Image courtesy Max Makowski

The Manila Boat Club – The Philippines' oldest water sports club - will offer eight people the chance to go moonlight rowing on the Pasig River in support of Obscura Day – a somewhat obscure day of international participation where people offer insights into the World's local wonders, curiosities and esoterica.

Moonlight rowing on the Pasig River is your chance to obtain a visual perspective on Manila that very few people know exists. It is a most striking experience to travel through one of the busiest and noisiest cities in the World, yet hear only the sounds of lapping water, children laughing on the banks nearby and the occasional evening stroller throwing you their "hello".

Image courtesy Kayak Philippines

For the second year running the Anvaya Cove Resort and Nature Club will be hosting the start of the Kayak Explore Anvaya Cove-Zambales event. This is the first kayaking event of 2011 in the Kayak Philippines Series, and it is set to be bigger and more engaging than its well attended predecessor in 2010.

In 2011, Kayak Explore Anvaya Cove-Zambales will take paddlers from the almost pristine Anvaya Cove residential resort development, at the southern extremity of Subic Bay Freeport, across the mouth of Subic Bay and into the potentially wilder waters along the Zambales coast – in June the waters off Subic Bay and Zambales will be either, glassy smooth or, whipped into a frenzy by the start of the habagat (southwest monsoon).

Image courtesy John Smart

The Puerto Galera Yacht Club Easter Regatta is one of the great traditions of Philippine sailing. For more than twenty years, sailing yachts have been celebrating the natural beauty and breezes of Puerto Galera and the Verde Island Passage, and gatherings of up to twenty boats enjoy an Easter weekend of awfully civilized sailing and parties.

In 2011 the PGYC Easter Regatta will also feature a two-day, competitive dinghy sailing event, concurrent with the three-day, yacht racing event. Dinghy sailors will have a choice of two-person Lawin dinghies and the single-seat Optimist dinghies.

Image courtesy Samal City Mayor's Office

The two-month long Visit Samal Island Festival kicks of in March with the intent of bringing Samal Island to the notice of beach-goers and adventure tourists from around the Philippines and from farther afield. The festival has all of the ingredients for a smorgasbord of fun in the sun.

The festival will showcase the beauties of Samal with a beauty pageant to find Miss Tourism Samal Island 2011, talent show, fire dancing, jingle writing and photographic exhibitions. There will be frisbee championships and the search for Miss Body Beautiful. Kite-flying contests and beach-volleyball competitions. And finally, (my favorite) culinary competitions, where the abundant native fruits (thanks to the fruit bats) and seafood are the centerpiece. Enjoy tuna? Come for this.