Philippines Luzon Island City Track Travel Guide Follow the footsteps of volcanoes

Let’s get going! In September 2023, I graduated. I gave up my favorite city and came to the imperial capital of Beijing because of the job I still longed for. I breathed in the extremely polluted air and started working as an employee day after day. However, as the saying goes, "The more hope you have, the greater the disappointment." In I can't adapt to this job in all aspects. My daily nine-to-five life seems to have become a cage, locking all the ways out and making me feel like I'm at rock bottom. Faced with such torture, I decided to escape. This seemingly ridiculous idea was the best ending at the time. Speaking of this "just leaving", it can be regarded as the right time, the right place and the right people. The so-called right time means that it took only one afternoon to decide to go and transfer to the Philippines, and then buy the air tickets, and it happened that Cebu Pacific flew directly from Beijing to Manila. The air ticket only costs twenty-eight yuan, and it only costs over three hundred yuan including tax. The so-called location is convenient. When I was on pins and needles thinking about the reasons for asking for leave, my boss seemed to sense my negative work attitude. On the afternoon before departure, my boss asked me to decide whether to stay or go on my own. In the eyes of others, it was a sad thing. But I am very happy. Renhe means that for a country like the Philippines, as one of the last countries I have never been to, I have too much yearning and prejudice against it. The only way to solve these problems is to go and see it in person, to understand it, and to understand it. everything.



As an island country, the Philippines is isolated in the southwest corner of the vast Pacific Ocean, separated from all Southeast Asian countries by the entire South China Sea. Here welcomes the first warm breeze from the Pacific Ocean, and civilization began a hundred years ago. In 1390, the Minangkabau people who immigrated from Sumatra established the Sultanate of Sulu, the first country in Philippine history. The national border is located in the Sulu Islands at the western end of the Muslim Mindanao Autonomous Region in the southern Philippines, in the middle of Basilan and Tawi-Tawi provinces, Palawan Island, northern Borneo and other islands surrounding the Sulu Sea. The capital is located in and happy. On July 4, 1946, the United States agreed to the independence of the Philippines. The Philippines gained full independence.



Since then, the Liberal Party and the Kuomintang have taken turns in power. This is the site of the Great Battle of Leyte Gulf that destroyed the last hope of the old Japanese Imperial Navy. This is the place that the famous Allied General MacArthur vowed to take back in World War II. This is the former colony of Spain and the United States, carrying too much colonial culture. Since I started to know the name of the country Philippines, "chaos", "anti-China" and "war" have frequently appeared in the news. In my impression, this is a "hot, humid, sweaty" country. The impression of chaos makes me unable to mention this place. any interest. It wasn't until one day when I saw Professor Brian Cox's description of the purpose of the Chinese in the BBC's "The Miracle of Life" that I realized that this land is a mixture of so many valuable civilizations. The impression of chaos here slowly transformed into A seed of yearning grew bigger and bigger until it reached the sky and influenced my choice.



        So let's go.
        If the Philippines were a game, then it would be a continent covered by shadows. Let me play your protagonist and explore all the secrets with my eyes.
        My configuration is like this:
        Processor: I have been making skewers for many years and my stomach is invincible.
        Graphics card: Nikon D7000, SIGMA 18-200.
        Mainboard: I have a body that has been wandering around Southeast Asia for many years, and I have several pieces of shorts and short-sleeved underwear.
        Memory: Daily consumption of 200 yuan, apply for a Philippine visa in advance on a certain treasure.
        Hard drive: 45L travel bag, camera bag.
        Network equipment: Xiaomi dual SIM card dual standby, local phone card.
        Audio equipment: Unknown model of large Sony in-ear headphones that double as earplugs

This game requires about 4,000 yuan to purchase a disc, which can open all levels. Additional enjoyment, such as domestic flights, requires a fee. There are only four levels, namely Luzon Island, Cebu Island, Bohol Island and surrounding areas*. The daily goal is also very simple, which is to take as many photos as possible and post them to Moments on time. The reward for each level is the unknown taste you can enjoy every day.

