Tour Codes are indicated in brackets. Please ensure that you are signing up for the correct tour.
METRO MANILA
Fun with Pearls: A Pearl Jewelry-Making Workshop
Date: June 8 [FP 1]
Time/duration: Come anytime between 10am-3pm.
Venue: Parañaque B Room, Makati Shangri-la Hotel
Cost: US$50.00
The Philippines, fondly nicknamed the Pearl of the Orient, truly lives up to its reputation as an island idyll in this fun-filled pearl jewelry-making workshop. Design your own unique pearl accessories amidst curtains of pearls in an array of colors, shapes and sizes. Translate your creative passion into one-of-a-kind slice of paradise. Your accessories will be ready for pick-up not later than the day after the workshop.
A Tour of the National Museum with John Silva
Date: June 6 [NM 1], June 7 [NM 2], June 10 [NM 3] Depart hotel: 9:00 am
Arrive at hotel: 1:30-2:00pm
Cost: US$35.00
Works of art are appreciated by their own merits. But oftentimes a painting or a sculpture has a story that adds to its worth. Or a brushstroke, almost
imperceptible, that needs pointing out, and expanding a painting’s dimension.
John L. Silva’s renowned three-hour tour of the National Museum’s painting and sculpture collection incorporates history, interpretation, and even a little humor.
Get to know the Philippines from as far back as 40,000 years ago through its fascinating archaeological artifacts from stone-age tools to exquisite textiles. Understand the country today with its colonial period collection from Spanish ware to American architectural influence on the two buildings housing the National Museum.
Tour covers two buildings and over 20 galleries.
Come and discover a fascinating Philippine past. It will astound you.
Date: June 9 [WA 1]
Depart hotel: 12:30 pm
Arrive at hotel: 4:30-5:00pm
Cost: US$45.00
A definite must for beginners in Philippine History. Take a leisurely afternoon walk around a selection of Intramuros'
most stunning structures and take in a humorous analysis
of Philippine art, culture, and society from Pre-Hispanic Manila until the present. A small snack is provided. Ironically irreverent yet informative. Includes: Fort Santiago, San Agustin Church and Museum, Intramuros Wall Tour and Plaza San Luis.
Living La Vida Imelda
(An architectural tour of the
Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex
as seen through the life and
aspirations of Imelda Romualdez Marcos)
Date: June 10 [IM 1]
Depart hotel: 1:00 pm
Arrive at hotel: 4:30-5:00pm
Cost: US$45.00
It's a tour all about the Philippines in the 1970’s and the tumultuous era of Martial Law, bell-bottom jeans, and Miss Universe. It’ a little bit disco, a little bit New Society, and completely Imeldific. So come take a trippy trip through National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin’s finest buildings as we analyze one of the most controversial periods in Philippine history as seen through the life and ambitions of the lady who defined it, Imelda Romualdez Marcos. Includes: The Cultural Center of the Philippines, The Philippine International Convention Center, CCP Complex Grounds.
Power, Palace and a Shot of Beer
(San Miguel District Tour)
Date: June 9 [PP 1]
Depart hotel: 1:00 pm
Arrive at hotel: 5:30-6:00pm
Cost: US$42.00
Easily the Filipino's favorite drink and home to the premiere residence in the country- Malacanang
Palace. Take a leisurely stroll around this patrician district to admire some of the best preserved colonial-era mansions of the city. Look up in awe at the gothic wonder that is San Sebastian, the only all-steel church in Asia! Hobnob with the snobs of yore inside the sumptuous rooms of the Palace Museum! In between, we'll talk while resting our weary feet over a fine-dine merienda spread in one of the district's historic mansions! These and much more as we take-in the delights and watch history brew down the streets of San Miguel!
The Best of Art and Shopping
Date: June 9 [AS 1], June 10 [AS 2]
Depart hotel: 1:00pm
Arrive at hotel: 4:00 pm
Cost: US$60.00
This tour previews two of the country’s best museums and caps the day with shopping in the metropolis’ foremost bargain shopping destination. Established in 1967, the Ayala Museum began as a museum of Philippine history and iconography, and transformed itself into a museum of fine arts and history as the 20th century drew to a close. Its permanent exhibitions include the Diorama Experience that chronicle major events and themes from prehistoric times to the recognition of Philippine independence by the United States in 1946 and culminates with People Power in 1986. Its exhibition on Maritime Vessels is a one-of-a-kind boat gallery showcasing miniatures of the different watercrafts that plied the Philippine seas and contributed to the development of Philippine maritime trade and colonial economy.
After your museum experience, hie off to the Greenhills Shopping Center, a haven for both locals and tourists alike for its wonderful bargains. Exquisite pearls at very reasonable prices are the most popular and sought-after items.
The Big Binondo Food Wok
Date: June 7 [BB 1]
Depart hotel: 8:15am
Arrive at hotel: 12:30-1:00 pm
Cost: US$40.00
The tour starts, quite paradoxically, in a 16th century Baroque cathedral, making your way down to a miraculous Chinese shrine. Take a peek at a traditional chocolate factory. Listen to immigrant stories of yore. Sing hurrahs to an authentic Hokkien-style lumpia!
