The island of Luzon is something to see for yourself. Luzon Island: geographical location, climate. Philippine Islands. Active holidays on the island of Luzon

In the south, Luzon is connected by the narrow Tayabas Isthmus to the Bicol Peninsula, which extends in a southeastern direction. The relief of Luzon is characterized by medium-altitude mountainousness. There are about 20 volcanoes on the island that are capable of erupting. The shores of the island, especially in the west and south, are replete with bays and bays.

It is impossible to calculate exactly how many races, nationalities, ethnic groups and their separate groups, tribes, including the fewest, and all mestizos are represented by the population of the island, the capital of which is nicknamed “Philippine Babylon.” The same can be said about languages, although this does not mean that the inhabitants of the island have barriers to communication. They all speak Tagalog (Filipino), colloquial pidgin English, many speak classical English, some still remember Spanish.

Story

According to the accepted scientific world and the theory of the settlement of Luzon, which has not yet been refuted by anyone, happened approximately 15,000 years ago, when the Philippines (and above all this future island) were connected to Eurasia by a land “bridge”. Then, approximately 7000-8000 years ago, due to significant warming of our planet’s climate, this “bridge” sank into the ocean. The resettlement to Luzon in ancient times began, in anthropological terminology, with the Australoid Negritos, who inhabited East Asia in ancient times. Following them are people of the Mongoloid type from South-East Asia. About 2,500 years ago, having moved here by sea, Austronesians settled on Luzon, among whom the majority were Malays and immigrants from the island of Taiwan. And then the migration movement began to grow like a snowball: Luzon - big Island, with many convenient bays, and to most of those who arrived it seemed like a “promised land”, promising a well-fed and prosperous life.
Etymologically, the name Luzon comes from the Chinese name for the kingdom of Lusongo, which means "lower" or "southern". It was founded by the Chinese around the 12th-13th centuries. Middle Eastern Arabs reached Luzon around the end of the 15th century, discovering three city-states here - Tondo, Maynilad and Seludung, the strongest of which was Tondo, which existed from about 900. The Arabs built their city-state of Lontok and began to polemicize the local "infidels" .
Europeans became acquainted with Luzon in 1570-1571. These were the Spaniards Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, Juan de Salcedo and Martin de Goiti, who marked the island on their nautical charts like New Castile. On the maps of sailors in other countries, the island had a different name - Lusonia. From 1521 to 1898, Luzon, like the entire Philippine archipelago, named after King Philip II of Spain (1527-1598), belonged to Spain. The Spaniards founded the capital of the Philippines (), gave many settlements Spanish names and converted the population to the Catholic faith. In 1898, according to the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Spanish-American War of 1898 for the redistribution of colonial possessions, Spain ceded the Philippines, Cuba, Guam and Puerto Rico to the United States. The Philippines were especially valued at $20 million (the rest of the colonies went to the United States for free). On June 12, 1898, the Filipinos, led by Emilio Aguinaldo (1869-1964), declared themselves independent from Spain. This led to the Philippine-American War, the main events of which took place in Luzon, where Aguinaldo had a base and many supporters. The war officially ended in 1901, with Aguinaldo declaring himself loyal to the United States. His supporters considered their former leader a traitor and waged a guerrilla war with the Americans until 1913. The Philippines during this period was a dependent territory of the United States (with its own government, whose powers were, however, limited). In 1935 they received autonomy status within the United States. On December 8, 1941, Japanese aircraft attacked American military bases on Luzon, and in 1942, Japan captured the island. On July 5, 1945, the occupiers were expelled from almost the entire island by the Americans. In July 1946, the Philippines became an independent state.
