1899 during the Philippine-American War. With a maximum range of 14,610 yards, its eight 12-inch mortars were capable of firing in any direction.  Considered as the most effective anti-personnel weapon in Corregidor, the vertical plunging trajectories of the mortars made them ideal for use against enemy entrenched on higher grounds in Bataan.  The battery had two mortar pits with 3 magazines and its standard crew consisted of 4 men per mortar.

Battery Crockett

Battery Crockett, one of the 6″ disappearing” gun batteries that formed the interlocking field of fire which totally encircled the island, was built from 1905 to 1908 at a cost of US$290,049. Armed with two 12-inch seacoast guns mounted on disappearing carriages behind a concrete parapet, this battery basically fired south across the major southern channel into Manila Bay.  It had a range of 17,000 yards and was capable of a 170-degree traverse, with overlapping fields, or a total of 220 degrees coverage for the battery. Similar to Battery Cheney and Battery Wheeler in design, it was centrally located on the island.

Pacific War Memorial

The Pacific War Memorial, standing on the highest part of Corregidor, on the island’s west,  was built by the U.S. government and completed in 1948 at the cost of US$ 1,230,000.  It is dedicated to the Filipino and American soldiers who shed their blood on Corregidor. The memorial’s dome has an opening at the top through which sunlight shines through to exactly fill a circular altar on the week of May 6, the Fall of Corregidor. Left of the acacia tree-shaded entrance is the Cine Corregidor Ruins and behind it is a small, modest marble museum containing war relics, photos, a documentary film projection room, souvenir shop and descriptive information.

Eternal Flame

To the right of the museum is the remains of the Bachelor Officers’ Quarters and the Post Headquarters.  Within the complex is the steel wing-shaped sculpture Eternal Flame designed by Greek-American sculptor Archimedes Demetrius. The flagpole, originally a mast of a Spanish warship, was salvaged by Admiral George Dewey after the Battle of Manila Bay, and had it planted in Corregidor.  It is where the American flag was lowered during the surrender and raised again during the liberation.  The American flag was lowered for the last time on October 12, 1947 and the Philippine flag was hoisted in its stead.

Lorcha Dock

Lorcha Dock, situated near Gen. Douglas MacArthur Park (has a life-size bronze statue of the general), is often referred to as The Army Dock or MacArthur’s Dock.  It was at this dock where, on March 11, 1942, Gen. Douglas MacArthur boarded PT Boat 41, under the command of Navy Lt. John Bulkeley, for Australia.  The Spanish Lighthouse, located on the highest point of the island (628 ft. above sea level), is a reproduction of the old lighthouse built in 1897 but destroyed during World War II.  It has a commanding view of the island.  We previously visited the lighthouse and the Pacific War Memorial during the Adventour.

Mark tries out the ROCKet zipline

After the tour, we returned to the hotel for lunch and check out.  After lunch, all four of us, together with Jovy and Mat, proceeded to the Mile Long Barracks for additional photo ops and, prior to our leaving, Mark (a first for him) and I tried out the ROCKet Zipline (http://www.benjielayug.com/2009/12/launch-of-the-rocket-zipline-corregidor-cavite.html).  a 40-ft. high, 300-m. long free-fall cable ride.  Gravity-propelled and with rocket-like speed, it stretches from Corregidor Inn to the South Beach.  This piece de resistance truly capped two adrenalin-fulfilling days in the historic, and now adventure-filled, island of Corregidor.

Sun Cruises, Inc. (SCI) – Reservation Office: CCP Terminal A, CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd., Manila.  Tel: (632) 831-8140 and (632) 834-6857 to 58.  Fax: (632) 834-1523.  E-mail: suncruises@magsaysay.com.ph.

Sun Cruises, Inc. (SCI) – Sales Office: 21/F,  Times Plaza Bldg., Ermita, Manila.  Tel: (632) 527-5555 local 4511 and 4512.  Fax: (632) 527-5555 local 4513.  E-mail: sales@suncruises.com.ph.

MacArthur Highway (Bulacan)

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Guiguinto Welcome Arch

This day, Jandy and I planned to stay overnight at the DJ Paradise Resort and Hotel in Malolos City.  However, instead of using the faster but monotonous North Luzon Expressway (and entering Malolos via the Tabang Exit), I plan to leisurely traversed the length of the more interesting but traffic-laden MacArthur Highway to get to Malolos City.  Formerly called the Manila North Road, this old, 2 to 6-lane highway was named after Lt.-Gen.  Arthur MacArthur, not after Gen. Douglas MacArthur, his more famous son, as I previously thought.

