PHILIPPINES

The Philippines actually has a lot to make it an attractive tourist destination- it’s a beautiful country, with lovely seas and beaches, picturesque mountains, unusual (and fortunately still alive!) wildlife, and a wonderfully historic past, which has given it a great cultural tradition.

The Philippines is beautiful (and for the beach-crazy, it’s got excellent seaside resorts and wonderful beaches); the natives are friendly with a population of about 92 million people and visiting the country is fairly cheap. When you come to think of the Philippines, by and large, is as ideal a tourist destination as, say, Thailand or Indonesia.

Capital: Manila

Best time to visit:

  1. Most areas have a dry season (stretching from January to June) and a wet season (July to December), and, generally speaking, the dry season is probably the best time to be in the country.
  2. Between December and May is when you should aim to visit the Philippines, but try to avoid Manila in May, because the capital can get appallingly hot at this time.

Minimum days required: 5 days

 

Places of Interest:

  1. Boracay
  2. Manila Ocean Park
  3. Enchanted Kingdom
  4. Chocolate Hills
  5. Mount Pinatubo
  6. The Banaue Rice Terraces
  7. Mayon Volcano
  8. Taal Volcano
  9. Hundred Islands National Park
  10. Tubbataha Reef
  11. La Mesa Ecopark

Climate:

  1. The climate of the Philippines is tropical, although there are climatic variations as a result of altitude and distance from the equator. Most of the Philippines are hot and humid all the year round, with an average annual temperature of about 25° C.
  2. The country experiences two main seasons: dry -between January and June, and wet -between July and December. The wet months find the monsoons pelting their fury over most of the Philippines.
  3. To a certain extent the Philippines also has volatile climate- the archipelago stretches across the typhoon belt, and gets hit by 5 or 6 cyclones every year (and affected by 15 more), besides falling prey to tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides.

Currency:  Peso

Things to carry:

  1. More or less everything you need- medicines, toiletries and the like- are easily available all over the Philippines (unless you’re headed for the great unknown- village shops will not sell your favorite brand of toothpaste or perfume). If you’re using something hard to find, it’s best that you bring it along with you.
  2. As far as clothing and other personal effects go, keep in mind the country’s climate; it’s hot and humid most of the time, so you’re best off carrying light summer clothing- preferably cotton- to ward off the heat. Carry an umbrella, suntan lotion, sun glasses and insect repellent too, especially if you’re visiting the country in the summer- it can get very hot. Do remember, though, that it can be pretty chilly in the mountains, so if you’re going to be going beyond the plains, take along light woollens.
  3. For those looking forward to the outdoor activities must not forget to carry the essential things needed for each activity.

How to get there:

Air

  1. The Philippines is fairly well connected to the rest of the world; more than 25 airlines fly to either (or both) of the country’s two main gateways- Manila and Cebu. The nearest airport is Ninoy Aquino Airport, which is 12 kms from Manila.
  2. After arriving at the airport tourists can avail to the bus services or even hire cabs to get to the Philippines. If travelling by bus it will take anything between 1 to 2 hours whereas cabs will take half an hour to get you to your destination.
  3. Mactan International Airport is 45 kms away from the Cebu Islands and caters mainly to chartered and regular flights from nearby countries such as Japan, Singapore and Australia