TRAVEL CENTRAL PHILIPPINES

Looking for 5 Star Hotels in the Philippines?

2024-04-11T20:45:00.000-07:00

The problem with searching for hotels online is that you are often smothered with an unending list of hotels found in the area.

What if you're only looking for a particular type of hotel? The website, pinoytourist has a good list of 5 star hotels in some destinations in the Philippines. No need trying to figure out if the property you are looking for is indeed a 5 star hotel.

You can see the list when you click or tap on the names of the destiantions:

Beachfront Hotels in Busan

2024-04-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for beachfront hotels in Busan, South Korea, you can check out the blog posts by Pinoytourist.

He has visited all the known beaches in Busan so he has some reliable info you can use for your trip to Busan.

Knowing what hotel to check in to get the best views of the beaches can make your travel worth more than you spent or it can make your travel in the level of mediocre.

So, to get the list of beachfront hotels in Gwangalli Beach that offers a great view of the beach and the bridge, check out this LINK.

The premium beach are in Busan is Haeundae Beach. You can miss out on the other beach sites, except this one as it offers the beach coastal experience and views in Busan. Go to this LINK if you want to see the beachfront hotels in Haeundae,

Gwangalli Beach in Busan

2023-06-23T05:50:00.000-07:00

In case you find yourself in Busan, South Korea, keep in mind that it is a coastal destination and it has several beach areas where cosmopolitan vibes stand side by side with waves and wide beach areas.

One of the major beach areas is Gwangalli Beach which offers more in terms of scenery and dining. Numerous cafes and restaurants line the beach front which should make the visitors quite busy both day and night enjoying nature and the food scene.

The beach also sits right in front of the famous diamond bridge that is fully lighted at night but is alsovery impressive-looking at day time.

So... your travel plan to Busan must also include Gwangalli Beach to make your experience more complete.

Exploring Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, South Korea

2023-05-11T20:02:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since I last posted here. And I am figuring out again how to write a post here. Anyways, this would be about Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, South Korea, the most famous palace complex that every tourist must visit or else, he will leave the country half-fulfilled.

I actually have visited the complex multiple times and in all seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter) and the best season to be in the complex is in autumn then followed by spring. Winter is also okay as long as you have enough cover. Summer is...... well, summer is a given as the worst time to visit the country because of the unbearable heat. But if you're already in Seoul in mid July or the entire month of August, just bring enough water to hydrate you while to walk around this huge complex.

You can read a more detailed blog from Pinoytourist.

Some tips when you visit the palace complex:

- Allot at least half a day. One or two hours are not enough to explore the entire complex along with the big museums in the area.

- Do some research at the time of the changing of the guards for your added travel experience.

- If you rent a traditional Korean dress, you get free entry to the complex. Let's hope they don't change that policy.

- Bring a selfie stick. You may look retro, but it works.

- Not on a Tuesday because it's closed. And avoid Saturday because of the huge crowds (but it will be fun if you like seeing a lot of people with many of them wearing hanbok).

- Be ready for more walking as there are many major tourist attractions near the palace complex (like Bukchon Hanok Village, Insadong, Gwanghwamun Square). You will easily reach that 10,000 daily steps for your work out!

So... have great fun exploring Gyeongbokgung Palace!!

Instagram Posts Prove that Palawan is the Best Island

2019-09-16T05:20:00.000-07:00

Found something interesting. Palawan is often declared as the best island destination by a number of international travel magazines and tourism organizations. Here is youtube video showcasing the beauty of the group of islands in the Philippines.

Eats More Fun in the Philippines - Jollibee and the Tourism Department Team Up

2019-09-05T05:12:00.002-07:00

The Philippine Department of Tourism and the now iconic fast food franchise, Jollibee have teamed up to promote culinary tourism in the Philippines.

Southeast Asian Games 2019 Theme Song

2019-09-05T05:09:00.002-07:00

I know this is hardly travel-related. But hey, whatever chance I can give to put in my little help to help spread the good words of the SEA games!

Why Travel When You're Still Young - an infographic

2019-01-20T21:47:00.000-08:00

Here's a good why to justify why you travel at an early age.

