Forbidden City: Forbidden No More

Lying at the center of Beijing, the Forbidden City is once forbidden for any entry during the ancient China times as special permission from the emperor is needed to enter the imperial palace.  It served as the imperial palace for twenty-four emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties.  Rectangular in shape, it is the world’s largest complex that covers 74 hectares and displays ancient Chinese skills in engineering building and collection of treasures and imperial living. But today, thousands of tourists worldwide has visited and enjoy the Forbidden City as it is now one of China’s popular attractions.

 

A grand welcome to China's imperial days - Forbidden City!

After a visit to Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City is just right after the square with the south gate entrance named Meridian Gate as the point of entry. From the outside, the palace’s bordering walls surrounding it were astounding in height and engineer. Surrounded by a 52 meter wide moat and a 10 meter high wall, its appearance seems to discourages any robbers or forbidden entry to the palace. When I enter from one gate to the next, it seems to be an endless entrance to the court’s complex of palace. But the visitors adjoined with me in the entrance seem never getting tired for a day’s exploration of the palace. So, I ready myself for a long walk of journey - a 960 meter walk to be exact in reaching the north gate end of the palace.  

Entering inside Forbidden City is a trip down to the history, richness and grandiose royalty life of imperial periods of China. For me, it was an instant crash course in learning China History 101 mainly because I get learn more about the imperial days of China and the life of the royalties inside the palace and not just about the names of the famous emperors or empress who did this or that to China.   Forbidden City is a huge palace complex. I couldn’t imagine walking a whole day exploring this huge complex as it will literally take a whole day need to spend here just to see and explore every corner of Forbidden City. But exploring the essential parts of the palace is enough to have a rediscovery of China’s rich history of imperial period. 

Meridian Gate or the entrance to Forbidden City.

The architectural wall of the palace is designed to discourage robbers from climbing it.

Ticket is 120 Yuan as of March 2012.

Forbidden City is divided into two parts. The southern section or the Outer Court was where the emperor exercised his supreme power over the nation. The northern section, or the Inner Court, was where he lived with his royal family. The Outer Court displays the throne area of the emperors where he meets his officials and constituents. I noticed the dominance of yellow color in every throne room and its decorations. Later I learned that that yellow is the symbol of the royal family. There are information markers explaining about the sections of the place especially its significance inside the palace where visitors would find useful in learning about the imperial history of China. If you prefer a guided tour of the palace, visitors can rent an audio guide at the information booth which is available in many languages.

Rub the gold for goodluck!

Beyond Meridian Gate, a large square is ended with the elegant and grandiose designed Gate of Supreme Harmony. Behind it is the Hall of Supreme Harmony Square. A three-tiered white marble terrace rises from this square. Three halls stand on top of this terrace and it is the focus of the palace complex - these are the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Central Harmony and Hall of Preserving Harmony. The Hall of Supreme Harmony is the largest, and rises some 30 metres (98 ft) above the level of the surrounding square. It is the ceremonial centre of imperial power, and the largest surviving wooden structure in China. The Hall of Central Peace is a smaller, square hall and used by the Emperor to prepare and rest before and during ceremonies. Behind it, the Hall of Preserving Harmony, was used for rehearsing ceremonies, and was also the site of the final stage of the Imperial examination. All three halls feature imperial thrones, the largest and most elaborate one being that in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Also in the Outer Court, I saw colorful and beautifully designed roofs and ceilings of each throne rooms and gates. There is a statue of guarding-like gilded lions that are on each side stair entrance of each court. I saw also white marble plates carved with intricate art design of a dragon that truly exhibits Chinese art ingenuity at its finest. And there’s also a lot rooms inside Forbidden Palace despite of large squares and narrow spaces for walkthroughs. Later, I learned that this largest palace complex in the world contains 999 buildings and 9,999 rooms as 9 is the lucky number for Chinese.  
  

Gate of Supreme Harmony.

Meridian Gate - a view from Gate of Supreme Harmony.

