Malaysia: Penang's ancestral temples, clan associations & mansions

Penang has a large ensemble of ancestral temples, clan associations or halls called kongsi, and grand mansions.

Kongsi are organizations among overseas Chinese communities for individuals with the same surname. Khoo, Cheah, Yeoh, Lim and Tan Kongsi were known as the Five Big Clans (or Goh Tai Seh) that formed the backbone of the Hokkien community of Penang. There are several more clan halls in Penang. But those worth visiting are the Khoo, Cheah and Yap Kongsi.

Khoo Kongsi is the most popular of Penang's Hokkien clan houses perpetuating Confucian practices and one of the most ornate clan halls outside mainland China. Established in 1835, the present temple was built from 1894 to 1906.

Cheah Kongsi is a Hokkien clan hall founded in 1820 and built in 1858. While Yap Kongsi was built in 1924 in the Straits Ecclectic style. It's Ciji Temple is a Taoist temple dedicated to Nan'an patron deity.

There are also ancstral temples such as the Han Jiang Ancestral Temple (or the Teochew Temple) which was built in 1870. The temple won the prestigious UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award in 2006 for outstanding restoration. Along King Street (Lebuh King) are temples which represent the diversity of the Chinese communities in Penang such as the Cantonese and the Hakka.

The Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple is a temple to Tua Pek Kong (a Malaysian Chinese god) and was used in the mid-19th century as a Hokkien secret society headquarters.

Penang also has a great number of mansions in various architectural styles. The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion is an example of the fusion between Oriental and Western architecture. It won the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award in 2000. Also check out the residence of Ku Din Ku Meh and Syed Alatas Mansion (now the Islamic Museum).

The Pinang Perenakan Mansion is one of the most ornate private homes in Penang. Once the home of Kapitan Chung Keng Kwee, it now houses a museum of antiques from the Perenakan (Baba-Nyonya) community.

Along the historic neighborhood of Lebuh Armenia, although not a mansion, is Dr. Sun Yat Sen's Penang base.

Part 1: Bus trip from Kuala Lumpur to Penang, Malaysia
Part 2: Exploring the Penang heritage trail on foot

Related entries
Following the heritage trail in Penang
Melaka, Malaysia is a historic city of the Straits of Malacca
More Straits Settlements history in Malacca

Malaysia: Exploring the Penang heritage trail on foot

George Town in Penang is a living testament to the multicultural heritage of Asia as well as European colonial influences. As I stood in front of the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy Temple, I noticed a small Hindu shrine and stalls of garland makers. Just a few meters away was a joss stick maker. Down the same street as the temple is the Anglican St. George's Church. As I walked towards the church, a call to prayer echoed from the minaret of a centuries-old mosque.

There are several ways to experience old Penang. I’ve tried out the trishaw with the driver serving as your guide. But to me, the best way to explore and appreciate the rich cultural heritage of Penang is on foot.

As soon as I found a place to stay for the night and dropped my bags, I was off. Before you start, make sure you have a street map of George Town. There is a really good free map published by Areca Books which not only marks important architectural landmarks, but also some recommended food outlets, local crafts and trades, and places to shop for things that are uniquely Penang.

I tried to cover as much ground as I could given that I only had a day in Penang. But what is very obvious and commendable is that Penang's heritage has undergone a lot of restoration especially after its inscription in the UNESCO World Heritage List last year.

Among the sites I got to visit were religious structures of various faiths. There's the Goddess of Mercy Temple (Buddhist & Taoist) which is Penang's foremost Chinese temple established in 1800; and the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple (Hindu) consecrated in 1833.

St. George's Church built in 1818 is Southeast Asia's first Anglican church. While the Church of the Assumption (Catholic) dates back to 1787. The current structure was built in 1860 and was elevated to a Cathedral in 1955.

Nagore Shrine is a Tamil Muslim shrine to the Saint of Nagore. While the Kapitan Keling Mosque (also Tamil Muslim) was founded in 1801. The Malay Mosque in Lebuh Aceh was founded in 1808.

Part 1: Bus trip from Kuala Lumpur to Penang, Malaysia

Related entries
Following the heritage trail in Penang
Melaka, Malaysia is a historic city of the Straits of Malacca
More Straits Settlements history in Malacca

Banana Guest House
355/357/359 Chulia Street
+60 4 2626171
info@banananewguesthouse.com

Negros Occidental: Road trip from Himamaylan to Victorias

Negros Occidental is one province I haven't really explored. Except that trip to Mambucal when I was still a kid, and a more recent visit to Silay City some years back, I've only really been to Bacolod City. So I decided to explore Negros Occidental before our family reunion in Bacolod.

