Albay

Albay (pronunciation: ahll-BIGH) is a province in the Bicol Region in the island of Luzon, Philippines.

Regions

Albay is divided into three regions defined by the local dialect of Bikol spoken, and also correspond to districts defined for the purpose of congressional representation.

• Coastal District (Bacacay, Malilipot, Malinao, Santo Domingo, Tabaco, Tiwi) - Various towns and a city alongside the Legazpi-Tiwi coastal road
• Capital District (Camalig, Daraga, Manito, Legazpi, Rapu-Rapu) - Vibrant and touristy parts of the province
• Miraya District (Guinobatan, Jovellar, Libon, Ligao, Oas, Pio Duran, Polangui) - Mountainous areas on the west coast accessible via Asian Highway 26

Cities

• 1 Legazpi — The provincial capital and the "City of Fun and Adventure". Its suburb, 2 Daraga , is known for the picturesque ruins of Cagsawa Church
• 3 Bacacay — Fishing town with beaches, islands and caves
• 4 Libon — Agricultural town at the border of Camarines Sur
• 5 Ligao — Small city to the southwest of Mayon
• 6 Pio Duran — The ferry port to Masbate
• 7 Polangui — Small tourist town with good views of Mayon
• 8 Tabaco — The ferry terminal to Catanduanes
• 9 Tiwi — The location of Tiwi Geothermal Power Plant and with pottery industry.

Other destinations

• 1 Mayon — Volcano famous for its nearly perfect cone
• 2 Rapu-Rapu Islands
• Cagraray Island — With plenty of virgin white sand beaches and home to Misibis Bay, a luxury resort.

Understand

Albay has a total land area of 2,575 km² (994 sq mi), which makes it the 53rd biggest province of the Philippines. The province is generally mountainous with scattered fertile plains and valleys. On the eastern part of the province is a line of volcanic mountains starting with the northernmost Malinao in Tiwi, followed by Mount Masaraga and the free-standing Mayon Volcano. Separated by the Poliqui Bay is the Pocdol Mountains in the town of Manito.

History

What is now Albay has been home to civilization long before the Spaniards arrived. In ancient times, it was the center of the polity of Ibat (then Libog), ruled by Gat Ibal, a chieftain who also founded the ancient barangay of Sawangan in what is now Legazpi.

In July 1569, Martín de Goiti led an expedition group which crossed from Burias and Ticao islands and landed on a coastal settlement called Ibalon in what is now Sorsogon. From there Goiti led another expedition to explore the interior and founded the town of Camalig. In 1573, conquistador Juan de Salcedo penetrated the Bicol Peninsula from the north and created the settlement of Santiago de Libon.

During the Spanish era, Bicol Peninsula was its own province divided into two partidos, Camarines in the northwest and Ibalon in the southeast. In 1636, the two partidos became their own provinces, and what was the Ibalon became the new province of Albay, whose capital is the town of Sorsogon. Albay was frequently raided by Moro pirates from the south for most of the 17th century.

Mayon Volcano, in its deadliest eruption, destroyed five towns surrounding its base on 1 Feb 1814, including Cagsawa, which would become the city of Legazpi. In 1846, Masbate, Ticao and Burias islands were separated from Albay to form what would become the province of Masbate. During that time, Albay also included Catanduanes and Sorsogon.

People

Albay has a population of about 1,400,000 people in 2020, and is largely ethnically Bicolano. Catholicism is the predominant religion.

Tourism information

• Provincial Tourism, Culture and the Arts Office (PTCAO), Tourism Bldg, Albay Astrodome Complex, F. Aquende Dr, Legazpi, ☏ +63 52 742 0242. (updated Nov 2020)

Talk

Albay is home to several languages and hosts some varieties of the Bikol languages. Out of seven Bikol languages, only one of them do not originate from Albay.

