The Complete Guide To The Philippines

I FANCY AN ISLAND GETAWAY

I FANCY AN ISLAND GETAWAY

The Philippines gives you 7,017 from which to choose, with everything from deserted beaches to towering volcanoes, buzzing cities to paradise islands. You can be as adventurous as you like; the Philippines is an ideal place to learn to dive, for example. You will also meet some very friendly people. The archipelago's 80 million inhabitants are a mix of Malay, Chinese, European and American.

Fossil remains found in Palawan suggest that humans first migrated across land bridges from mainland Asia and Borneo 50,000 years ago. The Ifugaos, who arrived in the influx from China, drifted into northern Luzon, where they built one of the world's engineering wonders: the Banaue rice terraces. Malays from Indonesia and the Malay peninsula streamed into the islands more than 2,000 years ago, sailing through the Sulu Sea and settling first in the Visayas and then south-western Luzon.

The Philippines' turbulent modern history began in 1521, when Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese seafarer in the service of Spain, arrived in Cebu after taking four months to cross the vast ocean he named the Pacific. Magellan planted a wooden cross to claim the islands for Spain. He was later killed. Since then, the Philippines has endured centuries of colonialism at the hands of the Spanish and, latterly, the Americans.

WHERE TO START?

Most flight paths lead to Manila, a huge, clamorous conurbation that is home to almost 10 million people. Visitors should make straight for Intramuros, the atmospheric old Spanish city with its cobbled streets and beautiful San Agustin church.

Intramuros is the one part of the metropolis where you get a real sense of history. Building started in the 1570s and it remains a monumental, if partially ruined, relic of Spanish occupation that is separated from the rest of Manila by its crumbling walls. Its stone houses and grassy courtyards remain much as they were when the Spanish regime came to an end in the 19th century.

You can walk from one end to the other in a few minutes. A good way to see it is by arranging a walking tour through the Intramuros Administration, based on the fifth floor of the Palacio del Gobernador (00 63 2 527 3138) or the Intramuros Visitor Centre (00 63 2 527 2961), which has a small office in the grounds of Fort Santiago.

WHERE TO STAY?

If you can stretch to £120 a night - a fortune by Filipino standards - make straight for the historic Manila Hotel (00 63 2 527 0011; www.manila-hotel.com.ph), which when it opened in 1912 was the epitome of colonial class and luxury. In 1935 the first Pan Am Trans-Pacific Clipper seaplane touched down in the bay outside, and Glenn Miller crossed the Pacific on the Clipper to play in the hotel's Fiesta Pavilion. It was bombed during the Second World War, but was rebuilt afterwards and resumed its position as one of the most regal establishments in the Orient. Recent guests include Bill Clinton, Prince Charles and Michael Jackson (but not at the same time).

In the old wing, you can stay in the suite where General Douglas MacArthur - the man Filipinos called "the Caesar of America" - lived during the War. A night in his suite costs £1,200. The lobby is a grand affair with black-and-white tiled flooring and oxblood velvet sofas. If even the standard rooms are beyond your means at $89 (£52), you can at least sip a Martini in the lobby while listening to a string quartet and watching the capital's elite strut by. The drink will cost around 120 pesos (P120 (£1.30)). The only foreign currency that's likely to get you anywhere in the Philippines is the dollar.

Elsewhere in the Philippines, you can stay anywhere from swanky resorts to a bamboo hut on a beach, though in rural areas the choice might be limited to a few beach huts or a tatty lodging, perhaps even without running water.

I NEED TO ESCAPE

Head for Quezon National Park, south-east of the capital, and climb Mount Banahaw - the country's most mystical mountain - through dense jungle and past crashing waterfalls. Considered sacred, the 2,188m peak has spawned a huge number of legends and superstitions: one says that every time a foreigner sets foot on the mountain it will rain. Some believe this is the new Jerusalem and that Christ set foot here. There are also those who say Banahaw's crater makes a perfect landing pad for UFOs, and hence is the site of a number of alien abductions. Aliens or not, Banahaw is a challenging but rewarding climb, with panoramic views of the surrounding country from the crater rim.

THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A HOLIDAY

Then head south to the Visayas. Everywhere you turn there seems to be another tropical beach or coral reef to be explored, usually with a ferry or banca (wooden outrigger boat) to take you there.

