Philippines Travel Guide

      If you want to a take a vacation that will offer you nearly limitless possibilities of things to do and memories that will last a life time without spending a fortune then the Philippines are for you. Consisting of more than 7000 islands the Philippines have something for everyone to enjoy. If its nature you're interested in then you can go scuba diving, hiking in the mountains or take a short boat rides to one of the many islands for some site seeing. The Philippines have the largest concentration of different species of wildlife for their size than any other place in the world. Not into nature? Just want to do some site seeing. You can move around the cities easily and view the people and culture. The Philippines have some Cathedrals here that are hundreds of years old and are spectacular. If night life is your thing there is no shortage of that here. Casinos in the Major Cities and clubs and restaurants are every where.

You won't have to walk around with a pocket translator and worry about communicating with the residents. English is spoken by most Filipinos. Currency is not a problem either since there are numerous places where you can convert your cash to the local currency and Visa is readily accepted by most major establishments. Sample the local cuisine and if you find your self missing some of your old favorites there are McDonalds , KFC and Pizza Hut here as well as a number of restaurants that serve western style cuisine. Last of all I want to mention the people. They are fantastic. Friendly, quick to smile and always polite. They love foreigners here and make you feel special when you visit. Chances are good if you visit once you will come back. You may also meet some of the many foreigners that now call the Philippines home.

     Baguio, aka the “Summer Capital of the Philippines.” rest some 1,500 meters above sea level, in the Cordillera Central mountain range in northern Luzon. The city is well-known for its mild climate. Because of its high altitude the temp range averages between 15 - 23 degrees Celsius, rarely exceeding 26"C. If you’re a nature lover and prefer a milder climate, you won’t be disappointed. There are plenty of parks, Botanical gardens and hiking available. You will also find markets, shops, local crafts, Mansion House (official residence of the president of the Republic of the Philippines), Asin Hot Springs and many more. There’s even an 18 hole par 61 golf course at the Baguio Country Club. The club has 200 guestrooms and suites to accommodate guest.

       

Batanes is the northernmost province in the Philippines. It’s also the smallest as far as land mass and population. This is a nature lovers dream with plenty of opportunities for fishing, diving and hiking. This small group of islands sits where the Pacific ocean meets the China Sea and is home to some of the rarest corals in the world.

Two of the more popular islands are Sabtang and Itbayat. Both are accessible by boat from the capital Bacso. Sabtang is only a 30 minute ride by boat while Itbayat can take 4 hours. Charter planes are available that make the trip in 30 min. If you choose to go by boat be prepared for active ride. The seas can be a little choppy. Itbayat terrain consist of  rolling hills and semi level plateaus surrounded by continuous massive cliffs rising up to 70 meters above sea level. There are no shorelines. Sabtang is quite different though, it has many small flat areas spread out on its coasts and its interior consist by steep mountains and very deep canyons. Sabtang does have some stretches of sandy beaches and or rocky shorelines.

Batan is another great island to visit for hikers Similar in topography as Sabtang it offers long stretches of hills where animals graze, a ghost town, deserted after years of beatings by storms and the “radar Yuron” an abandoned weather station that offers a 360 degree view of the island.
           

     Bohol is a beautiful island paradise located in the Visayas island group in central Philippines. It is famous for its white sand beaches, the Chocolate Hills and the Tarsier, the smallest primate in the world. It is surrounded by beautiful beaches and corral reefs. If you love nature then Bohal is the destination for you. There are also more than 1400 caves to explore. The most famous of these is Hinagdanan Cave's on Panglao island. The cave leads to an underground pool with plenty of stalactites' & stalagmites. There is even a sanctuary for the Tarsiers called the Tarsier Trail.Here visitors are allowed to hold and touch the tiny little primates. The towns in Bohol have many old churches dating back to the Spanish error to see. You can even do some dolphin & whale watching at Pamilacan Island. Bohol is definitely worth a visit by itself or if your in Cebu it's only about a two hour boat ride away to see the sites and return in the evening.

      The beaches of the Boracay Island is located off the north-western tip of Panay Island, Philippines. Boracay is world famous for its beaches and is usually the first place mentioned when talking about Philippine vacation spots. scuba diving, snorkeling & sunbathing and sailing in a slender hulled boats called Paraw are common attractions. The ride in the Paraw is fast and a lot of fun if you don't mind getting wet At night there is plenty to with numerous clubs and bars scattered along the beach. The Lenten and Christmas seasons are the most popular times to visit because of the fiestas. For those of you that like golf there is a 18 hole, par 72 golf course at Filinvest's Fairways & Blue Waters located not far from the beach.