Since I only had a few hours after the welcome breakfast prepared by our relatives, I decided to rent a car to speed up things. We drove down south as far as Himamaylan and made our way north to look for some interesting stuff. Along the National Highway was this continuous stream of sugar cane trucks. Negros is one big sugar plantation and all you see on both sides of the road is sugar cane.

The first old church we passed by was Binalbagan Church built in 1937. Except for the retablo, most of the church has been renovated. And it was such a hassle to get to it no thanks to a presidential visit. I was shocked that they stopped traffic on the National Highway just to let her convoy pass. So we had to make a lot of detours. In fact, she arrived in town exactly when I was standing in front of the church.

Anyway, from Binalbagan, we went to the next town which is Hinigaran. The Hinigaran Church, completed in 1858, is one of the best-preserved Spanish colonial churches in Negros Occidental. I was quite impressed with its well-preserved exterior. But inside was a different story.

While most of the interior was intact, I was surprised that they were doing some renovations, trying to mimic some European church since they had a large tarpaulin of a church interior they were trying to imitate. These priests really need to realize that our churches are not European! They are Philippine Baroque to be exact, a folksy style only found in the Philippines. Let's keep our churches Filipino please!

Hinigaran is a favorite stop as well thanks to Mila's royal bibingka which you could buy from Mila's Restaurant along the National Highway. Another favorite is the creamy buko pie which is quite different from the ones in Laguna and the rest of the Southern Tagalog since they really put in a lot of cream.

While we were having lunch at Mila's Restaurant, the presidential convoy passed by again. And there she was in a coaster with windows open, waving to everyone like a queen.

From there, we proceeded to Valladolid. The Valladolid Church is also of Spanish colonial vintage. It was twin bell towers. But just like many of our heritage churches, the interior has been modernized.

Bago City still has a few of its grand old mansions. One of those homes is the Gen. Juan Anacleto Araneta Mansion which is a National Historical Landmark. The grand ancestral house is now home to the local museum.

The Bago Church has a very unusual Neo-Gothic facade, built by the Augustinian Recollects in 1891. But again, the interiors have been modernized. The city plaza was the site of the historic proclamation of the Republica de Negros on November 5, 1898. This event is commemorated annually with the Al Cinco de Noviembre.

From Bago, we crossed Bacolod to get to Talisay City. There are two houses worth visiting there. One is the Lizares Mansion or the Balay ni Tana Dicang which is now a beautiful period museum and art gallery.

The other is the ruins of the grand mansion of Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson which is simply known as The Ruins. They have a restaurant there as well so if you like to have lunch or dinner amidst its old walls, that would be a great option. It's actually hard to get to and the roads are a bit bad. But see what proper conservation and marketing can do to promote the shell of an old house?

Anyway, since it was getting dark, I skipped Silay as well. Besides, you need a full day to explore this wonderful heritage city. And I've done it before. I'll try to visit Silay again when I get back.

Our last stop for the day was the Chapel of the Angry Christ inside the compound of the Victorias Milling Corporation. Did you know that the UP Chapel was originally designed for the Ossorio family? But I guess it doesn't matter now since the current chapel is itself a work of art.

The central figure of the vibrant altar murals is an image of Christ with a burning heart, standing on skulls and a serpent. It's that image from which the chapel gets its moniker since the church is actually dedicated to St. Joseph the Worker. These murals were painted by Alfonso Ossorio. Around the church are mosaics that were made using broken soda bottles.

I rushed back to Talisay City to attend an event at Balay ni Tana Dicang. But I decided to take that photo of The Ruins before it got really dark.

Negros Occidental: MassKara Festival 2009 in Bacolod City

MassKara Festival in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental is one of the best festivals in the Philippines. My father's side is from Bacolod. But I've never been able to watch it until this year thanks to a family reunion that was purposely coincided with the MassKara Festival.

The MassKara Festival was first staged in Bacolod City in 1980. It's been held annually during the weekend closest to October 19, which is the Charter Day of Bacolod City. So this year marks the 30th time that the festival is staged.

The street parade is held along Araneta Street and makes its way to the Bacolod Public Plaza. Good thing it is walking distance from our house. There was a Schools Category held on October 17. But we weren't able to watch that since that was the day of our family reunion.

