The Philippines is a huge place and there were so many things to do and see! In addition to the five cultural excursions I went on with my study abroad cohort, I was able visit a few other places. Here are some of my favorites:
Pampanga
Pampanga is known for their delicious cuisine and is often called as the “Culinary Capital of the Philippines.” During my stay, I was able to see why. The food was amazing!
During our stay there, we went to a dampa, which is a wet market. Like a regular food establishment, you get to pick out the specific foods you want to eat...except, the food is uncooked. All types of seafood, vegetables, and meats will be displayed for you to grab and put on a tray. After you choose your meal, you bring it up to the register where you pay and the cashier will pass your tray along to the cooks. The food will be served to you at your table when it is ready.
Some of the foods we chose were stuffed squid, baked mussels, torta talong, and lechon kawali. Torta talong, which means eggplant omelet, is a pan-fried eggplant dipped in egg. I’ve heard that at some “dampas” you also have the option of telling the cooks how you want your food to be cooked (grilled, deep fried, made into adobo, etc). Lechon kawali means pork cooked in a frying pan and is basically that—deepfried pork belly. For dessert, we had buko juice (coconut juice), and leche flan (caramel custard). Of all of the places I had leche flan, both in the Philippines and Hawaii, Pampanga’s was definitely had the best!
Hundred Islands National Park
Located in Pangasinan, the Hundred Islands National Park is made of over 100 small islands. Although most people rent a boat to get from island to island, I saw that some people used kayaks. Each island had a special feature or activity you could do. While we were there, we rented a boat and were able to go hiking, ziplining, sightseeing, and swimming. Since there are so many islands, we were able to relax a beach all by ourselves. I’ve also heard that people go snorkeling, cave jumping, and camping. The park also has a hotel you can stay at if you don’t feel like camping. It’s a great place for people who love the ocean and like being outdoors!
Intramuros
This is a great place to go if you are interested Philippines history or just history in general. Intramuros is located in Manila also known as the “Walled City” because it used to be surrounded by stonewalls to help protect it from attacks from foreign invaders and other possible dangers. It was also the main battlegrounds during World War II. Today, Intramuros is a very popular destination to learn about Philippines history and a great place to see architecture from the Spanish-era.
If you're going to the Philippines, my advice to you is to get out of your comfort zone and embrace the country's unique cultures. Go out and explore, but be sure to research your destinations as much as possible before going. When it came to food, I personally loved all of the cooked seafood and fresh fruits in the Philippines. Unless you have an allergy or strong religious beliefs, I would wait to ask what something was until after I tasted it. There were many times that I was pleasantly surprised by food I wouldn't normally eat (especially if I knew what it was). Also, if your budget allows it, try to get outside of Manila as much as possible. There are also many museums and art galleries you can check out! The Philippines is much more than just shopping malls and hotels.
Even after a semester, there are still a lot places I didn't get to visit. Some of the places I hope to visit in the future are the Province of Palawan, the Banaue Rice Terraces, and the Taal Volcano. There is just so much to see explore in the Philippines and I can't wait to go back someday!
Pampanga
Pampanga is known for their delicious cuisine and is often called as the “Culinary Capital of the Philippines.” During my stay, I was able to see why. The food was amazing!
During our stay there, we went to a dampa, which is a wet market. Like a regular food establishment, you get to pick out the specific foods you want to eat...except, the food is uncooked. All types of seafood, vegetables, and meats will be displayed for you to grab and put on a tray. After you choose your meal, you bring it up to the register where you pay and the cashier will pass your tray along to the cooks. The food will be served to you at your table when it is ready.
Some of the foods we chose were stuffed squid, baked mussels, torta talong, and lechon kawali. Torta talong, which means eggplant omelet, is a pan-fried eggplant dipped in egg. I’ve heard that at some “dampas” you also have the option of telling the cooks how you want your food to be cooked (grilled, deep fried, made into adobo, etc). Lechon kawali means pork cooked in a frying pan and is basically that—deepfried pork belly. For dessert, we had buko juice (coconut juice), and leche flan (caramel custard). Of all of the places I had leche flan, both in the Philippines and Hawaii, Pampanga’s was definitely had the best!
Hundred Islands National Park
Located in Pangasinan, the Hundred Islands National Park is made of over 100 small islands. Although most people rent a boat to get from island to island, I saw that some people used kayaks. Each island had a special feature or activity you could do. While we were there, we rented a boat and were able to go hiking, ziplining, sightseeing, and swimming. Since there are so many islands, we were able to relax a beach all by ourselves. I’ve also heard that people go snorkeling, cave jumping, and camping. The park also has a hotel you can stay at if you don’t feel like camping. It’s a great place for people who love the ocean and like being outdoors!
Intramuros
This is a great place to go if you are interested Philippines history or just history in general. Intramuros is located in Manila also known as the “Walled City” because it used to be surrounded by stonewalls to help protect it from attacks from foreign invaders and other possible dangers. It was also the main battlegrounds during World War II. Today, Intramuros is a very popular destination to learn about Philippines history and a great place to see architecture from the Spanish-era.
If you're going to the Philippines, my advice to you is to get out of your comfort zone and embrace the country's unique cultures. Go out and explore, but be sure to research your destinations as much as possible before going. When it came to food, I personally loved all of the cooked seafood and fresh fruits in the Philippines. Unless you have an allergy or strong religious beliefs, I would wait to ask what something was until after I tasted it. There were many times that I was pleasantly surprised by food I wouldn't normally eat (especially if I knew what it was). Also, if your budget allows it, try to get outside of Manila as much as possible. There are also many museums and art galleries you can check out! The Philippines is much more than just shopping malls and hotels.
Even after a semester, there are still a lot places I didn't get to visit. Some of the places I hope to visit in the future are the Province of Palawan, the Banaue Rice Terraces, and the Taal Volcano. There is just so much to see explore in the Philippines and I can't wait to go back someday!