Philippines

Updated 2016

Why you should add Philippines to your Indie/RTW trip

  • The Philippines has thousands of tiny islands, each one with tiny, picturesque white-sand beaches.
  • In Manila you’ll have the opportunity not only to see life in the Philippines, but also the unique ways that Filipino culture has blended with the immigrants that have come from around the world.
  • The hospitality of Filipinos is unbelievable, and it’s a place you’ll remember forever simply because of the local people.
  • There is tons of nature and wildlife to explore among its thousands of islands.
  • The weather is pretty temperate year-round – it doesn’t really ever get too hot or too cold (though the rainy season is from June to October).
  • Other Southeast Asian countries may get all the attention when it comes to cuisine, but the Philippines has plenty of local specialties to offer.
  • Sometimes it’s nice to travel in a foreign country where your language is spoken by most of the locals – most locals speak English in the Philippines.

Read: Malatapay Madness.

Indie travel tips for the Philippines

  • Take a day trip out to Boracay Island and see Puka Beach one of the world’s most beautiful tropical beaches.
  • Take a ferry from Manila to Puerto Galera and spend your days earning your SCUBA diving license and exploring the ocean in water so warm you’ll be able to stay in all day.
  • To get a good first hand look at Filipino culture, spend your time in Manila, the largest city in the Philippines with 10 million people in the metro area and the country’s capital.
  • Take a ride on an old US military jeep called a jeepney.
  • Enjoy the variety – tropical beaches, jungles, mountains, volcanoes, and coral reefs.
  • Go trekking in the mountains of North Luzon.
  • Learn a new skill like scuba diving or surfing.

Read: A Boat Trip in Boracay.

Transportation

Flights from North America or Europe to the Philippines usually stop in Hong Kong or Singapore. There are several airports for getting around within the country, which is mostly done by plane rather than boat when traveling long distances.

Accommodation

The Phillipines hosts thousands of travelers each year, and while its numbers aren’t as impressive as Indonesia’s or Thailand’s, there are more than enough hostels to be found in almost every major city around the country and many rural locations.