Looking for that old Western experience in the Philippines? Look no further than the island province of Masbate. Smack-dab in the middle of the country. Masbate has become a melting pot of dialects and culture. Masbateno, the native dialect, is spoken with a mixture of Bicolano and Visayan influences. Bound by the mountains and seas. Masbate prides itself on its grand terrains and surplus of marine life. The land is perfect for cattle farming, a main local business here. As a neighboring island of Sorsogon, tourists can travel to Donsol to experience the wonders of scuba diving, the thrill of watching whale sharks and manta rays! What makes Masbate really unique, especially during the month of April, is the annual Rodeo Festival; bull-riding, cattle-wrestling, how about carabao racing? Where else than to "the Rodeo Capital of the Philippines" can you satisfy cravings for a country-western vacation and whales?