Because the Philippines is an island country, many places cannot be reached directly by car. It is unavoidable to transfer back and forth, so it is impossible to have a "no turning back" travel experience. In order to avoid repetition, I decided to use this travel diary It is written in terms of regional division and is divided into three parts: Luzon Island, Cebu Island, Bohol Island and its surrounding areas. The contents of each part are: Luzon: Manila, Legazpi, Donsol. Cebu Island: Cebu City, Oslob. Bohol and surrounding areas: Bohol, Dumaguete, Siquijor. )



To be honest, although Manila, the capital of a country, is large, the only area that occupies absolute cultural space is the small midtown. The rest of the city is just a city built on the ruins of the post-war era, with concrete blocks that have been blown away by the sea breeze. The building seems to have no characteristics at all, and poor municipal construction makes the commercial center of Makati often congested. Besides, Manila’s light rail transportation has a constant flow of people, old infrastructure, manual ticket sales, and poor air conditioning in the carriages, which all make people have a bad experience. The most important thing is that after ten o’clock every night, the flow of people is definitely better than in Beijing. The subway is ten times more crowded. Basically, if you are squeezed in, you can only get off at the end.

Therefore, I sincerely recommend that if you don’t want to stay in Manila to experience the urban culture of the Philippines, just leave two days to experience it, and leave the rest of the time for a trip to the Philippines.

Cebu Pacific Air’s low-cost air tickets from Beijing to Manila, the capital of the Philippines, always take off in the early morning, and the one-night red-eye flight consumes almost all your energy. Faced with the difficulties of too cold air conditioning and small seats, it is recommended that you prepare eye masks, earplugs, and appropriate thick clothes. Protect your precious physical strength to welcome the first ray of sunshine in Luzon Island.



Manila Airport has four ridiculous terminals, and each terminal is far apart. You need to take a shuttle bus or taxi. Many people will spend their first tuition fee in the Philippines on this ride (being cheated) . Therefore, it is recommended that you check the distance on your mobile phone in advance and then multiply it by the price of twenty pesos per kilometer for a white taxi, plus the starting price of forty pesos. Fortunately, each airline has its own dedicated terminal, which can be checked in advance, so be sure to do your homework in advance.

Speaking of network and mobile phone card issues, first of all, there is free WiFi at the arrival exit of Terminal 3 to solve urgent needs. There are also several telecommunications companies at the door that can provide phone card services. The fees are relatively regular. If the exploration time is two weeks, you can purchase it directly. The fourteen-day 1.5G traffic package is relatively cost-effective.



There is also the issue of withdrawing money. Although Hua Xia Bank promises to waive the handling fee for the first withdrawal every day, it is only waived in one direction. The Bank of the Philippines will also charge a handling fee of 200 pesos for each inquiry. There will also be a fee. If you want to avoid this scam option, the best way is to withdraw money from Citibank. The only Citi ATM at the airport is in the departure hall on the third floor of Terminal 3.

The general price of a taxi from the airport to the city is about 150 yuan. Be sure to confirm the amount with the driver, because they speak quickly and you can ask him to press the price on the calculator. (I was cheated out of a thousand pesos).



There are several light rail lines running through the city of Manila, covering almost all areas. If you really need to take a taxi, taxis in Manila are almost the cheapest in Asia, starting at 40, and 20 per kilometer, but you must arrive in advance. Check the route and predict the price.

[Scene 1] Looking for the taste of Spain.

Intramuros is also known as the walled city. Located between Rizal Park and the Pasig River, it is the original site of Manila. The Spanish built this castle in 1571 to rule the Philippines. It covers an area of only 1 square kilometer and is known as the "city within the city". Located on the banks of the Pasig River, it is the original site of Manila. The Spanish built this castle in 1571 to rule the Philippines. It covers an area of 1 square kilometers and is known as the "city within the city". The castle is surrounded by trenches and medieval walls, with a total of 7 gates. There are governor's residences and 12 churches in the city. At the end of World War II, most of the castle was destroyed, but part of it has been restored.



