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Cavite

With almost 1,000 inhabitants per sq. km. Cavite is one of the most densely populated provinces of the country. It is a diversified province with rolling hills, active and dormant volcanoes, rivers and beaches. Its fertile soil and abundant rainfall makes it very suitable for agriculture. Rice, vegetables, fruits and fish are the main products. Nearby Manila is the main market for Cavite's farmers and fishermen.

Tourism. Also tourism is an important source of income for Cavite. Although Lake Taal with Taal volcano, the world's smallest volcano, is located inside the neighbouring province of Batangas the best view over the lake is on the Cavite side. The cool climate, due to the elevation, and the beautiful scenery of lake Taal, has made the area a top tourist destination. But there are also nice beaches, comfortable resorts, and good dive sites, challenging golf courses, historic relics of the past and well-preserved Old Spanish colonial towns.

History. In Philippine history the province of Cavite takes a special place. During Spanish times Cavite harbor was not only the point of departure and arrival of the Manila - Acapulco Galleon Trade, it was also a centre of shipbuilding.

The town was even captured by the British in 1762 and kept in their possession until 1764.

In 1872, the Cavite Mutiny, an abortive uprising of native workers and soldiers in the Cavite Arsenal, falsely implicated three Filipino priests, Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora. Filipino historians consider their execution in the same year as the beginning of the Filipino sense of nation. Also the first Philippine president, General Emilio Aguinaldo, originates from Cavite, another Philippine hero, Andres Bonifacio was arrested here by his own friends and executed.

At that time the Americans were impressed by the potential of Cavite. After establishing (American) civil government in 1901 they made Cavite City into an important supply base for the American fleet. In 1970 the Philippine Navy took over these facilities from the Americans.

The name Cavite comes from the Tagalog word kawit, which means hook. It is the original name for Cavite's old population centre: Cavite City, located on a hook-shaped peninsula.

Initially Cavite City was the site of the capitol of Cavite province. In 1954, however, the Philippine government decided to relocate the capitol to Trece Martires, a small town of 15,000 inhabitants, about 25 kms south of Cavite City.

How to get there?

There are several ways to reach Cavite from Manila. The easiest, however, is via the new coastal (toll-way) road. This road takes a lot of pressure off the provincial roads. But traffic on connecting roads remains a problem. A shorter route to Tagaytay City, and many towns in Batangas province - and even to Ternate -- is the road via Alabang­Canlubang Super Highway and the Binan-Carmona road. From Batangas province entry into Cavite is through the Agoncillo-Tagaytay highway (along the ridge of Taal Lake) and over the Nasugbu-Tagaytay mountain road.

What to see?

The most well-known tourist attraction of Cavite province is Tagaytay City. From its 2,200 ft ridge visitors have a spectacular view of one of the most spectacular sights in the world: Taal Volcano on Volcano Island inside Lake Taal. Taal volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in the country, and at the same time it is probably the smallest volcano in the world. Actually Lake Taal is the crater lake of a much larger volcano.

Cavite province has also a few hardly touched old coastal towns such as Maragondon and Ternate. Towns where time seems to have stood still. Maragondon, at the foot of Mt. Palay, has a beautiful old church, constructed by the Jesuits. The same Jesuits founded Ternate, a few kilometers north of Maragondon, in 1663. They named the town after the Indonesian island of Ternate in the Moluccas. The Spaniards left this island under pressure of the Dutch who gradually overran the complete Indonesian archipelago. Former First Lady Imelda Marcos had her favourite retreat house, the Bamboo House, also in the same town. The four-hectare estate is located inside the Puerto Azul Beach Resort, the most beautiful resort of the province. Recently another exotic resort was opened in the same town: Caylabne Bay Resort. It overlooks a bay bearing the same name.

Along the coast of Cavite, actually in the mouth of Manila Bay, are four islands with a famous history: Corregidor, Caballo, Carabao and El Fraile. The first two are usually counted as belonging to the province of Bataan. Number three, Carabao Island, and four, El Fraile, are just off Cavite's coastline and are usually counted under Cavite. Although Corregidor was the most important and the biggest of the four, El Fraile was the most unique. Originally a very small rock sticking out of the sea, the US Army Corps of Engineers transformed it into a battleship shaped concrete fortress. The battleship was 240 feet long, 160 feet wide and 40 feet above the waterline. The imitation warship was heavily armed: Battery Wilson, a rotating turret with two 14-inch guns, at the time of completion was capable of sinking any known warship within 20 km.; Battery Marshall, the rotating turret at the front, also with two 14-inchers; Battery Roberts, a case-mated battery with four 6-inch guns; and a battery of 3-inch anti-aircraft guns. A garrison of 200 men was stationed on the island. The Americans named their impregnable fortress Fort Drum.

In spite of its formidable armour and weaponry the Japanese Imperial Army succeeded in taking the fort. In order to recapture the islands, in 1945, the Americans had to blow them up almost completely. The two islands are now the grim remains of a distant war. They were never repaired or put back in use.

The island-fortresses are clearly visible from the Ternate shores and friendly fishermen are quite willing to sail interesting tourists around the strongholds of the past.

The coastline of Cavite province stretches almost completely around Manila Bay. For diving an unsuitable area.

Where to stay?

Cavite province has a wide range of hotels, but only three are accredited by DOT:

Puerto Azul Resort, located in Ternate. Deluxe hotel. Exclusive, but expensive. Rates around P 3,000 - 6,000.

Mount Sea Hotel, a "standard" hotel in Cavite. Room rates around

P 1,000.

The Manila Manor, in Carmona, Cavite. Classified as "standard". Rates around P 1,200 per night.

Other hotels in the province are:

Taal Vista Hotel, located on the Aguinaldo Highway in Tagaytay. Rates around P 2,500 per night.

Days Hotel, KM 56 on Aguinaldo Highway. Rates around P 2,500 Per night

Where to dine?

There is also a Cafe Adriatico in Tagaytay, part of a large chain of restaurants offering Filipino and European cuisine. The Philippine's most famous folk singer, Freddie Aguilar, has his own restaurant in Tagaytay: Freddie Aguilar Music Lounge & Restaurant. The singer usually performs on Fridays and Saturdays.