Makati Attractions .........

Makati is the financial center of the Philippines, being the location of choice for the regional headquarters of multinational companies and the country's largest conglomerates. It is also home to the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Ayala Center is home to several shopping malls and restaurant rows. It is also surrounded by a number of hotels such as Oakwood Premiere Hotel (now Ascott), Hotel Intercontinental, Makati Shangri La, Dusit Hotel Nikko, and Renaissance Hotel. Also within walking distance are the Peninsula Manila and the Mandarin Oriental.

Towering buildings line up the streets of Ayala Avenue, Gil Puyat (formerly Buendia), Paseo de Roxas, and Makati Avenue. Across Buendia from the commercial business district (CBD) is a thriving tourist district, where hotel rates are more affordable.Hotels in this area (Makati Avenue, Burgos Street, Jupiter Street) include Oxford Suites, City Garden Hotel, CEO Suites, Saint Illian's Inn, Somerset, Perla Mansion, Great Eastern Hotel, Millennium Plaza Hotel, Fraser Place, Citadel Inn, among others.

Top Ten Beautiful Sights that the Philippines has to Offer

By Jonathan Williams

The Philippines is an archipelago made up of about 7,100 islands. This archipelago country is located in Southeast Asia. In Asia, it is also one of the popular countries that get visited yearly by tourists, and here are the top ten places that they love going back to.


1.) Intramuros
This walled "city" is located in Manila. It served as a walled settlement of the Spaniards during their occupation of the country and, as such, has its own museums as well as churches and wonderful ruins. Today, this well-preserved Intramuros is one of the visited places in the Philippines.

2.) Rizal Park
Also called Luneta, this is a very good place if you want a leisurely walk. This park is dedicated to the Philippines' national hero, Jose Rizal, who was not only a poet but a very good writer during the Spanish era, and this was also the place where he was executed. Now, this is a popular place for picnics.

3.) Baywalk
This is a walking distance from the Rizal Park. You can find here numerous restaurants and bars offering wonderful foods and drinks. This is also a nice place to stroll along as well as listen to the many bands that play at night.

4.) Mount Pinatubo
This majestic volcano that wreaked havoc in the lives of Filipinos during the early 1990s is located in Pampanga. Here, you can take guided hikes on some parts of its slope. You can also take a refreshing dip in Pinatubo's crater lake.

5.) Nayong Pilipino
If you want to tour famous destinations of the Philippines in one spot, then visit Nayong Pilipino. This cultural park has a miniature Philippine Islands including some of the beautiful spots of the country. You can also buy here some native foods as well as souvenirs.

6.) Camp John Hay
When you visit Baguio, the country's summer capital, be sure to visit also Camp John Hay. This used to be an American Military area but was later given to the Philippine government. Now, it is a recreational center with golf club, and it also offers horseback riding as well as camping.

7.) Boracay
Boracay Island is located in the Visayas Region. What this beautiful island offers is its majestic white sand beaches. This is a popular tourist destination of not only the locals but the foreigners as well, and there are a lot of activities here like the usual water sports as well as trendy bars and discos during summertime.

8.) Mount Apo
This magnificent mountain can be found in Davao. Here, you can go nature tripping as well as hiking. You will also see here the Philippine Eagle, which is said to be one of the biggest eagles of the world.

9.) Mayon Volcano
This wonderful and perfectly cone-shaped volcano can be found in Bicol. What makes this a major tourist spot is that you will find here the bell tower of an old church that was buried when it erupted during the early 1800s, and also, with that major eruption, it buried the Cagsawa town. Now, this is a must-see when you visit the Philippines, and you can also buy your souvenirs here as well as the famous pili nut candy.

10.) Camarines Sur Water Sports Complex
Located in Pili, Camarines Sur in Bicol, this is fast becoming a must-visit place whenever you visit the Philippines. If you love cable wakeboarding, then this is the place to be as it boasts of a wonderful cable wakeboarding experience as well as modern amenities. You can also find quaint cabanas here where you can spend your summer or vacation, plus, the services here are excellent.

Amanpulo Resort Palawan, Philippines

Pamalican Island

Amanpulo Resort Palawan is an idyllic, tropical haven for the beach lover, Amanpulo Resort Palawan is set on its own private island surrounded by white-sand beaches, turquoise waters and a coral reef.

LOCATION:

Amanpulo Resort Palawan is accessed by scheduled charter flight from Manila, which has flights to several major international destinations. Guests are met at Manila's international airport and taken by complimentary transfer to the Amanpulo Resort Palawan lounge, adjacent to the departure point. Amanpulo Resort Palawan staff arranges all transfers and flight vouchers. Guests fly directly to Pamalican Island in a 19-seat, twin-engine turboprop, landing at the resort’s private airstrip. The cost of the roundtrip air transfer, Manila-Amanpulo-Manila, is US$300 per adult. The fare for children under seven is 50 percent of the adult fare, while children under two years are charged ten percent. Baggage is limited to 20kg per adult, including carry-on luggage.

EXPERIENCE:

Amanpulo Resort Palawan (which means “peaceful island” and opened in 1993) is an idyllic, tropical haven for the beach lover, Amanpulo Resort Philippine is set on its own private island surrounded by white-sand beaches, turquoise waters and a coral reef. All manner of water sports are available including diving, fishing and sailing. Enjoy some Romance or an Underwater Experience.

Amanpulp resort’s 40 casitas (65-square-metre cottages in hillside and beachfront settings) are modeled after the Philippine bahay kubo (native dwelling). Inside, decorative details pay homage to neighboring islands: pebble-washed walls, coconut-shell tables, rustic Palawan rice and knife baskets, a king-size bed with a rattan headboard and sliding-glass doors that reveal outdoor decks with his-and-her divans.

More helpful link:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g294255-d306043-r6582451-Amanpulo-Palawan.html

ABOUT NORTHERN SAMAR

Northern Samar occupies the entire northern portion of Samar Island on the eastern edge of the Philippines archipelago. It is bounded on the north by the San Bernardino Strait, on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the west by the Samar Sea, and on the south by the province of Samar.

Capital : Catarman
Land Area : 3498 sq km
Population : 382 830
Cities : none
Number of Towns: 24

The Land

The province has extensive lowland areas along the coast and up to the valleys of the Catarman, Catubig, and Palapag rivers. The remaining portion has rugged terrain that becomes rolling and moutainous towards the interior.

The province has no distinct dry and wet seasons but rainfall is pronounced from October to January.

Brief History

The San Bernardino Strait was along the route of the Spanish galleons that plied between Manila and Acapulco during Spanish times. A royal port was established in Palapag, as a refuge for galleons during storms.

In 1649, a general uprising against Spain took place. It took a year for the Spaniards to quell the rebellion.

In 1898, Americans landed on the beach of Catarman.
On June 19, 1965, the provinces of Northern Samar, Eastern Samar and Western Samar were created out of Samar Island.

The People

Like the rest of Samar Island, the people here speak the Waray dialect.
Commerce and IndustryCoconut is the main crop produced by the province. Other crops produced are rice, corn, abaca, etc.

The province, however, is considered a "food-deficent" area as it has a shortage not only of rice but also fruits, vegetables and legumes.

The three bodies of water that surround Northern Samar are major fishing grounds.

Other industries in the province include furniture-making, ceramics, metalcraft, garements, food processing, and related crafts.

Getting There and AwayDomestic flights are available from Manila to Catarman daily.