Valenzuela City Hall

The highway starts from the Bonifacio Monument in Grace Park, Caloocan City and extends through the Central Luzon provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga and Tarlac up to the Ilocos Region provinces of La Union and OPangasinan.  I entered it at Valenzuela City, a former Bulacan town that is now a city and part of Metro Manila.  Here, we made a short stopover at its city hall. 

Balagtas Public Market

From the city, we now entered the province of Bulacan,  absorbing the rural and urban feel of a number of Bulacan towns (Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas and Guiguinto) and Meycauayan City along the way.  The highway is not as smooth as the newer NLEX and can be sometimes chaotic as you vie for road space with buses and the slower tricycles and jeepneys.  However, here you drive underneath a canopy of trees and the roadside scenery is more charming.

MacArthur Highway at Meycauayan City

Bona Jade Store (Beijing, People’s Republic of China)

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On our third day, after breakfast at the hotel, we were to proceed to our tour’s piece de resistance, the Great Wall of China.  Along the way we dropped by Bona Jade Store, one of the largest jade stores in China, taking the seventh exit of BaDaLing Expressway.

Bona Jade Store

Bona Jade Store manufactures and sells more than a thousand kinds of gorgeous jade ware and jewelry (necklaces, rings, earrings, pendants) that embodies thousands of years of Chinese culturing. Its 2-storey sales hall covers about 6,000 sq. m. and can accommodate several thousand customers. Its big parking lot covers about 8,000 sq. m..

Bona Jade Store Sales Area

Upon entering the store, we were assigned a store guide who briefed us on everything you need to know about Chinese jade.  Jade was prized by the Chinese for its durability; its musical qualities; its subtle, translucent colors, and its alleged protective powers (it was thought to prevent fatigue and delay the decomposition of the body). Chinese jade, renowned throughout the world, is classified according to their beauty, hardness, mellow color, soft feel and pleasant sound. At the sales area, we all bought some jade pixiu necklaces, said to bring good luck, while  Gil bought a ring.

A Display of Jade Ware

Bona Jade Store: Er Bo Zi Road East, Huilongguan, Changping District, Beijing 102208, People’s Republic of China. Tel: 0086-010-80796761. Fax: 0086-010-80796762. Website: www.bonajadestore.com.cn.

Beijing Zoo – Asian Games Panda House (Beijing, People’s Republic of China)

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After having our fill of Peking Roast Duck at the Original Quanjude Restaurant, we returned to our coach and proceeded to the Beijing Zoo where we were to have our first face-to-face encounter with the Giant Panda, an emblem of China, at the Asian Games Panda House. We entered the Zoo’s East Area where the pandas, big cats, bears, small mammals, pheasants and waterfowl are housed.

Beijing Zoo Entrance

The over 10,000 sq. m. Asian Games Panda House, built in 1990 for the 11th Asian Games, currently houses 5 pandas, the youngest being 2 years old. The Giant Panda Hall is designed on a circular pattern inspired by the Tai Chi symbol. The interior has area of 1,452 sq. m. and there is an additional 2000 sq. m. of outside “playgrounds” for the pandas with trees, climbing structures, and lots of places to lean back and enjoy a snack.

Asian Games Panda House

The main part of the house has a bamboo-shaped structure, entered from the southeast side and exited from the northwest, with 11 semicircular arch rings (representing the 11th Asian Games) surrounding it. There are 3 exhibition rooms around the central hall. The center also has rooms for isolating, medical treatment, fresh bamboo, deliveries, food making and TV supervision.  The outdoor sports ground has wooden perches and recreational facilities for pandas.  Bamboo is grown around the Panda House.

A Sleeping Giant Panda

The Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is a bear easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the Giant Panda’s diet is 99% bamboo. Other parts of its diet include honey, eggs, fish, yams, shrub leaves, oranges, and bananas when available.

The Giant Panda in Motion

It lives in a few mountain ranges in central China, mainly in Sichuan province, but also in the Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. Due to farming, deforestation, and other development, the Giant Panda has been driven out of the lowland areas where it once lived. The Giant Panda is a conservation reliant endangered species. While the dragon has historically served as China’s national emblem, in recent decades the Giant Panda has also served as an emblem for the country. Its image appears on a large number of modern Chinese commemorative silver, gold, and platinum coins. Though the Giant Panda is often assumed to be docile, it has been known to attack humans, presumably out of irritation rather than predation

Red Theatre: The Legend of Kung Fu – Chun Yi (Beijing, People’s Republic of China)

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After our tour of the Temple of Heaven, we again boarded our coach and proceeded to the nearby Beijing Red Theater which specializes in traditional Chinese performances.  Here, we were to watch the 5:15 PM (the next was 7:30 PM), 1 hour and 20 min. showing of “The Legend of Kung Fu,” a unique and spectacular fusion of modern dance with Chinese traditional arts performed here since 2006. The Red Theater, originally known as the Chongwen Worker’s Cultural Palace Theater, was renovated and its stage facilities has been dramatically improved.

