The Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (PIHABF) is the longest-running sports aviation event in Asia, gathering aviators and spectators from around the world for four days of non-stop flying action. More than just a spectator event, PIHABF is a gathering of aviators from the Philippines and the world.

What began as a passion project has now evolved into the longest-running sports aviation event in Asia. The fiesta’s longtime objective is to instill discipline in participating young pilots so they can develop into safe aviators, as well as to impart a spirit volunteerism and cooperation to the whole community.

The fiesta is an opportunity to share and exchange cultures and traditions with visiting pilots from all over the world. They are given a taste of Filipino hospitality and the fiesta spirit. We hope that their beautiful experience becomes the best advertising for Philippine tourism. We also encourage the visiting pilots to be contributors to chosen beneficiaries of the foundation. By creating aviation awareness, educating the young about flying machines and encouraging people to work from the heart and do things with passion, we will strive to bring back the Philippine aviation industry’s good standing in the international community.

This event is an annual event that occurs between January and February in Clark Freeport Zone, Angeles City, Pampanga. It features multicolored hot air balloons with more than a hundred balloon pilots from around the world. This four-day hot air balloon event is the biggest and longest-running aviation sports event in the Philippines.

The festival also features a number of events in skydiving, flag jumps, micro light and rocketry demonstrations, small plane fly-bys and fly-ins, remote-control airplane and helicopter flying exhibitions, freestyle aerobatics, precision maneuvers, light airplane balloon bursting, ultra-light flying formation and flour bomb dropping, kite-making and choreographed kite-flying, hi-start launch gliding, control-line aircraft flying, pylon racing, banner towing, aero-modeling symposium and races between ultra lights and motorcycles.^[1] An estimated 100,000 visitors locally and from around the world come in to see this event.

According to CBRE’s Matti, the increased developments happening in this former U.S. base make it more interesting by the day. Already a top retirement area among Americans, it’s also fast becoming popular for locals as well.

The opening of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) offered ease of mobility in the greater Clark region, which includes the cities of Angeles and San Fernando and the town of Mabalacat. Depending on the national government’s eventual decision, its huge international airport will become the Philippines’ primary gateway or one of the two that will serve the Greater Manila Area.

It’s no surprise then a number of property developers are setting their eyes on the area. Ayala Land’s recently unveiled its Marquee integrated project in Angeles City, which already has a shopping mall and will soon include high-rise condos and gated communities, while local developer Dongwang Construction is currently developing an integrated tourism estate called Clark ODE County.

     Kalanggaman Island is considered as one of “Palompon Leyte’s Island Paradise.”  It’s one of the most beautiful island in the Philippines, known for its clear and blue waters, white sand and magnificent sandbars stretching at both ends of the island, it is now becoming one of the top tourist destination in the country.  Located off the shore of Palompon, Leyte.

The Sandbar on the Other Side

     The sandbar on the other “wing” of the island used to be longer than what it is today. When the Category 5 Super Typhoon Haiyan came last 2013, it changed it. Tides and currents are also responsible for the changing of the sandbar.

Magical Moments Happen After Sundown

     If you are lucky enough to book for an overnight-er, make sure that you witness the beautiful sunset (unless it rained). It has the most picturesque sunset. And during night time, the shore will light up due to some bio-luminescent plankton’s.

Corals Made The Sand White!

     Yes corals! Crushed dead corals. They are crushed by the waves, the tides and the currents. They are responsible for the powdery white sands on the island. Sometimes the sandbars can get pink pigments due to large concentration of dead red corals get washed up to the shore.

Crystal Clear Waters are Hard to Resist

       Any time of the year, the waters are usually crystal clear except during typhoons or storms. It is so clear that you can see the bottom. Since it’s an island, it gets deep instantly so make sure that somebody is watching you while taking a dip.

     Believe it or not, one of the top destinations for adventurers is also great for senior travelers. Whether you choose to stay in town or by the water, Coron has a number of accommodations perfect for a relaxing vacation. The beach town also has a number of must-visit spots like the Maquinit Hot-Springs and Lualhati Park which is easily accessible to visitors.

Maquinit Hot-Spring

     Is one of the very few saltwater hot springs in the world. Located along the southern coast of Busuanga Island, it is one 30-minute tricycle ride away from the town proper of Coron along a rough, curvy road. It is said that the water gets heated by a volcano and springs up into the two-tiered circular pool. Its rough walls are built from stacks of rocks and its floors strewn with pebbles — not very friendly to the soles at first touch but adds a more natural feel, as if the surrounding mangrove forest and the adjacent beach are not enough.

