The new
slogan of the
Philippine's Department of Tourism (DOT) is "
It's more fun in the Philippines". The slogan received some praise and it also has its share of critics. Me? I would rather support it. So in the spirit of the new thrust of DOT, I will try to write articles relating to it.
It's summer already and some of you might be looking for places to visit and explore. Today, I'm gonna share my recent visit to the town of Argao. The municipality of Argao is located 68 kilometers south of
Cebu City.
 |
| Do you like my cap? |
 |
| A giant guitar? |
 |
| What a big Torta! |
The first place we visited when we went there is the town's Church. This Church was completed in 1788. Argao's patron saint is
St. Michael the Archangel. The
feast day is on September 29 (just like
Jagna, Bohol, my dad's hometown). Just like the typical towns in
Philippine provinces, the church is located near the municipal hall and the
town plaza. You can take a lot of awesome pictures when you are in the town center. The plaza is clean and well maintained.
 |
| Hot choco later! |
 |
| Pic with Guilang Tableya's lady boss |
 |
| Bought a dozen and after 2 days it was gone |
We next visited the places where we can buy Argao's famous products and delicacies. We visited Guilang Tableya where you can buy one of the best Tableya or unsweetened chocolate rounds in Cebu. Guilang Tableya has been producing chocolate rounds since the American occupation. We have met the proud owner and founder of the business. If you love sikwate (hot chocolate) or champorado, you have to buy some tableya from Argao.
We also visited Jessie's Torta. Torta is Argao's most popular delicacy. Torta de Tuba is produced using Tuba or coconut wine instead of yeast. The people of Argao are so proud of this delicious food that they named the town's festival as "La Torta Festival". I bought a dozen of freshly baked Torta for 300 pesos ($6.70). The Torta could be perfect for your hot sikwate in the morning.
 |
| Posing with the statue of Mangao |
 |
| Don't shake while on the hanging bridge |
 |
| Wanna paddle? |
 |
| Swing! |
 |
| "Tempura" for snacks |
Next in our itinerary was Argao Nature Park. The park has a mini-zoo, canopy walk, zip line, rent-a-boat and other stuff that kids and young at heart can enjoy. The entrance fee is only 5 pesos (10 cents). The place also has a WiFi connection so you can actually connect to the world while being there. You can learn some history of the town by reading markers in the park. There is also a playground outside the nature park where children can play the whole day for free. There are also people selling snacks like "tempura" and dirty ice cream near the playground.
 |
| The beach is a good backdrop for jump shots |
 |
| Mahayahay is a good place to skimboard |
The last stop of our road trip was the beach. A lot of people go to Mahayahay Beach during weekends. You can actually take a dip for free. It is a free beach where you can skim board or just jump around and take pics. There are cottages and houses for rent should you wish to stay longer.
Spending a day in Argao is not so expensive. The town is very child-friendly and you can have a very memorable weekend without spending so much. The next time you want to have a budget friendly adventure, try exploring Argao and bring some torta and tableya for me!
Links:
makasuya that guy who's skimboarding. i've never learned to balance like that :D
ReplyDeleteIt's never too late. Summer na sad, time to head for the beach! :)
ReplyDeleteI also like the new tourism slogan. But how many times should we change a tourism slogan? In our country, it's when there's a new president which means the change depends on politics and that's pathetic. I hope this slogan will be retained for a long time under many administrations. Camiguin Island Resort
ReplyDeleteYep Phil! Hopefully this will the campaign for the years or decades to come and may all Filipinos embrace the slogan and indeed make the Philippines truly more fun. ;)
ReplyDelete