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Why You Will Probably Hate Legazpi City

Legazpi City, the seat of power of the province of Albay, with a population of 1.23 million is a rising tourism destination in the Philippines. It is one of the most visited cities in the country today thanks to the efforts of the local government and its Department of Tourism counterpart.

Legaspi has seen rapid growth in the past few years. Housing projects are sprouting everywhere, shopping malls are coming in the latest one is Ayala Malls Legaspi. SM will follow which will start construction on January 2017. Robinsons is also expressing their intent in building a store in the city. This growth spurt is a sign that this city is getting a lot of attention, a good hint for people to come and visit it.

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The growth of Legazpi City is unstoppable. Now is the best time to visit. Credits to the owner of the photo.

But there are some things I hate about this city. I think you need to know about these before pushing for your trip.

Mayon is an Intimidating Stalker

Everywhere you go in Legaspi City you will see Mayon and its majestic slopes. The moment your plane touches down, as long as you have clear skies, Mayon will be there staring at you, and you will be captivated by its beauty so that you will have no choice but to stare back at it – all the time.

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Mayon and its seeming omnipresence in the city of Legazpi. Credits to the owner of the photo.

There are only a few hotels that do not have a Mayon view simply because this perfect cone of a volcano is a landmark in the city, an omnipresent topographical feature you can never miss while in Legazpi.

Of course if you love Mayon this will not be such a big nuisance. Ready your camera, pray for good weather, and rape that camera button because selfies with Mayon as background is really, really cool!

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The spectacular view at the Baywalk in Legazpi. Photo by Miel Protacio

Too Many Things to See and Do

Legazpi is a very convenient gateway to many tourist attractions that you will have a hard time prioritizing things you want to do and visit. You can choose to go to Cagsawa Ruins, a World Heritage Site, or travel south to Donsol for some Whale Shark interaction, or go up to Lignon Hill for a 360 view of the city.

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Cagsawa Ruins, one of the world’s celebrated heritage site is just a short drive from Legazpi proper. Credits to the owner of the photo.

You can also choose to go for a day tour at Misibis Bay, do some ATV adventure at Mayon’s lava formation, or explore nearby islands  with amazing white sand beaches, and the list goes on and on.

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The view on the way to the foot of Mayon in the ATV trail. Credits to the owner of the photo.

The truth is there is just too many places to go to you can never go to each one of them. You might end up going home frustrated at least that is how it was for me.

The solution to this “problem” is to have a list of your favorites, shorten your list more, and pursue the places you cannot afford to miss while in the city. This is the only way you will know right from the get-go that you came and did what you really wanted to see and do. No regrets!

Weight Gain is Inevitable

Bicol is known for its amazing gastronomic offerings and when you visit Legazpi prepare to eat – as in eat without minding the extra calories. This is the only way you will not end up hating yourself for not enjoying the great food this place is known for. The Sili Ice Cream of Colonial Grill, the Laing Pizza of Small Talk Café, the Emerald Burger of Emerald Boutique Hotel, the Pancit Canton of Mamay Ferings, the Crispy Pata of Bob Marlin, the Bicol Express of Koron Native Restaurant, the no-fuss food at Boklan.

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Sili Ice Cream from the Original 1st Colonial Grill.

Good food is so easy to find here that even bike drawn stalls in Penaranda Park can get you to gastronomic heaven with the sandwiches of Eat N’ Run, or the favorite Filipino dish of Mike Sisig.

If you are adventurous enough even the small canteens along the road (carenderias) will have a version of some popular Bicol dishes like laing, bicol express, ginataang santol, and adobo sa asin.

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Ginataang Santol is a local delicacy in Albay. Credits to the owner of the photo.

You will hate Legazpi because it will surely make weight gain easy. The secret to overcoming this “crisis” is just to let go of your calorie limits. When you visit Legazpi, accept the fact that you will eat – lots.

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The highly regarded laing has become a trademark for Bicol. In Albay it is one of its most respected local dishes. You gotta try it when around the city. Credits to the owner of the photo.

You will probably hate Legazpi. You will be stalked by a majestic, beautiful volcano, your time management will be challenged with so many things to do and see, and you will gain weight. But then you will also probably love all of these things about Legazpi. And you will probably keep coming back.

 

The 4 Things You Need To Know About Mayon

One of the most known symbols of Bicolandia is the beautiful, symmetrical mound of rock and sand called Mt. Mayon. This volcano is indeed a sight to behold – breathtaking, majestic, and yes, dangerous. But you probably do not know these four things that make Mayon more interesting.

The Magayon Folklore

The name Mayon is from the bicol word “magayon” which translates to “beautiful” in Enlgish. Bicolanos know this by heart and. But the folklore behind it is not just talked about too much. “Magayon” is actually the name of a princess who was forced to wed a wicked lover named Pagtuga.

