Fun things to do in Province of Pampanga

Mt Pinatubo has erupted in 1991 after sleeping for more than 600 years blowing its top and forming a big caldera creater which in due time was filled with water and a lake was born. (Ironically worth mentioning, Pinatubo is also credited for driving away technically the Americans from Clark and Subic.) Ever since, Mt. Pinatubo has become a favorite destination for hikers/mountaineers for a different experience.

The crater lake could be reached from the take-off point from Sta Juliana, Tarlac in a 6-hour trek via a dry river of lahar formed by the flowing water from the lake. The as-far-as-the-eye-can-see lahar landscape feels like you are in another world. Weekends are the usual throngs of hikers spending overnight at the campsite just by the crater. Guided day tours are offered by some operators which bring you midway the trail on a 4x4 vehicle ride plus the remaining less than 3 hr. hike.

A 4-day event in the month of February every year, the Hot Air Balloon Festival held at Camp Clark in Angeles City has attracted a lot of following through the years - on its 10th year this 2006. Clark is just an hour drive away from Manila making the event an attraction to mostly Metro Manila urbanites and foreign tourists. Participants come from as far as Finland, Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States and nearby Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand and from the host - Philippines.

The main event is the everyday just-before-dawn Hot Air Balloon flights. For a fee, visitors could be treated for a few minutes 20-meter high ride on balloons. Other exciting activities during the festival are airplane acrobatic shows, rc planes flying, kite-flying and skydiving.

Food to try:
1. Pampanga Longganisa - 2 kinds: 1 is soury in taste and the best come from Arayat and the other kind "hamonado" in taste like the skinless type
2. Boboto - like the Mexican Tamales (a town near Sta. Ana is called Mexico)
3. Bringe (sounds like bring he) - green rice, this is actually glutunous thick rice with bits of chicken and other meat cooked in coconut milk.
4. Buro - fermented fish or shrimp with rice, soury in taste (eaten similarly like bagoong), best eaten with fried hito (mudfish)
5. Camaro (this is not a car but a food delicacy) - it's an insect similar to cricket, but this is clean and delicious due taken from the rice fields and cooked as adobo, a little crunchy but unique in taste. Not available all year round.
6. Gatas Damulag (Carabao's Milk) - by tradition, mixed with steamed or fried rice with salt added for taste, rice must be very wet with milk to be very tasteful.
7. Hot chocolate drink - made with ground cacao (cocoa) roasted with peanuts with milk and sugar. Best way to enjoy it, must be served hot and bubbly (use of the "batirol" or wooden beater). It's the bubbles that count.
8. Tibuk-tibok (heartbeat) - this is an almost white "kakanin" made of ground thick rice mixed with carabao's milk. It's so tender that a slight movement on this delicacy makes it appear like tiny heartbeats thus the name. The best is found at Susie's Cuisine in Nepo in Angeles City and also in San Fernando.

.... more to be added

If you are in the Philippines during the Christmas season, don't miss the Lantern Festival which showcases the craftmanship of the Pampangueneos.

Christmas lights --- dancing to the rhythm of music, adorned these gigantic lanterns.

Pampanga holds the record for having "The World's Largest Lantern"...

This place is right in front of entrance to Clark city. Nice place for time passing, window shopping or just for dining.

It is a "must" visit place for any one visiting Clark. Nice collection of photos pertaining to Philippines and US presence in Clark.