Seriously, travel can change big time a person's perspective in many things. I just put some of them in this simple infographic.

Batanes - Info video and Reminder to be a Responsible Tourist

2019-01-14T21:03:00.005-08:00

Here's a very simple video on Batanes. Its full though of info on the attractions and a reminder to be a responsible tourist.

A Taste of Adventure Falowa Boat Ride in Batanes

2019-01-13T02:19:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder how people travel between the islands in Batanes? You must have at least an ounce of adventure to get on that boat with shallow draft to make it possible to float on the typically wild waves of this northernmost area of the Philippines.

El Nido Video

2019-01-07T23:34:00.000-08:00

Had fun in El Nido and decided to create a simple video of the places I visited. If you ask me, El Nido is definitely one of the best places for travel in the Philippines. Its becoming a bit crowded, though. So better check it out the soonest, before the mass of unwanted tourists discover this by droves. You can see the video here --

How to Practice Responsible Tourism - an Infographic

2018-10-05T02:06:00.000-07:00

As part of my personal advocacy to make more people understand and champion sustainable and responsible tourism, I came up with this simple infographic on responsible tourism. Of course, the list is too few. Let me know if you want me to come up with more infographics on the subject.

Tourism Benchmarking - Seoullo 7017

2018-08-09T20:46:00.002-07:00

Here's a short info video on tourism benchmarking which means looking at other places as models for development.

Latent Environmental Champions

2018-07-26T20:20:00.000-07:00

Before i start off spewing some incoherence for some, let's start with the definition of the word, LATENT.

ADJECTIVE

1(of a quality or state) existing but not yet developed or manifest; hidden or concealed.

‘they have a huge reserve of latent talent’

source: Oxford Dictionaries

In tourism, or ecotourism, it would mean that a person can become an active environmental champion or advocate if he is given the right tool to become one. And in this case, that tool is KNOWLEDGE.

And to become an effective champion for conservation, he must be armed with the right knowledge for him to adequately understand and pass on that data to other people in his community, the travel industry and the people he will have to impress on his environmental passion and knowledge. Yup, you can call those recipients, tourists.

I'll try to make this short. Pray with me so you won't get bored.

There are so many areas now in the Philippines (and in other countries, actually) where there is a huge reservoir of latent environmental champions. People who are concerned with the current status of nature and are willing to do something (you have to accept, oftentimes within the confines of their livelihood), but are sorely lacking in fully understanding the dynamics of nature and integrating them into their lives. And I'm not talking only about the guides. It could be anybody or everybody living in a coastal area or forest. Anybody who is a latent environmental champion - not yet there, but eager to become one.

And how ready are they? As ready as them understanding a super complex concept such as.... "biodiversity"!

Yup, stop treating the hoi polloi as a sector that would never get it. Because in reality, a good number of them can easily get it. And yes, some are in the tourism sector. And yes, you can stop treating them as walls, and consider them instead as stepping stones for conservation.

We already have benchmarks, areas where communities with perceived "zero" environmental knowledge have become icons for conservation. Together with some pioneers in ecotourism and conservation in the government and NGOs, we have prepared the trail for more than 20 years for the new champions and environmental "guidance counsellors." It should be an easy path from here.

If you're a current champion oozing with environmental knowledge, share them, don't just brag about them. Don't just tell them that mangroves should be protected. Tell them about ecosystem services, sub-lethal salinity, wave and wind energy dissipation, and.... its aesthetic value (well, you can leave the last one to the tourism and marketing experts). I can talk on so many other things like coastal areas, forests and caves, but you already get the drift. (See? I successfully made this blog short!)

You will be surprised how many and how ready people can transcend their roles from passive audience to active protectors of the environment. They just need the right tool call knowledge.

Bulkheading a Beach in Boracay?! -- NOOO!!

2018-06-22T02:28:00.000-07:00

I was surfing the web and looking at some youtube videos to while away my time when I saw this:

That's in Bolabog Beach, opposite the White Beach. If you notice, there are no tourists in the area, because its at the height of the closure of the island.

But I got really disturbed by something else. Do you also notice it?

They freaking bulkheaded the beach! They want to protect the beachfront properties but they obviously do not realize the long term consequence of bulkheading the beach.