Most Albay residents speak dialects of Albay Bikol, which includes the East Miraya, West Miraya, and Libon dialects. Rinconada is spoken by a minority in Polangui town that borders Camarines Sur. Residents of the east coast, including Legazpi and Tabaco, speak the Tabaco-Legazpi-Sorsogon (TLS) dialect of Central Bikol.

Get in

By plane

Bicol International Airport (DRP ^IATA), just adjacent to Legazpi, is served by daily flights from Manila, both on PAL Express and Cebu Pacific.

By bus

Many bus companies have daily trips to Legazpi or Tabaco from Manila via the Maharlika Highway. Some of the larger and more reputable bus companies are ALPS, Cagsawa Tours, DLTBCo., Philtranco and Superlines, with air-conditioned and luxury buses.

From the south, there are also buses from Sorsogon, Samar and Leyte, and Mindanao, all via Maharlika Highway.

By car

The main highway traversing Albay is the Maharlika Highway, carrying Asian Highway 26. From Camarines Sur, you can also take the Tigaon-Sagñay-Tiwi road (Rte 630) which follows a scenic route along the Pacific coast.

By train

The only available services are the Bicol Commuter come from Camarines Sur, but they are slow local services that only operate on weekdays.

By ferry

Roll-on/roll-off ferries connect Albay with nearby Masbate and Catanduanes. Ferries from Masbate call either call at Pilar port in Sorsogon (for boats from Masbate City and Ticao Island) and Pio Duran (from Burias Island), while those from Catanduanes call at Tabaco.

Legazpi has a seaport. There are interisland ferries to the island of Rapu-rapu, an island municipality of the province of Albay.

Get around

By bus

Buses form the main way of transportation between Albay’s cities and towns. Many of those services are rather segments of longer intercity routes from Manila or Naga, but there are also plenty of local buses and minibuses plying the Legazpi-Tabaco route.

By train

The PNR Bicol Commuter Line serves Legazpi, Daraga, Guinobatan and Ligao, but services are limited and somewhat slower than the buses.

By car

Most of Albay's cities and towns are linked by national roads of decent quality, like the Maharlika Highway (Rte 1/AH26), Legazpi-Tabaco Rd (Rte 630), and Sabluyon Rd (Rte 636). Other major roads tend to be narrow, and not designed for highway speeds. Traffic is generally light, but as in most of the Philippines, chaotic.

See

• Magayon Festival — a month long festivity to honor the beauty of the province's culture and heritage. Celebrated all throughout the month of May.

Do

• Cagraray Eco Park - has an amphitheatre perfect for picture taking.

Eat

• DJC Halo-Halo, Baybay, Tiwi, Albay. A homegrown restaurant near Tiwi Boulevard.

Sleep

• Misibis Bay, Cagraray Island, Bacacay (this Misibis resort in Cagraray Island is 45 minutes from the airport), ☏ +63 52 481 0888. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. All rooms are equipped with wireless internet access, air conditioning, daily newspaper, desk, hairdryer, minibar, coffee/tea maker, LCD TV with cable channels, private toilet and bath. Some of its facilities and services are bars, business center, cafe, conference room, fitness room/gym, jacuzzi, restaurant, shops, swimming pool, aerial tours, airport transfer, babysitting service, massage service, private beach access and water sports (motorized and non-motorized). From ₱19436. 
• Sabando Ocampo Beach Resort, Oas, Albay.
• Casa Simeon = a heritage house of Alparce family that turned into a hotel and restaurant for tourists. Located at Bes Street, Bacacay. https://www.facebook.com/casasimeon/

• Casa Bicolandia Suites - Malvar Street, Daraga. https://www.facebook.com/casabicolandiasuites/

Stay safe

Main dangers in Albay are the weather and Mayon Volcano. The province is in the typhoon belt, and cyclones wreak havoc in Albay every rainy season. Mayon, true to its name, is beautiful, but deadly, being one of the most active volcanoes in the Pacific region.

Go next

• Masbate - on Burias island via Pio Duran port