Princess Magayon, or the “beautiful princess” is shown in this artistic illustration. Her tragic story is the interesting narrative behind the beautiful Mayon Volcano. Illustration credits thevolcanoprincess.com

Pagtuga captured Princess Magayon’s father and her hand was the price for his freedom. However, even with an attempted rescue by the princess’ real lover Paganoron, the story still had a tragic ending when both lovers die in the violence that ensued. The place where Magayon was buried is where Mayon stands today, or so the story narrates.

Mayon’s Scary Side

Mt. Mayon is Philippines’ most active volcano. Even present-day Albayanos can attest to this fact. In a span of 400 years the volcano have had 50 eruptions. The first recorded eruption of Mayon was in 1616 as chronicled by the Dutch explorer Joris van Spilbergen.

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Mayon Volcano erupting. Horror and fear replaces beauty when she shows her other side. Photo credits R. Madronero

Mayon is known to have huge and extended eruptions, one lasted for 7 full days (imagine that!). This eruption started on the 23d of June 1897. This uninterrupted eruption launched red hot rocks into the air and released a sea of lava that trapped and killed hundreds in the towns of San Roque, Libon, and Bacacay.

The Death Of 1,200

Mayon is no doubt beautiful but like everything in this world, nothing is perfect. Mayon’s weakness would be her fatal wrath expressed through huge eruptions. One of these catastrophic eruptions happened one fateful February day in 1814.

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One of Mayon’s early eruptions. This photo captured its 1928 eruption. This volcano might be beautiful but it is also a killer. Photo credits Wikimedia

There were many villages in Albay and CamSur that were destroyed with raining ash, hot stones, and sand spewing from the crater. 12,000 people died in that day making it the deadliest eruption in Mt. Mayon history.

What’s In A Name – Cagsawa Ruins

Many do not know this but before the big Mayon eruption of 1814, Cagsawa was actually a town and Daraga (soon to be a city) a little village. With many people dead in Cagsawa after the huge eruption, people were forced to resettle in Daraga, changing the concentration of population in the area to this very day.

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Tha Cagsawa Church framing Mayon Volcano (as always). This photo however shows the church as an intact structure, unlike the iconic photos widely distributed of these two. where the bell tower is the only surviving feature of the church. Photo credits Jenny Exconde

Cagsawa are from the two word “kag” which translates to “owner” and “sawa” which means “python”. Put the two words together and you have a place “owned by snakes”. Legend has it that Cagsawa Church was a haven of snakes and the name just stuck to be later recorded in the annals of history.

There you have it! The next time you visit and look up at Mayon’sperfect cone, be sure not only to be in awe of its ageless beauty but also be reminded of its interesting and violent history.

Cover Photo Credits: Andrew Chamberlain

Travel Now, Pulubi Later?

The millennials are quite familiar with the saying, “travel now, pulubi later”. With the increasing availability and utility of credit cards, travel is becoming a source of debt for many, to the point of begging for food months after a trip. But this does not have to be your reality – if only you travel smart.

Plan your trip in advance

The first sign of trouble for cash-hungry vacations is spur-of-the-moment plans. A good example would be friends in the office are talking about how beautiful Mt. Mayon is. As the conversation unfolds, a raw, “feasible” plan emerge. “Let’s go to Albay next week”! And that my friend is how you travel with huge financial consequences.

If it is possible, go against the trend and book your hotel in the “slow” months.

The problem with spur-of-the-moment travels is that everything costs more from plane tickets to the tours you want to take, even the hotel rooms you need to book. The solution is to plan your trip months before you go. Do your research about your destination, how you can fully enjoy the sights and sounds of the city, find hotels with a view and near to everything you want to experience while in town.

The perfect cone volcano in the Philippines, Mt. Mayon. Majestic, breath-taking, magayon (beautiful in the local dialect).
The perfect cone volcano in the Philippines, Mt. Mayon. Majestic, breath-taking, magayon (beautiful in the local dialect). Credits to the owner of this photo.

Know more about the peak season of tourist arrivals in your planned destination. Summer and the Holidays are often when hotels are charging more for their rooms and airlines are cashing in with the influx of vacationers. If it is possible, go against the trend and book your hotel in the “slow” months.

File your leave at work early, start losing weight if you plan to wear that swimsuit, talk about your trip at the office or among your friends, the more the merrier! Plan out your itinerary, book the local tours early, reserve the hotel rooms, and build up the excitement as your departure date draws near!

Nothing beats a well-planned, well-timed vacation.