Intricate and colorful designs on the ceiling of Gate of Supreme Harmony.

Enter the Dragon!

The biggest palace complex in the world! Truly breathtaking!

In Inner Court, I was submerged to a lot courtyards and halls of the emperors and his family. The most notable halls that I saw and explored in the Inner Court where of Empress Dowager Cixi’s courtyard (one of the most notable empress of imperial China, a powerful and charismatic woman who unofficially but effectively controlled the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China for 47 years) and other the emperor’s notable concubines. Inside these halls were the preserved antique furniture and accessories belonging to the royal family. Visitors will see silver plates, combs, candle holders, vases, beds and even pillows still intact as if it has not been through thousands years before. All of the artifacts and furniture belongings can be seen through the glass cover that replaced the wall covering the halls and rooms of each court. Now I’m not puzzled why Forbidden City is also called as Palace Museum. The complex contains hundreds and thousands of museum artifacts, historical pieces and treasured artworks of importance that displays and exhibits China’s rich history.  
 

The throne of the Emperor.

I conquer China!

What the royalties in China used during the imperial era of the kingdom.

Dragons on a slab of marble.

The beautifully designed roofs of halls and courtyards at Inner Court.

One of Inner Court's halls where the Empress and the imperial concubines lived.

A guarding gilded lion at the front of the gate. Note the ball under the paws symbolizing the emperor's power.

The grandest throne of the emperor at the Hall of Preserving Harmony.

At the center of the Inner Court is another set of three halls. From the south, these are the Palace of Heavenly Court, Hall of Union, and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility. Smaller than the Outer Court halls, the three halls of the Inner Court were the official residences of the Emperor and the Empress. The Emperor, representing Yang and the Heavens, would occupy the Palace of Heavenly Purity. The Empress, representing Yin and the Earth, would occupy the Palace of Earthly Tranquility. In between them was the Hall of Union, where the Yin and Yang mixed to produce harmony. The north-eastern section of the Inner Court is taken up by the Palace of Tranquil Longevity, a complex built by the Qianlong Emperor in anticipation of his retirement. It mirrors the set-up of the Forbidden City proper and features an "outer court", an "inner court", and gardens and temples. The entrance to the Palace of Tranquil Longevity is marked by a glazed-tile Nine Dragons Screen. I also get see a mini-museum hall about Puyi at the Inner Court. I saw his toys, crib, clothes, books and other things he used when he lived inside the palace. There were also information about his life and how he is popularly figured in the history of imperial China. Puyi is best remembered as the last emperor of imperial China.  

Spring time at the Imperial Garden.

Interlinked branched of two cypress trees that says to symbolize love.

Rockeries and pavilions at the Imperial Garden.

Rock formations near the Gate of Divine Might.

Flowers starting to bloom at the Imperial Garden.

One of the marvelous Imperial Garden sceneries...

At the end of the Inner Court, I reach the Imperial Garden with my travel-mates. Relatively small, and compact in design, the garden nevertheless contains several elaborate landscaping features like beautiful rock formations and colorful Chinese pavilions and towers. It is also here I saw flowers starting to bloom in time for the Spring season which makes the garden more exciting for roaming, exploration and strolling. There are also hundred year old Cypress trees here but two Cypress trees draws much of the crowd because of its intertwined branch that is said to be symbolize love. Many visitors like to take photos under it to wish that their love and life are happy and sweet. To the north of the garden is the Gate of Divine Might. This is the exit to Forbidden Palace and across it is the imperial park called Jingshan Park.

Forbidden City from the viewtop of Jingshan Park.

Forbidden City displays unique Chinese palatial architecture and imperial treasures that has captivated the world for its engineering, richness and grandiose. So no wonder that Forbidden City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.  It also displays the grand royalty life, culture and tradition of the royal family that lived during the imperial period of China. A visit to Forbidden Palace is a trip down the history of China’s history of dynasties, emperors, politics and traditional way of life. So, it’s hard to imagine if Forbidden Palace remains forbidden until now. I wouldn’t see its beauty, witness its magnificence and discover its hidden treasures behind its tall walls and hundred rooms. But today, the gates of this palace are wide open for the world to see. It is forbidden no more. 