But we did get to watch the Open Category right before we flew out of Bacolod City on October 18. Although a street dance parade like many festivals in the country, the MassKara Festival is very unique because of the intricate masks that accompany the colorful costumes. I was able to see the dancers up close and indeed, the effort put into creating the festival masks is astounding and commendable.

I particularly liked the masks of Barangay Mandalagan. Their colorful masks looked very elegant and neatly-done. It's a good thing they won the Best in Mask Award.

After the parade, there was still a dance competition in the Bacolod Public Plaza. But since we had a flight to catch, so I was content with watching the competition and awarding on TV while waiting at the airport. I would have wanted to stay longer. But contrary to popular notion, traveling and blogging aren't the only things I've got on my plate.

Congratulations to Barangay Taculing, the champions of MassKara Festival 2009! Same goes to the runners-up Barangays Mandalagan and 23!

NPVB unveils its first tourism directional sign in North Philippines

Brown is the internationally-recognized color for tourism directional road signs. It's really a pity that our tourism signs in the Philippines are either blue or green. But the North Philippines Visitors Bureau (NPVB) will be correcting that error by installing several hundred brown tourism direction road signs in North Philippines.

Last November 17, 2009, the NPVB unveiled along the Jose Abad Santos Avenue (formerly Gapan-Olongapo Road) in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga, the first of several hundred tourism directional road signs. Leading the unveiling was Hon. Lorelei C. Fajardo (Deputy Presidential Spokesperson), local officials led by Pampanga Governor Eddie T. Panlilio, officials of the Department of Tourism, Department of Public Works and Highways, and the North Philippines Visitors Bureau, its network of local Conventions and Visitors Bureaus and its Corporate Partners.

The installation of these brown tourism markers along major thoroughfares in North Philippines is being undertaken as part of NPVB's effort to improve the tourists’ travel experience to its regions, where most tourist destinations are reached via land travel.

Two hundred fifty of these markers will be erected all over North Philippines, which are being made possible through the participation of SMART Communications, Robinson's, McDonald's, and Victory Liner.

NPVB is a private sector led, not-for-profit, membership-based organization with the mandate of promoting tourism in the regions of North Philippines. Currently, NPVB has a network of nine (9) local Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) in Pampanga, Greater Clark, Greater Subic Bay, Tarlac, Pangasinan, La Union, Baguio, Ilocos Norte and Cagayan. The network was set-up by MNTC as part of its on-going CSR effort. In 2008, management of NPVB was transferred to ActivAsia Inc. – a 360 degree, brand activation Company.

Under ActivAsia’s management, NPVB published the first-ever regional tourism magazine called Northbound Magazine. Now, NPVB proudly rolls out its latest project – the tourism directional road signs.

Vince Araneta, ActivAsia’s Director for Tourism Marketing and concurrently Executive Director of NPVB said, “This project is not the work of one, but the work of many - MNTC, Smart, McDonald’s, Robinson’s Land, DOT, DPWH and even SBMA – these markers are a result of the partnership and cooperation of all these parties. What began with the brown markers along the NLEX and DOT Usec. Oscar Palabyab’s dream of having the markers outside the NLEX as well, is now happening. ActivAsia’s role, was simply to make the dream a reality.”

Batanes: Book now for the 2010 Ultimate Batanes Culinary and Heritage Tours!

Ultimate Philippines Tours announces its Batanes schedule for 2010. We're posting our tour dates early for the benefit of those who want to plan their trips way in advance, especially the balikbayans.

Tours leave Manila early morning Friday and arrive back mid-morning Monday. We have six dates to choose from: (1) March 6 to 9, (2) March 20 to 23, (3) April 9 to 12, (4) April 30 to May 3, (5) May 14 to 17 and (6) May 28 to 31.

The tour fee is Php34,000 all-in, which includes the round-trip SEAIR Manila-Basco flight, accommodation at Fundacion Pacita, all meals, activities and transportation in Batanes. Due to increases in rates of accommodation for next year, we had to increase our tour fees. But if you deposit the P15,000 down-payment on/or before December 15, 2009, we'll give you a Php2,000 discount on the tour fee.

To reserve for the tours, please e-mail reservations@ultimatephilippines.com or contact my tokayo, Ivan Man Dy at +63 917 3291622. Find out more about our tours here.

