Retire In The Philippines Now

For a day in the latter part of May the beach at Matabungkay, a picturesque coastal village in the town of Lian, Batangas, is the home for the Balsa Festival. A Balsa is a flat raft made of timber or other buoyant material such as bamboo used by people that lived along coasts or riverbanks long ago. These floats were used for transportation along shallow waters and for fisherman to get from the beach to their fishing boats and back. The balsa floats are propelled by a long bamboo pole that is long enough to reach down to the sandy beach floor and pushing off that floor. During the Balsa festival, one of the more fun Philippine festivals, there is plenty of food and refreshments as well as numerous displays and boat races. A Cultural Dance Competition tops off the festival and is something you should see. If you are in the area of Lian, Batangas please spend a day at the beach for the Balsa Festival.

This post brought to you by The Cruising Insider, a trusted source of cruise vacation information and Maverick Money Makers, the website for people who want to make money on the internet now.

Shopping in the Philippines can be a pleasurable as well interesting adventure. Let it be known that haggling for price is alive and well in the Philippines and in some places expected. Now if you are in the big cities and at the malls or modern stores most likely you can’t argue the price especially if it’s marked but if you have to ask the price you can usually negotiate it down at least a little bit.

Primarily the best items you will purchase in the Philippines are handicrafts, woodcarving, and articles made of shells. These handicrafts and such make very good souvenirs for friends and family or as a memento of your visit. Some of the handicrafts include place mats, coaster, wind chimes made of shells, bamboo trays and ceramic pots.

Other crafts available include unique baskets made of bamboo or rattan with different designs and colors. One place I found many different kinds of baskets was in Baguio at the market. This seems to be one of the best places for buying baskets not just from that area but all over the Philippines. There are also guys with horse drawn wagons that travel the neighborhood selling their own handmade baskets but in the last few years I have seen less and less of them and more of a move to the town markets.

Another handicraft is the beautiful woven Philippine mats that come from the Visayas. Some depictions of Philippine folk art and some have designs that match the most beautiful of painted art I have seen. I particularly like the mats I’ve seen in the lobbies of hotels and in restaurants.

If you are looking for affordable but beautiful jewelry the Philippines is the place to go. I have found some of the most lovely shell and mother of pearl jewelry ever. Mother of Pearl is the most common and you can get real good prices from the shops around the area of Market Market in Fort Bonifacio. Most of the shops are attended by what I assume to be Moslem women by the headgear they are wearing. I don’t know what the connection with the jewelry and the women are actually but I’m sure it depends on what part of the Philippines they are from. Anyway I’ve picked up such deals that I have sold the jewelry on EBay for 10 times what I paid for it and all the women in my family enjoy the gifts of this jewelry also.

There are deals on other items such as shoes and handbags, embroidery, and woodcarving to be found while shopping in the Philippines also. Just make sure that if you don’t see a price and you are not in a major department store, the price is probably negotiable.

Click here  to sign up for Free College Scholarship Information and to register to win a $10,000 College Scholarship.

This post brought to you by  

For those of you who are not frequent visitors of the website or familiar with the Philippines I’ll explain a little about Boracay and barangays. First of all Boracay is a tropical island in the Philippines and one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations. Boracay is located about 200 miles (315km) south of Manila. It is also located off the northwest tip of Panay in the Western Visayas.

A barangay is best described as the smallest administration unit in the Philippines. It is also known by the Spanish name of barrio. A barangay could best be described as a village, district, or ward and are sometimes abbreviated as Brgy or Bgy.

The three barangays that make up Boracay Philippines are Barangay Yapak, Barangay Balabag, and Barangay Manoc-Manoc. On the southern end of Boracay lies the sleepy non-commercial Manoc-Manoc where you can relax and get into nature and take some beautiful pictures. In the middle is Barangay Balabag and it is the home of White Beach and all the beautiful resorts. The northern barangay is the high country of Boracay and is known as Barangay Yapak it is home to a few resorts also. If you are looking for the best of the Philippines in nightlife and beach life any of the three barangays of Boracay will work.

Do you wish you could travel more often than you do but your budget stands in the way. Would you like the freedom to plan your own trips but have no idea how to do it? You need to get this ebook called Cheap Travel made Easy. I have traveled almost every country in the world and have used this book to get the best deals and have saved bunches of money. This book has been invaluable to me and I recommend it highly. If you want your copy of Cheap Travel Click here

When doing research recently about places in the Philippines I came upon quite a gem in Marinduque Island. Marinduque is a heartshaped island located in the center of the Philippine archipelago known as the “Heart of the Philippines” It is located about 18 km (11 miles) from the main island of Luzon and covers 370 square miles.

