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Luzon,Philippines- A Quick Guide
Luzon is one of the three main island groups in the Philippine Islands. Located in the northern region of the archipelago, it includes mainland Luzon, the Batanes and Babuyan island groups to the north, the Polillo islands to the east, and the remote islands of Catanduanes, Marinduque, Masbate, Romblon, Mindoro, and Palawan, among others, to the south.
Luzon is the largest and most populated island in the Philippines. It is ranked the 15th largest in the world by land area and is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as well as Quezon City, the most populous city of the country. With a population of 53 million people in 2015, it is the fourth most populous island in the world with approximately 53% of the country's total population.
It is bordered on the west by the South China Sea (Sea of Luzon in Philippine territorial waters), on the east by the Philippine Sea, and on the north by the Strait of Luzon containing the Babuyan Canal and the Balintang Canal. The continent has a more or less rectangular shape and has the long Bicol peninsula that juts out to the southeast.
Luzon is divided into approximately four sections; North, Central and Southern Luzon, and the National Capital Region.
Where is Luzon?
The main island of the Philippines, from the cobblestone streets of the colonial city of Vigan; to the bustling metropolis of Manila, where the seat of government is located, as well as the national capital; to the rice terraces and pine forests of the Cordillera Region; and to the sandy, secluded beaches of Palawan, this is the island of Luzon.
Luzon's administrative area is divided into 8 regions, seven of which are on the island of Luzon. The eighth is Mimaropa, a rather arbitrary grouping of several smaller islands.
Luzon's regions are Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Bicol, Calabarzon, Cagayan Valley, Ilocos, Cordillera Administrative Region and Mimaropa.
Luzon Top Tourist Destinations
The Batanes Archipelago is probably the least known in the Philippines and also the smallest in the country. It lies north of Luzon, halfway between the Philippines and Taiwan, in the China Sea. Because it is so remote and isolated, it is a place that preserves its traditions in a series of 10 islands, only 3 of which were historically inhabited by the Ivatan ethnic minority.
A Little Bit of History
Shortly before the first millennium, the towns of Tagalog and Kapampangan in southern and central Luzon had established several important coastal entities, including Manila, Tondo, and Namayan.
In 1500, the people of Luzon were called Lucoes and were active in commercial, marine, and military campaigns throughout Southeast Asia.
The Portuguese were the first European explorers to record it in their charts as Luçonia or Luçon and the inhabitants were called Luçoes.
The Spanish arrival in the 16th century saw the incorporation of the Luçoes people and the dissolution of their kingdoms and the establishment of the Philippine Islands with its capital Cebu, which was moved to Manila after the defeat of the local Rajah Sulayman in 1570. Under Spain, Luzon also came to be known as the New Castile or the New Castile.
Tourism in Luzon: Key Information
Luzon has four international airports; one is the country's main gateway, another is for low-cost airlines and the remaining two are minor international airports.
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL IATA) is the main gateway of the Philippines to the country, the busiest airport in the country and the 44th busiest in the world. It is often ranked as one of the worst airports due to rush hour congestion as well as overcapacity.
Some of the major operators operating at this airport are Philippine Airlines; the country's flag carrier, Cebu Pacific; the country's low-cost carrier, Asiana Airlines from Korea, Emirates, KLM, Delta, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines and QANTAS.
The airport has four terminals that are separate from each other. The first terminal is the international terminal. This is where you fly in and out of the country unless you are using Philippines Airlines. The second terminal is reserved for Philippines Airlines. The third terminal is where you will find Cebu Pacific. The fourth terminal is for Air Asia. These usually offer economical flights between the islands, although Cebu Pacific also flies to many international locations.
Clark International Airport (CRK IATA) is the other international airport serving the vicinity of Central and Northern Luzon. The airport is located within the Clark Freeport Zone of Angeles City. It was previously known as Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA).
It offers adequate travel facilities, including currency exchange, duty-free shopping, souvenir shops, free Wi-Fi, a tourist information center, hotel and travel agency representatives, and car rental services.
This airport is where low-cost airlines such as Air Asia fly to Kuala Lumpur, Tiger Air to Singapore, and Cebu Pacific to Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, and Cebu City. It also receives direct flights from Hong Kong, South Korea, and the Middle East from airlines such as Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Emirates. Domestic flights are also offered by Cebu Pacific, but only for Cebu.