Filipinos call themselves “children of fire and water,” implying that their mentality sometimes combines opposing qualities. But in the literal sense, fire and water on the island of Luzon interact constantly.
Luzon is called not only the island itself, but also several other islands together with it - Mindoro, Marinduque, Alabat, island group Polillo, Caramoan, Bondoc, Sumar.
Large mountain range Luzon - Cordillera Central, in the northwestern part of the island. To the south of it stretches the low mountain range of Zambales, and to the east is the valley of the Cagayan River, which is framed by the Sierra Madre mountain range. Dotted with active, potentially active and extinct volcanoes, Luzon's mountain ranges are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The most catastrophic manifestation of the element of fire was revealed to the world in 1991 by the Pinatubo volcano, which had previously been considered extinct for 611 years. There were five explosions, accompanied by emissions of ash and gas within a radius of 40 km and tremors. The tremors have not stopped to this day. For several months after the eruption, a layer of sulfuric acid fog hung in the atmosphere, and a large ozone hole formed over Antarctica.
Luzon is also home to the world's smallest active volcano, Taal. It is small, but in 1911, during its eruption, 1335 people died in 10 minutes, and all life within a radius of 10 km was destroyed. The last time it erupted was in 1965, killing 200 people. In the calderas of Pinatubo and Taala, lakes with water of an unusual turquoise color have formed, but sometimes the color of the water changes, becoming almost black.
Tropical hurricanes in the South Pacific, also called typhoons, often originate near east coast Luzon, in the South China Sea, and the entire Philippines are hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons during the rainy season (from June to December, and most often in August). Not all of them are as destructive as the infamous typhoon of 1991 (seemingly “coordinated” with Mount Pinatubo), which killed about 6,000 people on Leyte Island, causing a tsunami, and landslides and floods on the coastline. Back then, lightning flashed over Manila every two seconds. In 2011, a typhoon left thousands of people homeless and parts of Quezon City and Manila were partially flooded. The north of Luzon is most susceptible to the impacts of typhoons and all accompanying phenomena. However, these formidable atmospheric phenomena “have mercy” on Luzon relatively more often than other islands of the archipelago. For the reason that they are “young” here and their vortex funnel has not yet gained its full power, and the trade winds push them to Taiwan and further north, to China, Japan, right up to the Bering Strait. Luzon fishermen describe the occurrence of, let's say, an ordinary typhoon as not a very scary phenomenon: in a matter of seconds, a light breeze turns into a stormy wind, a spinning vortex column rises above the horizon, it moves rapidly, and within 15-20 minutes the sea in the area where it passes again calmly. However, everyone in Luzon knows well that one can never relax when it comes to typhoons. Thus, Typhoon Pablo of 2012 killed more than a thousand people (about 100 people in Manila), more than 800 went missing, and in total in 2012 Luzon experienced 12 typhoons. And yet the islanders are not prone to panic: these disasters are to some extent predictable. And then, when all the bad things are forgotten, life is surrounded by greenery tropical island quickly falls into a familiar rut.
And the Filipinos also say: “We lived in a monastery for 300 years and in Hollywood for 50,” - they are temperamental and romantic, they are prone to flowery expressions. In fact, the “monastery” under the Spaniards was not too strict, and “Hollywood” under the Americans can only be associated with the advent of Coca-Cola. A new generation of Filipinos has grown up, far from these naive ideas, who know how to find a common language in business with the Americans, Chinese, Australians...

