7 most stunning churches in Philippines

All around the Philippines, amazing centuries-old churches stand as silent witnesses to their town’s culture and history. Many of them have been declared national treasures, and therefore during Holy Week these places of worship will not only attract worshippers, but also visitors interested in the unique architecture and relics these churches have to offer.

Manila Cathedral

Formally known as the Kalakhang Katedral Basílika ng Maynilà, the Manila Cathedral is a Roman Catholic basilica dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. It also serves as the See of the Archbishop of Manila. Originally established in 1571, the eighth and current rendition of the cathedral was completed in 1958. It was renovated and repaired for earthquake retrofitting and subsidence prevention in 2012, and re-opened to the public after a complete renovation in 2014.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish

Barasoain Church or Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Malolos City, Bulacan is such a big part of Philippine history that it would be a shame not to visit it at least once in your lifetime. It was also dubbed the "Cradle of Democracy in the East" upon having been chosen as the site of the First Philippine Congress after the Spanish-American War.

Mt. Carmel Shrine

Mt. Carmel is the type of church you remember from childhood-quiet, intimate, and somewhat kitschy. The statue of Mary cradling Jesus as a child is the most prominent feature of the church’s façade and inside, four more sculptures of the blessed Virgin Mother beckon you to offer prayer. It has been around since 1975, witnessing countless marriages under its high ceilings.

Nuestra Señora de la Porteria Church

In the 1720s, Cagsawa, then a sitio of Albay, began to progress, but its 4,000 inhabitants still saw its location at the foot of Mayon Volcano as a threat to its livelihood. So they asked that their town and church be transferred to Daraga, a village farther south of Cagsawa. The structure atop a hill and overlooking the majestic Mayon was then consecrated in 1854 as Nuestra Señora de la Porteria Church. Now, Daraga Church is famous for its mixture of Renaissance Gothic and Mexican Baroque, according to historian Alicia M. L. Coseteng in her book Spanish Churches in the Philippines. It is the only surviving church in the country that has adapted the salomonica columns (the four spiral columns in its façade).

Santuario Del Sto Cristo Church

Originally constructed sometime between 1602 and 1604, the structure was damaged by a fire, and was restored in 1641. Another fire consumed the church in 1763, but the parish persevered. The current sanctuary has been standing proud since 1774. May they never feel the urge to paint over its beautiful stone façade, which transitions to a marble altar inside. The church has a strange trapezoidal arch, but the wooden panels make it easy on the eyes.

Miag-ao Church

Also known as the Santo Tomas de Villanueva Parish Church, Miag-ao Church was also called the Miag-ao Fortress Church as its two uneven bell towers served as a tactical location for the town’s defense against Muslim raids. It is one of the Baroque Churches of the Philippines declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, and contains the limestone image of the Birhen ng Barangay, traditional Filipino clothing recovered from the 1982 excavations, and the original late 1790s images of Saint Thomas of Villanova.

Church of the Angry Christ

St. Joseph the Worker Church was later known as Church of the Angry Christ because of its famous (and controversial) mural titled “The Last Judgment” by Filipino-American artist Alfonso Ossorio. There are also mosaics all over the structure, from its façade to the walls by the entrance, made by Belgian artist Ade de Bethune. The church itself was designed by Czech architect Antonín Raymond, who employed a modern design when it was built in 1949.

Read more: Great things to discover in Manila

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5 unique Japanese islands you have to visit

If you are planning to visit Japan but unsure where to go, how about some hidden gems of Japan's islands? Here are 5 of our favorite unique islands in Japan.

1. Level up from visiting cat cafes to entire cat islands

If you’re a cat lover, then you must visit Japan! This country loves its cats so much that it has not one, not two, but 11 islands overrun with these felines! For many of these islands, cats were introduced as people took to dumping their pet cats in the wild rather than in shelters. Instead of succumbing to nature, these hardy animals instead started to thrive and while they may have been abandoned at the beginning, they now receive a lot of love from tourists and are even protected – no dogs or other potential predators are allowed on these cat islands.

How to get there: Spread throughout Japan, the easiest cat islands to visit are Enoshima (Kanagawa prefecture, closest to Tokyo) and Ainoshima (Fukuoka Prefecture) which are close to major cities.

2. An island for architecture and contemporary art lovers

Naoshima is a small island in the central Seto Inland Sea area that has found fame as a contemporary art destination. Home to several museums and structures built by famed architect Tadao Ando including a really fancy art hotel, spend a nice weekend wandering around taking in the art and make sure to see the famously spotted pumpkins by Yayoi Kusama – the red one is right at the port and the yellow one is close to the art hotel Benesse House. You can see the art all year round, but this Japanese island is especially popular during the Setouchi Triennale which is an art festival with various installations held on this cluster of islands in the Seto Inland sea area every 3 years.

How to get to Naoshima: The easiest way to get there is to take a train from Osaka westwards to Uno, and then take a short ferry ride to Naoshima. Alternatively, you can fly to Takamatsu in Shikoku which requires a bus transfer to the port, and then take a slightly longer ferry journey from there.

3. An island for the adventurous James Bond fan

‘Gunkanjima’ or ‘battleship island’ is officially known as Hashima and gained fame as the inspiration for the abandoned island in the James Bond movie Skyfall. Once a coal mining area, the island was closed to the public in the 70s as demand for coal declined, and all that is left on the island are empty concrete buildings. Hashima was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2015 as an example of Japan’s Meiji Era Industrial Revolution and now, tourists are allowed to visit the island on special tours packages.