This part of Boracay will eventually lose its beach. Ahhhh.... I don't have time to explain everything here, just watch my other post on beach management -

- http://travelcentralph.blogspot.com/2018/06/beach-management-video-lesson.html

I was hoping that the government agencies tasked to rehabilitate the island would eventually remove the bulkheads and return the beach to its sloping profile.

But no.... I was wrong! A few minutes of walking along the beach gave me another surprise with this!

They are apparently turning the entire (or most) of the beach into bulkheads!

This should be stopped. Or if they want to convince everybody that they're doing the right thing, then they should show scientific and engineering studies that those bulkheads will not destroy the beach.

Bolabog Beach experiences strong wave actions many months of the year. And a bulkhead near the water line is a sure formula to eventually destroy the place. It will protect the properties for some years, but think about the long term......

Ano ba?!

Here's the link to the video I found -- https://youtu.be/R1wAMQErkmU

How Many Workers Were Really Affected by Boracay Closure?

2018-06-06T04:26:00.000-07:00

The 6-months closure of Boracay spells disaster to thousands of families relying on tourism. Numbers were thrown around like trivial statistics as if they were not talking about people and families getting hungry.

But what really is the nearest possible number of families that are affected by the closure?

The Department of Labor and Employment said the directly employed individuals was 17,735 along with 2,005 construction workers.

Many of us who have very little idea about the situation would accept the number without bothering to check. In fact, many actually did not. Heck, many in the tourism industry did not even have any idea, except in their own businesses. That's why this embattled sector could only whimper and not directly challenge the situation.

Let me quote a part of the article written by the Secretary General of the UNWTO (Mr. Taleb Rifai):

"In these times of global uncertainty, equitable employment is essential to increasing social inclusion, peace and security. With 6% of the world's active population out of work, job creation must be at the forefront of our agendas and the potential of every economic sector to provide decent jobs should be utilized to its fullest.

"Beyond the direct impact, tourism reaches into many sectors, such as construction, manufacturing and IT services, having a multiplier affect along the value chain. It is estimated that every job in the core tourism sector creates about 1.5 additional or indirect jobs in the tourism-related economy."

The core words are: multiplier effect, value chain, direct and indirect jobs.

Those do not only include the construction workers, but also the calamansi and banana farmers in Mindoro, fishermen in surrounding provinces and towns, traders, factory workers of products supplied to Boracay.... and thousands more.

So the more realistic number should be ---- 44,337 workers (17,735+1.5*17,735) (just use the darn calculator if in doubt about the formula).

And if each worker gets a ridiculously small amount of daily wage of Php500.00...... the total loss in wages for that 6 months would be Php3.990 Billion.

And the funny thing is the government has allocated Php448 million to provide as an assistance for island people who would lose their jobs. That amount could have been spent to other areas that really need assistance. Such a waste..... such......

What I know about governments is that they would do anything to ensure that their people get jobs and be productive members of the societies. What's being done in Boracay really defies common sense.

And don't start arguing with me that it's for the good of the environment. The government does not even need Php20 million to solve the environmental problems in Boracay without resorting to drama. The government people just have to do their jobs, or lose their jobs.

Beach Management (Video Lesson)

2018-06-06T03:00:00.000-07:00

Many beach areas around the world are in dire threats of over-development and mass tourists. There is a need to more effectively develop and manage the coastal areas to optimize the benefits of tourism on a sustained manner and minimize or even prevent any possible negative impacts of tourism.

Whether you're a tourism student, practitioner of local government person in charge of protecting your natural resources, you have to see this one to get even just a nugget of knowledge to better protect your beach from the impacts of tourism. And ensure that the site as a tourism product can sustain many generations of stakeholders.

There are actually so many other things that I was not able to include in the video. Let me see if I can make another one to serve as Part 2 of the beach management lesson. In the meantime, enjoy the video! And make sure you include the concepts in your plan if you get the opportunity to develop a coastal area!

Tourism Carrying Capacity - Part 2 of 2 (Video lesson)

2018-06-06T02:50:00.000-07:00

Here's the second installment of the video lesson on tourism carrying capacity. Let me know your thoughts by commenting either below or in the video link.

