Luzon Island Group Travel Guide
Luzon Island Group is a collection of islands located in the northern Philippines. The group includes Luzon, Batanes and Babuyan islands to the north and Catanduanes, Mindoro, Romblon, Masbate and Marinduque to the south.
- Worth It?
- Well worth a visit if only to see the country's capital, Manila.
- What to Do
- shopping, sunbathing, swimming, hiking, biking, city tours, tasting local foods, diving and sailing.
- Best Time to Go
- December to May.
- How Long?
- Two weeks.
- Trivia
- Luzon Island Group is home to the country's capital city, Manila.
The area amounts to over 42,000 square miles and is the country's major economic land, with Manila, the capital, situated on Luzon Island. Luzon Island is the most politically and economically important island in the group - and the Philippines - and Luzon Island Group joins the Visayas and Mindanao as one of only three main island groups in the country.
The star attraction of Luzon is, of course, Manila. The Philippine capital is home to the Intramuros walled city, which was built back in the 16th century and is encompassed by sturdy high walls and moats. This popular tourist attraction is home to the outstanding Manila Cathedral.
Laguna, known as the Town of Baths, is close to Manila and is well known for its hot sulphur springs. Situated 1,525 meters above sea level, the area is a cool retreat from the heat of the Philippines and is home to spectacular mountain views. The 2,000-year-old Banaue Rice Terraces are also found in the area and tourists flock here to see this UNESCO World Heritage site that was carved into the side of a mountain the Batad people.
The most significant caves on Luzon Island are known as the Crystal Caves. They are made from crystallized metamorphic rocks and are a popular place for tourists to visit. The most populous city in the Philippines is also located on Luzon, Quezon City, and this area is known for its sweeping mountains and volcanoes.
Angeles is also found on Luzon and is the Philippines' nightlife hub, popular with sleazy men looking to meet young ladies. Past the go-go bars is some interesting history, however. But Philippine heritage is better discovered in the unique Spanish colonial town of Vigan, which is alive with a rich history. Its architecture ranges from Latin American to Asian and its quaint narrow streets are well worth exploring.
Set against a mountainous background, Baguio is also part of the island group and is a large city with high quality infrastructure like main roads, shopping malls and a whole range of bars and restaurants. The main reason to come here is to cool off, with the city known as the country's summer capital.
Travel to Luzon Island Group - Getting There
Manila is located in Luzon and home to a large international airport that welcomes hundreds of flights a day from all over the world. Bangkok is a 3-hour flight from here and England is a 15-hour, 30-minute flight. Baguio is another popular tourist destination and is a 5-hour bus journey away or 50 minutes on a plane.
Luzon Island Group Things to Do
Luzon Island Group Attractions
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