How to get to Hashima: Hashima is located close to Nagasaki in the southern Kyushu region. You can only visit the island via ferry on a tour, which is dependent on weather as the sea around the island is susceptible to bad weather, which can lead to tour cancellation or an extremely choppy and uncomfortable boat ride.

4. Check out the island with the lethal combination of kawaii bunnies and poison gas

Bunny lovers around Hiroshima should head to nearby Okunoshima to get their fill of fluffy rabbits who roam the Japanese island unfettered. No one is quite sure how the rabbits came to be exactly – speculation is that the rabbits were either descended from some rabbits released by school children, or a darker possibility is that these are descendants of the test subjects in the island’s now-abandoned World War II Poison Gas factory. Now, the rabbits are the stars on their own island that you can feed when you visit.

How to get to Okunoshima: Take a ferry from Tadanoumi which is a short train ride from Hiroshima, or take a ferry from Omishima in Ehime.

5. Explore an island with a mysterious pyramid

The Okinawa islands are famous diving spots for the rich marine wildlife that passes through their waters, but Yonaguni of the Yaeyama Islands stands out as a dive spot for its unusual underwater features. The Yonaguni monolith was initially thought to be natural, but research has found that it is actually a manmade pyramid-like structure with steps cut into its smooth surfaces. Besides diving to see this underwater monument, Yonaguni is also very popular for hammerhead shark sightings.

How to get to Yonaguni: Yonaguni is the westernmost island of Japan and is actually closer to Taiwan than mainland Japan. There aren’t direct flights from Taiwan though – you’ll need to find your way to either Okinawa’s main island Naha or another small island close by called Ishigaki.

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6 family-friendly places in Japan

Traveling with the family can prove something of a challenge. Despite its reputation for crowds and manic city life, Japan is actually an incredibly family-friendly destination with something for everyone. Want to know where the best spots are for the young and the young-at-heart?

Odaiba District

A visit to Odaiba is like a visit to the future. First you jump on a monorail which glides you smoothly past weird futuristic skyscrapers and eerily unpopulated streets and then you alight at Miraikan, Japan’s National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation. The building itself is out of this world and this is also the home of the famous Asimo the humanoid robot. Within the museum you will find Asimo who does plenty of shows daily demonstrating his abilities to talk, run and kick a ball.

Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation

A second museum which is worth a family visit is the Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo where children can get a chance to interact face-to-face with human-like robots. Just like its name, the museum focuses on innovative science and inventions which is, undoubtedly, packed with high-tech modern exhibitions and display.

Upon entering the museum, visitors will be greeted with a huge digital globe entirely made of small high resolution screens with continuously changing display. The museum is divided into different sections based on its themes such as earth, art, and one popular theme like labs and robots where children get to see a performance made by the robot Asimo. Along these themes, visitors are to expect astonishing modern innovations combining the latest technology and science for astronomy, space and natural disasters among other things which will keep you and your little one amused for hours.

Disneyland

Last but not least, a family trip to Japan will not be complete without a stop at the renowned amusement park, Disneyland. Japan has not one but two Disney theme parks, Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea. However, the latter has more challenging rides and would rather suit older visitors while Disneyland has more family-oriented attractions, so it is more suitable for younger kids.
Besides the unquestionably amusing rides in Disneyland, kids will have the time of their life visiting Disney’s castle, meeting Disney characters and enjoying a fun-filled Disney parade. One parade not to miss is the Electrical Parade Dreamlights which showcases dazzling LED-lit floats with Aladdin, Cinderella, and other Disney characters.

Hanayashiki

While Tokyo’s Disney Resort and Osaka’s Universal Studios may boast the titles of the biggest players on the amusement park scene, Hanayashiki has the impressive title of being Japan’s oldest. Located a short five-minute walk from Asakusa Station in central Tokyo, Hanayashiki has been taking up residence in the historical suburb since since 1853, when it originally opened as a flower park.

A visit to Hanayashiki is a lesson in space utilization, with classic style rides weaving around each other packing in a lot of entertainment in a rather compact space. If you do not have the time to leave the city or you’re watching your budget, this is an ideal option as entry is 1,00 yen ($10USD) for adults and 500 yen ($5USD) for children.

Moominvalley

Though it is only a little over an hour out of central Tokyo, hop on a train out to Moominvalley in Saitama prefecture and you will swear you have stepped into a whole new universe. Tucked into the mountainside of Saitama, this free and public park was built around the world of Moomins, fictional Swedish, hippopotamus-looking characters. Here you can explore Moomin houses, climb the playgrounds and explore the neighboring forests and rivers. If the weather is good, pack a picnic and head out for a wholesome day in the sun.

National Museum of Nature and Science

Japan has quite a lot of museums to offer as a great tourist destination and one of them is the National Museum of Nature and Science located in Ueno Park in Tokyo. It is one of the oldest and largest integrated museums in Japan which will take more than a few hours to explore.

Packed with breathtaking natural exhibits and scientific experiments, the museum is divided into two sections, the Global Gallery and the Japan Gallery. In the Global Gallery visitors get the chance to learn more about the Earth’s behavior and evolution and also amazing displays and fossils of animals on earth, ranging from gigantic real-size dinosaur skeletons to the tiniest organism on display. Children can also experience first-hand interactive and engaging exhibits which are definitely both fun and educative at the same time. The Japan Gallery offers as much fun as it focuses on the history of Japan and its evolution and innovations.

Read more: Tips to save money when travelling to Japan

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