general information

The largest island of the Philippine archipelago and the 17th largest island in the world, as well as a group of islands united by the common name Luzon.

Administrative division: 8 regions, each of which is divided, in turn, into provinces.
Largest rivers: Cagayan, Agno, Pampanga.

Largest lake: Laguna de Bay.

Largest cities: Quezon City - 2,761,720 people. (2010) Manila - 1,652,171 people. (2010), Metro Manila - 11,855,975 people. (2011).
Quezon City, Manila, and the cities of Calukaan, Navotas, Malabon, Vapenzuela, Marikina, Pasay, Pasig, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Makati, Taguig, Paranaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Las Pinar, Navotas and the municipality of Pateros form the Metro Manila agglomeration, or National Capital Region, with a population of about 12 million people.

Languages: Tagalog (official), English, Spanish and others.

Ethnic composition: Numbered in dozens of ethnic groups.

The most numerous nationalities: Aeta, Bicol, Ibanag, Igorot, Ilok, Pampangan, Pangasinan, Tagalog, as well as Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Arabs, mestizos, white immigrants from Europe, the USA and other countries.

Religions: Christianity, mainly Catholicism, Independent Church of the Philippines, Church of Christ, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and other faiths, as well as animism, which may be combined with adherence to any official religion.

Currency unit: Philippine Peso.

Major airport: Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Numbers

Area: 109,965 km2.

Population: 48,520,774 people (2010).

Population density: 441.2 people/km 2 .

The most high point : Mount Pulog (2934 m).

Climate and weather

Subequatorial, monsoon.

average temperature January: +26.8°C.

Average temperature in July: +28.5°C.

Average annual water temperature: +27°С.
Average annual precipitation: 1742 mm.

Frequent typhoons.

Economy

Minerals: deposits of gold, chromite, copper and iron.

Deposits of natural minerals used as finishing stones and in the production of inexpensive jewelry.

Port Industry (Manila).

Shipping.
Fishing, shrimp and shellfish production.

Industry in cities: production of chemicals, electronics, printed materials, textiles and clothing, food and beverages, tobacco products, plywood, copra, coconut oil and other products. The food industry is the most stable sector of the island's economy.

Agriculture: cultivation of rice, coconut palms, agave, bananas, mangoes, tobacco, corn, pineapples, cocoa, coffee.
Service sector: banking and transport services, trade, tourism.

Attractions

■ Objects World Heritage UNESCO: rice plantations Ifugao; Baroque churches of the 16th century. San Agustin (Manila), churches in the towns of Paoay, Miagao, Santa Maria, the entire town of Vigan.
■ Metro Manila: Intramuros - Old city Manila, surrounded by walls built in the 16th century, bombed during World War II and rebuilt in the 1950s; Of greatest interest are Fort Santiago, Manila Cathedral (Basilica Minor de la Concepción Immaculada), in total there are 16 churches and 8 monasteries in Intramuros; National Museum People of the Philippines, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bahay Tsinoi (Filipino-Chinese Museum), Museum of Contemporary Art and Design, Rizal Park (Planetarium, National Library, Butterfly Pavilion, Orchidarium, Oceanarium). Botanical Garden, zoo.
■ Mountain resort Baguio: Mensch - summer residence the government of the country, the Temple of the Bell (Bell Church), the “Bay of a Hundred Islands” Lingayen (in fact there are about 400 islands in the bay), ancient burial places in the mountains.
■ Vigan(St. Paul's Cathedral and colonial architecture), Botolan (Domorocdoc dance festival, agricultural exhibitions, sand castle championships and beauty pageants), Cubi Point (located in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone - casinos, hotels, beaches , parks).
■ Sagada Caves(Zambale region).
■ Volcanoes: Pinatubo (1486 m, before the eruption in 1991 - 1745 m), Banajao (2188 m, sacred place 17 religious groups that make pilgrimages to it), Mayon (2462 m, active, considered the most beautiful volcano in the Philippines), Arayat (1026 m, considered dormant), Taal (311 m, the smallest active volcano in the world).
■ National parks and nature reserves: Quezon, Subic Bay on the site of a former American military base, Mayon Volcan with Mayon Volcano, Sierra Madre Northern Range.
■ Kamaya Coast Beach.

Curious facts

■ The terraced mountain (at an altitude of more than 1500 m) rice plantations of Ifugao (named after the ethnic group inhabiting this area), or Banue (after the city closest to them), are called “steps to God” and “stairway to heaven”: the plots are located one above to others, they really look like steps and framed by mountains - very picturesque. The history of plantations goes back about 2000 years. There is no man-made irrigation system here; the plantations are fed exclusively by water from mountain streams. It is believed that the technology of rice cultivation was transferred to the Ifugao people by the Chinese.