Tourism Carrying Capacity - Part 1 of 2 (Video)

2018-06-06T02:46:00.000-07:00

Here's a video lesson on TOURISM CARRYING CAPACITY. I had to cut the video into 2 parts due to the limited length of time allowed by youtube. Hope you enjoy the lesson!

Introduction to Ecotourism (Video)

2018-06-06T02:33:00.000-07:00

Its been a long while since I last made an entry here. No excuses.... :-)

I have started a youtube channel called TOURISM TALK which is primarily addressed to the growing number of tourism and hospitality students and local government units that are looking into tourism as a way out of poverty of their people.

We have to put in our minds and hearts that tourism is like a powerful weapon of development or mass destruction. Unfortunately, not many have enough technical knowledge on how to create and ensure a sustainable form of tourism. This is beyond motherhood statements, guys. I really recommend you listen to the entire video to make you a more effective sustainable tourism advocate in your area. Just forgive the super low, bedroom voice and pump up your volume to the max.

Framework for Sustained Urban Dev't. with Tourism

2017-10-10T04:07:00.001-07:00

Going out of your community will open your eyes to new possibilities or even validate ideas that have been playing in your mind. Benchmarks, you find benchmarks (or pegs) to which new ideas can be anchored on. That, as out of the box or crazy as they may sound, those ideas are actually nothing new and have been generously applied in many other sites.

Mine came when I visited Cheonggyecheon Park in Seoul, South Korea. A wide stretch of highway that was transformed into a park. You cannot do that in the Philippines! It's the other way around, parks are turned into concrete buildings, parking lots or roads.

There has been a constant cry to take care of the environment. But taking care of nature has been a default burden to the government units and a pesky issue to many businesses. Space in urban centers are priceless. Why give them away to grasses, trees and the homeless? The only tangible value of space many understand is the money value of each square meter, down to square centimeter.

But there is more to taking care of the environment than just appearing to be a tree hugger. Many cities have shown the way. Seoul is one, Chicago is now experiencing "parks philanthropy" wherein private businesses actually spend for the development or upkeep of parks. And so many more (calling Singapore and Hong Kong!).

Because...... it makes real sense!

Parks and open spaces enhance an area. That's just for starters. The locals have sanctuaries they can visit anytime, and actually "own". And the side effect? Business addresses are enhanced and preferred. It then paves the way for more and improved businesses to locate in the area. Big companies come in because of the total environment the area offers (happy people, happy workers, happy consumers, cleaner streets, clearer air), and a lot of micro and small scale businesses crop up.

Its not too late for the Philippines, there are numerous emerging cities that are on the way to developing. This is a great chance to put into proper perspective the real value of taking care of the environment which is actually headed towards ensuring the sustained development of the area, the quality of the community, and the overall quality of living. Which is the goal of every citizen in any area.

Below is a rough framework I developed, just in case local executives would consider looking at the enhanced or protected environment as a primary component in urban development.

The site has products, facilities and services that are developed to realize its economic upliftment. To ensure that these products are owned, championed and protected by the community, the environment must be regarded not as a burden, but part of the overall development investment for the area. If this happens, the community will reap the benefits and the businesses will respond to the community and transient/tourist demands, thereby ensuring the sustainability of the development.

In conclusion - invest in open spaces, study movement spaces and features, and create environment facilities that become part of the showcase of the area (and not something to be ashamed of).

So many countries have shown it works, we are playing catch-up, but I think we still can.

Ajah!

I don't know if I can answer some queries. But we can try by sending an email to pinoytourist@gmail.com

Going to the Beach? Don't Pick-up That Shell!

2017-04-30T05:16:00.001-07:00

Ey, it's summer time again! And the best place to get that sun-kissed skin would be the beach. You swim and you snorkel in the azure-colored waters, and you walk on the white sand beach (okay, could be black, gray, pebbly, rocky... you get what I mean).

Then you see a living, slow-crawling sea shell (specifically, the one we call cone shell) and you badly need to pick it up. Admire it, maybe even talk to it like you're talking to your... puppy?....

DON'T!!