Here you can experience a step back in time, as ancient horse-drawn carriages take tourists through streets, passes, ports, and walled cities. It exudes Spanish elegance and retains ancient architectural features. The city has the largest church in Manila - Manila Cathedral, San Agustin Church and Museum, Casa Manila Museum, Fort Santiago, Rizal Memorial Museum (Rizal Museum) and so on. (Of course, carriages are also one of the traps, so it’s best not to take them.) The way to get there is also relatively convenient.



Transportation: Intramuros is located on the south bank of the Pasig River near the entrance to Manila Bay.
Light rail: If you take the LRT light rail to Intramuros, you can get off at the United Nations station. After getting off, walk for 20-25 minutes to Intramuros.
Taxi: You can take a taxi to get there. Taxi drivers are generally familiar with this place.



Filipino-style jeepney bus (jeepney): You can take the jeepney bus going to Bonifacio Drive.

If you can successfully find this place, you will definitely be stunned by the scene in front of you. Inside the dilapidated city walls are beautiful colonial buildings, which are in sharp contrast with the ugly right-angled cement buildings outside the city walls. Everything is like going back in time. Pick up the Start exploring these quaint streets and moss-covered ruins with your camera.

Famous buildings: Manila Cathedral, Manila Cathedral is the main building of the Catholic Archdiocese of Manila. It has experienced typhoons, earthquakes, and wars and has been continuously rebuilt. The gilded altar, stained glass and rosette windows are stunning.



Famous building: San Agustin Church. The church is located in the heart of Intramuros. It is the oldest stone church in the Philippines. It has survived five earthquakes and two world wars and has survived, which is considered a miracle by many. The reliefs on the stones are detailed and realistic, there are paintings on the ceiling and walls inside the church, and the sunlight shining through the stained glass is beautiful.



Famous buildings: Fort Santiago in Manila. Fort Santiago was built in 1589. Spain occupied the city. The governor led the Spanish to use volcanic stones and duck egg white to transform the city into a strong stone fortress, which was used as a base for the Spanish colonial army. . It was not completed until 1592 (some say 1593). Rizal, the founding father of the Philippines, was imprisoned here and walked to the execution ground from here.



Intramuros in the Philippines is small, surrounded by tall Spanish walls, forming a mini-city. The city has all the facilities available. It does not feel as simple as the previous tourist area, but is truly a city with a table. The high and low colonial buildings in the city seem to have been reinforced and renovated in the later period. A steady stream of people pass by the door of the building. I think this place must have been seen for hundreds of years. Having said that, although these churches are old, they are definitely not used. New people often get married here. When I went there, I happened to encounter a church being prepared for a wedding. The white walls and wedding dresses seemed to be a perfect match. Speaking of Zhongshi, you can measure this small city with your footsteps. If you are tired of walking, find a convenience store hidden in an ancient house, order a soda and enjoy the ample air conditioning.

[Scene 2] How many Chinese people have left their bones here?



There is a saying in the Philippines: "If you have not been to the Overseas Chinese Memorial, you have not been to Manila." The Overseas Chinese Memorial is a cemetery where old Chinese living in Manila are buried after they pass away and are unable to return to their roots due to objective conditions. Overseas Chinese Yishan was founded in 1850 by the Chinese district chiefs Lim Ong and Tan Quien Sien to bury the Chinese who could not return to their hometown. The cemetery covers an area of 54 hectares and the walls are 10 meters high. Many of the cemeteries are made of marble and are very luxurious. Overseas Chinese Yishan is about 5 kilometers away from downtown Manila and can be reached by light rail.