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Forbidden City: Forbidden No More is part of my Beguiling Beijing.Captivating China series where I share my birthday trip adventures, travel stories and first-time experiences in Beijing, China last March 20-24, 2012. You might also like the other parts of the series:
+Beijing - A Beguiling City
+Winter Sonata in China
+Roaming through Beijing
+One Spring Day in Beijing
+Forbidden City: Forbidden No More
+A Dragon Hike to the Great Wall of China
+Beijing's Architectural Wonders
+Peking Duck: An Authentic Chinese Cuisine
+Wangfujing's Lively Street Life
+The Imperial Gardens of Beijing 

One Spring Day in Beijing

In the midst of a cold weather, I arrived in Beijing when Spring season is starting to sprout like the growing leaves of trees and blooming flowers of buds. Even though majority of the tree branches around are still bare, some already shed their spring colors. They said that Spring is the diamond season of travelling to Beijing – the perfect time to visit botanical gardens and parks in the city. Yet though Spring in Beijing is short, dry and has changeable temperature at times, I can’t deny that it is one of the best season to visit the city as Beijing is lovely on springtime.

Springtime in Beijing.

Throughout the spring months (actually April to May) temperatures in Beijing rise quickly day to day. They also vary greatly (around 12℃-14℃) between day and night. Spring is a windy, dry season, frequented by heavy sandstorm. Cold winds are also frequent throughout spring months. In early spring, the temperature may drop abruptly. Sandstorm hits Beijing frequently in spring and may delay trips. Springtime is a reminder that the long and cold winter is gone and summer is coming but also a perfect season to enjoy a comfortable and beautiful weather.

The flowers of Spring!

Flowers blooming at the imperial garden of Forbidden City.

My spring experience in Beijing started at the imperial garden of Forbidden City. After visiting, Empress Dowager Cixi’s courtyard, the exit is the entrance to the imperial garden of the palace. Some trees have already sprouted its spring green leaves like the century-old huge cypress that could have witnessed the imperial life inside the palace during the old ancient times. Most of the visitors of Forbidden City have been fascinated by these lovely garden sights of spring. But I bet that the imperial garden would be more beautiful and charming when spring season is in its full blown time. According to information, the imperial garden is the site where the emperor picks his next concubines. So imperial consorts frequently roam the garden surroundings hoping to be chosen by the emperor and gain a higher position inside the palace. The garden is also characterized by exquisite Chinese pavilions and collection of beautiful rock formations that are perfect for souvenir photographs.

Century-old Cypress at the imprerial garden.

Pink blossom...

Beautiful rock formations at the imperial garden.

I continue my Spring experience at Jingshan Park. The park is located just the north exit of Forbidden City. Here, most of the tree surroundings the park is in full green. I also saw the shrubs starting to grow their buds. Whether it could be their flowers or leave, the shrubs are getting ready for their springtime color. I take my time to rest by sitting in one of the benches of the park and appreciate the rustle of the leaves being blown by the cold wind of winter. Along with my travel companions, we explore the 5 hills of Jingshan Park where there are different pavilions to explore in each hills. Each hill pavilions also offers unique overlooking sights of Beijing’s city surroundings. But the most spectacular overlooking view is the highest and central hill of the park where I marvel at a panoramic view of Forbidden City basking under the cloudy and sunny sky. It was a sight to behold at Jingshan Park.

The greenery scene of Jingshan Park.

The Spring view at the back of the highest hill of Jingshan Park.

Forbidden City from Jingshan Park's topmost hill!