Beijing Red Theater

This show is all kung fu, dance and acrobatics and the actors, the best kung fu practitioners from all over China, do not speak (English subtitles shown above the stage keep you informed of the story line).  Their average age is 17 years.  The costumes, set design and special effects (complete with requisite lights, fog and bombastic music), all up to international standards, were created by some of the best stage directors and designers in China.

Beijing Red Theater Lobby

This Las Vegas-style show, produced by China Heaven Creation International Performing Arts, China’s leading performance art production company, follows the story of a young boy named Chun Yi who, like every boy in China, dreams of becoming a kung fu master.  He was brought by his mother to an ancient Buddhist temple to train to become a monk in the kung fu tradition. On the road to enlightenment, the young monk slowly grows, through kung fu training and encounters with difficulties and temptations, into the next leader of the temple.

Chun Yi

During the show, we weren’t allowed to take photographs or do videotaping during the performance as the theater makes most of its money selling DVDs and trinkets after the show.

Red Theater: No. 44 Xingfu Da Jie., Chongwen District, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.  Tel: 86-10-67103671. Ticket Prices: RMB180 (Yellow Zone), 280 (Blue Zone), 380 (Green Zone) and 680 (Red VIP Zone). E-mail: thebeijingtickets@gmail.com

Winchsurfing at Virgin Beach Resort (San Juan, Batangas)

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Joey winchsurfing

Mr. Joey Cuerdo of Powerup Gym invited me and fellow travel writer Joselito”Lito” Cinco to join him and his kids (daughters Frankie and Kitkat and son Kobe) as guests of Mr. Butch Campos, owner of Virgin Beach Resort along Laiya Beach in San Juan, Batangas.  To record the moment, I brought along my daughter Cheska, a photography buff.   Laiya Beach is located along the coast of Sigayan Bay (one of the cleanest bays in the country) and Verde Island Passage.

The resort’s white sand beach

Normally, the trip, via South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and Star Tollway, even on a Saturday (the day we left) was just 2.5 to 3 hrs. but hey it was the eve of the May 10 elections and last-ditch efforts by candidates to woo voters, via rallies and miting de avance, was the rule and not the exception, causing long traffic waits.  We left early in the morning but only arrived at the resort just in time for lunch.  Still, we were lucky.  Other invited guests, skim boarders from Nasugbu who left after lunch, arrived at the resort at 7 PM.

The Balinese-style restaurant

It being noon, the more than 7 km,. long, slightly coarse sand beach at the resort was at its whitest and, as lunch was still being prepared, we took time to explore the place. Very noticeable was its high level of cleanliness which sets it apart from the others. Mr. Campos, our host, sees to it that it remains such, personally picking up trash and cigarette butts and depositing them at ashtrays and trash receptacles provided specifically for food, and non-food items.  This 40-hectare (6 hectares developed) Class “A” resort, opened in 2005, is also noted for the oversized proportions and sprawled layout of its facilities.  The majestic Mt. Lobo serves as a tranquil backdrop to its beautiful beachfront area, truly a combination of land, sea and sky.

The Parasols

After this guided tour by Mr. Campos, we all walked back to the huge Balinese-style restaurant/pavilion were a scrumptious set lunch of salad, soup, main course (with a choice of chicken, beef or pork and seafood) and dessert awaited us.

After lunch, Joey then proceeded to set up the resort’s newest attraction: winchskating.  This is not new to the country as Camarines Watersports (Naga City, Camarines Sur) and Lago de Oro (Calatagan, Batangas)  offer cable wakeboarding, wake skating and water skiing in manmade, freshwater lakes.  However, this will the first time that that cable wakeboarding and wake skating is being done along a seashore and this resort will be the first to offer such.
Joey instructing Cheska

This recent concept is simpler but safer and more affordable, using a U.S. made, 9 HP, 4-stroke portable, lightweight wakeboard winch (manufactured by Ridiculous Winches and distributed here in the country by Outward Bound Gear), anchored and held stationary by stakes on a sand spit, to pull, using variable speeds, a wakeboarder via a sturdy, 200-ft. long rope along the shallow seashore.  Joey, a professional surfer, took first crack at it initially using his own surf board and, finally, a wakeboard (more suitable because of its shorter fins).  Soon, he riding the waves of the shore like the professional that he is.  Mr. Campos, Frankie and Cheska took unsuccessful cracks at it.  Joey hopes, that with the introduction of this winch, the wakeboarding domain will be revolutionized to some extent and more venues will be opened as wakeboard winches have made wake skating accessible to a large number of spectators as one can fix them anywhere.