Chinese Yishan is far away from the city. I was bored on the subway and looked at the city of Manila through the dim glass. It can really be said to be dirty and messy. After getting off the old subway station and walking through the simple slums, my eyes lit up when I turned left. In front of the wide street entrance was a Chinese Yishan archway. Most of the cemeteries face the direction of the motherland, full of homesickness and hope that the fallen leaves will return to their roots. From a distance, this place looks more like a high-end residential area, with both villa-like buildings and some quite luxurious pavilions and pavilions. This Chinese apartment is located next to Manila's Chinatown. There are Chinese signboards everywhere on the street, and Teochew dialect is the most heard in my ears. Here, people of Chinese descent have long been indistinguishable from Filipinos. They seem to be living next to their ancestors and listen to them telling stories about their motherland.

When you first arrive in the Philippines, you will definitely be surprised by the cultural fusion here. The food here seems to fully demonstrate this. The perfect fusion of Eastern and Western cultural food culture seems to bring a taste of pasta to the fried noodles.




During the lunch break, Filipinos finished their intense half-day work and went to the streets to look for food. The roadside stalls set up small tables, put out buckets of prepared vegetables, and began to wait for customers. The recommended lunch in the Philippines is a bit like the box lunch in China, but most of the dishes are sauce-based, stewed and fried. In fact, it is normal not to be used to such food. The dark appearance coupled with the salty taste makes it a simple roadside lunch - just give it a try.



Filipinos like "cooking porridge", but the "cooking porridge" here is not the rice porridge we eat. Filipinos hate rice porridge deeply, saying that it is something only eaten when you are extremely poor. In Filipino, porridge is actually called lugaw. , Lugou? Philippine porridge must be mixed with a lot of seasonings and ingredients. For example, this one is mixed with chili noodles and pig intestines.




Under Manila's noisy light rail station, a vendor sets up a small table with a bucket of these feathery duck eggs next to it. It’s only three yuan a piece in RMB equivalent. When you peel back the fragile duck egg shell, what emerges is a strange part inside, and you can't tell where it is the little duck. The hawker kept urging him to drink the juice in simple English. After finishing it, he found that it tasted pretty good. The hawker also indicated that he should pour some vinegar soaked in lemon when eating. The taste was a bit like a ripe egg yolk. But it's more flexible.







Roasted Pork Leg (Crispy Pata) This dish is made by slow-cooking the pork knuckle, removing the water and finally frying it until crispy. Soft and juicy on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside. Serve with vinegar, soy sauce and red pepper. A plate costs more than 100 yuan, which is the most expensive dish I have eaten in the Philippines for so long.



【Chapter 2】Perfect Volcano——Legaspi

【Background】The city is named after the invader

Heading southwest from Manila, the heart of the Philippines, you can reach the Bicol Peninsula, the little foot of Luzon that extends to the Pacific Ocean. Here is the most perfect volcano in the world - Mayon Volcano. There is also this strong city located under the volcano - Legazpi.



Let’s talk about Mayon Volcano first. It has an almost perfect cone-shaped mountain body and is known as the “most perfect cone”. It is the most complete volcano in the world, even more complete than Mount Fuji in Japan. It has been on the verge of eruption many times recently. Although The Philippine government evacuated nearby residents, but instead attracted many volcano enthusiasts and photographers who wanted to see the perfect volcanic eruption.

Let’s talk about Legazpi. Legazpi was originally a personal name and was the commander-in-chief of the Spanish invasion of the Philippines in the 15th century. In 1569, the King of Spain appointed Legazpi as governor of the Philippines. In 1572, when the Spanish army captured Luzon, Legazpi died of illness in Manila. To commemorate this successful colonist and adventurer, the city was named after him. The city of Legazpi has been destroyed several times by the eruptions of Mayon Volcano, but it is still standing strong on the Bicol Peninsula. It is not easy. Black ash from Mayon Volcano can be seen everywhere here.



[Guide] Jeepney riding experience

Because I traveled from Legazpi to Manila, I can only provide suggestions for this route. If you are traveling in the opposite direction, I recommend searching online again.

