Ligñon Hill has a perfect view of Mt. Mayon

Ligñon Hill has a beautiful landscape and a 360-degree view of Legaspi City and Mt. Mayon. By the way, after Daraga Church, we headed to this stunning place. Kuya Lijong dropped us by the entrance, and we settled the payment, but he left. Instead of a continuous ascent, we had a buko break first. Relaxed and regained the fluid we lost. The road to the summit is concrete and surrounded by hardwood trees, so the ambiance while we were walking was relaxing, with the cold wind blowing. And after 30 minutes, we finally reached the summit. Beautiful landscape and a 360-degree view of Legaspi City and the hidden Mt. Mayon. Commercial establishments such as souvenir shops and food stalls are available. By the way, restrooms are also available.

Daraga Church

Daraga Church is also known as Our Lady of the Gate Parish Church and Nuestra Señora de la Porteria Parish Church. Its structure has a Baroque design built by the Franciscan Friars in 1773. It served as the place of worship after the church of Cagsawa was destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Mayon in 1814. Also, this church served as the station of Japanese soldiers during the Second World War in 1945. It was rebuilt from 1971 to 1973. By the way, we still wish that Mt. Mayon would show its perfect cone at our next destination. So, Kuya Lijong brought us to this historical church. The location is also a perfect spot to see the beauty of Magayon, who was playing hide and seek with us.

Sumlang Lake, with a view of Mt. Mayon

Sumlang Lake has a stunning landscape, surrounded by trees, flowers, and other plants. t's a beautiful and Instagrammable spot in Albay. It could have been perfect if a clear view of Mt. Mayon was on the backdrop; however, it was hidden during our visit. We waited almost an hour while enjoying the view and eating ice cream, but Magayon was still hiding. Kuya Lijiong brought us here after Hoyop-Hoyopan Cave.

Hoyop-hoyopan Cave

Hoyop-hoyopan Cave's name was derived from Albay's local dialect, which translates to "blow or blowing." The wind enters the cave opening, blows through the cave's cavern, and exits to the other side. That blowing wind is the reason why the ambiance inside is cool and relaxing. Aside from that, there are a lot of artistic stalactites, stalagmites, and columns inside the cave. What's different than the other cave? There's a round concrete dance floor inside this cave. According to our guide, the locals created the dance floor to hide their party and gimmicks, which were not allowed before. After the Cagsawa Ruins, Kuya Lijong brought us to this gorgeous cave.

Explored Cagsawa Ruins while Mt. Mayon is Hiding

Mt. Mayon is prominent worldwide because of its shape - a perfect cone; having said that, it's definitely the top tourist spot in Albay. According to its historical plate: "The spiritual administration of Cagsawa from 1587 to 1595 was under the Parish of Camalig. An early church was burned on 25 July 1636 by the Dutch, who ransacked the towns bordering Legaspi Bay. This church was built after 1724 by Fray Francisco Blanco. D.F.M. was buried by rocks and lava during the eruption of Mayon Volcano on 1 February 1814. The authorities of Cagsawa, meeting at Ligao on 6 July 1814, decided to incorporate their town as part of Daraga. The first centenary of the destruction of the church was commemorated on 1 February 1914, with a huge pilgrimage to the ruins where high mass was celebrated."

Albay Cathedral

Albay Cathedral is also known as the Cathedral of St. Gregory the Great, and according to its historical data, it started as a chapel built in the 1580s by Spanish missionaries. The early structure was made from local products such as wood and nipa. Then, it emerged as a stone structure in 1800. This Cathedral is one of the top tourist destinations in the province, and it was our first destination.

Backpacking Guide in Albay, Sorsogon, and Catanduanes

This article includes a detailed and updated backpacking guide for Albay, Sorsogon, and Catanduanes. The purpose of this journey was to complete my Region 5 league. Initially, it was solo backpacking, but Tin, my friend, joined me. Traveling via land from Manila to this region can take 12 hours, which is challenging. As I always say, time is just a number; in exchange, you'll be rewarded with the stunning tourist spots and destinations of its 3 provinces.

Featuring Albay (5 Best Tourist Spot)

1. Albay Cathedral

Around 11 AM when we started our adventure. From Lita's Lodge, we walked to our first destination - the historical Albay Cathedral. It is also known as the Cathedral of St. Gregory the Great situated in front of McDo and beside Legaspi City Hall. According to its historical data, this cathedral started as a chapel built in the 1580s by Spanish missionaries. The early structure was made from local products such as wood and nipa. Then, it emerged as a stone structure in 1800.

Top 5 Best Bicolano Dishes (Authentic Recipes)

1. Laing

When we visited the Caramoan Islands in Camarines Sur, as part of our itinerary, we tasted their very own and authentic dishes. I am not a chef or a cook, but according to some friends, I have good and active taste buds. Taray diba??? For the first time, I will be a food critic. First is the famous Laing. This is a spicy dish with dried taro or gabi leaves, siling labuyo, and coconut milk as the main ingredients. There's a linamanam factor, and the texture is smooth inside my mouth. To compare, my Nanay prepares young and fresh gabi leaves (grated), and adds dried tuyo to add saltiness and a unique aftertaste. Nonetheless, the Laging dish of the Bicolano is really good.