 

Lualhati Park

     This is located just next to the market place, it’s where boats are docked.. Early morning or dusk are the best time to visit the place. you can just have a lazily sit back and watch the townspeople or the sunset or sunrise or the boats going around the beautiful bay. Nothing much to do here, but a good place to just sit back and relax.

     Laswitan Lagoon, a rock-bounded spot composing of three lagoons with varying sizes. This lagoon, which is not one of the many beaches in the Philippines, provides a different taste of fun, giving you the special chance to get splashed by water from behind the rock boundaries of the lagoon.

     Laswitan Lagoon is located in Barangay Madrelino, Cortes, Surigao del Sur. Just one ride away from Tandag City, which can be reached through airplane from Cebu and through land transpo from Butuan and Surigao, the lagoon sits in a corner of Surigao del Sur.

     The Laswitan Falls and Lagoon is actually a unique 20-foot rock formation located near the shore in Cortes. This geological feature creates three natural basins so that when the surf becomes high, the huge waves would flow and spill into the main basin on the other side, thus creating a waterfall effect. 

     The lagoon below the rock formation is so huge in that it can fit up to 200 people maybe even more! Tourists visiting the place can dip in these pools and get themselves splashed by the sea water coming from the other side. The lagoon has a deep part which swimmers can enjoy but there is also a shallow area that other people can dip in.

 

Although in recent years the City of Pines and the country’s summer capital has experienced quite a huge dose of commercialization, it has retained some of its old charm. Matti said traffic here has never been worse, especially during its very popular flower festival (Panagbenga), but the weather and air (depending on the specific location here) are still generally fresher, which is a serious consideration for a retiree.

A major drawback, though, is its distance from Manila, which even with the improvement of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the opening of SCTEX and the first section of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) is still at least 6 hours away.

Nonetheless, Baguio City has the trappings of a highland resort, such as quaint bed-and-breakfast, charming cafés, and fresh produce from neighboring La Trinidad Valley, which made it popular with vacationers and retirees in the first place.

Located on Luzon Island’s eastern side is Subic Bay, renowned for wreck diving, adventure parks, and, just like Clark, for being a former US overseas military installation. However, its wrecks and nature trails aren’t its only attractions; its American-style suburban lifestyle, complete with private hospitals, good schools, duty-free shopping, hotels and resorts, and lively dining scene and nightlife, make it also quite popular. It’s also very accessible to Clark through the SCTEX.

Subic is shockingly clean and well-ordered. Traffic rules are strictly enforced and it has its own police and fire service. However, some expats find the place to sterile so they opt for its raunchier but more exciting neighbor Olongapo City.

Amanpulo is a Luxury Resort in Pamalican Island in Palawan.

FLIGHTS TO AMANPULO

     Pamalican Island is accessed by exclusive flights, landing on the island’s own airstrip. Reached by private plane, Amanpulo is encircled by pearl-white sand and the turquoise waters of the Philippines’ Sulu Sea. On landing, the forest canopy of this private islet gives way to beautifully appointed rooms, a hillside Philippines spa and restaurants serving food grown in the resort gardens, or caught from the sea. Guests staying three nights or more in a casita can enjoy daily breakfast and dinner, and fresh fruits on arrival.

 

     Cerulean sky and turquoise sea merge at Amanpulo, a whisper-quiet private island retreat in the Philippines. Part of the Cuyo Archipelago, northeast of Palawan Island. Reached by private plane, Amanpulo is encircled by pearl-white sand and the turquoise waters of the Philippines’ Sulu Sea. On landing, the forest canopy of this private islet gives way to beautifully appointed rooms, a hillside Philippines spa and restaurants serving food grown in the resort gardens, or caught from the sea. Guests staying three nights or more in a casita can enjoy daily breakfast and dinner, and fresh fruits on arrival.

VILLAS AND CASITAS

Villas enable indoor-outdoor life with private bedroom pavilions.

The spacious Casitas offer direct beach access via sandy paths. 

 

     Buda Vista is a 3-storey vacation house sitting in the mountainous area of Marilog District in Davao City along Bukidnon-Davao Road (or commonly known as Buda). It is approximately 2 hours travel from Davao City proper.

     This side of Davao is one of the top destinations by many, especially those living in or near the city, because of its promise of a cold and serene atmosphere. Truly it is a perfect place to escape from the stressing city of life.