Virgin Beach Resort: Brgy. Hugom, San Juan, Batangas.  Tel: (632) 815-2584, 815-2587, 759-2020 and 759-2828. Fax: (632)817-6334 Mobile number: (0917) 813-1301. Email: sunkisd@pldtdsl.net.  Website: www.virginbeachresort.com.

Patag Valley (Silay City, Negros Occidental)

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On our last day in Silay City, I, together with my wife Grace and children Jandy and Cheska, decided to do some trekking at Patag (meaning “flat plain” in the vernacular) Valley, located 45 kms. from Bacolod City in a valley 1,600 ft. (490m.) above sea level, between the highlands of Mt. Silay and Mt. Marapara.  After breakfast at Balay Daku, my grandfather’s ancestral house, we left by 7:30 AM and were accompanied by Neil Solomon “Solo” Locsin, my young first cousin, who was familiar with the place.  During World War II, the valley was a battlefield, being the last stronghold, in the whole region, of the Japanese Imperial Army’s Nagano detachment.   Here, 15,000 Japanese and hundreds of Filipino and American (from the U.S. 40th Division) soldiers died.  The Japanese surrendered after 5 months.  Today, a wide Japanese altar commemorates the last battle between the two forces and underground, manmade Japanese tunnels can still be found.  

The Von Einsiedel Resthouse


Throughout the 32 km., 1-hour trip, east of the city, to the valley, we passed huge expanses of sugar fields.  We first made a stopover at the beautiful resthouse of Milou von Eisiedel, another first cousin of Neil and I.  Designed by her husband and fellow U.P. alumni and architect Nathaniel “Dinky” von Einsiedel, the a resthouse had two bedrooms, living and dining area, kitchen, a mezzanine and a huge balcony that overlooks a terraced garden with beautiful flowers below and the verdant valley and mountains beyond.  

Returning to our car, our driver then drove us up to the end of a dirt road.  From hereon, it was all footwork as  we were to trek to a waterfall.  Leading the way, Solo guided us along a well-marked but slippery trail.  We were all wearing shorts which seem unsuitable as it exposed our legs to scratches from prickly plants and sharp rocks.  At one time, we had to wade through a stream made murky by an unsightly dam.  This aside, everything else was beautiful as we passed small waterfalls and beautiful turquoise-colored streams After 30 mins. of continuous hiking, we finally arrived at a beautiful, 25-ft. high waterfall.  This was as far as our schedule would allow and, after some photo ops, we retraced our steps back to the car. 

This short tour perked up an appetite to explore the valley, in more detail, sometime in the future.  The valley is a favorite for ecotours, it being a base for exploring stretches of rain forest and some of its 300 waterfalls, the most beautiful of which is the breathtaking Pulang Tubig Waterfalls (not in our itinerary though, being too far out) whose waters seems red in color because of its red or orange rocks it falls unto.  The valley is also home to sulfataras (sulfur geysers) and endangered species of wildlife including the Negros spotted deer (cervus alfredi).  This is also the jump off point for the hike going to Tinagong Dagat (Sipalay City) or Mt. Mandalagan and a site for Boy Scout Jamborees and Red Cross Training.

Return to the Hundred Islands (Alaminos City, Pangasinan)

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View of Islands from View Deck

The last time I’ve been to the Hundred Islands in Alaminos City, Pangasinan was way back March of 2005, Holy Week with son Jandy and 2 lady friends, and we only got to explore 3 of its islands, camping overnight at Marta Island. I considered this a poor batting average considering that there are 127 of these granite and scrub-covered islands and islets, a number of them having white sand beaches.  Again it was Holy Week and this time I, together with Jandy and daughter Cheska, found ourselves in Pangasinan, staying at El Puerto Marina Resort and Spa at the provincial capital town of Lingayen.  The resort offered day tours to the islands and we decided, especially Cheska who was a first-timer to these islands, to join the tour.  Our group included Fil-American Ms. Katrina Nogoy and Malaysian-American Ms. Janet Jun Siew Loh, both visiting school teachers from Japan.  Our guide was resort employee Mr. Viramel “Ram” Velasco. 