The Great Wall of China is also a sight to behold during springtime. The Mutianyu section of the wall, 45 miles from Beijing is surrounded by lush green tree forests and therefore, turns all green carpet-like covering mountain hills at springtime. The Great Wall is beautifully blended against the green trees that are sprouting around the mountain where it is built. The scenery is highly appreciated in the morning and lasts through Summer. The Great Wall of China was enlisted in the World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987. Just like a gigantic dragon, the Great Wall winds up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains and plateaus stretching approximately 6,700 kilometers (4,163 miles) from east to west of China. With a history of more than 2000 years, some of the section of the great wall are now in ruins or even entirely disappeared. However, it is still one of the most appealing attractions all around the world owing to its architectural grandeur and historical significance. And until today, the Great Wall is known all over the world as a monument of the Chinese nation throughout history.

Great Wall of China in Mutianyu.

There were still snow craters at Suzhou Market Street River of Summer Palace when I arrived there one morning for a visit. But the trees and plants are already in their spring color everywhere in the park. And though, I only had a short time to explore these beautiful place in Beijing, I highly appreciated its springtime beauty of lush green trees, scenic river views and mildly cold blow of wind as well as its historical pavilions and halls that have been there for years. I bet that Summer Palace would be more beautiful when spring is in full blown already as the numerous plants around it would be blooming with colourful flowers by that time.  Summer Palace is situated in Haidan district of Beijing. It is the largest and most well-reserved royal park in China. Its construction started in 1750 as a luxurious royal garden for royal families to rest and entertain. It later became the main residence of royal members in the end of Qing Dynasty. Composed mainly of Longevity Hill and Kumning Lake, it occupies an area of 300.59 hectares in which there are over 3,000 man-made ancient structures like pavilions, bridges, towers and corridors are to be found. In 1998, it ranked among World Heritage Site of UNESCO.

Tickets to the Great Wall - 45RMB each.

Are you ready to hike this long wall?

Spring and Winter in one! Hillside of the mountain ranges in Great Wall.

Beijing Zoo is also ideal for strolling during Spring because of its spring view sceneries. But the main attraction of the zoo is the endemic and endangered Giant Pandas. In the wild, it lives in a few mountain ranges in central China, mainly in Sichuan province, but also in the Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. As a result of farming, deforestation and other development, the panda has been driven out of the lowland areas where it once lived. They are extremely cute and cuddly so I’m glad to hear in the news that despite being an endangered species, their population is raising due to consistent conservation measures. Other unique animals that I saw in the park were Peacock and Peahen in which the Peacock made a flash of his tail to woo the Peahen, a too much sleeping Red Panda, Crown Pigeons, a weird looking bird, Ibis, jumping Ring-tailed lemur and night-dweller Tarsier species.

If the zoo is not enough for your animal encounters, you may also visit Beijing Aquarium to see marine animals on display and sea creatures performing tricks right inside the zoo grounds. Beijing Zoo is one of the biggest zoo I have been.  It is currently home to around 450 different species and has a population of some 5,000 animals.

Tickets to Beijing Zoo - 15RMB each.

The cuddly Giant Panda munching for bamboo leaves.

A royal display of Peacock.

When you’re tired of doing walks and sightseeings, try to see the shopping side of Beijing in afternoon. One of the recommended shopping place is Julong Underground Market, located just the underground subway station of Beijing Zoo. Though it is quite difficult to locate the underground market since the underground subway station has many passages to reach it, you’ll get through it just by following where the crowd is heading. Julong Underground Market boasts good bargains of class A branded bags, clothes, accessories and shoes. Just be sure to haggle a lot so you get bigger discounts. Although, language barrier will be a hindrance for shopping in this market, there’s no harm in trying if you want to get good bargains. Plus sellers are usually open to haggling their commodities and goods.

Tickets to Summer Palace - 20RMB each.

Still in winter mode... The Suzhou Market Street and River.

Morning routing at Summer Palace amid the springtime.

Best place to explore at night - Donghuamen Night Market!

Banana custard cake - one of the snack we tried in Donghuamen Night Market.