■ Mount Arayat, also known as a dormant volcano, is believed to be the place where the wizard Sinukuan lives inside a lava dome, a name meaning “end” (or “almighty”). According to local legends, Mount Arayat was once located in the middle of a swamp and people suffered because of its fumes. Sinukuan was able to move the mountain to a place favorable for life. Another wizard lives in Mount Pinatubo - Namalari. According to the most recent additions to these legends, the 1991 eruption of Pinatubo is nothing more than a challenge to Namalari Sinukuan, who left Arayat for a time. But when he returns, he will show Namalari who is the coolest here. It is even possible that this return will mean the end of the world.

Luzon is the largest island in the Philippine archipelago. The South China Sea washes it in the west, the Philippine Sea in the east, and the Luzon Strait separates the island from Taiwan and the Ryukyu Archipelago. From an economic and political point of view, Luzon is the most important for the Philippines, and the capital of the state, Manila, is located here.

How to get there

Due to the fact that the capital of the state of Manila is located on the island of Luzon with its international airport, getting to the island is relatively easy. Flights from Russia operate with connections in major European or Asian cities, for example, Seoul or Amsterdam.

Search for flights to Manila (the closest airport to Luzon)

Weather in Luzon

The climate on the island is marine and subequatorial, monsoon. The average temperature at any time of the year is about 27 degrees, high humidity also persists all year round. In the summer, from June to August, the season of destructive typhoons begins. It usually lasts until October. So best time The best time to visit the island is from October to May.

Beaches of Luzon

The Philippines is famous for its white, very fine sand beaches. Combined with the amazing azure color of the sea and palm trees growing near the water, these beaches present a delightful picture. I have almost all of them developed infrastructure, the elements of which are arranged in such a way as not to disturb the ideal beauty created by nature.

Numerous dive sites will give everyone the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of not only the beaches, but also the coastal underwater world. In the northern part of the island, where strong winds and waves often blow, windsurfing is common.

Popular hotels in Luzon

Treatment in Luzon

Luzon is home to the largest lake in the Philippines, Laguna de Bay, which contains many hot sulfur springs, thanks to which the water in the lake is healing. There are many resorts concentrated on the shore of the lake: Cuillab, Los Banos, Pansol. The hotels of these resorts offer various programs aimed at both health improvement and cosmetic effects. A bunch of picturesque bays with beaches give you the opportunity to choose a new holiday environment every day.

About an hour's drive from Manila is a unique nature reserve Hidden Valley. For many centuries, lava solidified here in intricate heaps, accumulating in the depressions between them. mineral water, flowing down from the mountains. The high-class hotel of the same name has at its disposal eight natural pools, the water of which helps to cure female and male diseases, and also helps with arthritis, arthrosis, rhinitis and psoriasis.

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Capital of the Philippines

The magical city of Manila is located in the northwestern part of the island and gives it a certain, metropolitan aura. The city is a metropolis consisting of as many as seventeen districts. During World War II, Manila suffered greatly; entire blocks of elegant mansions, beautiful churches, and monuments were destroyed by bombs. Now among the capital's main attractions is Intramuros, the central, historical part of the city, once built by the Spanish conquerors. Many museums in the city, a bamboo organ that you can listen to in the Church of San Jose, Rizal Historical Park, beautiful views on the bay, Chinatown, where you can buy all kinds of jewelry made of pearls and gold, do not remain out of sight of tourists.

Baguio

The mountain resort of Baguio is famous for its crystal clear air and mild climate. It is located in the province of Benguet, 250 km from Manila. Baguio is considered the country's "summer capital" and attracts many tourists. The resort is located at an altitude of 1525 m above sea level among picturesque cliffs, and very close to it is Lingayen Bay, or, as it is also called, “the Bay of 100 Islands,” although there are more than four hundred islands. Luxurious frames the bay sandy beaches and coastal coral reefs.

