Philippines

The Philippines is partly influenced by Spain from its colonial past, making majority of the country Roman Catholic and a lot of the roads in the main cities are in Spanish. The Philippines is known for its beautiful beaches there are over 7000 islands to choose from, but there is so much more to see for example the Jungles, Mountains, Volcanoes and large rice terraces. I flew into Manila from Malaysia and travelled the country by bus and ferry for several weeks, I hope this short summary of the Philippines will help you plan your trip.

Best Time to Visit

The Philippines is hot all year round, but during the winter from November to February there is a fresh breeze from the sea. The typhoon season is from July to October. The best time to visit is from January to May when the climate is a lot cooler.

Things to do and see

The rice Terraces of the Cordillera are breath-taking, they were carved out by mountain tribes 2000 years ago, and are still farmed today. The terraces are accessible from the town of Banaue.
Climb a Volcano, the Philippine islands have many active volcanoes, many of which are accessible on jungle treks. Mount Mayon and Mount Pinatubo are two popular volcanoes that are visited each year.
The Bacuit Archipelago are floating off the coast of Palawan, a collection of small islands. Each Island has pristine beaches and amazing dive sites.
Diving in the Calamian Islands is very popular amongst tourist because of the collection of shipwrecks.

Food

Due to it colonial past Filipino food is a combination of Spanish and Chinese influences. There is a lot of stews and grilled fish served with rice. Pork is also very popular cooked with many of the dishes.

Transportation

Air: There are 12hr direct flights from London to the Philippines. Domestic flights are operated by Air Asia, Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific, they are an efficient way of getting around the Philippines.

Roads: Roads are well maintained in all major cities, drivers drive on the right-hand side of the road.

Rail: Philippine National Railway is the only train service operating in the Philippines. The line runs from Southern Luzon to Legaspi. Bus services however are quicker and more comfortable.

Taxi: Taxis are available in the cities and some of the towns, make sure to use metered taxis or negotiate rate before starting your ride.

Ferry: The Islands of the Philippines are all connected by a network of ferry services. In many cases they are the only way to get around. Many major Ferry services can be bought in advance.

Bus: The Philippines is severed by many private bus companies, ranging from luxury to barely functioning. There is no central information service many towns and cities have their own terminals. The best place to find out information about bus servers is at the terminals or your hotel.

Visa

Visas are not required by all EU, U.S, Canadian and Australian nationals for stays up to 30 days in the Philippines.

Language

The official language spoken in the Philippines is Filipino. English is widely spoken as it is used for government and educational purposes. There are 170 indigenous dialects also spoken.

Money

The official currency used in the Philippines is the Philippine Peso (PHP) ATMs are widely available in the cities and major tourist areas.

Tipping

Its common to tip 10% of the bill, unless already included in the service charge.

Social etiquette

86% of the country is Roman Catholic the rest are mostly Muslim. A hand shake is the formal way to greet someone. Do not start eating until the host invites you to do so.

Adaptor

There are three plug types associated with the Philippines