The lively streetside life of Wangfujing.

Lovely spring scene in Wangfujing in the morning.

One of the most interesting places at night in Beijing is Wangfujing. It is the mecca of shopping and night life in the city at night. But even if Wangfujing is ideal for night roam it doesn’t mean it is not good to visit it in the morning. Wangfujing offers various activities to enjoy like strolling, dining, sightseeing and shopping. of course! One of the main night market I explore was the Donghuamen Night Market which is mainly consists of long line of stalls of various food and grilling stations. It was perfect for our growling stomachs after a day of exploring Beijing. I tried grilled pork (5 Yuan per each stick), Banana custard cake (10 Yuan for 2) and Sugar-sprinkled Strawberry on-stick (10 Yuan per stick). But one streetfood in Beijing that really got me addicted is Caramelized fruits on stick or Bingtanghulu which either comes in Strawberry, Crab apples (Chinese Hawthorns) or mixed fruits of Kiwis, oranges, crab apples and strawberries. I think I had a stick of it every night in Beijing! But if you have brave stomach you might want to try their other exotic foods on a grill like starfish, seahorse, scorpions and snakes.

Don’t forget that Spring is also the best time to do watching flowers at parks especially watching Cherry Blossoms. Spring is the best time to visit parks in Beijing. And some of the best parks to visit in springtime are Beijing Botanical Garden, Peach Blossom in Pinggu and Yuyuantan Park. Truly Spring is the “Diamond Season” of Beijing. It is a perfect season to enjoy flower watching their blooms and trees sprouting their leaves while experiencing a comfortable and nice weather.  Sightseeing visitors will definitely find the city lovely with all the blooms of flowers in every corner like I did. But even it is not Spring and all the flower blooms have gone by on a different season, Beijing will always be lovely and has something to offer to its visitors – whatever season it is.


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One Spring Day in Beijing is part of my Beguiling Beijing.Captivating China series where I share my adventures, travel stories and first-time experiences in Beijing, China last March 20-24, 2012. You might also like the other parts of the series:
+Beijing - A Beguiling City

+Winter Sonata in China
+Roaming through Beijing
+One Spring Day in Beijing
+Forbidden City: Forbidden No More
+A Dragon Hike to the Great Wall of China
+Beijing's Architectural Wonders
+Peking Duck: An Authentic Chinese Cuisine
+Wangfujing's Lively Street Life
+The Imperial Gardens of Beijing

Concepcion: Iloilo’s hidden gem

Nestled in Northern Iloilo, is the steadily tranquil municipality of Concepcion. It is a laid-back town with cheerful and kind Ilonggos living in a quiet community. But beyond its quietness and charming character, Concepcion is a hidden gem to discover. It is a hidden gem of Iloilo province for its underrated sights and undiscovered beauty that I’m glad to uncover.

Who wouldn't jump to see this stunning beauty of Concepcion's hidden gem?

Concepcion has been fascinating me ever since I read about it on online sites, particularly in Explore Iloilo. So when I had a chance to visit Iloilo, I really tried to include it in my trip to it even though I know it is quite far from Iloilo City. We travelled to Concepcion, via a 3 hour bus ride on Ceres Liner at Iloilo’s Tagbak Terminal – where buses bound for Northern Iloilo are stationed.  The 3 hour bus ride is plies through the scenic rice paddies and forestry ranges of Iloilo’s northern municipalities of Barotac Viejo, Ajuy and Sara.

The municipality of Concepcion is a coastal town located at the northeastern part of Iloilo Province. The municipality occupies the territorial water towards Visayan Sea where on its bay are 16 islands that are considered gems for its beautiful beaches, coral gardens, mountain islands, land formations and rich marine life. The islands mostly appeared as half-drowned mountains jutting out from the sea but mostly surrounded by white sand beaches, azure waters and rocky stones. It is in these islands lies the true beauty of Concepcion being lead by the commanding view of the tallest point of Pan de Azucar island or Mount Manaphag from the sea that makes it the landmark of the municipality.

