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Albay - Solo Trip to Legazpi City and Daraga Albay, Tourist Spots, Attractions and Itinerary


I took the 6:00 AM Cebu Pacific flight bound for Legazpi Albay and in 41 minutes after take off, I found myself in this beautiful City. It's been a long time dream for me to visit Legazpi. At isa lang ang nasabi ko nung makita ko ang Mayon Volcano habang pa-landing na ang eroplano. "Nagkita rin tayo..."



Nagbreakfast muna ako sa Airport bago ko sinimulan ang aking "Solo Trip Adventure".


Tapsilog!!! Yahoo!!!

With no itinerary prepared, I searched for the tourism office of Legazpi in the airport, but it was closed, no one was there to assist me. I took a tricyle and told the driver to bring me to the Capitol. The tourism office in the Albay Astrodome is also closed - sabado daw kasi. Hahahaha!




So, I just took some pictures in the Capitol Building, the City Hall and the Church located near the plaza.



Albay Provincial Capitol


City Hall


Cathedral of San Gregorio Magno

The people of Legazpi are very accommodating in helping me where to go. As advised, I took a jeepney bound for Polangui and asked the driver to drop me at Embarcadero. Fare is 7.00 pesos. It's like a mall; Greenbelt, MOA and Trinoma combined. With shops and restaurants all over the place facing the harbor of Legazpi with views to the Mayon volcano.







Di ko pa alam kung saan ako pupunta, naglakad-lakad muna ako. I was amazed because the City is generally clean. Walang masyadong kalat. Wahhhhh!!! Sana ganito din sa Manila.




As I was walking around, I found the Church of Legazpi. The St. Raphael Parish Church is located right in the heart of the Legazpi Port District, the city’s main business district. The original church was built in 1834 through the generosity of Pedro Romero. The church was extensively damaged in the Second World War and has since been reconstructed to its present form. One of the unique attractions of the present St. Raphael Church is its altar table made of a single block of solid hardened lava. The feast day of St. Raphael is on the 24th of October which is also celebrated as the fiesta of Legazpi Port and coincides with the yearly Ibalong Festival. (http://wowlegazpi.com/2010/03/14/visita-iglesia-st-raphael-church-legazpi)





Right across the church is a plaza with a monument of our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. I took this oppurtunity to rest for a while and plan where to go next.



Ligñon Hill is my next destination! From the church, take a Legazpi-Daraga Loop 1 jeepney that will bring you directly to the foot of the hill. It is right after the Albay Parks and Wildlife. Fare is 8.00 pesos.





Ligñon Hill is another prominent landform in the city located behind the Legazpi Airport Tower and beside the Albay Wildlife Park. Aside from the Mayon Volcano standing serenely behind it, this hill is one of the first landmarks that greet visitors upon stepping down from an airplane. The hill stands 156 meter (511 feet) tall. Ligñon Hill’s summit offers a breathtaking 360 degree view of the City of Legazpi, the deep blue Albay Gulf, nearby towns and islands, and of course the majestic Mayon Volcano. It is becoming one of the most popular destinations for locals and visitors alike. (http://wowlegazpi.com/2009/02/19/lignon-hill)


Entrance fee to the park is 20.00 pesos. There are also motorcycles that will bring you to the top of the hill for 20.00 pesos. But I opted not to get their services, akala ko malapit lang. Hahaha!!!



Ayun, I ended up trekking the hill at pawis na pawis na ako pagdating ko sa taas. Hehehe!!! Mayabang ako eh, Mountaineer ako, kaya ko 'to! Hahaha!!! Pero okay lang, na-enjoy ko naman ang view and I was able to take pictures of the WWII Japanese-built tunnel, Kapit tuko trail and the Legazpi City airport on my way up.



The tunnel


Kapit tuko trail


Runway of the Legazpi City Airport


There are a lot of activities that can be done here. You can ride an All-terrain vehicle to the Mayon Lava watch area, do rapelling, play paintball and airsoft and zip line with the Mayon volcano as the back drop. I wanted to do the zip line, kaso wala akong mapag-iwanan ng bag ko. So ayun, pinanuod ko nalang yung iba na nag-zip line. Hay... Sayang!





There are motorcycles that also offer a tour to the different tourist spots around the city and nearby towns. I was offered by one of them and told the driver that I want to go to Daraga Church and Cagsaua Ruins. We had a deal for 200 pesos. I hopped into his motorcycle and we're now heading towards Daraga Albay. Cool!!!

Now I have a driver, a tour-guide and a photographer. Hahaha!!! Thanks Kuya! Lolz!

The Our Lady of the Gate Parish Church in Daraga, Albay is an 18th century baroque church poised on a hill with commanding views of the sea and Mayon Volcano. It's stone masons suffused the facade with statuary, carvings, alcoves and niches at different levels. This Church was built after the eruption of Mayon Volcano which covered the original church of the town at Cagsawa. (www.waypoints.ph)





Unfortunately, I didn't get a nice picture of the church's facade as it is being re-constructed during that time.

Few minutes from the church is the Cagsaua Ruins. Entrance fee is 10.00 pesos.




Cagsaua Ruins - In February 1, 1814, Mt. Mayon began its most violent and deadly eruption to date. During the eruption, some 1,200 people took refuge in the stone church of Cagsawa. Unfortunately, all perished when lahar and pyroclastic flows engulfed the church. Only the belfry of the Cagsawa church remains as a grim and silent reminder of that fateful day. For almost two hundred years, it has withstood the test of time and the elements to become one of the most recognizable landmarks of Albay Province. (http://wowlegazpi.com/2009/02/26/cagsawa-ruins)



This is how I always picture out Mayon volcano in my mind. Eto yung nakikita mo lagi sa mga posters at post cards. And eversince nung bata pa ako, gustong gusto ko na makapunta dito and have a souvenir picture taken. Wahahaha!!! Natupad din ang pangarap ko. Hahahaha!!!