Natural attractions of the island

Of the natural attractions, tourists are usually interested in Quezon National Park, which is located 70 km from Manila, in the area of ​​the picturesque Tagaytay mountain range. Here you can see the smallest in the world active volcano Taal, in the crater lake of which there is an island, on which there is a lake, in the center of which there is an island, on which, in turn, there is a very small lake, not even a lake. All this together represents a most picturesque spectacle. In the same region you can explore the Sagada Caves.

The flows of the Magdalio waterfalls fall from a 100-meter height, making a noise so loud that a person cannot hear himself. For lovers extreme tourism It is proposed to get to the waterfalls by canoe, overcoming the river rapids.

There are about twenty active volcanoes on the island. Banahoa is a place of pilgrimage and a holy mountain for 17 religious sects, Taal being the most small volcano in the world, Mayon is considered the most beautiful active volcano.

But the most remarkable attraction of the island are tiny funny monkeys - lemurs, or, in other words, tarsiers. These animals cannot be found in natural conditions anywhere in the world.

Diving

The many dive sites scattered along the shores of Luzon attract diving enthusiasts of all styles. Beginners have the opportunity to learn the basics of mastery under the guidance of experienced certified instructors, while aces can see not only the rich undersea world this region, but also, if you’re lucky, explore a once-sunk ship. Diving in Subic Bay (yes, exactly where I was military base Americans) will forever remember the luxurious coral gardens, and in Donsol you can observe the habits of whale sharks. It is great to combine diving with a beach holiday in the province of La Union. See page for more details

Before we begin describing the island of Luzon, let's talk a little about the state of the Philippines. It is located in the southeastern part of Asia. It is a collection of many islands. Located in Pacific Ocean between Taiwan and Indonesia. The capital of the Philippines is the city of Manila (location - Luzon island). The population in 2015 exceeded 102 million people. The state occupies an area of ​​about 300 thousand km 2.

Philippine Archipelago: Brief Description

The Philippine archipelago includes more than 7,000 islands. The largest of them are Luzon, Panay, Negros and others. The archipelago is located in the Pacific Ocean. Its length is more than 2,000 km from north to south, and from west to east - just under one thousand kilometers. It is conditionally divided into three groups:

  • the first, called Luzon, is in the north;
  • the second, central, is occupied by the Visayas;
  • the third is the southern group - Mindanao.

It is worth noting that not all Philippine islands are inhabited. Of the total, only less than half are inhabited by people.

The archipelago is washed by seas on all sides: in the west by the South China Sea, in the south by Sulawesi, and in the east by the Philippine Sea. The coastline has a length of almost 40 thousand km. total area the territory amounted to almost 300 thousand km 2. In the north they are adjacent to Taiwan. They are separated from each other by the Bashi Strait. The predominant relief is mountains. All islands are basically volcanic in origin. Even today, there is a zone of high seismic activity here.

Luzon - an island in the Philippine archipelago

Luzon Island is the largest. It is part of the Philippine archipelago. Its area is about 110 thousand km 2. On the southeast side there is about. Mindoro. They are separated from each other by the Verde Strait. In the southern part of Luzon is the Bicol Peninsula. This area of ​​land has an elongated narrow shape. His coastline quite rugged. There are many bays and bays here. From Fr. Luzon is cut off by the Tayabas Isthmus. Besides Bicol, there are two other small peninsulas - Bondoc and Caramoan. On the southern side, the island of Luzon (Philippines) borders on. Samar, separated from it by the San Bernardino Strait.

It was given the title of the largest not only in terms of the size of the territory it occupies, but also in terms of population. Luzon is home to more than 46 million people. In the world it ranks 17th in size.

Geographical position

The island of Luzon is located in the Pacific Ocean. Its western and eastern sides are washed by South China and In order to find Luzon on the map, you can use the following coordinates: 16°04′30″ north latitude and 121°00′11″ east longitude.

And Taiwan is separated from it by the Luzon Strait. Administratively belongs to the state of the Philippines.

Relief

Like many others large islands Philippine archipelago, Luzon has mountainous terrain. On its territory there are a lot of active and extinct volcanoes. The highest point of the island reaches almost 3,000 m. This is Mount Pulog. The remaining relief formations mostly have medium heights.

