New York & Canada trip < July 15 - 26, 2009>

My family and I have joined the EAST COAST & CANADA 8 DAYS DELUXE TOUR last July 15 and go back to L.A. on July 26, as we have extended our vacation to New Yor and Atlantic City for another week.

I am writing this letter (very long, hoping you have time to read it) to extend our deep and sincere appreciation to our Tour Guide and Bus Driver who did a marveous job conducting our tour.  We also thank our travel agent, Travel International for arranging everything.

I do not know if you knew well enough and have experienced about our tour guide and bus driver or knew their full capabilities, and if you don't believe it is to your best interest if we tell you what we have seen and experienced about those two guys during our 8-days tour.

Bus Driver

His name and we knew him as Kim.  He was absolutely terrific.  Very cool, relax and collected and very focuse in his driving.  Not a single moment did he made us feel uncomfortable in his driving.  Seemingly, he knew all and every streets and streets corner of the many places we visited. He was absolutely certain where we were heading to and never became tentative in his directions.  It's s smooth driving/ride through and through.  I considered myself expert driver but I am convinced I am no match to him.  One time I asked Tony (Tour guide) if the driver is using a GPS and Tony said---"He has a much better GPS, all the directions are embedded in his brain", I was in awe.

Kim was very helpful. Starting in the morning from the hotel he gathered all and everyone's baggage and nicely loaded them in the bus, and at the end of the day he unloaded them when we arrived at the hotel for our every night stay.  Despite the large volume of baggage he was loading and unloading each day he was always cheerful and never showed sign of indifference.  It's a routine, he does it everyday.

Tour Guide

His name is Tony Chen.  Tony is a short guy, regulard built, maybe lass than 5 feet tall.  I called hims "small but terrible".  Tony started the day by greeting every body after everyone was seated in the bus.  He would say...."Good morning to everybody, I hope you all had a nice rest last night, and you are all OK for our next trip".  Since 95% of us on the bus (full to its capacity, over 50 people) were Chinese National Tony repeated the same greeting in chinese language, and every statement he made in English hre repeat them in chinese and vice versa.  Tony started the day by telling us our schedule for the day...the places to visit and the highlights of the trip.  Our routes and lenght of time to travel to our first destiantion to the next, and lenght of time of out visit on each place, and narrating to us the history or legend of each place we visited.  He mastered the history and narrating to us the history or legend of every place and never mumbled as he narrated them in a prayerful fashion, an indication of his mastery of his subjects.  And when the distance we travel were long and people sleep Tony up his microphone and wake us up as we arrive to our next stop.  Like Kim, TOny is super cool.  As we got out of the bus and have our walking tour he led and guided us (with his big bright yellow umbrella clearly visible from a far)  all the way everywhere.  Always cheerful and smiling and never get tired talking and explaining to everybody the history and legend of the places, their highlights etc.  Very kind and approachable and never got irritated by people in the bus who kept asking him many questions.  One time I asked Tony where he got and learned his phases of history and legends of those places we have visited and he said...by reading lot of books and magazines, the internet and research about those places.  He said, even at night in his hotel room before he goes to bed, to sharpen his memory for our next day trip, he read more books about the places we are visiting the next day. Here is a clincher for Tony.  One morning a Chinese guy "bulshitted" Tony for no valid reason, and TOny just kept his calm and cool composure.  Here's what happened.  One morning as we boarded the bus for our next trip, the guy and Tony were arguing for something in Chinese language.  I do not understand exaclty what they were arguing but I could sensed they were arguing about "the seat arrangement" in the bus.  The Chinese guy was so rude, impolite and disrespectful, screaming on top of his voice to Tony.  But Tony was cool as ice mainting his composure talking kindly and softly to the guy.  Everybody inside the bus was stunned by the guy's rudeness.

From London, Benjie and Carmen Gonzales of Long Beach California took the Le Shuttle to France. The trip in the 50 kilometer tunnel was about 2 and half hours. France is the largest country in the European Union, and the second largest in the entire Europe. It is one of the world’s foremost powers for many centuries. Metropolitan France is bordered by Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Andorra and Spain. France is a founding member of the United Nations, as well as the European Union. It is the most visited country in the world, receiving 82 million foreign tourists annually.

Upon reaching France, the Gonzales’s drove south to Paris for a guided tour of the Louvre Museum, and its famous Winged Victory and Mona Lisa. The Gonzales’s described the Louvre Museum as enormous. The collections are so vast, diverse, and breathtaking that they felt like navigating a maze of distinct artistic and cultural worlds.

