A Day in Mandalay: Mahamuni Paya, Mandalay Hill, U Bein Bridge (Amarapura) & Sagaing Hill

Sutaungpyei Pagoda at Mandalay Hill provides expansive views of the city, including the old palace and moat 

Arriving at 3:30 AM on a bus from Bagan to Mandalay - it's streets dark, quiet and obviously abandoned - can be pretty unnerving especially right after the guidebook reveals to you that this booming city in northern Myanmar owes its burgeoning economy to the "red, green and white trades" - that's rubies, jade and heroine. On the other hand, the last-minute read revealed that our arrival at unholy hours was timely... and, well, quite holy.

Mahamuni Paya houses the country's most venerated Buddha covered in six inches of gold leaf!

After negotiating for a full-day tour with a friendly driver of a rundown blue pick-up taxi - the most practical way to see the Mandalay region in 12 hours - we rushed to Mahamuni Paya to catch the daily ritual washing of an 18th century Buddha image. The ritual happens before day break, at 4 AM. We arrived at the temple right on time. Accompanied by prayers and chanting, a procession of monks unlock the iron grills that secure the altar. After the devout and gentle washing, male pilgrims enter the central altar, and affix gold leaf on the image. A friendly temple caretaker ushered the men in our group to enter the central altar, and allowed us to observe how the gold leaf is applied on the statue. Women worship the image behind the men. As the most venerated Buddha image in Myanmar, it has accumulated over six inches of gold on its body!

U Bein Bridge in Amarapura is the longest
teak bridge in the world!

After yummy breakfast of rice noodles at Shwe Pyi Moe Cafe (our cabbie's recommendation) and purchasing our onward bus tickets to Inle Lake (via Taunggyi) at the city terminal, we drove to the foot of Mandalay Hill, where two white giant chinthes (mythical leogryphs) stand. Here, we caught a mini-taxi or "line car" to the top, and descended the hill on foot to save time. Since Mandalay Hill is holy ground, we left our footwear at the pick-up and explored the entire hill barefoot. (Note that visiting the hill before 8:00 AM is a way to avoid paying the USD 10 entrance fee.)

At the summit, Sutaungpyei Pagoda offers a spectacular panorama of the city - including the old city walls and moat, the surrounding plains and the Ayeyarwaddy River. Descending the saungdan (covered stairway), we reached another temple further down the hill, a giant statue of Buddha with his right hand pointing down towards to the city is an imposing sight.

Surrounding the city Mandalay are the townships of Amarapura, Sagaing and Inwa, all former capitals of Myanmar. We only got to visit the first two, as we were pressed for time. The star attraction of Amarapura is U Bein Bridge. A 200-year-old wooden footbridge spanning across the Ayeyarwaddy River for 1.2 km, it is the longest teak bridge in the world, built by salvaging over 1,000 unwanted teak columns from the old palace during the move of the capital from Amarapura to Mandalay in the early 19th century. At sunset, this bridge and its pedestrians are a photographer's darling, providing a stunning silhouette to the retiring orange sunlight. 

A spicy breakfast of rice noodles

Our last stop was the township of Sagaing, best known for its green hills peppered with more temples and pagodas, similar to Mandalay Hill. Getting here, we traversed the Ayeyarwaddy on the scenic Ava Bridge, a modern cantilever bridge built in 1954. The Burmese are some of the kindest people; our cabbie in Mandalay was particularly the kindest I've encountered. On our way to Sagaing, he stopped by a fruit stand to buy us a bunch of sweet longan. "A gift," he insisted with an equally generous smile. 

Courtesy of our clever cab driver, we also managed to bypass paying the entrance fees for foreigners (That's another USD 5 saved per head!). Since we look Burmese, he suggested we dress up like locals by putting on our longyis (men's tube skirt) and keeping quiet as we passed through the military checkpoints, while he hustled his way and paid only the minimal car fee. Sitting right next to the driver, I nervously pretended to be asleep as our driver spoke with the border guards.

Our driver then took us to base of the stairway to the top of Sagaing Hill, where, according to our trusty cabbie, entrance tickets are not regularly checked. At the top of Sagaing Hill was Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda, overlooking the other temples and monasteries perched on the surrounding hills... By 4PM, we had to return to Mandalay to catch a bus to Inle Lake.

From Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda on Sagaing Hill, one can admire the stupa-peppered countryside

For information on how to get to Mandalay, check out my seven-day itinerary in Myanmar.