Imang Salud ensaimadas in Town & Country Philippine Edition (November 2009)

Our family ensaimadas are featured in the November 2009 issue of Town & Country Philippine Edition:

CLASSIC CONFECTION
We bring some good news to the ensaimada connoisseur. Imang Salud ensaimadas are soft and rich, not too sugary, with real butter and topped with nothing less than Holland queso de bola. Its traditional "heirloom" Kapampangan recipe dates back to the 1930s, developed and modified by Salud Dayrit-Santos, one of San Fernando's renowned cooks of her time, and passed on from one generation to the next. Her granddaughter Meliza Henares introduced the recipe to Manila in 2005. This homemade ensaimada is delightfully huge--six inches in diameter, to be exact. Its rich, buttery flavor literally melts in your mouth and the sharpness of the imported queso de bola is balanced beautifully with the right amount of sugar. Once you take that first heavenly bite, you'll be craving for more. These delicious ensaimadas and other delicacies like plantanilla and tibuk-tibuk are available every Sunday at Imang Salud, Henares' stall at the Legazi Sunday Market in Makati. Plantanilla are rich and delicate crepe-like eggrolls filled with sweet latik, also made following an heirloom recipe of Lola Salud. Tibuk-tibuk, dayap-flavored maja blanca, is made of carabao's milk and coconut milk. If a relative abroad is homesick and craves traditional Filipino sweets, just let Henares know; she can prepare your pasalubong and pack them especially for travel. Henares accepts orders at 0920.947-8819 and 837.0842. (Mawi de Ocampo)

La Union: Surf, yoga and samba in La Union!

Mark your calendars for a a weekend retreat of the senses! The San Juan Surf Resort in La Union will host the FLOW Surf.Yoga.Samba Weekend Retreat from November 28 to 30, 2009.

It's your chance to learn Vinyasa yoga, commune with nature, ride quality waves, dance to the beat of the drums and nourish yourself with healthy wholesome food. It's about time you take a breather from your everyday lives and create a space where you can feel the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle.

For Php6,500 per person, you will get two Vinyasa yoga sessions by Monica Eleazar-Manzano, two surfing lessons with Luke Landrigan of The Billabong Surf School, and two samba lessons and jamming with Escola de Samba Manila. That also includes round-trip transportation from Manila to La Union, aircon accommodation at San Juan Surf Resort (3D 2N), vegetarian meals (with chicken and fish options) and many more freebies.

To register, visit their website at http://flowsurfyogasamba.multiply.com or email them at flowsurfyogasamba@gmail.com.

Manila: You Jie Xiao Chao Chinese restaurant near Rockwell

There's a rumor going around about this really good restaurant with no signage near Rockwell, a hole in the wall if you may, that serves authentic Chinese food from Hunan Province. Well, it's true!

It was hard finding the restaurant since it really did not have any signage. But this unpretentious nook called You Jie Xiao Chao Chinese Food (I had to ask someone to write this down for me in Pinyin since their card is in Chinese) serves really great Hunan cuisine! This restaurant is located at 6404 Camia Street near the Barangay Hall of Guadalupe Viejo. And the only distinguishing mark is the house number 6404.

Originally, they only had a menu in Chinese. But now, they have two photo albums where you can point your order to the staff.

We tried out the Hot Pot Duck which is a bit on the spicy side but really good (Php350), Steamed Dumplings which you can also have fried (Php120), Chinese Pizza which is actually an egg pancake (Php60), Fried Pork Ribs (Php240) and Steamed Pork (Php200). And the best part is that for Php20, the steamed rice is unlimited!

You Jie Xiao Chao Chinese Food
6404 Camia Street, Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City
+63 915 4252972
+63 927 7876999

Correction: It's food from Hunan Province not Yunnan Province. Thanks!

Eid al-Adha no longer national non-working holidays

Isn't Malacanang just lame? Allow me to rant here because Malacanang just flip-flopped on its Eid al-Adha holidays declaration last April. Sorry folks but November 27 and 28 are no longer national non-working holidays now that the Palace downgraded them to regional holidays only in the ARMM.

According to the DOLE, "Malacañang Palace has declared November 27 and 28, 2009 (Eid'l Adha) as regional holidays in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) by virtue of Proclamation No. 1808-A.

"Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito D. Roque thus clarified that November 27 and 28, 2009 are not to be observed as holidays throughout the country.

"Roque said that the new issuance effectively amended the earlier Proclamation No. 1808, issued earlier on April 21, 2009, which had declared November 28 and 29 this year as national holidays."