The journey from Legazpi to Manila is 600 kilometers. Although it is short, it is not a smooth journey. On the night bus all night long, in addition to stopping and going, passengers getting on and off, the road conditions along the way were also very worrying. After witnessing several car accidents, everyone became nervous. So the only way is to buy the most expensive bus. Although the price does not mean everything, the size and comfort of this bus are indeed outstanding. The bus ticket can be purchased one day in advance for about 1,100 pesos. The air conditioning on the bus is amazing. It's cold, so remember to bring warm clothes. Finally, the bus has two terminals in Manila, one is in Pasay City and the other is at the Fort Passenger Terminal. The arrival time is probably in the early morning, so be sure to plan your itinerary.



Regarding transportation in the urban area of Legazpi, in addition to tricycles, which cost ten pesos per person, there is also a slightly longer-distance means of transportation, which is a jeepney converted from a military jeep or even a truck. The advantage is that you can travel to longer distances, even to other urban areas; the disadvantage is that it is difficult to communicate with the driver, and sometimes you need to back up when there is no direct route. The best way is to write down the place name and show it directly to the driver or local people.

【Scene 1】Watching under the volcano

There are many places around the volcano where you can catch a glimpse of it, but you are really lucky if you can see it, not to mention that there are no signs of wind and rain in this tropical area.



Famous buildings: Cagsawa Ruins. Here are the remains of the 18th-century Franciscan Church and the Mayon Church, built in 1724 and 1814 and destroyed in the eruption of Mayon volcano. Cagsawa Ruins is the landmark of legazpi, but what is more attractive than the ruins is the volcano. You can almost see the entire volcano here. The entrance fee to the park is ten pesos per person.



Famous building: Daraga Church. This Baroque church built in 1773 has an excellent view of the magnificent scenery of Mayon Volcano. The church is entirely built of volcanic rock, with fine reliefs engraved on the columns on the facade, while the interior of the church is relatively simple. There is a small secret staircase on the right hand side facing the church. After going down the fourth or fifth steps, turn left and the second one is a good restaurant with a view of the entire Mayon Volcano. The restaurant had just opened when I went there, and I was the first person to taste the dishes.



I saved up half a year's savings and flew across the sea to see you, but you still didn't want to look back at me. Because it had been raining for the past two days, I didn't have the opportunity to see the full view of Mayon Volcano. Fortunately, the sky suddenly cleared up before leaving, and the rare summit of the volcano poked out from the clouds. I hope to see you again next time.




Bicol's food is famous for its spiciness. Different from the mild taste in other places, the residents here seem to be proud of spicy food (?). There is even a rare spicy ice cream here.



Let’s call the street food I saw in Pilar a syrupy coconut pancake. Because I had to make a special transfer to Legazpi, I arrived at the seaside town of Pilar early. I saw some nice kids poking around a vendor's cart on the street, so I walked over too. It turns out to be something similar to the hometown snack - mirror cake. Use the top of a coconut shell to make a small bowl, scoop out a spoonful of rice noodles, put it on a steamer to steam it into rice cakes, and then add candied and pickled shredded coconut meat. , and then put on the other half of the rice cake. It tastes soft and sweet~ It’s really delicious. No wonder the kid just ordered twenty of them! !










The Philippines has an unparalleled love for fried chicken. There must be seven or eight different fried chicken restaurants in an ordinary supermarket, and the national chain Jollibee fast food restaurants are all over the streets. But these fried chickens are probably made from a special kind of palm oil and have a special taste that some people, like me, may not be used to.




Halo-halo means mix in Filipino. It is actually a local specialty dessert. It is a shaved ice drink that mixes jelly, milk, sugar and ice shavings. It is very refreshing and refreshing.



I guess it may be because the Philippines was once a colony of the United States, so the Philippines has retained a lot of "American" culture, one of which is "loving hot dogs and hamburgers." The bus from Legazpi to Manila was embarrassingly late at 5pm. Because I ate a lot at noon, I didn’t have the appetite to fit in dinner, so I had to check at the station to see if there were any convenient snacks, and I chose the previous one. Hot dogs and hamburgers that I have seen many times are simple sandwich meats. They are just grilled and fried. They are brushed with salad dressing and ketchup with smooth movements, then rotated and sealed in a special plastic bag and handed over to the customer. It is incredible. Each one costs only one RMB. A bag of coconut milk in a plastic bag would be a good dinner too.



