Philippines
Philippines
“It’s More Fun in the Philippines” is a slogan that is used to attract tourists. And guess what?!? It just works. It’s totally worth visiting the Philippines and all that it has to offer. There is so much to do and see. Make every day count because it’s easy to stay comfortable in one spot! But if you do, you’ll miss out on so much more. Plan to make an itinerary ahead of time, so that you can accomplish as much as possible and visit much of the many Philippine islands. Filipinos are very family oriented and will take you in as their own. What do I mean by that? Well…they treat any newcomer like family. Ask any Filipino a question in English and at first they will be shy to answer, but they’ll be able to find someone who will be able to get your question answered and soon enough, they’ll even open up about their lives and hardships. Ask a Filipino what their favorite food is and they’ll suggest a food that most “foreigners” might feel scared to try. We challenge you to explore the Philippines and find out the specialty foods in the town that you visit!
*** Check out our blog on “10 Reasons To Visit The Philippines“!
Filipino people are very friendly and humble people. They are willing to help you navigate the area if you just ask. We were fortunate enough to have family that lives there, knows the area, and are able to navigate without difficulty. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t know anyone though as there are many tourist offices that can help you plan an unforgettable trip.
*** Check out our blog on “Modes Of Transportation In The Philippines“!
We stayed in the Philippines for a month. We traveled counterclockwise around the entire Northern Luzon starting from our family’s house in a small town called San Fabian, Pangasinan. After an hour and half drive north, you’ll reach the city of Baguio. The weather in Baguio is cool and foggy. This area is great for staying cool and away from the island heat. You’ll know what heat is like when the temperature reaches 110 degrees outside.
*** Check out our blog on “How To Stay Cool In The Philippines“!
Not too far away from Baguio is La Trinidad. This area is known for its strawberry fields. You can find everything from strawberry jam to their popular strawberry ice cream sandwiches made with hamburger buns. Honestly, as odd as you may think this might be, the combination is pretty good. Plus, it’s cheap. You can’t beat that! This is also where you can test your bargaining strategies with the locals and see if you can get some souvenirs for cheap.
After many hours of climbing hills, twists and turns, and what seems like non-stop driving, you’ll reach another beautiful destination in Mountain Province: Sagada. This is a place you’ll want to visit!! We can’t express this enough. It is both entertaining and fulfilling. The Sumaging Cave tour in Sagada lasts about two and half hours. We got to see amazing natural rock formations, walk through a cold underground river, crawl through caves, and climb slippery rocks. Just be aware that you may be crawling in really tight areas and will likely get “dirty.” Wear swim trunks or shorts and keep in mind that your clothes may be damped at the end! This is a hidden gem in the Philippines and we strongly recommend it to those looking for an amazing adventure! Those that are claustrophobic might want to skip this adventure.
Not too far from this area are the Sagada hanging coffins. In fact, Sagada is most famous for the coffins. The coffins are buried into the rocky mountains and some are even found cracked open. We learned that this is a traditional way of burying people in this town, however, there are requirements one must meet to end up in a hanging coffin, such as having been married. It can be a bit spooky for the squeamish!
During the counterclockwise route around Northern Luzon, the next destination you’ll want to visit is: Banaue. The layered rice terraces covering most of the hills are such a site to see. You’ll be able to catch a glimpse of the locals using a carabao, or “water buffalo” to cultivate the soil prior to the planting phase.
If you’re adventurous and you’ve made it this far, a fun place to stay at is Hannah’s Beach Resort located in Pagudpud. Pagudpud is found in the Northern tip of the Luzon island. This place is great for families as there are lots of activities for children to do. For an adrenaline rush you can go zip lining for a very small fee. The resort is big and the beach is beautiful. The turquoise colors of the water make this resort absolutely gorgeous. If you decide not to stay at the resort, there are other budget-friendly places you can rent next to the resort.
One of our favorite towns in Ilocos Sur was Vigan. Vigan is a small, quiet, Spanish colonial town where one can still view the preserved collection of historic buildings from the 16th century. Some say the buildings are still haunted and that the spirits are freely roaming the area. This town is famous for their delicious shrimp empanadas which you can find anywhere in the town’s plaza. The plaza has a unique Hispanic vibe that will transcend you to the colonial times.