It was here that Ferdinand Magellan laid a sovereign hand on the islands for Spain. The Visayas were the scene of some of the bloodiest battles fought against the Japanese during the Second World War, and where General Douglas MacArthur waded ashore to liberate the country after his famous promise: "I shall return". There are nine major islands - Cebu (whose namesake is the main city of the Visayas, and their principal point of entry), Bohol, Guimaras, Samar, Leyte, Panay, Negros, Romblon and Siquijor. Despite recent efforts to turn Cebu into a major duty-free port, most of the islands remain lost in their own little world.

WHICH SHOULD I CHOOSE?

Head for the island of Bohol, which is everything good about the Philippines in one compact package. The island is an attractive, dozy sort of place where life in the barrios and hinterlands is on Filipino time and runs at a strictly Filipino pace. It is also site of some of the most wonderful old Spanish churches in the country. Bohol contains the iconic Chocolate Hills. Some geologists believe that these unique 40m mounds were formed from deposits of coral and limestone sculpted by centuries of erosion. Most locals, however, will tell you that the hills are the calcified tears of a giant, whose heart was broken by the death of a mortal lover. Most hotels or resorts on Bohol offer day trips for around P1,500 (£16). For something livelier, head for Boracay: the beach is one of the best anywhere, and the nightlife is tremendous.

I NEED ADVENTURE

Sibuyan Island, north-east of Boracay, is dominated by the saw-like bulk of Mount Guiting Guiting. It has one of the most pristine natural environments in the country, a fact that was recognised in 1996 when a large part of Sibuyan was declared a nature reserve. Sibuyan's isolation has given it five unique species of mammals, 131 species of bird and more fish species than anyone has yet been able to record. The shoreline boasts extensive mangroves that give way to seagrass and seaweed beds in the shallow waters, while further out, a halo of coral rings the island.

CAN I SEE CORAL CLOSE UP?

For a sizeable proportion of the two million tourists who visit the Philippines every year, the main attraction is its scuba diving. The abundance of exceptional dive sites and the high standard of diving instruction have made the archipelago one of the world's foremost diving destinations.

You can dive all year in the Philippines, where surface water temperatures hover between 25-28C at all times. On deeper dives, temperatures can drop to 22C due to upwellings of deeper, cooler water, so a wet suit is essential. Visibility depends on the water temperature, the strength of the current and wind direction, but is generally between 10-30m, which is as good as anywhere in the world.

Dive Worldwide UK (0845 130 6980; www.diveworldwide.com) offers a two-week trip to Puerto Galera including domestic transfers, 20 dives and accommodation at the Atlantis Beach Resort - one of the best in the area - for under £1,000. Two good online sources for more information are Dive Buddies Philippines (www.divephil.com) and Philippine Diver (www.diver.com.ph). Every major diving destination has dive shops licensed by the Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI). In these areas you will find equipment available for rent and diving courses on offer. If you have not been diving before and are unsure if you will take to it, try a gentle 20-minute "discovery dive", guided by an instructor, for about P1,500 (£16). The obligatory course for all beginners is the Open Water Diver Course, which costs around P8,500 (£94).

Every dive costs around £12, including rental of a boat and equipment (including a mask, booties, wet suit, fins, weight belt and air tanks). For night dives and more demanding technical dives, expect to pay around £6 extra. If you have booked a package, two dives a day will normally be included in the cost. Most of the established dive spots are in the Visayas, although if anything conditions are better in and around northern Palawan, with everything from shallow reefs to Second World War wrecks and isolated atolls to explore. Puerto Galera on Mindoro is difficult to beat for the range of dives that can be reached in minutes.

ANY OTHER WATER SPORTS?

White-water rafting is enjoying some prominence, with adventure-tour companies offering trips along the Chico and the Cagayan rivers, both in northern Luzon. One of the country's most experienced rafting and kayaking operators is Chico River Quest (00 63 920 205 2680, which also offers packages around Tuguegarao. Surfing is also becoming popular, with good waves in eastern Bicol, Catanduanes, around San Fernando in La Union and in eastern Mindanao.

MINDANAO: ISN'T THAT DANGEROUS?

Politically, the Philippines is a volatile place, with secessionist movements present in Mindanao and communist guerrillas active in a number of areas. Tourists, particularly divers, have been held hostage and killed by Islamic fundamentalists in this part of the Philippines. For Foreign Office advice call 0870 606 0290 or go to www.fco.gov.uk.

You are much more likely to fall victim to a tropical disease. To be on the safe side, consider jabs against Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and typhoid. Malaria is found only in isolated areas of southern Palawan and the Sulu archipelago, and few travellers bother with anti-malarials if they are sticking to the tourist trail. Dengue fever, a debilitating and occasionally fatal viral disease, is on the increase across tropical Asia. Many cases are reported in the Philippines each year, mostly during or just after the May-October wet season when the day-biting mosquito that carries the disease is active. There is no vaccine.

