The Marinduque Island in the Philippines is one of the best places that the whole world should know of its beauty and immense tourist attractions.
If you are geography savvy, then you are not a typical American or a Filipino citizen. I have lived in almost all regions of the US (West, Midwest and East) since 1960. I know that a typical American has no idea where Marinduque, Philippines is on the map. They probably know it is part of Asia and associate it with Japan or China. Even educated Filipinos (those with graduate degrees) have no idea where the heck is Marinduque. Some of them confused it with Martinique—an eastern Caribbean island!
An associate in our Philippine-American Academy of Science & Engineering (PAASE) organization who has a Ph.D in Biology and Genetics, whispered to me one day and apologized that she has no idea where Marinduque is in the Philippines, even though she grew up and studied in the Philippines for her college degree. I was shocked by her sincerity, but I realized she is not in the minority. A majority of Filipino-Americans now residing here in the US are in the same boat. They only knew the big cities and provinces in the Philippines.
As a blogger and a lover of Marinduque, my retirement island and second home, I feel it is my duty to let the world know, where the heck is Marinduque. Please allow me to give you a short overview of Marinduque—my island paradise.
Marinduque (Filipino: Marinduke pronounced [m?rin’duke]) is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) region in Luzon. The small province has six towns and its capital town is Boac.
Marinduque lies between Tayabas Bay to the north and Sibuyan Sea to the south. It is located south and west of Quezon, east of Mindoro, and north of Romblon. It is only about 30 minutes from Manila by air. It is the geographical center of the Philippines, so it is often known as the heart of the Philippines.
It is the only province with a song and dance ritual that welcomes visitors to the island, called Putong, thus Marinduquenos are considered the most hospitable people in the Philippines if not in the whole world.
Characterized by pristine natural beauty, Marinduque boasts a wide spectrum of unspoiled beaches, mountain peaks, fabled sulfur springs, limestone caves, cascading waterfalls, fringing reefs, virgin islets and old Churches.
Marinduque’s legend informs us that it is an island born of passion and love. The locals tell the legend of a young couple, Marina and Garduke, who lived in the mainland of Luzon many years ago. Their love was pure and sincere, but their elders, who did not approve of the union, sought to tear them apart. The couple escaped to the sea, where they disappeared under the waves, never to be seen or heard from again. At that exact spot, a heart-shaped island emerged and was christened Marinduque, in memory of the young lovers.
Today the island province is a place of passionate minds, hearts and hospitable residents. The home of the colorful Moriones Festival, fascinating butterfly and orchid farms and the iconic Boac Cathedral is also now gaining worldwide acclaim as a must-visit vacation destination in Asia. Thanks in no small part to Bellarocca Island Resort and Spa, in just two short years, the Santorini-inspired resort has become the anchor attraction of the island. Even CNN has declared it one of Asia’s next major tourist hotspot.
If you need additional information on the beauty of the island and its tourist attractions, please visit http://www.marinduqueawaitsyou.blogspot.com