After the cruise, we headed to the Philippines for 30 days of relaxation and exploration.
Click here to see some of the best pictures from our stay in the Philippines.
Below is the map showing where we took photos during our stay in the Philippines. Click the picture below to see an interactive map. Click any of the pins in the interactive map to see when and where the picture was taken and a link. Click that link to go to the picture in the blog post below.
Click one of the pictures below to see more pictures for that day.
Dec 11, 2024 Fly to Batanes, Philippines
Batanes is the northern most island of the Philippines.
Dec 12, 2024 - All Day Batanes Island Tour
After a day on our own to explore Batanes, mostly near our hotel since we didn't have transportation, we took a private island tour that showed us most of the rest of the island.
The Honesty Coffee Shop is a unique, unmanned store that operates on the principle of trust. Customers are free to select items, note their purchases, and pay without any staff supervision, relying solely on the honesty of the community and visitors
Dec 13, 2024 - Sabtang Island
We took an early ride from Batanes to Sabtang Island in a small boat with around 20 people. If the ocean gets rough in the afternoon, as it often does, you're not guaranteed a ride back that day, leading to possible unexpected overnight stays.
Sabatang Island is known for its lighthouse and the old stone houses of the Ivatan villages. Ivatan, known for their resilience, adapted to a harsh, typhoon-prone environment by building durable limestone houses and wearing protective vakul headgear.
The vakul is a traditional, protective headgear crafted from shredded dried leaves of the vuyavuy palm (Philippine date palm). It serves as all-weather gear to shield against intense sun and rain while working outdoors
Dec 14, 2024 - Batanes Fountain of Youth
Not sure it worked? But it was a beautiful view.
Typhoons regularly blow through here wreaking havoc on the trees as well as buildings.
Dec 17, 2024 - Bataan
We barely made it off the island of Batanes due to weather. Roughlyt 1/3 of all flights leaving Batanes are canceled. Our original flight to Manila was canceled and we barely made it after being waitlisted for a later flight to Clark airport. The airline was then planning to fly us to Manila from there, but as it turned out our plans had been to drive from Manila to Bataan which is near Clark!
In Bataan we visited the Mount Samat National Shrine which commemorates the Filipino and American soldiers who fought against the Japanese early in World War 2. Their surrender after three months of heavy fighting lead to the Bataan Death March.
Dec 20, 2024 Cebu City Tour
We flew to the island of Cebu to spend a few days in Cebu City. Our first full day there we took a group tour: Best Cebu City Tour.
The Temple of Leah is a Greek/Roman type building built by local businessman Teodorico Adarna in 2012 as a tribute to his late wife, Leah Albino-Adarna.
Also known as Sirao Flower Farm, Little Amsterdam has become a Cebu tourist attraction.
The last stop on our tour was at the 1000 Roses Cafe.
Dec 22, 2024 - Bohol Country Tour
Our next tour was to the island of Bohol, a short ferry ride from Cebu City. Bohol is best kown for its Chocolate Hills which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Chocolate Hills consist of about 1,776 mounds formed from the uplift of coral deposits and the result of the action of rainwater and erosion.
The hills turn a chocolate like brown during the dry season.
Baclayon Church was built in the 1590's from coral stone.
Dec 23, 2024 The Blue Orchid Resort Moalboal
The next few days we were at Blue Orchid Resort near Moalboal, on the other side of Cebu Island from Cebu City.
Dec 24, 2024 - Kawasan Falls
A "short" 40 minute or so trike ride and short hike from the resort was Kawasan Falls.
Dec 26, 2024 Moalboal Sardine Run
We book a shared small boat from the resort to the sardine run a few miles away. Click on the picture below to see more of the sardine run pictures and a few videos.
Bonus videos, because that's the best way to see the sardine run!
Dec 27, 2024 - Taal Lake
Flying from Cebu to Manila we then drove a couple of hours to a Taal Lake resort for a family reunion. Taal lake is formed in the caldera of a still active volcano. The picture below shows the volcano island in the middle of Taal Lake and some of the fish farms.
Dec 29, 2024 - Taal Lake to Pico De Loro Beach
Today we drove from Taal Lake toPico De Loro Beach where a relative owns a time share.
Dec 30, 2024 - Snorkeling Subil Cove?
A private boat rental from Pico De Loro Beach took us to a nearby cove for a day in the sun.
Click one of the pictures above to see more pictures for that day.
