[Philippines] Two weeks in the Philippines (May 2014)

This was my first time in the Philippines and I will give some details about the organization of the trip. I hope it will help people who are planning to go there. It is a very nice country, perfect for beach-lovers (I'm not but it was still very nice)!!

To start of, here is a recap about those two weeks and a brief presentation, followed by some general tips. In order to not make this article too long (like very very long), details about each part will be given in separate articles.

~SUMMARY~

WHEN? 7th May - 22nd May 2014

ITINERARY? (see map of the Philippines)

Day 1-4 : LUZON [Metro Manila & Ifugao Rice Terraces] >Detailed article<

• Day 1: Manila / Tagaytay (Taal Volcano)

• Day 2: Banaue / Batad

• Day 3: Batad / Bangaan / Banaue

• Day 4: Manila / Puerto Princesa

Day 4-11: PALAWAN [Palawan Island] >Detailed article<

• Day 5 - 10: El Nido / Bacuit Archipelago (Island Hopping)

• Day 11: Puerto Princesa / Cebu / Tubigon / Tagbilaran

Day 11-15: VISAYAS [Bohol & Cebu Islands] >Detailed article<

• Day 12: Bohol - Loboc/Carmen/Anda (Tarsiers, Chocolate Hills)

• Day 13: Bohol - Tagbilaran

• Day 14: Bohol - Panglao Island (Alona Beach) - Cebu

• Day 15: Tan Awan Village (Whale Sharks) / Oslob (Heritage Park)

FLIGHTS info (booking about two weeks before departure, on the companies' websites):

Singapore - Manila
7/05/14 2am	JESTSTAR	3h40	S$ 201.5
Manila - Puerto Princesa
10/05/14 1pm	TIGERAIR (Cebu Pacific)	1h15	S$ 53.1
Puerto Princesa - Cebu
17/05/14 12.40pm	CEBU PACIFIC	1h15	€ 48.83
Cebu - Singapore
17/05/14 12.40pm	TIGERAIR	3h40	S$ 100.52

TOTAL : ~€ 252

~THE PHILIPPINES IN A NUTSHELL~

WHERE? In South-East Asia, halfway between China and Australia.

(Source: Wikitravel)

WHAT? The Philippines are made of more than 7,000 islands (7,107 exactly), with about 95% of the land spreading over the 11 largest islands. However, only about 400 islands are permanently inhabited!
The country can be separated in 3 areas: Luzon (north, with the capital Manila), the Visayas (center, with the second main city of the country: Cebu City and the most touristic islands) and Mindanao (south, said to be less "safe" as some parts are home to Islamic terrorists like Abu Sayyaf, even though there seemed to be an agreement that has been signed with the government lately -to be confirmed).

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE? Tagalog ("Pilipino"), even though over 70 filipino dialects exist. However, it can still be considered more as a dialect from Luzon, as when I went to Cebu, most people still used Cebuan dialect. English is considered as the second language.

WHAT MAKES THEM SPECIAL? 

- Their history: Colonized by the Spaniards during three centuries (from 16th century with Magellan who btw died in Cebu) then controlled by the Americans after the Spanish-American war (following the Treaty of Paris of 1901), the Philippines have inherited many different aspects of those two countries. Thus, they are mainly Christian (Roman Catholicism) and practicing (Spanish influence), with only Mindanao having a majority of Muslims. Filipino people also have Spanish surnames and some words may sound Spanish too. The Americans have established free and universal education, bringing many American teachers and having English taught at school since then. I believe they are also the reason why there are so many burgers in the country...Those are some main points I remembered about the remains of those two "colonizations" but of course, much more has happened and remained...FYI, Japan has also colonized the country during the Second World War but this was war...

- The people: Filipino people are generally very welcoming people, they smile a lot and are always willing to help. After my two weeks and having a few filipino friends, I have to agree with that, even if in the cities, people tend to be less "caring" and smiling. FYI, most Filipino people are from Malay origin and they have different terms to define people according to their origins.

- Their landscapes: Often overlooked as a touristic destination, the Philippines offer marvellous landscapes in every corner of the country! First, the tropical climate makes it a perfect country for the holidays but avoid the typhoon season between June and the beginning of the year. Secondly, since the country is made of islands, beaches are never far, and some of them are among the top most beautiful of the world, such as in the surroundings of the Bacuit Archipelago. Thirdly, if you like diversity and would like to see other things than beaches, don't forget to visit the famous Ifugao rice terraces, ranked as part of UNESCO world heritage! 

~A FEW TIPS & INFO~

• MOSQUITO BITES: Think of putting some mosquito repellent, especially at sunset, since some dengue cases have been reported (and I have been told not only at the end of the day)
• EXCHANGE RATES: The exchange rates may not be that good so think of making some change before coming! As for me, I wanted to change Singapore Dollars so maybe the rates were better for more common currencies such as USD or EUR (SGD was not even available in every money changers). In any case, the best rate I ever had was in Singapore (Lucky Plaza) maybe because it is Singapore, or because the rates are just not good in the Philippines, I don't know. If you still look for a good money changer, I have been told that the rates might be better in pawnshops (though they might be better for emigrants who are regular customers) and money changers in big malls (such as SM).
• TRICYCLE: Negotiate the prices before taking a tricycle, as I noticed most drivers ask for almost twice as much as the price for locals! Note: Negotiation is inevitable if you travel around South-East Asia and China!!!
• JEEPNEYS: As for the jeepneys you can find in cities, it is most of the time around PHP 8 per ride (in the city). However, you may find drivers who do not give your change back (same for the V-hire) so don't hesitate to ask for it!
• ALCOHOL: Alcohol is very cheap, sometimes even cheaper than soft drinks! One local alcohol that I can recommend is the Tanduay Rum: you can buy bottles of 500mL for less than PHP 50 (<1 br="" eur="">
• PEOPLE: People may not seem nice and welcoming everywhere you go but everybody I asked for information answered to me very nicely! However, beware of their answers as they may be eager to answer and help you but they don't always provide you with the best and most accurate answers...You can also find ladyboys and shemales in the Filipino streets, as they are widely accepted.