On the island located in the capital of Boac is the Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort. This beautiful resort features a beach house and a conference center with a multi-function hall that can accomodate 250 persons with 3 bathrooms, a kitchen, and storage area. There are beautiful beaches for tanning and swimming. Snorkeling equipment is availabe at the resort with choice diving spots and shops located a short distance away. This resort has maid service and all services available including massage and manicure/pedicure. Rooms start at around P3,000 ($50) for 1-2 persons and up. Air flights and Sea Service is available to Marinduque from Manila.

The proprietor of this fine resort is David B Katague, a retired Chemistry Team Leader from the Food and Drug Aministration in Silver Spring, MD. This resort showcases the beauty of the Philippines with abundant beaches and sea life.

Visit their website at Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort

ShoeMoney and Motive Interactive are having a sweepstakes with many prizes including a VIP trip to Las Vegas, a Sony Plasma TV, and XBox 360 Elite. For more information on this sweepstakes and how you can win please click here.

Many people want to visit the Philippines and have some sort of an idea of what they want to do. Whatever your reason I would not advise you to just stay at home or in your hotel all day. Of course there are nightclubs at night time but there is so much more to do in the Phillipines and I want to try to give you some sources of things to. I will also recommend some sources for Philippine flights, Philippine sightseeing, and offer some sites that have travel deals.

One website I want to recommend is Philippine Adventures. This site has so many ideas for a person looking for something to do on a Philippines vacation. There are videos and informational posts on enough stuff to do that could keep you busy for years if you visited all of them. Activities like diving, observing wildlife, mountain biking, surfing, white water rafting, water skiing, and my favorite Volcano climbing. I have climbed two volcanos in the Philippines and plan on climbing Mt Pinatubo next. So check out this website for more information.

Speaking of climbing Mt Pinatubo my friend Juliet has a sight with all information on tours of this volcano. I used to live in the area where the eruption affected and although I have been back many times I have not been to the volcano area. Please go to Juliet’s site Mount Pinatubo Trek  and see what she has to offer in the way of lodging, tours, and sightseeing.

Now I’ve recommended some sites that you can go to for sightseeing and fun but you still need a way to get there. I recommend that you visit the travel websites such as CheapOAir and Cheap Tickets and compare prices. Work a little bit with days of the week and times you are willing to leave and you should be able to get lower prices on fares. Check the links below for more information on the cheaper filghts and you can get them even cheaper by combining the flights with hotel rooms.

*Take off $10 on your next flight to Anywhere in Asia!* Using the coupon code *ASIAFLY10*, take $10 off on your next flight to any destination in Asia when you book on CheapOair.com. Coupon Coupon Expires: 31st Dec 09

Northwest Airlines Everyday Cheap Fares on CheapTickets.com!

Wherever you go in the Philippines you will find nice hotels from 1 star to 5 star and from mom and pop to top hotel chains. The hospitality of the Filipino people will make your stay very enjoyable and you will want for nothing. Below is a short list of some of the places available.

Metro Manila

Imperial Palace Suites Quezon City a 12 story all suite hotel located in the entertainment and commercial hub of Quezon City. This hotel has 135 studio, one and two bedroom apartments, with a living room, dining room, kitchen, and balcony. Also has a restaurant bar, business center, meeting room, outdoor swimming pool and a gym.

Holiday Inn Galleria Manila located in the Ortigas district 40 minutes away from the international airport and a 15 minute ride to Makati. This hotel also has direct access to Robinson’s Galleria, one of Manila’s most modern shopping malls.

Mandarin Oriental Manila located in the Makati business district but in a quiet neighborhood. This hotel has all the amenities including a fabulous restaurant.

Cebu

Parklane International Hotel very beautiful hotel located in Cebu City. Has all the amenities including a great wine and music lounge as well as a coffee shop.

Days Hotel Mactan Airport a moderately priced hotel that will remind you of a certain chain hotel within the United States. Has all the amenities and again a very good deal for the price

Boracay

Sometimes it is hard to find good deals in Boracay because it is one of Asia’s major tourist  destinations.

Blue Mango Inn a 14 room modern resort located directly on the beach. One of the featiures is the beautiful large tropical garden in the rear. The rooms range from standard to villas and come complete with internet access and on beach dining.

Bora Sky Hotel located within walking distance of everything, this hotel opened in January of 2008. Features a restaurant and bar on the main floor and a roof top patio with a beautiful view .

Hot Springs Laguna

City of Springs Resort-Hotel Laguna located in beautiful Los Banos between Laguna Lake and Mount Makiling this is a place to enjoy a laid back vacation. It is a place to relax in the warming waters then enjoy a cool drink poolside.