In the northwestern part of the island there is one of the largest mountain systems- Central Cordillera. It occupies one sixth of Luzon (more than 18 thousand km 2). This mountainous region quite well populated. 2% of the total population of the Philippines lives here. This amounts to more than one million inhabitants.

The Sierra Madre is a mountain range that is located in the eastern part of the largest of the islands of the Philippine archipelago. It is separated from the Cordillera massif by a river valley. Zambales are the lowest mountain formations, located closer to the south.

There is a plain in Luzon. It is called Central Luzon. Located between the Zambales and Sierra Madre massifs. The plain occupies an area of ​​11 thousand km 2. It is in this area that the most fertile lands of the Philippines are located. In the middle of the plain there is another mountain - Arayat.

Inland water resources

The coastline of the island is heavily indented. Thanks to this, there are many bays and bays here. Their greatest number is concentrated in the western and southern sides. The largest are Lingayen and Manila Bays.

Any area where mountainous terrain predominates has a lot of rivers. Luzon is no exception. Let's take a closer look at some of them.

The Pampanga River flows in the province of the same name. Its length is 260 km. Originates in mountain range Sierra Madre flows into Manila Bay. A large number of ponds and irrigation canals were built on it.

The Cagayan River is the largest waterway in the Philippine archipelago. Its channel runs along the northeastern part of the island. Length - about 500 km. It originates in the Caraballo mountains. It flows into the Babuyansky Strait. It is thanks to this river that residents have the opportunity to grow crops. The soil in the valley is very fertile, so rice, bananas, citrus fruits and grains grow well here.

An equally important waterway is the Pasig River. She is relatively small sizes, the channel is only 25 km long. However, despite this, it plays an important role for the state, as it passes through the central part of the capital. It originates in Laguna de Bai. It flows into Manila Bay.

In addition to rivers, there are also lakes on the island. The largest is Laguna de Bay. Moreover, it is the largest not only on the island, but throughout Southeast Asia. Its area reaches almost 1,000 km2. Another large body of water located in Luzon is Taal Lake. It was formed in the crater of an extinct volcano.

Climatic features

Typhoons dominate the territory of the island of Luzon. During one year, their number can reach 20. The climate is subequatorial monsoon. The division of seasons here is not the same as on the mainland. Locals It is divided into three periods:

  • From March to May - summer. During this time the highest temperatures are observed.
  • There is precipitation from June to November. This period is usually called the rainy season.
  • Winter months are December, January, February.

More than 2,000 mm of precipitation falls annually. On the island of Luzon, the southwest monsoon blows from May to October, and dry air masses predominate from November to April. Average annual temperature the indicator is +26°C.

Vigan city

This city is a landmark of the Philippine Islands. The population here is almost 10,000 people. Vigan is included in the UNESCO Heritage List. On the territory of the city, buildings from the times of Spanish colonization have been preserved. There are a lot of unique architectural structures. The most impressive is the Cathedral of St. Paul. Mena Crisologo Street brought world fame to the city. Currently, buildings from the 16th-17th centuries are still preserved on it.

Volcano Pinatubo

The volcano is currently active. The last time an eruption was recorded was 25 years ago. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that for 600 years it was considered extinct. Until 1991, its height was about 1,800 m, but at the moment it has decreased and is almost 1,500 m. The volcano is located near the capital of the Philippines - Manila. This distance is almost 90 km. Its eruption in 1991 killed almost 1,000 people. An Air Force base and a US Naval base were destroyed. This earthquake was recognized as the most powerful and destructive in the twentieth century. But it reached 6 points.

Pinsal Falls

The island of Luzon can also be proud of one of its most famous attractions - the Pinsal Falls. These stormy water flows surrounded by many myths and legends. At their top there are several ponds that are shaped like a human foot. According to local legend, the lakes were formed at a time when the giant Angalo passed through these places.

