The exodus has begun. Thousands have started their trek from the cities for the Holy Week break. In fact, many have started over the weekend, lugging a week’s worth of clothes and supplies to their chosen destinations all over the country. The primary targets, of course, are the beaches and there are many to choose from in our 7,107 islands. Others, trying to escape the summer heat, are heading for mountain retreats where countless resorts and hotels, fully booked months in advance, have also been waiting. Here are the popular choices of most Pinoys for this most anticipated annual holiday.

Boracay

The white powdery sands and crystal-clear blue waters of Boracay in Aklan have made

it the top choice for summer. In fact, it is the place to be and be seen every Easter break, with many of the country’s hip, chic and popular (including the Gucci Gang) trekking to this island paradise. I would imagine that hotels, resorts and even private homes have been fully booked well in advance, as this is the peak of beach activities for the year. I have never been to the island but I am desperately yearning to go there, to swim in its cool clear waters and revel in its famous (infamous?) nightlife. Unfortunately, my phobia on local air travel has prevented me from doing so.

Tagaygtay City

The cool mountain air and its proximity to Manila are its biggest selling points. Barely an hour away from the metropolis, Tagaytay City has sprung from an old and sleepy weekend picnic destination to the golf and country club haven that it is today. Many of Manila’s wealthy families, as well as successful yuppies, have weekend condos tucked away in Tagaytay’s residential resorts that certainly fully-booked this week. The golf courses, as well as the spas and restaurants, will be bustling with activity as leisure hungry Manilans converge on this mountain retreat.

Palawan

Recently voted as the tourist destination with the best beaches in Asia by American magazine Conde Nast Traveler in its Great Asian Beach Finder review, Palawan is another top choice for this week. Despite its distance and longer travel time, many Pinoys prefer this island paradise because of the diverse choices it offers. In addition to underwater rivers and impressive coral formations, the province has powdery beaches, charming coves and interesting islets to wow even the most jaded of travelers. The Tubbataha Reef Marine Park, located southeast of Puerto Princesa, and the diverse marine life in and around the sunken Japanese warships off Coron are some of the best diving sites in this part of the globe.

Baguio City

Baguio will always have a special place in every Filipinos’ heart. Established as the summer capital of the country by the Americans in the early years of the previous century, most of us have fond memories of this city. It is where most of our parents spent their honeymoon, where most of us dreamed of traveling locally when we were younger, where we bought walis (native broom), strawberry jam, cheap cardigans, ube (purple yam) and that ubiquitous wood carving of a naked man in a barrel! He he. Though some say Tagaytay has beaten it as the country’s summer destination, many will still flock to Baguio not only for its climate and tourists spots but for the memories as well.

Hometowns

holy week, procession, lenten procession, jesus christ,

Not everyone will be flocking to the beaches and resorts. A majority of those in the cities will be going home to their hometowns for much-needed reunions, taking advantage of the longest holiday break of the year. To some, the idea of fun and merriment during the holiest days of the church is inappropriate and would rather spend these in prayer and reflection. Many will participate in traditional Holy Week activities such as religious processions, the way of the cross, masses and vigils, and the visita iglesia.

I will be staying home this week, together with the rest of the family. Though there were invitations for us to join relatives in their private beach in the south, and another one from friends in Tagaytay, we opted to spend Holy Week in quiet reflection and family bonding.

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