The former seat of French Royalty, the Louvre emerged in the 12th century as a medieval fortress, and slowly evolved into its status of a public arts museum during the French revolution in the late 18th century. Since then, it has become the world’s most visited museum and an enduring symbol of French excellence in the arts.

The Louvre Museum has eight thematic departments with 35,000 pieces of artwork dating from the antiquity to the early modern period. Its permanent collection includes masterpieces by European masters i.e., Da Vinci, Delacroix, Vermeer, and Rubens, as well as unsurpassed Greco-Roman, Egyptian, or Islamic arts collections.

The Mona Lisa painting by Leonardo da Vinci is the most famous painting in the Louvre. da Vinci who was born near Florence in Italy was a genius in many fields including music and engineering. He painted Mona Lisa between 1503 and 1506. The Gonzales’s were overwhelmed to see up close and personal the famous painting that showcases the world famous subtle smile of Mona Lisa.

The 500-year-old masterpiece hangs alone on a wall in the museum's Salle des Etats that gives millions of people who come to see the Mona Lisa every year a better view of the painting. The painting, which measures just 53 by 76 centimeters or 21 by 30 inches, hangs behind non-reflective, unbreakable glass to protect it from climatic changes, camera flashes and damage.

Another interesting piece of art at the Louvre Museum is the Winged Victory of Samothrace. It is a third century B.C. marble sculpture of the Greek
Goddes Nike, which means Victory, discovered by a French archeologist in 1863. It is one of the most celebrated sculptures in the world. The work is notable for its naturalistic pose and for the rendering of the figure's draped garments, as if rippling in a strong sea breeze, which is considered especially compelling.

To give visitors a respite from an exhausting tour of the huge museum, there are shopping and dining facilities, i.e., the Le Grand Louvre, found just below the Pyramid offers gourmet specialties in a classic setting; the Café Denon on the lower ground floor offers snacks and casual meals, and the Café Richelieu on the second floor, offers more casual dining possibilities. There is also the Louvre Bookshop in the Hall of Napoleon under the Pyramid, and which sells France’s largest selection of art history titles. And then there is the popular Carousel du Louvre, a shopping center that offers designer fashion, home design shops, fine gifts and many others.

The many interesting, and historical masterpieces at the Louvre Museum are so mind boggling, but at the end of the daylong tour, even those who have little interest in art will leave the place feeling fulfilled and happy, as they have gotten a glimpse of a colorful history reflected in those masterpieces.

If are planning a tour or Europe, and see the places that the Gonzales’s visited, call us at Travel International (310) 327-5143 or visit us on the web, www.travelinternational.net.

As everybody knows, Buckingham Palace is the London residence of the British monarchy. It was among the historical landmarks that Benjie and Carmen Gonzales of Long Beach California, visited in their tour of Europe. The Palace is a setting for state occasions, royal entertaining, and is a major tourist attraction. More than 50,000 people reportedly visit the palace each year as guests to banquets, lunches, dinners, receptions, and the royal garden parties. When the Queen is at home, the yellow and crimson Royal Standard flies and when she is not, the Union flag flies .

The 19 State Rooms are the working places for Queen Elizabeth II and members of the Royal family. These are also used regularly by Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family for official and state entertaining. The State Rooms include the Throne Room, Picture Gallery and Ballroom, which is the largest room in Buckingham Palace. It is used for investitures and State banquets. The Grand Staircase, the Throne Room, and the Picture Gallery feature many world-renowned works of art. All the State rooms are opulently decorated with some of the finest pictures, tapestries and works of art from the Royal Collection. The extended visitor route includes a 450 meter walk through the south side of the Palace Gardens, considered the largest private gardens in London.

A must-see in the Buckingham Palace is the “Changing of the Guard Ceremony.” The Queen's Guard is changed at 11:30 in the morning inside the gates of Buckingham Palace and can be viewed from outside. It is a 40-minute ceremony and is the greatest display of pageantry in London. A similar ceremony not to miss is the changing of the Queen's Life Guard at Horse Guards, Whitehall, which offers a closer look at the pageantry.

The Monarchy, which Dates back over ten centuries, plays an important role in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

Benjie and Carmen marveled at the magnificence of the historical place. Whether you plan to take a tour in Buckingham Palace for a voyeuristic look at royal life throughout the ages, or simply look from outside the palace walls, Benjie and Carmen said guests of London will surely be impressed by the magnificence of this historical place.

