What are the things I should try to take in on a 10 day trip to the Philippines (starting in Manila)? The more exotic the better.

What are your interests? If you like the mountains, you could go up to Baguio and a little further to see the Ifugao rice terraces or the ancient burial caves in Sagada. Or you could go to the beaches which can be located up north although there are also beaches to the South in Batangas which is a half-day drive from Metro Manila. If you give me a better idea, maybe I can direct you to the particular province.

We are most interested in cultural experiences and like to see things that are representative of the country and its people. Beaches are not at the top of the list, since we can see beautiful beaches closer to home. <BR> <BR>Our favorite experiences on past trips (to other countries) include getting to know/share meals with/etc. indgenous people, see local celebrations and dances, and experience life as they do. <BR> <BR>And it now looks like we may be as long as 14 days in the Philippines. <BR> <BR>Thanks for your help! <BR>Leah

Could you tell me when you plan to be in the Philippines? I don't need exact dates but the month should be good enough. There are festivals all over the place. If I know the month, then I can refer you to that particular province, Also, how willing are you to rough it? In my mother's hometown, the local inn's bath and toilets are separate from the main house. The place was clean and the people very nice but you do have to take that into consideration. On the otherhand, we also stayed at a hotel in the province's capital (about four hors away) which had most of the modern conveniences. Obviously, most of the convenience will be found in the major cities with Metro Manila having almost everything. Just in case you haven't seen in any of the travel books in the Philippines: traffic is super slow, so take this into consideration; you may find yourself stranded if there is a strong downpour as a lot of places flood; airline office close down at 5:00 p.m. so you cannot confirm any flights at night, in fact most ticket changes need to be done on person; people move slowly so you have to adjust to their speed. Don't get me wrong - there is a lot to see and do in the Philippines it's just that you have take some things into consideration. Let me know if prefer that I respond to you via your aol address.

MM, <BR> <BR>Thanks for all of your info so far, and your willingness to tailor it our needs! Yes, by all means contact me at my email address. <BR> <BR>At present it looks like we will be there Oct 20 through Nov 5 or thereabouts (we are on a 2 1/2 month trip and this is in the middle of the trip. We have the option of shifting dates, so we could move them by a few days one way or the other). My hope is to be able to hit the Masscara (sp?) Festival on Negros. Do you know anything about it? If this is a possibility, then my next concern is to figure out how best to get there (we are flying into Manila) and where to stay. <BR> <BR>In answer to your questions about roughing it, we are pretty adventurous, and can deal with situations such as you described for short stints. I will <BR>admit that hot showers and indoor toilets are a preference, (at least every other day!) but for the right experience, we can deviate from that. <BR> <BR>From what I've read, and the transportation restrictions that go with it, I was thinking of heading to the Bontoc/Sagada/Baguio area, as well as taking in Lake Taal, but a real life festival is something we LOVE, so if you can direct us toward one, we are definitely game. <BR> <BR>Again, thanks for all your help, <BR>Leah