When I first started traveling around Southeast Asia, I encountered travelers who had explored tri-cities or even provinces. This was because countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and even Laos have established tourism circuits that not only attract travelers to stay in one place but also encourage them to explore nearby regions.

Despite being politically autonomous from the province of Pampanga, where it is geographically located, Angeles City preserves every bit of Kapampangan culture, tradition, and history, as well as the famed cuisine that has made the province a top foodie destination in the Philippines.

The last several years had seen the city of Angeles in Pampanga shed its red-light reputation by showcasing its rich culinary culture and heritage. The result was a newfound interest among tourists in exploring many of its nooks and crannies to satisfy not only the appetite for food but also for historical curiosities. One of the popular places to visit in Angeles City’s heritage district was the Pamintuan Mansion.

During the first night of our #LakbayNorte8 in Pampanga, we were taken to a lawn-covered ground surrounded by towering trees in Clark. “We’re going to go glamping,” our host told us travel writers and vloggers as we got out of our chartered bus. Surveying the scene, I immediately saw the rows of tents pitched for us and a wooden table full of charcuterie boards screaming of an incoming feast.

Now in its eighth year, Lakbay Norte once again concluded a media familiarization tour participated in by travel writers from online and print publications. It is organized by the North Philippines Visitors Bureau in partnership with Victory Liner as a way of promoting Northern Luzon as a premier tourist destination. This year's itinerary took the more than twenty travel writers and photographers to the places of Subic and Clark in Pampanga and to the surfing town of Baler in Aurora. Here’s a quick rundown of all the places highlighted by #LakbayNorte8 as possible destinations for travelers heading to this part of Luzon.

The local economy surrounding Clark, Pampanga has seen rapid growth in recent years. Coinciding with this development is the emergence of Clark as a prime tourism and business destination. The old, stinging red-light district reputation of Metro Clark has all but been relegated to a nostalgic single strip known as Walking Street. While it remains an interesting place to check out—thanks to an assortment of Asian food gems and fascinating entertainment bars lined up on both sides—a surrounding renaissance of heritage structures, quaint cafes, local craft breweries, adventure theme parks, and a thriving commercial district all make Metro Clark a fascinating area to explore and do business in.

The former site of a United States Air Force Base and once the most strategic military position of America in the Far East, Clark, Pampanga, has successfully morphed into a highly developed city within a city. Known today as the Clark Freeport Zone, it currently houses modern infrastructure serving as a major hub for tourism, business, aviation, education, manufacturing, and other leading industries. The robust development—which rapidly started in 1995 after years of neglect brought on by the departure of the US Military and the destructive eruption of Mount Pinatubo—helped the Clark Freeport Zone quickly become the premier leisure, entertainment, and gaming center in Central Luzon.