The House of Parliaments was next in the destination of the Gonzales’s. Its origin dates back to the 12th century. By the 14th century two distinct Houses, the Commons and the Lords had developed. The Commons involved representatives from counties, towns and cities, the Lords already consisted of members of the nobility and clergy.

Another interesting site in the city is the London Tower. Founded nearly a millennium ago and expanded over the centuries, the tower stands guard by the River Thames. It is an impressive London landmark walls. It is replete with historical relics like instruments of torture, including the infamous block and axe, and many others used in past centuries on prisoners. The ancient tower was where Anne Boleyn was executed. It has protected, housed, imprisoned and has been for many, the last sight they saw on earth.

The Tower of London has been the seat of British government and the living quarters of monarchs. It is also the site of renowned political intrigue, and the repository of the Crown Jewels. Here, a film on the coronation ceremonies of Queen Elizabeth II is shown. Inside the Treasury, there is the Imperial State Crown worn at the State Opening of Parliament. Also deposited in the Crown Jewels is the world's largest, top-quality cut diamond, Cullinan I, set in the Sovereign's Scepter. Wardens are on hand to answer any questions about the priceless collection.

Benjie and Carmen were filled with awe as they concluded their tour of the various historical landmarks in London. From there, the couple proceeded to France and that will be the subject of our next column.

If you want to see the places that the Gonzales’s visited, call us at Travel International (310) 327-5143 or visit us on the web, www.travelinternational.net.

Next in the destination of Benjie and Carmen Gonzales of Long Beach California, in their tour of Europe was the Westminster Abbey. A Gothic Monastery Church, Westminster Abbey is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English monarchs. Despite being called a church, Westminster Abbey, the couple learned that it is neither a cathedral nor a parish church. It is however a church owned directly by the royal family.

Westminster Abbey is located next to the House of Parliament and a must- see for any London visitor, the couple suggested. The glorious medieval architecture dates back to the year 1050.

Found in the Abbey is the coronation throne where monarchs of England have been crowned since the 1300s. Fans of William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, and other giants of literature will enjoy the Poet's Corner full of memorials to these and others.

English history or Christian history buffs will enjoy seeing the tombs of the Protestant Elizabeth I and Catholic "Bloody" Mary as well as the tombs of David Livingstone and Charles Darwin. Ten 20th-century Christian martyrs such as Deitrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Oscar Romero were immortalized in stone statues over the Great West Door.

The historic Abbey was built by Edward the Confessor between 1045-1050 and was consecrated on December 28, 1065. According to legend the construction was an act of redemption on the part of Edward who failed to keep a vow to go on a pilgrimage.

The original Abbey, which was in the Romanesque style, was built to house Benedictine monks. It was rebuilt in the Gothic style between 1245-1517. The first phase of the rebuilding was organized by Henry III, as a shrine to honor Edward the Confessor and as a suitably regal setting for Henry's own tomb, under the highest Gothic nave in England. The work was largely finished by the architect Henry Yevele in the reign of King Richard II. Henry VII added a Perpendicular style chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary in 1503.

The Abbey suffered damage during the turbulent 1640s, when it was attacked by Puritan iconoclasts, but was again protected by its close ties to the state during the Commonwealth period. It was restored to the Benedictines under Queen Mary, but they were again ejected under Queen Elizabeth I in 1559. In 1579, Elizabeth re-established Westminster as a "royal peculiar," responsible directly to the sovereign, rather than to a diocesan bishop.

Until the 19th century, Westminster was the third seat of learning in England, after Oxford and Cambridge. It was there that the first third of the King James Bible Old Testament and the last half of the New Testament were translated. The New English Bible was also put together there in the 20th century.

Husband and wife Benjie and Carmen were amazed to learn that the Abbey was the setting of a climactic scene in the Dan Brown’s novel, The Da Vinci Code.

So, are you now considering Europe for your next vacation? Call us at Travel International, (310) 327-5143 and our efficient and friendly travel associates will be glad to assist you. You can also visit us on the web, www.travelinternational.net .

Part of an afternoon activity for Benjie and Carmen Gonzales on their second day in London was a relaxing stroll at the Trafalgar Square. Situated at the heart of London, Trafalgar Square is one of the city’s most vibrant open spaces.  

Built between 1827 and 1835, Trafalgar Square has since become the centre for political demonstrations that regularly occur today.  The Square is also the main point in London for New Year celebrations and which image is transmitted around the world as London welcomes a new year.

