Philippines: Inside Travel Guide and Tips
This travel guide covers all the things you want to know about traveling to this gorgeous country. It has above 7,107 islands to tour with many other interesting things to offer. It is a shelter to a lot of crystal clear waters, world-class surfing, amazing white sand beaches, diving, and lush rice terraces. This country is now converting into a must-view tourist place.
Table of Contents
- Visa (Who Need, Price)
- Is the Philippines Safe to Visit?
- Local Currency & Money in the Philippines
- Best Places to Visit in the Philippines
- Things to do in the Philippines
- Best Time to Visit in the Philippines
- How to Reach the Philippines (International airport)?
- Getting Inside the Country
- What to Shop in the Philippines
- What to Eat in the Philippines
- Where to Stay in the Philippines
Visa (Who Need, Price)
The Philippines is a nation located in Southeast Asia. This nation is full of natural resources with few of the world’s greatest biodiversity. If you want to visit this nation, you would certainly need to avail of a Philippine visa. There are different kinds of visas that the Philippines issue and they are transit visa, religious visa, tourist visa, student visa, business visa, special non-immigrant visa, and more.
Is the Philippines Safe to Visit?
The Philippines is a nation where more violence tends to create. Therefore, it is vital to know about threats. Some of the areas of the Philippine are a trouble spot where you should not go. The Philippines have an active travel warning but for certain sections only. You are the only one who knows your own risk tolerance. It is wise to get rid of known regions of danger and create your itinerary around famous tourist places.
Local Currency & Money in the Philippines
It is good to know about local currency or money when you travel to a new country for the first time. The official currency of the Philippines is the Philippine Peso and its code is PHP. The denominations of these colorful notes come in 1000, 500, 200,100, 50, and 20. US dollars can be used to work well as emergency cash and even sometimes accepted as an alternative form of payment. So it is quite a good idea to carry US dollars for emergencies while traveling in Asia. And then you can exchange the US currency to pesos.
Best Places to Visit in the Philippines
Boracay
Boracay has more than 12 beaches which is why it is regarded as the beach capital of the Philippines. This island is perfect for beach-goers who are fond of water activities or simple relaxation in the sun. White Beach is one of the best beaches in the Philippines on the west side of the island. Some of the other great beaches of this place are Diniwid Beach, Cagban Beach, and Puka Shell Beach.
Bohol
Bohol island is a place that exhibits the natural beauty of the country. The Chocolate Hills in Carmen is one of the most exceptional wonders on the island. This site of UNESCO is a group of 1200 geological formations that convert brown in the dry season and represents a landscape of chocolate candy kisses.
Cebu
The island of Cebu is recognized as the port to a few of the best snorkeling and diving in the Philippines. If you are interested in underwater diving, Cebu is one of the ideal options for short trips that make you close to sea turtles, coral reefs, and whale sharks. The sea caves are some of the most stunning scenery from the water near Cebu that draw the attention of the outdoor enthusiasts and photographers looking for exceptional snorkeling and diving sites.
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines which is a busy town with continuous activity. This city is usually filled with kitschy bus/jeep hybrid vehicles, locals, and the bumpy ride through the streets on the iconic. At Quiapo Church, you will find an impressive market from where you can buy handmade gifts and local fruits.
Coron Island
Coron Island is one of the topmost diving places in the world with green and electric blue water that almost seems unreal. This island is famous for diving as there are numerous wrecks present here.
Things to do in the Philippines
When it comes to the attractions of the Philippines, you can check out the above point to know the attractions of this destination. At this place, you can spend your time shopping or beaching whichever you like. You can even visit luxurious hotels or restaurants for having delicious food at affordable prices. Some of the crazy things that you can do in the Philippines are as follows:
- Have an Underground River Day Trip
- Mactan Cebu Island Hopping with lunch
- Whale shark encounter and Sumilon Sandbar with Kawasan Falls
- Boracay Sunset Cruise
- Enjoy and all-inclusive Kawasan Canyoneering and Falls
- Hop on and discover Masungi Georeserve
Best Time to Visit in the Philippines
The great time to travel to the Philippines is between November and April. The months between November and April are summer months and you can enjoy these months by exploring the best beaches in the Philippines. From June to October, the wet season begins and brings about a little rain with warm temperatures. There is a season called Typhoon season that begins in September and long lasts until October so you can avoid traveling at this time.
How to Reach the Philippines (International airport)?
Officially, the only airport serving the Manila area is the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. This airport consists of four terminals that are not connected internally. Certain terminals have both domestic and international flights while some have only domestic. Apart from the air route, you can also visit the Philippines via road and rail as many buses and trains are available to get there.
Getting Inside the Country
If you want to get inside the country, you should confirm to get the visa. Only after the visa is granted, visa applicants are strongly advised to conclude their flight booking. The time of visa processing depends on the nationality of the applicant and it usually takes 2 to 10 days of business. An evaluation might need a longer period for some applicants. When it comes to getting around the nation, the transport that you can use include boat, taxi, car, plane, train, bus, motorbike, jeepney, rickshaw, and cruise ship.
What to Shop in the Philippines
There are some interesting things that you can shop in the Philippines. They are nothing but Philippine Pearls, Capiz Items, Abaca Basket, Salakot Ashtray, Bamboo Baul, Caviar Dish, custaroons, Kamagong Salad Server, Shell-Made Napkin Ring Set, and so on. All the visitors can have a lot of fun with the experience of shopping in the Philippines.
What to Eat in the Philippines
It has been heard that the dishes in the Philippines are quite tasty. Some of the delicious foods that you can try at this place are Kare-Kare, Adobo, Sinigang, Lechon, Sisig, Crispy Pata, Pork Barbecue, Bulalo, Pancit Guisado, and more. The tourists must try these dishes in the Philippines for sure.
Where to Stay in the Philippines
It might be difficult to finalize where to stay as there are above 7,000 islands in the Philippines. However, there are various options for accommodation right from hotels to luxury Philippines hotels. Also, Airbnb is the best choice for long or short stays.