Book your flights early

Look out for seat sales from budget airlines. You can even call your preferred ticketing office to reserve seats for you as soon as the sale is announced.

Seasoned budget travellers even plan their vacation around the travel dates of their discounted plane tickets. This is also a good way to plot your vacation plans. Seat sales in local airlines are often in harmony with tourist peak seasons.

Wait for seat sales like these. This was a promo by Ceb Pac 2 years ago but you can still secure this low fare in their annual seat promos.
Wait for seat sales like these. This was a promo by Cebu Pacific 2 years ago but you can still secure this low fare in their annual seat promos. Travel period will vary.

There is a huge chance that plane tickets on sale would mean lower local hotel room rates, lower tour fees, lower price of everything plus you get to enjoy your space in the beach more.

Talk to the locals

Vacations are nice when you fully integrate yourself to the local lifestyle. The last thing that you want to happen is to fail to get the real vibe of the city. Do not insulate yourself in the comforts of your hotel room and shuttle service. Get into the local lifestyle.

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Engaging locals to small talks often mean a treasure chest of tips on to-do’s and to-eat. (Phot0 by Arnel Banawa)

Talking to locals also give you a deeper experience with your destination.

The best way to do that is to talk to locals. Have short walks around your hotel or ride jeepneys to go anywhere. Engage locals into casual conversations, and perhaps ask them what you can do to really enjoy the city. It is often from these conversations popular local hang outs are revealed, something no amount of online research can give you.

Talking to locals also give you a deeper experience with your destination. This can even give you windows of opportunity to go back to the city, but this time with local friends. Now that’s exciting!

Eat where locals eat

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The Sili Ice Cream pioneered by a local restaurant in Legazpi City. This is a must try for visitors of the city.

Tired of the same breakfast at the hotel? Try the local gastronomic treats of your destination city! Eat where locals do! It could be a popular carenderia right on the next corner, or a mamihan or lugawan 50 meters from your hotel. Specialty restaurants are also a good idea to have an authentic food experience.

By eating where locals eat you can have a more accurate feel of the city

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Lava Bar’s Volcanic Fire Pizza is another must try for Legazpi City visitors. Lava Bar is located at Ayala Malls Legazpi. (Photo by William Ong)

In Legazpi City, the sili ice cream is a must-try and only one restaurant offers that. Go there! Then there is the pinangat, a local dish that has charmed local tourists for decades now. Small Talk Café also offers the pinangat pizza, another must-try for tourists.

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Pinangat, a local delicacy in Bicolandia. You need to try this when in Legazpi City. (Photo by Claire Dee Lim)

By eating where locals eat you can have a more accurate feel of the city. It also makes a good story to friends back at home. Yeah, you ate sili ice cream and you can brag all about it.

Do not be fooled with hotel published rates

Do not settle with the rates you see on the hotel’s website and in their other booking outlets. Always ask for a better deal. At least try.

Published rates in any hotel are not always accurate. These rates are often subjected to discounts especially during the off season. Booking a room in advance can give you more flexible rates. You can even ask the hotel for some tips when to book your room/s.

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The Emerald Boutique Hotel, a newly opened small, intimate hotel in Legazpi City. This hotel is bound to exceed your expectations.

Planning to book several rooms? Some hotels give discounts to rooms reserved and paid for in bulk. This is often true in small boutique hotels, or in some little inn or bed and breakfast.

Do not settle with the rates you see on the hotel’s website and in their other booking outlets. Always ask for a better deal. At least try.

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Emerald Boutique Hotel’s Double Deluxe Room. Convenient and elegant.

Pursue the tours you really like

Thanks to the Internet and Google it is quite easy today to find something to do in any city in the Philippines. Travel blog abound (like this one) and your friends on Facebook often have experiences in places you want to visit. Reading and asking around is not that hard.

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Malilipot, Albay’s vanishing island. This is a beach in the middle of the sea. Now that’s interesting! Credits to the owner of the photo.

Plan ahead, be informed, be intentional with your trip, and get into the local lifestyle.

But what do you really want to do? That is the question you must have an answer for especially if you are travelling on a budget. Pursue the tours that have immense personal value to you.

In Legazpi City the Mayon ATV tour is a huge hit. You do not only get to see Mayon up close but drive through its lava path up to the very foot of the majestic volcano.

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The Mayon ATV Tour. Imagine driving through the lava flow from the majestic Mayon Volcano! (Photo by Melo Villareal)

You can also try the vanishing island tour in Malilipot Albay. If you love the beach then this tour should be in your thing-to-do list while in Albay.

So don’t be a “pulubi” after travelling to beautiful cities around the country. Plan ahead, be informed, be intentional with your trip, and get into the local lifestyle. Who said you have to be in debt to enjoy the perks of travel?