Just Back From the Philippines
 

I notice that relatively few people post here about travel to the Philippines. I just returned from a 2-week trip to a few major places (Manila, Cebu, Bohol, and Boracay) ... was unable to get to Palawan but will definitely go there next time as well as to Banaue (where there was a strong typhoon going on during our trip).

The weather was a mixed bag. We had beautiful weather in Bohol and Cebu but more clouds and rain in the second half of the trip, when a strong typhoon was bettering northern Luzon (and another was on the way last Sunday, the day after our departure). We got very lucky actually because every day we had an excursion or travel the weather was pretty nice, and there were still a mix of really good days with rain in the late afternoon and evening (particularly in Manila, where it didn't matter much since we were in Makati where you can basically move all around very easily regardless of the weather and where taxis are cheap and plentiful).

We found some excellent restaurants, particularly in Manila.

I have to say that I really enjoyed this trip and am surprised that more Americans don't go. It's cheap, beautiful, easily navigated, and over all a very inviting place to travel in. Plus, virtually everyone speaks English.

I stayed in relatively upscale lodgings (Two Seasons Resort in Boracay, The Ananyana in Bohol, the Marriott in Cebu, and the New World Renaissance in Manila), so I can't really speak to the quality of more budget types of lodgings (though none of these places was particularly expensive).

I had heard decidedly mixed things about the Philippines, but I'm very glad that I went. I thought the islands were as beautiful as Thailand or Bali and the people just as friendly. However, I don't think everyone would agree with that sentiment based on what I've read.

If anyone is interested in any other specific feedback, I'd be happy to provide it. I'm not really good with detailed trip reports, but I'll be happy to answer any questions if someone is planning a trip in the near future.

One more thing. I flew Cathay Pacific nonstop from New York to Hong Kong (16 hours going, 14.5 hours returning). We flew straight to Cebu and flew back from Manila. We also few on Cebu Pacific from Cebu to Boracay and from Boracay to the new terminal 3 in Manila. We also did the ferry trip on Ocean Jet between Cebu and Bohol. We had absolutely no delays or mishaps with our travel; everything was perfectly smooth and comfortable. (Well, as comfortable as one can be in coach for 16 hours.)

I did look into visiting the Philippines next year, but wanted to book a custom tour through a single agency, and couldn't find the right fit. BillT's posts have been helpful, but so far, it seems to me that travel in the Philippines is best for those who already have contacts/family within the country.

It seems that I could have visited Bohol as a day trip from Cebu, but I couldn't find the right accommodations (for me) in Baguio.

I'd also be interested in finding a low-key (but 4-5 star) cruise around the Philippines.

How did you make arrangements for your visit? I would like to see more details on the sites you did visit.

Doug:
We travel to the Phillipines every few years and yes I am at a loss why the regulars on this forum who seem to go to the far ends of the earth - skip the Philippines! They are missing out.

I'm not really a tour person, and I would never even consider going on a tour to a place like the Philippines or Thailand, both of which are so incredibly easy to navigate. Everyone speaks English, and there are a lot of good web sites. I also used a travel guide (the Rough Guide since Fodor's doesn't publish one). As always, I find travel guides the best way to gauge what I might want to do and to find some preliminary ideas of hotels, etc.

Once you get to the Philippines, it's easy to book stuff through your hotel. I booked a tour of Cebu that way and had a private driver and guide for the full day for $80; a car and driver alone would have been $70.

Granted, when in Manila, we had family connections, and they drove us to see Villa Escudero (about 2 hours south of Manila), but there are also many tours that go there. We actually made all the arrangements ourselves so the only thing we relied on family for were some car trips, which we could easily have arranged for ourselves. (Hertz there supplies both cars and drivers, for example, and they have offices in many of the major hotels.)

I knew about some of the cheap airlines flying domestically (SEAir and Cebu Pacific, notably), and I booked internal airfares on the Cebu Pacific web site. I was traveling in the off-season, so I didn't bother buying any ferry tickets in advance; just walked up to the office and bought them about an hour in advance (all the companies have web sites, and the schedules are well known in all the hotels in Cebu and Bohol).

I found my Bohol hotel through friends, but basically all the other hotels there are on Alona Beach, so they're not hard to book at all.

