Ways of Transportation

Traveling different countries is always interesting to learn about ways of transportation.




On the Philippines there is one type of old truck which is very popular. Most of these several decades old trucks are painted in bright colors. Leg space is quite limited!

These trucks are frequently used and one can see them in all places.
The trucks not only transport people but also keep a series of mechanics workshops alive.

Another possibility for transportation is the tuk tuk. This are a couple of metal parts and an extra wheel welded to a motorbike.
Sometimes one of these tuk tuks can transport up to seven people (excluding the driver).


And some of them even offer free WiFi on board.

Not only WiFi but also smoking seams to be quite regulated in tuk tuk business.

Chocolate Hills Landscape

Recently on a underwater photography trip to the Philippines we visited the chocolate hills in the center of Bohol Island.

The chocolate hills are an impressive landmark. The hills are geologically composed of coral stone. A reef that has been lifted out of the sea long time ago.

By geological nature the hills are only covered by grass and little bushes. During dry season they turn brownish leading to the name chocolate hills.

Black and White - Chocolate Hills Photography

Chocolate Hill, Philippines - Ullyss Wang (500px)

Chocolate Hill, Philippines - Ullyss Wang (500px)

Chocolate Hills - Kilian Sternad (500px)

Chocolate Hills - Bohol - Sam Cadby (flickr)

Chocolate Hills - Aldrich Lim (flickr)

Philippines: Underwater Photography

Today we are off to the Philippines for another underwater photography trip. - A long flight with two flight segments.

As written in an earlier post "Thresher Sharks at Malapascua" one of our goals is to capture some thresher sharks at the famous spots in Malapascua.

But there is much more the area around Cebu has to offer for underwater photographers. In the interest of our limited time we decided to focus on only one second destination which is the island of Cabilao, south of Cebu City. There is a series of very promising dive sites around Cabilao. Here a listing of sites by local dive operator Sea Explorers - link.

Let's find out what the destination has to offer.

Thresher Sharks at Malapascua

My next underwater photography trip - scheduled for May 2016 - will bring me to the Philippines. One location on our itinerary will be the island of Malapascua north of Cebu City where we are going to stay at the Ocean Vida beach and dive resort.

Malapascua is well known among scuba divers for regular Thresher Shark sightings. Especially on early morning dives.

The Thresher Shark, Alopias Vulpinus, or Fox Shark got its name from the unusually large tail. The length of the tail can easily be as long as the body of the stark (for more information visit Sharksider). The dive spot Monad Shoal is an underwater sea mount whose sides drop off to depth of 230 m. The Thresher Sharks live and hunt in the deep but in the early morning hours they seem to come up to the top of the sea mount attracted by the cleaning stations. Here they get rid of parasites through the help of smaller reef fish.

Thresher shark by Mats Forsberg (500px)

In preparation I will evaluate my non fisheye focal length wide angle lenses for use underwater in order to be well prepared on Thresher Shark dives. My experience so far on shooting sharks underwater is rather negative. Either they were too far - for fisheye lenses, or too quick in order for me to capture them well. But this time, with this rare and special species of shark I will be well prepared.

For photographers in preparation of a Malapascua trip: Jeremy Cuff provides a comprehensive underwater photography guide to Malapascua:
http://www.divephotoguide.com/underwater-photography-travel/article/underwater-photographers-guide-malapascua-island-philippines/