Bancas and beachlife

Cruise the islands of the world’s second largest archipelago, from Luzon in the North to frontiers of Palawan. There’s thousands of islands and many more gorgeous beaches waiting to be discovered, and the island hopping starts here.

This Philippines travel blog is the beta version of a 100 page, picture laden site, rich in travel tips and essential info, coming soon. We’ve been all over Southeast Asia seeking out the best spots and they’re all here on this site to help make your travels easier and more rewarding.

Whether you are coming to dive, sail, treat yourself to fresh seafood, mingle with the locals, soak up the sun, trek volcanic peaks or simply lie on the tropical beaches, the Philippines promises an excellent holiday. Start planning it here.

One fantastic way to experience the Philippines is to hire your own private villa on one of the islands, and you can find plenty of choices on sites like self catering breaks.

The Philippines is a country that is worth visiting for many reasons including the natural environment, shopping, historical attractions, beaches, wildlife, and the nightlife. However, the country is also notable for its food, to the point that a visit to the Philippines is not complete without sampling any of its famous dishes.

Typical Filipino buffet

Philippine cuisine is truly remarkable and each region or province has its share of delightful tastes that helped define their local culture. Nowadays, you can find that the food choices served by the Filipinos range from simple street favorites to well-prepared dishes and home-cooked meals that can leave a lasting impression in your taste buds.

Philippine food is influenced by many ethnic and international roots, with major influences including the Spanish, Chinese, Indians, and Indonesians. Most meals served in the country are accompanied by rice, which is a food staple. Filipinos are also fond of sauces and spices that you can also optionally add to your food like soy sauce, vinegar, fish sauce, and red pepper. There are also tasty and flavorful noodle dishes that you can enjoy like pancit canton, pancit malabon, and lomi.

It is also worthwhile to try regional specialties like the Bicol Express that originated in Bicol, a province in southern Luzon. This spicy dish is known for its peppers and spices that can truly excite your taste buds. Also worth trying are dishes like Bulalo, Caldereta, Sisig, Bopis, Dinuguan, Karekare, Lechon, Kinilaw, Sinigang, Tinola, and the already famous Adobo.

Street foods in the Philippines are also worth trying with some exotic choices like the Balut (duck egg)and fried crickets. There are plenty of street food vendors in the Philippines where you can also sample favorites like fish balls, squid balls, isaw, and chicharon.

All the food choices mentioned here are just some of the many other dishes that you can sample when visiting the Philippines. Why not drop by today and get started on a food trip?

The Philippines is one of the most popular travel destinations in Asia mostly due to its pristine beaches, interesting historic sites and cultural attractions. But just like any other trip to a foreign country, you have to be well prepared for travelling around the islands to make your holiday worthwhile.

Climate

The Philippines has a tropical climate and gets a lot of rainfall. The best times to visit are during the cool season from November to February and during the summer months of March through May. However, you might want to avoid travelling around the country during Christmas and Easter or the Holy Week because everyone is actually on the move during those times so it’s difficult to arrange for proper transport as all flights are booked.

Fiestas

If you’re looking to experience the many festivities in the country, best book your flight during the months of January, May or December because this is when most of the fiestas are held. It’s important to note, however, that the summer months including May can get really warm for comfort so make sure to bring cool clothing with you.

Clothes

Because of the climatic changes in the country, you’ll need a wide variety of clothes. You want loose and light clothing for visiting the beaches, sweaters for trekking the mountains or heading up north to the uplands. You might also want to bring flip-flops because they are the best footwear for walking the streets of various cities.

What to bring

When you’re travelling around the Philippines, you will need to bring as little as possible. You will need an umbrella, travel plug adapter, medications and your camera, of course. Don’t bring a lot of expensive valuables especially if you’re going to walk through crowded areas like Quiapo.

Over the past weeks, the Philippines has gone through a terrible beating by two raging typhoons. The country encounters several typhoons all throughout the year but these two have produced some of the worst casualties that it has ever encountered.

Ondoy

On September 24, typhoon Ondoy (international name: Ketsana) made landfall at 55 km/h and brought the worst rainfall to Metro Manila. It didn’t produce strong winds that were enough to cause alarm but extremely heavy rains were said to have surpassed the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina in the United States a few years back.