You see, when environmentalists tell you to leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but pictures, they just partly mean to save nature from man. The other half of the story is to save man from nature. Yeah... it gets a bit AlGoristic that's headed towards an inconvenient truth here.

Let's just get straight to the point!

A number of species of cone shells are highly venomous, A.K.A deadly. Yup, one cone shell can kill your entire family (I mean, its very strong venom. Don't get this crazy imagination of a cone shell doing ninja moves stabbing your family members one by one. It's plain anime, okay?). A cone shell's venom, no matter how small it is, is more deadly than most snakes'.

When you pick up a live shell (pun intended), It will stick out its weapon and stab your pointer or stubby finger (or your groin if you put it in your pocket). That tiny pin-prick can almost immediately put you into shock and probably kill you in a few minutes.

So the next time you decide to do a romantic walk on the beach, leave ALL the shells alone. Don't bring home any souvenir. It's good for the environment and YOUR safety.

If you want to know more, just google "poisonous cone shells."

Who Wants a Good Tourism Idea? - Sandcastle Park

2017-04-29T01:41:00.001-07:00

We are in constant search of new tourism ideas. Whether we're the destination or we're the travellers, that wanting to create or see new, innovative, compelling, or even recycled/upcycled ideas would make us want to jump out of our beds and basically be in the middle of that tourism concept.

As a tourism consultant, I am often required to come up with ideas that would make new and even existing destinations attract both tourism investments and visitors. Most of my ideas are out of the box, but generally exciting. Some have come into fruition, while others are in the active files, waiting for people to invest into their sites. And yeah, I get paid varying amounts for those ideas.

This time, I'm giving away one concept that should turn into a very good tourist attraction. It's not entirely out of the box. But a very interesting repackaging or upcycling of an activity that has been done all over the world for hundreds of years. It may not even be unique! But it could be very compelling.

All you need is probably one hectare of land ANYWHERE (preferably near or within an urban center, and AWAY from a beach area). Tons, of sand that is not quarried from the sea, and artists to create these magical creations.

Yup, I'm talking about a Sandcastle Park. And nope, its not anywhere near that Sandcastle theme park in the U.S. It will be just a small piece of land where sandcastles and other sculptures can be created. Very simple! and not an expensive investment!

Everyday, the sandcastle artists will create their new fleeting sculptures. People will witness the creation (or course, after paying the entrance fees), take selfies, buy sundry items, have a meal... the works! The key is, it's never a "been there, done that" destination. Because the sculpture are changed everyday, people will have a daily, weekly, monthly and whatever season and reason to visit the park!

Before posting this, I searched (googled, actually) high and low if such thing already exists. Nada, Zilch. But I'm not discounting the possibility that one already exists somewhere in this entire world, but definitely zero in the Philippines.

There you have it! A tourism idea given away for free! But of course, it wouldn't hurt if you hire me as your consultant! Hehe...

Naaahh!... Don't pressure yourself! I just want to see this in my lifetime.

"Breathing" Cave

2016-06-11T05:33:00.000-07:00

You only have a few minutes to witness this occurrence. The timing has to be perfect or you totally miss the moment.

The locals of Bucas Grande used to call it "snoring" instead of breathing. That's why the term, Hagukan.

Not everybody who goes to Sohoton Bay will get this opportunity. And if everybody tries to go at the same time, it will not be worth it. So many people crowding inside the dark and flooded cave, and many shouting and laughing, will only get you frustrated.

But if you're very lucky, meaning you got the timing right and you're the only group at the time, you will definitely savor the moment, plus you get to experience to swim and float in a luminescent. Or should I say, an aurora borealisque illuminated water?

Make sure you watch till the end!

Outstanding Tourism Promo in London

2016-05-27T22:33:00.000-07:00

Many don't know this. But the hardworking people (repeat: only the hardworking people) of the Philippine Department of Tourism have that constant challenge to do their jobs well. Inspite of the budget limitations, the bureaucracy (you cannot imagine the government red tape unless you work in one), and that constant challenge to rise up to the present and future opportunities, it always makes me wonder what "magic" they could come up with.

And yeah! I can definitely say, I am very impressed. Obviously, the DOT-London guys have suffered so much stress and sleepless nights for this output. Congrats and more!