Sorry guys if you made travel plans. But that's just the way it is.

Pampanga: Ultimate Pampanga Culinary and Heritage Tour on November 7

We have a few slots left for our Ultimate Pampanga Culinary and Heritage Tour on November 7. As always, we'll be visiting Claude Tayag and savor his 5-ways of eating lechon. To read more about the tour, check out Claude Tayag's Bale Dutung, Everybody's Cafe and more from Pampanga.

It's Php4,000 per head inclusive of all meals, transportation and surprises. To reserve for the tour, please e-mail reservations@ultimatephilippines.com or contact Ivan Man Dy at +63 917 3291622.

Also check out the Ultimate Tours 2010 Calendar. Those who reserve for the Ultimate Batanes Culinary and Heritage Tours on or before December 31, 2009 get a Php2,000 discount from the Php34,000 tour price. Remember, the earlier you pay, the better your room at Fundacion Pacita.

Manila: White Hat Yogurt serves great frozen yogurt!

I've secretly been craving for a lot of yogurt lately. And The White Hat Italian Frozen Yogurt has satisfied my appetite the past few weeks. I've been finding time to write about the great yogurt they serve. And since they have a Celebrity for Charity event this Saturday, it's about time I did.

The first time I tried their yogurt was when I was doing research about healthy food for a TV guesting on QTV. And I've been a fan ever since because of the deliciously sour taste of their yogurt. Aside from the plain yogurt, they also serve strawberry and green tea flavored yogurt in some of their branches which is really good. They also have take home pints in various flavors. Ask if the store has black berry because that one is really good too.

And there are plenty toppings to choose from from the usual suspects to some unique selections. Have you ever tried yogurt with mochi, kiwi and granola?

Anyway, I'm looking forward to that Celebrity for Charity event on Saturday, October 31, 2009 since the beneficiary is UP Sagip Isko. Sagip Isko started out as a response to victims of Typhoon Ondoy, but which is shaping up to become a permanent disaster response program of the University Student Council. The celebrity this weekend is my brod Nico Ibaviosa (thanks for volunteering). So I'm inviting you to buy yogurt at White Hat SM North EDSA this Saturday, October 31, 2009 since a percentage of the sales for the day in that branch will go to UP Sagip Isko. If you come in a Halloween costume between 1 to 5 p.m., you can get a chance to win a two-month supply of White Hat yogurt!

Palawan: Great food at Bistro Coron & Seadive Resort

Coron has its own food surprises. And Bistro Coron most definitely tops the list. It has a really extensive menu which includes pizza, pasta, beef, chicken, pork, seafood, soups, salads, sandwiches and dessert, plus a bar list that includes close to seventy drinks and cocktails.

As always, pizza was one of the choices. They have nine kinds including one called a Panizza which is pizza on bread. We got the one called Bistro which has tomato, onion, garlic, mushrooms and ground beef toppings. They usually come in three sizes and cost Php179, Php249 and Php389 respectively. They served the pizza on a tray which reminded me of another really good pizza I had at the Romblon Deli.

The beef dishes are quite popular among the foreigners. And I'm sure you'll find something there that will suit your taste.

Since we stayed at Seadive Resort, many of our meals were at the restaurant. I was told one of their best sellers was steak. Of course, pizza and pasta was in our selection. One of their pasta has a ginger and coconut milk sauce. Unusual for pasta but it was quite good. You can also check out their blackboard for the special for the day.

Coron pasalubong
Cashew nuts or casuy is one of the things you bring home from Coron. And the place to get casuy is from Coron Harvest. It's close to the port area which a few minutes away from the town proper. Aside from the usual toasted or garlic cashew, the best buys would be Bandi, that is cashew with caramelized brown sugar; and Brittle which has both caramelized sugar and honey!

Palawan: Banol Beach, Twin Lagoon, Kayangan Lake and Siete Pecados Marine Park in Coron

Coron is simply stunning. Since we only had a day to go around, we decided to do both Culion and the Coron in one day. Remember that Coron Town is on Busuanga Island while most of the popular attractions are on Coron Island. Coron Island is characterized by massive limestone karst rock formations, lakes and lagoons and is part of the ancestral domain of the Tagbanua.

We left Culion after lunch and began our trip around Coron Island. The first stop was an hour and 30 minutes away. It was a bit cloudy on the way to Coron Island but once we got to Banol Beach, the sun was out and perfect for a swim.