I did have to wire money to pay for the hotels in Bohol and Boracay in advance, but that wasn't a big deal. (Most Philippines hotels don't take credit cards for advance bookings, though if you use a travel agent in the Philippines, you can sometimes pay that way or at least with only one wire transfer, which would save you $10 to $30).

There are literally dozens of companies that offer cheap wire transfers to the Philippines, especially if you pay in pesos. RemitHome.com, while aimed at Filipinos living abroad, allows you to send a transfer for $10, and there are many others. Perhaps living in NYC makes it easier for me since there are so many Filipinos and companies here. But Western Union is also pretty cheap for bank to bank transfers.

To the best of my knowledge, there's only one hotel in Baguio where everyone stays when visiting Banaue (I can't remember the name, but I had looked it up earlier). You can book that as a package including air, hotel, and transport to the terraces (they're about 3 hours from Baguio).

A lot of people do visit Bohol as a day-trip. When you come off the ferry, there are at least a dozen tour companies that meet the ferry and offer well-priced day tours. The ferries all take about 2 hours and run several times a day (there are 2 or 3 different companies). Bit Bohol was so enchanting and lovely that I'm glad I spent 3 days there instead of just one overnight or a quick day-trip.

Palawan is very much on the beaten path and easy to book (El Nido even books charter flights directly for you as part of a package if you stay there, but SEAir flies from both Cebu and Boracay).

There are some other well-trodden destinations that are very popular with Filipinos that can be visited from Manila (Batangas, Taygaytay, etc.). Again, these are really easy to arrange.

I guess the gist of what I'm trying to say is that the Philippines is such an exotic yet familiar-seeming place that you don't need a tour and can do it all on your own rather easily with day tours. I certainly don't suggest driving yourself, but you can easily arrange a car and driver for a day for under $100 except at high-end luxury hotels when it's more like $200.

The tourism infrastructure is very well developed and chugs along quite smoothly, and the only times when it's hard to travel is around Christmas and Easter, when all the Filipinos take vacations.

Thanks for the details Doug. I had thought that the Banaue terraces were 6 hours from Baguio. That they are only 3 hours is good news.

I was interested in Bohol for the chocolate hills (of course) and the Tarsier Sanctuary. What did you find to occupy yourself for three days?

Doug - great advice on the Philippines- who knows maybe some of our seasoned travelers on this board might think outside of the box and go there now!

Femi, don't quote me on the actual distance of the terraces from Baguio, but everyone that I spoke to said 3 to 4 hours, not six. But I could be wrong, and I realized fairly early on that I wouldn't have time to go so I didn't dig too deep there.

You can see the tarsiers and Chocolate Hills in a long day. If you dive, there are amazing dive sights there or snorkeling trips to take. But we were getting over jet lag and used one day to just sit by the beach (and to do a little shopping) and on our first day we just slept and did a 3-hour stint at the spa to get out the kinks of a 20-hour trip. If we'd been more energetic, we would have done a snorkeling trip in Bohol (and should have), but we were waiting for Boracay, and that's when we had clouds and rough seas, so we just skipped it entirely. That's my major regret for this trip, but now I have something to look forward to on my return.

Because of the challenges in finding exactly what I'm looking for in Asia generally, looks like my trips for this year (November) and next year will take me to Africa.

The Philippines is still on my list when my plans return to Asia.

thanks for the review

nice review on your trip Doug. Good to hear that you enjoyed your trip. I travel to the Philippines every year, spending at least 1 month out of the year in the Manila/Cavite area mostly. For the past 8 years, I've seen a noticeable uptick in the amount of visitors that now go to the Islands. So there interest is there and it's growing. My guess as to why there are not many post here, is that this forum is not as popular as the others. There are 3 or 4 other forums I use more than Fodors. Main reason is the one you stated - no one post here. Try looking at VT, TripAdviser, and even Lonely Planet. They get postings almost daily, from questions to general comments.

As I mentioned, I travel to the Phils every year, sometimes twice a year (I'm Filipino-American). If I have a business trip that takes me to Singapore or Taipei, which is quite often, I usually make a couple day stop-over in Manila (to visit my folks) on the way back to California. So I'm there all the time and I really do see the uptick in visitors. It's a great place to visit and I think it's finally getting back on the radar as a destination.

thanks for your post Doug. philippines certainly look inviting. after reading your report, i went to our local borders bookstore to browse on guidebooks on the philippines. i must say that it really got me interested. i might consider it as my family's next holiday destination. boracay looks beautiful, on par with some of the famous beaches of thailand.
from the pictures, it seems like it's a cross between key west and cozumel.

thanks again for steering us, fodor posters, in this direction.