Because of the heavy rains, flood water levels in the city reached a record of 20 feet high with Ondoy finally causing billions of pesos in damages both in Metro Manila and the nearby provinces and at least 337 reported deaths as of October 9, 2009.

Pepeng

A few days after Ketsana left the Philippine Area of Responsibility came typhoon Pepeng (international name: Parma). The tropical storm has raised the alert levels in the country once more while everyone was still reeling from the effects of Ondoy. A lot of places in Manila and other provinces are still submerged in water but everyone was still advised to get ready for another onslaught of rains.

And rain it did. For the next couple of days, Pepeng hovered over northern Luzon causing total power interruptions in many provinces, landslides in Baguio, Benguet, Cordillera and other upland areas and major flooding in Pangasinan and Nueva Ecija. Because of the heavy downpour, dams had to release a lot of water submerging most of Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija and some parts of Tarlac. Meanwhile, floodwaters which haven’t even receded in Manila continued to rise again. Parma left the country with more damages and at least 200 people killed mostly due to landslides.

Two typhoons later, the sun is shining again and the Filipino is seen in his best – in the midst of the disasters, the country is now slowly picking up the pieces through help from its citizens and from the international community. The flood water in many areas is slowly subsiding. It’s going to be a while before the Philippines is back on its feet again but Filipinos are known for their tenacity and their strength particularly during trying times.

‘Diverse’ is probably the only word that describes the culture, geography, history and people of the Philippines. What appears to be an unfortunate passing on of powers from colonizer to colonizer gave the Philippines a unique mix of Chinese, Japanese, Spanish and American influences, and is probably also the reason for its continuing identity crisis.

Stretched across the Philippine waters are naturally rich islands that make up the splendid archipelago. Poised forests, insane beaches, hidden caves, uplands, lowlands, marine life and exotic wilderness—all these are contained within the Philippine Islands.

Still unknown to many because of its off path location from other South East Asian destinations, this pearl of the orient teems with all the greatest natural wonders from north to south, and east to west. The greatest natural treasures lie in places such as Bohol, which holds the famed Chocolate Hills, and in Banaue, where the impressive manmade Rice Terraces can be found. The country’s tallest peak, Mount Apo in Mindanao is an intimidating yet overwhelming sight. Aside from the surface obvious riches, the deepest waters of the country also hold impressive assets. The shipwrecks and ruins down Coron and the rare whale sharks in Donsol are just some of these wonders. Natural for island filled places, the beaches in the country are forerunners in tourism. The prominent Boracay Island and Sipalay are among the greatest glimpses of beaches you would see in the country. The country also has a wealth of historic places where the fascinating record of times past can be recounted. The rich places of Vigan, Samar and Leyte and the capital Manila hold the greatest historical exhibits of the country.

Recently, the government launched the “More Than The Usual” tourism campaign to promote the Philippines to both leisure and adventure travelers. The video below is an good depiction of what you can expect:

Manila is the capital of the Philippines but it is not the only home to the best nightlife. In fact, going beyond Manila, you can experience more exciting and maybe even unconventional night-out adventures. Here is an overview of what to expect from some of the popular hotspots for a nightlife in the Philippines.

Davao

Davao can give you a lot of reasons to enjoy your visit, ranging from its cultural diversity to its beaches and of course, its vibrant nightlife. Most of the hotels have bars where you can mingle with other guests, usually foreigners like yourself. Otherwise, you can choose among the selection of bars and clubs in the city, like the ones along Jacinto Street or at the Matina Town Square where you can immerse yourself in the local culture and nightlife scene while enjoying a variety of drinks and food.

Cebu

The nightlife of Cebu is equally exciting as that of Manila. Since the city is already urbanized, you can expect various places where you can party, sing, drink, and dance all night. Local entertainment also consists of various places where you can enjoy homegrown music from locally-produced bands. Salinas Drive in Cebu is home to the biggest disco in the city, the Sunflower Disco. On the other hand is Club Vudu that you can find at the Crossroads where high-profile clients flock to enjoy an evening. There is also the Mango Square found near the Fuente Osmena Circle where several nightclubs await to please the night owls.

