14 things you need to know before you go to The Philippines

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Wondering whether you should go to the Philippines or not? Well here’s the easy answer, you absolutely have to! This beautiful country is so diverse there really is something for everyone. At the moment I feel that it’s quite on every backpacker’s radar but that isn’t to say it shouldn’t be! It boasts amazing beaches, loads of food and even some natural wonders of the world! And I can’t not mention how unbelievably welcoming the people are. Here are my tips for things you should know before you go to The Philippines!

1) You might want to have a look before you go…

Sorry to start off with a serious one, but it’s really important. If you have a look at the government website it shows that they advise against all travel to pretty much all the South of the Philippines. Although this might sound dramatic and a bit over the top, it is actually pretty dangerous. There’s conflict over military presence, terrorist threats and an increasing number of kidnapping and attacks where tourists are particularly being targeted.

Put simply, there are some places that are just a straight out no-go. But that doesn’t mean that everywhere is dangerous! Most places I went to I felt safe and many of the tourist areas have extra security and tourist Police around to help and advise on safety as well. Don’t let the media and warnings scare you off completely, it’s just a case of making sure you do your research about where you want to go in advance.

2) There are a lot of islands to choose from

7,107 in fact, and obviously no 2 are the same. Luzon is the largest island and home to the capital city, Manila but some are so small they disappear under a high tide.

3) The Philippines is beautiful

By that I mean it’s pretty much paradise. I visited Boracay, Palawan, Dumaguete and Bohol and each are stunning in their own way. From the powder soft sand on Boracay to the forests on Bohol, there’s so much to do and see and it really is like being in a real-life tropical postcard.

4) The Peso is the local currency

Sound’s fancy eh? The Philippine Peso roughly converts to £1=P62 so not gonna lie, I felt pretty damn minted here.

5) It’s very budget friendly

Food, drink and getting around are all very easy on the purse strings. Accommodation is also incredibly good value for money; you can stay at some seriously amazing hotels for a very reasonable price, so it’s a great place to get excellent value for money and experience some luxury.

6) English is widely spoken

The official Filipino language in Manila is Tagalog but there are actually well over 100 different languages spoken throughout this archipelago. However, English is also widely spoken so it’s easy to get around.

7) The people are incredibly friendly

No matter where I went and who I met I always felt incredibly welcome. There is quite an influence of Spanish and American culture here also, but ultimately it’s such a friendly place to visit and everyone’s pretty chilled out. You don’t get heckled by people trying to sell you stuff like in Thailand for example, just a polite ‘no thank you’ is accepted and it’s then done.

I would also like to take a moment to say a huge thank you to one of my best friend’s family for allowing Jess and I to be based in their home for an entire month. Their unbelievable kindness made for a fantastic start to our round the world trip!

8) There are 2 main ways to get around like a local

I dare say you will have heard of a Tuk Tuk but in the Philippines, they are known as Tricycles. They are brightly coloured, very affordable and absolutely everywhere. You can flag one down in the street or ask your hotel to help you get one. I LOVE using this kind of transport, it’s just good fun! The other main method of transport you will see are the brightly coloured buses called Jeepneys. They are also dirt cheap and equally as crazy as the tricycles.

9) Watch our stuff

When you’re driving through Manila you will see that there is a massive divide. There are literally skyscrapers on one side of the road and shanty towns on the other. It’s still a developing country so poverty is high here. Along with this, as is the case nearly everywhere, comes a lot of pickpocketing. Don’t make the mistake of having too much stuff on you and be careful where you walk, especially in the evenings.

10) The food is out of this world!

Prepare to have your senses explode on you with the delicious food the Philippines has to offer. Think delicious fresh fish cooked in banana leaves, sizzling pork and rice cooked in 100 different ways. One of my favourite meals out there was Pork Sisig which is made from various parts of the pig and is served on a sizzling hot plate with an egg. Divine!

11) They only have 2 seasons

Don’t get me wrong, travelling off-season can be great in a lot of places, but as the Philippines only has a dry season and a wet season, you might want to do your research to make sure you can actually do everything you want to. The dry season runs November-May and the wet season is June – October. Bear in mind that the wet season can be monsoons, and I’ve seen that there has very sadly been some awful flooding in parts of the country. The dry season is obviously the best time to go but it’s still pretty humid.

12) The traffic is insane

There is a LOT of traffic in Manila. The city is completely flooded with vehicles and you really can’t get anywhere fast. We actually nearly missed one of our flights while we were there because we just couldn’t move. On the islands I visited it was just as crazy but more from the tricycles whizzing all over the place. Be prepared to leave with plenty of time to spare.

13) Use the budget airlines

As my friend and I were based in Manila and travelled out to the different islands, I used the local budget airlines a fair amount. Cebu Pacific is great for short flights to hop around the islands quickly, and work the same as the European budget airlines where they allow a certain weight for hand luggage at no extra cost.

14) Tarsiers live here

Yep, you can see these absolute cuties here! They are one of the smallest primates, but they have absolutely massive eyes. They are even pictured on the Philippine Peso bills! The Philippines is also a fantastic place for scuba diving (which is something I regret not doing) and even spotting Whale Sharks!