Travel tales and tips for places to go in Philippines by asiahotels.com

Traveller's Tales: Places to go and see in Philippines

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J Gils	29 March 2004
Stayed at Bayview Park Hotel Manila - Manila, Philippines.
My friend and I booked a trip through the hotel reception to go Banaue rice terraces. This was a great experience and I guess the funniest thing was taking a tricycle from the Banaue hotel into the village and the tricycle not being able to get up the hotel driveway with 1 125 kg New Zealander and the other 85 kg New Zealander, the bike started sliding back down the driveway so my friend and I got off and waited for him at the top of the drive, a funny moment for us and all those watching. We ate a couple of times at Aristocrat in Manila but the favourite place to eat came across the road from the hotel along the Manila bay waterfront with the wonderful street lights, music and eateries. The taxis were good as well, in my 10 days there I had no problem at all, courteous, happy, chatty (apart from one), and always knew where we wanted to go.
A Cayaban	22 March 2004
Stayed at City Garden Suites Manila - Manila, Philippines.
City Gardens was a great taking-off point for our trip. It was close to Chow-King which was convenient since we landed quite late in the evening and needed some Filipino comfort food after the long flight. Convenience store and Robinson's shopping mall are very close for any last minute provisions (bought new shoes and shirts here so that it was possible to pack extremely light). Upon checkout, we flew to Baguio City and stayed at Camp John Hay where we hired a driver to take us for a tour of the city (very fun! And the nightlife was really great too!). Then we flew back and stayed at Edsa Shangri-La in Mandaluyong City (very enjoyable... the massage service was so relaxing! Great central location for shopping!) We also took a day-trip to Tagaytay, crossed the lake on an outrigger canoe and ascended the volcano on horseback. All in all... a very fun and memorable trip!
M Aikens	10 March 2004
Stayed at Fraser Place Serviced Residences - Manila, Philippines.
The most wonderful experience I had in Bohol was the dolphin watching, got to see tons of them! Bring some ear plugs because the outrigger boat's engine was very noisy. Make sure you ask for a life vest or bring one if you have.They only have 4 life vests on board and most of them were tattered. My father-in-law ended up not wearing one. If you have motion sickness skip this trip. It was such a rough 11/2 hour ride going back to the shore. The Chocolate Hills are amazing! Definitely one of the wonders in the world. The Tarsiers, the smallest monkey (actually Primates) are so adorable and cute.What a cuddly looking creature! The Ananyana Beach resort was great and very private. It was high tide when we visited , there were seaweeds scattered by the shore so the water didn't look very clean. The food in the Ananyana was very expensive but it was excellent. I was surprised how nice the Greenbelt 2 Mall was. You can find upscale boutiques and local made stores. I would recommend buying Philippine made products. It's very cheap because US dollar is much stronger. Lots of good restaurants with excellent foods also. My husband and his parents had such a wonderful time in the Philippines and we are planning to come back in 3 years. He is even thinking of retiring in this beautiful country were people are very friendly.
K Jaggard	23 February 2004
Stayed at Lorenzo Resort Main - Boracay (Aklan), Philippines.
I found the island to be just what I was looking for - somewhere nice to relax from the the crystal clear waters and white sands. A must do is to take one of the outrigger boats, for sailing is very very reasonably priced and is a great way to relax. Along the beach we found our favourite to be Lea's Bar which is just back from the beach, an open air bar and great to pull up a chair sipping cocktails and watching the sun set. Which we did every night, a most civilised way to end an evening. We also did a hike to Mt Luhio, I think that is how you spell, it it is the highest point on the island and gives you a great overview of all of Boracay. I think it is a great place to visit and you have the option of doing lots or doing nothing which I think is great for a holiday destination and perfect for everyone. If anyone has any questions feel fee to email me and I will answer them if I can. And if you do decide to go to Boracay, enjoy yourself as much as I did. A great place to eat is at Pier One, yummmy!
D Svec	22 February 2004
Stayed at City Garden Suites Manila - Manila, Philippines.
Down the street on Mabini at the intersection with Padre Fuera, there is a good, broadband internet cafe. There are also Equitable and PNB banks on the corners which can accept ATM cards from the USA. (Using ATM's at banks in PI to get cash are usually a challenge). You can travel all over the place by cab for about 20 to 35 pesos.
M Legaspi	10 February 2004
Stayed at Legend Hotel Palawan, The - Palawan, Philippines.
