TROPICAL PHILIPPINES: October 2007

Image from Koh Lanta Palawan (French Version of Survivor)

Interact with Whale Sharks in Donsol, Sorosogon

(photo credit: timothy willis)

The Philippine Butanding ("big fish" in the Filipino dialect) is a whale shark, or Rhincodon typus. It ia a rare marine specie, a slow filter feeding shark that is the largest living fish species, reaching lengths from 18 to 35 feet in length or 13-14 meters and weighs about 20 tons. When it has a length of 4.5 meters, the weight is about 750 kg.

The Butanding inhabits the world's tropical and warm-temperate oceans. Even though considered as primarily pelagic, seasonal feeding aggregations of the sharks occur at several coastal sites such as Donsol, Batangas and Palawan in the Philippines. The highest concentration of whale sharks to be found anywhere in the world is in the Philippines. From January to May, they congregate in the shallow coastal waters of Sorsogon province (at Donsol), and they were found in the waters around Bohol island and some parts of the Visayas and Northern Mindanao.

Donsol is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Sorsogon, Philippines. Donsol is a popular tourist destination for the Butanding that can be seen in the bordering seas. It is nicknamed the "Whale Shark Capital of the World", with the largest number of recorded sightings of whale sharks anywhere in the world. It serves as a sanctuary to a group of 40 whale sharks. Swimming with whale sharks was featured as the "Best Animal Encounter in Asia" by Time Magazine in 2004. Whale sharks can be seen all-year round except during typhoons, with presence peaking between February and May. In recent years the number of male sharks have out-numbered female sharks by 20:1. The females that are seen, are generally large mature adults in the 7m ~ 9m range. In 2006 five sharks were found dead on the surface, within 30 miles of Donsol. They had all been shot at close range. One shark had 13 bullet wounds to the head.

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Mt. Pinatubo Crater Lake Adventure

Conquering World-Famous Mt. Pintubo
An opportunity to relish the peace and quiet of the 2.5 km jewel blue crater lake of Mt. Pinatubo in Botolan, Zambales via Sta. Juliana, Capas, Tarlac; drive on board 4x4 all weather jeep along O’Donnell streambed; hike up to the crater for 3 hours and back.Guided tour (Aeta guides), use of 4x4 all weather vehicle, donation for conservation, certificate of conquest. Options: Day tour or overnight accommodation.

Volcano watching, kayaking, swimming, Aeta community immersion, photo safari, nature appreciation, camping and outdoor living exercises.

Discover Mt. Pinatubo

Calauit Island Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary

CALAUIT ISLAND. The island, located on the northeast coast of Palawan, is a 3,700hectare game preserve and wildlife sanctuary. This is no ordinary tropical island. The calm and peace of this remote is like a Shangri-La.

Over the 26-year period of its existence, Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary has evolved to become the country’s major conservation showcase. It holds the single distinction as the first successful wildlife translocation experiment in Asia, the second such project in the world.

Calauit Island Game Preserve & Wildlife Sanctuary

PALAWAN VOTED THE BEST BEACH IN ASIA

Conde Nast Traveler, the largest circulated and most popular travel magazine in the United States voted Palawan as a tourist destination with the Best Beaches Overall in Asia in its October 2007 issue. Palawan has been cited for its outstanding attractions like Tubbataha Reef Marine Park and St. Paul Subterranean River National Park, both listed under the UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.

Tubbataha Reef, a coral-rich marine park is a favorite dive
destination in the country and the world.

The reputable publication noted that Palawan Province's 1,200 miles of sugary beaches wrapped around 1,780 pristine islands have attracted travelers since the Chinese traders crossed now sunken land bridges from Borneo. Tubbataha is a reef ecosystem made up of two atolls that lie on a line of exticnt underwater volcanoes and is a sanctuary for marine life. Located 92 nautical miles southeast of Puerto Princesa City in Palawan, it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of its outstanding universal value in terms of marine life species diversity and richness.

St. Paul Underground River features an 8.2-km navigable
underground river.

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, otherwise known as the St. Paul Underground River, features a spectacular limestone landscape with an underground river. The area represents a significant habitat for biodiversity conservation as the site contains a full 'mountain-to-sea' ecosystem and has some of the most important forests in Asia.

El Nido Resorts offer a beyond the usual destination with
fun-filled activities for the family.

Almost as unique as these two Heritage Sites is Miniloc Island Resort; where a private beach leads to crystalline waters rife with damselfish. Sister property of Miniloc is Lagen Island Resort; whose 51 over-water pavilions are indeed one-of-a-kind. Amanpulo, Amanresorts' 40 huts scattered along Pamilacan Island's powdery strand is indeed world-class. It was also included in the best hotels category of Conde Nast magazine.

Lagen Island Resort's over-water pavillions have grown very
popular over the years.