DIY Walking Tour - Roxas City

Location: Roxas City, Capiz

Starting Point: Manuel Roxas Shrine

End Point: Roxas City Museum (Panublion Museum)

Distance: 1.5 km

Duration: 2 hours

Though much father from famed Boracay Island - four hours, to be exact - the city of Roxas in Capiz province makes for a much more pleasant, laid-back gateway to Western Visayas, compared to neighboring Kalibo in Aklan or even industrialized Iloilo City. Roxas City (formerly Capiz town) was established when Captain Diego de Artieda, who was sent by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi from Cebu, moved the Spanish capital from Pan-ay town in 1569, since Capiz was right next to the coast and made for a strategic location for the purposes of trade and naval defense. 

Manuel Roxas Shrine - birthplace of Capiz' greatest son

When Capiz town became a city in 1951, it was renamed Roxas after its greatest son, President Manuel Acuña Roxas. The city sits at the base of mangrove forests and aquaculture ponds that fan out to the sea, supplying an abundance of marine life that make it the self-proclaimed "Seafood Capital of the Philippines". It's also called the "Venice of the Visayas" after the Panay River that cuts through the town center surrounded by some colonial structures. 

Beautifully-maintained interior of the Roxas Ancestral House 

• The old quarter is centered on the city plaza. Start off at the farthest spot, the Manuel Roxas Shrine at the corner of Rizal and Zamora Streets is the ancestral house where Roxas, the last president of the Commonwealth and first President of the Republic of the Philippines was born on Janury 1, 1892. Today, the shrine is a private residence owned by the Acuña family. Ask the proprietors or caretakers for a tour of its airy, beautifully-preserved interiors filled with hardwood furniture and memorabilia. Donations for the shrine's upkeep are encouraged. 

• Walk up Rizal Street to the city plaza. At the Halaran Plaza is a beautiful bandstand built in the 1920s. A popular venue for political rallies and program launches, its an earthquake-proof structure built by Jose Roldan, the first Filipino principal of the Capiz trade school. Next to the bandstand is a gazebo that houses tourist information center and a police outpost.

Immaculate Conception Metropolitan Cathedral

• The Roxas City Bridge (Old Capiz Bridge) over the Panay River was built in 1910. The bridge provides the best vantage point overlooking the other attractions of the plaza such as the Roxas City Fountain, which was renovated in 2008. It features four sculpted golden horsemen carrying a heavy arch, symbolizing unity and cooperation, especially in times of crisis. 

• Another impressive structure in the plaza is the Capiz Provincial Capitol built in 1915. It was designed by American architect William Parsons, blending 19th century Spanish-Filipino architecture with neoclassical American styles.

• The centerpiece of the plaza is the Immaculate Conception Metropolitan Cathedral Parish (Roxas Cathedral). The stone church was finished in 1876, after a primitive original structure was destroyed by typhoon in 1698. The church was severely damaged during Second World War, and was rebuilt in 1954. Don't forget to peek into the woodsy, air-conditioned adoration chapel on the right side of the cathedral.

Panublion Museum used to be water tank built in 1910

• Passing along quaint cutflower stands, a new industry in Capiz province, head to the white-painted Ang Panublion (Roxas City Museum), a water tank built 1910 converted into a small museum showcasing President Roxas memorabilia and artifacts of the Panay Bukidnon, an indigenous tribe that lives in the highlands of Capiz. Donations for the museum's upkeep are encouraged.

Diwal clams - a Roxas specialty

• No trip to Roxas is complete without feasting on delicious sea critters. After all, it's not dubbed the "Seafood Capital of the Philippines" for nothing. After the walking tour, one may hop on a tricycle (PHP 20) to the seaside boulevard along Baybay Beach, where there are native restaurants selling affordable seafood. A generous dinner for two of blue marlin, squid, crabs and clams was only PHP 420! Sample the province's specialty are diwal (angel wing clams)...

HOW TO GET THERE: There are direct flights between Manila and Roxas. The city center is 10 minutes from the airport. Ride a tricycle (PHP 10/pax). From Kalibo, Roxas is 1.5 hours by van (A/C: PHP 120, non-A/C: PHP 100). From Iloilo City, Roxas is 2.5 hours by van (PHP 140). Van terminals are located at KM 1, Roxas Avenue.

WHERE TO STAY: Halaran Plaza Hotel, a house built in 1910, sits along the Panay River, near the Bandstand. This rustic place offers spacious rooms starting at PHP 500 for a double fan room. Address: P. Gomez cor. Washington Sts, Roxas City. Tel: (+6336) 621-0649

Caramoan Peninsula: Sabitan Laya, Lahuy, Cotivas & Guinahoan Islands

The gang strutting our stuff at Sabitan Laya, ala Survivor

My travel buddy Jessica and I spent our birthday weekend with friends at Caramoan Peninsula in Camarines Sur, an anvil-shaped piece of land jutting out of southeast Luzon that fractures into numerous islands, some of them boasting karst formations akin to El Nido and Coron. This island paradise catapulted to world-wide stardom starting in 2007 as the setting of the French, Swedish, Bulgarian, Serbian, Israeli and, most recently, Indian franchise of the hit reality TV show, Survivor. The islands are leased by the franchise for 25 years. (Consequently, some of the islands are off limits to tourists when there are shootings.)

