While most people opt for nearby Thailand or Malaysia, those travelers booking flights to the Philippines have one distinct advantage over other travelers: privacy. The 7,000 or so islands that make up the Philippines are blessed with secluded beaches, friendly people and electric cities seldom explored by tourists.
What most people love most about the Philippines is its laidback environment. The locals are friendly, English is widely spoken and there’s always a place to stay. Most flights to the Philippines enter through Manila, the country’s capital and a hotspot for excellent shopping, restaurants and nightlife. Keep traveling on local Philippines flights and you’ll land in the rice fields of Banue, where the mountains line the landscape and tourists line the beaches.
Cheap flights to the Philippines and discounted hotel and resort rates can be found throughout the year, as the country has yet to develop a tourist industry that rivals its neighboring countries.
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Peak season:
The best time to visit the northern and central islands is during the dry season when the days are clear and bright and rainfall is minimal.
The south (Davao) has no distinct wet or dry seasons. Weather is constant year-round and temperatures are about 73-90 degrees (F). There is no bad time to visit this part of the Philippines.
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The flag carrier, Philippine Airlines, offers domestic Philippine flights and international flights from the Philippines. It links Manila with 19 destinations including Naga, Cebu, Butuan, Davao, Zamboanga and Puerto Princesa.
Other airlines offering domestic Philippine flights include Air Philippines, South East Asian Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Asian Spirit Airlines. Charter (helicopter and small-to-medium sized airplanes) flights are also available.
Ferry services connect the islands while cruise liners dock at the port of Manila.
Philippine National Railways operates the Metrotren. It stretches south to Carmona and Cavite and north to Meycauayan, Bulacan. In Metro Manila, the Light Railway Transit runs from Caloocan to Baclaran.
Other ways of getting around the country include taxis, buses, trikes and the jeepney. The jeepney is a classic, inspired by the American World War II army jeeps. When the American soldiers left the Philippines, surplus jeeps were sold or given to local people. The stripped-down jeeps were fitted with seats, decorated with ornaments and painted in bright colours.
The calesa is a rather touristy way of getting around. It is a traditional horse-drawn carriage brightly decorated that was introduced during the years that Spain was ruler.
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The following chart gives approximate journey times from Manila (in hours and minutes) to other major cities and towns in Philippines.
| | Air | Road | Sea |
|---|
| Batangas | - | 2.00 | - |
|---|
| Cagayan de Oro | 1.25 | - | 48.00 |
|---|
| Laoag | 1.25 | 7.00 | - |
|---|
| Palawan | 1.10 | - | 24.00 |
|---|
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- Great spots for surfers include Cloud 9 and Tuason Point on Siargao Island, Majestics in Catanduanes and Cemento in Baler, Aurora. El Nido on PalawanIsland is said to be the best diving spot in the Philippines. Also on Palawan is the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, on the UNESCO World Heritage list, featuring a limestone karst landscape with an underground river.
- A super spot for diving is Subic Bay, on the west coast of Luzon, which has a fantastic combination of wrecks such as San Quintin, a 19th-century Spanish gunboat; Oryoku Maru, a Japanese luxury liner; and New York, the ex-USS.
- The rice terraces of the Cordilleras in Northern Luzonare more than 2,000 years old and are still in use by the Ifugao people. The terraces are fed by an irrigation system from rainforests above the terraces. A World Heritage Site, they are noted for their altitude (up to 5,000 feet) and very steep slopes (up to 70 degrees). The World Heritage Site is composed of four sites at: Banaue (Batad and Bangaan), Mayoyao (Mayoyao Central), Klangan (Nagacadan) and Hungduan.
- Manila is capital and within it is Intramuros, a walled city built by the Spanish in the 16th century. It was mostly destroyed during World War II, but restored in the 1980s and now has the best remnants of the Spanish era. Manila also has several museums including the National Museum and the Museum of Arts and Sciences. The American Military Cemetery and Memorial has the largest number of WWII graves; more than 17,000 soldiers lie here. Marikina City Footwear Museums in the shoemaking district of greater Manila. The museum has about 200 pairs of shoes that used to belong to former First Lady Imelda Marcos.
- Cebu is where Ferdinand Magellan, the explorer, first planted the flag – and a large Christian cross – for Spain in 1521. The cross hangs in a small chapel beside the Basilica Minore del Santo Nino on Magallanes Street.
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Everyone entering the Philippines must have a passport valid for at least six months beyond the intended period of stay. If there is an embassy of country of nationality in the Philippines, then the passport can be valid for less than six months. All visitors must have return or onward tickets and documents necessary for further travel, as well as sufficient funds.
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United States citizens must have a valid passport. No visa is required for a stay of up to 21 days.
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