The square honors one of England’s heroes, Nelson who died in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.  A 145 foot granite column named after him dominates Trafalgar Square. At the base of the column are a set of giant Lion statues. Other lesser statues are dotted around the square. The Gonzales’s learned that directly underneath the Nelson’s Column is a government bunker installed in the 1950’s in preparation for nuclear war.

Other statues in the square include Charles I, George IV, Admiral Beatty, Admiral Cunningham, Admiral Jellico, General Napier and General Havelock.

Dominating the northern side of Trafalgar Square is the National Gallery, which is one of London’s largest and most impressive art galleries.  Facing the Gallery to the right at the bottom of the central staircase is, the Café.

Benjie and Carmen were delighted to see a coffee shop where travelers can stop for a quick rest and snack as they go on with their stroll. But more than just coffee and snacks, the Cafe offers an all-day menu, a bar and sumptuous seasonal treats. Food and beverages that have been freshly prepared from natural ingredients and are locally sourced are served in a warm and inviting environment. The café can be accessed via the elevators near the north terrace, is wheelchair accessible, and has a low-level counter and induction loop. The cafe is open seven days a week from 10am to 6pm.  Around the corner of the building is the National Portrait Gallery.  Both are open to the public free of charge.

On the eastern side of Trafalgar Square is a church which has stood there since the 13th century. Inside the church are a coffee shop, a bookshop, a homeless shelter, craft market and the London Brass Rubbing Center.

At the south western corner of Trafalgar Square is The Mall, a long straight and wide boulevard that connects the Square with Buckingham Palace through St. James Park. At the entrance to the mall from Trafalgar Square is Admiralty Arch, a grand imposing structure built in 1911 as a memorial to Queen Victoria. Government apartments and offices are housed in the area today.

At the southern exit to Trafalgar Square is Whitehall.  It is from this junction that all roads are connecting to the Westminster Abbey and the House of Parliament.

To the north and east of Trafalgar Square is the main Theatre District around Leicester Square and Covent Garden, which come alive in the evening. To the south and southwest of Trafalgar Square is the Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, which we will feature in our next column.

The nearest London Underground station to Trafalgar Square is Charing Cross on the northern side and Bakerloo Lines. Also convenient is Leicester Square just north of Trafalgar Square.  As the Square is strategically located in the centre of London, travelers somehow pass through or around it.

If you want to experience what the Gonzales's experienced in their European tour, call us at Travel International, (310) 327-5143 and our travel specialists will be more than happy to book your flight and plan your itinerary. You can also visit us on the web, www.travelinternational.net.

Next in the destination of Benjie and Carmen Gonzales of Long Beach, California in their European tour was the British Museum. Their visit to the museum was in the afternoon of their second day, which was terribly hectic. Among those visited was the Trafalgar Square, the Westminster Abbey, the Buckingham Palace and the Parliament houses. Since there are a lot of interesting things to mention in those visits, we are featuring each one per week.

The British Museum is Located in Bloomsbury, an area noted for its bookshops, especially around the nearby Charing Cross Road and fairly isolated from other blockbuster sights of London. Coffee shops, pubs and restaurants mushroomed in the Bloomsbury area that  a month-long stay would not even be enough to experience all of them.

The Gonzales’s were amazed at the grandeur of the British Museum. Founded in 1753, the museum has grown to become one of the largest Museums in the world, showcasing approximately 14 million items from its collection drawn from all over the world. There are nearly one hundred galleries open to the public, representing 3.2 kilometers of exhibition space.

Through the years, the museum expanded, more buildings were added to house the growing number of collections and accommodate more tourists and render more services to the public.

Among the latest addition was the Queen Elizabeth II Great Court.  It is a covered square at the center of the British Museum.  It is said to be the largest covered square in Europe. The roof is uniquely shaped panes of 1,656 glass and steel. At the centre of the Great Court is the Reading Room opened to the public who wishes to spend time reading there.

The British Museum houses the world's largest and most comprehensive collection of Egyptian antiquities outside the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.  The collection includes objects from all periods that are of virtual importance to Egypt and Sudan.

The department on Greek and Roman Antiquities of the British Museum has one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of antiquities in the world.  The collections begin with the classical world, the Greek Bronze Age, to the reign of the Roman Emperor Constantine in the 4^th century AD, with some pagan survivals. The department also houses one of the widest ranging collections of Italic and Etruscan antiquities and extensive groups of materials from Cyprus.

