Philippines

With 7,641 islands to explore, spilt across three vastly different regions of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, you’re certainly spoilt for choice if The Philippines is next on your travel bucket list.

Will you hit the beaches? You certainly should because this part of Asia has some of the best beaches in the world. And, with so many islands, ripe for island hopping, your might find yourself almost the only one on those beaches. I managed to achieve that rare experience of visiting a palm fringed beach of sweeping golden sands where a dog and two other people were the only visitors.

Even if beaches aren’t your thing, don’t worry – The Philippines is a country of diverse topography. From climbing volcanoes to visiting the lush green rice paddies of the Batad Rice Terraces, hiking to waterfalls and swimming in waterfalls, there’s plenty to do for the adventurous among you.

Speaking of adventure, don’t just blow through Manila. It’s a fun city with lots to see and do. You just need a lesson in how to get around Manila (because the traffic is gnarly and the rides something else).

And now for the controversial bit. I didn’t like the food in the Philippines. It was an utter shock to not like the food – it felt like the birthright of The Philippines to have good food, being located in Southeast Asia and surrounded by so many fantastic spices. I wasn’t quite expecting the food of Thailand or Vietnam. But I wasn’t expecting it to be so…well, bad. There, I said it. And I seem to have upset a fair few locals with my opinion. Sorry. But there we have it. You can read my opinion (and the feedback from the locals) in my popular article: Food in the Philippines: A Lingering Taste of Salty Disappointment.

And finally, make sure you get your visa sorted. Don’t do what I did and try to enter The Philippines on a one-way ticket. It just won’t wash and you’ll be left scrambling for an ‘at the airport‘ ticket purchase.

Philippines Travel Guides

9 Tips for Visiting the Philippines For the First Time

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palm trees in front of beach

Every now and then I come across a country and for one reason or another we don’t get on – that was my experience with the Philippines. Don’t get me wrong, the country is beautiful, the people even more so it really was not them – it was me. Three months breezing through Hawaii at the end of last year and time spent in Thailand have both given me a false sense of ease when it comes to travelling around islands. Relaxed entry requirements, and cheap flights and boats were the norm. However, in the Philippines, things are different and … Read more

Manila Sunday Brunch at the Sofitel Hotel – Review

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Sofitel Manila Sunday Brunch

After almost three weeks trying and unanimously failing to find food heaven in the Philippines, I stumbled across the food phenomenon that seizes the palette of wealthier Filipinos and ex-pats alike each weekend – the Sofitel Manila Sunday Brunch. I should start by saying that there is very little that is Filipino about the food that blossoms from the cooking stations of every high-end hotel in the city each Sunday except that they take place in Manila. Sure, there is usually a Filipino cooking station, serving first rate pig ears to those who want it, but mostly people are swarming … Read more

Food in the Philippines: A Lingering Taste of Salty Disappointment

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Food in the Philippines

“Food in the Philippines isn’t very good,” they were words from a fellow traveller and they came as a crushing blow. How could that be? I was in Asia – one of the cornerstones of the spice trade, a region that had sent its cuisine global with pandemic success.  The Philippines had to have good food, it was its geographical birthright.     I looked down into my plastic bowl of pale brown watery sauce and floating pig fat (no meat, just fat). The restaurant had been recommended to me, the dish I’d ordered all on my own.  Surely, it … Read more

How To Visit the Batad Rice Terraces in the Philippines

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Batad Rice Terraces

My visa for the Philippines expires in two days so I was determined to take a trip to the north of Luzon and the Cordillera mountains to visit the Batad rice terraces. The terraces are dubbed the ‘eighth wonder of the world’ and although I have come across many self-proclaimed ‘eighth wonders’ on my travels, I’d say that the stunning emerald-green Batad rice terraces could well take the title. If you find yourself in the Philippines, this journey is definitely worth the effort (and it can feel like an effort with a minimum 18-hour round trip on broken roads from … Read more

How To Get Around Manila

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How To Get Around Manila

Manila, like any capital city is a sprawling mass meaning you’ll need to investigation various forms of transport to see the sights – having navigated the Philippine’s main city (with varying degrees of success) here’s my guide for how to get around Manila. Taxi The huge plus to Manila is that the taxis are super cheap compared to most capital cities and if you’re feeling nervous, lost, lazy, too hot or all of the above, catching a taxi can be a great option. There are two main types of taxi – the yellow airport taxis and the white metered taxis. … Read more

Entry Requirements For The Philippines – One Way Tickets

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Entry requirements for the philippines

I’ve been a fan of one-way tickets for some time now, mainly because of the flexibility they lend to my travels, but this buy and fly method doesn’t always work, as I discovered this morning when I was introduced to the stringent entry requirements for the Philippines. Booking A Flight To The Philippines I booked my ticket to the Philippines for two reasons – with over 7,000 islands to explore, there was surely some sand-based fun to be had and, equally importantly, a one-way ticket cost me under $50 from Kuala Lumpur. Air Asia confirmation received, I flew just over … Read more