Common scenery in Calapan City.

Touted as one of the country’s emerging eco-tourism destinations, Oriental Mindoro has long been known for its variety of beautiful attractions that evoke images of a genuine tropical paradise. Serving as the provincial capital, Calapan City is a 2nd class component city in the First Congressional District in the province of Oriental Mindoro, one of many reasons why the province is widely recognized as one of the best destinations in the Philippines.

 

The City of Calapan

Calapan City also serves as the gateway to the Oriental Mindoro province with the implementation of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway, an integrated Roll On-Roll Off project that extends further to the southern part of the Philippines. The Calapan City Seaport is the largest and busiest seaport in Mindoro Island, with ships that travel to and from the Batangas City International Seaport.

Calapan City is currently one of only two cities (the other being Puerto Princesa City) in the MIMAROPA region of the Philippines. It is the center of commerce and industry, the center of transport and communication, and the center of education in the entire province of Oriental Mindoro. It also serves as the administrative center in the entire Region of MIMAROPA. This makes the city as viable destination for recreation and business.

 

Titles Calapan City Really Deserves

The city is known most distinctly as the "Gateway to the Golden Isle" but is also referred to with other different titles such as "The Discipline City", "The City of the Golden Grains", "The Acropolis of the South", and "The Provincial Capitol".

 

Booming Economy

The city's economy is dependent on agriculture and fishing. However, a growing industry in machinery and tourism has contributed well to the city's annual income, making it one of the fastest growing new cities in the country for the last 10 years.

Since 1998, the city has experienced rapid development. The establishment of a special development area, particularly an eco-zone for light industries located at the Urban Development Area (Lumangbayan and Guinobatan), has been promoted and now serves as growth area which generates employment and spurs economic opportunities. Such industries focus on agro-industrial based activities such as food processing, handicraft making, furniture making and other related activities.

Calapan City plays a major role in the Philippine economy as one of the major food suppliers in the country. The city is also a major exporter of rice, supplying Metro Manila and major parts of Luzon, making it both an agriculturally-progressive and urbanized city. The five major crops are rice, citrus, banana, rambutan and lanzones. The top five industries in Calapan City are trading, tourism, services, marine and aquatic, and food processing.

 

Tourism in Calapan

Calapan City is ready to welcome visitors and cater to their needs, be it accommodation, food, souvenirs, shopping and leisure and recreation. It is no secret that Calapan City is blessed with unspoiled beautiful sceneries and spots like beaches, mountain trails, forests, leisure farms, resorts and hosts a number of rare flora and fauna.

Eco-Tourism Sites

• Calapan City Zoological and Recreational Park - already an existing park used by locals to savor nature, this area was improved to become a zoo to make its landscape more ideal for tourist use. Zip-lines and wall climbing were added for more recreational activities.
• Verde Islands
• Baco-Chico Islets - these islets are located in Calapan Bay. The reefs surrounding the islands have a potential for scuba diving.
• Aganhao Islet - located near Silonay Island, Aganhao has a small strip of white sand beach frequented by local excursionists.
• Silonay Islet
• Harka Piloto Marine Sanctuary - a marine sanctuary located in Silonay Island in the eastern part of the city, the sanctuary is actively protected by the local government. Given its protected status, Harka Piloto is now an ideal site for diving and snorkeling.
• Bulusan Mountain Trail
• Caluangan Lake - A wide lake that that is surprisingly still unclogged by fish pens. With Baruyan River as the connecting attraction, tourists can have leisurely cruises or kayaking activities in Caluangan Lake.
• Baruyan River - this is a long river that ends at Caluangan Lake. Highly ideal for river cruising (or kayaking). What makes the river more interesting is that it is not clogged by any man-made development such as fish pens. Together with the lake, the sites still possess the character of a rural ambience most attractive to tourists seeking such kind of an experience.
• Pachoca-Balite Beach - offers a long stretch of fine gray-sand beach
• Lazareto-Suqui-Parang Beach - offers a long stretch of fine gray-sand beach
• Silonay, Navotas, Maidlang marshes - perfect for boating, bird watching and educational trekking

 

Festivals

To further boost tourism in the city and to effectively place Calapan in the country's festival map, the local government established many colorful festivities and glamorous santacruzan celebrations.

• Kalap Festival

Celebrated every 21st of March is the city's official festival, the Kalap Fest. Launched only in 2009, the Kalap Festival is a celebration of culture and history. Participated by various sectors of Calapan's broad citizenry, the people walk the city streets moving as one. It is intended to be a yearly celebration packed with performances, colorful floats, and most significant of all, history. Along the main streets, floats detail the defining moments of the city's past, an insight into the Calapan of today.

• Sto. Niño de Calapan Festival

For religious tourism, the city holds the Sto. Nino de Calapan Festival at the start of every year, January 1. It is a month-long celebration starting as early as December until it reaches its pinnacle through a series of different religious activities to honor the city's patron, the young child Sto. Nino, and to reflect the people's religiosity. The celebration extends towards the Christmas season laced with nightly cultural presentation, yuletide activities topped by the lighting of the giant Christmas tree and fireworks, as well as agro-industrial and tourism fairs.

• Harvest Festival

The Harvest Festival was conceptualized by the city government council in recognition of Calapan City's achievement as one of the major exporter of rice in the Philippines. The city was once an importer of rice but now rice is the most important export of Calapan. According to city statistics, the increase in palay production is attributed to the improvement of the city’s agricultural programs. Thus Calapan is also dubbed as "The City of the Golden Grains".

• Sinkaw Festival

The Sinkaw Festival derives its name from “sining kalabaw" or carabao arts, a creative artistic painting competition with no less than the carabaos as “canvasses.” This festival honors the city's native “beasts of the burden” as an eternally indispensable partner in farming and, essentially, a special tribute to the farmers’ industry.