The Department of the Middle East has the greatest collection of Mesopotamian antiquities outside Iraq. The holdings of Assyrian, Babylonian and Sumerian antiquities are among the most comprehensive in the world.  The department also houses collections from Persia, the Arabian Peninsula, Anatolia, Caucasus, parts of Central Asia, Syria, Palestine, and Phoenician settlements in the western Mediterranean from the pre-historic period until the beginning of Islam in the 17^th century.

For art and artifacts enthusiasts, and those in world history, the British Museum is the best place to go. The Gonzales’s were overwhelmed by the wealth of materials it showcases,  covering the entire world and dating back to even before the time of Christ.

If you want to see the places we feature in this column, call us at Travel International (310)327-5143, or visit us on the web, www.travelinternational.net.

It was the first time in Europe for Benjie and Carmen Gonzales of Long Beach. The couple said they could not believe they were actually in places they used to see in movies. They were so amazed at the grandeur of the historical buildings and landscape of London.

On the second day of their European trip, the Gonzales’s toured the city’s historical landmarks, among them Tower of London with its priceless jewels and the St. Paul’s Cathedrals, the second largest in the world.

The St. Paul Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of London and a major landmark in the city. It is located on Ludgate Hill in the financial district of London. Built between 1675 and 1710, it is the fourth cathedral to occupy the site, which was sacred even before Christianity arrived. The cathedral's immediate predecessor was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666.

St. Paul's Cathedral is laid out in the shape of a cross. The longer end of the main arm of the cross is called the nave, while the two ends of the shorter arm are called the transepts.

At the top end of the cross-shaped cathedral are the choir and the altar, where the sacrament of communion takes place. There is a great dome, marked by a great circle on the floor beneath it. The crypt is in a basement underneath the cathedral. It contains over 200 memorials as well as another chapel and the treasury. Sir Christopher Wren, the architect of the cathedral, was the first person to be buried there in 1723. Among the notable figures buried in the St. Paul’s Cathedral crypt was Florence Nightingale.

The main entrance to St. Paul is through the West Porch, which is approached from Ludgate Hill. The couple was thrilled to learn that it was there where Prince Charles and Lady Diana emerged as husband and wife in 1981. A large stairway leads up to six sets of double columns and the Great West Door.

The Gonzales’s observed that within the cathedral are plaques, carvings, monuments and statues dedicated to a wide range of people. The bulks are related to the British military with several lists of servicemen who died in action.  The most recent one was the Gulf War. Also remembered are poets, painters, clergy and residents of the local parish and other prominent people in earlier times.

The nave has three small chapels in the two adjoining aisles. To north aisle is St. Dunstan's Chapel, which was one of the earliest parts of the cathedral to be used. It was originally known as the Morning Chapel, as it was designed to be the place where the clergy and a small congregation would say the morning set of prayers. In 1905 it was dedicated to St. Dunstan, who was Bishop of London and Archbishop of Canterbury over 1,000 years ago.  The All Souls Chapel is further down the north aisle.  It is dedicated primarily to soldiers of World War I.  The Chapel of the Order of St. Michael and St. George is across from St. Dunstan's on the south aisle. This was originally the consistory court, which was where the bishop sat in judgment over the clergy, or priests.

The Gonzales's were so awed with how huge the Cathedral was. After their visit to the cathedral, they proceeded to the other interesting landmarks in London, which we will feature in our next column.

If you have some questions, call us at Travel International (310) 327-5143 and our friendly Travel Specialists will be glad to assist you. You can also visit us on the web, www.travelinternational.net.

Another client of Travel International Group, Inc., a couple from Long Beach wrote back to us to tell us the great time the couple had in Europe, and whose flight we booked and which itinerary we prepared.  Travel International also took care of the couple’s visa requirements in France and Spain. The couple, Benjie and Carmen Gonzales took an overnight flight to London from the U.S. for the first leg of their European grand tours.

Having lived in Long Beach, California for several years where the weather is near perfect, the couple was welcomed by some rain in London, also popularly called as the “Fog City.” But that did not dampen their spirit. They had somehow expected it since London is famed for its abundance of rain and fog any time of the year. They were blessed with a fair weather though. There are times when the fog get so thick especially during the winter season that some shops put their lights on at noon, and people on the streets are hardly visible. In their case, it did not happen. 