     Buda Vista is just one of the many charming vacation house around this area. It stands out for me because of the house’s mixed modern and country style. From the front porch, you can feast your eyes with various stunning ornamental plants that are seemingly well-maintained. The high-end wood and glass architecture of the house allows you to stare at the lush greenery from the inside.

The 3rd floor serves as the bedroom or sleeping area. It has a Korean-style living area perfect for night chats and other fun group activities before hitting the bed.

At the back of the house, you’ll find a cozy deck with a bamboo hammock on the edge of the cliff where the house is basically situated. It is surrounded with trees and wild plants which truly brings out a nature feel. It can be easily accessed from the dining room on the ground floor or basement.

Buda Vista Rate, Accommodation, and Amenities

     Buda Vista vacation house accommodates up to 15 people for a rate of Php5,000 per night (for the entire house). It is a nice place for group gatherings. The house is fully furnished with 2 restrooms/bathrooms, kitchen area complete with utensils, refrigerator, microwave oven and a billiard hall. It has TV and Karaoke right at the living room area.

How To Get There

     From Davao City, you can hire a van (ideally if you are a group) or take a bus bound for Cagayan/Bukidnon. The house is along the highway so you can see it as you’re approaching. It is approx. 10 minutes from Seagull Mountain Resort.

Bislig,  Surigao Del Sur

     Tinuy-An Falls has the crown for being the widest waterfall of the Philippines. This 3-tier, 55 meters high cascading waterfall can be found on Barangay Burboana, Bislig, Surigao del Sur. As the leading tourist spot of the city, it’s been frequently featured in travel magazines and videos.

 

 

     Tinuy-an Falls is a waterfalls located in Barangay Borboanan in Bislig City in the province of Surigao del Sur which spans at 95 meters wide with a 55 meters plunge from its three cascading falls. Tucked in an area teeming with lush vegetation and tall trees, the water that drapes and cascades through the three waterfalls features a curtain of white froth that makes the waterfalls more appealing.

 

According to the locals, you shouldn’t miss the rainbow that appears at the waterfalls between 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. The rainbow is a result of the reflection of the sunlight through the mist which makes Tinuy-an falls worth a visit. Aside from swimming, you may ride the bamboo raft which allows more daring tourists to go right under the waterfalls.

LEGENDARY FALLS

Behind the captivating beauty of the falls, lies a dark story. Its legend can be seen on the inscription on the entrance:

     Legend revealed that long before, the Magdiwata Mountain Settlers were enslaved by cruel tribesmen coming from the hinterlands of Agusan. They were mistreated by their masters and were forced to perform hard manual labor.
Tired of the maltreatment, the brave natives convened among themselves and created a plan to be free of the cruelty. So, one day, while rowing the gakit (bamboo raft) boarded by their masters, the slaves jumped off and intentionally shoved the gakit towards the waterfalls killing all their vicious masters and attaining the freedom that they longed for. From then on, the high falling waters is called Tinuy-an Falls to commemorate the courage and gallantry of the heroic natives.

 

 

     Vitalis Villas is the most exclusive of luxury accommodations perched high on the mountain cliffs overlooking the sea and the beautiful Santiago Cove.

     The villas are crafted in traditional Greek architectural style and offer the warmth of Filipino Island charm and the convenience of modern amenities. 

     

     Step into the dove-white houses, cobalt blue sea and powdery white sands of Santiago, Ilocos Sur. The landscapes will overwhelm you, the sunsets will enchant you, and its history will fascinate you. You are bound to become yet Another fanatic, capturing majestic landscapes that you will not find elsewhere In the world.

 

 

THE POOL BAR

     Immersed in the infinity pool overlooking the mesmerizing Santiago Cove and the blue sea, The Pool Bar provides guests a variety of drinks-from fruit shakes to hard liquor while they are dipped in the waters and basking in the beauty of nature around them.

 

THE SNACK BAR

   Seated high adjacent to the infinity pool, The Snack Bar offers delectable international cuisine dishes from 8:00 AM to 10 PM. The blue and white dining area is an open space that allows in natural light and cool breeze. Eating good food with the relaxing view of the cove, the sea, and the infinity pool of Vitalis Villas is a promised delight for the Epicurean in each of us.

 

 

The Snack Bar Offerings

       The Snack Bar specializes in Western and European comfort food, with Ilocano and Mediterranean twist that can be shared with friends or family. Feeling adventurous? Try the Katuray and Anchovy Pizza or the Crispy Pork Belly, stuffed with Karimbuwaya!