The vanishing Manlawi Sand Bar in Lahuy Island

Due to the choppy condition of the Pacific waters, our island-hopping activities centered amidst the sheltered waters of Caramoan's western isles just north of the jump-off jetty of Bikal. First stop: Sabitan Laya Beach on an arrowhead-shaped island with a cluster of karst outcrops at its tip, from which two stretches of fine beaches radiate from.

The less-visited Guinahoan Island boasts of Batanes-like rolling pastures and dramatic cliffs

Further north is the large island of Lahuy, where a large sandbank called Manlawi Sand Bar appears only during low tide. It's a great place to have lunch; for PHP 200, local villagers can instantly assemble a makeshift bamboo cottage for your food and belongings. Make sure to finish lunch before the tide rushes in! Next to Lahuy is Cotivas Island, a smaller island with a more permanent sandbank on its eastern end, and striated rock formations on the other.

Friendly islanders welcome us in their village of nipa (palm) huts at Guinahoan Island

Unfortunately, due to the unpredictable weather last weekend, the postcard-pretty karst spots of Gota Beach, Matukad Island and Lahos Island were crossed out of the itinerary. (I'm hoping to return within the year to check out these remaining islands.) In lieu of them, we were taken to Guinahoan Island, next to Cotivas. Because Guinahoan is not often frequented by travelers, our arrival prompted a sunny welcome by the villagers, many of them children who eagerly offered to guide our group to the lighthouse at the highest point of the island.  According to our boatman, only guests of West Peninsula Villas are permitted to visit Guinahoan Island since a staff member of the resort is from this island. Just when I thought that Caramoan Islands were all about jagged limestone islands, Guinahoan was a welcome surprise with its rolling pastures, dramatic cliffs, crashing surf and languid cattle, very reminiscent of the famed isles of Batanes!

Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Caramoan town

Back in Caramoan town, not to be missed before leaving the peninsula is the red-brick Church of St. Michael the Archangel, which harps back to the Spanish period, when the town was first established as a settlement called Baluarte amidst impenetrable rainforest by a zealous missionary named Francisco de la Cruz y Oropesa.

Small bangka at Guijalo Port, Caramoan

HOW TO GET THERE: Frequent buses ply between Manila and Naga (7 to 8 hours). A deluxe Peñafrancia Bus (with onboard toilets) to Naga costs PHP 900 per way. There are also flights between both cities. 

Getting to Caramoan involves transfering from Naga to Sabang port (1 hour) in San Jose, then catching a lantsa (outrigger ferry) (PHP 120, 2 hours) or ro-ro ferry boat (PHP 150, 2.5 hours) to Guijalo port in Caramoan municipality.

Though connected to mainland Luzon, Caramoan proper is more accessible by sea because the road that connects it to the rest of the province remains undeveloped. From Guijalo, it's a 20-minute ride to Caramoan town, where most of the budget guesthouses are, halfway to the northern jetty of Bikal where bangkas (outrigger boats) take tourists to the numerous offshore islands. A full-day boat rental would normally cost 1,500 to 2,500 depending on the distance of the islands to be visited.

For a DIY budget breakdown, check out this entry by Tripadora.

West Peninsula Villas offers best-value accommodations!

Since we were 12 in the group, we opted for an ALL-IN hassle-free 3D/2N tour package from our accommodation, West Peninsula Villas (westpen.i.ph) in Caramoan town, at only PHP 3,500 per head. After comparing several packages promoted online, this was the best value we found, which included all of the following:


• Round-trip A/C van transfers - Naga Airport to Sabang Port
• Round-trip boat transfers - Sabang Port to Guijalo Port (Caramoan)
• A/C Villa Accommodation with CATV, CR and free wifi zone (4 pax per room)
• Six (6) meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner)
• Boat rental for two (2) days of island-hopping
• Service Vehicle within Caramoan town
• Entrance fees
• Friendly tour guide
• Free souvenir
• Free one (1) night karaoke at Lake Bar

For inquiries, contact Mr. Jean "Dens" Sancho Jr. of West Peninsula Villas at +63 9153295669 or +63 9212642538.

WHERE TO STAY: West Peninsula Villas offers the best value in town with A/C thatch-roofed rooms that accommodate 4 to 6 pax each. The 4 pax villa is only PHP 1,500. Billiards. Amenities include a floating bar, videoke room, mini gym, free wifi, dart game, pool table and basketball court. When filming the Survivor series, some of the production crew stays here. Some props and obstacles used in the show decorate the resort grounds.