Southern Luzon - The Rough Guide to the Philippines - page 214

SPICING IT UP IN BICOL
Bicolano cuisine is unusual in the Philippines, noted for its use of coconut and chillis. Most
Bicolano dishes are prepared by sautéeing or simmering ingredients in coconut cream
- traditionally minced, diced or ground pork, smoked fish ( tinapa ) or small shrimps. Among
the most common dishes are Bicol Express , named after a famous train service, made with
coconut cream, diced pork, small shrimps, chilli and garlic, and sometimes pineapple; laing ,
a spicy dish of delicious taro leaves, coconut cream, ground pork and minced small shrimps;
and pinangat , which uses the same ingredients as laing , although the taro leaves here are
tied together and wrapped around the ground pork and small shrimps, before being
submerged in coconut cream. To sample some of the best Bicolano cuisine, head for Small Talk
in Legazpi (see opposite) or Green Earth Café near Naga (see p.210).

By jeepney Regular jeepneys make the trip to Santo
Domingo (hourly; 30min; P20).
By van Vans arrive at and leave from the Grand Central
Terminal.
Destinations Bulan (hourly; 2hr 30min; P180); Donsol
(hourly; 1hr 30min; P75); Naga (every 30min; 2hr; P140);

Pio Duran (hourly; 2hr; P135); Sorsogon City (every 30min;
1hr 20min; P90); Tabaco (every 30min; 45min; P50).
By boat The wharf is at the eastern end of Quezon Ave in
City Proper. Outrigger boats travel to Rapu-Rapu, Albay
(daily 7am & noon; 3hr; P150).

INFORMATION AND TOURS
Tourist information The city tourist o ce is in the City
Hall Building on Rizal St in Albay district (Mon-Fri
8am-5pm; T 052 480 2698, W legazpicity.gov.ph), while
the provincial tourist o ce is on Captain Aguende Drive,
also in Albay district (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm; T 052 481
0250, W albaytourism.gov.ph); there is also an info kiosk at
the airport that opens when flights arrive. The Department
of Tourism Region 5 of ce is at the Regional Centre Site,

Rawis, 2km north of the Albay district (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm;
T 052 482 0712, W gayonbicol.com).
Tours For private tours, car rental, trekking (including
Mt Mayon), ATV rides and other adventure tourism, try Your
Brother Travel & Tours ( T 052 742 9871, W mayonatvtour
.com) or Bicol Adventures and Tours ( T 0917 571 4357,
W bicoladventureatv.com). You can also ask at the tourist
o ces about arranging a guide for Mt Mayon (see opposite).

4

ACCOMMODATION
CITY PROPER
★

ALBAY DISTRICT
Casablanca Suites Benny Imperial St T 052 481 0788,
W casablancasuites.ph. Located in the heart of the
business district, this hotel offers nineteen rooms, with
carpeted or wood-tile floors, decorated with abstract art;
most have views over Mt Mayon. There's w i-fi throughout
and a popular Fri buffet (7-10pm). P3300
Hotel Venezia Renaissance Gardens, Washington
Drive T 052 481 0888, W hotelvenezia.com,ph. Close
to the airport, this upmarket hotel oozes minimalist chic,
with rooms set on three floors. Standard rooms are tiny,
while the much more spacious junior suites (P4270) with
king-size beds, sacrifice a little style for a lot more space.
There is wi-fi thr oughou t, and a café in the lobby serving
delectable cakes. P3050
Mayon Backpackers Hostel Brgy Maoyod T 052
480 0365 or T 0905 518 6076, W mayonbackpackers
.wordpress.com. Legazpi's only hostel has a series of
tiled four- and six-bed dorms, each with its own bathroom
and wooden bunks and lockers. There's one double room
with a/c and private bath, a communal guest kitchen, free
wi-fi and all-day tea and coffee, and ra tes incl ude a l ight
breakfast of toast and fruit. Dorm P250 ; double P1000

Hotel St Ellis Rizal St T 052 480 8088, W hotelstellis
.com.ph. The only truly high-end option in City Proper,
this tastefully decorated hotel offers well-appointed rooms
in white and cream, with 32inch flatscreen TVs, work desks,
high-speed internet and coffee- and tea-making facilities.
There's also a business centre, s wimmin g pool, well-equipped
gym, luxurious spa and crèche. P3660
Legazpi Tourist Inn 3rd Floor, V&O Building, Lapu-
Lapu St at Quezon Ave T 052 480 6147, E legazpi
[e-mail]. On the second floor of an
o ce block, this simple place offers plain rooms, some
with fan, others with a/c and TV (P1200); the deluxe rooms
(P1400) with cable TV are worth the extra - they're much
larger and in m uch better condition than the cheaper
standards. P700
The Oriental Taysan Hill, Santo Niño Village T 052 742
8888, W theorientalhotels.com. This new upmarket
hotel, on Taysan Hill overlooking the city, has wonderful
views over Mt Mayon and the Gulf of Albay. Comfortable
rooms feature modern amenities such as rain showers and
high-speed internet; facilities include spa, i infinity pool,
children's pool, gym and babysitting services. P3300