This place with waterfalls is surrounded by unique picturesque surroundings. The beauty of the cascades is simply enchanting. The waters of the stream fall from a height of 85 feet. Next to them is a source of hot water.

The Philippines is famous for its white, very fine sand beaches. Combined with the amazing azure color of the sea and palm trees growing near the water, these beaches present a delightful picture. Almost all of them have a developed infrastructure, the elements of which are arranged in such a way as not to disturb the ideal beauty created by nature.

Numerous dive sites will give everyone the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of not only the beaches, but also the coastal underwater world. In the northern part of the island, where strong winds and waves often blow, windsurfing is common.

Treatment in Luzon

The largest lake in the country is also located on the island, it is called Laguna de Bai. A large number of hot springs enriched with sulfur make the water healing. That is why the resorts of Los Banos, Cuillab, Pansol and many others are located on the shores of this unique lake. Here, vacationers are offered a variety of techniques and programs aimed not only at improving the health of the body, but also at obtaining a certain cosmetic effect.

Another special place is located just an hour from the capital, this is the Hidden Valley Nature Reserve. In natural depressions between piles of solidified lava formed after a volcanic eruption, water enriched with minerals accumulated for centuries and flowed down from the mountains. The high-class hotel, named after the nature reserve, has eight swimming pools created by nature itself. The water in these fonts heals many ailments - female and male diseases, psoriasis, arthrosis, arthritis and others.

Manila - capital of the Philippines

Manila is a metropolis, one of the largest in the world, consisting of seventeen districts. It is located in the northwestern region of Luzon and gives it a special metropolitan atmosphere. Despite the fact that during the Second World War the city was heavily destroyed and many architectural monuments were damaged, Manila has a lot to see for tourists.

This is, first of all, the central part, which was built by the Spanish conquerors - Intramuros. In this part of the city, where there used to be a fortress, there is Cathedral, colonial buildings, parks, Church of St. Augustine. Manila has a beautiful Rizal Park, many museums, and in the Church of San Jose there is a famous organ made of bamboo. And, of course, no tourist will deny himself the pleasure of visiting Chinatown, experiencing this atmosphere and purchasing all kinds of gold trinkets and pearl jewelry.

Baguio

Known for its mild climate and clean air, the resort of Baguio is located 250 km from Manila in the province of Benguet. It is located at an altitude of 1525 meters, among picturesque mountain landscapes, next to Lingayen Bay, which is famous great beaches and beautiful coral reefs. It is also called the “Bay of a Hundred Islands,” although there are more than four hundred islands!

Island attractions

70 km from the capital is Quezon National Park, the main natural attraction of the island. It contains the world's smallest active volcano, Taal, the uniqueness and beauty of which lies in the fact that in its crater lake there is an island, and in it there is a lake, and in this lake there is another island and another small lake. It all looks amazingly beautiful!

Luzon is home to the Sagada caves and Magdalio waterfalls, which extreme sports enthusiasts can reach by canoe, overcoming rapids. And it's also about 20 active volcanoes, among which Banahoa, considered sacred mountain and a place of pilgrimage for 17 sects of different religious beliefs.

However, lemurs - funny miniature monkeys, which are also called tarsiers, are the funniest and most beautiful attraction of this picturesque island. After all, nowhere else in the world can you find these rare animals in nature!

Diving

The island offers diving enthusiasts a large number of dive sites that can be found along the entire coast. Not only beginners, who will be helped to learn the basics by certified instructors, but also experienced aces will find a lot of interesting things here. After all, here you can see not only the underwater world, but also explore a sunken ship, if you’re lucky, and in Donsol, watch whale sharks. Diving at what was once a US military base in Subic Bay will leave indelible impressions from coral reefs of indescribable beauty. Holidays in the province of La Union will provide an excellent opportunity to combine beach holiday and diving.

How to get there

Due to the fact that the capital of the state, Manila, with its international airport, is located on the island of Luzon, getting to the island is relatively easy. Flights from Russia operate with connections in major European or Asian cities, for example, Seoul or Amsterdam.