Wherever in the Philippines' 7,107 Islands; more particularly in Palawan, dubbed as the country's Last Frontier, there will definitely be beaches reflective of sheer heaven. As in this province alone, anyone will almost surely fall in love with one of the 1,780 mostly uninhabited islands that constitute this wealth of wonder which is beyond the usual. It was definitely enough for Conde Nast Traveler's October issue of The Great Asian Beach Finder to position Palawan as the Best Beach Overall.

Amanpulo's secluded island offers a wide variety of beach
and water activities.

For more information on Miniloc Island Resort and Lagen Island Resort, please visit www.elnidoresorts.com. For information on Amanpulo, please visit www.amanresorts.com. For more of the best beaches overall, please visit www.cntraveler.com.

Climate of the Philippines

The Climate of the Philippines is tropical and maritime. It is characterized by relatively high temperature, high humidity and abundant rainfall. It is similar in many respects to the climate of the countries of Central America. Temperature, humidity, and rainfall, which are discussed hereunder, are the most important elements of the country's weather and climate.

Temperature

Based on the average of all weather stations in the Philippines, excluding Baguio, the mean annual temperature is 26.6^o C. The coolest months fall in January with a mean temperature of 25.5^o C while the warmest month occurs in May with a mean temperature of 28.3^o C. Latitude is an insignificant factor in the variation of temperature while altitude shows greater contrast in temperature. Thus, the mean annual temperature of Baguio with an elevation of 1,500 meters is 18.3^o C. This makes the temperature of Baguio comparable with those in the temperate climate and because of this, it is known as the summer capital of the Philippines.

The difference between the mean annual temperature of the southernmost station in Zamboanga and that of the northermost station in Laoag is insignificant. In other words, there is essentially no difference in the mean annual temperature of places in Luzon, Visayas or Mindanao measured at or near sea level.

Humidity

Humidity refers to the moisture content of the atmosphere. Due to high temperature and the surrounding bodies of water, the Philippines has a high relative humidity. The average monthly relative humidty varies between 71 percent in March and 85 percent in September. The combination of warm temperature and high relative and absolute humidities give rise to high sensible temperature throughout the archipelago. It is especially uncomfortable during March to May, when temperature and humidity attain their maximum levels.

Rainfall

Rainfall is the most important climatic element in the Philippines. Rainfall distribution throughout the country varies from one region to another, depending upon the direction of the moisture-bearing winds and the location of the mountain systems.

The mean annual rainfall of the Philippines varies from 965 to 4,064 millimeters annually. Baguio City, eastern Samar, and eastern Surigao receive the greatest amount of rainfall while the southern portion of Cotabato receives the least amount of rain. At General Santos City in Cotabato, the average annual rainfall is only 978 millimeters.

The Seasons

Using temperature and rainfall as bases, the climate of the country can be divided into two major seasons: (1) the rainy season, from June to November; and (2) the dry season, from December to May. The dry season may be subdivided further into (a) the cool dry season, from December to February; and (b) the hot dry season, from March to May.

Typhoons have a great influence on the climate and weather conditions of the Philippines. A great portion of the rainfall, humidity and cloudiness are due to the influence of typhoons. They generally originate in the region of the Marianas and Caroline Islands of the Pacific Ocean which have the same latitudinal location as Mindanao. Their movements follow a northwesterly direction, sparing Mindanao from being directly hit by majorty of the typhoons that cross the country. This makes the southern Philippines very desirable for agriculture and industrial development.

Climate Map

About the Philippines

THE PHILIPPINES

Geography: The Philippine archipelago is composed of 7107 islands comprising a total land area of about 300,000 square kilometers and a total coastline of around 34,539 kilometers. In size, it is bigger than Great Britain and twice the size of Greece. The entire archipelago is divided into three major groups of islands which are Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Five prominent bodies of water surround the archipelago, namely: the Pacific Ocean, the Philippine Sea, the South China Sea, the Sulu Sea, and Celebes Sea.

Climate: The Philippine's tropical climate has a relatively high humidity, mild temperature, abundant rainfall and gentle winds with three pronounced seasons: wet or rainy season from June to October; cool and dry from November to February; hot and dry from March to May.

Language: There are 11 cultural and racial groups, each with it's own language. The major linguistic groups are Tagalog, Ilocano, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Bicol, Waray, Pampango and Pangasinan. English is widely used in government, business, and as a medium of instruction in schools. Spanish, Arabic and Chinese are spoken by only a minority of the population.

History: Long before the Europeans came to Asia, the Filipinos were already civilized. They possessed a Malayan civilization which had been enriched by Indian, Chinese and Arabic influences. On March 16, 1521, Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese voyager in Spain's service, made the first European contact with the Filipinos after which followed three centuries of Spanish Colonial rule. Towards the end of the 19th century, Jose Rizal, a multi-faceted genius led the reform movement. Rizal is the country's national hero and is regarded as Southeast Asia's first martyr to nationalism. On June 1898, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo declared the independence of the Philippines from Spain at Kawit, Cavite. That independence was short-lived, however, since the American again colonized the country for almost 50 years. On July 4, 1946, independence was gained from the Americans. The colonial experience wrought under the Spanish and American administration has left it's mark on Filipino religion, language and culture.