Next stop is Save More Terminal back in Legazpi City. This is where I took a van going to Naga City. Fare is 150 pesos and it took me nearly 2 hours before I reached Naga City.



I'll do another post on my trip to Camsur later.



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38 comments :

  1. nice pictures!!! :)
    Swerte mo clear ung view sa Mayon :)
    http://jotan23.blogspot.com/2010/11/legazpi-for-day.html

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  2. di pa din po yan masyado clear, pero pwede na... hehehe... thanks po...

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  3. Hi, i will also go there on Sunday by myself, day trip lang kasi i haven't seen Mayon pa din. I like your "itinerary." Napuntahan mo lahat ng gusto ko puntahan. Kaya ba sya in 5 hours? Have to be back at the airport by 1 pm kc. THanks!:p

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  4. @Anonymous-yup, kaya yan... you can eat naman along the way para di maubos oras mo... at malapit lang ang airport sa Lignon Hill, yun nalang ang huli mong puntahan...

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  5. waahhh!!!! xcited na rin ako sa bakasyon. meron naka set ang family tour sa April diyan sa Legaspi City.
    Bakit wala ka pictures sa loob ng wild life? marami kc kaming kids.
    Tnx bro. very inspiring ang trip mo!! :)

    -- JC

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  6. One of my sights to see is Mayon and the ruins . One of these days.....
    Very interesting read!
    Heidi

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  7. where did u stay for this legazpi trip? how much was your budget?

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  8. mga magkano poh nagastos niyo sa trip na toh??

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  9. Thanks for the tips. I will be having a solo trip too to Albay this coming November. Thank you very much. You really helped me in fixing my itineraries. This is my first solo trip and my first time to visit sa Albay.

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  10. hindi ba nakakatakot mag travel mag isa? paano mag picture taking ng sarili? hehe (tripod?)

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  11. @P S E (Pinoy Sa Earth) - i enjoy solo travels... yeah, i use a tripod, or i ask someone to take photo of me...

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  12. maganda nga ang mga napunthan mu,sna m2loy rin ang pagpnta q jn ngayong december,gs2 q rin mapnthan ang mga napuntahn mu,kc napakachalenger n maka experience ng gnyan s buhay dba,

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  13. thanks for visiting legazpi city. Its nice to hear your good feedbacks about the city.

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  14. very nice! thanks sa Blog... informative!

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  15. Nice bro, ill have my next trip here by April, generally safe lang ba? First time ko din mag backpack and solo travel :)

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    Replies
    1. yup, super safe po sa Albay... basta kelangan smart ka lang pag solo travel... but enjoy it! have fun po! balitaan moko ha? :)

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  16. very inspiring ang adventure mo,me and my wife is scheduled to go there this april,sana maging masaya at maganda rin ang aming pagbisita sa legaspi.hope we can do the same na to share our trip.:}

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  17. Sir, plano ko po sa pumunta s legaspi. kaya nlang ang balak k0ng sakyan PNR, e up to naga lang sila. alam nyo po ba pano pumunta from naga to legaspi? and kaya ko ba maglibot ng isang araw lang? thanks!

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    Replies
    1. may van sa SM naga going to Legaspi... kaya naman kung yung mga pinuntahan ko lang ang plan mong puntahan...

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  18. I visit my father in Legazpi City 4x a year but surprisingly I haven't been to the Cagsawa Ruins and Daraga Church. Do you have any idea for a travel agency that offers whole day tour in Legazpi? Thanks and nice travel experience!

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    Replies
    1. i think, no need na sir, you can tour legazpi and daraga on your own... public transpo is available naman po... :)

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  19. Thanks for you wonderful blog! Nakahanap rin ako ng kakampi sa inyo. I'm a solo traveler, too! I'm excited to visit Cagsawa Ruins and Mayon soon. I'll follow your itinerary. Thanks again! (n_n)

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  20. Good thing I found your wonderful blog, and now I have my itinerary pag napadpad ako sa Legazpi-Daraga area to see the ruins and Mt. Mayon. Actually, I'm a solo traveler, too. Thanks for this guide. (n_n)

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  21. how come you didn't go to misibis bay?

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  22. I am from ALBAY! Dapat nag punta ka ng kawa-kawa!

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  23. Would you know by any chance how to commute to Mayon Skyline from Legazpi?

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  24. Very Useful Blog. I'm planning of going there tomorrow. Thanks for the tips...

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  25. pede na kayang akyatin ang peak ng mayon..na try mo rin sana ang Mayon Planetarium sa Tabaco City..located sa mayon volcano..

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  26. I might travel to Albay on Saturday, solo rin. It's safe naman?

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    Replies
    1. it's one of the safest place i've been to... ENjoy po! :)

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  27. i am planning to ge there alone, this Sept. will follow your itinerary. thanks for sharing!

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  28. hi, ur blog was really helpful. I plan to visit albay this may & I will definitely use this as a guide as I have no itinerary too.May I ask sang hotel/inn ka nagstay? this is my 1st time traveling solo & im concerned na wala ako makuhang place na mura.

    Thanks=)

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  29. Hi nag paplano kc ko mag bakasyon sa alba.. Pwede mo po bang I share yung naging budget mo po,? Ty :)

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  30. Very informative po.. thanks for sharing ur adventures nakaka inspired magbyahe pag may ganitong guide.

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  31. nice blog! try this next yir ^__^

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