Hotel Junbee facade.

Around Hotel Junbee - our accomodation in Concepcion.

After a long road trip, we alighted at Concepcion Public Plaza on where Hotel Junbee is just a short walking distance. We were gladly received by its owners, Mr. Jun Garilva and Mrs. Rubenie Garilva whom warmly welcome us in their charming hotel. Hotel Junbee is a three floor hotel which faces the shores of Concepcion Bay. It has a view deck for its visitors to appreciate the sea and the bay, where one can already see the islands of Concepcion from the distance. They also arranged our island hopping tour to the Concepcion islands since they have a contact with boat men who offer this kind of trips.

Breaking dawn in Concepcion.

My exploration of Iloilo’s so called “hidden gem” starts a view of dawn from Hotel Junbee’s terrace view deck. I woke up 5 in the morning expecting to catch my first Concepcion sunrise from the terrace balcony of our accommodation room.  I still felt dizzy from a morning wake along with recovery of tiredness from our trip yesterday from Iloilo City. But the view I saw from the terrace was something gorgeous to make up my first great morning and sunrise hunt in Concepcion. From the terrace, I marvel on the view of Concepcion’s coastal port with cloud patched sky from upper view, a middle view of mountain islands and down to a view of vast calm sea - all bade in blue hue of morning dawn. I thought while in marvel that everything seems to be touched by the Goddess of the Dawn.

This view is something new for me as I used to view sunsets in coastal beaches. I love sunset views for its magnificent and stunning moment. But dawn is a beholding sight that cannot be ignored! I did not expect my sunrise hunt will turn to witnessing a beautiful dawn in Concepcion. It was my first dawn catch and it was a grateful morning I ever had. It can be suitably called blue morning but as blue dawn color painted the whole beautiful scenery of Concepcion’s coastal port.  Aside from the vast sea and islands that as far as my eyes can see, even coconut trees standing along the port and bancas (outrigger boats) docked in the shore were all painted in blue. It was a like a royal moment for the Goddess of the Dawn – Aurora.
 

The 16 hidden gems of Concepcion is waiting...

The beauty of Agho Island. It will capture your heart literally!

I wish every morning I always get this kind of dawn view. It evokes feelings of calmness, serenity and clear thoughts. I don’t get this kind of stunning view everyday or even every morning at least. So I quickly decided to get my camera to capture this beautiful morning moment in Concepcion that “goddess Aurora” is offering!

At six in the morning, we started our island hopping exploration of Concepcion’s gem islands. It was so early because we learned that islands are 20 to 30 minutes apart from each other and our time spent on the island will definitely consume our travel time. As we sailed through the Concepcion Bay, I can already see islands which mostly are mountain islands jutting from the sea. And the most visible of them all is Pan de Azucar. It is the biggest and most popular among Concepcion’s 16 islands. Its tallest point is Mount Manaphag which was clearly visible among the islands of Concepcion which makes Pan de Azucar Island a popular scenery of the municipality. Mount Manaphag was actually the star of my dawn viewing and everywhere you go, this mountain point will capture your attention. No wonder Pan de Azucar was the landmark of Concepcion. But unfortunately, we weren’t able to visit the island as part of island hopping trip due to limited time we had.

The rocky side of Agho Island.

I was instantly challenged to do a mountain climbing for this activity with Suba looking at how I will face the challenge.

Malangabang Island while exploring Agho Island.

It was still quite dark but the sky from dawn but it started to shed light after 30 minutes of sailing through the sea and we arrived to our first island destination – Agho Island.  The island is an undiscovered island gem for its beautiful white sand beaches and sand bars that is beautifully surrounded by a 360 degree seascape view of other island gems of Concepcion. Half of the island is bounded by white sand beach and stunning sandbars and half of it are dotted with rocky formations and black rocky beach. What a unique combination of land formation in one island!