Boracay

As a popular tourist and vacation destination, Boracay is well known for its beaches and highly regarded for its vibrant nightlife. Nightlife and party enthusiasts won’t have a hard time searching for a place to enjoy the evening with plenty of bars, discos, clubs, and pubs offering a one-of-a-kind atmosphere that can match the taste of any party lover.

A collection of green island gems scattered between the vast Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea, the Philippines is bursting full of natural wonders that are waiting to be explored and discovered. Luzon, Palawan, and the numerous Visayan islands are all blessed with different natural attractions that include sky-high terraces, rolling hills, underground rivers, and scenic mountains.

Banaue Rice Terraces, a man-made natural attraction located high in a mountain range in the island of Luzon, is a world-famous destination. In fact, it is often dubbed the eight natural wonder of the world. This UNESCO recognized site is a collection of rice field terraces that were supposedly hand-carved in the mountain slopes by Philippine natives several thousands of years ago. Benguet province, where the terraces are located, is 10 hours away by bus from Manila.

Another unique land formation in the Philippines is located in the island province of Bohol in the Visayas. The Chocolate Hills, as the attraction is dubbed, features more than a hundred limestone hills that resemble chocolate drops, especially during the hot summer months.

Several mountains and volcanoes in the Philippines also make for outstanding destinations. Mt. Pinatubo in Luzon inspired worldwide panic when in erupted in the early 1990s but today, it is a famous destination for adventure-seeking tourists. Taal Volcano, an active volcano in southern Luzon, is also very popular. It is located near Tagaytay, a destination known for its cool weather and excellent accommodation facilities.

A list of the top natural destinations in the Philippines would not complete without mentioning Mt. Mayon, which is considered one of the most beautiful volcanoes in the world thanks to its almost perfect cone. Mt. Mayon is located in Legazpi City in Albay, a province in southern Luzon.

Then again, not all of the Philippines best natural attractions are located above ground. In the island Palawan, there is a subterranean river system that every visitor to the Philippines should visit. A trip down the Underground River, as it the system is popularly referred to, is an incredibly exciting experience.

A trip to the Philippines won’t be complete without buying anything that you can take home as a souvenir. While the country may not exactly be a retail wonderland, it still offers charming options as far as shopping enthusiasts are concerned. In fact, in Manila alone, you can find several high-end shopping malls (think Gucci) and even more cheap, hole-in-the-wall stores selling all sorts of merchandise you can imagine. The Philippines has everything from goods designed by locals to top international designer names. From electronics, clothes, shoes, and more – all of these are easily available in any of Manila’s many malls and department stores.

Shopping in the Philippines is also a tourist attraction itself, especially if you search for locally-made goods like woodcarvings, handicrafts, and jewelry with designs that are unique to the country. Cebu and Manila are among the best cities to visit when it comes to retail therapy. In Manila, you can drop by under the bridge in Quiapo so you can purchase useful bamboo or palm baskets for a cheaper price than when you buy them in malls. You also have the option to haggle for much cheaper prices to get  the best value for your money. You can also head over to Marikina where you can find a wide variety of locally made and designed footwear that boast world-class quality.

If you’re okay with a long bus ride to Baguio, you can shop for silver jewelry and interesting antiques that can give an eccentric charm to your house back home. Baguio is also home to the well-known ukay-ukay shops where you can buy a variety of really cheap second-hand apparel, shoes, and bags that are one-of-a-kind. Who knows, you may score second-hand designer goods for less than a dollar when you drop by every Sunday morning or Saturday night? Nowadays, you can also find ukay-ukay shops in Manila and other major cities, too, but prices may be a bit higher.

Elsewhere in Luzon, you can find more products such as hair pieces, bracelets, necklaces, mats, bags, fans, hats, and other souvenir-worthy products with different designs according to the region where you are buying them.

Fiestas are part of the Filipino culture. Most of them reflect the country’s religious heritage. No matter which province in the Philippines you visit, you’re bound to come across some sort of festival or another showcasing the best that that particular area has to offer.