Hidden Valley Springs  Hidden Valley Springs is a secluded and private resort naturally landscaped at the crater of an extinct forested volcano in Laguna. A natural botanical garden, it has superb irresistible natural thermal pools scented by exquisite tropical plants and canopied by giant ferns and century old trees.

For more information and deals the travel agency site listed below

Hotel Fees SLASHED on CheapTickets thru July 15!

Puerto Galera in the province of Oriental Mindoro is the top diving destination of the Philippines. This municipality with a population of around 22,000 is well known for it’s numerous pocket beaches and many snorkeling and Scuba diving spots. The area was designated a Man and Biosphere Reserve of UNESCO in 1973 and has some of the best coral reef diving in Asia. There are numerous wreck site for divers to explore including a WWII Japanese patrol boat. There are at least 30 dive sites in the area with a highly diverse marine life.

The two main tourist beaches in Puerto Galera are Sabang Beach and White Beach with Sabang beach being the most popular with foreign tourists and White Beach being more popular with local travelers. In the last few years White Beach has seen a great push in development with restaurants and hotels increasingly moving towards the beach.

The town of Puerto Galera has few attractions other than the few cafes and bistros and a large catholic church. There is a nine hole golf course in the high parts of the area with spectacular views of White Beach, Puerto Galera’s natural harbor, and the Verde Island Passage. Puerto Galera is about three and a half hours away from Manila by bus to Batangas City and then by boat. For more information on Puerto Galera check out the sites below after watching a cool video on diving there.

Puerto Galera Dive Philippines Blog

Puerto Galera

Every country has museums in which the beauty and culture of the country is on show for everyone to see. From the culture and history of the country to the art and music, museums are showcases for what every country is about, and the Philippines is no different. From Manila to the Visayas to other outreaches of the land you will find beautiful museums to spend your leisure time relaxing and enjoying what you are seeing. Let’s look at a few of the offerings of museums in the Philippines.

National Museum of the Philippines - Here you can view some of the Philippines’ historic and cultural treasures including a section devoted to the San Diego galleon where yoiu can view artifacts from a 17th century sunken battleship. Another popular section is titled The Story of the Filipino People which is considered a must see.

Ayala Museum This art and history museum located on Makati Ave in Makati City is a very important institution on Philippine art and culture. It houses rare and priceless objects and protects and promotes the Filipino culture and historical legacy.

Cathedral Museum of Cebu - A museum located in downtown Cebu City with a focus on the Roman Catholic Church with a display of Church architecture and artifacts, many of which date back to Spanish colonial times.

Cultural Center Of The Philippines This beautiful building serves as a venue for performances by local and visiting artists such as the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Filipino world renowned group known as the Bayanihan Dance Company. An area known as The Little Theatre hosts small more intimate recitals while the Huseng Batute Theatre is home to productions by upcoming artists. Throughout the building there are numerous visual artist exhibits.

Zamboanga Branch of the National Museum- Located in historical Fort Pilar in Zamboanga City, this museum has a Geology Division which showcases exhibits on the Geological evolution of the Philippines. On the second floor there is a display on approximately 400 species of marine life from the Zamboanga, Basilan, and Sulu Archipelago. Another popular exhibit is the collection of traditional boats of the Sama Dilaut which features an actual Lepa, or houseboat.

As you can see, if you are interested in the culture or art of the Philippines there are numerous places to visit no matter where you are located. This is list is just a very small part of the museums available in the Philippines.

When you see pictures of the Philippines or any other countries for that matter you see pictures of beautiful beaches and mountains or different celebrations. Pictures of normal life are very hard to come by and I believe that if you are going to retire in the Philippines you should know as much about daily life before you do. Let me say pictures should not take the place of spending actual time in the Philippines and anyone who would retire to a location without first spending much time there is asking for trouble.

I am always searching for pictures of the Philippines and I probably have around 1,000 of my own taken on various trips but I have found a site which has the biggest collection of pictures of the Philippines. The name of the site is The Philippine Photo Guide and it has photos of all areas of the Philippines from Southern Philippines to Visaya to Luzon. You can spend hours looking at these beautiful pictures and you can get a sense of what normal life in the Philippines is like. Of course there are the wonderful pictures of popular sites included and if you like to view photos this is a very good site. Please check it out!

Recently I wrote an article on Golfing in the Philippines where I covered some of the courses I’ve been to and what information I remember about the courses. As well, I posted information on a couple courses I’ve heard about . I was contacted by a reader who has a blog concerning golfing in the Philippines and after checking it out was happy that I could recommend this site for the readers of this blog. The site is A Round of Golf  and it centers on a golf show that is billed as the only golf show in the Philippines. A Round of golf is a 30 minute weekly show that covers golf and the lifestyle of golfing in the Philippines. Check out this wonderful site if you are interested in learning more about playing THE game in the Philippines.