🇵🇭 BICOL • The Cultural Shopping: Things to Buy in Bicol

 "These products have been a part of the daily living of the Bicolanos and have become their identity - hence a part of their culture. Shop the culture of Bicol now!"

The Bicolandia experience isn't complete without tasting their Bicol Express Versions and an ample dose of shopping which I call it the Bicol Cultural Shopping since the Bicol way of living is linked with these products and of course, already a part of their culture. 

Lots of abaca [Manila Hemp] products are displayed for shoppers to choose from

Maps by Wikipedia

Location Highlighted in Red

The Bicolandia region always has a lot of good stuffs to offer and at this post, I will try to suggest some of the great stuffs you have to shop in Bicol as souvenirs before leaving the region .

From fashion apparels, food, pasalubong and even deadly stuff can be bought in Bicol, LOL! In Legazpi Grand Terminal, the melting point of all public transport services that will lead you to the different towns and provinces of Bicol, I discovered a lot of souvenir items or pasalubongs that you should not miss most of them are cheaper than 100 pesos.

Here are some suggestion on what to shop in Bicol and we'll sort it by location.

Legazpi City Grand Terminal [Albay]

Abaca Products

Legazpi Grand Terminal is where you can find all-in-one stop shop that offers a lot of Bicol and other local products.

Bicol is a region that has a good production of abaca or Mainla hemp, hence, the making of products for this plant is a vibrant industry.

Head wears, bags, furniture, house decors, and even flip flops have their own abaca versions and they are all here at the Legazpi Grand Terminal. It won't cost you that much because most products are cheaper than 100 pesos but I won't give you a false assurance that eveything is under 100 pesos margine.

You have to negotiate to some products for discounts but of course some huge products are not always below 100 pesos. There are also more costly products but I think just enough for the size and the materials used.

A creative frame made from abaca

Aside from fashion apparels, should you wish to buy souvenirs you want to see whenever you got home, there are also frames especially made from Manila hemp and the product is just colorful.

The abaca fibers have been joined together in a way known by them to come up with a very beautiful frame you can display at home.

Pili Nuts

Ok what else? If we talk about food as pasalubong what comes first to your mind? Bicol express might be a good deal but don't forget the Pili Nuts! Pili nuts is most likely the most popular sweets from Bicol.

I did not grow up from Bicol so please correct me if I am wrong because I believe the two photos just above are the Pili nuts yet to be extracted [the nuts inside].

I must be wrong because they don't look similar, the other is black but the other is white. So now, I am confused if which of them is the real Pili Nuts but vendors of each kind told me they are Pili Nuts.

Well just forget about it because what is important is to eat and bring home that controversial nuts, lol!

Ok, here are the suggested pasalubongs, the Pili nuts now in a container and I just hope there will be no confusions here because they are labaled with "Pili Nuts."

Ok, just done shopping, Legazpi Grand Terminal is waiting for you! In fact we had four (4) bags of shopped products, it was just too inconvenient to have a picture with those plastic bags.

Siling Labuyo Key Chains

Ok what else? Don't forget that Bicol is the home of siling labuyo that makes every mouth go crazy and hot.

If you didn't have the guts to eat the hot and spicy Bicol Express with the iconic siling labuyo which might be due to health issues or you just don't want spicy food, why not just buy that siling labuyo key chain as a souvenir and a proof that you can not beat them, lol!

There you have that siling labuyo, don't worry it is not spicy to your budget. For less than 30 pesos you can have them without hurting your tongue.

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