Doug, thanks for the info. I will visit the Philippines in a few weeks, and will visit Manila, Bohol and Davao (down on Mindanao). I am also using Cebu Pacific for internal flights, so I'm glad to read that they were on time.

Did you pre-book your Ocean Jet from Cebu to Bohol, or were you able to buy a ticket on the spot? I'd prefer not to pre-book since I think there are at least two companies that run the high-speed ferry and I'd prefer to choose based on the next available after I land in Cebu.

I bought ferry tickets on the spot, and none of the ferries I took was full, though we always arrived about a half-hour before departure. Boarding was very orderly. I think you can book the ferries in advance through a travel agent or on the dock (our ticket has a specific time and date on it). It might be really busy over the Christmas/New Year's season.

My only problem with Cebu Pacific was the extra baggage costs. We paid extra (up to 1,000 pesos) on each leg. If you are traveling with someone, you can combine your baggage allowance, and that can help if one person's bag is over but another is under. They are strict on the weights though.

But Cebu-Pacific does enforce the check-in times; if you aren't there on time, they won't let you on. Our family in Manila had more problems with their Cebu-Pacific flights and had to rebook everything and pay extra because they were late to the airport.

Do a search on this forum for my trip reports - it will give you many ideas about what to see and do in and around the Manila area.
Post questions here and I will try to answer them. Most of the regulars on this board do not visit the Philippines buit it seems we have some interested parties now.

I’m fairly new on here and I can’t understand why any one would say not to come here. I made three trips in 2004 and on the third I never left. I can honestly say I have not met a single foreigner living here who didn’t rave about this place. For those of you thinking about visiting I put this together and I hope it will be of help.
http://hubpages.com/hub/Philippines-Travel-Guide

I am thinking of revisiting Matabungkay, but this beach is not mentioned much here. Is this place no longer worth visiting?

I am SO glad I came across this thread. My husband just called and has business there in 4 weeks and asked if I want to go. I have about 3 weeks of vacation I need to take before 12/31 or I lose it.
Thanks for the info - I am sure I will post back w/ questions!

I'd love to go to the Pinoy islands in the nearer future.

annesherrod, I'll certainly try to help answer any questions. You're going to love the Philippines.

Annesherrod:
Read my trip reports on our trips to Manila and surroundings. Most of the regulars on this board avoid the PI but they are missing out- there is plenty to see and do and the US dollar goes a long way. Also I can answer some questions as well.
Note that Manila has the very best price on south sea baby pearls (yes Mango the very best price).

Thanks for the great info Doug. I am making my first trip to the Philippines in 2 weeks. I will be there for nearly a month. Going to visit Manila, Tacloban city, Davao city and Cebu.
Would you recommend flying between each of the islands instead to the ferry boats?
Also I want to avoid outrageous cell phone costs to call back to USA. Would you recommend buying a phone card here or over there or buying a sim card in the philippines for my cell.
Thanks again for the great information.
bill from usa

Between these cities, I'd probably fly. The ferries will take a very long time, and airfares on airlines like Cebu Pacific are pretty reasonable (if you don't have a lot of luggage).

The cheapest way to call back to the U.S. is with a phone card. There's just no way to make cell calls reasonably priced if you plan on making a lot of calls more than a couple of minutes. I'd rely instead on the Internet. Get used to sending emails and texts. That's how you keep your cell costs down.

Yes, certainly buy a local SIM to use on your trip so long as you have access to an unlocked phone (or just buy a phone in the Philippines, where they are cheap ... they can also unlock most U.S. phones there if you can't get your own company to do it).

Thanks so much Doug. You are a wealth of knowledge. I am traveling by myself which is crazy. Do you have any tips on what I should beware of. I know there are kidnappings but I think in the far southern areas of the philippines.

