As the year draws to the close and a new one opens, it is human nature do look back over the year and plan for the future.  A couple of items stand out in my mind.

The international skydivers who had come to the Philippines for the  Parachute Phun Phestival really enjoyed the tours we had arranged for them. Seahorse Tours had been acting as the ground agent  organizing the hotels and a few optional tours. Some minor problems cause some scheduling changes and the tours were moved to the first few days. They  were all very happy with the tours. On the day before the rescheduled event, it was necessary to again delay the jumps. Due to cancellation of the aircraft and  problems the event organizer encountered at the last minute, changes had to be made. Called  to assist with providing alternate activities, We responded with a rapidly organized but well planned activities. I am very proud of the efficient manner that the entire office responded. In under two hours, they organized a day outing to the Capone Islands and Anawangin Cove , had a number of bancas  on stand by, prepared information , developed a itinerary , planned a menu and prepared a banner. Two hours after the initial inquiry they presented the  activity to the group and got a confirmation on how many would go. The next morning at 5am all was in place for a day of island hopping to the Capones islands, a stop at the lighthouse, a morning snack, and a barbecue on the beach at Anawangin Cove . The day went great and all of the guest loved it.

The “ Capones, Camara and Anawangin Island Adventure”  (photos) is an day outing we have added in late 2010 and  promises to be a great package for a small number of people or larger groups. Departing from Subic Bay area it is just about a 30 minute drive to Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales. There you will meet your boat for the day and enjoy a nice trip to the Capones Island group 30 minutes away. Visitors to these islands will disagree on which is the best feature. Many feel that the old Spanish Lighthouse is the highlight, others the views of the island and the South China Sea, and who could argue with the beach lovers who cite the empty stretches of beaches. The other part of the trip is the Anawangin Cove only accessible by boat or if you wish you can hike in. The hike will take a full day or more. The cove has become well know as one of the best beaches in the Philippines but due to its isolation it is not over crowded. This is a great family outing and should be a prime consideration for a company outing.

As written before in this blog, Mount Pinatubo trek still is a popular outing and well worth the time and effort.

charles

The rainy season is closing and the better weather is getting people out of doors and one of

the best places to do that at this time of the year is Mount Pinatubo. The skyway has not been cleared and certified safe yet, a processed done each year but the longer treks are available. Recently seahorse tours has taken a number of groups to the crater on a three hour hike. This is perfect for the average hiker. Some information about the Mount Pinatubo area has been posted on one of our sister sites  Apu Malyari .

Did you know that: the Aeta believe that they share their habitat at the foot of the volcano with numerous benevolent and evil spirits while their highest deity Apu Malyari ( also sometimes seen as Apo Namaylari) resides close to the summit of Mount Pinatubo. He does not live in one place but is an omnipresent thought out the countryside. The Aeta also revere the mountain as the abode of their ancestor's souls who have died peacefully. Manganitos, the seers and ritual specialist whom can talk to Apo Malyari sees Mount Pinatubo as the place of beginnings of their personal guardian spirits. See more on the Apu Malyari site

The eruption in 1991 of Mount Pinatubo was one of the largest eruptions in history. The damaged affected the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and the effects of the ash cloud circled the earth. The volcanic eruption and two typhoons that entered the area when the volcano was erupting turned the breadbasket of the Philippines into desolate waste land. The social and economic effects are still being felt, but the natural healing is well on its way. The area is a contrast between the dust and lahars in the scarcely vegetated flats and river beds to the lush mountains sides with young trees and other cover. The transition between the two is dramatic with signs of massive erosion and towering cliffs. ready for your adventure? make a reservation for your Mount Pinatubo trek and hike

For those of you around the Philippines or another Asian country stop in your local book store and pick up the July-August issue of Review Asia magazine, turn to page 130 and read about a trek by author Jen Tagasa. (copy here)Our Staff here at Seahorse tours are the ones who arranged the visit to Subic Bay.  We had a few chuckles after we opened the express package containing our copies of the magazine and started to read the article. We all teased Ann who the article referred to as “female newbie tour guide”. While she is our newest employee like everyone else has been cross trained into being a tour guide also.  Ann has done a number of tours including a couple at Mount Pinatubo but it was her first on the long trail.  As was mentioned in the article, the trail we normally would have used was closed due to the typhoon that passed over the area a few days before. We had been monitoring the situation and were not sure we would be able to trek to the crater until we arrived that morning. The skyway trail which we normally use was still not available but a longer more rugged trail was open. While we do not frequently use the trail , we do use it when the guest are experience hikers and want something more challenging then the 40 minute trek. Ann volunteers to accompany the writer and photographer while Jaz knowing waited at the Spa town.

There is one little bit of confusion in the article, as the writer mentions another guide by the same name, Diaz, at the Apaliin forest trail. This second guide who mentioned the “Era of Abundance” was met the day following the Mount Pinatubo trek during a hike into the jungles around Subic Bay.  When the American base was still in Subic Bay many of the Aetas worked for the Americans. One of the most common jobs that the Aetas performed was that of forest rangers. For a people who had lived in the jungles for centuries, getting paid for looking after the jungle which was already part of their live must have looked like free money. In reality they were performing a genuine job and received a fair salary.

The Mount Pinatubo trek as the article states is an adventure that everyone should explore. When the skyway is open most people can enjoy the trek. The beginning and end of the rainy seasons are the most popular times. While the rain does make planning the treks more difficult and often have to be canceled with little notice it is much cooler than going in the summer season when the sun bears down on you. But then again there is a dip in the lake awaiting you.

The hiking season is under way around the Mount Pinatubo area. The trip from Subic takes you to Capas Tarlac area, where you transfer to a 4x4 . a 45 minute drive takes you to a transfer point where you start your trek to the crater. The trek is of moderate difficulty and a wonder hike along a stream bed. The crater is a wonderful scene with a small beach and soaring peaks. After your hike back to the transfer point and a 4x4 ride to the spa town you can enjoy a shower and refreshing massage. Overnight trips are also available.