But more than just the fog, London, which is the capital of England, has a lot of attractions to offer visitors. From its colorful history in which one can explore the origins of western culture to its stunning vistas, and traditional attractions, London promises something for everyone. Visitors will be stunned by the world's most incredible collections of modern art, while the city's 30,000 stores and boutiques will exhaust even the most avid shopper. With its 6,000 restaurants visitors will realize why the Britons revere their chefs as celebrities.

London is situated in southeastern England along the Thames River. It has a population of about 7 million, and by far considered the largest city in Europe, a distinction it has maintained since the 17th century. Although London no longer ranks among the world’s most populous cities, it is still considered one of the world’s major financial and cultural capitals.

In its dark and troubled past, London, has survived Roman occupancy, sackings from the Celts, Vikings and Saxons, a Norman invasion, two great fires, the bubonic plague, and Nazi bombings.

This past partly defines London’s image. Its major buildings and institutions represent 2000 years of community history. Its image is also the product of a new multiethnic mix of people and the creative impulse of the new popular culture of “Cool Britannia,” a phrase Britain’s promoters conceived in the mid-1990s to portray Britain as modern and trendy.

Modern London remains the focus of world events. Its influence in politics, culture, education, entertainment, media and sport, all contribute to its status as one of the key global cities.

By European standards, London is physically spread out and dispersed. It has no predominant focal point. But the city’s character is found in its diverse and distinct sections. Many of these sections began as separate villages. Today, they maintain some of their individual identities.

More of the Gonzales’s European grand tours in our succeeding columns.  If you have any questions, call Travel International, (310) 327-5143 or log on to our website, www.travelinternational.net.

Below is the continuing account of Emil Perito, the incumbent president of AFTA, and owner of Air Plus travel. AFTA as the group visited Palawan in September as part of the groups’s familiarization tour of the Philippines’ various destination.

Our schedule for the following day was to conduct an ocular inspection of El Rio y Mar Resort and to spend the night in that resort prior to our trip back to Manila. Our scheduled trip however faced a lot of challenges when the weather started to get worst as a result of the typhoon. The sea was rough, the wind was so strong that our trip to El Rio y Mar Resort was pronounced risky. We were informed that the flight for that day from Manila to Palawan was already cancelled. We didn’t give up easily, in fact we waited for the whole morning hoping the weather will get better and it did. At one in the afternoon we were given a go-signal to travel. We took off and left for a 30 minutes boat ride to El Rio y Mar Resort.

El Rio y Mar Resort was formerly known as Maricaban Resort. The resort is owned by the same owner of Club Paradise Island. El Rio y Mar Resort has 7 bay view cabanas. The cabanas were made of imported Cedar and Native Wood with thatched roof and veranda that provides guest of panoramic view of the ocean and different islands across. What is so appealing about the resort is the romantic ambiance it offers combined with serenity and beauty of the surrounding environment.

One of the best spots of the resort is its port, which serves as a floating bar and a place to hang around with friends or other guests. During night time with a clear sky, one could settle down in the port and enjoy the sight of starlit skies while sipping one’s favorite drinks and listening to pipe in music. During the day, guests could see different species of fish in the crystal clear water around the area.

El Rio y Mar has a number of amenities to offer. The well maintained swimming pool is available 24 hours a day. Guests have other activities to choose from such as scuba diving, banana boat ride, snorkeling, video and videoke, indoor and outdoor games, and island hopping.  Available also is spa and massage service.

The resort is strictly complying Palawan’s  environment conservation program.  Therefore it is prohibited to do fishing activity within the 300 meters away from the seashore.

Palawan is the largest province in the Philippines in terms of size. Its 1,780 islands cover a land area of nearly 1.5 million hectares. The province has one capital city, Puerto Princesa and 23 municipalities, half of them found in outlying islands. Palawan has one of the lowest populations in the country, with less than 800,000 residents.

Known for its bountiful resources, both terrestrial and marine, Palawan boasts of having the only two natural World Heritage Sites in the country.

The best time to visit Palawan is from March to May, when the weather is favourable for sea travel, which is necessary for all trips in the island provinces. The northeast monsoon blows from November to February, while the southwest monsoon from June to October, by which time, the seas become quite rough as we have witnessed.

From high-end resorts that could cost hundreds of dollars per night, to native-style cottages that can be rented for a few hundred pesos, Palawan has every type of accommodation to suit any guest’s taste and budget.

For inquiries of places published in this column, please call our Certified Travel Specialists at  Travel International (310) 327-5143 or you can visit our website, www.travelinternational.net.