[Interlude] The bright moon sends lovesickness across thousands of miles

It happens to be the Mid-Autumn Festival in Legazpi these days, and the bright white moon hangs in the sky. I hope that this time will be shared by the world.

【Chapter 3】The silence behind the whale shark——Donsol

【Background】A place where big fish hang out



In the past, Donsol, surrounded by coconut groves and mountains, was a peaceful town in the Philippines; now, it has unexpectedly become a tourist attraction. What makes the town famous is a common local creature - the whale shark. The whale shark is the largest living fish in the world. In the first half of every year, the waters near the town of Donsol are crowded with whale sharks. Whale sharks are huge, with some being as big as a bus. Generations of island residents have seen them swimming to the shore every year, seemingly unafraid of people. In 1997, a group of tourists discovered this "gentle giant" and spread the news through the Internet. Since then, many tourists have come here. In 1998, there were only 900 tourists visiting the town. Last year, the number increased to 7,600, one-third of which were foreign tourists. "Whale sharks have brought us to the center of attention, and we are trying to cope with the arrival of large numbers of tourists. Many tourists have traveled thousands of miles from Europe," said Salve Ocaia, mayor of Donsol.



During the off-season when whale sharks don't visit, the small town of Donsol is unusually quiet. The flat concrete roads are empty, and not a single car passes by for a long time. The resort, which was full during the peak season, is now closed for renovations. Come at this time, not for the whale sharks, but just to rest.

【Strategy】Little Town Little Love

To travel from Cebu City to Donsol, you need to transfer at two other seaside towns - Masbate and Pilar.



This is the ferry ticket from Cebu to Masbate that I found on Google at that time. Because this line is very unpopular, there is very little information, and more than one company is operating it. It is recommended to ask a few days in advance to avoid missing the trip. .

Ferry tickets from Cebu to Masbate are only available on certain days of the week, so be sure to check before going. That ship has two types: tourist class and economy class. Don’t buy economy class tickets for cheap. It’s cheaper, but on a large open-air passenger ship, who knows what. The tourist cabin is much better. In addition to the large windows for enjoying the scenery, there is also a sparsely populated luxury lounge and even a small shop serving coffee. After arriving at Masbate, you can directly transfer to the speedboat going to Pilar at the pier, and then take the pugini to Donsol in Pilar. After getting off the bus, there will be a group of motorcycle drivers surrounding you. Basically Twenty pesos per person can go anywhere you want in town.

The town is sparsely populated during the off-season, and many shops are not even open, but there is a good market in the town where you can buy some necessary snacks and meals.



Find a resort to stay in. Although these small independent villas do not have air conditioning, they can be sold for a high price of 300 yuan during the peak season. There is no view here, so find a quiet lounge chair, lie down and rest, and enjoy the rare tranquility.



The only thing worth mentioning is the Filipino-style pasta, which is a perfect combination of Western cuisine and local culture.

At night in Donsol, only the resort lights were on. I really didn’t have the energy to go to the town to find food. I heard that the kitchen that had been closed for a long time suddenly opened, so I decided to have a meal here. I ordered a Filipino-style pasta and was amazed. The traditional tomato-flavored sauce actually revealed the taste of coconut milk and cream, which neutralized the overly sweet and sour taste of tomatoes, making it extremely delicious. , I don’t know why the Western food that I taste like this smells like the sea breeze.



As the largest island in the Philippines, Luzon is located in the north of the Philippines. It is full of volcanoes and mountain peoples forgotten by time. It is really worth a visit. The places introduced are only a small part of the island. The real beauty still needs to be explored by yourself. Next we headed to Cebu Island, where the second largest city in the Philippines is located.