     Cebu is an island province better known as the Queen City of the South. Cebu is a popular destination for millions of foreigners from all over the world and Filipino’s to. Cebu is one of the oldest cities of the country and the place where Magellan landed and was killed in battle of Mactan. The site has monuments to both Magellan and Lapu lapu and is an interesting place to visit. Then there’s the “Taoist Temple” on you way to “ the Top” a small park on top of a mountain. It’s the highest peek in Cebu and one can see the entire city from there. The view is incredible especially at night when one can see the lights from the city. If you visit in January, you can see the “Sinulog Festival” held during the third week. Then of course there’s the beaches and some world class scuba diving on Mactan Island. There are several multi story malls and many public markets to visit. Not your cup of tea? Then how about the Casino and there’s an abundance of night clubs and bars to visit. You can also go island hopping to the near by islands that surround Cebu. This is one destination you won’t be disappointed in no matter what time of year you come.

     Dapitan city is located on the northwestern coast of Zamboanga del Norte in Mindanao. The city of Dapitan is famous for the “Rizal shrine” and its world class beach resort, Dakak. It has a beautiful powdery white sand beach and some spectacular coral reefs for diving. It is called the “Diving Mecca in Mindanao”. The 750 meter private beach rest in a beautiful bay and at night guest can dine on grilled seafood and other Philippine cuisine while enjoying some live entertainment.

     Davao City is considered as one of the most liveable cities in Asia by Asiaweek and included among the top 10 Asian cities by Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). It is located on the southeastern portion of Mindanao. Davao is famous for many things including eagles, gold, beautiful attractions, landscapes and white sand beaches. There are numerous parks and conservation centers to visit. The night life offers jazz clubs, piano bars, excellent restaurants, concerts, festivals and night clubs. If you like shopping there are multi story malls and markets where you can buy any thing from fresh produce and crafts to jewellery. Transportation is abundant with cabs everywhere. If your feeling adventurous take a Jeepney or tricycle.

     Kawasan Falls is a very popular destination in the southern part of Cebu. About a 2-hour drive located in Badian Town, once there you will have to walk about 20 minutes or less along a very rocky and narrow path. There's a beautiful river and many different varieties of tropical plants along the way. The view is spectacular. Have your camera ready because you will have to cross three small bridges along the way and this will give you a perfect opportunity to take some great pictures. Once there food and drinks area available as well as some cottages and tables for rent. There are water three falls here. The first will be the largest. The paths leading of to the other two is not too difficult to navigate and well worth the trip. You will find more tables available at the other falls. If you don’t like crowds I recommend you go during the week. Transportation to the falls is available via a V-Hire van. It’s a full size van that can seat 10 comfortably.

     The Mayon Volcano, also known as Mount Mayon, is an active stratovolcano in the province of Albay, in the Bicol Region, on the island of Luzon, in the Philippines.
Renowned as the "Perfect Cone" because of its almost perfectly conical shape, Mayon is situated 15 kilometers northwest of Legazpi City.

     The Mayon Volcano is an extraordinary site but remember it is active and any plans to visit the area should be proceeded by checking local conditions and monitoring the volcano’s activity. More information about this natural wonder can be found here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayon_Volcano

     Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is actually a part on metro Manila which consist on 17 cities with a population of over 10 million people. The city is a mix of the old and new buildings.
Some centuries old. Metropolitan Manila is the country's economic, cultural, educational, and industrial center. Shopping and night life is everywhere here. There small markets and boutiques to giant malls. In addition there are countless bars, restaurants, discos, Karaoke lounges, piano bars and café's to visit. A few must sees would include The walled city of Intramuros, Manila Ocean Park and Malacañang Palace, the official residence of the president of Philippines. If the traffic and large crowds are not to your liking you can go north to northwards to explore the highlands. If its beaches you want then head south to Mindoro. Whatever your taste you will likely find plenty to do here.

Palawan is largest and most well preserved island group in the Philippines consisting of 1700 islands.The rain forest, caves, coral reefs, mangroves, beaches and beautiful clear blue waters are just some the wonderful things you will see there. There's over 10,000 square kilometers of coral reefs surrounding the islands. Some must see attractions include Puerto Princess Subterranean River National Park. A.k.a. Sabang's St. Paul Subterranean National Park. Formed naturally over millions of years; the exact length of the caves and river network is still unknown. The Stalactite and stalagmites and multi colored stones in the caverns are a wonder to see. If you like diving there's Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park. Tubbataha Reef is made consist of 2 atolls. The northern most serves as a sanctuary for birds ans sea turtles. The Capital of Palawan, Puerto Princes offers some night life with several clubs and bars. If its nature and diving you are seeking then Palawan would be tough to beat.

     In most cases tourist visas aren't necessary for entry to the Philippines. You will need a valid passport and tickets and documents for return or onward travel. You are allowed to stay for 21 days. If you plan to exceed that you need to apply for a visa extension at the local immigration office before the 21 days are up. The extension will allow to you to stay for a total of 59 days. You can extend again but do it within the 59 day period. Converting your cash to local currency the peso is easily done as there are plenty of outlets all over the cities and to get you started you can exchange some at the airports. Visa and Master Card are readily accepted at most establishments here. You will find your money goes a very long way here. Below are some links that will help you find some additional information you may require.Also at the bottom of this page is a map of the Philippines.