Before I came to Palawan, I read a few travel guides on Puerto Princesa. I emailed a safari cruiser and a writer as well---Bruce Curran, and he referred me to Chikee Denosta, manager of the Palawan Airport Village hotel. My friend and I got to Puerto a few minutes after 9:00 am on a bright Sunday. I met Chikee later on before checking in the Legend Hotel. A few minutes later, we were out discovering the city. Puerto Princesa (meaning Princess of Ports) is a bustling industrious city. Its main source of income is tourism and agriculture. Our first stop was the Butterfly Garden. Here, we actually saw a butterfly getting out of the cocoon and mating butterflies. (We were supposed to go to the Crocodile Farm, but it's closed on Sundays.) Next stop was the house of deceased former Senator Mitra. The house had a good view of the Honda Bay, so we took a few pictures there. It was just after 11am. Next stop is Honda Bay. We set out to Sta. Lourdes Wharf, where the docking station was located. Honda Bay consists of about 9 islands: Cowrie, Bat Island, Luli (for Lulubog-Lilitaw) Island, Meara Marina, Starfish Island, Snake Island, Pandan Island and Dos Palmas. Our tour (Php 600.00) included Pandan, Snake and Starfish. Some of the islands you can get in free, while some you have to pay an entrance fee. Dos Palmas is the most expensive. In Pandan Island, we did a bit of swimming, sunbathing and snorkelling. We then sailed to Snake Island--an island name because of the way it was shaped. I love Snake Island. There, you can snorkel and feed the fish. They will really come to you! Plus the view was amazing--clear white sand stretched in the shape of a snake. It was a beauty. Finally, we went to Starfish Island. In fact, we came upon a starfish already at Snake Island, but here there were more. Just so sad that rain poured that afternoon, so we got stuck on the sheds. When we got back to the Wharf, our tricycle man was there. (We paid him Php 500.00 for the city tour, plus the ride to the wharf.) He brought us to VietVille (Little Saigon)-- a place where Vietnamese had found their homes after the time of wars. They serve great french bread for only Php 5.00 here! Afterwards, we were taken to a nearby hot springs resort. Here, you can rent a "room" which had a sort of hot springs jacuzzi in it. Rent ranges from Php 100 to Php 200 for any number of people. We went back to the hotel to change for dinner. Chikee, my friend and I had dinner at Balinsasayaw (derived from a type of bird), where we heaped ourselves grilled squid, calamares and grilled pork liempo. After dinner, we went to the Palawan Airport Village Hotel and Kamarikutan Coffee and Art Gallery. Kamarikutan is known to be a sacred place, and every year, Joey Ayala plays here to chant some music. Day one was finally over. Day 2: Underground River trip. If you’re less than 3, take the jeep. Earliest trip is at 6pm. Last trip from Sabang is at 2pm. (Bring also a packed lunch if you want.) After waiting for more than an hour at the San Jose loading station, we finally began our mountainous tour to Sabang. 2 hours after a very jerky jeepney ride, we were welcomed by the majestic view of South China sea. For travelers going to the Undergound River, you have to pay a Php 150.00 payment for the permit. Then another Php 500.00 for the boat ride. 6 people can be accommodated per boat, so the more, the cheaper. The boat ride (30 mins) will take you to the entrance of the Underground River. If you plan to stay overnight, you can rent a room at Sabang and take the trek to the Underground River. From a pump boat, you will have to switch to a paddle boat, for touring the Underground River. Again, our tourguide was very accommodating and he offered more information than I could handle. The Underground river is 8.5 km long, but the tour was only 1.5 km. Why? Because the boats need to go back in order to accommodate more travelers. The Underground River has one of the world's best limestone carvings and is one of the wonders of the world. We got back to Puerto Princesa town proper around 430. We went straight to Nasin-aw White Beach to catch the setting sun. Here, beaches close at 6pm. Dinner was late, but superb. We ate at KaLui's, a famed seafood restaurant at Rizal Avenue (where the airport was also located). We had shrimp, blue marlin and seafood sisig...yummy! For some late night fun, go to Kinabuch's. It’s a favorite hangout, mostly for students. It had a bar, billiards, and great music. People stay up there till 2 to 3 am. We stayed there for quite a while and ended the day at 1am. Phew! For pasalubong, you can buy salted fish or cashew nuts. Buy at the airport or at the market. It was a wonderful trip, I must say. Short and fun. We had made friends with most of the townspeople and learned a lot of things about Puerto Princesa and Palawan. I would really want to go back sometime soon.
R Trent	02 February 2004
Stayed at Camp John Hay Manor - Baguio City, Philippines.
Baguio is a very unique city with lots to do and see. Getting around by cab is easy and cheap, although they may be hard to catch in the evenings. Great shopping at SM Baguio, Session Road and various markets. Places to relax include Burnham Park, Philippine Military Academy and Camp John Hay. There are lots of spots with great views and historical value. I recommend three days and three nights to take in all of Baguio.
M Yokohama	02 January 2004
Stayed at Dusit Hotel Nikko - Manila, Philippines.
I visited Moalboal located in the south-west part of Cebu Island. Moalboal is famous for diving. The resort (Panagsama Beach) is compact. So, visitors can reach all accommodations, restaurants, souvenir shops, bars, sari sari stores and diving shops within ten minutes walk only. The beach has very little sand but, you can get to powdery sanded White Beach by 15 minutes tricycle ride.
A Njoo	28 December 2003
Stayed at West Gorordo Hotel Cebu - Cebu City, Philippines.
I visited Cebu with some local friends, they were the ones who showed me around. Places to see are Tops (nice view from the hills), Sunflower (entertainment center), Ayala center (shopping mall), Taoist temple.
L Galletch (2nd stay)	24 November 2003
Stayed at Cebu City Marriott Hotel - Cebu City, Philippines.
We would recommend that you take the Super Cat fast boat from Cebu and travel to Island of Bohol (a 90 minute ride). There are several excellent resorts on Panglao Island (a small Island a short distance from Tagbilaran City) we would recommend the Alona Palm Beach Resort on Panglao Island. This is a super place to stay and a very good value, the 12 units of the resort are very modern and well built with all amenities including satellite TV. A good side trip would be to go Bohol Chocolate Hills and the Hinagdanan Cave.

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