PHILIPPINES! Island hopping with the Sun, Sea & Sweetness!!

I’d like to dedicate this post to one of my favourite trips of 2013, the Philippines! Never have I used so many modes of transport on a trip and …IT WAS WORTH IT. Philippines was never going to be easy to get around being an archipelago of 7,107 islands, but I’m glad I visited a handful of them! Highly recommend if you want somewhere still relatively untouched by mass tourism, lots of nature, sunshine, beautiful marine protected dive sites, a good hike, and …no language barriers since English is one of the official languages! (Filipino being the other).

Notes / Tips from this trip:

There is a lot of poverty in the Philippines. I found it particularly strife in Manila (my friend’s food and bottle of water was actually snatched from her by a 10 year old child). If you look ‘foreign’ (i.e. not Filipino) you will get more attention than an Asian. They will leave you alone though if you walk away.
Filipinos are very hospitable, friendly people. If you don’t look like a local, you will get a lot of attention. My friend and I usually got friendly hellos, and sometimes the odd sleazy lines shouted at us ( a jeepney driver even stopped in front of us and yelled ” Hello Baby!”). I’ve even been greeted in Korean and Japanese too!
There are usually security checks at the doors of malls. But for some reason if you don’t look like a local, they won’t bother searching you and wave you right through.
I find Filipino food overly sweet, a little unhealthy and usually fried. There’s an odd combination of sweet, sour, salty and vinegary flavours, and sometimes bitterness which isn’t to my taste I’m afraid. We had to resort to MacDonald’s at one stage..which I am ashamed to admit.
Have enough change on you to pay for Tricycle journeys.
Always ask for the meter in a taxi!!! Or you will be ripped off. If they are unwilling to use the meter, then leave and wait for another.
If you are taking a night bus to Batad like we did, bring something warm to wrap around you and enough snacks and drinks to get you through the night (it’s a 9 hour journey!). You probably won’t sleep that well given it can be a bumpy ride and the drivers are a little crazy with their overtaking (!)
Go scuba diving. Philippines have some great marine-protected dive sites, it would be a waste not to have a view of their underwater world. Get recommendations from locals and haggle. We knocked off a good few thousand pesos just from being nice.
Cebu Pacific Air, Airphil Express were the main airlines we used for domestic flights. Cebu Pacific Air is more fun (they play games and give prizes haha)
Be aware the weather can turn sour pretty quickly – it is a tropical climate afterall. We were hiking through Batad and suddenly there was a storm and downpour. Luckily we were close to the end of the hike. We had a local guide who is an expert of the area. Definitely recommend getting a guide! We got lost the first time without one.

Banaue is famous for the beauty of the rolling green hills and the towering rice terraces. One of my most enjoyable days was hiking through Batad, overlooking all the lush rice terraces

My birthday had passed as usual, and a holiday was definitely necessary. My friend had insisted back before Christmas 2012 that she wanted to go to the Philippines, and managed to persuade me to join. No regrets. Our first flight on 14th April from LHR was a BA flight to Hong Kong. I thought we should stop by there for a couple of days so I could finally show my friend my ‘other home’. Not literally, as we lived in a hostel..but since our school days I would always tell her about the great food, and cheap fashion. So I was happy I could finally show her. Anyway..as usual, HK is really hot and humid at around 30°C (86°F), it will feel like a struggle to breathe (especially in crowded areas like Mong Kok). If you are going to try to live cheaply, certainly don’t expect space from hostels. You won’t get any!

Here is our room at Simply Hostel in HK – which I wouldn’t recommend because the ‘gentle’man serving was extremely unhelpful and had a face of a slapped arse.

We spent a couple of days in HK and then took Airphil Express, one of the budget Philippine airlines to Cebu. Here’s a summary of our itinerary for the whole trip, and snaps!-

