CALABARZON: Searching for Luzon’s creative soul

Details

Category: Destination

Published on Sunday, 22 January 2012 14:02

Cavite • Laguna • Batangas • Rizal • Quezon

About the region

The Calabarzon region is located in the southern part of the main island Luzon in the Philippines. The region, which is also designated as Region 4A, is composed of five provinces, namely: Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon, hence the acronym Calabarzon. The regional capital is in Calamba City, Laguna. The Calabarzon region is also the birthplace of many of the country's heroes and martyrs, and features some of the most famous tourist attractions in the Philippines.

How to get there and go around

Situated just south and west of Metro Manila, the Calabarzon region is a popular destination for foreign tourists and Filipino families living in Metro Manila. The region is easily accessible from the metropolis via expressways, national highways and roads. Travelers may opt to ride airconditioned buses operated by bus companies such as BLTB (Batangas Laguna Tayabas Bus Company), JAM Transit, Philtranco Bus Service Enterprises Incorporated and Tritran Transit Incorporated.

To get around once in their preferred destinations, travelers may avail of local transportation options such as jeepneys, tricycles, AUV’s (Asian Utility Vehicles) and mini-buses. Group tours often avail of vehicle rentals.

Where to stay

In all provinces in the Calabarzon region, there are a number of hotels, resorts, inns, and bed & breakfast establishments. Tourists may choose from a wide array of establishments, with varying prices.

To learn more, visit:
www.tripadvisor.com
www.hoteltravel.com/philippines/hotels.htm
www.resortphilippines.com

What to eat

The five provinces in the Calabarzon region have their own distinct culinary specialties. Cavite is known for its seafood specialties such as ginataang tulingan (fish cooked in coconut cream) and kinilaw na talaba (raw oysters in vinegar, pepper and chillies) and Laguna is known for its Kesong Puti (white cheese made from unskimmed carabao’s milk), Espasol (a rice cake made of rice flour cooked in coconut milk) and buko (coconut) pie. On the other hand, Batangas is famous for its beef, with bulalo (boiled beef bone marrow and shank) being a perennial favorite together with its kapeng barako (Batangas brewed coffee). The Rizal province is known for its kasoy (cashew nuts) and suman (glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk and steamed in banana leaves), while Quezon is known for its longganisang Lucban (Lucban-style pork sausages).

What to buy

Textiles, native handicrafts and food products are available in the Calabarzon region and can be purchased by tourists as souvenirs, gifts and giveaways.

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