*** Check out our blog on “Our 7 Favorite Restaurants In Luzon“!
Located in Alaminos lies the amazing Hundred Islands National Park. This park has 124 small islands at low tide and 123 at high tide. You can island hop to particular islands where you can enjoy a family picnic, snorkeling, diving, swimming, and sunbathing. There are three main islands where visitors are able to explore: Governor’s, Quezon, and Children’s Island. The islands are beautiful and clean. From your boat, you’ll be able to see plenty of bats sleeping on trees and caves. It’s almost surreal to see hundreds of bats darkening the tree branches. As long as you don’t disturb them, you should be fine. TIP: We recommend bringing your own food.
A popular and fun island to visit is Boracay. Boracay is a small island south of Manila. To get to the island, we first flew to Kalibo airport, then we took a bus ride to the dock, and finally a 45 minute ferry ride to the island pier. Boracay has beautiful white sandy beaches and the water is crystal clear. The water is shallow enough that you can view the ocean floor by standing and you can walk a long distance before the water hits your waist. You’ll be able to relax during the day and enjoy the exciting nightlife afterwards. The island is divided into three sections or stations and you can choose where to stay depending on your budget or preference. Station 1 has most of the luxury hotels and clubs. Station 2 is budget friendly and located in the middle of action packed areas of station 1 and the relaxation area of station 3. In station 3, it is less crowded and you can find the cheapest hotels. On a side note, if you’re looking to exchange money, there are banks at the end of station 3 that will give you the best exchange rate. During the day, you can explore the whole island by boat at an affordable price wherein you can island hop to beaches such as Puka Beach. There are many food vendors throughout the beach that sell anything from fresh mangoes and coconuts to balut or duck embryo. You will not go hungry! At night, Boracay comes alive! For a cheap price you can enjoy drinks and watch fire dance performances in Station 1. Also, in station 1 is where you will find most of the bars and dance clubs.
Manila is a city full of history and culture. Many Spanish colonial architectures still stand today and have been converted to tourist museums for people to visit with a small fee. Manila, if you haven’t learned before traveling to the Philippines, is the capital of the Philippines. Within the city life lies tall skyscraper corporate buildings and many busy and chaotic intersections lined with traffic for miles long. Don’t fret though because traffic does move, although very slowly, and if you get lucky, you may be entertained with a dancing traffic enforcer controlling traffic at the junctions. Unfortunately, the times we passed through the main junctions, we didn’t get to see one.
*** Check out our blog on “7 Beautiful Churches To Visit In The Philippines“!
There are many attractions and things to do while in Manila. You can visit the churches, like the beautiful Quiapo Church, go shopping for gifts, entertain the kids with rides found outside the Great Mall of Asia, or even visit a former military prison called Fort Santiago. If you go at the right time and visit Rizal Park, you can witness the changing of the guards similar to the British.
Time We Visited: April
Places Visited/Attractions:
- San Fabian Beach
- Manaoag
- Boracay
- Alaminos
- Hundred Islands
- Labrador
- Bridal Veil Falls
- Colorado Falls
- Baguio
- La Trinidad
- Mine’s View
- Dagupan
- Our Lady of Atonement Cathedral
- Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag
- Segada
- Sumaguing Cave
- Banaue
- Magat Dam
- Pataput Bridge
- Pagudpud
- Vigan
- San Augustin Church
- Tagaytay
- People’s Park
- Mall of Asia
- Manila Cathedral
- Intramuros
- Fort Santiago
- Quiapo Church
Restaurants We Dined At:
- Mama Piping
- 50’s Diner
- Jacob’s Restaurant
- Matutinas
- De Luxe Restaurant
- Mushroom Burger Restaurant
- Shabu One
- The RoadHouse Manila Bay
Food Suggestions:
- Halo halo
- Balut
- Sinigang hipon
- Try all the fresh seafood
- Bangus
- Pancit
- Pan de Sal
- Lumpia
Where We Stayed:
- Tonglen Resorts
- Hannah’s Resort
Transportation Used:
- Car
- Jeepney
- Bus
- Plane
- Boat
- Tricycle
Total Costs:
- Airfare = $1,250 USD round trip per person
- Transportation = $500 USD
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