Loreto Lighthouse (Destination)

Loreto, Dinagat Islands

Situated at the northwest tip of Dinagat Islands, between Surigao and the Pacific Ocean, the Loreto Lighthouse stands as a mute witness to one of the greatest naval battles of World War II - the Battle of Surugao Strait -.

It was in Sitio Campintac, Loreto where the Americans made their first "liberation" landing on October 17, 1944 prior to the main landing three days later at Leyte Gulf, which is just north of Surigao Strait.

How To Get There

From Manila, take a plane to Surigao City where there is a regular ferry ride to the northern municipality of Loreto in Dinagat Islands.  The lighthouse itself is located on shallow waters and is accessible by walking or by boat. 

Lianga Bay Lighthouse (Destination)

Lianga Bay, Surigao Del Sur

Perhaps one of the most stunning, yet practically unknown, of the Philippine lighthouses is the Lianga Bay Lighthouse, which sits atop one of the many islets dotting Lianga Bay in Mindanao.  Nowadays, it serves a community of mostly fishermen and farmers in the coastal town of Lianga and its environs which lie between Mount Diwata and the Pacific Ocean.

Built in the 1960's, the lighthouse used to guide container vessels delivering goods to nearby areas in the absence of a road network in Mindanao until the Nasipit port and the Pan-Pacific Highway were built.  The strategic location of Lianga Bay was also sought by ships as far as Davao for sanctuary in the event of strong typhoons.

Its records lost to natural disasters, the storied past of the lighthouse lives in the hearts and minds of the townspeople of Lianga, for whom the Lianga Bay Lighthouse is a source of local pride.

How To Get There

Lianga town is accessible by land from the major cities of Davao, Surigao and Butuan, all of which are easily accessible from Manila.  The lighthouse is reachable by walking from the shore during low tide. 

Capul Island Lighthouse (Destination)

Capul Island, Northern Samar

Despite the decline of the Manila-Acapulco gallon trade, the Spanish authorities started building the Capul Island Lighthouse in 1893 due to increasing maritime traffic in the treacherous San Bernandino Strait which separates Sorsogon in the main Luzon Island and Samar Islands in the Visayas. The Strait is the southern route to Manila from the Pacific Ocean across Mindoro Sea, via the Verde Passage.

Put to use in 1896 before the conical granite structure was finished, work on El Faro de Isla Capul was further delayed with the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution later that year and was finished by the US Army Corps and Engineers during the American period.  Today, it is one of the few Spanish era lighthouses still in operation, and remains popular because of the mansion-like design and amenities of its keeper's house.

How To Get There

From Manila, drive towards the port of Matnog in Sorsogon, where a boat travels once a day to Capul Island.   

Bagacay Point Lighthouse (Destination)

Liloan, Cebu

Sitting atop a gently sloped hill, the new Bagacay Point Lighthouse which replaced the older lighthouse built by the Spaniards in the year 1857, was commissioned on the year 1903 under the order of American Governor General William Howard Taft.  This lighthouse was first lit on April 1, 1905 and remains operational as of this day.

The octagonal structure, which stands 72 feet tall, is all masonry and is one of the best surviving American architectures in the Philippines. Its strategic location in the eastern shore of Cebu Island guides vessels from nearby provinces like Bohol and Leyte into Magellan Bay and the Hilutungan Channel which are important gateways to Cebu Strait from the Philippines Sea.

How To Get There

From Manila, head to Cebu.  The lighthouse is just an hour's drive from the city proper.   

Capones Lighthouse (Destination)

San Antonio, Zambales

Built During the twilight years of Spanish colonial rule, the Capones Lighthouse started operations on August 1, 1890 as a guide to ships approaching Subic Bay and Manila Bay from the West Philippine Sea.  It lies on the western side of Isla de Capon Grande just off the coast of San Antonio town in Zambales.

Standing 50 feet high, the lighthouse is a fine example of Victorian revival architecture, although the original tower has been extended with another level to house the more modern solar powered lamps.  Despite the aging and somewhat neglected structure, it remains operational to this day.

How To Get There

From Manila, head to Iba, Zambales where there are connecting rides to San Antonio.  The shoreline near the lighthouse is one of the entry points to Anawangin Cove. 

Cape Bojeador (Destination)

Burgos, Ilocos Norte

One of the most accessible and most visited, the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse has guided sea vessels which pass through the northeast tip of Luzon for more than a century.  Commissioned in 1887 and first lit on March 30, 1892, the octagonal stone structure sits on on a hill called Vigia de Nagparitan and lights the bend separating the West Philippine Sea and the Babuyan Channel.