Can I call you on the phone to talk more about the philippines or email you privately? Any advice you can give me will be helpful. Thanks again!

doubleB:
Where in Manila do you plan to stay? In my opinion having been to both Manila and Bangkok several times- Manila is NOT that easy to navigate on your own. Bangkok has many transportation options- skytrain,. river taxis, subway, taxis etc. Manila is much older and does not have these systems that tourists can easily avail themselves. You are pretty much relagated to taxis. I would not advise taking the jeepnees there- very hot and crowded and while cheap its not something the typical tourist takes- more for the locals.
We stay in Makati- which is the business district and has many fine hotels and lots of shopping options and restaurants many within walking distance.
If you are a history buff then I suggest you take the Corregidor Tour.

I think BillT knows much more about the Philippines than I do. He's been lots of times.

There are certainly kidnappings in the Philippines but outside of some very isolated examples, I can't think of any that involve tourists (except for a few incidents in the far south, where the militant guerillas operate). Having said that, definitely keep safety in mind. Manila is a big busy city with crime just like anywhere else. But if you stay in Makati, as BillT suggests (and which I also suggest), then you should have no problems. The big Philippine Plaza hotel is elsewhere on Manila Bay, and it's isolated but also a good hotel (a bit closer to the airport I think).

What else do you want to know? I haven't been to most of the places you plan to travel to, so I think I'll be of only limited help. You might get a wider range of answers if you post your questions here.

Thanks again Doug. Last year was my first trip overseas and I went to Europe. I took some cash but mostly used my credit cards. I did contact the credit card companies in advance.
For the PHilippines I read some places don't accept credit cards. I hate to carry a lot of cash.
Would you recommend I take travelers checks, or my atm debit and credit card? Thanks again.

bill

Take both cards - but when I'm in Asia I take cash- local currency but I keep it in a security wallet under my shirt.
Travelers checks don't work very well in a lot of places.

To Bill T,

I will be staying at the BEST WESTERN HOTEL LA CORONA at 1166 M.H. del Pilar cor. Arquiza Sts. Thanks so much for the tips on the taxis.
Have you ever been to Tacloban or Davao?
Bill

Thanks BillT.

doubleB:
No I have not been to those places so can't help you there.

Glad you had a fine time in our country. It really is a safe and wonderful place - a gem. ;)

Thanks for all the nice inputs Doug_Stallings :)

Thanks all for nice report and gigantic info

Mr. Stallings:

I left the Philippines in 1962 when I was two years old and have never returned. My mother is 84 years old and has Alzheimer's. I would like to accompany her to the country this Spring or Summer to explore leaving her with relatives to care for her. Since she is now a U.S. citizen, will she be allowed to live there?

Lisa, yours is an immigration question. Your mother wold not be allowed to travel as a tourist into the Philippines and simply stay there. She would need a special visa. You will need to contact the Philippine Embassy to ask your question.

Thank you, Kathie.

Lisa, I know of Filipinos who immigrated to the US, became US citizens, lived in the US for many years, and are now back living in the Philippines - both old and young alike. No visa is required. The Philippines recognizes dual citizenship. You and your mother can come and go as you like, can stay as long as you like. Both of you can own properties. Once a Filipino, forever a Filipino, no matter what citizenship you have.

I almost did not see your post because the original is 2 yrs old. It would have been better if you created a new topic. I just happened to read this post in preparation for my trip.

Don't miss out on Palawan on your trip to Philippines. For me its much better than Boracay as you can do many things aside from strolling at the beach,

Do you know that Cebu is the most marketed city in the Philippines? Most Asians go to Cebu more than Manila. Whenever I visit family and friends in the Philippines, I always fly Cathay Pacific to Cebu, avoiding Manila at all cost. Sure, there's a lot of places to go to in Luzon-still, I can't stand Manila anymore-it's too polluted for one thing and chaotic (as far as traffic is concerned). Besides, Cebu, Bohol and Davao have all the nice beaches. I would stay longer in Bohol than in Cebu though-the food is great, the beaches pristine (planning to go to Balicasag Island), the tarsiers so cute and adorable (they need to be protected to prevent extinction), and the people friendly. to go to Balicasag, it's good to stay at Panglao for a night. Indeed, a lot of Americans are missing out by bypassing the Philippines which was once an American colony (after winning it from Spain). It's just sad that corruption which is prevalent in the government is tainting the reputation of a beautiful country and its beautiful people.

chynk, sounds like you're talking about hawaii, lol: " It's just sad that corruption which is prevalent in the government is tainting the reputation of a beautiful country and its beautiful people."