Lucap Wharf

The trip, via a van driven by Mr. Nixon Fernando, to Brgy. Lucap, take-off point to the islands, took all of 1 hour. Again, it being a long holiday, the wharf and every island with a white sand beach was packed with tourists.  Although I brought a 5-pax tent with me to Lingayen, camping on an island was out of the question.  However, we decided to explore beyond the normal tourist boat route which only included the partially developed Children, Governor’s and Quezon Islands, this time including the other outlying but interesting islands, paying a hefty PhP800 to do so.  While waiting for our boat, I made a short visit to Lucap’s Marine Museum which has a collection of corals and other marine life.  This 1,844-hectare national park, declared as such on January 18, 1940 through Proclamation No. 667, is believed to be the second largest marine reservation in the world with 2,000 species of marine life.

Lucap Wharf Marine Museum

The whole park can be readily covered, even by a slow banca, in half a day.  Most of the islands we passed are small (the smallest being less than 20 sq. m.), heavily-undercut at the base and have an elevation of 20 m. .  Many do not have trees to shade you from the sun and do not carry a name.  Some that do carry names are fancifully named after luminaries in the country (Marcos Island, Romulo Island, Quezon Island, etc.) while others are named after plants and animals that they resemble (Mushroom Island, Turtle Island, etc.).  An interesting photo opportunity was Cathedral Island, so named after its cathedral-like, fruit bat-inhabited cave with domed rock formations.  

Cathedral Island and Cave

Our first stop was Governor’s Island.  The island had white sand beaches on both sides but lolling around at the packed beaches wasn’t yet in our agenda.  Instead, all five of us decided to climb up the top of the island which, unlike 5 years ago, now had paved stairs and roped railings leading to a concrete view deck with railing (and packed with tourists).  What hasn’t changed, though, was the magnificent and panoramic view it afforded of this mini-archipelago said to have been formed from the tears of a prehistoric lovelorn giant who pined for his lost lady love.   The island also has a not-too-deep, sea-sculpted cave.

Marcos Island

Our next and longest stopover was Marcos Island.  Marked by mermaid statues, the island consists of 3 mounds, a 70-foot drop-off, a nice white sand beach (difficult to land on when the waves are high) and a helipad on the smaller dome.   From the beach, a well-marked trail, on the left, leads to the top of the island where its chief attraction is the bat-inhabited Imelda Cave which can be peered down from a blowhole above. Here, the adventurous and brave could climb down a wooden stairs to a ledge where they can cliff dive to the sea below.    

Waiting in line for our cliff dive
All five of us took a shot at it but the visibly scared Katrina and Jandy (although he knows how to swim) donned life vests just in case.  Upon hitting its suitably deep waters, we swam or clung to the cave walls, out to the cave mouth and back to the white sand beach.  Although Janet and Katrina only tried it once, we liked it so much that we went back for second shots (Cheska tried it thrice).  With our adrenaline rush sated, we finally settled down to lolling around in the rock-shaded portion of its beach. 
Cheska taking the plunge

It was now noontime and, after this exciting but adrenalin-sapping exercise, we were visibly hungry, our previous meal being an early breakfast at the resort.  We got back to our boat and proceeded to Quezon Island (at 25 hectares, the largest in this mini-archipelago).  This most frequented island was truly packed to rafters with tourists as it had, aside from its white sand beach, a pavilion for guests, stores (where one could dine) and toilet and bathing facilities (for a fee).  Again, it being a holiday, prices of goods bordered on the cutthroat but, hungry as we were, still ordered cooked Spam (at PhP250, twice that in Manila) plus rice (at PhP25 per cup) washed down with half-liter bottles of water (at PhP60).  The island also has a nursery for giant clams (locally called taklobo), a demonstration site for 300 clams dispersed here and at Children’s and Governor’s Islands, and all monitored on a regular basis. These, as well as the corals and mangroves, were rehabilitated through a program called “Marine Biodiversity Enhancement,”  a project of the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA), the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UPMSI) and the Marine Environment and Resources Foundation (MERF). 

Cuenco Island and its Cave
Backed at our boat, we passed by, but did not land, at the similarly packed Children’s Island which has a walkway and a calm, nearly wave-free shoreline suitable for children (hence its name). Cuenco Island, also called Quinco Island, was our last stopover.  This interesting island has two white sand beaches, on two sides, and a huge cave that passes through its center.