Capital and The largest city country, located on the southwestern coast of Luzon, on the shores of the bay of the same name.

In the vicinity of the capital there are also many interesting places- the lighthouse on Cape Bojeador (1892, the highest in the country), textile workshops in Paoay (widely known for their fabrics in the national style), the famous “Bamboo Organ” in the Las Picas area, the factory for the production of the famous “jeepneys” in Sarao , “lonely mountain” Arayat (1026 m), the city of Pagsanyan (63 km from Manila), near which are located famous waterfall McDapio and picturesque river rapids (it was here that F. Coppola filmed his film “Apocalypse Now”), etc.

Situated sadly in the throat of Manila Bay famous island Corregidor, for the possession of which there were fierce battles during the Second World War. Nowadays there are interesting ruins of the fortress of those times, the network of Malinta tunnels (the location of the temporary headquarters of General MacArthur), as well as a Japanese cemetery, a small museum and a Memorial to the Fallen. The province of Laguna (45 km southeast of the capital) is extremely popular, where many hot sulfur springs and resorts based on them are concentrated - Cuillab, Los Banos (the unique Rice Research Institute is also located here), Pansol, etc.

The bay is located northwest of Manila Subic Bay- former American naval base and one of best areas for diving in the country. At the top of the bay is the city of Olongapo, which is increasingly becoming a major resort with golf courses, yacht clubs, sports centers and luxury hotels. Also, the former American Clark Air Base (70 km north of Manila) has been turned into a large resort area, on whose territory a special economic zone (SEZ) has now been opened with many tax incentives for companies operating here. One of the best parachute centers in Asia, the Tropical Asian Center, is also built here, as well as many golf courses and routes for active recreation.

To the north is the mountainous region of Zambale, in which there are curious Sagada caves (the traditional burial place of the Ifuago tribe of “head hunters”), picturesque rice terraces around Banaue with a total length of about 22.4 thousand km (it is believed that they were carved into rocks local mountains more than 3 thousand years ago), beautiful mountain serpentine Zigzag Road, the Chinese-Filipino Friendship Pagoda and the Ma-Cho Temple in San Fernando (La Union), the resorts of Capones and Camera Islands, the Pinatubo volcano area, the fishing village of Pandakit, the salt mining area in the Dasol Bay area, as well as dozens kilometers of luxurious beaches in the area of ​​​​La Union, Tambobong, Pandakit, Iba, Amungan and on the island of Ermana Major.

Mountain resort Baguio located 250 km north of Manila, in the province of Benguet. This is the “summer capital” of the country, lying at an altitude of about 1525 m above sea level, and is famous for its mild climate and clean air. The city's attractions include the summer residence of the country's government - the Mansion, Bell Church ("Temple of the Bell"), picturesque crystalline massifs of the surrounding rocks and ancient burials in the surrounding mountains. Very close by lies Lingayen Bay with its “hundred islands” (actually there are about 400), framed by white sandy shores and extensive coral reefs.

70 km south of Manila lies the picturesque Tagaytay mountain range (height 600 m), within which there are national park Quezon and the unique Taal Volcano (the smallest active volcano on the planet), in the crater lake of which there is an island, which, in turn, also has a small lake. Also in the southeastern part of Luzon are the “city of seven lakes” San Pablo, the Banahao volcano (2188 m, sacred mountain as many as seventeen religious sects, a cult place where numerous pilgrimages are held) and the magnificent Basilica of Saint-Martin de Tours (1856, considered a national treasure) in Taal.

Nearby, at the foot of the Makiling volcano, lies the famous " Lost Valley"Hidden Valley with the Alaminos crater, numerous caverns with hot mineral water, waterfalls, Lourdes grotto (it is believed that the water flowing from it has healing powers), hundreds thermal springs and luxurious vegetation. In the province of Albay rises the Mayon volcano (2462 m), considered one of the most perfectly shaped volcanic cones in the world.

 

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