Take in local history while enjoying Chinese treats! It’s Tsinoy chop suey and more as you nibble your way down through Chinatown!
DAY TRIPS
Rock Out: Corregidor
Date: June 11 [RO 1]
Depart hotel: 6:45am
Arrive at hotel: 4:30 pm
Cost: US$62.00
Corregidor is known the world over for its role in war, bravery, and history. A rock island remarkably shaped like a tadpole entrance of Manila Bay, at the Corregidor's strategic location was vital in the defense of Manila during World War II.
Corregidor became the headquarters of the Allied Forces and also the seat of the Philippine Commonwealth government. It was from Corregidor that Philippine Pres. Manuel Quezon and MacArthur left for Australia in February leaving behind Lt. Gen. Jonathan M. Wainwright in command.
Today, Corregidor's rich history continues to draw Filipinos and foreign tourists alike, making the island one of the most visited tourist spots in the country. The island is home to many historical treasures.
Inclusions: roundtrip hotel transfers, roundtrip ferry transfers; shrine, entrance and terminal fees; guided island tour, buffet lunch, light and sound tour .
Taal Experience
Date: June 6 [TA1], June 8 [TA2]
Depart hotel: 6:15 am
Arrive at hotel: 4:00 pm
Cost: US$150.00
The hill town of Taal, Batangas, a two-hour drive south of Metro Manila, is one of the few surviving 19th century Philippine towns where a significant number of private residences dating from the Spanish colonial and American eras remain in their original form. It is among the most beautiful urbanscapes in the country.
Highlight of the tour is the visit to privately-owned 19th century Spanish colonial and early 20th century American period homes – exclusively made available only to participants of this tour.
Lunch, a buffet mix of Spanish and Taaleno cuisine, shall be served in the "Gift House".
Tagaytay Jaunt
Date: June 9 [TG 1]
Depart hotel: 12:30pm
Arrive at hotel: 6:00 pm
Cost: US$90.00
A two-hour leisurely drive south of Metro Manila is the city of Tagaytay. It lies on top of a ridge, 640 meters above sea level. Its cool climate and thethe magnificent view of Lake Taal and its volcano make Tagaytay one of the most popular destinations in the country. The active Taal Volcano, a volcano whose crater houses another volcano, is considered one of the smallest volcanoes in the world with an area of only 23 square kilometers. It is also considered one of the lowest in the world with a peak elevation of only 311 meters.
Enroute to Tagaytay, visit Museo de La Salle in Dasmarinas, Cavite. The two-storey bahay na bato is an educational museum that showcases 19th century Philippine ilustrado lifestyle. Marvel at the priceless antique family heirlooms such as furniture, decorative objects, fine and applied arts in faithfully recreated rooms donated by or on long-term loan from renowned collectors and from the ancestral homes of the Panlilio-Santos Joven and Arnedo-Gonzales families of Pampanga.
In Tagaytay, pause and re-energize. Partake of an afternoon snack spread while you enjoy a breathtaking view of the lake and the volcano.
Pampanga Culinary Tour
Date: June 11 [PA 1]
Depart hotel: 7:30 am
Arrive at hotel: 5:30 pm
Cost: US$110.00
The tour takes visitors to the province of Pampanga, north of Manila. The Province of Pampanga enjoys the distinction of being known as the culinary heart of the Philippines.
First stop is the showrooms of the multi-awarded Betis Arts and Crafts. Largely exported, their ornate and sophisticated furniture can be found in the homes of the rich and famous, and in select hotels worldwide. Inquiries and orders for furniture will be accepted.
Showcasing the dukit or the woodcarving tradition of Betis town, which is as old as the town itself, is a tour of the Church of St. James the Great. Art enthusiasts compare it to the Sistine Chapel for its magnificent interior. A National Treasure, its main attractions include a ceiling mural; intricate paintings on dome and walls depicting significant biblical events and figures; 19th and 20th century sculptures; an exquisite retablo heavily coated/gilded with solid gold; and an ornate baptistery.
On the way to lunch, the tour stops in one of the oldest and largest churches in the province. Named after Bacolor town's patron saint, San Guillermo, the church was originally constructed by the Augustinian friars in 1576 - also the town's founding. The main retablo, side retablos and pulpit are gilded with gold leaf. The richness of the decoration of Bacolor church depicts advanced stage of baroque and rococo. The church is still impressive, although its beauty is muted by the lingering evidence of damage wrought by the devastating eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991. A walk to the cemetery off the side of the church will also show only roofs of what used to be mausoleums and chapels – silent reminders of nature’s wrath.
Highlight of the tour is lunch with one of Pampanga’s culinary stars, Claude Tayag, who is also an artist. He displays his cooking expertise as he hosts a leisurely 3-hour feast at his residence, Bale Dutung (House of Woods) in Villa Gloria, Angeles City. Claude has a shop in his house where visitors can buy his bottled delicacies, and a small gallery containing his paintings and sculptures which are also for sale.