Feast of the Black Nazarene

This is one yearly fiesta that attracts millions of people from all over the Philippines. Devotees of the Black Nazarene head to Quiapo in Manila every January 9 to pay tribute and take part in the procession as the life-size statue of the Black Nazarene is paraded along the streets of Manila before it goes back to the Quiapo Church where it is housed. The 400 year old image has been associated with a number of miracles and many people believe that touching even so much as the carriage that holds the statue will give them blessings for the coming year.

Panagbenga

The flower season in Baguio City creates the perfect setting for the yearly flower festival. This is actually a month-long event with exhibits and city activities happening every weekend. The culmination of the festival, however, is held on the fourth week of February. The flower parade happening on that weekend always draws a crowd of guests from the lowlands.

Flores de Mayo

Come the month of May, practically every province in the Philippines celebrates Flores de Mayo. This marks the beginning of the rainy season although it also means that the flowers are beginning to bloom again after a long dry spell. The most notable attraction of the festival is every town’s Santacruzan. This is a pageant parade of the most beautiful ladies in the town. Every year, ladies don their best Filipiniana-inspired gowns and walk along the streets under bamboo arcs that are decorated with fresh flowers.

Located on almost every island of this Southeast Asian country are a variety of beaches, some developed while others are left utterly unspoiled. As if the sheer number of beaches in the Philippines is not enough to entice visitors, one has to simply look at these beaches to be fully entranced. Philippine beaches are not only numerous, they are beautiful –no make that, gorgeous.

Boracay, a small island in central Philippines, is without contest the country’s trophy beach. An island of clear blue waters and pristine white sand that is always soft and never hot, Boracay is easily the top beach destination in the country and one of the best in the world. The island is a well-developed tourist destination with good hotels, bars, restaurants, and water sports facilities. The quickest way to Boracay is by plane from Manila to Panay Island, where there is a terminal of bancas (boats) to Boracay.

Next to Boracay in the hierarchy of Philippine beaches is Palawan, an island province also located in central Philippines. Palawan is a treasure chest of unspoiled natural beauty and underdeveloped tourist destinations. Ironically, it is this lack of commercialism that draws tourists to the island. Palawan is an ideal destination if you want to enjoy white sand beaches and pristine waters without too much noise and distractions. Located near the Tubbataha Reef Marine Park, the island is also a great spot if you want to go scuba diving.

Malapascua Island in the province of Cebu is another of the Philippines’ most beautiful beaches. Often dubbed as the new Boracay, Malapascua is a major diving center that is famous for its crowd of threshers sharks. It is very much like Boracay Island in terms of beauty but more like Palawan in terms of atmosphere and ambiance.

The list of Philippine beaches goes well beyond these three. Actually, the list goes on even if you include the beaches of  Panglao Island in Bohol, La Union, Ilocos, Bantayan Island in Cebu, and Puerto Galera on Mindoro Island. Philippines, as the pearl of the orient, has much more shores and beaches to offer.

The Philippines may not be a retail Mecca but it does have its own charm as far as shopaholics are concerned. In the capital city itself, you will find a number of large shopping malls that showcase every kind of merchandise that you can think of. From international designer labels to top Philippine brands for clothes, shoes, electronics and other items, you’ll find practically everything by simply visiting any shopping mall in Manila.

But the main tourist attraction of the Philippines in terms of shopping opportunities comes from its beautiful handicrafts, jewelry and woodcarvings that are sought after in any part of the world. Manila and Cebu are the cities to visit for great doses of retail therapy.

Under the Quiapo Bridge in Manila, there are lots of tourist shops that sell a variety of baskets made of palm and bamboo. You will find these baskets sold in top retail outlets all over the world but you can get them at cheaper prices at the market. You can even haggle to get the best value for your money. Baguio is a place to visit for interesting antiques and silver jewelry. Its infamous ukay-ukay features a variety of second hand clothes, bags and shoes that you can purchase at the cheapest prices. You will even come across bags and shirts sold for at least ten Philippine pesos if you visit the market on Saturday night or Sunday morning.

“Mother of pearl” is also a popular gem used for jewelry in the Philippines. You will find necklaces, bracelets, hair pieces and other types of accessories made from pearl all over the country. Luzon is a region known for its colourful mats that are used to make various items such as bags, hats, fans and other souvenirs. Marikina is where you can find a diverse selection of locally designed shoes.