Mon	Tues	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun
8th	9th	10th	11th	12th	13th	14th April: BA flight LHR to HKG
15th April. HK – Simply hostel (don’t stay here! Rude staff)	16th April HK touristy activities which mainly involves stuffing our faces	17th April. AirPhil Express :HKG to Cebu, Mactan. Tune Hotel (recommend)	18th April Cebu’s Taoist temple and their basilica. Ayala Center (local Mall) – outside is gorgeous. Tune Hotel	19th April Ferry from Cebu to Bohol – Matig-A-Seaside Pensione (great balcony view, not so great room)	20th April Bohol, Main sights: Tarsier Sanctuary; Chocolate Hills; Mahogany Forest; Hanging Bridge; Loboc’s floating restaurant; butterfly sanctuary	21st April Ferry back to Cebu – Taxi to mactan island. Haruhay Dream Resort (don’t stay here)
22nd April Mactan Island Lapu Lapu – Go diving! Seafood buffet, private island. Lantaw Floating Native Restaurant – excellent	23rd April Flight Cebu to Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Free hostel pick up. Hibiscus Garden Inn (highly recommend)	24th April. Palawan – Main sight: Underground river (hassle to get tickets, queue v.early in morning); Ziplining; Tiki Bar (fun)	25th April. Flight Puerto Princesa to Manila. Pink Manila Hostel (OK – Many like-minded travellers)	26th April Night Bus to Banaue ( 8-9hrs ..No accommodation required)	27th April Banaue -Native Village inn (unique accommodation, scenic views). Hike, Hungduan rice terraces; hot springs	28th April Batad Rice Terraces; bathe by Tappiya Falls (waterfalls); more hiking
29th April. Night bus to Manila, arrive on 30th (9hrs ride, No accomm. required)	30th April AirPhil Express Flight: Manila to Kalibo. Boat to Boracay. Stayed at Frendz Resort Boracay (recommend)	1st May Boracay – Beautiful stretch of white sandy beaches, great food, lively atmosphere	2nd May. Boat from Boracay to Kalibo. Stayed at Ati-Atihan Festival Hostel, Kalibo (OK)	3rd May. Flight from Kalibo to Manila. Flight from Manila to Singapore. Singapore – River City Inn Hostel (OK)	4th May. Singapore – Little India; Chinatown; Gardens By the Bay; Wonder Full Light Show; Marina Bay Sands SkyBar	5th May Singapore Botanic Gardens; Lau Pa Sat Festival Market; Merlion Park. Marina Sands Infinity Pool view in day.Flight – Singapore to London Heathrow

18th-21st April Pictures:

Bohol’s Chocolate Hills

Cebu Ayala Center – a short walk from Tune Hotel. It’s a beautiful mall (on the outside anyway). Array choices of food, and starbucks for those who miss their coffee

Bohol: Loboc’s floating restaurant – scenic views, gentle journey across the river, live music, mixed buffet (not great). Mostly friendly Filipinos in the group.

Delightful little baked scallops (I can’t remember being fond of much else..) — at Hukad At The Terraces, Ayala Center Cebu.

Cebu’s Taoist temple

Bohol’s Chocolate Hills

Bohol’s Accommodation: Matig-A-Seaside Pensione (great balcony view, not so great room)

Bohol’s Tarsier Sanctuary – tarsier monkeys

Cebu’s Taoist temple

Cebu’s Tune Hotel – modern, cheap and comfortable.

Bohol’s Hanging bridge

Cebu’s Tune Hotel – our room with a bag of toiletries.

22nd – 24th April Pictures:

Typical Philippine’s Motor Tricycles – like a mini taxi – cheaper form of commuting

Underground River

Palawan’s Hibiscus Inn: One of my favourite accommodations in Philippines, it was so comfortable! And so many hammocks!

Palawan: On the way to Underground River

Palawan: En route to Underground River – these boats took us there

Palawan’s Underground River – you can just about make out the boat emerging from the cave. We go in groups – it’s a bit of a long wait.

Lapu Lapu – Scuba diving time in marine protected areas – and then seafood buffet on a private island. Gorgeous.

Lapu Lapu – diving gear. Ready?

Lapu Lapu – After our first dive, our instructors took us to a private island to have a seafood buffet. It was somewhat bland, but it was such a serene environment, I was just happy to be there.

Palawan Underground River sign

26th – 30th April Pictures:

Breakfast with a view. This is Native Village inn in Banaue (unique accommodation, scenic views). This beats most views from 5* hotels!

Native Village Inn : our bed inside the hut

Our cosy accommodation – Native village inn

Tappiya Falls

Batad Hike – eating in local restaurant. What a view!

Tappiya Falls – having fun by the waterfalls. It was so refreshing after a long hike. Definitely recommend (don’t forget to bring swimwear). We had our guide look after our belongings.

Our Accommodation: Native Village Inn – Welcome sign

Rolling green hills of rice terraces in Batad – view during hike.

Hungduan rice terraces

Pink Manila Hostel – the staff were not very accommodating. We booked a private room, which wasn’t available to us and we had no choice but to use the shared accommodation – which turned out ok as we got along with the fellow hostellers. This picture was taken on the roof – there is a pool which can vary in cleanliness. I thought it was relaxing to lie on the cushions/dip my toes in the pool and watch the sun set. It was rather chaotic in Manila..so it’s quite a contrast up here.

29th April – 2nd May: Boracay beach relaxation time!