Banol Beach is a small beach and is perfect for a picnic. You can actually buy fresh seafood or meat at the market before leaving Coron and request your boatman to grill it while at one of the beaches. Remember though not to venture too far from the shore since we were warned Banol has a lot of sea urchins if you explore too far from the beach. Entrance fee to the beach is Php100. We didn't stay too long in Banol since we wanted to see the other attractions.

Our next stop was Twin Lagoon which is two salt water lakes separated by a narrow opening. It's best to swim with your life vest on since it gets really deep in some parts. At low tide, you can swim across the narrow opening to get to the other lake. But when the tide is high, the opening is completely submerged and you'll have to swim through it.

One option would have been to visit Kayangan Lake which is really picturesque. The lake, which is nestled amidst spectacular limestone kasrt rock formations, is simply stunning. But that needs at least an hour: 15 minutes to hike to the lake, at least 30 minutes for a swim, and another 15 minutes to hike back to the boat. So we decided to reserve the lake for another trip. Entrance fee to Kayangan Lake is Php200.

Our last stop was the Siete Pecados Marine Park which is very popular for snorkeling. The boatmen usually refer to it as Seven Islands. Like Coron Island, the islets of Siete Pecados are also limestone karst formations. To make sure that the coral formations don't get damaged, boats anchor on buoys installed for the purpose.

A favorite activity when snorkeling in Siete Pecados would be feeding the fish with bread. So don't forget to bring your supply since the fish literally swarm around you as you gradually release the bread. Entrance fee to Siete Pecados Marine Park is Php100.

Since the sun was starting to set, we headed back to Coron Town. It would have been a good option to climb Mt. Tapyas to watch the sunset. But we got lazy and decided to just chill in our hotel room. Food adventures coming up next!

Related entries
Things to do in Coron, Busuanga and Culion, Palawan
Coron hotels, transportation and more stuff to help you plan your trip

Palawan: Culion Island, where the Philippines eliminated leprosy

Culion was called the Island of the Living Dead or the Island of No Return. Once the largest leper colony in the world, it stands today as a stark reminder of life in the Philippines when leprosy was still an incurable disease, and a testament to how leprosy was eradicated not just in the Philippines but in the entire world, and how technology and advances in medicine have improved and changed the way we live today.

Culion was selected as the containment area of all those with leprosy in the Philippines during the American Period. At that time, leprosy was still an incurable disease. And the only way to stop its spread was to isolate all those afflicted with it. People with leprosy were rounded up like criminals to be sent to the island, most certainly to die given that there was no cure. That is why it was called the Island of No Return.

The government apprehended lepers, detained them and sent them for isolation on Culion Island. Families knew that when a leprous member of the family was collected for segregation, that would be the last time they would see him or her. Ships brought patients to Culion every three months. And by its 25th year, there were 16,138 patients on Culion's roster making it the largest leper colony in the world.

Because of the large number of patients, Culion naturally became a laboratory for scientists around the world who had striven to look for a cure for leprosy. That's why Culion's legacy makes the Culion Museum worth visiting if you have both time and a budget for it.

Boats to Culion from Coron cost between Php3,000 to 3,500. But you could do visit Culion plus parts of the Coron Loop in one day. Or a Culion visit plus Banana and Malcapuya Islands. There are ferry services which leave at lunch and late in the afternoon. But that would mean sleeping overnight on the island.

We left Coron at 8:30 a.m and arrive in Culion at about 10 a.m. Culion Church, Fort Culion, the Culion Sanitarium and its museum are all in one area. From the port, it's a 10 minute walk up the hill where they're all located. But tricycles are available to bring you there.

Again, if only for the visit to the museum at the Culion Sanitarium, the trip is worth it since it ably tells the story of Culion and makes you appreciate life as it is today. Museum fees are Php250 for foreigners, Php100 for non-locals, Php50 for locals, and Php20 for students with IDs. To be sure the museum is open, it's best to call before hand.

Culion Museum and Archives
+63 928 2812276
+63 921 5787152
+63 919 3779757

Where to stay in Culion
The Tabing Dagat Lodging House & Restaurant is situated right beside the port. Fan rooms start at Php450; while aircon rooms start at Php900.

Tabing Dagat Lodging House & Restaurant
Brgy. Balala, Culion, Palawan
+63 928 6757473
+63 920 2779327
+63 920 4056659

Related entries
Things to do in Coron, Busuanga and Culion, Palawan
Coron hotels, transportation and more stuff to help you plan your trip