With an elevation of 160 meters, this excellently preserved structure is a souvenir from the colonial past of the country.  It is the highest elevated and active Spanish era lighthouse in the Philippines.  The area is now thriving tourist destination, with the pavilion converted into a mini-museum as well as a lodge and the lamp fitted with solar panels.

How To Get There

From Manila, head to Laoag City where transport to Burgos town widely available via the coastal Pan Philippine Highway.  A signboard points to the winding path towards the lighthouse.

Moalboal (Destination)

On Cebu's west coast, peaceful Moalboal is a very popular diving destination located near a small peninsula lines with adozen dive sites. Although there's no good beach along this stretch of coast, Moalboal has a fair amount of hotels, resorts and dive centres, and a good selection of restaurants and lively bars too. Most resorts are located on Panagsama beach, just to the north of the town centre.

Beginners usually start off on the reef just off Panagsama beach, where you simply wade in to reach a dive site with slopes and walls. All the good stuff is just a short boat trip away, however. Copton Point and White beach are two good dive sites with soft and hard corals, including the delicate sea whip, barrel sponges, plenty of damselfish and some pufferfish, triggerfish and turtles. For advanced divers, a trip to Pescador Island, just 10 minutes by boat from Moalboal, is a must. the tiny island is surrounded by walls dropping sharply down from the reef, and you can return to do several dives here. There are coral gardens, caves and plenty of reef and pelagic fish. Another advanced site is Sunken Island, which starts at 22 metres and is primarily known for the variety of fish. Rolf Muehlemann of Sea Explorers enthuses about the marine life near Moalboal: "There have been regular whale shark sightings this year, and white tip sharks are often seen around Pescador Island. Moalboal is also famous for turtles, you see one on nearly every dive. And of course there rare smaller animals like frog fish, pipe and ghost pipe fish and even pegaus fish."

Malapascua Island (Destination)

Just off the northern end of Cebu, Malapascua is a picture-perfect tropical island only a few square kilometers in size, but packing a Cebu-sized punch for its diving and beaches. Its location off the beaten track means that you'll often find yourself diving in small groups, and there are few karaoke bars to keep you awake. The island has several small but lively settlements connected by sandy paths, and there's a hill wit a lighthouse that you can climb for views across Cebu and Leyte. You'll arrive on Bounty Beach, a white flash of sand along the southern part of the island where most resorts and dive centres are based.

Zoe and Tim Latimer, instructors at Exotic Dvie, are enthusiastic about the diving possibilities. "There are plenty of great sites to choose from," says Tim, "if you want the big stuff, go to Monad Shoal to look for the thresher sharks, reef sharks and manta rays. For macro diving, visit Lighthouse reef on a duskdive to spot the mating mandarin fish, sea horses and spiny stumped cuttlefish. I really like Gato Island too, a fantastic two-dive day trip that has everything from sleeping white tip sharks to sea snakes, cuttlefish and seahorses, and a tunnel cutting right through the middle of the island. "Beginners can get their suits wet at the nearby East Garden, a sloping reef with soft corals. Advanced divers will enjoy the Tapilon wreck, a torpedoed Japanese cargo ship, and the deep Pioneer wreck. "My favourite site by far is the Exotic house reef, for the sheer diversity of life that is found there," Zoe remarks, "You can spot ghost pipe fis, frog fish, lion fish, snake eels, squid and and other animals seeking shelter among the sunken jeepney and other artificial structures."

Liloan (Destination)

Liloan is perched on the southern tip of Cebu Island, about 135km from Cebu City. Liloan's diving site may be limited in number, but it is well placed for diving in Visayas, as visitors can easily reach dive sites on Bohol, Siquijor and Apo Island. "It's small peaceful place with a village atmosphere," says Ariel Ronato of the Marine Village Dive House, " It's nice to just wander around and chat to the friendly and helpful locals."

Liloan is well known as a macro diving paradise, but also offers the chance of seeing some big fish. In March and April you have good chance of swimming with whale sharks, mantra rays and dolphins. Beginners need to worry about oversized pelagics they can take it easy in shallows at the Marine Village house reef or at Antenna Point, Where there are soft and hard corals and plenty of rather more normal-sized tropical fish including scorpion fish and banded snake eels. Further away, Maria Elena and santa Maria are two slope dives with bucket sponges, corals and sighting of pufferfish as well as nudibranches.

Perhaps the best sites for open water and advanced divers can be found around tiny sumilon Island, halfan hour east of Liloan. An impressive wall goes down to 40m, with plenty of caves. Local marine life includes angelfish, blueside wrasse, mackerel and turtles. "A favourite diving site of mine is Catadman Point," says Ronato, "There's a small cave, a good cliff and if you're lucky a whale shark will swim by."