Good morning/afternoon/evening: Magandang umaga/hapon/gabi (add po at the end for formality)

Thank you: Salamat po

How are you: Kumasta ka?

Currency and exchange rate (2018): $1=53 Philippine peso

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Times to visit: 

• Dry season is between November and April

• Temperatures are high during March and April, so it's best to travel during the cooler months of December to February

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Notes:

• Colonized by Spaniards and then the United States, the Philippines has a very different vibe than most of the other southeast Asian countries. The majority of people speak English (Filipinos are the third largest group of English speaking people in the world), the main religion is Christianity, and I noticed the culture reminded me of Latin America (large families, joy for life, music and partying, machismo culture among the men).

• The government has waged a full and aggressive war on drugs. DON'T DO OR ASK AROUND FOR DRUGS HERE. Even suspicion of carrying drugs validates being killed (and don't think because you're white they won't execute you, before I arrived two Australian tourists had been shot for possession).

• The country has terrible trash problems, already causing the government to close several islands for beach cleanings and environmental destruction. Check for updated island closures. Be a conscious traveler: limit your own waste, support wildlife maintenance and participate in beach cleanups.

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EAT:

• Rico’s Lechon

• Cafe Laguna

• Casa Verde

• Larsian

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TO DO:​

• Sightseeing:

  • Magellan’s Cross

  • Fort San Pedro

  • Basílica de Santo Nino

  • Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral

  • Crown Regency Observatory (for view of city)

  • Sirao Garden

  • Tops Skyline Garden

  • Day trip to Mactan - beaches, Lapu-Lapu shrine, ferry to Olango Wildlife Sanctuary

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DON'T: Swim with whale sharks unless the shop does so ethically - not only is the experience not eco-friendly in that it disturbs natural migration patterns but it is an overcrowded tourist trap

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VISIT:

• Ayala Center in Mataki - more urban area

• Tiendesitas in Pasig City - artsy/cultural bazaar and shows

• Maginhawa Street - indie vibe

• Binondo - Chinatown of the Philippines

• Bonifacio in Taguig City - nightlife

• Intramuros - Spanish architecture and historical hub

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One of my favorite places on my travels. Super relaxed vibe, easy place to meet locals, and great diving.

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GETTING THERE:​​ 

• In Cebu, ask to go to the Ceres terminal and pay 130 PHP for the bright yellow bus

• Take the 20-minute boat ride from Cebu to Malapascua Island

• **Do not be scammed into paying extra for a "private" hire tourist boat

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STAY:

• Villa Sandra - cheap dorms, some of the best food on the island, nightly jam sessions and knowledgable staff

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EAT:

• Villa Sandra - vegetarian and vegan food

• Amihan Restaurant and Pizzeria - looks super fancy but plates are around $8, their pasta is out of this world, the cliffside view at night is amazing, and the owner may give you free rum

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TO DO:

• Dive - Sea Slug Divers is the cheapest dive shop on the island and will let you do Gato Island (a must dive) and the thresher shark dive without an advanced license

• Do an organized snorkel tour

• Attend a village disco on the weekend - tanduay (rum) bountiful, karaoke deafening and the best opportunity to get to know locals (highly recommended)

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Moalboal is popular among divers, snorkelers, and underwater photographers for its easily accessible coral reef and the wildlife that lives within it. In particular, the thousands of sardines that live in the warm, tropical waters right off the beach. 

 

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STAY:

• Find a cheap guesthouse - often advertised on handwritten sides, the further from the beach, the cheaper

• Rent a cabin

• Chief Mau

 

 

TO DO:

• Rent snorkel gear and free dive with sardines right off the beach (ask locals for the best spot)

• Learn to freedive

• Day trip to Kawasan Falls - don’t buy canyoning package, can cliff jump and swim on your own

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Highlight of my Philippines travels. Getting here is a little bit if a hike but worth it tenfold if you crave cultural immersion, bare bones living, cheap diving, and escape from the tourism of the other islands.

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