BORACAY ISLAND, AKLAN

Boracay Island is a small island located in the Philippines located approximately 300 km south of Manila. Boracay Island and the beaches of the island has gained so much fame and even awards from many numerous travel publications and agencies.

BANAUE RICE TERRACES, IFUGAO

One of the major appeal of Banaue rice terraces to the local and international tourist are the many hiking trails in the area. There are many young locals, mostly college students who serve as guides. But with or without a guide, you will find the friendliness and warmth of the Ifugao people endearing.

MAYON VOLCANO, ALBAY

Classified as a stratovolcano (a volcano made up of layers of lava alternating with cinder and ash) Mount Mayon or Mayon Volcano is very much active and is located in the in the Bicol Region, in the province of Albay, on Luzon Island, Philippines.

CHOCOLATE HILLS, BOHOL

The most famous tourist spot of Bohol which marked the symbol of this Province is in the Municipality of Carmen. These unique landform known as “Chocolate Hills” was formed ages by the uplift of coral deposits and the action of rainwater erosion. The hills are scattered throughout the towns of Carmen, Sagbayan and Batuan, and consist of 1,268 of the same general shape.

TUBBATAHA REEF, SULU

The Tubbataha Reef Marine Park covers 130,028 ha, including the North and South Reefs. It is a unique example of an atoll reef with a very high density of marine species; the North Islet serving as a nesting site for birds and marine turtles. The site is an excellent example of a pristine coral reef with a spectacular 100-m perpendicular wall, extensive lagoons and two coral islands.

Showing posts with label Taoist Temple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Taoist Temple. Show all posts

Friday, January 9, 2015

Taoist Temple

6:02 PM  , , ,  No comments

CEBU TAOIST TEMPLE
Located in the wealthy Beverly Hills residential enclave in the suburb of Lahug about 6 km north of downtown Cebu is an enormous Taoist Temple.

The temple is the a center of worship for Taoism, the religion which follows the teachings of the ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Tze. You can see Taoist devotees following their traditional rites and rituals on Wednesdays and Sundays, as they climb the 99 steps of the temple to light joss sticks and have their fortunes read by the monks.

Built in 1972, the Taoist Temple is constructed in a highly ornate and, some would say, gaudy style that is typical of much modern Chinese religious architecture (with a predominantly red and green coloring scheme), and is topped with a pagoda-style roof.

The temple has an elevation of 300 meters above sea level, and if you climb the 99 steps to the entrance, you will be rewarded with a panoramic view of Cebu City and the harbor and in the distance Mactan and Bohol islands. Nice sunset views too.

For me, the Taoist Temple in Cebu Philippines is one of the highlights of Cebu. It is the only Taoist Temple I have been too. If you have been to many of them, especially the ones in Thailand, it probably will not be as impressive to you. If you’re into photography though, it’s a great place to visit. Perhaps that is why I loved it so much.

I have read a lot of negative reviews about the Taoist Temple in Cebu City, so I feel I should warn you that not everyone enjoys it as much as I do. Some are upset because of the dress code or they can’t take pictures in certain locations.

This temple is a operating Taoist Temple and that means they need to have certain rules in place. I remember getting scolded because I was hanging out in front of the main worship temple. They don’t like that. I couldn't get in because I had shorts on. I could see inside and to me it wasn’t a big deal to go inside.

If you visit the Taoist Temple in Cebu City, you should rent a taxi for a round way trip. Otherwise, you’ll find that you must walk down the mountain back into the city to get back to your home or hotel. That is not a short walk.

I have provided a Google map to the right. You can click on the navigation elements within the map to zoom or change your location. If you click the pointer in the map, you can also get directions to the Taoist Temple Cebu from your location. You can download a KML file and import it into your compatible GPS application by clicking here.

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