Philippines
Philippines being one of the budget travel destinations, with an experience of a nature so unique and perfect, with white sand beaches, tropical vibes, a friendly locality and its towering volcanoes makes it stand out.
Philippines, an archipelagic country situated in Western Pacific Ocean, Southeast Asia; consists of 7,641 islands- some remote and deserted, while some densely populated, are beautiful and dashing in every way.
It’s a beach bum’s delight country, with a coastline stretching across 3,000 km. divided into three regions- Luzon, Visayas and Mindanas. The country is known for its beautiful white sand beaches and rich bio-diversity, attracting tourists, worldwide.
With vast contradictions in its landscapes and activities, Philippines suit all holiday taste travellers with a slice of culture. Some of the most popular tourist activities and sightseeing places include heritage town and monuments, beaches, mountains, its tropical vegetation, rainforests, diving spots and its historical and traditional heritage. It has world’s highest endemism rate for bird species, making it a bio-diversity hotspot.
It’s a popular tourist destination offering variety of experiences, catering to tourists interested in wildlife, entertainment, adventure and even its nightlife.
The country’s underwater has been enamored, a paradise for surfing, diving and snorkeling. There are various other water sports to look out for, namely, wake-boarding, sailing, kite surfing and jet-skiing.
The islands are a home to 37 volcanoes, 18 of which are still alive.
A combination of every possible thing one looking for makes Philippines a place worth visit and an experience beyond imagination.
THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN PHILIPPINES
Boracay Island beach capital of Philippines with more than 12 beaches.
Manila’s old city, for insights of history and culture of the country, showcased through its lucid its lucid infrastructure and monuments.
The emerald green rice terraces of Banaue, for serpentine landscapes of these, terraces, unique to the place.
Sagada, Northern tribal region in Cordillera Mountains and tribal regions therein.
Cagayan De Oro, adventure capital of Philippines, famous for its river tubing, paragliding and white water river rafting and for its natural parks.
Iligan, Northern Mindanas home to some of the greatest and most beautiful waterfalls, namely, Tinago falls, Maria Cristina Falls and the highest two-tiered Limunsudan Falls.
Puerto Princesa Underground River, Palawan, longest of its kind in the world; with limestone sites you mustn’t miss visiting.
Vigan, for its 16th Century charm, an addition in New 7 wonders since 2015.
Manila Ocean Park in Manila; with an aquarium tunnel, experiencing ray and shark encounters.
Typical Costs When Travelling
Accommodation – The country has variety of accommodation options, suiting needs of all kinds of travelers.
If you’re a private person looking to stay in budget options, you can rent a non-shared room with private and attached bathroom for $26 per night, in well rated hostels or guesthouse.
Hostels are quite rare to find on the islands. However, budget options for stay could amount to $12 to $25 per night.
Places with hostel options and its price range (per night) are:
- Cebu: $6 to $15
- El Nido: $10 to $17
- Siargao Island: $7 to $12.
Even good accommodation isn’t very expensive in Philippines, with moderate or average rooms cost around $25 to $40 per night; at times, inclusive of breakfast.
If you’re able to splurge, you’ll easily find a number of options to choose from, between luxury and boutique hotels.
Food – There are plenty of local street food outlets and vendors, with quality and hygienic options, letting you save on food. The food usually is fresh and healthy at most of the local eatery places costing about $15 per person & day.
Western fast food chains and mid-range restaurants are plenty, offering comfortable sitting options with a little view to nice scenery. The average cost of having meals at such places would amount to $20 per person & day.
Manila is food haven when it comes to Philippines, with irresistible variety and options to choose from. Here you have many fancy places to dine, opening you to choose from different cuisines and its variety food.
Transportation – Stick to ferries if you’re low on cash and avoid flights, capable of adding a huge lump to your budget. The best way to get around islands is through ferries, from Cebu Pier to Tubigon, costing around $12 per person and return fare (inclusive of luggage and terminal charges) around $21 per person.
However, if you limit you trip to one or two major islands of the country, it can cut down your expense when it comes to transport, as there are good buses helping you travel across some of the larger islands, such as Luzon, preferred choice of transportation to Manila.
Taxis are another widely available mode of transportation, but you can opt for local options such as tricycle and jeepneys, flexible and further low cost option.
Suggested daily budget –
It is however on a little higher side of budget compared to its other Southeast Asian counter parts, such as Malaysia and Indonesia. On other countries of the continent, you’ll be spending amount $30 per head, whereas, in Philippines, you’re expected to spend $45 approximately per person and day.
An approximate daily budget suiting different traveller’s needs, (per person) are:
- Budget travellers/ backpackers: $40
In this budget, you’re expected to stay in hostel dorms (if lucky, in non-shared rooms), eat out at local eateries and majority street food and travel in jeepney or tricycle.
- Moderate/ Mid-range budget travellers: $40 to $95
With the above stated budget, you can travel comfortably, but not luxuriously. You can rent an air-conditioned double occupancy room, eat restaurant meals with drinks and rent motorcycle to get around the main island.
- Luxury travellers: $100 and upwards
You can do everything you wish to do and in style with this kind of budget. You can also enjoy adventure and water sports alongside an island resort.
Visit Best Travel Agency Philippines for cheap hotels and flight bookings
Money Saving Tips
1
Eat at local outlets or have street food.
Philippines has some of the best and quality street food with variety. Rice and fish, also staple diet on smaller islands, is quite inexpensive.
2
Hitch hike
Hitch hiking is very normal here, and an added advantage if you’re travelling solo, as you come across different people and get a local insight to the place.
3
Look for Air Asia Flight sale.
Air Asia offers good discounts on flights twice or even more in a year. Book your flights during such sale period, helping you save some extra money on your travels.
4
Haggle during purchases
It is a place where you can haggle for your purchases as mostly Filipinos quote a higher amount. Make sure you compare your prices before making any purchases.
5
Stick to your estimated daily budget
Make sure you do not cross your stipulated budget way too much. Staying within your budget would help you sustain during your travels.
6
Go for ‘hostel’ instead of ‘hotels’
You can choose to stay in hostels (in case you’re a private person, you can opt for non-shared rooms) rather than going for hotels that make a hole in your pocket.
0
February 1, 2020