Agho Island is beach-lovers and sun-worshipper's paradise!

The caretaker and her family who are the sole inhabitant of the island warmly receive us and guided us on a round-the-island tour of Agho which we were surprised because the island is big enough but can be tour around for 30 minutes. We were also welcomed by Suba, the family’s pet dog who also join in our tour of Agho Island. Our tour started with a walk through the clam garden being taken care of the caretaker for sometime already. Then, we proceed with an exploration of the island’s rocky beach side which was mainly composed of black smooth rocks by the beach. I had difficulty walking on the rocky terrain but I easily passed it! We reached the rocky north point end of the island where there’s a challenge first before you proceed to the next side of Agho – you have to do a mini rock climbing down a side cliff. Though, the cliff is not that really high, it was still a challenge and life risky because if you fall, you fall to the rocks first before the water. The caretaker, said it was the easiest way to cross the other side of the island, the other one was going through a thick forest of small palm trees which will take time. And so with quite nervousness, I had to do it! Slowly, yet careful holding on the wall rocks, I did it with flying colors! But Suba was way more quick and easy in crossing the cliff!

Touchdown Bolobadiangan Island also known as Sandbar Island.

Resident resort of Bolobadiangan Island.

 The other side of Agho Island is mostly composed of smooth black rock formation by the seaside where we walkthrough with a thick forest of trees going to the inner side of the island. As you walk towards south of the island, I saw Malangabang Island, another gem island of Concepcion. Reaching the south side which where we started, we are greeted with a marvelous and stunning sandbar of Agho Island facing Pan de Azucar and its nearby islands. It was the most priceless view of Concepcion that I have seen! It made do a jump shot with almost a shout of “I’ve seen an ocean at last!” like any kid seeing his toy at last. The south point of Agho island is also dotted with numerous palm trees and a kubo that makes up a truly paradise scene for visitors to enjoy. And what a gorgeous seascape of Concepcion islands it has that you can enjoy in a 360 degree viewing while on a standpoint at Agho Island!   

Welcome to Bolobadiangan Island!

Danao Danao Island - one of the 16 island gems of Concepcion.

Then, we travel for 30 minutes for our next island to visit. Once you arrive in the island, what you will notice is its long stretch of powdery white sandbar where at the tip, you’re boat will dock. It’s popularly known as Sandbar Island but for its sandbar beauty but it is accurately named Bolobadiangan Island (also spelled, Bulubadiangan).  It is home of Sandbar Island Beach Resort where visitors can rent nipa hut rooms for overnight stay at the island. Just be sure to bring food to cook in the island since it is far from Concepcion mainland. The best thing to do in Bolobadiangan Island is to frolic in the vast white sandbar of the island and appreciating the scenic seascape around the island just like what we did. One of the beautiful islands you’ll appreciate its beauty is Danao Danao Island which is the nearest to Bolobadiangan Island. These activities are enough to appreciate this island but the real beauty of Bolobadiangan Island is its huge and long sandbar. And I’m glad that the caretaker of the island is maintaining it clean and beautiful.

Exploring the sandbar beauty of Bolobadiangan Island.

3 hours on the road again is worth it!

 After Bolobadiangan Island, we returned to Concepcion mainland feeling delighted with the exploration of its hidden gems. The beauty of nature I found there is priceless and marvelous. I hope the people of Concepcion continue to preserve and maintain its beauty so many can witness and experience it. As I traveled back again to Iloilo City for three hours with my travelmates, the beauty of Concepcion’s islands plays repeatedly in my mind. Stunning seascapes, charming islands and sun-kissed white beaches, Concepcion is truly a hidden gem of Iloilo. I’m sure anyone would agree whoever comes to experience it. 

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Concepcion: Iloilo's hidden gem is part of my trip series of the same title that tells about my travel stories on my visit to Iloilo's northern municipality of Concepcion last July 10-11, 2012. To learn more about Concepcion, read Explore Iloilo's website.