TravelPeople Ltd., Inc. (TravelPeople) of the Travel Group of MAGSAYSAY recently concluded a 19-day cruise expedition of the country in November with Australia’s pioneering cruise line’s Coral Adventurer Expedition Cruise Ship (Coral Adventurer). Through “Island Trails of the Philippines,” a total of 28 local sites were visited in the islands and provinces of Biliran, Bohol, Cagayan, Catanduanes, Leyte, Marinduque, Masbate, Northern Samar, Occidental Mindoro, Quezon, Romblon, Southern Leyte, and Surigao del Norte.
TravelPeople painstakingly curated the tours and activities so guests of Coral Adventurer could get up close and personal with the communities and sites they visited. Carrying a little over a hundred passengers, with limited space for recreation and entertainment, the cruise gave off a very intimate vibe onboard. This was complemented by relaxation and rejuvenation ashore while immersing in the local scene, indulging in the richness of our culture.
In Marinduque, on the last day before disembarkation in Manila, one of the five guest lecturers and incidentally a Filipina, exclaimed: “I thought I could not be more surprised by Filipino hospitality; not when they started showering us with money!” This was one remarkable experience enjoyed by all during the “Putungan” ceremony, where locals honor guests with song and dance, bestowing symbolic crowns, and showering them with petals and coins for good luck.
TravelPeople is set to handle the same cruise next year for Coral Expeditions – a true testament to the team’s success in providing excellent tours for shore excursions in the Philippines.