HOW DO I GET THERE?

British Airways and Philippine Airlines abandoned their direct flights from London to Manila years ago, so you will have to change planes in Paris, the Middle East or the Far East. Hong Kong is the best gateway to the Philippines, with frequent flights on Cathay Pacific to both Manila and Cebu. Singapore and Kuala Lumpur are worthwhile alternatives - particularly if you want to fly from Manchester. From London there's the additional possibility of flying Qatar Airways to Cebu.

Flying via the Middle East can be significantly cheaper than going straight to Hong Kong. In low season, London-Manila on Qatar Airways or Gulf Air costs around £500 return through discount agents, compared with £600-£700 on Cathay Pacific.

Because you cannot fly direct, the Philippines is off the map for most tour operators. One specialist is Philippine Island Connections UK (020-7404 8877; www.pic-uk.com). Audley Travel (01869 276 246; www.audleytravel.com) offers 14-night tailor-made itineraries from around £1,400, including flights with Cathay Pacific from Heathrow or Malaysia Airlines from Heathrow or Manchester.

Your passport must be valid for at least six months to visit the Philippines, and if you want to stay more than three weeks you will need a visa from the Embassy at 9a Palace Green, London W8 4QE (020-7937 1600; www.philemb.co.uk).

HOW SHOULD I GET AROUND?

If you are short of time, fly - it's cheap (usually less than £50 for a one-way trip), and there are dozens of flights every day from Manila to tourist destinations such as Palawan, Cebu and Boracay. The easiest and cheapest way to book from abroad is online. Philippine Airlines (www.philippineair.com) has a comprehensive domestic schedule, while two of the newer airlines, Air Philippines (www.airphils.com) and Cebu Pacific (www.cebupacificair.com), are catching up. As with no-frills airlines, you can get real bargains if you book in advance. The smaller Asian Spirit (www.asianspirit.com) offers unlimited travel on its flights for a month with its $300 (£175) Island Pass.

Ferries and bancas are the cheap and atmospheric alternative. There's a hierarchy of vessels, with proper ferries at the top, so-called big bancas (taking around 50 passengers) in the middle and ordinary bancas at the bottom. The major ferry lines - WG&A (www.wgasuperferry.com), Negros Navigation (www.negrosnavigation.ph), Sulpicio Lines (www.sulpiciolines.com) and Cebu Ferries (www.cebuferries.com) - all have regular sailings on routes between Manila and major cities throughout the Visayas and Mindanao.

Even in the dry season the ocean can get rough, so think carefully about whether you want to chance a ride on a small boat that looks ill-equipped or overcrowded. Though safety regulations are being tightened, ferry accidents remain common. The Philippines was the site of the world's worst peacetime sea disaster, in which at least 4,000 people were killed when the inter-island ferry Dona Paz collided with an oil tanker off Mindoro in 1987.

WHEN IN THE PHILIPPINES, TAKE A RIDE IN A JEEPNEY

The Jeepney is the ultimate Philippine icon. The original Jeepneys, cannibalised from vehicles left behind by departing Americans at the end of the Second World War, have evolved over the past five decades into the mass-produced mobile confections that you see on the streets today, impressively hung with chrome trinkets, gewgaws and sundry additions. Inside are strings of fairy lights, velour seats and cheap speakers thudding out disco music.

Many have galloping stallions stuck to the bonnet, supposedly indicative of the number of mistresses the driver has.

Millions of ordinary Filipinos depend on Jeepneys to get to school and the office, or to transport chickens and hogs to market. The vehicles are cramped and incredibly uncomfortable, usually holding about 20 passengers inside and any number of extras clinging to the back or sitting precariously on top. But Jeepneys are a great social equaliser; you will soon find yourself involved in jolly conversations with the rest of the passengers about your nationality, destination and marital status.

You can charter a Jeepney for the day to take you on sightseeing trips or from one place to the next. The rate very much depends on your bargaining skills, but expect to pay P500 (£5.50) for a two-hour trip, P1,000 (£11) for a day's hire.

WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE?

The Philippine Department of Tourism has an office in London, at 3rd Floor, 146 Cromwell Road, London SW7 4EF (020-7835 1100; www.wowphilippines.com.ph). Within the Philippines, the best sources of up-to-date information are guesthouses and hotels that cater to backpackers, most of which have noticeboards where travellers can swap tips and ideas.

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