The Philippines is an archipelago located in Southeast Asia. With 7,641 islands, this country mainly offers beaches, island life, and tan lines. As quoted -your forever summer- this country has the top-rated beaches and a variety of coastlines. This blog mainly features the beaches and islands of the Philippines with some travel tips and off-the-beaten tracks.

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Best Time to Visit:

Summer season is always recommended (March-May) but as long as the sun shows, any time of the year is just perfect. However, wet monsoon starts from June until October. According to PAGASA, the Philippines experiences an average of 20 typhoons in a year, so plan your itinerary ahead.

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Mode of Transportation:

This varies per destination. Some places are accessible by plane while others are only accessible by ferry/ boat. Jeepneys, buses, and vans are common transport in big islands while in some cases, Habal-habal or motorbike is the only option. The major cities have Angkas/Grab motorbike hailing apps. Don't worry, I am including the transportation medium in every itinerary.

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Safety:

The Philippines is relatively safe. Most tourist destinations in the Philippines are considered safe to travel to. However, if you plan an alternative side trip, it is best to research ahead or ask the locals to avoid any hassle.

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Accommodation:

All variety is here -from hostel to hotel, 1-star to 5-star. Online bookings are available, walk-ins are possible during the lean season. Most of the accommodations on the islands accept only cash.

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Travel Cost:

Cheap. As long as you stay in budget accommodation, eat local cuisine at local dining, try public transport, and take advantage of joiner tours, you can enjoy the Philippine destinations in less than 100 USD for 3 days. Airfare is relatively cheap as competition in local aviation is tough. Major airlines are Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Air Asia Philippines. Destination islands with small airports are serviced by Sunlight Air and Air Swift.

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Currency:

Philippine Peso (PHP). Php55~ 1 USD

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People:

You smile, we smile. You ask, and we reply in English.

Tagalog is the national language. Different islands can have different dialects and the common are Bisaya, Ilonggo, and Ilocano.

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Capital:

Manila. Major cities are Cebu City, Davao City, Iloilo City, Bacolod City, Cagayan de Oro City, Zamboanga City.

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Main International Airports:

Manila International Airport (code: MNL)

Mactan Cebu International Airport (code: CEB)

Davao International Airport (code: DVO)

Clark International Airport (code: CRK)

Kalibo International Airport (code: KLO)

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Power and Plug Sockets:

Type A, and B. The standard Voltage is 220V. The standard frequency is 60Hz

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Internet and Wi-fi:

There are two major mobile internet providers in the Philippines, -Smart Communications and Globe Telecoms. Based on my experience, the average LTE speed out of the city is 5 Mbps. Wi-fi, on the other hand, is faster if fiber connections reach fiber connection, but not all hotels or restaurants. Starlink is available in the Philippines and some hostels use this.

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