|
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Perez: Tourism for central Philippines
By Joy G. Perez
Sensitivity
TOURISM in Central Visayas is booming!
It is just timely that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in her State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 24, mentioned that the entire three Visayas regions be the focus of the tourism industry in the country -- with the famous Boracay in Western Visayas and the rich and scenic coastal towns of Easter Visayas and, of course, the unique bounties of the Central Visayas waiting for local and foreign tourists to explore.
The Department of Tourism in Region 7 (or Central Visayas) published a beautiful brochure having useful information concerning the four provinces of Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.
The brochure is impressive. Unfortunately it does not have a name. So I will call it "A 4-in-1 Central Visayas tourism brochure."
Bohol is described as "An Eco-Cultural Paradise"; Cebu is labeled as "The Metropolis of the South"; Negros Oriental is described as "Bounty of the Oriental Seas"; Siquijor has no label, but the brochure shows the province's photo of an old convent in the municipality of Larena, claimed to be the oldest Catholic convent in Asia. Since Siquijor has no label, I will name it Magic Island.
Central Visayas has natural and man-made attractions. Visiting this region is an experience! Most tourists say it is the place for a total experience of RRI -- rest, recreation, and inspiration -- where you find an abundance of nature, history, and culture.
Bohol, described as a quaint limestone island, is the tenth largest island in the Philippines. The island province has amazing natural wonders as well as important historical monuments. It is famous for its cone-shaped Chocolate Hills (almost 500 of them) located in the municipality of Carmen. Bohol is also famous for its unpolluted waterfalls, beaches, virgin forests, caves, caverns, and rivers.
The island is home to the tarsier, so-called smallest monkey in the world although it is not really a monkey. The greatest legacy of Bohol is its colorful history and culture -- it is the site of the longest revolt against Spain led by Boholano chieftain Dagohoy (1744-1829). It is home to 20 colonial churches.
Cebu is where commerce and recreation belnd harmoniously. Called the Queen City of the South, it offers the best of both worlds -- beach fun on stretches of clean, white sand, city convenience in modern shopping malls, discos, and parks. Visitors won't leave Cebu without buying a variety of souvenir items from fashion accessories to dried mango preserves.
Places to visit in Cebu are Magellan's Cross, Basilica Minore del Santo Niño formerly known as the San Agustin Church built in 1565, Fort San Pedro, Taoist Temple, Lapu Lapu Monument in Mactan, Kawasan Falls in Badian, Moalboal Beach Resort, and many other beach resorts and tourist spots.
Negros Oriental is "for those who love nature at its best". Beyond the stretch of its ssugarcane fields, you can see beautiful mountain ranges on one side and a glittering sea on the other. The major attractions include Apo Island, a haven for scuba divers and those who would just do snorkeling. Apo Island can be seen from Dumageute's Rizal boulevard. It is accentuated with crystal clear waters, colorful corals, and rich marine life.
The tourism brochure describes Negros Oriental as an underwater spectacle in motion citing Bais City, the place for dolphin watching, which is a one-of-a-kind experience. There is Mt. Talinis, a challenge for the adventurous hikers who love to discover rare flora and fauna, and verdant forest. Tourists would love to see the Twin Lakes of Balinsasayao in Sibulan. There are caves in Mabinay and some towns in the north. There is also Canlaon Volcano in the north where tourists dare to scale the crater because of its magical effect.
Siquijor boasts of diverse attractions, but specifically the sea with white or yellow sand. Siquijor is a coral island. One really has to go to this smallest island in Central Visayas to affirm what visitors mostly say, "Siquijor heals the spirit of any weary traveler with its peace and tranquility". The island is popular for its folk traditions of healing rituals -- it gets a name as a mystical island paradise. Siquijor is the home of the historical St. Isidore Labradore Church, and the bell tower of St. Francis of Assisi, and the old Cang-isok house (a must-see for those people who love old wooden houses). Also, Siquijor boasts of its butterfly sanctuary where one of the biggest butterflies in Asia is found.
(August 3, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
