The Philippines, which is made up of more than 7,000 islands, can be a bit overwhelming for anyone planning a trip to the country. The island nation is well-known for its vast forests, unique wildlife, stunning beaches, and great volcanoes. Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao are the three major islands that divide the Philippines.
These islands have an abundance of breathtaking natural beauty waiting to be explored. This blog offers some useful information on all the things you need to know to plan an amazing trip to the Philippines. The months of December through February are the ideal times to travel to this country because of the cool weather. Nevertheless, January through April is the dry season in this area, and the weather is good throughout this time, though it is a little hot.
To reach the Philippines, you have regular flights to Manila from the UAE. Book your tickets with Philippine Airlines Cleartrip at the lowest airfares and the best deals. The site provides seamless ticket booking using coupon codes or the latest discount offers.
Why Should You Visit the Philippines?
The Philippines is well-known for its pristine white sand beaches and pleasant year-round climate. You can go diving to world-class dive sites in Cebu, Palawan, and Batangas, or you can surf the waves in La Union, Baler, and Siargao. You can also spend time swimming in the crystal-clear seas of Palawan, Bohol, and Boracay.
Other activities include visiting the intriguing Chocolate Hills in Bohol and the UNESCO-designated heritage sites like the Cordillera Rice Terraces, National Park Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, and Tubbataha Reefs.
There are a few stunning mountains in the Philippines where you can go hiking. They include Mount Pulag and Mount Pinatubo, the sight of magnificent volcanoes, as Albay’s Mayon Volcano is worth seeing. Furthermore, you can embark on a culinary journey and taste some of the country’s unique dishes, such as halo-halo, Dongguan, sisig, and balut.
How to Travel within the Country?
Moving between places takes time, often a lot of it, because the Philippines is made up of so many islands. The distances and the subpar services are somewhat to blame for the situation. There are three ways to go around, by bus, boat, and airline. There are inexpensive flights available for travel between islands.
To get between islands, some buses are loaded onto large boats and they provide beds and lunch service for long-distance travel. Air-conditioned buses are ideal for tourists as they are not crowded. A ferry is also a convenient option to travel from one island to another. You can use a tricycle, bus, taxi, or jeepney to travel around the cities. They are not expensive and help you travel with local people and learn their culture.
Take any medical prescription you may require
Like travelling to many other nations, you can’t expect pharmacies to have exactly what you need when you need it. There are pharmacies in the bigger towns and islands in the Philippines. Being safe is always preferable to being sorry.
Purchase a portable Wi-Fi hotspot or a SIM
In the Philippines, you shouldn’t count on finding reliable Wi-Fi anywhere you need it. Fast Wi-Fi is widely available in places like Boracay and Manila; however, it may be spotty on many of the islands.
One piece of advice for visitors: El Nido has spotty internet service throughout the area. It doesn’t matter whose hotel or café you stay at, the town’s internet service is appallingly inadequate. It functions best around 4 a.m. I was unable to access Instagram at all!
However, all Philippine airports had excellent and free internet. We found the airport in Manila to be quite quick!
Make reservations in advance if you’re on a budget for travel or time
You will eventually require planes and ferries because you may be travelling among some of the numerous islands that make up the Philippines.
Far in advance, airline tickets AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, etc. may be extremely affordable. But a day or two ahead, they can be well over £100 or £150.
They sell out on a lot of routes, too. As a result, you are not able to enjoy the same degree of total independence that people in other nations do, such as being able to show up at the bus station whenever you want to travel to a different part of the nation.
