Trip to Luzon

      Luzon  (Tagalog: Kalusunan) is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name of one of the three primary island groups in the country (the other two being the Visayas and Mindanao). Luzon as an island group includes Luzon proper, the Batanes and Babuyan groups of islands to the north, and the outlying islands of  Catanduanes, Marinduque, Masbate, Romblon, and Mindoro. Luzon is the economic and political center of the Philippines, being home to the country's capital city, Manila. It is one of most populated islands in the world, only behind Java, Honshu, and Great Britain. It has a similar population size to Sumatra but much smaller area.

Administrative divisions

The island of Luzon contains 8 of the 17 administrative regions of the Philippines. These regions are not political entities, but merely serve as administrative groupings of provinces. They are:

• Ilocos Region (Region I).
• Cagayan Valley (Region II)
• Central Luzon (Region III)
• CALABARZON (Region IV-A)
• MIMAROPA (Region IV-B)
• Bicol Region (Region V)
• Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)
• National Capital Region (NCR)

Ilocos Region (Region I) is on the northwest side of the island and faces South China Sea. The region is well known for its white sand coastline and rich history. Its provinces are Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan. The region's administrative centers is San Fernando City, La Union.

Cagayan Valley (Region II) is located in the northeast portion of the main island and also covers the Batanes and Babuyan Islands to the north. The valley is surrounded by the Cordillera Central and Sierra Madre mountain ranges. Running through its center is the country's longest river, "Rio Grande de Cagayan". Its provinces are Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino. The region's administrative centers is Tuguegarao City.

Central Luzon (Region III) contains the largest plain of the country and produces most of the country's rice supply. Its provinces are Aurora, Bataan,Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales. The region's administrative center is the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. The former United States Navy base of Subic Bay is located in Subic, Zambales while the former United States Air Force is in Clark Field, Pampanga. Both are now two of the country's booming special economic zones. The main languages are Kapampangan, Ilocano and Tagalog.

CALABARZON (Region IV-A), one of the newest regions of the country, was previously a part of Southern Tagalog (Region IV). It is one of the most populous areas of the country. The name of the region is actually an acronym that stands for its provinces, which are Cavite, Laguna, Batangas,Rizal, and Quezon. The Tagalogs are the dominant ethnic group in this region, with Tagalog as the main language. The region's administrative center is Calamba City.

MIMAROPA (Region IV-B), along with CALABARZON is the newest region of the country, and was previously a part of Southern Tagalog (Region IV). It contains most of the islands in the Luzon group. The name of the region is actually an acronym that stands for its provinces, which areOccidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan. The region's administrative center is Calapan City.

Bicol Region (Region V) occupies the Bicol Peninsula at the southeastern end of Luzon island, plus the outlying islands which include the island provinces of Catanduanes and Masbate. The remaining mainland provinces are Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Sorsogon. The region's administrative center is Legazpi City. The inhabitants are of Bicolano descent with Bikol as the main language.

Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) almost completely covers the Cordillera Central mountain range of Northern Luzon. CAR, created in 1989 is a special administrative region for the indigenous tribes of these mountains. Its provinces are Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Mountain Province. The regional center is Baguio City.

National Capital Region (NCR) is a special administrative region that contains the capital of the country, Manila; the country's most populous city, Quezon City; and an additional 15 more cities and municipalities. The region is more popularly known as Metro Manila. It is the only region in the country that has no provinces, and is the most densely populated with over 10 million people living in a 636 km² area.

    Luzon is sometimes divided into three areas: Northern Luzon, Southern Luzon and Metro Manila. Northern Luzon are the regions north of Metro Manila (Regions I, II, III and CAR), while Southern Luzon are regions to the south and east of it (Regions IV-A, IV-B and V). In some statistics, Metro Manila is included within Southern Luzon.

SOME TOURISTS SPOTS IN LUZON

Mt. Mayon in Bicol 

              Mt. Mayon is one of the top tourist spot in Bicol. It is because of its perfect cone shape.To add to its international limelight, Mayon is the most active volcano in the Philippines, having had erupted 47 times in the past 400 years! Mayon’s last major eruption was in 1993 and the last recorded major activity was in December 2009. Due to Mayon’s volatility, the volcano is continuously monitored by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOLCS).

Adventures in Mt. Mayon:

1. Mt. Mayon Trekking

                  Treks Offered and Inclusions:

• Day Trek – suggested meeting time in Legaspi is 8AM and expected arrival time back to Legaspi is 4PM; Legaspi-Mayon-Legaspi transfers, guide, registration fees, packed lunch, and refreshments;
• Overnight Trek – suggested meeting time in Legaspi is 8AM (on Day 1) and expected arrival time back to Legaspi is 3PM (on Day 2); Legaspi-Mayon-Legaspi transfers, guide, registration fees, meals while on Mt Mayon, and refreshments. Tents and sleeping bags can be provided but advance notice is required.
• 3D2N Crater Trek – suggested meeting time in Legaspi is 8AM (on Day 1) and expected arrival time back to Legaspi is 3PM (on Day 3); Legaspi-Mayon-Legaspi transfers, guide, registration fees, meals while on Mt Mayon, and refreshments. Tents and sleeping bags can be provided but advance notice is required.

    Mayon Camp Levels:

1. Base Camp – approximately 250 meters or 800 feet above sea level. Vehicles can drive up to this area. As per Department of Tourism rules, trekkers will also have to register in this area.
2. Camp 1 – Approximately 700 meters or 2,300 feet above sea level. For overnight treks, guests will be spending the night here. It is common that guests trek past base camp 1 on Day 1, but the guests will have to return to this area for the evening’s rest.
3. Camp 2  – Approximately 1,800 meters or 5,900 feet above sea level.
4. Knife’s Edge  – Approximately 2,200 meters or 7,300 above sea level.
5. Crater