With 7,107 islands, there are no shortage of festivals in the Philippines, but few are as internationally known and widely celebrated as Sinulog, held annually in Cebu, the Philippines’ oldest and second-largest city.
Sinulog, also the name of a pervasive, rhythmic beat known to infectiously inspire revelers to dance, includes nine days of parades, contests, beauty pageants and fireworks, culminating with the highly anticipated Grand Parade Carousel. The main events of Sinulog 2008 will be held from Jan. 18-20, however celebrations will begin as early as Jan. 11.
California-based JJBargains Travel® is offering a special Sinulog package from just $1,021 per person, double occupancy, featuring first-class accommodations at the Cebu City Marriott Hotel for four nights, roundtrip airfare via Philippine Airlines, airport/hotel transfers with a welcome lei greeting by Sinulog dancers, daily breakfast and a Sinulog 2008 T-shirt.
“With a rich history dating even further back than Manila, Cebu is a great place to visit any time of year, but Sinulog brings the perfect opportunity to observe the Cebuano flair for hospitality at its most celebrated moment,” said Annie Cuevas, Director of the Philippine Department of Tourism in Los Angeles.
“We encourage travelers to take advantage of this great value to the Philippines, by combining their stay with a visit to one of our other tropical vacation paradises, such as Boracay, known throughout the world for its famous ‘White Beach’ and laid back attitude,” added Cuevas.
Starting at $389 per person, Sinulog visitors can extend their stay in the Philippines with an optional add-on package to the beach island of Boracay or the eco-tourism destination of Palawan, known for its reef systems and the longest underground river in the world.
Both packages feature accommodations for two nights, daily breakfast (all meals are included in Palawan package), and airport/hotel transfers. The Boracay package also includes a roundtrip ferry ride to the island, whereas the Palawan package features tours of Honda Bay and Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park.
All pricing is per person, based on double occupancy with departures from Los Angeles and San Francisco Jan. 13 through 17. Other departure dates and gateways are available upon request.
Boracay and Palawan add-on packages are land-only and do not include inter-island airfare, which is available from JJBargains Travel starting at $65 per person to Boracay and $70 per person to Palawan.
For reservations or to inquire about additional gateways, please contact JJBargains Travel toll-free at 888-826-9538 or visit www.jjbargainstravel.com
For more information on Sinulog 2008, contact the Philippine Department of Tourism in Los Angeles at 213-487-4525; San Francisco at 415-956-4060; New York at 212-575-7915 or Chicago at 312-782-2475.
Philippine Department of Tourism
The Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT) is one of the Executive Departments of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines responsible for the promotion of travel to the Philippines, tourism investments, and enhancement and preservation of tourism products in the country. Field offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco provide the following services free of charge on a selective basis: dissemination of tourism information, maps, brochures and posters; lending out of videos, CDs and other tourism-related materials; recommendations on places to visit; endorsement of relevant entities; and assistance to those traveling to the Philippines. These offices also engage in a number of promotional activities: presentations to travel organizations, travel trade shows, media inserts and joint marketing arrangements.
The Philippine Department of Tourism is headquartered in Manila, Philippines, with offices in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.experiencephilippines.ph or www.wowphilippines.com.ph
Kahn Travel Communications (KTC) is the appointed publicist for the Philippine Department of Tourism, covering North America. Media may contact KTC at (516) 594-4100, or via e-mail at J.Kahn@KTCpr.com