• Mardigras

Mardigras are held on many different occasions (fiesta, summer, Foundation Day, Halloween) that add more color to the already vibrant city. It is the ultimate street party that takes place along the entire stretch of J. P. Rizal Street. The hypnotic lights and upbeat music, together with various fun-filled activities, will bring together a bevy of party-goers to party the night away.

Notable Landmarks

• Neo-Calapan, Neo-Calapan Mall
• Calapan City Hall - reminiscent of Greek-Corinthian architecture, it is a favorite destination for study tours, excursions, local gatherings and occasions.
• Calapan City Plaza - A place where families and friends can hang around and have a picnic. It has a map of Oriental Mindoro smack in the middle of a small pond and a monument of Jose Rizal, a rare depiction, one where he is seated, writing one of his novels.
• Calapan City Public Market (awarded Outstanding Infrastructure Project in Asia)
• Sto. Niño Cathedral - Constructed in 1959, visitors will be amazed with its grandiose alatar, magnificent pipe organ and stained glasses that depict the mysteries of the Holy Rosary, Beatitudes, Gifts of the Holy Spirit and Apostle’s Creed.
• Calapan City Museum - The museum is a repository of Calapan’s history in photographs and memorabilia. It serves as a memorial marker as a perennial remembrance to the founders and great men of Calapan. It is an interesting showcase of the customs and way of life of Calapenos.
• Casa Real Ruins

Arts and Culture

The city and provincial governments also maintain separate libraries and museums. Moreover, the Calapan City Plaza which is located in front of the old city hall in San Vicente East is one of the city's famed attractions because of its unique features that includes a statue of a Mangyan man standing beside a tamaraw. The statue has now become the most famous landmark of the city.

Native Delicacies

When in Calapan eat like the Calapeños. A visit to Calapan City would not be complete without buying souvenir items and pasalubong for your folks and friends back home. After an enjoyable tour around the city, try Calapan’s treats such as suman sa lihiya, cassava cake, banana chips, sweet dried pusit, dried fish, puto, kalamay, bibingka, nilupak, hyrid rice, ginger tea, kamote pastillas, yema, toasted siopao and coco jam.

In a place that is abundant with rice, it is not surprising that the city's main local delicacy is the suman. The city's official entry to the One Town-One Product (OTOP) is the Merl's Native Delicacy Products most famous of which is the Suman Sa Lihiya with coco jam which had been claimed many times as delicious like no other.

Unique to the city and popular to many Calapeño is the famous local snack, the toasted siopao. It is a new twist to the classic Chinese hot bun. The toasted siopao craze in Calapan is noteworthy.

Already part of the city's history is the Mabuhay Pancit. It has been a long-standing panciteria that serves the best tasting and most sumptuous pancit in the city from lomi, to miki to bihon.

For wine drinkers, bring home some tuba. Selected by hand, the nectar of the coconut is fermented to make this classic Filipino liquor. Keep in mind, when well-prepared, tuba packs a punch.

Notable Calapeños

• Salvador "Doy" Leachon - 2011 awardee as one of "The Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines" for the field of Community Development and one of the "Nine Outstanding Young Filipino Leaders in Asia"
• Macario G. Adriatico - liberator of Mindoro, first representative of Mindoro to the Philippine Assembly, journalist, orator, writer and director of the National Museum and Library
• Ricardo G. Paras, Sr. - delegate to Malolos Revolutionary Congress
• Néstor Vicente Madali González - Internationally acclaimed writer and educator
• Jason Francisco - 3rd Placer, Pinoy Big Brother: Double Up
• Charo Santos-Concio - President, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation
• Marielle Infantado - National Filipino swimmer; 1st ASEAN Games; 2nd POF Championship; 27th, 29th and 31st SEA Games; Nestle MILO product endorser
• Jireh Ibañez - Basketball Player, PBA
• Joey Antonio - Chess Grandmaster
• Antonio "Nikoy" Lining - International Billard Champion
• Diana Arevalo - Top 10 Semi-Finalist - Binibining Pilipinas 2009, Miss Or. Mindoro 2008, Top 15 Finalist - Binibining Pilipinas 2011
• Edzen Dinglasan - National Filipino Swimmer; 29th and 30th SEA Games
• Edson Dinglasan - National Filipino Swimmer, 30th SEA Games; Philippine National Swimmer

Hotels and Resorts

Looking for a place to stay in Calapan is never a difficult task as the city's hospitality industry provides a number of well-appointed hotels and resorts where one can opt to stay. With a growing pool of accredited hotels, pensions, resorts and recreational facilities, there is no doubt you can call Calapan home while on vacation around the city and the entire province.

• Filipiniana Calapan Resort Hotel - Sto. Niño
• Achimie Hotel - San Vicente
• Aganhaw Beach Resort - Parang
• Anahaw Island View Resort - Balite
• Bimas Inn - Tawiran
• Blue Harbor Inn - San Antonio
• Calapan Bayside Resort - Suqui
• Calapan Bay Hotel - San Antonio
• Coco Farm Spring Resort - Canubing I
• Domini Hotel - San Vicente

 

Venture to Oriental Mindoro

Oriental Mindoro can be reached through land and sea transport. From Manila, take the Batangas-Laguna-Tayabas (BLTB), Tritran, and other Batangas-bound buses to the Batangas City pier. From there, take the super ferry boats bound for Calapan, which has several trips per day, or those bound for Puerto Galera. A roll-on-roll-off (RO-RO) ferry is convenient for those wishing to take their private vehicles. In Mindoro Oriental, a number of jeepneys ply the capital from the neighboring towns and to the interior.