Useful information for a trip to the Philippines
14/6/2022| 15:46The Philippines has everything you’ll ever want. The country boasts of tropical islands, unique wildlife, white sandy beaches, rice terraces, turquoise blue waters, world class diving and surfing spots and a lot more. In this post, you’ll be updated with some of the useful information for a trip to the Philippines.
The Philippines – home to beautiful beaches, chilled island vibes, an interesting history and some of the most wonderfully kind people. Without a doubt, this place is definitely heaven on Earth. The article below will provide someuseful information and vital tips for a trip to the Philippines that you might want to know.
1. Quick informations
Language:
Despite being home to multiple dialects, Tagalog is considered as the National language. However, one of the most beautiful things about the Philippines is that almost everyone speaks English which makes it easier to communicate with the locals.
Festivals and Celebrations:
Undoubtedly, wherever you are in the Philippines, there is a big party, festival, or local celebration going on. It is very common for people to invite complete strangers to join in on the fun.
A few big ones though are Ati-Atihan in Kalibo which is near Boracay (January), Sinulog in Cebu (January), and Masskara in Bacolod (October). These festivals generally comprise of big street parades with locals showing off their indigenous native costumes. Expect to have lots of street dancing, and local rum drinking.
Transportation:
The transport from one place to the next can be a mission due to it being an archipelago. If you have limited time, flying from one island to the next is essential. Before going to The Philippines, you should spend some time on downloading apps to track bus, boat, and train schedules. For example,Bookaway is an app that allows you to book buses from Manila to Banawe, Sagada, Batangas and more.
Weather:
While you can visit the Philippines all year round, it is generally better to avoid the wet or rainy season. Although with the exception of big typhoons, during the wet season, days are more likely to be hot with short rain showers in the afternoon so it isn’t entirely too bad. In a nutshell, the weather in the Philippines can be broken down into two parts:
- The dry season: which is from January to May.
- The wet season: beginning from June and ending in December.
2. Useful tips
Check for ATMs on the islands in the Philippines’
As you fix up your travel plans around the islands of the Philippines, don’t assume there’ll be an ATM where you’re staying.
Either research ahead of time or ask your hostel/hotel. Places likeManila,Cebu andBoracayhave plentiful ATMs but many of the smaller Philippines islands do not have ATMs. You really don’t want to be stuck anywhere without cash – many hostels etc will not take card payments either.
On the same note, not all ATMs in the Philippines take international cards so always think ahead about your money needs. You may need to stock up on Philippine Pesos a little way ahead.
Leave plenty of time for travelling between islands in the Philippines
This is really important advice for travelling around the Philippines.
In the planning stages, it can be wise to dedicate an entire day to travelling between islands in the Philippines. All the segments can add up, or sometimes the only option is to fly back to Manila to catch another flight to the next island.
Notice: You should leave as much time as possible whilst moving around on travelling days. Weather, cancellations, traffic – all these things can have a big impact on travel in the Philippines.
A cyclone meant that a huge backlog of passengers were trying to get a ferry from Tagbilaran (Bohol) to Cebu, and this meant (despite arriving hours ahead of time) that the first ferry we could get departed after our scheduled flight time out of Cebu.
What to Pack for Traveling the Philippines
As the Philippines is a warm tropical country, make sure you pack accordingly. If you decide to head up North to the rice terraces, the weather can get cooler so bringing a lightwaterproof jacket is highly advisable.
If you plan to spend most of your time island hopping, make sure you bring ample sunblock or rash guards as protection. Unless you plan on taking on some steep trails, a good pair of training shoes should be enough.
With thousand destinations to visit in the Philippines, you’ll have a hard time visiting all of it in just a few weeks. We hope that thisPhilippines travel guide will help you spend the most of your limited time in this paradise.
Thu Huong
